Title: Howlin' Good Time—Remus recovers Part 1
Author: brissygirl
Rating: M
Characters: Remus/Sirius, Harry/Draco, OMC
Beta: hereticalvision and book7brokemybrain
Warnings: angst, fluff
Summary: Remus starts to recover from heartache and his most painful transformation to date. But can Sirius be trusted not to fuck things up again?
Word Count: ~3300
Disclaimer: All characters belong to JK Rowling and associates. I'm just having fun.
A/N: This is dedicated to one of the most awesome puppy-shippers around and the woman who introduced me to this pairing remuslives23. This won't make sense if you haven't read the previous parts; follows directly after The Aftermath Part 2. See Author's notes on Part one for an explanation of the difference between Remus and Moony. I wrote this while I was without internet for two weeks and was bored out of my mind. I hope you enjoy it!
Howlin' Good Time—Remus recovers
Remus enjoyed a few minutes' peace without someone fussing over him, while Sirius ran a bath. It had been an exhausting forty-eight hours filled with heartache, wilful self harm and the most painful transformation he'd experienced in his life. If he hadn't stumbled across Ifan's house during his mindless wandering, who knows where he would be now….
He hadn't endured a transformation without Wolfsbane in fifteen years, and he had forgotten just how painful they were. It would take days for Remus to be able to do much more than sit up in bed, let alone walk. He only made it through the front door of his home, because Ifan and Harry were practically carrying him. Judging from the bandages covering his injuries, Moony had really worked himself over last night.
Remus had several broken ribs; most of his torso was blackened with bruises. His throat was scratchy and sore—he must have spent half the night howling. There were extensive bite wounds on his arms and legs where Moony had tried to gnaw them off because of the pain caused by his bones snapping and reshaping themselves. Remus' entire body felt like it had endured being stretched on some medieval rack, spasming with cramps and then set on fire. Ifan and Harry had done their best to heal most of his injuries with their basic knowledge of healing spells, but they could only do so much.
Footsteps approached from the direction of the bathroom. The bath was ready. A long soak in a hot bath with muscle relaxants sounded heavenly to Remus and his poor aching body. He hoped Sirius remembered the herbs to speed the healing of the open wounds on his arms and legs.
Sirius walked into the living room, smelling of herbs and potions. His lover's face was creased with worry and he looked so much like he did when he had first escaped Azkaban—old and haunted. As Sirius reached the couch where Remus lay, swathed in blankets he softly said, "Your bath is ready. Would you like me to help you up and into the bathroom, or would you rather me fetch one of your walking sticks?"
"Moony put me through the wringer last night. I doubt I'll be able to stand let alone anything else."
Sirius helped Remus into a sitting position and gave him a moment or two, to recover from the pain and catch his breath, before attempting to stand. "I had Harry get a Muggle wheelchair from St Mungo's, before he came over earlier. Would you like me to get that rather than you trying to walk and hurting yourself more?"
"I think that would be wise, yes."
Sirius walked towards the kitchen to get the wheelchair. Remus' head felt like it was being cleaved in two. He closed his eyes, hoping it would ease his stomach enough for it to stop feeling like it was enduring rough seas and wanting to lose its contents all over everything. Post-transformation migraines were the one of the worst parts of going without Wolfsbane. How could I be so stupid?
You were heartsick for your self-obsessed mate, and wouldn't take the potion, Ifan's voice replied to Remus' silent question.
Remus had his rules for a reason. He'd never be able to forgive himself if something happened to someone important to him. Sirius missed a significant part of his youth and tried to make up for it by being reckless and foolhardy now, often to the detriment of others. Remus knew his life wouldn't be the same without his long-time friend and mate, but he also knew he needed to start doing what was best for him instead of going along with whatever Sirius said and did.
Remus could hear Sirius returning with the wheelchair and smell the dust and hospital disinfectant. The odd combination of potions and herbs that surrounded Sirius; accompanied his footsteps and made Remus' stomach lurch and his over-sensitive nose burn.
A light touch to his shoulder told Remus that Sirius was ready when he was. Remus gathered what little strength he had, and willed his stomach contents to stay where they were. He opened his eyes and saw that the wheelchair was angled towards the couch, between the stool that held his now cold cup of tea and Sirius. Sirius helped Remus into the chair and put his feet up onto the foot rests and wheeled him to the bathroom where a heavenly smelling hot bath awaited him.
The morning sun shone through a crack in the living room curtains, causing Remus to jerk awake from the pounding in his head it caused. His still-aching body started to spasm, making him cry out in pain.
Sirius' thundering footsteps on the stairs weren't helping matters.
"Must you run down the stairs like a herd of rampaging Hippogriffs? I still have a migraine." Remus croaked in his sleep-rough voice.
"Sorry. I heard you yell out and came to see what was wrong," Sirius replied.
Remus thought he looked like he'd been playing catch and kiss with a Dementor. His skin had a greyish tinge to it and with the dark circles gave the impression that he had two black eyes. Two nights in a row with very little sleep was taking its toll on him.
"I'm fine. The sun shining woke me and made my migraine worse." Remus was panting slightly when he finished speaking. This was the second morning after his transformation and he still felt like he had been run over several times, by who knew what. After a long soak in the bath the previous night, Remus settled himself on the couch and spent the night in the living room since he wouldn't be able to make it up the stairs to their bedroom.
The couch was a little uncomfortable to sleep on, but it was better than the alternative of collapsing in pain and injuring himself further trying to get to the stairs.
"Do you want me to conjure an extra blind to help block out the sun, so you can go back to sleep?
"No, but a headache potion would be wonderful, even if they do taste like sweaty armpits."
Sirius barked a laugh, which made Remus cringe.
"Right, one headache potion coming right up."
Remus could smell someone approaching the house, and wondered who on earth would be calling on them when it was barely dawn. "You'd better answer the door first," Remus said.
"Who on earth would be here at this time of day?" Sirius asked as he glanced at the clock on the mantel. It was five thirty.
"It's probably Harry and Draco. Harry mentioned something yesterday about he and Draco going to breakfast together after work this morning. Either that or Ifan is here to check up on me. I can't distinguish the scent enough to tell."
Sirius went to answer the door, and Remus prayed that it wasn't Ifan. His aching head couldn't take a shouting match between his mate and mentor this morning. Or one with Draco for that matter. He'd want to tear strips off Sirius as well for being a thoughtless fool. Confrontation of any kind was not conducive to Remus' recovery.
Remus heard the front door open, bringing with it early morning smells of dew, flowers, grass and a brewing thunderstorm. Footsteps approached and Remus could now distinguish the scent of their visitors. It was Harry and Draco, and they had coffee and pastries.
A soft thud and a yelp of, "Oi, what was that for?" from Sirius told Remus that Draco had just smacked his cousin around the head. He couldn't help the small grin that lit up his face. Sirius deserved much more than that.
"You know exactly what that was for. Mother always said you were a headstrong fool, and you continually to prove her right time and again. When will you learn?" Draco's sarcastic drawl, reached Remus' ears before Sirius made it to the couch Remus was lying on.
"He never does, Draco. He never does," Remus said.
"Indeed."
"Hey! What is this? Gang up on Sirius day?" Sirius exclaimed.
Remus cringed, "Keep your voice down, and get the headache potion you promised before our guests arrived." Remus closed his eyes, attempting to ease the throbbing.
"Hello boys, how are you this morning?" Remus croaked, his throat still raw.
"We're fine. We are more concerned about you though. How are you feeling? You still sound dreadful," Harry said.
Harry and Draco were no longer boys. They were young men, but he would always see them as the teenagers he had once taught, no matter how old they got. They had grown into fine highly respected Wizards. Draco had finally got out from under his father's influence and become a Healer at St Mungo's. Harry had become an Auror which worried Remus and Sirius, every time he was on long field assignments. They knew he was an accomplished Wizard and Auror, who had captured some of the most dangerous fugitives that Witches and Wizards three times his age had never been able to apprehend.
The one-time rivals had met at St Mungo's about two and a half years ago when Harry had been injured, and Draco was his Healer. There was conflict at first when Harry refused treatment from Draco. That was until he saw how Draco interacted with a Muggle child who had been on the receiving end of someone's idea of a prank gone terribly wrong. When Harry was released, he asked Draco to join him for a drink after work one Friday night. That first Friday night had led to many more, and before anyone knew what was happening they'd moved in together. The rest as they say is history.
"You don't look much better either," Draco commented.
Sirius returned with the phial of headache potion, and handed it to Remus, who downed it in one grimacing at the foul taste. Sirius was scowling at his godson and cousin, clearly indicating his displeasure at having guests this early in the morning, and Draco hitting him for his foolishness.
"Don't look at me like that. If you actually thought about someone besides yourself, then you wouldn't have ignored your mate's wishes, and be in this mess." Draco said.
"You are one to talk cousin," Sirius spat.
Harry and Remus both groaned knowing where this conversation was headed. Thankfully Harry had the sense to stop it before it started. "Enough! Yes, we all know Draco made some bad choices when he was younger. We've all made decisions we regretted later. Deal with it, Sirius, and move on. I will not have you bad-mouthing Draco, just as I won't have him doing the same to you."
"Well said, Harry. Now, I smelt fresh coffee and pastries when you came in. Let's have breakfast," Remus said.
Harry and Draco stayed for two hours before heading home for some much needed sleep. Draco had examined Remus from head to toe and given him some extra potions and herbs to help speed the healing process, for which Remus was grateful.
The headache potion Sirius had given him had eased his migraine enough for him to be able to get some more sleep. Remus slept until just past noon when his stomach woke him up demanding to be filled with something tasty.
Sirius was sitting in Remus' favourite armchair reading. It was old and tattered, with the stuffing coming out of the ends of the arm and head rests, where Padfoot had gnawed on it trying to get Remus' attention. The fabric was once a vibrant green; now it was so faded that it looked pink. Apart from Ifan's favourite chair at his house, it was the most comfortable chair Remus had ever sat in. He dreaded the day it would finally fall apart.
Another audible grumble from Remus' stomach made Sirius look up from his book and smile. It was sad, but it was a smile, and Remus returned it tentatively.
"Sirius, is there any stew left from yesterday?"
"There should be, I'll check. Did you want bread as well?"
"That would be nice, yes, thank you."
Remus sat up on the couch as best he could and adjusted his pillows while Sirius prepared the leftovers for lunch. The potions and herbs that Draco left were starting to work. Remus wasn't in as much pain, though he was still quite sore. The ache in his bones had dulled considerably, and his muscles had stopped cramping and spasming. Hopefully with only one more day's rest he should be able to try walking again.
He wasn't as young as he used to be, so he would have to take it slow. But he was optimistic about making a full recovery. When he was better able to get around, he would have to go and thank Ifan for his hospitality. Although knowing his mentor as he did, Remus wouldn't be surprised if he saw quite a bit of the elder werewolf over the next few days. He didn't trust Sirius to take care of him properly, especially after the other day.
The smell of the leftover Irish stew and homemade bread was making Remus' mouth water. He hadn't eaten anything substantial for several days; coffee and a fresh baked pastries for breakfast that morning was the closest he'd come to a full meal since before he left three days ago. He'd only picked at the food Sirius had made yesterday, too emotional and hardly able to move. Suddenly he felt ravenous.
As if on cue, the fire roared to life with bright green flames, and out stepped Ifan Blaidd. He was dressed in an old flannel shirt, that had holes of varying sizes all over it; knee-length cargo shorts, and a walking stick in his right hand. For someone thirty years Remus' senior, he certainly didn't look like he'd lived through two wars or been through a painful werewolf transformation each month.
"Get out of my house Longtooth!" Sirius called from the entryway between the kitchen and living room.
"Go and chase your tail Mutt. I'm here to see your mate, not you. Besides it's Remus' house too."
"Please don't start fighting. My migraine has finally stopped making me feel like someone is trying to crack my skull open. I'd like it to stay that way," Remus pleaded.
"You are looking much better than you were yesterday, Pup. Your eyes are brighter and you're getting some colour back in your cheeks. It seems the Mongrel you call your mate has actually been doing something right for once."
"I'm warning you old man. I will not be insulted in my own house," Sirius growled.
Ifan laughed.
Sirius dropped the food he was carrying and lunged at the elder werewolf, knocking him to the ground with a loud thud and the clatter of Ifan's walking stick falling to the floor. Remus' head felt like it was going to explode from the noise his lover and mentor were making. His heart broke for the second time, in three short days.
"STOP IT! BOTH OF YOU STOP!" Remus shouted, his voice cracking with emotion and strain in the process.
The two brawling men paid no attention to him, so he went to their last resort in emergencies—calling Harry and Draco. Remus was adept at wandless magic, and conjured a message ball. It was similar to a Patronus, except you didn't need happy thoughts to conjure it. You just thought of the message you wanted to send and said the incantation. A small ball of light appeared at the end of your wand, with an image and your message inside.
Remus' message said: "Help! Sirius attacked Ifan. Come quickly." The image in the message ball was of Sirius and Ifan on the floor, trying to land punches anywhere they could.
Within seconds of the message being sent, there were two loud cracks of Apparition, followed by two simultaneous cries of, "Stupefy!"
Draco ran over to Remus, and asked, "Remus, are you all right?"
Physically, Remus was fine, apart from a racing heart and ringing in his ears. Both would pass, with time. But his elevated blood pressure would take longer to settle, he really didn't need this extra stress.
"I really thought he would make an effort this time. Obviously, I was wrong."
"What the hell happened? Who attacked who?" Harry asked, assessing the prone bodies of Ifan and Sirius.
"It doesn't matter, Sirius will never change." Remus' throat was hoarse again, and he sounded defeated. Like he just realised that his life would never be the same after this week.
Harry and Draco shared a meaningful look over the top of Remus' head, but he was too miserable to try and decipher what they were silently saying to each other.
"Remus, you're coming home with us," Draco announced.
"What?" Remus asked, distractedly.
"I said, you are coming home with us. You're supposed to be recovering from your transformation and the self-mutilation Moony inflicted, not dealing with grown men who have the mentality of children. You need a calm environment, not one filled with stress and conflict. Besides, it will do Sirius good to realise just how royally he's fucked up this time."
"It's not open for discussion, Remus. A few days of peace and quiet with a world class Healer at your beck and call will do you the world of good," Harry interjected.
Remus stared, dumbfounded at his two former students.
"Harry, why don't you go and pack some clothes for Remus, and I'll prepare him for the trip to our place. I'll write a note for Ifan and Sirius, letting them know we have him. You can release the spell as we leave."
Harry nodded and ran over to the staircase leading to the master bedroom, taking the stairs two at a time. Draco knelt down and started rummaging in a small brown dragonhide briefcase full of potion phials and other medical supplies. He pulled two different potions, one bright blue in colour, the other an orangey pink, out of the briefcase and handed them to Remus.
"Drink the orange one first, it's a pain potion. Then drink the blue, it's a strengthening potion. You're still weak, so I don't want to take any chances with making your condition worse with travel. We'll get you settled in the guest room, then I'll give you a quick examination and a mild sedative; you should sleep through until dinner."
Remus drank the potions as instructed, retching at the foul taste. He then told Draco that he was fine and didn't want to be sedated. He'd slept all morning and only just woken up as it was.
Harry returned carrying an overnight bag and one of Remus' walking sticks. The overnight bag was practically overflowing with clothes, the clasp at the top barely closed and said, "Let's go."
TBC
A/N: There will be at least one more instalment in this series, but I have no idea when that will be. Thanks for being so patient and hanging with me and I hope you enjoyed reading. :)
