They stood before him, beckoning him, urging him on but Sirius was in a state of shocked confusion. What had just happened?

The memory suddenly raked through him. The spell hitting him in the chest, falling back into the veil, not quite believing, his eyes caught on his Godson, his Godson who was running down to meet him, running down to catch him, green eyes startled and determined...

I let him down...

Sirius turned his face away from the people he loved to look into the distance. Through the smoke and strange mist, a shape was emerging, a Harry-sized shape. Sirius watched his godson turn and toss in his bed, in an unconvincing bravado of sleep. Grief was etched on his young face, making him look older and more tired than Sirius had ever seen him.

He turned back to the people and looked lovingly, longingly at them, taking a step back, despite the longing he felt to join their side. Their side was where he belonged now, he knew that. But he also knew that he had to protect Harry.

"I'm sorry. I can't just leave him."

"Sirius," James Potter said, smiling wryly, "you can never leave him. You hardly think we do nothing up here, do you? You hardly think we'd just leave Harry alone down there, do you?"

Lily Potter smiled warmly at him, shaking her head slightly, "Sirius, you know us better than that."

Sirius nodded. What they were saying was, of course, the truth. Nobody really died, not really. How could people down there ever live without someone to protect them? Did they really think that their lives were just a mere gamble, a mere fluke? Sirius sighed. Everything seemed clearer up here. He wondered why he had ever felt the grief he had over James and Lily. People like that did not just disappear. Nobody just disappeared. After all, if they did then it would make it all – magic, technology, love – completely pointless, wouldn't it?

Sirius' face cracked into a wide smile, and he looked upon his friends with a sudden happiness, like nothing he had ever felt before.

"It's so good to see you," he croaked, embarrassed by his sudden show of emotion that he could not concealed. "I-I missed you."

"Of course," Lily said with full understanding. "We missed you too. That's only natural."

He went to step over to them but stopped, hesitated. "Will they be alright? Harry? How about Remus?"

"You don't understand yet," James said. "But you will."

There was no one else there to greet him. Sirius had only a very few people that he really loved and who loved him. And yet he realised how lucky he had actually been.

"I had a good run, didn't I, James?"

James grinned at him, looking more like his son than ever. Sirius looked back into the distance, catching glimpses of his life. But he felt no sadness. After all, it wasn't really goodbye. He would see Harry and Remus again some day in person and until then, he would protect them and make sure they were okay.

And then he stepped across to them and the worries of life melted of him. He had never felt like it before, weightless and free, loved and protected, happier than he had ever felt before. He knew the secrets of life, the power of love, and the stupidness of hate. He knew more than he had ever known before, and he knew he would never need to feel sad again.

He caught Lily and James into a bear hug, realising properly that they were there and well. He was suddenly thanking whatever was out there and thanking everyone that had made his life so worthwhile.

"Life is pretty cool, isn't it, Prongs?"

"You haven't seen anything yet."

Sorry about this. It's a bit of an idealistic vision, I guess. But, well, my best friend's nanny died and I was really, really fond of her, she was a lovely, kind woman and I really can't imagine her being anywhere else but in a place like the one described. So this is dedicated to her, and for my friend's granddad.

Not that anyone will ever read my stuff, but that's beside the point, isn't it?