A Gift of Nostalgia
Sinister Spiders
24th of December 1979
Remus pulled his cloak tighter around him as he passed through Grimmauld Square. The ominous darkness of the night was obscured by veil of delicate white snowflakes and illuminated by evenly spaced streetlights. The frosted grass beneath his feet crunched as he made his way across the run-down square and he shivered as the cold bite of the winter weather seeped deep into his bones. He looked up at the looming wall of dilapidated houses as he crept across the square and then peered around furtively, hoping to avoid being the subject of malicious onlookers.
The gate gave a piercing squeal as he pushed it open and he froze as if he were a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming lorry. Another look around confirmed that the street was still, thankfully, empty. A few steps later and he was standing in front of the door to number twelve Grimmauld place. He looked back at the path he had just taken and was immensely pleased to see that the snow had covered his footsteps. With any luck no one would know he had been here. He let out a breath of relief that fogged up the air in front of his face before he turned and put his hand on the door knob; now for the hard part.
One thing that Remus loved about pureblood families was that they never saw fit to lock their front doors. Even in dangerous times like these. All of the half-blood families, like his, were painfully aware that the time it took to cast alohamora could well mean the difference between life and death. But the Blacks were so confident, so sure of themselves, that they never bothered to use the locks that their doors were fitted with.
Remus pushed the door open slowly and peered inside. The hall was pitch black beyond the doorway, only illuminated by the streetlights behind him. He brushed the thin layer of snowflakes off his cloak and stepped beyond the threshold and into the Black family home. He slowly shut the door and was surrounded by a heavy blackness. He closed his eyes for a few moment and took a deep breath before opening them again. He blinked a few more times and his eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness.
Four steps forward, one to the left, and two more forward to avoid the-
"INVADERS!" A shrill cry pierced through the stillness of the house as Remus tripped over umbrella and it came crashing to the ground, waking the portrait of Walburga. "DIRTY FILTHY INVADERS! CURSE THIS DARKNESS- IF I FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE I WILL…" He swore under his breath as he threw caution to the wind, dashed to his left and took the stairs two at a time.
The cries and curses of the portrait of his best friend's mother faded as he ascended higher into the house. When he reached the fourth floor he slowed down so he could creep towards his destination. His breath was coming in fast, ragged, puffs as the exertion of racing up the stairs caught up with him and he had to make a conscious effort to control his panting. Just as he was about to pass the door to Sirius's room it flew wide open and he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist.
"Got ya!" A familiar voice hissed as he was pulled into the bedroom. He cursed angrily and struggled free of the restraining arms, angry at himself for failing- he was so close to where he had to go. So damned close. He turned to face his captor and let out a gasp of surprise.
"Regulus?" He whispered, his tawny eyebrows creeping up his forehead "I thought for a second that you were Siruis!" Regulus crossed his arms and smirked with the haughty grace that came so easily to the Black boys.
"I hope you know that I take that as an insult." Regulus responded, his deep voice teasing. Remus watched as his best friend's brother took his wand from the pocket of his dressing gown. "Lumos." Regulus hissed and the bright light that sprung to life at the tip of his wand made Remus shield his eyes and yelp in pain. After the darkness of the house the spell hurt his eyes. After a few moments he pulled his hands away and found that he was face to face with Regulus. The younger man standing barely an inch away from him.
"I don't know why you would. There is nothing wrong with Sirius." Remus responded as he took in the chiseled features of his assailant. He looked a great deal like his older brother. They had the same colouring and natural good looks, but Regulus was slightly shorter than Sirius, and thinner as well.
"Well, as usual, I beg to differ." Regulus said flippantly making Remus roll his eyes.
"What do you want with me?" Remus asked exasperatedly, not willing to play word games at this time of night, or in this house. "And what in Merlin's name are you doing in your brother's room?" Regulus laughed and Remus's heart skipped a beat at the sound.
"Did you not get my owl?" Regulus questioned, grey eyes twinkling.
"Of course I did." Remus snapped "Why else would I be here?"
"Why so tetchy, Remus?"
"You know ruddy well why!" He said before taking a deep calming breath. The effects of his reckless sprint up the stairs were starting to lessen and his breathing was almost back to normal.
"Because I called you away from the wonderful Marauder's Christmas Eve Party?" Regulus said bitterly, with an angry flash in his eyes, "Tell me Remus- how drunk are they? How long have they been dancing and casting firework charms?... How many hours have you spent longingly gazing at my foolish brother?"
And just like that Remus understood what this was all about.
"Regulus." He whispered, looking into those familiar silver orbs "Please don't make me go through this again." He reached out to touch the younger man's face, but Regulus pulled away angrily before he had a chance to make contact.
"I have seen the way you look at him." Regulus said. Remus closed his eyes.
"We are friends, nothing more…" He responded, repeating that phrase for the millionth time. He sighed and walked over to the bed before sinking onto it.
"But if- all of a sudden- he noticed you, would you still be able to say that?" Regulus asked and Remus sighed loudly.
"Yes, Regulus, I would. You know that for a fact, I don't know how many times I have to go through this with you." He watched as Regulus took a step towards him. "Now what is this all about? You know that I can't be caught here like this." His voice was soft but filled with regret. Both young men knew very well what would happen if they were discovered. The cost would be far too great.
"Can I not just want to spend time with you?" Regulus asked, he crossed the room swiftly and fell to his knees before Remus. "It is Christmas eve, Rem, I wanted to see you." Remus couldn't help but smile as those words filled him with warmth. "I've missed you." Regulus whispered, voice barely audible, as he leant closer to Remus. Their lips met, hot and eager, and Remus let out a groan. But Regulus pulled away far too soon leaving the air between them crackling with pent up desire.
"I got you something." Regulus whispered, his lips moving tantalizingly close to Remus's.
"What?" Remus asked, heart thudding, as the quick change in the nature of their interaction left him dizzy.
"I got you something." Regulus repeated slowly "For Christmas."
"Really?" Remus asked, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion. In the entire two years that they had secretly been seeing each other they had never felt the need for gifts. Theirs was not a conventional relationship by any means, so they had both - by unspoken consensus- avoided traditions that other couples were bound by. Traditions that could be dangerous for them. "Why?" For a moment, Regulus's silvery gray eyes flashed the color of thunder clouds in the sweltering heat of summer.
"Just because." He responded, his voice filled with false carelessness, a shining veneer that Remus knew hid something darker. An ulterior motive. Regulus's hand closed around his own and gave it a squeeze. "I'll be back in a moment." Before Remus had a chance to ask where he was going Regulus fled from the room, bare feet making no noice as they hit the worn-down floor boards.
In the minute that it took Regulus to return Remus couldn't help but wonder why they were still in Sirius's room. It was madness. If Sirius decided to leave the Christmas Eve party early they would be caught in an undeniably guilty position. The door opened and shut again and pulled Remus from his musings.
"Why are we in Sirius's room?" He asked Regulus, but Regulus just shrugged and shoved a wrapped parcel in his lap. Remus would have asked again, but the weight of the present on his lap distracted him. Even though he had never wanted nor needed presents from Regulus he found himself eager to see what was beyond the plain brown paper wrappings. The corner of his mouth tilted up into a smile as he tore the paper away to reveal the treasure beyond.
The Transfiguatory Truimphs of Myrddin Wyllt
Remus traced the letters of the golden embossed title with his index finger, his other hand carefully stroking the worn leather of the cover. A wave of nostalgia hit him, hard, as his mind floated back to the day when he first saw this book.
Remus and Regulus both approached the counter at Hogwarts library, their strides matching each other's for length, as they raced to be the first to get Madam Pince's attention. The young, handsome, witch smiled as she watched their silent competition ready to chastise either one if they dared to run in her domain. Remus reached the desk a split second for Regulus did, but when the younger boy gave him a scathing look with piercing grey eyes that were all too familiar Remus stood back and let him go first. Regulus handed a piece of parchment over to the green-clad librarian.
"The Transfiguatory Triumps of Myrddin Wyllt?" She had asked with one eyebrow raised in interest. Remus' mouth dropped open.
"Hey-" He cried out angrily, thrusting his parchment towards the librarian. She took it and gave an ungraceful snort of laughter as she read the title of the book he needed.
"Well," She said as she surveyed them with clear amusement "It seems we have a problem. You both need the same book. As this is a very old and very rare book, this library only has one copy in holdings." Remus and Regulus glared at each other in a silent rivalry. Both inherently antagonistic of the other based on the polar opposite opinions they held about the person that connected them together.
"My transfiguration paper is due tomorrow." Remus said quickly to Madam Pince.
"My history of magic essay is due tomorrow as well." Regulus countered.
"I'm older." Remus snapped back, this time directly to Regulus.
"Well I am far more handsome." Regulus said ignoring Remus and appealing directly to the librarian with a dashing smile.
In the end Madam Pince had told them that they should not have left their assignments until the last minute, and because of their poor organisational skills, they would have to share the boko. It worked well for all of the first five minutes. After that their snide comments and loaded glares grew considerably nastier and neither one was able or willing to stop the escalating feud. As soon as their voices became raised the librarian threw them both from the library, their angry words echoing down through the stone halls. In the midst of their heated debate Regulus had smirked and, in a deadly whisper, told Remus that he noticed the way that he looked at Sirius. Before Remus had a chance to respond he was pushed up against the wall and his lips were captured in a burning hot kiss.
"I didn't get anything for you." Remus broke free of his memory and looked into Regulus's deep silver eyes. A wicked grin spread across Regulus's face.
"Well, I was hoping I could make a request." Regulus said slowly. "Do you think you can do something for me? Something special?" Remus's heart raced, brown and silver eyes watched with barely restrained anticipation as Regulus's deft fingers freed the first, then second, then third button of Remus's shirt.
"Anything." Remus breathed looking up and into Regulus's eyes.
"I want you. For tonight. For all of tonight." Regulus murmured, his voice turning husky with desire.
"It's dangerous..." Remus said, knowing that he should argue the point more, but the feeling of his growing erection turned caution into a mere afterthought.
"No body will know, you can sneak out just after dawn." Regulus said as he slipped his hand under Remus's shirt and traced soft circle on his chest.
"Should we go to your room?" Remus asked, suddenly keenly aware that he was on his best friend's bed.
"That will be the first place anyone looks for me. This room, however, will be the last."
"But Sirius..."
"Sirius is probably completely drunk and already asleep at Lily and James's house. Even if he isn't he has made it clear that he has no interest in spending Christmas with his family this year." Regulus said. "So- am I going to get my Christmas present or not?"
This time Remus was more than happy to oblige.
A/N: Written for the "Dirty Santa" competition issued by Taragh McCarthy.