The Wizarding Afterlife

What Lies Beneath the Veil

*J.K. Rowling owns all of the characters.*

SIRIUS BLACK CAUGHT GLIMPSES OF his bittersweet life story while falling through the veil, accepting the fact that he was about to die at last.

A curtain. Not a Death Eater (Well, sort of. His cousin fired a curse at him.), and not even the Dark Lord himself. Very funny, Mr. Death.

Why was accepting the afterlife so painful?

Sirius could hear Harry's aching screams and Bellatrix's contented laughs as he fell and fell endlessly, closing his eyes, waiting for peace to welcome him with open arms.

BADUMP.

A wizard with rectangular glasses smiled at him, waving his hand. He gripped a trolley in the other as he beckoned him close. "Hurry up, Sirius!" he shouted. "Train's leaving!"

Watching the flashback, Sirius Black froze. He knew that voice.

James was standing near the platform gap, joined by a younger Remus and Peter. When more students piled around the train, 14-year-old Sirius picked up his pace, racing towards his friends. He was out of breath.

"Excellent display of punctuality." James tried his best not to laugh. "Remus didn't leave us this time."

"Moony!" Sirius feigned shock, putting a hand to his heart. "You were going to leave me? How could you!"

Remus just rolled his eyes. As they boarded the train, James finally failed to contain his laughter. It burst out, full and hearty, and before Sirius knew it, they were joining in, too.

His brothers. He would do anything to keep them safe.

BADUMP.

Peter Pettigrew stood in front of him on that night, hands shaking. Sirius looked at him with disgust. How could he stomach betraying his friends? His family?

But Peter ignored his expression, as if it was nothing. As if this was nothing.

Then he cut off his finger.

"Sirius, how could you?" Pettigrew mocked in a horrified tone, fleeing the scene. Moments later, a powerful explosion shook the whole alley, killing twelve muggles. Blood splattered everywhere.

Peter had done this—had become both murderer and traitor.

At the thought, Sirius's eyes turned wild, and he laughed and laughed and laughed. He would never do anything like this, and yet here he was, sentenced to Azkaban for another man's crime.

How pathetic.

BADUMP.

Sirius visited baby Harry for the first time. The child giggled on his lap, amused by the funny expression on his face. Grinning, Padfoot pouted his lips and crossed his eyebrows, and Harry laughed again. Seeing this, James and Lily smiled, happy to see their interaction.

"Merlin's beard, he likes you, mate."

"No one can resist my charm, Prongs," Sirius grinned. "You know that."

Seconds later, Remus sat beside him, feeding Harry a Chocolate Frog. His nephew was going to be a happy wizard. Everybody would protect him, watch over him, make sure that he—

"Snap out of it." a man's voice insisted, shaking him. "Padfoot, snap out of it!"

"James..." a woman interrupted, "it will take time to recover from the flashbacks. Don't overdo it." she sounded worried. "We've dealt with those, too."

"Am not, Lils!" the man named James argued. Then he shook Sirius again. "Mate, wake up! You're better than this!"

With one last shake, Sirius's eyes opened, and he coughed. The ground felt solid underneath him, so he tried to stand on still-trembling legs. As he steadied, he saw two people watching him, their eyes filled with longing. As if unsure of his presence at all.

The wizard was first to recover. With a smile, he walked towards Sirius and hugged him tightly. His glasses came loose on his face from the impact. "I've missed you, Padfoot." his voice cracked, then he hugged him again.

The witch approached Sirius from his left, and embraced him, too. It was a bit suffocating, but Sirius didn't mind. He knew these people. They were his friends, his godson's awesome parents.

Harry, he thought. Where was Harry? Where was—

"Prongs?" Sirius's eyes widened. "I—I mean, is that you?"

"My, my," James teased. "Did you hit your head, mate? Of course it's me! My enchanting looks are super hard to miss! The hug was obvious enough!"

Well, he was James, all right. And, surely, this was Lily.

"Hello, Sirius." Lily waved, rolling her eyes at James's remark. They hadn't changed at all. "We're glad to see you. Thanks for watching Harry, if only for a while."

"I...I'm sorry," Sirius's voice faltered. He clenched his hands into fists. "He had to live with the Dursleys. We were in the Ministry...I fell through that thing and—"

"It's not your fault." James replied, shaking his head. "My boy will survive. Thanks to everyone who's helped him." then he smiled. "So thank you, Sirius, for being a parent to him in our place."

"Oh, how I wish we were there for him ourselves..." Lily murmured, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Sirius, your presence has filled what we could not provide...and much more." she smiled. "No one could have been a better guardian. So thank you...really."

"It was my pleasure," Sirius grinned, embracing them both. "Harry loves both of you dearly. I—I gave him what I could."

"Which is everything." James said, smiling. Then his eyes widened.

With a bashful grin, the wizard scratched his head, glancing at Lily. "Dumbledore's candies, we're not even doing the introductions right, Lils!"

"Wait...'introductions'?" Sirius asked, a puzzled look on his face.

"Welcome to paradise," Lily elbowed him, grinning. "And I mean it."

A/N:

This is just the first chapter, Potterheads! Hope you liked it!

(Art credit goes to wizardingworld.com)

Never tickle a sleeping dragon!

-E.J. Marin