He felt the wind blow across his face and as he fell he saw the look of horror on Harry's face.
As he fell that look haunted the empty black boards behind his eyes. As his head brushed the veil he took his last breath, fighting for Harry.
For Harry.
He fell behind the veil with his eyes closed tightly shut. Slowly he opened his eyes.
Did he make it?
No. He was still behind the veil. He needed to get to Harry, he shouldn't worry him.
He stood and brushed the dirt off of his robes, how he survived an Avada Kedavra he hadn't the clue but he was very glad.
Sirius took the step closer to the veil but as he did he walked into an invisible shield.
It was holding him back. Keeping him from Harry.
"NO!" Sirius screamed and tried to kick the shield.
"Yelling won't get you across." A voice from the corner spoke, "and neither will violence."
Sirius whipped around, his anger getting to him.
"Oh yea, and what would you know?" He hissed.
"We've been here for a while." Another voice, this one softer but much more confident.
"Who-who are you?" Sirius stuttered into the darkness.
"Don't be scared," the softer voice chuckled.
"I'm not! Show yourselves! Who are you!" Sirius babbled.
Then she took a step out from the darkness, red hair gleaming in the bit of light seeping through the veil.
Soon after the deeper voiced male stepped out, black hair untidy and hazel eyes sparkling.
"Lily, James." Sirius said softly.
---------------------
"It can't be…you-you two are dead." Sirius shook his head and rubbed his eyes a bit.
"We are." Lily shrugged.
"But no spell can--"Sirius eyes flickered from Lily to James.
"—awaken the dead? Yes we know, but no one has awakened the dead…" James started.
"Then how are you here. How are you talking to me looking as alive as the last day you were alive--"Sirius panicked pointing at the floor as he spoke the words 'how are you here".
"Sirius…you are dead as well." Lily said confused.
---------------------
"No. No. No. I-I can't be I HAVE to get back to Harry…I have to help him I-I…" Sirius started running his hands through his hair as he put his back against the shield and slid down.
"Sirius," Lily placed her thin pale hand on his shoulder. "We know."
James looked at the floor.
"Trust us, we know."
Sirius looked up at James, who didn't even get more then a year with his son.
"I'm sorry…I forgot…" Sirius started.
"Lucky you, but we haven't." James spoke softly.
Sirius looked away from James back.
"What is this place?" Sirius said looking around.
"It's where people, who aren't quite dead get stuck when they have a job to fulfill, they get their chance at fulfilling their job and another chance at life." Lily explained standing and walking by James.
"Oh, great," Sirius sighed. "And what is my job? Becoming Filtch's new cat when she dies?" He asked sarcastically.
"No. Raising Harry and helping him throughout the rest of his life. A couple more years…" Lily said sadly.
"Wait, Harry has a couple more years? How do you know all this?"
"He told us."
"Who is he?"
"You'll find out soon. But yes, Harry has a couple more years until the last battle, he will overthrow the dark lord but he will be killed in the progress…" Lily said as her voice cracked.
"We wanted you to be there in his last years. I don' want him to have lost too many people in his life…" James spoke so quietly, Sirius could tell he was on the verge of tears.
"No. NO! He can't just be killed like that!--"
"That is the way it has to be--"
"But you can change fate." Sirius said stubbornly.
"You can try but not always." Lily said ending the conversation.
"Wait…if this is a place where people who have a job get stuck, why are you here?" Sirius asked.
"We are to give you instructions and leave…" James said looking into the darkness away from the veil.
"So you have been here ever since you died?" Sirius asked wide-eyed. This place gave him the chills, reminding him of the horrors in Azkaban.
"No. Thank god, but we have been here in the past month…" Lily sighed and looked at the veil, squinting in the bright light.
"Oh I see…so how am I going to GET out of here?"
"We have this powder; you have to sprinkle this at the foot of the shield." Lily handed him a bag of powder. "Your body will be on the outside for a while longer; imagine it as best as you can and you will pop back in it."
Sirius nodded his head.
Lily turned and she and James started walking away.
"Wait where are you going?"
"Our jobs are fulfilled." Lily said shrugging.
"But-But aren't you going to help me incase I need help?"
"You can do it Sirius; that is why we picked you." Lily laughed.
"Bye, Padfoot." James called with a smirk upon his face.
"Tell Harry we love him? Good luck." Lily waved.
The couple kept walking into the darkness.
"Good Bye Evans. Prongs."
Sirius turned to the shield put his hand out to feel it then sprinkled some of the powder at the base of it.
He closed his eyes and tried to imagine his body but he couldn't all he could see was the horror on Harry's face. He opened his eyes again and tried to imagine himself as a kid then closed his eyes.
Then the picture of Harry transformed into Remus.
'Wait, wasn't that Remus holding Harry back?'
Remus with the haunted look of pain and defeat in his eyes.
Remus the depressed werewolf.
Sirius suddenly felt a rush as he felt like he was falling and the floor had disappeared from behind the veil.
He was falling faster and faster until he finally hit the ground. He groaned inwardly and opened his eyes. He was holding Harry tightly, and he could taste the salt of the tears rolling down his cheeks. But he wasn't crying.
He quickly let go of Harry and looked at his hands.
They weren't his, these were slim and soft.
Remus.