Disclaimer: I only own Carly.
Okay I am really sorry about the wait I forgot to tell you I would be at a stupid camp. I'm really really sorry. Please forgive me and don't worry Deefa I will finish the story. And Cylobaby you and Deefa where the only ones and I dedicate this really long (well long for me) chapter.
Sorry if it seems too rushed I just wanted to get them at their jobs soon…
Recap:
Dear Mr. Potter,
It is with our most sincere regret that we are not telling you in person. Last night at around midnight your parents where on a mission and where killed by two Death Eaters. Earlier this morning your Aunt was also found at her house to the East of your estates both her and her three cats where murdered. Sense you are of age you will be returning to the Ministry of Magic for the reading of their Will.
Ministry of Magic
James crumbled. Sirius and Remus caught him on the way down. James clutched to Sirius as a lifeline and let it all out on his shoulder. Remus edged away from Sirius and James mouthing to Sirius, that he would break the news to the girls.
"Why?" James cried into Sirius' shoulder. Sirius could have cared less at that moment about manly-ness as he hugged his friend close tears flooding down Sirius' cheeks also. That was where Lily found them a half an hour later. Remus had tried to track them down all over the school. He finally found both of them in the kitchens. After breaking the news to them Lily ran off. She opened the door and was about to run to James but she stopped seeing Sirius holding James tight as James cried. Lily could faintly hear Sirius whisper,
"I'm sorry." Over and over again. Finally after standing there for a good two minutes she was soon joined by Carly and Remus. Carly looked at the scene before her and instantly burst out in tears. It was like water works. Once Carly stared Lily started. Both of them clutched to each other. They soon invited Remus in, who too, was shedding tears.
It was late afternoon when James regained himself. Sirius had let Lily take over as he took a shower. Carly and Remus sat on Remus' bed leaning on each other. No one knew what to say except Lily who was whispering in James' ear as his tears dried up. "I wish I was there. I could have stopped him." James whispered breaking the silence.
"Shh…so do I." Lily whispered back running a hand through his hair. James pulled away from her and stood up wiping his tears,
"That's it. No more crying. Everyone up." James ordered. Sirius who had just walked out of the bathroom had a sad grin on his face,
"What now, Prongs?" Sirius asked,
"It's time to see Dumbledore and get some answers."
Chapter 47: Funerals, Proposals, and Time
Enjoy:
James had stormed out of the boys' dorm and was half way across the common room before he realized that his was only wearing boxers. He turned around, but Lily was right behind him with pants and a shirt in her hands. He pulled them on ignoring the giggles, and laughs from the other Gryffindors, and continued his dash to the head master's office.
"Come in James." A grave voice said behind the solid wood doors of Dumbledore's office. James walked in slowly Lily, Sirius, Remus, and Carly behind him.
"Why didn't you tell us last night?" James said between his teeth. Lily shuddered backing away from James. His voice had a sort of hidden malice behind it. The Headmaster didn't reply. James walked over to his desk putting the palms of his hands on its surface,
"Please sit." Dumbledore said waving his hand towards the chairs. Once Sirius had dragged James into a seat Carly looked over at Dumbledore,
"Where his he?" She asked her expression blank,
"I don't know." Dumbledore answered,
"I'm going to go find him." She stated turning towards the door.
"And do what? Cry at him? Come on Carly be more logical." Remus said his voice stopping Carly at the door. She looked at him,
"Well what are you going to do about it? Just cry about it here?" She retaliated. Remus opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off by Dumbledore,
"Caroline, Remus here, has a point. We need to plan, but quickly before anyone else falls to his feet." Remus made a smug face at Carly who grinded her fist into her hand.
"Not now." Lily hissed turning towards the Headmaster, "So what do you purpose we do?" She asked,
"I want you all to try and forget about the world outside of school for now. Give me your word that you will finish out school and go on with the professions you wish to become. Merlin knows I need more Aurors in the Ministry." Dumbledore replied his eyes never leaving Sirius and James. Sirius nodded, and after a moments hesitation James nodded also,
"Should I become an Auror?" Carly asked quietly feeling a little out of place sense her out burst before.
"No, no I think I would be better if you played quidditch." He answered. Carly nodded as did Lily and James. "Now if you four could please excuse me and James." Dumbledore said now looking older then before. Sirius had to be dragged out of the room by Remus. "Now James the reading of the will is on Tuesday you are aloud to bring one person, besides Sirius." James raised an eyebrow,
"Why, 'besides Sirius'?" He asked,
"Sirius is included in the will." James nodded and stood up, "Your parents sent me this the night before they died." Dumbledore said before James could walk out. James took the roll of parchment from the headmaster and unrolled it slowly,
Dear James,
We love you.
Mum
Dad
James stared at the note, "So they knew they where going to die?" James whispered a dark expression now filling his eyes. Dumbledore nodded, "And you let them go?" James hissed.
"I told them not to go, but they did it for you James." James shook his head and turned to leave, "Please, James, promise me you will stay and finish out the year." James nodded again and left without looking back to see the Headmaster smile a grave smile.
It was Tuesday and James, Sirius, and Remus where getting ready to leave for the Ministry. Lily, Carly, and Sophie hugged all three before the boys walked onto the misty grounds of Hogwarts. Once all three where out of their site Carly turned towards Lily, "Why didn't James take you?" She asked the question that had been burning her mind ever sense James came back from Dumbledore's last Thursday. Lily shrugged,
"I think it's a guy thing. I mean in the whole seven years I've known him last Thursday was the first time I saw him cry. I'm pretty sure he doesn't want me to see him cry again." Lily said turning back into the castle to write a letter to her parents. Carly shook her head and waved good-bye to Sophie before she followed Lily to their first class.
"Good Morning Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, and Mr. Lupin." A small bald man in a black robe said greeting them at the doors of a large meeting room. James and Sirius ignored the man as the passed him, but Remus nodded politely before taking his seat at the long table. The man sat across from them next to a very, old grumpy looking lady who had a strange smell of cats coming from her bag.
"Mr. Potter this is your only relative left, her name is Gertrude Mack she is your great great cousin once removed on your mother's side. Also a very good friend of your Aunts." James nodded his head to the lady, who only sneered back at him. (AN: I've never actually been to one of these so you're going to have to bear with me on this) "Now on with the Wills." The man looked at a small piece of parchment in front of him, "It says here that your parents left everything to you. The money in their vault is now yours, as is the house and everything inside. It says here that Sirius has gained custody of his own bedroom as do the rest of the boys and girls whoever that may be. Also the week before your parents passed they purchased season tickets, four seven to all of the Irish Quidditch games. That was left to Sirius also." Sirius let out a dry laugh before the man cleared his voice and picked up another piece of parchment, "Now for Mantilla Potter's (AN: James' aunt) will. She left her Gringotts vault to James and her house to Gertrude." Gertrude's sneer became deeper as she glared at James who completely ignored her. "Your parents had one last wish and that was to have a small funeral with only James, Sirius, Peter, Remus, Lily, Carly, Minerva, Moody, and Dumbledore. It says here a note was sent to Dumbledore…and that's all it says…" The man flipped through a couple of his pages.
"What about Mantilla?" Gertrude croaked,
"Oh she wished to be buried along side her brother with only you and the rest there." Gertrude nodded and left not without grabbing a grubby looking key on the middle of the table. Remus cleared his throat to get the man's attention, "Oh yes sorry, Mr. Potter, you are supposed to make plans with me right now." James nodded,
"Saturday." He said his voice hoarse yet strangely very mature, "I want them to be buried with the rest of the Potter's preferably right next to Grandma and Grandpa Potter." The man nodded writing this all down, "Make sure Moody gets a notice." And with that James stood taking the two keys that lay on the table and left.
"Thank you." Remus said shaking the man's hand. As the door shut behind Sirius the man shook his head,
'That was the saddest one all day.'
The funeral came on a rainy Saturday morning. Needless to say it was the quietest Sirius, James, Carly, Remus, Lily, and Peter had been in a long time. By the time James slowly came out of his depression it was time to start studying for the NEWTS. Well for Carly, Sirius, and James who had not studied at all it was. The week before the exams the only place you could find the five Gryffindors was in the library, the great hall, and classes. All through out the week black envelopes poured in at an alarming rate as where many students pulled from Hogwarts. The remaining students where at home on the weekend before exams for their relatives funerals. This just drove Lily, James, Sirius, and Remus to study harder. Carly on the other hand seemed to slip farther and farther away from the group. When asked on where she was going she would simply say, "To get some air." She wasn't lying she was simply lying by the lake thinking very deep thoughts about her future and the others.
On Graduation day not much was said, nor was much needed to be said. The after party was dull and James, Sirius, Remus, Carly, and Lily left early to sit at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, "I was thinking…" James trailed off looking at the Sirius and Remus and reaching into his pocket and messing with something inside, "Sense I have Godrick's Hollow I was hoping we could all move there instead of the apartment." The apartment was James' parents' gift to the boys for Christmas,
"Sure," Remus said as Sirius nodded, "but what are you going to do with the apartment."
"Well, maybe the girls would want it." He said looking at them. Carly was shocked she was planning on staying at Lily's place until she found a place of her own. Lily was ecstatic,
"Yes! No more Petunia!" She cheered and then looked at Carly who nodded,
"Of course." Carly replied, "Thanks James." She said.
"No problem." He said quietly. Carly raised an eyebrow; James had been acting weird all day…weirder then usual. James was now staring at Lily, who was giving him a weird look back,
"Uh…come on Carly lets go pack." Sirius said quickly leading Carly out of the hall Remus trailing behind them,
"What's wrong James?" Lily asked.
"Nothing." He squeaked. "Actually there was umm…something I kind of wanted to ask you…" He said standing up.
"Yes?" Lily asked watching him confusion written on her face.
"I was wondering," He got down on one of his knees taking her hand in his, "If you would…umm…marry me…" James whispered faintly causing Lily to strain to hear him, but when she did her hand went limp in James'. "Lily?" He looked up into her face and saw her looking pale, but smiling,
"Yes, James." She said. James smiled widely slipping a huge diamond on her finger. She gapped at the ring. It was huge with two square rubies and a very large diamond in the middle of them all of this was on a small gold band that fit perfectly to her finger. He grinned at her before picking her up and twirling her in the air. They both heard claps and cheers from their friends at the doors, but they ignored them as James kissed Lily deeply.
The next week of school went by very fast. The Marauders said good-bye to Hogwarts forever with one finale prank leaving the teachers and Slytherins in pink and purple robes. James, Lily, and Sirius applied to become Aurors and received an acceptance personally from Mad-Eye Moody who also invited Carly saying that Quidditch was hogwash. She laughed but declined. Remus got a job at Flourish and Blotts inside Diagon Ally, the same day Carly started practice. Peter got an apprenticeship at the Magical Law department in the Ministry when James, Lily, and Sirius started training. Needless to say the four at the ministry where swamped so Remus helped Carly move herself and Lily into the apartment. When all of Carly's two trunks and Lily's fifteen boxes where inside and in their respective room's Carly and Remus stopped to eat at a little muggle café outside their building.
"So in November is when Lily is making me cut my hair." Remus said to Carly. November was the month after Sirius, Lily, and James would be done with training. It was also the month in which James and Lily where going to be married. Carly laughed at Remus,
"It does need a trim." She said.
"Sophie happens to like it this way thank you very much." Remus retorted,
"I'm sure." She said sarcastically. Remus threw his fork at her. She caught it and threw it back, "Don't try it, Lupin, I'm a professional now." Remus shook his head.
"So when is the first game?" He asked,
"Next month." She said with a deep sigh. This year was going by to fast for her. With all of the stuff going on about Voldemort, quidditch, and her friends she barely had time to think. She was shocked when Remus waved a hand in front of her face,
"That's tomorrow." He said. Carly raised an eyebrow and he nodded shoving his wrist in her face. She looked at the date and sure enough it was July 30th.
"Oh man, what happened to the time?" She asked. Remus shrugged,
"I wish I knew." He whispered back.
Again I am so sorry it's rushed.
Thanks for RR
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