Close Your Eyes

A few days after the horrible events at the Ministry, six people were standing together at Grimmauld Place Number 12, in the bedroom of a once heroic man. Every face was filled with grief and anger, and every pair of eyes was staring at the only picture they could find of Sirius as a smiling man.

He was standing next to a pair of newly weds, with one hand on the grooms' shoulder and a glass of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey in the other. A beautiful picture, but along with it came horrible and oppressed memories. Especially for Remus Lupin. Tears sprung in his eyes if he looked long enough. This picture showed everyone he had ever lost. Everyone he had ever cared for. The only ones he had ever had.

It took quite a while for someone to speak, and that unpleasant task was taken on by Arthur Weasley. 'I know it seems horrible, but... there really isn't anything else we can do. We've given him the closest thing to a funeral we could give.' Some of them didn't react and some, despite knowing it was the truth, got angry.

After another uncomfortable silence, Tonks heaved a sigh. 'It's a shame Harry's not here...'

'Now Tonks, you know we agreed to keep him out of this. All of the children, for that matter. It's too hard on them already,' said Molly in her own severe, yet motherly voice.

'Which reminds me,' Remus croaked to the best of his voice's capability. 'Hermione sent something we could read out loud, as a homage to Sirius.'

'She figured we were going to do something for Sirius by herself? She's a clever girl, that one, isn't she?' Kingsley Shacklebolt thought aloud.

'Oh yes. I myself have been outwitted by Miss Granger many times more than I would like to admit,' Dumbledore chuckled.

'She's got this... this aptitude to discover things far more quickly than other children of her age. When I found them in the Shrieking Shack, three years ago along with Sirius...' Suddenly, the conversation that was turning out to be somewhat pleasant, fell silent.

'Maybe someone should read her letter,' Kingsley suggested.

'I will,' said Remus. 'It was sent to me.'

Close your eyes
forget your worries
you're now just a star in the sky~

no one will chase you
no one will hate you
but I know some will cry~

Close your eyes
forget your troubles
your name will be as pure as your star~

no one will forget you
and no one will rest
until the world knows the hero you are~

Close your eyes
forget the tension
there'll never be an ending, here everything starts~

you've taken part of us with you
and now the silence in our voices
reflects the grief in our hearts~

Close your eyes
forget how you left
but remember who you left behind~

They'll never stop looking
they'll never stop hoping
you'll be always on their mind~

Close your eyes
forget the bad things
but remember everything at it's best~

It's time to go
to close your eyes
you've finally found your rest~

His voice was so incredibly quiet that some of the words just couldn't be heard, but the meaning of the message carried throughout the entire house. Here and there, a tear trickled down someone's cheek. Absolute silence followed the poem in which everyone thought of the man who would have gone through any length to save his godson, who, in the end, did.

Everyone thought of something else, of his courage, the love he carried for people he knew, his loyalty, his stubbornness, and the trouble only he could get into. But, everyone thought of him, and missed him like they had never missed someone before.

'We never really knew, did we?' Molly asked, somewhat absently. 'We never really knew how close he was to Harry, Ron and Hermione... I never would have thought he could have affected them this much in such a short time span.'

'Sirius has a way of charming himself into your heart, hasn't he?' Remus smiled, trying to stop those tears from showing. 'It doesn't matter if you've only met him once, he's one of those people you'll always remember... He leaves this impression, be it good or bad...'

'You know, that's true,' Tonks sobbed.

And again, an uncomfortable silence followed, in which people gave Sirius' picture their last message and left until only Remus Lupin was standing in the old bedroom.

He took one last look at the picture, where Sirius now was trying to convince James to tango with him, and made for the door. He firmly clutched the piece of paper Hermione had sent him.

'I do hope you've finally found your rest, Sirius.'

And with a wave of his wand, he turned off the light and left.