A little project of my own I'll call 'Sirius's death'—my way

"Avada Kedavra!" Bellatrix's voice sprang from her mouth and echoed deafeningly throughout the hall, ringing with a clear mark of hate and a thread of anger. The blast blazed like a fiery flare, but hit him like a missile. It glanced off one shoulder, but another blow soon came, knocking Sirius square in the chest. The sudden force knocked Sirius backwards, off his feet, and towards the thick, heavy veil. As he was pressed back, fury, abhorrence, and disbelief raged in his suddenly-cold, blank eyes. Harry saw the spell cast and turned in time to watch his godfather fall back. "No!" He cried, incredulity in his voice. He didn't believe it...He didn't want to believe it. Harry tried to reach Sirius, but something unseen kept him back. Sirius, in a mad attempt to recover, transformed to the familiar black dog with disheveled fur. He rolled from his back and steadily lifted a tentative, shaking paw. It was placed on the ground before him, then another was slowly brought forth...but it collapsed beneath Sirius as it was tenderly laid down. Bellatrix went to the side of her cousin and glared down at him, laughing wildly with odium. Her cruel voice failed, though, as she caught a slight movement, a small change. Sirius was becoming a man again. His paws stretched and became trembling hands as his tail vanished and his pointed ears moved from the top of his head and became rounded at the edges, as well as paler and skin-colored again. Soon, there was nothing more of the dog left, and Sirius was struggling to reach his feet...but failed. He collapsed again onto the ground, unable to make another effort to get up. His strength failed, there was no more chance for Sirius to live. Slowly, the rage and fire in his eyes diminished. But that wasn't enough for Bellatrix. He had escaped Azkaban. She would be sure to make it impossible for him to escape death. She pulled back a leg, then brought it driving forward into the body's side, kicking it in the direction of to veil. A low grunt sounded from the general direction of her feet, and while Bellatrix looked down in wonderment, a hand grabbed her left ankle and tugged her down to lay by her cousin. "I'm not dead yet!" Sirius shouted as loud as his lungs would let him. That, however was not much higher than a whisper. The Death Spell was slowing his heart and closing his lungs...but he was strong. Most would have been killed instantly, but Sirius...he was a fighter, a fighter whose battle was not yet finished. "I may die this night. But I'm not going alone!" Harry's ears stung at the first five words. Sirius couldn't die! Not now...not like this. Sirius managed to pull his wand out and direct its attention to Bellatrix. "Avada Keda..." But he stopped. His vacant eyes turned to his godson. He wouldn't let him see him take a life. That was no way to go...having the only family you had thinking of you badly. His spell changed. "Stupefy!" Bellatrix fell back stiffly. Moody stunned two Death Eaters before reaching his friend. Crouching down, he helped Sirius to his feet gradually, sparing time for the wounded man. Once standing, Sirius put much of his weight on Moody, counting on him to keep him up. But then his grip around Moody loosened and broke; soon he was falling again...This time...his destination was not the cold floor. His feet had slipped sideways beneath and eventually met the veil. Sirius slid back behind the dark cloak. "Sirius!" Harry cried, trying to drag Lupin to the blanket of obscurity...but failing. Lupin held Harry back with all the strength he had, restraining him with every muscle he possessed. 'Surely Sirius lived. He must have survived!' Harry reassured himself. But even as he did so, and watched the curtain for any movement what so ever, doubt snuck up on him. In a mad rush to push it away, Harry ran toward the veil, but was stopped before another movement could be made. Lupin had him by the arm, guiding him away. They had to leave, but Harry wouldn't easily accept that. He struggled to reach the veil. It was, for a moment, in his grasp; he took advantage of the instance to tug it. In a flutter it fell to the ground, limp and in soft folds of fabric. Upon its decent to the ground, the veil revealed Sirius. He lay in silence, eyes staring into the abyss coldly. Strands of deep ebony hair streamed across his hot, still startled face. "Harry!" Lupin had hold of him again. He glanced at the body of his departed friend; a look of unease and sorrow crept over his already pale face. But he could do nothing to bring back his old friend, and he knew it well. His head bowed. "When a man looks into the abyss...there's nothing looking back at him...Nothing, except death. We must leave him, Harry." But Harry wouldn't hear of it. They couldn't just leave Sirius! He was his godfather! He was Lupin and Moody's friend! Something had to be done.

There was no time, though. They had to get out of there. Taking a slow step back, Harry took a last look at Sirius. He was still motionless, his spirit gone. His last breath was taken and long past. All that remained was the cold shell of what Sirius had been. And the memories he'd left behind to be kept...and treasured, by most who'd known him. Finally, Sirius's godson breathed in deeply, and turned away...He put his back to Sirius. He allowed Lupin to silently lead him out of the room as he attempted to contain all emotions. Harry allowed a single tear only, though his heart cried for his deceased godfather...and the only man he'd ever considered family.