Chapter 13.-The return of Sirius Black.

Buffy opened her eyes and gasped as she saw the body. Black hair spilled out to the floor, his thin face was expressionless and robes covered his body.

"Oops." Buffy muttered to herself before rushing over to the man's side. The adults followed her, and as they saw the face of the man, they gasped. "Is he dead?" Buffy asked, not noticing the adults shocked faces.

"He's supposed to be." Charlie whispered, and the man stirred, groaning and opening his eyes, his blue eyes searching the room.

"What's wrong?" A voice asked from the side of the room, and all the adults turned to the owner of the voice. Harry stood next to Ron, a concerned look flitting across his face. He started to move forward, but Arthur jumped in front of him, his hands level with Harry's chest.

"I think it best if you don't come near, Harry." Arthur said, and Harry looked at Buffy.

"What's wrong, Buffy?"

"Harry?"

The room was plunged into silence, and a disbelieving look flitted across Harry's face. His eyes trailed from Buffy face, to the group on the floor.

"Sirius?" Harry's voice was cracked, and he pushed past Arthur, who only half heartedly tried to stop him. "Sirius?" He repeated, and the group surrounding Sirius parted so Harry could approach him. Harry's smile that had been growing ever since he had pushed past Arthur was large; the largest smile Buffy had seen Harry wear in the time she had known him.

Sirius sat up, a grin on his thin face as he studied his godson. "You alright Harry?" He said before Harry engulfed him in a tight hug, and Sirius embraced him equally tightly.

"You're back. You're alive!" Harry said, his face buried in Sirius' hair.

"Apparently so." Sirius joked, his eyes shining with tears as he held on to his god son.

Buffy grinned; it was so good to see Harry happy. His eyes had life and light flooding back into them now, and Buffy was glad. All this boy needs is some luvin'. Buffy was especially ecstatic, because not only was Harry cheerful, but Sirius was back. Buffy could be reunited with her favourite Marauder.

"Who brought me back?" Sirius asked, parting from Harry and taking Arthur's and Harry's hands to help him stand up. Buffy walked forward, but Sirius caught sight of Lupin and grinned. "Remus! How are you mate?" He asked, slapping Lupin on the shoulder.

"How was death?" Lupin asked, and Sirius smiled.

"Surprisingly dull." He responded and Buffy was shocked. Dull? How could it be dull? Sirius would either had of been in hell, suffering an age of torment, or he would have been in heaven, living in peace.

"Where were you?" Buffy asked, and Sirius looked at her, surprised. His blue eyes were searching her green ones, and Buffy felt her breath hitch in her throat. She had forgotten how intense his eyes were. Sirius did not seem to recognize who Buffy really was and he told her where had been.

"A dimension where people wait for their time." Sirius replied.

"Time?"

"Apparently, it was not my time to die, so they kept me back, so I could be brought back to life, or so this guy said."

Buffy grinned. She had feeling that she knew who was the guy was, but she wanted Sirius to clarify it for her. "This guy?"

"Goes by the name Whistler." Sirius elaborated, his brows furrowed. "Who are you?" Sirius asked, and Buffy grinned.

"I brought you back." Buffy said simply and Sirius smiled.

"Thank you." He said genuinely, shaking her hand vigorously. "Do you have a name?" Buffy grinned, and Sirius felt a hint of recognition. "Buffy. Buffy Evans." He whispered to himself. "Lily's little sister." Before Buffy had time to react, Sirius jerked Buffy's hand towards him and engulfed her in a tight hug, his hands wrapped firmly around her waist, as if he would never let her go. "I thought you were dead Buffy." He whispered into her ear.

"I thought you were dead too, but obviously that changed." Buffy joked, her eyes brimming with tears. Sirius laughed and held her at arm's length, inspecting her as Lupin had done.

"You look so different." He acknowledged, and Buffy nodded.

"So do you. But I guess that's what sixteen years does to you." Buffy said, smiling up at the friend she had lost so many years ago.

"How long have you been here?" Sirius asked his hands still on Buffy's shoulders.

"About a week. It's a nice house Sirius. I don't like your mother though."

"Who does?" Sirius agreed, letting one of his hands fall to her waist. His fingers traced the side of her torso, and Buffy felt chills rush down her spine as he touched her. "Where's Dumbledore?" He asked to the rest of the group, broad grins greeting him and he turned to face them.

"He doesn't know you're alive." Molly said with a large motherly smile on her face. Despite all the differences Sirius and she had had the previous year, Molly was exceptionally glad that Sirius was alive, for she could see the change Harry had undertaken in just five minutes. He seemed more relaxed, there was a large grin on his face and his emerald eyes seemed to dance.

"Yes he does." Buffy said, looking at the direction of the door. "He's here."

"How do you know that?" Charlie asked as his eyes traveling down to Buffy's waist were Sirius' hand lay, feeling a pang of jealousy.

"Someone really powerful just entered the house. It could be Dumbledore, Voldemort, Willow or Faith. And since Will and Faith are in LA, and the person entering is filled with good magic so it can not possibly be Voldemort, the only person left is Dumbledore." Buffy explained.

"Who's Willow and Faith?" Sirius asked.

"Two of my friends from home. Willow's a mega powerful witch, and Faith…Faith is complicated." Buffy said. Whenever Willow or Faith had entered a room, Buffy had always felt something different around them. It was power, and the two girls were reeking of it. Faith's power was slayer power, and Faith knew of her power, but Buffy had a feeling Willow did not. Even though Willow had been practicing Wicca magic for many years now, Buffy thought that Willow would never realize her full power until she was put to the test, and so far, Willow had never been put in that position.

"What do you mean, complicated?" Lupin asked, and Buffy just shrugged her shoulders.

The door to the room they were in opened and Dumbledore swept into the room, smiling broadly at Sirius. "Welcome back, old friend." Dumbledore said, shaking Sirius' free hand.

"Good to be back, Albus." Sirius said excitedly.

"You are not tired? Hurt in any way?" Dumbledore asked, and Sirius shook his head. Dumbledore turned to Buffy and smiled. "I think we have you to thank for Sirius' revival."

"I didn't even mean for him to come back. But I'm glad he did, 'sides, I got my handy dagger back, Dumble-d." She said, picking up her dagger and glaring at Sirius when he chuckled at Buffy's name for the old man.

"Trouble during patrol, I take it?" Dumbledore asked, ushering for everyone to leave the room, taking out his wand and extinguishing the flames on the candles.

"Oh you, know, same old same old. Demons trying to kill me, same old, same old." Buffy told Dumbledore.

"Buffy found a Boggart in the cupboard as well." Harry said, staying close to Sirius.

Dumbledore turned his kind eyes on Buffy. "Who?"

"Faith, Willow, Angel, plus all the others." Buffy explained, knowing Dumbledore would understand what she had said.

"Who's she?" Sirius asked. "Who's Angel?"

Buffy giggled. "You tell him that you thought Angel was a girl, and he'll kill you." Dumbledore nodded, and then his gaze flitted down to Sirius' hand on Buffy's waist. A smile grew on his face.

"If you happen to mention 'that'" Dumbledore gestured to Sirius' hand on Buffy's waist, "then he will kill Sirius without a doubt." Buffy blushed and removed herself from Sirius' grasp, running towards Lupin, away from Sirius, not noticing the hurt look on Sirius' face. "You've been alive five minutes Sirius, and you've already taken with the girl." Dumbledore teased, and Sirius grinned.

"Lily would hate me now, wouldn't she?" Sirius asked, and Dumbledore nodded in agreement.

"With a passion."