Harry had walked back into the room they'd all previously been in by now, but he still hadn't done anything. He stood on the floor, looking at the Time Turner, with his father's invisibility cloak in his hand. Should I really be doing this? Harry wondered. For a moment his determination wavered, the cloak nearly dropped to the floor, and the Time Turner was nearly ripped off of his neck.

But only for a moment did his determination waver. He felt the interesting texture of the invisibility cloak, and he clutched it harder, remembering Sirius. Almost recklessly now, Harry began to turn the tiny hourglass.

One. He turned it again.

Two. Again he turned it.

Three. He continued turning it, never losing track of how many hours he was passing by, never losing focus on how far back he needed to go.

Four…

Finally, he had a churning feeling in his stomach and he could almost see the hours whipping by. Then, after what seemed so long, everything stopped, and he nearly fell to the floor in unstableness. He just stood there, dazed for a moment, before he remembered what he had done and he whipped the invisibility cloak over himself.

He could hear a bunch of footsteps pounding for the front door, as if in a rush for something. Oh, of course. They're probably heading for the Ministry because they've heard from Snape… I wonder if I have time to see Kreacher…? He shook his head violently, ridding himself of the thought. He entered the hallway, deciding to go to Sirius's room to find him. Hope he's still here…

Harry felt it was a good omen when he found Sirius's door open and he could still hear someone inside, besides Buckbeak. Omens? Sheesh, what am I thinking? I'm no Trelawny… Harry tiptoed in.

But Harry had forgotten that Sirius had been a Marauder once and he had used the very cloak that he was under more than once, and Sirius obviously could tell when someone invisible was near-by. He stood up sharply, looking directly at Harry, though he couldn't see him.

"Who's there?" he asked gruffly.

Harry, figuring that it was safe, pulled off the cloak. Sirius's look of utter surprise caused his face to pull itself into a grin. But the grin was short lived, as Harry clearly remembered why he was even here… when… whatever… in the first place.

"Harry? I thought that you were at the Ministry!" Sirius croaked.

"Well, I probably am by now."

Sirius looked confused, but then, looking at Buckbeak, he understood. "Hermione still has that Time Turner, then?"

Harry nodded. There was a lump in his throat that was making it difficult for him to speak. It had been so long since he had seen Sirius… It had been this very day, actually.

"You can't go, though," Harry abruptly demanded.

Sirius looked taken aback for a moment. "And why ever not?"

"Because you'll… you'll… d-die, if you do! You can't go!" Harry had trouble admitting that his Godfather would die, but he had managed it, if only barely. After a deep breath, he described the veil before saying again, "You can't go."

Sirius smiled at Harry's plea.

"You can't stop me from going, Harry," he said lightly. "I have to go, if only to protect you… now."

How could Sirius not realize the seriousness of this situation? "Other members of the Order will be there," Harry said, stubbornly. "A-and if you go now, then what about the future?" He could feel the lump in his throat rising. He was desperately determined not to cry, but it was one of the many battles that he was losing.

"Ah," Sirius gave him a grim grin. "I believe that everything happens for a reason." Ever since I got convicted, at any rate, he added silently to himself.

"What about the reason that I'm here now, then?" Harry demanded. He looked away from Sirius, not being able to bear to look at him. He didn't want Sirius to see how weak he was, with tears in his eyes.

Sirius slowly shook his head before putting a hand on Harry's chin to force him to look into his eyes.

"Can you think of any time at the Ministry where I saved you?" Sirius asked.

Harry wanted to say no, just to make Sirius not go. A tear fell down his cheek and his voice cracked as he responded, "Yes." He clearly remembered Sirius ramming Dolohov when he was about to take the prophecy from Harry. If Dolohov had succeeded, if Sirius hadn't have come, then everything would have been over right then and there because the prophecy would have been taken directly to Voldemort.

"Exactly," Sirius whispered.

Harry hated the fact that it would only be a few more minutes before he was likely blubbering. He couldn't control the irresistible need to cry.

"S-so I w-won't be s-seeing you again?" Harry asked, fearfully. He already knew what that was like.

"Ah," Sirius said in an elusive voice, "That all depends on where the veil goes."

Harry had the feeling that Sirius knew perfectly well what would happen.

"Bye then, I guess," Harry said, defeated. A few more tears leaked from his eyes.

Sirius let a small smile come over his face. He gruffly pulled Harry closer, closing in on a bear-like hug but seemingly before the moment even came, Sirius was pulling back again and leaving.

"Harry, you really are just like Prongs—I mean, your father. You'll be fine." He turned his back again and he continued to walk away until he had reached the doorway. "Oh, and Harry," he looked meaningfully at Harry, "take down Bellatrix for me, and Voldemort. I still haven't forgiven either."

Then he was gone to join the rest of the Order to defend the Harry of this time period.

But Harry could have sworn that he had seen that old playful look in his Godfather's eyes and, despite how much he knew that he would always miss him, he fingered the Time Turner and he returned to his time.

As the sands of time shifted back to normal, Harry was left with a few last desperate thoughts. Though Sirius seemed wise beyond his years he didn't really want to leave, even if it was what Sirius had wanted. Maybe he knew something that Harry didn't…? Harry heaved a great sigh as his travel through time slowed.

He would never forget Sirius but, though he doubted either had ever said it, they had been really close and Harry would get through this alive. As for Voldemort and Bellatrix…? They didn't stand a chance.

"Harry!" Ron shouted, happily. "Good to see you back, mate!" He looked around. "But where's Sirius?"

Harry noticed the Lupin was also in the room. "He'll always be with us," Harry said with confidence. "It's kind of like what Dumbledore said in our second year… He'll never really be gone until those who are loyal have forgotten." Harry gave them all a small, painful smile.

Hermione nodded in approval, beaming.

Harry grinned back, feeling a great weight being lifted from his spirit. "Any one up for a game of exploding snap…?"