Summary: When Sirius dies, told from his point of view. Contains flashback from his life. One Shot.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story, except the ones that you don't recognize! I have used some very few (I think maybe two;)) lines from the OotP-book, from Sirius death. I may have changed it a little, but not much.
A/N: Thanks to my beta, Amanda, who really helped me improve this fic!
Things written in italics, indicates flashbacks.
In Paradise
By: bansheekk
"Come on, you can do better than that!" he yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room.
The second jet of light was heading toward him, but he did not quite understand what happened. Instead of trying to protect himself, he put on a puzzled expression. Why was Bellatrix using a pushing spell on him? He thought she was out to kill him. Unaware of what was behind him, he forgot to use a protection spell and got hit by the full force of her hex. Sirius looked over his shoulder, just as the impact of the spell shot him backwards, letting out a little yelp. A large black veil was hanging behind him. Far back in his brain, he recollected a story that was once told to him as a child.
---
"No-one knows exactly what there is to find in the Department of Mysteries. The ones who do know, would die before telling. But as always, when it comes to things that should not be discussed, there are stories, or legends as you might call them, which do. The one I am about to tell you now is one of the legends that most people are quite unaware of, since so few have heard it…"
---
Sirius barely remembered the face of his old nanny. He had been so young when his parents fired her for an unexplained reason. He remembered her soft voice and her goodnight stories so well, that it seemed just like yesterday she had told him them. He had always wondered where she had gone after she was fired. When she had left, no-one could stop his parents from tormenting him, no-one would comfort him when he was sad, and no-one could ever make him feel so relaxed and happy, as when she was telling him her stories. She always made him feel as if he wasn't a child, but an adult, and that he was worth just as much as any other person - maybe even more. He had always wanted to say how much that had meant to him - how much she meant to him - and that he was sorry for whatever his parents had done to her. He was sure they had done something, since she never made contact with him again after the night she told him the story about the veil.
---
"They say it all started back in the age of the Greek Gods. There was an ongoing war between two of the most powerful Gods ever known in history. It was the war that would never end.. No one knows exactly what started the battle, some say power, some say love. The thing was, that this war was threatening to destroy the world, and no one knew how to stop it - albeit one person. The greatest witch of the eldest era had a ploy on how to stop them. With the support of the Witch Council she made a weapon, a weapon that could kill these two Gods, so the world would once again blossom with life, without war. This was how the black veil was created, once someone walked through it, they would die. It seemed that no-one who passed through it had ever survived.
The Great Witch lured the two Gods to come and talk with her. One on one she said to them, that if they walked through the veil they would become so rich and so strong, that they would recieve all the power they wanted and even more. Naturally, the Gods fell for the trick, and soon the world, as was hoped, blossomed with life.
The problem was that the veil couldn't be destroyed. And to have such a powerful weapon, a weapon that could actually kill Gods, standing there where everybody could find it, was just too dangerous. So the Great Witch hid it, and it stayed hidden, for thousands of years, until our time. They say it was found while building the Department of Mysteries. They say that the people who looked through it disappeared, never to return again. Most people thought they had died, and this time, those people were right.
After that, the black veil was placed in the Department of Mysteries, and was the greatest secret that had ever been kept. If it is still there, I couldn't be certain.."
---
With a shocked expression on his face, Sirius saw he was heading straight at the veil.
Was this it?
Was this how he would die?
Yes, he thought, this was it.
He could actually see his life passing in high speed before his eyes. But the funny thing was, he only saw his life at Hogwarts. He understood when he saw the scene where he crashed into a black haired boy at the platform, that it was at that second, his real life started.
---
"Ouch!" Both boys were trying to move different body parts, to see if they were still working. Figuring out that everything worked as normal, they both stood up, and in unison:
"I'm sorry" Grinning broadly to each other they introduced themselves.
"I'm James Potter"
"And I'm Sirius Black"
"Uhm, you seem to have dropped a couple of dungbombs, Sirius, luckily no one broke." James grinned.
"Oops! I was planning on using them on the train, so it was.." He suddenly stopped. Would the black haired boy tell someone?
"Hey, don't worry. I won't tell! I was planning on doing the same!" With that he pulled a bag with dumgbombs out of his trunk. "Wanna work together?"
Sirius smiled relived. "Sure!"
---
From that moment onwards they were best friends. And after some time, they were known as the worst prankers that had ever walked in the corridors of Hogwarts castle. Girls wanted them, and the guys wanted to be them. Sure, Remus and Peter became their friends too, but Sirius knew James as well as he knew himself. And they stood together, no matter what. Never would one let the other down. Like the time when Sirius ran away from home.
---
The rain was pouring outside, and Sirius was walking slowly down the street towards the Potter mansion. He dragged a large suitcase with him by one hand, and a cage with a black owl in it under the other. Reaching the mansion he knocked hard on the door. After a few seconds, a house elf opened the door.
"Hullo, Ella. Could I have a word with James please?"
"Sure, Mister Black! He will be right here."
Sure enough, a few minutes later, he was sitting in the Potters living room, with the rest of the James' family, holding a cup of tea in his hand.
"What happened Sirius?" James said, looking very worried.
"I've had it! I don't want to live under the same roof as those pureblood loving people ever again!" He said angrily.
"I was just telling them about Alyssa and they freaked,", he continued, " Lecturing how I was an embarrassment to the family; the same crap that they have told me for years now. I said the same as I always do, that they don't control my life, and that I can date whichever girl I choose, despite if she's a Muggle or not. What I said didn't accomplish anything; dad started yelling at me like I had killed mum or something! I stood up, telling them that they had to accept who I was and my beliefs on what's right or wrong, or else I would leave, this time for good. After I finished, mum stood up, dragged me over to the family tree, and burned my name off it. And she yelled: 'Consider this the end Sirius. You're not my son anymore, and you are no longer a Black. You have embarrassed this family beyond my darkest nightmares, and I just want to tell you that if you ever set foot in this house again, it will be the last thing you do.' So, well, here I am.." Sirius stopped talking, trying his best not to show how truly sad and scared he felt.
"You're staying here Sirius, no question about it. Right mum?" James said, looking pleadingly at his mother
"Of course you are!" James' mother said with a warm smile. "Sirius is family."
---
That was how he had gotten the family he had always wanted. He and James became even more attached to each other than before, they were now more than brothers. This was before the sixth year started, one of his best years at Hogwarts. At the end of the fifth year, he began seeing this girl, Alyssa, the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He could still remember the sound of her walking towards him at the Platform.
---
"Sirius!"
"Alyssa."
She was running towards him. Her long curly blond hair swinging with the movement of her slim body, as her baby blue eyes sparkled like fireworks. He knew they sparkled for him. Just as he knew his eyes were sparkling the same way because of her.
Before Alyssa, he had been a player. He dated more girls each month than there was days - well, almost. Both he and James were like that, but then Sirius met Alyssa and he fell. He fell hard. Alyssa had been somewhat of a player herself, and it was destined that they were to date each other; when they did, it clicked. There was never any doubt that they would stay together, even when the whole of Hogwarts was in a state of shock when their relationship had lasted for about a month. Neither of them wanted it to end, because they where happier together then they had ever been alone.
"Oh I missed you so much…" Alyssa said, giving him the warmest hug he had ever received.
He stroked her hair gently, and whispered softly in her ear, "I've missed you more."
"I hardly doubt that." She said, leaning in for a kiss.
"Oh, get a room!" James said smiling, walking up behind them.
Alyssa smiled at James, while Sirius decided to give him a dirty look, for the interruption.
"Oh, is Jamsie boy a little jealous," Alyssa said, still smiling. "Haven't gotten any answer from your love letter to Lily, have you poor boy?"
"What? How do you know about that?" James' face went red.
"She's my best friend you prat, and best friends usually tell things to each other!"
"Oh…"
Sirius changed his dirty look, to a sympathetic smile. He knew that the feelings James had for Lily weren't just a crush. After all, he knew James as much as he knew himself, and by the looks of things, James was in love with Lily Evans. There was only one, small problem; Lily disliked James as much as James loved Lily. Sirius had long before agreed with Alyssa, that they were going to get Lily and James together as a couple before the sixth year was over. He figured he better start right now.
"You know James, I think that deep down she really likes you. She just hasn't figured it out yet, that's all!"
"Maybe, but what should I do? I mean, she does kind of hate me!"
"Get to know her. Stop asking her out, that only makes matters worse. Just stop behaving as a self-centered prat when you're around her. Behave like you do when you are with me or Sirius." Alyssa cut in, and at that time, Lily walked over to them, giving Alyssa and Sirius two hugs.
"Hey, how about me? Saving the best for last, eh?" James grinned.
"You wish." Lily replied, shooting daggers at him.
Alyssa threw Sirius a glance that could only say one thing. They had a difficult mission ahead of themselves.
---
Sirius could feel himself getting closer and closer to the veil. But in a way, he was glad it was all going to end.
---
"NO! Do you hear me?
NO!
I don't want anything to do with you, Potter! And for once you are going to listen to me, and please listen carefully, because if you really, truly have these feelings for me that you say you have, you have to change your behavior considerably, before I even assent to having a conversation with you. You are a self-centered bastard that only thinks about himself and nobody else. You think you're so cool just because you know all those curses, which by the way, you use on innocent people! You think you look so good with that stupid hair of yours, and you think you're all that because of your Quidditch talents. Listen to me when I say that you are not! There's more to people than just looks and talent. Like, for example, their personality and loyalty. I don't really think you have any of those, so just LEAVE ME ALONE! I don't want you to talk to me, I don't want you to write to me, I don't want you to sing for me, I don't want you to look at me. I don't want you around me, and for the sake of mankind, could you just do me this little favor and,
STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!"
With that said, Lily walked away as quick as she could, leaving all the students who were at breakfast that morning, which probably was something like all Hogwarts students, to stare at James in pity. Even though he was trying to laugh it away, most people could see how sad and hurt he was; and after a few seconds, he walked slowly out of the Great Hall, clearly on the verge of tears.
Sirius was just about to stand up when Alyssa put her hand over his. "Leave him be."
"But…"
"I don't think he wants to talk to anybody right now Sirius, even his best friend."
"I… I can't believe she would do that to him. He must be crushed." Sirius said, sitting down again.
"I know, but I am seriously contemplating that Lily thinks it's all a joke. She doesn't think he's serious when it comes to her."
"But he is! I have never seen him so serious about anything in his entire life!"
"I know, Sirius, I really do, but Lily doesn't. It's our last week here now, and I must say that I don't think we can get them together before our sixth year ends." Alyssa said with a little smile on her face.
"I know you are right angel, and I am happy to say, I'm glad I'm not in James' position right now. I'm glad I'm with you."
"You know Sirius Black, you are the greatest guy ever placed on this earth. I love you." She said, without hesitation.
That was the first time he ever heard a girl say that to him and his heart began to beat uncontrollably fast. She loved him. The girl he thought was his soul mate. Could things get any better?
"I love you too, Alyssa" He said, from the bottom of his heart.
---
Sirius smiled, thinking about Alyssa. He still loved her, and he always would.
Thankfully, James decided to follow Lily's advice, and change. Sirius had to admit, that neither him nor Alyssa, had anything to do with them getting together, they had done all that by themselves. But, Sirius thought, he did know why.
---
"LILY!" Alyssa ran over to the hospital bed with Sirius right behind her. "What on earth happened?" She sat down on a chair by the bed and looked at Lily with eyes full of concern. Sirius sat down beside her, his eyes filled with concern too.
"He saved me." Lily said with a hushed voice.
"Excuse me? Who saved you? And from what?" Alyssa asked bewildered.
"James…"
"What?" Sirius cut in, hearing the name of his best friend.
"He saved me."
"From what?" Alyssa became impatient.
"A Death Eater."
"WHAT?" Sirius stood up with a jolt.
"Please Lily, tell us the whole story" Alyssa pleaded.
"Okay. I was in Hogsmeade, when James came over to talk to me. I presumed he was after bugging me once more, but in fact he just wanted to talk to me about some Head business. We chatted for a long time, and we were actually having a nice conversation when we heard some noise from the street. It sounded like screaming and we both set out to find what it was, since it was our duty as Head Students. James and I split up as I saw many third year girls in shock, running down the street. I went after them, while James ran further up the streets to see what all the fuss was about. Just when I had reached the third years and was about to ask what was wrong, a Death Eater appeared right in front of me. He corned me, and then he walked forward, telling me I was such a piece, and that he wanted me."
Alyssa whimpered and grabbed Sirius' hand. Sirius took his other hand and grabbed Lily's.
"Are you all right? Did he hurt you in any way?"
"No, I'm fine. I kicked him hard in the… uhm… restricted section" Lily said with a weak smile.
"That's my girl." Alyssa said gleefully.
"Anyway, it didn't exactly cheer that monster up, so after recovering himself, he grabbed his wand, and pointed it at me. I started to back away, and tried to take my wand out, but he disarmed me. I was yelling for help, and James must have heard me, because when the Death Eater said his spell, James came jumping in front of me and got hit full blast by the curse." Tears started rolling down her eyes. "And… and I don't know, which spe-spell it was, but James… He fell into the ground, no-not moving and…" Lily couldn't talk anymore, her eyes were filled with tears, and she began sobbing.
"Lily, please, tell me what happened." Sirius was in shock. If anything had happened to James he wouldn't know what to do. He could see Lily trying to get control over herself and she continued with a hollow voice.
"Then, Dumbledore, and the rest of the teachers appeared, and well, that's when I fainted." She said slowly. "I don't know what happened! I don't know what to do! What if, what if something happened to James? It's my fault! I've should have told him. I don't want him to die without knowing!"
"Knowing what?" Alyssa said carefully.
"That, that I love him."
---
Of course James survived without any injuries whatsoever, and soon James and Lily were a steady couple. Sirius, Alyssa, James and Lily had the best time of their lives, until that fateful Christmas, that ended more than one life.
---
"So, you're going home for Christmas tomorrow?" Sirius asked Alyssa, while stroking her hair. They where sitting in a comfy armchair in front of the fireplace. Alyssa sitting half on, and half off Sirius' lap. All the other Gryffindors had gone to bed, but the two of them often used to say up alone, talking.
"Yes, I feel like I have to. My sister is due having her baby sometime soon, and I really want to be there when she gives birth. I'm sorry you can't go with me, but you know my parents are quite strict. They don't want me to have a boyfriend staying over." Alyssa said, stroking Sirius hand.
"That's no problem. After all James, Lily, Remus and Peter are staying here too, so I'll have fun." Sirius said with a weak smile.
"You won't miss me?"
"Are you kidding? I'll miss you like crazy, you know that!"
"Well, I know I'll miss you more." She said with a weak smile.
"No you won't." And with that, Sirius leaned in for a kiss.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
---
Never had he been so happy before, as he was that night; neither had he ever been so crushed, as he was the next evening.
---
He, and the rest of the Hogwarts students who didn't leave home for Christmas, were eating Christmas dinner when a gray-haired man with a black cloak walked into the Great Hall. Sirius could see a Ministry badge attached to his chest, and with the others he wondered what he was doing here. The man walked over to Dumbledore and whispered something in his ear. Dumbeldore's expression soon changed from his usual cheerful one, to a shocked and miserable one. He stood up, tapping on his glass, to indicate he was going to make a speech.
"There is no easy way for me to tell you this, so will you please not interrupt me, and I will answer your questions afterwards." Dumbeldore look truly miserable, and Sirius knew that the news he was about to hear was going to be horrid.
"There seems to have been an attack by Voldemort's followers, and the attack was directed at Platform 9¾"
A shocked silence was spreading around the Great Hall; Sirius could feel his heart drop.
"Many of your fellow students were hurt, and some have been brought to St. Mungos."
The silence was broken when a Ravenclaw boy asked the question Sirius was about to ask.
"Did anybody… … die?"
More silence.
"Unfortunately…" Sirius' heart dropped even more and he could see James putting his arm around Lily.
"It's my sad duty to inform you that Mister Kory Krafser and Miss Alyssa Taylor were hit by the Avada Kedavra curse. They did not survive."
At the moment Alyssa's name was mentioned, Sirius' heart disappeared. He was in a state of shock, not noticing anything that happened around him. He felt paralyzed, he just fell down on the floor, tears rolling down his face.
---
Sirius felt his head breaking through the veil. He hadn't had a proper life after the night he got that news. The night that Alyssa had died, was the night that Sirius died too. He never touched another girl after that night. His eyes never sparkled again. His body and mind was working as normal, but he seemed to have lost his soul - his meaning of life.
He was glad it was all going to end. He didn't want to stay half-alive, half-dead anymore. He wanted it to end.
With these final thoughts his whole body had gone through the veil, and Sirius Black was gone from our world.
---
What happened? Sirius thought. Why is water pouring down all over my body?
It felt like he was standing under a waterfall, after, he noticed he was.
When he walked out of it, he felt his body go dry again and the sunshine capture him. He looked around, and saw the most beautiful place he had ever seen. The sky was clear blue, with two white clouds in it. It seemed as if they didn't want to interfere with the sun, as they never concealed it. Behind him he could see the large waterfall, and a giant mountain. He saw a huge forest on his right side, but it didn't look intimidating as did the Forbidden Forest, in fact it looked rather welcoming. On his left side, he could see an ocean, an ocean that was of a dark blue color, which never seemed to end.
Then he turned around, and saw a rock; a person was sitting on it with her back against him. An old woman, with long gray hair. He was about to ask her where he was, when she spoke with a familiar voice.
"Isn't it little Mister Sirius? It's so nice to see you again." She turned around, and gave him a warm smile.
He remembered her face now.
"Nanna!" He walked quickly towards her, giving her a warm hug.
Just then, he could hear two voices calling to him from beside the ocean. He let go of Nanna, and stared at the two people running hand in hand toward him. One had jet black hair, while the other, deep auburn.
James and Lily.
Shocked, and not knowing what to believe, he threw his arms around both of them, almost knocking them onto the ground. He could hear someone laughing, and yet again, he turned around. He remembered that laugh. Could it be?
A woman, with curly blond hair, was running towards him. She had a white summer dress on, and even if she was running barefoot, he could recognize the sound of her steps. She looked like an angel. His angel.
It was Alyssa.
He was there, he knew, and with the happiest feeling he had ever felt, he threw his arms around her, and gave her a hug that showed them all he would never let go.
Finally, Sirius Black was complete. He was once again alive… In Paradise.