DISCLAIMER: It's called fanfiction for a reason.
A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviews, favorites, and follows! They all make me so happy; you have no idea.
Also: I apologize for all the gigantic posting gaps with this story. I still have a rather rough idea of where I want this story to go, but I'm working on it.
Again, thank you for being patient and showing any interest in this story. Without further ado, chapter four!
November 4, 1981
By Wednesday, Remus has come to the conclusion that he needs a job. And fast.
Everyone in the Order has a will, as does every Auror; according to Frank and Alice, it was one of Mad-Eye's requirement of being an Auror and was supposed to be checked over and/or updated once a month. He carried this over to the Order, and they were supposed to keep them in their cloaks at all times.
Except that had changed after Benjy Fenwick was blown to bits in early September, and his will along with him. From then on, wills were meant to be locked up in either your home or your Gringotts vault; Remus's was in his own vault, next to some of his mother's jewelry he kept just in case he was ever desperate enough to sell it. When James and Lily had gotten married, they'd combined their wills into one, and everything was left to James's parents and all their friends- some things were even meant to go to Petunia. When James's parents died, things were shifted around so most things went to their friends instead. When Harry was born, practically everything was transferred to him, with Sirius and Marlene as his guardians, which put a stop to all of Sirius's complaining about not getting James's broom. When Marlene died, she was simply taken out.
This will was sitting in their Gringotts vault now. He'd received an owl from Mad-Eye saying that he was collecting their will, Peter's, and Frank and Alice's. Remus hadn't replied, though he thinks James and Lily's will is pretty redundant now, considering their house was blown apart and all they have left is in their Gringotts vault, stuff which contained stuff that was supposed to go to Harry, who was now living with his aunt and uncle, and Sirius, who had entered Azkaban the day before. Mad-Eye knows this, too, so Remus assumes someone needs proof that yes, they actually had a will at twenty-one.
With that chipper thought in his head, he dresses and throws down the Floo Powder, heading for Hogsmeade. Even if he feels dirty about using his Order connections to try and find a job, even a temporary one, he thinks he's semi-justified. He's been living off of James basically since graduation.
When he walks out of the fireplace, he heads straight for the Hog's Head, ignoring Rosmerta calling after him. Dorcas and Marlene had always found Rosmerta insufferable during school, considering what a gossip she was, and he had no intention of listening to her condolences today. Even before they'd joined the Order, their group had always preferred the Hog's Head.
Aberforth glances up when he walks inside, but once he sees who it is, he scowls and returns to filling up a glass of butterbeer to someone sitting at the bar. Remus frowns and walks up to the counter.
"Did my brother send you, because if so, tell him to go f-"
"Is that necessary, Aberforth?" the barmaid behind the counter snaps.
"Fine," he says to her before turning his attention back to Remus, "What do you want, Lupin?"
"A job. A temporary one, just until I get back on my feet."
Aberforth laughs in his face.
"Can we talk in private, please?" Remus begs, glancing around at the company. Aberforth looks like he wants to protest, but then he sighs and leads Remus up to one of the rooms. "Sir, if this is-"
"It's nothing to do with the fact you're a werewolf, Lupin, if that's what you're worried about."
"Did your brother tell you about me?"
"I helped spread the rumors that the Shrieking Shack was haunted, you twat. Of course he told me."
"But it's not to do with that?"
"'Course not. You're not dangerous, at least not anymore than you are when you're backed into a corner against three Death Eaters."
"Then…?"
"You believe in my brother, and I won't hire any fools."
"I'm sorry?"
"If you hadn't followed my brother, where would you be right now? Where would all of your friends be?"
"The same place they are now," Remus answers strongly, "Dead. Or worse."
"You don't know that."
"Neither do you! But I do know that none of my friends would've been content not fighting. Peter had plans to join the Auror program, but only got an 'A' in Transfiguration because he was so nervous. And Dorcas only became a Healer because she knew that we were all too reckless to keep going on without one, so she stepped up. Marlene, Sirius, James, and Lily were all going to be Aurors, too, but they worked for the Order instead since they could start fighting sooner."
"You still think Sirius was your friend? He betrayed you. He betrayed all of you."
"He betrayed you, too," Remus snaps. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Dumbledore. James and Lily's funeral will be tomorrow in Godric's Hollow at five o'clock. I've already made arrangements with Bathilda Bagshot that you're allowed to Floo to her house. Wear Muggle clothing, if you please. Good day."
He's about to stalk out when a phoenix Patronus appears. Aberforth groans and he stalks out of the room just as Dumbledore's voice says, "Remus, if you're available, I would like you to meet me and Alastor in my office within the hour." Frowning, Remus leaves the Hog's Head and walks up to the castle, the same path he'd traveled dozens of times with James and Sirius and Peter and all the rest of his now dead friends.
He has a feeling his thoughts are going to stay rather morbid for a little while.
Filch meets him at the door and scowls the second he sees him, but then lets him in and Remus heads right up to Dumbledore's office. Mad-Eye is standing outside the door, scowling, but he's rather used to seeing that.
"How's the new leg treating ya, Mad-Eye?"
"Cauldron Cakes," Mad-Eye says to the statue, and leads Remus up the stairs without another word, his new wooden leg clomping all the way up.
"Ah, Alastor, Remus. Come in," Dumbledore says. The two take a seat in front of his desk, Mad-Eye shifting as he tries to sit down with his leg that he's clearly still not used to.
"What's this about, Professor?"
"James and Lily's will. And, to a lesser extent, Peter's."
"Peter's?"
"Yes. Do you know where it might be?"
"It's supposed to be in his Gringotts vault. That's where he said it was."
"Well, it's not," Alastor retorts, "And an Auror team has already swept his flat, at his mother's request. Nobody can find it."
"I have no idea where it is, I promise," Remus says.
"Then that's settled, then. Everything should go to his parents," Dumbledore decides.
"What about Emmeline? Shouldn't she get anything?" Remus asks.
"I spoke to her earlier. She said that they broke up a few weeks ago, and anything that had been left to her would've been reverted back to his parents," Dumbledore replies.
"Emmeline and Peter broke up?" Remus asks, "Before his death? She said a few weeks ago? No one told me."
"Maybe they realized there was a war going on and it wasn't the time," Mad-Eye tells him sharply, though it almost seems like there's a sincerity in his voice Remus hasn't heard before.
It's… unsettling, to say the least.
"Maybe," Remus says, slinking back in his seat.
"And the Order of Merlin? His mother will collect it?" Mad-Eye asks.
"Peter's getting the Order of Merlin?" Remus says before Dumbledore can answer.
"First Class," Mad-Eye grunts.
That's when Remus starts to cry.
"He always wanted people to see he was brave," he says quietly.
"They know he was," Dumbledore answers. Remus nods and dries his eyes before sitting up.
"But you called me here to talk about James and Lily's will."
"Yes. I found a stack of letters with it, and this one was addressed to you," Mad-Eye says, handing over a rolled up piece of parchment that says Moony on it in Lily's perfect handwriting.
"Thank you. I hope to see you in Godric's Hollow tomorrow for the funeral? Preferably in Muggle clothing?"
"We'll see," Mad-Eye says, and Dumbledore smiles sadly at him.
"You can use the fireplace in here, if you'd like," Dumbledore adds. Remus thanks them and, clutching the letter like a lifeline, he Floos back to his flat.
He sets the letter down on his desk, but chooses not to read it until tomorrow. He'll be crying all day, anyways, so what's one more thing to add?