Author's Note: ok so, I've never written a Harry Potter fanfic before. Never really thought to try, but I was stumped on my usual stories so…yeah I tried this…um, I don't really expect this to be read, it's bad, not beta'd at all and there's no point to it. Don't expect much of a theme or anything, I just wrote it. That being said, read it if you want, I don't need a response, but if you'd like to give one I'd love that, please don't expect that much though… anyway, here it is…
Disclaimer: nothing at all belongs to me, everything is owned by J.K. Rowling and I am getting no money from this.
The grounds were cold.
And dark.
Stone features stood silent watch over the sleepers lying beneath them. The old worn path was muddy from days of rain, old and trampled leaves lay broken and crushed along the trail. Trees, bare and thin and sad stretched their naked arms toward the sky. Creating an archway over the walk, in summer it was lovely. Green leaves protecting visitors from the hot sun as they visited loved ones.
In winter it added nothing to the graveyard except a dreary nature. Even the trees were dead. Tonight, with the moon dark behind clouds and the distant rumble of thunder, these dead gatekeepers were almost malicious.
The shape moved slowly, uncertainly. Little more than a shadow, he slinked along. Great black head bowed, nose almost touching the ground. His ears stayed pressed to his head, every now and then a whine would escape from his mouth. Other than that, no sound was made.
He felt as dead as everything else in that place.
More thunder, louder this time caused him to jump. And, for a moment, he crouched down pressing against a tree.
It was strange. He had come to say goodbye.
Something that he never thought he would have to do.
Twelve years ago, he hadn't expected this end. He had always known, throughout the first war, through all the pain and death and sorrow that he would be the first to fall. It was so obvious back then. He took more risks, was more reckless, and didn't have a family to hold him back. Not unless he counted his brothers, which he of course always did.
But that was the point. Right? His brothers, his family, that's what he had been fighting for. Screw the rest of the world. If Remus and Peter and James were ok, he would be.
James and he had been partners from the moment they joined the Aurors. Even Moody had learned that separating them was a bad idea. Two weeks into training, they almost got kicked out because they had bribed their partners to switch with them during a practice mission.
When Moody was finished yelling at them, he asked why they had disobeyed his orders. He had coldly told the older man that he and James were partners. Best friends. Brothers. They stuck together and watched each other's backs. From then on, Moody put them together.
It hadn't taken the two long to figure out they were meant to be best friends. He could still remember that first ride on the Hogwarts Express.
Few people knew that just before getting on, he had gotten into a fight with his mother. Over what, he couldn't even remember. But he could remember the feeling that, sitting alone in that compartment, he had no one he could trust. His mother didn't care. His father was completely tied up at work. His brother was a little brat. And his cousins were crazy with hate.
No one, not even James, knew how much it meant for that little kid to have a friend. When James sat next to him, actually talked to him, he didn't know what to do. People in his family didn't talk, they yelled and insulted, or worse, ignored his very existence.
Was it any wonder he stood up for James against Snape?
For once in his life someone was talking to him.
For the first time, he had a friend.
Even now, so many years later, he didn't think James realized how important that moment was. James made friends, a lot of them. Where ever they went, people trusted the young Potter. To him, meeting a new friend was nothing new.
But to him, to a lonely kid who had never had a real friend in his life, it meant the world. And he had known right then, that he was going to keep this one friend. No matter what.
Not that they had become brothers over night. Far from it in fact, at first they were too young to understand how important their friendship would be.
Still, that first year they had fun. Slowly grew closer, back then, before the war they had the time. As they went, they picked up two other friends.
First, was Remus. A scared shy boy who was probably the most timid person he had ever met. For some reason, there was no trouble in adding them to their group. Both he and James had always felt somewhat protective of the other boy, even before they knew about the bite. Maybe it was because he was six months younger, or because he was so small. Whatever the reason, James had taken him under his wing and, as always, his best friend followed along.
Peter was harder.
There was always something about Peter.
Not that he ever thought the man could betray them.
In fact, he had liked Peter, had thought him a good friend.
It was just that the other boy was so whiney. The other three had clicked instantly, had become a team. Practically inseparable, each doing some part in pranks, Peter was timid, and clumsy and awkward. He was little use in their favorite past time.
Yet somehow, somehow as the year went on the four became close. Even little Peter and the two more powerful wizards soon gave him their protection.
Time went on. Pranks were made. Fights were won. Finally fifth year came along.
It was really James that finished the potion first. Not surprising, he was almost as stubborn as his future wife.
However, it was him that first tried it. There was no way he would let his best friend take the risk. If something went wrong, it was going to happen to him.
Everything went fine.
Sixth year. The thought still made him wince, made a lump form in his throat.
Why he did it? He still didn't know. All he knew was that Remus was almost found out. Was hurt when James stunned him in wolf form, he still had a small scar on his temple. That James was actually put in the hospital wing for three days, wounds from the Whomping Willow deep and almost deadly.
That had been the first time he had seen the blood of a friend. The first time he almost lost someone he cared about to death. For weeks he couldn't even look at himself. But for some reason, Remus and James could.
Oh not at first, but, eventually they could. For the first time, he felt forgiveness.
That summer he found home for the first time. At the Potter's away from his family, he found two parents and a brother. He still missed Mr. and Mrs. Potter.
Lily was fiery and so alive. Hot headed, pretty, with an attitude to match her hair, she was the perfect match for James. At first, he hadn't been too fond of the girl. But then he saw how happy she made his best friend.
Lily became his other best friend. His sister.
He remembered how alive the two seemed. How happy and full of life. It seemed wrong, that now they lay under six feet of cold earth.
The dog crouched on the leaves took a few more steps. As he went, his form shifted, changed. Until, as he came upon a large aged stone, a man stepped forward.
Gaunt and haggard, Sirius Black stood in front of the grave. Another sad sigh escaped his lips. So many other memories, so many times good times, so many friends and family lost.
The night Harry was born.
The last day at Hogwarts, when James swore they were brothers forever.
The day they joined the Order, he James, Lily and Remus, Peter was too scared. He joined later.
When they found out James and Lily were targets.
When Peter became the secret keeper for James and Lily.
When Sirius first felt betrayal.
Years at Hogwarts filled with laughter and friendship.
Growing up, learning together, being a family.
Sirius always knew he'd be the first to die. Turns out he was wrong. He was the last to say goodbye.