Author's Note: And at last I have decided to write my own, its a shame nobody has read it. At the moment... it's a bit rubbish actually but I'm looking forward to the next chapter [or in retrospect, the third chapter] which is going to be a kind of anti-erised. I just need to get there. I also need people to review this, please.
I know stories are supposed to start with a bang, well this one starts with exhaustion and broken dreams. Later on new dreams will be made because I believe these two need to be together before the end.

James had Lily, Peter had dark promises of glory and Remus and Sirius?
They have each other.

*

And then suddenly appeared before me
The only one my arms will ever hold
I heard somebody whisper please adore me
~ Blue Moon, Lorenz Hart

The words on the page in front of him had long since ceased to be words; instead long mottled serpents pulsed across the book's surface. He blinked tiredly and the snakes slid grudgingly back into separate letters. The clock on the table next to him chimed delicately and Remus Lupin squinted at its face.

It was late he realised with surprise, or rather it was very early. The clock pinged again, announcing the arrival of two o'clock. He glanced back down at the book; it still lay open on page twelve, where he had opened it three hours ago. He allowed himself a short haggard sigh and replaced the bookmark. He was too tired for this. Too tired for anything, a nasty little voice at the back of his mind commented. Lupin shook his head slightly, abandoned the book on the sofa and managed to make it to his bed before he collapsed, still fully clad, into its sheets.

*

A loud howling awoke him several hours later. Instantly his hands flew to his face. It was human. He lay in the dark a moment longer, trying to calm the short frantic breathing. Full moon was not till tomorrow night, he reminded himself belatedly. The howl continued: a long, anguished, unbroken moan. Shivering slightly he forced himself to his feet and stumbled uncertainly to the door. It took him some time to undo the layers of protective spells and the three muggle locks that kept him isolated within the house but eventually the door swung open.

"You'd better come in Sirius."

Rubbing weary eyes Remus smiled slightly as the familiar black shape moved past him into the living room and started placing the spells back up. By the time the door was fully locked and bolted Padfoot had transformed and fallen asleep, spread-eagled across his sofa, his breathing shallow but steady.

So there's at least one person in this world who's more exhausted than you.

He fetched the blankets from his own room and arranged them around Sirius' lean form. The book he had been reading earlier was now face down on the floor where his friend had obviously pushed it hurriedly out of the way. Remus collected it and moved back into one of his least favourite armchairs. There he smoothed the pages lovingly back down and flipped back to page twelve: the Patronus Charm. He smiled gently, yawned and put the book back on the floor, drawing his legs into the seat and hugging them tightly. Sirius' face softened as he slept, gradually becoming the young man who could do everything if you let him and Remus Lupin, curled up in his uncomfortable chair, relaxed for the first time in years, gradually falling asleep, the image of Padfoot burned upon his lids.

*

Phoenix fire flamed behind his eyes and grudgingly Remus awoke to the murky amber haze of morning. He moved his hand to scratch his nose and discovered to his surprise the sheets folded carefully around him. His gaze flickered uncertainly to the patched sofa across the other side of the dingy room. It was empty. Sirius had apparently figured out how to work the television and was sitting cross-legged about a foot in front of it.

Remus raised himself up slightly, glanced disinterestedly at the screen, relaxed and shut his eyes again and tried to go back to sleep.

"I know you're awake," Sirius grunted from the front of the room. Remus grinned and stuck his tongue out at his friend's back. "I can see your reflection on the screen."

"So?" the other retorted lazily. "It's my house, I can sleep in if I like."

There was silence then "you didn't ask why I'm here."

"I assumed you'd tell me eventually."

Sirius didn't turn from the flickering screen with its bad quality picture. "I was sent by Dumbledore."
Oh.
Of course.
"Last night was the final challenge in the triwizard tournament and Harry reached the cup first with another boy."

"So he won?"

"He won."

"That's good isn't it?"Remus untangled himself from his bedclothes and moved to sit beside the other. "What aren't you telling me?"

"The cup was a portkey. It took him to a graveyard," Sirius continued, his voice taught and dead, "Lord Voldemort was waiting for him."

He's returned at last then. Padfoot continued to stare at the television and the brightly coloured characters capering around beneath the screen. "Sirius!" The other's head turned. "Is Harry alright?" Remus demanded.

Sirius nodded. "The other boy was not so lucky but Harry escaped alive. I've been scouring the country rounding up the remaining members of the Order since midnight." He smiled coldly and turned to face the werewolf so Remus could see the hint of madness that burnt beneath the chocolate depths. "Its amazing how little you get told when you're a wanted criminal. How many of our friends died while I was stuck in Azkaban?"

"Padfoot I- " He tried to lay a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder but Sirius flinched away.

"Don't touch me," he hissed.

"I'm sorry," Remus whispered and rose to his feet.

"I almost lost the only person who means anything to me last night. Can you please just leave me alone for a while?"

"Yes of course," Remus murmured, moving stiffly into the kitchen. "Of course."