The Only One Left

The Only one left

I saw his wasted, once handsome face disappear through the veil and I knew he was gone. My heart froze, and shattered into a million pieces of glass that tore at me. I was the only one left now. The only one left. James was dead, and Peter was dead to me. And now Sirius.

Something caught my eye. It was Harry. He was screaming, calling to his godfather, running towards the dais. No! I had lost everyone else! I won't lose you too!

I ran, and I caught Harry just before he reached the dais. I held him back from the dead curtain even as the tears began to spill down my face.

"There's nothing you can do, Harry..." the words caught in my throat. I could feel a wave of nausea hitting me like the ocean's tide. Sirius was gone. He was gone. I had to make Harry understand. I couldn't lose him too.

"Get him, save him; he's only just gone through!"

"It's too late, Harry."

It's too late. He's gone. Once again I'm the only one left.

"We can still reach him..."

Harry was struggling against me with all the strength he had, but I had a lot of practice at holding people back.

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

He's gone.

"He hasn't gone!"

Harry fought harder. I was shaking, tears blinded my eyes, but I held him. I remembered an oath I swore to James and Lilly the night they died, to always keep Harry safe. To be there when he needed me. With a grim irony I remembered the second part of that oath.

To kill Sirius.

"Sirius!" Harry yelled. "Sirius!"

"He can't come back, Harry." I was choking on the words even as I said them. Not wanting to believe them any more than Harry, and hating them for being true. But I had to say them. "He can't come back because he's d..."

"HE IS NOT DEAD!" Harry roared. "SIRIUS!"

But I could see that he was beginning to understand. He still fought me, but his strength was disappearing as desperation gave way to the terrible grief. I was able to drag him away from the dais, towards the foot of the stairs. The pieces of glass that used to be my heart still stabbed me, threatening to rip me apart from the inside. I worked hard to swallow the lump in my throat that obscured me from talking. I had to hold myself together, for Harry.

I heard Longbottom say something to Harry. He had stopped struggling altogether now, so I removed my arms from his chest, but I kept my fingers holding one arm just in case. I forced myself to tune in on Neville.

The boy was injured, and a curse had been put on his legs. For the life of me I couldn't think of the name of the curse, which is bad for an ex-defense teacher...

I heard a scream of triumph and a yell of pain. I glanced around and saw Lestrange running. I could vaguely hear Neville mumbling something in the background, but I wasn't listening. I was focused on the person that had murdered my last and only true friend. But in my subconscious, something made me think of someone else. Harry.

"SHE KILLED SIRIUS! SHE KILLED HIM! I'LL KILL HER!"

I was too late. Harry had broken from my slackened grip and tore away after Bellatrix. I'm sorry James. I'm sorry Lilly. I couldn't save him.

I'm sorry Sirius, that I couldn't save you either. I'm a failure. I have failed you all. And now Harry was leaving me too.

I glanced around, and saw Dumbledore herding up the last of the Death Eaters. When had he gotten here? I mentally kicked myself for thinking such a stupid question.

"Dumbledore!"

Hearing the desperation in my voice, he turned immediately. I pointed after Harry, who was disappearing through a doorway at the top of the stairs.

"He's after Lestrange. Dumbledore, she got Sirius!"

He understood. Throwing a holding spell over the Death Eaters, he ran after Harry with surprising speed for a man his age.

And I was left alone with the injured, the Death Eaters, and the dead.