( In ) Famous Marauders : Remus
By Goblet of Fire
---------------------------------------- Remus, after James's death ------------------------------------
The winter bitterness penetrates my bones as I tighten my cloak around me. I feel shivers down my spine, and don't want to think about the faintly gleaming moon up in the midnight dark sky. A soft but piercing wind plays with my hair ruffly, flies my mantel around. Disguised.
I walk down the deserted street, only lit by lonely streetlamps. The houses around the road are all shut up, like deliberately ignoring me. Me and my shyness, my oddness.
Remember, Remus, only yesterday you were laughing along with your friends, joking, playing with little Harry.
But when was that ? Two, three months ago ? That last, fateful night when the Marauders last saw each other. That night we swore never to forget.
Don't worry, James, forgetting I do not risk to.
Thoughts are crashing each others in my head, as I try to push them away. What I need now is a Pensieve.
I stick my hands deeper in my pockets, looking for warmth I do not find. My nose is frozen, and small mist clouds form each time I breathe.
I could go back home, sit by the fire, in a cozy armchair, read a good book. But I do not dare to. If I go back, I'm afraid I will find that fateful letter laying where I left it, open on the coach, and not to be able to tear my glare away from it. Not daring to touch it as if it was on fire.
When I received it this morningat twilight, I really felt so.
Even if I read it only once, it is enough for the words to be written
in my mind in letters of ice.
Dear Remus,
The most wonderful, the most amazing, the most unbelievable thing has happened tonight. It is the end of that period, when everyone would hide and fear, for their life and for their loved ones. The Dark Mark will never be seen hovering above any house again. The ones in hiding will be able to come out in a brand new world, for the Reign of Terror is over. A new day dawned over the world this morning, and we all wish that the previous night will never return.
You don't know what all this is about, hey ? Or are you beginning to understand ?
The Dark Lord is dead, Remus ! Think about that !
Last night, he broke in the Potter's house, and when he tried to kill young Harry, the curse backfired and hit himself instead. Isn't that just great ? Now, we are really free from all domination, the Death Eaters will soon be all caught, and all that just because of one baby ! We can already see a great man in him, and …
And so on, two pages about little Harry's feat. I was feeling so proud, James always have been a brother to me, and Harry was therefore meaning so much to the poor familyless man I am. Not once did I even suspect the truth. When I came near the end of the letter, I stood up, planning to apparate at Godrics Hollow at once.
Then, then I saw it, and it made me drop the letter on the sofa like it has burned me.
That single sentence, so simple, so cutting. The writer has not bothered to hide its bareness behind any kind of condoleances or anything. Just it. One single sentence.
P.S. : James and Lily are dead from the attack.
I slowly paced backwards, edging away from the harsh reality. But I was so stunned that the worst was still to come.
I grabed my cloack, slammed the door behind me. Running away from the letter, that fateful letter. Not knowing where I was going. Just running, running as far as I could.
Voldemort's last victims.
I felt soft wings flutter on my cheeks, and slowed my pace. Holy, my owl, was flying around me, trying to deliver the newest Daily Prophet. I had a horrible stitch, but still patted him on the head and gave him some owl treat he ate satisfactorly, then flew away.
I unfolded the journal, and sighed reading the headline. Did anything just had to remind me of that ? There was a picture on the front, a house, completely blown up. The legend read, "The Potters' house, Godrics Hollow". And bla, bla, bla, and bla, bla, bla. They didn't even know them.
I was ready to dump the paper, when a name caught my eye. Black. Yeah, what was Sirius doing ?
"Sirius Black, whom we now know to be the Potters' Secret Keeper, had apparently gone to the Dark Side and betrayed. This morning, he just killed Peter Pettigrew, one of the Potters' friend, who was trying to challenger him into a Duel, and, of course, is sentenced to life in Azkaban. He …"
I needen't read any further. Sirius, James and Lily's Secret Keeper ? I … I never knew this. I never knew who it was. I shook my head. Sirius, a betrayor. Who would have thought of that. And Peter was dead, too.
Remember, Remus, only yesterday you were playing together at Hogwarts, only yesterday you won the Quidditch Cup together, only yesterday you held little Harry in your arms for the first time, smiling at his perfect ressemblance with James, at those big green eyes who were Lily's.
Now what was going to become of him ? The boy who lived. Through the Death Curse. But was I going to live through it ?
It was too much for me, anyway. I slowly sank to the ground, my head resting on my knees, my back against the wall, and I began to sob softly. Just the way I cried the night I got bitten. A cry of true, intense sorrow and pain.
Feeling like I'd never get up again.
What to do now ? I have nothing left. I just walked along the crowded streets, anonymous. Watching the rejouissances, the others wizards pulling fireworks, trillions of owls flying around, pople in the streets hugging each other regardless of their identity.
Indifferent to two men's pain, considering it as a minor part of the affair. Pain that'll last a lifetime.
Some wounds never heal.
Author's note : Hope you enjoyed it ! Anyway, there is a question that
is bothering me. When you read this fic, is it apparent how old I am ?
Guess first, and THEN go to check in my bio. REVIEW !!!!