Writer: Azure K Mello
Title: A Bond Never Dies
Part: 22?
Words: 190
Warnings: Angst. Scenes in Azkaban.
After the years he had spent alone he couldn't trust his senses. After all, there was no way James was really opening the door to his cell. James wasn't kneeling in front of him. Or touching his face. But it was strange because James looked older and more tired than Sirius had ever seen him.
"Sear? Sirius? Can you hear me?" asked the apparition.
"I'm not deaf."
"Are you ok?"
"Not really, no." Sirius couldn't figure it out. The hand on his face was warm and calloused. The vision's breath smelled of tea. Finally he asked, "What are you?"
"Church of England? 27 years young? Your mate?" offered the creature.
"You can't be."
"Well, I haven't been to a service recently but I was confirmed."
"Shut up," he felt himself flinching back from the thing, "you aren't real."
"Sear, I am. I promise. I'm James. Can you walk."
"Yes, but you aren't real."
"Ok. If I'm pretend, pretend to come with me. Pretend you got acquitted. It'll be fun. Please?"
Sirius just stared at the apparition. It wasn't as though he had anything better to do with his day, "Ok."