Dorcas

Dear Remus,

I'm going to send this to Sirius, in the hope that it will eventually get back to you. I know you are away on missions a lot and it would be careless of me to do anything that may risk your exposure.
I needed to write this, to let you know that I lied in the letter I sent you before the flamingo party. I told you I was over you, but I know now I was just pretending to be.
It's taken me a long time, longer than most, I know, to get to this, which is actually a little embarrassing. But I think I can confidently say that I am now over you, Remus Lupin.

And with that, comes this.

My need to thank you.

Thank you for the time we shared and the memories we made. I loved you, Remus, and some people never experience that. And therefore I am lucky. I am lucky that I got to love you.

I am going to send this tomorrow after my guard duty and hopefully it will reach you soon, and although I'm starting to doubt it despite my usual positivity, I hope that we can all have a good 1979 when it comes.

Love, your friend

Dorcas

Sirius

"You alright, Pads?"

Sirius shook his head. "Fuck, Prongs, I hope he's okay."

He felt Peter pat his forearm. "He will be, he's strong."

Sirius nodded, turning his head to face Peter, "Yeah, you're right. He is strong."

Peter offered a small smile of reassurance.

"How are you doing, mate?" Sirius asked the animagus.

Peter snorted. "Shit. I'm doing shit."

Sirius raised the bottle of firewhisky that he was currently drinking from. "Me too, Wormy, me too."

James sunk into a nearby armchair, his expression furlorn. "Happy New Year, lads!"

Remus

He'd just experienced the longest and loneliest Christmas of his life. But that didn't matter, all that mattered was that he was currently standing in the entrance of Headquarters, home after three long months and waiting to finally see Sirius and the others.

"Mr. Lupin?" a familiar voice rang out behind him.

Turning, Remus looked into the sparkling blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore. "Oh, hello Professor."

"Good evening, Remus," Dumbledore spoke with a quiet, strained air that Remus found unusual. "Your reports on the werewolf activities and locations will prove invaluable."

"Thank you, Sir."

Dumbledore studied him for a second before speaking once more. "Am I right, Remus, in thinking that you knew Miss Meadowes well?"

Remus raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Dorcas? Yes, I...I did know her well."

"I am afraid that Miss Meadowes was killed on duty last week."

"Wha-," Remus instantly felt a sense of deflation. Not Dorcas, not lovely, kind Dorcas.

"I am terribly sorry, Remus."

"Thank you, Professor."

Remus watched, still in disbelief, as Dumbledore reached into an inside pocket of his midnight blue robes, and pulled forth an envelope. "The Order found this, in Miss Meadowes's home, it seems to be addressed to you."

Remus took the envelope, swallowing hard. "Thank you."

"I am sorry again, Remus," Dumbledore repeated, before patting Remus swiftly on the shoulder. Remus's eyes flickered downwards as his old Headmaster turned and walked back down the corridor, leaving a heavy cloud of sadness behind.