Disclaimer: J.K.R owns all but the Hoblog & the plot which are mine.

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Soon enough the French vacation was over, and Harry was being summoned to the Order residence to 'take care of some business.' He was happy and sad all at the same time. Happy about leaving the Dursleys, but sad about going back the order… Sirius's house. It didn't feel right to go back to somewhere so special, when the person who had made it so special wasn't going to be there. But Harry had no idea what he would learn later on.

His thoughts were interrupted by someone who had used floo powder to appear out of the Dursleys fireplace. Ironically the family was out for the day, having been sent yet another phony contest-winning letter. This time the Dursleys had won a free car service session, despite the fact that they had not applied for one. Uncle Vernon had been so exited that he swept up the family and left immediately.

Remus Lupin was now standing before the fireplace, looking a bit better than he had in the previous years. He had new robes at least.

"So you're the one who summed me to come to the order…" Harry said, sounding annoyed, though he wasn't the least bit.

"Yes Harry. I was. I actually am the only one besides Kreacher and Buckbeak living in that house at the moment., and I figured I'd offer you some friendlier company for the rest of the summer." Lupin stood cautiously at the fireplace, very still. 'Is he trying to take the place of Sirius?' Harry thought to himself. 'No. He knows how much I miss him. Lupin isn't stupid…'

"Harry, I guess I must've startled you. I'm sorry." Lupin still hadn't moved from where he was standing.

"Erm… sorry.. I-" Harry realized he was looking quite dazed, and snapped back to attention. "I dunno… um, what did you say again?" Lupin repeated the statement.

"Sure," Said Harry involuntarily. They set off.

It took a mere 2 minutes to arrive inside the fireplace of the Order house. Harry stepped out the fireplace only to tread on Kreacher's foot.

"Ah, another filthy young master. Must you come again as last summer to taunt poor old Kreacher? Are you another of those hideous beasts as he becomes on the nights of the moon?" He pointed to Lupin, who simply said, "Kreacher, go finish your duty in the hippogriff's quarters." Kreacher limped off, muttering something crude about an oversized chicken, and being ordered around by a werewolf.

"How can you toss off all those comments like that, after so long?" Harry asked Lupin. "One gets used to it eventually… now, about why I brought you here-" there was a long pause, and Lupin gestured Harry over to the scarlet couch across the room. They sat. "I was having a hard time," Lupin started "taking up the task of cleaning Sirius's room. I brought you here to help me, but only if you wish." He added. "There are some very nice things of Sirius's that I thought you might like to have. And" – he seemed to be struggling for words. "I think it's time you should know about what went on between 'The Marauders' when we were at Hogwarts. You always wanted to know about your father and Sirius I'm sure."

"What kind of-" Harry started, but Lupin cut him off.

"Just some of our adventures together, and whatever else you'd like to know." Harry liked the sound of this.

"I understand your pain Harry," Lupin said "I feel it immensely as well. It might make it easier for the both of us to talk about it. But again, only if you want to."

"I want to if you do." said Harry. Lupin smiled. They made their way up to Sirius's room, where it looked as though Lupin had been searching for every memory he had of his best friend.

"I apologize for the mess." He said softly. Walking through the room, Harry accidentally knocked into a bookshelf, where a small square object fell from the highest shelf. He caught it before it hit the ground.

"That would be a Hoblog Harry, one of the things I wondered if you'd want. It's a small device that you carry with you always, and it lets you know when your friend needs you by blinking a blue light in the letters of their name." Lupin explained. Harry started in awe at the brilliance of the inventor. There had been many times when he had needed Ron, mainly just to talk. The Hoblog was a very small, indestructible blend of glass and marble, with a little window-like thing was centered in the middle. Harry suspected that was where the name of the friend would appear. Lupin interrupted his thoughts by saying "All four of us had those. Peter had several though, as he kept losing his. I still have mine, but I have no need of it anymore." He suddenly looked sad. "I was thinking that you could have Sirius's, and Ron could have mine. That way, you'd always have some form of communication between the two of you. It comes In handy sometimes." Lupin looked sadder, kind of defeated.

"You miss him don't you?" Harry said suddenly.

"I do. I do. He was the most admirable loyal person one could meet. James was the same. I wish I could repay them both. There's only one of us now. Well, two. But the other isn't really worth considering." And with that, Lupin said, "Well, we'd better get a move on." They began going through and sorting out Sirius's things. Harry slipped the Hoblog into his pocket safely.

After hours of sorting and tidying, Harry finally said, "Professor Lupin, would you tell me about the times you had as a boy with my dad and Sirius?"

"Of course Harry. This should be it for the day anyway. And please, call me Remus. I am no longer your teacher." A slight smile lingered on his face. Harry somehow didn't feel comfortable doing this, but he didn't object. Lupin started telling the tales of how he, James, Sirius and peter would go around Hogsmeade during his nights as a werewolf.

"Sirius wanted me to teach him how to howl." Lupin remembered.

"And did you?" Harry asked.

"Yes, I did. And then after I had nearly attacked Snape when he came nosing around due to one of Sirius's little jokes, Sirius thought it would be amusing to howl and run whenever he saw Snape alone. You should have seen him laugh and the terror on Snape's face." Another light smile. Harry had an animated picture in his mind; Sirius sneaking around a corner, howling, and Snape looking around wildly, his greasy hair swinging limply. Sirius howling more dangerously and Snape racing down the hall. He suppressed a laugh. Lupin explained the story thoroughly, Harry laughing at Sirius's crazy antics. He suddenly had a feeling of new respect for Lupin.

"How do you deal with it? People hating you, turning their back, because of what you are?" Harry immediately felt guilty; this had come out extremely rude and sudden. Lupin looked a bit surprised. "Sorry…" Harry stammered.

"No, it's ok," started Lupin. "It's not the easiest thing in the world as you've already guessed, but I-" there was a pause. "have learned to turn the other cheek."

"But didn't it upset you when you were younger?" Harry asked.

"Oh yes… greatly. I didn't know how to deal with it then. I was liked by few and shunned by many by the 5th year, because of a certain Slytherin who found out my secret. The promise to Dumbledore obviously didn't matter." finished Lupin coldly. 'And I thought being stared at was bad...' trailed Harry in his brain. He felt that Lupin was just as important as Sirius. He had been thinking about them lately-Lupin, his dad, and Sirius. The three people he had looked up to the most in his life. Sirius, because he was the closest thing to a father Harry had had. He loved him for who he was and not the scar on his forehead. His dad, for such courage and bravery. But at the same time, James seemed mysterious, a blank spot in Harry's life. Lupin because… well, he was Lupin. He had endured so much throughout his life, good and bad just like Harry. And he was Sirius' and his dad's best friend.

"Hey Lupin?"

"Yes Harry?" he responded quickly.

"I really looked up to Sirius. And my dad. But, well… I didn't know much about him except he was my dad and your best friend." Lupin was listening. "Right now, I don't have anybody I can really relate to or talk to without them worrying about every second of my life. I used to have Sirius, but now…" His voice trailed off. "And Ron, but he's been very preoccupied with becoming prefect and all." Lupin was still listening.

"Prof-"

"Lupin or Remus please."

"Lupin, Sorry. You're the closest thing I have to a family right now, I think you win second place." Lupin looked touched.

"Sirius wouldn't have wanted us to stay sad-" said Harry. Lupin interrupted his sentence.

"Sirius had said Harry, before we came to your call, that if he were to die or be lost, he wanted me to take care of you for him. For you to come to me for help, and for me to make myself available if you needed anything."

"Well I do." said Harry quietly. Lupin embraced him into a hug. For the first time, Harry felt getting through Sirius's death would be a little easier, now that he had his godfather's best friend there with him.

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Author's note: Done. Sort of a lame ending I thought.... but lame as in good lame.. yeah? Please R/R, flames are accepted as always.