Harry Potter and the Death Awakener

Chapter Sixteen: Back From the Grave

   To say that Sirius Black was a little more than confused was a huge understatement. His brows furrowed as he tried to figure out where he was. He raised a hand to scratch the top of his head and took in his surroundings.

   He was in a large circular room and in the middle of it stood an archway with a thin veil that blew on a phantom wind. Whispers were coming from it, angry whispers. They seemed to call for him to step into the veil. No, they were demanding it.

   Sirius spun in a circle, looking for an exit. How did I get in here, he thought. He then chuckled to himself as realized what most likely happened. I must've had more than my fair share of fire whiskey last night. All the signs of alcohol consumption were there. He had raging headache, slight nausea, and a distinct lack of memory.

   Sirius spun around again and saw cracks of faint light shaped like a door coming from the top of stairs. He hurried to them and stumbled as his foot caught on the first step. Hair fell in his eyes. He brushed it back as he slowed his pace and walked up the stairs.

   He approached the door with caution and reached slowly for the door handle. Sirius's fingers just brushed the handle before he thought better and pushed his hand in his pocket in search of his wand.

   It wasn't there.

   Sirius furiously patted all of his pockets but still found no wand. He threw his hands in the air in frustration and then let them drop at his sides again. Something slid out of his sleeve and hit the ground with a loud clatter. So much for being stealthy. Sirius bent down. He pushed his fingers around the floor and made contact with what was his wand.

   He grinned at his stupidity and finally reached for the handle of the door. The door open without so much as a creak. It led to another circular room but this one was filled with more doors. They were all closed except one. Light spilled into the room from the open doorway.

   He crept soundlessly to the door and walked out. This door led to a hall that held a lift at the end of it. It was a lift he recognized. Sirius was in the Ministry of Magic.

   Sirius hurried down the hall and into the lift. He pressed the button that would take him up and into the the muggle world.

   As the grate door closed, he loosed a long breath and leaned his forehead against one of the walls. The cool metal soothed his horrendous headache, but the ride fed his nausea.

   The lift final pushed him into a red telephone box. The door opened for him and a cool female voice told him what level he was on. "Oh, shut up," he said. He hated that voice.

   Sirius pushed his wand into his pocket and stepped out into the empty street. It was still slightly dark out and by the gray, watery light, he assumed dawn broke about an hour ago. Soon the streets will be filled with muggle and wizard workers alike.

   His feet automatically started walking in the direction of Grimmauld Place. He knew the path to the house well which probably explained how he got into the Ministry drunk.

   He kept his head down as he walked and hoped it wasn't noticeable that he slept on the ground in his clothes. Sirius could hear voices as he rounded the corner. He nearly ran straight into the couple standing there.

   "Sorry about that," he said. He moved to step around them when the man grabbed his arm. Sirius lifted his to look at the man and was about to tell him off when he saw the man's face.

   "Sirius?" the man said. Sirius's face broke out into a grin as he took in Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks.

   "Moony," he said. "Man, am I glad to see you. I must've gotten drunk last night. You'll never guess where I-" He was cut off as Remus tugged on his arm hard and pulled him into his chest. A shudder passed through Remus's body as he wrapped his arms around Sirius. With a start, Sirius realized he was crying.

   "Are you okay, Remus?" Sirius asked as he patted his back.

   Remus placed his hands and Sirius's shoulders and pulled back. He looked at Sirius with tears shining in his eyes. Remus looked older than the last time he saw him. A few small wrinkles were starting to form around his eyes and at the corners of his mouth.

   "You were dead," he stated with finality.

   "What?" replied Sirius.

   "You were dead. You've been dead for at least two years now and you are somehow back from the grave."

   Sirius laughed. "You must've drank more than I did, Moony." Remus started to deny him but Sirius cut him off with a pat on his shoulder. "It's okay. It happens to the best of us. Now, let's go my place and talk there. We are starting to get stared at." Indeed, people dressed for work were looking as they passed.

  They walked the rest of the few blocks to Grimmauld Place with Remus and Tonks on either side of him. They kept looking at Sirius as they walked. They looked at him with a mixture of shock and happiness. There were tears still rolling down Remus's face as he continued to stare. Sirius opted to ignore their looks.

   They reached the place where his house was and made it past the warding spells on the old building. They just reached the top steps when they heard voices inside.

   Sirius was just about to open the door when Remus placed his hand on Sirius's arm. "Maybe we should knock," Remus said.

   Sirius pulled his arm back as Remus raised his fist to knock on the door. Before his hand made contact with it, the door opened.

   There, on the top step, stood his godson, Harry Potter, who was sharply dressed in Ministry robes and shiny leather shoes.  His eyes widened as he took in the three of them. Then suddenly, he stood to the side with a sigh and said, "Welcome back."