August [j.p]

043- 'Til my dying day

And I can go anywhere I want
Anywhere I want, just not home
And you can aim for my heart, go for blood
But you would still miss me in your bones
-
my tears ricochet

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31 October 1981

Remus only saw Sirius as he ran for the Longbottom's front door.

He didn't care who he killed as people dropped around him like flies, they were obstacles in his path.

Sirius
Sirius
Sirius

His name echoed like a warning siren in Remus's head as he flung himself up the stairs, already on Peter's heels.

He thanked Merlin for all the stairs to the Astronomy tower as he took 3 at a time.

Sirius
Sirius
Sirius

He must've shouted it out loud because Peter glanced over his shoulder and met his eye.

Spineless coward

Remus wanted to strangle him right then and there but he needed to get to Sirius. In pure, blind range Remus grabbed Peter's leg mid-step and flung him down the stairs.

"Don't even bother getting up." The werewolf spat and continued his ascent.

The attic was small and dusty and Remus sniffled as his sinuses decided it was a convenient time to return. He was met with the horrifying site of Alice and Frank Longbottom, dead.

The married couple held hands, until death do us part. And cradled in Alice's limp arms was the small bundle.

Remus thanked whoever was up there that Neville would be too young to remember this. He wouldn't remember his father's dying breaths or his mother's arms going slack around him. If he was even alive to remember it at all.

Voldemort's wand was pointed right at Neville's small forehead, small black curls dusting over the light brown skin.

"You move that fucking wand right now or I'll kill you with my own two hands." Sirius stood with his own wand aimed at the Dark Lord.

Only his Sirius would look death in the eye and threaten to kill it.

Both pairs of eyes snapped to Remus as he panted in the doorway, "Remus." Sirius said confused, his brows knitting together in confusion.

He thought he was being stealthy and no one noticed him following Voldemort into the attic. He would have rather faced the Dark Lord alone than have any of his friends in harms way.

However, Sirius's confused expression suddenly morphed into one of terror as he saw the curse fly from Peter's wand, his head was bleeding from a huge gash and blood matted his hair.

Sirius forgot about Neville, forgot about the prophesy as he shoved Remus out of the way.

Sectum Sempra

Remus had never heard of it before but he wished that all of his reading and all of his knowledge would have been able to help him in that very moment.

The gashes appeared suddenly and spread like wildfire across his body.

His beautiful boy.

Remus fell down on his knees and cradled Sirius's head in his lap.

"We're going to get help. I'm going to help you."

"Remus kill him. Kill him right now." Sirius said urgently as Voldemort raised his wand once more.

"Avada Kedavra"

Remus thought that this must've been some strange night terror because instead of Neville being hit by the green light it was the man who fired it sinking to his knees.

Voldemort's eyes rolled back into his head and his mouth gaped open as air rose from his lungs. His body eroded right in front of them, first his arms turned to dust and then his shoulders and then his torso and then his nose and then as quickly as the spell was fired he was gone. A black cloak the color of a night sky void of starlight the only indication that he was ever there.

It wasn't a night terror, it was James. Their messy haired friend stood at the doorway, Severus Snape behind him. The latter having a steel grip around Peter's forearm. But James wasn't looking at the absence of Voldemort, wasn't thinking that he just saved the wizarding race. No, he could only see Sirius and the blood gathering around him like a river.

"Nice one, James." Sirius laughed, which was followed by a fit of uncontrollable coughs.

"Don't say anything." Remus shushed him, the blood of his lover coating his hands and staining his pants. "Do you know anything, anything that can help him." Remus pleaded.

"That's my spell." Snape uttered in disbelief. He had jotted it down, never thinking it would ever see the light of day.

"Do you have a counter curse?" Remus's voice cracked, his chest felt like it was going to give in. He could feel Sirius's breaths become shallow and blood leaked out from between his lips.

"I- I don't." Snape's hands were shaking violently, so violently that Peter had enough room to slip out of his grasps. None of them even noticing. And no one outside from the Order would realize either, they were too busy seeking out healers to come help at the scene and patching up those who they could to try and spare a life.

"I haven't made one yet." Snape admitted shamefully.

Remus felt the hot tears gather in his eyes, he would not cry. He wouldn't let Sirius's last moment on Earth be one of sadness and despair.

"Remus listen to me." His voice was week and frail, so different from his loud, boisterous tone.

"I'll see you again and it will all be okay. We'll be better off, where I'm going. No strange looks and no hateful slurs, we can get married. Finally, finally we'll be together for eternity. But you have to live this one first and then you're going to come back to me and tell me all about it."

Remus couldn't stop the tears as Sirius reached a bloodied hand up and cradled his face.

"I don't want to live this eternity without you." He sobbed.

Sirius smiled sadly, things were always, almost for them.

They almost got to express their love in a public area.

They almost bought the cute flat with the windowsill pot plants and the grumpy canary.

They almost got married.

They almost got to spend the rest of their lives together.

"Do it for me." He placed the softest kiss on Remus's lips.
"Thank you Remus Lupin, thank you for loving me when I could not love myself and thank you for being my friend and thank you for giving me a lifetimes worth of love. Beautiful boy, I love you. I love you. I love you"

"I love you Padfoot." Remus cradled his broken body in his arms, felt his chest rise and fall for the last time.

And for the last time, they almost made it.

A/N
I'm sorry