Penname: dreamseeker
Story Title: In a Lifetime
Challenge: 2
Rating: PG- 13
Genre: Angst
E-mail: Everything tells a story, even a horcrux.
Story: The swelling grey clouds overhead finally gave in and droplets of water pelted the earth. It came down quickly and soon sheets of rain swept across the countryside. The icy water clung to the leaves of trees and drenched the grass below. The inhabitants of the land ran for cover, hiding under large multi-coloured umbrellas and old, tattered newspapers. In a few minutes the serene land was deserted. Deserted, all except for one man. Remus Lupin. BR BR
It was on the edge of the great lake that he stood. He did not seem to notice the rain that was steadily soaking through his robes. Nor did he notice the biting cold. He simply stood, his hands hanging limply by his sides. His eyes, though as callous as they were, never left the three gravestones at the edge of the lake. He was here to pay his last respects, to say one last goodbye to the three people who had always stood by him. Sirius Black and James and Lily Potter. 'My family' he thought sadly. He sighed, letting his shoulders slump as he remembered. Those glorious days at Hogwarts he had once shared with them. The lazy summers spent on the bank of the Black lake, the infamous pranks. He remembered them clearly now, as though he was watching a film of his days at Hogwarts. BR BR
"Remus," Suddenly he heard a voice. Surprised, he ungracefully spun around, nearly tripping over. Behind him, a raven-haired boy stood, his hands in his pockets. BR BR
"Harry!" he exclaimed. Harry smiled weakly and walked towards him, "What are you doing here?" he questioned. BR BR
"Nothing really," the boy answered nonchalantly. He stopped in front of the gravestones. "Same reason as you I suppose," he finally admitted. Remus understood. He wasn't the only one who missed James, Lily and Sirius. Harry had never even known his parents, and had only known Sirius for two years. At least he, Remus, had been able to spend his time at Hogwarts with them. BR BR
He looked back at Harry. He stood, just like Remus himself did, staring ahead across the vast lake, a wistful expression on his face. It was a comfortable silence, Remus concluded. He too looked out over the lake, enjoying the beautiful scenery. He didn't know how long they stood there; maybe it was a few minutes. It felt closer to a few hours. However, the steady cascade of rain soon lessened considerably and the murky grey skies brightened. Suddenly Remus found his voice again, BR BR
"Harry," he asked, cautiously at first, "What will happen to us?" It was a stupid question, he knew it must sound extremely corny but he had to know. Despite being the logical person he was, he was scared. Tomorrow, it would be the final battle, the end of the Great War. It would change everyone's lives, for the better or worse. He didn't know. He was no seer, though he wished he knew. The suspense was gnawing at him, making him doubt things he had never doubted before. BR BR
"I really don't know," Harry finally replied, his gaze never faltering, "As the prophecy said, only one of us can live. If we win, then everything should be restored to peace. If Voldemort wins, then I really don't know…" he trailed off, his eyes moving to the gravestones in front of him. Remus sighed; he knew it would come down to something like this. Tomorrow, lives would be lost on the battlefield and eventually one side would come out victorious. He liked to think it would be the light side. That everyone would be safe and happy and their story would end with a happily ever after, but that would be a lie. BR BR
"I guess we should try not to think about it now," Remus fathomed, "We should enjoy this last day before the battle," Harry nodded absently. He seemed distant, a slight frown creasing his forehead. Remus noticed this and wondered if he had upset Harry in some way. Then he realised that he was staring at something. Remus followed his gaze. He could just see it, whatever it was. It looked like some sort of Ivy-covered rock, only rising a few centimetres from the ground. It was just an ordinary rock, he thought. He looked back at Harry who had not moved. His eyes darted back towards the rock. Actually, now that he looked closer there did seem to be something strange about it. It wasn't jagged and round like other rocks. From beneath the ivy he could just see what looked like a smooth curve. He wondered what else it could possibly be. "What is it?" he asked curiously. Harry continued to stare at it, BR BR
"I dunno," he murmured. He slowly moved closer to it, seeming to be transfixed. Remus followed warily, unease spreading through him. BR BR
"Be careful..," he started but Harry wasn't listening. The boy knelt down on the ground, gently pushing away some of the ivy. Remus watched him. He watched as his fingers slowly moved over the rock, as though to an unheard rhythm. And then, as the twigs were broken and the leaves were pushed away, he saw it. He saw what it really was, a gravestone. BR BR
Harry stopped and almost lost his balance. Remus stood, paralysed. There was another one here, he never knew that. He let out a sharp intake of breath. It must have been someone he knew, no one else knew about this place. BR BR
"I didn't know there was another one," Harry said incredulously. Remus absently shook his head, BR BR
"No, neither did I," he agreed. Harry, regaining his composure, stood up and brushed himself down. Remus walked past him. He had to know whom it belonged to. His heart beat rapidly against his ribs. Was it really someone he knew? He knelt down on one knee in front of it. He could just see it, words. They were hard to read though. He squinted and looked closer, realising now that Harry had joined him. Then he suddenly saw it, BR BR
I R.I.P BR
Regulus Amicus Black /I BR BRIt was simple, only four words, but it meant everything. For a moment, there was silence. After a few minutes, Harry was the first to speak, BR BR
"Regulus Black, he was Sirius's brother," he said quietly. Remus swallowed. He remembered it clearly now. Sirius had hardly ever mentioned his younger bother, except on that night. The night Regulus had become a death-eater, Sirius had told them everything. He had admitted for the first time that he still cared for Regulus, that he had always hoped and wished things could have turned out differently between them. He still remembered that night clearly. He remembered it was the first time anyone had ever seen behind his mask. The look of utter pain and anguish in his friend's eyes still haunted him now. However, after that night Sirius seemed to have forgotten about his family. His defences went up again, stronger than ever and things returned to what passed for normal. He said he didn't care anymore, and even when he heard the news of Regulus's death about a year later, he repeated that phrase. And now, despite everything that had happened, he was here, at the grave of Regulus Black. BR BR
"Yes, he was," Remus finally answered quietly, his eyes resting on the grave. "I don't think Sirius ever thought of him as a brother though," he added wryly. Harry didn't answer. He continued to stare at the eroded grave, not seeming to register anything else. Remus turned to look at him. There was a thoughtful expression on his face. BR BR
"Harry...," he started cautiously. Then suddenly Harry's head snapped around, his eyes blazing with excitement, BR BR
"Look!" he shouted excitedly, "There," he pointed towards the long grass that cushioned the stones. Remus, startled by the sudden outburst, let his eyes wander over the long green stalks. BR BR
"What is it?" he asked after a moment of observation, "I can't see anything," Harry impatiently got up and trotted over to the area. He stuck his hand down into the greenery, moving it out of the way with his other hand. BR BR
"I'm sure I saw it," he muttered under his breath. Then suddenly, a look of sheer excitement came over his face. He slowly pulled his hand out. And then Remus saw it too. There, dangling helplessly from Harry's hand was Salazar Slytherin's locket. It was an amazing thing. It was beautiful, from the delicate golden chain, to the actual locket, glinting ominously in the dying sun. It looked almost identical to the fake locket, but he could tell the difference. This locket was real. It was magnificent and held a splendour that the fake could never hold. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Around them birds twittered merrily and trees swayed in the light breeze. For Remus and Harry, time stood still. BR BR
"We finally found it," Harry finally said quietly, holding it up to the light and inspecting it, "We've got the last horcrux," The tension immediately vanished. Remus smiled slightly, BR BR
"I guess we finally found it," he said, "Not where I would have expected though," Harry shrugged nonchalantly, BR BR
"Yes, it is unusual," he said. He curled the locket in the palm of his hand, watching it shimmer in the dying light. He looked out across the lake again, "There must be a reason for it though." Remus didn't speak. He too looked out across the lake. Harry looked thoughtful for a moment. "Remus, what was Regulus like?" he asked suddenly, "Sirius only ever mentioned him once," Remus was taken aback by the question. He hadn't expected it. He answered all the same however, BR BR
"Well, I never knew him very well. Only really by how Sirius described him to James and me. You see, Sirius always hated his family, Regulus along with them," Remus paused for a moment. "I'm sure Sirius has mentioned the horrors of his family life to you. Anyway, so even though Sirius insisted that he hated Regulus, he still cared when he became a death eater." Harry cut in, BR BR
"Really? Sirius didn't even bat an eyelash when he told me about how Regulus died," he pointed out, remembering that day in Grimmauld place. BR BR
"I know, but after Regulus became a death eater Sirius really did give up on his family. He insisted that he didn't care about them at all anymore," Remus said, "But that's all I know about Regulus." He finished. Silence fell in between them again. For some odd reason this reminded him of a famous muggle writer he had once studied. He had said, 'Silence is the perfect herald of joy'. Now Remus agreed with him. BR BR
"R.A.B," Harry suddenly whispered. Remus snapped back into present time and stared at him, BR BR
"What?" he asked. BR BR
"Regulus Amicus Black," he said, louder. "He was the one who discovered Voldemort's secret," Harry said. He smiled faintly; he had finally pieced it all together. Then it hit Remus. He saw it now, Harry was right. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it earlier. It had been obvious. Only one who had known the lengths of Voldemort's mutilation could possibly have discovered his secret, Remus thought. He saw it now as he looked out over the beautiful lake. Regulus had never been just a follower with no mind of his own. Sirius had been wrong. He had known the truth. He had been an individual with his own ideas and beliefs. And really, he had been on the right side all along. And even in these harsh times, Remus thought, people still found a way through. Regulus had never been just a death eater. He had managed to go on and steal a horcrux, with no one by his side and everyone (even his own family) against him. He had died, but he had died knowing that he had done something great for the better. Remus realised now that he wasn't scared of the final battle the next day. He wasn't scared of death anymore. If he died, he would die knowing that he had contributed to the right side in this war. Just like Regulus had. BR BR
Everything tells a story, even something as callous and unfeeling as a horcrux. BR BR