"Remus don't apologize," Lily said hastily, letting her hands brush over his cheeks as she felt tears prick her own eyes. It felt like all the things she'd forced herself not to cry about wouldn't be held back anymore, though she was trying her hardest to continue to hold it together.

"What happened to us all was horrible, we were so young and the war, everybody," she trailed off thinking of Marlene, and of Frank and Alice, her gaze falling off to the side momentarily. When Remus moved to draw her into another hug she let her arms wrap around him in return, holding onto him tightly. "We all did what we had to do, we do the best we can." At least that was the steadying thought she had clung to and repeated to herself for years.