"Sirius... Sirius please... open your eyes..." Tonks whispered.
He laid there, completely still, covered in blood.

It was her fault. If Sirius was... gone... it was all her fault.

She had gotten herself in this stupid battle. It all happened very fast. She was in an old, abandoned plot in Hogsmeade, close to the Shrieking Shack, with Bill Weasley.

It was a stupid Ministry business, but it seems Bill had managed to turn it into a date.

She didn't know where the Deatheaters came from. All she knew was they were too many for them to handle. She managed to conjure a patronus and send it to

Grimmauld Place, asking for backup. Soon after, Remus, Sirius, Mad-Eye and Kingsley arrived.

"CHOP THEIR ARMS OFF, IF YOU NEED TO! DON'T LET THEM CALL FOR BACKUP!" Mad-Eye screamed, knocking out a Deatheater who was about to press his mark.

Two more masked men apparated in the plot, to assist their fellow Deatheaters. Tonks was scared Voldemort himself would appear.

"NOT THE TIME FOR THIS, REMUS!" Sirius yelled, as a Deatheater was passing out, hit by a spell Remus had cast.

His lover was always protective over him but now it wasn't the time for this...

"SOMEONE CHECK ON KINGSLEY!" Bill yelled.

Tonks turned around to see the tall auror falling down. She ran amongst red and green flashes of light and kneeled beside him. His heart was beating.

One of the principles Mad-Eye had taught her , was never stop during a battle, not even to check on the wounded ones. Soon, she was next to Kingsley Shacklebolt, unconscious.

"TONKS!"

_ooo_

Sirius screamed his niece's name. The girl was lying next to her fellow auror. Four of them were still standing.

He heard a Deatheater shrieking in pain. Remus called out his name, but he couldn't understand what his lover had said.

The man Sirius was dueling with was strong.

"WATCH IT, DAMN IT!" Moody yelled at Bill, who had avoided a curse that was about to hit him at the last moment.

A few moments later, Tonks was standing up again. Sirius was glad to see the young witch was fine.

Two of their enemies cast spells at Tonks simultaneously. She blocked the one herself. The other one was blocked by Sirius.

The Deatheater he was dueling with got the chance and cast a spell...

He felt pain piercing through his body. The Cruciatus curse? No, it wasn't that...

He fell on his knees. He could taste his own blood- his mouth was filled with it. He could hardly breathe.

He was dying...

Dying in fear and excruciating pain.

With all the power of his damaged lungs, he screamed, for the last time, the name of the man he loved.

"REMUS!"

The tawny-haired man heard his lover's agonizing cry and rushed by his side.

"No..." he whispered, his eyes widened in terror, as he took Sirius in his arms. His effort to call out for Remus had done further damage to him- he was chocking on his blood.

"LUPIN, GET BACK HERE!" Mad-Eye screamed, as he knocked another Deatheater out. He turned around to see what Lupin was doing and momentarily froze, before noticing another Deatheater and attacking him first.

Tonks was kneeling next to Remus, her hand covering her mouth, eyes widened in fear.

Sirius was trying to speak. He touched Remus' face with a bloody hand. He was shaking... spasming.

"No, no.. No my love, no..." Remus said, tears running down his face.

The Deatheaters were left facing Moody, Bill and Kingsley, who had gotten up in the meantime.

"HELP!" Remus screamed desperately.

Tonks jumped up and took Mad-Eye's place in a duel. "Go to him, GO TO HIM!" she screamed.

Mad-Eye was soon beside Sirius and Lupin.

"He was... he is..." Remus was trying to explain.

"I think I recognise the curse..." Mad-Eye said urgently. He moved his hand over the spasming man, muttering a spell.

Before he was done, Sirius' eyes were already closed. Remus put his hand on his lover's chest- his heart was beating weakly.

The Deatheaters finally retreated, disapparating with their unconscious companions.

The witch and the two wizards gathered around the three men.

"Sirius... Sirius please... open your eyes..." Tonks whispered, tears running down her face.

"We need to take him back to Grimmauld Place..." Mad-Eye stated urgently.

"Is it safe to move him?" Bill asked.

"Nothing is safe right now. He has internal bleeding. I relented it for now, but that is all I can do. If it's what I think, he needs a series of spells in order to heal. He's dying. Move it, people..." Alastor said. "Remus, can you carry him?" he asked, looking at the wizard.

He didn't answer. He lifted Sirius in his arms, his eyes fixed on his pale, covered in blood face.

_ooo_

Tonks thought apparating with Sirius in this condition was a bad idea, but if they stayed here the Deatheaters could return, they couldn't just take the Knight Bus and Grimmauld Place was far- Sirius didn't have much time.

"What happened?" Molly asked, covering her mouth with her hand, brown eyes staring in shock, when she saw Remus entering with an unconscious Sirius in his arms.

"Call Dumbledore and Snape. NOW. The man is dying." Mad-Eye said.

Molly didn't need to hear it twice. She rushed to the fireplace and threw the Floo Powder in, with shaking hands.

Remus put Sirius in his bed and kneeled beside him. With a flick of his wand, he cleared the blood off his face. Sirius' last cry was echoing in his head.

Was that the last time he heard his lover's voice?

Remus was standing with his back against the wall. Everything seemed blurry. Mad-Eye was talking to Tonks. Harry was curled up on an armchair. Why did they have to tell the poor boy?

Hermione was sitting on the floor next to him, holding his cold hand. Ron, Fred and George were standing over him, ready to do anything they were asked... ready to help Harry.

Dumbledore and Severus were sitting on the bed. The latter was muttering spells. Kingsley and Bill were constantly going in and out of the room, bringing everything Snape asked for.

"He is healed." the professor said some time later. "He lost too much blood, though."

"Can't you give him a blood replenishing potion, even though he's unconscious?" Tonks said.

"That is the tricky part about the curse that hit him. It is easily recognisable, but you can't use any sort of blood-replenishment on the patient. It simply won't work." Snape said, deciding not to point out how difficult it was to give a potion to an unconscious man.

"What are you saying...?" Molly asked quietly.

"This is all we can do. It is completely up to him now." Dumbledore said.

Harry was staring at his godfather. He felt like he was drifting away from him...

"This is all my fault..." Tonks whispered. Her hair had changed to light brown- her natural hair-color.

Bill dragged the young woman in his arms. "Don't say that again."

"He's gonna make it... Sirius is strong..." Molly said, sounding determined. She moved to Harry's side and hugged the teenager, who was now staring blankly at Remus.

"Don't worry, Harry..." the tawny-haired man whispered.

"You worry. Why shouldn't I?" he croaked.

What could he really say now?

"Severus... get back to Hogwarts." Dumbledore stated, fixing the man with his penetrating, light-blue stare.

Dark eyes met his. "I think it's wise for me to stay here, he needs-"

"I will stay, Severus. If Umbridge notices we are both gone, you will get in trouble."

Snape stared at Sirius for some time, hesitating. He finally stood up. "What about the students?" he asked, referring to the Weasleys, Hermione and Harry.

"Fred, George, I am going to have to ask you to go back to Hogwarts." Dumbledore said.

The twins protested loudly, but finally followed Dumbledore's orders.

"Hang in there, Padfoot..." they whispered at the same time, exiting the room right after Snape.

_ooo_

"Again, AGAIN!" Dumbledore yelled.

Remus muttered a spell. Sirius' body was violently shaken.

"Try with me!" the old man said.

They casted the same spell on Sirius' tattooed chest.

Bill was holding Harry back forcefully, as the teenager wanted to rush by his godfather's side.

Hermione wanted to run and help Dumbledore and Lupin- she knew the spell, she had read about it.

"PLEASE SIRIUS, PLEASE!" Molly screamed.

"He's not coming back..." Dumbledore said.

"I'M NOT GIVING UP ON HIM!" a crying Remus shrieked.

Tonks ran by his side and they both cast the defibrillation spell at Sirius.

"It's of no use..." Dumbledore said quietly.

"SIRIUS!" Harry screamed desperately. Bill held the teenager on him tightly.

"Come back!" Tonks couldn't hold her tears back any longer.

Harry shrieked again, as he was trying to release himself from Bill's tight grip. Ron was completely still, unaware of what to do.

Dumbledore lowered his head. "I am sorry, Harry."

_ooo_

Sirius opened his eyes and stretched himself. The horrible pain he had experienced was but a memory. He stood up and looked around him. He was still in the plot the battle had taken place. They left him alone here?

And where was Remus?

"Are you coming, lazyass?"

He turned around. A smiling young man with messy black hair and a pair of glasses was standing behind him. His eyes were hazel and there was no scar on his forehead. Sirius' heart jumped. "James?!"

"The very one!" the man said, smiling. "Well, are you coming? Lily is waiting!"

Sirius ran after his friend. He lead him to the Shriecking Shack, only now it was... more like a small, attractive house. Lily was standing right in front of the door. She hugged Sirius tightly.

"You have no idea how much I missed you..." Sirius said, caressing long red hair.

"We missed you too, Paddy..." Lily said, smiling. "What's with the hair? Are you antagonizing me?"
Sirius' hair was slightly longer than hers. He laughed. "Pretty much...!" he said.

He looked around. "Is... Remus here?"

"Remus doesn't belong here." James answered, smiling, hugging his wife.

Sirius blinked fast and looked around again. "Am I... dead?"

"Depends, do you want to be?" Lily asked, smiling.

"No... not really..." Sirius said.

"Why not?" James narrowed his eyes. "You said you missed us..."

Sirius lowered his head. "I did. I really did. But I don't want to leave them..."

"Who?" Lily asked.

"Harry and Remus... I don't want to have to live without them... Or force them to live without me, as a matter of fact."

"Will you fight for them, Sirius...?" Lily asked softly.

Sirius' dark eyes met her emerald ones. "I will do anything for them." he said.

"Good..." she said. The couple smiled simultaneously. "Then, go back to them."

"How...?" he asked.

"Just go..." James whispered...

_ooo_

He needed air. Desperately. He was coughing uncontrollably.

"Anapneo..."

He laid back on the bed, slowly catching his breath. He opened his eyes. He had managed to return.

"He's back..." Hermione said.

He closed his eyes again, passing out. Dumbledore put his hand on the man's chest. "He will be fine." he whispered.

When he opened his eyes again, the first person he saw was Remus. His eyes were red-rimmed. His lover had been crying. He was sitting on the bed, next to Sirius, talking to Harry, who was curled up on the armchair right next to the bed.

"Moony... Harry..." he croaked. Pain pierced through his lungs as he spoke.

They both looked at Sirius. Remus stroked his hair softly. Harry gave him a relieved smile.

"You're back." Harry said.

Sirius sat up on the bed. It was easier than he thought. The pain on his lungs was slowly subsiding.

"You look like hell... both of you."

"That must be because we lost you two nights ago..." Remus answered softly.

"Two nights...? I was sleeping for that long...?" Sirius said, widening his eyes in surprise.

"You were... Snape said your wounds are completely healed." Remus said, putting his arms softly around his lover's waist.

"And we trust Snape..?" Sirius said, raising an eyebrow.

Harry smiled. "Unfortunately."

He got off the armchair and climbed on the bed. He hugged his godfather tightly. The raven haired man held the teenager and ruffled his hair.

When he pulled back, Harry's eyes were tearfull.

"Hey, it's bad luck to cry over someone who is alive. Or so my beloved mother used to say..." Sirius said.

"Please don't do this to me again..." Harry whispered. He got off the bed. "I think you two need some privacy. I will go tell the others you are up."

He left the room. Sirius knew Harry needed some time alone... then, he was going to tell everyone Sirius had woken up.

Remus got himself under Sirius' blanket and held him in his arms.

"Moony...?" he whispered.

Remus kissed him softly, ready to pull back if he realised Sirius had difficulty breathing. They broke the kiss sometime later and Sirius rested his head on Remus' chest.

"I am sorry I got you worried..."

"It's not your fault..." Remus whispered.

Sirius held him, caressing his waist.

"I really thought I lost you..." Remus said, tangling his hand in Sirius' long hair. "Harry was screaming... Tonks was crying... Molly was begging for you to come back.
And I was watching you fade away from me..." his voice cracked.

"Hey, hey.." he got his hand under Remus' shirt, caressing his creamy skin, feeling his faded scars. "I'm right here. Not going anywhere... Do we know what hit me?"

"A curse that cut through your organs, causing internal bleeding. It is surprisingly easy to recognise, but very complex to heal and you can't have any sort of blood-replenishment..."

"Neat. What happened with the deatheaters?" Sirius asked.

"They escaped. And there's nothing 'neat', about you almost dying!"

"Blimey." Sirius mumbled, stretching himself.

"Forget about the deatheaters. Right now, all that matters is that my Padfoot is alive." Remus said. "By the way... you need to thank Severus. If it hadn't been for him-"

"All that matters now is that your Padfoot is alive. Let's forget about everything else..."

Remus smiled. "Padfoot..."

"What?!"

The tawny-haired man gave him his "disappointed professor" look. "Fine, fine." Sirius mumbled.

They were silent for some time.

"You know... I saw James and Lily..." he said.

"Really...?" Remus whispered, sounding both shocked and excited.

"They asked me if I would fight for you and Harry... amongst other things." he said.

"And... what did you say?"

"That I will do anything for you... So they just told me to come back. And I did." he said.

Remus held him tightly, laying a soft kiss on his hair.

"...And I always will..."