October 31st

The village had an eerily quiet atmosphere to it as Remus hurried frantically towards the end of the lane. There was no Dark Mark, no obvious signs of dark activity; but something was very, very wrong. He came around the bend and almost fainted with shock.

"Prongs..." he rasped, his throat suddenly dry and tight.

Where only a few weeks previously he had been celebrating Harry's first birthday, there was now only rubble. Smoke was rising from a few small fires that had broken out among the ruins of what had once been Godric's Hollow. He stood in cold, horrified disbelief at the sight before him. What happened? Surely it couldn't have been an accident?

The deathly stillness was abruptly broken by a thin high wail. Already shaken and on edge, Remus whipped out his wand and whirled around looking for the threat, before he recognized the sound.

"Harry!" he hissed, walking cautiously towards the sound of the noise. If Harry had survived then maybe there was hope. He knew he had only a few moments before the Muggles would wake and start making a scene; if any of them were alive he had to find them now. His heart sank as he spotted a red-headed figure lying partially buried under a collapsed wall. Lily was lying motionless, limbs splayed out, pinned by the heavy masonry. Her eyes were open but dull and glazed; he didn't have to check for a pulse to know that it was too late to help her. He had to keep it together; forcing himself to breathe regularly he scanned the wreckage around him desperately searching for the source of Harry's cries. His eyes fell upon drops of blood leading haphazardly away from Lily's body to a spot behind what had once been the kitchen wall.

It was there that he found Harry cowering, terrified and bawling for his mother. A large slash on his forehead was weeping blood into his eyes. Remus reached down and scooped the child into his arms, rocking him gently and whispering words of comfort. Harry whimpered pitifully into his shoulder as Remus moved into the remains of the hallway, searching for James.

"Please, not James too, please!" He was praying; he didn't even know who to, but he had to. "Please, don't let him be dead too."

He spotted James propped awkwardly against a partially crumbled wall. A picture still hanging upon its nail was tilted a strange angle as if something - or someone - had hit it very hard. Still clinging onto Harry, Remus crossed the remaining distance in three steps and was by his friend's side.

James was unconscious, his eyes half closed and rolled back in his head. Blood was trickling from a nasty looking wound where his head had connected with the wall, but he was still breathing.

"James? Prongs?" There was no response. Remus felt for and found a pulse, weak but steady. The others would be on their way by now; they should arrive in minutes.

James was deathly pale, his jet black hair only serving to accentuate the unnatural pallor of his features. It was so awful; how could this happen? James and Lily were supposed to be hidden, they were supposed to be safe, the Fidelius Charm - the Charm!

Remus felt as if what little had remained fixed had now been abruptly turned upside down and shaken vigorously. His heart was beating so fast that he felt suddenly giddy. Sirius, he was the Secret Keeper! The Death Eaters could never have found the Potters unless... Remus didn't want to contemplate it. Sirius wouldn't have, he couldn't have, he... must have. He was momentarily reeling with the enormity of what had happened when he heard the sudden loud CRACK of someone Apparating. Tensing he reached for his wand prepared for Death Eaters, Muggles - anyone but-

"Prongs? Lily? Is anyone there?"

It was Sirius. A cacophony of voices erupted in Remus' brain, all screaming for him to do different things. Ideas and plans raced through his brain at lightening speed. Sirius spied him; it was too late to go back and Remus rose, pointing his wand directly at his friend.

"Moony?" Sirius was white and shaking. "What the hell has happened? Why didn't you answer me?"

Remus couldn't answer him, he felt nauseated at the ease with which Sirius could lie to him.

"Moony? Why are you pointing that thing at me? Why aren't you helping James?" Remus stayed frozen where he was, not lowering his wand. Sirius stopped dead, looking at him in confusion. It was all Remus could do to control himself and not let his primal magic spill over.

"Give me your wand, Padfoot," he said evenly, his grip on his wand not faltering. An expression of sudden desperation filled his friend's face. He looked as if his world had just collapsed around him.

"It wasn't me, Moony!" he said urgently "We switched the Secret Keeper, it was Wormtail..."

"Don't lie to me, Padfoot." Remus snapped. "James wouldn't have done anything so stupid, Peter would be their first target."

"That's why we picked him instead! It was a bluff! If I'd known he'd do this I'd..."

"You'd have encouraged him," Remus said nastily. "Your connections are obvious, Sirius, you're a bloody Black!"

There was silence as Sirius' gaze flicked between the wand, Remus and James.

"Where's Lily?" he said finally.

"I thought you'd know she was dead, after all you killed her!" Remus yelled. "What did you do it for? You already had all the wealth you needed; did your parents offer to take you back? You lied to me, to James, to all of us! You killed her! I hope you rot in Azkaban!"

Remus ended his tirade shaking with rage. He had never felt such terrible anger in his life. The wolf was restless inside, howling to be released.

"I didn't betray them!" roared Sirius, his dark brows drawing close together. "James is like a brother to me, I would never give them away!"

Blinded by rage Remus cast a Binding Hex but Sirius was too quick with his Shielding Charm, and it rebounded harmlessly.

"If that's the way you want it then, Moony." he snarled, moving suddenly towards his friend. Startled, Remus recoiled, giving Sirius the few seconds he needed to send a return Binding Hex towards him. He had no chance to avoid it, and collapsed bonelessly to the floor. He watched helplessly as Sirius picked up Harry and walked calmly into the darkness.

How long he was forced to wait, frozen in place next to his dying friend, Remus did not know. It was the longest stretch of time he could ever remember. It seemed like years before the first loud cracks and cries of alarm began to fill the still night air.

"Finite Incantatem."

Finally free to move Remus sprang to his feet and came face to face with Albus Dumbledore. His former headmaster looked pale and drawn in the moonlight as he knelt to examine James.

"We must bring him to St. Mungo's immediately," the old wizard said finally. "He has been subjected to the Cruciatus curse."

"Sirius betrayed us..." choked Remus, rage welling up from the pit of his stomach. "He's taken Harry!"

At this Dumbledore looked up sharply. "Where?" he barked.

"How was I supposed to know? I was bloody hexed!" Remus swore loudly, caring little for manners or politeness. Dumbledore didn't answer him; he was already striding across the lawn of Godric's Hollow to greet the Healer who had just arrived. For the next few minutes Remus just stood where he was and let the panicked masses swirl around him. Everyone was to busy to care about one grief-stricken werewolf standing forlornly in the middle of a smoking ruin.

Eventually Molly Weasley approached him carrying a blanket and a mug of hot cocoa. He scowled at her, as he had done to anyone who attempted to come near him in the frantic bustle surrounding the destroyed house. She ignored the look on his face and wrapped the blanket around his shoulders while forcing the mug into his frozen hands.

"You're coming back with me," she stated, in a voice which would tolerate no disobedience.

"Molly, just let me be. I don't want any help," he snapped, wrenching himself free from her gentle touch. The violent motion upset the cocoa which slopped over the side of the mug and doused his wrists and arms in cocoa. The sudden pain of the hot liquid shocked him out of his self-absorption and he realized abruptly how tired he was. Exhausted and drained, he sank into the motherly arms of his comforter and within a few seconds they were outside the Burrow.

In no time at all Molly had conjured up a meal and was ferreting through the cabinet above the kitchen for a sleeping draught. Remus couldn't think, couldn't eat, couldn't do anything. He pushed peas around his plate time after time, unable to muster the will to chew and swallow.

"Here Remus, just have a drop of this..."

"I don't want it, Molly. I need to remember everything. Why could - how could Sirius do this? I don't understand, I..." He was exhausted; he had been through enough grief in his short life to know that crying didn't raise the dead, but he couldn't help it. Words poured out of him in a flood.

"If only I hadn't been so stupid. I could have saved Harry! James will never forgive me... What if he dies too? It'll be all my fault!" Wordlessly, Molly sat down next to him and took his hands in hers.

"What Sirius chose to do tonight is not your fault, Remus. It will never be your fault; he fooled all of us, even James and Lily." Her voice shook at the mention of Lily's name. After a few moments she steadied herself and continued. "I spoke to Dumbledore before we left. James is at St. Mungo's now, and they're doing all they can. It was a good thing you were there, Sirius might have tried to kill him as well if you hadn't intervened."

The fire in the kitchen crackled and spat violently, turning a violent shade of green; one of the Weasleys was Flooing home. Molly stood up as her eldest son tumbled unceremoniously onto the hearth. Bill was less than six months out of Hogwarts, and still had the look of gawky adolescence about him, although at this moment in time he looked nearer thirty than seventeen and his young face was full of worry.

"Mum, is it true? Is Lily..."

"Yes dear," Molly replied quietly. "Remus is going to stay here for a few days."

"All the fires were out at Gringotts. I was going to use the fires at St Mungo's to floo home," Bill said, glancing at Remus, "One of the Healers recognized me and said Dad was on the emergency ward with Dumbledore and James Potter. They wouldn't let me go up to see him..."

Bill sat down next to Remus, looking sideways at the older man. The usually ebullient boy had nothing to joke about tonight, and there was no comfort he could give to the man he'd grown up respecting as a school prefect. The three of them sat silently in the kitchen staring at the clock which indicated the state of all the Weasley family members. Ginny, Ron, Fred, George and Percy all read 'Home', and Charlie's pointed to 'School'. Arthur's read 'Visiting Friends'. As soon as he returned they would have news.

Molly paced back and forth across the kitchen floor, the tension obvious in her posture. This process had gone on for quite a while before Bill finally lost patience.

"Mum!" he snapped, exasperation clearly present in his voice.

"Just sit down and shut up William." Molly barked, rounding on her eldest son like a tigress. Bill sat stunned for a moment at the violence of her outburst, before shoving his chair back noisily from the table and stomping loudly up the stairs. Molly rushed after him screeching at the top of her lungs that he would wake the other children with the racket he was making. Left alone, Remus leant his head on his arms and tried to sleep. It wouldn't come. He was too tense. Angry voices filtered down the stairs, and then slowly quieted as mother and son began to talk.

A rattle at the front door brought him out of his musing. Arthur strode in, silhouetted against the pale light of dawn, hunched over with exhaustion.

"Remus..." He sighed as he handed a bundle to the puzzled werewolf. The bundle gurgled and poked out a hand to explore Remus' nose.

"Harry!" Remus gasped, drawing the baby close to his chest. "How... how did you find-?" Arthur enlightened him as he tucked into the meal Molly had prepared.

"Sirius Black handed him to Hagrid just outside the village. Hagrid brought him straight to St Mungo's."

"How is James? Remus asked, relief washing over him at the knowledge that Harry was safe.

"He's unconscious, will be for a while. If he makes it through the next few days he should pull through."

There was a sudden thudding on the stairs as Molly descended to greet her husband. Arthur almost lifted her off her feet and it was a long moment before they parted. He stood aside so that his wife could see what Remus was holding. Harry had lain quiet and still in his arms; like most children he could sense the wolf, but unlike most he did not seem afraid. Molly made a small sound when she caught sight of him and moved closer.

"Oh isn't he beautiful, Arthur, he has Lily's eyes exactly! We must get him to sleep at once, the poor child has been through enough for one day."

She caught him up and rocked him gently in her arms, cooing softly with the practiced skill of motherhood.

"Come along Remus, you as well," she said softly, so as not to startle Harry. Too tired to argue, he followed Molly up the creaking wooden staircase and into a small but homely looking room with a neatly made bed. He fell into it fully clothed and was asleep before his head hit the pillow. His dreams were filled with red and gold and the faces of Lily and Sirius dancing together on her wedding day.

It was cold when Remus finally awoke; the frost had formed strange patterns on the windowpanes and the air outside the warm confines of his blankets was icy. Someone had laid some clothes on top of the dressing table. Trying to force himself awake he dressed and descended the stairs to the large hall. He could hear the sound of high pitched giggles filtering through from the living room. Entering it, he found Molly surrounded by children.

There were the twins, Fred and George, impossible to tell apart. Then the little boy playing with the blocks, who had to be Ron. Last of all were the two children on her knee. Little Ginny was less than two months old yet already she sported the trademark Weasley hair. He let his gaze rest on Harry for a few moments. He was definitely the odd one out amongst the horde of youngsters. He was not smiling but instead looked about him in a puzzled fashion as if he couldn't quite understand how he had arrived there.

"Hello Remus," Molly said quietly. "How are you feeling?"

"I wouldn't like to tell you in front of the children," he said, a small smile playing on his lips. "Pretty awful. Have we had any news from St Mungo's?"

"James got through the night; the Healers say he's improving rapidly." She seemed to sense his next question and answered before he could open his mouth. "They're keeping him unconscious until they're certain he's healed properly, and they say no visitors for the next few days."

"I just can't believe it," he said finally. "I know she's gone but I can't seem to believe it."

"I know, it's hard for us all. She was a wonderful woman." Molly was interrupted by the urgent tapping of a beak upon the windowpane. Frowning slightly she handed Harry and Ginny to Remus and went to open the window. A large tawny owl sat proudly upon the ledge outside, a scrap of parchment affixed to its leg. Molly removed the letter and read it aloud.

'You-Know-Who is gone! We've all been given the day off as a celebration, bring all the children over to the Turpin's as soon as you can, there is a wonderful party going on!
Arthur.'

Molly and Remus looked at each other wordlessly for almost a minute before speaking.

"How is it possible... he was so powerful?" The news was so unexpected he was convinced it was a cruel joke.

"Could the house have fallen on him?"

Remus shook his head. "I searched all over that place. I found Lily and Harry, then James - and besides, do you really think he could be killed by something that trivial?"

"Well, it's some good news." Molly said faintly "I suppose I'd better go. Do you-"

"No," he said decisively. "I don't think I'd be much good at a party right now. You go on ahead, I'll mind the children for a few hours."

The twins were playing noisily in the corner with a large Puffskein. Percy and Bill had gone with Molly to the party, and Ginny lay sleeping in her crib. Harry and Ron were playing together on the hearthrug, building towers with the bricks and giggling madly every time their creations toppled. Remus sat back and watched, smiling at their innocent enjoyment. If Voldemort really were gone then they all might have a far happier time of it than he and his friends had had.

The next few days passed in a strange blur of happiness and tragedy Remus found his emotions swinging like a pendulum from despair and utter misery to elation. He couldn't find a centre ground; everything he did or felt seemed to be at an extreme. Nothing seemed real to him: Lily's death, the news of Sirius' arrest, Peter's stupidity and his murder by one of his best friends. Most of all, he couldn't quite believe that the nemesis of his life for these past eleven years was gone, and that Lily had not been there to cheer.