Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. That is J. K. Rowling's imagination at work.
October 31, 1982
Two shadows sat in the room, silent as candlelight flickered across them.
"It's been one year already," one of them croaked. The other nodded slowly.
'One year," he echoed. They stared at each other, their eyes both holding an emptiness.
Sirius Black, one of the shadows, stared into a nearby flame, hugging his knees.
"Why?" he whispered hoarsely. It had been one of their school traditions to come to the Shrieking Shack, where they were now, on Halloween. And now their foursome and been reduced by two. And even though they hadn't been there since they left school, it still held the old tradition.
Remus Lupin, the other, let the silence settle. It didn't feel right, being here on Halloween without the other two. There were no jokes, no stories; no Padfoot or Prongs yelling BOO to scare Wormtail. He could almost hear their last Halloween. Their Seventh Year. It had been one of the best nights of their days at Hogwarts. Even more so then the full moons the others always looked forward to. But there was no Padfoot, or Prongs, or Wormtail, or even Moony this night. No, just two friends, wishing the others were there.
"Remus?" Sirius croaked softly.
"I know. I miss them too," Remus replied, equally as soft.
Sirius shook his head. "No. I was wondering, could you tell that story the drunk guy wrote about the heart? For old times sake? Prongs loved that one, and Wormtail almost peed his pants."
"What, The Tell-Tale Heart?" Remus asked. Sirius nodded.
It was an odd request, especially on the first anniversary of Prongs and Lily's death. And Wormtail's betrayal. But Sirius's eyes were pleading and he nodded.
They sat, Sirius hugging his knees, eyes staring into the distance, listening as Remus recited it roughly.
When Remus finished, Sirius didn't say anything.
"Sirius?" No answer came.
"Padfoot?"
Sirius grinned slowly. Remus was scared now. Had he finally snapped?
Sirius's blue eyes snapped into focus. "Didn't you hear that?" he asked.
"Hear what? Padfoot, are you feeling alright?"
He brushed off the question. "Prongs. He was here. He was laughing. And Lily, too, for some reason. She never knew we came here. But she was here too. And they were laughing. Moony, didn't you hear them? Or see them?"
Moony shook his head. "No…"
"Well shut up and listen then mate. They're here."
Sirius's conviction made Remus shrug, and quiet. He stared at the spot James usually occupied, the spot right next to the bed, right next to Padfoot, and across from him. Suddenly, as Padfoot said, laughter reached his ears.
"Good one Moony," Prongs laughed, grinning at him.
"Thanks," Moony whispered, tears in his eyes. He could see his friend's outline, his messy black hair and everything.
"Hey Padfoot," Prongs said, wheeling to face his best friend, whose tears were streaming down his face. "You have to get Snivelly one last time for me. Promise?" Sirius nodded, grinning through his tears.
"Proudly. I'll tell you when it's ready." Prongs nodded, and began to fade.
"Wait!" Two voices cried at the same time. But Prongs just grinned his usual grin and disappeared.
"Told you so," Padfoot said, tears still flowing freely down his face. He felt no shame. Especially since Remus was crying too.
Remus grinned slightly and nodded. Still the same old Padfoot.
As per their tradition, Padfoot and Moony slept in the Shrieking Shack that night.
"Good thing we brought our sleeping bags," Sirius mumbled, about to fall asleep. Moony nodded sleepily and the two friends drifted off to sleep. The thought that their friend was still listening helped.
Some Years Later
This time, Moony sat alone in that lonely room where he and Padfoot had comforted each other so long ago. He let the tears run openly and freely down his face. This time, there was no one to see them.
"How?" he asked the air.
How could Padfoot have died already? Now who was there to talk to, to revive the traditions, what with Prongs gone, and Wormtail disowned.
"Why?" he croaked.
Why did they have to go and leave him? Why did Padfoot have to go and not him? Why not him?
He hugged his knees and stared into space, remembering. Suddenly, a particular memory came to mind. He straightened up, closed his eyes, and began to tell the story of The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe, or as Sirius had called him, "that drunk guy."
As he neared the end, he heard laughter. His eyes snapped open, and he stopped talking. No one was there. He sighed and rested his head on his knees until he felt something prod his shoulder.
"C'mon Moony, finish!" He heard Padfoot's voice say. He laughed while crying and obeyed. Their laughter echoed around their small room as he continued.
"That was wonderful Remus," he heard when he was finished.
He spun around. That wasn't one of the Marauders. That was Lily.
"Over here Remus." She smiled and waved from her spot beside James.
There they were, all three of them. Prongs, Lily, and Padfoot, grinning and laughing.
He laughed along, crying at the same time. He didn't think about how this was impossible, or that it had to be just an image his imagination conjured. All that was on his mind was that he was with them again.
"Hey Moony," Prongs called.
"Yeah Prongs?" Remus asked.
"Padfoot never pulled that prank he promised on dear old Snivelly. So now, that honor has been bestowed on you."
Moony smiled through tears. "With honor," he whispered hoarsely.
Their laughter echoed once more, and his eyes closed. When they opened in the morning, he was alone again.