FIC for: mrs_batman
Title: In the Morning
Recipient: mrs_batman
Fic or Art: Fic
Rating: G
Characters: Harry, Remus, James, Lily
Summary: Sometimes, it's the everyday moments that are remembered.
Notes: A huge thanks to the mods for their understanding and S for the beta. To my recipient - I hope this is something like what you wanted.
Remus tiredly ran a hand through his hair as he entered the kitchen. Not surprisingly, the room was in darkness; at three-thirty in the morning, the only people awake were, like himself, late - or quite possibly insane.
“Lumos,” he murmured, deliberately suppressing the memory of Sirius, spending most nights wandering through the mouldering ruin that was the House of Black.
He felt, rather than heard, movement towards the fireplace and warily looked over. “Harry?” he asked. “What are you doing up at this time of the night?”
Harry shrugged. “Dunno. Couldn’t sleep.” He looked briefly at Remus, then returned to staring into the slowly dying fire.
“I see.” Remus didn’t understand - not really - but he felt a neutral response was best. “I’ll make some tea.”
Harry glanced over, amused. “That’s your response to everything, isn’t it?”
Remus laughed. “I suppose it is. Until the day she died, my mother always believed that a cup of tea would solve every problem, and she just might’ve been right about that.”
“When did she die?”
“About five months before your parents died.” Remus busied himself making tea. “That wasn’t a good year - for many reasons.”
“No.” Harry stared into the fire again. “You know something? I just wish...”
Remus waited for Harry to continue. “Wish?” he prompted.
“I don’t remember them at all. The only memories I have of them are ... well, you know.”
Remus nodded. “One memory thanks to Dementors, and one...well, I’m not sure how to describe the way you obtained that.”
“Illegally probably comes closest,” Harry agreed, taking one of the cups from Remus. “What were they like?”
“Your parents?” Remus thought back. “They were good people, Harry. James was very determined - he knew what he wanted and worked hard to get it. Lily - Lily was Lily. She was sweet - much like Ginny Weasley, actually - but it wasn’t wise to get on her bad side.”
“Could you tell me about them?”
Remus was surprised. “Harry, didn’t Sirius tell you about them?”
“Not really. I never asked him.” Harry looked over at Remus, leaning against the table. “He lived in the past, didn’t he? But it didn’t exactly make him happy.”
“I’m impressed, Harry. That’s quite an understanding you’ve got of him.”
“He wasn’t that hard to understand.”
“You think so? Sirius Black was one of the most complex men I’ve known.” Remus moved over to the fireplace and sat down on the floor beside Harry. “It’s easy to describe him as, well, reckless and impulsive, but we both know there was more to him than that.”
“What was it like?” Harry asked curiously. “During that last year when none of you trusted each other.”
“Obviously it was a difficult time.” Remus stared into the fire. “In retrospect, it’s obvious exactly what Peter was doing. We didn’t trust each other, and he manipulated us in such a way that we didn’t realise it at all.” He shook his head. “Not until it was too late for your parents.”
He looked at Harry. “The most vivid memory of that time is the last time I saw Lily alive - about six weeks before the end. And you as well - I didn’t see you again for nearly twelve years.”
“What happened?”
***
It was the sort of evening that made you realise summer was nearly finished, Remus realised as he pulled his coat around him. Still warm, but there was a definite chill in the air and the nights were starting to close in.
The small cottage at Godric’s Hollow was as welcoming as ever from the outside, but Remus couldn't help but notice how tense Lily was as she opened the door.
“What’s wrong?” he asked softly as he removed his coat.
“Everything and nothing,” Lily replied cryptically. “It’s ... well, it looks like we’re going to have to go into hiding. Voldemort’s getting very close.”
“I heard you had a narrow escape the other day.”
“Too close,” Lily confirmed. “We can’t keep this up forever. Eventually our luck will run out and...”
“And it’ll all be for nothing.”
“Exactly. It’s not about us, Remus. It’s about keeping Harry safe till - well, until.”
“What will you do?”
“Dumbledore’s got a few ideas.” James had joined them by now. “I don’t want to, but as Lily said, it’s not about us anymore.”
“What are you doing here?” Lily asked.
“I live here.”
“No, you’re supposed to be keeping an eye on Harry - do you have any idea how quickly he can wreck a room.” Lily turned back towards the living room.
“He can’t walk yet,” James told her.
“That doesn’t make a difference, James. I told you what he and Neville managed to do to Alice’s dining room in about two minutes.”
“What did they do?” Remus asked.
“They pulled the tablecloth off the table and managed to upset Alice’s Devastating Dye all over themselves.”
“What’s Devastating Dye?” Remus muttered to James.
“Dunno, but Harry was bright purple for a day or so,” James told him. “Lily doesn’t think it was particularly funny.”
“Whereas you do.”
James shrugged. “With me as a father and the reprobate as his godfather, it’s odds on that he’s going to be a troublemaker.” He grinned at Remus. “Actually, I’m rather looking forward to getting the owls from Hogwarts.”
“You would.”
“Now, now, Professor. It’s not like you haven’t caused the odd explosion yourself - even if Lily thinks you’re the innocent one we led astray.”
“She’s got good judgement, that wife of yours,” Remus decided as he entered the living room. “About that, anyway. I’m still not convinced by her choice of husband.”
“You’ll keep,” James told him, grinning
“He did such a good job of begging, Remus. I felt quite sorry for him,” Lily said.
“You’ll keep too.” James looked into the fire then turned back to Remus. “Have you seen Sirius lately.”
“Not for a few weeks,” Remus answered neutrally. The last time he had seen Sirius they fought bitterly. It was an experience he didn’t want to repeat.
“He told me that you’d had a row.”
“We did. I’m a lot of things, James, but I’m not the spy.”
James shrugged. “I know that. Remus, it’s not up for discussion as far as we’re concerned.” He looked at Lily. “There are very few people we trust completely - Dumbledore, Sirius, Peter, Alice and Frank and you.”
Lily picked up Harry and came over to Remus. “I think Sirius is more than a bit paranoid about this. I can understand it, but he’s not right. Not about you, Remus.”
Remus smiled at her. “Thank you. It means - it means a lot to me.”
“Oh, don’t you start, else she’ll start taking the piss out of you the way she does with Sirius,” James said, rolling his eyes.
“You don’t?”
“Of course i do. It’s - well, bizarre seeing him like this. Not like our Sirius at all,” Lily answered. “I’m just looking forward to seeing his face when he realises what I’m doing.” She smiled, a cat-like smile. “It’s going to be fun to watch.”
“You’ve corrupted her, haven’t you?”
James smiled. “Maybe just a little bit.”
“On that note, I’m going to finish dinner - you’re staying, of course, Remus,” Lily said, handing him the baby.
“What’s for dinner?” James asked.
“It’s a surprise.”
“Be afraid,” James warned. “Those are not words you want to hear.”
“It’s got to be better than your cottage pie,” Remus pointed out as he shifted Harry in his arms. “What have you got there, Harry?”
“Buh,” Harry told him, offering him the blanket.
“And a very fine Buh it is too,” Remus told him. “But you’d better hang onto it or else it might disappear.”
James scowled as the blanket landed on his head. “Now you’re just showing off,” he muttered. “There was nothing wrong with that cottage pie.”
“You mean apart from the fact that I was scraping it off the ceiling for the next three days. You’re right - that’s perfectly normal behaviour.”
“Everyone’s a critic, Harry.” James handed the blanket back to Harry. “I wonder why I invite these people over.”
“You didn’t invite me - Lily did,” Remus smiled, beginning to relax for the first time that evening. Still carrying Harry, he sat on the sofa. “I’m still trying to work out why.”
“Sometimes it’s safest not to ask,” James told him. “Else you just might wear dinner.”
***
Remus realised he was smiling as he returned to the present. “It was an enjoyable evening, very like many others we’d shared. If we’d known...” He stopped. “It’s definitely for the best that we don’t know what’s ahead of us. If I’d known then that it would be the last time we’d see each other...”
“Do you miss them?” Harry asked.
“I think of them every day. It’s different now, though.”
“Different?”
“The first few years were very hard. It wasn’t just your parents that were lost - there were Sirius and Peter as well, and Frank and Alice Longbottom a few months later.”
Harry nodded. “How did you get through it?”
Remus looked at him. “I’m not sure I ever did - not completely. I can think of James and Lily and now it’s not their death that’s the first thing that comes to mind. I remember the fun we had - and, Harry, we had some wonderful times together. I still regret that they died so young and the effect it had on everyone who knew them.”
“What do you think they’d think of me?” Harry asked curiously.
Remus smiled. “Your life has been so different from the life you would have had if...” He broke off. “They would adore you. They adored you so very much, Harry. Never forget that.” He was silent for a minute. “There are expressions that you say that remind me so very much of James that it’s almost as if he was still here.”
“I wonder what would have happened if they’d made a different choice.” Harry stared into the rapidly dying embers.
“So do I,” Remus murmured. “So do I.”
They sat in silence for some time. “Will you tell me more about them?” Harry asked finally. “And about Sirius.” He looked at the older man. “I especially want to hear about the cottage pie?”
“Cottage pie?” Remus asked. Then he realised. “Oh, that cottage pie.“ He smiled at Harry. “Absolutely I will, but not now. In the morning.”
Recipient: mrs_batman
Fic or Art: Fic
Rating: G
Characters: Harry, Remus, James, Lily
Summary: Sometimes, it's the everyday moments that are remembered.
Notes: A huge thanks to the mods for their understanding and S for the beta. To my recipient - I hope this is something like what you wanted.
Remus tiredly ran a hand through his hair as he entered the kitchen. Not surprisingly, the room was in darkness; at three-thirty in the morning, the only people awake were, like himself, late - or quite possibly insane.
“Lumos,” he murmured, deliberately suppressing the memory of Sirius, spending most nights wandering through the mouldering ruin that was the House of Black.
He felt, rather than heard, movement towards the fireplace and warily looked over. “Harry?” he asked. “What are you doing up at this time of the night?”
Harry shrugged. “Dunno. Couldn’t sleep.” He looked briefly at Remus, then returned to staring into the slowly dying fire.
“I see.” Remus didn’t understand - not really - but he felt a neutral response was best. “I’ll make some tea.”
Harry glanced over, amused. “That’s your response to everything, isn’t it?”
Remus laughed. “I suppose it is. Until the day she died, my mother always believed that a cup of tea would solve every problem, and she just might’ve been right about that.”
“When did she die?”
“About five months before your parents died.” Remus busied himself making tea. “That wasn’t a good year - for many reasons.”
“No.” Harry stared into the fire again. “You know something? I just wish...”
Remus waited for Harry to continue. “Wish?” he prompted.
“I don’t remember them at all. The only memories I have of them are ... well, you know.”
Remus nodded. “One memory thanks to Dementors, and one...well, I’m not sure how to describe the way you obtained that.”
“Illegally probably comes closest,” Harry agreed, taking one of the cups from Remus. “What were they like?”
“Your parents?” Remus thought back. “They were good people, Harry. James was very determined - he knew what he wanted and worked hard to get it. Lily - Lily was Lily. She was sweet - much like Ginny Weasley, actually - but it wasn’t wise to get on her bad side.”
“Could you tell me about them?”
Remus was surprised. “Harry, didn’t Sirius tell you about them?”
“Not really. I never asked him.” Harry looked over at Remus, leaning against the table. “He lived in the past, didn’t he? But it didn’t exactly make him happy.”
“I’m impressed, Harry. That’s quite an understanding you’ve got of him.”
“He wasn’t that hard to understand.”
“You think so? Sirius Black was one of the most complex men I’ve known.” Remus moved over to the fireplace and sat down on the floor beside Harry. “It’s easy to describe him as, well, reckless and impulsive, but we both know there was more to him than that.”
“What was it like?” Harry asked curiously. “During that last year when none of you trusted each other.”
“Obviously it was a difficult time.” Remus stared into the fire. “In retrospect, it’s obvious exactly what Peter was doing. We didn’t trust each other, and he manipulated us in such a way that we didn’t realise it at all.” He shook his head. “Not until it was too late for your parents.”
He looked at Harry. “The most vivid memory of that time is the last time I saw Lily alive - about six weeks before the end. And you as well - I didn’t see you again for nearly twelve years.”
“What happened?”
***
It was the sort of evening that made you realise summer was nearly finished, Remus realised as he pulled his coat around him. Still warm, but there was a definite chill in the air and the nights were starting to close in.
The small cottage at Godric’s Hollow was as welcoming as ever from the outside, but Remus couldn't help but notice how tense Lily was as she opened the door.
“What’s wrong?” he asked softly as he removed his coat.
“Everything and nothing,” Lily replied cryptically. “It’s ... well, it looks like we’re going to have to go into hiding. Voldemort’s getting very close.”
“I heard you had a narrow escape the other day.”
“Too close,” Lily confirmed. “We can’t keep this up forever. Eventually our luck will run out and...”
“And it’ll all be for nothing.”
“Exactly. It’s not about us, Remus. It’s about keeping Harry safe till - well, until.”
“What will you do?”
“Dumbledore’s got a few ideas.” James had joined them by now. “I don’t want to, but as Lily said, it’s not about us anymore.”
“What are you doing here?” Lily asked.
“I live here.”
“No, you’re supposed to be keeping an eye on Harry - do you have any idea how quickly he can wreck a room.” Lily turned back towards the living room.
“He can’t walk yet,” James told her.
“That doesn’t make a difference, James. I told you what he and Neville managed to do to Alice’s dining room in about two minutes.”
“What did they do?” Remus asked.
“They pulled the tablecloth off the table and managed to upset Alice’s Devastating Dye all over themselves.”
“What’s Devastating Dye?” Remus muttered to James.
“Dunno, but Harry was bright purple for a day or so,” James told him. “Lily doesn’t think it was particularly funny.”
“Whereas you do.”
James shrugged. “With me as a father and the reprobate as his godfather, it’s odds on that he’s going to be a troublemaker.” He grinned at Remus. “Actually, I’m rather looking forward to getting the owls from Hogwarts.”
“You would.”
“Now, now, Professor. It’s not like you haven’t caused the odd explosion yourself - even if Lily thinks you’re the innocent one we led astray.”
“She’s got good judgement, that wife of yours,” Remus decided as he entered the living room. “About that, anyway. I’m still not convinced by her choice of husband.”
“You’ll keep,” James told him, grinning
“He did such a good job of begging, Remus. I felt quite sorry for him,” Lily said.
“You’ll keep too.” James looked into the fire then turned back to Remus. “Have you seen Sirius lately.”
“Not for a few weeks,” Remus answered neutrally. The last time he had seen Sirius they fought bitterly. It was an experience he didn’t want to repeat.
“He told me that you’d had a row.”
“We did. I’m a lot of things, James, but I’m not the spy.”
James shrugged. “I know that. Remus, it’s not up for discussion as far as we’re concerned.” He looked at Lily. “There are very few people we trust completely - Dumbledore, Sirius, Peter, Alice and Frank and you.”
Lily picked up Harry and came over to Remus. “I think Sirius is more than a bit paranoid about this. I can understand it, but he’s not right. Not about you, Remus.”
Remus smiled at her. “Thank you. It means - it means a lot to me.”
“Oh, don’t you start, else she’ll start taking the piss out of you the way she does with Sirius,” James said, rolling his eyes.
“You don’t?”
“Of course i do. It’s - well, bizarre seeing him like this. Not like our Sirius at all,” Lily answered. “I’m just looking forward to seeing his face when he realises what I’m doing.” She smiled, a cat-like smile. “It’s going to be fun to watch.”
“You’ve corrupted her, haven’t you?”
James smiled. “Maybe just a little bit.”
“On that note, I’m going to finish dinner - you’re staying, of course, Remus,” Lily said, handing him the baby.
“What’s for dinner?” James asked.
“It’s a surprise.”
“Be afraid,” James warned. “Those are not words you want to hear.”
“It’s got to be better than your cottage pie,” Remus pointed out as he shifted Harry in his arms. “What have you got there, Harry?”
“Buh,” Harry told him, offering him the blanket.
“And a very fine Buh it is too,” Remus told him. “But you’d better hang onto it or else it might disappear.”
James scowled as the blanket landed on his head. “Now you’re just showing off,” he muttered. “There was nothing wrong with that cottage pie.”
“You mean apart from the fact that I was scraping it off the ceiling for the next three days. You’re right - that’s perfectly normal behaviour.”
“Everyone’s a critic, Harry.” James handed the blanket back to Harry. “I wonder why I invite these people over.”
“You didn’t invite me - Lily did,” Remus smiled, beginning to relax for the first time that evening. Still carrying Harry, he sat on the sofa. “I’m still trying to work out why.”
“Sometimes it’s safest not to ask,” James told him. “Else you just might wear dinner.”
***
Remus realised he was smiling as he returned to the present. “It was an enjoyable evening, very like many others we’d shared. If we’d known...” He stopped. “It’s definitely for the best that we don’t know what’s ahead of us. If I’d known then that it would be the last time we’d see each other...”
“Do you miss them?” Harry asked.
“I think of them every day. It’s different now, though.”
“Different?”
“The first few years were very hard. It wasn’t just your parents that were lost - there were Sirius and Peter as well, and Frank and Alice Longbottom a few months later.”
Harry nodded. “How did you get through it?”
Remus looked at him. “I’m not sure I ever did - not completely. I can think of James and Lily and now it’s not their death that’s the first thing that comes to mind. I remember the fun we had - and, Harry, we had some wonderful times together. I still regret that they died so young and the effect it had on everyone who knew them.”
“What do you think they’d think of me?” Harry asked curiously.
Remus smiled. “Your life has been so different from the life you would have had if...” He broke off. “They would adore you. They adored you so very much, Harry. Never forget that.” He was silent for a minute. “There are expressions that you say that remind me so very much of James that it’s almost as if he was still here.”
“I wonder what would have happened if they’d made a different choice.” Harry stared into the rapidly dying embers.
“So do I,” Remus murmured. “So do I.”
They sat in silence for some time. “Will you tell me more about them?” Harry asked finally. “And about Sirius.” He looked at the older man. “I especially want to hear about the cottage pie?”
“Cottage pie?” Remus asked. Then he realised. “Oh, that cottage pie.“ He smiled at Harry. “Absolutely I will, but not now. In the morning.”