Chapter 5: Lost Friends
Harry and the rest of the Order Members returned to the Headquarters. Harry half expected to see Sirius run into the room when his mother's portrait started screaming. However, it was Shacklebolt who had to pull the curtain back over the portrait.
Soon Hermione and Ron came running down the stairs with smiles on their faces.
"Harry," Ron yelled, "You're finally here." But he stopped when he saw the expression on his friends face.
"Harry?" Hermione said, "We know you miss him." Then she saw the dead body that Dumbledore was levitating up the stairs to one of the rooms. As she recognized who it was her face went pale. "What happened?" she asked.
"We were attacked," said Harry wiping a tear from his eye. "He was hit by the killing spell."
"I'm so sorry," said Hermione crying. She hugged Harry. Then Ron joined in on the hug. The three friends went up to Ron and Harry's room.
"I can't believe he's gone," said Harry, as he let Hedwig out of her cage. The owl landed on his shoulder. She hooted softly as if trying to comfort him. "But the strangest thing happened," Harry continued, trying to get his thoughts off of Remus. "You know that dog I told you about."
"Yes," Ron and Hermione answered.
"Well, it and a stag tried to attack the Death Eaters," said Harry.
"Maybe they knew they were dangerous," said Hermione.
"But, when the spells hit them, they bounced off. The spells did not even effect them," said Harry.
"That is strange," agreed Ron.
"Then they came into the house," said Harry, "They seemed to be as worried about Remus as I was."
Ron and Hermione stared at Harry. They were left speechless. Hedwig then flew over to the window and waited on the sill. Harry walked over to the window and let her out. It seemed that she had a specific destination. If only Harry could follow her.
There was a bright green flash of light. The werewolf felt himself falling backwards. He closed his eyes and braced himself for a hard landing. However, the landing was anything but hard. If felt like he had fallen into a large pile of pillows. He opened his eyes. He was surrounded by a bright white fog. He stood up. Then he saw a shadow in the fog. As it came nearer he saw that it was a beautiful woman. She was wearing a white dress. She had long dark brown hair. She looked like she could be an angel.
"Welcome, Remus Lupin," she said, "I am Death." She held out a hand for him to shake it. As he did he thought to himself, "I never thought Death would be so pretty."
"You have a big choice to make Remus," she said.
"I do not want to be a ghost," he replied quickly.
"Oh, of course not," she said, "I did not think you would."
"Then, what is the decision I have to make," he asked, now a little confused.
"Well, you see it is also my job to punish people for crimes they committed and never got punished during life," she said.
"Have I committed a crime?" he asked.
"No," she said, "However some of your friends have. I am in the process of punishing them."
"You mean James and Sirius?" he asked confused.
"Yes," she answered.
"But, haven't they been punished enough," Remus said, "I mean, Sirius was in Azkaban for all of those years, and James was killed."
"I know," she said, "but that was not a punishment for the crime they committed."
"That is not fair," Remus said.
"They were more than glad to take the punishment," continued Death.
"How can anyone wish to be punished?" Remus asked.
"Well this punishment has some advantages," she said, "for example they have a chance to get their life back."
"How?" asked Remus.
"I will let them explain that to you if you choose to help them," said Death, "You can either pass on or go back to earth and help you friends."
"Of course I will help them," said Remus.
"All right," said Death. The white fog started drifting away reviling a forest. In front of him were the dog and deer that had helped him through his transformation.
"So it was you," said Remus.
"Yes," said the deer, "Good to see you again."
"You must have decided to help us," said the dog.
"Of course," said the werewolf, "Marauders always help one another. However, what exactly am I suppose to help you with?"
"Well you see, we are stuck in our animal forms," said James, "as are you."
Remus suddenly noticed that he was standing on four legs. He had been transformed into a werewolf. "Great," replied Remus sarcastically, "Just what I need."
"We can get our human forms back if we save Snivilus's life," said Sirius in disgust.
"Why haven't you done that yet?" asked Remus.
The dog and deer looked at each other and screwed up their noses.
"Ah ha," said Remus, "I understand, however, wouldn't you like to be able to be with Harry again?"
"Well," said James, "Yes, but this is Snivilus we're talking about."
Remus couldn't help but laugh. Just then a snowy white owl landed on the deer's back. "Oh good," she said, "you're here."
"Hedwig?" Remus asked.
"Please don't call me that," said the bird, "It's me, Lily."
"Lily?!" Remus exclaimed.
"Yes, I am just as guilty as these two."
Harry and the rest of the Order Members returned to the Headquarters. Harry half expected to see Sirius run into the room when his mother's portrait started screaming. However, it was Shacklebolt who had to pull the curtain back over the portrait.
Soon Hermione and Ron came running down the stairs with smiles on their faces.
"Harry," Ron yelled, "You're finally here." But he stopped when he saw the expression on his friends face.
"Harry?" Hermione said, "We know you miss him." Then she saw the dead body that Dumbledore was levitating up the stairs to one of the rooms. As she recognized who it was her face went pale. "What happened?" she asked.
"We were attacked," said Harry wiping a tear from his eye. "He was hit by the killing spell."
"I'm so sorry," said Hermione crying. She hugged Harry. Then Ron joined in on the hug. The three friends went up to Ron and Harry's room.
"I can't believe he's gone," said Harry, as he let Hedwig out of her cage. The owl landed on his shoulder. She hooted softly as if trying to comfort him. "But the strangest thing happened," Harry continued, trying to get his thoughts off of Remus. "You know that dog I told you about."
"Yes," Ron and Hermione answered.
"Well, it and a stag tried to attack the Death Eaters," said Harry.
"Maybe they knew they were dangerous," said Hermione.
"But, when the spells hit them, they bounced off. The spells did not even effect them," said Harry.
"That is strange," agreed Ron.
"Then they came into the house," said Harry, "They seemed to be as worried about Remus as I was."
Ron and Hermione stared at Harry. They were left speechless. Hedwig then flew over to the window and waited on the sill. Harry walked over to the window and let her out. It seemed that she had a specific destination. If only Harry could follow her.
There was a bright green flash of light. The werewolf felt himself falling backwards. He closed his eyes and braced himself for a hard landing. However, the landing was anything but hard. If felt like he had fallen into a large pile of pillows. He opened his eyes. He was surrounded by a bright white fog. He stood up. Then he saw a shadow in the fog. As it came nearer he saw that it was a beautiful woman. She was wearing a white dress. She had long dark brown hair. She looked like she could be an angel.
"Welcome, Remus Lupin," she said, "I am Death." She held out a hand for him to shake it. As he did he thought to himself, "I never thought Death would be so pretty."
"You have a big choice to make Remus," she said.
"I do not want to be a ghost," he replied quickly.
"Oh, of course not," she said, "I did not think you would."
"Then, what is the decision I have to make," he asked, now a little confused.
"Well, you see it is also my job to punish people for crimes they committed and never got punished during life," she said.
"Have I committed a crime?" he asked.
"No," she said, "However some of your friends have. I am in the process of punishing them."
"You mean James and Sirius?" he asked confused.
"Yes," she answered.
"But, haven't they been punished enough," Remus said, "I mean, Sirius was in Azkaban for all of those years, and James was killed."
"I know," she said, "but that was not a punishment for the crime they committed."
"That is not fair," Remus said.
"They were more than glad to take the punishment," continued Death.
"How can anyone wish to be punished?" Remus asked.
"Well this punishment has some advantages," she said, "for example they have a chance to get their life back."
"How?" asked Remus.
"I will let them explain that to you if you choose to help them," said Death, "You can either pass on or go back to earth and help you friends."
"Of course I will help them," said Remus.
"All right," said Death. The white fog started drifting away reviling a forest. In front of him were the dog and deer that had helped him through his transformation.
"So it was you," said Remus.
"Yes," said the deer, "Good to see you again."
"You must have decided to help us," said the dog.
"Of course," said the werewolf, "Marauders always help one another. However, what exactly am I suppose to help you with?"
"Well you see, we are stuck in our animal forms," said James, "as are you."
Remus suddenly noticed that he was standing on four legs. He had been transformed into a werewolf. "Great," replied Remus sarcastically, "Just what I need."
"We can get our human forms back if we save Snivilus's life," said Sirius in disgust.
"Why haven't you done that yet?" asked Remus.
The dog and deer looked at each other and screwed up their noses.
"Ah ha," said Remus, "I understand, however, wouldn't you like to be able to be with Harry again?"
"Well," said James, "Yes, but this is Snivilus we're talking about."
Remus couldn't help but laugh. Just then a snowy white owl landed on the deer's back. "Oh good," she said, "you're here."
"Hedwig?" Remus asked.
"Please don't call me that," said the bird, "It's me, Lily."
"Lily?!" Remus exclaimed.
"Yes, I am just as guilty as these two."