Into the West

“Stupefy!”
A red jet of light hit him in the middle of his chest.
In the last moment, he was laughing, but now he felt how his last laugh was vanishing from his face.
And then he fell into the endless depths of the strange veil he was standing in front of. He heard screams of pain, but he didn't care about them.
Then all went black...
Minutes later, or perhaps days, weeks, even years... the black went away.
Sirius woke up.
Where was he?
He couldn't remember anything that happened before he woke up there. In this strange landscape.
He was wondering if he was alone there or if he could go anywhere, when he heard a voice. It seemed oddly familiar to him.
“Padfoot?” said the voice.
A man's voice. And it sounded like the voice couldn't believe what it was saying. Sirius looked around. And what he saw, was as unbelievable as the voice that called him.
In front of him were standing two people, a man and a woman. The man had black hair, really untidy black hair... and glasses.
The woman was very cute, she had bright green eyes and long, dark red hair.
“Ja- ... James? L – Lily? Am I – dead?” Sirius said.
“It seems so, Padfoot, doesn't it?” replied his best friend sadly. But then he smiled.
Sirius stood up and let his gaze wander upon the landscape. It was an amazing sight. Everything around them was white. White beaches, silver shores and on the horizon you could see a bright, white light, sparkling like a diamond.
“So that's what heaven looks like?” he said, a big grin on his face. “That's absolutely crazy! Wow!” “I thought the same... strange, isn't it?” James grinned back.
But then the smile on Sirius's face disappeared. He remembered why he was at this very place he was now.
“Department of Mysteries...” he said quietly. “What?” asked Lily. “Department of Mysteries” Sirius repeated. “That's why I died. I was there.” “You were... er... there?” said Lily carefully. “Why?”
Sirius didn't answer immediately, but watched the bright light on the horizon. Then, still gazing at the light, he said: “We were fighting against Voldemort. The order. It's back again. Harry and a few of his friends were there, too. He, Voldemort set them a trap. He came back, last year. Voldemort and his Death Eaters wanted to get the prophecy that was made about him and Harry. The prophecy that explains everything.”
With some effort, Sirius turned away from the light. He turned to James and went on: “Harry's okay, he... he went away with Mooney, while I was fighting Bellatrix. She... shocked me and I... fell. Through something... dark.” his voice broke at the last word.
James put his hand on Sirius's shoulder. “You know, when Voldemort killed Lily and me,   I couldn't stop thinking not Harry, too. But he defeated Voldemort, and I knew that he wouldn't be alone.” “But I'm dead, James!” Sirius shouted. “I'm dead, I can't be with him any more!” “That's not true!” James interrupted. “From up here... we can be with him, too. Even if he doesn't see us. And anyway, he's got his friends, Dumbledore, Mooney...” “And look, Sirius. Harry's after all fifteen, and he can look after himself.” said Lily soft. “Right”, approved James. “I mean, what I wanted to say is that when Harry could escape from Voldemort when he was a baby, he will be able to do the same when he's a grown-up, won't he? One day he will defeat him once and for all. I'm very sure of that.”
“Yes, don't worry. If Harry needs us, he'll think about us and we will notice it. So we can help him.” said Lily reassuring.
“But somehow I still feel like I've left Harry in the lurch!” Sirius's voice broke again.
“I had that feeling, too. And sometimes, it comes back.” Lily said dark. “But you just can't forget, that you died for Harry. Because you wanted to help him, you wanted to save him! You didn't leave him or something like that.”
After all those encouraging words of his best friends, Sirius felt better, yes, he was even able to smile a bit.
“I thought I would never see you again...” “Someday, all of us, the Marauders, will be back together. Again.” said James and took his best friend's hand. “Come on, Pad, we'll show you something.”
Sirius nodded.
And so the bridal couple and the best man went to the white light on the horizon.
Into the West.