Forgotten

Everything belongs to JKR... except the plot.
Rating: Less than R
Characters: Harry, Remus, Severus, Draco
One-Shot

(sorry folks, no sex in this.)

The older man lay in the bed watching his companion. "You should have had the world at your feet, Harry." The words came out as a gasp, and the dark haired young man turned back from the window to sit beside the last remnant of his old life.

"Come on, Remy. Even I knew that they'd all turn their backs on me the minute Voldemort was gone. They don't want to be reminded of their own guilt in using me… especially my so-called friends."

Remus Lupin coughed harshly, and Harry drew the older man up into his arms, allowing the werewolf to breathe easier. "I only wish I had concentrated enough in Potions to make you something to help. After all you've been through, you shouldn't have to suffer like this."

The amber eyes looked up into emeralds, "Harry, promise me that you'll find someone to be with… to be happy with." The brunet shook his head, "Don't do this. Please don't make me promise something I can't do."

Remus closed his eyes, wishing there was something he could do for his young friend, but his time was just about up, and he lay there as Harry shifted into a more comfortable position, still holding the older man.

Toward morning, he roused again, fitfully. "Harry, cub, I love you."

Trying to keep the tears inside, Harry Potter murmured, "I know, Remy. I love you too."

The green eyed wizard wanted to scream that it was too soon, but he knew his mentor and friend was in pain. As he watched, the lycanthrope's breathing slowed, becoming fainter with the seconds.

Somehow, knowing the time had come, Harry whispered to him, "I'll see you on the other side, dear friend," and Remus Lupin, lycanthrope, teacher, and surrogate parent, was gone, “Wait for me.”
~*~
Harry went about cleaning the cottage, putting everything in place. He had already bathed Remus' body, and dressed him in the best wizarding robes the younger man had ever owned. They were a golden brown in color and Harry thought they'd suit Remus. Then, brushing his hair neatly, he lay down beside the older man, and tipped a vial of potion into his mouth.

It burned, choking him, but it would make things easier as it would allow him to sleep to the end.
~*~
Just as things began to fade, he heard a noise... and cursing. "DAMNED POTTER! Why can't he ever make it easy to find him?" Harry blinked as a tall, slender blonde appeared. "Potter..."

Harry sighed, "Malfoy..."

Draco frowned, "What stupid thing have you done?"

Giving a faint shake of his head, the forgotten Savior of the Wizarding World whispered, "Take us home, Draco... home to Godric's Hollow," and closed his eyes to the world that had turned against them.

Draco Malfoy sank to his knees, "Damn them. Damn the whole wizarding world."

Going over to the bed, he brushed the hair away from the scar on the brunet's forehead. "I swear, Harry, they'll pay for every tear you ever shed, and every scar you bear because of them. If they thought Voldemort was bad... they just brewed themselves another Dark Lord."

Returning to the main room, he used the fireplace to call his ally. When the dark head appeared in the flames, Draco said simply, "I need your help."

Severus Snape stepped through the flames, "Where's Potter?" Draco shook his head and motioned toward the bedroom. "Lupin died before I got here, and it must have been too much for Harry." The tears began then. "He told me to take them home to Godric's Hollow, and then he died, Sev." The tears fell in earnest, "I loved him, and he died."

Snape drew his godson to him, sheltering him for the moment. "What are your plans, Draco?"

Gathering his Malfoy dignity around him, he said clearly, "We will do as Harry asked. Then I am going to make the damned fools wish Voldemort was back. Each one of them will pay for my Harry's tears... and his blood." He met his godfather's eyes. "And I'm going to begin with the Ministry and work my way down to a manipulative old man, and a bunch of self-centered redheads."

"There's going to be a bloodbath, and it will inundate Gryffindor. Everyone that ever hurt him in any way will suffer at my hands."

Severus knew that Draco meant every word. The young man had been searching for nearly eight years to find the man he loved... the man who had been driven away from the society he had done so much to protect. There would be no one now to protect them from Draco Malfoy.

He, Severus Snape, would be proud to serve the new Dark Lord.

"Come, my lord, we will take them home. I, for one, will enjoy listening to the fools call for Harry Potter to come and save them... again, knowing that he will never answer their cries."

Draco said softly, "It's rather ironic, don't you think? Harry destroyed one Dark Lord... with his life, only to create another with his death."

Severus picked up Remus' body, as Draco did Harry's, and took them to Snape Manor. From there, the two men would be buried next to Harry's parents... as he wished.