Beyond the Veil

“Who’s there?” Harry’s voice could be heard from the other side of the fluttering black curtain.

James and Lily stood beside the veil. They could hear Harry and his friends on the other side. Lily leaned closer. James pulled her back.

“I want to call out to him,” she said. “I want him to know I hear him. And I‘d really like to go get Mum and Dad. They‘d like to see their grandson.”

“You know you can’t,” said James.

“I know,” she sighed.

“Can’t what?” asked Selina Lovegood. “Who’s out there?”

“Harry . . . And some friends of his,” James replied. Selina listened for a moment.

“Sirius!” It was Harry‘s voice again.

“Harry’s trying to save Sirius . . .” said James in a sad voice. “Reminds me of someone else I know,” he said, giving Lily a short wink.

“There are people in there!” said a girl’s voice from the other side.

“Luna is with him,” she whispered. “They hear us!” she said excitedly. “Imagine Luna, my darling daughter, still a student, and she managed to come right here . . . Right outside . . .”

“Sirius, yeah.” Harry’s voice again. “Let’s go!”

They listened some more. It was quiet for a long time. The voices on the other side of the veil were gone.

Suddenly, they could hear shouting from the other side. More voices than before, adult voices as well as Harry’s.

“It’s Dumbledore!” said an adult voice they didn’t recognise. Much of the shouting ceased, though two voices close by could still be heard. It sounded like two people battling each other.

“It’s almost time,” said James quietly. “You should step back, over there,” he said to Lily and Selina.

The shouts on the other side got louder. “Come on, you can do better than that!” Sirius was right outside, so close they could hear his words clearly.

Slowly, Sirius fell through the veil, headfirst and backwards, and landed at James’ feet. His eyes were closed for a moment, then fluttered open.

“All right, Padfoot?” said James quietly.

Sirius looked puzzled. He squinted, shook his head, then glanced around. Finally looking up, he said, “James? Prongs?”

“Welcome, Sirius,” said James.

Sirius sat up. He looked at the veil. His expression showed dawning realisation. “Am I . . . Did I . . . ?”

“Right in one,” said James softly. He held out his hand and helped Sirius to his feet. “Lily’s right over here,” he told Sirius, turning and taking a step towards the two women. Selina quickly turned and left them alone, resisting the impulse to peek through to the other side.

Sirius gave Lily a hug. He looked around. “Where are we, exactly?”

“This is sort of -- an entrance hall, so to speak,” said Lily.

“Is there more? I mean, what -- where -- ?”

“There’s much, much more,” said James. “I’ll show you all around later. But first, come with me. There’s Someone who wants to speak with you.”