Fate

No one knows how it happened, and even he doesn't fully understand...The mystery of the veil will not go unsolved as long as Sirius has his second chance. Determined to find out the truth, he gears up for a journey back through it. In doing so, he uncovers more than he expected; more than anyone could have expected.

"Sirius?"

“They saw Lily and James…”

“And what about Fate, Remus? Do you believe in that?”

“I don’t want to believe the same way Harry doesn’t want to believe that you’re lying stone dead back at headquarters! It’s reality, Sirius! It’s here, it’s now and people have tried for years to change it!”

“Right, coincidence. Sirius, nothing in my life is a coincidence. It’s bloody fate and I’m afraid I’m getting used to it.”

“Where are they both going?”

“If we do, by chance save them once, their deaths could still happen, even more deaths than theirs could still happen.”

“Nothing, nothing’s going on,” Harry said quickly.

“Well, my first bit of advice would be for you to get off your lazy arse and stop her before she gets even madder,” Hermione said calmly.

“Harry, we’re going to try to go back and save someone, but…it’s not me.”

“I still don’t think you’ll believe me.”

“I’ve seen that house before,” Harry stated, searching his memory.

‘Sirius’ narrowed his eyes. “Please, if someone came along trying to impersonate you, your best friend and your Godson from the future, would you really take it so lightly?” He frowned at Harry. “Whoever you all are has yet to be stated, and unless someone starts talking soon, I won’t make James miss anymore.”

“It’s gone okay so far,” Sirius said quietly.

“But that’s impossible!” James cut in. “We’re going under the Fidelius charm soon. He wouldn’t be able to find us.”

He laid on a bed in one of the spare bedrooms of Godric’s Hollow…

Interlude One:

“Voldemort will know who you are by now,” James said in a half whisper, not meeting the eyes of anyone in the room.

“He should know better. Not even the Dursleys could find a way to make my hair flat. Even tried to cut it all off once and it was all back by the next morning.”

“Did you see Harry's smile, Lil’s?” James whispered. “It doesn’t reach his eyes….And his posture…he never stands up straight, as if he’s got the fate of the world on his shoulders…” he stopped and reached down, burying his face in Lily’s red hair. “Well,” he mumbled, “I suppose he does, doesn’t he?”

“Pardon me for saying it, but you’re not as much fun when you’re old," James said.

‘Sirius’ frowned harder as he once again tried to apparate and nothing happened.

“Albus is a careful man…” Severus looked back around and saw Minerva going to sit back in her chair, her obvious exhaustion showing now and she sighed before looking back at him. “He always has a back up plan.”

“What happened?”

“No!” Harry yelled. “I DO need to know! Or have you forgotten exactly what the prophecy says? Have you forgotten that I’m the one who has to beat him?”

“The Prophecy exists in both times, Harry.”

“I think that even if I kill this girl you won’t turn.” Cetus paused and ‘Sirius’ didn’t dare hope that he was actually not going to kill Arianna. “I think that you’ve been around those bloody Order members for too long, not to mention that Potter boy.” ‘Sirius’ felt his nails dig further into his skin as he said James’ name. “I think that you’re too bloody noble for your own good.”

“Remus…Harry?!”

“Do you know where he is, Ginny?” Hermione said weakly. “You have to tell me. Please…please, Ginny…”

“Harry, stop it! You’re not strong enough-“

Remus stood shell-shocked for a moment, the debris flying everywhere.

“Prongs?”

“That’s just the thing,” Severus whispered back as they came towards the entrance again, staying aloof and in the shadows. “You would have died.”

“I can save them, Sirius….I can save them….” His voice came out in quiet whispers between the sobs that began to rack his body.

Still not looking over at her, Hermione scowled, “His stupid pride. You Weasley’s are all the same, determined not to let people know how you’re feeling-“

“For you, Remus. Leave your past in the past. Remember it, learn from it, but just as we should not dwell on the future, do not dwell on what has already passed. It does no good to find the old wounds, for, as we both know now, the past truly cannot be changed. You have Sirius and Harry; you have all your wonderful memories of school, of your friends and adventures. I daresay you have plenty of good memories. If not enough to outweigh the bad, enough to give you room to create more.”

I am so sick of crying…Why am I crying so much?

“We can’t begin to thank you enough for all your help, Albus,” Remus said quickly, being sure to get those words in. “Even if sometimes it still feels like this trip was all for naught…I know, for me at least, it did bring some peace to my soul.”

He could practically feel the wards that were placed around the house, shielding it, protecting it…hiding it.

“I’m Harry, right?” he said quickly, pointing to himself. “I’m a fifteen-year-old wizard who is sometimes called the Boy-Who-Lived and saved the world when I was one? You’re Hermione Granger, bookworm and all around smartest kid in the school. He’s Ron Weasley, sixth of seven kids who all have red hair, tempers and hand-me-down clothes?” Harry turned to the other side of the room. “She’s Ginny Weasley, Ron’s younger sister who had a crush on me for years. He’s Neville Longbottom who grew up with his grandmother and is kinda clumsy when it comes to magic.” He rounded on Sirius and Remus. “He’s Remus Lupin, werewolf and ex-DADA teacher and he’s…he’s…” Harry’s head started to hurt. “He’s Sirius Black…he’s my Godfather…he’s my Godfather…”

“You’re free.”

“No…” he paused. “The night Lily and James were killed…”

“Your life could have been very different you know.”

“You’ve accepted it then?” Her voice was a whisper. “You know it can’t be changed?”

Another James floated up, looking scared and sad, tears running down his face. “I don’t want you to die for me! That isn’t what friendship is about!”