2nd November 1981

Remus knew that something was wrong the moment he woke up. It was like part of him knew what had happened. His heart ached, like a cut the split second before it starts to bleed. He shook his head and climbed out of bed. He got as far as the kitchen when he started to know that something had happened. As he was in an isolated safe house, he didn't normally get visitors. But as soon as he reached for the fridge, he felt a breach in the wards. Remus grabbed his wand and raced to the door, searching for the intruder.

He froze as soon as he saw whom it was. Albus Dumbledore was walking towards the house, a grave expression on his face. Even though hardly anybody knew where the house was, Remus still didn't lower his wand. In the middle of a war, suspicion was probably the only reason that he was still alive. Dumbledore approached the door and waited calmly as Remus asked a question.

"In your opinion, what was the best prank that the marauders pulled at Hogwarts?"

Remus knew the answer to this one, the headmaster having already told them. Nobody but he, James and Sirius knew the true answer, so it was perfect for the identity questions that Dumbledore had made them all come up with.

Dumbledore smiled slightly. "I would say that it was when you turned the Grand Staircase into a waterfall, but you got caught; so I shall have to say the time you managed to change all of the doors around in the castle. We were all walking into walls for days"

Remus laughed, not for the first time still wishing that he was back at Hogwarts. They both knew that there was no way Remus was being impersonated, he hadn't left the house in nearly a month. "Well then, you best come in Albus" Remus replied, smiling slightly. "Tea, headmaster?" Remus didn't wait for a response; Dumbledore was awfully predictable when it came to warm drinks. Remus turned around and began to fill the small kettle with water.

"No Remus, I have some awful, heart breaking news for you" Remus froze, fear beginning to wrap its cold tendrils around his heart. "Have you seen the Prophet today?"

"No, I don't have a subscription, I can't affo –" Remus trailed off, a slight red flush creeping up his face. "What did you want to tell me?"

Dumbledore looked at him, a look of sorrow and pity on his face. "Last night, at about 8PM, Voldemort broke through the Fidelus charm and killed James and Lily Potter"

The teapot that Remus had been holding crashed to the floor as he stared at the headmaster. That couldn't be right…they couldn't be gone. They were safe. Dumbledore himself had told them to do the Fidelus Charm. Surely not?

Remus didn't know what to say, or what he should even feel. Pain, disbelief and grief were warring within him, all clamouring to be the dominant emotion. A single tear began to trace its path down his face. He'd lost two of his best friends in the blink of an eye.

"There's more Remus. Sometime this morning, Sirius Black was found in the middle of a Muggle street near Birmingham. He was stood at the centre of an explosion, an explosion that we've since learned killed 12 Muggles and 1 wizard; Peter Pettigrew"

Remus stared at him, absolutely horror struck. He didn't know what happened next, but he was vaguely aware of crashing to the floor. He was also vaguely aware of tears pouring down his face and a low wail, almost like an injured cat filling the room. He knew that it was him making the noise, but he didn't care. Everything he'd had was gone. Ripped away from him by the actions of one man. And then it hit him. Not only had Sirius killed all those poor people, but also he'd been the secret keeper. He'd held everything Remus had in one hand, and had thrown it all away, turning his back on the people that had considered him a friend.

A thought suddenly struck Remus, and through the tears he looked up at Dumbledore. "Harry? What's-Where is he?" Remus choked out, barely able to form words through his heartbreak.

Dumbledore looked at him sadly, a lone tear forming in his usually twinkling blue eyes. "Harry is on his way to the only family he has left. I am being forced into leaving him with Lily's sister. I'm sorry Remus"

Remus stared at him, finally managing to force himself into a kneeling position. "Lily's sister? Why can't he come here? We're both the last person the other one has"

"Remus, you know for a fact that the ministry will not let a werewolf have custody of a child, especially not Harry Potter"

Remus was too taken up by the refusal to pay attention to the possibility of Harry being special to the wizarding world. Harry was special to him regardless. He was the last living piece of James and Lily, and that was all that mattered to him. Remus fell back to the floor, the last shred of his previous life torn from him. Everything was gone.

OoOoOo

5th November 1981

Dumbledore had left not long after telling Remus that he couldn't take Harry, leaving Remus alone. He was alone in every sense of the word, he had nothing left. He briefly considered suicide, hoping to get away from the pain and torment that haunted him all day. That didn't last long. Somewhere, deep down, Remus still clung to the hope that one day, he would see Harry again and they could start to repair the wounds they would surely both carry.

Today was their funeral. The last rite of James and Lily Potter. Remus felt empty. It was like his heart had just been removed from his chest, and in its place a shard of ice. It twisted every time he thought about them, forcing its way deeper and deeper into his chest. He still couldn't really believe that they were gone. They were always so full of life, that it seemed a travesty to even think of them being gone.

He was vaguely aware of somebody crying behind him as he walked towards the front of the assembled people. He hadn't been able to do much this week, but it only seemed right that he be the one to give the eulogy. After all, he knew the Potters best out of everybody here. He climbed onto the slight podium and looked out at the crowd of people before him. There were so few of them. So few had survived the war, and very few of them in one piece.

Remus cleared his throat and began to speak. "I met James Potter on the first train to Hogwarts. He walked in, smiling with excitement as we all introduced ourselves. We chatted aimlessly on the way there, as eleven year olds often do. And then the trolley went past. Now, I didn't have any money to buy sweets but James stood up and then returned with his arms full of sweets. He'd bought them for everybody in the carriage with us. That was the James Potter I knew, a loyal, kind man. Many people will tell you about his bravery, becoming an auror and all the good that he fought for while there. Not me. I will always remember him as the smiling, cheerful boy who bought every one sweets in an effort to make everybody happy. That was the man that he was. A man who couldn't bear to see a frown, and who lit up with joy when he heard someone laugh.

It was also on that first day of term that he decided Lily was the girl for him. At the age of eleven, he'd fallen in love with her beautiful smile and her musical laugh. Of course, those of you who knew them will know that it took six years for him to win her over. That's not to say he didn't try. I can distinctly remember him climbing onto the Gryffindor table and publically declaring his love for Lily. I can also remember her reaction – she threw her goblet of pumpkin juice at him. Six years he tried to get her to see him as he saw her, and finally it worked.

Now, James had a special sappy grin that only ever graced his features on rare occasions. We could all tell the day Lily said yes because he walked around for about a week with it permanently etched on his features. The grin didn't resurface until the day he proposed, and then again on the day of the wedding. They were such a perfect couple, and yet it felt like something was missing. They both threw themselves into the war, fighting for the world that we have today. And then baby Harry was born. The sappy grin was back and it almost seemed permanently attached to his face when Harry was around. That little boy was everything to them. I don't think I've ever seen a little boy so loved by his parents.

And now, though they may be gone where no evil can harm them, their legacy lives on. Harry is alive because of them. And I hope that he will always grow up with the knowledge of his parents. Their bravery, kindness, joy and most importantly, their courage – to stand up for what was right, no matter the cost. They paid the ultimate price for their bravery, but I doubt they would want to be remembered like this. They would want the good times to be remembered – the train journeys, and the pranks, and the trips to Hogsmeade, but most importantly for the love that they showed to their friends and family. I know for a fact, that that is how I will remember them"

Remus finished, tears already snaking down his face. He hoped he'd done them justice. James and Lily had always been the bravest and best people that he knew, and even though it hurt to think or talk about them, it distracted him from the other thing occupying his heart. Sirius. That he could have betrayed them all seemed absurd, but it all fit. Remus shook his head quickly and wiped away the tears. He drew his wand and conjured two different flowers to rest on their coffins. A fire lily to rest on James' coffin, and a sunflower for Lily. Lily had always loved sunflowers, and of course, James had always loved lilies. Remus laid the two flowers on the coffins and stepped back to watch the rest of the guests do the same.

"Mr Lupin, is it?" A voice asked from behind him. Remus spun around and felt his mouth drop. Petunia Dursley was stood in front of him. Remus quickly closed his mouth as the first genuine smile crept over his face at the sight of Harry in her arms. The boy was straining to get to Remus, obviously recognising him.

"Yes. May I?" Remus asked, gesturing towards Harry. Petunia nodded stiffly and Remus reached forward to take Harry from her arms. Remus heard Harry say his name and he smiled, pulling the toddler into a fierce hug.

"Lily may have turned her back on us, but she was still my sister. I was very sorry to hear of her death. I came here for two reasons: to pay my respects and to ask that you never try to find us"

Remus froze, the smile slowly starting to fall from his face. "W-what? Never find you?"

Petunia nodded slightly. "It is obvious that your world is far more dangerous than Lily ever thought, and we want to raise Harry away from that. We want him to be safe, and your continued presence in his life would have a detrimental effect on that"

"You want to raise him away from magic? You cannot deny him his birthright, and besides, what are you going to do when he starts using accidental magic? What about when he gets his letter?" Remus asked, his voice rising ominously.

"We'll deal with that accordingly, when and if it happens. If you don't mind?" Petunia said sharply, waiting impatiently for Remus to hand Harry back to her. He had half a mind to refuse and to run away, keeping Harry with him, but he knew that would be a bad idea. He couldn't give the toddler the life he deserved, not as he was. Very reluctantly, he handed Harry back to her, disentangling Harry's fists from his shirt.

"I'm so sorry Harry" Remus whispered as Petunia marched away, Harry's cries lingering in the still air long after he was gone. Petunia didn't realise the crushing blow that she'd just dealt him. That had been his one comfort, that he'd still be able to visit Harry. Not anymore. There was nothing left now.

He was alone.

This is a companion piece to the Fight or Flight Series, but I guess it could standalone too. This will basically contain any missing moments from both of the stories. So it is open to suggestion, if there is anything you'd like to see, feel free to ask and I'll see what I can do.

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