Prompt 22 - Grief/Mourning
@wolfstarmicrofic July 22, word count 506
CW - dead animal, burial,
Sirius came into their dorm room sobbing his eyes out.
“Moony, Prongs, something terrible’s happened!” His face was red and blotchy. Remus had never seen him so upset. He was cradling something furry in his hand. It took Remus a second to figure out what it was. It was a brown rat.
“Lily’s cat was chasing him. I tried to rescue him but-but-but, I was too late,” Sirius wailed.
“Oh, shit!” James gasped from across the room.
“What are you on about, Sirius?” Remus questioned him, not quite understanding why Sirius was so upset.
“It’s Wormtail!” He cried, holding up the limp rat. He sobbed harder, letting James hold him and cry alongside him. Remus bit his tongue to keep the sarcastic comments contained.
“He was the most amazing friend,” James stated sadly. “He was always there when you needed to talk and, while he was small, when he transformed, I will never forget the time he snuck up behind Mrs Norris and bit her tail so we could get away before Filch caught us.”
“I-I-I remember how sweet he was when Moony and I started going out, and he bought us all that chocolate and butterbeer. I don’t even know how he carried it all. He was the best of us!” Remus sighed through his nose and resisted a facepalm.
Just then, Peter walked in, saving Remus from having to explain that if the rat had been Peter it would have transformed back when Clawd got hold of him.
“Why are they crying?” Peter asked, eyeing the rat in Sirius’s hands.
“They think that’s you,” Remus explained, rolling his eyes.
“Oh Peter,” James patted the poor lifeless rat.
“Guys, I’m right here,” Peter groaned.
“I can still hear his voice!” Sirius leaned into James’s chest.
“Wait, me too,” James said, confused.
“Idiots,” Peter tutted.
Sirius and James spun around.
“Peter?” They said together. “PETER!” The rat fell from Sirius's hand, and they jumped on Peter.
“Hey, get off, you nutters!” Peter yelped as they squashed him onto Remus's bed. Remus stooped and picked up the rat Sirius had dropped.
“Well, I think after all that this little guy deserves a proper burial,” Remus declared and grabbed Sirius’s arm, hauling him off Peter. “Come on Prongs, Wormtail, this requires all of us.
They dug a little hole in front of the whomping willow and laid the rat to rest. “You picked the wrong dorm little rat. I’m sorry your life was cut short, and I guess we'll never know why you were all the way up at the top of Gryffindor Tower. Rest in peace little buddy.” Remus used his wand to fill in the grave, and they all stood quietly and stared at it.
“Glad it wasn’t you Wormy,” Sirius said, clapping Peter on the back.
“Er, thanks,” Peter huffed out a laugh. Remus burst out laughing, which set them all off.
“Merlin, I love you,” Remus kissed the top of Sirius’s head, and they walked back up to the castle to relax before dinner.
