Chapter Twenty Seven
Dark Times Change Everything
November 1st, many years later

It was a particularly dark night out. The wind was whipping and there was a large crescent moon in the sky that cast an eerie glow over all the houses in England. You could hear the distant hooting of owls, and the gusts of wind as they swirled in the air, picking up the leaves and carrying them in the sky. However, the mood in some houses was unlike the mood outside. There were joyous celebrations going on for the wizard families. What were they celebrating, you may ask, they were celebrating the downfall of the most terrifying dark wizard of the age... Lord Voldemort.

For ten years he had held a reign of terror unknown to any. He had a band of followers called Death Eaters, all of whom believed that muggle born witches and wizards were not worthy to study magic and therefore tortured or killed them. There was a secret group of witches and wizards that rebelled against Voldemort, they were known as the Order of the Phoenix. In the Order, some were tortured into insanity (the Longbottoms) some survived and still some were murdered by the Death Eaters, or even worse... they were betrayed by their best friend.

Grown up Remus Lupin was out on this dark night, but he was not celebrating... he was in no mood to and doubted that he would be for a long time. Remus was at Godric's Hollow... where his friends Lily and James Potter had lived. He knelt down in front of one large tombstone and read the engravings on them. They read:

Here lies Lily and James Potter
Members of the Order of the Phoenix
R.I.P

"I thought I'd find you here," said a voice behind Remus. He jumped up and turned around to see Professor Albus Dumbledore. Professor Dumbledore looked at Remus sorrowfully. Dumbledore's eyes traveled from Remus to the tombstone. "Such fine people," he whispered. "Such a shame..."

"Why did Sirius have to do it?" Remus asked, practically to himself. "Why did he have to betray them! Why did he have to sell them to Voldemort? I thought he was James's best friend?" Dumbledore heaved a great sigh; the very same question had been weighing on his mind as well.

"Dark times change everybody," Dumbledore explained. "No one knows who to trust and... James thought he could trust his best friend. You did hear what happened today, didn't you?"

"How could I not?" Remus knew quite well what had happened that day. Peter Pettigrew had gone after Sirius. He had cornered him in a street full of muggles and screamed at the top of his lungs, "Lily and James, how could you Sirius?" Peter went to get his wand but of course Sirius was quicker. Sirius blasted the street, killing thirteen muggles as well as murdering Peter. The Ministry wizards came, modified the muggles' memories, arrested Sirius, gave Peter an Order of Merlin First Class. The smallest bit of him they could find was his finger, which they sent to his mother.

"I just can't believe it... I don't want to believe it!" Remus said, shaking his head, he thought that maybe if he said this enough times it would not be true, and his friends would still be alive. "When my cousin came last night..."

Last night Remus was in his house in Hogsmeade village when he heard a knock at the door. He withdrew his wand, in case it was an unwelcome visitor, and went to open it. His cousin, Anna (whom had grown into a lovely young lady and was now attending Hogwarts) was standing there with tears shining in her eyes. Remus wondered what was wrong, maybe something had happened to his aunt or uncle, or Bertha (she and Remus had forgotten their past differences in these Dark times and were now friends)... but something told Remus it was not them she was upset about.

"Remus," she said quietly. "I've just gotten some terrible news." Remus stepped aside and let her come in.

"What is it?" Remus asked anxiously.

"Its... its... Lily and James! Voldemort... he found them! And... he... he... killed them! Remus, your friends are dead." Remus looked at her stunned, it could not be true... it wasn't! They couldn't be dead! But... Remus knew no one would lie about such a thing... and that it was true... his friends were dead and that meant only one thing... Sirius had betrayed them. He was their Secret Keeper and he sold them to Voldemort! But he could not broad on that... he had to ask.

"What about Harry?" he asked worriedly. "Tell me Harry is safe..."

Harry was safe... Harry himself had survived the one curse that killed so many wizards... Harry had escaped with nothing more than a lightening bolt scar on his forehead... Voldemort was powerless and fled. Harry was known by everyone in the magical world as The-Boy-Who-Lived. But at such a price he had earned that title, to have his parents murdered right before his very eyes!

"I would have come last night to help get Harry to his aunt and uncle's," Remus apologised to Dumbledore. "But I just couldn't."

"I understand... you were very shocked. Hagrid took Harry there... on Sirius's old flying motorcycle."

"But how could he? He was Harry's godfather and he just went and practically killed Lily and James himself!"

"As I've said before Remus, times such as the one before change people either for the better... or for the worse... and it is up to us to decide what side we are on... the good... or the bad." Remus nodded, only Dumbledore could say something with that much wisdom in it... and he was right... Sirius had made a choice... one that he thought would do him good. But he got what he deserved in the end; life in Azkaban will show him the errors of his ways, Remus thought. "Now," said Dumbledore. "I have to get back to Hogwarts and discuss with Professor McGonagall about getting the school back in order... don't worry Remus, you will find that this will all come out for the better in the end."

Dumbledore patted Remus on the shoulder, turned and was off into the night. Remus watched as Dumbledore's outline disappeared out of view and then turned back to the grave. He knelt down and put his hand on the top of it.

"Don't worry James," he said. "I will find Harry and make sure he is alright." Remus stood up, pulled his cloak closer to himself and began to walk away... but he stopped and turned back. "Just like you would have done for me."