The sunlight glinted and gleamed through the gaps in the leaves. It landed the seemingly perfect cylinders of light upon the frail frame of a petite blonde woman, forcing her to draw her veil tighter around her face. She looked up into the sunlight; the sunlight that seemed so out of place on this mournful day.

'But perhaps it isn't so out of place after all' she thought warily, 'He was always one to appreciate irony.'

The small woman drew her veil even tighter across her face as she approached the grave side. It wasn't that she had reason to be fearful of recognition, only that she preferred to grieve in seclusion. She looked over the tear streaked faces, recalling most by name. Her eyes scanned over the Potter boy and his side kicks, the Professors, and the friends, before they came to rest on the coffin. The long black box that contained the only best friend she had ever known.

She finally allowed the tears to fall; it hadn't seemed real until now. As long as his body had remained behind that blasted veil, there was a small shred of hope that he was still alive. The hope that, perhaps one day he could return to her and to the people that loved him. But that hope had been ripped away from her, the day she received the letter from Remus Lupin telling her of the funeral service, and the fact his body had been thrown from the veil a few days before.

He was a fool to go rushing after Harry; she had told him as much. But he hadn't listened to her; he had never listened to her. Even at school the combination of her and Lily couldn't stop him and James from pulling those silly pranks that seemed to get bigger every time.

The woman raised her head, feeling eyes on her. Her gaze traveled across the group to lock on the intent stare of Remus Lupin. She held his gaze as he started toward her.

'He and I are the only ones left.' She mused to herself as she watched Remus trying to dry his eyes, 'We're the only ones who knew him in his prime, watched as he grew, laughed at his private jokes, cried at his imprisonment, and perhaps we are the only ones here who truly loved him.'

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.

AN: You may picture this woman to be anyone you wish. Through my eyes she is Sirius's female counter part, just as Lily was always James's.