"Come on," Percy said, in his Head Boy voice. "Keep up, keep up."
"Y'know, you could get fired for this," Ron said admirably.
Percy turned to glare at his younger brother. "I don't work here anymore anyway."
The Atrium was empty, and they all tiptoed through it, cramming into the lift. Hermione pressed the button for the ninth floor.
"Have you got a plan for getting out of the veil, Harry?" Ginny said suddenly.
"After a fashion, yes."
Harry looked curiously at Hermione as a cool voice announced "Department of Mysteries."
They sprinted down the long, torch-lit corridor, past the ghosts of blue flame that haunted the walls of black marble and gazed at the doors.
"Which one is it, Harry?"
"That one," he said, not knowing if he was right at all, and threw it open.
And so it was-- they went into the huge room, climbing down the benches. Harry stared up at the veil, remembering how it had taken Sirius, how he had never returned--
"Ginny," he whispered. "I have something for you." From the folds of his robes he pulled the two-way mirror Sirius had given to him so long ago, and pressed it into her hand.
"You don't have the other one," Ginny reminded him.
"Sirius has it," Harry said quietly.
"I'm sorry, Harry," Hermione said. "But I can't hold to a mirror." She drew her wand. "Incarcerous!"
Harry jumped, but Hermione instantly unwound the rope, fastening a loop around his middle, and knotting it tightly. "Be safe, Harry," she said softly. She gave him a hug.
Ron clapped him on the back. "In case you-- you know--" He cleared his throat. "Thanks, mate. For everything."
Harry gave him a hug, and turned to Ginny.
"I don't need to say anything," she whispered, "but I will." She wrapped her arms around him. "I love you," she said in his ear. "Come back to me?"
He looked her in the eye. "I promise, Ginny." He turned to step into the veil, but was blocked by Draco.
"I uh, just wanted to say thanks."
"What?"
"I was a solid git to you for six years and then you come along and make friends with me," he said with a chuckle. "You let me into your family. And, uh... I just... I appreciate it, y'know?"
Harry clapped him on the shoulder. "You're not so bad." He nodded at Hermione. "Take care of her?"
Draco grinned. "Absolutely."
Hermione's knuckles were white as she gripped the long rope that held Harry. "Good luck," she said tearfully.
Harry nodded. Taking a deep breath, he pushed aside the cold, silky fabric, and stepped across the threshold.
The minute he was behind the veil, gravity seemed to disappear; or at least partly. He could still walk, peering through the dusty green fog, but his feet barely touched the ground. And what was the ground? Tangled roots, a carpet of them, twisted together, rough and earthy beneath his feet.
"Sirius!" he yelled, and the echo went on for miles. "Sirius!" He waited several seconds. It wouldn't be too bad, Harry thought, if I could at least see my hand in front of my face...
He walked a little further, toward what seemed like a patch of light, putting his hand out in front of him. Leaves, blue and pink in color, swirled on puffs of silver dust, and the ground lashed out roots to capture them, bringing them down below the earth. More leaves fell the closer he came to the light--
Harry's hand hit something hard. It was smooth and cold, and Harry realized it was the trunk of a large tree. But who's ever heard of a tree made of stone? Harry thought abruptly, then quickly withdrew his hand in disgust, making the realization--
"It's bone," said the voice of Sirius.
"Sirius!" Harry's face lit up, and he ran to his godfather. "Sirius, I can't tell you how much I've missed you, I--"
"How long has it been?" asked Sirius, his forehead wrinkled.
Harry was confused. "You don't know?"
"Time loses meaning," Sirius responded. "There's nothing here to measure time with. I'm not even sure what time is in this place."
"What is this place, Sirius?"
"Death," Sirius said matter-of-factly. "It's the land between doors. You can choose-- here, whether you want to remain on Earth as a ghost, or whether you want to pass beyond." He sighed. "I'm glad I stayed around for a little while, at least. I didn't want to be a ghost. I'm not scared to die." He smiled fondly at Harry. "I did want to see you again, though."
Harry returned the smile. "It's been two years," he told him.
"Two years," Sirius mused. "If I'd have had a bet on with someone, I'd have lost it. It's felt like an eternity." Suddenly, as though this thought had just occurred, he looked down at Harry. "How did you come to be here?"
"I walked in."
"Very foolish, Harry. Very brave, but foolish. Why, may I ask?"
"They've sent the Dementors behind the veil," Harry said, "and I need one of them."
"Why?"
"A piece of Voldemort's soul is living inside me," Harry said gravely, "and having a Dementor perform the Kiss is the only chance we've got."
"To suck out the soul," Sirius said, as if it were obvious.
"Yes."
"If you call, they will come," Sirius told him sadly, "but I hope you know what you're doing. Here, all we are is our souls."
"Dementor!" Harry called, feeling silly.
And sure enough, a black-robed figure appeared.
Harry shut his eyes. "Legilimens!" he cried, thinking with all his might of Voldemort, concentrating on everything he knew about him, just like Draco had taught him.
And suddenly he saw himself, a young Tom Riddle, performing wandless magic-- the Cruciatus Curse-- on two of his housemates from the orphanage, in a cave--
He was Voldemort, returned to life, yelling at Avery, telling him how useless and unworthy he was, how he could kill him at the slightest whim--
He was Voldemort, standing in front of Bellatrix Lestrange, his fingers in her hair, pulling with all his might as she screamed--
He was Tom Riddle, receiving his Head Boy badge, thinking of the power it would bring him--
He was Harry Potter, riding his Firebolt across the Quidditch pitch--
No, he thought wildly, no! A bright light flared up in his eyes, burning like the sun--
But as he came back into consciousness, he realized that the bright light was Sirius' Patronus, and that he was alright. He was fine.
As soon as the Dementor went away, Harry collapsed.
"Remus would no doubt give you chocolate," said Sirius with a smile, "but we have none of that here."
"Did it work?" asked Harry weakly.
Sirius nodded. "I saw a soul escape your body," he told him. "But obviously you still have yours."
Harry felt like he could cry and laugh at the same time. He looked behind him, but saw no veil. "Where-- Sirius, how do we get back? Where's the veil?"
"I don't know," said Sirius sadly. "I've been searching since I ended up here."
"Hermione," Harry breathed, "I'm going to kiss you when I see you." He grabbed the rope around his waist. "Come on!"
Sirius ran after him, as Harry followed the rope back through the fog and past the veil.
"Harry!" Ginny said, scrambling to her feet. "And-- Sirius?"
Harry marched right up to Hermione and planted a kiss on her cheek. "I said I would do that." He turned to Draco. "I mean nothing but friendship."
Draco laughed gladly. "I never thought I'd say it," he said, "but I'm glad you're back."
Harry felt refreshed, energized, and ready to take on the world. "I want to do it now," he declared, and pulled his sleeve up.
Sirius looked at him. "Harry--"
But he poked his wand into the scar that Voldemort had left on his forearm in the graveyard in fourth year, calling him.
And suddenly the room was full of Apparating wizards, their dark cloaks swaying. Voldemort stood in front of them, his eyes burning. "You..."
"Now." Harry glared at him. "You're mortal now," he said breathlessly.
"I can still kill you, Harry Potter," Voldemort said wildly.
A dark figure stepped out of the shadows. "You will not touch him."