AN. Thank you, thank you to all those who have submitted reviews. I really appreciate it – it's very encouraging to know people are reading and (hopefully) enjoying it; I've just started writing fic and this is only my second story! Jinny. (One more chapter epilogue to go...)

Sirius stretched a disbelieving arm out towards Harry. The hand broke though the surface of the mirror and waggled in front of him. Next moment, Sirius' entire body had followed suit. It was like watching someone step through a waterfall.

"Harry!" he cried again. His grey eyes were dark with apprehension. "What are you doing here? You're not – Please tell me you're not! - "

"Dead?" Harry said with a breathless laugh. "No, not me. Just visiting. Sirius..is it really you this time? Last time I tried to hug you, you turned into a demon thing!"

Sirius gave his barking laugh, and flung back his long dark hair. It gleamed in glossy health. In fact, Harry had never seen him look so well. "Yes, it's me. Snuffles. Padfoot. Satisfied now?"

"Sirius." Harry beamed with satisfaction. Next moment, they were hugging each other fiercely. Harry felt tears welling up again, but this time in joy.

"Harry. It is so good to see you. But what are you doing here? You shouldn't be here, it's really dangerous."

But from the light in Sirius' eyes, Harry knew that really he was proud of his daring. It was an exploit worthy of the Marauders in their prime.

"So how are you?" Sirius stared intently into his face.

And then it all gushed out. Harry knew he really should save all this for later, that his friends and Snape outside would be getting anxious (well, perhaps not Snape), but he couldn't help himself. It had been so long since he had seen Sirius.

"Now listen to me," Sirius said. "I mean this, Harry. It was –not – your – fault. Get it?"

"But if I hadn't been tricked…"

Sirius shook him gently. "Then Voldemort would have found some other way to get you to the Department of Mysteries, and I would still have gone rushing after you and ignored anyone who told me otherwise. Or that toe-rag Kreacher would've found some other way to stuff me up. Look, Harry, I mean this. It was my choice. The biggest, the worst regret is that it meant I ended up leaving you. But it wasn't your fault, and I know I can trust Dumbledore and Lupin to look after you."

Harry smiled up at him, his eyes gleaming in anticipation. Sirius was going to be so pleased with the next bit! "But Sirius, it's all right, you don't have to leave me! The best part of it is, we can bring you back with us!"

Sirius looked cautious suddenly. "What do you mean, Harry?"

"Essence of Mag Mell, the potion that brought us here, we brought enough to take you back with us as well…"

The smiled faded on Harry's lips. Sirius did not appear suitably elated. In fact, he was rubbing his chin distractedly and looking at Harry with something oddly akin to pity on his face.

Snape was pacing now, within the small circle of fire he had drawn. Occasionally he muttered under his breath. From time to time he glanced upwards, as though trying to read something in the heavens.

Ron and Hermione huddled next to each other. Time was marching on. Oh, for something to slow down time, Hermione thought desperately. But probably it wouldn't function properly in this place anyway. She had a suspicion that time worked quite differently here.

Snape's hooked nose was silhouetted against the flames. He turned towards them.

"It is time to leave, Weasley, Granger."

"But Harry –"

"We have had this conversation already, I believe."

Snape looked extremely forbidding. Ron and Hermione slowly got to their feet.

The expression on Snape's face turned to one of sheer exasperation. "And I am sure we have had this conversation already as well. Stop pointing your puny little wands at me!"

Sirius was compassionate.

"It wouldn't work, Harry," he said quietly. "No, Harry, don't look at me like that. It won't work. Really." He gripped Harry's shoulder. "You see, Harry, I am not part of the mortal living world any longer. I can't go back, not like this, not with a potion. On the other hand, I'm not part of the mortal world of death either. I am here in Mag Mell, and this is not a proper place for us. Can't you tell? Every bone of this land resists our presence."

Harry was dismayed. It was as though Dudley Dursley had punched him, hard, in the stomach. "But – but – "

"Now," said Sirius, to distract him. "Tell me all about how you got here."

Harry obeyed. Part of his mind continued to run painfully on the fact that he wouldn't be taking Sirius back with him after all. But he was with him here, and now, and he had to make the most of it.

Sirius listened seriously to all Harry had to say. A frown was gathering on his face.

"You mean you've been sitting here with me all this time, Harry, when Lord Voldemort could be coming back any minute?"

"Er – " Harry was abashed.

"And, Harry. What you said about Snape.. I can't believe he used Avada on you, the greasy-haired git!"

Harry twitched uncomfortably. "He was trying to save us, Sirius. Voldemort was following him around so he didn't have a whole lot of choice..and he did save us from the Bane Birds as well, twice…"

Sirius looked mutinous. "I don't care. There is always more going on with Snivellus Snape than meets the eye. Don't trust him, Harry, understand?"

This advice was so exactly in line with Harry's natural inclinations that he had no trouble at all nodding his head and taking Sirius' words to heart.

"And another thing," Sirius continued darkly, warming to his theme, "why did Snape let you come here? And all on your own, as well?"

"Hermione convinced him – she said he owed us, and this was Mag Mell, so he had to pay."

"Won't wash," Sirius said shortly. "Interactions between mortals aren't subject to the same rules. Snivellus must have had his own reasons. I don't like this, Harry. I don't like it at all. Listen, talk to Lupin about it when you get back, OK? It's the one thing Dumebledore just has this real blind spot about – he will persist in thinking he can trust Snape."

Sirius shook himself. "Never mind. We don't want to spend our time together talking about oily old Snivelly. In fact, Harry.. I really think we'd better see about getting you back."

Sirius grinned at him, but Harry knew Sirius too well. The cheer on his face was just that little bit too forced. His Godfather didn't really want him to go.

He remembered the previous scene in the mirror, which had (he thought achingly) obviously been just a mirage. And yet, it had reminded him of something, something that woman (?) on the shore had said.

"I could stay with you," he said abruptly. "I could eat something. I'd be stuck here then, wouldn't I?"

"Harry." Sirius rumpled Harry's black hair. "You know you couldn't do that, right?"

Harry did know. He looked at his feet, and kicked a random stone out of the way.

"Besides," Sirius went on. Harry shot him a quick look. The glint of mischief was back in Sirius' voice. "You don't think I'm planning on just sitting here, do you?"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked. His hopes began to soar again.

Sirius considered him thoughtfully. "I really shouldn't tell you this. But when did I ever let that stop me, eh? Poor old Molly," he added affectionately. Harry was reminded of all the times in 12, Grimmauld Place when Mrs Weasley had attempted, ineffectually, to stop Sirius telling him of matters she considered too dangerous or disturbing for him, Hermione and Ron to know.

"OK, Harry, this is how I see it." Sirius was guiding Harry towards a walled garden not far away. "This isn't a good place for me to be. Oh, it's a marvellous place in its way. This is Tir na nOg, did you realize that?" (Harry hadn't. He filed the name away until he could consult with Hermione.) "That's the Land of Youth. Elysium, it's called sometimes. But it's a faerie realm, Harry. Mortals don't really fit. It's like – "

Sirius paused thoughtfully and regarded the sky.

"This is a place of ancient, heavy magic. It runs deeper than worlds. It's as if a bird had got trapped in the old, gnarled roots of a tree instead of up where it belonged, in the branches.."

They were entering the walled garden now. The air was heady with the scent of herbs and flowers.

"So what are you going to do?" Harry asked, fascinated.

"Do? One of two things! I'm just resting up a bit, and then I'll be on my way. Either I'll find my way to the mortal resting place, and join Lily and James at last, or –"

"What? Or what?"

"Or I'll find the Cauldron of Bran." Sirius' eyes gleamed. "And then, Harry, it's you I'll be coming back to. Because the Cauldron of Bran restores the dead to mortal life."

They were standing now before a door set in crumbling old stones. It was weathered and mossy, and its latch was encrusted with lichens.

Harry and Sirius looked at each other. "OK, "Sirius said gruffly. "This is what you need to do, right? I'll open this door, and you must think really hard of your mates and the Valley of the Palace of Bones. That'll get you back to Ron and Hermione, and" (Sirius tried to suppress a grimace, but didn't really manage it) "to Snape."

"You need to go now, Harry," Sirius said gently. His eyes were glistening, as well as Harry's.

He opened the door. Harry looked through. All he saw was a swirling mass of grey matter, flecked with impossible colours.

"Remember," Sirius said sharply. "Take your mind off me. You need to concentrate on where you're going. And Harry, don't come back. It really is too dangerous with Voldemort's shade floating around. Besides -"

Harry took one last, longing look at his Godfather. Sirius was laughing now, a new energy vibrating in his body.

"Besides," Sirius went on. "I may not be here. I'm off – as Dumbledore puts it - on the next great adventure!"

That was the last thing Harry heard as he stepped through the door. The Valley of the Palace of Bones, he muttered to himself. The Valley of the Palace of Bones.

He was there! He blinked in the darkness while his eyes readjusted themselves. Now, where were his friends?

"OI!" he suddenly yelled indignantly. "WAIT FOR ME!"

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