lls_mutant | Part 2

July was hot that year, sticky with humidity and gnats and sweat. Once, they would have gone to Brighton and frolicked in the waves, or swam in a pool or lake, or even been able to sunbathe under the hot, baking sun. But with Death Eaters out and about and death lurking quite literally, those pleasures were hard to come by. Not that there was time.

Despite the sunshine that filtered through the days, Remus felt like he was constantly trapped in darkness. He began the long, humiliating process of sending out applications and letters of inquiry.

There was also the matter of Sirius. Remus still hadn't told Sirius- or, for that matter, anyone- that Fabian had fired him. And after a few days, it became impossible, because Sirius would naturally want to know why Remus hadn't told him in the first place. Remus felt guilty when he thought of that, because what had seemed a good reason at the time now just seemed stupid, but there was no way he could actually say that.

So he spent the days out, usually walking around the streets or holed up in a Muggle haunt, like a public library or a café that would let him drink tea and not grumble too much about the fact he was spending pennies and not pounds. He felt like he was in limbo, waiting.

He didn't have long to wait.

He'd never been stupid enough to think that the Death Eaters would leave him alone after Regulus's death. The letter that he'd given Macnair at the Registry- whatever was in it- and the speech Regulus had written out for him had removed him from the suspicion that he'd been involved in Regulus's supposed treason. They must have, because Remus was pretty sure if they hadn't, he'd be dead by now. Dead, or wishing he was. Regardless, he only felt a dead resignation when the snowy white owl found him sitting in the shade in a park with a tattered message in its beak, a Dark Mark pressed into the sealing wax.

Lupin:

Your service is required on July 31. Report to the location marked on the enclosed map.

No signature. Remus fumbled the map open, and stared blindly at a spot that was in the middle of nowhere. No city. No town. What the fuck was he supposed to do there?

Then the date hit him, and he started to shake. July 31 was a full moon.

***

Salvation of a sort fell on July 16, when another note fell into Remus's lap. It was from a goblin named Ripspot and simply stated that if Remus would mind his garden, he'd pay him a Galleon a week. A Galleon a week was far less than Remus needed but far more than he'd been offered by anyone else, so he wrote back and accepted.

The job was near Nottingham, which was far enough away from London for Remus to forget the Dragon Rider Pub. Ripspot showed him the garden, which Remus immediately fell in love with. It was huge and rambling, with plants that towered over him and some that lurked at his feet. It reminded him of his mother's garden, although he was pretty sure his mother's mums weren't quite as dangerous as the Devil's Snare hidden in a shadowy corner. "Keep it alive," was the entirety of Ripspot's instructions, and then he left Remus to his own devices, an arrangement that suited Remus just fine.

He found himself spending entire days there, just tending the plants or settled in an out-of-the way corner, just thinking or watching. It was peaceful, unlike the rest of the world.

From his favorite spot by the Abyssinian shrivelfig bush, he could see Ripspot's house. He'd never really thought about how goblins lived. The house was almost more of a cottage, with round little windows and a workshop where Ripspot did metalwork. There was a wife- she didn't look much different from Ripspot, except that she often wore dresses- and four goblin children who ran about shouting to each other in Gobbledegook. The older three tended to ignore Remus, but the youngest would scream every time she saw him. It was a bitter reminder, but at the same time, the cynical part of him was relieved that all she did was scream. He ignored it as best he could, and counted himself lucky that he had this much.

He suspected he wouldn't have it for long.

***

The door swung open, and Sirius couldn't help but notice that the Dragon Rider Pub was more crowded than it had been the past couple of weeks. He scanned the bar eagerly, looking for Remus. A pretty young witch was pouring pints and Fabian was making change for a customer, but no Remus.

"Oi, Fabian," Sirius shouted, pushing his way to the counter. "Where's Remus?"

He wondered if it was imagination that the people nearest to him got quieter. Fabian's brows knit together. "He doesn't work here, Sirius," he answered. "You know that."

"No, I don't. Since when?"

"For two weeks. I had to let him go."

"What? Why?"

Fabian shrugged guiltily, and Sirius's face twisted into a sneer. "Because he's a-"

"DON'T say it!" Fabian hissed.

Sirius didn't think- he just punched Fabian in the face.

The conversation stopped, and a few patrons stepped back. Sirius didn't really notice, he just jumped over the bar. Fabian, however, held his ground.

"Business was dropping, Sirius."

"That's not an excuse!"

Fabian glanced around, and then Apparated. Sirius followed suit, and as he suspected Fabian was in his office. "That's not an excuse," he repeated. "Remus needed this job!"

"Not that I have to answer to you," Fabian snarled, "but how do you propose I pay him if I have no customers? No one wants to be waited on by a werewolf!"

"It's not like he wears a sign!" Sirius fumed.

"No, but the word got out. He always knew I'd let him go if that happened."

"You couldn't take a stand? Be a man and do what you know is right?"

"I have a wife and two kids, Sirius. I don't have the luxury of taking a stand, even if I wanted to!"

Sirius's eyes narrowed. "So you didn't want to."

"No! Do you have any idea how many werewolves work for Voldemort? How many enjoy being werewolves? How many of them don't contain themselves on a full moon night?"

"Remus isn't like that!"

"I know he's not! But I'm not standing up for werewolf rights! Most of them don't deserve it! Most of them truly aren't human! Now if you'll excuse me, the lunch crowd is here and I need to get back to work." Fabian glanced in the mirror, healed the lip that Sirius's punch had split, and Apparated back out to the bar.

***

"I can't believe it!" Sirius raged at James, who was at practice and looking annoyed, although that may have been as much at the interruption as it was at Fabian. "I mean, of all the dirty, rotten stunts to pull!"

James chewed on the inside of his cheek- a sure sign he was about to say something Sirius didn't want to hear. "Look, James," Sirius began. "I know it's his business, and I know this is what Remus was expecting, but damn it! Fabian's an Order member!"

"An Order member, not a saint. Look, Sirius, Tonks is going to blow if I don't get my arse on my broom. Can we talk about this later?"

"I can't believe you're not more outraged," Sirius grumbled.

"I expected it," James admitted. "And I'm not in love with Remus, so I don't feel the need to fight for his honor."

Even Sirius had to chuckle at that.

"Black!" Ted shouted from his broom. "Get your arse off my field, and Potter, get yours in the air! Now!"

"Coming!" James shouted, and mounted his broom. "Come by tonight, Padfoot. We'll talk more then."

***

"So what do you think, Wormtail?" Sirius asked when he stopped by Peter's mother's house.

"Remus has been out of work for two weeks and hasn’t told us?" Peter asked incredulously.

Through all his anger, that had been lurking in Sirius's mind as well. "Well…."

"He should have told us," Peter said, flopping down on the couch and crossing his arms furiously. "We're his friends."

Sirius stuffed his hands in his robe pockets. "Yeah," he said, staring out the window.

"I mean, he should trust us enough to tell us that."

"Yeah."

***

"Do you think Peter's right?" Sirius asked James.

James was about to answer, but Lily, who'd been caught up, smacked Sirius upside the head.

"Ouch! What did you do that for?" Sirius demanded.

"Partly because you're a convenient target and I'm grumpy," Lily admitted. "But for God's sake, Sirius, can't you think for yourself?"

"What?"

"You're turning into a simpering, whining girl!"

"I am not!"

"You are too! This is your relationship with Remus! What do you think?"

"I don't know!" Sirius shot James a pleading look, but James was sitting back with a gleam in his eye that meant Lily was saying everything he was thinking. Bastard.

"Well," Lily said dryly, crossing her arms, "this must be a first."

"Not according to you," Sirius snapped. "Didn't you always think that James and I were each other's syncopates?"

Lily shrugged. "Perhaps sometimes. But Sirius, you defied your entire family. Your entire. Fucking. Family. You looked around, you came to your own conclusions, and you didn't let your family tell you what to think about life. And now, because you can't be bothered to sort out your emotional mess, you're letting your friends tell you what to think about your love life? You're being incredibly lazy, Black. You owe yourself a hell of a lot better than that."

Sirius knew James would kill him if he hexed his pregnant wife, so he contented himself with blowing a raspberry at her as he stomped out.

***

He rode for a long time that night, on his motorcycle in the night sky, the hot wind against his face. Up here he could close his eyes and forget everything but the freedom that flight gave him. Up here he didn't have to think about Fabian, or Voldemort, or James or Lily or Peter or even Remus. Up here there was no world- only Sirius.

Lily was right, naturally. So was Peter. So was James. But as Dumbledore had told him back in sixth year, after he'd sent Snivellus to the shack, right and easy were two different things. And it didn't all come down to that, either.

He'd been angry at Remus. He knew that. It was far easier (and damn it, right!) to be angry at Fabian, but Remus had hidden this piece of information for two weeks. And not just from his friends, like Peter said, but from Sirius, who loved him. And even though Remus couldn't say the words, Sirius was sure (pretty sure, anyway) Remus loved him in return. What kind of person would do that?

But somewhere over London, he'd had this thought: Moody knew that Sirius Black was a homosexual. Moody didn't care, because Moody was Moody and if it wasn't firing Dark Curses at you, it didn't exist. But what if Moody did care? What if he'd told Doge? What if Doge had said, "Black, you're fired because you're a shirtlifter and I don't want you in this office? Your work? It's exemplary. Sure, you never hurt anyone. But you're gay, Black. Out."

It chilled him, because he knew that if Doge did ever find out, that could be exactly what happened.

And say that happened. How would he tell James? Or Peter, or Lily? And oh, God, how could he ever tell Remus?

He would, Sirius knew. If it came to that, he would. But he wasn't Remus.

If Remus had to accept that Sirius was an impulsive idiot, Sirius had to accept that Remus was too proud to tell people he loved about these sorts of defeats. It was only fair, right?

***

Remus was listening to the WWN. The newscast was curiously upbeat: stories of wedding anniversaries, Ministry inconsequentials, and sporting news. No mention of deaths, disappearances, or tortures. Remus made a face and snapped off the set. "The whole fucking country is in denial," he informed the empty flat.

He knew perfectly well that wasn't true. The announcer was either in denial or, more accurately, working for Voldemort, whether he wanted to be or not. But it still disgusted him.

He was about to get up to get a book when the door opened and Sirius came in.

"You're late," he admonished with a smile. "I saved you some dinner, it's heating in the oven. I- Sirius, what is it?" Sirius looked different, with stormy eyes and a serious face. "Sirius?"

Sirius came over and kissed him.

When Sirius finally let him up for air, Remus drew back and studied him. "Sirius? Not that I object, but what's going on? Why are you so late? Is everything all right?"

"Everything's fine. Well, as fine as it is these days. Remus, you need to know something."

"What?"

"I love you."

A cold chill crept down his spine. Sirius rarely said the words, and certainly not with a look like that. "I know that," he said quietly.

"I know you do. But you need to hear that before you hear the rest of what I say. I know Fabian fired you two weeks ago."

Shit. "Sirius, it's all right. I found another job, and although it doesn't pay as much I-"

"Let me finish," Sirius said. Remus sighed and folded his hands in his lap, looking up at Sirius resignedly. "I know you were fired," Sirius said. "And I know why you didn't tell me. It's a slight at your manhood, isn't it? I know that's a corny phrase, but it's accurate. You weren't fired because of human error- you were fired because you aren't even seen as human. And you can't handle that."

To Remus's shame, his eyes began to burn. He looked down at his lap. Sirius took his chin in his warm fingers, and tilted his face back up. For a moment, Remus was forcibly reminded of Alphard, right before his death. He shivered.

"I can handle it," Sirius said. "And I understand why you didn't tell me. It hurts, Remus. It hurts like hell because I do love you. I trust you. But I'm going to understand. And I'm going to let it go."

"Sirius, I… I wanted to tell you."

"No, you didn't. Or you would have."

Remus buried his face in his hands, humiliation coursing down every nerve. "I don't deserve this," he whispered.

"And I didn't deserve to have you understand when I told James, Peter and Lily about you spying on the Death Eaters. But you did, and you're still here."

There was no answer to that.

They sat there for a long time, Sirius sitting on the ottoman facing Remus, Remus with his face in his hands, overwhelmed. He couldn't look up until he heard Sirius move.

"Where are you going?" he asked him.

Sirius looked at him, puzzled. "You said there was dinner in the oven."

Remus never knew what made him blurt it out. "I need help."

"What?"

"I need help. On the night of the full moon. The Death Eaters…."

Sirius sat back down slowly. "We'll help you."

***

The hot, sticky days passed by in a tense haze. Sirius found himself wishing more and more often that it would just rain. The heat made everything so much worse, and everyone so much more on edge. Oppressive was the right word, especially when Sirius got the message from James that Dumbledore needed him, and that James wanted to Sirius to stay with Lily, just in case.

"You're sure you don't mind?" James asked, over the mirror. Sirius wished he had some idea where his best friend was.

"For the thousandth time, no. Not at all. I'm on my way to woo your lady love away from you. It's a golden opportunity, mate."

"But tomorrow night…"

Sirius bit his lip. The full moon was tomorrow night, and none of them knew yet what it would involve. "It will be all right, James. Absolute worst case scenario, Wormtail goes with Moony. It should keep him sane enough," Sirius said with a confidence he didn't feel.

"Where is Remus, anyway?" James asked.

"With Frank Longbottom. Something about Death Eater activity in downtown London, of all places."

"I haven't heard about that."

"You know Dumbledore. Now shut up and let me drive."

James mumbled something, but Sirius ignored the mirror, closing his eyes for a moment. After all, the motorbike wouldn't hit anything up here except a recalcitrant goose. The wind on his face felt good, and it blocked out whatever sentimental claptrap James was saying. Sirius couldn't listen to that, because if he did, he'd have to admit that James was walking into very real danger.

Sirius had wanted to go, although he only had the vaguest idea of where James was going. But wherever James was going, Sirius was certain that James would be safer if he was there with him. To his surprise, it was James who put his foot down, begging Sirius to stay with Lily. He'd been so desperate, so worried, that there was no way Sirius could even think of saying no.

He landed outside the flat and charmed his bike, and then went up to knock on the door. Lily answered, and just from looking at her Sirius could tell this was going to be a long night. Her hair was up in a messy knot and her face was drawn and pale, and Sirius made the noble resolution to not remember anything she said tonight, because he was quite sure none of it was going to be good. And really, who could blame her? She was two days past her due date and her husband was in mortal peril.

"What can I do?" Sirius asked, determined that he'd get out of this visit alive.

Lily gave him a grim smile. "Nothing that I actually want, since Dumbledore won't let you go with James."

"Where is he?"

Lily shook her head. "He wasn't even allowed to tell me." From the look on her face, Sirius suspected it was a very good thing Dumbledore wasn't here right now. Even the most powerful wizard alive wouldn't survive a run-in with an overdue Lily Evans. "Come on in and have a drink."

"Let me get it," Sirius offered. He edged past her into the Potters' tiny kitchen. "What would you like?"

She didn't answer, so Sirius turned around. To his alarm, Lily's hand was over her belly, and her face was pale. "Lily?"

She was silent for a minute more, and then shook her head. "Sorry, Sirius. It was nothing. Just the baby kicking. I'll have a butterbeer."

Sirius pulled out two and popped the tops. "I brought Scrabble with me," he told her, pulling it out of his pocket and enlarging it back to its original state. "I thought it might take your mind off things."

"And put it on the way you cheat?"

"Hey, it's Remus that cheats," Sirius protested, hurt. "Come on. Let's play."

They settled in the chaotic living room, Lily in the rocker and Sirius on the couch. Neither of them talked much as they played, and from the way Lily kept shifting, Sirius knew she was not comfortable at all.

Outside, a low rumble of thunder sounded.

"Great," Lily muttered. "Like I'm not worried enough."

"He'll be all right, Lily," Sirius said gently, even though he'd felt the same way.

"You don't know that," Lily snapped. "Don't try to placate me, I-" she broke off, hands flying to her belly again.

"Lily?"

"No. It's nothing. There can't be any way that it's something. The baby's just kicking. Moving. See? There. It's gone."

Sirius eyed her dubiously. "Let's be hypothetical here. If something should happen, should we get you to St. Mungo's?"

Lily shook her head. "No. Dumbledore said specifically not to."

"Was he planning on delivering the baby himself, then?"

"No. He told us to Floo Alex Sommers."

"Oh." Sirius relaxed. "That's all right then."

"And James had a book, just in case." Lily pointed.

Sirius nodded, but three turns later, when the baby "kicked" again, he picked up the book and began reading the passages that James had marked as fast as he could.

Outside, the wind began to pick up, and raindrops splattered against the windowpanes. "It's really coming down," Lily murmured.

"He's going to be okay," Sirius repeated. Perhaps if he said it enough, it would be true. "Lily, is your back hurting?"

"My back always hurts. Oh Merlin, here he goes again."

This time, Lily doubled over and moaned. And this time, there was no doubting that it was not the baby kicking, but a contraction.

"Sirius…" Lily whispered when she could speak again.

"I'm going."

Sirius sprinted the few steps to the fireplace and grabbed a pinch of Floo Powder. But there was no connection to Alex Sommers' flat. "He must be out," he moaned. "Who else?"

"Emmaline Vance?" Lily suggested.

No luck. Sirius suddenly realized how few mothers he knew. Weren't there any matrons in his-

"Longbottom!" he gasped. "Augusta Longbottom."

Augusta wasn't home, but when Sirius tried Frank and Alice, he finally got a connection, and much to his shock, it was Remus who answered.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Frank and I were doing some encryption work for Dumbledore when Alice's Patronus appeared," Remus said, and Sirius suddenly realized how pale he was. "She's in labor."

"You're kidding."

"No. Alex Sommers is here, but Sirius…" Remus glanced over his shoulder and then lowered his voice, "it doesn't look good."

"Doesn't look good?"

"Really bad. The baby hasn't turned, and there's something else- I didn't understand it all- and Alex looks like he's worried they might lose both Alice and the baby."

Remus's words washed through him like ice water, and behind him, Lily moaned in sympathy. "Don't tell them," she whispered urgently.

"What was it?" Remus asked.

"Nothing," Sirius said. "Just..," he wasn't sure how to end that sentence, but he didn't need to. Remus nodded, and although they couldn't reach out their hands and touch, it felt like they had.

"I'll Floo you when it's over."

"All right."

As a last resort, Sirius pulled out the mirror. "Prongs," he said. But his face reflected back at him stubbornly- James must have turned it off.

That was it. There was no one else he could think of. He turned slowly and looked at Lily, who was clutching the back of the rocker and staring at him with wide, scared eyes.

"Well," he said. "Let's do this."

***

It was a long night, but not nearly as long as Sirius had feared. The book was quite explicit, and unlike what he'd envisioned, labor took forever. He had ample time to brew a Pain Reducing Potion for Lily, which helped considerably, and the spells to aid childbirth looked like something he could have done as a Fourth Year. And Lily did everything exactly as the book said she would.

Nevertheless, he had never been so scared in his life.

He was scared when the water broke, although it wasn't as dramatic as he'd pictured.

He was terrified when he had to reach up inside Lily and see if he could feel the baby's head, and his fingers met with wet, fine hair and a soft, pulsing scalp.

And he was petrified when the Pain Reducing Potion didn't mask all the pain, and Lily was bathed in sweat and clutching the headboard of the bed she shared with James, and she gasped, "Sirius, it's time."

He never knew how he made it through the delivery, but after couple of gentle Transfiguration Spells on his part and a lot of effort on Lily's, the baby emerged, faster than Sirius expected. A glance at the book reminded him of the afterbirth, and then he was tying the cord and cutting it, and there was a cry. It wasn't loud, but there was no doubt that the baby boy in Sirius's arms was furious about being pushed from his warm, snug home and out into the cold of the world.

"It's a boy," he whispered to Lily, placing the still-bloody child in her arms.

Lily didn't smile, she just closed her eyes in relief and placed a quick, gentle kiss on his head. "He's cold," she whispered. "So am I."

Sirius pulled a blanket over her and went about trying to clean up the baby. He'd never handled anything so small and fragile before, and his heart was in his throat the entire time. But the baby kicked and cried, so Sirius figured he hadn't killed it yet.

When he was done, he placed the bundle in Lily's arms and turned his attention to her. He cleaned her up, levitated her and changed the sheets, and then finally, he thought it might be over. He looked at Lily again, and this time, she smiled at him.

"Thank you, Sirius," she whispered. "Thank you so much."

***

Three hours later, Sirius still couldn't sleep. He'd cleaned the sheets, straightened the house, figured out a nappy (sort of), and checked to make sure both mother and child were asleep and still breathing about sixty-two times. But as exhausted as he was, he still couldn't sleep.

The storm had blown out and the sun was rising when the door opened, and James finally came home.

He had a long cut on his face, and he was filthy. His hair was matted flat in places, and even more of a mess in others. One lens of his glasses was broken, and the right arm of his robe was only hanging on by a few threads. But the worst was the look on his face.

Sirius stepped forward and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Is Lily all right?" James asked when they pulled away.

"Did you get my message?" James shook his head, and Sirius swallowed the lump in his throat. "Come with me, then. But be quiet."

They made their way to the bedroom, and Sirius opened the door. Some sense must have told Lily James was home, because she opened her eyes. As badly as Sirius wanted to see this moment, he recognized it was for Lily, James, and their newborn son. James went to his wife's side, and Sirius shut the door.

***

An hour later, James emerged, holding his newborn son as if he were made of glass. "I can't believe it," he said, his voice hoarse with awe. "He's perfect."

Sirius smiled. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." James pushed his glasses up his nose and smiled at the baby. "We've named him Harry. Harry James."

"Good name. How's Lily doing?" Sirius asked.

"She seems to be all right." James looked up from the infant and his eyes focused on Sirius. "Padfoot, I…."

Sirius swallowed. There were so many things that needed to be said, but words suddenly seemed inadequate. All Sirius could to was go over and put his arms around his best friend. James rested his head against Sirius's chest, shaking as he held Harry close to his chest.

***

Sirius wanted nothing more than to fall asleep on the couch, but it was now seven o'clock and he was expected at the Ministry at eight. He scrubbed at his eyes with his hands and sighed. James was asleep in the armchair, Harry snuggled against his chest. Sirius quietly grabbed a glass of milk from the refrigerator and then tiptoed out the door.

His exhaustion disappeared once his bike was in the air. He looked down over the city. The Muggles were already going about their day, the cars beneath him the size of Gobstones. He wished most desperately he could go home and… and see Remus, who'd been at the Longbottoms' all night. Sirius had forgotten that until now. He breathed a quick prayer that Alice and her son were all right.

His prayer was answered as soon as he got into work. The atmosphere in the Auror office was light-hearted and almost celebratory, something it hadn't been in months. Sirius made his way to his desk greeted by smiles.

"Did you hear?" Gideon Prewett said as he swung by Sirius's desk. "Your friend Peter was right! Alice and Frank had a little boy named Neville!"

"Nice to hear some good news for a change," Sirius said, relaxing back into his chair. Gideon studied him more closely.

"You look bloody awful."

"Thanks. I was up all night."

"Drinking?"

"Nope. James and Lily had their baby, too. Little boy named Harry."

"That's great!" Gideon said. "Same birthday and everything!"

Sirius thought about this. "What time was Neville born?"

"Oh. Good point. I'm not sure. We'll ask Frank when he comes in."

And Frank did come in later that day, a bottle of firewhiskey in one hand and a box of cigars in the other. "It's a boy!" he shouted exuberantly, and before long the entire Auror office was under a cloud of blue sugared smoke. Frank was relating the details of the birth to anyone who would listen, and Sirius picked up that the baby had to be delivered by a C-section, had been born at 11:10 at night, and that Alice was exhausted and in pain but recovering quickly.

The glass of whiskey he'd had went straight to his head, and the room began to spin. He'd had no sleep and no food to speak of since a quick snack yesterday afternoon. When the celebration died down and Doge called the Aurors into a meeting, Sirius was barely coherent.

His eyes slowly slid shut during Doge's description of Death Eater activity in Manchester. He didn't realize he was even asleep until someone kicked him in the shin.

"-werewolf activity in several locations. I know it's the business of the Werewolf Capture Unit, but we’ve been asked to keep our eyes open. It's pretty much confirmed that You-Know-Who has bought the service of Dark Creatures. There is also talk that he has recruited Dementors and giants. Again, this is not under our jurisdiction, but keep your eyes open. I mention the werewolves especially because tonight is a full moon. Understand?"

Full moon. Sirius dropped his head on the table. In the excitement of Harry's birth, he had completely forgotten.

***

Remus bit his lip as Sirius paced the room. "Sirius," he said, for the fifth time, "it's fine. I understand."

"He wanted to come. You know he did."

"Yes. Look, even if you can't come, Peter will still be there, right? Right. We'll be fine."

Sirius ran a hand through his already disheveled hair. "I know. It's just… I'm not sure how much help I'll be tonight."

This was the point where Remus was supposed to say It's all right if you don't come. I'll be fine. Any other full moon night, Remus would have. Really. But tonight, when his "service" was being "requested"… he couldn't bear to say it. The pause hung in the air.

Sirius broke it with a sigh. "We'll all be all right tonight, Moony."

Remus nodded. "I'd better go, I suppose," he said, looking out the window. "Be careful."

"We will be."

They stood looking at each other for a moment, and then at the same time crossed the room to each other. Their embrace was tight, and for a moment Remus felt like everything was right in the world.

"It will be all right," Sirius whispered. "I promise."

***

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

novalinedy.livejournal.com

great chapter! can't wait to see what happens!

From:

Part 2

Page Summary

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags