It seems so quiet without them here.

I sat quietly in our room in the Shrieking Shack. The footprints in the dust still showed evidence of James and Sirius. The hoof and paw prints were the only things left of them. My eyes skimmed the room searching for more comfort from my old friends. They fell on a strand of red hair. My eyes welled up with tears.

Why did they have to leave me? The one that I loved with all my heart, why did you have to leave me alone?

I heard footsteps walking down the hall, the floorboards creaking loudly. I knew who it was.

"They aren't here Stacy." Came Remus' voice.

"Oh but they are." I said calmly, my eyes still resting on the strand of Lily's hair.

"How?"

"They are everywhere I go. Because the ones we love never really leave us. They are with me even now." I said quietly.

No matter how much I think that...I still feel so alone.

"I miss them too." said Remus.

I finally turned to face the weary sullen eyed man who I had once known as a Marauder.

"Why did he have to be so reckless? I was waiting for him to come home! For the first time, he had a home to go to! His home! But he--he never set foot in the door. How could he do that to me?" I whispered, my heart finally relenting and letting the tears fall from my tired eyes.

Remus looked down. I could tell he was hiding his grief. His face was stony and rigid, his jaw clenched, holding back the tears and the pain.

"He--he had been trapped in Grimauld Place ever since his name had been cleared. All he had wanted was to be free of that place. And to protect your best friend's son. His Godson," Remus paused before continuing. He had to take a deep breath to hold in the tears now. "At least you know he died fighting. He went out the way he wanted to. And you know he regrets dying. Do you think he did it on purpose? He loves you, even now. And I know he would do anything to be in your embrace again." Finished Remus, turning away, not willing to let anyone see him cry.

I let the tears fall more freely now, almost in hysterics. By now, I thought I would have been out of tears to cry.

"He may have died happy, which I'm glad for, but I still can't forget that I'm sitting here trying to imagine him sitting next to me. That he isn't here. That he is dead! And that he is never coming back!" I sobbed, collapsing to my knees.

There was a moment where neither of us said anything. My sobs filled the room and Remus' stifled tears fell to the floor. But then Remus wiped his eyes and turned to look at me, tears still sliding down his cheeks.

"Whatever happens, the ones you love will never really leave you. You just said that to me. Now you have to believe it. If Sirius is in your heart, he doesn't need to be anywhere else." he said, determined to convince me of what he himself doubted.

I tried to stifle my sobs and control myself. I slowly lifted my head.

"Do you remember how this whole thing started?" I asked quietly.

"For the last time, it was not your fault. It was Lucius." Remus said, for what seemed to be the thousandth time.

"But if I had just gone along with the marriage then Voldemort would have gone after Longbottom and we would still have our friends." I whispered, hardly able to believe what I was saying.

"Can you say that our friends would be alive? Truly? And how can you say that! Longbottom's friends would have been just as devastated! And the fact that you say that they would all be alive isn't proven. They would have fought to defeat Voldemort anyway." said Remus, wiping more tears.

"But they would have been on this Earth for a little bit longer at least! Sirius and I could have gotten married like we were planning to after his name cleared! James and Lily would have seen Harry grow up to be the wizard they always wanted him to be!" I cried.

"Lily and James are watching him grow. And he knows that. Why can't you see that you're not the only one who misses them? I lost them as well. My best friend died right next to me. But I know that if we are going to do anything about their deaths, we have to keep fighting the force that took them away from us." said Remus gently.

It was true that I missed them. And in some ways it was my fault. But I knew Remus was right.

I stood up and brushed off my emerald green robes. I had refused to ever wear any other color. Remus smiled sadly and stood back from the door allowing me to pass. As I walked out I took one last look at the room where we had grown together.

I can't keep coming here, for it only brings back the pain of their memory. I have to keep them a reality and prevent them from turning to memories. They must stay my present.

As soon as we were out of the Shrieking Shack I slowly pulled out my wand. I closed my eyes and let the tears come. The end of my wand lit a spark and I touched it to the decaying porch. The light caught and I turned around walking back towards Hogsmeade. As Remus and I passed by the fence around the Shack I turned to look back. The flames were spreading and the crackling of the wood rang out through the crisp winter air.

"I can't let them turn to memories." I said quietly to Remus.

There was a moment where we stood, gazing at the burning shack. The flames danced across the sky and the ashes of our memories blew away in the wind.

"They are memories, Stacy. You have to let them go."

My head snapped to look at Remus. I was about to yell or retort or lash out in anger...but then I saw his face. That weary look on his face and the sadness in his eyes. He was just as alone as me.

"Remus..." I started, wanting to give him some comfort, any kind of condolence.

"No, Stacy. You don't need to comfort me. All I need you to do is realize that they are gone. They aren't coming back. They're dead and you are going to live none-the-less." Remus said, his voice firm.

I opened my mouth to say something, but the words caught in the back of my throat. He was right.

"Let-let me write it...let me write our story down...help me...please..." I begged Remus.

The muscles in Remus's face relaxed a little and he smiled quietly.

I guess I'll start from seventh year.

"Now that, Stacy, sounds like a very good idea." Remus said, turning without another glance back at where he had spent a night once every month.

I looked at the smoldering building one last time before turning on my heels to catch up with Remus.

We soon arrived at the Three Broomsticks and stepped through the doorway. We glanced about for an open table only to see a group of Hogwarts students. Three girls and four boys.

"Let's hope that their lives don't turn out as ours did." I said as we sat down.

Remus nodded before ordering two butterbeers. Once they came I summoned some parchment, ink, and quills.

"Let's make it a story worth reading." He said turning his chair so he was next to me.

I smiled inwardly, deep in thought. All of a sudden, the perfect beginning began to draw itself in my mind. I knew where to start.

"I have an idea." I said as I touched the quill tip to the parchment.

The words began to flow through me and produce themselves before me. But this was only the beginning.