He could hear his cry echoing in the distance. It had been echoing for a long time, as if it were bouncing back and forth against the walls, never fading. The cry would grow faint, then become loud again, as if repeatedly pressing him to wake up. Growing tired of the sound, he reached out a hand to support himself. To his extreme astonishment, he felt solid ground. The noise seemed to stop at the contact.
   'How is this possible?' He could feel, he could hear, he could...see. Remus Lupin looked around, observing the emptiness of the place. There was no trace of Hogwarts or death eaters, or even a war. Nor, he realized, was there a trace of his wife or son.

   He was the only one there.

   Forcing himself to sit up, he realized something. He was naked. And it wasn't only the nakedness that shocked him, but rather, the absence of his scars. The scars that had been with him for most of his life; the scars that had been a result of his lycanthropy - they were gone.
   He looked ahead and spotted robes in the distance. Still marveling at the smooth state of his skin, he got up, grabbed the robes, and dressed himself. He turned around afterwards to head back to where he had awoken, but the world he was in turned with him. The fog swirled around him and disappeared, the white floor faded into brick. A scarlet train not unlike the Hogwarts Express suddenly stood in front of him. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it. The door opened and Remus hesitated, but when he realized he had nothing to lose, he boarded the train. Almost immediately afterwards, it began to move.
   He seated himself in the nearest seat and rubbed his eyes. Had he actually died? He remembered Dolohov killing him, but surely he was not actually dead? If he had a body? If he could move, if he could think, if he could see? He was on a train for heaven's sake!

   “See that, Padfoot? Moony's so lost in his thoughts that he doesn't even realize his best mates are in the same train as him.”
   “It's a shame, I agree, Prongs. You'd think after so many years of living without us he'd miss us enough to notice when we're in the same room as him. Ah, but I digress...”
   Remus, shock still, stared at the wall across from him. Had he really just heard what he thought he just heard?
   “Oh look, and now he won't even acknowledge us. It's a damn shame, isn't it Lil? That's not our Moony, is it?”
   “No, it doesn't seem like it. The Remus Lupin I knew would have been ecstatic to see us.” The smooth, silky voice of the female was unmistakable. Drawing in a slow breath, Remus closed his eyes.
   “I think he's preparing himself to turn around,” said one of the voices climactically.
   “Thinks he's delusional, he does.” said another with a laugh.
   “Turn around, mate, and say hello to your friends.” Remus, forcing himself to open his eyes, looked over his shoulder.

   And sure enough, behind him sat James and Sirius. He wasn't delusional. They were beaming at him as if what was happening was the most normal thing in the world. As if, once again, they were on their way to Hogwarts. But Remus knew better; that was not the case. They were both dead! Yet even dead, they looked the same as he had remembered them – only better. James still wore his spectacles, his hair untidy, and Sirius's long hair was tied up with an elastic, just like how it was worn back at school. But they were both still the precise image of youth.
   “Well, say something!” said the girl behind them. Remus glanced between the two, seeing Lily leaning forward on the backs of their seats from where she sat behind. She was smiling, her green eyes twinkling merrily in the fluorescent light. Her dark hair fell forward, contrasting to her pale face.
   “He's speechless!” exclaimed Sirius, laughing. He gave Remus a hearty pat on the back.
   “L-Lily...” Remus finally managed to say, though softly. His throat felt dry.
   “Prongs...Padfoot...You look great.” They chuckled at this, as if they already knew. Remus swallowed hard. It was difficult to comprehend it all...
   “You do too, Moony.” James said with a goofy grin. “You don't look like a train wreck anymore. Your scars are all healed.”
   “So...I'm really...” The train stopped, and James stood up, resting his hand on Remus's shoulder. Sirius did the same, and together they steered him to the door. They did not bother to answer his unfinished question in words. Lily followed behind the men, giggling softly.
   “Mate...” James said, and the doors opened. “Welcome home.”

   With a gentle push Remus stumbled off of the train. Instead of being greeted by the sight of clouds and pearly white gates like he thought he would, he was standing in the middle of a meadow. It was warm, and there was a breeze. The train they had just taken was nowhere in sight. He could see a forest not too far off, cabins near the lake...
    “Tonks,” Remus suddenly breathed, his eyes going wide again. Walking towards him from a cabin was his wife, her hair a rich brown and her dark eyes twinkling.
    “Took you long enough,” she teased, greeting him with a peck on the lips. He paused, before wrapping his arms around her, tightly, securely.
   “How- you were alive when I- how did you beat me here?” he whispered pathetically, and he could hear James snort from behind.
   “Unlike you she didn't just lie around for an eternity. She got up as soon as she realized she was dead and came looking for you. We were all worried when you didn't show up. We found you in time, though.” James held up the watch he was wearing on his wrist, but instead of the usual face of a clock, it was Harry, pressing his lips to a snitch.
   “Harry calls.” Lily couldn't help but lock her fingers with James's.
   “Then it's time?” she asked, and at James's nod, she stood up a bit straighter. She nodded too, almost as if to reassure herself.
   “Okay.” Remus looked down to his own wrist as they talked, noticing for the first time that there was a watch on it too. Like James's, it did not tell the time, but instead showed his dearest son, his Teddy, asleep in his crib, hair as bright turquoise as ever.
   “Are you coming, Moony?” asked Sirius as Lily and James headed to the forest.
   “Where are we going?” Sirius just flashed Remus a dazzling grin and held out a hand.
   “To Harry.”