Until The End Of Time
by J.P. Yabao

"Are you sure you don't want anything to eat....?"

Mrs. Weasley's concerned voice rang out, causing a bent over figure sitting on the bed to look up rather suddenly.

"No, no thank you, I'm fine," the figure on the bed said politely, plastering a painfully fake smile on his face for the sake of the other.

The smile faded as Mrs. Weasley closed the door behind her, leaving Remus Lupin to be lost, once again, deep into his thoughts and memories. He looked down at a bunch of parchment clutched in his hands, glancing momentarily at a small box at the foot of the bed that hadn't been opened for years.

Eyes slitting slightly as he read in the dark light the room provided, a small but genuine smile tugged at the side of his lips as he poured over the aged parchment.

Mr. Padfoot would like to ask how Mr. Prongs and Mr. Moony are doing in their happy place of educational after-hours discipline. Mr. Wormtail also asked for Mr. Padfoot to mention his greetings.

Remus rubbed his thumb gently over the round and slightly sloppy handwriting before looking down at the rest.

Mr. Prongs and Mr. Moony are just peachy, and would like to thank Mr. Padfoot for his concern. Greetings to Mr. Wormtail as well. Mr. Prongs wants to voice his curiosity on whether or not Mr. Padfoot has already performed his plan of vengeance against the offending Keeper of Gits.

Mr. Padfoot has not yet performed the aforementioned plan, as Mr. Wormtail's valiant-ness decided to show up at the wrong moment, causing for both Mr. Padfoot and Mr. Wormtail to land another session of educational after-hours discipline.

Mr. Moony says once again, glad I ain't you. Mr. Prongs says ha ha.

Mr. Padfoot says you two need to shut up before I get the urge to hit you with something big, hard, and solid. Mr. Wormtail merely whimpers and sulks and refuses to comment.

Shaking his head amusedly, Remus put the top piece of parchment underneath the others, going on to read the next one.

Mr. Padfoot would like to request the immediate help of Mr. Prongs and Mr. Moony for Mr. Wormtail is about to get eaten by Slytherin Git #7!

WHAT? - Mr. Prongs

Wormtail. About to be eaten. Big Slytherin Git. Rather sharp teeth!

What the hell have you done?! - Mr. Prongs

Just get over here, dammit!

Re Mr. Moony's already on his way--Great Hall, right? I'm coming. - Mr. Prongs

Right eye half-closed as he summoned back the memory of this episode, Remus remembered how Peter, in his Animagus form, had somehow ended up in a certain Antonin Dolohov's bowl of soup, and was in the life-threatening danger of getting eaten, or at least having his tail bitten off. Glancing at the empty space on the bottom of the paper, Remus shrugged and put that one behind the rest as well, proceeding to the next one.

Mr. Prongs would like to congratulate Mr. Moony on this INGENIUS invention that has contributed tons to our means of communication.

Mr. Padfoot agrees with Mr. Prongs. Salutations to Mr. Moony. Mr. Padfoot would also like to remind Mr. Prongs to hold on to AND NOT TO LOSE a very expensive communication device that can be camouflaged as an admiring-myself instrument.

A.K.A. a mirror. Oh, and you spelled ingenious wrong, Mr. Prongs. Thank you for the praise, though, you two. - Mr. Moony

Mr. Wormtail would like to ask what expensive piece of communication device Mr. Padfoot is on about.

Mr. Prongs would like to voice his concern on whether or not Mr. Wormtail could read........

"Hn... can read, alright," Remus muttered bitterly as he replaced the parchment, noting that the stack didn't seem to be in any particular order. Wondering where the others had kept their 'ingenious means of communication', or if they even still had theirs (taking into consideration all their present conditions), Remus suddenly frowned at the next piece of parchment. There was only a single line written down.

Mr. Padfoot would like to bid Mr. Prongs goodbye 'till the next time we meet.

Noticing that that one didn't seem to be as old as the others, and that it was punctuated with what looked like tear drops, Remus stared at the piece of paper blankly for a whole minute. Then it sank in.

That certain Halloween night, Sirius had gotten to the house before Remus.

Taking a deep breath and willing the sudden stinging in his eyes to go away, trying to ignore the heavy feeling that had settled into his chest, Remus hastily turned to the next piece of parchment. This one he also stared at, and he swallowed slightly at the fact that the parchment looked brand-new. The edges were straight and clean, not having had been aged by time.

But the thing that he stared at the most was the single line being written at the top.

Mr. Prongs says hello again to Mr. Padfoot.

As the t was crossed, Remus didn't notice the fact that he had started to sob quietly. He reached for the quill on his bedside table, dipped it into the ink bottle, and wrote underneath that solitary line:

Wait for me.

Taking a sharp intake of breath unconciously, Remus watched as a last line appeared after the one he wrote. Tears now falling over his cheeks, he read:

We will, Mr. Moony. Until the end of time.

~ finite incantatem ~

A/N: Friendships last, really. R.I.P. Sirius Black; R.I.P. James Potter. The fic might be sorta corny, but I felt like I had to do something to contribute to our dearly deceased Marauders.

Disclaimer? It's a piece of fanfiction. 'Nuff said.