Disclaimer: Anything you recognize, it belongs to JK.
The sky was a dull, blustery gray that afternoon. Snow poured out of it fast and thick, swirling around Hogwarts Castle as a soft white blanket. The wind was bitter and fierce, chapping students' faces and lips so severely that they all had retreated to the safety of their common rooms. That is, all save one.
Remus Lupin sat alone, protected from the wind and snow beneath the huge beech tree under which the four Marauders could so often be found. His long, pale brown hair hung dreary, damp, and straggly in his face, but he seemed to neither mind nor notice, for his amber eyes gazed dismally out of focus, as though he were watching something no one else could see. His face and arms bore many scars and his eyes had dark circles underneath, as though he had been recently ill and dived into several sharp bushes. Close friends, however, knew the full moon was just three days past and he bore scars from this recent night. He wore only a t-shirt and slacks, but there were no goosebumps on his body. Not once did he shiver or show any sign of coldness. He clutched a mug of coffee, given to him quite gallantly by a certain Sirius Black, but didn't drink, and simply stared through the steam at nothing at all.
Normally, Remus reveled in quiet times like this, when he could sit and be alone. He was normally a quiet, reserved person – he had become much more outgoing in the last six and a half years, but that didn't change who he was on the inside, especially now. Luckily, everyone was busy – James and Lily were doing their rounds of the castle, Peter was getting some extra help in Transfiguration, and Sirius was probably off with some girl – so he was sure of no one to come sit with him. No one to offer him comfort, no one to try to talk to him, no one to stare awkwardly. Just himself and his thoughts.
Just yesterday, Remus had gotten the news. A severely addled man broke out of St. Mungo's, and was on the run. ("Probably one of those death munchers or whatever the hell they call themselves," Sirius scoffed.) He entered a pub in southeastern England, ranting something about a "Lord Voldemort" and "purging the wizarding world of all half-and mud- bloods." ("What a load of rubbish," James growled.) Since both Muggles and wizards used this pub, John Lupin and his wizard friends stood up to protect the Muggles. The man only laughed at them.
"And what chance will you stand against the great Lord Voldemort? He, who has the power to kill each and every one of you? And what of I, his loyal servant? You think you will stand against these Dark Arts, ones which you have not yet seen?"
All the wizards stopped and stared, trying to fathom what the man had said. All save one.
John Lupin hurried forward. "You will not hurt these people," he said in a low growl. "I don't care who you are, or who sent you, but rest assured your power is naught to that which we have!"
"Do you think so? Well, then, so be it!" The Death Eater cried, shooting his wand into the air and casting a spell the burst a hole in the roof.
And with that, the riot began, shaking the pub top to bottom. More Death Eaters poured into the pub, presumably from hiding positions outside. Sensing the danger, wizards immediately began to duel or shepherd the Muggles to safety. No one knew how long the riot lasted, but it was certainly hours before all the bodies were taken to St. Mungo's and identified.
Last to be found in the now ruined pub was John Lupin, propped up weakly against the back wall.
"Tell Remus…and…Lilia…I send…my love…" he gasped softly to the Ministry official who found him, before sinking fully to the floor.
Gone.
Remus felt empty inside, and cold. Hadn't he been through enough, without his father being taken from him? Did his mother really need that burden? Did he?
Remus wanted to howl at the injustice of the world. It just wasn't fair, the ordinary lives people could live with their two loving parents, while he was left with so little.
Wrapped up as he was in his misery and anger, it took him a while to notice the arm around his shoulder. He tensed against the intruder, but, sensing they meant no harm, he turned his tear-streaked face into the emerald green eyes of his best friend, Lily Evans. Wordlessly she pulled him closer to her in a hug. He let his head rest fully on her shoulder and fully sobbed for the first time in his life.
Silently Lily held him as the tears streamed openly from his eyes. How long they sat there neither of them knew, but neither cared, for being at the side of one's best friend makes time seem to stop.
At last Remus spoke.
"Lily…why? He never…"
"Shh," Lily whispered, beginning to rock him. Remus allowed her to do so, feeling safe with a friend at his side. Though he had longed to be alone, he found he greatly appreciated Lily's company. She began to speak in soft, soothing tones, and Remus felt himself relax.
"Remus…do you remember the first time we met? It was our first day of Potions. Professor Slughorn assigned us the Swelling Solution." She giggled. "And you thought we were supposed to add the doxy wings BEFORE the lacewing flies…poor Peter's cauldron exploded all over the classroom! And Professor Slughorn assigned me as your partner after that, in the hopes you would learn something…and, remember how he tried to pair Peter with Severus? James and Sirius wouldn't stand for it, so Peter purposefully added far too many crushed beetles to the potion while you distracted Severus with random questions (I had gone to the bathroom, I believe, or I'm certain I would have stopped you). James and Sirius waited until Severus had turned back to the cauldron, then all of a sudden they levitated it and dumped it on Severus' head! I was so shocked, I didn't realize those beetles would add make the potion such a vibrant pink. It took him at least a week to get that out, you know." She grimaced. When Remus didn't respond, she continued.
"And remember that day in third year when you lot decided to scare the Divination teacher half to death? You lot dressed up as the most horrid animals you knew she feared…Sirius was the Grim, James was a Dementor, and you and Peter created a Thestral. How you knew she would be able to see one, I've no idea, but the look on her face sure did give us a laugh!"
"And just last October, when the five of us decorated the Great Hall for McGonagall's birthday! You really thought of everything: balloons, streamers, clowns, mimes, jugglers, games, that live band…and the detentions afterwards were totally worth it!" Lily laughed a full ringing laugh. "Never thought I'd say that 'til you got me mixed in with the rest of your lot!"
When Remus turned his face to Lily, she was delighted to see the small smile creeping across his face.
"I don't think she ever forgave us for that, did she?" He chuckled bitterly. "But I know my father was proud, he sent me a slab of Honeyduke's best the very next day…along with a Howler from my mother!"
"Yes, he was a lot like you, wasn't he?" Lily murmured.
Remus nodded mutely. This had been said many times in many different ways, but it always rang true. Remus and his father were nearly identical in looks and personality.
"Remus, the point is…well, you've been my best friend since I was 11, and I hate to see you in pain. We miss you, Remus. We all do. Me, James, Peter, Sirius…we care about you. We know what you've been through, and we just want you to know how much we love you. Yes, love," She giggled as Remus raised his eyebrows at her. "Well, they didn't actually say the word 'love' but that is how much they care about you. Not to say that any of us are in love with you, of course, but we're still capable of loving you. The two of us, the four Marauders, and our Fabulous Five or whatever Sirius has decided we should be called now…we've gone through so much together, and it hurts to see you shutting us out right when you need us the most."
"I feel safer this way, I guess…staying away from people." Remus' words were slow and uncertain. Lily's words were beginning to help him remember the times with his friends. The times he would miss. "My father was one of my best friends, the one I could always turn to. He took care of me after Greyback bit me. Every month after my transformations, he made sure to stay by my bedside, always with a new present or toy…he tried to make my recoveries as painless as possible. Now I'm recovering, and he's made the pain worse than ever."
Lily grimaced. "Look, Remus, I've met your father. I've stayed at your house for the holidays since I was 15. He was always running around helping someone, always happy. He'd want you to be happy. Remember the good times, and live in the moment. He wouldn't want you to shut us out just because of him. And you know, one day you'll see him again."
Remus turned his head to the sky. It was a moment before he spoke. "I know…but it's just so hard to realize he won't be there for me anymore."
"Don't say that, Remus…of course he's still there for you. Just not in the same sense. He's out there, watching over you. And he'll help you to know what to do, just as he always has. Like now, for instance…"
"And what is my father saying now?" asked Remus with a bitter, sad laugh, wondering what in the world Lily was up to.
"He's saying…that you should come back and sit in the Common Room with us!" Lily cried, as a snowball flew towards them and hit Remus smack in the face.
"Yeah, you thought we'd just leave you here?" Sirius Black appeared out of the snow as another snowball hit Remus.
"Come on now, Marauders don't leave each other like that!" James Potter dropped down from the lower boughs of the beech. "Moony, I thought better of you!"
"Yeah, you've got to get back inside with us!" Peter was there, too. "We've got so much chocolate in the Room of Requirement!"
"And a board of Wizard's Chess that's just dying to be played," added Sirius with a wink.
"You…you put them up to this!" Remus cried to Lily as his three male friends pulled him up by the arms and started dragging him to the castle.
"Well, it was the best way we thought of to bring you back to the land of the living!" Lily laughed as she clambered to her feet and hurried after the boys.
"Well, that makes it your fault I'm all covered in snow from these idiots! Thanks a lot, Lily!"
Lily merely laughed and followed the four Marauders inside.
Hours later, the Room of Requirement was a mess. Wrappers of Honeyduke's chocolate littered the floor, along with more than a few empty bottles of Butterbeer. Peter lay on a couch by the fire, fast asleep. James and Sirius had also fallen asleep over a Wizard's Chess game currently in stalemate. Remus and Lily were the only ones still awake, sitting on the floor close to the fire.
"Lily?"
"Hm?"
"One day, I will see him again…my father. But for now, I'm going to live. I've got my mother and four of the best friends I could ever ask for. So…thank you. For showing me what I was leaving behind. And for bringing me back. And…"
"Yes?"
"I do love you too."
Lily smiled and snuggled closer to Remus. "That's what I thought."
A/N: Well, there you go. A little friendship oneshot. It popped into my head ages ago and recently started eating away at me until I wrote it. I'm hoping to write oneshots of all four Marauders, and perhaps Lily as well. So, constructive criticism is greatly appreciated! I'd love to hear your thoughts in a review! I just thought I'd make it clear now that in this fic, Remus' and Lily's relationship is completely platonic. They're incredibly close friends, displayed by their comfort levels with each other, but have no romantic feelings whatsoever. Lily is with James at this point in time, anyway. Also, if you play the Harvest Moon games, I am working on a Celia/Jack romance, titled The Rain is Falling, which I'd love to hear your thoughts on as well.
Thanks for reading and I hope to see you again soon!
--Tineley--