black coffee | remus lupin [2]

103. tombstone talks

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IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, IT WAS AUGUST OF 1981. A full torturous three months had passed since anyone last saw Claudia, sinking beneath the surface and slipping out of not only Regulus', but everybody's hands.

Despite it being summer, there was nothing but darkness everywhere. People being tortured left and right. People disappearing. People getting murdered.

Regulus and Claudia's tombstone was the freshest one in the graveyard, and Remus was angry. Claudia always wanted to be buried by her mother, and now, there her tombstone was, as far away in the country as it could, right next to the other Maple relatives' stones.

Remus came there all the time. He liked to talk to her. It was silly, really, but he knew she'd understand. She used to talk to her mum.

"So, uh," said Remus, standing right by the dirt that showed the hole in which Claudia's urn had been in placed.

Claudia and Regulus had supposedly been cremated. It wasn't really normal of purebloods to bury their family members in an urn and not in a casket, but it was a more modern take, Remus supposed. Even if it came from the least modern family in the world.

"Um," Remus continued, clearing his throat. "I haven't been here for like a week. It's not...things are kind of messy right now. It usually is, but...um, I've been doing more things for the Order. Dumbledore's kind of been leaving me alone ever since the news of you...came out. But I can't stand not doing anything anymore."

Remus looked up at the sky. It was a nice day. Sunny. Warm. Yet somehow so, so cold.

"Everybody in the Order is super busy," he said. "I'm thinking about telling them about the Horcruxes. But...I've been spending time with your family. John and the others. They say they've got it under control, so. I don't wanna let them down. And, uh..."

Remus felt his throat close up on him again. It did that all the time at the thought of Claudia. It was like he was constantly walking around with a lump in his throat.

It was worse talking on this day for him, however, because he had another person on the back of his mind as that lump ached his throat.

"Marlene, she..." he croaked out. "That's why the Order's been so busy. They...they wiped out her whole family, Claudia. And Inez is distraught. I feel like I can't do anything to help, because I'm literally a clear example of how it doesn't get better."

Remus went quiet for a moment and wiped away a tear.

"Betty's trying," she said. "But...I know you're the only one who could actually helped her. And you're...oh, I just wish you were here, Claudia."