Photo Album

Photo Album

Grimmauld Place was finally quiet. Most of the members of the Order had decided to have an early night, and the owner of the house, Nymphadora Tonks, was on a Weird Sisters concert with Charlie Weasley. Remus Lupin had decided to tidy up the library. Most of Grimmauld Place had already been cleaned thoroughly, but the library was just too big and boring for anyone but Hermione Granger, who found the collection of old wizarding volumes fascinating.

Remus had found that cleaning and organizing things was a great way to deal with the loss of his best friend. When he was dusting and mopping, he could concentrate on something besides Sirius. But sometimes he would come across something of Sirius's, and that always made him feel the pain of seeing his friend pass through the veil all over again.

Remus had already cleaned half the library, and was nearing the study section, where a couple of desks and fancy, comfortable chairs were standing. He started cleaning the desks, and putting the books left on them back where they belonged.

One of the desks was less dusty than the others, and the chair almost looked as if it had been sat in quite recently. A red leather book with old fashioned, cursive text printed in gold was lying on the desk. Something stirred in Remus's memory. Where had he seen this book before? He picked it up and read on the cover. Photos. Of course. It was Sirius's photo album. Remus had given it to him for Christmas in sixth year. He hesitated, but opened the album, knowing of course that he would be moved by all the memories that the book would arise.

The first picture was of Lily tucking up baby Harry, not long before James and Lily had been killed. Remus smiled. Sirius had never been good at organizing his photos. He just stuck them in wherever there was room.

If tomorrow is judgment day (sing mommy)

And I'm standin' on the front line

And the Lord ask me what I did with my life

I will say I spent it with you

~Flashback: October 1981~

Baby Harry had been yawning for half an hour now, and it was already past his bedtime. Lily took him up to his crib and tucked him in. Harry looked up at her with his big green eyes.

"Sing mummy," he said. His mummy smiled down at him.

"'Course Harry." She always sung to him before he went to sleep. The song changed form time to time, but the thoughts were basically the same: I love you Harry, and I'll always be there for you, no matter what.

When Lily's song faded, Harry was already fast asleep. Lily looked at her little baby son, and heard his breath and occasional little baby snore. She smiled

"I love you Harry. I'll always be here for you, no matter what."

Sirius smiled from his spot in the doorway and snapped a photo.

Remus turned the page. It was a picture of Lily, James, Harry and himself in the living room at Godric's Hollow. James was turning towards the radio, switching it on.

If I wake up in World War 3

I see destruction and poverty

And I feel like I want to go home

It's okay if your commin' with me

~Flashback: September 1981~

James, Lily, baby Harry, Sirius and Remus were sitting around the dinner table at Godric's Hollow. Sirius pushed his chair back and let out a little burp. Harry giggled. Everything his godfather did was funny.

"Sirius!" Lily scolded.

"Couldn't help it, Lily-flower. Your dinner was absolutely marvellous." Lily's stern face softened. As long as he wasn't pulling pranks or turning Slytherins upside down, Sirius could always make her smile.

They went into the living room to eat their dessert. James turned on WWN, which was playing the new song with Celestina Warbeck.

Suddenly the song was interrupted, and a startled voice began to talk.

"We have just gotten a report on a new attack by You-Know-Who's followers. Edgar Bones, successful and respected employee on the Ministry of Magic, was attacked little more than an hour ago by the followers of You-Know-Who. Mr. and Mrs. Bones together with their two children were killed instantly."

Remus cut the man short by switching the radio off.

"I can't believe they killed Edgar," Lily whispered.

"He married a muggle-born, and he's working against Voldemort. They were going to go after him sooner or later," Sirius said grimly.

"I wish this war would just end. You-Know-Who's killed enough people for one war," James said.

"He's like Hitler. He's worse than Hitler," Remus added. Lily nodded. James and Sirius looked clueless.

"Hitler killed six million Jews in World War Two." Lily explained.

"This is worse. This is like World War Three."

The fifth boy in the Marauders's dorm, Arnold, had probably taken the next picture, since all four friends were in it. It had been one of the last days before they all graduated...

Cause your love is my love

And my love is your love

It would take an eternity to break us

And the chains of Amistad couldn't hold us

Cause your love is my love

And my love is your love

It would take an eternity to break us

And the chains of Amistad couldn't hold us

If I lose my fame and fortune

And I'm homeless on the street

And I'm sleepin' in Grand Central Station

It's okay if you're sleepin' with me

~Flashback: June 1978~

The marauders were sitting under their favourite great tree on the Hogwarts grounds. It was the hottest day they had ever experienced during their seven years at Hogwarts. Remus was reading a book, James and Sirius were talking, and Peter was, believe it or not, thinking. Suddenly, the mouse-like member of their group spoke up.

"I wonder if we'll still be friends when we graduate from Hogwarts?" everyone fell quiet. At last Sirius answered.

"Don't be stupid, Pete. Of course we will." Peter flushed a little. He was always being called stupid.

"I mean we're all going to do so many different things. James is going to marry Lily..."

" Might marry Lily. I haven't asked her yet."

"...And Sirius is going to be an Auror, and Remus is going to travel... what if we drift apart?"

"We won't," Remus assured him.

"Of course not!" James exclaimed. "We're the Marauders! We'll stick together!"

"Yeah! We won't leave you. Even if you loose all your money and have to sleep on the streets." Sirius grinned. "Hey Arnold!" He shouted to the boy passing by, "Want to take a picture of the legendary marauders?"

As the years they pass us by

We stay young through each other's eyes

And no matter how old we get

It's okay as long as I got you babe

Remus closed the photo album. It was depressing to see his friends again, so young and carefree, thinking that they would always be there, that they would never leave each other. Remus especially found the irony in Peter's words amusing. He had been afraid that they would leave him - in the end it had been he who left them. Now he was the only marauder left.

Cause your love is my love

And my love is your love

It would take an eternity to break us

And the chains of Amistad couldn't hold us

Cause your love is my love

And my love is your love

It would take an eternity to break us

And the chains of Amistad couldn't hold us

If I should die this very day

Don't cry, cause on earth we wasn't meant to stay

And no matter what people say

I'll be waiting for you after judgement day

When Remus later lay in his bed, trying to get some sleep, he thought about his friends, all together now in the Otherworld, maybe watching him and talking about him. He wasn't afraid to go and join them. Maybe the Marauders just weren't meant to stay on earth.

Cause your love is my love

And my love is your love

It would take an eternity to break us

And the chains of Amistad couldn't hold us

Cause your love is my love

And my love is your love

It would take an eternity to break us

And the chains of Amistad couldn't hold us

Cause your love is my love

And my love is your love

It would take an eternity to break us

And the chains of Amistad couldn't hold us

It was almost lunch, and Remus still hadn't come down from his room. Molly, Ginny and Hermione set the table. Tonks sat waiting for the lunch. She knew she shouldn't handle breakable things.

"Tonks, would you go and tell Remus that the lunch will be ready any minute?" Molly asked.

"Sure!" Tonks agreed happily, she rushed up the stairs, knocking over a chair in the process.

A couple of minutes later, she came down. She wasn't smiling anymore. In fact, she looked a little shaken.

"I don't think Remus'll be wanting any lunch, Molly," she said softly. "He's gone to join Sirius, James and Lily."