Rating of R.

I do not own the characters, JKR does. I simply borrow them.

As a hired hit man, Sirius Black's newest target is a potential danger to the motives of the Death Eaters. The only information that is available to him is an age, gender, location, and the condition of werewolf. Werewolf narrows it down a fair bit, yet that's not going to help him when the location just happens to be an all werewolf school.

Major Alternate Universe alert and mild slash.

Coffee Stains

–

The world was a disoriented, throbbing mess. Sharp flares of light his bloodshot eyes and needles jabbed at his head. Sirius groaned and rolled so that his face was pressed into the back of the couch. Darkness eased the pains and aches slightly. He swore and clutched at his head with both hands, massaging at the temples in an attempt to banish the pain.

"That's not going to do you any good," a voice spoke from somewhere behind him. To Sirius' addled brain, it sounded distant and faint. "Here, drink this."

Firm hands lifted him into a sitting position but he kept his eyes shut in fear of the light. Sirius' arms fell limply and uselessly to his sides as his head was tilted back. Warm, sludge like liquid dripped down his throat.

Silver eyes snapped open in surprised disgust and his hands reached for his mouth. One of the hands at the back of his neck moved to swat his hands away from interfering.

"You've got to drink it all. Maybe next time you'll think before having too much of that stuff."

The hands and foul sludge left him panting and slouched against the couch.

"What...What?" Sirius coughed over and over again, specks of the horrible dark blue, almost black, potion flecked his hands.

"It's a hangover cure. I went out to get it specially for you. I could have just let you deal with it on your own, you know."

Sirius shook his head, vision no longer swimming as the foul taste became fainter and less distinct.

"Thanks...Where am I exactly?" Sirius asked, getting his senses back and putting his guard up.

"Sorry. Name's John Lupin," John introduced himself formally. He kept his hands to himself and did not offer a hand shake.

"Lupin?"

"You teach my son."

"Oh, you're...What happened, if you don't mind me asking?"

John shrugged. "Not much to say, I guess. Remus recognized you in the restaurant and you were a bit...tipsy..."

Sirius snorted. "By the judge of the beginning of that hangover, I'd say it was a bit more than tipsy." He rubbed at his temples again. "Just say drunk, I promise I will not to get offended."

"Well...Seeing how you were a bit out of it, I took you back to my place to rest."

"Oh. Thanks are really in order then."

"Don't mention it. Come sit down a moment, wont you?" John motioned towards the kitchen.

Sirius went ahead to the brightly lit room with John following behind him. He had the feeling as if the older Lupin were cataloging his every movement and action.

"Any coffee?"

"Hm? No. Um, no. I'm fine."

"Anything?"

"No, really I'm fine," Sirius said, standing behind the chair across from John. "I thank you for your hospitality, but I really wouldn't want to intrude anymore."

"You're not intruding," John said firmly with an undertone of demand. "Sit."

Sirius slowly complied and folded his hands on the table top. He was wary, not liking how John was standing behind the chair on the other side of the table while he was forced to sit.

"You teach my son," John repeated calmly, his hands gripping the back of the chair.

Sirius' attention jumped sharply back to the older man.

Perfect time to get the little fucker back.

"I don't think teach is hardly the right word. He doesn't show up for class sometimes and when he does, he does not participate."

Across the table, John sat down but remained silent, as if he were waiting for Sirius to get to the point of his conversation.

Bet you didn't know that, did you? Someone's in trouble now.

"And he doesn't seem to think learning how to defend himself is useful," Sirius continued, leaning forward slightly. "It's extremely important, especially at Stonegate. You don't want his mother crying at an early funeral, do you?"

"Remus' mother died in child birth," John answered quietly, staring Sirius directly in the eye.

Sirius hid his wince well. Shit. Nice going, idiot.

"What I'm trying to tell you is that it's important that he learn how to take better care of himself and defend himself."

"And what I'm trying to tell you is that my son likes you and that you'd better not fuck with him."

Sirius blinked twice in stunned surprise.

"Likes me?" Sirius managed to choke out after a moment. "No, you don't understand. Remus hates me."

John shook his head and sighed.

"He speaks very highly of you. Remus has told me that you are his favorite teacher."

"How can that be when he doesn't even try in my class?" Sirius snorted with disbelief.

"I'll tell you why," John lowered his voice as he leaned across the table. "It's because you care."

Sirius sat in silence for a moment.

"What?"

John sighed again and leaned back in his chair.

"You care that he skips your class. You notice that he skips it. You went after him and dragged him back kicking and screaming. You know he exists. He's been skipping that class for a while now, but you're the only one who cared enough to drag him back and give him a detention for it."

John chuckled softly at the memory of reading Remus' letters. "He was thrilled about that thing. He was so ecstatic that you cared enough to get him in trouble."

"I...don't understand."

"He likes you. Remus admires you. You're the only person at that whole school that cares or at least acknowledges him."

Sirius sat in shocked silence, looking down at his hands and thinking.

"He's never talked about anyone from that school and he doesn't talk about anyone the way he does you."

"I'm not anything to talk about."

John shrugged.

"Remus thinks so. Don't ruin it for him," he said quietly.

"Well, Mr. Lupin," Sirius said uncomfortably, getting to his feet. "I really must thank you again, but I really must be off now. I have other appointments to keep."

Sirius made a hasty and awkward flight down the hall and out of the front door. John heard the door click closed and sighed.

"You'd better not hurt him, Black."

–

It was always depressing. Trading in home for a place like Stonegate the way Remus had to do when he returned from winter holidays. It just didn't seem fair.

Only six more months, Remus thought as he walked across the empty gym. The last six months.

Remus sighed when he reached the back wall, turned and headed for the doors again. He hoped they were done patrolling the west wing by now so he could get to the roof.

There was a faint creak from behind the double doors and the muscles in his shoulders tensed.

The gym was as empty as it had been since three o'clock that afternoon when classes had ended. He relaxed and continued forward, close to the wall.

It was too late by the time he heard the second creak. His head shot up in time to see a figure running fast towards him on silent feet. Remus had just pivoted to change direction when a hot body was on top of him, forcing him against the wall.

"Not fast enough, are you?" The sneering words drifted off of Rob's serpent tongue.

Remus' breath hitched and the arm caught behind his back fumbled for the strap of his backpack. His sweaty palm gripped it hard so that his knuckles paled.

"How was your holiday, Rob?" Remus asked quietly with a neutral voice that betrayed nothing.

"Oh, fantastic. Let me tell you, smart ass," Rob snarled sarcastically.

"Did you do anything?" He asked calmly, mouth on auto drive and mind starting to settle down and contemplate the situation completely.

"Locked away in this prison is what I did. Not all of us have homes to go to."

"You have somewhere to go, Rob. Don't blame meβ€”"

"Nowhere that wants me!" Rob yelled furiously, his sharp teeth clicking together crisply. Remus' eyes narrowed and, behind him, his fingers clenched around the backpack strap.

"So cry me a river, Rob," Remus growled quietly, using all of his weight to violently push the offending body away from him.

He pushed off the wall quickly and swung the backpack from behind his back. It connected sharply with the side of Rob's face.

Rob yelled in surprise as the force of the blow made him stagger backwards. Remus dropped his backpack and ran for the door. He could see three boys clustered around Rob and two right behind him out of the corner of his eye.

They never travel alone.

The floor felt slippery beneath his feet and he knew that whoever was behind him was gaining quickly.

Always in packs. Well, where's your pack, Remus? Was the last thing racing through his mind before he was tackled and lay sprawled on the floor, the door only an arms length away.

Both boys that had been pursuing him where on him even before his vision had a chance to right itself. They dragged him to his feet and pulled him back to Rob. Remus dug his heels in as Rob approached him. He frowned slightly to see that Rob had escaped a broken nose and only suffered a bright red mark on the side of his face that was already swelling.

"That was pretty good, I have to give you an A for effort, Remus. But I'm afraid effort just isn't good enough."

Rob's eyes gleamed and Remus set his own into a hard glare.

"Now..." Rob's eyes left the face of his captive and traveled slowly around the gym. "Let's talk about basketball."

Remus' eyes widened and Rob's smirk deepened. He screamed when the first bit of rope cut into his wrists.

"Shut him up," Rob hissed, ensnaring a hand in Remus' hair and jerking his head back.

Remus' shoulders snapped backwards and he ripped his head away. His eyes were watering and stray stands of his hair where caught in Rob's fist.

The rope slackened momentarily before tightening viciously.

A heavy weight settled over Remus' shoulders and he buckled to the floor on his knees. A hand griped his hair again as he struggled. While one hand held his head back, another pair of hands pried his mouth open.

They screamed and yelled at one another. Through a panic haze, Remus could hear the drag of a zipper. There was a popping sound as a plastic lid was torn completely off of what Remus suspected to be a cheap plastic bottle.

Remus forced his lips together and tried to scuffle backwards and away from those that held him in a vice like grip. A sharp blow caught him hard in the stomach and he doubled over at the waist in pain. His eyes streamed as his head was yanked back once more. This time his mouth was pried and held open even through his struggles.

"What's wrong with your attitude, Lupin?" Rob asked, kneeling down next to Remus and speaking into his ear.

"Little sour, don't you think?"

Remus didn't make a sound and concentrated hard to keep his breathing even and normal. He wished he could wipe away the silent tears that slid down his face and dripped from his jaw line and the tip of his nose.

"I think we need to sweeten you up a bit," Rob nearly purred.

Remus was in bittersweet relief when Rob's voice left his ear and his violent presence left his side. He didn't like the way that Rob spoke, talked to him in particular. But if Rob was talking to him, he wasn't busy hurting him.

Remus squeezed his eyes shut as the bottle of sickly golden honey was waved in front of his face. The first drop stung his tongue, invading with a sticky sweet taste that made him want to gag. The rest followed steadily in thick ropes. It coiled down his throat and Remus lunged forward, throat constricting and dry heaving. He gagged and tried to cough it up, but it did no good.

The honey coated his mouth and stuck to the moist sides of his throat as it slid down. Remus could feel it as it slithered down towards his stomach to settle there like a heavy weight. His throat convulsed violently and constricted in on itself, making breathing a task like no other. Remus struggled for irregular and shallow breaths through his nose.

He was relieved when the last of it pooled in his mouth and the bottle was tossed away. It clattered dully with the wooden floor of the gym. His hands were cut free at the same time and the hands that had been holding him in place left abruptly.

Remus fell forward and caught himself with his hands. On his hands and knees he heaved. The honey surged up his throat and slowly made its way back down to rest uneasily in the pit of his stomach.

Rob kicked him in the side and Remus nearly collapsed to the floor. His body shook with the strength to keep his ground and his eyes stung with tears.

With a sneer, Rob grabbed a fist full of his hair and used it to drag Remus halfway around the gym before he found a spot that seemed well suited to begin his brutal assault.

Sirius turned away as the first punch hit Remus in the jaw. He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and sulked further into the darkness to remain out of sight.

–