It was evening on the Friday of the first weekend of the summer holiday when Remus took the muggle train from the village where his parents lived to London. After the stress of Fifth Year and of NEWTs, he was basking in his new found freedom.
One week at home and Sirius already needed to get out of that cursed house. After a miserable dinner he "retired to his room to get a head start on his summer assignments". He promptly proceeded to slip out his window with a ladder that disguises itself as a clothes hanger. He had bought in Knockturn Alley. He raced out into the night away from Grimmauld Place, his black leather jacket blocking out the evening breeze.
Remus knew it was wrong. Not wrong to want what he wanted, but wrong to go into that verity of an establishment at age 16. Homosexuality had been decriminalized in the muggle world when he was 7. However, it was by no means encouraged and stricter regulations made gathering spaces covert, unregulated, and dangerous. Not exactly where most of the other prefects spent there spare time. There were less questions asked. Less "how old are you?" Less "how did you get your scars?" than with the ladies. Most of the guys at a place like where he was going had faced something nasty too. His parents thought he was going to the theatre.
Sirius went there to escape. To see others like himself and to somewhat unhealthy drown out his family situation. It was good to see other people who didn't believe in genocide when he was so far away from his friends. He could share with these strangers the secrets he was still too scared would break his friends loyalty.
Remus slipped in the tucked away entrance, no questions asked, and entered a sea of outcasts.
Sirius never made it to his destination. As he approached the bar, he heard shouts from the alley next to it. "What do you faggots think your doing!" bellowed an angry voice.
"We'll teach them a lesson!" said another.
He peered around the corner and found a shocking sight. Five mean looking guys had cornered two young men, both of whom looked slightly ruffled. That was not the surprising part. One of the young men was Remus. His hair was tossed and the belt around his jeans was unbuckled. Sirius didn't like to see the look of fear plastered across his crushes handsome face. As the men closed in on his friend, Sirius leaped into action.
Remus was scared for his life. Like the little boy who saw the glowing eyes of a wolf. He knew he couldn't use magic. Someone with his condition wouldn't get off on a self-defense argument. He stepped into a fighting stance but was startled back when a huge, growling, black dog sprung out of nowhere and bit one of his attackers' legs. In a storm of teeth and screams, the gang fled and his hookup ran away too, leaving him with only the midnight coloured hound, which was both relieving and nerve racking. Maybe he could pretend he was on his way to that theatre when he was accosted and not snogging a stranger in an ally. When everybody was out of sight, the dog, who now stood calmly before him, morphed into his friend.
"Sirius."
Remus' voice sounded overwhelmed to Sirius.
"Good evening Remus."
Remus opened his mouth to respond and failed.
"Funny seeing you here" Sirius quipped.
Finally, Remus got his voice back. "Thanks for rescuing me Pads, but if I may ask what are even you doing here?"
"Well you know I just happened to be in the neighborhood." Despite his cheery tone, Sirius looked away and slouched a little.
"Sirius, this isn't a nice part of town, why are you here?" Remus' voice had a thinly concealed bite to it.
Sirius took a deep breath, and in a tone that had no resentment replied, "The same reason I think you were here, Moony." Sirius practically collapsed with as his confession left his lips.
"Padfoot, come here." Remus opened his arms and enveloped Sirius in a tight hug.
Remus started to chuckle into Sirius' shoulder. Sirius backed out of the hug so he could see Remus' face. Remus was slightly disappointed to lose the contact and already missed Sirius' intoxicating scent.
"Look at us," He remarked smiling.
Sirius joined in with a barking laugh of his own. "Two shirt lifters living in the same dorm for 5 years both afraid to tell the other" he paused for a second, "So you really are gay too?"
"Bisexual actually."
Seeing Sirius raised eyebrow he added, "I swing both ways."
The confusion faded from Sirius, "Oh, cool".
Remus took a look around them, "What do you say. Shall we get out of this dark alley?"
"Yeah let's go get curry or something"
"Do you ever stop thinking about food! But that sounds great. I'm hungry like a wolf."
Both boys snickered and off they went both vaguely aware of what they felt for each other and how they would have to tell their other friend, but for now, they were both content just to feel a little less alone.