Disclaimer: I own none of the characters nor do I own the piece of music referenced at the beginning. I highly recommend listening to it whilst reading this though.
The baleful notes of Elgar's Cello Concerto cantered jauntily across the room from the dusty stereo as Albus Dumbledore entered. It must have been left on overnight as one Remus Lupin appeared to have moved very little in the past twenty-four hours.
Whilst the mournful, sinister tune reflected his appearance well – morose and fatigued, it did nothing to reflect the madness within. The fragile, porcelain world he'd built around himself over the ten years shattered like glass around him in one fell swoop. One revolution of the earth's axis and the precariously balanced life of Remus Lupin had been utterly destroyed. Most men would have been brought to tears.
Remus Lupin was not like most men though. Years of hardship, a life ostracised by society had hardened him. Hardened, but by no means prepared him for this. James and Lily, dead. Peter, dead. His Sirius, dead.
Because his Sirius was not the man whose manic, wide-eyed laughter was plastered upon the front page. His Sirius was a loyal, brave man who took two sugars with his tea in the morning and three at night. He was prone to reckless acts of gallantry and raving temper tantrums but never, ever betrayal. Not like this. Sirius chugged shots of firewhiskey, barked in laughter and had a penchant for causing mayhem. This wasn't mayhem though, it could only be the fiery pits of Hades realm itself.
He thinks, as a steaming hot mug of hot chocolate is pressed into his hands, the perhaps his Sirius died first. Slipped through the veil between life and death quietly and without fanfare or notice.
Perhaps, he wonders, that's the greatest tragedy of all.