Petunia planned James and Lily's funeral.
When Remus found out, he got her address and went there one day because he refused to have Lily's sister mess up the arrangements and dishonour his best friends.
Petunia opened the door, flustered because she had two screaming babies on her. Dudley was in her arms and Harry was clinging to her leg, and now there was a strange young man with graying hair and scars on his face standing on her porch.
Harry recognized Remus at once, and letting go of Petunia, ran to Remus, yelling, "Unco'o Moo'ey!" Remus reached down automatically to let the toddler latch into his neck like he always did. Harry quieted down quickly because this was someone he knew and loved...it was Uncle Moony!
A flabbergasted Petunia asked, "How did you do that? I haven't been able to get him stop fussing since he came here!"
Remus explained that Harry had done it since Day One, and politely asked if he could come in as he had something important to discuss with her.
Petunia allowed him in and stated that she was going to put Dudley down for a nap and asked him to seat himself.
Remus sat down awkwardly on an armchair. Harry looked up and asked, "Unco'o Moo'ey...where mama? Where daddy? Where Padfoot?"
Remus buried his face in the child's messy black hair, so much like other person's that he used to know.
"I wish I knew, Harry," he whispered. "I wish I knew."
--------------------
It was only in late March 1982, nearing James' birthday, that Remus thought he could bear to visit James and Lily's grave in Godric Hollow. He collected the prettiest asters and jasmines-Lily's favourite flowers-that he could find in the wilderness, and laid them on their grave.
Remus sat beside their grave for a very long time, staring at the dusty and moss-covered inscription.
"JAMES POTTER,
born 27 March 1960, died 31 October 1981
LILY POTTER,
born 30 January 1960, died 31 October 1981
The last enemy that shall be
destroyed is death."
He thought of how he would never hear James joke again, or Lily laugh again.
The war was over, they had won, Voldemort was gone. But one couldn't help of thinking of the high price that had been paid. How life and circumstances had torn them apart...by the end of 1981, a decade after they began Hogwarts, James, Peter, Lily, Alice, Marlene-all of them had life snatched away from them cruelly.
Remus thought of them, and of others who had faced a similar fate...Benjy Fenwik, savaged by giants, Dorcas Meadows, killed by five killing curses, Gideon and Fabian Prewett, overpowered and outnumbered by Voldemort's supporters, Frank Longbottom, tortured to insanity by insane people....
What is the use of victory if there are no survivors to enjoy that victory?
And as usual his mind drifted to the man who had betrayed them all...led to the death of their best friends. Suddenly Remus found that he wanted to know why.
What had Voldemort offered Sirius that he went this far?
YOU ARE READING
The Ghosts of the Past (The Marauders' Story)
Fanfiction"We're friends. We're the Marauders. We stick together, remember?" "Yes, Moony. I remember." One of them was mischievous and brave and had the perfect life. Another of them was reckless and loyal and desperate to leave behind his family name. The th...
