Remus moved through the shadows, invisible with no cloak. He didn't
need one. He had a gift for being unnoticed, blending in. Sometimes he had
wished that he was more outspoken, more noticeable, more like James. And
Sirius.
Sirius. The person his thoughts had been attuned to constantly for the last month. He had spent his days staring at old photos, remembering old times, and crying. Always crying. But he wasn't now. He hadn't cried at all that day. Why should he, when he was finally on his way to the place he had wanted to be during all those endless tears?
Remus came to the end of the hall, silently opened a door, and melted through it. Now he was glad of his ability to remain unnoticed. He had made it through busy rooms, past people who should be looking for him, down staircases with portraits keeping an eye out for anything unusual. But he wasn't unusual. He was just Remus Lupin.
Remus looked around in the darkness. He had gotten this far. He chose a door from those surrounding him and went through it. He was smiling now. He had longed to come here ever since Sirius's death. He stepped down, and again, falling and catching himself, as if he were descending a huge staircase with giant steps. He finally reached the bottom, and stared at the endless hole with its dark covering. It had caused so many people suffering, pain, loss. His soul had suffered and lost along with the rest, but the pain had been numb, unknown. Now, faced with this, he knew the pain, felt it, was it. He thought of a moment, decades before, and smiled. Words came unbidden to his lips.
"Expecto Patronum!"
Silver mist shot from the tip of his wand. It formed a shape, but not the usual one. Remus felt the power of his Patronus, and knew that it could do anything. Not just fight off dementors, but anything he wanted it to. He touched it. It was much more solid than his usual Patronus; although his hand moved through it, it met resistance. He wrapped his arms around it and whispered, "No more tears, Sirius. I'm coming."
The large silver dog and Remus Lupin fell forward through the black curtain, entwined together, forever.
Sirius. The person his thoughts had been attuned to constantly for the last month. He had spent his days staring at old photos, remembering old times, and crying. Always crying. But he wasn't now. He hadn't cried at all that day. Why should he, when he was finally on his way to the place he had wanted to be during all those endless tears?
Remus came to the end of the hall, silently opened a door, and melted through it. Now he was glad of his ability to remain unnoticed. He had made it through busy rooms, past people who should be looking for him, down staircases with portraits keeping an eye out for anything unusual. But he wasn't unusual. He was just Remus Lupin.
Remus looked around in the darkness. He had gotten this far. He chose a door from those surrounding him and went through it. He was smiling now. He had longed to come here ever since Sirius's death. He stepped down, and again, falling and catching himself, as if he were descending a huge staircase with giant steps. He finally reached the bottom, and stared at the endless hole with its dark covering. It had caused so many people suffering, pain, loss. His soul had suffered and lost along with the rest, but the pain had been numb, unknown. Now, faced with this, he knew the pain, felt it, was it. He thought of a moment, decades before, and smiled. Words came unbidden to his lips.
"Expecto Patronum!"
Silver mist shot from the tip of his wand. It formed a shape, but not the usual one. Remus felt the power of his Patronus, and knew that it could do anything. Not just fight off dementors, but anything he wanted it to. He touched it. It was much more solid than his usual Patronus; although his hand moved through it, it met resistance. He wrapped his arms around it and whispered, "No more tears, Sirius. I'm coming."
The large silver dog and Remus Lupin fell forward through the black curtain, entwined together, forever.