Author's Note: This is my first ever Harry Potter story. I got the idea at about 4:00 in the morning and jotted it down in my notebook and decided to type it out and stick it up on FF. As always, please review. No flames, those will go to heat my non-existent fireplace.
Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. They all belong to the wonderfully talented J.K Rowling. As Sirius and Lupin are my two favorite characters, I wouldn't mind owning them, but alas I don't. I am using them for entertainment purposes only.
Dedication: Goes to my two beta-readers, Gina and Jen, for reading this story when I emailed it to them this afternoon and encouraging me to put it up here. You guys are awesome!
Remus Lupin stared in shock at the crumpled bodies around him. He averted his
eyes to the pit where moments before, his friend had fallen to his death. Around him, he
could still hear the sounds of Kingsley dueling with Bellatrix, finishing what Sirius had
started moments before. He could also hear Hermione's sobs, Ron's groans for the pain in
his
leg, Neville's heavy breathing, Luna's dreamy voice, Ginny's giggles despite her pain.
What tore at his heart the most was Harry's desperate screams not wanting to believe that
his godfather, the closest thing he had to a parent, was dead. It tore at Lupin's heart to see
Harry hurting so much. Harry rushed forward, lunging towards the pit, screaming out
Sirius's name, wanting desperately to hear his voice again, see his handsome face and his
stringy black hair. He even wanted to hear Sirius cutting down Kreacher, his mother's old
house-elf.
"Harry, he's gone, he's gone." came Lupin's soft voice.
"NO! He isn't gone, he's only pretending." Harry cried.
Lupin shook his head. "No, Harry. He's gone, he isn't pretending." he said.
But he barely heard himself over the swarms of memories that started flooding his head.
Sirius and James always playing tricks on people, Sirius stunning Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris,
and locking her in a closet, James setting off dungbombs in the Gryffindor Common
Room, the late night parties the four friends had. It took all of Lupin's strength not to
break down in tears in front of Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and Luna.
"It's my fault. If I hadn't had that dream, then we wouldn't be here, and Sirius wouldn't be dead." Harry cried.
"No Harry, it's not your fault. Sirius wanted to wanted to get out of the house, wanted to come here and help you." Lupin told him.
Finally Dumbledore took them all back to school. Lupin took one last look at Kingsley
who was putting a stunning charm on Bellatrix, then mumbled an incantation and ropes
shot out of the end of his wand, tying Bellatrix to a post. Kingsley was pointing his wand
at her chest saying,
"Back to Azkaban with you. You've killed countless innocent people, your cousin
included." he said.
Back at his cottage in the woods, Lupin finally let the tears flow. He knew he
needed to go back to headquarters, but to him, going back to Number Twelve,
Grimmauld Place, Sirius's home, without Sirius being there, didn't seem right to him. Still
more memories came flooding back to him. He remembered the Marauder's Map that he,
James, Sirius, and Peter had made. He remembered his friends taking three years to
become illegal, unregistered Animagi, so when he transformed, he wouldn't be alone.
Then there was the picture behind him of all four of them, taken in their Seventh year
shortly before they'd graduated, smiling at him. James and Sirius with their arms around
each other, Peter sticking his tongue out, and Lupin just grinning at his friends stupidity.
The next morning, Lupin woke up, hoping that he had been dreaming the whole
thing and that he'd wake up, go downstairs, and Sirius would be there, arguing with
Molly while she made breakfast. He knew he couldn't stay at his cottage much longer,
that Arthur would need him back at Grimmauld Place before too long.
Lupin forced himself out of his cottage and back to Grimmauld Place later that
afternoon. The minute he stepped inside, Molly was wrapping him in a hug, tears streaming down her face.
"Remus-I'm so sorry. I know he was like a brother to you. I tried to tell him to stay put, but he insisted on leaving." she told him.
Lupin returned the hug, then stepped back to survey the house's big mess. Clothes were
strewn all over the place, dirty dishes were every where.
"Thanks, Molly. But you know Sirius, he's going to help no matter what he's told." he told her.
Molly looked at him through tear-stained eyes. "Even when it's the risk of killing himself?" she asked.
Lupin nodded. "He owed James his life. He vowed to James a long time ago that no matter what, he would protect his son with his life, and that's what he did." he said softly.
"James would have been proud. Of both Harry and Sirius." Arthur said, walking into the room.
He offered his condolences to Remus.
"Yes, he would have. And I know that James and Sirius are looking down on us, continuing to play tricks on each other like they always did." Remus told them.
Then he suggested cleaning the house to make it look like headquarters again.
After a few hours, Dumbledore had made an appearance at Number Twelve,
Grimmauld Place. "Albus! How is Harry doing?" came Molly's voice from the kitchen.
"After I explained everything to him and sent him off to bed, he cried himself to sleep." said Dumbledore.
"The poor dear," Molly responded.
Lupin walked into the kitchen then.
"Ah, Remus. How are you doing? Surely this has affected you more than anyone." Dumbledore said.
Lupin sighed. "As I told Molly, Sirius owed James his life. He repaid him by protecting his son, and dying to keep him alive." he said.
Dumbledore nodded. "Quite right you are, Remus. But if I may say, it was Kreacher who sent Harry to the Ministry last night." he replied.
"The old house-elf? Albus, are you sure?" asked Molly.
"Yes. You see, Sirius was upstairs feeding Buckbeak at the time Harry called for him. Kreacher only wanted to serve one master, so he told Harry that Sirius had gone to the Ministry. Once Sirius found out what Kreacher did, that's when he showed up. So it was actually Kreacher who killed Sirius." he explained lightly.
Dumbledore stayed for awhile longer, then said he had some business he needed
to deal with. Lupin was in Buckbeak's room, cleaning it out, when he came across two
pieces of parchment on the desk. One was addressed to Harry. He opened it and read it.
Dear Harry.
By the time you get this letter, I'll be dead. Please do not worry though, I did this for you, Harry. Take care of yourself and think of me always. You truly are your father's son.
Sirius
Tears formed Lupin's eyes as he picked up the parchment and parcel addressed to
himself. He tore the parcel open and out fell the picture taken of the 4 of them in their
Fifth year, shortly after they had created the Marauders Map, and the Marauders Map
itself. Lupin was shocked. Last he knew, Harry'd had the map, so how had Sirius gotten it
back. He tore open the letter and started reading.
Dear Remus,
A late birthday present. I thought you'd enjoy the pictures about getting the map back. I noticed Harry with it over Christmas and spelled it from his bag. I thought it should go to one of the original Marauders, and now you're the only one left. Don't worry about me anymore. And please take care of Harry, you're all he's gotleft now.
Take care of yourself, Moony
Padfoot
Lupin lightly ran his hands over the Marauders Map and the names of it's 4 creators,
Misters Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. Three gone, one left. Lupin, aka Moony,
was the only original Marauder left. He took the map, the letter, and the picture to his
room where he set the letter and picture on the dresser, laid on the bed with the map still
in his hands, and let the tears start flowing. Eventually he fell asleep.