#we've got cannon compliance

[pid-widgin]

in the beginning, the world ends.

In the beginning, the world doesn't end.

Well, that's not entirely true.

The world does end, just not in the way that you think.

No, after the shot of red light and the flutter of the Veil, the world is still moving- still spinning on its axis.

Everything continues as it should; Harry still runs after Bellatrix. Neville and Luna are still tending each other's wounds, Kingsley is still calling all the Ministry workers there and Dumbledore is still battling Tom Riddle somewhere in the depths of the Ministry.

And Remus Lupin is frozen, crumpled over before the Dais where Sirius Black just fell through the Veil.

"There's nothing you can do, Harry... nothing... He's gone."

Gone.

Gone.

Gone.

The words were rattling around his brain, every passing moment bringing a new round of grief and despair with it as it crashed over him like a wave.

He took a tentative step forward, eyes wide as if it would prevent the tears from coming as he circled around the Dais, as if any moment Sirius would come tumbling out the other side with that smoldering smirk and look at him.

"Alright there, Moons?"

Sirius had been gone before, had been gone for 13 years.

Had been taken away from him.

But this was different, there was finality here.

There was no changing what had happened, no way to fix this.

Sirius was gone.

Sirius was gone and Remus was still here.

Sirius was gone and Remus was still here and the world was still moving.

Sirius was gone, and Remus was still here, and the world was still moving, and Remus didn't know how to go on.

So, if you think about it, really; in the beginning, the world really does end.