Even considering what Bellatrix had done to him, sending him through a veil of death subsequently killing him--no thanks to James, being struck by something as brutal as the Unforgiveable Killing Curse was a completely new experience for Sirius. Sickly amazing to watch, a beam of green pounding through the air toward him like lightning, all slowed down just enough for him to see it. Was that how it always was? Like anyone could survive to remember; Harry had been only a baby. So, this, was new. He almost felt some strange honor in being allowed to witness first-hand the curse.

And some astonishment that someone like Tawnya was capable of casting it.

He felt the green beam hit him square in the face, green light blinding him like sudden sunlight.

This was the curse that was supposed to kill, wasn't it? That's what it was called. Avada Kedavra. The Killing Curse.

Well, he had already died once.

Almost in horror, he watched a body collapse to the floor. He remained where he was, gazing on steadily. Suddenly he was in his old clothes, not Fudge's odd old things. The same things he had worn when Bellatrix had done what she had done. The body was no longer his, but clearly Fudge. And, once again, dead.

"Sirius!" An arm grabbed his. Lily. She was half-grinning, half-stunned. "Are you all right?"

"All right?" he echoed. He had just been murdered. Again. Not that James' little mistake had been a murder. But this definitely was. The body of Cornelius Fudge... lying on the floor. Clearly dead. "Lily, I--"

"I tried to warn you," she said apologetically. "I tried, but-- actually, I don't think I saw this coming. We just... we just knew it was time to... replace your body. We knew something was going to happen--and that's all we really can know."

James appeared at her side, grinning stupidly. "Wow. That was... a bit of surprise, eh?"

Sirius couldn't believe he was hearing this. "Fudge... he's... he's dead again!"

"Fudge died days ago, Sirius. You saw the whole thing."

He made a face. "But somehow it's a whole lot different watching it!"

Tawnya let out a soft laugh as she crossed the room to the body. "Oh, my poor dear husband," she breathed, mockingly wiping away an invisible tear. "Whatever shall I do in the face of this tragedy?"

"Kiss my butt, for all I care," Lily hissed. "Dang, I cannot believe that woman!" Lily stepped around behind Tawnya and made hair-pulling motions. But only for a moment, before her attention was fully given to Harry. She leaned over him, gently placing a hand over his forehead. "James, we can't let her take Harry!"

James let out a gasp. "Of course not. Sirius..."

Not Harry. No. She couldn't be considering doing that to Harry. She didn't... she wasn't even supposed to be involved! Not to this extent! Damn it. The entire ploy had been to protect Harry, and now here he was... useless. Completely useless. "Some god father I've turned out to be."

Once again the door opened.

Percy, Sirius suddenly thought. Please, let it be Percy, recovered from whatever Tawnya did to him. The one time he would be glad to see the kid.

No such luck. Aspen DeChant strolled in, looking for all the world as if she had just stepped out of some Wizengamot meeting. "You know, Mrs. Fudge, that kid out there seems to have a mild concussion." Her eyes slid over the room to the still forms of Harry and Cornelius Fudge, and her face gave way to a smile. "Ah, I see you were quick about this. You put all of us to shame."

"Yeah, I heard about your last disaster." Tawnya was now poking around Fudge's pockets.

"Keep looking," Sirius muttered. It wasn't like he had bothered to put money in his clothes that morning.

"I would have hardly called it a "disaster", Mrs. Fudge," Aspen replied coolly. "It wasn't like I was in charge of popping out the bushes that day at the Quidditch game to fail miserably. It's what you get from hiring others to do your dirty work."

"Never quite pays, does it?"

"Though I must admit that if you are so skilled at magic, you didn't do this earlier?"

Tawnya shrugged, flipping her curls. "He bought me things. He's not that bad of a husband."

Aspen closed her eyes, looking ill. "I'm going to pretend I never heard that."

The other woman returned a grin. "Jealous, are we?"

"I'm not going to say a word."

"But you admit I did good, don't you?" Tawnya gestured broadly at Harry's form, who, thankfully, was still breathing. "I believe you have several friends who want a word with the little brat? Oh, but I never want children."

"You did do good there, Mrs. Fudge." Aspen made her way over to Harry and carefully checked his pulse. "Hm. I believe I would kill him myself, if it weren't for the fact that Lord Voldemort wants to make it a personal death."

James' muscles tensed almost audibly. "No."

"Can't you interfere?" Sirius asked.

Lily shook her head, tears already filling her eyes. "No, we can't. But... but they can't get him out of the Ministry, can they? They can't do that. Someone would see."

"Aspen DeChant is apparently worth some respect in the Ministry. They'd recognize her. Figure she was just... working with Harry." Sirius felt sick, amazing considering his state. The past two minutes was refusing to sink in, completely blocked at the horror of what had just happened to Harry. It didn't feel real, not even the fact that he could see Fudge lying there on the carpet with the usual look of post-Avada Kedavra visible on his face. But Harry... that was a different thing altogether.

And all he could do was... watch.

This wasn't right. He wasn't supposed to be dead yet. And definitely not again.

Awkwardly, as if trying to lift a bag of potatoes, Aspen attempted to hoist Harry to his feet. He fell agasint her, arms every which way. Practically trying to put up a fight even when not conscious.

Tawnya, meanwhile, fiddled with her nails.

Aspen violently cleared her throat. "Would you mind?"

"Mind what?" Surprise.

"Floo powder, perhaps?"

Tawnya shot Aspen a look of pure venom, then stomped to the fireplace. "All the times I had to beg him to talk with me through this thing. I should have murdered him ages ago. And yet I still have to take commands from others."

Murdered. "James," Sirius began. He wasn't quite sure where he was going to go with this.

James stared back at him. "You're not--"

Without another word, Sirius hopped right back into the Fudge's body.

For a long time, neither woman seemed to notice. All concentration was on Tawnya fiddling with the jar of floo powder and Aspen continuing to try and keep Harry from falling. During her clumsy movements something fell from Harry's pocket.

His mirror. James' mirror.

Sirius rose to his knees. Fudge's knees. It was all getting so confusing. "What do you think you're doing?"

The jar fell from Tawnya's hands, shattering into an explosion of floo powder and pottery.

Aspen screamed, dropping Harry. "You! You can't!" Her gaze flew to Tawnya. "But you said you--"

Tawnya gave no sign of hearing Aspen. Her eyes were frozen on Sirius.

Sirius couldn't resist. "Tawnya, darling." He climbed to his feet, grinning at her. "Why did you feel the need to cast an Unforgiveable Curse at me?"

"Urgh..." Harry's eyes fluttered.

Tawnya clutched at the wall, her entire body trembling.

She was going to faint. Thank goodness, she was going to faint.

Instead, she screamed. A scream that could no doubt be heard throught the entire Ministry. "You were supposed to die! I killed you! You're supposed to be dead! You were dead!"

"Idiot," Aspen muttered. "No sense trusting anyone like you. Give me your wand."

Tawnya was back to her signs of fainting.

"Now!" Without waiting for any action, Aspen reached over and grabbed the wand herself, sliding it between her fingers and in a quick flip pointing it at Sirius.

What was she going to do? It was now perfectly clear he could reenter the body.

"Avada Kedavra!" she screamed.

And once again the spell shot toward him, shoving him from the body. He was now beginning to develop a sense for the experience. He wasn't sure how much he could take. Even his... spirit self seemed to be weakening. But he couldn't... he just had to stall enough for Harry to wake up and get out. Lily and James would find another body for him. Wouldn't they? James cheering him on, Sirius forced himself back into the body. Before it even hit the ground.

Aspen gave another scream, and Tawnya finally did faint.

Animagus, Sirius thought. That would be something. If that could scare Aspen enough... It was amazing he was reduced to this. Terrifying women.

But then again, they had been murdering him. And the Minister of Magic. He slid into the dog form, watching almost gleefully Aspen's face.

"An unregistered Animagus," she said slowly. "It matches the descriptions of..." Something came over her face. Confusion, delight, horror. And even more confusion. "It can't be. Lucius said..."

Sirius stopped before, teeth bared. The dog part of his brain wanted nothing more than to bite her, good and hard and painful. But, she couldn't suspect anything now, could she?

"Sirius Black," Aspen whispered.

Immediately the name was echoed, much louder and with much more enthusiasm. A popping sound went through the room as Tonks appeared, looking breathless, clutching a Spell-o-taped mirror in her hand.

Immediately she looked like she regretted coming.

America A. Black: Thanks! Hey, do you have any suggestions for Tonks? I have trouble doing her, because we really don't see much of her in OotP, so I'm really not sure how she's supposed to act! I guess this fic has actually become an experiment in my vesion of her against everyone elses. So advice would be good.

Dante Lewis: Aw, thanks for healing Sevvy's hand!

hydraspit: Sadly enough, I haven't gone far ahead enough to decide if he is going to get another body! I sort of changed my original intended ending.

IamSirusGrl: Well, this is probably one of my quickest updates in awhile!

Irish Lady Knight: Hey, she had to be more than just a pretty face!

meenyrocks: I apologize for that! It really wasn't an appropriate word to use. Heck, my parents are fourth cousins and that still freaks people out. Anyway, I'm very sorry! Forgive?

Phillippa of the Phoenix: So far Tonks is taking it well, but you shall see her perspective later!

Thoughts and Pondering: I think people will want Sirius dead no matter what body he's in.

WWLAOS: Dude. For not being a Potterhead, you come up with a very interesting idea there on that spell...