Because You Love Me

5. Dead and Gone

Sirius landed on a deserted street a few minutes later down an alley in Godric's Hollow close to the Potter's house.  He rode the rest of the way over there on the pavement, not wanting to attract attention to himself.  Most of the Muggles that had been gathered there were gone now and the news crews were packing up their stuff.  He heard a bystander say they had attributed the noises to a Halloween prank and they'd been wasting their time.  Sirius parked his bike on the curb and kept on walking.  He knew the house was there.  He looked around to make sure no one was around and then he broke the charm around it.  He had been one of the wizards who had cast it.  The house suddenly reappeared, the illusion gone.

Sirius gasped out loud.  There was a hole where part of the roof used to be.  It look like it had been blasted, probably by a stray spell, he reasoned.  He took a deep breath and then went toward the house.  He got as far as the front porch before his stomach sank to his knees.  If James and Lily were alive, he would be surprised.  There was a hole where the front door should have been and wooden pieces laying all over the place.  He carefully stepped inside, sure not to make any noise in case there was someone still in the house.  He went through the living room, which had burn holes in the walls and in the furniture.  It was clear there was a battle here.

He went into the kitchen, but it was untouched.  This could mean only one thing.  Lily and Alaina must have been upstairs.  He walked up the stairs.  It wasn't until he had almost gotten to the top that he saw feet dangling down.  His heart caught in his throat as he craned his neck higher.  He took another few steps and his knees buckled.  He hit the floor beside the body he couldn't tear his eyes away from.  It was James.  His eyes were wide and fearful, but there was no mistaking he was dead.

Tears filled Sirius's eyes.  He placed his hands on James's face.  His body was still a little warm, but just barely.  He hadn't been dead long.

"I'm so sorry," Sirius sobbed.  "I should have been here.  I'm so sorry."

Tears poured down his face now.  The house was eerily silent.  He could hear nothing but the sound of his own breathing.  Summoning all the strength he had left, he got to his feet.  The nursery was just down the hall.  That was the next place he had to check.  He could already see there was no door.  He trudged down there anyway, mentally preparing himself for what he might be about to see.  He didn't even make it to the doorway before more tears appeared in his eyes.  Lying in the floor right in front of him was a body.  And by the color of her hair he could tell it was Alaina.  Her hair was just a little bit darker than Lily's, a subtle difference only someone who had seen them close together would know.  He rushed forward into the nursery to see what other damage was done.  He noticed then the small pool of blood that had spilled from her mouth.  It was not hard to see that Alaina was dead.  At least her eyes were shut.  He didn't even bother feeling for her temperature.  What he saw spoke volumes.

Sirius closed his eyes.  He didn't want to see anymore.  And then something made a rustling noise that made his eyes fly open.  He whirled around, pointing his wand.  He hadn't even thought of the possibility Voldemort could have still been there.  His eyes fell on a sad and silent Harry.  Relieved, he retracted his wand.  He picked him up and held him there for a moment.

"Don't worry, little guy," he told him.  "Everything's going to be alright."  He squeezed him tight.  And then he noticed Lily.

He swallowed hard, lowering Harry back into his crib.  He walked over to Lily's body, bent down and felt her skin.  It was cold.  They were all gone.  A surge of grief shot through him.  Sirius buried his face in his hands and tears poured in torrents from his eyes.  This was all too horrible.  Harry was an orphan and he had lost two of his only friends in the world.  Then a sudden thought occurred to him.  How in the world did Voldemort find him?