Hey all, updating! Thanks for the reviews! Loving them so much...I am sooo busy right now, but kinda miserable from all the horrible stuff going on, so letting it out through the miracle of writing and Harry Potter! xx

Chapter twenty-five – dealing with death

The whole school seemed to know the following morning and they all mourned as one, despite some of the Slytherins. The staff and the students from the three remaining houses mostly knew the Potters and at least knew James and knew how he must be suffering.

The morning dawned cold and grey, as if the weather too was in mourning. Breakfast was quieter than usual, particularly at the Griffindor and staff tables.

"Potter." McGonagall spoke softly. The group jumped having not noticed her approach.

"James, could you please come to my office?" She asked, and Sirius swore he could see tears glistening in the beady eyes behind the spectacles.

James glanced up at her meekly for a moment before standing up. Lily stood up too. For a moment McGonagall just looked from one to the other and then she nodded, turning and walking away from the group.

Lily took James' hand and followed their head of house down the cold, stone corridors.

Soon Lily became aware of shuffling footsteps behind her and looked back to see Sirius following them.

They turned a corner and followed McGonagall's tartan back into her office.

"Please, sit." She offered, conjuring steaming mugs of tea and some biscuits. "My mother always used to say tea helps in situations like this." She said by way of an explanation.

The three sat in silence, while the fourth looked on. McGonagall herself was saddened by the news she had received, having known the Potters through the Order of the Phoenix, of which she was an honorary member.

"Sirius, this is most unlike you, where is the shameless flirting?" She asked, in an attempt to bring smiles to their faces. Each mouth uplifted slightly, but not enough to be classed as a smile.

McGonagall sighed.

"Well, of course James, there is the funeral to be considered. Since they were part of the order I have suggested that the order arranges the funeral, though the task would normally fall to you, their only living relative, but I doubt you are capable of such a task, are you?" McGonagall said softly, regarding the boy in question.

He nodded; indicating that the path she had taken was fine by him.

"And of course you shall have time off to attend. Sirius too, since he was always considered their second son." Sirius blinked back tears.

Lily looked up, the question in her eyes.

"And I'm guessing that you would like Lily to be there too?" The two boys nodded.

"No, I'd feel out of place there." Lily said softly, shaking her head.

James grabbed her hand, hidden by the desk at which they were all seated.

"Lily, I'm sure you would be in exactly the right place." McGonagall did not add that that place was James' side. "I know they had heard a lot about you from James, and Sirius too. Besides, I think both these boys will need you there."

The two boys nodded, their eyes beseeching Lily to go with them.

Lily nodded.

"When is it?" Sirius asked, his voice cracking slightly.

"The day after tomorrow."

The three nodded and rose to leave, sensing dismissal.

"Oh and boys?" McGonagall called.

"I expect there to be more pranks to punish you for soon. Life at Hogwarts would become very boring without you two." She smiled at the two and they stared back, smiles on their faces once more, despite the surrounding sadness.

"Yes ma'am." James nodded, though his glum looks returned as he left the room.

"Sirius?"

"Yes, professor?"

"I almost feel neglected without you playful flirtation, so cheer up soon."

Sirius stared back incredulously until McGonagall shooed him with her hands. She closed the door behind him, knowing that she would regret encouraging him sooner or later, but at least it had forced this terrible business from his mind.

"I love you Minerva." He shouted through the door, apparently having recovered himself. And McGonagall, pleased to see him returning to his normal self, giggled as if she were a schoolgirl.

XXXXXXX

The day of the funeral dawned sunny, the first sunny day they had experienced for a while. It was as if the weather, previously so in sympathy with their feelings, was now mocking them.

The three Hogwarts students, turned out in black, stood in McGonagall's room once more. The fire before them swirled a bright jade green and one by one they stepped into it, shouting "Potter mansion."

Lily was stunned by James' home, but barely noticed the splendour of the place because her eyes barely left James once they found him again.

Sirius shuffled along, looking more like a lost puppy than he had ever looked before. James' eyes were red, bloodshot and unseeing as he wandered, greeting friends and acquaintances. Most of the people there were in the order. He saw the Longbottoms in one corner.

The three took their seats right at the very front, not having the energy or the will to remain standing.

A wizard with a tuft of brownish hair appeared. He was short and seemed far too cheerful for a funeral, but it appeared that it was he who would conduct the events.

The funeral wore on, James went up to say a few words and returned to Lily choking back more tears. Everyone felt sorry for the one surviving Potter.

The moment came to bid his parents a final goodbye and James couldn't stand it. He forced the word through trembling lips as the brown haired wizard used his wand to cover the graves. They were buried in the family cemetery of their home, following Potter tradition.

Lily and Sirius lifted James from his knees and carried him back into the empty house. They were to stay there overnight before returning to Hogwarts.

Eventually James came to and said, "Lils, there's some blankets in the cupboard on the landing." Lily fetched them and arranged them on the floor. It was barely dark, but the three of them needed to escape waking thought.

Normally Sirius and James shared a room as they had discovered it was much more fun this way. Sirius took his normal bed and Lily went to sleep in the blankets on the floor, but James stopped her.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked her.

"Er, going to sleep?" She replied uncertainly, lying down and looking up at him. He was so very tall.

His eyes narrowed and he lifted her bodily.

"Wha-?" She said, before being dumped on James' bed. James blew out the candles and climbed into the blankets on the floor.

Lily was not having that.

"James?" He turned to look at her. She sighed. "Fine." She grumbled. James chuckled and Lily brightened to hear him chuckle again.

She snuggled down, as did James. Sirius appeared to be already in a dead sleep, and Lily guessed he was emotionally drained from today.

After much tossing and turning, Lily whispered. "James?"

"Yeah?" Came the answer.

Lily patted the bed beside her and through the darkness saw his shape move to come sit on the bed beside her.

"I can't sleep." She told him.

"Me either."

The two sighed. Then Lily lifted the covers, inviting James to join her.

The two snuggled down again. The both of them quickly fell asleep with the comfort of each other's arms around them.

REVIEW xxx