The Dream Trilogy Book Three: What Dreams May Come (A Harry Potter FanFiction)

Chapter Seventy Three

"Seems right I guess," said Sirius, interlocking his fingers and pressing them onto his knuckles.

Alex pulled a pocket watch from his jeans and popped open the clasp. "You better wake up," he said, showing Sirius the face. "Almost time."

Sirius sighed heavily but nodded. "Thank you," he said, rubbing the back of his sleeve over his eyes and standing. "I supposed it's good weather," he commented, indicating the rain. "For a funeral."

Alex sighed. "No weather is good for a funeral," he said. "Take care Sirius Black, I will be checking in with your Watcher quite regularly, I'll promise you that."

Sirius managed a weak smile, and turned up his collar as he prepared to step out into the damp morning. "Look after your Harry for me," he said. "It'll be nice, to think of you both up there." He glanced upwards, as if Limbo was a physical place above the clouds, but Alex knew the living frequently thought of their afterlives waiting for them in the sky. So he just nodded, and with Sir Woofsalot at his heals his slipped back into the shadows, walking once more into the familiar wide marble corridor of Limbo.

After the tranquillity of the church yard, it was startling to come back to the chaotic halls of Limbo. The corridors and archways, usually peaceful to the point of uneasiness, were a riot of moving and screeching bodies. People, animals and anything in between, running, shouting, pushing, waving papers, reading memos, writing messages. Now that Limbo had shrunk back to its more usual size, all its permanent residents were out in force, trying to make sense of the upheaval that had befallen them.

Sir Woofsalot whined and scratched at Alex's jeans. "I know Woofsy," he said as a troop of dwarves went marching past, forcing the two of them further into the throng. "It was less scary when people were trying to kill us." He looked down at his pup. "Stay close!" he instructed, and Sir Woofsalot barked once in compliance.

They drove into the hoard, trying to stay on course despite the rushing bodies and charging hooves. "Watch out," cried Alex cheerfully. "Just a moment, yes thank you very much." He weaved in between the constantly moving targets, easing past doors that were almost always closed but today were opening and closing like shutters in a hurricane. Like they had seen back at Malfoy Manor, often the doors would be approached by Watchers, who would hold the handle for a moment in thought before opening it on the location of their choosing. But there was a grand set of double doors that had been propped open as wide as they could go, and as Alex walked slowly past, struggling with the masses, he could see inside the courtroom that had been attacked by the two Voldemorts, packed to the rafters even more so than the corridors he was moving through.

"Order!" a wizened old goblin was shouting as people yelled and waved ballot papers in the air. "Order I say!"

Alex raised his eyebrows at Sir Woofsalot. "After what happened to the last Council," he said as they moved on. "You think they'd be less keen."

"Ain't you got work to be doin'?" a disapproving voice rasped out from across the sea of people, moving in the opposite direction.

"Oh believe me Adelaide," said Alex cheerfully, waving out to her. "Enough for several lifetimes."

"Hello darling!" saluted Effie, sashaying along in Adelaide's wake, nodding her big, purple, feathered hat. "How's your universe?"

"Still intact," said Alex as a centaur dodged impatiently around him. "Yours?"

"Like clockwork," said the Victorian with a wink.

"Like a pig in the parlour," growled Adelaide, raising an eyebrow at Effie. "Magic school's near 'bout fallin' apart, an' that red-headed family are testin' mah patience."