Author's Note: This scene could've taken place during chapter thirty-two, "The Elder Wand," of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
Summary: Harry, Ron and Hermione stumble upon Remus on their way to the Whomping Willow. (I thought Remus deserved a death scene.)
A Harry Potter Anthology
PenPatronus
Story #4: What Remained in Remus
Sizzling spells of green and red, of yellow and violet lit the grounds enough for Harry to avoid rocks and bushes and the still bodies lying in the grass. The Whomping Willow was just ahead of him, and Ron and Hermione were just behind. Harry clutched his wand and willed more speed out of his legs. It was time to find the snake.
"Ron! Come on!"
Harry tried to stop too fast and had to brace his fingers against the grass to keep his balance. Hermione was ten yards from him, and Ron was kneeling on the ground twenty from her. For a moment Harry's heart stalled, but after a second look he was relieved to see that Ron wasn't injured. The image of Fred's unseeing eyes was still raw in his mind.
"Ron!" Hermione cried again. He was kneeling beside a body.
Ron looked up. Damp dirt and ash mixed with the sweat on his face. "It's Lupin! He's—" A blue curse blazed past Ron's head, alighting his blue eyes. Ron yelped and ducked.
Harry broke back into a sprint, casting a shield charm around Ron and Lupin as he went. Hermione reached them first, and covered Ron and Harry as they quickly carried Remus Lupin out of the line of fire, as they had with Fred. Two figures had emerged from some unseen shadow of the battle. Deep in a duel were Nymphadora Tonks and the Death Eater Dolohov. Her hair was violently red, blazing like her eyes. Harry knew that look. Dolohov had murdered someone she loved, and Tonks was fighting to kill.
"Get down!" Harry shouted as one of Dolohov's deflected spells soared towards them. Harry pulled Ron and Hermione down against Remus' chest.
The beating heart Harry heard didn't surprise him nearly as much as the sudden gasp.
"Nymphadora!"
Hermione and Harry jumped back on their haunches, and Ron leapt to his feet from surprise. Remus' eyes were open, his mouth working. He stared at Harry, and recognition settled in his eyes.
"James."
Harry looked at Ron, who shrugged. Then he looked at Hermione, tears hovering in her eyes, who nodded. She silently mouthed the words "comfort him."
"That's right," Harry said, the words choking him. Harry cupped Remus' white face, skin as white as a full moon. He placed the heels of his palms to Remus' shoulders and rocked and pushed, trying to keep Remus awake. From the pressure, blood, deathly red blood billowed up from between the threads of Remus' coat. The blood pricked Harry's fingertips as if it were spiked.
"Remus!"
"Hemophilia Hex," Hermione breathed from Harry's right. Blood was soaking through nearly every inch of Lupin's body and pooling around their knees. Even the wrinkles on his cheeks appeared to have cracked open.
"Harry…" Ron's voice from above was soothing but urgent. "It's too late, Harry, the snake—"
"No." Harry spoke the word as if it were a spell: with conviction, with certainty. It was a command.
"James…" Remus whispered, "Forgive me?"
In the background, Tonks was starting to overpower Dolohov. The only spells he could get off were in defense.
"For what?" Harry asked as himself.
"Harry…I've tried to protect Harry…I'm not his godfather but…There's a horrible battle, James, forgive me but I'm not sure where Harry is…" Remus coughed on the blood leaking from his mouth.
"Shhh," Harry soothed. "It's alright, Moony, Harry's fine…And you were a father figure to him…The battle's over…Everyone's safe."
Peace replaced the weariness in Remus' face. "Good." Suddenly he tensed again. "Where's Lily…Where is Sirius?"
Harry gulped. "Waiting for you. They—We've missed you very much." Harry took Remus' hand in his. "Close your eyes…They'll be here when you wake up."
"Sirius will be here?"
"Yes. Close your eyes."
Remus obeyed. He trusted. He started to close his eyes, but his last breath beat him. Remus, like Fred, exhaled his last breath while smiling, and the smile froze forever.
Just as Harry, Ron and Hermione entered the Willow's roots, a figure came out from around the still tree. She raised her wand and a smile wormed out from her face. Nymphadora Tonks hadn't seen her, but Bellatrix Lestrange never fought fair.
She stepped over Remus' dead body, and cursed Tonks in the back.
An End
