Remus Lupin ran blindly towards the newly lifeless home of his dear friends. He stumbled several times on the dark and silent street, but he kept moving without pause. The rate of his breathing quickened as his mind raced almost as fast as his feet. Remus tried to comprehend the news he'd received only ten minutes before, praying that it wasn't true.

As the remains of James and Lily's house came into view, he felt the heart-breaking reality as it crashed down on him. The blow came quickly as he slowed to a walk, finally coming to a stop in front of the destroyed house.

At James and Lily's death, the Fidelius Charm had died as well, and Remus found he was unable to take another step towards the house. The message he had received seemed like it had come a century ago. An eternity away. Despite this, every word remained etched into his mind; ingrained on his eyelids to haunt him every time he so much as blinked. He had been positive that the message the tawny owl had brought him ad been fantasy, a horrible fable. But now every bone in his body told him it was all true.

It can't be...Sirius would never...How could he hand deliver Lily and James to him? Remus wondered as his mind finally found a focal point. He rubbed his forehead as he looked at the house, still in a state of shock and disbelief. This...this has to be a dream...Please, let this just be a horrible dream! he begged in his head, knowing it was to no avail.

Finally, his feet seemed to work again and he walked up to the fence that surrounded the house, grabbing the wood in his hand to keep from falling straight to his knees. His gaze drifted to structural damage that was supposedly caused by the backfiring Killing Curse. Remus gripped the fence tighter before he heard a voice from behind him.

"I'm afraid that it's all true, Remus," Dumbledore said as he walked up behind him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Remus pulled away quickly, fighting back tears as Dumbledore added, "They have found Sirius Black and taken him to Azkaban."

Remus wheeled around quickly, a desperate look in his eyes as he asked, "So they're positive, then? They're positive that Sirius was the cause of this?"

"I'm afraid so," he replied with a slight nod, "I'm sorry, Remus. I realize how close you were to him, and what a shock this must be."

"This isn't true...Sirius would never..." was all Remus could think to say. He clenched his fist as tears came to his eyes. He looked at Dumbledore again for a few moments, pleading with his eyes before looking at the ground again. "But I know you would not bring me false news."

"No," Dumbledore replied simply with a slight nod. "It seems the Marauders have come to their bitter end," he added after a few moments of silence. Remus looked up at him curiously and he concluded, "James and Peter dead, and Sirius the cause of their demise. As for you, Remus...What do you plan to do now?"

Remus hesitated for a moment before saying, "I...I don't know. There aren't many places for me to be once the full moon hits."

Dumbledore nodded slightly in agreement before taking a deep breath and saying, "If you'll excuse me, I must take the boy to his aunt and uncle." Remus perked up slightly at the mention of young Harry. "He'll be safe there until it is time for him to come to Hogwarts," he added, as if he knew what was about to be asked. Remus nodded slowly in response before looking away. As Dumbledore walked past Remus, he paused and added, "Remus, know that there will always be a spot for you at Hogwarts."

"Of course, sir," Remus replied, nodding slightly before looking up to see Dumbledore was gone. He let out a sigh, and then looked up at the wrecked house, letting out a sigh. "Oh, Prongs...how could Padfoot do this to you and Wormtail? And poor Lily..." Remus said in a whispered voice. "The man I trusted most in this world has become the one I must fear and despise the most...Oh, Padfoot, how did this happen?" Remus whimpered. He looked up at the sky for a moment as a tear ran face before he finally sunk to the ground against the fence. He cradled his head in his hands as he let the sobs and memories flood him.