Chapter 2: The Message.

Lupin hurried into the ally at the far side of the square. 'Finally! a chance to do something!' Lupin slipped out of sight, then quietly took off the invisibility cloak. 'He knew where he had to go. '

He clutched again at the small slip of parchment in his pocket, keeping a tight hold of it, as he apperated silently out of the alleyway. 'He couldn't afford to lose it! Not now… Not when he was so close…'

Lupin felt himself reappear in a small building, lined with stone walls. It was underground, and had a damp, must air about it. Somehow he didn't mind.

Lupin turned, sensing someone in the room, behind him. He growled slightly, more of a welcome than a threat. "You told me to bring this to you directly." Lupin said, pulling out the piece of parchment folded in his pocket.

"I did. And for good reason, as you know, we can't afford to be found, not at this stage of the game. I suppose Dumbledore sent you?"

"In a sense. I'm supposed to be in that alleyway near Headquarters, but I thought I'd come and deliver this first. Dumbledore would want to make sure you know where to go. The meeting starts at Ten, next Tuesday, after the full moon."

"Of course. I will be there." said the voice belonging to his associate. Lupin handed over the slip of parchment.

"This should tell you all you need to know. Just make sure you burn it afterwards."

"Of course, we wouldn't want this falling into the wrong hands, now would we?" Lupin nodded, and left, disaperating back to the ally.

His associate opened the slip of parchment. On it, written in a neat, curly writing, were the words; 'The Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix can be found at Number 12 Grimauld Place, London.'

Lupin returned to the ally, and remained there for the rest of the day, at which time, both he and Sirius reported that nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

By dinner time, Lupin noticed Sirius shooting significant glances in his direction, and grinned back at him. This earned him a longing glance from Sirius, and a reproving smirk from Molly, who happened to be watching.

All through dinner Sirius tried, once again, to engage Harry in conversation, and Lupin shook his head, sadly. 'You're really getting nowhere Sirius.' He thought, as Harry merely grabbed another potato.

So far Sirius had tried everything. He'd tried being nice, asking what was wrong, and insisting that Harry tell him. He had even tried shouting the house down, on which occasion the whole of Grimauld Place could hear them, and Snape had stalked out of the living room, where he had been hiding, and had told them to shut up. Of course, all this had done was cause Sirius to start yelling at Snape, who had consequently tried to hex him.

Lupin thought it would have turned into a fully fledged duel, had Dumbledore not stepped in before it could go any further. Lupin had spent that entire night telling Sirius not to listen to a word Snape said, and informing him that it didn't matter, as Snape was probably going to get killed anyway.

Sirius' mood had brightened considerably after this statement, and he even found time to stay awake a little longer with Lupin, while everyone else was in bed.

As one of the only times they ever really got to be alone together, Sirius and Lupin normally went to bed a little earlier than everyone else, and tonight was no exception. "Right. well, I don't know about you lot, but I'm tired." Sirius said, with a perfectly feasible yawn. "Night everyone."

"G'nite" Everyone chorused together, all grinning at each other, or sharing knowing looks across the table. Lupin got up to join him.

"Yeah. Y'know, I think I'll call it a night too." he said, and followed Sirius out the door, and upstairs to their shared bedroom.

Both knew that everyone was well aware of their relationship, and had accepted it for what it was. It had taken a while for them to get used to the idea, but after a time it had settled.

Since then, it had become quite common to find the two of them hiding somewhere in a closet, or behind a statue, or wherever else they could find. But no-one seemed to mind much. Well, no-one except Snape. ' i But, /i ' as Lupin reminded himself, 'Snape was no more than a bug on the windscreen, and would therefore be dealt with accordingly.

Sirius closed the door the door behind them, and pulled off his shirt, before flopping down on the bed. "Finally. You know, I thought that day would never end! Honestly!"

Lupin snorted into the bedclothes as he lay down next to him. " You complain too much Padfoot." he said, lightly.

"Aww Shuddup! I do not!?" Lupin grinned.

"Yeah you do. And you're impatient." Sirius pouted.

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Shuddup!"

Lupin grinned, and shoved him out of bed. Sirius hit the floor with a thunk.

"Ouch! Oi! What'd you do that for!?"

"Because I can."

Sirius grinned evilly. "Yeah? Can you still do it now?" he asked, jumping back onto the bed and landing on Lupin.

"Ouch! Geroff!" he cried, trying to shove him off again. "No fair!"

Sirius grinned. "Seems fair to me." he said, before kissing Lupin again, and tuning the light out.