Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this chapter, or in the Harry Potter series.. All of the characters are property of J.K. Rowling, Scholastic, her managers, publishers, etc. I do not claim any credit for this wonderful series of books, nor do I make any profit out of this fiction that I write. It is all for personal enjoyment.

Harry had flown on a broomstick in a situation like this a year ago. He had just been taken from the Dursley's by a group of wizards sent by the Order of the Phoenix to protect him and guide him to their headquarters. It had been very cold that night, and Lupin had been with him then too.

"Harry," Lupin started, "We're heading to London. It's North, against the wind tonight, which is just our luck."

Number 12 Grimmauld Place, the headquarters of the Order, was in London. "Are we going to Gimmauld Place?" Harry asked.

"No, Harry."

Harry searched his mind for other places that were in London. "Diagon Alley?"

"No."

"The Ministry of Magic?"

"No."

Harry was running out of places to guess. The only other magical place in London he knew of was Platform 9 and 3/4, which was where students boarded the Hogwarts Express. If they were going to the platform, however, they would be staying there for nearly two weeks, which was not Harry's idea of a good time. Not to mention how unsafe that could be! Usually Lupin protected Harry as closely as possible. However, Harry asked anyway: "Platform 9 and ¾?"

Lupin snorted, "And stay there for two weeks? No, that's not where we're going Harry."

There was silence as Harry continued to think about where they were going, and Lupin wasn't helping much. Flying above the little houses on the ground, Harry saw nothing but small lights that were the light of illuminated streetlamps and houses. Harry felt a little cold, but the chill in the air reminded him of waking up early some mornings at Hogwarts and going outside to fly on his Firebolt, the same one he was riding now.

Lupin glanced sideways at Harry. "You belong on a broom Harry, just as your father did."

"I've always heard my dad rode well."

"He did. He was good at many things. Most things actually."

Harry felt some anger bubbling inside of his stomach. Last year, Professor Snape, a dead-looking teacher who hated Harry for what seemed like absolutely no reason, had been assigned to teach Harry Occlumency (a way of protecting outside forces from penetrating one's thoughts), and while Snape was out one day Harry had peeked into the Pensive Snape had left on his desk. In the Pensive Harry saw Snape's worst memory ever, which consisted of Harry's father, Sirius, and Peter taunting Snape and attacking him "just because he's alive." Lupin had sat in the background, saying nothing.

Before seeing this, Harry had only heard glowing things about James (excluding Snape's remarks of course), and he had started to believe that his father was a great guy. A good man. Harry had always wanted to be like his father's perfect image, but now, Harry was disgusted with him. Was Harry as arrogant as James? Was Snape right about how awful his father really was?

"Harry?" Lupin asked concerned "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," Harry answered. "Fine."

There was silence for a few more minutes as Lupin guided Harry around a rather large cloud.

"So, what'd you do this summer?"

"I told you everything in my letters."

"Oh, right," Lupin said, sounding as if he was as convinced that Harry's letters were false as Hermione and Ron were. Harry noted to himself that he would have to become a better liar.

A question popped into Harry's head. "Lupin, how did you know to come get me tonight?"

"Well, how did you know that I was coming to get you Harry?" Lupin retorted.

"Aunt Petunia told me this morning."

Lupin seemed to consider this, and then nodded. "Your aunt sent me an owl last night." Seeing the look on Harry's face, Lupin added, "And I have no clue how she got the owl, but it came to me just as it was meant to."

"How did she know about you?"

"Well, your guess is as good as mine, but I'd think that over a holiday one year when James came to visit Lily, Petunia overheard her mentioning my name. That'd be the only way, I'd think"

"What'd the owl's letter say, Lupin?" Harry asked.

Lupin smiled, "Your father called my Moony."

"What?" Harry asked startled at the abrupt change in subject.

"I have to admit Harry, the first time I arrived at Hogwarts it was so strange to hear you call me Professor Lupin. You looked so much like your father did, and he had always called me Moony."

Unsure what to say, and a little annoyed that Lupin kept bringing up his father, Harry open and closed his mouth a few times, then asked, "What would you like me to call you?"

"Lupin's fine. You can call me Remus if you'd like. I think "Moony" needs to be set to the side for a little while," he said and then trailed off. "Harry," he finally said again, "I don't think you should judge your aunt too harshly just yet, no matter what sort of hell she's put you through as a child."

Harry wanted to ask more, but he felt that the conversation was closed now. Lupin's broom veered to the left, and Harry followed.

The two wizards flew for another hour before Lupin told Harry to drop lower to the ground, they were now surrounded by complete darkness, tonight was a new moon.

"Ah, we're here," Lupin said, stopping abruptly in midair.

Harry looked down to see why Lupin had stopped. They were flying above a small bit of countryside with no buildings in site, save for one small house below them. Small hills seemed to create ripples in the ground surrounding the lone house. "Where is "here?" Harry asked.

"This is my house," Lupin said dropping lower and lower to the ground, then finally dismounting on a patch of grass. Harry followed.

He had never seen Lupin's house. In the six short years he had known of the wizarding world, Harry had only seen two true wizard houses, the Weasley's rickety yet homey Burrow, and Sirius' dark, old, house on Grimmauld Place.

Lupin's house was nothing like either of these. From the front it looked just like a large cube, with two windows sitting on either side of a lone door in the front, and a slightly tilted roof. It was so dark outside, Harry couldn't make out the color of the paint, but Harry assumed it was some sort of neutral color, which seemed like something Lupin would choose.

Clutching his broom to his side, Harry followed as Lupin took out a small key and inserted it into the keyhole on the door. Lupin casually turned the knob and pushed open the door, while gesturing Harry inside and grabbing Harry's luggage, which Harry had neglected to remember.

Walking through the threshold, Harry was surprised at how sparse the first room was decorated. Harry thought that this must be the living room, the kitchen, and the dining room all rolled into one. There was a small refrigerator in the corner, which sat next to an equally small counter with a few plates and glasses stacked on top. Harry took a few more steps into the room and saw a dusty couch facing a fireplace with a large cauldron in it, as well as a round dining table with two chairs pushed under it. However, Harry wasn't surprised to see the rows and rows of books that lined the walls of Lupin's house.

Lupin walked into the room, with Harry's trunk floating magically behind him. "This is the main room," he said. "It's a bit simple, but I rarely get any company, you understand," he added apologetically. "You're the first person to be here since Sirius came at the end of your fourth year."

Sirius had been here. Harry felt the familiar pang in his stomach, and wondered if it would ever completely leave. "I like it," Harry said.

"Well, it suits me. I usually sleep on the couch. There are two rooms in the back, through that door there," he pointed at a door on Harry's right. "One's a bathroom, which is the door on the right, and the other room is the bedroom, which you can sleep in. Sirius told me the bed was pretty comfortable when he slept in it, but I haven't been in there to check if any puffeskeins have moved in recently. Sorry about the condition of this place, Harry."

Harry was examining the titles of a few of the books (Personal Demons and How to Attack, Merlin's Magical Prowess etc.), "Uh…don't be. It's loads better than the Dursleys."

"Yes, their house was rather clean wasn't it?" Lupin said evenly. "Tonks didn't like it much when we visited last year. Said your room was much more suited to her tastes," Lupin smiled. And Harry once again saw a young wizard not yet in his prime through the shabby robes and unkempt appearance. "Well, Harry, you must be tired. Your room is through that door, then turn through the one on your left."

"Ah, yes. Well, er, thanks Lupin," Harry said while opening the door that revealed a hallway with a door on each wall. Harry turned the knob of the left door, and entered. Inside he saw a large bed pressed against the left wall, a small bedside table, and a single window. Harry set his chest down at the end of the bed, opened it, and pulled out some pajamas. While changing into them, Harry thought of Lupin. He had forgotten to ask one of the most obvious questions: Why did you bring me to your house, and not the Order? He decided to ask that tomorrow.

Before Harry went to bed he carefully examined it for an infestation of any kind. Finding none, he pulled back the sheets and blankets and climbed into bed.

"Lupin, if you don't mind me asking, why did you bring me here? Harry asked the next morning. He had just awoken from a dreamless sleep, had walked out of his room, and found Lupin awake pouring cereal (which was an odd Muggle dish that Lupin had seemed to take a liking to) into two bowls. "I thought I heard you wake up," Lupin had said when handed Harry a bowl.

Lupin looked up from reading The Daily Prophet, the major wizarding newspaper in Britain. He regarded Harry evenly and after a few moments he spoke, "Where would you have had me bring you?"

"Well, I just thought that we would go to the Order of the Phoenix's headquarters, seeing as that was where I was brought last year, and it must be the safest place for me when I'm not at Hogwarts or with the Dursley's."

"Are you concerned for your safety here, Harry?" Lupin asked slowly.

Harry was getting annoyed, he had just wanted an answer to his question and now he was the one being interrogated. "No, no nothing like that. It's just – I mean, you know, apparently I'm most safe from Voldemort when I'm with the Dursleys or with Dumbledore at Hogwarts. I was even safe surrounded by all those wizards who were there with me at Grimmauld Place last year," Harry paused, wondering how to continue. "But my family isn't here to protect me, neither is Dumbledore, and the only wizard within miles seems to be you, Lupin! And, you're great and all, but if Voldemort was to find us, I'm not sure you and I could defeat him alone."

"I'm not going to be the one who's going to need to defeat Voldemort," Lupin said quietly. Harry knew what he was thinking, but didn't want to talk about it so he let the comment pass him.

Harry continued on slowly, "Lupin, am I safe here?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"Voldemort won't find this place, at least not for the two weeks you need to be here. Beyond that, you don't need to worry."

"Why here and not with the rest of the Order."

A sparkle shot into Lupin's eyes, "Well, if you like them better than me-"

"Lupin! Come on this is serious," Harry sighed.

Lupin rubbed his hand over his face, then looked directly into Harry's eyes. "You're safer with me here than you are anywhere else right now. And we have some things we need to discuss."

Harry was confused. What would they talk about? Harry briefly considered that Lupin meant to talk to him about some recent Quidditch matches, or something along those lines. He decided against that, however. "Discuss?" he asked.

"About Sirius," Lupin said, head bent.

"Oh." Harry wasn't sure what to say. What needed to be discussed? He was dead. That was pretty simple. Did Lupin want to discuss Sirius and his deadness? Harry would rather not have started to think about Sirius at all and he took a sudden interest in his hands, bending them at the wrist.

"Harry I didn't plan on doing this so suddenly," Lupin started, "I wanted you to be able to get comfortable here with me, and then I thought maybe we could sit down calmly and discuss things."

"What things? What's there to be discussed," Harry asked still watching his wrists bend.

"Many things, Harry."

Harry looked up and met Lupin's eyes, which were looking at him unsurely. Harry didn't want to discuss "many things," right now. Or ever. "I need to write Hermione and Ron," he said hastily. He stood up from the table, and walked outside, his wand in his belt. He planned on Accio-ing himself a quill and some parchment. Lupin didn't stop him from leaving. 

That night, Harry sat on the edge of the bed in his room and thought about the letters he had written to Hermione and Ron. In them he discussed his departure from the Dursley's house, and his arrival at Lupin's. He imagined they already knew that where he was, but he told them anyways. He didn't mention what Lupin wanted to talk about, he didn't see that worth mentioning.

That whole day Harry had spent exploring the scenery near Lupin's house. He hadn't wandered far, because he didn't want to be seen by anything – or anyone. Harry did discover some interesting rocks, but not much else.

Suddenly, there was a knock on Harry's door. He jumped, surprised. "Come in," he said, although he didn't want any company.

Lupin entered the room. "Ah," he said. "So it wasn't too dirty. I was worried that we might have to rush you to the hospital with a fatal disease brought on by a sudden attack of dirty bed sheets."

Harry knew he should have smiled, but didn't. "Do you need something?"

Lupin sighed, "Harry we do need to talk." Then, "Better now than later."

"I disagree. I'd rather not talk now or later, thanks." Harry felt anger boiling again.

"Harry,-"

"What? What do you want to talk about? He's dead! Sirius is dead! I realize that, I've accepted it, okay?! I really don't need to talk to you about it!" Harry was losing his patience. He didn't want to discuss this. Lupin and Dumbledore and whomever else knew about this little chitchat plan, were crossing a line. It was no right of theirs to bring Harry to the middle of nowhere so he could be forced into talking about his dead godfather! Why couldn't they let him grieve on his own?

"Harry," Lupin said again, his voice rising, "You need to calm down. No, don't interrupt me," he said quickly. "You need to hear some things, and I'm the only one present who can tell you. Now you can either listen, or you can't. It's your choice!"

Harry was startled. He had never heard Lupin speak to him like this. Lupin had always been kind and caring towards Harry, always patient and understanding. Harry felt suddenly ashamed at having had such an outburst. He was more mature than that - he needed to prove it. "I can listen," he said in a barely audible whisper.

"Good choice," Lupin said, his emotions under control and even as they usually were. He moved towards Harry's bed and sat near the head of it, facing Harry. He took a few breaths, as if what he was about to say would take courage that he needed to muster.

Harry looked at the floor.

            "Harry, when I attended Hogwarts, Sirius, James, er, your father, Peter, and I were very close. We did everything, good or bad, together – all four of us." Harry shivered as he thought of Snape's Pensive memory and nodded. "If you were to characterize each of us, I suppose I would have been the book-crazy boy, I studied a lot and turned in all, or um well, most of my papers," Lupin smiled sweetly now, as if remembering a happy memory. "Peter - may he rot - worshipped James. That was his role, I suppose. He would do anything your father asked of him, but as some events may have shown you, he wasn't loyal as much as he was in awe of your dad. And then there was Sirius. Sirius and James were truly inseparable. Even though we were all close friends, it sometimes felt as though Peter and I were just spectators to Sirius and James' friendship.

            "James and Sirius complimented each other so wonderfully. Sirius was handsome and passive, almost seeming like a slacker at times. He was always laughing, there was always a twinkle in his eye, but that didn't mean you would want to offend him – that would be a disaster. Sirius wouldn't do any of his work – and his grades proved it, but he was still a wonderful, truly gifted and clever wizard. Everyone loved Sirius, his presence filled a room." Lupin stopped here, needing to recollect himself. Harry couldn't think, he wasn't sure if he should say anything. He remained silent.

            "Yes," he continued, "Sirius' presence filled a room, but it was never complete without James – your father." Now, Harry looked up and met Lupin's eyes. They were wet. "James was what held each of us together. He was our glue, Harry, and without him, our personalities always seemed to clash, we always got into arguments. I suppose it wasn't just Peter that was in awe of James - it was all of us. Even Sirius, he looked up to your father as well, as did the whole school. Not one person, student and certainly not staff, didn't know of James. He was known for his pranks with Sirius, his skill on the Quidditch field, as well as for his talent in the classroom. James was one of the smartest wizards in at Hogwarts. He didn't have to study - he simply knew the material. He was so intelligent. He was so well loved, by all." Lupin paused again. A tear had just begun to fall from his left eye, he swiped it away. "Forgive me Harry, this is hard for me. It's hard for me to remember these things sometimes."

            "I understand," Harry said quietly. His father. A small bubble was growing in Harry's throat, threatening to pop soon. He knew that soon, his eyes would be as wet at Lupin's.

Lupin nodded and continued, "I needed to explain all of that to you because they were probably a few of the best years of my life. Hogwarts was where I first discovered friendship and love, emotions I hadn't known before then. Your father and Sirius showed me these things. I owe so much of who I am to the two of them, your father and your godfather. But, I can't tell them my thanks, I can't tell them how they changed and shaped me, how they affected my life so beautifully. They're both dead now," Lupin said, tears rushing from his eyes. He threw his hands up to his head and sobbed into them.

Harry wasn't sure what to do. He had never considered his father's, Sirius' and Lupin's friendship. It rarely crossed his mind that Lupin had lost his best friends. Harry had only thought of himself when Sirius died, but now he realized, Lupin had been hurting just as much as he had. Lupin had the right to be hurting far worse than Harry ever could. "Lupin," Harry said haltingly. Suddenly tears started escaping from Harry's eyes. Harry wasn't sure if they were for Lupin or himself.

Lupin raised his head from his hands, his eyes now puffy and red, and looked at Harry. Water spots stained his tattered robes. He took a breath, then continued to talk slowly. "Harry, I've lost my two best friends to Voldemort. I think the worst was James, who was taken from us when we were so young. He and your mother were so beautiful," Lupin's voiced wavered. "They were courageous, the both of them. His death hurt me so much because I didn't get a chance to say goodbye, a chance to talk to him one last time. I blame myself everyday for letting him go without telling him what I should have. After his death, Sirius, Peter and I were changed. Of course, Sirius was taken to Azkaban wrongfully accused, and I tried to hate him, but I truly couldn't, because inside I knew James and Sirius' friendship was too strong to be broken so brutally by either of them. Almost three years ago, when Sirius escaped and everything was discovered under the Whomping Willow, I was relieved. Sirius and I kept in touch after he fled the Dementor's Kiss but we both knew we had been changed.

"No longer were we as carefree as we had been at Hogwarts. James was murdered, and Sirius and I blamed ourselves. Our glue was gone, and I don't think it had truly hit either of us until we were both together again. The two friends remaining of the four that had started.

At the end of your fourth year, Sirius came to stay with me in this house. He and I were both restless; we wanted to join the movement to help the Order of the Phoenix restart. When Sirius offered his house and Dumbledore accepted, the Order had a headquarters and could officially begin again. However, both Sirius and I remembered the death of James and Lily and so before he moved back into his mother's old house, we had a talk."

Harry wiped the tears that were rushing from his eyes off of his face. His father's death had hit Lupin hard, the pain was still obvious on his face.

Would you like some water Harry? Something to eat?" Lupin asked, breaking away from the story.

Startled, it took a moment for Harry to digest the questions as being apart from the story, and directed at him. "Hmm? Oh um, no. No, thank you."

Lupin nodded. "Okay, then I'm going to continue. I need to get this out. During Sirius' last night here, he and I sat down and began to talk. I told him that I needed him to know how much I appreciated him. How much I treasured the many happy moments we got to spend together as friends, and how sorry I was that James was gone, and we could have no more moments like them. Sirius cried, and I cried. He told me that he missed James more than anything. We both said we would change places with James in an instant – a life so vibrant like his was should not have been lost before it was fully lived.

"It hurt to talk to Sirius about James. Those two had been so close. I felt that my pain was nothing to what his must have been. James and Sirius…" Lupin trailed off, as if forgetting that he was telling a story. He quickly continued, "We both knew the dangers of going back into the Order, returning to fight Voldemort, but we didn't once consider not joining in again. If not for the fight against the evil that Voldemort brings, for James. For Lily. And for you Harry."

Harry was startled to hear his name in the story. What did he have to do with this? This was a story about his father's friends…

"Yes, Harry. Most of all, for you. Sirius and I lost dear friends in Lily and James, but you lost parents. During our conversation, we talked about our memories, and how we were both so lucky to have them -to have shared those moments with Lily and James. But you Harry, never had those moments. Sirius and I wished you could have. Your parents were the greatest of people. I was lucky to know them, even for the short time that I did."

Lupin lowered his gaze toward the ground and closed his eyes. "A month and I half ago, my last best friend was taken from me. Sirius fell through the veil. He is gone now too. I replay his last moments over and over in my head, as I'm sure you do too Harry. His face. It looked so shocked and fearful. So shocked. Fearful." Lupin started shaking now, his whole body shivering as if something cold was passing through him. "I saw his eyes, Harry, they were searching the room as he was falling. Searching frantically, looking for something. And at the very last moment, right before he was gone through the veil, his eyes found their target. They found you."

Harry's heart stopped beating in his chest. His legs and arms were numb. His head was pounding, and all he could do was cry. Harry sobbed and sobbed. Sirius.

Lupin looked up from the ground to Harry. His jaw tightened and he continued to talk, "Now Sirius is gone, and I am the one left of four." Lupin's gaze deepened into Harry's head as he spoke now, "In that conversation we had before he moved out, Sirius and I talked about you, Harry. He loved you. You were hope to him. Hope and remembrance. You were his dreams - when he looked at you all he saw was light and love." Lupin paused here, and looked at Harry directly in the eyes. His tears had stopped falling, and his face had taken on a steely reserve. Lupin's voice however, was as gentle as ever, "So, I was not surprised that his eyes fell upon you as he went through the veil. Sirius' last glimpse of this world was you, Harry. You, and all of your hope, remembrance, light and love."