Soon All the Suns Will Rise

Films About Ghosts

Chapter Title from "Mrs. Potter's Lullaby" by Counting Crows.

Warning— canonical character deaths. I'm really, really sorry. This chapter and the next pack some emotion.

And yes, I did decide to feature my OC from my Sirius Black one-shot "Tattooed Knuckles" pretty prominently in this scene. Head over to my Works page if you want a refresher! But it's not necessary. :)

Battle of Hogwarts
POV: Sirius Part I
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It was quarter to midnight as Sirius approached the castle, fire in his veins but nerves in his stomach. He could see small gatherings of wizards and witches beginning to assemble formations on the grounds. His hand held tightly to his already brandished wand, knowing a lone shadow walking across the grounds would not be a welcome sight at this point in time, even in the middle of a cease fire. He'd expected to at least see the Death Eater ranks lined up in position, but the grounds themselves had been eerily quiet until reaching the castle walls themselves. Sirius was surprised to see the suits of armor animated and preparing for battle as the frontline defense. As a student one thought of them as little more than art sculptures. But the whole castle had seemed to spring to life to defend against the greatest threat it had ever known.

Being dressed in his classic burgundy velvet rather than Death Eater black helped Sirius remain fairly inconspicuous. The units making their battle plans largely ignored him; that is, until he spotted a small band led by the tall, commanding profile of Kingsley Shacklebolt. The elegantly dressed Order leader's eyes grew wide, and he immediately reached for his wand. Logic then seemed to make the wizard hesitate, wondering what use his wand would be on a ghost. A curious Arthur Weasley glanced at Sirius next, immediately going pale.

His companions' sudden strange behavior caused the wizard in front of Sirius to turn around, and Sirius was met with a relieved smile and a hug from Remus.

"Pads! I'm so happy you're here. We're stationing forces throughout the grounds, while the professors are staking posts inside the castle. We've just sent Fred and George to guard the secret passageways, and—"

"Remus!" Kingsley admonished his friend sharply. "What is this about?" He rounded on Sirius with wand at-the-ready. "What was Rhiannon Aspenfell wearing the night she was brought to Grimmauld Place?" he demanded.

Sirius smiled. As if he could ever forget. "Jeans and sleeveless shirt— tiny little straps. Light purple, I believe."

"Kingsley, Severus Snape would know that answer as well," Arthur reminded him, his expression still examining the resurrected Sirius with fascination.

"Number of firewhisky shots I drank the night I finally bested you for your title at Grimmauld Place," Remus asked for good measure.

"Eleven," Sirius supplied easily.

"Psssh," a witch to Kingsley's left spoke up. "Lightweights."

Sirius switched his gaze to her, immediately feeling his draw drop.

"Pads, this is Elizabeth Thorn," Remus introduced her. "She's a liaison for the Beasts and Beings Division, at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."

But Sirius was only halfway listening, instead watching the pretty brunette's familiar bright red mouth curl into a smile of recognition.

"She was the liaison assigned to monitor me under the new werewolf registry regulations this year," Remus continued, watching the interactions between his friend and the witch warily, slowly realizing there was something he didn't know.