Closure

"Closure"

Chapter 2: Remus Lupin

Remus Lupin flung the door to Sirius' room open and threw himself onto the bed, tears tricking in endless rivulets down his grief stricken face. He felt empty...hollow, a great bottomless cavity had opened up in his chest and he felt like he would never be able to function as he once had.

Why?

"Why was he taken from me? Was it not enough that I have already lost Lily and James? Has fate decreed that I should suffer even more than I already have? Will somebody tell me...WHY?"

As if in answer to Remus' question, an evil, unhinged cackling was to be heard from just outside the bedroom door.

"Kreacher? What is so funny...you pitiful waste of flesh"

Anger and resentment burned deep within Remus, he knew all too well that Kreacher had been behind the attack at the department of mysteries and he loathed him with every fibre of his being.

"He asks why, the filthy half breed asks why...well I shall give him an answer, I shall." This was all said in Kreacher's usual loud stage whisper that he thought no one could hear, so twisted was his mind.

"He was a traitor, a filthy blood traitor to my mistress' family line and name. He has paid, may he suffer for all eternity!" this was accompanied by another bout of high cackling tinged openly with joy.

That was last straw for Remus he lunged from the bed and grabbed Kreacher, shaking him like a bull terrier with a rat caught in its jaws. The elf squealed, a high pitch continual squealing that did not penetrate into Remus' rage clouded mind, he was angered and felt no mercy for the scrawny wretch that belittled and made foul remarks about his deceased friend.

This went on for several long minutes until Kreacher somehow managed to sink his teeth into Remus' arm, Remus's response was to throw Kreacher across the room. The elf smacked against the door with a loud bang and slid unconscious to the floor.

Remus made his way over to the unconscious elf and carried him out of the room, intent on flinging the filthy creature into his vile cupboard. Soon he reached his destination and opened the door opposite the pantry preparing to throw Kreacher inside, when he suddenly stopped. He had caught sight of a large, black leather bound book stamped with fading silver writing that read "Property of Sirius Black". Dropping the elf unceremoniously onto the floor, Remus reached into the cupboard and retrieved the book. He then flung Kreacher into the cupboard and slammed the door.

Back in his room Remus opened the book to be met with the following lines:

"Marauding with the Marauders."

A diary of the Hogwarts years by S.B (Padfoot).

With entries by J.P, R.L and P.P

A.K.A Prongs, Moony and Wormtail.

Oh, he remembered now, this had been Sirius' account of their Hogwarts years which he had religiously written during their seven long years at the school. Remus grinned as he remembered how Sirius had often shoved his homework to one side in favour of writing their newest pranks and mischievous endeavours in his precious book. Remus remembered berating him about it as if it were yesterday.

"Padfoot, what the hell are you doing we have charms homework? Now put that book aside, you can do it later. Homework first, everything else later!"

"Oh, Moony stop being such an old nanny, nag, nag, nag...I'll do in a minute!"

Remus had had to restrain himself from grinning at the ridiculous look of total concentration on his friend's face, his tongue firmly placed on the corner of his mouth and a totally absorbed expression on his face.

"NOW SIRIUS!"

Remus leaned across and snatched the book from Sirius' lap.

"Moony!" Sirius' voice sounded like a whinging four year old who has just been told that they cannot have anymore candy before dinner.

"Sirius?"

"I'll do it in a moment." Sirius pleaded.

"Sirius, you and I both know that a minute means not at all and then you will expect to copy from me at breakfast time. How do you expect to do well in your OWLs if you do not put the time and effort into your homework and assignments during the academic year?" he lectured in a tone that would normally be heard from an irate Professor McGonagall.

He was prevented from lecturing any further by the arrival of James and Peter, both of them carrying enough food to feed a small army. They had just returned from a foraging trip down to the kitchens, with of course, the aid of James' invisibility cloak.

He was momentarily distracted by their arrival and Sirius snatched the opportunity to grab his book and dash over to James. Sirius snatched a cupcake from the stash of food in James' arms and positioned himself behind James out of Remus' reach.

James and Peter watched their antics with twin looks of amusement as they placed the stolen food down on a nearby table.

"So Moony, when are you and Padfoot announcing your engagement to the rest of the schools populace. You already act like an old married couple, with you wearing the trousers by the looks of things." James said with a huge grin at the look of outrage on Remus' face.

"Oh, how hilarious James! He has to do his homework sometime, you know, he is for ever abandoning it to that book."

"Oh leave him alone Remus, you know he will do his own thing anyway!"

Sirius stuck his tongue out at Remus from behind James' back.

Remus scowled "You are a bad influence on him, it seems that I have been overruled yet again."

Remus accepted a pineapple cake from Peter and plopped down onto one of the vacant common room chairs, it was late at night and all the other students were abed.

Sirius morphed into his dog shape and padded across to Remus' chair, he placed one paw on Remus' knee and stared balefully up at Remus asking for forgiveness.

Remus only managed to hold his strict countenance for a minute and a half before he broke into a grin and patted the dogs head.

"You are an idiot, do you know that?"

"But you know you love me really!" Sirius said as he quickly changed into his human form grabbed Remus' pineapple cake and fled to the relative safety the other side of the room.

Peter and James laughed...only this time Remus joined them.

He was forever lecturing his old friend about some antic or other, he never had the resolve to stay mad at Sirius for any length of time, Sirius was simply to lovable...to Sirius. Sirius did not have a serious bone in his body he was made for pranks and jokes... no that wasn't right, he always had time for Remus and he had loved Harry dearly. Sirius would have gladly waded through hell and high water to protect his godson...and he did.

Remus felt the tears well up again. Sirius was a foolish, idiotic, fun loving miscreant but he had been loyal and loving and that was what had killed him in the end.

A sob ripped through his body and he lay back on the bed, tears streaming down his face. When he had recovered enough he would send Harry the book and a letter for he must be suffering as much as I.

For now though he would finish his grieving for Sirius, the constant friend that he had loved like his own flesh and blood.

"Good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest." *

* Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act 5, Scene two.