Written for the:

Last Ship Sailing Challenge

1. AU : circus!AU

3. Word : candlelight

6. Dialogue : "Well, to be fair, you are pretty reckless."

7. Color : navy

8. Idiom : on cloud nine

I'm so sorry his is so long. I didn't expect it to be this long. I thought it'd be less than half of this, but I got carried away with the circus fic!

What does this Remind You of Challenge: being able to breathe. (towards the end of the fic)

~ Hall of Mirrors ~

Sirius/Remus

He shifted, his body burning as he opened his eyes. His gaze moved across the dark floor.

He had become accustomed to the darkness, barely seeing the light these days, though it was harder to get used to the biting cold. He missed the old comforts, longing for even a simple blanket, rather than the freezing cage that surrounded him.

He blew on his hands, hoping to warm them up a bit, but it proved useless. He continued to search with his eyes, his hunger taking precedence over the temperature. After all, he had just performed. They always fed him afterwards: a reward for behaving, for his good work. Barely enough to keep him alive.

Because catching another one like him would be too much effort.

He spotted something in the corner, and managed to push himself up on his hands and knees, shuffling slowly across the floor. There had been a time where he had turned his nose up at the scraps, but he had quickly learnt that if he didn't eat what he was given, he didn't eat at all.

His legs shook, trying to give out, but a smile pulled at his lips. The bread was fresh and the meat smelt good.

He sank down to the ground once more and began to slowly eat, savouring the taste. It wasn't often that he had such good food and it felt like heaven as he took small bites and, for the first time in a long time, enjoyed his meal.

...oOo...

"Sirius. Have you finished?"

Sirius glanced up from the books his father had him looking over. "Just about," he replied. "Is there something you needed me for?"

Orion sat down at his desk and Sirius sat back in his own chair. Orion only interrupted the bookkeeping if it was something important, so Sirius gave his father his undivided attention.

"You're eighteen now. At eighteen, we discussed you coming to work with me; learning from me, so you can one day take over."

Sirius resisted the urge to smile or show the slightest bit of excitement at the idea. It had been about ten years since he had last set foot in a circus, and he had been dreaming about joining his father since he was a child. He could almost taste the popcorn and had delighted in the shows and seeing the animals. Surely it would be more amazing to work with them?

"I look forward to it," he said, trying to sound calm, when he was really anything but. "When will I be starting?"

"Next week," Orion confirmed. "I need you to finish the books first and get ready. The circus isn't as it's portrayed in the media. There are animals that need cleaning, acts to prepare. There is a lot to do."

"I understand," Sirius said, wondering how hard it could really be.

...oOo…

He could hear the buzzing of excitement through the camp, though he couldn't hear the words. Why would he care? He hadn't had anything to be excited for, for as long as he could remember. The most excitement he could muster up was during the summer when he was warm, or on the rare occasion he had something more to eat than scraps.

...oOo...

The circus was buzzing with excitement as the pair arrived. The show in London had finished, and the circus would be travelling once more, but this time, Sirius would be going with them. He was a little disappointed in having not had a chance to see the show, to watch the animals or laugh at the clowns, but he knew he'd be able to see all that soon enough.

He would still get to meet the entertainers and to learn about their lives. He would get to watch them perform, and that would be even better than watching the circus.

After all, the Circus only did shows, whereas he would be living this life for however long he chose to, which was exciting after years of living in Grimmauld Place with the rest of his family.

The circus: it was freedom.

Sirius trailed after his father, watching the man greet a wide variety of people as they packed up their equipment and the site and stored everything. Sirius had almost offered to help until his father brought him to the small make-shift office, as though sensing Sirius' desire to help. Orion gave him a brief idea of life behind the scenes. Working, training, practising and, for most of them, living the life.

A life that Sirius would now be part of.

When Orion had finished, he glanced at his desk, taking in the navy folder sitting in the middle. "You should go and see what everyone is doing. You'll be running things one day, after all." Sirius knew it wasn't an option: Orion wanted him to leave the office so he could deal with whatever the navy folder was.

With one last look at the folder that was now in his father's hands, Sirius turned towards the door and pulled it open. He walked down the three steps, pulling the door closed behind him, and looked around.

Sirius could see some people in the distance, and decided to follow them, as he couldn't remember they way they had walked to the office. As he walked, his attention was caught by people sitting around and eating dinner, and a few that were laughing nearby.

He moved past them, neither hungry nor in the mood to stand around and talk. He wanted to see the acts that made the circus special, so he continued in the same direction.

It wasn't long until he reached the Big-Top — the only tent that was still fully erect. Curiosity got the better of him, and he slipped inside, hoping to find others in there.

Sirius wasn't disappointed. Right before his eyes, there were two redheaded men with lit batons, juggling many between the two of them. His eyes widened as the batons flew from one of the men to the other. Both men caught and threw flawlessly, whereas Sirius suspected, were he to try, he'd have burnt himself quickly.

He walked further into the tent, paying no attention to the men that were taking the stands down, his eyes only for other performers. A man with a snake around his shoulders caught Sirius' interest for a moment, until Sirius realised that the man wasn't about to practice. As the man headed out of the tent, Sirius spotted a clown feeding peanuts to a small elephant.

Everyone was in high spirits, even though they had all performed a show that day. There was as general feeling of excitement flowing through the tent. Sirius wondered how the performers weren't exhausted after putting on a show, but he could hear them laughing and joking like the ones he had passed earlier.

He couldn't help but smile. The place was as happy as he had imagined it would be. They all had high spirits and were happy to pull their weight and do their jobs, and Sirius couldn't wait to become part of the circus family. Even though there was an air of concentration in the tent, they still found time to chatter with each other, showing deep connections. The majority of them seemed surprisingly carefree.

Sirius leaned against the entrance to the tent for a long while as he watched other performers come and go. He watched in awe as gymnasts used the unpacked equipment for a quick warm-up, as the other items around them began to be moved from the room.

Finally the tent was empty of equipment and everyone was leaving. The clown led the elephant out with ease, only stopping to check Sirius out.

"Sirius Black?"

Sirius nodded his head. "I am. And you are?"

"James Potter the clown," the man said, using his hand to adjust the glasses on his face. "This here is Peanut. So… you're going to be working with us and living with us?"

"I am," Sirius confirmed. He took in James' appearance. "Have you been here long?"

James shook his head. "About four months," he replied. "But I enjoy it here. I especially love the elephants. In fact, all animals. What are your views on creatures?"

"I like them?" Sirius replied, uncertain at James' fixed look.

"And anyone considered lower than you?" James pushed. "People who are considered so… different, that they're not even considered people. That they are viewed as less than animals. How do you feel about them?"

"I… I've never really thought about… are there people like that? I mean, people who are… why would anyone be viewed as less than an animal?"

The fixed gaze disappeared instantly and the friendly smile returned. "No reason. I just want to make sure that you'd treat us all fairly. Now, seeing as though you're new here, would you like me to show you where Peanut sleeps?"

Sirius nodded eagerly, his mind still trying to wrap around the strange conversation. As they began to walk, the elephant happily trailing behind them, Sirius tried to forget the conversation, though something about it had seemed important to James.

"Are there a lot of animals here?"

"There are. Any animal that your father can get to perform, is put in that ring." There was a note of bitterness that Sirius almost missed, though the smile was still fixed on James' face.

James walked slowly, explaining the ins and outs of the circus to Sirius, whilst pointing out the other performers. He briefly gestured to some cages at the far back, ones that were covered or parked further away, explaining that there were animals that Orion thought needed more training, or needed to be secluded. Sirius assumed his father had good reason for that, because Orion never did anything that was unnecessary.

As they continued on, Sirius managed to see dancers, and the snake from earlier, slithering across the ground. A horse was being led by another man, who shared a nod with James on the way past, until they were finally at the animal enclosures.

"It's only Peanut and her mother, Hazel."

"Hazel? What kind of name is that for an Elephant?" Sirius chuckled.

"It's short for Hazelnut. I believe all the elephants have been named after nuts. It's a tradition, or so I've been told!"

Sirius watched as James brought Peanut into her stall, ensuring she had food and water, before leaving. "Do you know to way to where you're staying?"

"I wasn't aware I had somewhere assigned. I was just going to head back to the office to my father," Sirius explained. "I'd appreciate it if you'd point me in that direction?"

James grinned, and it was the most relaxed smile Sirius had seen since he had met the clown. "Sure thing, Sirius. Just remember: when we unload at each site, things tend to be in a similar order. So once you've learnt one campsite, you've learnt them all."

Sirius returned the grin, grateful at the bit of information. He fell into step beside James, wondering where the time had gone, because he was sure it had still been light when they had entered the enclosure, yet it was starting to get dark.

They stopped at the office. "I've been new here and I know it can be quite daunting, not knowing anyone — even if you are the son of the boss, but if you need anything, come and find me and I'll help you out."

"I will, and thanks for taking the time to show me around and taking me to see the elephants."

"Not a problem. Goodnight Sirius."

"Goodnight James." Sirius watched his new friend walk away, and he couldn't help but feel delighted that he had made a friend on his first day. Though there had been some strange questions, Sirius had enjoyed himself immensely. The circus was fascinating, the performers were extraordinary, and Sirius couldn't wait for his father to assign him a proper job around the camp.

...oOo...

"We sleep on the train?" Sirius asked, looking at the carriage in awe. He was itching to climb aboard and check his new home out. Already, it was more exciting than Grimmauld Place.

Orion nodded his head. "I had a carriage added. I will be adding another, as there is talk of overcrowding due to a couple of new performers -"

"I don't mind sharing," Sirius stated. He took in his father's annoyed look and realised his mistake of interrupting the man. "If that's fine with you, Sir," he added, diverting his gaze to the ground.

"It would make the performers happier," Orion murmured, deep in thought. "That's fine. Find any two performers, and you can have them move into your compartment."

Sirius only knew one so far. "Well, James showed me around today," Sirius began. "I'll have to let you know about the second person."

"Very well. I'll have Potter pack his belongings and come over." Orion handed over the key and turned to leave, and Sirius tried to keep still until his father was out of sight, eager to run inside and see what the train was like.

His father gone, Sirius moved forward and unlocked the door. He walked in, almost tripping over the suitcase he had left in his father's office earlier that day, in his haste. He barely managed to catch himself from hitting the floor, righting the suitcase, before looking around.

The carriage was long, with a very narrow hallway done in green and silver. It had a cold appearance, though Sirius didn't let that bother him too much. The circus' colours were green and silver after all. He eagerly threw open the nearest door, grinning at the small bathroom.

Sirius moved across to the next door, throwing that open too. The idea of having a kitchen wasn't as exciting, as Sirius thought he would be eating with the performers, but he could see the benefits. After all, if he was hungry in the night, he didn't have to leave his new home, and if he felt greedy… well, there wouldn't be many people around to see it.

He continued walking through, glancing into rooms. There were an empty room, and one set up as a living room. Sirius knew that he'd need to ask his father to add beds for his roommates, and wondered to himself where he would moving the chairs and other items.

The last room contained a large bed, a built-in wardrobe and a bedside table. There was also tiny desk in the corner and a bookcase with a glass front. Sirius wasn't a fan of the bedroom, finding it dull and boring. There was no colour, and Sirius, loving all things bright and colourful, began to plan for what he could do to spruce the place up.

After the last room, there was a big open space towards the end of the compartment, along with another door leading off the train. At the end of the open area sat some kitchen appliances. Sirius immediately decided that he would turn the open area into the living space, along with a few chairs and a tv. He was sure he had seen items like that in one of the soon-to-be-bedrooms.

A knock brought him out of his interior-design planning, and Sirius headed to the main doors, throwing it open to find James standing there.

"I heard you've got an opening for a roommate," James stated, grinning uncertainly at him. "Your father himself sent for me to keep you company."

"Yeah," Sirius replied, glad to see James. "My father mentioned that there was an overcrowding issue, and it felt like a waste to have all this space to myself. There's one more room if you know anyone who'd want to stay?" Sirius hoped that James would suggest someone, which would save him from having to pick himself. He liked James, and got the impression that James could read people easily. So that hopefully meant that James could suggest someone nice to join them.

James grinned. "You know. I have just the guy. I'll send him a text in a few. Which way is my room?"

Sirius led the way down the green hallway, stopping at the room next to his. "It's a bit bare at the moment," he admitted. "Father will get some beds in tomorrow."

"Wow. I share a place like this with eight other guys," James murmured, as Sirius threw the door open. "How many is this for?"

"Well, if I move the living room stuff from the other room, we can squeeze that up the end where the kitchen is. There's a big space there. I think it's meant for a dining area, but I'd prefer that to be the living area. That'll leave another empty room. That's one for each of us."

"Merlin, a room to myself," James muttered to himself. "This is great! So, you mentioned a kitchen. Stocked, I'd imagine?"

Sirius grinned. "Should we go and check?"

...oOo…

For the next week, Sirius enjoyed himself. He shared a carriage with James Potter and Peter Pettigrew, a friend of James'. James took the offer to heart and spent his time showing Sirius around the camp when they pulled up, ready to unload for the next show.

Sirius watched everyone getting everything from the train. He had tried to help, but he felt like he was just in the way. He prefered to watch, to see what everyone else was doing, that way he'd know what to do for the next stop.

Sirius walked the length of the train, coming to a carriage at the end. It was the only one that wasn't open and didn't have people unloading it. He moved forward, assuming that someone had forgotten it, but a hand grabbed his arm, causing him to spin around, annoyed that someone was rude enough to grab him.

A man he had met a couple of times stood in front of him. The man let go of Sirius' arm, bringing it to clasp the other hand. They rested together on a cane with a snake on the top.

"You are not permitted to enter that carriage," the man said.

Sirius raised his eyebrows. He hated being told — and by a stranger no less — that he wasn't allowed to do something. His desire to enter the carriage automatically rose. "And why aren't I permitted to enter?" he asked, mimicking the man's mocking tone.

"Because of the dangerous creatures that reside in there," came the response. "Vicious beasts that only the tamers are allowed near. They need to be tranquilised before we even consider letting someone in there. You'd get ripped to shreds."

Sirius matched the look of disdain on the man's face. "Maybe you should go in there and show me how it's done," he snapped. "As I recall, this is my father's circus, and he's training me to one day take over. I intend to know everything about this place, and that includes the vicious animals!"

The man smirked. "Oh, you'll see them soon enough," he stated. "Now, if you want something to do, I'd go find something safe to deal with, like cooking us all food when we're finished." Before Sirius could think up a retort, the man moved to the carriage, locked it, then walked away, his cane clicking on the ground with each step.

"Arsehole," Sirius muttered, watching after him. He looked around, and spotted James coming towards him, and immediately brightened. "Hey, I'm not allowed in here. Princess-Blondie said it was dangerous. What animals are in here?"

James didn't meet his gaze. Instead he looked at the carriage, with pity in his eyes. "Misunderstood ones," he murmured so quietly, Sirius almost missed the words.

"What?"

"Oh? Oh, I… don't worry yourself about that compartment today, Sirius," James said, snapping out of whatever daze he had been in. "You'll meet everyone and everything here in due time. Especially if you watch the shows."

Sirius stared at his new friend. There was something that James was keeping from him, he was certain of it. It wasn't the first time that James had seemed uneasy about something, and it was clear that this involved the one carriage in some way.

"James, what aren't you telling me?" Sirius asked, already knowing that the it was hopeless.

"There's nothing I can tell you," James replied. "Do you want to help me and Peter start setting up?" Without waiting for an answer, James took Sirius' arm.

As he walked away from the train carriage, Sirius felt his unease growing. There was something going on. Something that no-one else had mentioned, but the circus people were aware about, from what he gathered from the blond man's reaction. It was something that made James unhappy too.

Sirius didn't like secrets and he was determined to find out what this one was.

But, hours later when Sirius managed to sneak away from everyone, he found the compartment completely empty.

...oOo…

Sirius looked more carefully through the books than he usually did. All expenses checked out and nothing out of the ordinary caught his eye. He 'mentioned' to his father about the one carriage, but his father had sternly told him not to worry about the beasts that travelled with the circus. That he had more important things to worry about.

Orion turned back to his own work, and Sirius had left the office, determined to find answers. He walked around the camp, hoping to find something out of the ordinary, something that would even give clues as to what was happening, but nothing seemed to fit. There was a secret, and someone had to be able to tell him something.

That evening, after dinner and searching some more, Sirius found Peter alone in the compartment. He started at the quiet man, whose eyes were fixed on the tv, and smiled to himself.

"Peter, how are you?" he asked, walking over, and slapping Peter on the back.

"Hi Sirius," the smaller man said. "I'm fine. I just want to thank you again for offering me a room here."

"Not a problem," Sirius replied, wondering how he could twist the conversation to his advantage. "So Peter, I need to know something…"

"Of course. I do owe you," Peter said, smiling widely. "What do you need?"

"What's going on here?" Sirius asked. Peter's smile dropped quickly. "I know that there's a secret, and for whatever reason, no-one is telling me anything. Is there an order that I shouldn't know whatever is going on?"

"It's something people don't like to discuss," Peter whispered, nervous under the attention. He was almost shaking from Sirius' determined stare. "I can't talk to you about this, Sirius. I'm sorry."

"Well, don't talk. Just point me in a direction of someone who will." When Peter made no move, Sirius let out a tired sigh. "Or point me in the direction of answers." He did his best to pull up the expression he had long ago learnt from his father. It was the look that made people rush to do whatever he asked. Sirius had never used it, except to practice in the mirror, but Peter lifted a shaking hand, pointing behind Sirius.

"And what will I find?" Sirius pushed, not taking his eyes from Peter.

"There's nothing to find," came a cool voice. The pair looked, to see James leaning against the doorframe, completely unimpressed. "Wonderful performance, I'm now seeing just how much like your father you are. Isn't that the saying? Like father, like son?"

Sirius moved back from Peter, uncertain as to why James made it sound like it was an insult. His father was a great man. Sure, he wasn't around a lot, but that was because he ran a highly successful business. He gave his children everything they needed, and came to see his family when he could, which was more than some fathers did.

"My father is a great man," he replied, his chin up defiantly.

"If you knew everything about this place, I wonder if you'd still feel the same?" James retorted.

"And how will I know if no-one will tell me?"

"Because so far, we like you, Sirius. What if you're the same as him? I'm hoping you're not, but you act so much like him at times, I don't know what to make of you. Are you just a younger version of Orion Black or are you your own person?"

"I'm not a shadow of anybody," Sirius retorted crossly, annoyed that anyone would dare suggest that he wasn't himself. "I'm Sirius Black. Yes, I'm learning from my father, but that doesn't mean I am him. I'm allowed my own thoughts and opinions, even if they differ."

"And I hope when you know the ugly truth of the circuses, you'll remember that," James said. He sighed, running his hands through his already messy hair. "There's a show in two days. You may just find your truths there."

Sirius nodded, before turning and leaving the carriage. He dropped down onto the ground outside, giving himself space to think. He had no idea what to say to either of his new friends, but understood that James had given him a clue.

Though he wasn't willing to wait two more days. He wanted to find out sooner. Peter had offered him a direction, so he was going to follow it when there was no-one to stop him.

...oOo…

It was one am when Sirius snuck from the carriage. There wasn't a sound to be heard, except a few restless animals in their nearby stalls. Sirius gripped the flashlight, choosing not to shine it until he was away from the camp.

He walked as slowly as possible, trying to avoid making any noises, until he couldn't even hear the sounds of the animals from the camp, but seemed to find nothing. Trusting that no-one in the camp would see, he flicked on the flashlight, looking around. After all, Peter's direction may not have been completely accurate.

He began to scout the area, looking for any signs that someone had been that way. It wasn't long before he spotted vehicle tracks. His heart began to pound as he followed them, eager to find out the secret.

When he spotted the boarded up cage, Sirius realised he had walked about half a mile away from the camp. He slowed down, wondering why the cage was so far away, but froze at the sound of sobbing.

He shook his head slightly. Surely the sobbing wasn't coming from the cage? Animals didn't sob like that. People did though. His feet felt heavy as he moved forward, closing the distance between him and the cage.

The feeling of unease that had settled in his stomach grew. He tried to tell his brain that there couldn't be a person trapped in the cage, but his mind went back to everything James had said to him, both on their first meet and earlier that night. He had mentioned people that were treated as less than animals.

Sirius edged closer, hoping that he was wrong, that this was just an animal, but he knew that it was false-hope. The sobbing tore at him, making his own eyes tear up.

Surely his father didn't know about this?

But… James had said that he'd see at the show. That meant, whoever was in the cage was part of an act. His father approved and oversaw all of the acts. So if someone was locked in a cage in the woods near the campsite, than his father wouldn't have just been aware of it, his father would have had to issue the orders himself.

Sirius was close now. He could reach out and touch the cage if he wanted to, but was scared. The sides were boarded up, except one small corner. He saw a door, but didn't even consider trying to open it, because he knew it'd be locked tight.

"Hello?" he whispered. "Is anyone in there?"

Sirius prayed that there would be no answer. That he had imagined the sound, but the sobbing stopped, shaky breaths replaced it.

"Please. I… I want to help." Sirius realised with a jolt that he really did want to help.

"You can't help," came a soft voice, almost too quiet for Sirius to hear. "I have to stay here. I'm dangerous."

"Please, let me help you. My father, I'll tell him to free you! I'm sure he has no idea that you're even here. He would never let anything like this happen at his circus."

Sirius clung to the hope — however unlikely it was — that Orion Black had no idea about this. But the reply extinguished that hope quickly.

"Your… your father? No! Please don't mention me to him. If he knows… that I've spoken to someone — to you, he'll have me punished." There was no mistaking how terrified the stranger in the cage was, and Sirius felt sick to his stomach.

"I won't say anything," Sirius promised. "Can I bring you something? Are you warm? Do you have food?"

"Freezing, but if they find a blanket, I'll be punished. Rather cold than… you should leave. Please leave!"

Sirius nodded, though the stranger couldn't see him. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I never imagined my father could… why are you out here?"

"Because they're all scared of me. Or maybe because they all like to come and stare at me and call me names. They think I'm a monster."

"What are you?" Sirius asked.

"A monster," came the reply. "I don't mean to be, but… they turn me into one. They give me stuff and… and the monster… please leave. I don't want to talk to you."

The soft voice was full of pain and Sirius struggled to make himself leave. The voice sounded young, and was male. A teenager, maybe young adult, Sirius assumed. Treated as less than an animal and not even with a blanket. Sirius wondered whether the person even had clothes.

"Do you have clothes?" he asked.

"Monsters don't wear clothes," came a whisper.

...oOo…

As he heard the footsteps quietly fade, he wiped the tears. Though he had sent the man away, he couldn't help but smile at the voice. The man had spoken to him so kindly and he remembered his mother and father too. The man had said he wasn't a monster, and had even apologised to him for his father's behaviour. No-one had ever apologised to him before.

But as much as he wanted the man to stay; wanting to hear the soft voice that made him feel warm, he sent him away. The man didn't realise what a monster he truly was. If the man saw him, he'd be disgusted.

The scent of the man lingered, helping him go to sleep easier that night than ever before.

...oOo...

"So, did you find anything?" Sirius almost dropped the flashlight at the sight of James leaning on his bed.

"I… nothing," Sirius choked out, aware that his eyes were red from the tears that had fallen on his way back from the cage. "I got lost… in the forest."

"Right." Hazel eyes watched him carefully. "Is this the time to ask you again, the same question from the first time we met?"

"I… all life should be treated equally." He held back the tears that wanted to fall. "I need you to leave. I need to think. When I came here I didn't expect…" his gaze dropped as James silently got up from the bed and walked to the door.

"You care, which already makes you a better man than your father," James murmured as he closed the door behind him.

...oOo...

Sirius didn't even try to justify his father's actions. There was no reason for his father to have someone locked away, but he had to go about the next day pretending not to have seen anything. James acted as though he hadn't been waiting to question Sirius upon his return to camp in the early hours.

Though the fact that there was somebody hidden in the woods in a cage, made Sirius feel sick. It hung over him like his own personal raincloud, and Sirius knew without a doubt, that he'd have to make amends for his father's cruelty.

The unknown person had been even more terrified upon finding out that Sirius was Orion's son, and that said it all about his father. Sirius realised that for all the years, he had been seeing his father with rose-coloured glasses. Seeing a kind and proud man where a monster stood. He wouldn't allow himself to be fooled again.

He waited for the two days, trying to find the right opening to talk to his father, but none came. Orion was too busy preparing for the opening night. Sirius remembered that James had mentioned that Sirius would find out the truth that day.

So when the opportunity to sneak into the tent presented itself, Sirius found himself a seat near the front of the bleachers, where he could watch the show, and hope that whoever it was in the cage would make an appearance.

...oOo…

The show was so beautiful, that Sirius almost forgot his purpose there. His eyes had followed the pair that had hung from ribbons dangling from the top of the tent, moving in time with the music, and climbing with ease. The pair had wrapped the ribbon around their legs, and leant all the way back, their heads pointing at the floor, and Sirius could only be amazed.

Watching the ribbon-dancers, he almost missed the performers walk into the centre of the ring. The flames from the balls they were spinning drew his attention back to the ground once more, and his mouth dropped open as he watched the balls of fire spin faster and faster, convinced one would go flying and set the whole tent ablaze. The light moved so fast, it looked like a ring of fire around the pair.

The balls of fire disappeared from his focus as a man with torches came forward. Sirius couldn't recall seeing the man at the camp before. The man brought one torch up, showing everyone the flame. Sirius leant forward, watching eagerly. The torch moved to the man's lips, and without blinking, the man pushed the whole torch into his mouth, before pulling it out again.

The torch hit the ground as the other moved to the man's mouth. The audience were clapping their hands together as the second torch disappeared and a few gasped audibly. Sirius was one of them.

The man looked around at them, before spinning around and blowing out. Instead of air leaving his lips, flames shot out as one powerful stream, leaving a perfect ring around him. The flames were blindingly bright, dancing in the air for a fraction of a second, before dying away. Sirius couldn't believe what he had seen. Had he not felt the heat from the flames against his skin, he wouldn't have believed his eyes.

It wasn't long before the animals were brought out. Sirius found he had lost focus in the show at the mention of animals, knowing that the stranger was being treated like one. He was too busy watching for him, he paid little attention to James and Peanut taking the manege and performing, though everyone clapped for the act.

The tent darkened further, candles lighting on their own around the ring as a cage was uncovered. Having been distracted by the acts, Sirius wondered at what point it had even been brought out. It was pushed into the middle of the centre-ring, and Sirius' head turned, searching for the stranger.

A movement at the edge caught his eye, and he saw someone wearing only a pair of navy linen trousers walking out. The man was painfully thin as he stumbled towards the cage. From his seat, Sirius could see the man shaking, though the audience didn't seem to.

There was no doubt in Sirius' mind that this was his stranger. He leant forward, trying to get a better look at him, hating that he was obscured from seeing by the candlelight.

The movement seemed to catch the man's eye, because he looked up for a second. His amber eyes found Sirius' and they widened at the sight of him. Sirius wondered how the man knew who he was, but quickly assumed that it was because he bore a striking resemblance to his father.

The man almost fell into the cage, quickly rushing to the furthest corner, and Sirius wondered why the man was so eager to be behind the bars once more, when he had been crying only a couple of nights prior.

As the audience began to whisper amongst themselves, curious as to what to expect from the next act, a beast of a man appeared and began to stalk over to the cage, his eyes locked on the figure inside.

The bad feeling Sirius had felt when he realised there was a secret at the circus returned tenfold. Something bad was about to happen, and he didn't like the idea of the man who was close to his own age, locked in a cage with the beast of a man.

He was sure he had seen that man around the camp, though people had stayed clear of him. Sirius tried to recall the name. Grey… something. Greyback, perhaps? Whatever it was, it wasn't important. Not like his stranger was.

Sirius watched Greyback's lips moving, and the anticipation in the tent grew as everyone waited for something to happen. It had been about five minutes since the first man had entered the cage, and where everyone was excited to see what was going to happen, Sirius fought the urge to jump down from his seat and rush over and protect him from harm.

The lights lowered, creating a dramatic atmosphere once more, and Sirius' eyes never left Greyback. The more he looked at the man, the more he felt disgusted. The man looked like how Sirius imagined a monster to look. His teeth were yellow and unclean, he seemed to be covered in hair and the gleeful expression on his face as he looked at the terrified man cowering in the corner made Sirius feel sick.

Of all the people Sirius had met in his life, this man set Sirius on edge like no other. There was something wrong with him, but Sirius didn't know what, though he was sure he'd find out. He forced himself to stay in his seat, needing to see what happened. After all, Sirius needed to know everything so he could work on a plan because no-one was willing to tell him the truth, he'd have to learn it for himself.

Plus, getting up and rushing to help would only make it harder to help in the future. He knew he had to carefully pick his moment.

The man cowering in the corner fell to his hands and knees and Sirius knew it was starting, whatever it was. As he listened to bones break and snap and watched them twist, he forced himself to keep watching, though he felt dizzy and his head was pounding. This was wrong. Something was wrong with him yet it was being treated like a show? Sirius didn't understand.

It was only a minute before he understood all too well what was happening. Where the caged-stranger had once cowered, stood a large brown wolf, growling and snarling at the man who seemed to be growling back. The wolf rushed forward, heading straight for Greyback, and Sirius would only watch, his heart in his mouth as the wolf lunged at him.

Greyback twisted out of the way with the same grace as a predator, forcing the wolf to hit the bars. 'Wolf' as Sirius had named the stranger in his head, had turned quickly, watching Greyback taunt him into coming closer. The wolf in the cage didn't seem to notice the audience — who were still gasping over seeing Wolf rip through his clothes whilst transforming into an animal — and it was clear to Sirius that the hatred was aimed at the man in the cage alone.

He watched the wolf attempt to attack the man over and over, yet Greyback evaded each and every move. Sometimes dodging, and other times, throwing the wolf away from him, into the bars. Finally Wolf tired, taking one more attempt on Greyback. Greyback pushed the wolf away, knocking it onto it's back and pinned it down. The wolf whimpered and bared its neck to Greyback, before he stood up, grinning out at the cheering audience.

Only Sirius could see the feral look in Greyback's eyes. He also noticed one thing that all the others in the audience didn't seem to notice. Wolves would never submit to a human — and Sirius assumed that included shapeshifters as he assumed Wolf was. The wolf had taken over in personality and instincts, so therefore the Wolf would only submit to an alpha wolf.

Which meant that Greyback was as much wolf as Wolf was, but what Sirius couldn't understand was why Wolf transformed when Greyback didn't?

And why Greyback could walk around in the open, whereas Wolf was locked away in the woods.

...oOo…

"If you care so much, why don't you help him?" Sirius snapped, the moment James walked into the carriage.

"Help him? What do you think I can do?" James shouted back. "Do you think I have access to his keys? Do I have a way to distract everyone whilst getting him away? I can barely sneak away with food for him. The only reason no-one stopped you the other night was because your father wanted you to discover the great secret. Orion thinks that, because you haven't approached him about it, that you don't care, which delights him."

"Key? Where do I find the key?"

James smiled sadly. "You don't. Only your father has that key," he said. "There's no way to free him."

"Why doesn't he try to run? He gets in that cage like he wants to be in there?"

James' smile faded. "You think he wants that? Sirius, Moony is a Werewolf. A lycanthrope. He gets in that cage because if he's not in there and bites someone, he could turn them or even kill. He gets in there to protect everyone else."

"Moony?"

"Well, I don't think he remembers his name anymore," James admitted. "I've asked him countless times."

"So he only turns monthly on a full moon?" Sirius didn't need to question James' comment. A few days ago, had someone mentioned Werewolves to him, Sirius would have thought them insane. But after seeing Moony, he didn't doubt it.

James snorted. "What kind of show would that be. Your father has developed something — a serum of sorts, which brings out the wolf. It takes exactly an hour to affect Moony. He's given it in the cage, dragged to the ring, and he'll willingly get into the cage because he doesn't want to hurt anyone."

"And without the serum?"

"Moony would turn on a full moon and live a somewhat normal life, if he was free from here."

"I want to free him. Will you help me?" Sirius asked.

"If you free him, you're facing the full extent of your father's anger. It's something I doubt you've seen before. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Sirius nodded. "I'm sure, and I may have an idea."

"He's scared, you know. Moony won't go with you if he doesn't trust you."

"And if he stays, he has to transform like a show animal and fight Greyback. Is Greyback…"

"I suspect Greyback was the one to bite him in the first place," James admitted. "You need to be sure that you're in. Are you willing to face your father's wrath? Or are you willing to take Moony to safety and protect him, because he won't know how to fend for himself. From the things I've heard around camp… I suspect he was little more than a child when he was brought here."

James was pale at the words and Sirius began to shake his head, ready to tell James that his father wouldn't do that — wouldn't abduct a child and have him infected just for a show. But he stopped himself. Hadn't his father locked Moony away as a prisoner? Wasn't his father causing the lycanthrope to transform as part of a show, and to fight the other werewolf? Wasn't this all about money to his father.

This man who used to be his father would abduct the child. Sirius had no doubts. "I used to look up to him. I wanted to be like him, to run the circus when he retired from it. Now… now, I want nothing more than to distance myself from this place because I feel sick to even be associated with it. The only reason I'm here right now is because Moony needs help and I can't turn my back on this place and pretend that this isn't happening."

"I'm going to help you," James assured him. "We'll get Moony out of here. We'll get him somewhere safe."

Sirius nodded. "I need to go and see him. I need to make sure he's alright. What can I bring that they won't suspect?"

"Food and drink. Don't leave a plate or wrappers or bottles."

Sirius nodded, heading to the kitchen and pulling the fridge open. He grabbed a couple of packets of cold, cooked meat out, and set it on the counter. He fished around for a bottle of water, setting it beside the food. He stared down at it. "Will this be enough? How often does Moony eat?" He was scared at what James would reply. If he didn't say that they fed Moony often, it just further proved that his father was a monster..

"Every few days. They don't want him to die. It's easier to keep him alive than to kidnap someone else."

"But… but if they kidnapped him, wouldn't someone recognise him?"

James snorted. "Not if they kept him hidden for years, before putting him into the show."

"Fuck," Sirius whispered. "He must be around our age, so he's been here for years… they took a child? That's… that's sick. Greyback turned a child into a Werewolf just for a circus act."

This time, Sirius was unable to hold back the bile rising in his throat. If Moony was a younger Werewolf, he can only imagine Greyback was much bigger. That monster attacking a small boy made him fall to his knees by the toilet, the contents of his stomach forcing their way out.

"What's your plan?" James asked, giving Sirius a moment to grab some tissue and wipe at his mouth.

"The only time he's out of the cage is when he's had the serum. We replace it somehow. I get my father to let me administer it, and I'll… I'll pretend to do it. When escorting him to the tent… I believe we'll need transportation out of here. Somewhere safe to go? My father will be watching my account, so I'll need to get withdraw everything. Fuck, this is madness."

"I can get a car," James confirmed. "You need to focus on getting your money out. Your father isn't going to let you administer the serum, so we're going to have to get a team together and take out those that would be on guard duty. So once the door is unlocked, we strike and get Moony out of here. That's your job. I'll… I'll see what I can do about a safe-house."

Sirius dropped the tissue into the toilet, flushing the chain, before moving to the sink. He slowly rinsed out his mouth, before grabbing his toothbrush. As he scrubbed his teeth clean, and got rid of the taste of sick, James waited patiently.

"My father watches me carefully, I believe," Sirius murmured, wiping the toothpaste from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. "What happens if this goes wrong?"

"You'll survive," James replied. "If Moony because a liability, they'll kill him, after all, they don't even see him as an animal. Myself: I'm not sure."

"We can't mess this up. I'm not letting him die, so there's no room for mistakes. We need plans, backup plans, and we make sure we can get you out Moony out. If I'm the safe one here, than I'll be whatever distraction needed."

"Well, let's get planning. I think our best chance is to get him when the door is unlocked. Either we swap the serum out, we attack before they inject him, or we hitch up the cage and drive." It has to be during show time, because half of the circus will be distracted. The problem is going to be Greyback. He helps in transporting Moony to the tent."

Sirius moved from the sink and headed out of the room, James trailing after him. "We need a tranquilliser to take him out. We should maybe have some spare. If we can't get to Moony beforehand, we get him after he's been given the serum and we tranquillise him and get him to safety. I don't think we can do this alone, James."

"I agree. I assure you, we won't be alone in this."

...oOo…

He walked slowly through the darkness, his torchlight moving around as he followed the fresh set of tyre tracks. Moony had been moved since the last show, but his father had not concerned himself with hiding the marks on the ground that led Sirius straight to him.

He stared at the boarded up cage, feeling sick once more, before approaching it. He slowed as he got closer. "Moony?"

He heard a shuffling sound. "J-James?"

"No, it's me — Sirius. I was here the other night." Sirius waited patiently for a response, and heard Moony take a deep breath through the hole.

"I brought you food."

Sirius moved closer, opening the packet and holding his hand at the bars, by the hole. There was a long moment before long fingers reached out, gently taking the food from his hand. "I have more," Sirius insisted. "Take as long as you need to eat. I'll wait right here."

"N-no need to wait. It's already gone," came the embarrassed whisper. "I'm sorry, I was hungry."

"Now, no need to apologise for being hungry after being starved," Sirius said, dropping down on his knees next to the hole and pushing more food through. It didn't take long until everything was finished, and Moony had drunk all the water from the bottle."

"I saw you today."

"It was you," Moony exclaimed. "Now I don't understand why you are here. You've seen what I am." A choked sob followed.

"No, I saw my father perverting nature. You're only supposed to turn once a month, not every show."

"Once a month? But… it's more often than that!"

"You're a werewolf, Moony. You should turn at the full moon and that's it. It's my father who is the monster, doing this to you! But I'm going to fix this. I'll do everything I can to free you."

"But what if I turn without warning? Why would you —"

"My father made you turn," Sirius admitted. "I saw you earlier and I saw who you are and what you turn into. I saw Greyback and your reaction…"

Sirius trailed off as Moony growled at the name. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… you see! I'm just an animal!"

"No! You're responding to the name of the man that did this to you! He's the one that caused you all of this pain and suffering. Moony, was he the one who bit you when you were younger?"

"I believe he is," came the whispered response. "I remember a giant grey wolf and they smell the same. He would come to the cage and tell me to accept the beast that I am, but I would never. I'm still me! I'm still Remus somewhere deep inside, aren't I?"

"Remus!" Sirius clung onto the one bit of information that even James hadn't managed to get from him. "That's your name?"

"I think so. I don't have a name here, though James called me Moony when I failed to offer anything else. I like it, though I only just realise the significance of the name. He's the first person to really care, so I'm happy to accept any name he gives."

"Where did you live?" Sirius pushed. "Who are your parents? What happened to them?"

Remus felt the tears appear once more. "Your father told me that they were dead. He said that the grey wolf killed them both."

"Do you want me to find out. Do you know your old address?"

"Wales. I'm sorry, I can't remember."

"Your surname? When you went missing? Any information you have. Your birthday?"

"I… was five."

"Five?" Sirius repeated, completely blind-sighted by that bit of information. "A child, practically a baby! And they, what? Stole you from the street?"

"The wolf got into my bedroom and bit me. My father tried to fight it off… I don't remember though. The next thing that happened was me waking up in a cage."

Sirius reached through the bars at the sound of Remus' sobs. "Give me your hand," he whispered. Sirius ignored the damp on the hand that clasped his, knowing it was from Remus wiping his eyes. "What if they're really dead?"

"Then you'll have me," Sirius assured him. "I can't ever begin to make up for everything my father has taken away from you, but I'll do everything I can to free you, to keep you safe and to get you out of here. I might not be able to do that immediately, but it will happen, I swear to you, Remus."

"Will you stay with me?"

"I will, but not for too long. I don't want to get caught out here. I need them to think I don't care right now, so they don't suspect —"

"No, I meant when I'm free. When you free me, will you stay with me? I don't want to be alone anymore. It's dark and scary. I rarely get company. I need you to stay with me!"

Remus gripped his hand tightly, as though Sirius was going to rush off, but Sirius held the hand, wishing he could wrap his arms around Remus and assure him more. "Anything," he promised. "Anything you need, I'll be there. Can you trust me?"

"The second I saw your eyes I knew I could," Remus murmured. "They were so warm and kind and even though you look like him, you aren't him. Your eyes showed me that much. You're here and you're trying to help me. I trust you, Sirius. I'll wait for you to be ready to free me. If you need me to do anything…"

Sirius knew what a big deal gaining Remus' trust was, and he knew he would do everything he could not to give Remus a reason not to trust him.

"Talk to me," Sirius said, getting comfortable on the ground. "Tell me stories of what you remember. Did you have a pet? A mean Aunt who wouldn't let you eat sweets?"

Remus chuckled, a beautiful sound to Sirius' ears.

It was hours before Sirius got up from the cold hard ground. He carefully pushed Remus' hand back in past the bars and headed back to the camp.

It wasn't just about saving Remus anymore. It was more than that. Sirius knew he was getting attached to Remus, even though they had spoke only twice, and he had seen him for only a minute before the wolf took over.

Whatever it was, Sirius was willing to protect Remus with his life.

...oOo…

Sirius wasn't sure where they slipped up, but somewhere in the planning, someone had worked it out. They had let themselves into the boarded up cage, just to find Greyback already waiting inside for them, Remus cowering in the corner.

"Eleven o'clock, right on time," he said. "You found the key too, good work!" Feral eyes shifted between the pair. "All this for my pup?"

"He's not your anything," Sirius snapped. "And move aside, he's coming with us!" With a wary gaze on Greyback, he moved forward reaching for Remus. "All we want is him and we'll leave without any trouble."

"Now that's where you're wrong. You see, this stuff takes an hour to work and I knew you'd be right on time, as you've been here every night at the same time. So… any minute now, you'll be facing two wolves." So if I were you, I'd start running.

James dragged Sirius back. "Sirius, we need to lock them in together to keep the camp safe," he shouted. "Remus will be fine. The serum only makes him transform for a few hours, so -"

He had dragged Sirius out and thrown the door closed, trying to turn the key, but Greyback threw the door open, knocking the pair down. He stood in the doorway, grinning at the pair.

"Run."

"Away from the camp," James said, pulling at Sirius. Sirius could only nod his head as he chased after James.

"And here he goes," Greyback shouted after them. "He'll have your scent, boys. You better get away before he sinks his teeth into you, though your father will have new acts for his show… or the pup will have a proper dinner for once."

The pair sped up. "Tell me why we made this plan again? It wasn't the best idea!"

"Well, to be fair, you are pretty reckless," James panted. "Almost there. You loaded the guns, right?"

"I did," Sirius confirmed. "And Greyback wouldn't have known about them as they are too far out for him to scent. You knock Remus out and get him to safety, leave Greyback to me."

"Are you stupid? Your father won't spare you if you're bitten. We take out each wolf together. Let's hope that Greyback's presence messes up Remus' concentration. Let's hope they try to fight each other and forget about us. Sneak attacks would work the best, I'd imagine."

The pair stopped running, grabbing the tranquilliser guns from the ground, just in time to hear a growl. They turned, expecting to see the smaller brown wolf, but a large grey one stood there, ready to pounce with his teeth bared.

The pair took a step back as they raised their guns.

Before they pulled the triggers, another wolf came into sight, diving in front of Sirius and Remus and copying the other wolf's pose.

"Is he… he's not defending us, is he?" James asked incredulously, staring at the smaller wolf.

"He is," Sirius confirmed with a grin. "Let them tire themselves out, we'll get into a good position to shoot from. We don't want to overload either of them because too much could kill them… I'd imagine."

They backed up and the grey wolf immediately tried to follow, with the brown wolf blocking the way. Greyback took a snap at Remus, but Remus wasn't having any of it. With more anger than any of the fights in the show, he lunged at Greyback. This time, Greyback wasn't quick enough to move out of the way, and teeth ripped at his fir, before he spun around, his full attention on the brown wolf.

A quick lunge had Remus flying across the grass, and before Sirius could aim the gun right, the grey wolf had thrown itself at Sirius, hitting him square in the chest and pinning him to the ground. Teeth were bared right in his face, and he could feel and smell the hot, stale breath from the creature.

James shot a dart, the item having no effect on Greyback. As he readied the next one, Remus reappeared, dragging Greyback away by his throat, his teeth clamping down.

"Why are you not scared?" James asked, pulling Sirius up and holding the gun pointing at the wolves, waiting for a good shot.

"Because Remus would never hurt me," Sirius replied, fully confident at his own words, though he really knew he should be scared. "He'd never hurt me… something is telling me that he's fighting to protect us, to keep us safe. He's looking after us. He wouldn't do that if he wanted to hurt us. After all, there are two of us and the wolves could take us out all too easily."

"You… have a bond with him?" James said, turning his gaze from the wolves to Sirius for a moment.

"I suppose," Sirius said, shrugging.

"Have you always felt like this?" James pushed.

"Ever since I heard him crying, something just… I needed to help him, to save him — no matter what it took."

James smiled, looking at where Remus had Greyback pinned. He shot a dark into Greyback's hind leg, making the wolf more pliant for Remus.

Remus didn't seem to care much as his teeth wrapped around Greyback's throat and drew blood, before he ripped it from the wolf, dropping the chunk on the ground. The wolf looked over at James, blood dripping down its chin as it assessed him.

James shot at the wolf, angering it as the dart hit its shoulder. As it moved forward, Sirius shot it with a second dart.

The wolf slowed, staggered, before falling to the floor.

...oOo…

"Thank you," Sirius said, as the car stopped. A body was shaking in the back, covered in thick blankets. "How can I repay you?"

"Keep Remus safe," James insisted. "I care about both of you, you're my best friend, Sirius, but I have a job to do. It's not safe for me to go back there, but I can go and liaise with someone at one of the other circuses. There are three more lycanthropes to get out."

Sirius grinned. "Or you could just do this the easy way. How about taking this to the police?" He pulled out a navy folder from the inside of his jacket and handed it over, causing James' eyes to widen. "Is this…"

"Details on all his lycanthrope acts," Sirius stated. "So, where are we?"

"Wales. Remus' parents moved here. They had to get out of London. When we made the plans, I sent the information you found on Remus to the Order and they began searching. Thankfully Remus is an unusual name, plus an approximate age led us to the Lupins. The Order sent me a picture on my phone of the missing boy and it's Remus. His parents aren't here. This is an old cottage that my parents provided. You can stay here as long as you need — it's your home now, and Remus' too."

"You're just allowing us to live here?"

"Live, keep, whatever," James said, shrugging. He handed over a key. I'll be getting your supplies in a bit. You get Remus in and cleaned up. He's not had luxuries in a long time so be patient with him. He needs you."

Sirius glanced at the backseat where Remus was starting to awaken from his tranquillisers. "I'll look after him, don't you worry. Just make sure my father is behind bars!"

James nodded his head. "You have your own money to support the pair of you whilst you get on your feet. I'll be by as often as possible. Good luck."

"Good luck and thank you," Sirius replied, shaking James' hand. He climbed out of the car, opening the back door and helping a sleepy and dazed Remus up. His arm wrapped around Remus, leading him into the tiny cottage.

"Where are we?"

"Our new home. We'll be safe here and no-one will ever take you away again."

"Are you staying?"

"Remus, there's nowhere I'd rather be than here with you."

"But you said you always dreamt of running the circus."

"My father poisoned that idea for me," Sirius muttered. "My dream was like a hall of mirrors. Ordinary at first glance, but the reality is twisted. They aren't showing what is truly there. I feel like the circus is just that — hiding behind an illusion. But I found you, and I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me forever!"

He tried to make it sound like a joke, but as the words passed his lips, it was clear to the both of them that it was a plea. Sirius didn't want to ever leave Remus. Feeling brave at the look of awe in Remus' eyes, Sirius couldn't help but move forward, his fingers stroking over Remus' cheek.

"Forever sounds like just the perfect amount of time," Remus whispered. "My heart is pounding. Why… why is it doing that?"

"Anticipation perhaps?" Sirius teased. "Though if you're expecting a kiss, you'll have to wipe the blood off."

"Blood?" Remus jerked away from Sirius, rushing from the room. "Whose blood is this? Who did I hurt?"

"Remus, when Greyback came after us in the forest, you defended us," Sirius said, grabbing a nearby towel and wetting the corner. "You got in between us and him and then ripped out his throat."

"I…"

"You did. You've saved the lives of other children. Greyback won't be able to take anyone else from their families. Think of all the children you've saved." He wiped the blood with the wet part of the towel, until Remus' mouth and jaw were clean. "You're a hero, Remus."

"I'm tired," Remus whispered. "Is there a corner where I could curl up?"

Sirius shook his head. "There's a bed."

"Stay with me! Don't leave me!"

"Remus, I'm never going to leave you!"

...oOo…

Sirius had left Remus to enjoy the sun in the garden. Remus had no idea who was coming for a visit, but Sirius had prepared a small spread.

He looked at the pair suspicously, before noting that the woman had amber eyes identical to Remus, and the man had the same smile.

"Mr and Mrs Lupin. I have to ask, what has James told you?"

"About our son's condition?" Hope asked. "Everything. He's… we don't care, he's our son and we love him and need to see him. Is he here?"

"He's in the garden. Careful, he's quite skitish. Has James told you how he's been living?"

The pair simply nodded.

"I have to tell you how sorry I am. I never thought my father was such a monster. When I found out… I worked as fast as I could to free Remus, but had I doubted him sooner, maybe I would have —"

"Now, none of that," Hope said, reaching out and pulling Sirius into a hug. "You freed our son. You put him above everything and we thank you for it. We don't hold you accountable for your father's actions, since you're around our son's age. You would have been only a small child yourself when Remus was taken. But… the man who… turned him?"

Sirius grinned. "Dead. But that's a story for another day. Are you ready to see your son?"

He led the pair into the garden, where Remus was laying on the grass, wearing only blue trousers. He was breathing in the air deeply, enjoying that he could finally breathe after all these years, when he caught an unfamiliar scent and he jumped up.

His eyes moved from Sirius, to the two people next to him. Though his memories had faded over the years, the sight of the two people brought it all back.

"Mama?" he whispered. "Papa? You're… alive?"

Sirius watched Remus and his parents embrace each other, feeling happy for the first time in a long time. He was starting his life with Remus, who may return his feelings, and maybe he didn't have the future he planned, but now he had so much more.

...oOo…

"Look!"

Remus looked at the screen that Sirius was pointing at. "What is going on?"

"Just watch."

"Orion Black was charged today with nine counts of child abduction and assault. Some of the charges include allowing animals to attack children, performing horrific experiments on children and imprisonment and slavery."

Sirius muted the television. "He's not getting out of jail, Remus. James did he and a lot of the circus staff were also taken away."

Remus smiled, sitting down next to Sirius. He cuddled against him. "Thank you," he murmured. "Thank you for everything."

"Anything for the man I love," Sirius replied nervously. "I mean, even if I didn't… love you, that is… I'd have helped you no matter what, but I fell —"

"I love you too!"

...oOo...

He lay there, shivering at the cold. His arms wrapped around himself in a bid to keep warm.

"Love, come here." Arms wrapped tightly around him, pulling him close as a heavy duvet was thrown over him. "Stop moving to the edge of the bed," Sirius grumbled. "I told you before, I can't sleep unless I'm holding you."

He smiled at the sound of his lover's voice, content in Sirius' arms. It was still too easy to feel the cold and forget momentarily about his new life, but Sirius would always remind him where he was, who he was, and that he didn't have to suffer anymore.

Maybe one day Remus would be able to feel cold and not have flashbacks. He glanced up, noticing the candle was flickering away behind the glass. The lamp had been too bright for him, but Remus was terrified of the dark. Candlelight was Sirius' idea, happy to have one set up each night to help Remus sleep.

Remus closed his eyes, hoping to fall back asleep immediately. After all, Sirius had promised a trip the library the next day. Both Sirius and Hope were going to teach Remus how to read, something Remus had missed out on growing up in a cage. Hope had also made promises of Remus' favourite chocolate cake from when he was a child.

Remus couldn't imagine anyone being happier than he was. He was on cloud nine, and nothing would ruin his happiness again.

Secure in that knowledge, he wrapped his arms around Sirius tightly. "I love you!"

"I wu yuh," came the sleep-addled reply, causing Remus to laugh lightly, before closing his eyes.

Massive massive thanks to the Wigtown Wanderers team with help and ideas and betaing.

Even bigger thanks to Carmen from the Wigtown Wanderers who has been helping me with my descriptive writing and helped loads with this!

Also: Dina for the title, and Firefly for cheering me on!

Review please :D