#spike should have some acknowledgement that he managed to stumble into a prophecy by just trying to do right for his girl

[gh-0-stcup]

Angel. Hun. It's called the Cup of Perpetual Torment. Do you really think it's Spike's destiny to drink from that thing?

[halothenthehorns]

All in the Family

Chapter 130: Beyond the Veil

Sirius saw something black fluttering as he stumbled around and only had a moment to be grateful at least he was about to hit something soft when a strong pair of arms grabbed him. He groaned as James hauled him to the ground instead, both of them now facedown on the cold stone floor.

He sat up and decided against pushing him down the stairs in retaliation, he was too grateful Prongs was okay. James sat up with a very peeved look on his face they'd successfully stopped him grabbing that stupid thing, now Sirius looked around critically to make sure there wasn't anything else to worry about killing them.

Regulus, Evans, he and James were up on some sort of raised dais, that creepy black thing that had so fascinated Harry and a few other kids fluttering along with no breeze in sight. Sirius concentrated for a moment but heard nothing whisper-like at all, but he still found himself grateful James had stopped him from stumbling through that as he probably was about to, it gave him the creeps even more in person. The book was resting on the arch holding it into place.

The other four had landed in a scattered mess all around, sitting up plenty fast and looking around in concern. He watched as Peter and Longbottom immediately looked to that thing as well, and seemed far more intrigued than anything. Wormtail didn't even get up, staying in place and watching the movement with that critical eye of his. Longbottom got slowly to his feet and actually began moving forward, despite the fact Alice was at the opposite end of the room and he didn't even seem to notice.

Remus was too, but he had eyes only on Sirius as he moved slowly down the steep stairs farther into the pit. Sirius quickly averted his eyes and made to grab the book, and scowled in frustration when James beat him to it. He gave it a toss though and called, "here Moony, get us out of here please?" Eyes still on Sirius with that expression he probably should have felt something for, but he'd been numb so long now he wasn't entirely sure what himself. He'd just known he shouldn't let Prongs grab that, so he'd stopped him. He'd gone through the motions of letting Remus comfort him, but even then it had felt more like watching someone else move his hand. Even the brief flair of emotion he'd felt being held by Moony had almost undone him, so he'd just screwed the lid tighter on all these bubbling emotions.

A spike of fear finally shot through his consciousness as Remus stuttered, "B-Beyond the, the Veil." He'd never heard Remus so terrified in his life as he whispered that and dropped the book, shaking his head in remorse as he mouthed he wouldn't do it.

It was the same look James had on his face since Harry had that vision, still there now as he grabbed Sirius and pulled him forcefully down the stairs to grab the book and still not leaving an inch of space between them. His son or his brother, Sirius had known from the beginning as well as anyone James was being torn in two now with both in such danger and he was actually going to force himself to read the results rather than waiting around for anyone else to figure it out. Sirius knew he should stop him, but he couldn't hold onto the feeling long enough to act on it.

Sirius was still clinging to his nothingness, an absolutely useless shell as he listened to Death Eaters arriving, taunting Harry and those teenagers with knowledge of what Harry now had in that Prophecy. He wondered if this is what those long years in Azkaban would feel like, just shutting down and not thinking for as long as possible, listening to sounds and refusing to react lest a Dementor was drawn back to you.

He didn't want to be! He wanted to hug James and tear that book away, stand on top of that stupid arch if he had to and read to save Prongs from this, he wanted to hold Remus and promise he'd never be alone, to check on Peter and Regulus to make sure they were okay. Someone should probably check on Evans too, he couldn't even imagine how she'd be dealing with all of this, her kid in danger because of him. Hell, he even felt for Longbottom and Alice, they'd never asked for any of this and their kid was in just as much trouble as his godson!

Every time he caught himself moving though he just doubled down on his new resolve, if he acted on a single one of those impulses he'd probably just make things worse, again! Somehow, someway he'd manage it in this room.

Harry was in trouble now. Bellatrix and Malfoy were taunting them all with promises of an answer while Harry's gang worked out a silent plan to get themselves away. They were mocked with vicious lies about Sirius's involvement being nothing more than a dream, and honestly they still couldn't believe it.

Whether a lie that had brought Harry there or a lie to sway them into running only to have him as a hostage still, Harry was given no true time to collect himself as the plan was put into motion and the Prophecy room was destroyed, scattering Dumbledore's Army and their enemies all about this place. Nobody had the inclination to go traveling through the other rooms in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the destruction as the war began taking victims from both sides.

Harry, Neville, and Hermione had been separated from Luna, Ron, and Ginny with half a dozen Death Eaters after each.

Neville's nose and wand were broken, and two Death Eaters were down, one more spectacularly than they'd ever be able to imagine with that baby head. Hermione went down in a flash of purple, and so did a Death Eater via Harry in retaliation.

"Frank?" The true fear in her voice didn't really register though.

It was more James looking around, actually distracted from this that had Sirius doing the same, but he did feel another beat of shock to see him tugging on Alice's hand to be let go, eyes glazed over as he still watched the blackness. Lily had jumped down and joined them, but he wasn't acknowledging the two girls one bit, mouthing something none could hear. Alice looked near tears he wasn't even reacting to the knowledge Neville had apparently just lost his dad's own wand in the fight, he wasn't really reacting to anything anymore either.

A shot of real panic finally washed over Sirius as he turned wildly back around and saw Peter was edging onto the stairs, small tentative steps but still just as riveted on that thing. Regulus was right in front of him on the dais, waving his hand pleadingly in front of his face and holding his wand dangerously, but Peter wasn't fighting as hard to get away, he just couldn't seem to stop looking.

"James, read faster," Sirius stated, finally moving again towards the pair. He didn't care if they hated him even more later, he'd drop dead rather than not react to this! James reached out to grab him though, nearly hyperventilating with stress. "It's alright Prongs," Sirius promised, squeezing the hand that trembled along his shoulder, finally meeting his eyes again. "Get us out of here."

Sirius finally getting his spark of life back bolstered James like nothing else could have, he swallowed and nodded with determination while Sirius and Remus went up the steps to get the other two. Peter went down backwards obligingly, but still had a very drugged sort of expression like he had no clue of anything except that small fluttering movement. James was reading with a vengeance now though, his strong voice carried in the whole room as Harry and his friends managed to regroup, but couldn't seem to get out of there.

Regulus put a firm hand on Peter's shoulder until he sat down on the ground and still he craned his neck to keep the thing in sight. Longbottom was really struggling against the girls now, pushing them away with force and calling, "Dad?" He wasn't going for his wand yet, but Sirius wasn't going to let it go that far.

He'd feel bad later for this as well when he aimed and petrificus totalus, causing Longbottom's limbs to snap together and he fell to the ground stiff as a board. There wasn't a chance anyone was going near that thing now as Harry came crashing back into this room alone! Every one of his friends were out of commission in one way or another, his godson had the prophecy and nowhere to run but up there in a mockery for the center of attention he was so like James for.

Neville wasn't going to stand for that though, broken nose and useless wand as his only form of attack while he descended into the fray. Alice made such a terrifying noise of fury Sirius jumped to be between her and James, but her vengeance for Bellatrix Lestrange mocking her child was not to be directed at anyone in here as she stayed by Frank's side and held his petrified hand.

The Cruciatus curse was set upon their child and Sirius couldn't just stand there doing nothing! He knew that pain, his godson had been subjected to the same from Voldemort, he made to go over there and promise Neville would live through it and anybody who said otherwise would pay, but the ghost of Prongs and Evans weren't going to swoop in and save anybody this time, the Order arrived.

James moved again and wasn't letting go this time, holding Sirius firmly to his side and balancing the book carefully as he rushed in amongst the others. This should have been a good thing, Sirius kept telling himself as he put an easy arm around James's back this time and held him just as close in commiseration. This should have been exactly what they were hoping for, Sirius up and around on his feet to the rescue, Harry would get out of there in no time now!

They kept expecting flashes of light to blind them from the battle, the eight of them were all staying low to the floor now even if they didn't need to and James was practically whispering the dreaded back and forth. Remus was holding his hand now and he didn't know or care who had started that as the prophecy was broken and everything felt so hopeless right now.

"Dumbledore?!" Sirius repeated in a great sigh of relief in case anyone had missed what Prongs had said. He moved to get up and dance around the room in excitement, maybe even try a few of those doors now and skip along merrily in here! Everything was supposed to be fine now, their headmaster could best Voldemort, nothing else was going to happen in this room while that white beard was around!

Prongs hadn't stopped though, his grip on Sirius turned to bruising force as he was still battling Bellatrix and Sirius laughed in wild delight for the idea, it was high time he got to bloody do something useful in this future like that!

Whatever words had appeared next though seemed to have frozen him over, and Sirius leaned in impatiently, still high on his jubilation to read more in confusion than anything Bellatrix had hit him with a spell! The nerve of her sent him into a fit of anger now, reading in a temper what James never could and not even realizing what he'd said until far too late.

Sirius had been the one to fall into the veil, and he did not come back out.