J'y Suis, J'y Reste
He frowned and winced against the bright sun, his contorted staff clunking against the cobblestone path each time it touched. The sun shone through his closed eyes and he had a vision of his past. Laughing, grinning people being drawn toward his destination, the enormous, long-standing castle, in black, horseless carriages. He caught view of an amused, smirking redhead, punching her boyfriend impishly in the arm, before the sun hid behind the trees. He swallowed hard and forced himself onward. He'd ran away ten years before, he had to come back now, no matter how unpleasant it may be. He hobbled up the steps and through the aged, timber entrance. It snapped behind him with a dull clunk. There were children swarming around him, clutching books, bags, and purses, scrambling to get to class on time. Walking down the halls from his own ancient days of schooling, he found his way to an old stone gargoyle, cracked, missing its right ear and half its left foot. He tried the names of several different candies, finally ending with bogie bean. It suddenly sprang aside and rested, waiting for him to pass. The marble slid shut behind him. He stumbled up the steps and stopped at a large, wooden door. He could go back. There was still time. He didn't have to do this. Nevertheless, he found his free hand rapping sharply on the door. No, he thought furiously, turn back. Too late. A silver-haired, stooped, extremely old man pulled the heavy door open.
" I wondered when you would be coming back," He whispered. "You have no idea what this will mean to everyone." He stepped forward.
" Albus. please don't make this harder on me." The man looked down at his feet, running his hand through his own white hair.
Albus cleared his throat.
"Yes, of course. Please step in, so we may catch up on the times." Albus stepped back, and the other man stepped reluctantly across the threshold. There were about five puffy armchairs, a large marble desk, a few cabinets, and behind the door, a large perch, with a large scarlet phoenix sleeping up top.
The man chose a red and gold armchair and sank into it, happy for the chance to rest his feet. Albus sat down behind the desk and peered into his brown eyes.
"You wanted to know about Harry?" Albus muttered, his voice low and confident. He sat back against his chair.
" Yes," The old man said, though rather reluctantly. Albus could still practically read his mind, and it bothered him. He didn't quite appreciate people looking into his thoughts. He kept his mouth shut tight.
" He got good marks in school, even after you disappeared. He fell in love with Ginny Weasley, and they got married four years ago. Harry is 25, Ginny 24. They have one child, Lily, who is only a very small baby. They had one before her, Sirius. He died of SIDS when he was just 6 months. Ginny thought she'd never have another. She was too afraid to lose another child. They were so overjoyed when Lily came. Harry is still walking on air and she's been here for almost a month already." Albus chuckled and wiped a tear that was carousing down his face. " Harry plays for England, he's the Seeker of course. The Potters live in Godric's Hollow, in Lily and James' old house. They're doing quite well, and their very happy together."
Portraits of Lily and James, forever imprinted in his mind, came swimming into view. Lily's shining red locks, her greens eyes, and her three despised freckles on her perfect nose. James' black hair replaced Lily's, the eyes turned brown, glasses glinted brightly in the imaginary light, and a small black goatee finished the picture.
The old man sighed and walked to the window, looking out to a very old oak tree.
"And the old crowd?" The old man whispered, fearing the answer that he knew would come.
"All of them dead. except you." Albus muttered. He risked a quick glance toward the window.
"I'll leave you alone," Albus said. He shut the door with a click and went to attend his business.
.: FLASHBACK:.
"Tie a yellow ribbon 'round the old oak tree." The charming, sparkling words rose up to the fair clouds, swirling with the early December breeze. An attractive red head stood at the base of a large oak tree, grasping the ends of a lacy yellow ribbon in her hands, preparing to tie it around the trunk.
" Come again?" A too-tall boy with black hair and glasses said the red head, grinning devilishly. His grin grew wider when the red head looked at him.
" Oh, James!" The red head cried. " You've GOT to know how it goes!" She frowned at him.
"Sorry, Lily, but uh. no." James winked at her. He moved closer and leaned against the trunk of an old pine.
" Well, it's an old muggle folksong," Lily explained, brushing a strand of crimson hair from her face. "It's about a girl, her true love goes off to war. Before he leaves, he tells her to tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree in front of her home if she still loves him, but if she doesn't still love him, to leave the tree alone. When he comes back, there's a yellow ribbon tied around the tree." She sighed. " It's such a sweet song."
James frowned. She was full, of that mushy, romantic stuff. His problem was, that whenever he was around her, he was full of romantic stuff, too. James' heart fluttered as he looked at her, smiling softly and fashioning the ribbon into a bow.
Lily looked up at James, her emerald eyes sparkling wildly, her cherry locks swirling about her face with the wind.
"Lily?" James pulled Lily down on the ground beside him and took her petite, delicate hands in his. "You know I love you with all my heart."
"James, I couldn't do anything but love you." Lily searched his eyes. "You know that."
"Well, you know that Voldemort is rising. And I'm afraid that when we leave this year. I'll. lose touch with you. We're both seventeen. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He pulled a ring from his pocket. Lily gasped, hardly daring to believe it. It was a silver engagement ring, with a small heart charm dangling off of the front.
"James. I. I don't know. what to. to say." Lily faltered, tears springing to her eyes. She desperately wanted to cry.
"Say yes," He begged, his eyes pleading and full of hope.
"Yes." Lily said, the tears suddenly flowing down her cheeks. James slid the ring on her finger and pulled her close, hugging her and protecting her against the cold wind.
.: END FLASHBACK :.
The door creaked open, and a sudden chill swept through the room. The kind of chill James described when Lily had spoken to him, back when they weren't dating.
Lily and James are here, the old man thought. They're here.
"I've found Harry's address," Albus said. "Perhaps you should go and see him." Albus handed him a piece of parchment with an address scrawled in purple ink.
The old man nodded. He went out the door, and quickly hurried outside. He looked at Lily's oak tree, and gasped.
Tied around the trunk was a yellow ribbon. And sitting at the base, was a single, white lily.
The old man smiled and turned away. He would go see Harry and make up for the past. He would do it for Lily.
As he walked away from his past and toward the future, a girlish, bodiless giggle echoed through the air. The whispered words J'y Suis, J'y Reste, stayed in Remus' thoughts and memories long after he died.
.: Finis :.
A/N: Like? Hate? Please tell me! J'y Suis, J'y Reste means Here I Am, Here I Remain in French. Nothing belongs to me. I had fun writing this. Please tell me what you think!
Rachell.
He frowned and winced against the bright sun, his contorted staff clunking against the cobblestone path each time it touched. The sun shone through his closed eyes and he had a vision of his past. Laughing, grinning people being drawn toward his destination, the enormous, long-standing castle, in black, horseless carriages. He caught view of an amused, smirking redhead, punching her boyfriend impishly in the arm, before the sun hid behind the trees. He swallowed hard and forced himself onward. He'd ran away ten years before, he had to come back now, no matter how unpleasant it may be. He hobbled up the steps and through the aged, timber entrance. It snapped behind him with a dull clunk. There were children swarming around him, clutching books, bags, and purses, scrambling to get to class on time. Walking down the halls from his own ancient days of schooling, he found his way to an old stone gargoyle, cracked, missing its right ear and half its left foot. He tried the names of several different candies, finally ending with bogie bean. It suddenly sprang aside and rested, waiting for him to pass. The marble slid shut behind him. He stumbled up the steps and stopped at a large, wooden door. He could go back. There was still time. He didn't have to do this. Nevertheless, he found his free hand rapping sharply on the door. No, he thought furiously, turn back. Too late. A silver-haired, stooped, extremely old man pulled the heavy door open.
" I wondered when you would be coming back," He whispered. "You have no idea what this will mean to everyone." He stepped forward.
" Albus. please don't make this harder on me." The man looked down at his feet, running his hand through his own white hair.
Albus cleared his throat.
"Yes, of course. Please step in, so we may catch up on the times." Albus stepped back, and the other man stepped reluctantly across the threshold. There were about five puffy armchairs, a large marble desk, a few cabinets, and behind the door, a large perch, with a large scarlet phoenix sleeping up top.
The man chose a red and gold armchair and sank into it, happy for the chance to rest his feet. Albus sat down behind the desk and peered into his brown eyes.
"You wanted to know about Harry?" Albus muttered, his voice low and confident. He sat back against his chair.
" Yes," The old man said, though rather reluctantly. Albus could still practically read his mind, and it bothered him. He didn't quite appreciate people looking into his thoughts. He kept his mouth shut tight.
" He got good marks in school, even after you disappeared. He fell in love with Ginny Weasley, and they got married four years ago. Harry is 25, Ginny 24. They have one child, Lily, who is only a very small baby. They had one before her, Sirius. He died of SIDS when he was just 6 months. Ginny thought she'd never have another. She was too afraid to lose another child. They were so overjoyed when Lily came. Harry is still walking on air and she's been here for almost a month already." Albus chuckled and wiped a tear that was carousing down his face. " Harry plays for England, he's the Seeker of course. The Potters live in Godric's Hollow, in Lily and James' old house. They're doing quite well, and their very happy together."
Portraits of Lily and James, forever imprinted in his mind, came swimming into view. Lily's shining red locks, her greens eyes, and her three despised freckles on her perfect nose. James' black hair replaced Lily's, the eyes turned brown, glasses glinted brightly in the imaginary light, and a small black goatee finished the picture.
The old man sighed and walked to the window, looking out to a very old oak tree.
"And the old crowd?" The old man whispered, fearing the answer that he knew would come.
"All of them dead. except you." Albus muttered. He risked a quick glance toward the window.
"I'll leave you alone," Albus said. He shut the door with a click and went to attend his business.
.: FLASHBACK:.
"Tie a yellow ribbon 'round the old oak tree." The charming, sparkling words rose up to the fair clouds, swirling with the early December breeze. An attractive red head stood at the base of a large oak tree, grasping the ends of a lacy yellow ribbon in her hands, preparing to tie it around the trunk.
" Come again?" A too-tall boy with black hair and glasses said the red head, grinning devilishly. His grin grew wider when the red head looked at him.
" Oh, James!" The red head cried. " You've GOT to know how it goes!" She frowned at him.
"Sorry, Lily, but uh. no." James winked at her. He moved closer and leaned against the trunk of an old pine.
" Well, it's an old muggle folksong," Lily explained, brushing a strand of crimson hair from her face. "It's about a girl, her true love goes off to war. Before he leaves, he tells her to tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree in front of her home if she still loves him, but if she doesn't still love him, to leave the tree alone. When he comes back, there's a yellow ribbon tied around the tree." She sighed. " It's such a sweet song."
James frowned. She was full, of that mushy, romantic stuff. His problem was, that whenever he was around her, he was full of romantic stuff, too. James' heart fluttered as he looked at her, smiling softly and fashioning the ribbon into a bow.
Lily looked up at James, her emerald eyes sparkling wildly, her cherry locks swirling about her face with the wind.
"Lily?" James pulled Lily down on the ground beside him and took her petite, delicate hands in his. "You know I love you with all my heart."
"James, I couldn't do anything but love you." Lily searched his eyes. "You know that."
"Well, you know that Voldemort is rising. And I'm afraid that when we leave this year. I'll. lose touch with you. We're both seventeen. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He pulled a ring from his pocket. Lily gasped, hardly daring to believe it. It was a silver engagement ring, with a small heart charm dangling off of the front.
"James. I. I don't know. what to. to say." Lily faltered, tears springing to her eyes. She desperately wanted to cry.
"Say yes," He begged, his eyes pleading and full of hope.
"Yes." Lily said, the tears suddenly flowing down her cheeks. James slid the ring on her finger and pulled her close, hugging her and protecting her against the cold wind.
.: END FLASHBACK :.
The door creaked open, and a sudden chill swept through the room. The kind of chill James described when Lily had spoken to him, back when they weren't dating.
Lily and James are here, the old man thought. They're here.
"I've found Harry's address," Albus said. "Perhaps you should go and see him." Albus handed him a piece of parchment with an address scrawled in purple ink.
The old man nodded. He went out the door, and quickly hurried outside. He looked at Lily's oak tree, and gasped.
Tied around the trunk was a yellow ribbon. And sitting at the base, was a single, white lily.
The old man smiled and turned away. He would go see Harry and make up for the past. He would do it for Lily.
As he walked away from his past and toward the future, a girlish, bodiless giggle echoed through the air. The whispered words J'y Suis, J'y Reste, stayed in Remus' thoughts and memories long after he died.
.: Finis :.
A/N: Like? Hate? Please tell me! J'y Suis, J'y Reste means Here I Am, Here I Remain in French. Nothing belongs to me. I had fun writing this. Please tell me what you think!
Rachell.
