No matter how rich you become, how famous or powerful, when you die the size of your funeral will still pretty much depend on the weather.--Michael Pritchard
No matter how rich you become
The skies were dark. A storm was in the air the very same day a huge part of the wizard society gathered to bid farewell to a Lily and James Potter. Not everyone dared believe it, not everyone dared really face it. Nobody could ever come to terms with it. But everyone was there, for everyone loved them. It was impossible not to.
Tears were on every other cheek, and many grown men crying openly proved that everybody was mourning this great loss. A group of three men stood out exceptionally, the stood, holding each other, as if they'd be consumed by their intense grief if only they'd eased their hold on each other, and they cried unabashed.
Their grief showed in so many physical areas, their eyes were red and swollen from crying. They were all unshaven and looked as if they could use a good night's sleep anytime soon. They all wore black suits, but something could tell anyone who happened to walk by that they hadn't changed clothes for days on but for today. But that was not why by passers stopped and felt the need to comfort them, that was not why strangers, muggles even, who had no idea of who Lily and James Potter had been, felt grief too. There was something in the air around the men, something that seemed to radiate from their souls very core. A sorrow so big that neither of them knew how to handle it. Neither of them knew how to fight the empty hole in their stomachs', which only seemed to grow bigger with every second apart from the much loved two persons in the grave before them. So the grief seemed to just radiate and consume the rest of the world.
The priest spoke.
None of them really listened. They all seemed to brace themselves for the moment when it would be true. The moment Lily and James no longer would be. The moment the coffin would close, was the moment they'd have to face it.
The priest continued to speak, and the skies seemed to open up. Rain poured down on every man, woman and child in the graveyard. And the fact that no one in the crowd moved an inch, or gave any sign of giving any damn about the weather at all only made the three men even more mournful.
"It seems even the skies grieve for Lily and James. They truly were wonderful…" Still, nobody listened to the priest; he only spoke of what they already knew. What they'd always known. What they always would know.
Though it really seemed as if the gods above cried for Lily and James, thus brought no comfort to the grieving group left in the graveyard, it seemed, in fact, as though their grief only got heavier with every teardrop from the gods.
"Few friends have something to say about the lost ones, come and pay your respect…" the pries continued and gestured towards the three men.
"Would you like to step up here, Remus?" He said, and stepped down from the little podium as Remus shakily stepped up.
"Hem," He cleared his throat, praying to the crying gods his voice would carry through. "James, you always said if you got Lily to go out with you; you'd die happy. You got her to marry you, even give birth to your child. I hope you are happy, wherever you are…" Silent tears made their way down his cheeks," Lily, you were the brightest witch in our year. Nobody can compete with you, I don't see how you could fall for James in the end though", ha gave a watery laughter, Peter and Sirius joined him too. "But you did, and I am so glad for that. I hope you are happy you too, wherever you are, the wizard community have lost its two greatest assets. Rest in peace" He stepped down from the podium, legs shaking and tears flooding down his cheeks. His vision was blurry and hadn't Peter helped him he would probably have fallen head first down the coffin.
It was now Sirius' turn. Anybody who knew Sirius would've been surprised at the sight of him on that podium.
His otherwise always, no exceptions, gorgeously styled hair hung down his ears. He had lost that confident poise and air he always had. Not a shadow of his old self were to be seen when he tried to give his usual, confident grin. The grin so identical to James' that, though the looked nothing alike, strangers usually asked weather they were brothers.
His voice were not the same either, the crowd could tell, as he started his speech with, "I've known James' since first year. He's been my best friend. My companion and most importantly my partner in crime. I know no one as stubborn as James…" Sirius Black's usually confident and a bit cocky voice sounded ragged and torn, the voice of sorrow itself.
"For years he chased this gorgeous red-head girl, and after a few years everyone stops believing he'll ever end up landing the girl. Well, surprise, surprise, he did. I'm sorry I didn't believe in you James. But I always have since then." To the crowds surprise the macho macho womanizer Sirius Black they all thought they knew from school broke down in tears. Sobbing he left the podium and walked into the arms of Remus. And they stood, holding on to one another as if their lives depended on it, sobbing in each others arms, as Peter walked up to speak.
"Just the fact that there are more different people here today than there are different types of candy in Honeydukes shows how much love James and Lily spread. They were kind and caring, and both had no objections to hang around with a chubby little boy who had nobody else. They judged nobody an…" Here the slightly chubby mans voice broke and he cleared his troth and blinked away few tears. "and they could find good things in the worst of people…they could" There Peter broke and stepped down to his only friend left. Everybody could tell that while on the podium, the three men had all forgotten they were speaking in front of close to one hundred witches and wizards. They all spoke directly to Lily and James.
More people stood to give their final goodbyes, and they truly all were as different as the candy sorts in Honeydukes.
None of the three men listened though. They were all fighting their own grief; they needn't anymore to add to the burden.
As the crowd started tearing up, some talking about a going to some pub or other to drink a firewhisky for the dead, two people were left behind as well as Sirius, Peter and Remus who just seemed unable to take a single step without dropping down dead.
Severus Snape looked at the gathering not entirely sure of what to do then. If he'd played his cards different he might have been able to stand up on that podium and give his goodbyes too. He could never have taken James' place, he'd realized a very long time ago. But he could've been there for her. Now he'd have to do that in the only way possible anymore.
A little bit far away, a women stood, watching the whole funeral silently. She stood poised; back straight and head high, pretending indifference. But anyone who watched closely could clearly see the tears glittering on her cheeks. You didn't have to look closely even. Something about her just kind of radiated sorrow and grief, like the rest of the Marauders had.
Petunia stood watching the funeral of what'd once been her best friend. Of what had always been her sister, not matter how much they'd fought.
I hate her. How could she do this? She thought in blinded fury. How could she leave me like this? She was so mad. Her only, ever best friend had left her just as she was about to make up for her foolish, childish antics.
Lily, pleas know I love you. I always have. I always will. Hope you and the Potter boy were happy your time. You actually were a golden couple, even though I never admitted. I was jealous of you, you always were the smarter, more beautiful girl than me. You even got to go to Hogwarts, I'm so sorry. I could never make it up to you, now I cannot even try.
Little did Petunia know that her pain would soon become anger, that would become fury, and the only way she'd ever learn to come to terms with her, although not always told so, bellowed sister's death would be to go back into hating her. Her own pain of her sister's death, and her own foolish acts would consume her from that day on.
A/N – So, this is my first fanfic ever! How did you like it? Don't go nice on me, really how was it? I don't really mind if you think it's shit, tell me! =D Also, do you think the rating is proper? I was really worried about that… And how do you like my English, any suggestions for improvement? It would be highly appreciated!
Thanks to Ellen, my lovely best friend who pushed me into publishing this. :)
And thanks to anyone who reviews!
Love, L.