Sirius Black was never good at controlling his emotions. But because it made him sound like a girl, he would never admit to this fact. Those who knew him knew this basic fact about him but no one felt the need to state the obvious. Sirius himself accepted this fact but decided very early on that he didn't care to do anything about it.

That is why his anger made him stalk around the small living room of Grimmauld Place knocking over as many items his arms or feet could reach. In a distant room he heard the almost perfect replica of his mother screaming bloody murder and he continued his trashing spree. This of course only made him angrier, which continued the cycle of wrecking his families possessions. Sirius Black was also never good with handling helplessness. He was going to kill Snape the first chance he got.

The thing that bothered him the most was the knowledge that someone he cared for was being bullied and there wasn't a single bloody thing he could do about it. The only thing keeping him from returning to Azkaban, a place where he felt absolutely nothing, was in fact those he cared for: Harry, and Remus, and Dumbledore, and anyone else who cared to visit him. Why was he being put through this? This…waiting…it was absolute torture! Was this some sort of cruel punishment? He spent 17 years of his life enjoying himself and looking for instant gratification. Did he now have to spend 12+ years making up for it? No, it wasn't that. It was James. If he hadn't been sent to Azkaban, he would have ended up at St. Mungo's for insanity. It's been 14 years and it still didn't seem possible.

"Bloody hell!" Sirius gave a good kick to coffee table next to him before collapsing on the couch from mere tiredness and hanging his head over the back. This war was far from over. He would make him pay for what he did to him, what he did to Harry! There was no force in the world—

"Sirius?" Sirius knew without lifting his head but by the sound of the opening door and of his own name that Remus Lupin had entered Grimmauld Place. Ah, the Voice of Reason himself and not a minute too soon. He didn't have to move to know this but the sudden entrance of his friend and the news he would have motivated him to get up anyway.

"Remus! Did you talk to Dumbledore? What did he say? I am going to murder Snape!" "Calm down, Sirius," Remus said as he took off his coat. He was about to hang it on the hook when he noticed the coat rack sprawled across the ground. He scrunched his eyebrows before noticing the rest of the room. "Well, seems I'm a little late in saying that."

"Remus!"

"Listen Sirius, I didn't get talk to Dumbledore. That school is having far too much trouble with that awful Umbridge woman, but I sent him an Owl and talked to Minerva—"

"Well that's not good enough! Do you realize what could happen to Harry if Voldemort gets into his head again! Well of course you do, you're bloody brilliant," he answered himself just as Remus was opening his mouth. "Damn it, why by Merlin's beard did Dumbledore put Snape in charge of those Occlumency lessons anyway? Why the…"

Remus let Sirius mutter himself into his own world until he knew he was out of the line of attack. After all these years his timing was still next to perfect. "Severus knows the most about it—" "—because he knows how Voldemort thinks!" "And we both know that Dumbledore is far too busy at the moment no matter how important this issue may be—" "—yes of course, but Snape?! Dumbledore is smart enough to know how disastrous that would end!"

"All I know is that if Dumbledore trusts him, then…we should too."

"Ha! I'd trust Voldemort himself to spare my life then Snivellus." "Well of course you would. I'm pretty sure that you and Severus trusting each other would be a sign of the Apocalypse. I would expect Harry to admit to us he was really a girl before I ever expected that to happen."

Much to Sirius' anger and stubbornness, he let out a laugh at the thought. His smile quickly vanished but Remus was able to catch it before the distorted face of his best friend reappeared. The face looked up at him with a somewhat confused look now to replace the one of anger that was just there.

"How can you be so calm about this? I mean, this is Snape we're talking about here."

"Well, one of us has to be. Imagine what that scene would have been like if we both were throwing books and overthrowing tables."

Having run out of excuses to further his anger, Sirius fell back unto the couch in defeat. Despite himself, Remus smiled as he sat down beside him. Sirius seemed to be staring at something that wasn't there and Remus could only dream about what was going on in his mind. "I can't even imagine what would have happened if we didn't have your sense of reason back in school." "Well, you and James would have been expelled, dear Mrs. Potter would go poor from supporting the both of you, you'd be out on the street and Snape would have thrown a party." It felt good to talk like this again. Remus couldn't remember the last time he felt so at ease with himself.

"I know but why in the bloody hell did Snape have to be such a prat. James is the real person he's mad at, not Harry. I wish I could just knock that sense into him."

"Well, far be it from me to defend Severus but after what Harry told us he saw in the Pensieve, his reaction is a bit understandable."

"Yeah, that wasn't James' best moment I suppose. Harry still seemed a little shaken up by that. I should write him—" "—and then be exposed and return to your happy life in Azkaban. You know you can't do that Padfoot, but I can try to get in contact with him if you—"

Laughter was not was not what Remus expected to hear from his long lost friend. Stubbornness, yes, perhaps a few more snide remarks but definitely not laughter. Luckily, Sirius caught his surprise. "I haven't heard anyone call me that in such a long time. It felt like we were back in school." Remus himself let a laugh escape and he thought over what he said. "I'm sorry, I didn't even realize. I must have got caught up in my lecture and the force of habit came into effect. My, that did sound odd."

"Don't apologize you softy. It sounds good. It fits." Sirius looked over at the flustered Remus and smiled to himself. At least not everything changed while he was away. Unfortunately, Sirius didn't change either.

"Call me paranoid, but I think Sirius is out to bring harm to Harry just to spite me and James. Even posthumously, Snivellus would find a way." "I'm just proud you know what posthumously means and you used it in the correct phrasing and pronunciation." "Oh shut up. Merlin, I can't even imagine how you survived working near that guy every day for a whole year. Talk about being back at school…" Remus sighed as he thought back to that time. "Ironically enough, I survived because of him." "Ha. I would have never drank anything that git gave to me. It's a wonder he didn't poison you. It would have been another vindictive against me, I assure you." "Oh get over yourself."

"It wouldn't be the first time."

Remus stopped. A sudden memory of so long ago crept into his mind from where it had been locked up for so long. He abruptly became very interested in the book by his foot instead of replying to what his friend had just said. But he could feel Sirius burning a hole through his head with those eyes of his.

"He's taunted me and he's using Harry to do it. I warned that prat…But we both know it wouldn't be the first time he's tried to get me back. It wouldn't be the first time he's been pissed off at James and me and it definitely wouldn't be the first time he couldn't be trusted."