June 2004
WARNING: Adult Content
Remus sprawled in his bed, sulking. He’d never admit that was what he was doing, but James and Peter knew it and avoided him, even if they didn’t know why. The why was currently somewhere inside the Slytherin House, wearing his green and white rather than the nothing that Remus would prefer. Suddenly, Remus had had enough, and he rolled out of his bed and advanced toward James, who looked somewhat alarmed.
"I need to borrow your cloak, James."
Relieved that was all Remus wanted, James handed it over, determinedly not thinking about why Remus wanted it.
The cloak swirled over Remus’ shoulders, and he was gone, only the door opening and closing letting his friends know he was gone.
"Whatever is bothering Remus lately?" Peter wondered, making James roll his eyes before changing the subject.
Down in the common room, Remus didn’t have long to wait before someone left and he could slip out behind them. He made his way silently through the halls to the entrance to the Slytherin common room, where he had to wait somewhat longer but finally got inside.
Fortunately, Sirius was sitting along next to the fire, and Remus was able to make his way to his side and lean close to whisper in his ear, "Miss me?"
Sirius jumped slightly, brushing at his shirt to make it seem as if a spark had leapt out at him. Recovering, he stood, being careful to avoid the space where Remus was. "You lot are too bloody boring for me; I’m off to find some fun." Walking around the edge of the common room, he headed for the doorway, stalling at the portrait to allow Remus to follow him.
"You’ve got some balls, Lupin," he murmured without looking over his shoulder. "And yes, I missed you."
"Blue ones," Remus replied equally softly, pressing as close as possible without making strange creases in Sirius’ robes. "I hope we can do something about that before it becomes a life-threatening condition."
Sirius chuckled. "Considering I seem to have the same symptoms, I’d say we’d better find a cure for both of us. Divination or Astronomy?"
"Since I want to see stars not read them, Astronomy." After checking to make sure no one was in the hall, Remus pressed closer, letting Sirius feel his erection.
"If you didn’t go missing so often, we wouldn’t have this problem," Sirius murmured, slowing his steps to lean back against Remus.
Remus inhaled sharply and hoped Sirius would think it was in reaction to his nearness and not his comment. He should have known that the boy who was the best student in his House when he cared to exert himself would notice his monthly absences. "I do have other obligations, you know, no matter how much I’d like to spend all my time shagging you senseless. Or being shagged."
"That’s right, you’re a prefect with all the duties that entails." Sirius didn’t seem quite convinced, but he let the matter drop as he opened the door to the Astronomy tower and slipped inside the corridor.
"I am. But I’ll work at finding more time to myself with you as incentive," Remus purred, leaning into him again and nipping at a tender earlobe. "Which room?" he asked, hunger audible in his voice.
"How about out on the parapet?" Sirus asked, turning and pushing the cloak’s hood away from Remus’ face and kissing him hungrily.
"Brilliant. Now!" Remus pulled away long enough to reply before diving back into Sirius’ mouth, starving for the taste of him. He tried to move them toward the door without interrupting the kiss, but their progress was more stumble than step.
"Let’s not break our necks getting there," Sirius cautioned before letting out a bark of laughter and releasing Remus to tear up the stairs. "Catch me if you can, Lupin!"
"You...!" Laughing, Remus chased after him, robes flying as he sprinted upward, only catching up when Sirius had to slow to open the door. "Tease!" he panted, grinning.
"You didn’t know this?" Sirius laughed, pushing out onto the parapet and laughing up at the nighttime sky. "Merlin, I love the night," he said, throwing open his arms and turning in a circle. "Look at that moon!"
Remus glanced up at the waning moon and flinched ever so slightly. "I’ve never understood the fascination with the moon," he said, trying to keep it light but aware of the bitterness that crept into his tone.
Sirius frowned as he turned to look at Remus. "I take it you don’t share that feeling?" he asked.
Remus shrugged uncomfortably. "I prefer to romanticize my partner, not a cold, glowing rock a million miles away."
Still surprised at Remus’ change of demeanor, Sirius pulled Remus toward him and nuzzled his throat. "So romance me."
"Mmm." Remus let his head fall back, ignoring that tiny voice deep inside him that was the wolf’s which was screaming against his submissive act. He reveled in the sensation of Sirius’ teeth lightly closing on his throat, and his hands delved between them, finding their way beneath the Slytherin’s robe to the lengthening shaft.
Sirius chuckled and arched his hips into Remus’ grasp. "Mmm is right, my favorite kind of romance."
"You want me to talk?" Remus scoffed. "And here I thought you were a more hands on sort of bloke." He petted Sirius more strongly as the other boy pressed into his hand.
"Just when did I ask you to talk?" Sirius asked, reaching for Remus as well.
"Well, you didn’t seem to think moaning happily was enough. But since it is... Mmmmm!" Remus quirked a smile at him, hips thrusting sharply.
Sirius barked out a laugh and wrestled Remus to the stones beneath them, bundling the invisibility cloak beneath them and stretching out on top of the shorter teen. "I have to agree - mmm."
"Better accio something to use because I was in a bit of a hurry," Remus realized sheepishly. "Didn’t bring any, just wanted to get to you."
"Well, we could always just have a late night snack," Sirius murmured, working Remus’ jumper over his head and going to work on his shirt.
"That’s good too, but it’s not going to be enough after the recent fast," Remus retorted, working on Sirius’ clothes as well, eager to get to warm, bare skin.
Sirius worked an arm free and grabbed for his wand. "Good point," he smiled. "Accio lube." When the container filled his hand, he held it up to Remus, grinning. "Better?"
"Much!" Remus returned the smirk before grabbing a fistful of Sirius’ hair and tugging him down for a kiss that left them both breathless. "Just as good as I remembered," he murmured throatily, licking his lips after releasing Sirius.
They managed to get each other’s clothes off, then ground together frantically. "You know what they say," Sirius panted.
"Practice makes perfect?" Remus suggested, hands cupping Sirius’ buttocks and pulling him closer. "Oh Merlin, you feel good. Why did we wait so long?" he groaned before remembering that it had been the full moon that kept him away. He kissed Sirius again to try to distract him.
Sirius quirked an eyebrow and pulled back to look down at Remus. "Well, I was going to say ‘once you go Black, you never go back’, but I’ll just remind you that you were the one with the prefectly duties that kept you busy."
"But I’m not busy now... much to my dismay. Shouldn’t you be doing something about that, Black?" Remus taunted, his hands shifting slightly so he could run his fingertips along the valley between Sirius’ cheeks.
"Hrmmm, you made me wait, perhaps I should to the same to you," Sirius purred, leaning in to nip at Remus’ nipple.
"But that would make you wait too," Remus pointed out logically, a fingertip now lightly stroking the tight ring of muscle. His back arched as Sirius bit at him, and he groaned enthusiastically.
"Not necessarily." Sirius grinned evilly and grabbed his tie, pushing back against Remus finger even as he wound the fabric around the other boy’s cock and balls.
"Sirius!" Remus moaned, half dismayed and incredibly turned on. "What do you think you’re doing?" he panted, humping Sirius’ leg.
Sirius smirked and knotted the fabric, testing the tightness before nodding. "What does it look like I’m doing, Moony? Showing you a little Slytherin kink."
"You’re going to kill me. And if I don’t come before this night is over, I’ll kill you!" But despite his growl, Remus was harder than he’d ever been before in his life, and he couldn’t hold still.
"Hmm, I quite like this side of you, Prefect Lupin," Sirius rasped, leaning in to rub his stomach against the Gryffindor’s hard cock. "I’m quite looking forward to feeling it in me too."
"Then since you’re seemingly directing tonight, do something about it!" Remus growled, hands on Sirius’ ass again.
"Mmm, I plan on it." Saying that, Sirius opened the container of lubricant and smeared some over two of his fingers. Grinning down at Remus, he pressed first one, then two into his body, groaning as the muscles stretched to accommodate the width.
Eager to get some of his own back, Remus pushed two fingers in with Sirius’, smirking when the other boy gasped. "Don’t underestimate me," he said smugly.
Sirius shook his head, panting through the sudden pressure. "Oh, I’ve learned not to do that." He pulled his hand free and rode Remus’ fingers as he slicked up the other boy’s cock.
"Seems even a Black can be clever," Remus chuckled, twisting his fingers inside Sirius while thrusting into the light glide of his hand. "Glad I get to experience it for myself."
"Well, I’d suggest you not try this with Regulus," Sirius commented dryly though his voice broke at the end.
"Yuck!" Remus glared at him. "You’re lucky you have that bloody tie on me or I’d ruddy well have gone limp at that thought!"
"Mmm, can’t have that." Sirius caught Remus’ wrist in his hand and pulled his fingers from his body. Smirking, he positioned Remus’ erection and sank back down on it, feeling the brush of his tie at the base.
"Oh bloody hell!" Remus gasped and thrust upward, fingers clenching on Sirius’ hips as he started to fuck him, unable to hold still. "So good."
"Yeah, it is," Sirius rasped, driving up and down, fisting his own cock with his still slick hand.
"Glad you a-appreciate my talents," Remus panted, one hand moving to cover Sirius’ and stroke him faster while he thrust up into his body.
"Oh Merlin," Sirius gasped, "missed you." The last was admitted with a kind of awe before the Slytherin stiffened, his come gouting out to cover both his and Remus’ hands.
"Sirius!" Remus moaned, body clenching as it tried to come but was prevented by the makeshift cock ring. Every spasm of Sirius’ body wrenched another whimper from him.
"You want to come, Remus?" Sirius asked, continuing to move over the other boy, his blue eyes slumberous with pleasure.
"Fuck yes!" Remus growled, thrusting into him desperately. He raised his hand to his lips, eyes fixed on Sirius’, and licked it clean, making sure to get every speck of Sirius’ seed.
"How much?" Sirius taunted, clenching his ass down around Remus’ cock.
"This much!" Remus snarled, flipping them over and slamming into Sirius. "Get this thing off me!"
Sirius gasped at the sudden movement and wound his arms and legs around Remus body. "Make me."
Remus bit his chin. "Take it off or next time you don’t get to come," he growled, hips still driving back and forth. The full moon was barely over, and the feral wolf was still close to the surface.
Dark eyebrows rose and Sirius slowly grinned. "Well, well, well. Since you asked so nicely, I will." He reached between them and quickly undid the knot holding his tie around Remus’ erection.
Remus nearly screamed at the sudden release of pressure, and he came explosively almost instantly, driving deep into Sirius, marking his mate with his scent.
"Damn," Sirius murmured when Remus collapsed on top of him. "Just remember this the next time you decide to put your prefectly duties over me."
"I do have obligations," Remus responded when he’d caught his breath, "but I’ll make sure to squeeze you in more often." He raised his head to smirk at Sirius, already planning how to disguise his mandatory day’s absence the next month and deciding that half a day was really enough time to recover.
Sirius waggled his eyebrows. "I always enjoy that, and if you do, I’ll make sure to squeeze you in too."
"Without the ties, I hope," Remus laughed breathlessly. "I’m too young to die of heart failure."
Thoroughly annoyed and frustrated, both conditions he wasn’t too familiar with, Sirius sat on his bed, the curtains drawn, and stared down at the map he’d drawn. Again, Remus had begged off meeting him. This was the third month in a row, and what had been funny was now annoying and mysterious.
Finally, the need to know got the better of him, and he tapped the blank piece of parchment with his wand, watching the map of Hogwarts appear along with tiny moving dots representing faculty and students. He scanned the map until he found the name he was looking for, then frowned. What in Merlin’s name was Remus doing out in the Forbidden Forest?
Remus made his way toward the tunnel entrance beneath the Whomping Willow, morosely kicking at the dirt as he went. Sirius had invited him to get together that night, and once again he’d been forced to make up a story explaining why he couldn’t. He was desperately afraid that Sirius would get tired of the patently obvious falsehoods—Remus couldn’t lie to save his life—and get tired of him, and he was amazed at how much the likelihood hurt. Somehow, without his noticing it, he’d come to... care about... the other boy, and he didn’t want to lose him. But he didn’t see how to avoid it.
Sirius wasn’t a fool. He’d already noticed Remus’ monthly absences, and it wouldn’t be long before he got tired of the lies and disappearances. Telling the truth would be no help either, because what would a pureblood like Sirius Black want with a werewolf?
Remus was glad no one was nearby to hear the strangled sob that escaped him.
Sirius was ducked down behind a tree, and when he heard Remus’ sob, he almost called out to the other boy to ask him what was wrong. Inbred caution prevailed, however, and he crept along after Remus, following him deeper into the woods and frowning in confusion when Remus picked up a stick and pressed a knot on the Whomping Willow, causing the branches to still and a tunnel to open beneath it.
Remus dropped the branch and hastened forward, wanting to be safely inside the tunnel before the willow started whomping again. The previous month, dragging his feet as he thought about Sirius, he’d been slower than normal and had nearly been caught. With a last wistful glance back over his shoulder, he started down the tunnel, knowing he needed to lock himself into his prison before the moon rose.
This was absurd. Stepping forward, Sirius raced after Remus, ducking a branch that flailed at his head as he dove for the opening. "Just what in Merlin’s name are you up to, Lupin?" he called, not wanting to be chasing the other boy hither and yon all night.
Remus stopped in his tracks and whirled around, staring at Sirius in horror. "No!" he wailed. "You can’t be here. Sirius, please," he said desperately, backing away, "you have to leave. Now!" He could feel the moon rising, feel its pull on him, and with a strangled cry, he spun around again and ran down the tunnel as fast as he could, slamming the door behind him, knowing that the spell on it would keep it locked until the moon set again.
"Remus?" Sirius began before racing after the other boy only to draw up short when the door slammed in his face. "Damnit, Moony, open the door!" he shouted, tugging at the handle and cursing under his breath.
Remus sobbed. "Why did you have to come? How did you find me? Why?" he demanded again, tears escaping him as he realized that Sirius would never want to see him again after this. His cry of pain grew and changed as he did, ending in a howl as the wolf hurled itself at the door blocking it from the human meat it could smell outside.
"Because I..." Sirius began only to flatten himself against the far wall, staring at the door as it rattled and shook under the attack from the other side. Sinking slowly to the ground, Sirius glanced at his map and closed his eyes after seeing that ‘Remus Lupin’ was indeed in that room.
He thought back on the times Remus had given excuses each of the months before, and as he did, a cold certainty grew in his stomach.
Hours later, Remus slowly dragged himself to his feet, clinging to the wall for support as he looked around at the interior of the shack. The wolf always damaged it, furious at being trapped, but tonight was far worse than usual, perhaps because Sirius had been there outside the door when he’d changed. Remus glanced at the shredded clothes he hadn’t had a chance to remove and sighed, glad of the cloak he left on the high shelf for moments like this. Wrapping it around himself, he opened the door and stepped out, still holding the doorframe for support.
Hearing the door open, Sirius pushed himself to his feet and staring coldly at the form that emerged, until he saw just how tired, sick and battered Remus looked. "Y’want to go back to Gryffindor or to the Infirmary?" he asked, walking over and sliding an arm under Remus’ to support him.
"Sirius?" Shocked, Remus felt his already shaky knees give way under him when he saw the other boy still there. "I... I thought you would have left when you... realized what I am." He hung his head, unable to meet the expression of disdain he was sure must be in the blue eyes.
"Talk about it later, we should get you looked after now," Sirius said roughly, wondering if he should cast a leviosa on Remus to get him back to the castle. He heard voices coming down the tunnel and cursed, turning to shield Remus from whoever it was.
"We’ve come to collect you, Moony," Peter called as he and James rounded the curve.
Remus groaned softly, sinking against Sirius and waiting for the chaos he knew would erupt when his friends saw the Slytherin.
"What’s he doing here!" Peter yelled, coming to an abrupt halt and pointing an accusing finger at Black.
James only sighed, somehow not surprised. "Oh, Moony."
"Holding me up, actually," Remus said a bit wryly.
"Should have known it was something you lot were in on," Sirius muttered. "Right then, where are we off to?"
"Please, not the Infirmary," Remus begged. "I just want my own bed."
"Are you sure, Moony?" James asked, eyeing him. "If you’re not well..."
"I’m as well as can be expected, just tired. Need to rest." Remus leaned hard on Sirius, not sure how much longer he could stand up.
"We might be able to do this faster if one of you two would lend a hand," Sirius said snidely.
Peter frowned. "Why don’t we both lend a hand and you head back to the dungeon?"
Remus’ grip tightened on Sirius, and he made a soft sound of protest.
James shook his head at Peter. "Back off, mate," he advised softly, moving to Remus’ other side and pulling his arm over his shoulders. "Come on then, let’s get you to bed." He was intensely curious as to how Black had come to be there, but this wasn’t the time to ask. "You can trigger the tree to get us out of here, Peter, if you would."
"All right, but I don’t like this one bit," Peter protested. "He’s going to run straight back to Slytherin and blab!"
Sirius rolled his eyes and sighed. "If I was going to do that, wouldn’t it have been best to do it while Remus was still a wolf and others could see—or hear anyway—it for themselves?"
Peter and James both stared at him. "Just how long have you been here anyhow?" James asked, getting them moving.
It was Remus who answered. "All night. I almost didn’t get the door closed in time since I was already later than I should have been." He sighed, giving Sirius a wistful glance and trying to memorize his features, certain that he’d never see Sirius again after this night.
"Wasn’t quite the most comfortable night I’ve ever spent," Sirius said dryly, catching Remus when he stumbled. "So has this been going on the whole time we’ve been at Hogwarts?"
Remus nodded. "It happened when I was little, so yes. That’s why Dumbledore had the Whomping Willow planted, to keep me away from everyone during the full moon. James and Peter figured it out a bit more than a year ago." He glanced at Sirius, realizing how quickly he had ferreted out Remus’ secret, and he smiled slightly.
"And you room with him?" Sirius asked incredulously. "A bit slow on the uptake, I’d say."
Remus winced.
Peter glared.
James simply stated, "Not invading his privacy, were we?"
Remus decided not to point out that it probably had a great deal to do with intimacy. Sirius paid more attention to Remus because he wasn’t just a friend; he was a lover. His fingers tightened on Sirius’, and he wished that Sirius could stay with him once they got him to his bed.
"And just what have you been doing to help him?" Sirius asked, glowering at Potter over Remus’ head, feeling fiercely protective of the boy between them and a bit sick at the thought of why that was.
"What have we been..." James glared right back. "We’ve been his friends, not someone poking his nose in where it doesn’t belong! Just because he’s shagging you—"
"Please!" Remus interjected. "If you must row, can’t you do it after I get to my bed?" Without realizing he was doing it, he leaned more heavily on Sirius, taking comfort from him.
"We’ll get you there soon," Peter promised, leading them out into the forest after he’d stilled the willow’s branches.
Sirius nodded brusquely. "I’ll let them get you to bed then."
Remus’ fingers tightened convulsively on Sirius’. "Don’t go!" Then he bit his lip and looked away, reminding himself that Sirius knew what he was now and wouldn’t want to be around him anymore.
Sirius arched an elegant black eyebrow. "I hardly think anyone will let me into Gryffindor, Remus. Big bad Black from Slytherin here, remember?"
Remus turned pleading eyes on his friends. "You have your cloak, don’t you, James?"
"Why... Shite." James sighed and dug under his robes, pulling out the cloak and handing it over. "Here."
"You can’t seriously mean for me to go into Gryffindor," Sirius said, his eyes widening.
The wide amber eyes turned to Sirius now. "Not if you don’t want to," he said, drooping again.
"Scared, Black?" James asked, lifting his chin and gazing at Sirius superiorly.
"Of you lot? Hardly." Sirius grabbed the cloak, stuffing it under his free arm to save for when they were nearer the castle.
Remus sighed contentedly and leaned into Sirius again as they continued toward the school. "Thank you."
James rolled his eyes, amused by how easily Remus wrapped Black around his finger, as easily, if not more so, as he did James and Peter. "I really don’t believe we’re doing this."
"I can’t believe what’s going to happen if we get caught," Peter moaned.
"And I can’t believe I’m allowing it," Sirius sighed, though he stroked a hand over Remus’ back.
"I can’t believe the way you’re all going on," Remus half-laughed. "It’s not as if we’re giving him the password, you know." Though he almost wished he could. The possibility of waking up to find Sirius in his bed was enough to make him feel a clenching in his belly despite his exhaustion.
"Or a note to get out of my classes," Sirius added dryly.
A soft sound of protest escaped Remus, but he knew Sirius was right. He couldn’t skip classes without reason, and having a sick boyfriend in Gryffindor wasn’t going to be an acceptable one for a Slytherin. "Stay a little while?" he asked wistfully.
Sirius gave a bit of a grin. "Why not. I can always steal Snivellus’ notes later."
Remus laughed and grimaced simultaneously.
"I don’t know how you can sleep in the same room with that greasy git," James said with a shudder.
"It’s not easy, believe me," Sirius muttered. "Can’t hex him since he’s in the same house, though I will admit to cheering you lot on when you got one over on him."
Peter snickered. "It’s not very difficult."
Even Remus had to laugh and nod. "He’d certainly never have made a Ravenclaw."
Sirius shrugged. "See what I end up with for housemates because I said I didn’t care?" They reached the edge of the forest, and he drew up, not wanting to let Remus go but knowing he had to for all their sakes.
Remus clung to him for a moment before letting go and allowing Peter to support him. But even with his two best friends on either side of him, he still felt cold, and his eyes sought Sirius’. Suddenly he wasn’t certain that this wasn’t what Sirius had been waiting for to leave.
Sirius drew the cloak around himself and fell in behind the Gryffindors as they continued toward the castle, wondering just what he was doing.
Remus kept glancing anxiously over his shoulder, wishing he could see Sirius, be certain that he really was following.
James looked down at his best friend wryly, wondering if it had even occurred to Remus that they’d given his invisibility cloak to a Slytherin who could very easily simply walk away with it and leave them no way of getting it back. But remembering the way Black had looked at Remus, he didn’t think it likely.
"Can we get going?" Peter asked, looking around nervously.
"We are going," Remus pointed out tiredly. "Don’t think I can manage anything faster." He wanted nothing more than to curl up and go to sleep, preferably with Sirius beside him.
Sirius fought the urge to hit Pettigrew on the back of the head and ground his teeth together in frustration.
"Take your time, Remus," James said quietly, urging the shorter boy to lean against him. They made it into the school and up the stairs to the portrait of the Fat Lady. He gave the password and held the picture open so the others could get in, feeling the brush of his cloak as Black came in as well.
"Nearly there," Remus murmured, making for the stairs that led to their dorm and hoping that Sirius was still with them. Each step was an effort, but he’d be able to collapse into his bed soon, and that kept him going.
James and Peter got Remus into their dorm and shut the door behind them, barely giving Sirius time to slip in as well. He pulled the hood back off his head and watched as the other two got Remus in bed and pulled the covers up around him.
Sinking into the featherbed, Remus turned his head, eyes fixing on Sirius pleadingly.
Sirius let the cloak fall to the floor and walked carefully over to the bed, sitting down on the edge, not wanting to jostle the other boy. "You should get some rest," he murmured.
"Stay a while?" Remus begged again, hand rising to catch hold of Sirius’. "Like having you here."
"That’s why I’m here," Sirius muttered, tightening his fingers around Remus’ and reaching out with his free hand to brush the matted hair back from the other boy’s brow. "Get some sleep."
Remus tugged weakly on Sirius’ hand, wanting him closer but already falling asleep.
Watching them, James hissed, quietly so as not to disturb Remus, "If you hurt him, Black, I swear I’ll kill you."
Sirius looked up at Potter blandly. "If I had meant to do that, I could have done it a thousand times over already."
Peter sat on the edge of his bed practically hyperventilating.
"Oh, breathe into a sack, Peter," James said irritably, never looking away from Black. "So you feel the same way he does?"
"There’s a Slytherin in Gryffindor Tower! We brought a Slytherin inside our House!" Peter moaned.
"Would I be sitting here if I didn’t?" Sirius asked, giving Pettigrew a withering look. "And stop your whinging; do you think I like it any more than you do?"
Muttering under his breath, Peter got up and stalked over to the door, deciding to go down to the common room and study a bit till breakfast. Anything was better than sitting here with a Slytherin. James and Sirius both noted his departure, but neither of them particularly cared.
James stared at Black for a long moment before nodding sharply. "If you weren’t a Slytherin, I’d almost think you were a good bloke. He certainly seems to think so, and it’s not up to me to do anything about it." He turned on his heel and headed for the door as well, intending to find Peter and calm him down.
"That’s right, just don’t you hurt him complaining about me," Sirius added, stroking Remus’ head again. "He’ll wise up soon enough," he sighed to himself.
Remus’ eyes fluttered open. "Stop rowing over me," he mumbled sleepily. "Can take care of myself. And ‘m not going to wise up. Happy."
"Stupid," Sirius muttered, continuing to run his hand over Remus’ forehead.
A soft snore was the only reply, but Remus’ hand never released its grip on Sirius’.
Sirius spent the next several hours falling in and out of a light doze while leaning up against the headboard of Remus’ bed. He’d made a few attempts to extricate himself from the other boy’s clutches, but each time Remus had whimpered so piteously, he’d stopped and settled back alongside him again.
He was mulling over just what excuse to use to get out of the hot water he was sure to be in back at Slytherin when he felt Remus stir beside him and heard the low moan as he stretched.
"Easy there, no hurting yourself more," Sirius said quietly, rubbing his free hand over Remus’ back.
Remus’ eyes flew open, and he stared at Sirius. "You stayed!" he exclaimed, a huge smile breaking over his face.
Sirius shrugged, trying to brush it off. "Potter took his cloak so there wasn’t any way I could get out of here, now was there?" he asked, though he continued stroking Remus’ back.
Remus’ smile didn’t falter. "I’m glad." He rolled to his side, wincing, and shifted over. "Why don’t you stretch out?"
Moving carefully, Sirius stretched his legs out alongside Remus’. "How’re you feeling?" he asked.
"Like every bone and muscle in my body was ripped apart and put back together. Twice," Remus replied dryly. "In other words, perfectly normal for the day after the full moon." He moved closer to lay his head on Sirius’ shoulder, sighing softly.
Sirius winced at the description. "Isn’t there anything anyone can do for it?"
"You mean aside from ‘putting me down’? Though that’s been suggested often enough."
"By who?" Sirius’ anger was sudden and dangerous.
"The doctor who treated me after it first happened. Various well-meaning family friends and distant relatives. Neighbors who wanted to ‘protect their own families’." Remus laughed bitterly. "Pretty much everyone who knows except my parents, James and Peter... and you."
Sirius snorted and stroked Remus’ hair to calm himself. "Quite the company I’m in then, don’t know whether you should be happy or looking to hex me."
"Why would I want to hex you?" Remus tilted his chin up to see Sirius better without moving away from the petting.
"Aren’t you worried I’m going to run back to Slytherin and blab? I know your mates certainly are."
Remus shrugged, then winced at the pain it caused him. "If you were going to, you had plenty of time last night. But I don’t believe you will. I think you’re a better person than you’d like everyone to believe, Sirius." He smiled wistfully. "It might have been interesting to have a Black in Gryffindor at that."
"Almost was," Sirius admitted, shifting his hands up to Remus’ forehead and rubbing his temples.
"Almost was what? A Gryffindor?" Remus exclaimed, eyebrows shooting up. "Tell, tell!"
"Not much to tell," Sirius shrugged, shifting uncomfortably. "The Sorting Hat kept going back and forth as to where to put me. It finally asked me, and I said I didn’t care. It said Gryffindor was for those who did care, so it was Slytherin for me."
"Bloody!" Remus exclaimed. "Who’d have thought there was ever a question for a Black? It could have been fun though."
"Would have saved me Snivellous as a roomie," Sirius admitted.
"Would have given me a lovely bedwarmer."
Sirius leaned his head back against the bedframe and sighed. "No use going over what might have been; I’m Slytherin just like all Blacks."
"But you’re my Slytherin," Remus finally admitted, nestling closer.
Sirius managed a smile at that. "So it would seem. Now I just have to keep Potter, Pettigrew, and the rest of my house from killing me because of it."
"They’d have to get through me first," Remus mumbled comfortably.
"You’re a nutter," Sirius sighed, giving in to temptation and kissing Remus’ brow.
"It’s part of my charm. Is it working?" Remus smiled up at him, enjoying the warm of Sirius’ body against his aching muscles.
"It must be because I’m still here, aren’t I?"
"Yes, you are. Bleeding hell, you are!" Remus suddenly realized how late it had to be. "How are you going to explain missing class?"
"Dunno. I’ll think of something eventually, something that doesn’t involve you," Sirius murmured.
"I’m a lot of trouble to you, aren’t I?" Remus sighed.
Sirius shook his head. "Not any more than I get into on my own, plus you’re worth it."
Remus beamed at him. "I think you’re the nutter, but I like it."
"Moony, we brought you lunch... Oh shite, he’s still here," James muttered as he opened the door and carried a tray into the room.
"I live to make your life hell, Potter," Sirius replied snidely.
"Behave, Sirius," Remus murmured, painfully beginning to lever himself up so he could eat.
"We’re all going to be expelled!" Peter moaned.
"Merlin, with you lot going on all the time, is it any wonder you haven’t been able to help Remus with this?" Sirius growled, glaring at the other two boys but not moving from where he sat with his arm around Remus.
"Help him?" James growled. "What, you came up with a cure for werewolves while we were away?"
"Shite," Sirius muttered. "Help him get through this, or do you like leaving him alone in that shack once a month?"
"We tried," Peter mumbled, looking at the floor. "We couldn’t figure it out."
"Figure what out?" Remus asked, head tilting slightly to one side. "You don’t ever mean you did try to find a cure?!"
"Well, that or a way to keep you company," James admitted.
"What way was that?" Sirius asked, curious.
"How could you? You know the wolf attacks anything human," Remus reminded them.
"Were’t going to be human, were we?" Peter retorted.
"How..." Sirius began before James cut him off.
"Animagi. Peter and I were studying the process, but it’s bloody complicated, couldn’t handle it with just the two of us."
Remus’ jaw dropped, and he couldn’t manage a word. He’d never imagined...
Sirius tilted his head to the side and studied the other three boys. "You have some good friends here, Remus."
Remus nodded. "I know," he finally managed in a strangled tone.
"Now don’t go getting weepy like some girl," Peter said hastily. "We thought it would be fun. But as James said, we couldn’t manage it."
"Planning on telling us where we went wrong, Black?" James asked.
"No, I’m planning on helping you get it right."
Now Remus made a strange choking noise, and he twisted around to stare up at Sirius, unmindful of the pain the movement caused him.
"I—" Remus bit back the words that almost escaped him, words that it was far too soon to say, if it would ever be time. Instead he tangled his fist in Sirius’ hair and wrenched him into a kiss.
"Bloody hell," Peter sighed, "we’re never going to be rid of him. And I may be crazy, James, but he doesn’t seem so bad once you get to know him."
James nodded slowly. "Hate to say it, Peter, but you’re right."
"Nonono, the asphodel is after the laguna root," Sirius groaned, catching Peter’s wrist just before the other boy added the ingredients in the wrong order. "If we muck this up, it’s another month wasted."
"Do you really think we’ll get it right this month?" James asked, watching the other two for the moment. "I haven’t dared tell Moony we think we got it right this time since I don’t want to get his hopes up again."
"Merlin, I hope so," Sirius sighed, looking over at their scribbled notes, then back into the cauldron and not mentioning what he was going through at Slytherin because of his unexplained absences.
James glanced at the bubbling potion and raised his eyes to study Black. "You actually care about him."
"You’d think somewhere along the last six months you might have gotten that through your thick skull before," Sirius answered, giving a half-smile as he spoke.
"It’s rather odd to think of a Slytherin as human," Peter replied absently, measuring another ingredient into the cauldron.
James hastily turned away to stifle his laughter.
"Well if this goes right, I won’t be for much longer, but then, neither will the two of you," Sirius pointed out.
"And then Moony won’t have to be alone all the time," James agreed. "We couldn’t have done it without you, Black."
Sirius shrugged. "You lot came up with the idea, I just helped."
Peter snickered. "A modest Slytherin!"
James snorted. "No, just one as obsessed with Remus as Remus is with him."
"Not going to deny it," Sirius answered. "Not a point in it, is there?"
"Not really since you’re here more than you’re there," Peter said. "And I think this is done." He eyed the potion warily.
James looked at the viscous brew and gulped. "So we say the incantation, then drink and see what happens, yes?"
Sirius nodded grimly.
Peter swallowed hard. "This jolly well better work. I don’t want to have to explain anything to Madame Pomfrey." He scooped out a dose and looked at the others, waiting for them to do the same.
"I don’t want to explain it to Remus," Sirius murmured, taking his own glass and toasting the other two. "Ready?"
"Ready," Peter and James echoed, and they all three recited the spell they’d memorized then drank the potion.
"Merlin, that tastes like shite," Sirius croaked, resting a hand on the table for support.
"As long as it doesn’t turn us into shite," James muttered. "Right then, who’s going to try first?"
"So much for Gryffindor bravery," Sirius grinned. "I’ll give it a go; that way if it doesn’t work, the two of you can drag me over to Slytherin and leave me there."
"On you go then." Privately James thought that if anything went wrong for Sirius, he’d drag himself to another country where Remus wouldn’t be able to find him.
"All right, get back, you lot, so I don’t squash you if I turn into something huge." Sirius managed a grin at the nervous laughter, then tried to do as the spellbook said, ‘look for your animal form’.
He wasn’t sure how long he’d been looking and opened his eyes to admit defeat, but what was meant to be a curse came out as a bark.
"Bloody hell, you’re a Grim!" James exclaimed admiringly. "Not bad at all, Black. Right, my turn then." He closed his eyes as well, and like Sirius, was ready to admit defeat when he realized that he was seeing the world very differently. He raised his hand to see how it looked and found himself staring at a hoof.
"A dog and a stag!" Peter exclaimed, stopping himself just before he petted the others. "All right, guess I’ll give it a go." He swallowed nervously and closed his eyes, and both James and Sirius let out huffs of surprise as Peter immediately changed form.
Looking up at the other two from far closer to the ground, Peter let out a squeak of surprise and changed back involuntarily. "What—what was I?" he demanded.
James changed back as well, slinging an arm over Peter’s shoulders. "Well, mate, we won’t have to worry about how to trigger the whomping willow any more. You’ll be able to run right up to the spot. You’re a rat, Peter."
"I suppose that leaves you and I to keep Moony in line," Sirius mused while Peter sputtered on about being a rodent.
"I just hope the wolf part of him doesn’t like venison," James replied.
"All the books say that werewolves won’t attack other animals," Peter said quickly as if trying to reassure himself of that.
"And if we have to, we’ll get him in the shed again," Sirius sighed, not liking the idea in the least.
"But I really don’t think we will. And now, shall we find Moony and introduce him to his new friends?" James suggested.
"Let’s!" Peter said eagerly.
"You lot go get him and take him hrmmm..." Sirius pulled out his map and activated it, scanning the classrooms. "Transfigurations seems appropriate."
The other two laughed. "Go on then. We’ll be there in a bit." Nearly giddy with their success, Peter and James went to find Remus and bring him back to see what they’d accomplished.
A few minutes later a laughing Remus was being propelled down the hall by his two mates, who each had hold of one of his arms. "Where are we off to then? You could at least tell me that much!"
"It’s a surprise, Moony," Peter giggled.
"Exactly, telling would ruin it," James said seriously, keeping an eye on the hallways around them, his cloak at the ready if they needed it. "All right," he said, pushing open the classroom door. "Here we are." He opened the door the rest of the way to reveal a darkened room.
"I’ve seen the Transfigurations classroom before, you know," Remus started dryly before his eyes fell on a huge black dog sitting in the middle of the floor. "Oh! You got me a dog?" He advanced toward the animal, whose tail started to wag. "Isn’t he a beauty!"
James and Peter snickered as Remus cooed over the dog, who was obviously loving the attention by the way he was licking Remus’ face.
"Moony?" James finally said. "Don’t you notice that there’s someone missing?"
"What... What have you done to Sirius?" Remus demanded, suddenly nervous.
The dog gave a low woof, and when Remus looked back at it, Peter and James managed to shift forms as well, leaving the teen in a rough circle of animals.
Remus stared from one to the next, eyes wide and a stupefied expression on his face. "You never managed it!"
"Did this time," Sirius laughed, having changed back. "Looks like Moony’s going to have company."
"You... you lot..." Suspiciously bright eyed, Remus hurled himself at Sirius, hugging and kissing him exuberantly.
"If you’re going to do that to me too, I may forget how to change," James snorted.
"I’ll take a handshake!" Peter added.
"More of this for me then," Sirius smirked, kissing Remus back until the other two gagged.
Remus turned and stuck his tongue out at them. "Wasn’t offering to kiss you, was I? You don’t deserve me."
Both James and Peter gagged again while Sirius decided to prove just who did deserve Remus.
"Have to reward you now, don’t I?" Remus murmured, leaning into Sirius.
"Right, that’s it for me. G’night, blokes." James and Peter beat a hasty retreat while Remus tried again to snog Sirius senseless.
"So I take it you’re happy?" Sirius asked once he could finally breathe again.
"What was your first clue?" Remus snorted, grinning up at him gleefully. "And a dog! That’s as good as a wolf, luv." He realized too late what he’d said and paled.
Sirius managed a pained sounding laugh. "Careful there, Lupin, I almost thought you called me ‘luv’ there."
About to take advantage of the escape Sirius offered, Remus abruptly realized that they were going to have to face this if he ever hoped for more. And he did. "I did," he managed to say in a high pitched squeak, his voice cracking as it hadn’t for months, making him flush.
Blue eyes widened and Sirius stared at Remus. "You? In love with a Black? Go on."
"It’s not as if I planned this, you prat," Remus growled. "I never expected to like you."
"And you think I expected to fall in love with you?" Sirius spat, his spine stiffening.
Remus was left speechless again, goggling at Sirius. "You do?" he finally managed to gasp out, fingers digging into Sirius’ upper arms.
"Shite..." Sirius mumbled, shaking his head but not trying to get away from Remus. "I guess I do."
"Well, that’s a bloody relief!" Remus yanked him forward into another kiss, this one hungrier and wilder as he let his emotions run free.
Sirius gawked, then grabbed Remus, pulling him closer as their tongues slid against each other.
Groaning, Remus forced his hands under the waistband of Sirius’ trousers, cupping the firm buttocks and levering himself even closer, glad that Sirius had already put aside his robes before transforming earlier.
"Remus..." Sirius groaned, grinding against the other boy’s body and starting to work on his clothes, wanting him naked.
"Sirius," Remus replied in kind, biting at Sirius’ jaw and writhing against him, not caring that it was making it harder to undress him.
"I want you to fuck me, Moony," Sirius growled, pulling back enough to catch and hold Remus’ gaze.
"Oh bloody hell!" Remus gasped as he instantly got harder than he thought he’d ever been before. "Give a bloke some warning before saying things like that, Sirius! I could have sprained something." He pushed Sirius against the wall, yanking at his clothes, now desperate to get him naked.
"Guess I’d better not give you any more shocks today then."
"Well, I didn’t say that," Remus chuckled. "I rather enjoyed it." He finally removed the last of Sirius’ clothes, with the other boy’s eager help, and he pressed close again.
Sirius rubbed against Remus, urging him down to the floor on top of him. "I’m rather hoping you enjoy me," he murmured, winding his legs loosely around Remus’ waist.
"I have no doubt of it," Remus replied, rocking against him, groaning as their erections glided together. "Oh, so good," he moaned, kissing Sirius again.
"Slytherin, can’t be good."
"You’re better than good. We’re better than good," Remus panted, settling between Sirius’ legs, his cock sliding along the valley between the other boy’s cheeks.
Sirius shook his head but didn’t argue, instead arching up against Remus, kissing him hungrily.
Tongues tangled, hands exploring feverishly, they moved together, Remus reaching down to prepare Sirius after murmuring a quick spell. He gasped desperately when his finger pushed inside Sirius’ body, wanting to feel that around himself.
"Remus, do it!" Sirius ordered, spreading his legs wider, almost begging in his need.
"Oh yes." Remus let out a heartfelt groan as he slowly sank into Sirius, feeling the tight muscle yield to the pressure and grasp him. "Oh bollocks, I’m inside you," he panted.
"And it feels... Merlin, it feels good," Sirius sighed, digging his fingers into Remus’ back and clenching down around the thick shaft within him.
"Been too long since we did this if you didn’t remember," Remus laughed breathlessly, pulling back reluctantly so he could press forward again, nearly sobbing with the pleasure of it. His eyes closed as he let the sensation wash through him and opened again to catch Sirius’ gaze as his hips began to move faster, shagging him harder.
"Guess you’ll just have to work harder to remind me," Sirius panted, working a hand between them to stroke his cock.
Remus bit his lip to hold back what would have been an embarrassingly breathy moan as he watched Sirius stroke himself, nearly coming from the sight. "For an annoying bloke, you’re bloody gorgeous," he whispered.
"And for a gorgeous bloke, you talk too damn much!" Sirius almost whimpered when Remus hit his prostate, then he was coming, crying out loudly as he did so.
Remus tried to hold out, wanting to watch Sirius, but the sight of him and the sensations as he came were too much, and Remus could only pound into him helplessly until he came as well, gasping out words of love as he arched and slumped over the dark-haired boy.
Sirius slowly recovered, then smiled and trailed his fingers over Remus’ cheek. "So, I take it you’re happy about the animagi thing?"
Remus beamed at him. "I can’t believe you lot did that," he marveled, leaning into the cupping hand. "That’s just amazing. I really don’t know what to say, Sirius. No one’s ever done anything like that for me. And a dog!"
Sirius actually reddened. "Well, like I said, don’t go thanking Potter and Pettigrew this way or they’ll faint."
"As if I would!" Remus made a face. "Peter would faint, and James would plant a facer on me. Not that I’d want either of them. I rather like long dark hair, silvery blue eyes, and a face and body the girls sigh over. And I get to enjoy."
"I’ll remember that when I’m limping around the grounds later," Sirius grinned.
Rolling his eyes, Remus snorted. "If I don’t limp, you certainly won’t. Or are you trying to get me to kiss it better?"
Sirius smirked. "You saying you want to kiss my arse, Lupin?"
"Prat. I may bite it though!"
"Hmmmm, I always knew you Gryffs were a kinky sort."
"No wonder I like a Slytherin then."
Sirius rolled his eyes. "That’s because you’re barmy."
"You must be too then," Remus retorted smugly.
"Never said I wasn’t, after all, I’m in Slytherin!"
"Which really is a shame. Just imagine if we shared a room." Remus momentarily had a dreamy smile as he contemplated the possibilities.
Sirius chuckled. "The ghosts would never let us hear the end of it."
"But if we never got out of bed, we wouldn’t hear them," Remus pointed out, laughing as well. "Though we might get rather sore."
"And we’d never graduate, and I for one don’t want to spend the rest of my days at Hogwarts."
"Good point. After all, once we leave, we can share a bed whenever we want without House rivalries being an issue." Remus reluctantly pulled out of Sirius, immediately rolling to his side and drawing Sirius against him, holding him close and smiling. "And a bed would definitely be more comfortable than this floor," he added with a faint groan, his knees letting him know he’d have bruises in the morning.
Sirius sighed and pressed a kiss against Remus’ shoulder. "Unfortunately, yours is in Gryffindor, and mine is in Slytherin."
"Bloody inconvenient is what it is," Remus grumbled. "And that’s not even considering how long the summer’s going to seem."
"At least you don’t have to spend it at 12 Grimmauld Place." Sirius groaned and closed his eyes. "I think that Muggle writer, Dante, had it in mind when he was writing about the circles of Hell."
Remus frowned. "But it’s your family. Surely you’ll be glad to see each other?"
Sirius looked incredulous. "You said you’ve seen my mother, and you know Regulus, so what do you think?"
"But... she’s your mother," Remus exclaimed. "She has to be better when you’re home, surely?"
"D’you think harpies behave better when they’re at home out of sight?"
Blinking in surprise, Remus opened and closed his mouth several times before he managed to speak. "I never realized... I mean, I just thought... Merlin!" He shook his head. "Guess visiting over the holidays is out then," he sighed.
Sirius’ eyes widened, and he shook his head vehemently. "No sodding way, Remus. I want to keep you just like you are, in one piece, thank you very much."
"Bleeding hell, leave it to me to fall for a bloke I can only see during the term, and only in secret at that," Remus grumbled. "Hmmm, how much free time do you have outside of school? Maybe you could visit me?"
"I’ll give it a go. So, just where do you live anyway?"
"Black?" James stood in the open doorway of his parents’ home and gaped at the unexpected vision outside. "What in Merlin’s name are you doing here?"
Shaking his head to assure himself that his hair was hiding his bruised face, Sirius gave a smirk. "Couldn’t let you go all summer without seeing me, now could I, Prongsie?"
James glared. "I think you have me confused with Moony."
"Can I help it if he’s on holiday?" Sirius winced and straightened up, shaking his hair back out of his face. "Look, I was hoping to find a place to stay until school started again."
"What happened to you?" James gasped, eyes widening as he saw the bruises.
Sirius shrugged again. "What passes for familial love in the esteemed house of Black. Good ol’ Regulus told my mum about my being missing from Slytherin for most of the year, and she didn’t like it too much."
Sighing, James pushed the door open wider. "Come in then. Remus would kill me if I let you leave like this. It’s a good job Peter’s away for the summer; he’d have a seizure if he saw you here."
"Don’t worry, Potter," Sirius drawled. "I just need a place to clean up and get my bearings, then I’ll be gone."
"Oh, shut your face," James grumbled. "I suppose you’re not bad for a Slytherin. And you might as well wait here for Moony as anywhere."
"I feel the love," Sirius sighed, faking a swoon as he followed James inside.
"You’ll feel my boot upside your arse if you keep it up." James led him directly to the loo where he pulled a first aid kit out from under the basin. "Sit still while I clean you up."
"Shite, all you Gryffs are the same," Sirius muttered. "Ow!"
"What, Remus makes you yell ow too? Never mind, I don’t want to know," James added hastily.
"Idiot," Sirius muttered, keeping quiet but wincing as James tended to his injuries. "I meant always ordering me around."
"Oh, that. That’s just because Gryffindors are naturally superior."
"At what? Being pains in the arse?"
"At everything, of course," James retorted.
Sirius snorted, then winced as his bruised ribs pulled. "This from the bloke who couldn’t even manage an animagus spell."
"I did too! It just took a while, but we’d have managed it without your illustrious presence, Black," James growled. "Whatever Remus sees in you, I wish he’d develop selective blindness."
"Love you too, ducks, and don’t worry, I’ll be out of your messy hair soon."
"There’s nothing wrong with my hair!"
Sirius snickered. "If you say so, Potter, but have you looked in a mirror lately?"
Glaring, James put on a plaster with a bit more force than was necessary. "I’m in fashion, you ignorant git."
"Only if the fashion is to make Lily Evans run screaming."
"Why you..." James clenched his fist, about to plant Sirius a facer when he caught sight of the bruises and forced himself to relax. But then he thought about it, shrugged, and launched himself at the Slytherin, knocking him to the floor.
With an almost animalistic growl, Sirius met James blow for blow, not seeing the other student under his fists, but his parents, his brother, and even his housemates.
James worked out his frustration with Lily refusing to give him a chance, his horror at Remus getting involved with a Slytherin of all things, and his general worries about the future as the war against Voldemort heated up. He pounded Sirius, barely noticing the blows he received, both of them somehow managing not to do serious damage to one another.
"Re-ready to give up, Potter?" Sirius gasped when they finally were worn out and had collapsed on the washroom floor, glaring at each other.
"Not till you cry uncle," James retorted, chest heaving as he panted for breath, the side of the bathtub supporting him.
"Because of you? Never!" Sirius attempted to lunge at James again but only managed to end up on his hands and knees.
"Ha! Used to being in that position, are you?" James snorted, starting to laugh.
Sirius lifted his head, wiping the blood from his face with his forearm. An angry retort on his lips, he paused, looking at Potter laughing, and realized the insanity of the situation. "Careful, Remus might hex you if he found us like this," he snickered.
That made James burst into peals of laughter, slowly sinking down the side of the tub until he was lying on the floor, chortling helplessly. "Oh, Black, you really are a nutter," he finally gasped some time later when he could speak again.
"I’ll take that as a compliment from you, Potter," Sirius’ voice was muffled as both of his lips were swelling. "Have any ice about?"
"I certainly hope so," James admitted, gingerly feeling his left eye, knowing he was going to have a shiner. "You’re not bad with your fists for a Black."
Sirius gave a half-laugh. "Thanks, I think. Found that under certain circumstances it’s handier to use them than spells."
James nodded, slowly pushing himself to his feet. "Come on then, we need some ice and butterbeer." He offered Sirius a hand.
Groaning, Sirius got to his feet, grateful for the help but not about to say it out loud. "Would rather it was firewhiskey, but butterbeer will do in a pinch."
Cocking his head slightly to one side, James peered through his glasses at Sirius. "You have a point. I think this merits raiding my dad’s stash of firewhiskey. After we get some ice on these bruises," he added, wincing.
Sprawled out on the floor next to James, Sirius nudged his knight forward, listening with half an ear to the quidditch match on the wizard wireless. Half a dozen empty bottles of butterbeer surrounded them as well as candy wrappers and half-eaten snacks. In the two weeks he’d spent here with the Potters, he and James had become fast friends, not to say they didn’t have very vocal arguments from time to time. James’ parents, while surprised at his presence, had been welcoming, and the only dark spot in Sirius’ mood was the fact that Remus wasn’t back from holiday with his family yet.
"Hopefully your chess-playing will improve once Remus gets here and you’re not mooning over Moony all the time," James said wryly, his knight beheading Sirius’ bishop after the other boy’s last move left it wide open.
Sirius smirked, not even caring that he was probably five moves away from being checkmated. "Once Remus gets here, chess is going to be the last thing on my mind."
"Not one more word!" James exclaimed, appalled. "I don’t want to know!"
"But I do," Remus said, letting them know he’d arrived. He’d come straight to James’ to visit his friend, but he hadn’t expected to find Sirius there, and he was surprised by their seeming ease together
"Not with me in the room!" James exclaimed vehemently.
"Hullo, Lupin," Sirius drawled, smiling up at the other boy.
"Sirius," Remus replied, eyes drinking him in. "I didn’t expect to see you here." He unconsciously moved closer, licking his lips.
"Had a slight change of plans." Sirius stood, his eyes still fixed on the other boy. "Potter was kind enough to put me up."
"There’s a good one," James snorted before realizing the other two weren’t listening to him. "Oh shite, I’ll be in the garden if you two ever surface."
Remus never even noticed him leave. He moved even closer to Sirius, arms sliding around his waist as he leaned in to kiss him, eager to taste him again after their weeks apart, the longest they’d gone without seeing one another since the first time they’d shagged.
"Moony..." Sirius groaned, wrapping his arms around the other teen and pulling him closer.
"Padfoot," Remus replied, grinning wryly an instant before their lips touched and they tried to devour one another.
Sirius laughed into the kiss before growing serious and rubbing against Remus, their kisses frantic.
"Oh lord, I’ve missed you," Remus groaned in one of the moments where they parted to breathe. He thrust against Sirius, nearly whimpering at the sensation of a hard body against his suddenly aching erection.
"You’re the one who went on holiday."
"Remind me not to do that again." Remus wrapped one leg around Sirius’ waist, trying to get closer.
Sirius grunted out an answer, his hands moving down to Remus’ ass, holding them together.
"This is James’ bedroom," Remus mumbled half-heartedly, not really caring but knowing that he should.
"And?"
Remus laughed shakily. "Just pointing it out." He slid his hand into Sirius’ trousers, curling his fist around the hard shaft he found.
"Don’t rightly care," Sirius moaned, arching forward into Remus’ hand and fumbling for the fastenings on the other boy’s trousers to do the same.
"Good." Remus groaned, biting his lip as Sirius finally touched his bare flesh. "Oh, sod James, I want you."
"We’ll just stay away from his virginal bed," Sirius snickered, dropping to his knees and bringing Remus down with him.
"Am more interested in the non-virginal things in the room," Remus agreed, practically crawling into Sirius’ lap.
Sirius nodded, growling as Remus’ position forced his hand from his trousers.
Remus bit at Sirius’ throat, marking him and not caring. He tugged urgently at Sirius’ clothes, wanting them off, wanting to feel them together with nothing between them.
"Missed you," Sirius rasped, wedging a hand between them and finding the heat of Remus’ erection, stroking it roughly as he felt Remus’ hand on his own shaft, his desire making him shudder.
Remus just growled, mouth not leaving Sirius’ flesh. It had been too long since they’d been together, and nothing was going to prevent him from having Sirius now. His hand moved faster, twisting as he pumped Sirius.
Giving a strangled groan, Sirius let Remus take him beyond himself and cried out, his whole body shuddering before he came hard and fast.
As soon as Sirius came, Remus pushed him to his knees and settled behind him, his hard cock fitting between Sirius’ cheeks as he rocked against him. "Need you," he rasped, a semen-slicked finger pushing inside Sirius.
"Yours," Sirius answered, looking back over his shoulder, his eyes locked with Remus’ amber ones.
That sent a shudder though the young werewolf, his eyes blazed with lust, and he pressed forward into Sirius, unable to wait another moment.
Sirius whimpered and bowed his head, bracing himself against Remus’ thrusts.
The position triggered some of the instincts Remus usually kept buried, and he suddenly closed his teeth carefully over the nape of Sirius’ neck, claiming and dominating his mate as he fucked him.
Pressing back against Remus’ thrusts, Sirius tightened down on his cock, wanting to feel the other boy come.
Remus cried out at the sudden pressure, his thrusts speeding up despite his attempts to be careful of Sirius. He shook, his body tensing, and he somehow managed to move faster, trembling on the brink of orgasm.
"Come, Moony," Sirius rasped, his tone pleading.
The sound of Sirius’ voice was the final impetus that tumbled Remus over the edge, and he wailed wordlessly, uncaring of who might be listening, as he came.
Feeling Remus slump over his back, Sirius gave a husky laugh. "James is going to kill us."
Remus laughed breathlessly and nuzzled the back of his neck. "What in Merlin’s name are you doing here? I didn’t expect to see you until the new term started."
"Not quite where I wanted to go, but then that was in Spain, and I didn’t have the galleons to get there."
It took a moment to understand what Sirius meant, but when he did, Remus made a soft sound of pleasure. "I would have loved it if you could have joined us. There were so many things I wanted to share with you." He carefully withdrew and lay down, pulling Sirius down into his arms, facing him.
"Would rather have been there than home, trust me."
Hearing the undertones, Remus petted Sirius’ back soothingly. "And does that start to answer my last question about why you’re here?"
Sirius shrugged but accepted Remus’ comfort. "Seemed safer than being there."
"I can’t imagine that, not being safe at home," Remus admitted. "Maybe next break you can come visit me?" he suggested diffidently.
"Think your parents will mind a snake in the house?"
"I think my parents would be happy to meet any friend of mine. Especially one who’s more than a friend. I already had the talk with them a while back, and they know that I like blokes."
"And they didn’t toss you out on your ear?" Sirius sounded shocked.
"Well, my mum did cry quite a lot, and my dad, well, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so uncomfortable. And they’re a bit worried about me, you know, what with the laws and such since we live mostly with Muggles, but they’re my parents after all. They love me." Remus shrugged.
"Guess compared to the whole werewolf thing, it isn’t too much more." Sirius winced and ducked his head. "Sorry, that wasn’t the brightest thing to say."
Remus had flinched at the remark, but Sirius’ immediate apology calmed him. "I should know by now that your mouth moves faster than your brain," he retorted, smiling very faintly. "But you’re right, my mum and dad have had a lot more than most parents to deal with."
Sirius gave a wry smirk. "Not according to my mum."
Remus kissed him. "Your mum didn’t know how lucky she was to have you."
"Well, don’t tell her that, all right?" Sirius asked. "I don’t think she’d agree."
"I don’t expect ever to talk to her," Remus snorted. "I think I already know the only Black I care to."
"Just so you know, Mum says tea’s ready if you want some," James called from outside the door.
Sirius gave a lop-sided grin. "Perhaps I should change my name to Potter, eh?"
"I am not marrying you!" James yelled, showing that he’d heard. "And my room better be exactly the way I left it," he grumbled.
Laughing, Remus sat up. "I think James wants us out of here."
Groaning, Sirius reached for his wand and cleaned them both up as well as the carpet underneath them. "Your virginal bower is pristine again, Prongsie," he shouted.
"Prat! I don’t want to hear about when it wasn’t. And you lot had better have clothes on because I’m coming in."
Remus glanced at Sirius, smirking. "Shall we shock him? Or be nice?"
"Oh, we should be nice; after all, he’s put me up the past two weeks."
"Then I suppose we should put our clothes to rights," Remus sighed, eyeing Sirius appreciatively. "Good job we didn’t actually undress," he added, hastily covering himself as the door handle turned and the door started to open.
"Bloody perverts, always pawing each other," James muttered as he stomped into the room, not looking at the other two who were resettling their clothing.
"Want me to work up a charm so that Evans will paw you?" Sirius offered.
"Jealousy will get you nowhere," Remus retorted, leaning against Sirius once they were decently covered again.
"Ha!" James glowered. "As if I’d be jealous of you. And no, Padfoot, I don’t need a charm! Lily will realize what she’s missing all on her own."
"And run screaming into the night as if she’s seen a Dementor." Sirius managed to get this out without snickering, then collapsed onto the floor, howling.
"Oh, you’re a right funny one, you are," James growled, glaring. "Remind me why I’m letting you stay here?"
"I’m rather interested in the answer to that myself," Remus murmured.
Sirius shrugged and grinned charmingly. "Because if you hadn’t, I would have told Evans that you beat off shouting her name every night."
"Prat!" James grabbed a pillow and started hitting Sirius with it while Remus watched them, laughing.
"Oy then, don’t break him!" Remus protested. "I only just got him back, sooner than expected though it is. And I’m still waiting for someone to explain that."
James shrugged. "Showed up on my doorstep. Couldn’t just toss him back on his parents’ mercy, could I. Besides, Padfoot’s not bad company when he’s not mooning over you."
"Told you life at Grimmauld Place wasn’t all that grand, didn’t I?" Sirius asked mildly.
"You just got wind of how good my mum’s tarts are is all."
"It got so bad you had to leave?" Remus asked, cutting to the sense of what the others were saying.
"Regulus mentioned to the folks as to how I hadn’t been around Slytherin much this past term, and that devolved into a conversation about just who I’d been palling around with..." Sirius half-grinned. "Mum wasn’t too thrilled to hear I’d been seen with Gryffindors."
"So you decided to run away and live with Gryffindors to make her feel better about it?" Remus shook his head. "I think you’re going to have to plan to stay with one of us over the next holidays."
"Not going back now, am I?" Sirius asked rebelliously. "I’ve got a few galleons my uncle left me, so I’ll get my own place and be done with the ‘honorable house of Black’ forever."
James frowned and pushed his glasses up his nose. "You’ve still got to go back to Slytherin when the term starts though."
Remus frowned as well. "I wish you didn’t. You don’t belong there; you belong with us. But there’s nothing we can do about it," he sighed.
"Sorted Slytherin, stay Slytherin, right?"
"No need for it, is there," James asked.
Remus turned to stare at James while sliding an arm around Sirius waist. "What do you mean? We can’t change that... can we?"
James caught Sirius’ eye and raised his eyebrows. "Well now, you never know, do you?"
"It seems before we begin the sorting of the first years, there is a special circumstance to be addressed." Headmaster Dumbledore’s voice rang out over the crowded hall. "There is a student who wishes to be re-sorted."
There was a moment of dead silence, then a furor as seemingly every student—and teacher—at Hogwarts started talking at once. Over at the Gryffindor table, Remus clutched James’ arm desperately for comfort, turning to meet Sirius’ somber gaze. He gave Sirius an encouraging smile, trying not to notice the suspicion gathering on Sirius’ year mates’ faces.
Sirius rose from the Slytherin table, moving slowly from the beating he’d received on the train on the way in to Hogwarts. It hurt like hell, but he was glad for it as it had convinced Dumbledore of the necessity of this. Walking up to the dais, he reached for the Sorting Hat and lifted it, bracing himself for its condemnation for daring to attempt this.
"Resorted? Resorted. Hmmm. Very interesting request, very interesting indeed. So the boy who didn’t care where he went doesn’t want to be a Slytherin any more?
"What shall we do, what shall we do? In love with a Gryffindor?" the hat exclaimed, sounding surprised.
Steeling himself so he didn’t squirm, Sirius remained defiant. "Rather not get blown out the dungeon for that if it matters to you."
"Courageous to the point of foolishness, a Gryffindor trait," the hat mused. "But re-sorting. A Slytherin to a Gryffindor? Very unusual. Unheard of."
As the silence drew on with the hat on Sirius’ head, Remus grew more nervous by the moment. "It’s not going to allow it," he moaned under his breath.
"Can’t say that’s a bad thing," Peter whimpered, earning himself an elbow in the side from James.
"I don’t care what you say," Sirius muttered fiercely. "I’m not going back to Slytherin, and it’s not just because of Remus. I didn’t care before, but I do now, do you understand me, you silly old rag? I care now."
"So you do. And such passion is not the sign of a Slytherin, oh no, it must be..."Gryffindor!" the hat cried aloud.
Shocked silence greeted the Sorting Hat’s pronouncement, into which Remus’ gasp of relief was audible across the hall. He flushed as all eyes turned to him, then raised his chin defiantly and slid aside from James, making a space between them.
"Thank you," Sirius said quietly before taking the hat from his head and standing, then setting it on the stool. Meeting the shocked, accusatory, and wary looks of the other students, he stripped off his tie and robe, walking over to the Gryffindor table in only his shirt and trousers, taking the seat between James and Remus as if it was his right.
"So," he asked calmly, "is it as drafty over here as it was on the other side of the hall?"
"Well, maybe a bit less since we don’t have all the puffed up pride adding to the draftiness," James replied. "Though I’ve a feeling there will be some lips flapping for some time to come," he added, eyeing their tablemates wryly.
"But even the Sorting Hat knew you belong here," Remus said, loudly enough for all to hear, "so that’s an end to it."
"No," Sirius smiled, reaching for Remus’ hand and squeezing his fingers. "It’s just a beginning."
END
since 02-03-07
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