DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, or any of the content referenced/quoted. Warning for swearing.

...

The Death in the Family

Dawn creeps in through the crack in the curtains, waking Em. She groans and attempts to burrow herself deeper into her pillows. As she wriggles, a grunt comes from behind her. Em peers out between the gaps in her arms to see Remus, adorably sleep mussed, drooling into his pillow.

She grins quietly at the sight. A hand reaches up to trail across his face gently; he snorts and nudges at his face with his hand.

Em watches him sleep for a few moments. He seems so much more at peace when he is asleep; the worry lines are smoother, his jaw less tense, and the eye bags under his eyes lighter.

After a minute or so, the new day starts to beckon. Em crawls quietly out of bed and into a stray jumper of Remus'. She shuffles from the room, shivering. Scratchers appears from a shadowy corner and follows her, circling her ankles with his furry coat.

Cass' loud snores follow her down the hall and into the kitchen, and Em giggles at the sound. She doesn't think the loud, rumbling sound of her small sister snoring would ever not be funny.

The dawn casts a warm glow across the kitchen floor and Em hums as she moves to start the coffee maker. It whirs softly to life and within minutes, she is perched at the counter with a warm coffee clasped in her hands. She places a bowl out for Scratchers who happily tucks in before disappearing into the shadows of the house.

She only has to wait five minutes before Remus appears, still half-asleep, roused by the scent of caffeine in the air.

"Morning," he murmurs as she hands him his mug.

She reaches up to kiss his cheek, "Good morning, love. Sleep ok?"

He settles in the seat beside her, gulping at the still hot coffee.

"Ok," he says, "It's a bit touch and go this close to the, ah…"

He trails off to run a hand through his hair.

"This close to the full moon," she finishes for him.

"Yes, ah, that."

He stands abruptly and starts to rustle through the cupboards. His back is to her now, but she can see the tense lines in his shoulders. She sighs.

"Remus."

"Yes?"

She stands and makes her way over to him as he pulls out bread and croissants and cereal to clutter the counter. Her hands rest on his back and he stills.

"We've talked about this, Remus."

"I know, I just," he huffs, hunching in on himself, "It's not normal, Em. You're talking about it like we're talking about the weather."

"It's your life, Remus, it's our life."

"I'm not...I'm not comfortable with it," he says. "It's not-"

"Remus," she tugs at his arm until he turns to face her. His gaze remains averted from hers until she reaches for his face, "Remus, I love you."

"I love you too," he mumbles.

"You're not going to hurt me-" he starts to protest, but she halts his words with a stern glare. "You're not going to hurt me, Remus. I'm not scared of you. I will never be scared of you. I'm going to keep telling you that until you believe me."

They stare at each other. Finally, Remus sighs and leans into the hand cupping his face. He nods and a soft smile crosses her face.

"Come sit with me," she says. "Bring all your breakfasts with you, if you like too."

She smirks as his face flushes, eyes darting to the clutter that now decorates her kitchen counter. Em leads him to the island, where they sit sipping their coffee as the sun rises over London.

Later, she warms and butters a few croissants for the two of them. Remus wolfs down his food between pages of 'Flowers for Algernon' as she reads the latest headlines in the Prophet. Cass continues to snore in the other room.

Suddenly there's a thump at the door. Em looks up at Remus, who raises an eyebrow at her.

"EEMMM!" A shout comes from behind the door. "BEESST WITHERS!"

"Oh for Godric's sake," Em says, quickly moving to the door. She pointedly ignores Remus' snickering.

"EEEEEM-Oh," Sirius looks up at Em as she swings open her flat door. He is lying on the floor. "That was fast."

"What are you doing on the floor?" She asks. Her nose wrinkles as the stench of fire whiskey floods her senses.

"The floor? I'm not on the-oh. I am. I am on the floor."

"Yes, Sirius, but what are you doing down there?"

"I think I fell. Maybe."

Em turns as Remus approaches the door. He peers down at his drunk friend with a curious expression.

"Moony!" Sirius cries, making no move to get off the floor. "You're here too! All of my friends in one place! Except James, and maybe Pete. Are they here too!"

"Alright, Pads, why don't we get you off the floor and inside, hm?" Remus bends down to help Sirius up. The pair stumble into the flat and Em closes the door firmly behind them.

Sirius mumbles to himself as they help him onto the sofa. Remus shoots Em a concerned look.

She perches beside the drunk man, "Sirius?"

"Em?" He blinks at her as if just realising she was there, "Em, Em, Best Withers!"

"Is everything ok?"

"Ok?" He looks between Remus and her, "Of course! My best mate is engag-engage-set to get hitched, you too finally gots together, and Regulus is...Reggie is..."

He trails off, his face growing dark and Em sees something she hasn't for a while - something dark, lonely and so familiar.

"Sirius?"

"Reggie is dead."

Em doesn't know what to say, and judging from the look on Remus' face, he didn't either.

"Told him old Moldy would kill him," Sirius says. "Told him he would probs deserve it for following him so blindly, told him...told him…"

Sirius breaks off into great heaving sobs and he buries his face into his hands. Em's heart squeezes painfully at the sight and she moves closer to tug him close. Sirius turns towards her, burying his head into her neck as he continues to sob. The sound is a horrible hoarse bark, as if someone has twisted Sirius' bright laughter into something dark and broken.

Remus rubs his friend's back gently. The three of them sit huddled on the sofa still, until later Cass appears at the door roused by the sound of Sirius' sobs, followed by James and Lily, and then Frank, Alice and Marlie.

The seven of them order takeout, pretending not to notice the red rim around Sirius' eyes or the hollow look in his face even as he laughs and fights with the boys. And if he cries when they raise a toast to Regulus, none of them utters a word.

It becomes a ritual of sorts after a while, informal gatherings at the Withers' flat and a toast to the fallen. The grim stench of death lingers in Em's home and no matter how hard she tries, she can't seem to rid herself of it.