The Only One He Ever Feared

           ’Hehasn’tgone!’Harryyelled.

           Hedidnotbelieveit;hewouldnotbelieveit;stillhefoughtLupinwitheverybitofstrengthhehad.Lupindidnotunderstand;peoplehidbehindthatcurtain;Harryhadheardthemwhisperingthefirsttimehehadenteredtheroom.Siriuswashiding,simplylurkingoutofsight—

           ’SIRIUS!’hebellowed.’SIRIUS!’

           ’Hecan’tcomeback,Harry,’saidLupin,hisvoicebreakingashestruggledtocontainHarry.’Hecan’tcomeback,becausehe’sd—

           ’HE—IS—NOT—DEAD!’roaredHarry.’SIRIUS!’

           Therewasmovementgoingonaroundthem,pointlessbustling,theflashesofmorespells.ToHarryitwasmeaninglessnoise,thedeflectedcursesflyingpastthemdidnotmatter,nothingmatteredexceptthatLupinshouldstoppretendingthatSirius—whowasstandingfeetfromthembehindthatoldcurtain—wasnotgoingtoemergeatanymoment,shakingbackhisdarkhairandeagertore-enterthebattle.

           LupindraggedHarryawayfromthedais.Harrystillstaringatthearchway,wasangryatSiriusnowforkeepinghimwaiting—

           Butsomepartofhimrealised,evenashefoughttobreakfreefromLupin,thatSiriushadneverkepthimwaitingbefore...Siriushadriskedeverything,always,toseeHarrytohelphim...ifSiriuswasnotreappearingoutofthatarchwaywhenHarrywasyellingforhimasthoughhislifedependedonit,theonlypossibleexplanationwasthathecouldnotcomeback...