A/N: It's not great, but tell me what you think and whether I should continue. I'm planning on skipping from present to the past with chapters. I know this is only a short chapter, sorry for that. I'll have to try and make them a little longer, hopefully the next one will be. Hopefully some bits will be funny. And, in case you were wondering, Minty is short for Araminta, it's not just some random thing I made up. Enjoy (:
Tuesday, 2nd November 1981
Everyone was celebrating. Everyone but me. Whilst everyone else was rushing to exchange gossip with their friends and celebrate over vast amounts of alcohol, I was clutching a mug of stone cold coffee in my hands in my kitchen, unable to stop the pour of tears down my cheeks. I was mourning, and the fact that I was sick with worry wasn't helping my situation. I hadn't slept at all. There was a knock at the door. I rushed to answer it. It was about bloody time he was back. I was ready to give him a good bollocking.
"Minty! Have you heard!?" it was Anna, my next door neighbour. She was smiling so wide her face looked like it was about to rip open. She threw her arms around my neck. "He's gone! He's finally gone!"
"I know. Sirius told me this morning," I said, forcing a smile.
"It's brilliant! I'm having a massive party tonight! You should come!" she grinned.
"I'll try but Poppy's not feeling too well today, I'm not sure she's up to it," I said.
"That's alright, just try to make it if you can! I have to go and get ready," she said. She just couldn't stop grinning, she was so happy she didn't notice my sadness. I didn't blame her. The whole Wizarding world would be overjoyed today. I wasn't. I closed the door and went to check on Poppy. She wasn't ill; I just didn't feel like celebrating. She was fast asleep, her blonde head poking out of her duvet. I had to smile at her. Poppy always amazed me. It seemed impossible to me that I could've made something that beautiful. She was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. I returned to the kitchen and decided that I needed something much stronger than coffee. I drank straight vodka, wondering angrily how anyone could celebrate a death. How it was possible that I lost two of my best friends in one day and how I knew I was going to lose Sirius. I knew he'd go out and do something stupid. Or he wouldn't have said he loved me. He'd never said it before. He hadn't needed to.
Sirius had come bursting into the house at one in the morning. Distraught. He wouldn't stop talking about how Lily and James were betrayed by their secret keeper, and how it was his fault.
"I thought you were their secret keeper?" I said. Thoughts of Sirius's betrayal flashed through my mind. He wouldn't. Would he? I didn't know who to trust anymore. But Sirius wouldn't.
"No. I said that would be too obvious. This is all my fault. I was meant to be their secret keeper. I would never have betrayed them. I would've rather died. If I hadn't changed our plans, they would still be alive. Now Lily and James are dead and I'm to blame," Sirius fell into a chair and buried his head in his hands.
"What are you talking about? Where's Harry?" I fought with myself to stay calm.
"Hagrid took him. Dumbledore's orders," Sirius mumbled through his hands.
"What?! We're his godparents! What's Dumbledore playing at?!" I yelled.
"Minty, please. You'll wake up Poppy," he sighed.
"This is fucking ridiculous!" I snapped. "Where else is Harry going to go? To his crazy, muggle-obsessed Aunt?!"
"Don't be stupid. I know Dumbledore can seem a little barmy sometimes but he's not completely off his head," Sirius said. As realisation hit me, my legs turned to jelly and I slid to the floor.
"Lily and James," my voice cracked and I let out a sob. Sirius left his chair to put his arm around me.
"I have to go," he got up and made for the door. He cleared his throat. "I love you Minty." Sirius never said things like that. Well, he never said it and meant it.
"Don't go and do something stupid Sirius. Please!" I said.
"Bye, Minty," he said.
"Don't you dare Sirius! Don't you fucking dare!" I yelled. But he'd already gone. I'd been waiting for him to come home since.
The day the Wizarding World said goodbye to Lord Voldemort was also the day I said goodbye to my best friends. I know it's selfish, but I'd rather have Lord Voldemort living and killing hundreds more, just as long as Lily and James were still here. As long as I still had my best friends.
