November 1, 1981. A bittersweet day for all the Wizarding World. For the night before, James and Lily Potter had been murdered in cold blood by Voldemort in their own home, betrayed by their close friend Sirius Black. However, the day was filled with celebration. Because not all the Potters had perished that night. No, Harry Potter the Potter's one year old son survived the attack of the murderous Dark Lord. In trying to kill Harry, Lord Voldemort had caused his own downfall. The world was safe again, Death Eaters, followers of the Dark Lord, were being rounded up left and right. People who had been in hiding opened their doors and stepped out into the open once more. Celebrations were brought to the street, Diagon Alley was returned to its normal bright, festive atmosphere. The Leaky Cauldron had more patrons than it had in years. But one in particular was not drinking to celebrate. He was drinking to forget.

Remus Lupin sat alone at a table in a corner decorated with four empty glasses. He held another in his hand. Remus had had a difficult day, one of his best friends had been murdered, betrayed to a homicidal madman by his other best friend, who had been carted off to Azkaban. The third of his best friends had been murderd by his traitorous friend. Remus, having never had any real family since his youth besides his three best friends, was now essentially alone. He sat and drank, fruitlessly hoping the sting of the firewhiskey would numb the pain he felt from the loss of his family. But he wouldn't cry, absolutely refused to.

Over the loud voices and sporadic toasts to the memories of the Potters and to Harry's health, he heard the tinkling of the bell over the door. He looked to see a woman walk in with her daughter. A daughter whose hair was a strange dark shade of crimson. The woman spotted him in the corner and walked towards him, purpose in her eyes. The girl recognized him at once and ran to him. When she stepped in front of him, he noticed her normally bright eyes were dull and rimmed with red. She had been crying. Remus looked up at her mother whose tear stained face was twisted in a grimace of pain.

"Remus, please tell me its not true."

Andromeda and her daughter Nymphadora had spent the day in Diagon Alley, searching for news of Sirius after the Potter's deaths. When they heard the truth, they simply didn't believe it. So Andromeda began hunting for the one person she knew would know what had really happened to her cousin, Remus Lupin. They were nearly ready to give up when Dora had the idea to look in the Leaky Cauldron.

"I'm afraid it is."

Andromeda gasped, more tears falling down her face. She looked at this man in front of him, the best friend of her cousin who had done such a horrid thing. She hadn't wanted him to tell her the truth, she had wanted him to lie to her, and hope his lie was reality. But he had not, he had come straight out with it. And it was proving to be more than she could handle. She squeezed Remus' shoulder and turned to leave.

But Dora stayed behind, staring up at her favorite cousin's best friend, who claimed Sirius had done horrible things. She couldn't believe that he would do such a thing, not her Padfoot.

"Mr. Moony?"

Remus hadn't noticed that the little girl was still standing there. He marvelled in her determination, he could tell she was trying very hard not to cry. That was something they had in common.

"Mr. Moony, Sirius didn't do it. And I know you think the same. I know he was your best friend, and so was Mr. Potter and Mr. Pettigrew. Sirius was my best friend. So I just wanted you to know, that if you need a new best friend, I need one too."

And with that the little girl, with fresh tears in her eyes turned and ran to join her mother who was waiting at the door. Remus stared down into his glass of firewhiskey. The faces of his three best friends, Lily and Harry danced through his mind. He felt the pain of his loss, like a hole ripping through his chest. Because in the deaths of the Potters, Remus had truly lost everything. He had lost the only people in the world who seemed to accept him and love him, despite what he was. Remus was truly alone.

So finally, he cried.