It’s cold.

He pulls his knees into his chest and shivers.

He can hear them, screaming, moaning.

But then there’s another sound. The sound he dreads. The sound of something drawing deep, rattling gasps of air.

But it’s not the air it wants.

He closes his eyes, but that’s not enough to block out the images of his worst experiences…

<i>FLASH! His brother laughs as he pushes him down the stairs FLASH! His mother slaps him after finding out he’s a Gryffindor FLASH! He is alone on a dark street with nowhere to go FLASH! The dead eyes of James and Lily Potter stare up at him…accusing him…betrayal written all over their shocked faces…</i>

He shudders.

The Dementor moves on.

Sirius Black lets his body slump to the floor. He is weak. He lies there, trying to block out the screams by holding on to his last remaining happy memory…

<i>“Padfoot?”
“Hmm?”
“I...that is to say we…er…”
“Spit it out Prongs” 
“Me and Lily, we’d like you to be…if you want of course…we wondered…how would you like to be Harry’s godfather?”
“Like to? I’d love to!”
(The pair embrace)
“There’s responsibility of course. Like looking out for him, taking him in if ever me and Lily…well. You know.”
“I DO know mate. I’ll be there for him, you know that. I’ll never let him down. Just like you never let me down.”
(James grins and hugs Sirius once more)
“I’ll consider it a repayment…”</i>

Sirius sat bolt upright.

He knew what he had to do…