One: Death and Destiny

It seemed to take Sirius an age to fall. His body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backward through the ragged veil hanging from the arch…

This couldn't be the end, it just couldn't. He'd just settled into a life back with Remus and Harry and, while not free as he would have liked, it was still better than rotting in a cell. What was Harry going to do now without him; would he have time to grieve properly? Who would keep watch over Remus to ensure he didn't fall into another one of his depressive slumps again? There was too much going on for him to bow out now; they needed him!

Colors dulled around Sirius and the view of the Ministry faded from sight, which silenced his protests for the moment. He glanced down at himself, a grayed out shadow of what he used to be. Was this what it meant to be dead? He didn't feel any different than he had that morning. Was he a ghost, like the ones he remembered from Hogwarts; was this what they'd experienced when they died?

The odd, floating feeling from when he fell leached away and he found himself kneeling in ankle-high, monochrome grass. Could he touch it? Sirius extended a cautious hand out to check; yep, certainly touchable. What else could he interact with here - wherever here was? He stumbled to his feet. While the floating had stopped, it certainly didn't end the vertigo. Was it possible to be ill when dead?

When he finally steadied himself, Sirius jumped at the sudden onslaught of noise. "Who's there?" He called out, wary. Just because he'd died didn't mean he could stop being cautious; who knew what other dangers lurked around nearby. Now that he was paying closer attention, though, was someone talking?

"Hello?" He called out again, taking a few careful steps forward. The feel of somewhat solid ground beneath his feet was far more reassuring than he'd ever admit aloud, but these were very different circumstances. "Can someone tell me where I am?"

As he drew closer, the sound magnified and Sirius covered his ears out of reflex. It was as if someone had decided to whisper into a howler, if that made any sense. On top of that, this person, if there was one, had gone overboard with the geminio spell, too. The worst part was that he couldn't pick out a single word.

"Bloody rude," he muttered to himself, shuffling forward a few more steps. He couldn't see much either, with all of this thrice-damned fog! Whoever designed this afterlife needed some serious pointers on practicality; it was irritating. Maybe it was Death; for an immortal it wouldn't be surprising if that particular entity had no time to pursue creativity.

"Hello?" He tried again, not quite loud enough to be shouting. "Anyone there at all?" Nothing but more whispering answered back. "You know, I thought that Death was supposed to meet the newly departed; isn't that your bloody job?"

...

Sirius kept up with it for a further hour - was it an hour, how did time even work here? - before giving up. His own calls and the noise around him drilled far enough into his skull that, if he were still alive, he'd swear his head was pounding. Too bad pain reliever potions don't exist in the afterlife, or he'd have downed one already.

The aimless wandering had taken its toll, too. With no clue where to go or what should happen next, perhaps a short rest would allow for something else - anything really - to change the monotony around him. He'd even opt for a Slytherin jersey if it was available; it was too much. He sat back down on the grass and leaned on his elbows, taking a moment to really look at his surroundings. If he was going to be here forever, or he was expected to find his way out, Sirius knew that there had to be something out there he'd initially missed. Then he looked up.

The only word Sirius could come up with to describe the sky above him was that it was wrong. The same fog from the ground swirled around what looked like a gaping hole torn in the center; it was unlike anything he'd ever seen before. No color there, either. What was this place? He rested his head in his hands for a moment. What should he do now? The noise had yet to quiet down and the fog was as impenetrable as ever - nothing changed here, which shouldn't be surprising, since he was dead - but it still nagged at him. There had to be something else. Did he walk far enough? Was this some sort of test?

Sirius stood. Those voices from earlier changed depending on where he was facing when he'd initially arrived in this - field, meadow? - whatever it was, so maybe that was the answer? If so, then it was a surprisingly simple answer to the problem. Never experiencing color again was a rather dismal downside to his apparent continued existence, so if the voices led him somewhere else, he'd be fairly grateful. As for what followed: he'd cross that bridge once he got to it. His Hogwarts years had helped instill an appreciation for playing a lot of things by ear, and this scenario was no different, especially considering the lack of information available to him at the moment.

The only plan of action he had was to continue to follow the voices until he reached something different. Would it do the same as before, or was that change he experienced a mere fluke? If it remained constant he might have a way out of this place. If this truly was a test, perhaps speed would be rewarded at the end? There was only one way to find out, so Sirius took a step forward and listened carefully before moving back. There seemed to be a slight variation, and he cautiously moved forward an extra few steps to be sure. He grinned; it worked, it actually worked!

With every step forward he took, Sirius moved from careful steps to more confident strides as the noise around him swelled to an almost overwhelming level. It made his head throb worse than he'd ever experienced in life, but he pressed forward regardless. It was a way toward freedom; he'd take the temporary pain in exchange for his escape.

The fog around him began to clear, rolling back a few feet to give him a better view of the world around him. Not only was there near endless swathes of grass, but now he found himself surrounded by a small copse of rather large trees. Sirius was no nature expert but, judging by the sheer size of them, these were far more ancient than any he'd remembered seeing in the Forbidden Forest both during and after his years as a student. The trunks were thicker than Hagrid's hut and shot up into the sky high above him, the far branches partially concealed by the mist floating overhead.

By the time he'd reached the very center of this small natural enclosure, the fog ahead of him revealed a cluster of unmarked gravestones. Why were they here in this dead realm; what use could they possibly have in the afterlife? It's not like anyone would have a body left to bury here anyway, right? It was one thing that just didn't fit in his current understanding of the situation, and in spite of his initial cautiousness from the get-go, Sirius' curiosity over this new piece of information itched its way through him. Against his better judgement, he reached out and touched one of the stones. He had to be sure it was real - was it a hallucination?

The stone was surprisingly cool under his palms, and he leaned against one of them briefly to get his bearings on this new concept. Temperature was noticeable here, which was beyond odd. Sirius darted a glance out at the nearby trees but nothing appeared to change; no one jumped out at him when his guard was down, and there was no sudden shift in light or shadow. Everything remained just as it was - moments ago? - when he'd stepped into this area. It was rather disappointing, to be honest. He sighed in resignation and sat with his back against the same grave stone he'd touched, closing his eyes. One thing he was grateful for was that the noise had died down a considerable amount, but -

Wait, when had that happened? Sirius' eyes snapped open and he scrambled back to his feet, drawing his wand from his sleeve out of reflex. Did the stones have a connection to all the whispering? Maybe the sound - or lack of it - was a warning of some kind. He whirled around and jolted in surprise when he found himself face-to-face with a rather imposing robed and hooded figure. They - no, she - towered over him, pale as the mists that swirled at her uncovered feet. He dimly noted the large wings that sprouted from her back in his peripheral vision; her rather piercing stare captured most of his attention.

"Wizard." The soft, melodic voice sent a chill down Sirius' spine. It was not melodic in the expected way; it layered on itself as if it were being spoken in multiple voices, echoing throughout the small clearing. It was more haunting than beautiful, and an unexplainable dread filled him with the urge to run. The logic of it escaped him as she hadn't yet proved herself a threat. On the other hand, how did she know what he was? Did all creatures of this realm instantly know him in his entirety? It was a terrifying thought for someone so alien to see him so clearly. Not even his closest friends had the full privilege, especially not since his years in Azkaban.

Instead, Sirius forced himself to remain still, tightening his grip on his wand. He had no idea how this entity would react; it was possible that she'd be like a variety of magical creatures who would maul him as soon as his back was turned. Or even if he made any sudden movements, as with many wild muggle predators. He kept her gaze as defiantly as he could, just in case. Although some creatures could kill or maim you for such a slight, perhaps it could work to his advantage here. He was already dead, wasn't he?

"Who-" he began, but she cut him off.

"You do not belong here, Wizard." Her glowing white eyes appeared to narrow, and Sirius swore he heard an almost steely tone enter her voice. It was rather faint, though, so it was difficult to tell. The statement derailed him. How did he not belong here? Sirius lost in a wand fight with his cousin, which was rather embarrassing if he were honest with himself, and he'd died falling through that archway, right? It was the only reason he'd ended up here in the first place. Was this the wrong afterlife somehow; were there multiple afterlives for people? Was it possible for an error like that to even occur?

He took a deep breath to steady himself before he allowed his thoughts to spiral too far out of control. This entity was still a wildcard and he'd rather not risk harm for himself - if it were even possible here - if he could avoid it.

"I don't?" He asked, opting to keep it simple for now. He had plenty of time for his questions to be answered. It's not like he was able to go anywhere at the moment.

"You are not visiting, nor are you passing through my realm," her wings fluttered briefly as she pointed a long, delicate finger at him. Sirius was bewildered by the thought of voluntarily visiting this place. He didn't know of anyone who could be capable of doing such a thing, so what on Earth was she talking about? The passing part proved one theory at least: this was not the final destination for the newly dead. Thank Merlin for small mercies.

The entity gestured at him with the same hand, her movements fluid and unhurried. She appeared to give him a measuring look, supposedly in response to his confusion. It must have been rather obvious in his expression; perhaps she would explain further?

"You are here in both body and spirit, an unprecedented feat," she continued, her tone softening. Sirius frowned. Did his body not fall out the other side of that archway? There was nowhere else for it to land, after the skirmish. He fully expected Harry and Remus to be working through funeral arrangements for him; apart from Dumbledore, it wasn't as if anyone else would. He'd never had the chance to be exonerated for his falsely accused crimes. Peter was still out there somewhere.

"How-" Sirius faltered. Would she even know? If it was unprecedented, then it should be obvious that she wouldn't. Unless she were truly omniscient, it would be impossible for either of them to explain.

She shook her head. It was enough of an answer to his current musings.

"Can I -" he began, then he frowned again. "Is it possible for me to go back?" If his arrival in this place was some kind of freak accident, did that mean he wasn't dead at all? And if he did make it here without dying, that should mean that a way back was theoretically possible. Sirius could already feel hope beginning to bloom in his chest and he ruthlessly ignored it before it could take over. Now was not the time to get distracted!

The entity hovered for a moment and shrugged. "I would send you back if I was able to, but your full presence here hinders my ability to do so." She folded her arms and looked over him again as if she were considering.

"Am I stuck here, then-"

"No," she cut him off, waving her hand dismissively. "I can return you to the land of the living. It is not your world; what you do there is up to you."

"How do I-"

"Trust yourself; your intuition and your instincts will guide you well." Her previously emotionless face crumbled as her lips quirked upward in a barely-there smile. "Magic shall return, and the cycle will continue on."

What do you mean by-"

"It will make sense when the time is right, Wizard," she continued, cutting him off a final time. Sirius was rather disgruntled with the constant interruptions to his rather pertinent questions but, considering her power and the knowledge of this being her realm, he was forced to let it slide. He nodded instead; arguing might just incite her wrath.

"I cannot predict where you will end up." The entity gestured behind her at a new space between the trees that hadn't been there before. Could she shuffle the environment around her at a mere thought, and had she been doing so all along, while he was unaware? "I wish you the best of luck on your journey, Sirius Black. It will be far longer than you think."

So she did know his name. Despite her apparent benevolent nature, it was still rather frightening for her to know him like that without any prompting. He took a slow, deep breath to soothe his rattled nerves, glancing between the entity and his new path. Upon examining it further, it actually was a real path. The trees extended on either side of the trail as if it were a mere corridor instead. Was she dismissing him now, and if so, was she expecting any parting words from him?

"Thank you, um-" he had no idea how to refer to her. Did she have a name or title?

"Do not worry yourself, Sirius." Now he was certain she was amused; her tone had lightened considerably. He wasn't sure if he should be relieved or a bit offended that she was now mocking - teasing? - him. "I am not known to many until after they enter my realm."

"Oh." That explained a lot. It might have been one of the most common questions she'd received in however long this place existed. Still, he felt the manners instilled in him from his youth protesting at the thought of such a faux-pas. Even in school, where he rebelled the most often outside of the war, there had been the expectation of niceties toward classmates and professors. If the entity insisted, though, then he had no choice but to follow her lead.

"Do the people of my world pass through here, or is it only from that other realm that you meet the dead?" He inclined his head over at the pathway she'd opened up earlier to better punctuate his question. The answer could change a lot of things for him, really. What if James and Lily had each walked along the exact same path as he just did? Although morbid, it did allow him to feel closer to his old friends for a brief moment. No matter how much time passed he'd still miss them dearly.

The entity shook her head again. "I cannot tell you that," she replied. "It is not for mortals to know." Although he'd been expecting it, Sirius couldn't help the quiet sigh of disappointment that escaped him. One less thing for him to know, then.

Sirius shifted his feet awkwardly in the short silence that followed. "I guess I should get going, then, shouldn't I?" He piped up, after another moment of gathering his courage. It would be another purposeful step into the unknown, in a world that was likely going to be very different from what he was used to. A part of him shied away from that thought, and he filed that away for further examination later. For now, he still had that pathway to follow until he left this place for good. It was unlikely that his way home would take him through here again.

The entity nodded. "Remember our words, Sirius," she said, before fading away into the mists behind her. Sirius stared at the spot for a long stretch, mentally replaying their conversation. The ramifications of what she'd told him would certainly be important later on, when he had a better grasp of his situation. What he knew now was that he was standing in front of the exit to this dismal place, and the thought of being in the living world, no matter if it was his own or not, was encouraging after the day he'd just had.

Sirius sighed, gathered up his courage again, and began his trek forward. He didn't even think to look behind him; if he had he'd have likely found his way back obscured by more fog.

...…

He wasn't sure how much time had passed since he'd entered this passageway, but Sirius was already beginning to tire. It was strange, but he'd encountered a number of strange scenarios in his lifetime. What exactly would count as normal or mundane in the other world? It was one question that kept resurfacing as he made his way toward the end of the path. Considering the entity's words from earlier, he had to assume that magic was accepted over there. Whether or not its existence was as secret as it was back home was a whole other matter entirely. If it was, then at least he knew how to conduct himself in public in the muggle world. Although the issue of discovering who was or wasn't in the know would prove difficult for a while, at least it would only last until he picked up on the recognizable patterns.

If magic wasn't a secret - and if he were honest, Sirius would much prefer this option - then he could embrace his freedom with all the enthusiasm he could muster. At least until he figured out a way to go home, or contact Harry or Remus to let them know he was alive and well. And that was the main issue, wasn't it: how long would it really take for him to return home? Sirius paused, glancing down at his feet as that rather sobering thought struck him. The entity appeared just as baffled as he was considering the how and why he wound up here. What if this also translated the same way on the other side? Would anyone know how to send him back, and if so, would they even be capable of doing so? What if it was new, or even forbidden, magic; what would he do then?

Sirius sighed and shook his head to clear it, picking up his pace once again. He'd be stuck standing there for another long stretch if he continued in that vein; there was no knowing what he'd encounter when he reached the "living world" as the entity had phrased it. Although in some ways he preferred the apparent safety of this half-realm, in spite of the noise, there was no clear indicator on the general rules of conduct here. Was sleep even possible, and would he be safe doing so? Lily's muggle folklore tales warned about how dangerous it was to let your guard down in the supernatural realm, and by Sirius' reckoning, this place certainly would count. Usually those stories mentioned food and drink rather than falling asleep, but the issue of sustenance would crop up for him soon enough. Probably best to continue on and deal with those things when he arrived at his destination.

What would he find when he made it through? The very thought of possibly stumbling into something dangerous was even more sobering. Would Sirius be able to recognize it if it was? Thankfully, he hadn't yet relinquished the grip he'd kept over his wand during the whole exchange with that entity, despite the cramps he knew he'd be facing for it later. Perhaps he would be afforded a brief glimpse of the immediate surroundings before stepping through? At the very least, it would allow him time to form some sort of plan to tackle whatever waited for him there.

After a few more steps the fog receded enough to mark the end of the treeline. What was surprising was how close Sirius was to it. He nearly tripped over his own feet in an attempt to look things over, which could have had him toppling through without any useful information whatsoever. He steadied himself against the rather gnarled trunk to his right. He blinked: the trees immediately surrounding him were almost split in half, the other side blending out beyond the boundary and somehow receding even further from color or detail. Was this a truly monochrome world? That would be incredibly disheartening if true, and he had no idea how he would not go mad without the vibrancy and contrast he'd grown up with in his own world.

Sirius shuffled closer and peered out directly ahead. With all of the trees he could make out through the distortion of the boundary line, it was very likely that he'd found yet another forest. Thankfully there wasn't any evidence of creatures in the immediate vicinity, at least from what he could discern, so it may be safe enough to step through. He took a moment to brace himself; the entity hadn't mentioned how traveling through to this realm may affect him - and it was irritating to be reminded of something he didn't think to ask about - but Sirius hoped it wouldn't be as bad as the vertigo he'd felt when he arrived in this halfway realm. Come what may, he had to step through. It was the only way forward and the only way back home. He took a deep breath, adjusted his grip on his wand, and pressed on.

Walking through the boundary was one of the strangest sensations Sirius had ever experienced. If he had to explain it, he'd compare the feeling to walking face first into a large body of water, or how he'd imagine stepping into a bubble might be. There was no sound effect or vertigo this time, which was a relief, but rather than weightlessness he swore his limbs were a tad heavier for a brief moment before he felt stable again.

It was bright - way too bright! - and Sirius snapped his eyes shut out of reflex. After that long, indeterminable time in the other realm, the forest around him with all of its natural color was an assault on the senses. He took a few moments to recenter himself before opening them again for a better look at his surroundings. The one thing that stood out the most to him was the relief that his initial assessment before stepping through was wrong; this was not a monochrome world. The second had to do with the colors themselves. Compared to the dark tones of the Forbidden Forest from his youth, and the temperate woodland areas around Great Britain, this one consisted of vibrant greens and purples in the foliage. Would every forest here look like this? Although the canopy towered above and out of sight, it was still bright enough to see out ahead. It rather resembled the copse of trees from the gravestone circle he'd found earlier.

Apart from those key differences, this forest seemed to resemble any other that he'd encounter back home on Earth. The sounds and smells were similar enough to put him at ease, giving him one tangible concept to hold on to that wasn't too far removed from home. He stood near a rather impressive collection of roots that would have towered over him as a student, but were almost at eye level for him now. Sirius could pace between two particularly tall ones quite comfortably and, considering the day he'd just had, he might use it as a temporary base for the night. The roots provided an excellent amount of cover and had only one main entry point between them. Although nowhere near running water, the possibility of running into predators was still possible, so adequate cover would prove vital.

Decision made, Sirius began the rather long-winded process of setting up camp. He'd staked out on various missions during his time as an auror, and the training regimen had included brushing up on survivalist spells and tactics in case the one issued to you wound up taking longer than initially expected. That and his time on the run more recently had given him a bit of an edge with such spells. Wariness of who or what could take you by surprise, Sirius could bet that Moody would be at least accepting of his current level of caution; unvoiced and silent-cast wards and protection spells, proximity warning systems and so on. To top it all off, he cast a reveal spell just in case, but the results were pretty much expected: no humans to be found in the vicinity. Unfortunately, it was of no use beyond that; he had absolutely no idea what other beings or creatures could be nearby. It would have been simpler back on Earth, but considering that this was an entirely different world, there was no way to be certain until he literally ran into one at some point.

After the warding spells were set up, Sirius sat down and took a moment to think over his next steps. Basically, there were at least two different ways he could camp out here for the night. On one hand, he could go the traditional route and transfigure the comforts he needed before packing up to move on in the morning. On the other was the one he'd picked for over a year while Harry was hemmed in at Hogwarts by dementors two years prior. Padfoot didn't need much to settle down on the ground, and with the added benefits of enhanced senses, Sirius could be sure to be alerted if any changes occurred nearby. While the first would be a throwback to his younger years, the second option won out overall. Whenever he found out what sort of world he'd found himself in, maybe the other option may prove better next time.

With that finally settled, Sirius rifled through his pockets to get an idea of what he was working with. What exactly had survived the Ministry skirmish and his trek through that other realm? His robes had several pockets with extendable dimensions sewn into them, something he'd been rather happy to discover in his father's dresser. Ignoring who the robes had initially belonged to had proven quite the challenge, as the mere thought of his father brought back reminders of the day he thought he'd left that old house for good.

His right pocket had a considerable amount of what appeared to be junk at first glance: a handkerchief, some chewing gum, a handful of biro pens, a small notepad, a wrapped sandwich and his mirror. Sirius unwrapped the sandwich first and was pleasantly surprised to find it as fresh as it had been earlier that night, when he'd received that fateful floo call from Snape. It was a simple BLT, which solved his earlier concern about food rather nicely. He took a few bites out of it as he surveyed the rest of the items. The gum was swiftly returned to the pocket along with the handkerchief; he saw no immediate use for those at the moment. The pens and paper he left out as they would be great for keeping track of his observations until he could find more writing implements later. Although the pens were rather unusual for someone of his background, Sirius found it rather fitting - it was yet another mini rebellion against the outdated pureblood culture he'd been raised to emulate.

After all that mayhem and the mirror hadn't cracked or shattered at all? He barely remembered slipping it into his robes after yet another failed attempt to contact anyone through it. Remus may not have found his yet, but he was more curious about Harry. Had he ever discovered what he'd given his godson last year? If not, it would at least explain why he hadn't heard from him that often. Maybe he should have voiced the gift's purpose before Harry had boarded that train, but he hadn't considered needing to at the time. It was something that would likely haunt him for a long while, as the knowledge of the mirror may have saved those kids from running directly into danger in the first place.

Sirius placed the sandwich wrapper into another pocket to properly dispose of later before picking up the mirror. So far it was the only direct way he knew of that could promise contact with his world, and if it worked, then at least one of his main objectives could be fulfilled quickly enough to soothe his concerns. He knew it was less likely to connect this time around, but he could already feel that warm hope surging through his chest for a chance to talk to Remus or Harry; either wizard would certainly cheer him up, and they would definitely appreciate the reassurance that he was just fine, too.

More than anything else in that moment, Sirius was nervous; he could feel it in the way his hands trembled slightly as he held the mirror up to eye level so he could yet again try to call. Even if it didn't go through this time, he knew he would keep trying on the off chance that something was working in his favor. Harry and Remus needed to know, and so did he - was everyone all right? He took a deep breath.

"Harry," He said, as clearly as he could, in an effort to boost the mirror's effectiveness. There was no response, and after a few more tries, and several more trying for Remus just in case, Sirius decided to let it be for now. He already knew he'd be at it again the following evening.

He sighed and returned the mirror to his pockets. Looking up, he could already pick out the lengthening shadows across the nearby roots. Sirius had no idea exactly how long he had been sitting there - perhaps a few hours? - but it was obviously long enough to bring about sundown. He stood and cast a few more detection spells, and double checked his wards before sitting down again. He had just enough natural light to jot down a few notes on what had happened to him so far, including his discussion with the entity. The forest surroundings and their odd color palette, the familiar sounds of nature around him, and his plans on mirror calling joined the list.

Sirius returned his wand to its holster and shifted over to Padfoot, circling around a few times to make himself somewhat comfortable on the uneven ground. He put his head in his paws, considering the possibilities that may face him the following morning. What would he find? Would any of it be useful, and how long would he remain in this forest? Whatever Sirius faced, he knew he had to see them through - but first, he needed to survive. With that final mental declaration, he drifted off, hopefully for an undisturbed sleep in unfamiliar surroundings.

...….

Hello everyone!

Thank you for your patience, and welcome to the revival of my old story Old Truths, New Beginnings, or OTNB for short. This is going to be a long saga, which fuses multiple concepts from the Wizarding World, earlier and later incarnations of the post Cata WoW expansions, WoW lore, and real life analogs to various systems to feel as lived in and three dimensional as I can get it to be.

This story has been on my mind for the past decade now, if I am completely honest with you. As I'd already mentioned in my final update to the original version of this story, there were things about it that didn't sit right after my writing process had matured over the years. The issue was how I would take on such a major project and turn it into something that represented those changes in complexity, planning, etc. I have already planned this all out prior to writing more than the first chapter that you see here today. And prior to posting, I made sure to have enough content to give you guys regular, weekly updates for a long while.

This will be a trilogy, likely with a companion compilation alongside it. I'll attempt to keep my future notes sparse so you can enjoy the story without too many interruptions. To all who had followed, or added the original to archives or their favorites lists, thank you so much. And to all who reviewed - you guys are awesome. Hopefully this time the characters meet expectations, but I guess we'll see as the story pans out, won't we?

Anyway, thanks for all the support, and keep an eye out for updates.

Have a wonderful day,

Shadow