I am completely (and happily) surprised that you managed to yank this into a happy ending. Really, after the first mention that Sirius was a shade and all the other "facts" that made it so, I'd resigned myself to anxiously shredding tissues as I started the last chapter today.

It's rare that I read anything with as much anticipation as I did your story, chapter by anxious chapter. You showed a real talent, getting into Sirius's head and sharing his struggles over his madness and who he really was.

All that encouragement may have pushed you along, but it was you who created something quite wonderful. Congratulations!