Sirius fell to the ground as if in slow motion. I rushed forward to catch him, horror welling in the pit of my stomach. Sirius's eyes were staring up at me, dull and glassy. I was vaguely aware of Regulus kneeling beside us, focusing more on the eerie stillness of Sirius's body.

"No," I whispered. "No, Sirius, snap out of it!"

There was no response; I shook my head, hardly daring to believe he could be dead. Not after everything that had happened.

"Siri, look at me," Regulus said urgently, tears leaking out of his eyes. "We can go home and play pranks on Aunt Carol and Uncle Jacob if you just get up right now, okay?"

I was well aware that the fighting had stopped. I caught several Aurors and Muggle policemen staring in horror. I clutched Sirius protectively, my mind flooding with horrible memories. I didn't even know who'd shot the spell...

"James, Regulus," I looked up blearily, my eyes filled with tears. Dad was beside us- I guess he had been at the battle after all. This couldn't be happening. Dad grabbed both of our shoulders and Apparated away. We reappeared in my living room.

"Boys, calm down," said Dad. "Sirius is okay."

"Okay!? Okay!?" I repeated hysterically, while Regulus looked hopeful. "How can he be okay? He was hit by the Killing Curse, Dad! Dead doesn't classify as okay!"

"He's not," Dad replied. "Well, assuming he was hit with the correct spell. An Unspeakable friend of mine found a spell- it imitates the Killing Curse in all senses, except it doesn't kill the victim. He just looks dead."

"Are you sure?" Regulus asked, naive and hopeful. "What's the counterspell?"

Dad chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Thing is, I don't know."

"So what good does your stupid spell do us?" I growled. "He's still as good as dead."

"Your mother should remember," Dad said. "At any rate, Voldemort wanted Sirius dead, so, of course, if he assumes he is dead, Voldemort should be off our backs for a bit."

"At least there's that," I sighed, staring at Sirius who certainly looked very dead. "And what happens if he was actually hit with a Killing Curse?"

Dad paled. "Er... well, let's hope he wasn't."

"Did you know," Regulus said suddenly, obviously being optimistic and believing Dad. "That the potion in those cookies won't wear off for another week?"

Despite everything, I burst out laughing (possibly not as enthusiastically as usual). "Voldemort is going to be green for a week!"

"How random," Dad snickered. "Well, I'll go get Carol. Wait here."

Dad left the room, leaving Regulus and I alone with an unconscious Sirius, who looked so corpse-like that I had a hard time believing he wasn't dead. Why was it always Sirius? Why couldn't it be me for once? It was always Sirius risking his neck, Sirius nearly dying, Sirius being hurt. Regulus, naive and innocent, had simply believed Dad and decided that everything was alright; he had wandered off and was rereading The Night Before Christmas (why he was reading this in the middle of the summer was beyond me). I don't think he truly realized how close Sirius had come to dying a few moments ago- also, my father's statement was ringing in my head: 'Let's hope he wasn't.'

There was still no guarantee that my best friend was even alive at this point, that I wasn't just holding a corpse, that Sirius would wake up again.

Perhaps, I worried as I brushed hair out of Sirius's face, my hand brushing his cold forehead, the spell didn't work.

"Jamie, you okay?" Regulus asked, looking over his book. I nodded half-heartedly, eyes still lingering on Sirius's pale face. His eyes were still open, staring blankly ahead. Disconcerted, I closed them. "Are you worried for Sirius?"

"Yeah," I said softly. "I guess I am."

"Don't worry," Regulus chuckled. "Uncle Jacob said he'd be fine."

He also said he wasn't sure, but Regulus looked pleased and I didn't want to worry him, so I neglected to mention this.

"Come put him on the couch," Regulus suggested. "I know he's scrawny, but that can't be comfortable."

I nodded, stood up, and carried Sirius to the couch, laying him down. Regulus observed him slightly uneasily. "He's rather pale. You don't think he's- you know?"

I shook my head for Regulus's sake. This seemed to quell his worries, and he returned to reading his book. I sat on the floor next to Sirius, still upset by his eerie stillness, not unlike death. I hoped my dad would hurry up...

As if on cue, Dad and Mum returned to the room, Mum muttering furiously about Dad being irresponsible, stupid, and forgetful. Her expression softened when her eyes landed on Sirius and I, and she walked forward.

"You're injured," she noted crossly, eyes narrowing at me. I frowned confusedly, and glanced down to see that my arm was crooked and bleeding. When did that happen? "Alright; I told your father that spell was a last resort. It hasn't been tested."

My worry returned tenfold, and Mum seemed to notice. "Oh, no, no, I'm sure he'll be fine, sweetie."

She shooed me aside and began muttering spells; I watched anxiously. Dad smiled reassuringly at me. "Your mother knows what she's doing."

"I know," I murmured. "I'm just worried."

"Do you want to read with me?" Regulus asked, offering his book. I shook my head. "Oh. Well, suit yourself."

It took a few moments, but soon I heard a very familiar groan. "What the- what happened?"

Mum backed away smiling as Sirius sat up, rubbing his head. "Gah, I've got a massive headache."

"Probably an after effect," Mum said kindly. "You're very lucky Jacob found that specific spell; Voldemort should be off your back for a while if you don't blatantly reveal yourself."

"What do you mean?"

"She means," said Dad. "That Voldemort and the Death Eaters and, really, everyone besides us that was at that battle all think you're dead."

"That could backfire badly," I noted, frowning. "What if there were reporters there?"

Dad frowned as well, narrowing his eyes. "You're right. That could be a problem; well, we'll sort that out if it comes to it."

"If it comes to what?" Sirius asked dumbly.

I sighed, and rolled my eyes. "If some reported publishes that you died."

"Ooh, yeah, that could be bad," Sirius grimace. "Hey, mate- were you crying!?"

"Maybe," I replied.

"You did look pretty bad," Regulus announced in my defence. "I cried a little too, until Uncle Jacob assured us you'd be fine."

"And, let me guess, James didn't believe him?" Sirius chuckled. "Go figure."

"Whatever," I muttered, blushing. "For the record, you're still pale as a sheet," I hit him on the arm. "And cold as ice!"

"Possibly a side effect," Mum said. "Unfortunately, I can't take you back to St. Mungo's, since the Death Eaters could find out that you're there."

"Yes!" Sirius exclaimed, hopping up. "Hear that, Jamie? No more St. Mungo's! I'm free!"

"Yay!" Regulus beamed. "Finally; now we can play Quidditch and play pranks and-"

"Not until Sirius and James are well," Mum said sternly. "And, honestly, I'm amazed you aren't injured."

Regulus picked up his frying pan. "I had a good weapon."

"We have such a weird family," Mum said incredulously, shaking her head. Dad nodded in agreement, and I laughed. Mum sighed dramatically. "Goodbye, normalcy..."

"Normalcy for us ended a long time ago," Dad said.

"JAMIE! WAKE UP!" It was the next morning; Mum had fixed my arm, and then sentenced Sirius and I to our rooms. I'd slept like a rock last night, considering everything that had happened the day before, and I was still tired.

Needless to say, when Sirius came barging into my room to wake me, I pretended to stay asleep.

I'd thought my plan worked when Sirius left the room, but, alas, he returned moments later and I was suddenly doused in freezing water. I shot up, shivering and glaring. Sirius grinned cheekily. "Morning!"

"Git," I replied, climbing out of bed. "Now I'm soaked."

"That was the plan," Sirius declared.

"I think I like Regulus better," I muttered.

Sirius laughed. "He's making breakfast."

"But I wanted breakfast this morning!" I lamented. Sirius let out another barking laugh, and raced out the door, leaving me to dry off and get dressed. I hoped Mum had been helping Regulus; as much as he loved to bake, he was absolutely horrid at it.

"Hi, Jamie," Regulus greeted happily, setting the table with plates of bacon and eggs. "I made breakfast."

"I heard," I said, taking a wary bite of bacon. Satisfied that it was bacon and not some obscure substitute Regulus accidentally used, I continued eating. "Pretty good."

"Amazing, isn't it," Regulus chuckled. "Bacon and eggs is easier than cookies."

Sirius chose that moment to run in and sit at the table as well, shoving a piece of bacon into his mouth. "Bloody heck, Reg, you can cook!"

"Hey!" Regulus cried indignantly, while I burst out laughing.

"What?" Sirius said. "Those cookies tasted like some sort of potion gone wrong."

"Exactly why they are fabulous weapons against Death Eaters," I said, shooting Sirius a look and patting Regulus on the back. "Padfoot, you're tactless."

"Sorry," Sirius blushed.

"It's fine, Siri," Regulus laughed. "Anyways, did you see the Prophet this morning?"

"No, neither of us have," I replied.

"Some of us don't get up at the crack of dawn," Sirius added. I gave him an incredulous look. "What? I didn't get up as early as him!"

"Yes, but you've woken me before dawn," I pointed out. Sirius turned red. "So what's in the Prophet?"

"There was a reporter at the battle," Regulus said. "It's all over the news: Hogwarts Student Murdered."

I paled. "We better tell the others Sirius is okay."

"Wicked!" Sirius declared, obviously having a completely different train of thought. "I can pretend to be a ghost and scare people!"

"Ghosts aren't solid," Regulus said.

"How do you know I'm solid?" Sirius replied, grinning creepily. Regulus pulled out his frying pan and whacked Sirius in the head with it. "Ow!"

"You're solid," I snickered, as Sirius rubbed his head. "Yeah, if I know Lily, she'll be here any minute-"

"James!" As if on cue, Lily came rushing in and engulfed me in a hug, knocking over Sirius. "I just read the news! I can't believe-"

"Oi!" Sirius exclaimed. "Why don't I get a hug? I'm the one that's supposedly dead!"

Lily turned so fast her hair whipped me in the face. "Sirius! But- you- it said-"

"Don't worry, Siri's alive," Regulus said, swinging his frying pan and grinning evilly. "I checked."

"But how?" asked a very baffled Lily. "No one has ever survived Avada Kadavra!"

"It was a different spell," Dad declared, walking in and taking a seat. "Ooh, bacon! Anywho, one of my Unspeakable friends came up with a spell that imitated Avada Kadavra, but didn't actually kill the victim."

"Oh," Lily said. "Well, I'm glad you're okay. Do the others know?"

"JAMES!" I winced as I heard Remus's and Peter's voices from the living room.

"Nope," I replied.

"Ooh!" Sirius grinned, and started towards the door. "Act sad!"

"What?" Regulus asked.

"Let's prank Moony and Wormy," Sirius grinned. "Act sad!"

With that, he ran into the kitchen. I groaned, and put my head down on the desk. "That idiot."

Regulus held back a chuckle and, judging by the thud that followed, followed my lead. "We can just sit like this and laugh; it'll look like we're crying."

Another thud sounded, along with Lily's voice. "Good idea."

"James? Regulus?" Based on the closeness of the voice, Remus and Peter had entered the room. Regulus was giggling silently, and I found myself snickering as well. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," I said, trying to keep the laughter out of my voice.

"Is Sirius really...?" Peter squeaked, leading to another fit of giggles from Regulus and a snort from Lily beside me. I smiled, glad that my face was hidden by my arms, because there was no way to contain my mirth.

"Peter, don't be so tactless," Remus's voice reprimanded. "I'm so sorry, James- I can't believe- what the-"

"G-g-ghost!" Peter squealed, and Regulus and I dissolved once more into laughter.

"Indeed," came Sirius's voice; I could tell he was trying to sound creepy (and failing miserably). "It is I."

"Erm... why do I smell flour?" Remus asked.

"Er..."

"That's me," came Regulus's muffled voice. "I was baking."

I snickered.

"I'm going to haunt Voldemort for killing me!" Sirius declared dramatically. "He will rue the day he shot that curse at me!"

"Darn right he will," I muttered darkly.

Regulus continued laughing quite loudly and quite obviously, and a loud thud sounded (followed by even more laughter). Sirius huffed. "Regulus quit laughing, you're ruining the prank!"

"Sorry, Sirius," Regulus gasped between laughs. "I can't help it."

"Prank?" Remus exclaimed. I lifted my head off the table and grinned at him. Regulus was on the ground, still laughing his head off. "What d'you mean, prank?"

Sirius, who was covered in flour, grinned. "Surprise, mate! I'm not dead!"

Remus frowned and crossed his arms; Peter beamed. "That's great, Padfoot!"

"Isn't it?" Sirius replied."And it's wicked! The whole Wizarding world thinks I'm dead! Think of their reactions when I show up on September 1st."

"Chaos," Dad said.

"Yep," I agreed. "That about sums it up."

Regulus snickered. "That about sums our life up."

A/N: Weird place to end, but the chapter just would not end! Anyways, see? I didn't kill Siri. I just invented a new spell and made the rest of the world think he's dead. XD This story is feeling a bit repetitive, so, don't worry, I'll add some better plot stuff in during fourth year! Okay, big thanks to my reviewers, jeremiah123, Red Moon Lollipop, sk8boards4ever, N. E. Person, Lady Loophole, and Accalia Silvermoon! I guess you guys can have virtual bacon! :D Hope you liked, read and review!

I still don't own Harry Potter!