[personal profile] darsynia
Title: Floo Powder and Teardrops
Rating: G
[livejournal.com profile] 100quills Prompt Set/Prompt: 100.3, Remus / 095. Message
Summary: Dumbledore has just told Remus what happened in Godric’s Hollow
Warnings/Notes: None really, just angsty



Floo Powder and Teardrops

Despair. Remus had thought he’d known everything there was to know about that particular emotion. He’d even joked darkly to James once that he could teach a class about it—just one practical lesson with homework during the full moon, assignments due once a month for the rest of the student’s life.

James! Lupin’s heart called out for his friend even as his mind told him that he would never again receive an answer.

A wave of nausea overwhelmed his bleary attempts to dress himself. Dumbledore’s voice had wakened him, the raw note in it causing icicles of adrenaline to course through his bloodstream even before he’d spoken to his mentor. The thought of that conversation not five minutes hence made his throat constrict painfully and his eyes fill with unfamiliar tears. He hadn’t cried since he was a little boy…

That thought made the prospect of weeping a certainty—for it was impossible for him to think of a child without his mind immediately picturing Harry. The serious, earnest little boy was the light of his parents’ lives. Lupin could remember the last time he’d held the child; Harry had spent the entire experience watching him soberly with his mother’s eyes. Oh, Lily. In a hoarse voice that had almost scared his former student with its intensity, Albus had told him how Lily had desperately thrown herself in front of her son, sacrificing her life for his.

Dumbledore had said he hoped that somehow she could know it had worked.

He could hardly believe what he’d been told; it was such a dichotomy of painful tragedy and unbelievable relief—for his former headmaster had told him that their protection spell had worked, after a fashion. The self-styled Dark Lord appeared to have been defeated in the very moment he’d tried to destroy Harry. The prophecy had come true, their fragile world appeared to be safe—the entire wizarding community had cause to celebrate… but James and Lily were dead.

Lupin moved across his living room floor to the fireplace, his breath catching every few seconds when the tears became too much for him. He reached into the container on the mantelpiece and stood for a long minute, so miserable he almost forgot what it was that he was doing there. The fire crackled, and he remembered, opening his mouth to announce his destination—but the words escaped him.

Remus realized without shame that the tears were coming so thick and fast that he could barely speak. He slumped to the floor by the fireplace, alternately decorating the woodwork with discarded floo powder and teardrops. The green particles seemed to wink at him when they combined with his tears, making him think of Lily and Harry and most of all, James.

He set his head on his knees and wept for the loss of his innocence—a loss that he used to think had happened long ago with the bite, but which had really occurred not ten minutes beforehand when he’d learned of the death of his best friend.

Date: 2006-05-31 06:23 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] evelynlela.livejournal.com
That's so sad. Not to mention well written.

Date: 2006-05-31 06:29 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com
Thank you! /pets Remus. So few people ever write about that period of events, and I think it was a defining moment for him... Broke my heart, though.

Date: 2006-05-31 06:32 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gwenlliana.livejournal.com
Wonderfully evocative as always Darsy. Such a depth of feeling and loss. I am in awe.

Date: 2006-05-31 06:35 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com
Aww, thank you! I better finish up the happy one I'm working on or poor Remus will go to bed sad!

Thanks for the compliment :D

Date: 2006-05-31 06:40 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gwenlliana.livejournal.com
We can't have Remus going to bed sad, and you're welcome dear.

Date: 2006-06-01 04:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] selene2.livejournal.com
I don't have an appropriate icon. *gasp* (like a little black dress, when in doubt, go with Voldie!)

This is so heartwrenching. *is sad* I don't think that my inappropriate petting is going to cheer up Remus this time around! *settles for hugging him*

Really wonderful work (as always).

*hugs and twirls you*

Date: 2006-06-02 11:15 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com
Oh, my! Scary icon--thanks for the compliments, (*stares at icon some more*) hehe!

*twirls back*

I counter your scary!Voldie icon with one I just made of the trio. DIE DIE DIE with love, Voldiepoo!

Date: 2006-06-02 11:06 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] saoirse-reaper.livejournal.com
Great story :) thanks for voting btw... :) do u have your application somewhere in your journal? cause i'd love to read it

Date: 2006-06-02 11:14 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com
Should be a bit farther down on the same page, but here's (http://community.livejournal.com/harmonysorting/19463.html#cutid1) a quick link :)

The trend seems to be not much elaboration on the whys of voting, so don't feel bad if you just get one liners. It's a great community, very friendly!

Another good one for people starting out is [livejournal.com profile] hh_sorting ([livejournal.com profile] hh_home), they do weekly contests and are a pretty fun group of folks (a fair few are members at [livejournal.com profile] harmonysorting as well!). On the whole I was very impressed with both communities!

Date: 2006-06-02 11:18 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com
Btw I'm uh... over-wordy. OH! And thanks for the compliment on the story (forgot that the first time, bad Darsy!)

Date: 2006-08-13 10:56 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tamswitter.livejournal.com
Awww you made me cry. That was soo good. So sad.

*goes back to reading TSIK*

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