Why did Death? (Cherry/Remus)

[FRED GIDEON WEASLEY]

Fred walked into number twelve. He had heard the news about Sirius and the battle at the ministry. He was quite worried for everyone who had been there. He walked in to the kitchen grabbing a plate and some sandwiches from the fridge. He placed them on the table and grabbed some plates. It looked like he was first to arrive here so he guessed he would try to be serious after Sirius's death of course he didn't want to be the prankster he was when someone died. It was improper and he would be sure to get a scolding from his mom.

Fred quietly sat down and waited for a couple of minutes before he finally  acknowledged his growling stomach. He growled and grabbed a sandwich from the tray and began eating it. He had almost finished when he heard footsteps. He turned around to find Remus slightly... grumpy looking? Or was it sad or both Fred wasn't sure but he couldn't blame Remus for being like that one of his best friends did die. Fred sighed and waved at Remus. "Morning, you seem... quite pale" said Fred. Which was true. Remus did look pale in fact it looked like he spent all night awake and grumpy and sad and a lot of emotions mixed in to one. Fred grabbed a sandwich from the tray. "Are you hungry?" he asked waving it in front of Remus's face. He was really unsure of how people dealt with sad people it was really not his thing.

[REMUS JOHN LUPIN]

Remus was up downing a bottle of firewhiskey rather slowly, brooding and mourning in silence on a corner of a muggle pub near his flat all night. The pain of losing his last best friend and true fellow marauder hurt too much for him to be able to fall asleep or to desire it. Having experienced more than a fair share of pain since childhood, Remus rarely shed tears and he did that night. He had lost Sirius once before but this time it hurt more because the first time he lost him, he hated him for being a murdering traitor. Now, he saw him die and knew he was a man who wasted exactly 1/3 of his short life in prison for crimes he did not commit. Remus let out a derisive chuckle involuntarily before hurling an empty bottle of firewhiskey on the floor at the unfairness of it. The bartender cursed him quite colorfully and threw him and his yet to be opened bottle of firewhiskey out of the pub. Remus’ mood worsened after that.

Remus decided it was time to go home. He was so unfocused he had not even noticed he had company until they opened their mouth. Remus merely grunted back, went over to the counter and got two goblets with the Black family crests. “I didn’t expect company here today.” He said hoarsely, looking even sicklier than usual, as he flopped down unto the chair across Fred or George Weasley, who waved a sandwich across his face. “No, thank you, George.” Remus tried to be pleasant but could not keep his irritation out of his tone. Sighing, he poured firewhiskey on the two goblets and gave pushed one towards Fred.

[FRED GIDEON WEASLEY]

Fred watched a upset Remus sit down in front of him. Fred sighed. He really was no good with sad people. "Remus did you not get the message or were you to busy drowning yourself with firewhisky?" said Fred in more of a statement than a question. After Remus declined he offer for a sandwich and calling him George, Fred shook his head. There was no point in arguing with Remus anyways. He would probably get oblivioned to death by Remus if he did anyways.

"So... you sure you don't want anything, sandwich, water, a bucket?" said Fred as kind of a joke the bucket part anyways if Remus did decide to have a barf fest he would clean it up easily anyways. Fred smiled slightly as Remus handed him a goblet of firewhisky. Fred wasn't going to drink it because he didn't have to be semi drunk while Remus was full on drunk. He would have if there was someone else with him to care for Remus in his... state.

Fred sighed and grabbed another sandwich from the platter. "You know don't dwell on the past as Dumbledore says" he said while looking at Remus. "You have to think of the good times and don't worry Sirius is watching from near and far" he said trying to be as helpful as he could although he was sure he might just make Remus cry and fall to the floor dead but hopefully he wouldn't do so. "I know how it feels I know how you feel we all do" he said. Fred sighed and looked at the clock on the wall and sighed wishing the other would have gotten here sooner and sighed. He had no idea what to do now.

[REMUS JOHN LUPIN]

Remus shifted on his seat, feeling extremely tired as he had yet to rest after yesterday’s battle and the tragedy that was Sirius’ death. “I did not receive anything. What message?” He focused his tired eyes on Fred or George, his brows furrowed. “It better not be about another death because if it is... I swear to Merlin I am going to hurl.” His half drunk mind was too preoccupied with thoughts about death and lacked its usual ability to multitask so he did not notice Fred shake his head as he busied uncorking his second big bottle of firewhisky. This led to his conclusion that he was indeed talking to George.

The corners of Remus’ mouth twitched as he nodded to assure Fred he did not want anything. Under other circumstance, Remus would have grinned at Fred. When he saw him smile at the goblet, Remus managed a small smile. "You do drink, don't you?" He regarded his former student and felt just a little guilty for handing him alcohol. Had he been less drunk, he would not have offered Fred alcohol at all, knowing Molly probably will have his and her son’s heads if Fred got drunk. Fortunately, Remus could not afford more than two bottles of firewhisky. Since he downed the other bottle last night, he and Fred would have to share his last bottle so it was unlikely that Fred will get drunk.

Remus took a swig of alcohol and froze momentarily when Fred reminded him of a piece of Dumbledore’s advice. He knew he was right but the pain was still too fresh for the words to be of great help to him but it did move him. He felt tears at the back of his eyes and shakily bought the goblet back to his lips, sipped and swallowed, his sight blurring but he still made out the Black Family Crest. Seeing it reminded him painfully of his dead friend. “George, let’s toast for Sirius.” He fixed his drunk and teary gaze on Fred and with his hand shaking a bit he raised his goblet.

[FRED GIDEON WEASLEY]

Fred sighed. "Never mind then Remus if you didn't get it, it doesn't matter as long as you are here" he said shaking he head. He really was going to have to clean then if Remus did hurl... something out but he hoped Remus wouldn't do so he hated cleaning. "No not another death we were just thinking something everyone would like a memorial for Sirius Black for all those years we thought he was bad and the Aurors locked him up we thought you would like it for your best friend, for James for the love of god I swear it's for him and all of us to thank him" said Fred. He knew he was going to a touchy subject but he was only telling what was true.

Fred just continued to smile. He didn't answer Remus because he didn't drink. He didn't want to be drunk at this time and plus Fred didn't exactly do well with Firewhisky he would if he could handle it but he also listened to his mum and he didn't want to upset her. She was already quite overwhelmed with everyone else she didn't need anything else to bother her.

He watched as Remus almost started to cry. Fred frowned and then scowled at himself. His advice seemed to have made Remus utterly sad. Again Fred was never ever good with sad people he was a happy person a funny one but it seemed this time it may be impossible to cheer Remus up not like he ever had cheered Remus up before he was a uhm how do you put it slightly grumpy one. Fred sighed and raised his goblet. "To Sirius" he said putting his Goblet up to his mouth and pretended to drink some of it he then lowered it back on to the table. He wiped his mouth to give the impression he drank it. He really didn't want to make Remus guilty of giving him Firewhisky so he just went along to make Remus a little better if that was possible at all.

[REMUS JOHN LUPIN]

Remus kept his gaze on Fred, wishing with all his being that the message he was referring to was not another death. He raised an eyebrow at Fred when he said never mind and continued to focus on him, hoping he will eventually tell him the message. When he did, Remus nodded solemnly. A memorial for Sirius. It was the best and only way to thank and remember him now that he was gone and here he was wallowing in his pain all night when he should be doing something to make Sirius’ memorial happen. Some friend he was. “When are we doing it? What are the plans?” He asked Fred, setting his silver goblet for a while. “I really want this for Sirius. If anyone deserves something like this, its him.”Remus sighed and looked pensive. “He had always been a light even in the darkest night… a source of laughter in the midst of devastation. But, ironically, when you think of it, his life had never been exactly happy.” Remus sighed and brought his goblet back to his lips.

He stared at him absently and wondered if anyone in the order was as devastated as he was right now. Nymphadora came to his mind instantly as the three of them had gone closer during the year. Despite this, he knew Nymphadora’s friendship with his best mate came in only second to his and Sirius’ and sighed, suddenly feeling alone. He had always been alone and he knew he would mourn for his friend alone because no one would understand him. He had always been lonely. He was a lonely lycan as a child so he would die a lonely lycan.

Fred’s smile made him wonder if the kid really drunk. But, at the moment, he just could not afford to think about it at all, very uncharacteristic of him. When his former student raised his goblet he raised his a bit higher. “To Sirius. May he find the happiness he did not find in life in death.” He said sincerely, voice hoarse and cracked. He smiled sadly at Fred, who drunk, and downed the entire goblet. He swallowed and then felt the dizziness that came with drinking hit him for the first time. After about five seconds, he threw up on the table.