Disclaimer: Not mine


Her name was Melanie, but being stereotyped as the school's "goth girl" had given her the only so affectionate nickname Melancholy. She was fine with it, though. Honestly, it'd been so long that she didn't even remember how it'd started. She just answered to it. It wasn't like people really talked to her anyway.

"Potter, Black, Pettigrew, Monroe, Dyrin. Go to the Headmaster's office," Professor McGonagall said shortly as she returned to the classroom.

Melancholy's head shot up. James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew were always getting into trouble. Lily Evans and Fay Monroe, as two of the infamous Marauders' girlfriends and mischief-makers in their own right, weren't far behind, though they didn't get caught nearly as much. Melancholy? She didn't even know where the Headmaster's office was and she certainly had nothing to do with anything that any of this lot had done.

She said nothing though, as she shoved her sketch book into her school bag and trailed behind them. It didn't make any sense. Even if they weren't in trouble, what did she have to do with them? Really, why was she-

A gargoyle? They were stopping at a gargoyle?

"Pixie sticks," James said almost lazily.

Pixie sticks? What the hell do pixie sticks— Oh. Okay. Gargoyle moves. How lovely. And a revolving staircase. Great.

James knocked on the door in the same bored manner. "Professor?"

"Come in." Dumbledore stared at them gravely from behind his desk as the group filed in. "I'm afraid that the reason that I've called you here is an unfortunate one indeed. As you may have known, the Lupin house was attacked nearly a week ago and Andrew Lupin has been in Intensive Care since then…" Sirius and James cursed softly while Lily gasped and Fay's eyes filled with tears. Melancholy couldn't move. "He passed away last night while with his son and wife. They have requested your presence. Once you have your belongings, we will leave."

Melancholy stood awkwardly. She didn't want to be the only one to walk out as James had wrapped his arm around Lily and Sirius had pulled Fay to his chest, her shoulders shaking as she struggled not to make a sound. "W-we should go. Remus needs us," she gasped finally. Once again, Melancholy followed after the tight knit group. They packed silently and returned to the Headmaster's office quickly. Dumbledore gave the simple, well known instructions and they were gone.

Remus sat on the couch in the empty Potter living room, knowing that his friends would get there any moment. Mrs. Potter was with his mother and her sisters, Mr. Potter with his uncles and some of his older cousins. The rest of his cousins were in the den going through pictures for the memorial boards. He couldn't help. Maybe it was denial. Maybe the wound was just too fresh. But he couldn't go dig through boxes for the highlights of his father's life.

He barely blinked when the group crash landed in the middle of the room. Dumbledore, of course, landed gracefully. James and Sirius managed to stay upright fairly well. Fay landed, but unsteadily, and fell into Sirius who toppled over so that they landed in a heap. Lily landed, tripped over the two on the ground, and stumbled into James, landing them both on the sofa. Peter fell back on his bum and quickly stumbled to his feet with his friends.

And Melancholy?

Well, Melancholy had always been the biggest klutz possible. No one was too sure how, but she landed upside down in one of the arm chairs.

With a sort of huff, she let herself topple to the side so that she fell off of the chair hard. She stood with a small grimace to face that rest of them awkwardly.

"I believe that your mother is helping to tend to Mrs. Lupin, Miss Dyrin," Dumbledore murmured after a long, painful moment. Melancholy nodded and ducked out of the room without meeting anyone's gaze.