AN: So here's my first try on my favourite crossover of all time, hope you'll enjoy! Also English isn't my mother tongue but I did my best ;)

Takes place at the end of the Order of the Phoenix.

I don't own Harry Potter or Merlin.

Neutrality usually turned out to be the right choice. It worked for him just fine most of the time. So many centuries after Albion the battles and wars fought by men weren't his own anyway, so, having no personal connections, he decided it was best not to meddle.

That was hardly a selfish decision, born from reluctance to active participation, tiredness or resentment of people's actions (though he had a generous enough portion of that in his long life – he had lost count how many times the stupidity of some had amazed him). No, nothing so petty. It was the opposite actually – he did it for the general benefit of all. Let it be said, he had no delusions of his own power and knowledge, or the potential for them. Of course, he was not invincible, but it was safe to say that any side he joined would gain an irreplaceable advantage, which in turn may or may not have a rather considerable impact on the final outcome. And truth be told, what right he had to decide the fate of any society in any age? They should have the freedom to shape their world, however different from his own preferences it was.

What's more… he already picked his side – the one right next to his King and friend. The side of destiny and Old Religion. And he wasn't going to leave it. Ever. So as long as no one was threatening the prat (who was taking his sweet time, damn it) or the Magic itself, he let the rest of the world develop and find its way, however reluctantly (even if it was sometimes by making mistakes and learning from them – his past was really the example it did work, eventually).

It didn't mean though that he was completely passive – he was helping the ordinary folk now and then, gods knew they always got hit in the crossfire of any conflict. He befriended or sometimes just talked with more and less important figures, but never imposing set views. Most of the time, they needed a calm listener with whom they could work out their hesitations and insecurities or bounce their ideas off.

Merlin was good at all that. He would even go as far as to say he liked this kind of order of things and would rather keep it. It wasn't perfect but well, nothing was. And in the end there were always some exceptions. And he supposed that having Albus Dumbledore standing in his living room must be one of them. Judging by the expression of his unexpected guest, something he was far too old to take care of happened…

The former headmaster of Hogwarts had found himself in this particular house only a handful times before and never as an unannounced guest like now. He wasn't deliberately rude of course but the situation unfortunately called for unorthodox methods – fast and effective methods. That's why, before he went to the Ministry to give the needed support to the Order and his students, he had flooed the one person, who might actually be a help. If he managed to convince him that is…

"I am sorry for the abrupt visit but I am afraid there is no time to loose on amenities, Master Emrys" he started with a short but respectful nod towards the young looking man drinking a cup of tea in his favourite armchair near fireplace. If there was someone who deserved the Supreme Mugwump's respect it would be definitely him.

"Good evening to you too, Albus" the host greeted, putting the cup and the book he held in the other hand on the side table. His voice was kind and smooth like usual, though his eyes narrowed almost invisibly in anticipation of bad news. Nevertheless he added instantly with a small smile: "And as I said it many times before, I am not a 'master' of anything. You are the headmaster here… So what thrilling events brought you here tonight?"

Since their first meeting many years ago Dumbledore hadn't had any luck with solving the mystery of who or what Emrys exactly was. Despite his eternally youthful appearance he was probably much older and experienced than he already suspected. But Albus learnt a lot from him in his own early years and was honoured to say he had established a true if an individual kind of friendship with the ancient figure before him. And incredibly lucky too, as he had to call upon that friendship now.

"I know how much you dislike interfering in our affairs. For that reason I have decided against contacting you earlier," he begun with caution. Best to play it safe, make it reasonable. "But we're currently in a rather tight spot and really can't afford to settle on half measures…"

"You mean that new Dark Lord of yours? I thought you said you've had it under control since I performed the protection spell on the boy thanks to his mother's sacrifice, on your request nonetheless" Emrys interrupted him calmly with raised eyebrows.

"We have indeed. For some time. But he came back last year and now is dangerously close to getting the prophesy I told you about."

"There always have to be some prophesy. You now it should be none of my business…"

The man sighed deeply, showing how done he already was. Albus couldn't really blame him – he also got tired more and more often of all the problems and considering how much longer his converser had to deal with them... Well, he definitely didn't envy him but continued anyway.

"His Death Eaters are battling with the members of the Order in the Ministry. Harry and his friends have gone there a few hours ago, not sure…"

"Wait, hold up a second there. You let CHILDREN fight against these cruel, pathetic excuses of human beings?! Are you crazy?!" Emrys' head shot up at his words, staring at him in disbelief and worse – disappointment. Only he was still capable of making him feel like a misbehaving schoolboy.

"I didn't let them do anything," Albus said defensively, trying to explain the situation. "For some reason they just ran away from the school and…"

"Yes, your school. Which was heavily guarded and warded last time I checked."

"…I couldn't be there for quite some time but that is irrelevant. What matters is that Voldemort will probably get to the Ministry any minute now and I would normally had no qualms to face him alone, but with so many others vulnerable to attack while I'm distracted… Just come as a backup plan? It may turn out you won't even have to make any definite moves, but I don't hide the fact that I hope you'll help them get to safety."

"Look, Albus…" Emrys closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Another sigh escaped from his lips. Then he looked up at the still standing headmaster and opened his mouth to give the answer.

Which never came, as suddenly a strong chill ran over the sitting man. He shut his eyes forcefully again, grabbing his head in hands. He sat there clearly distressed for at least a whole minute. At first, Albus made a move towards him, wanting to help but was almost instantly stopped with a hand, extended in a clear gesture of desire not to be disturbed. At last Emrys stood up with a frown on his face but also a determined glint in his eye. A powerful yet comforting aura surrounded him.

"Never mind. It would seem this Voldemort has just made it my business." He said dangerously low. His words caused a burst of hope in the old man's chest – he wasn't sure what caused the change of heart but the questions could come at a later date. Next sentence muttered in quiet voice under his nose definitely didn't make anything clearer. "Though I would like to know how this despicable monster got his dirty hands on that and managed to disturb it without me noticing it earlier…"

"So you'll come?" Dumbledore asked with a relief.

"Yes, yes, wipe that smile off your face" despite the words, there was no malice in his voice when he answered, turning to grab a coat from a nearby stand.

He rarely wore standard wizarding robes, choosing more muggle outfits, more often than not in shades of red, blue or purple. Today was no different apparently, as his knee-long black coat settled over a deep red shirt.

"Just got a green light to act… The Ministry, you say?" he spoke mysteriously. Albus had only time to nod affirmatively before a wind picked up around Emrys and he vanished just after shooting him an impish grin. "See you there, then."

Luck must have been indeed on his side that day, thought the old man, apparating right after his friend. The cosy living room was left empty, the still steaming cup of herbal tea on the table and fire cracking merrily in the fireplace.

The pain of losing Sirius, which fast transformed into hot anger, gave him a new boost of energy. Harry had just confronted with this… this foul monster of a woman, the murderer of the only family member left who truly loved him. (Focus Harry, not a good time to fall into the abys of despair…) He wasn't even sure what he would do with her, but won't let her just run away. Oh no, he had to bring her to justice for what she'd done.

So he run, trying to get to Bellatrix, who was laughing at the spells he was desperately sending in her direction.

"Oh poor little boy, trying and failing to avenge his precious godfather!" She mocked him imitating sweet girly voice, as if speaking to a small child, which only spiked his fury.

He was about to show her just what he could do to her as a poor little boy, but suddenly a few unexpected things happened at once.

Or, as Harry decided after a moment, a few people appeared in the main hall of the Ministry at the same time. A quick look around sent a shock of ambivalent emotions through him. Because on the one hand, an unknown young tall man showed up in the gust of wind, calmly asserting the room with mild interest. Harry was sure they never met before, though the man, not much older than himself, had a strangely familiar air around himself. Harry drew his eyebrows in confusion but supposed he couldn't be one of the Death Eaters because Lestrange, who he still had at the point of his wand, looked equally surprised.

But then, a few meters away from this mysterious stranger two much more familiar figures apparated. The imposing dark silhouette of Lord Voldemort on the right caused a burst of fear in his heart and of pain in his skull. Through black spots obscuring his vision, Harry saw the other person on the left, which settled, if only for a small fraction, his racing heart – Dumbledore was here. Their only chance to came out alive from confronting the Dark Lord.

So all in all, Harry didn't know how exactly he felt in that moment but the next was even more grotesque. For the stranger turned, sized Voldemort up and his next sentence made the boy question the realism of the scene before him.

"You're even uglier than I remembered. And I don't only mean the appearance," a disgusted grimace overcame his features. "Your aura literally makes me sick."

Voldemort, who looked stunned at the nerve of this mere black-haired boy addressing him, at last composed himself and snarled at him and raised his wand.

"How dare you even talk to me! You have just made the biggest mistake of your life, you meaningless bug! Avada Kedavra!"

To Harry immense surprise, the man simply sidestepped the jet of green light – that… that was actually quite smart, no one really taught them to dodge incoming spells and curses, only block or counter them. But what is even more interesting the guy that had just been attacked by Voldemort himself, looked slightly disappointed and bored of all things.

"Rude." He made a hand gesture as if he was swatting a bothering fly. At the same time the Dark Lord gasped (as have Bellatrix – he had forgotten she was even there, right next to him) and grabbed the back of his had like he had just been cuffed upside it.

His expression of pure disbelief made Harry blink in stunned amusement. (Though he should probably be more concerned with the rather impressive performance of wandless and silent magic…)

"You don't even know me but try to kill me almost instantly. What if I am here to back you up? To join you? Your reckless actions would cause the loss of a potential ally," the words of still unnamed man in black coat made Harry's heart race again. Is he another enemy they have to face?

Voldemort seemed to share his thought (however awful it could be), because he glanced at the man with a hungry look and a predatory smile on his face.

"So you're here to join my ranks?"

"Well, no, of course not. But I could be - so my point still stands," he crossed his hands and said with an air of confidence and finality. "I am here to repair the damage you buffoons have done. So…" he looked around the room and, doing the same, Harry spotted the audience that had gathered behind him.

His fellow studends and the Order members (now without Sirius, oh my God…) observed cautiously the events unfolding. Some Death Eaters they had been fighting now migrated to their master side. It would seem they stopped attacking for the time being – probably until their leader told them so again. Speaking of leaders, Harry glanced at Dumbledore, peacefully standing beside the strange newcomer. His headmaster just let him handle the situation, with a (amused?) glint in his eye. What the hell is happening here? The whole scene is ridiculous!

But Harry didn't have time to dwell on that, 'cause the young man continued his dangerously calm rant.

"So who has been messing up with the Veil?" he asked but only a whole lot of confused looks answered him back. Even Dumbledore glanced at him taken aback. What Veil? What he was talking about?

"I don't know what are you playing at, but I had enough of this farce. It ends now," hissed Voldemort, shaken with a cold fury. He raised his wand again, a deadly curse on his lips.

"Oh, it certainly does," muttered his opponent and suddenly everything about him changed.

He drew himself to full height, letting his arms to fall to the sides. The air seemed to crack with powerful energy around him, his fingertips almost glowing with it. When his eyes alighted with pure gold, Harry wasn't the only one to gasp in surprise, amazement but also a good dose of fear. He definitely didn't wish to be on the receiving end of that fury. The Death Eaters looked no less disturbed, if not more, especially when the ground beneath their feet begun to tremble.

A great wave of pure energy came from the golden-eyed man in the direction of the group of dark wizards, breaking through any shields they managed to raise on such short notice, sending them all flying through the air. They fell on their backs a few meters away, groaning from the impact. His aim was impeccable as Bellatrix was also affected by the burst, though she stood on the opposite side of the stranger, right beside Harry, who had no problems keeping his feet on the ground. He felt the immense power in the wave though, stronger than anything he ever felt. It reverberated in his bones, sending thrilling sensation through his limbs and body. Just who exactly was this man, wielding such incredible magic?!

But he didn't give their opponents a chance to stand up. He changed his posture slightly, putting most of the body weight on one leg and clenching fists at his side. Harry observed, as the dark, smooth surface of the floor broke under the youngster's will and covered their feet and hands right to ankles and wrists, successfully disenabling them from not only moving but also casting any spells. They were practically incapacitated and defenceless… And Lord Voldemort right with them.

Harry watched in growing amazement as the man, whose eyes faded to the previous deep blue, came closer to the Dark Lord with steady step, kicked aside his wand with disinterest and simply bent over his defeated form, hands behind the back .

"Well? I'm waiting," he stated, looking right in the eye of the most feared wizard of all time. Though Harry suspected he found a serious rival for that title, judging by the now clearly terrified Voldemort. "I'll have you know that in order to come here I had to leave a cup of very good and very expensive tea, as well as an absorbing read about seasonal gardening."

So he could be a little bit crazy but at least clearly at their side. Dumbledore sometimes acted weirdly too, so maybe that was just a thing with powerful wizards.

"Who are you?" was the only (weak and confused) answer of the downed lord. His followers looked even more frightened, if that was possible. Probably even if they could move, they wouldn't because of the shocked state they were in.

"A concerned Earth inhabitant, who would like to keep said Earth safe for… well, habitation." A shrug of shoulders accompanied the not-at-all-helpful explanation, before he continued. "And unfortunately for one of your people, I can and will rectify their mistake. So again – who messed with the Veil? Anyone wants to confess? It won't change what's going to happen next but will speed it all up a little bit, which I'd appreciate."

His last word were directed to all gathered Death Eaters. He didn't raise his voice but it carried through the huge, quiet room nevertheless. His question was met with even more silence.

"What Veil do you mean, Emrys? I am not sure if we are all on the same page here, you see." Dumbledore at last spoke, addressing his acquaintance, apparently.

Emrys. What a strange name. Or Surname. However, it kind of suited the young man. Like it really belonged to him.

Emrys straightened up and turned, a frown on his face.

"What do you mean by what Veil I mean? The Veil. The he most physical border between Life and Death? You know – the one that had been down in the Department of Mysteries for a few centuries now? It's a great arch with kind of misty, greyish curtain and… how could you all missed it?!"

Harry's heart stopped for a second there. An arch with a misty curtain? Could this Emrys be taking about…

"Sirius…" he breathed quietly but the man instantly turned his head to him and smiled, which was kind of creepy considering the situation.

"Oh, you are the little Potter boy! So Harry, you at least know what I am talking about, right? Who did it?"

"Yes, well- no, well… I m-m-mean, I guess so, but…" Harry stuttered, suddenly intimidated by Emrys' (and everyone else's) attention focused on him.

"Oookay, that was enlightening but if you could be a tad more specific? It would save us, or me really, checking all of them one by one." The powerful wizard waved with his hand, indicating the Death Eaters behind.

Harry noticed with a small amount of guilty satisfaction that most of them tried to cover, awaiting for something new to happen as a result of this harmless gesture.

He also wasn't sure what Emrys' 'checking' would involve or consist of. However, now was not a good time for educational musings, because this deep, ethereal blue eyes were on him again, urging to explain.

So he did. With watered eyes casted down he told what the horrid Lestrange woman had done to Sirius, how he fell through the misty curtain and never came back, how he d-d… Though still the events of the last hour or so seemed so unreal and his throat constricted a few times along the way, he got it all out. No one interjected or rushed him up when he needed a few seconds to compose himself.

When his tale was finally over he felt a warm hand brushing his shoulder gently. He startled a bit and automatically looked up to meet the soft and somewhat understanding gaze of Emrys.

"Thank you, Harry. All's clear now and trust me when I say that also all's not lost yet." His eyes moved onto the immovable figure of Bellatrix and hardened. "You'll come with me. Albus, Harry – I think you should follow me too."

Without losing any moment more, he grabbed Bellatrix's collar, hauling her to her feet. However, her hands stayed constrained by the floor's stone, Emrys only "bound" them together on the back, blending two parts of stone into one with a quick flicker of gold. After that he just pushed his new prisoner to get her walking in the direction Harry came from a while ago, doing the same a step behind her.

"Erhm, Emrys, are you not forgetting something? Are we just to leave Voldemort and his followers here? Without neither of us here with him?" Came the rather crucial question from Dumbledore. But the one at whom this question was aimed didn't even turned around, just continued leading the woman out of the room, answering in monotone tone.

"One: I currently do not care for any of them – have no use of them. Two: they are clearly NOT going anywhere. Three: killing this dark master or whatever now wouldn't really do anything from what I can see, would it, my friend? Coming or not?"

At his words Lord Voldemort became very alarmed or as much as his inhuman face would allow for, but when he tried to voice his displeasure a new piece of stone tore from the floor and gagged him. The same happed with all Death Eaters who started shouting for their master, cursing or pleading for release. The rest quickly understood the connection and stayed quiet, which left them with a mouth clear of hard stone.

Harry was now utterly dumbfounded, so he glanced at his (ex-)headmaster, searching for guidance. Dumbledore looked back with this sparkling eyes, gave him a soft smile too and nodded. Then, without a word, followed the strange man. It was the evidence of the craziness his life had become when his own only response was a sigh and shrug of shoulders. What more could happen? So he went after the three of them.

The Boy Who Lived expected a silent and awkward walk but apparently it was not to be. His silver-haired idol struck up a conversation with his friend as soon as they were all out of earshot of others.

Albus always had a lot of questions when it came to Emrys and their pool had only just grown. The help he had given was a far cry from what he had expected, even if he was still grateful for it.

So the events unfolded rather curiously but Dumbledore won't let it stand in the way of learning something new from his former teacher. After all, you never know when the knowledge would come in hand and it would not hurt to run a small, friendly questioning.

"I am by no means questioning your actions, my friend, but I admit that leaving Tom Riddle out of your plan has taken me by quite a surprise. I've suspected he would be the object of your interest…"

"So have I really. When I felt the shift in the Balance, I thought he was the one responsible. Luckily, it was her doing instead, even if unintentional or ignorant," Emrys pointed at Bellatrix in front of him. "That way it will be not so hard to repair."

"Why wouldn't it be otherwise?" The small voice of Harry reached them. Dumbledore glanced at the thoroughly confused boy, who he had been trying to guiltily avoid this whole year. Not a perfect strategy, but the only one that might have worked…

"Riddle is hardly a human now – or at least he damaged his soul in such vicious way, it's no longer similar to a human's. But it gave him what he wanted, kind of." The ancient man was clearly disgusted. And for a good reason if Albus had any say. However, he didn't want to reveal the Horcruxes situation to the boy yet, so cleared his throat and, when that got Emrys' attention, shook his head subtly. How he even knew about the Riddle's self-appointed immortality was a subject for future conversation.

The displeasure on Harry's face from being left in the dark (or the alarm on Lestrange's, which was interesting indeed) didn't escape his notice but it was for the better now. Everything would come out in the right time. Emrys only rolled his eyes but continued further explanation, sidestepping this point.

"Before any of you ask – this Bellatrix, was it?, disturbed the Balance by giving a sacrifice to the Veil but not making anything of it." Seeing their questioning and confused gazes he sighed. "How to explain it better…? Okay, so the Veil is like a border between the living and the dead. Of course, you can't just go for a walk into the realm of dead, it doesn't work like that – but it can be used as a gate sometimes. If you know how, it can be used as a device. Truth be told, it should not be opened at all, but once I left to travel for a time and when I got back it was here, in the Department of Mysteries. Someone opened it while I was away, which disturbed me at first but I didn't feel a shift in the Balance, which was even more disturbing. But I was told not to close it, as it was not a threat, so you know… I just left it alone, trusting your people to keep it safe and, what is even more important, keep it secret. I had no use of it anyway."

When he stopped in his explanation, Albus looked up at him. He appeared quite lost in thought and interfering may not be the best of ideas, but he still got only background information.

"So Mrs Lestrange used the Veil without knowing it?"

That shook Emrys from his musings and he blinked a few times, focusing again.

"Hmm? Oh – yes, yes. The Veil is, like I said, a device. Or a peculiar kind of altar really. It is possible to ask for some things to the Cailleach, the Gatekeeper to the Spirit World, after performing a Blood Sacrifice. A life for a request, quite a gruesome deal. It's a canny interpretation of the Balance on the part of the Gatekeeper, as it keeps the balance in a way, but the exchange can be the cause of a new imbalance, depending on the request. So the Cailleach kind of bypassed the rules to serve her own purpose but in theory she follows them, because she does not decide what she is asked of. Hope it makes sense. Now, our lady here did only a part of the deal. She performed the Blood Sacrifice, when she killed your godfather, sending him through the Veil, Harry." The last words were soft, full of empathy for losing a close person. Albus' own heart ached for the boy's cruel loss. Harry's eyes watered again but no tears fell this time.

"But she didn't make it with any intent. She had no demands to the Cailleach in the moment of giving a life, so no deal could be struck between them. That's how the imbalance appeared – an innocent soul sacrificed for nothing. And that's what we are going to fix." Emrys ended with determination. Albus hummed, now suspecting his intentions, even if they made his head spin.

"We are going to make a deal with some Gatekeeper of the Spirit World?! For Sirius?!" Harry squeaked, outraged by the idea.

Albus saw that Emrys was no less bemused by his outburst than him. They looked at each other and then his friend slowly covered his eyes with one hand in disbelief, while Dumbledore himself chuckled gently.

"No, my boy, of course not. I am sure that Emrys means to 'fix' the imbalance by doing something exactly opposite." For a few seconds Harry's expression didn't falter, but then went through quite an amusing train of changes – from angered, through blank and perplexed, to sheepish but incredibly hopeful.

"I swear, what do they teach you in schools nowadays…" Emrys muttered to himself, shaking his head.

The perennial headmaster of Hogwarts smiled at that and no more was said until they reach their destination.

Dumbledore had naturally been in the Death Chamber before and could honestly say it was not one of his favourite places. The Veil had been studied for many, many years by the Unspeakables but he didn't follow the research too closely. He had his own theories about the whispers that could be heard when one neared the black curtain or about its other side. Emrys had also probably just given them more information about it than any of them had ever discovered.

All in all, following Emrys down to the dais, right in front of the Veil, could hardly be called a pleasant experience. A feeling of inside cold and gripping sadness always overcame him here, making him think about his lost ones.

But it was no time to reminiscence, as his peculiar friend shoved struggling Bellatrix to her knees and ungagged her with a flick of fingers, which proved to be the wrong thing to do, because just when the stone fell to the floor...

"How dare you! You better know what you're doing, because once I am free I'm going to do such unspeakable things you'll beg me to kill you!" She shrieked madly, her screams echoing in the silent chamber. "You'll pay for your offence, for your insolence towards the great Dark Lord! When he hears about…"

"Oh, shut up," Emrys stopped her in the middle of a sentence. "If you can't appreciate the curtesy, you'll be divested of it again. So behave, please."

Bellatrix glared up at him with ugly hatred but indeed pursed her lips and spoke no more. Her hard breathing and trembling form however was showing her hot anger or real fear (may be both). A glimpse at Harry by his side also told Albus that the boy was close to jumping on the murderess of Sirius but for now restricting himself to clenching his fist while sending her death glares.

Satisfied with the return of silence, Emrys turned to them to instruct with stern voice.

"First things first – whatever you'll see, please do not interfere. Do not interrupt anything, just trust me on this. I brought you both here to witness next events for a reason. You, Albus, are here to somehow explain the outcome to the public. You're an authority, so they'll believe you but I'd like you to leave out the details. Just spin some story that makes any kind of sense. You, Harry… I just thought you should and deserve to be a part of it. I know I would like to be, in your place… But the general secrecy encompasses you too." Then he added with cheeky smile, "I also wanted to avoid many questions you both would ask if I did it on my own."

Waiting only long enough to get their nods of agreement, he stepped to one of the stone sides of the archway, putting his hand flat on the rough surface. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply through the nose. Words in an unknown language escaped his lips in quiet murmur.

"Yfel bebêodan êow, wægn Geatweard Cailleach, toward sôðlic sê gnyrn to sê w¯æge of wægn Heolstor. Blîðian wiðcêosan mîn cweðan."

For a second nothing happened but then a howling wind picked up in the confined room, smacking all their faces, making them squint their eyes. The temperature dropped and the already weak light dimmed even more. Emrys seemed unperturbed by any of it, though his black hair and coat were also ruffled by the wind.

At last from the depths of the misty curtain a figure came forth. It had a form of old woman, shrouded in a tattered and dirty cloak with a hood on loose but thin grey hair, a pale wooden staff in hand. But her eyes… they spoke of such incredible despair and sadness, they were so full of sorrow… However, there was also an unmistakeable glint of hungry greed in them, which made the woman more unsettling than pitiful. When she spoke, her voice was devoid of any emotions, just empty and hollow.

"I answer your call, Emrys, to give the Balance a chance of healing. What can you offer to right the wrongs?"

"Thank you for coming, the Gatekeeper. I bring the one guilty of ignorant usage of the Veil. She sacrificed an innocent soul, which I wish to retrieve." Emrys' voice in contrast was strong and decisive, when he came back to the kneeling Death Eater and put his right hand on her left shoulder. She was visibly shaking now, watching with wide eyes the events unfolding.

"You want the life of the fallen man, while she is yet to use it," the Cailleach narrowed her greedy eyes.

"You know she cannot use it anymore. The offering was made unintentionally, hence the imbalance, and it is too late for her to even it with an exchange." The man was getting annoyed but calmed himself fast. "The woman is for you to punish if Sirius Black is restored fully. Undamaged."

Though the last sentence was as stoic as previous ones, it carried a seed of a threat or at least a warning. What 'damage' could befall a dead, Albus prefer not to dwell on but Emrys apparently had quite a good (maybe experienced?) understanding. The Gatekeeper of Spirit World cocked her head and neared the two in front of her. They all waited with battered breath while she looked down, straight into the eyes of terrified Bellatrix.

"I agree on your terms, High Priest. Here is you precious life." Saying that, the Cailleach extended her arm towards the Veil, and gently touched the wavy curtain with the point of her staff. The mist stirred, creating something akin to ripples across it.

Then, impossible as it was, a second person appeared walking through the Veil. First a hand, as if searching for the direction in the dark, then a torso and head of the handsome man. Albus heard a soft, breathless gasp behind him. An unbelievable miracle of Sirius Black coming from the dead was playing right before their eyes…

When he fully stepped through, he looked around once, frowned and… with eyes rolling inside his head, collapsed to the stone floor. Dumbledore managed to catch him with a quick flick of wand but Harry was rushing past him to get his godfather into his arms at the same time. Tears of relief and happiness were streaming down the boy's cheeks when he saw the steady rise and fall of Sirius' chest, in which he subsequently buried his face, never letting the strong grip to falter.

Albus was watching the reunion with glassy eyes himself, when he remembered the others in the chamber. But when he finally looked up, the Cailleach was already holding the struggling Bellatrix's upper-arm in vicelike clutch, their backs to the Veil. She nodded once to Emrys, who did the same in return, and then made one step behind her, letting the mist to swallow her and her prisoner. The room instantly warmed up and the lighting got back to its previous state.

He didn't know what occurred between the two powerful figures while he was distracted and wasn't sure he wanted to. The happenings made his old head spin as it was. He only observed how Emrys took a moment to gaze sadly at the billowing Veil and, when the man finally moved his eyes on Albus, smiled gently with gratitude. The headmaster came to put a hand on the shoulder of the much younger looking (but in fact so much older) friend.

"I am used to strange things happening around you but you never cease to amaze, my friend… I don't know how we'll be able to repay you."

"Yes, Sir, thank you so, so much. You have no idea how much it means to us, to me," Harry head shot up at their conversation and was now blearily expressing his own gratitude. The smile on Emrys' face, seeing unconscious but alive Sirius in his godson's embrace, was subtle but honest. It felt as if the Magic around them was sharing his happiness, filling them all with warmth and safety.

"That's no problem. It was my responsibility. I hope you'll both have more great adventures together to cherish in the future. They become priceless, trust me." When Harry nodded and hugged the passed out man again, Emrys hummed content, then turned to Albus. "Look after the Animagus, he will be rather disoriented at first. But a good rest and nutritious meal should do the trick. No memory of his 'dead time' is left, so don't overwhelm him with questions either. Just stay with him and… enjoy, I guess."

Dumbledore wasn't even going to ask, how he had known that Sirius was an Animagus. Emrys had his ways, as always. So he only laughed quietly, glad that at least something was working out.

"Though it's hardly the end of our problems, I'm really grateful you decided to step in this time."

"Hmm, you know how it is, old friend… Sometimes neutrality reaches its boundaries too."

Emrys gave him a mischievous wink to which Albus only laughed even more.

AN: A rather open ending, I know, but still not sure if even this piece is good for anything... So any feedback is greatly appreciated!

See you!