First of all, let me explain a few things. This fic is set a year after Lily and James are killed. However, this time Peter was arrested and put in to Azkaban whilst Sirius rightfully continued life as a free man. Meanwhile, Remus moved to Paris for a year, and this story begins at his return.
October 1982
Remus Lupin was hurrying down the rain flecked pavements of Spindler Street. Every now and then a street lamp would bathe him in a yellow mist, making his mop of mousy hair glow and the the thin, ragged scars that lined his pale cheeks and curled around his jaw glimmer like strands of gossamer ribbon. His shabby robes swirled around his ankles as he walked, and it could not be clearer that Remus desired to leave the canopy of the stark nights sky and reach the safety of his destination.
In one hand Remus clutched his wand, though he kept it discreetly hidden beneath the folds of his cloak. He knew that he was being slightly paranoid by having it out, but he'd spent a year away from London and now it was as if Remus had lost his trust in the place. In his other hand he held a crumpled scrap of parchment, on which an address had been written in thin, slanting writing.
The first sheets of drizzle began to drift down from the stars, and Remus was glad to see that his journey had finally come to an end. In front of him stood a row of quaint looking three storey town houses. Most of the dozens of windows before him stared back, blank and faceless, but in the middle house one of the windows on the middle floor was flooded with light. Somebody was awake.
Remus made his way up the short flight of stone steps that lead to the front door, raising his fist and rapping on it before erupting in to a fit of coughing. Two days back in England and already he had a cold. Remus weakly thumped his chest in an attempt to compose himself. Inside the house he heard a lock sliding open, and the door opened just a crack. Whoever it was behind the door staring at Remus with the most stunning blue eyes he had ever seen. They were pale in colour but seemed to glow brighter than an orb.
"Hello?" a womans voice said nervously.
"Hello," Remus said, "I'm looking for Sirius Black."
"Sirius?" the woman's voice repeated.
There was another clanking sound and the door opened fully to reveal a woman. She was dressed in a denim shirt which was splattered with paint. Her dark hair was piled messily on top of her head, and she had tucked a thin pencil behind one of her ears. Remus could just make out the discreet curve of a bump beneath her shirt. The hallway behind her was empty and lit by one single light bulb, which dangled barely from the ceiling. A pair of ladders leaned against one wall.
Remus was aware that the woman was still staring at him. He extended his hand to say, "My name is Remus Lupin. I'm an old school friend of Sirius's."
The woman's eyes expanded as if something had suddenly dawned on her, but before she could speak there came a great roar of "Moony?" and before any of them knew it, Sirius Black himself came bounding down the hall. He threw himself upon Remus, catching him up in a great hug and swinging him around on the doorstep. Remus emerged coughing and flushed. Sirius was grinning.
"Happy to see me?" Remus enquired hoarsely.
Sirius chuckled. "I've missed you, mate. Come in!" he said.
Remus stepped in to the house, taking off his damp cloak. The dark haired woman took it from him with a smile. "I'm Euphemia, but call me Effie or I'll hex you," she said.
"I'm a married man now, Moons," Sirius explained, winding an arm around Effie's waist.
"Congratulations. Since when?" Remus asked.
"May," Sirius replied, "A lots happened since you left. You'd know, if you had let me write to you."
Sirius was still been friendly, but there was an edge to his tone. Remus might have been separated from his friend for a year, but he'd spent enough time with him in the past to sense that he was hurt and a little angry. Effie seemed to as well because she said, "I'll put the kettle on. Well, if I can find the tea cups."
"We've just moved in," Sirius explained as he lead Remus down the hall and in to the living room, which smelt strongly of fresh paint and was filled with dozens of boxes and one solitary sofa.
Effie returned quite quickly, clutching two jam jars filled with steaming tea. "Take it or leave it," she said, passing them over.
"No airs or graces here," Sirius said to Remus with a wink.
"We need to tackle that dodgy wall paper in Harry's room tomorrow, so I had better go to bed," Effie announced.
"Harry's here?" Remus cried.
"I'll explain," Sirius promised. He kissed Effie on the cheek and she disappeared from the room.
"Harry's here?" Remus repeated.
Sirius nodded. "He was supposed to go to the Dursley's, I know. And he did - for a while. Then Dumbledore paid a quick visit one day, took one look at the situation the poor sod was in and wrote to me straight away, asking if we'd take him in. There was no way I was going to say no," he explained.
"Situation?" Remus repeated sharly, eyes narrowed.
"Nothing too bad," Sirius said quickly, "But his crib - if you could call it that, nothing more than an orange crate apparently - was under the stairs, and their piglet of a son used to push him around like a rag doll. There wasn't a thieves chance in Gringotts anyone was going to let Harry stay there."
"Bastards," Remus said beneath his breath. He only ever swore when he was truly angry, Sirius remembered. The corners of his mouth twitched in to an almost smile. He had missed Remus a lot.
"He loves it here though. Effie really dotes on him," Sirius added cheerfully, "Wait until you meet him Rem, he's James's son all over."
"And Peter? Still in Azkaban?" Remus said.
"Yep. Where he belongs, the treacherous little…" Sirius took a sip of his tea.
"What about Effie?" Remus asked, swiftly changing the subject, "Where did you meet here?"
"She's a good friend of Andromeda's. I was always round at her place, moping, and one day she introduced me to Eff," Sirius explained. Remus shifted guiltily.
"Marriage was a bit sudden though, wasn't it?" he said, "Or was it love at first sight?"
Sirius laughed. "She's just different. She's what I need," he said.
"I'm really happy for you, Padfoot," Remus said. And he was.
"Wow, nobody's called me that for a while," Sirius said, "Thanks, mate. And I'm about to be a dad! Four months gone. Bit unexpected, but I'm getting used to the idea."
"Oh Jesus. A mini Sirius Black running around, is that what the world really needs?" Remus said in mock horror.
"Anyway, your turn now," Sirius said, "How was Paris? Why didn't you let me write?" The hurt tone was back.
Remus sighed. "I wanted to get away. I know it probably wasn't the best thing to do, swanning off to Paris with everything that was going on… I'm sorry," he said.
"I just worried about you, that's all," Sirius confessed quietly.
"I was fine," Remus insisted, "First night there I ran in to two wizards - brothers, Jacques and Marc Vermonté. They put me up for a while. Found me some work."
"And your… furry little problem? How was that?" Sirius enquired.
"I got lucky. I ended up telling Marc. I felt I owed it to him, what with him putting me up. He knew where I could get Wolfsbane potion. Dirt cheap too, compared to over here," Remus explained happily.
"And now you're back?" Sirius said.
"It was time. Work was drying up in Paris, I was missing London. So I came back two nights ago. Went straight to Dumbledore and asked about you. He gave he the address for this place," Remus said.
"I'm glad to have you back, mate," Sirius declared, clapping Remus on the back, "You can kip here if-"
"Oh, I didn't mean-" Remus began.
"Come off it!" Sirius cried, "I know you didn't, but I'm not having you out on the streets. You'll be in the guest room. The best guest room. I wouldn't have my Moony put up in anything less."
Remus sighed and grinned. "Cheers," he said.