~*~The Only Man~*~
by Hatter of Madness

Remus lay in bed, his finger running over his engagement ring. He smiled to himself; just a few hours earlier, he and Sirius had been told that they were allowed to be married on two different fields, and Sirius had dropped down to one knee and asked the question.

His mind wandered, thinking of a million different things all at once. He had only been engaged about twenty-four hours, but he was already preoccupied with wedding things. He could imagine Sirius in an extravagant tuxedo, a boutonniere attached to the lapel, as Remus took his hands and told a minister, "I do," forever bringing them together.

But aside from the bliss that he felt, there were a million different wedding things that they had to decide. For one thing, they had to decide whose home they would live in, whether Remus's flat would house them both, or if they should move into 12 Grimmauld Place. Once that was decided, they had to decide where to have the wedding. And then, there was deciding what name they would take. Would he become Remus Black? Or would Sirius become Sirius Lupin? Or would they hyphenate? But then, whose name would come first? Would be Remus Lupin-Black, or Remus Black-Lupin?

Every time he decided which name would come first, he then found a reason to think the other. James was insistent that every relationship had 'one masculine, one feminine person' (and they had tried to convince him otherwise), so it was decided—just for James's sake—that Remus was 'masculine', so that would mean that Lupin would come first. But then, Black came first in the alphabet, so it made sense that it was placed in front. But Black-Lupin didn't sound right, so Lupin should be first. But if Lupin was first, then it was as though Remus was never married, because he could just drop the Black.

Perhaps they could just take the others' name. He could be Remus Black; his partner could be Sirius Lupin. No, that was impractical. But then…

And on and on it went. Remus knew that they had ages to work out those things, and that he was being silly. But as soon as he was okay with being 'silly', another thought occurred to him.

The guest list.

He bounded out of bed, got a piece of parchment and a quill, and immediately sat down again, scrawling names. First, the obvious two: James and Lily. Then Peter and Harry (though it was obvious that Harry would come, since his parents would be there), his mother, his father, Frank and Alice…

Oh, James and Lily. They were supposed to go tell the pair of them that night that they were engaged. Remus planned on going to 12 Grimmauld Place later that evening to fetch Sirius before they went. And perhaps while he was there, they could discuss a few wedding things.

There were certain things they'd have to do away with, of course; there was that archaic saying of 'you may now kiss the bride' and the like. There wouldn't be 'sides'—usually, the bride's side and the groom's side—not only because of the obvious issue that that was for regular marriages, but because they were so very close to being one that all of their friends were just that: their friends.

Remus was just adding another name to the guest list when he heard the door open. "Remus!" Sirius's voice yelled up the stairs.

"In here, darling," he called back, grinning to himself.

Sirius's footsteps thudded up the stairs and the door was thrown open with so much force that it was nearly thrown off its hinges.

"Sirius, I thought I was supposed to go to your house. Oh, it doesn't matter. Darling, how close are you to your cousin, Narcissa?" he asked, his quill poised above the page. "Do you think she'd come to the…"

"Remus."

Remus looked up, and he saw Sirius, whose eyes were bloodshot and wet. Remus immediately stopped thinking about the wedding, and started worrying about Sirius. In fact…his partner had never said that he was coming over in the first place, and he very rarely came over unannounced.

"What's wrong?" Remus asked, his voice dropping to a whisper, though there was no reason to be secretive; nobody was there.

"Remus…oh, God, it's horrible…"

Remus stood up, crossing the room to the door and dragging Sirius by the arm. "Come along, Sirius," he said, "I'll get you some firewhiskey…that always makes you feel better…"

Sirius followed, but halfway down the stairs, he said, "Firewhiskey is not going to help me now, Remus."

This was very serious. Remus knew that Sirius was always a huge drinker, and firewhiskey always helped to calm his nerves. But now…if he was saying that it wouldn't help…

They arrived in the dining room, and Sirius collapsed into a chair. He rested his elbows on his knees, burying his face into his hands. He took a deep breath and then looked up at Remus.

"James and Lily are dead."

There was a heavy silence as Remus stared at Sirius, trying to make sense of what he had just said. He—he couldn't be telling the truth.

"They're what?"

"Voldemort found them. Somebody's betrayed them."

"But—but they…"

Remus stopped talking, unsure of what to say. A part of him was still convinced that Sirius was lying—but then, why would Sirius lie about the death of their best friends? He didn't know what to think; his head was throbbing. He looked down at the engagement ring on his finger, all thoughts of the wedding pushed from his mind. What good was a wedding at that time if their best friends couldn't be in attendance?

No, of course they'd be in attendance. Sirius was just telling a sick, sick joke.

"I was just going over there now to get Harry."

"Harry's okay?" At last, there was a gleam of hope.

"Yes, he's fine." There was a pause as Sirius nibbled on his lip. "At least, that's what I've heard."

Remus's lower lip began to quiver. A muffled whimper escaped him, and Sirius placed a hand on his back.

"I know, dear," he said.

"I just…can't believe it," he said.

Sirius looked grim. "I can't either." A few tears began to roll down his cheeks, but he immediately sniffed and regained his composure. "I have to stay calm," he said, more to himself than to Remus. "For Harry's sake."

Remus nodded. "Be safe."

He nodded, too, then dashed out of the flat without a word.

Remus could hear Sirius's motorbike starting up outside, then it fell silent. He stared straight ahead, at the window, which was shut and the curtains drawn tight. The curtains were actually a housewarming gift from James and Lily.

James and Lily.

He stood, crossing the room to the curtains and, in a fit of anguish, rage, and grief, he ripped them off the rack, screaming. He tore them to complete shreds, throwing them on the ground and leaning against the sink, which was directly under the window, in support. His breathing came in spasmodic huffs as he fought the temptation to cry.

He couldn't stop thinking of James and Lily, but also of Harry. If it was true that he was alright—and how, he wondered, unless the rumors of Voldemort weren't true and they had simply dropped dead—then he couldn't fathom how his childhood would be, without his parents.

God.

The thought finally hit him, reached him. He clasped a hand to his mouth, sobbing so hard and so viciously that his entire body shook, and he moved away from the sink, leaned against the far wall, and banged his free fist against it repeatedly, each time with more force and vigor.

He finally climbed the stairs somberly back to his room, laying down on the bed and crying himself to sleep.

The next morning, the Daily Prophet arrived by owl post, the bird who dropped it off leaving without even waiting for a tip. Apparently, it had many more copies to deliver. Remus expected that everyone was going to see the news.

The Boy Who Lived: You Know Who Gone Without A Trace.

The headline made Remus perplexed, but the byline shocked him. Gone? What was that supposed to mean? Had he, too, gone into hiding?

He read on eagerly. The article was by a young witch named Rita Skeeter, who had been writing for the Prophet for a year but had yet to write a valuable article. Remus knew that this one would definitely change that, though he didn't want to read the news; James and Lily's names were sure to be in the article.

THE BOY WHO LIVED

YOU KNOW WHO GONE WITHOUT A TRACE

RITA SKEETER

Nov. 1, 1981

Harry Potter, age 1, has become the first wizard to ever survive the infamous Killing Curse, at the hands He Who Must Not Be Named.

Late on Saturday, He Who Must Not Be Named arrived in Godric's Hollow at the home of James and Lily Potter, both 21, having received news of their whereabouts from an as yet unknown source. The couple both were tragically murdered by the infamous wizard.

However, when he next went to take out the Potter's son, Harry, for whatever reason the curse failed and Harry survived almost completely unscathed, save for a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead. He Who Must Not Be Named is now nowhere to be seen. It is believed that the curse rebounded onto He Who Must Not Be Named, killing him instead of Harry.

Harry has been removed from the home and is to be taken in by his maternal uncle and aunt, Vernon and Petunia Dursley, two Muggles currently residing in Surrey.

More details are yet to come.

THE POTTERS

James and Lily Potter met whilst in Hogwarts where both were…

Remus dropped the paper, feeling a sharp influx of emotions as he shook all over, tears rolling down his cheeks. Harry…defeated…Voldemort? But…how? He was just an infant, and Voldemort was perhaps the most powerful wizard that had ever existed. Except perhaps Dumbledore, there was no other wizard in the world who was as powerful as he was. How could a baby have destroyed him, with only a scar to tell the tale?

And he was with Lily's family? But what about Sirius? What had happened there? Sirius wouldn't have let Harry go without a fight. He must have already been taken out of the house when Sirius got there. That would have been the only logical explanation. But then, who had taken him out of the house that would have known to give him to Lily's family? Dumbledore, perhaps; but then, Dumbledore knew that Sirius was the godfather…

Remus shut his eyes tight, gripping onto the counter with snow white knuckles. The paper lay on the ground dejectedly, in a disarrayed mess. His engagement ring glinted in the light of the room. Sirius was exactly what he needed at that moment; the two of them could throw back a firewhiskey together, perhaps cry a bit, and let out all of their emotions. Remus honestly didn't care how long it would be before he and Sirius were married; he needed the time to grieve first.

But that was the trouble. He wanted to grieve with Sirius, and where was he? Was he fighting to get Harry back? Remus nearly allowed himself a laugh as he pictured Sirius standing on the Dursleys' doorstep, very red in the face and cross, demanding that they hand over his godson and holding them at wandpoint. He had never met Lily's family, but he couldn't imagine that they'd want to anger a man wearing robes and wielding a wand in their faces.

Bitterly, he made a cup of tea, holding the mug in his hands and staring at the now barren window, not once raising the cup to his lips. It was cold before the thought occurred to him; he made a face at the bitter taste. He wanted Sirius, wanted to discuss what they were to do now, how they were to get Harry back, because he was definitely not staying with the Muggles—not while Sirius was alive, anyway.

He sat at the counter, still staring out the window as he thought about this, moved out of his stupor when tears he didn't know he was fighting back dripped onto the clean countertop.

The next morning, Remus found himself asleep, leaning against the kitchen counter, as an owl rapped sharply on the window that he didn't remember shutting, holding a copy of the Prophet in its talon and this time expecting a tip. He rose, opened the window, and handed him a Knut before the bird flew off, dropping the paper as it went. He rubbed his sleepy eyes as he walked back to his seat, glancing at the headline in disinterest.

Sirius Black Arrested: Kills 12 With Single Curse

Suddenly, he froze, looking again at the headline.

Sirius Black Arrested: Kills 12 Muggles With Single Curse

What?

No, that couldn't possibly be…

But it did say that…

How in the world…?

Remus opened the newspaper, reading the story.

SIRIUS BLACK ARRESTED

KILLS 12 MUGGLES WITH SINGLE CURSE

RITA SKEETER

Nov. 2, 1981

Sirius Black, age 22, was arrested on Sunday after using a single curse to kill 12 Muggles and one wizard.

Good God, how could it be worse than what the headline said?

Black was found by Aurors to be the unknown source that led He Who Must Not Be Named to James and Lily Potter. The Potters had gone into hiding in Godric's Hollow to escape You Know Who, entrusting Black as their Secret Keeper.

At some point in time, Black betrayed the Potters' trust, informing You Know Who of their whereabouts. Due to their misplaced trust of Black, they were both murdered by the dark wizard late on October 31. Their son, Harry, however managed to survive the Killing Curse and has been placed into custody of his maternal aunt and uncle.

Early on Sunday, Black was approached in broad daylight by Pettigrew, 22, who was "outraged by his betrayal of their friends", says an unnamed source.

While "laughing like a madman", Black took out his wand and used a curse to blow up the street, killing 12 Muggle passerby instantly. Pettigrew is missing and assumed dead, as only a single finger was found of his body.

Black, who had been named the godfather of Harry Potter (now being rightfully called the Boy Who Lived), had been a descendant of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black and has now been given a life sentence in Azkaban prison.

"No," Remus whispered, dropping the paper and turning ghost white. "No, no, no, no, no…"

It couldn't possibly be true. Sirius never would have betrayed James and Lily. Sure, Lily called him a 'selfish bastard', and very rightfully so, but not when it came to James and Lily; never when it came to their friends. And he certainly wouldn't have betrayed them to Voldemort. No, he never would have.

But pictures didn't lie, and one was printed of Sirius: his mug shot. Remus's amber eyes began to fill quickly with tears yet again, and he laid his head down on the counter before him, trying to block out all thoughts that Sirius could have possibly been a murderer (and that's what he was, because he was directly responsible for their friends' murders). He had spent nearly all of his time at Hogwarts trying to persuade people that he wasn't like his family. After all, he was placed in Gryffindor, while the whole lot of them were Slytherins—every single one, even Andromeda, who was the most civil of them all.

But—and this was the biggest question—how could they have maintained such a long lasting relationship with one another, and Remus never realized that Sirius was different than what his exterior suggested? They had been friends with each other for ten years, lovers for five… And never once did Sirius seem to be playing for Voldemort. Why, he was in the Order, for Merlin's sake!

And the way that he treated Remus and Lily…when one was a monster and the other was a Muggleborn…and he treated them both so civilly… It just didn't add up; it didn't make any sense.

But obviously, Sirius was keeping secrets from Remus. Had he been planning on making Remus join the Death Eaters, too? Or had Sirius been targeted by Voldemort and been forced to spill all of the secrets? Had he not been one of them after all, and gave away James and Lily in a moment of weakness? But Sirius had said it himself that he'd rather have died than betrayed them, didn't he?

Remus could feel the beginnings of a migraine coming on. He shut his eyes tight, then moved to the stove and made himself a cup of tea, sitting down at his usual spot. When he went to bring the cup to his lips, he failed for the second time in two days, and instead, tears rolled down his nose and cheeks and splashed into the cup. It was ruined, but he didn't care. The man that he loved and thought he knew better than anyone, even himself…was a traitor.

When Dumbledore wrote to Remus and asked if he would be willing to fill the empty position as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, he jumped at the chance. He had, rather unwillingly, been accepting money from his mother and father in order to make a meager living, since he had been unable to find a job, being a werewolf. Dumbledore was perhaps the only person who would be brave—or fool—enough to accept a monster as a member of his staff.

He was busy compiling a list of required reading when the owl arrived with the morning post.

He sighed, opening the window and handing the owl a single Knut, who then crossly dropped the Prophet into the sink. He groaned bitterly, fishing it out and drying it on a towel before grabbing his morning cup of tea…which clattered to the floor and shattered when he saw the headline.

First Successful Escape From Azkaban: Sirius Black At Large

Sirius Black?

He hadn't even uttered that name in almost ten years. He was reminded of the face every day, but he hadn't so much as heard the name in a sort of naïve bliss. Remus's heart beat loudly in his ears as he shut his eyes, trying to calm himself. When he finally opened them again, he looked down at the cup on the ground and the newspaper that he wasn't aware he had dropped. He picked it up, looking at the paper.

Sirius's mugshot adorned the front page, his face dramatically aged to the point where it was very nearly unrecognizable—except for the fact that it was still the stunningly handsome face that Remus had fallen in love with yeas earlier. His hair was long and unkempt, and his eyes were sunken into his head, but somehow, there was a rugged attractiveness to the face.

In that moment, Remus made a spur of the moment decision. He ran his thumb over his ring finger on his left hand before he went into his bedroom, finding the black box from twelve years earlier. He opened the box—empty—and then looked down at his fingers.

Slowly, he removed the hexagonal engagement ring from his finger, leaving a band of white behind, and placed it into the box. He had not taken it off in almost twelve years. He had to accept that he and Sirius were no longer to be married, no matter what the laws stated.

AND THAT'S THE END. Hi guiz. I decided that since Mister and Mister was so popular (I actually found people on Tumblr fangirling over it! WHAT), I should write a sequel, since I wanted to write another Wolfstar oneshot but didn't know what to write. So, I made this. u_u I hope you enjoyed the dramatic feels, please review~

- Hatter of Madness