THROUGH THE VEIL

By CarmenSandiego

Disclaimer: None of it belongs to me.   It all belongs to JKR, and until I’ve saved up enough money to by the copyrights from her heirs (since by the time I have enough money she’ll definitely be dead and buried), I won’t try to make money off this.  Really.

Author’s Note: Thanks to JKR, for writing the fifth book, and to my beta, Seldes Katne.  And to Sugar Quill, for posting this.  And to everyone else who might have helped in the writing of this, such as my elusive inner muse, who only shows up in the middle of Chemistry class. 

Before his cheeky grin could quite fade from his face, Sirius Black felt a searing pain rip through his chest – and then he had fallen on the ground as spells flew above his head.

For a second he paused, confused, because he felt completely normal, yet he knew, he knew, that Bella’s spell had hit him – he had felt it!

“SIRIUS!” came Harry’s voice suddenly, a scream of anguish.  “SIRIUS!”

He jumped to his feet and yelled back, “Harry?  Are you all right?”  Harry didn’t answer, but ran towards him, when Remus suddenly reached out and grabbed Harry around the chest and held on tightly, not letting him come any closer.

“Moony?” cried Sirius in surprise.  “Moony, what are you doing?”  But Remus didn’t answer.  Instead, he spoke urgently to Harry.

“There’s nothing you can do, Harry--”

“Get him, save him; he’s only just gone through!”  Sirius glanced around, confused, and then turned to his left, the opposite way he had fallen, and realized that he had fallen through an arch, but he had not noticed before because the only thing blocking the doorway was a tattered piece of cloth.

“It’s too late, Harry--”

“We can still reach him--”

Sirius watched as Harry struggled violently, and Remus just held on tighter.

“There’s nothing you can do, Harry… nothing… He’s gone.”

“Moony, you idiot!” yelled Sirius angrily.  “I’m right here!  Why aren’t you letting Harry come over here?”

“He hasn’t gone!” shouted Harry.  “SIRIUS!  SIRIUS!”

“See, Moony!  I haven’t gone anywhere!” repeated Sirius furiously.  But suddenly Sirius heard a sound behind him.  He spun around, holding his wand, which he had managed to keep a grip on, in front of him.  No one was there.

“Oi!  Padfoot!  Over here!”  Sirius turned sharply to his left.  That must be Moony, realizing that he was still there – but the voice didn’t sound like Remus somehow.  It sounded more like…

“Prongs?”  Sirius gaped, and blinked several times.  “But – you’re dead!”  And amidst all the fighting, Sirius sank down on his knees as it hit him.  He gazed at his hands -- they seemed so real! – and whispered,

“And I’m dead too.”