Remus Lupin woke with a start early that morning, due to a nightmare. He quickly shook it off and got ready for a day of studying in the library, perhaps going with his friends and their dates to Hogsmeade later. Remus would not have a date, of course. That was just the way it went.
So you could imagine his surprise when he left the dorm and spotted amongst the pile of gifts left outside for his friends, a present with his name upon it. He frowned, picking it up and taking it downstairs. Nobody else seemed to be awake as he was alone in the Common Room. He opened the present, and smiled at the chocolate within. His favourite kind. The note read; You deserve this, you beautiful human being, you. Lots and lots of endless love, Sirius Black.
If you thought this was going to be an angst-filled story of Remus and Sirius getting together, you were wrong. They've been dating for almost a month already. No, this is someone else's story.
The Great Hall was abuzz with laughter and love when Sirius, James and Peter entered to find Remus already sitting down and chatting with Lily Evans. Lily and James had recently grown a lot closer- it was speculated amongst the Gryffindor girls that Lily might even fancy him. She waved and smiled as James approached. Red cheeked, he handed her a chocolate rose. She giggled, blushing and thanking him. Sirius and Remus shared a quick, chaste kiss, worried under the public eye. Peter handed a gift to his crush Pomona Sprout, who gladly accepted and kissed his cheek.
As the Marauders settled down for breakfast, the owls suddenly began flying into the room. Remus smiled as a package fell before him; "I bet mother has sent me some cookies, perhaps some more chocolate…"
"I hope my mummy sent me chocolate's too!" Peter proclaimed, a package dropping almost in his meal. Sirius received what was clearly a howler from a haughty looking black owl. He dropped it in Peter's glass of orange juice and continued eating. James expected a gift package of his own, but instead a letter was handed to him by a pure white owl that flew away as soon as James held the letter in his hands. The boys didn't take any notice as James read the front of the letter.
It was from Saint Mungoes. James was used to getting letters from the wizarding hospital. His parents had been a little sick as of late, but each letter was uplifting, telling James of their improvements. James knew this letter would be no different as he ripped it open and began reading.
However, as his eyes skimmed over the words, his face blanched. Sirius raised a questioning eyebrow, and James struggled to stand on his feet. Sirius stood up with him, and James used his best friend to stand against, his entire body shaking, his breath coming out in heavy puffs of unstable breath. His eyes spilled tears that dripped onto Sirius's shirt and soaked it. Remus grabbed the letter and began reading it just loud enough for Sirius, Peter, and Lily to hear.
"Dear Mr. James Potter. It is of utmost sadness that we inform you that, at 4:19AM this morning, both Mr. and Mrs. Potter passed away. We had been trying our best to keep them stable but their condition had dropped so suddenly, we were unprepared. Rest assured that they had a quick death. We are terribly sorry. Sincerely, the St. Mungoes staff…" Remus trailed off. Sirius cry out in pain, gripping James and pulling him against him. Sirius had been living with James for the past months, after being kicked out of his home. Mr. and Mrs. Potter had taken Sirius in without a second thought treating him like family, loving him like another son. They were the first people to show a real parental love towards Sirius, and the first people Sirius bonded with as if they really were his parents. Sirius was unable to keep James up anymore, and the two fell together to the floor, a mess of shaking tears and broken sobs. Remus covered his mouth with a hand, his eyes watering up at the sight of his best friend and lover in ruin on the floor before him. Lily gripped Remus's arm, eyes squeezed shut. The entire Great Hall had stopped to look over in curiosity. The room went silent, save for the horrible sobs that came from James and Sirius.
"THIS ISN'T FAIR!" James cried, his voice hoarse and desperate, his knuckles white as he clung to the front of Sirius's shirt. Teachers noticed the commotion, and McGonagall began walking over. She kneeled down by James and Sirius after taking the letter from Remus and quickly reading its contents.
"James?" Her voice was gentle.
"Why?! Why did this have to happen to me?! I don't understand- I DID NOTHING WRONG!" James shouted, his glasses falling from his face onto the cold floor. Sirius let out a strangled sob, holding James closely to him. Lily quickly wiped her watering eyes. To her, James had always been the funniest boy alive. He was always joking with his friends. He had a perpetual grin and an infectious laugh. To see him the way he was then was absolutely horrendous. He wouldn't stop shouting, crying out desperately, his pleads broken with sobs that shook entire body.
"We have to get them out of here, somewhere alone." McGonagall said, standing up and looking around at the gawking onlookers.
"Everyone, get back to your breakfast! There is nothing to see here." She ordered firmly. Remus reached for Sirius's hand on James's back, pressing his best friend- his brother- against him. Sirius protested at first, not wanting to let James go. But Remus mumbled to him that they had to go somewhere away from the other students, where they could calm down. Sirius allowed himself to be dragged away from James, and he fell into Remus, his tear soaked face finding a place in Remus's neck. Remus held him tightly as Lily attempted to get James up off the floor, with some help from McGonagall.
"I just can't have a family, can I…?" Sirius whispered into the skin of Remus's neck. Remus squeezed him tightly, his own tears slipping down his cheeks. Eventually James was on his feet, but he had to be almost dragged out of the Great Hall as his knees were too week to support him.
The funeral was four days later. James, Sirius, Remus, Lily and Peter all attended, along with McGonagall, Hagrid, and Dumbledore.
James and Sirius had to speak, of course. It was one of the most painful things the people that attended had ever endured. To hear two talented, loyal, brave boys speak of how much Mr. and Mrs. Potter had helped them through every problem they had encountered… to hear of how much they loved them… loved each other. Sirius's tale of betrayal, loneliness, and hatred that ultimately lead to the Potter's home was enough on its own to break every heart there.
From then on, neither Sirius nor James could ever properly celebrate Valentine's Day. Even with Remus and Lily, it was just too difficult.