The Wedding Party
Remus could hear him. Way up in heaven, hollering and shouting. He could even see the ghost of Sirius lean casually up behind Tonks, one arm around her shoulders, the other drawn up in a flourish.
"Really now, Tonksie," He would start. In a high pitched voice Sirius only reserved for impersonating the truly obnoxious. "A werewolf? Honestly, what would Grandmummy say? The Most Ancient and Noble House of Black cannot stand for this!" The twinkle in his eye always betrayed him.
Remus let the corners of his mouth turn upwards, but couldn't help the pang of remorse that bubbled in his stomach. He would never hear those words, because Sirius would never say them. He closed his eyes again, and there was more.
Lily, how he'd loved her like a twin. They were the same. The understanding of not having a true home. The fact that He was a werewolf and the fact that she was a witch. Something both families couldn't understand.
She was smiling and talking to Tonks, smiling wide at the dress, the flowers, the arrangements that she never helped make. She winked at Remus as Tonks turned around to smile softly at him.
Tonks turned back and someone clapped his shoulder. It was James.
"Now the problem, Remy-" He started before Sirius had appeared again.
"The Furry Little Problem?" He interjected in a very dower tone.
"No, no, Paddy. Not that problem."
"Ohh, the… OTHER problem?" Sirius laughed. James just stared as Sirius kept laughing. Laughing his head off, James steered Remus away.
"Mental, that one. Seriously…" Remus looked at James, glasses slightly tilted, eyes full of happiness. "Now Remus. You have a problem. And no, no, it's not the 'furry little problem' Paddy thought it was." He sipped from his glass and looked over at Tonks and Lily. "The problem is in your head. Not the sort of in your head, like Sirius'…" They both looked sideways to where Sirius was deep in Conversation with Fred. Both nodding gravely and pointing around to different people. "…But, the problem is in your head in the way that Today, Moony, Today is the Beginning. The Beginning of something new for you. Something not for you to rid yourself of the past, but something to allow you to embrace the future. And yet here we are ol boy."
Remus furrowed his brow. James wasn't making much sense. Today was of course the beginning of his new life… He smiled at his wife.
"Mate, Your life is out there." James gestured sweepingly. Indicating what, Remus wasn't quiet sure. "And, well, my life is here." James jabbed Remus in his chest.
"And IM the life of the party so if we could get back, Jamsie!" Sirius announced. James laughed at him, and turning with his best friend, gave Remus one last look of knowing.
And Remus understood. The past was the past. It was part of him, and as long as he kept the memories, the good the bad and everything that came with them, they would always be there. Not wanting to make the moment, thought, fantasy—whatever it had been, any sappier then it already was, Remus opened his eyes; And they were gone.