Disclaimer- all characters belong to JK Rowling. The poem belongs to W.H.
Auden. R&R
"Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come."
It was a rainy day in July. A solemn group congregated in a small chapel. They had no body by which to mourn. They had little to remind them of their dead friend. The small amount of mementos were grouped at the front under the pulpit. The pews were draped in black velvet, long lengths that had been taken out of their boxes and beaten of dust for the occasion. White roses and bright red poppies were set everywhere in old vases.
A family of nine filed in through the door, their eyes downcast. They were all in black which set off their combed red hair. They shuffled passed a haggard looking man with graying hair and tattered robes, and a young boy who looked none-the-better. The family was followed by a girl with bushy hair wearing a simple black dress. Her eyes were red and swollen.
A few more people showed but they were only sufficient to fill the first two rows in the small room. No one spoke for a while, they only looked at the small pile that consisted of miscellaneous pictures, a robe, a broom, a small model of a motorcycle, etc.. A giant of a man sniffed deeply. A man with sweeping gray hair stood and stepped up behind the pulpit.
"Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crêpe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves."
"Sirius Black was a, a very spirited man. He cared deeply for all whom he loved and, and, would do anything for them," the man said in halted speech. "We are all in, in debt to his kindness. Yes, his temper was quick but his ability to love was even quicker. He, he, he...." the man trailed off.
The boy in the front row said nothing. He didn't look up. He simply looked at his hands. He kicked the dusty floor with the rubbery sole of his shoe. The whole place was dark and musty. He had already cried all his tears. This was just a formality. He had already died inside.
Next the man with graying hair stood. There were tears falling down his face in long bands. "Sirius Black was my best friend. He and James were the reasons why school was tolerable, and, at times, enjoyable. He was so caring. I remember how alone I felt when James and Lily died. Well, we both were alone. I just.." the man collapsed onto his arm. It was too much for him. He had lost his best friend, his last best friend. He couldn't help feeling resentful that they got to die. He couldn't die, he had to support everybody. It just wasn't fair at all.
"I remember when his godson was born. I think he was more excited then James. He loved Harry. He loved him with all his heart. Sirius thought of Harry as a son and would have given anything to make him happy. I suppose it's fitting that he died saving Harry's life. I want the memory of Sirius Black to live on forever....."
"He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong."
Now it was Harry turn. He stepped up to the pulpit, giving a short hug to Remus who walked back to the front bench. Harry pulled a small slip of paper from his pocket. He thought that he at least owed Sirius the benefit of a proper speech. He cleared his throat.
"Sirius was my godfather. He was also a friend, one of my best friends actually. I remember when I was little and still at the Dursley's, before I knew about any of this. I'd wish upon each evening star that someone would come that loved me. Then I imagined my parents. As it turns out, it was Sirius. When I was in 3rd year, for a few brief minutes I thought I would finally live with someone who loved me. I thought I'd live with Sirius. Those minutes were about the happiest moments of my life.
This past summer I got to live in the same house as my Godfather. He was a changed man. Azkaban had done to him what age and infirmity could not. He was a hollow shell. He hated living there, at the house that housed such awful memories. I saw it in his eyes. Yet, he still loved me, I could see that too. He snuck out to see me to school, just like I imagined any parent would. He risked his freedom and life to give me advice via fire. I took for granted that he would always be there.
Then, at the end of the year, as you all know, Voldemort stripped me of another loved one. It wasn't anyone's fault except Voldemort's. For months," Harry paused to wipe the tears from his eyes. "For months I've blamed everyone, myself, Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape, Sirius, everyone. All I've wanted was to turn back the clock and have my godfather back. That can't ever happen. I can only wait till I'm wherever he is right now though I don't know if I'll get into the place where he is. He was a man among men and I miss him with all my heart." Harry stepped from the pulpit and took his seat. He sat next to Remus who was crying freely. He looked over at his old professor. He had lost everything, his last friend.
"The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good."
"Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come."
It was a rainy day in July. A solemn group congregated in a small chapel. They had no body by which to mourn. They had little to remind them of their dead friend. The small amount of mementos were grouped at the front under the pulpit. The pews were draped in black velvet, long lengths that had been taken out of their boxes and beaten of dust for the occasion. White roses and bright red poppies were set everywhere in old vases.
A family of nine filed in through the door, their eyes downcast. They were all in black which set off their combed red hair. They shuffled passed a haggard looking man with graying hair and tattered robes, and a young boy who looked none-the-better. The family was followed by a girl with bushy hair wearing a simple black dress. Her eyes were red and swollen.
A few more people showed but they were only sufficient to fill the first two rows in the small room. No one spoke for a while, they only looked at the small pile that consisted of miscellaneous pictures, a robe, a broom, a small model of a motorcycle, etc.. A giant of a man sniffed deeply. A man with sweeping gray hair stood and stepped up behind the pulpit.
"Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crêpe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves."
"Sirius Black was a, a very spirited man. He cared deeply for all whom he loved and, and, would do anything for them," the man said in halted speech. "We are all in, in debt to his kindness. Yes, his temper was quick but his ability to love was even quicker. He, he, he...." the man trailed off.
The boy in the front row said nothing. He didn't look up. He simply looked at his hands. He kicked the dusty floor with the rubbery sole of his shoe. The whole place was dark and musty. He had already cried all his tears. This was just a formality. He had already died inside.
Next the man with graying hair stood. There were tears falling down his face in long bands. "Sirius Black was my best friend. He and James were the reasons why school was tolerable, and, at times, enjoyable. He was so caring. I remember how alone I felt when James and Lily died. Well, we both were alone. I just.." the man collapsed onto his arm. It was too much for him. He had lost his best friend, his last best friend. He couldn't help feeling resentful that they got to die. He couldn't die, he had to support everybody. It just wasn't fair at all.
"I remember when his godson was born. I think he was more excited then James. He loved Harry. He loved him with all his heart. Sirius thought of Harry as a son and would have given anything to make him happy. I suppose it's fitting that he died saving Harry's life. I want the memory of Sirius Black to live on forever....."
"He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong."
Now it was Harry turn. He stepped up to the pulpit, giving a short hug to Remus who walked back to the front bench. Harry pulled a small slip of paper from his pocket. He thought that he at least owed Sirius the benefit of a proper speech. He cleared his throat.
"Sirius was my godfather. He was also a friend, one of my best friends actually. I remember when I was little and still at the Dursley's, before I knew about any of this. I'd wish upon each evening star that someone would come that loved me. Then I imagined my parents. As it turns out, it was Sirius. When I was in 3rd year, for a few brief minutes I thought I would finally live with someone who loved me. I thought I'd live with Sirius. Those minutes were about the happiest moments of my life.
This past summer I got to live in the same house as my Godfather. He was a changed man. Azkaban had done to him what age and infirmity could not. He was a hollow shell. He hated living there, at the house that housed such awful memories. I saw it in his eyes. Yet, he still loved me, I could see that too. He snuck out to see me to school, just like I imagined any parent would. He risked his freedom and life to give me advice via fire. I took for granted that he would always be there.
Then, at the end of the year, as you all know, Voldemort stripped me of another loved one. It wasn't anyone's fault except Voldemort's. For months," Harry paused to wipe the tears from his eyes. "For months I've blamed everyone, myself, Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape, Sirius, everyone. All I've wanted was to turn back the clock and have my godfather back. That can't ever happen. I can only wait till I'm wherever he is right now though I don't know if I'll get into the place where he is. He was a man among men and I miss him with all my heart." Harry stepped from the pulpit and took his seat. He sat next to Remus who was crying freely. He looked over at his old professor. He had lost everything, his last friend.
"The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good."