Time Astral | Sirius Black

24||The Union

April 25th, 1996

Sirius laughed.

He laughed at the face of fast approaching death. He knew it was bound to happen. Knew when he'd decided to alert the Order about Harry's visit in the floo that something was irrevocably wrong and that he might not come back.

But his laughter had not yet died from his face when someone called his name

Someone he'd recognise even if he were blind. "SIRIUS!"

He froze, his heart halting it's beat as the witch running towards him hurtled a rock in his direction.

Was it Polyjuice Potion? Was it a dream? Now that he was going to die? But whatever it was, whoever it was, he was glad. He was glad to have heard her voice one last time. To have seen that face –

Sirius caught the rock, the crystal, in his hand, eyes still not leaving Alasia Serpens' face when a bright green light came into his view.

Hitting him square in the chest.

Or...almost hitting him square in the chest.

Sirius' eyes widened and so did everyone else's in the room's when the light stopped midway, a strong illumination casting around him like a shield, the glow emitting from the crystal.

Sirius looked at the rock again. Looked again and again until a gasp escaped his lips. The Romanian Topaz.

There was only one person who could have this. Only one person who had accompanied him in search for this crystal. One that could protect from the Killing Curse as well.

Sirius looked up, eyes glistening. It wasn't Polyjuice – wasn't an illusion.

It was her.

She was alive? But – he dropped to his knees in front of the veil. Bellatrix Lestrange was yelling, laughing, shrieking. The fight had resumed. But he could see Remus kneeling, too. He was overwhelmed just like Sirius.

Harry was shouting, his name or hers, he didn't know. He didn't care. He couldn't care about anything in that moment. Everything had gone mute, it was only her, only her.

Alasia was running towards him. She was crying, she was shaking.

A guttural sob broke through his throat, his knees hitting the floor with the blow of what just happened. Tears so thick he couldn't see, couldn't -

"Sirius." She whispered.

And he finally breathed. "Allie?"

"Sirius." She was sobbing, finally having reached him. "Oh, Sirius."

He absently extended his hand and she took it, placing it on her cheek, a tear sliding down towards his palm, and another, and another. "Am I – "

"No, this is real." She said between hiccups. "This is real. It's a long story, but Dumbledore – Sirius he'd..."

Sirius knew the gist of it. He finally found the strength to stand again, and at once, brought his lips slamming on top of hers. She reciprocated in no time, possibly as starved for this as he was. It was deep, and meaningful. Not long enough for him to explain everything, but enough.

"Sirius." She spoke again, as if not quite believing he was here, in front of her.

He smiled, and started laughing between the tears. So did she. And he kissed her again before turning sideways where Harry was. Dolohov was duelling with him.

"Go." Alasia said.

"Allie – "

"GO! See for your godson, Padfoot. I'll be here. I'm not going to vanish, I promise."