Chapter 1

Members of the Order of the Phoenix were recovering at 12 Grimmauld Place, in various stages of injury and pain.

Their latest battle against Lord Voldemort had taken place at Diagon Alley. The Order had received intelligence Voldemort was planning a terrorist attack there.

"Any word on Madam Malkin?" Sirius asked.

"She's at St. Mungo's, expected to live but may not be able to run her shop anymore," replied Arthur Weasley. "However, Alicia Spinnet's father died on arrival. The poor man was no match for those giants."

As Harry cradled his wounded arm, he thought about those who had lost their lives at Diagon Alley. Eight of them, dead. He knew it would only get worse until Voldemort was vanquished for good.

Then Sirius' mother's portrait began screaming, alerting them to the presence of a newcomer. They all drew their wands until a familiar voice rang out.

"It is I, Dumbledore, along with Fawkes," said the venerable headmaster of Hogwarts.

"Thank God, Albus," said Remus Lupin, as Fawkes began to heal his enormously bruised left side with phoenix tears.

"What news?" asked Kingsley.

"Well, we killed three Death Eaters, including Travers and Rowle," Dumbledore said as a cheer went up. He cut them off to speak again.

"Unfortunately, Professor Slughorn is fighting for his life at St. Mungo's. He took a particularly potent curse from Dolohov."

Harry looked at Flitwick, his face ashen, and McGonagall, who was on the verge of tears. Then he'd had enough. The injustice of it all.

"And Snape? Where is that weasel?" Harry asked Dumbledore.

"Professor Snape, Harry, and as you well know, he has to keep up appearances with Voldemort. He shall return as soon as it is safe. In the meantime, those of us at Hogwarts should return there once your injuries are healed."

The staff and students among them lined up at the fireplace to Floo back to school. Ron, Ginny and Hermione made for Gryffindor Tower, but Sirius pulled Harry aside.

"Harry, I'd feel better if you stayed with me in my teacher's quarters tonight. You had a traumatic day and you don't need the whole school questioning you."

"No, I don't, that's for sure," Harry smiled. "Thanks, professor."

Padfoot raised his eyebrows.

"Harry James Potter, I may be History of Magic Professor Black to everyone else, but you are never to call me that again!" he said, firing a tickling charm at his godson.

Harry was hit with gales of laughter, but managed to recover and hit Sirius with a nonverbal Levicorpus spell he'd recently learned from the Prince's potions book. They duelled for a while longer to work off some steam from the day's events.

Later, while sitting down to steak and potatoes, Harry asked his godfather a serious question.

"Sirius, how did you come back from the veil?"

Padfoot looked up. They had never really discussed the day he woke up on the floor of the Department of Mysteries, four months after falling through the veil.

"It's hard to explain what it was like, Harry. Everything was backwards, up was down, there was no sense of space or time. I couldn't even think properly. I just... existed.

"One day, for whatever reason, I was able to remember some of my magic. I transformed into Padfoot and immediately started hearing voices whispering to me."

Harry's eyes widened.

"After a while - maybe hours, maybe weeks - I realized it was Bellatrix's voice, taunting me that she was alive and I was dead. I was incensed. This makes no earthly sense, but I concentrated hard on my sense of smell as Padfoot and suddenly sensed a hole somewhere, filled with bright light, that I couldn't see. Next thing, I felt the sword of Gryffindor appear in my hand and within minutes I was lying on the floor of the Death Chamber, holding it."

Harry sat there digesting this information.

"Dumbledore says no one else has ever escaped the veil. I don't know how you did it but I'm so happy you're back, Padfoot," Harry said, giving Sirius an enormous hug.

"Me too, pup. Me too. Now we better get to bed - I've got the second-years first thing in the morning and Snape might be back in time to teach you guys DADA."

"Yeah, fucking Snape, who cursed off Charlie's pinky finger," Harry grumbled.

"I know we both hate Snivellus, but he's on our side, Harry. I know that for a fact. He always loved your mother and he was nigh suicidal when he found out his role in James and Lily's deaths. If he hadn't cast any spells today, You Know Who would've been suspicious."

"Ahh, say his name already Sirius, you wuss."

"Love you too kiddo. Good night."