A/N: Hi! This is just a little snippet-type oneshot I wrote awhile ago and I've never posted it so I just thought I would.
Disclaimer: JKR owns the characters!
James sat cross legged on his bed, his packed trunk next to him, watching Remus stuff novel after boring novel into his own battered case.
"Remus, are you really keeping all those hardbounds?"
"Of course, I need them. What if I forget everything I've ever learned? See, they're essential."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. Start chopping."
Lily's scissors snipped dutifully, Alice's locks falling in curls around her feet.
"What did you do?"
"Do you hate it?"
"It's beautiful." Frank brushed a bit of shorn hair out of Alice's eyes, grinning like a cracked nut.
"We're leaving now."
Lily pulled her best friend back.
"Ally, no we're not, look, Em and Remus are setting up!"
"What are they singing?"
"I think Em said it was called 'Time of Our Lives'."
"Have you ever heard him sing?"
"No, can he?"
"Doubtful."
Bellatrix examined her nails, while Narcissa wandered off to the edge of the lake. What a waste of time.
This was it, then. The last day. Afterwards, Remus could earnestly say he was a Hogwarts alum.
Somehow, though, that wasn't quite as appealing as being able to say he was a Hogwarts student.
Taking a deep breath, he gripped the microphone in its stand as Emmeline started strumming at her guitar strings.
"This is where the chapter ends…"
What Remus thought of while he sang was something only a Marauder would have known about:
the lull of the train,
dancing without music on,
shots of firewhiskey at Quidditch afterparties,
the sight of platform 9 ¾,
James' pep rallies and pep talks,
and hugs that made you feel like he wanted you to be there,
picnics in the forest,
burning letters from the "noble" House of Black,
trying to mend shards of glass,
Lily's happiness, radiating like bands of light,
skipping rocks on the Black Lake,
and the map,
ink forming lines and feet and meaning forever.
"They weren't so small, the way I remember them. But I suppose one grows a lot in seven years…"
Remus clambered into one of the wooden boats, glaring at Sirius as he wiggled around, causing it to wobble.
Seven years ago, little eleven year olds had gazed with wide eyes up at the castle as the moon's glow highlighted the building against the sky. Now, in plain daylight, they would be leaving for the last time in the same boats. It was nostalgic and bittersweet, Remus thought: a perfect sendoff, really.
"We could have apparated home from the station, you know."
"It's ceremonial this way, though. It makes me feel better about life."
"Me too, Pete." James pulled his shorter, stouter friend into a bone crushing hug, letting a tear or two fall.
"Now, no more stupid crying," he said, pulling away and patting Peter firmly on the back. "We're gonna see each other tomorrow, mate, yeah?"
"Yeah," Peter nodded. "I'll drop by for tea, I guess?"
"Cheers."
"I'll write this time."
"Really? You won't forget like you have every summer?"
"C'mon, Moons, it's like you don't trust me! I solemnly swear. Anyways, Potter will remind me."
And with that, Prongs and Padfoot disapparated home.
A/N: This is the song Remus sings... All credits to Tyrone Wells...
This is where the chapter ends
A new one now begins
Time has come for letting go
The hardest part is when you know
All of these years, when we were here
Are ending, but I'll always remember
We have had the time of our lives
Now the page is turned
The stories we will write
We have had the time of our lives
And I will not forget
The faces left behind
It's hard to walk away
From the best of days
But if it has to end
I'm glad you have been my friend
In the time of our lives
Where the water meets the land
There is shifting in the sand
Like the tide that ebbs and flows
Memories will come and go
All of these years
When we were here
Are ending
But I'll always remember
We have had the time of our lives
Now the page is turned
The stories we will write
We have had the time of our lives
And I will not forget
The faces left behind
It's hard to walk away
From the best of days
But if it has to end
I'm glad you have been my friend
In the time of our lives
We say goodbye
We hold on tight
To these memories
That never die
We say goodbye
We hold on tight
To these memories
That never die
We have had the time of our lives
Now the page is turned
The stories we will write
We have had the time of our lives
And I will not forget
The faces left behind
It's hard to walk away
From the best of days
But if it has to end
I'm glad you have been my friend
In the time of our lives
I'm glad you have been my friend
In the time of our lives