Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter characters. I get tired of saying that!

Warning: Contains major *OOTP SPOILERS* and *SB/RL SLASH*. If you wish to avoid those things, please turn back now.

Notes: *PLEASE READ!* This story is COMPLETELY AU, meaning it never happened and probably never will (sadly). This is just me trying to bring back the character I love the most.

Siri's Life: Just so anyone who's read The Marauders At Hogwarts' will know, I have to say now that in this story, I tried to write Sirius' past in accordance with the information revealed in OOTP. Meaning that it doesn't at all follow the timeline of Marauders....'. Everything I wrote in that story, just dismiss it completely, all right? It doesn't come in here.



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Back from Beyond the Veil, Part 5



Sirius snarled.

She sauntered up to him and smirked, her midnight-blue eyes alight with malice. So you survived. I'm ever so pleased....
He growled. Surely you didn't think you could get rid of me that easily.
I suppose I shouldn't have. After all, determination and stubbornness runs in our Black blood. But tell me - how did you get away? I know what lies behind the Veil; Lord Voldemort told me himself. The Guardians of the Dead wouldn't have let you go that easily. What did you do?
If you must know, dear cousin, it was thanks to Remus I'm back.
So your werewolf boyfriend gave up something for your release? Hard to believe. He doesn't have much to give, now does he?
Sirius glared. I always hated you for that. Your mouth.
Bellatrix sneered. Touchy, aren't we? Where is Lupin now? At home knitting socks? Or is he just waiting for you to come home and ravish him?
Shut up.
I remember when you told us all you were shagging Lupin. Gave your mother one more reason to hate you, didn't it?
I said, shut up!

Bellatrix's smirk widened. She was pleased that she could get to Sirius so easily. It had always been easy to get Sirius angry ever since he had announced to the family at large, just three days after his fourteenth birthday, that he had become Remus Lupin's mate. It had horrified and angered his mother to learn that her son had given up his life to a werewolf - a male werewolf - at barely fourteen. Sirius hadn't mattered much to the Black family prior to that announcement, but after it, he had become the black sheep of the family (no pun intended). Bellatrix could recall every angry word exchanged between her cousin and her aunt that night, and her smirk widened further.

You bitch, Sirius was saying, as Bellatrix pulled herself back into the present. You've always been that way - undermining Remus - making it seem like he isn't - he stopped and seemed to struggle with himself for a minute. One long-fingered hand reached out and clenched her wrist tightly. This isn't about Remus, he snarled. It's about you and me, and what went on in the Department of Mysteries the night you tried to kill Harry and steal his prophecy.

Bellatrix threw back her head and shrieked with laughter, causing some mothers who were sitting nearby with their playing children to look up at the raven-haired man and woman suspiciously. Oh, yes! I forgot! Little bitty baby Potter! The other person in your life! The one you'd do anything for - and I do mean anything.
Sirius gritted his teeth and fought an urge to slap her. He could feel the eyes of the mothers nearby boring into the back of his head.
Lower your voice, he snarled at her. There are people listening. Unless, of course, you want the Muggles to find out about us?
She sneered back at him and leaned close to whisper in his ear. The only thing I want is you, she breathed. I want to take you somewhere where we can fight again - and this time, I will kill you.
Fat chance, hissed Sirius. You think you can kill me? You threw me into purgatory and I still returned. He bore down harder on her wrist, feeling small bones grind, but she didn't utter a sound of pain.
I will kill you, she whispered back. But first - Lupin and Potter. I'll torture them before I kill you, how does that sound?
For a moment, Sirius stopped breathing. Fragments of his dream from the previous night rose unbidden in his memory. Harry and Remus, screaming in agony......

If you want to duel with me, let's go, then, Sirius growled. He let go of her wrist and jerked his head in the direction of the thick grove of trees. We can duel in there - no one will see us. Without waiting for an answer, he turned sharply on his heel and strode off into the trees. He didn't bother to look behind him to see if Bellatrix was following him. He knew she would. There was no way she'd back down from him at a moment like this.

When he reached a small clearing he whipped around to see Bellatrix standing serenely behind him, her arms crossed.
Well? Let's crack on, then, Sirius said, drawing his wand from the pocket of his jeans.
Bellatrix withdrew hers from the pocket of her sundress. You're mad, I hope you know it, she said lightly. You're nothing but an Animagus with no purpose to serve in life, except as stud service for a werewolf - and I am the greatest supporter of Lord Voldemort, the only one worthy of serving him - I will kill you and bring him your head as a trophy! AVADA KEDAVRA!

Sirius dove out of the way at once, narrowly avoiding the jet of green light. The spell hit a boulder and rebounded back at its originator, but Bellatrix was fast. She fell to the ground and rolled out of range in a split second, her curse hitting a tree behind her instead and blasting nearly right through it. What was left of the tree blackened and died almost instantly.

she screamed, aiming at Sirius but missing again as he skillfully dodged her spell. As he did, he pointed his wand straight at her. Petrificus Totalus!

He hit her with it, and she dropped, stiff as a board. At once Sirius scrambled over to her, rage coursing through his veins like some kind of hot liquid. He was going to kill her. He was going to make her suffer for what she had tried to do. She was going to pay for serving Voldemort, for attempting to murder Harry, for torturing the Longbottoms. She was going to be punished, and he was the one who was going to take her life.

But something was going wrong. Even as he rushed towards her he could see she was somehow overcoming his Full Body-Bind. With a hoarse scream, he flung himself on top of her, at the same moment knocking her in the jaw with his elbow. Her head rocked backwards and she bumped it rather hard on the ground, becoming momentarily stunned. Sirius pinned her wrists to the ground and forced her wand from her hand. As it rolled away, she opened her mouth to scream, either a spell or a cry for help, but he didn't give her the chance.

he panted, and Bellatrix was struck dumb. She glared up at him, hate gleaming in her eyes. Sirius glared back, straining his ears for any sign of Muggles approaching - perhaps the mothers in the park had heard the commotion? - but after a few minutes he realized the trees must be too thick around them for anyone to have overheard them.

The tables have turned, Bella, he whispered to her, impatiently blowing stray, sweaty strands of his ebony hair away from his face. I'm the one with all the advantages. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you now. Oh, wait, I forget - you can't talk. He paused, immensely pleased at the spark of fear he saw in her eyes.
The only thing I regret, he said, his voice even lower, Is that Peter can't be here now to suffer the same fate. He glared down at her, eyeing her pale, slender neck, savoring the fear and hate he could feel radiating from her, debating which spell he should use on her to make her suffer as much as possible before he ended it for her. He wished it would never have to end - he wished he could torture her for all eternity, make her pay..... and found himself wishing for his knife, the long hunting knife he had stolen from a house in Hogsmeade and had been planning to use on Peter, the one he had almost used on Ron by accident. It would be so satisfying to slit her throat, be up to his elbows in her hot blood -

His eyes widened and he shuddered convulsively as he realized what had just been crossing his mind. Surely, he had been overcome by a fit of madness for a minute there. What could he have been thinking of? He couldn't kill her. He just couldn't. He suddenly felt tired and weak, much older than his thirty five years, and the desire to kill her faded from him completely. He didn't want to become a murderer just for the likes of her. He still hated her, and wanted her dead, but simply couldn't muster the energy to do it himself. He was disgusted by his own thoughts.

Bellatrix' smirk reappeared. She was obviously sensing Sirius' sudden weakness. The rage sprung up in him as she sneered silently at him, and before Sirius could stop himself, he had hit her hard enough to knock her out cold.
His heart leapt into his throat. He cautiously let her go and got up off her, expecting her to spring up and try to make a grab for her wand at any moment. But she remained still, breathing shallowly. A thin line of blood had begun to creep out from under her hairline.
Unsure, Sirius looked from his cousin's limp form to her wand, which had rolled over to the edge of the clearing. He wasn't sure if anyone but Ministry of Magic officials were allowed to destroy anyone's wand, so he pocketed it, then went back over to his cousin, clumsily picking her up. He hastily dabbed at the blood on her face and debated over what to do. He closed his eyes and faced the inevitable. He'd have to take her back to Grimmauld Place, at least until Dumbledore could be contacted.

Before leaving the clearing, he did his best to clean them both up, then revived her. She looked around blearily, and up at him. A faint frown line appeared between her eyebrows, but she didn't seem like she recognized him. Perhaps she had hit her head harder than he thought. He got her to lean on him for support, because when she tried to stand on her own she seemed in danger of falling. Dazed, she clung to his arm and walked meekly with him out of the clump of trees and back into the park.

Sirius was relieved to see that the mothers and their children were gone. The only people left in the park now were a few teenagers and a policeman strolling round to make sure none of them got into any trouble. He eyed Sirius and Bellatrix suspiciously for a moment, but after seeing the dazed, absent look on the woman's face apparently decided she wasn't all there and continued along his way. Sirius kept up the charade all the way back to Grimmauld Place, leading Bellatrix, speaking to her gently but in his mind becoming exasperated with her slow progress and calling her everything he would have liked to call her out loud. Several people on the street stopped to look, but it didn't bother Sirius, especially after one elderly woman whispered to her companion, There's a nice man - helping out his sister, the poor thing, I wonder what's wrong with her?....

They reached Grimmauld Place shortly before five. Molly must have been starting supper by now. Sirius wondered dully how many other Order members were coming over for supper tonight, and how much yelling at he would have to endure for this decision. He wearily shoved open Number Twelve's door and dragged Bellatrix down to the kitchen.

As the door opened, Mrs. Weasley looked up, smiling. Oh, it's you, Sirius. How was your - BELLATRIX!
The woman stirred weakly at the sound of her name; but when Sirius forced her into a chair she sat quite still, looking down at her hands.
It's a long story, Molly, he said, sinking into a chair and resting his head in his hands.
What happened? Remus asked him anxiously, sitting down beside him and gingerly touching a spreading bruise on Sirius arm - he must have bumped it dodging Bellatrix's curse.
But before Sirius could answer, the kitchen door swung open again and Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny entered. They stopped dead, taking in the sight before them. Suddenly, without warning, Harry jumped at Bellatrix with a shout. Bill jumped up and caught him, stopping Harry from pulling out his wand and cursing Bellatrix on the spot.

YOU TRIED TO KILL SIRIUS! Harry shouted, struggling in Bill's arms.
Harry, NO! Sirius shouted, as Ron ran forward to help Bill restrain Harry. Stop! I can explain -
SHE TORTURED NEVILLE'S PARENTS! Harry shouted back, clawing wildly at Bellatrix, who stared back at him silently. Bill - gerroff!
Sirius caught his godson's wrists and held them still, looking calmly up at him. Harry, please. I can explain everything, if you give me a chance.
Harry relaxed, still glaring past his godfather at Bellatrix. She tried to kill you, he whispered as Bill lowered him back to the floor.
Sirius said as everyone resumed their seats. She tried to kill me just today. She ambushed me when I was on my walk.
He said nothing of their discussion; he didn't want any of Bellatrix' hurtful words about Remus to reach his beloved's ears.
She tried to kill me but I hit her with the Full Body-Bind. She hit her head going down and got knocked out, he continued, also not wanting them to know he had hit her. I didn't know what else to do with her, so I brought her here. She hasn't tried to resist or protest or anything - I think she's still too out of it. I thought we could contact Dumbledore and see what he says we should do.

There was silence for a minute or two; finally Arthur stood.
He was at the Ministry when I left, serving at a hearing with the Wizengamot. It should be about over now - if I hurry, I can catch Dumbledore on his way out, he said. He strode to the fireplace and took down the silver urn, embossed with the Black family crest, of Floo Powder from the mantle and scooped up a handful. He threw it down into the flames. Ministry of Magic! he cried, and vanished in a flash of green fire.

With a tired sigh, Sirius rested his head on Remus' shoulder. He wanted very, very much to skip supper and go straight to bed - the days' activities had left him exhausted. But he couldn't go to sleep until Dumbledore arrived, in case Bellatrix was putting on a show to throw them off their guard.
Charlie was staring between the two Blacks with a look of slowly dawning comprehension on his face. Sirius, mate, is she your sister?
muttered Sirius, eyes closed. She's my cousin.
She's Rodolphus Lestrange's wife, isn't she?
Sirius mumbled in agreement.

Mrs. Weasley gave a reproving glare to her second-eldest son. Watch your mouth. She turned to her cousin. Sirius, what could you have been thinking?
It was either bring her here or kill her, Sirius muttered. I wasn't about to let her free. And I .... well, I figured I'd get in trouble for killing her, I'm not an Auror. Call me weird, but I didn't want to gain back my reputation as a murderer so soon after getting rid of it.

There was another short period of silence, then Mrs. Weasley got up to serve supper, beckoning to George and Hermione to help her. Remus began running a soothing hand up and down Sirius' back. He alone knew how tired and drained Sirius felt. He wanted to talk, but couldn't say what he wanted aloud right now. So he did the only thing he could - closed his eyes and began calling Sirius' name silently, trying to communicate with him through his thoughts.



What else happened out there?


But their mental connection made it impossible to lie to each other; Remus could sense Sirius wasn't telling the truth. He tried again.

Siri, you're lying to me. Please tell me what she did to you - what you did to her.

He could hear the reluctant sigh crossing his mate's mind. He waited for Sirius' answer, enjoying, as he always did no matter what the circumstances, the feeling that they had become one, sharing each other's emotions; he too felt exhausted, and even his own arm ached slightly in the spot where, on Sirius' arm, there was a large bruise.

Well..... she was saying stuff. About my family. Trying to catch me off guard or mess me up, or something. Reminding me of when I told them you and I were together.

Old news. Remus hadn't been there when Sirius had broken the news, and having been mated to Sirius for less than a week at the time, the mental bond between them had been too weak to allow him entry into Sirius' mind so he could hear what was going on; as a matter of fact, it had been nearly three years before they could even read into each other's emotions. But from what Sirius had told him afterward, the news had only driven him further out of his family's favour.

Don't think about that. It's not important. I know you never gave a damn about what your family thought of you. I still love you, and you me. That's enough, isn't it?

What else did she say? She insulted me, didn't she?

Almost at once he had the feeling of hitting a solid wall. Just because they could communicate without words didn't mean they couldn't keep things from each other when they really wanted to.

I'm not letting you know what she said. You don't need to know.

Remus was used to being insulted, but he didn't press the issue. Dimly, from beyond some mental wall, he could hear Molly calling them.
Sirius, Remus, wake up, it's time to eat.
Remus let go, feeling the usual pang of reluctance and slight sorrow that came with leaving Sirius' mind - a feeling not unlike that which came at the end of their lovemaking.

Molly was serving up baked macaroni and cheese, giving them a curious look as they opened their eyes and withdrew from each other's arms. She still didn't fully understand the connection between them that they claimed to have; all she knew was they went into trances like this one once in awhile, and this mysterious power was what had alerted them to the fact Sirius was still alive. What she *did* understand was, it was an awful lot like the bond between people who have been married a very long time - her own grandparents had been married for ninety-three years, and they had been almost able to read each other's minds.

She was startled out of this reverie by the sound of the kitchen door creaking open. She, along with everyone else, whipped around to see who it was.

It was Kingsley Shacklebolt, carrying an official-looking letter. And right behind him was Kreacher.

Kreacher shuffled into the kitchen, behind Kingsley, who looked a trifle annoyed. The elf was mumbling to himself. Sirius' eyes flashed with fury at the sight of him and he made to stand. As he did, Kreacher looked malevolently up at his master. He mumbled faster to himself, then stopped when he saw Bellatrix sitting on Sirius' left side, looking down at her plate rather dazedly.

Miss Bella! the elf said, stunned. What are you doing here?


To Be Continued......





(A/N: Um, a fast update this time. I was seized by a fit of energy and inspiration (thank you, Muses!) and spent the whole afternoon writing this chapter. Then spent half the night proofreading it. THEN turned it over to Liz for beta. (To whom I say: Thank you, thank you, thank you! May your candy house never be empty!) THEN got up at seven AM to fix a few stupid things that Liz pointed out wouldn't work, like using a Shield Charm to deflect Avada Kedavra, which I could have sworn they did in Book 5, and having Sirius use the Imperius Curse on Bellatrix (tho I still say the Ministry wouldn't have cared if he did!).)