Fic: The End of Autumn
Title: The End of Autumn
Rating: PG (and even that is probably pushing it)
Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognise.
Notes: I am pretty sure this was written for a prompt or challenge somewhere, but am now trying to make sure all my Remus/Sirius fics are in this journal.
Summary: An afterlife fic.
Sirius opened his eyes to see where he was.
There were trees surrounding him and leaves on the ground; it was autumn, but the air felt warm. It seemed that wherever he was, he was about to enjoy a warm sunny day.
He was surprised at that. He’d always preferred the winter months.
Snowball fights as a young boy, snuggling with Remus in front of the fire, first as a dog, too scared to admit his feelings, later as a man, secure in the love of his sandy-haired friend.
The sound of laughter came from somewhere to his right and he set off in that direction.
As he drew nearer he realised where he was… Hogwarts.
Home.
He quickened his pace and soon burst from the trees near the edge of the lake.
“James.” The word was barely breathed, but the boy on the far side of the lake had seen him.
“Hey, Padfoot!” James called out, waving wildly. “Thought you’d never get here.”
Sirius couldn’t move as James beckoned him over. James looked around eighteen years old. He wondered how he had recognised him, recoiling inwardly as he recalled his haggard appearance.
“What’re you waiting for?” James yelled.
Sirius tried to lift his foot, to will himself to move, but he was rooted to the spot.
“Hello, Sirius,” Remus suddenly said from behind him. “We’ve been waiting for you.”
Sirius twisted round and drew in a sharp breath when he saw Remus. Unlike James, Remus was barely more substantial than a ghost.
“What happened to you?” Sirius asked as he raised a hand towards Remus. He drew back when he realised that he could not touch him.
“Nothing,” Remus replied. “Not yet anyway.”
“What do you mean?”
“You were like me until you died,” Remus explained. “Now you’re like James.”
“Except he’s young again,” Sirius pointed out.
“So are you,” Remus said and he pointed at one of Sirius’s hands. “Does that look like the hand of a man who has spent over a decade in Azkaban?”
Sirius looked at his hand properly for the first time and realised what he had failed to notice before. He was young again.
“You won’t leave me, will you?” Sirius whispered.
Remus shook his head. “Never.”
-o-
Sirius watched as Remus faded, and for a moment he was scared that he was losing him. Then Lily put a calming hand on his shoulder. “That’s what happened to you just before you…”
Her voice trailed off and she nodded towards the trees. Sirius followed her gaze and sure enough, standing at the edge of the forest, was Remus.
Autumn warmth disappeared and the chill of winter set in as Sirius ran towards him.
Remus threw himself into his arms. “Sirius, I’ve missed you so much.”
“I know,” Sirius replied as he savoured the sensation of holding Remus in his arms once more.
The snow was starting to fall as they walked back towards the castle, and Sirius reflected that things were just about perfect.
Rating: PG (and even that is probably pushing it)
Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognise.
Notes: I am pretty sure this was written for a prompt or challenge somewhere, but am now trying to make sure all my Remus/Sirius fics are in this journal.
Summary: An afterlife fic.
Sirius opened his eyes to see where he was.
There were trees surrounding him and leaves on the ground; it was autumn, but the air felt warm. It seemed that wherever he was, he was about to enjoy a warm sunny day.
He was surprised at that. He’d always preferred the winter months.
Snowball fights as a young boy, snuggling with Remus in front of the fire, first as a dog, too scared to admit his feelings, later as a man, secure in the love of his sandy-haired friend.
The sound of laughter came from somewhere to his right and he set off in that direction.
As he drew nearer he realised where he was… Hogwarts.
Home.
He quickened his pace and soon burst from the trees near the edge of the lake.
“James.” The word was barely breathed, but the boy on the far side of the lake had seen him.
“Hey, Padfoot!” James called out, waving wildly. “Thought you’d never get here.”
Sirius couldn’t move as James beckoned him over. James looked around eighteen years old. He wondered how he had recognised him, recoiling inwardly as he recalled his haggard appearance.
“What’re you waiting for?” James yelled.
Sirius tried to lift his foot, to will himself to move, but he was rooted to the spot.
“Hello, Sirius,” Remus suddenly said from behind him. “We’ve been waiting for you.”
Sirius twisted round and drew in a sharp breath when he saw Remus. Unlike James, Remus was barely more substantial than a ghost.
“What happened to you?” Sirius asked as he raised a hand towards Remus. He drew back when he realised that he could not touch him.
“Nothing,” Remus replied. “Not yet anyway.”
“What do you mean?”
“You were like me until you died,” Remus explained. “Now you’re like James.”
“Except he’s young again,” Sirius pointed out.
“So are you,” Remus said and he pointed at one of Sirius’s hands. “Does that look like the hand of a man who has spent over a decade in Azkaban?”
Sirius looked at his hand properly for the first time and realised what he had failed to notice before. He was young again.
“You won’t leave me, will you?” Sirius whispered.
Remus shook his head. “Never.”
-o-
Sirius watched as Remus faded, and for a moment he was scared that he was losing him. Then Lily put a calming hand on his shoulder. “That’s what happened to you just before you…”
Her voice trailed off and she nodded towards the trees. Sirius followed her gaze and sure enough, standing at the edge of the forest, was Remus.
Autumn warmth disappeared and the chill of winter set in as Sirius ran towards him.
Remus threw himself into his arms. “Sirius, I’ve missed you so much.”
“I know,” Sirius replied as he savoured the sensation of holding Remus in his arms once more.
The snow was starting to fall as they walked back towards the castle, and Sirius reflected that things were just about perfect.