The Truth Behind the Veil ✔️

Back to the Future

November 1st, 1981

   Remus arrived at Godric's Hollow shortly after midnight. He was exhausted, drained completely, but glad that things were okay.

   There were aurors in the entrance of the home, removing debris and two bodies. He didn't want to think about who had died besides Lord Voldemort.

   They had already lost Marlene. Wasn't that enough?

   Sirius, Lily and James were sitting on the couch in the family room, talking quietly while Harry bounced excitedly on James' lap. Peter wasn't there. Remus knew he was the second body bag but decided to not acknowledge that for the time being.

   "Fawn's gone. She completed her mission."

   Lily grinned tiredly and patted the empty spot beside her.

   "Moony!"

   Remus let out a strained laugh as Harry reached out for him, struggling against his father's grasp.

   He accepted the energetic toddler and held him close. He had never been much of a fan of kids but knowing that everything was almost different, well suddenly he wanted nothing more than to hold Harry close and never let go.

   "Think we'll ever see her again?" wondered James.

   "We will," ensured Sirius.

   Remus nodded, carefully prying Harry's sticky fingers from his face. "She attended Hogwarts. We just have to wait a decade or so."

   "Hey Remus," Lily said a moment later in contemplation.

  "Hm?"

   "The curse is broken now and the Ministry will  probably be less corrupt soon. You could be the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor now if you wanted."

  "Yeah, Professor Moony!" Sirius cheered.

   "We didn't make that Professor R.J Lupin briefcase for your sixteenth birthday for nothing, you know."

   Remus chuckled softly, relinquishing in the chaos that had been March tenth, nineteen-seventy-six. Not only had he received that stupid joke of a briefcase, but he had also discovered his friends had made the reckless decision to become Animagi for him. This forced him, not only to begrudgingly and slowly start to forgive Sirius for telling Snape how to get past the Whomping Willow, but to also accept the help his friends had been trying to push on him since second year.

    He had thought becoming a professor would always be a distant dream but now it was within reach.

   He leaned back against the sofa, Harry now tired and laid out against his chest, and breathed.

   For the first time since he was four years old, Remus John Lupin had hope that his Lycanthropy wouldn't hold him back. He couldn't wait to thank Fawn Briggs when she came back to them through the veil once again.

   James summoned a round of Butterbeer and raised his glass. "To life, love and..." he paused, looking out the door that the aurors were still coming in and out of, "sacrifice."

   The other three adults clinked their glasses.

   "To life, love and sacrifice."

   "Speaking of life," Lily whispered, stroking Harry's soft head that had not been scarred. "I'm pregnant."

*****
June 18th, 1996

   Fawn face-planted onto the Ministry floor. This was certainly deja vu. She groaned miserably, her body still far too weak to hoist her up and out of this unfortunate position.