31 JULY 1980

The hospital was full of family and friends as they all greeted the newest little Potter. James beamed brightly as he held his son, moving around the room for everyone to see. Lily smiled as she watched him from the hospital bed. "What's his name?" Alice asked.

"Harry James Potter," Lily answered. Alice shared a small smile with Lily remembering their conversation 10 months before, and as Lily met Sirius' eyes she knew he understood.

31 OCTOBER 1981

Sirius was quickly panicking. He hadn't heard anything from Peter for days. James and Lily hadn't been hiding for long, but already there had been attacks on several of their friends. Finally, unable to stand the suspense any longer Sirius climbed onto his flying motor bike and went over to Peter's home. "Wormtail? Peter let me in!" he demanded pounding on the front door. He tested the door knob and found it open. Drawing his wand Sirius walked through the flat looking for anything out of the ordinary. There were no signs of a struggle, but all of Peter's clothes were gone, and from the state of his wardrobe he had packed in a hurry.

Sirius stood in the middle of the abandoned flat trying very hard to find some proof that Peter had been taken against his will, because if Peter had run . . . then James and Lily were in danger. He climbed back onto his motorcycle and sped off to Godrick's Hollow. Sirius arrived at the Potter's home and couldn't believe his eyes, the house was completely demolished. "Who's there?" a big, booming voice asked, "Is that you Sirius Black?"

Sirius looked up to see Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper coming out of the rubble he had a small bundle in his arms. "Yes Hagrid it's me," he replied climbing off his bike, rushing forward. "James and Lily?" he asked breathlessly.

Hagrid shook his head, "They didn't make it," he replied fighting back tears. "Dumbledore asked me to bring Harry to 'im," it was only as Hagrid said this that Sirius realized the bundle in Hagrid's arms was moving.

"Give him to me Hagrid," Sirius ordered holding out his arms to receive his godson.

"I can't Sirius, Dumbledore -" Hagrid argued holding the child close.

"No, of course," Sirius agreed, his mind racing. "Take my bike it will be faster and safer."

"Are you sure?" Hagrid asked barely hiding his enthusiasm for the idea.

"I'm sure," Sirius replied, "I won't need it anymore." Sirius left as soon as Hagrid walked over to the bike. It was time to find Peter.

The news from Godrick's Hollow spread quickly, by the next morning all of Britain and most of the world had heard of Voldemort's demise, the heroic sacrifice of the Potters and the miraculous survival of little Harry Potter. In a small flat in London one man didn't celebrate the fall of the Dark Lord. One man mourned the loss of two of his closest friends. He didn't know that over the following days and weeks he would lose many friends and so much more. All Remus Lupin knew was that James and Lily were gone and things would never be the same.

23 DECEMBER 1995

Number 13 Gimauld Place wasn't the cheeriest place to spend the holidays, but Harry Potter wouldn't have it any other way. His two best friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley were there along with the whole Weasley clan. Best of all, his favorite teacher Remus Lupin, and his godfather Sirius Black were there. Before dinner a couple days before Christmas Harry found Remus sitting alone reading a book, "Professor Lupin," Harry called out to him.

"Harry I'm not your teacher anymore, you don't have to call me professor," Remus reminded him, saving the place in his book.

"Sorry," Harry apologized reflexively. "Have you ever heard of Annicka Llewellyn?" he asked.

Remus visibly paled and his smile faded as he asked, "Where did you hear that name?"

"I found this journal in my parent's vault," Harry replied holding up an old familiar book.

"So that's where she hid it," Remus whispered almost forgetting Harry was there.

"Who hid it?" Harry asked instantly intrigued.

"Your mother," Remus replied coming back to himself, "Ann was a very good friend of your mother's and shortly before she died she asked Lily to hide it if anything happened to her."

"Why?" Harry asked taking a seat beside Remus on the sofa.

"There was a secret she wanted to keep – from Sirius," Remus explained.

"Why would she want to keep a secret from Sirius?" Harry asked confused, and just a little frustrated by Remus' vague answers.

"Because she was the love of his life, and he was the love of hers," Remus answered sadly.

"But he never -"

"Mentioned her?" Remus finished. "No, he wouldn't have. Sirius never spoke of her after the funeral." He paused, thinking over his next words very carefully. "Harry your mother promised Annicka that Sirius would never discover her secret. I need you to help me keep that promise. Don't let Sirius see that journal."

"What should I do with it then, hide it?" Harry suggested.

"No, I think you should keep it," Remus concluded, "in fact I think you should read it. It might give you a different perspective on things. Just keep it away from Sirius."

"I will," Harry promised and turned to go, but he paused. "What did she look like?" Remus hesitated, only for a moment, and then he pulled an old photograph from his wallet, well worn around the edges ash thought someone had spent a lot of time holding it. There were three teen-agers in the picture, one boy and two girls. Harry instantly recognized his mother, Lily and a young Remus. The second girl was about an inch, maybe two, taller than Lily with long brown hair and grey-green eyes. She had a bright easy smile and she seemed perfectly happy with an arm thrown about each of her friends. "She's beautiful," Harry commented.

"Yes she was," Remus agreed. Harry returned the photograph and left Remus gazing at the picture of his best friend and first love.

18 JUNE 1996

"Sirius," a gentle voice called to him. "Sirius, come on, you can't lie there forever," the voice called to him again. He suddenly became aware that he was lying on a flat surface, and that he recognized the voice calling out to him. He opened his eyes, blinking at the sudden brightness, "There you are," the voice said, "I was hoping you would wake up."

"Ann?" he asked incredulous at seeing the woman standing in front of him. "Are you real?" Sirius stood quickly and Annicka just continued to smile at him.

"Of course I'm real," she assured him. Sirius reached out, touching her cheek, she felt real, tangible beneath his fingertips. He pulled her close and kissed her like he hadn't kissed anyone since he saw her last. "How is this possible?" he asked happy, but bewildered.

"What is the last thing you remember?" she asked in return.

"What does that have to do -?"

"Just tell me, I promise it will all make sense," she interrupted.

Sirius was silent for a minute trying to bring his last memories to the surface, it was difficult, but he managed it. "I was in the Department of Mysteries . . . we were fighting Death Eaters in this room, it was odd."

"What did it look like?" Ann prompted.

"Like a big amphitheater sunken into the ground, and in the middle there was this arch . . . I was fighting Bellatrix when I was hit by a curse . . . I fell through the veil and woke up here." Sirius concluded still sounding very confused.

"The Death Room," Annicka explained. "It's where the Ministry studies what happens to the soul when we die. That veil is a doorway to the afterlife."

"So I'm dead?" he asked.

"Yes," she confirmed gently.

"What happens now?" Sirius sounded shocked and bewildered.

Annicka smiled comfortingly, "Well, now you have two choices. You can try to go back to the living world and become a ghost, trapped forever. Or you can take my hand and choose to move on."

"If I go with you, do I get to stay with you?" Sirius asked reaching out to take Annicka's hand.

"Yes, and I promise you that nothing will ever separate us again," Ann replied with a grin. Sirius kissed her one last time before replying, "I'll go with you."

"Come on," she pulled him forward, "everyone's waiting."

"What do you mean everyone?" he asked following her.

"I mean everyone," she replied with a smile. they took a few steps forward and the light grew brighter and brighter until it enveloped them.

THE END