I'm soooo sorry for not having updated this in a looooooong while. I was (am) quite busy with work and various ideas keep popping up into my head every so often, which resulted in me working on three fics at the same time (shameless plug: 'Control Issues' and 'Saving You').

In any case, here's the next chapter. I hope this would be worthy enough of your time to garner some reviews :)

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Remus looked utterly despondent.

Sirius would have described him as 'mopey' if the situation wasn't as serious as it was right now. No, Sirius wasn't stupid; he knew what had happened, as did every other Order member. In all honesty, he could've danced a jig when Tonks told him last week about Remus and Severus's little episode out in the foyer a little over two weeks ago, but he wasn't entirely too pleased with the outcome himself.

These last two weeks, Remus had not come over at all even for something as simple as 'to hang out'. Sirius meant it when he said he would be glad if he were in Remus's life even for something as simple as being just friends, but right now he wasn't even given that opportunity. He supposed he should understand; he had just broken up with his long-time lover after all. But as the realization of the situation dawned on the animagus more and more, he was soon desperately craving for every chance he got to subtly woo his husband into his arms again.

Sirius had never been so glad for an Order meeting in his life as it helped him gain the chance to talk to Remus once again. But the werewolf looked so utterly miserable as he sat across the ex-convict and a noticeably fair distance away from his ex-lover, his eyes staring down into his folded hands, that Sirius doubted his actions of pouncing on his fragile heart.

Hours were spent in the study and Sirius soon found his legs and backside aching as Dumbledore finally announced a close to their meeting. It was an arduous one, seeing as the first Triwizard task was nearly upon them and they had to strategize as to how to protect Harry. Sirius could barely care less. Not because he didn't care for Harry, God, no. But only because he would, once again, play no part in the activities they had planned. Such was the curse of being an convict on the run. Instead, he focused all his attention on coming up with his own strategies to win back the werewolf's heart.

Amongst the slight confusion of people shuffling out of the room, Sirius caught sight of Remus hesitantly following Severus toward the back of the house where there were less people. He followed them as well, intent on staying hidden.

"Sev" his love's voice called out. He heard Severus stop walking and he sneaked a peek. Severus turned to Remus, a scowl upon his lips and pain in his eyes.

"'Snape', Lupin. 'Snape' to you" he corrected coldly. Remus winced but pressed on, daring a step toward the potions master.

"You haven't even given me a chance..." he murmured helplessly.

"To what, Remus? To explain? To beg? To what?!" Remus visibly steeled himself and gathered all the hypothetical Gryffindor courage he possessed before stalking forward and pulling Severus toward him. In contrast to his action, the kiss he bestowed on Severus's lips was tender and gentle and he tried to convey as much love in it as he possessed for the Hogwarts professor. Sirius was faintly surprised to see Severus responding but all his doubts that Remus and Severus getting back together were destroyed when Severus stroked Remus's cheek and said, "Was that to show me you love me or to confirm that you do not?" Remus did not reply. "I have dealt with matters of the heart before and I shall do so again. Do not worry too much about me, it is yourself would should worry about. Did I not teach you that you should rely on no one else but yourself?"

"Severus, please" Remus whispered. Severus kissed him, much too tenderly, much too lovingly in Sirius's opinion.

"Take care of yourself, Remus" he said before passing him to head toward the front of the house. As he turned the corner, Severus stopped in front of Sirius. They stood silent for a moment as they listened to Remus open and shut the back door to apparate home. Tension filled the space around them as they mentally debated on how to acknowledge each other. Finally, Severus broke the silence with a harsh whisper. "I may just about have given up all the claim I may have on him, but I would be damned if I ever find him as broken up as he was back then. If you hurt him, I will hunt you down and carve every inch of skin off your body with a rusty bread knife. And believe me, Black, I will love every second of it."

"I'll make him happier than you ever did" Sirius snarled in response but Severus started walking.

"I expect you to" was the last thing Sirius heard from Severus before the potions master disappeared from his view. Calming down immensely, Sirius frowned and stared in the direction Severus had gone. That was the strangest encounter he had ever had with his mortal enemy, even after years and years of pranking. It was almost... touching. They had certainly come a long way from Hogwarts. Sure, the hatred they harbored for one another was still there, ever present, but they had clearly grown up.

Shaking himself out of his reverie, he realized he had forgotten the real reason he followed Remus. He hadn't been able to tell his ex-lover that he wanted the werewolf to use the cellar this full moon. He had spent the longest time working on it, even reluctantly enlisting the help of Tonks. Being cooped up in Azkaban ensured that he wasn't as well-versed with spells as he should have been and reading only took him so far. However, when they had finished setting up the spells just last night, even Tonks, who barely knew Remus, was convinced that he would love it.

The animagus silently debated how to get word to Remus. Oh sure, an owl would be the easiest way, but Remus could just as easily decline. No, Sirius wanted to do this personally. He peered back into the house and, making sure that no one was in need of him, he pulled open the back door, stepped out of the house and immediately apparated to Remus's kitchen to avoid possible exposure.

A sound of broken china tinkling on the floor drew his attention to the stunned werewolf.

"Sirius!" Remus exclaimed, running to the windows to shut the curtains. After he had done so, he whirled around to Sirius. "What are you doing here?!"

"You were avoiding me" Sirius stated plainly, crossing his arms over his chest. Remus looked away, worrying his lower lip in a way that had Sirius visibly restraining himself from grabbing the werewolf and 'worrying' his lip for him.

"I... I had to deal with some... things" the werewolf murmured softly. All Sirius wanted to do was to hold his lover and kiss him till he forgot all of his troubles. Knowing that he shouldn't, though, he simply replied:

"You said that we could still remain friends, but we aren't even that right now. Friends talk to each other, spend time with each other. Not avoid each other like one of them had, I don't know, fleas or something." That drew a small smile from Remus and Sirius gave a mental whoop of joy. "Even then, said friend should tell his friend if fleas were,in fact,the reason he was avoiding him."

"They might be" Remus replied, his smile widening just a little bit further. Sirius dared take the few steps toward him to punch him lightly on the shoulder.

"Prick" he grinned, leaning back against the kitchen counter beside his best friend. "You still won't talk to me about him?"

"I had a feeling you knew about it..." Remus mumbled before sighing, "Sirius, I--" But Sirius held up a hand to cut him off.

"Moony, the whole Order knows about it. You weren't exactly being subtle about it, you know" he pointed out wryly, "If you really don't want to talk about it with me, that's fine, but please don't shut me out. I want to be a part of your life and I want you to be a part of mine, or what's left of my life anyway."

"I'm sorry..." Remus responded, giving no explanation of any sort.

"I want you to come to my house for the full moon" Sirius said, turning to him. Remus looked up in surprise. "I've set up the cellar where we can transform." He caught sight of Remus's unsure look and added, "Don't worry. I'm not being careless; I've already prepped the place. It's probably as good as, if not better, than the place you've got right now."

"You don't even know where I transform. How do you know your place is better?" Sirius grinned widely.

"Because I'm there." He took advantage of Remus's look of incredulity to snatch a kiss and apparate back to the doorstep of Grimmauld Place and dart inside. He grinned once more as he leaned back against the door, picturing Remus's surprised look.

Soon, soon he told himself with a happy sigh.

*****

Reviews please? It'll help speed up the process of updating :D (Blackmail? I think not. Just giving you incentive to review :P)