Disclaimer: Anything that is in any way affiliated with Harry Potter (I'm talking characters, setting etc.) belongs to JKR. I just like to play with her ideas.

Note: I apologise for the wait: this was a long time in the making, and I needed the perfect song, just to pull it all together. The perfect one hit me this afternoon, and all this has flowed forth from that. I hope you enjoy it, and as always I'd love to hear your thoughts!

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Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost, but now am found

Was blind, but now I see

- Amazing Grace, John Newton (1772)

Closure
31st October 1999

"How long has he been out here?" Lily murmured softly, eyes following the wispy figure pacing through the mist.

James stiffened in anger, his arms tightening around her, but Lily shrugged against his chest calmly. The question needed to be asked, and it seemed she was the one to ask it.

The official scratched his head, puzzled. "Well, you see, we don't actually know," he confessed apologetically. "Someone passed through his morning and told us he was out there, but he hasn't been able to get through."

"Good."

Sirius spoke with unusual conviction, his voice cold and distant. "So why are we here, then?"

The official shrugged. "He was speaking your names, you see. Wants to speak to you. James and Lily and Sirius and Remus and Dumbledore and Snape, he was chanting, like. That's you, isn't it?"

James gave a short nod. "That's all well and good, but we have absolutely no wish to speak to him," he told the man, sympathetic but equally as cold as Sirius.

Remus cleared his throat awkwardly. "I know I have less say in this than you do, James, but – what's the harm in hearing him speak?"

"Harm?" Sirius repeated in disbelief. "The lying scum killed them, Moony!"

Snape cleared his throat awkwardly, glancing at Lily's feet. "I – I'm afraid he wasn't the only one with a hand in their … er…"

Lily reached out to pat his arm comfortingly. "Nonsense, Sev, how could you have known…?"

"I don't get why you're here, anyway," Sirius muttered under his breath, crossing his arms.

Snape sneered. "He asked for me too, Black," he replied shortly, before turning once again to observe the spectacle outside. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to go," he added, voice gentler as he met Lily's eyes sympathetically. "He's all… translucent, and something strange is going on. I don't see the harm in finding out."

Lily's lips twitched in a small smile of approval, and she gave him a slight nod, drawing out of her husband's hold.

"You're absolutely right, Sev. I agree." She glanced up at James questioningly and took his hand. "Come on, you big brave Auror, you. Let's go have a chat with our old friend Wormy."

- - -

Peter Pettigrew had never looked worse. He was short and pudgy, hair thinning, eyes as watery as ever, and to make matters worse, he appeared to be transparent. Transparent! He supposed he had died, although he couldn't say how, or how he knew, and he was stuck in this strange misty place, pacing around and around the strange golden gate which seemed to exist without leading anywhere in particular. And for some reason, he was a strange, opaque kind of colour, as though he didn't really exist – ghost-like, and yet more solid than a ghost, more definite. So there he found himself, pacing in the increasingly thick gog, as he had been for what felt like weeks, maybe even months… and he couldn't get through that damned golden gate.

The damned golden gate opened, and five figures emerged from nowhere, single file, before grouping together on the edge of the mist. And they were staring at him.

Peter stared back, and suddenly a shock ran through his body (if one could call it a body), and he recognised them.

They'd come, after all! Against all odds… His friends… his old friends…

Clasping his hands together anxiously, he hurried forward.

"James! Lily! Hello, Remus, Sirius. Snape."

If Snape had noticed he had received the coolest greeting, he gave nothing away. In fact, none of them did. They watched Peter hurry forth, faces impassive. All except for James, whose eyes were angry, mouth set into a thin line, free hand clenched.

If Peter didn't know better, he would have thought James wanted to punch him!

James did just that, body set and arm swinging; and without any time to step back or duck, Peter flinched, closing his eyes as he waited for impact.

It didn't come.

He opened his eyes, surprised, to find James stumble before him. The anger left his face, in a moment of confusion that quickly turned to revulsion, and then it clicked. James' hand – or rather, fist – had passed straight through him!

"What are you?" James hissed in disbelief, his voice thick with disgust.

- - -

"Lying, murdering scum," Sirius drawled easily, breaking the stunned silence as Lily moved forward to examine James, although, of course, nothing was terribly the matter with him. "That's all he is, Prongs. Don't bother with the likes of him, he's not worth your time."

Peter blinked. "Now really, Sirius, that is a bit uncalled for."

Out of habit, he turned to appeal to Remus, reasonable Remus, who appraised him with his thoughtful eyes, frowning. "What are you doing here, Peter?"

"I would have thought that was quite simple," a voice interrupted from behind the party.

Everyone turned to stare - even Lily and James, who had been talking in quiet, urgent whispers – as Albus Dumbledore made his way out through the gates. "Sorry I'm late, Ariana was fussing."

Snape, who was the only one to react to Dumbledore's arrival with anything but relief, shrugged. "You're here now. It seems we have a situation."

"Indeed," Dumbledore agreed thoughtfully, approaching Peter, eyes hard.

Peter gave him a nod of respect. "Good to see you, Headmaster."

Dumbledore looked genuinely surprised. "Is it?"

"He can't remember," Lily interrupted, voice surprisingly steady.

Peter's eyes widened as he read the pity in her face. What was happening?

"You can't remember?" Dumbledore repeated thoughtfully, once again addressing Peter, who shrugged.

"He can't remember?" Sirius looked as though he was about to hyperventilate. "Merlin, that's rich!"

Peter clutched at his hands, feeling increasingly anxious. "What?" he asked, voice insistent. "What can't I remember?"

He glanced amongst his friends, desperate for someone – anyone – to meet his eyes. Even Dumbledore looked away, peering vaguely toward where Peter supposed was the sky; Snape glared straight through him – why had he wanted him there, anyway? He wondered. He had seemed necessary at the time…

Finally, desperately, Peter turned to James and Lily. James pointedly turned away, but Lily – Lily met his eyes.

She frowned, obviously struggling to find the words, and then-

"You sold us to Voldemort," she told Peter quietly, her voice hauntingly gentle.

Peter choked. "Don't be ridiculous!" he protested weakly.

Remus sighed, folding his arms across his chest and looking defeated. "That's what I thought," he agreed sadly.

"And you framed me," Sirius added, able to speak now the silence had been broken.

"You went into hiding," Dumbledore contributed absently. "As a rat, of all things, I do believe. Hmmm?"

"And you resurrected the Dark Lord," Snape added silkily, his voice dripping with loathing.

As one by one, their words sunk in, Peter clutched at his face, head shaking vehemently. Lies! It must all be lies!

Finally, James delivered the deathly blow.

"You betrayed us. Lily and I died, Sirius went to Azkaban, and Remus was abandoned. You betrayed us, Peter."

Something tugged at Peter's insides, wrenching them from him, and twisting, tearing away at him…

"Are… are – you can't be – are you sure? I – I mean – me! No, no, never…"

"You were weak," Snape interrupted coldly. "You were weak, and you're a traitor still, Wormtail. You don't belong here."

- - -

Dumbledore gazed calmly around the scene. Lily was crying now, trembling as silent tears coursed down her face. James held her, the arch of his body still rigid with fury, although Dumbledore was certain the words he murmured into his wife's ear were gentle. Sirius' fists were clenched, pure hatred etched across his handsome face; and Remus – Remus eyed Peter sadly, his disappointment, even after all this time, still fresh. Snape glared mercilessly at the quivering, transparent little man, swathed in fog.

Dumbledore eyed the fog thoughtfully. Perhaps -? But no, surely not?

Peter closed his eyes, clutching at his face as he moaned, moaned in absolute despair and agony, and then–

Dumbledore blinked. James and Lily and Remus straightened; Sirius and Snape drew their wands.

But he was gone.

Peter had vanished, just like that, his transparent body dispersing into the mist, as though he had never been there in the first place.

- - -

James watched the fog, the horror of realisation slowly dawning on him.

What had Dumbledore said about passing on? Only those of pure soul may pass through the golden gate…

And everyone else simply vanishes into the mist? Lily had asked.

James eyed the white clouds, now more sinister than peaceful. The mist wasn't mist at all! It was made of souls: the broken souls of those who couldn't pass through the golden gate. People didn't vanish into the mist; they vanished to mist!

James suppressed a shudder, drawing Lily closer, as though to protect her from the fog.

"Let's go," he murmured, fighting down his repulsion.

Lily read it in his eyes. She frowned, nodding, and took his hand once more, drawing him back inside.

James glanced back out into the mist for a final time, relieved to leave it behind him. He met Dumbledore's eyes: the old man nodded slightly before glancing away, face thoughtful. He held out his wrinkled old hand as though to run the thick fog through his fingers… And then, as though he thought better of it, he withdrew it again, and moved inside shaking his head sadly, the last of their group.

The golden gate clanged shut behind him.