The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix Part Three

You Have Beautiful Boys

Remus was sitting at the table next morning, drinking tea and reading the Daily Prophet, which had been delivered to the Potters' front door before the sun was even up. He had on a thick jumper, one leg crossed over the other. There was a creak on the stairs and Remus looked up from the paper to see Dora Potter, tip toeing carefully, wincing whenever the stairs made a noise, until she reached the bottom of the steps and turned and saw Remus. She stopped short in surprise. "Oh!" she said, then she laughed, "So much for my sneaking."

Remus laughed, "Honestly, I doubt any of them would've heard you anyway besides me or Sirius... Sirius's hearing is... superb."

"I didn't know you and Sirius stayed."

"Peter did, too."

"In the guest room?"

Remus said, "We all sort of fell asleep in James and Lily's room." He paused. "Tea?"

"Please." She walked over and sat down and he tipped his wand, producing a tea cup, his already hot kettle pouring out a perfectly made cup. "Why thank you."

"Of course, Mrs. Potter."

Remus lay the newspaper down on the table as she cupped her hands around the tea cup and sipped. He glanced at the window. "It looks like it's going to be a lovely day out," he commented. 

"The boys will probably want to play quidditch," Dora murmured.

"I think Sirius would be up for anything that's outdoors."

She smiled.

Remus sipped his own tea.

Dora coughed a few times, carefully covering her mouth with her handkerchief and turning away. Remus tried not to watch but his eyes kept straying to her anyway as tiny puffs of smoke rose up from the handkerchief.

He hated knowing things sometimes.

"How are you Mrs. P?" he asked gently when she'd finished coughing.

"I'm alright," she said. "Just a little cough. The tea will do me good." She smiled and sipped again.

Remus nodded.

"You know," she said after a moment's quiet, "You can call me mum, honey."

Remus met her eyes. He hesitated, then he leaned forward, placing both his feet on the floor and reaching over to take one of her hands in both of his. "I am truly, sincerely honored by that. I am, Mrs. Potter, I really am. I just --" Remus sighed sadly. "I'm afraid it would hurt to."

"Hurt to?"

"I miss my mum so much, and I know it's been years since she was killed, but there's not a single day that goes by that I'm not thinking about her and wishing she was still here."

"I understand that," Dora replied. "Well, I understand it in theory. My mother was never the sort you would miss. But I do understand grief and the way it never quite goes away, however long it's been."

Remus nodded, "I knew you would understand." He released her hand and sat back.

"I'm sorry that I never got a chance to meet your mum," Dora said. "She had such a beautiful person for a son that I imagine she must have been a very beautiful person herself."

Remus's smile twitched at his lips and he said, "Inside and out." He paused, then reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, an old muggle billfold, leather with creases. He unfolded it and pulled out a small photo card and stared at it a moment, then said, "You'll have a question when you see her, and -" he paused, "First of all, yes. And secondly, yes really." He held out the photocard.