Aunt Rose

39.

A week after Lily and James' death, the funeral was held. Alice and Remus helped Rose plan it; the flowers, the headstones and their quotes. They were to be buried in Godric's Hollow, what they put in their will.

Contrary to popular opinion, Rose had a small funeral for the family. She didn't want too many people to know exactly where their graves were, especially with some deatheaters still on the loose.

They had someone come and speak as the two were buried. Rose said a last goodbye to James and Lily before they went into the ground.

"I'm so sorry, Prongs. I should have pushed harder to be your secret keeper. It should have been me. You were the best brother I could have asked for. You made Lily so happy. Rest easy, James. I promise I'll keep Harry safe. I'll see you in the next life," Rose said, holding his hand. After she took a moment, Rose got his wand out of her bag. She placed it tightly in his hands so he would always have it.

Next was Lily. It was so hard to see her in a casket, to see her cold skin, her lifeless eyes that were once so bright.

"I'm so sorry Lily. I should have been there to protect you, it should have been me," Rose said quietly as she wept beside the casket. "I promise I'll protect Harry with my life. I won't ever let him forget you, I'll tell him everything. He'll be so loved. I'll do the best I can. But I know I'll never replace you," Rose said as she pushed a piece of hair behind Lily's ear.

She leant down and gave her sister one last kiss on the cheek. "Good bye, Lil. Keep Marlene company up there for me," she said with a sad smile, placing Lily's beautiful wand in her delicate hands.

Harry got to see his parents one last time. He was slightly confused when he saw his mom and Rose, who looked exactly alike.

But when he saw James, he smiled. He reached out toward the body and Rose had to hold him in her arms so he couldn't climb into the casket with his father.

And he wailed. He screamed and cried and tried weakly punching Rose when James and Lily were lowered into the ground and his father taken away from him.

That was almost worse than burying the two. Harry couldn't understand, he didn't know why his mother and father were being taken and put in these boxes.

And when it was over, Rose finally conjured flowers. Of course, she chose lily flowers for the grave, letting them sit neatly on top of the headstones.

Remus and Alice cried. They hugged Rose and Harry after the funeral, Alice offered to host Rose and Harry for the night.

Rose refused, simply wanting to let Harry grieve on his own, he needed it.

So she took him for a walk around Godric's Hollow, taking care to avoid the cottage where it happened.

There were people celebrating all around. And that might have been one of the worst things for Rose.

Everyone else got to celebrate. They got to laugh and love life again, simply forget all of this ever happened.

Rose didn't get to celebrate, she didn't get to be happy. Her entire family had been stolen from her in the space of weeks. Marlene, Lily, James, Peter. And Sirius, who despite his awful betrayal, was still missed.