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“Get away from my godson,” Sirius said confidently, laying a punch into Malfoy’s perfect jaw. The impact knocked him down the moment that the rest of the order could arrive. He heard the sound of the prophecy shattering to bits as he turned to face Harry, his one true reminder of his past life, of James.
Spells were fired and the Order ushered as many students to safety as possible, breaking them free from the Death Eaters that held them.
Sirius and Harry ran to the other side of the strange gateway in the center of the room, briefly hidden from the sudden brawl.
“Now listen to me,” he turned his head around at a sudden explosion, “I want you to take the others and get out of here.”
“What?” Harry said, with a look of betrayal on his face, “No, I’m staying with you.”
“You’ve done beautifully here, now let me take it from here.”
Another explosion sounded just above their heads, and Malfoy could be seen drawing his wand, aiming for the two wizards. He fired, Sirius narrowly blocked it, shielding Harry in the process. Bellatrix materialized beside Lucius, sending spell after spell in their direction. Sirius and Harry defended, side-by-side.
Spells flew and the four were locked in a battle of life or death, Sirius watching Harry carefully. The rest of the battle around them was lost in a quiet hum around Sirius, as if the only thing that mattered in the world was Harry and himself. Bellatrix cackled loudly before momentarily stumbling backwards from one of the spells.
“Expelliarmus!” Harry shouted, knocking Malfoy’s cane from his hand.
“That’s my James,” Sirius shouted. It was almost like he was alive again, that they had grown up and been able to become aurors together, like they always dreamed.
Sirius forced himself to remember that the young man before him wasn’t James, that it was his godson. The boy he had sworn to his best friend that he would protect with his life. And he fully intended to make good on that promise.
He would protect them, and they would move to the countryside together with Buckbeak. Harry would never have to return to the wretched Dursley home, and Sirius would no longer be alone, like he was for so many years. He only had to–
He disarmed Malfoy.
“Avada Kedavra!” Bellatrix’s shrill voice sounded from Sirius’s left.
Still reveling in his defeat of Malfoy, he smiled as the spell hit him square in the chest. He looked at Ja–
at Harry. The face that looked so much like James, Lily’s beautiful green eyes, the look of terror now painted on his face.
Sirius’s smile fell as he realized he had failed his promise. He hadn’t protected Harry. The battle still raged around them, Harry would still be in the middle of it. And he would be watching another marauder die.
Harry’s face grew fuzzy and he started to look more like James. Sirius tried to laugh but there was no emotion behind it.
It was only cold for a moment before he fell into a warm, bright white room. He couldn’t quite see back through, he tried to claw his way back through the muddied mess of slate gray and occasional flashes of light. The low, comforting hum in his ears was broken by a muffled scream. He could hear nothing from beyond that curtain except for his godson's wail. It was agonizing.
Harry was still in danger, he had been hit, all of the horrible sensations filled him up until tears poured from his eyes.
He couldn’t protect him.
His James.
—--
Sirius heard hurried footsteps behind him, he drew his wand and turned on his heel. He watched in horror as Harry ran towards him. Harry and Ginny! Two students had died because he let his guard down.
“Harry, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I couldn’t do my duty to you,” Sirius cried out.
“You did more than enough, Padfoot,” a familiar voice responded kindly.
Sirius met the two in the middle and wiped his wet eyes.
“James!?” he cried, stumbling back, “Lily!?”
The one face he had been seeing in Harry these past few years. The one time it was truly James, he mistook him for Harry.
“I couldn’t protect him. I’m so sorry. I failed him. I failed you,” Sirius muttered.
“Sirius, are you joking? You did so much for our boy and there is no way for us to thank you enough. Our only expectation was that you inspired Harry to be as wonderful as you. Did you see the way he was fighting out there? He takes so much after you,” Lily said, pulling him into a tight embrace.
Sirius sniffed over her shoulder, looking James in the eyes. “You were great out there, Sirius.”
“Y-You guys can watch them? On the other side I mean? I can't see through the curtain, is he alright?”
“He’s doing beautifully. You’ll be able to see them too, once Death arrives. As a matter of fact, I’ve never seen him late before.” James looks at his imaginary watch.
“You mean Death as in ‘cloaked skeleton come to take your soul’ Death?”
“Not exactly.”
Soon after, a man in a plain black suit and smooth brown hair and intense eyes steps through the curtain.
“My sincerest apologies for my lateness. Much to do in the afterlife once a dark lord returns,” Death looks up from his pocket watch and eyes Sirius and James, “so you’re the one the Potters have been searching for all these years. I see. Well, I am here to discuss your options now that you have crossed the Veil. You did a great deal in your lifetime, Black–”
“I am innocent,” Sirius cut him off defensively.
“Yes, I see only the truth, that you were rescuing your friends, and unrighteously put away for it. My deepest regret is that I couldn’t interfere with that. But not only that, you became a wonderful model for your godson and gave your life to protect him. That is noble of you. Quite noble indeed. I would be honored to extend you the offer to return, you must be well versed in the concept of ghosts, being a Hogwarts student.”
“A ghost? You mean Harry could see me? But what happens once they are gone, and I’m alone again?”
“That is for you to decide. I am sure Dumbledore would be more than pleased to place you among the Hogwarts ghost lineup, if you so please.”
“And James? Lily too. Would I ever see them again?” he looked over towards the couple’s faces, they shook their heads.
“You would be connected with the living world, therefore your communications will be strictly limited to there as well.”
“Will I be able to see Harry, as James and Lily do? A spectator?”
“Yes. While inevitable, Death is not cruel enough to deprive the deceased of knowing their loved ones’ fate.”
Sirius thought for a moment, looked upon James and Lily again, and nodded shakily.
“I can’t return. All I need know is that Harry is alright and I will be satisfied. I will stay here, among old friends.”
“Well spoken, Black. I have elsewhere to be, but I wish the best upon you and your godson.”
Death faded away as suddenly as he had appeared. James embraced Sirius, “Thank you, Padfoot.”
“Anytime, Prongs.”
—--
The three of them continued down the length of the white room, which now looked like a train station similar to King’s Cross. A train that didn’t look particularly remarkable pulled into the station. The three of them boarded and were off to the great expanse of eternity.