A Dark Fate
The four of them found an empty classroom, the dusty desks and cracked blackboard a stark contrast to the weight hanging in the air. James sat heavily on one of the desks, his head in his hands.
“I die,” he muttered, voice hollow. “Lily and I—we die.”
Sirius, pacing near the window, ran a hand through his hair, his usual bravado nowhere to be found. “No. No way. There’s got to be a mistake.”
Remus leaned against the wall, arms crossed tightly over his chest. “Harry seemed pretty certain,” he said quietly.
Peter, perched nervously on the edge of a chair, wrung his hands. “Maybe... maybe we should just go back. We’ve seen enough.”
But James ignored him. He looked up at Remus, his expression pleading. “Moony, you always know everything. Tell me there’s a way out of this.”
Remus hesitated, guilt gnawing at him. “I... I don’t know, Prongs. Time doesn’t work like that. If it happened, it happened.”
James let out a harsh laugh, running his hands through his hair. “Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. I’ve spent years dodging hexes, sneaking out, pranking Filch, and I just die?”
Sirius stopped pacing. “Not just you,” he said grimly. “Lily, too”
James’s jaw tightened. “He grows up without us.”
The silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken thoughts.
After a long pause, Sirius spoke again, his voice quieter than usual. “Maybe... maybe we should find out how.”
Peter gulped. “Do we really want to know?”
James stood abruptly. “I have to.”
Remus sighed. “Prongs—”
“I have to, Moony,” James cut in sharply. “I can’t just leave without knowing.” He turned to Sirius. “Come on. If Harry knows, then someone else does too.”
Sirius hesitated, then nodded. “Alright. Let’s ask around.”
They left the classroom and made their way through the castle, keeping their ears open for any snippets of conversation that might give them a clue.
Eventually, it was Ron and Hermione they overheard in the courtyard, talking in hushed voices. James motioned for the others to stop and strained to listen.
“Harry doesn’t like to talk about it,” Hermione was saying softly. “He was just a baby when it happened.”
Ron nodded. “Yeah, but You-Know-Who killed his parents. Everyone knows that. How did they not? ”
James felt the floor drop out from under him.
“You-Know-Who?” Sirius whispered. “Voldemort?”
“Shh!” Peter hissed, looking around nervously.
James’s hands clenched into fists at his sides, his eyes locked on the oblivious conversation continuing a few feet away.
“He’s famous because of it,” Ron added. “You-Know-Who tried to kill him, too, but something happened. The curse backfired.”
“Backfired?” Sirius echoed, brows furrowing.
James barely heard him. His mind was racing, the puzzle pieces falling into place in a way he didn’t want to accept. Voldemort came for them. He killed Lily. He killed him. But somehow, Harry survived.
James staggered back, breathing heavily. “No. No, this isn’t... this isn’t fair.”
Remus, who had been silent, finally stepped forward. “Prongs, maybe we shouldn’t—”
James spun on him, eyes blazing. “I’m supposed to protect them, Moony! I can’t just—just die and leave him alone!”
Sirius grabbed his arm. “James. Breathe.”
James yanked his arm free, his chest heaving. “He grows up without me. Without Lily.”
The ache in his voice was too much for any of them to bear.
Sirius swallowed thickly, his own face clouded with emotion. “We’re not leaving him alone” he said firmly to Remus. “We’re going to figure this out.”
James nodded slowly, but the grief lingered in his expression. “I need to know who was there,” he said. “Who fought for us? Who didn’t?”
Remus’s face darkened. “There’s something else you should know.”
James looked at him sharply. “What?”
Remus shifted uncomfortably. “When we saw Harry earlier... he said Peter was dead.”
Peter’s eyes widened. “What?”
Sirius frowned. “Harry said it so casually. Like everyone knew.”
Peter’s face paled, and he stammered, “B-but I’m right here! How—when?”
“I don’t know,” Remus said grimly. “But if something happened to you after James and Lily died... then that means something big.”
Sirius crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. “Maybe we should find out who’s left.”
James took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. “Alright,” he said finally. “Let’s find someone who knew us.”
The four of them moved quickly through the castle, eventually finding themselves outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
“Moony,” Sirius said quietly. “You should talk to... yourself or who ever he is”
Remus looked distinctly uncomfortable. “Absolutely not.”
“Come on,” James urged. “He’ll know something.”
With a sigh, Remus relented and knocked on the door.
“Come in,” came a familiar, slightly weary voice from inside.
Taking a deep breath, they stepped inside and faced an older, tired-looking Remus Lupin, who was gazing at them with an unreadable expression.
“You,” he said quietly, his eyes scanning over each of them. “I should’ve known.”
James took a hesitant step forward. “You know who we are?”
Older Remus nodded. “Yes.”
Sirius cleared his throat. “Then you must know why we’re here.”
Older Remus sighed, setting down his quill. “Yes, and it's been the talk of the school.” He looked straight at James. "but I know what you want to ask.”
James swallowed hard. “Tell me what happened. To me. To Lily.”
Older Remus stared at him for a long moment before replying, his voice heavy with emotion.
“Voldemort found you,” he said softly. “You and Lily were betrayed.”
The words hit like a physical blow.
James’s voice was hoarse. “Who?”
Older Remus hesitated. “It was... Sirius apparently... He's in azkaban for it. But I don't believe it was him Sirius would never betray anyone especially not James.”
The room went silent.
Sirius stumbled back, his face ashen. “N-no. No, I wouldn’t— I couldn't... That's my best friend I could never do him like that.”
James’s fists clenched, and his voice was ice. “Sirius... What the fuck do you mean”
Older Remus’s eyes darkened. “Sirius betrayed you to Voldemort. People still think you still have ties to your family and became a death eater.”
Peter turned slowly toward Sirius, his expression deadly calm. “Sirius,” he whispered, voice trembling. “Is that true?”
Sirius shook his head furiously. “I’d never—I wouldn’t—”
Older Remus spoke again, quiet but firm. “You did apparently. But again I don't buy it.”
James was breathing hard, fury burning behind his eyes. “You betrayed me. You betrayed Lily.”
Sirius was shaking now, his face desperate. “I didn’t—! I wouldn’t—!”
But none of them were listening anymore.
James turned back to older Remus. “What happened to him?”
Older Remus hesitated. “He got put in azkaban. But he recently escaped. Dementors are everywhere looking for him. ”
Sirius’s eyes snapped to him. “What?”
Older Remus nodded grimly. “Everyone thought he did it. He was sent to Azkaban.”
James felt sick. “And Peter?”
Older Remus’s gaze was sharp. “Hes dead.”
Peter’s mouth opened and closed soundlessly.
Sirius looked like he was about to explode. “I go to Azkaban and that rat just dies”
Older Remus sighed. “Yes.”
James stared at Sirius, his voice dangerously low. “Give me one reason not to hex you into oblivion.”
Sirius stammered, “I-I don’t know why he said that, I wouldn’t—”
Remus put a hand on James’s shoulder. “Prongs, breathe. We need to think,” he said quietly.
James’s jaw was clenched tight, but he nodded. “We’re not done.”
And with that, they left the office, the weight of betrayal heavy in the air.