Harry Potter and Death's Mystery

Chapter 17

"What do you mean, you forgot to tell me?" Remus looked around the room at the Ministry, Teddy asleep in his arms. "I can't get an Order of Merlin, I'm — are you sure you aren't talking about someone else?"

Remus wasn't sure when anyone was supposed to tell him this little tidbit of information. When they had arrived at the Ministry that morning, he was pulled aside and told that he would be receiving this honour, and to come to the Ministry on the thirteenth to receive it. "Today's the seventh?" Remus asked, only to get a few nods in return, "That's six days. How am I supposed to get an Order of Merlin in six days? I didn't even do anything!"

"You helped out loads in this War," Harry piped up, "And you've helped me loads with other things too." 

"You also helped in the First War," Lily reminded him. "Don't sell yourself short, Remus."

"But —"

"No buts, Moony," James informed his best friend. "Everyone else believes you deserve it."

"Except —"

"Except no one, Remus," Tonks said, "Stop trying to get out of it. You'll inspire young werewolves, and Teddy, isn't that what you wanted?"

"Well, yes, but —"

"So, you're taking it?

Remus's lips were pulled tight, and he looked around the room. "Fine, but next time someone is nominated for an award, please remember to tell me." He turned and walked away, not fastly due to his sleeping son.

Sirius's grey eyes narrowed, "I feel really awful for not knowing this, but I did just return from the dead, but is the full moon coming up?"

Harry nodded, "I'm pretty sure it's the ninth."

James frowned, rubbing his right eye, causing his glasses to slightly raise off of the bridge of his nose. "I thought so, he always got rather short tempered in the days leading up to the full moon. If we had something to tell him during school, we'd wait until after the moon was over."

Tonks nodded her head in agreement, but looked over to where Remus was.

Regulus, who had wandered off the moment they had entered the Ministry came running over, a smile prevalent on his pale skin. "Got some news!" He looked around, and his grey eyes narrowed slightly in concentration. "Where'd Remus go?"

"Moony's not in the best mood," Sirius told his younger brother. 

Regulus nodded, and continued his original thought. "Today is what everyone believes is the last day of returns! Isn't that cool?"

Harry's eyes widened, "I probably should go see if Kingsley needs anything." He gave his mother a quick kiss on the cheek, "I'll be back soon." Before scurrying off.

"Well, who came back?" James asked Regulus.

"Loads of people. Can't exactly remember the specifics, I've never met most of them before. Apparently, Dumbledore came back, but he came back very ill because of the curse we talked about and isn't expected to live very long. Maybe three weeks maximum."

"Better not tell Remus that until after the moon." Tonks muttered, remembering Remus's reaction to Dumbledore's death the first time around. James and Sirius mumbled agreements. 

"Oh!" Regulus called out, as if just remembering something. "Alastor Moody wanted to see you, Tonks."

Tonks's face brightened considerably, "I'm going to find him." 

"You know what today being the last day of returns means, right?" Regulus questioned, his hand fiddling with the tie he insisted on wearing. "It means we'll have to start looking at jobs and such and moving on with our lives. I died at eighteen, I had no job or anything besides betraying the Dark Lord."