Resurrection

The second jet of light hit Sirius squarely in the chest.

The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock.

Harry released Neville, though he was unaware of doing so. He was jumping down the steps again, pulling out his wand, as Dumbledore, too, turned towards the dais.

It seemed to take Sirius an age to fall: his body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backwards through the ragged veil hanging from the arch.

Harry saw the look of mingled fear and surprise on his godfather's wasted, once-handsome face as he fell through the ancient doorway and disappeared behind the veil, which fluttered for a moment as though in a high wind, then fell back into place.

... Sirius did not reappear

"SIRIUS!" Harry yelled. "SIRIUS!!"

...

"There's nothing you can do, Harry... Nothing... He's gone."

Harry awoke with a shout, shooting bolt upright and panting for air as the images from his nightmare lingered within his brain. This nightmare had come to the forefront upon Lord Voldemort's death, and had plagued him night after night, week after week ever since.

He looked around in confusion before realising where he was. Home. Ginevra Weasley roused beside him. Well, Ginerva Potter nowadays. They'd been married soon after the final fall of Voldemort. Adjusting her satiny golden slip, she sat up and wrapped her arm around him.

"Sirius again?" she asked, her eyes bright in the darkness. Harry nodded, and wrapped his own arm around her, taking comfort in her presence.

"I keep having the same dream, and every time, no matter what I do, I can't change things..." Harry muttered.

"I know Harry. It's not fair that he was taken from you. But you have to let it go." Ginny was interrupted by a great big yawn. "Perhaps you should go see his namesake. That always seems to cheer you up."

Harry placed a kiss on Ginny's lips.

"You're right. Will you come with me?" Harry offered. Ginny waved him off with a yawn.

"I still have to get to work tomorrow. I better try to sleep," she told him, lying back down.

"I love you Ginerva Potter," he said softly.

"And I love you, Harry Potter," she replied, smiling at him before closing her beautiful eyes. "Now go see your son."

Harry chuckled, and silently left the room. He stole over to the room in which the Potter twins slept, and entered. The full moon shone through their window, falling on Morgan's peaceful face. In contrast, Sirius Potter was awake, cooing softly and fidgeting. Harry reached in and picked the boy up, holding him close. The boy squirmed in his arms, until he let Sirius look at him.

This seemed to please Sirius no end, who cooed at his father in glee, smiling and reaching for his glasses.

"Oi! None of that!" Harry laughed. He deftly removed his glasses from harms reach. Sirius looked most put off, but seemed to get over it.

"So, little guy. You starting to feel like your namesake yet? Got the urge to pull any pranks on anyone?" Harry asked, feigning seriousness. Sirius just gazed back at Harry, smiling. Then came the sound all fathers feared, the explosive sounds of a filled nappy.

"Oh I see," Harry said, deadpan. "You DO feel like pulling a prank."

~*~*~

The next morning came unfairly soon. Harry felt as though he had only just put head to pillow again when his alarm clock went off. Disgruntled, Harry got up and turned the alarm off. It was fortunate for the machine, Harry pondered, that nobody had invented an Avada Kedavra curse for alarm clocks. Their population might be otherwise sorely diminished.

"Morning Harry!" Ginny chirped brightly. She was already dressed and was pulling on her last boot by the time Harry's eyes focused on her. Harry was still dressed in his flattering red boxers and grey singlet.

Harry and Ginny were opposites that attracted, in some ways. Ginny was a morning person. Harry was, most decidedly, not. He muttered something to the effect of good morning to Ginny and went downstairs to start breakfast.

Ginny was along shortly after, and together they prepared bacon and eggs, with toast and some orange juice to help it along. The twins were seated at the table as well, playing with each other and getting mighty messy. The meal passed pleasantly and the two adults made light conversation as they ate.

"What's the plan for today?" Harry asked Ginny before taking a sip of orange juice.

"Oh, you know, the usual. Check the stock, make sure the taps are working, any last minute cleanups," Ginny yawned. "Make sure everyone who's supposed to be in today shows up."

"You mentioned you were having trouble with one of your bartenders," Harry said.

"Yeah, Chris has been calling in sick a bit too often. Strange guy, he is, but I'd hate to fire him," Ginny sighed. Running a bar wasn't easy, but Ginny got to choose her own hours most days. She generally just worked days, when the place was just a cafe, and let the night manager take care of the place after six.

"Ah well. Some things, you just gotta do. I reckon you give him a chance to explain himself before kicking him out the door," Harry replied. Ginny nodded agreement, and they continued eating.

Finally the meal was finished and Ginny kissed the twins goodbye before treating Harry to a very passionate kiss, which seemed to convey in itself a thousand promises for the night to come.

Harry grinned as Ginny Apparated to work, before putting himself to clearing away the dishes. His job started later than Ginny's, which was good because it gave him time to clean up before the babysitter arrived.

But something felt off this morning. Harry couldn't put a name to it, but it certainly felt like a strange morning. Harry attempted to shrug it off, preferring to get done what he could while there was peace and time to do so. He cleaned up the children and put them up in their room, before heading outside to take out the trash.

In the alley beside his house, light was scarce. It always made him feel nervous to be there, but today even more so. He put the trash into the can and was about to leave when, from the darkness, Harry was pounced on. He didn't even have a chance to defend himself before he was on the ground, and a wand was jammed in his face. Clearly, one of those who had supported Voldemort had finally tracked him down. He wondered if it was Goyle Sr who had finally come to finish him off. After a vicious attack during the mopping up phase of the war, the more capable Death Eaters had been killed, and those left were lead by the less-than-capable Crabbe and Goyle Sr. Harry closed his eyes in anticipation of a blinding green light that never came.

When Harry opened his eyes again, he saw the wand still there, being held by a filthy man, with long black and grey hair, who didn't seem to have eaten in weeks. He wore a trenchcoat that was as filthy as himself and looked to have once been a dark blue colour. His eyes were grey and sunken, yet familiar. The wand was wavering, and finally it lowered. When the man spoke, it was in a rusty, pain-ridden voice that indicated that he had not spoken aloud in some time.

"H... Harry?" The man asked, barely understandable. "Harry?"

Harry looked into the face of this man again, and his mouth dropped open as he recognised the figure.