Two Out of Four

"Remember when you and me were inseparable? When everyone thought we were brothers? We may not have been actual brothers, but you were closer and more real than my blood brother. My name was associated with yours, and vice versa. Where ever one of us was, the other could not be far behind.

"Remember when we used to saunter down the hallways, hexing other students who gave us looks we didn't approve of? Especially Snivellus. He never learned to steer clear of us.

"Remember our days of running around with Moony and Wormtail when it was Remus's 'Time of the Month'? Remus, a handsome werewolf; Peter, a tag-along rat; you, a noble stag; and me, a shaggy, black dog. Three illegal animagi and a werewolf prefect.

"Remember when you said you were going to marry Lily Evans in our sixth year? Do you remember my response? 'Yeah, and I'm going to be thrown in Azkaban.' We laughed about that for ages, marking it one of our many inside jokes. At yours and Lily's wedding after party, do you remember your best man's speech? 'Well, it seems as though while you two are on your honeymoon, I'll be having a nice, mind-numbing stay at Azkaban.' No one but us Marauders understood it.

"Remember all the detentions we had to serve together? Our professors must've thought us mad to be talking to what they thought were ourselves in the mirrors. And for those few that we didn't have together, the mirrors we'd use to talk to each other? I gave yours to Harry, in case he needs me. A lot of our detentions were worth it, and most of them somehow involved Snivelly in some way shape or form.

"My pre-Azkaban days. Yes, I did land myself in there, but as an innocent wizard. Wormtail was a traitor, a Death Eater like my blood brother. Your supposed surprise secret-keeper was the one who ratted you out, not I. Funny how his animagi form matched his loyalty towards his friends perfectly. But once again, for the record: It was Wormtail who betrayed you, contrary to popular belief, not I," Sirius whispered to a small picture of James and him from James's wedding. The picture usually resided in his back pocket along with other pictures of The Marauders.

As he continued falling from behind the veil He knew James was dead and that Prongs couldn't hear a word he said. Padfoot also knew he was dying and would soon be reunited with his dear partner in crime. So many things the poor boy hadn't done. He hadn't married, like James. When could he have found someone? Surely not between James and Lily being killed and the present. He never had children, though Harry made up for that. Harry. How was Harry taking that his Godfather would no longer be there for him; he'd no longer be there to talk about girls and other problems when Harry needed it; he wouldn't be there for more birthdays and Christmases; he wouldn't be there to sympathize with him; he wouldn't be there for Harry's wedding; he wouldn't be there when Harry needed him.

Sirius finally hit the floor, his head ricocheting off the floor, and his handsome face screwing up with pain and agony, close to one's post-Azkaban faces. His vision blurred before everything slowly faded, resulting in two of the four Marauders being lost.