Chapter One: Doriel

Sirius Black had told his godson Harry that death was 'Quicker than falling asleep', but he neglected to tell Harry that death—or more accurately, Heaven—was a colossal bore. Oh, it was all right if you had someone to share the afterlife with, but Sirius found himself quite alone.

Today was the first Halloween since Voldermort had been defeated. All those who had died fighting led the celebration that included many deceased Muggle couples as well. James and Lily, Remus and Nymphadora were the first on the dance floor; dozens of others followed after them. The adoring couples floated several feet off the ground, their deep love holding them up. Sirius found himself feeling more than a little resentful—he didn't exactly begrudged his friends their soul mates, but wished his own life had played out differently. He had been twenty-two when he was sent to Azkaban for crimes he didn't commit, and before then he never dated any girl long enough to call it a relationship.

Luckily there was a bar as well as a dance floor. Sirius took a chair and the jolly man behind the bar poured him a glass of his favorite ale without Sirius having to ask for it. He turned away from the dancing and took a long pull at his drink. Unfortunately no matter how much or how fast he drank he would never be able to get more than a strong buzz. Apparently it was against Heaven's rules to get roaring drunk, still he did his best by consuming four ales in quick succession.

"Sirius, are you trying to get drunk again?" Sirius turned to see James and Lily regarding him with concern.

Lily smiled and held out her hand. "Come dance with me."

Sirius shook his head. "You two go on. I feel like dreaming."

James sighed. "You don't have to be miserable if you don't want to be."

Sirius smiled widely and rose, then patted his old friend on the arm. "I've been restless all my life, why should my death be any different?" He left the party, then immediately transformed into his dog self. Deceased spirits didn't need to sleep, but they needed to dream. He found his dog dreams far simpler and more satisfying than those he had as a wizard.

He entered his little house that had been assigned to him when he first arrived in Heaven and found a comfy dog bed waiting for him. Within minutes he was asleep, dreaming of gnawing on bones, chasing cats up trees, and scratching fleas. Somewhere between waking and sleeping he felt a gentle hand stroking his great black head. He lazily opened his eyes and saw a two yellow eyes staring down at him. He started awake and realized it was an angel who was petting him. She was very pale with straw colored curly hair, dressed in a short white toga and sandals. Her large wings were pure, snowy white. He began to bark in surprise. The angel flapped her wings in front of her as if to shield herself and disappeared.

As soon as she was gone Sirius returned to his wizard self and continued to stare at where the angel had been. "You didn't have to leave!" he called after her.

The next day Sirius caught up with Remus and Tonks in their house down the street.

"Guess what I saw last night?" Sirius asked them. They both looked at him expectantly. "An angel," he told them.

Tonks shrugged. "Well, it is Heaven."

"Yes it's Heaven, but how many angels do you see walking around?" Sirius asked. "The only one I saw was the one who processed me when I died."

"You have a point there," replied Remus. "I wonder why we don't see more of them around here. Perhaps they don't like to mingle with mere mortals."

"This one was patting me on the head," Sirius told them, causing Remus to raise an eyebrow. "I was a dog at the time."

Tonks smiled. "Was she pretty?"

"How did you know the angel was female?"

"I doubt you'd be so interested if it had been male," she said with a wink.

"We were just heading out to the New Globe Theatre," Remus told him. "Shakespeare himself is putting on a new production of The Tempest. Why don't you come with us."

Sirius shook his head. "No thanks, I'd rather roam the edges of the Veil. I might catch a glimpse of Harry and see what he's up to."

Tonks sighed then gave Sirius a sisterly hug. "The sooner you accept that the living are no longer our concern, the happier you'll be."

Sirius grunted noncommittally and left the pair to Shakespeare. Sirius walked the perimeter of the Veil, but saw nothing that interested him. He closed his eyes and attempted to still his mind and thought only of his godson Harry. When he opened them again, the angel he had seen in his house was standing before him. Now that he got a good look at her, he decided she was indeed pretty despite her strange golden eyes, but her sudden appearance irritated him.

"You should listen to your friends," she said. "Harry Potter is no longer your concern. I know you are lonely but—"

"How do you know anything about me?" Sirius yelled. "Who are you anyway? Are you spying on me?"

The angel gazed at him for several moments, wide-eyed. "I-I was just trying to help you," she said in a small voice. "You are so very lonely—"

"Who are you?" he demanded.

The angel stood straight and extended her wings, the voice that escaped her lips had the entire power of Heaven behind it, making Sirius's spirit shake: "I am Doriel of the Cherubim, one of seventy-two angels in charge of the hour of noon!"

"Well, hello Doriel of the Cherubim," Sirius said, smiling in spite of himself. "What's it to you if I try to watch out for my godson?"

"Because it's dangerous for mortal spirits to become obsessed with the living," she said. "You can find yourself expelled from Heaven and become a ghost."

"Being a ghost would be preferable to this—paradise," Sirius said with a derisive snort.

"Don't say that," Doriel replied with a look of horror. "Ghosts are stuck in limbo for eternity—you would be lucky if you did not go mad."

"It couldn't be any worse than Azkaban." At her questioning look he explained, "It's a horrible Wizard prison. I was there for twelve years before I escaped. I just want to see Harry to make sure he's all right. Can you help me?"

Doriel nodded. "All right, but just for a moment. Take my hand."

Sirius took Doriel's hand as she began to flap her wings, carrying both of them across the boundaries of Heaven to the Weasley's home, the Burrow, in Ottery St. Catchpole in Devon, England. Sirius was glad Harry was staying with the Weasleys rather than at the Black's ancestral home at 12 Grimmauld Place. He found Harry sitting at the dinner table enjoying a meal with the rest of the Weasley clan, except for Fred who had died in the battle for Hogwarts. During the meal Harry cast frequent loving glances at Ginny Weasley.

Sirius's heart filled with affection towards his godson. He turned to see Doriel smiling at him. "I'm afraid we can only stay a moment longer."

He nodded in understanding. "Harry!" he called. "Be happy and don't let that girl get away from you!" Sirius's smile faded when he realized Harry could not hear him.

"I'm sure he has not forgotten you." Doriel squeezed his hand before flying them away from the convivial scene. She dropped him off in front of his little house.

"Thank you, Doriel," Sirius said sincerely though his mood had darkened. "May I ask you why you helped me?"

Doriel looked away as her wings almost enveloped her. "Because," she whispered shyly, "I am lonely too."

"DORIEL!" Came a booming voice out of nowhere.

"Oh no!" The angel looked around her in fear before she disappeared, leaving Sirius to wonder if he would ever see her again.

To be continued...

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