A special thanks to Ms. Dianne for all of the wonderful reviews that she has given me over the past few days. This chapter is dedicated to her for all of her kind words, her tireless efforts, and her heartfelt encouragement. Thank you, ma'am, very, very much. (bows)

All Over, All Over Again

Despite his newly obtained company in the lobby at Mungos, Sirius found himself very ill at ease. Nothing seemed right all of a sudden. Ever since he had walked through these doors he had felt a deep, nagging feeling in the back of his head. Something was awry. But what?

Everyone was here now. Remus, Dumbledore, Ron and his clan, Hermione and her parents, McGonagall, Hagrid, Tonks, Moody, and others from both the Ministry and the Order. All had joined the hubbub, although they did little to add to Sirius' ease. In fact, their presence only jumbled his thoughts more. How he wished that they would all quit casting sympathetic glances in his direction. The consistent reassuring of Harry's health was equally annoying, though he appreciated such gestures a bit more than the so-believed furtive gazes and whisperings that took place in the corners that were, assumedly, out of Sirius' range of hearing.

Truth to be told, there was little comfort for Sirius anywhere unless he was at home. Despite his thirteen years of imprisonment at Azkaban, Sirius had become somewhat of a loner over the past few years. Remus was his closest, and in some cases, his only friend in the outside world. Aside from Harry.

'Harry', he thought, closing his eyes for a moment and trying to remember the illuminating power of those green eyes. There was always a smile in those orbs these days, or so Sirius had come to believe. Perhaps he wasn't always happy, but Sirius had a way of seeing the child in Harry that so many thought to have died long ago with his youthful innocence.

Sirius, of course, knew otherwise. He knew that there was still a young troublemaker within the heart of the strong young lad that was famous worlds over in the Wizarding World. He knew that part of James beat in Harry's heart, and that thought was comforting as well as intriguing.

A grin passed over his pale features. Without realizing it, he had been tuning out a ward nurse for the past few seconds.

"Mr. Black!" the lady called again, sounding highly annoyed. Sirius opened his eyes to meet her stone-hard gaze. He sheepishly grinned, and stood to meet her.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Your godson is awake. You may see him if you like."

Sirius nodded. He didn't cast a glance over his shoulder toward the others. Why should he? Sirius could prove that he was strong enough to handle this. Right? He was capable of handling a circumstance such as this, was he not? He was Sirius Black, damn it! He could do whatever he set his mind to.

Yet, as he passed from the gazes of his friends and coworkers, that confidence diminished. He realized that he was here because, once again, someone had tried to take Harry from him. This time it had happened right underneath his nose, and he had been ignorant to the entire plot.

'Maybe I'm not strong enough for this,' he thought as he followed the nurse down the ever darkening corridors. 'Maybe I should have never taken Harry away from his aunt and uncle. Maybe he would have been better off if I had never come into his life.'

These thoughts, however, were wiped away as the lights were extinguished around him. A siren blazed from somewhere within the building. The flames of the thousands of candles that lit the halls flashed back on in vibrant reds and blues.

"What's going on?" Sirius yelled over the siren, clasping his hands over his ears to ease the pain of their ring.

"We're under attack!" The nurse hollered back at him over the din.

Sirius felt his heart skip a beat.

Harry.

Grasping at the nurse's shoulders, and trying desperately to ignore the painful ring in his ear, he asked her where Harry was being kept. She bit her lip against the pain as she lifted a hand to point in the general direction of Harry's room.

"Number seven-o-eight!" she screamed before running from the corridor in terror. Sirius sighed and began to run in the direction the nurse had pointed.

He didn't bother to yell a name. Sirius knew that he would never be heard over the deafening noise of the siren.

The candle light around him dimmed again. They flickered to life, faded once more, blazed into an angry red, and then died all together.

Whoever was here had somehow extinguished the magical properties of the entire building. Sirius cursed at this realization. Now they could easily get to Harry.

Sirius illuminated his wand, disregarding the consequences of such a careless act: it left him wide open for a targeted attack.

He didn't care. Sirius had only one thing on his mind, and nothing would deter him from it.

All of a sudden, Sirius came to a T section in the corridors. A sign overhead told him that to the left rested rooms 750 to 799. To the right laid rooms 749 to 700. A glance at the first door to his right told him that he would be starting from 749 and working his way up.

He cursed again. This was taking too much time already. Time that Sirius could not afford to lose.

With a burst of fear-induced energy, he leapt forward, all at once changing from his human body to his animagus form. He bound down the halls, barking warnings and ejaculating angry snarls to let any who threatened know that he was coming; and that he was pissed.

"You're certain he doesn't suspect?" asked Lucius Malfoy to the young man before him. This was quite a grand scheme they had all pulled off. Even the all-knowing Albus Dumbledore had fallen for it. Lord Voldemort was wise indeed.

"I'm sure. He has no idea of who really I am."

"Brilliant."

There was a nervous pause in which both of them could hear the baying of an angry dog. It was fast approaching.

Lucius sneered. "Good."

The other, however, was quite panicked at the sound; fearful of the creature that caused it. "He has found us out?"

"Hardly," the elder Malfoy smiled. "But he believes he knows our Lord's purpose. Come, let us set the trap and be done with it."

"Yes, father."

Sirius stood outside of room 708. He could hear a nervous shuffling inside, but didn't stop to think what it might mean. His only thoughts, every last part of his being, was focused only on Harry.

He opened the door to the room and realized too late his folly.

An intense explosion rocked St. Mungos that night.

Soon after, Sirius Black knew no more.

No, don't worry, he's not dead! I would never do that to my favorite character (Why should I? Rowling already did it for me...grr!). But there are many surprises up ahead. Just you wait and see. I am sorry that this is so short. I have no school tomorrow so I promise to write more. I'll do my best to have an update by tomorrow night, but that will have to depend on how many reviews I get beforehand. (mischievous wink)

Please review!