Epilogue

Disclaimer: same as chapter 1

Two years later, on a cold rainy day in November, Remus dragged a patio chair and a cup of tea a short distance from his back door. He placed the chair at the foot of two simple graves. "Well Sirius, I have some things to tell you."

He was quiet for a few minutes, feeling the drizzle dampen his clothing, sipping his tea and reflecting. Sirius had never fully recovered. He had been happy at times in the two year they had had together, but he could not function in the world. Perhaps, it had been for the best that as a wanted criminal, he had not been forced to interact with strangers or face unpredictable situations.

Just as he had predicted, he had died young, doing something stupid. 'And something noble, as I would have guessed,' Remus added to himself.

Many of their happiest times had been after Remus perfected the animagus transformation. He did not become a wolf as expected, but a large gray dog. It appeared that like one's patronis could change in to match that of a soulmate, so too could one's animagus form.

After Sirius died there had been no body to bury. Remus had bought a simple headstone, something so plain and simple it would have offended any member of the Black family had any been alive to see it. He knew this alone would have made Sirius smile.

The second grave, with its matching marker was also empty. William Goyle was inscribed on the other headstone. Dumbledore had found the name from the vague description of his age and date of imprisonment. He had been predeceased by his son and his only granddaughter had given birth to twins last month. The family had squandered much of their fortune funding Voldemort during the first war. It would be a welcome surprise to find a scholarship included in the twins Hogwarts letters eleven years from now. If Dumbledore had wondered why Remus had paid tuition for the children of two loyal deatheaters, he had never asked.

Remus forced his mind back to the present. "Padfoot, I am going to marry Tonks. I haven't misled her, I've told her the truth about everything. She persists in wanting to be together. Sirius, I want a child. Since she is your cousin, perhaps our child will have a little of you in him. I don't have the strength to love twice like you did. I'll be good to her though. I will make something of the time I have left."

Placing his cup down with care, he lay on the ground in the empty place to the left of Sirius's grave. He closed his eyes and whispered, "I'm coming home soon, Love you."