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Author: hewithnoname Story: Dog Star Rating: Young Teens Setting: Pre-HBP Status: Completed Reviews: 9 Words: 11,972
Sirius fell backwards through the veil and landed on his back. He was expecting pain; he was expecting the noise of battle. He was surprised at the silence that greeted him.
“She got me. Am I unconscious?” he thought. He got up and ran back to where he thought he had fallen through, but nothing was there. An eerie silence absorbed all that could be heard, and a blackness, so complete that it enveloped the very body and soul. Sirius started to panic; he needed to get back to Harry, to help protect him. He started running around in all directions, shouting and pleading to be let back. He heard a voice, but chose to ignore it. “Let me out, damn you! I need to get back, NOW!” Sirius glanced around. The anger and desperation on his face was clearly visible. “It’s no use, Padfoot, old friend.” Sirius spun around and was so shocked by what he saw that he collapsed and fell over backwards. He was still trying to back away. “You-you can’t be real. You’re just a memory.” Sirius closed his eyes and brought his hands to cover his face. “I’m as real as you, Padfoot.” “Prongs, you’ve to help me get back. Harry needs me. I’ve got to get back.” Sirius couldn’t look at James for fear of rejection. He had failed his best friend. “You cannot help Harry now, old friend.” “No, you don’t understand, I need to get back. Help me.” “You can’t help Harry now. You have passed over.” “No, I’m just having a little rest. I need to get back.” Tears were falling down both of their faces. “I cannot send you back, Sirius you are-“ “Don’t say it. I can’t be. You have to send me back, please, Prongs. Let me go.” “No listen, Sirius, I cannot help you in that way. I have come to take you away from all this.” “I don’t want to go, I want to go back.” Both men were openly crying, tears falling fast. James looked at his best friend, and wept for him. He held out his hand. “Come with me, Padfoot, Lily wants to see you. My parents want to see you as well.” “Lily? She’s here? Where?” Sirius started looking around. “She’s watching over Harry. She has told Albus to go after him, Harry has gone after Bellatrix.” “How do you know?” James explained seeing Sirius’s confusion. “We can observe, and sometimes influence the way people act. Tell me, Padfoot, how did you know where to go tonight? Of all the rooms, how did you choose that one?” “I just knew Harry was in there. It felt right somehow.” James smiled and held out his hand. “Come, Padfoot, it’s time.” Sirius held out his hand, and James took it, pulling him up. Both men embraced, the emotions of happiness, joy, sadness and loss showed in their faces They both pulled away. “Well, I’m not going to lie to you, mate, but Lily’s a bit upset with you.” ”Why, what have I done now?” “Well, dying for one thing, when Harry needed you most.” “You saw that happen?” Sirius scowled. “You were also careless. Just be on your guard, and don’t expect a warm welcome, she’s not been herself recently.” James looked at Sirius. “You coming, then?” “How?” “Well, as soon as you accept your passing, we can go.” “We could be here for a long time, Prongs.” “You’re just scared of Lily.” James smiled “Well, of course I’m scared of Lily! She was scary when she was mortal, now she’s - what are we, Prongs?” “Haven’t the faintest idea, mate. Pure energy, I think. No doubt Albus will be able to tell us when he gets here.” “Oh? When’s that, then?” “I don’t know, Padfoot. Time sort of stands still here. You coming? It’ll all be over in a while.” “Okay then. I’m ready, let’s go.” Both men closed their eyes. The moment Sirius opened them, he saw the only place he ever felt at home. Godric’s Hollow was still as he remembered it; the pictures of Harry all over the place. As usual, all of the pictures were moving, there were pictures of Harry alone, as well as Harry in pain and sorrow. Some were of him crying and some were of him sleeping. There were a few pictures in the far corner of Harry laughing but these were few and far between. The thought of laughter seemed to lift Sirius’s heart. “Each picture shows a time when Harry thought of us, or needed us. We can go back to any time we wish to watch him grow. We can help him to some extent, but he has his own mind, and is not easily swayed.” James said, walking up beside Sirius. “I wonder who he gets it from?” Sirius smiled at James’ scowl. “What with you and Lily, it’s amazing he ever gets anything done.” James smiled. “He really has the best of both of us, doesn’t he?” “He has the worst parts as well; both of your tempers for starters, your knack for trouble, Lily’s stubbornness.” Both men chuckled. Sirius looked around, and smiled as he saw all the familiar things around the house. “So where is Lily then?” Sirius looked through the window, opening the curtains. “I told you, she’s watching over Harry. Once she’s satisfied Harry is safe, she will come down.” James sat down watching Sirius. “Sit down, Padfoot, you’re making the place untidy.” It amazed James that Sirius could be so calm. If Sirius had seen Lily before he arrived, he would have run in the opposite direction. That much he was certain. A closing of the door above them made both men jump. Both men looked at the stairs. Sirius’ hand automatically went for his wand. Lily came down the stairs, a look of sadness consumed her. Even in the afterlife she was still not at ease and at peace, for her treasured son was down in the living world, it would seem without help and without guidance. “He’s safe now with Albus. He’s told Harry about the prophecy.” Sirius was suddenly struck with the possibility that he wouldn’t be seeing Harry for a very long time. It also struck him at that moment that he had failed the three most important people in his life. “Lily, I’m so sorry I-” SMACK! Lily hit him with all she had. James made to help Sirius up, but Lily turned on him as well “You go one more step, Potter, and you’ll get the same.” She rounded on Sirius, who was openly crying. “I trusted you to look after Harry. You vowed to protect him, to raise him.” Sirius pleaded. Of all the people who mattered, Lily Potter was one of those he respected the most. “Lily, please let me explain.” “Oh, go on then. Tell me about the promise! We would all have been safe with your little plan!” “I never knew.” “Tell me about the plan to bring Peter to justice, then? You let him get away, didn’t you?” With each accusation Lilly threw at him, the pain showed more strongly in Sirius. “Please, Lily, let me explain.” James couldn’t look; the two people he loved were fighting, and he was powerless to stop it. He understood that Lily had a right to question Sirius. He wanted answers himself. But now wasn’t the time, he walked over to Lily and tried to calm her down. Upon seeing the pain on her face, and the need to extract these feelings, James removed his hand. He walked over to a picture of Harry in happier times. He tried to drown out the voices, but once again Lily’s brought him back. “You even managed to get thrown into Azkaban!” Lily was wiping the tears from her face. “But I escaped for Harry! After finding out about that scum-” “Twelve years, Sirius, twelve years. My little boy had to live with my dear sister all alone, without family, without love.” She walked over to one of the pictures and dropped it on Sirius lap. Sirius looked down and lost all hold on his emotions. All the picture showed was a scared little boy locked in a cupboard with tears falling down his face and crying for his mummy. James looked away. He knew which picture she had shown him; Lily always carried it around the same way Molly carried her clock, always speaking words of comfort. It broke James’ heart to hear the words, “Mummy’s here darling,” over and over again. He was brought back to their reality when Sirius begged Lily to forgive him. James wiped the tears from his face and looked at Lily. She looked down at Sirius and fell to her knees. With a quick embrace both were weeping together in their grief. James went over and grabbed hold of them both; all three wept for a while, united in sorrow. A new picture appeared on the wall, and Lily jumped up to look at the new addition. “James, Harry’s going to the Astronomy Tower, why is he going there?” “I don’t know, Lily.” Sirius spoke up, “He wants to be alone, that’s some news to hear.” “Look, James he’s going to sleep. Watch over him, I need to look at a few things, okay?” “Yes, my love, you go and fetch her.” Sirius looked confused. “Who is she going to fetch, Prongs?” “The Weasley girl.” James smiled. “Lily likes her, and she told me she’ll do for Harry.” “Lily and Molly would get on famously.” Sirius chuckled. “Lily likes her too, she’ll always have a place in our hearts for taking Harry in.” “Well, she loves Harry as though he were one of her own.” “So, tell me about this Weasley girl.” “Oh you would like her, Prongs. Red hair, fiery temper, you should see her, mate, a match made in Heaven.” Sirius stopped talking as a picture dropped into his lap. The picture was of Harry standing on the battlements, reaching out and shouting for Sirius. “What does this mean, James?” “I don’t know, Sirius, but you’d better help him out.” “How do I do that?” Lily came running into the room. “What’s going on? Why is Harry standing on the edge of the tower?” “James told me to help him.” Sirius looked at both Lily and James. “Well, go on then.” “How?” “By reaching out with your love and feelings, you can guide him to some extent.” “What do I tell him?” “You can tell him to get down from that battlement for a start.” James smiled at Sirius. Lily made a motion for both of them to shut up. “I see Ginny has got to him; he should be safe now.” Lily settled down and sat opposite James. Lily had a look of rare happiness as she looked at the picture of Harry and Ginny. “I have always liked this girl, such a level head on her- why is she placing my little boy’s head there?” Both James and Sirius chuckled. “Looks like she’s comforting the poor chap” Sirius smiled. “Sirius, you have to do something. Tell him to get up and fly on his broom or-” “Keep his head where it is.” Sirius smiled and looked over to James, who in turn looked over to his wife. “What! I can’t tell him not to do something I wouldn’t do.” “He’s too young to - he’s not young anymore, is he, James?” Lily filled up with tears and walked over to James, who held out his arms. “I’ve got an idea, but I don’t know how to go about it.” Sirius looked at Lily and James. “It never stopped you before, did it?” Lily smiled at the fake hurt look Sirius gave her. “What is it, Padfoot?” “Well, what can we do here? What other things can we influence?” “I don’t get you, Sirius. What do you mean?” Lily’s look of confusion relaxed Sirius. “Harry is looking for a sign, right?” Sirius waited for both of then to catch up. “Right.” Both of them said at the same time. “Well, let’s give him his sign. Something to give him hope.” “What do you suggest, mate?” “Well, me.” Sirius held out his arms. “You… I’m sorry, Sirius, but what can you do?” Lily looked even more confused. “My name is a star. It’s night time; Harry is looking up in the sky. Let’s give him a sign.” “Why you? Why not me or James?” “I’m sorry Lily, but last time I looked, I didn’t see a Mum and Dad Loves You star.” “He’s right, Lily.” James placed his hand on Lily’s arm. “Let him do this.” Lily closed her eyes and nodded. “Go on then, Sirius. James, can you go with him?” “Yes, my love.” James kissed his wife and went of out of the door with Sirius. Lily watched the picture of Harry and Ginny. “Look up, Ginny, look up, my love, look to the sky.” Lily whispered to her son and Ginny. She watched in wonder as Harry looked up with Ginny and saw the Star shinning. She heard them speak, and cried when she heard her son say “Hope.” She had one more thing to say to her son before all this was over. “Go and get some food, son. You look too thin.” She laughed to herself when Harry dragged Ginny along to the kitchens. James and Sirius came into the house. “Did it work?” Sirius asked. Lily came over to Sirius and kissed him firmly on the lips. “Thank you, Sirius.” “I think that answers your question, Padfoot.” James patted Sirius on the back. “Come on, fancy a game of Quidditch?” “Thought you’d never ask, mate.” Lily walked over to another wall with pictures of Remus. Lily picked one up and ran a finger over the glass. “Now, old friend, who can we find for you to befriend?” The sound of laughter filled the air as two old friends mucked about. There was a time for grief and a time for joy, up here where time stood still. You can go back and comfort, or choose to watch over those you loved. She picked up the picture of Harry and watched as he went to sleep. Lily then walked out into the garden to watch two of the people she loved as much as the person she had just put to bed.
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