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Chapter 33:

Nancy had thought over the Potter's offer and had decided to accept. She really wanted to finish school and her sisters really did seem happy with Mr and Mrs Potter. They had agreed that for a while she would come and visit at least twice a month – even if it was just for one night – to help the girls adjust.

Many of the students spent the next week at funerals following the mass killing in the muggle underground. The marauders dressed quietly for Mr Lupin's funeral. James tried to settle his hair but to no avail. It was still as messy as ever. When they were ready they made their way down to Professor McGonagall's office. They ran into the girls on the way, "give him our love wont you?"

James nodded sombrely. Professor McGonagall was waiting in her office. They were all wearing black dress robes. "Very smart boys," McGonagall smiled, "I'm very impressed."

"Thank you, Professor," the three boys smiled.

"I decided we'd travel by portkey – then you'll never be out of my sight – you will behave won't you?" She questioned, concern evident in her face.

"A funeral is no place for pranks, Professor," James said, taken aback that she would even have to ask. "We do have a line you know."

"A line?" McGonagall asked.

"You know a line you won't cross?" Sirius offered.

"Go passed the line you've gone too far?" Peter asked.

"I see. Never mind. Grab the boot!" Each of them grabbed the boot just in time as they began to move. The boot pulled them to a wood that none of them recognised.

"Where are we?" James asked.

"This wood is right next to the Lupins' house. It is very meaningful to the family. John wanted to be buried in it…" McGonagall explained.

There was a clearing in the wood ahead, there were several seats set out in the clearing. A few professional looking wizards were already sat down. They were obviously Mr Lupin's colleagues from the ministry. The boys and their professor sat down and waited for the funeral to begin. More people began to gather. There were several old people who sat complaining about the weather, "it's awfully windy." An official looking man stood at the front waiting with his hands behind his back. The seats were filling up now. The boys looked around for Remus but couldn't spot him, "he won't arrive yet. He'll follow the coffin…" Professor McGonagall explained. Professor McGonagall cut off half way through her sentence as some strange, eerie music started and the coffin began to hover down the aisle. The guests all stood to their feet as Mrs Lupin and Remus followed the coffin to the front. They sat on the front row as the ceremony official called from the front, "everyone please be seated."

There was absolute silence as they sat waiting. The only sound was a slight sobbing from the front row. Mrs Lupin was holding her son's hand tightly. He had handed her a handkerchief and she was trying to dry her tears. "Let us begin." The official said gravely, "We are gathered here today to say goodbye to a fantastic husband, a loving father, a loyal friend and a generous man. It is a shame that his life should come to this unnatural end and he will be greatly missed…" The man continued speaking for about twenty minutes. He spoke of Mr Lupin's life, telling them the story of nearly everything he had ever done; how he had fallen in love with his muggle wife Mary Lupin, how they had raised such a wonderful son; how hard he had worked for the ministry… James watched as silent tears ran down Remus' face. When the man finished, he stood behind the coffin and drew out his wand, "if you would all raise your wands to Mr John Lupin, husband, father, friend, and colleague."

They stood to their feet and raised their wands, "to Mr John Lupin." Sparks flew from each of their wands and surrounded them in glittering sparks of every colour. The official then pointed his wand at the coffin and it set alight. They watched it burn for several moments until it was just a pile of ash. "Mrs Lupin," the official said offering her his place.

Mrs Lupin stood to her feet. She was carrying a beautiful baby tree, "my husband loved this wood. It meant so much to all of us." Her eyes fell on her son, "and now my husband can stay here forever." Remus joined her and using a muggle shovel made a whole in the ground for the tree. He then stepped aside as his mother planted the tree, placing her husband's ashes at its roots. When she was finished, Remus helped her down the aisle and the music started once more as the rest of the guests followed Remus and Mary, out of the wood.

The rest of September went pretty quickly. Mary's mother's funeral took place a few days after Remus' father's. Mary had asked Peter to go with her and her friends and so Peter found himself at two funerals in one week. Something he hoped he would never have to do again, but something told me that chances are it would happen again – after all war was coming.

The school was a very sad place for several weeks as many mourned the loss of family members. The marauders were sat in the common room one night when Sirius thought out loud, "I think everyone needs cheering up."

"Obviously, but how?" James asked.

"I don't think it's possible. People just need time," Remus said.

"I know! A prank!" Peter said.

"No duh!" Sirius shook his head, "what prank though Pete?"

Peter turned red, "I – I don't know…"

"What about regurgitating toilets?" James offered.

"Cool! We should do several things like that instead of one big prank." Sirius commented.

"What else though?" Remus asked. "What if we make certain steps on the stairs into sinking steps?"

"Sounds good," James smiled.

"We could glue people to the benches in the Great Hall at breakfast?" Peter offered.

"That's good Pete," Sirius commented, "and to top it off we could transfigure little fairies to follow all the girls around and whisper compliments in their ears – like 'the marauders think you are hot…', 'someone looks pretty today…'"

"Always the charmer Sirius!" James smiled. "We'd need to steal something alive from McGonagall's classroom."

"Do you think you could do it, James?" Peter asked.

"Sure he can," Sirius answered for him.

"We'll do it all tonight, when everyone is in bed." James said.

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