Through the special glass that allowed the looker to see their loved ones through their lives, Lily watched Harry, safe and well, but full of grief at the loss of Fred, Remus, Tonks...and Severus. As she produced a tear at her son's sadness, James, Remus and Tonks appeared. Tonks, still looking sad and pale was looking at Harry with sympathy.
"Come now, girls." said James kindly, "This is Heaven. No place for tears and long faces."
"But even after the end of Voldemort, Harry suffers." sighed Lily sadly.
Tonks' voice broke into sobs. "And Teddy is alone, w-without his m-m-mummy and daddy."
Remus embraced her tightly, turning pale too, with tears in his eyes, but his voice remained calm and clear.
"He will be looked after by your mother and of course, Harry. He understands what Teddy will go through and of course, neither he nor Andromeda are like the Dursleys."
"Poor Tuney." said Lily mournfully, remembering her still angry, jealous sister.
"Not poor. Just no compassion and pride in her own sister." said Sirius gruffly, as he approached his friends.
"What's Peter doing?" asked Remus as he held a still sobbing, but slightly reassured Tonks.
"Skulking in sorrow and guilt outside the Forest." said Sirius, "He does look like he regrets his actions and he keeps muttering that he should be in Hell."
"Don't know why he is here." said James.
"I know" said Lily, "He hesitated to kill Harry and Voldemort's magic killed him for that."
"He felt guilt then? Even before his death?" said James.
"I thought he might have it in him." smiled Remus.
"Should we even forgive him?" asked James.
"Seriously?" said Sirius flabbergasted, "After betraying you, leaving me to rot in Azkaban?"
"That is a fair point." said Remus, "But we have forgiven Severus for even being a Death Eater in the first place."
"But that's different. Severus was never a friend of ours. Peter betrayed our trust."
"He was my friend. But he called me 'Mudblood', became a supporter of Voldemort, mistreated Harry for being James' son. And despite all that, I've forgiven him."
"Well, he clearly hasn't forgiven you, Lily." said Sirius, deliberately diverting the subject away from him forgiving Peter.
"He has, Padfoot." said James with a grimace, "But he hasn't forgiven the rest of us."
"Did you check on him, by the way?" asked Remus.
"Yes, he won't open the door. And I decided not to bother, or he'll just say that breaking in on his privacy would be just like our old days at school." replied Sirius.
"All the same, we'll return to the matter of Severus later." said Remus, "For now, let's decide what to do about Peter."
"What is there to decide?" asked Sirius.
"There is everything to decide." said Lily.
"As much as I hate to admit it, Lily and Moony have a point." said James, "If Wormtail was allowed into Heaven after all he's done, just for that impulse of mercy and guilt, then it's giving him a chance to reconcile with his real friends, to be allowed happiness."
Sirius gazed at his many friends with shock, but couldn't help but understand what they were getting at. Even Tonks, who didn't really know Peter very well, supported their beliefs and for all his anger, couldn't help but realise that they were right. Peter was to be allowed another chance.
