☽☽☽
"BOTH OF THEM?" Athena placed her hand over her mouth. Tears pricked in her eyes as she remembered the kind smile of Euphemia, the jokes that Fleamont would tell and his laugh sounding out louder than the rest.
"They've been sick for a while" Lily sniffed, "it's easy to miss, the symptoms are a lot like old age until the end but... we got to say goodbye"
"Lily I'm so sorry" Athena dashed up and wrapped her arms around her friend who sobbed into her chest. Ignoring everyone around, Athena lay her cheek against Lily's hair and closed her eyes. Remaining in the moment and feeling hurt by the girls rasping cries.
"How is he?" Athena murmured, "I couldn't think of much worse than losing both your parents... so suddenly"
"I know" Lily nodded, "I'm trying to be strong for him"
Athena nodded, loosening her grip on Lily with a weak smile.
"It's not contagious" Lily continued as though simply reciting everything that the medi-wizard had told her, "it tends to only affect people who are older and they... they went painlessly, Mia first and then... and then Monty"
"It'll be ok" Athena sighed as Lily leant against her, "should we go and find James, someone should tell Sirius... they were his parents too"
Lily nodded in agreement but it seemed she couldn't form words without a cry bubbling in her throat.
"I'll call Sirius by patronus... I think I know how and then I'll come find you both ok?"
Lily nodded again before walking out the room with her head held low. Athena took a few deep breaths. She'd just gotten over the shock of losing Regulus so soon and now this had hit the group as well. She didn't want to imagine how Sirius was going to take this. Euphemia and Fleamont may biologically be James' parents but they were Sirius' as well.
Athena cast her patronus and tried not to cry as the silver wolf appeared,
"Sirius you need to come to St. Mungo's, I'm so sorry but the Potter's have... they passed away Pads I'm so sorry"
She tried not to burst into tears as the wolf vanished. Others in the waiting room were giving her sympathetic glances and she felt suddenly uncomfortable. Without wasting anymore time, she dashed out of the room in a hunt to find James and Lily.
It didn't take long to find the two of them. James was sat by a now empty bed, the sheets were rumpled suggesting that someone had been there at some point. He had his head in his hands and he was shaking as Lily ran her hand up and down his back.
Athena faltered wondering if they might be best left alone, she definitely didn't want to force herself in where she wasn't needed. However as she backed away, James looked up. His glasses were askew, his face red and stained with tears.
"Come here" he smiled softly. Athena nodded as she sat down next to him. James took a few long breaths before he crumpled again. Athena took his hand in hers and ran her thumb over his as he lent against Lily who was crying too.
"They- they- didn't- didn't" James tried to speak but couldn't do it through the sobs. He took a few breaths again as tears dropped onto his jeans,
"They didn't get to see... wedding" he sobbed, placing his free hand over his eyes.
Athena's heart ached as she realised what he meant. She saw Lily's engagement ring glinting on her finger. They would never see their son marry the love of his life. Now Athena couldn't stop the tears that rushed down her face.
The three of them looked like a complete state, all crying onto each other as they stayed close. Time passed where they just cried in silence, all that could be heard were their sobs.
After another ten minutes the door burst open and Sirius was standing there. His face was one of shock, his hair pulled into a messed up low bun.
"Prongs" he began. James didn't waste any time in jumping up and hugging his best friend.
James cried harder than ever and Sirius muttered some words into his ear that the girls couldn't head. James nodded at these. Sirius looked over to the bed and his expression that had been keeping a strong hold fell like a mask.
He dipped his face into James' shoulder to hide the tears that slipped out of his eyes.
"I have to arrange- arrange- funeral" James continued to sob,
"Don't think about that now" Sirius sighed, "we'll all be here for you Prongs, we'll all help you"
"Course we will" Athena nodded as James and Sirius moved to sit down. Sirius held onto Athena's hand as he sat down and she rested against him just as James did with Lily.
"We got to say goodbye" James whispered, "Mum told... told me to... tell you that she loves you"
Sirius wiped the tears off his face as he nodded,
"They were fucking amazing people" he smiled, "never met better parents in my life, we couldn't have asked for more"
"You were their son too" James nodded, "they loved you like a son"
Sirius smiled as though reminiscing on memories. Athena sighed, laying her forehead on the leather of Sirius' jacket.
"It'll be ok" Lily murmured for something to do, "it'll be hard but we have each other"
"Course we do" Sirius nodded, "we're family, we'll get you through this"
"I love you" James smiled slightly, "I love you all"
They all leant against one another again, now including Sirius. The hospital radio was playing some slow number that didn't exactly lighten the mood.
☽☽☽
The funeral was the following week. James had gotten better as the days progressed. Athena had still gone into work but Daisy gave her more breaks as occasionally her hands would begin to shake as she heard Fleamont's laugh or saw Euphemia's smile.
Obviously she wasn't hurting as much as James, Sirius or Lily but she had known the Potter parents since she was eleven when she'd first come to James' house. She'd been so nervous then, only going because she had been Remus' friend. However they'd been so welcoming.
Athena dressed in a simple black jumper dress and some heeled boots, an overcoat slung over her shoulders. She moved out her room and saw Lily tying James' tie. He was staring at the ceiling and muttering words over and over again to himself.
She walked downstairs to find Sirius standing, hands against the counter staring down at it. Kennedy was making him some kind of drink, dressed in the black suit she'd worn to leavers.
"How you feeling?" Athena asked, "is that a stupid question?"
"No" Sirius smiled, "I'm alright, at least I can go to the funeral this time"
Athena smiled sadly not sure how to reply to that,
"He'll be there you know" Sirius muttered.
"I know" Athena nodded, "but this day isn't about me"
"If he says anything to you I'll—"
"He won't" Athena assured him, "don't worry about that, that's my problem not yours"
"Any problem of yours is a problem of mine" Sirius replied simply, placing a kiss against the side of her head. Kennedy moved over and passed Sirius his drink which he downed in one.
There was movement from the stairs and Athena turned to see that James and Lily had appeared. James' eyes had resorted to being constantly red and puffy but he smiled encouragingly at the group to let them know he was ok.
"Right" he nodded, "this is it, let's go"
They apperated there, Athena arrived last after the two couples. The funeral was being held at a church, apparently Mia and Monty used to go here a lot. It seemed right this would be where they were buried.
People were already entering. Athena saw people who could be friends, maybe family, colleges or even just people like Athena who had the pleasure of meeting them. They walked in together, James moved to the front with Lily and Sirius but Kennedy and Athena thought it best to sit in the middle as they weren't as close.
Athena sat next to the brunette who seemed well composed. Of course she'd known the Potter parents the least considering she'd joined the group later but Athena knew she still wasn't doing well from the loss of Regulus. One person could only take so much loss at a time.
She turned to see people walking in. Peter had Mary by his side and Athena simply stared at them passively as they took a seat two rows behind. Peter thankfully hadn't noticed them or he might have come to sit with them.
On the other hand, Dorcas and Marlene did see them. The two girls came into their row, Marlene next to Athena as they stared at the front.
"How are they?" Dorcas asked, "when we heard... well I couldn't believe it"
"James took it badly but he's being strong" Athena replied, "Lily's been by his side the entire time and Sirius... well he's just being Sirius I suppose"
"Well that's all we can expect" Marlene nodded, "we would have come over sooner but we didn't want to intrude"
"James will appreciated our being here today" Athena smiled, "that's what counts"
There were more footsteps towards the back of the hall and Athena turned to see Remus dashing in. He was late, his tie done badly and his hair messed up. Athena winced as she saw and new and fairly bad scar on his neck.
He stared at Athena and for a moment she thought everything might be ok, that he may give her some kind of explanation to why he'd been so cold. However a moment after his eyes fixed on her, they transformed into a glare and he moved to sit on his own at the back.
Athena swallowed a cry as she turned back to the front as though this hadn't affected her.
"I'll beat him up for you, you know I will" Kennedy whispered so only Athena could hear. Evidently Kenny had seen the encounter too.
"Might have to take you up on that" Athena muttered, "but not sure today's the occasion"
The ceremony had started now. It was being led by a priest, Athena wasn't sure whether the Potter's had been religious or not.
There were two large photos surrounded by wreaths at the front. Athena's eyes lingered on their smiles and she remembered seeing them only last week. This felt so surreal.
She listened as the priest talked about how the couple had now passed on to heaven. Personally she didn't believe any of this but she wished that she could, maybe it would make the idea of death easier.
"Now we're going to hear some words from the Potter's son, James"
There was a light and very polite clap as James moved up to the front. He looked over everyone and for a moment looked as though he was going to burst into tears again however as his gaze found Lily he composed himself.
"You won't find better parents than mum and dad" James began, "Mia and Monty... they were the epitome of everything that makes loving parents. They were never too strict or too overwhelming. They're the reason that I'm so protective of my friends, they taught me everything I know and without them I wouldn't be who I am today"
"Dad taught me how to play quidditch, he was so proud when I got quidditch captain. My friends will know how determined I was to win the cup every year I was in charge and... that was because of him. I wanted to win for him because without dad I wouldn't be playing quidditch in the first place"
"Mum taught me how to love, in fact they both did. The love that they had for one another was endless and... well it seems fitting they they left together. They were always kind, caring and they provided the right amount of rules that almost stopped me from getting into serious trouble"
"They loved my friends as much as I did... Sirius was their son too and I think he's a prime example of how much love they had to spare. If anyone needed help they would never turn their heads, even if that put others in danger. They were incredible aurors, always striving to make the world a better place"
"Obviously some of you might know my dad for inventing Sleekeazy's hair potion" James smirked, "he made that for me... my hair was always (and still is) uncontrollable at times. His was too but as I remember the potion actually worked for him, for some reason it didn't work for me but I found that hilarious"
"When coming to my house you'd never be unwelcome... they could make anywhere a home without even trying. They were the most genuine two people ever, barely ever in a bad mood. I'm so proud to be their son, so proud. I could never ask for more than what they gave me and I love them... I wish I'd told them that more but I'm sure they knew it"
James stopped and stared at everyone for another moment before he forced a smile and moved to sit back down. There was another polite clap before the priest announced that one of Mia's close friends would be saying a few words.
After the ceremony came the burial. The weather outside was sunny which didn't match how everyone was feeling. The two holes were already dug, they were so close together which made Athena feel comforted.
Athena watched as the mahogany coffins were lowered into the ground. James was crying again, the realisation hitting him. Sirius was crying too but unlike James (who sobbed audibly) tears just silently slid over his face.
Athena stood next to Kennedy who was holding Sirius' hand through her leather gloves. James, Sirius, Lily and a few others were invited to drop a handful of soil onto each grave as a final goodbye.
James went first and said a few words to himself before he dropped it.
The gravestones were close together too, both reading similar messages.
Euphemia Potter, loving mother and wife.
In the end I would rather be able to say I loved too much than not enough.
Fleamont Potter, loving father and husband.
When I saw you, I fell in love and you smiled because you knew.
The graves were soon filled with soil and the day had come to a close. It was a final bitter goodbye that didn't bring any comfort to James who could never really say goodbye to his parents.
They had all silently agreed to convene at James' house. Of course if the boy had turned around and claimed he needed space they would have left without question however he appreciated the company.
Athena noticed Remus arrive before anyone else had welcomed his presence. It wasn't the scene to say anything to him. She hoped he'd shoot a remorseful glance in her direction filled with apologies that would for now be left unsaid.
However when his eyes landed on hers there was nothing but unfamiliarity. He looked through her as though she had never been there and Athena was sure she could faintly hear her heart shatter.
She stayed by Kennedy and Sirius as they sat around the kitchen providing memories of the Potter parents while they drank wine.
Athena never like the taste of wine but tonight she would have drank anything as long as it gave her a distraction from Remus' cold eyes.
As the sun went down people started to announce their tidings. Athena wasn't sure if she should stay, she had been the entire week but her heart was pulling to follow Remus. However as he shot her another glare she decided it best not.
She wondered why he was still bothering to live in her house. Athena wanted to shout at him but she had decency to know that James just needed comfort.
Athena wished that Sirius and Kennedy would stay, they'd been her strength today even though they were broken themselves. The girl had been leaning on them to avoid Remus.
Remus was the last to go. James said bye as usual and Remus said words that sounded just like him.
"It gets better Prongs, we're all by your side"
The normality of the words cast another realisation that this was Remus. He wasn't changed or different or new... he was just him. This was how he chose to act towards her after everything they had been through. When not even six months ago he'd given her a ring and promised her the world. Well the world was still spinning but where were they?
He disappeared from the fire. Her problems were trivial in the eyes of Lily and James. She didn't blame them for forgetting, she was glad they brushed over how normal Remus had been to everyone except her. She felt wronged in every way a person could be wronged. Wondering what she could have done differently.
"I'm going to bed" James sighed, "will you come?"
"Of course I will" Lily smiled. Rena waved goodnight and was left with a few dim lights from flickering candles laid in memorial.
Eventually they all sizzled out and she was alone. More alone than ever it seemed despite only losing one person. But does the idea of losing one person seem so small when that person meant everything?
☽☽☽
A/n
Words - 2940
Published - 8th March 2021
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