To Start with a Memory Chapter 11: When There is Nothing Else to Say, a harry potter fanfic

A/N: Whoo chapter eleven! I found a Harry Potter fanfiction site similar to FF and squealed…that's saying something because I never squeal. I sooo own all of the HP fandom you just don't know it yet! Lol

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Chapter 11: When there is nothing else to say

+SPOV+

The funeral was what I expected it to be; people that cried and others that didn't. James stood with his parents on the other side of the grave while Avril kept her distance from them on the opposite side, Dumbledore between the two parties. She hadn't spoken a word since she asked me to stay with her in the hospital ward of the school that night and she still looked paler then normal, her eyes slightly puffy from extensive crying. As the eulogy neared its end, a small group of three men made their way towards us, their faces taught with grief as they stopped before Avril, one reaching out and grabbing her hand to hold warmly in his own.

"Avril I'm sorry we had to see you again under these circumstances." The tallest one spoke, his hair light brown hair speckled with bits of grey as lines of years of worry were evident on his face, "I wish we all could have sat down once more with a good cup of tea and you listening to us tell stories about how troublesome our old friend was." he looked as though he had been through the years had not been kind to him.

The three smiling at old memories that looked to have surfaced suddenly.

I watched silently as the sandy blonde of the three, gripped her shoulder softly. "Maybe when you feel up to it we can get together and talk horribly about him." He smiled warmly and suddenly he reminded me a great deal of Remus.

"With our terrible luck." The shorter of the three spoke, "He'll haunt us for it!" he chuckled and I watched as his green eyes sparkled a bit at the idea.

Avril suddenly let out a loud laugh that drew the attention of her parents and several others finding it rather appalling that she was laughing at a funeral, but the three men laughed with her.

"With his sense of humor he'd pop right out of the kettle!" the taller man spoke again trying to hold back his laughter.

"The loo's more of a likely spot he'd try to scare the shit out of us then any other place." The shorter fellow said and the four laughed harder and I couldn't help not to myself, catching onto the smaller joke that was snuck in there when James' father was abruptly upon the small group we had created.

"Do you find this an appropriate place to joke and laugh?" he demanded his voice quite low and harsh. I had never heard him like that before, but then again I can't say I really knew him that well.

"Yes." They said in unison that might have well have knocked over the older man who looked astounded.

"Well I don't think Tully would find it to his liking to see his supposed mate's laughing over his grave." He replied angrily.

"That statement alone tells us that you didn't know your brother as well as we did." The blonde stranger retorted straightening out, his hazel eyes daring the older man to challenge him.

"Don't proceed to tell me what I did and did not know about my own brother, Owen." He said finally identifying the man.

"We have every right." The shorter one hissed.

"My father said he would prefer people to laugh over his grave then to cry over it." Avril suddenly spoke up, her voice solid and full of the things it use to hold, "Celebrate death and mourn birth he always said. It's the body we're attached to when it's the soul we need to recognize…he's gone home."

Mr. Potter looked stunned and didn't look like he planned to come out of this one, his mouth a gap as the other's stood strongly behind her. "Then he told you?"

"Don't be stupid Uncle Charlus." She snarled, "It was an obvious point I tried to ignore, but I can't anymore can I? You never loved me like a father should because I'm not yours. I admit I did have my suspicions even before that night. Just the way you looked at me with distain…"

"I never hated you." He said matter-of-factly.

"But you never loved me. You were just cleaning up the mess you believed your brother created…though it was your fault for marrying the woman he loved." She looked as though she had lost her will suddenly to live and it worried me and I slipped my hand into hers giving it a squeeze and she responded equally, but continued. "I don't know your reasons for marrying mum. Hatred for my father or maybe because you fell in love I don't care but either way you're no family of mine and you let me know that the instant you knew you could be rid of me."

"You don't know what you're talking about. Dorea isn't-- " Mr. Potter was cut off by the tallest of the four.

"Let her finish."

"I guess I should thank you though. If what had happened didn't then I would never have gotten to know him. So thank you, but these people here…" she gestured to the three men and James, "Stan, Owen, Ludo and James…their family."

"Avril…" he stuttered, his hands at his side twitched slightly as his eyes darted to Dumbledore and I began to wonder what the man had been going to say before he was cut off.

She put a hand up to stop him. "There's nothing else to say." My eyes watched as Dumbledore engaged James and Mrs. Potter in conversation, keeping them from making their way over to our small group in hushed whispers.

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It seemed to take us forever to get back from Godric's Hollow to Hogwarts; the three men following us up to the usually chained gates of the school, Avril and I still held hand unconsciously it seemed for we didn't realize it until one of the men spoke.

"Sorry not to introduce ourselves back there." Owen retorted directing his statement to me, his hand outstretched and I shook it wishing that I hadn't released her warm grip. "The names Owen Sirocco."

"Stan Mayfield." The tallest of the three said shaking my hand as well, the shorter one following suit.

"Ludovic Bagman" he replied gruffly, pushing his hair out of his line of vision. "Everyone just calls me Ludo."

"Black, Sirius Black." I retorted instantly regretting it when the three looked at me with wide eyes and befuddled looks.

"What did you say your last name was?" Stan questioned his mouth a gap.

"Black." I answered rather suspicious, but realized they probably knew my family history and wondered why their friends' daughter was holding on to me or the fact that she was even near me. I wasn't about to explain myself but thought otherwise when they abruptly burst into laughter causing both Avril and myself to raise questioning expressions.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Ludovic laughed.

Stan was bent over laughing, holding on to his knees for support as Owen braced himself against his friend, the three laughing to loudly that it was drawing the attention of James and his parents as they approached us.

"Don't tell me your mother is Walburga Black?" Owen asked, the other two trying to control themselves.

"Yeah but I was disowned a long time ago." I replied. I had no problem telling or showing my distain for my parents. "Why?"

The three broke out into more fits of laughter as James told his parents good-bye and to stood next to Avril.

"What's so funny?" he asked looking at the scene.

"Godric and Walburga were mortal enemies!" Owen declared and I perked up a bit at this news; we had one thing in common-- our hatred for that woman.

"Why?" though I had the feeling I knew the answer.

"He-- he-- " Ludovic gasped from breath wiping away his tears of laughter. "-- asked her out our third year and she started spouting her normal rants about how much of a blood traitor he was and well he didn't take kindly to it."

"He asked her out!" I spat, "Are you joking?!" I couldn't believe it, why would a man like Tully whose personality appeared so much like my own ask her out?

"No. Tully was going through the girl's like white on rice from the start of term that year until seventh year when he finally got her mum to go out with him." Stan said subsiding his laughing. It was rather creepy to hear that and realized I was just like Tully Potter; going from one girl to the next. Well at least we had two things in common.

James looked surprised. "Uncle Tully liked mum?" he asked

"Yeah he was really pinning for her." Owen smiled, "Had been asking her out since start of fifth year."

"Sounds like you mate." I said smirking at James and remembering his endeavors for Lily Evans though he had really been trying to since second year.

The others laughed as did James, but Avril didn't. She just simply smiled and it become conscious to me that when she said that there was nothing more to say, she had really meant it. I wanted to shake her, to force her to say something even if it was to stop or that she was going to hurt me if I didn't quit-- anything.

"Avril…" I was cut off when Dumbledore touched my shoulder giving starling me and shook his head softly as though to tell me not to press the matter with the young girl; so I didn't despite my urge.

"Telling the brilliant adventures of Tully Potter?" the Headmaster asked giving away his small smile.

"Dumbledore." They said in unison smiling, one after another reaching out and shaking the older man's hand.

"Good to see you again." Stan spoke, "You were always Tully's favorite teacher."

Dumbledore smiled warmly at this and what looked to be great pride in his eyes for his former students, but chose to say nothing in response.

"We were about to tell young Black here about how Tully use to blow his mother back into the lake with the squid at least once a month." Ludovic smirked as the group laughed, I wished I could have been there to witness it. It would have been bloody fantastic!

A/N: Wahh! Short chapter!!! Another one of those that just feel right being short. The next chapter will be longer though! Promise!

Other notes:

- I own Godric, Owen, Stan, Avril and Dorea

- I love the name Owen, but it makes me think of Owen Wilson…though I love him too even with his broken nose that sets him apart!

- Had to change some things in chapter 10 because something I hadn't realized began to conflict with other parts of my story.