We know you'd be with us if heaven wasn't so far away -- Fall 2018

I nodded and sighed.  "Yeah, he did," I said heavily.  How could we have buried Aunt Chloe last year and now Uncle Remus?  I could not even begin to comprehend... I sighed again.  "Would you like a cup of tea?  I know my grandma and mum were in the kitchen getting things around with some help...."

Leopold Greyback wrote:I walked around the house that was quickly filling with people, but it just seemed so empty without Gramps telling stories and Grandma trying to correct those stories.  I sighed, realizing that Dona had left me to be by myself a bit.  I ended up seeing Abel.  I walked over to him.  "How are you holding up?" I asked my cousin, having a feeling that he was doing about the same as me.  And I was miserable.

I looked up and saw Leo. I gave a small shrug, "Okay, I guess." I really had no idea how I was. I was survivng but I didn't think I was really okay. "How about you? How are you doing?" I was happy for the distraction. I never did well when I was left alone with thoughts like this, it brought back too many memories.

Penelope Clearwater wrote:I followed quickly back to the house to help Mum get ready for everyone, though most things were done thanks to some help from Molly; she left early to help get things around.  I gave my mother-in-law a kiss on the cheek while I got things moving out of the kitchen and more into the living area.  We were going to share good stories... I knew it would end with sadness, but I wanted to smile when thinking of Remus and of Chloe.

I found Penny and put an arm around her shoulder.  "Are you holding up okay?" I asked her, knowing how close her and Desi had been.  They were as close as sisters... and having become sisters-in-law made the bond even stronger.  And I knew that she had a place in her heart for my brother, too, but I was sure that it would be worse on the feminine side.

I walked back over to Lincoln and Lucy. I knew Abel and Elliot had left already but I knew Lincoln would probably stay until Lucy and Will left, whenever that may be. "Did you want to stay here a bit longer than?" I asked gently.

Ember Potter Black wrote:I looked at Sirius, putting a hand on his arm.  "I'll let you go say goodbye," I said to him softly, kissing his cheek.

As Ember kissed my cheek, I stood up and walked towards Remus. My heart clenching the closer I got. Finally from what seemed like an eternity James had walked away and I finally made my way up to Remus. " I'm so sorry mate. I can't believe......this is it. " I said struggling on having words come out. " To know that we won't be seeing you anymore because of Boris. In the end he killed ......he..." My voice was struggling as I began to feel sick. I could still taste his blood; my best friend, my brother. Tears fell from my eyes as I put one hand on his casket. I couldn't believe I was the one to end Boris, to end Remus. I killed him....me. His best friend. I started shaking, and hyperventilating.

I sat in the living room, unsure what to really do.  Uncle Remus and Aunt Chloe were always so awesome... and it had been hard losing Aunt Chloe last year.  ANd now Uncle Remus, too?  Hopefully this would be it.  I was not sure if I could handle any more loss as we lost Mum the winter before Aunt Chloe passed.  I felt tears starting to burn my eyes and just blinked them back.  I was not going to cry.  I would do that when I was alone.

I sat down next to Ryan and put a hand on his shoulder since Leo did not need me quite this second.  "You doing alright?" I asked my brother, though I knew the answer to that.

I looked over at Will and Lucy with Emelyn and Ayden.  I sighed, returning my gaze to my own wife.  "Yeah, I think I'll stay.  Abel and Elliot have each other and the rest of their cousins... they should be alright at the cottage with everyone there with them," I said, thinking of them needing comforted and whatnot.

Lily M. Evans Potter wrote:I left James to say goodbye to Remus. I had started helping Cathleen and Penelope with some things around the cottage. I found myself getting distracted by some of the photos, one in particular was summer of all of us together. Running around the pool, laughing and just being stupid. Tears came to my eyes as I wiped them quickly. Seeing James come in, he came over and squeezed my hand I leaned on him hoping he knew I would be there no matter what. I just couldn't believe they were both gone. A big piece of my heart with them. It would take a long time to even be okay. I wasn't sure how to even begin to fathom how to handle this. " I'm right here hon." I said quietly.

I nodded at her and pulled her into an embrace.  "Lily... how are you holding up?" I asked, realizing how selfish I was being during all of this.  Lily was super close to Remus, too.  Of course, I did not think she was as close to him as me and Sirius were, but still.  We were all family.

I nodded. "I think they'll be okay." I didn't want him to worry about the kids, that would be my job. I just wanted him to worry about himself. I had no doubt Abel and Elliot would be okay, Lincoln was right, they had each other and their cousins. I had to be there for my husband right now. "We can stay here as long as you'd like."

I left the kitchen and saw all the grandchildren - blood and practically blood -- and smiled through the tears.  I was not sure if the cottage was going to be able to handle everyone in here.  I started to wonder why Remus ever doubted that he could be loved when it was so obvious that he was.  But I knew that with his condition, it just was there because of the prejudice against werewolves.  All this family and friends here to show their love for him after he was gone just showed how much he impacted so many people even with the lycanthropy.  Chloe would be so proud.  I just wished that neither of them had left us so soon... but I had known that he would not let Chloe be alone -- he never did in life, so why would he after he lost her?

I went over to Nana and gave her a hug.  She was my great-grandma... she knew how to handle everything.  "I'm gonna miss him," I said to her, admitting my fear only to her.  He helped me a lot with my infliction.  What if I had questions?

I said my goodbye to gramps, turning to Josh " We should go help set up at the house." My dad and mum were going to stay here. My dad hadn't really said anything, I was waiting for him to really break down and I figured he was waiting for the least amount of people. For people to not see him break. I hugged mum, and walked up to Dad and gave him a hug. "We'll see you there.."

Sedona Black wrote:I sat down next to Ryan and put a hand on his shoulder since Leo did not need me quite this second.  "You doing alright?" I asked my brother, though I knew the answer to that.

I looked at my big sister and shrugged.  "Not really," I said to her honestly.  "But it's not as bad for me as for everyone else, right?  I mean... we weren't really family..."

I hugged ryan.  "He was our family, too," I said to him.  "don't ever say otherwise."  I could nto believe that Ryan thought that he should not be upset because we were not technically related... it was ridiculous.