Chapter 1-
Everything we got is slipping away.
-Matt Kearney, All I Need
Remus was the last one to rejoin his friends. James paced nervously across the floor of the Shrieking Shack. Of course this was where they had all come back to. What other location was more appropriate? This was their old haunting ground. They had spent so many hours here in school, full moon or otherwise.
"Shouldn't he be here by now?" He whined.
Jenny smiled softly. "Give him some time. He'll be here soon. You remember how it was when you came. These things aren't instant."
Peter sat curled up in a threadbare arm chair in the corner. He was the odd one out. Since he was already dead it wasn't possible for his friends to kill him again. That was his only saving grace. He scratched at his nose, remembering the last time they had all been here together. They had been happy. None of them had even imagined that the future held for them something relatively close to their eventual fates.
"Cheer up, mate. You've already got your best friend again." Sirius gave his best friend a playful shove, knocking him slightly off balance.
Jenny raised an eyebrow. "Here he comes."
Footsteps echoed down the hallway as an exhausted appearing Remus came shuffling into the room. He blinked in disbelief.
"No. Bloody hell no." He stated, shaking his head. "No." He repeated with more force.
James and Sirius smiled weakly at their friend. "You'd think that you weren't happy to see us or something, Moony." Sirius said jokingly.
"Sirius…" Jenny admonished, shaking her head. "Remus, we know that the timing isn't exactly convenient. A new wife and son… It's terrible that it had to happen this way."
He scowled. "I am not dead. That isn't possible. I'm going home with Dora to our son. We're going to win the war. Good has to win." Remus insisted. "Who are you?"
"Bit rude, don't you think?" James snorted.
"James, it's quite alright. You all said just about the same thing to me when you first came anyways." She smiled weakly. "Jenny Thompson. I was a Hufflepuff in your year. You talked to me a handful of times."
Remus frowned deeply. "I get why they're all here. James and Sirius were my best friends." He shot a disapproving look at Peter. "Why you?"
"Always the scholar." Sirius stage-whispered to James.
"Shut it, Black." Sirius couldn't understand the sea of emotions Remus was drowning in right now. He hadn't had anything going for him when he had died. Really, his death had been almost an escape. It meant he didn't have to run or hide anymore. But Remus, Remus had been different. James would understand.
"Someone has to be there to greet you when you…come over. No one can do it alone." She said gently. "I don't know why I had to be the one to deal with you boys. Trust me, I don't particularly enjoy it."
James and Sirius pouted. "Aw, Jen! I thought we were starting to be friends." James protested.
She laughed. "You boys are too much drama for me. I'd like to enjoy the relaxation of this…world." She ran a hand through her hair. "Anyways, enough beating around the bush. You're all here now."
"Right. We're sorry about the whole dying thing, mate." Sirius added. "Don't worry, Harry will keep an eye on your little man. Orphans got to stick together, right?"
James punched his best friend. "Shut it. Just because it's been all this time doesn't mean I still don't feel bad for all I put Harry through."
"Boys!" Jenny called. "That's all fine and lovely, but we really must get moving on. You've all lived…fulfilling lives."
"Yep. Wormtail got a real big case of the warm and fuzzies for destroying two of his supposed best friends."
Jenny glared at Sirius. "You already got into that. As I said, you all lived…lives." She revised. "I'm sure they weren't the lives none of you expected to live." She smiled apologetically at James and Remus. "And I won't have any smart comments out of you, Black. Things tend to work out certain ways for a reason but… That doesn't always mean that there weren't other options. Other paths."
Peter perked up. "What are you saying, Jenny? We get a re-do?"
The rest of the Marauders tensed at the idea. None of them believed that Peter deserved that. Nothing could make up for what he had done.
She shook her head. "No, Peter. Not a re-do. I'm going to show you what could have been. Another world, and another path. You all have them. James, you're first."
He pumped his fists jokingly. "Ha! Take that, losers. I won."
Jenny opened the first door down the hallway for James, and gestured for him to step inside the room. She closed the door firmly behind him. "As fun as it's been, Sirius, it's your time."
He pouted. "Won't I get to see you again, Jen?"
"Hopefully not." She gave him a slightly push through his door. "Although I rather like the Sirius you could have been."
He raised an eyebrow. "Do you? Would you be interested in-"
Jenny slammed the door closed behind him. "Peter, dear?" She gestured to the next door. "I think you'll find it an improvement. It's different at the very least."
He nodded. Peter stared up at Jenny, his eyes beginning to water slightly. "Thank you. Thank you for standing up for me."
Remus rolled his eyes. Treacherous little…
"Remus? Last but not least." She rested a hand on his shoulder. "You're quite a rambunctious bunch."
He laughed weakly. "I've heard that before. I'm supposed to be the beast, but I'm quite tame compared to James and Sirius."
"You can say that again. That will be important for you in there." She gave him a pat on the shoulder.
Remus took a slow step into the room, his eyes closed. What was he supposed to do? How did this work? A different life? That wasn't what he wanted. He had been content with his life. Whatever this was, he doubted it could beat what he had had.