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Part Two
II

Alphard Black was a very brave, brash man. He was the brother of Walburga and Cygnus Black, was a young man of only thirty one, and was very handsome. More handsome than Cygnus ever would be, he thought firmly.

He had three nieces and two nephews, yet, had no children.

As a pureblood belonging to one of the Sacred Twenty Eight families, he was expected to marry, yet with no love of his life, Alphard had not settled down. All he had to live for were his nephews and nieces, the considerable stack of gold in his vault and providing refuge and security for those who needed it. Especially family.

Ted Tonks did not know but Andromeda, glorious Andy, had "borrowed" well over a thousand galleons from Alphard. He called it a wedding gift, she called it a loan. The very idea of loaning money to his niece offended him but he knew that having to resort to "borrowing" money from her uncle offended Andromeda, and her peace of mind mattered more to Alphard than his own.

He was about to run a hand through his hair but restrained himself. Walburga hated when he looked scruffy. As he approached the slowly-blooming House of Black, he flicked his hand and a few metres away, the knocker of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, fluttered like a hummingbird's wings as it beat rapidly on the door for a few beats. He hopped up the steps and was on the last step precisely as the door flew open.

It was Kreacher, ever the piteous elf. Alphard stepped into the house without a word and gave the elf his coat.

'Good afternoon Master Alphard,' the house-elf stuttered, bowing so low its abnormally large nose almost touched the ground. 'Mistress Black is in the drawing room, Master Alphard.'

Alphard nodded curtly and made his way to his sister. The house looked the exact same; a few portraits of family members pinned up. When he entered the drawing room, the first thing he noticed was, on the mantle place, above the roaring fire, was a family portrait of his sister, her husband and his two nephews. Walburga was motionless in the portrait, whilst Sirius and Regulus were grinning and giggling. Orion was actually smiling which was a nice change too.

'Divine portrait Wally,' said Alphard as he cast chilling grey eyes on his sister with a quirk of his eyebrow. 'Is it new?'

'Yes. About a fortnight old. I'm glad you like it. Orion does not.' She stood up and smiled at Alphard; honest and wide. Leaning over, her lips softly grazed his cheek. 'You look well.' She told him, running her eyes over his body just as a different elf entered the room with a tray.

He placed it on the table and poured Walburga and Alphard some tea before scurrying off.

Alphard sat down and huffed. 'Where are my nephews then?'

She smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Then, out of nowhere, a voice exploded out of her, much too big for such a slight woman. 'KREACHER! HAUGHTY!'

Within seconds the two house-elves were scurrying into the drawing room, desperate it seemed to fall on their knees before Walburga first. 'Yes Mistress,' they chanted.

'Get my sons from their rooms please and tell them that Alphard is here. Stay up there when you tell them and pack Sirius's belongings please.'

'Yes Mistress,' and then they were gone just as quick.

She had a smug smile on her face, as if it was only her elves that served their masters so diligently. 'So, brother,' she said as she sipped her tea delicately. 'What plans do you have for Sirius?'

Alphard shrugged. 'I was thinking of taking him to the Black Château for a bit possibly. Just general pampering and spoiling. He is after all the heir to the Black dynasty.' That seemed to do the trick nicely, for Walburga was nodding eagerly with each of her shimmering teeth on display.

'Yes, I completely agree. The Black Château is too beautiful to not visit as well, let us not forget. I personally think its location is delightful...' she continued speaking and her brother nodded patiently and hummed along with her until Sirius and Regulus arrived.

They both grinned at him and bowed their heads in respect. 'Hello uncle,' they said in unison. 'It's lovely to see you.' Sirius added with a strangely uncharacteristic half-smirk. It must have been the Hogwarts rebellion bursting through.

'And it's lovely to see the both of you as well. How have you been?'

'Very stressed,' Sirius said with a huff as he sat down beside his uncle. 'I'm entering my third year soon and I don't have a clue what subjects I'm going to be choosing. Whilst I'm interested in Care of Magical Creatures, I also really want to do Ancient Runes-'

'And you are doing Ancient Runes, Sirius.' Walburga said firmly. 'Care of Magical Creatures is for Mudbloods and is a waste of a subject.'

Sirius rolled his eyes only for his uncle to see and they shared a surreptitious grin. 'Yes mother.'

'And how are you Regulus?' asked Alphard, gentle smile on his face.

'Very good thanks. I'm excited to start Hogwarts. From all the stories Sirius has told me, it will be the best time of my life.'

His brother nodded and ruffled his hair with a condescending nod. 'It really will be. There are so many professors, so many students-'

'And so many opportunities in the Slytherin House, which he will positively get in to.' Walburga said with an airy laugh. That shut them up.

When subdued, idle chatter resumed, it was more restrained, until the elves came down to declare that Sirius's trunk was packed and he and Alphard were ready to leave. 'I'm just going to run upstairs and check that they haven't left anything I need.' Sirius said softly.

His uncle nodded as he stood up. 'I'll be waiting here for you.' Sirius bounced off and the youngest brother followed after, feet tottering in his haste.

Walburga rose a delicate eyebrow as she inspected her younger brother when they were given privacy; so desperately craved and sought after.

'So, brother,' she began with a gentle raise of her eyebrows. 'Any clandestine, forbidden romances I shouldn't know about?'

Alphard grinned at her and shrugged. 'You still read the garbage they publish about me in the Witches Weekly? You know none of it is to be taken seriously … Wally.' He added the nickname as an afterthought, more so to irritate her than anything.

Her eyes bulged a little as she laughed half-heartedly. Then she whacked her brother with an impeccably clean, silk handkerchief and tilted her head to the side. 'Oh Ally, what am I going to do with you?'

Uttered like a snide comment but with underlying patronisation coating each spoken word, Walburga was a master at subtlety.

'What is her name then?'

'What are their names, do you mean?' He tossed his head back and laughed.

'Stop being so crass,' his sister replied shortly with narrowed eyes.

'No, I'm only joking. You have heard of Amelia Greengrass, I am sure. We were together for a few months but … eh, decided to put things at rest.' Alphard drained his tea in one gulp. 'Also,' he said in an even quieter voice. 'She is only twenty two. I feel too old-'

'And you're not getting any younger,' snapped Walburga. She sipped from her teacup and pursed her lips. 'You need to settle down Alphard. It is really unbecoming of you.'

Just as the last word left between her two lips, Haughty and Kreacher appeared with her two sons following behind. 'Masters Sirius and Regulus, Madam Black.'

She didn't even spare the attentive elves a glance, instead satisfying herself with the way her eldest son looked as he stepped over to stand in her full view. 'Come here Sirius.'

Her eldest son remained delightfully respectful but Walburga knew her son; the raise of his artfully sculpted eyebrows, the extra-pointedness of his nose all crafted for the image of rebellion and nonchalance. She almost expected him to shrug his shoulders but luckily, he restrained and instead, just bowed his head as he walked towards his mother.

Walburga looked him up and down before she smiled softly. 'Well done son. You look good enough.'

'Enough?' He asked back after a moment of pondering whether the confrontation was worth it. Sirius decided it was. 'Enough, mother? I have outgrown at least eighty percent of my dress robes. This is the nicest one I could find on such short notice.'

'And I am commending you on it. I'm just not sure if I would have picked this colour for your skin. It makes you more blushed and rouge than usual.' Walburga touched the supple plum-purple silken dress robe and rose an eyebrow.

He fastened his eyes on her and when crystal grey met identical pools of glittering glass, Sirius bowed his head once more and replied lightly, 'Yes mother. I understand.'

She had won the argument and he let her win it, knowing that if he was bothered to disagree or argue back any longer he would get embarrassed by her and might not l even be allowed to go.

'Sirius, are you ready?' his uncle asked with a warm smile.

'Yes uncle,' the young boy replied. Then he turned to his mother and beamed. 'Thank you very much mother for letting me stay with uncle.'

'You're welcome.' She said tersely as she waved a hand and assembled herself a second cup of tea. 'Have you brought along all your work? We can't have you falling behind just for a few weeks with your uncle.' Her heir nodded. 'And are you bringing along your ridiculous-' she hissed the word, 'owl?'

Alphard laughed before his nephew could answer. 'Ridiculous owl? What has it done to you Walburga?'

'He named her the most horrendous name and she won't answer to anything else. Furthermore, she's tiny and fluffy and really is barely an owl-'

'She's faster than any of the owls we have mother.'

'But not stronger.' Walburga said as she narrowed her eyes. 'I would much rather an owl that could deliver whole parcels than one which can deliver parts of the parcel really quickly.'

Her son relented again. 'Yes mother. I am bringing along Lottie.'

'Good. Well, I shall see you in exactly a month. Enjoy your time in France.'

Alphard wrapped one arm around his nephew and conjured all of Sirius's luggage so it was before them. True to his word he was bringing alongside his trunk of possessions, a tiny cage, inhabited by the smallest, fluffiest owl Alphard had ever seen. He grinned widely. It was as if his nephew knew precisely how to annoy Walburga and went out of his way to do just that.

'Bye Reg,' said Sirius with a small wave.

'Have fun-'

'Hold on to my hand tightly,' said Alphard and without another word, the pair of Blacks Disapparated from the drawing room, Sirius's trunk and cage disappearing with them.

It was silent in the drawing room for just a moment before Walburga cleared her throat and said to her son, 'Practise your penmanship in your room.'

'Yes mother.'

Regulus hurried out of the room.

xo

Alphard's home was very large. He lived on Marylebone Road, in a handsome home much too large for him but in such a desirable place that it hardly mattered how large and expensive it was. Alphard and his nephew were in one of the spare rooms that Sirius would be staying in, which overlooked the busy, most important thoroughfare in London.

Alphard opened the window and peered out of it, inspecting the oblivious Muggles hurrying down streets and the weird contraptions known as cars (and a bus in the distance) jammed in traffic on the busy road.

'I was just wondering uncle,' said Sirius as he pulled off his dress robe to reveal a grey pair of slacks and a rebellious red and gold t-shirt.

'Yes?'

Sirius unravelled the ribbon wrapped around his hand and tied his hair up. 'Mother will wonder when I come back from "France" that I'm much too pale.'

Alphard nodded. 'You're right. Don't worry though, I have it all planned. I hope to spend this week and the wedding in London and go to France straight after. You'll have to be golden before you dare to go home. Knowing Wally, she'll inspect your skin almost as much as she inspects each word you utter about the trip.'

Sirius laughed gleefully and nodded, curls exploding out with each movement. Sirius regularly had his hair natural as of late; preferring to not bother with the application of Sleekeazy's Hair Straightening Potion on a daily basis. 'She hates when you call her that you know.'

Alphard winked impishly. 'That's why I call her it.' He waved his wand at Sirius's trunk and within seconds his nephew's possessions were flying about the room looking for places to stay: the dress robes flew into the wardrobe and arranged themselves in order of colour, his shoes slotted themselves into drawers according to material and so on.

'Oh no uncle, I want all of parchment, quills, inkwells and envelops to stay on the writing desk please.' Alphard waved his hand and the letter-writing materials heeded Sirius's instructions.

'Have you spoken to your friends?'

Sirius nodded as untied the laces of his tight loafers. 'James and Remus are coming tomorrow and Peter is coming the day after them.' As if conjured, Celeste, Remus's family owl, swooped through the open window elegantly and perched herself patiently on the writing desk. 'Oh, it's a letter from Moony,' beamed Sirius. He hurried over to Celeste and stroked her golden white plumage. She hooted and nudged his hand with her head affectionately.

'Moony?' Alphard asked with a barely restrained chuckle. He said it again, testing the strange name. 'Moony. Who is Moony?'

'Oh, right, Moony is Remus. It's his nickname. We all have nicknames.'

'And what's yours?'

Sirius grinned widely. 'We haven't come up with one for me yet. James's nickname is Prongs and Peter's is Wormytail though their nicknames are still being trialled, Peter doesn't think his one sounds very nice-'

'How about Wormtail?' Alphard asked with a quirk of his arched eyebrows.

'Wormtail,' repeated Sirius. Then he beamed. 'I like the sound of that. It's-'

'Smoother,' finished Alphard. He ruffled his nephew's hair and cocked his head at the unopened letter still fastened to Celeste's leg. 'I'll let you get back to your unpacking and corresponding.'

'Thanks uncle.' The door shut softly behind the tall man.

Sirius sat at the writing desk and picked up the letter from Remus. Celeste had flown over to the other side of the room to inspect the cage that sat on top of the trunk, the cage that was inhabited by a round ball of fluff. He opened the letter, leaned back into his seat and started to read.

Dear Sirius,

Blimey, we haven't spoken in forever, or so it seems.

I hope you've had a splendid summer so far. I certainly have! We went to Wales last weekend to visit some family and I met cousins that I never even knew I had. It was pretty nice but I only realised then just how moderate and English-ised my mum's Welsh accent has become over the years. I could hardly understand half of what was said to me! My mother would be so ashamed if I told her. It's very beautiful in Wales too, which threw me off guard. I don't know why but I have always imagined farmers and sheep whenever Wales comes to mind.

I think what I'm most excited for is your cousin's wedding though. I've never been to a wizarding wedding and it just seems like it will be so fascinating. Will there be flying dragons and dancing banshees? If so then I'm even more excited. I still have some fireworks from that prank in May. Should I bring them? We could make the wedding into something even more spectacular...

Merlin Sirius, I feel so mischief-deprived. I have Mischief Deprivation Disorder! MDD! We should prank the others as soon as we have a chance to conspire.

James and I will be meeting tomorrow morning at roughly noon so be sure to send us the Floo coordinates before then. I can't wait to see you, I've missed you so much Paw-face.

Do you like that nickname? I think it suits you perfectly.

Remus

Sirius's cheeks coloured a little at the affectionate letter, and the term of endearment at the end. Unless "Paw-face" could not be classified as such. But irrespective of whether it was a term of endearment or not, the letter made Sirius ache for his friends in such a painful way, he felt terribly lonely.

He missed James's obsessive Quidditch talk, Peter's self-doubt and stupid questions, and Remus's calm intellect and very soft lips.

Sirius pulled out a fresh roll of parchment, opened the lid to his inkwell and dipped his extraordinarily long blue quill into it.

Dear Moony (or Remus if you still refuse to answer to your nickname),

I miss you very much too! You're right, we haven't spoken in forever. I am pretty sure I have forgotten what you, James and Peter look like.

Sirius soon grew so absorbed into the letter, he did not even notice when after finishing a foot-long scroll, he had to reopen the drawer to get out some more parchment.

xo

Remus sat with his mother and father in the cute, cosy living room in his house. On the table were breakfast refreshments, newspapers and magazines. The television was switched onto BBC News and whilst the volume was considerably low, even lower in the background was one of Celestina Warbeck's songs on the Wizarding Wireless Network.

'Oh, I like this song,' sung Hope as she went over to turn the music up. It was one of his mother's favourite "wizard" songs; a Warbeck classic, called 'A Cauldron Full of Hot, Strong Love'. She started to dance and sing along to the song, her long hair flying behind her.

'I've got a cauldron full of hot, strong love
And it's bubbling for you!
Say Incendio, but that spell's not hot
As my special witch's brew!'

Her eyes fastened on her son and she started smiling deviously at him.

'No, no, no, no,' rushed Remus, pushing his mother's hands away from him with a chuckle. 'Ask dad-'

'I want you to dance and sing with me,' her hands fastened around his and he let her drag him up without much restraint. Remus was now at least an inch taller than his mother, tall enough that her lips could never reach his forehead.

He felt so much bigger, like his mother was now tiny compared to him; with his long dense limbs, his bigger hands, growing body parts. Remus laughed and danced with his mother, one hand on her petite waist and the other clasped in hers.

'I've got a cauldron full of hot, strong love
That's about to be unfurled,' she hummed in his ear.
'Got a flavour that beats anything
You'll find in the Muggle world-'

Remus's mother was interrupted by his laughing father. 'Aren't you going to stick up for Muggles?'

Hope glared at her husband in mock-anger and shook her head dismissively. 'No actually. I agree with what she's saying-'

They heard the doorbell go off and Remus's head jerked up. James was here, he thought with a silent squeal of happiness. It went off again.

'Mum, they're here.'

Hope squeezed her son infinitesimally tighter, barely for a moment, before she released him and turned to her husband. The doorbell was going off every other second now. 'Lyall,' she began and he got up with a groan.

'Yes dear?'

Hope grinned at him and beckoned for him to step closer to her. 'Put on a big smile,' she said as she smoothed his hair, 'be polite,' and as her son raced out of the room to get the door, Hope murmured in a much more soft and gentle voice, 'and don't embarrass him Lyall.'

Her husband shrugged his shoulders and dropped an eyelid in a sly, surreptitious wink before he quickly stole a kiss. Then the room was suddenly filled with four extra people. Lyall's hand tightened on his wife's waist as he turned to greet his son's friend and parents.

'Good morning Mr and Mrs Potter,' began Lyall as he reached out to take Charlus and Dorea's hands in a polite handshake.

'Hello Mr Lupin, I apologise for the abuse your doorbell suffered at the hands of my son! He's incorrigible-'

'It's called curiosity mum,' protested James but he was hushed.

'My name is Dorea and this is my husband Charlus-'

Whilst the parents introduced one another, James and Remus exchanged grins as they filled their glasses with pumpkin juice and butterbeer.

'Remus, it's lovely to see you again,' said Dorea as she made her way over to him. He smiled and was suddenly engulfed, all too quickly perhaps, in soft arms and lavender-scented perfume. Remus smiled almost imperceptibly as he returned the brief hug.

'It seems like you're almost a foot taller than my mother,' commented James as he chewed on the end of a Sugar Quill. 'I feel like you just keep getting taller and taller. Who knows, you might end up being the tallest of all us Marauders,' said James with a cheerful wink.

Remus shrugged. 'Sirius is still taller than me.'

It was James's turn to shrug his shoulders. 'True. But anyway, I am so excited Remus! This wedding is going to be amazing!'

Their eyes met and lit up with glee. 'James,' interrupted Hope. 'Help yourself to more refreshments.'

'Thank you,' he said and without a moment's hesitation, his hand was in the bowl of Chocolate Frogs and he was pouring himself some more butterbeer simultaneously. Hope laughed.

The boys chatted idly for a few minutes about how their holidays had been so far when Remus told James about the severe case of MDD (Mischief Deprivation Disorder) James laughed so hard that tears sprung into his eyes before he shrugged. 'We could always just have a little fun at the wedding.'

'We could.'

'So … what fireworks have you brought along?' asked James.

Remus laughed. 'How did you know?'

'Great minds think alike-?' it was a question rather than an answer.

'Did Sirius tell you about it?'

'Oh alright,' the bespectacled Marauder relented as he attempted to mess up his hair, something that was resolutely habitual, when a hand swooped out to tidy his deliberately ruffled locks. 'Mum!' James moaned, moving away from her and shaking his head.

'I don't understand why you mess up your hair James. It just looks ridiculous.'

'Okay mum,' he said with a soft shake of his head, her words clearly falling on deaf ears. 'So Remus,' he lowered his voice. 'What kind of fireworks did you bring?'

'Just the few I have from that prank a few months ago. I have the dragon firework-'

'Ooh, we could have that as the masterpiece at the end-' James was interrupted by his father's hand falling onto his shoulder. 'Yes dad?'

'I think we should get going.' Charlus murmured. He pointed at the clock. It was already almost half past ten. 'Have you got the Floo coordinates Remus?'

'Yes,' he said, pulling out the most recent letter from Sirius, buried in his pocket. He handed it to Charlus and watched the older man, hair identical to James in its messiness, scan the sheet of paper with large blue eyes behind glasses. 'Thanks,' he said, handing it back. With a wave of his wand, all of the packed luggage that belonged to both James and Remus, scattered around the room, levitated to the centre.

'Have loads of fun Remus,' said Lyall, leaning forward for a hug from his son and ruffling his hair. 'And send your mother and I letters. I know how you forget when you're with your friends-'

James's laugh interrupted them and he said with a small smile, 'Sorry about that sir. I'll make sure he sends you letters daily!'

Hope took her son's hand and pulled him into a hug where she nuzzled his neck and kissed his cheek. 'I love you baby.' She said it so quietly, James's interactions and mutual goodbyes with his parents drowned out what she said so only Remus could hear it.

'Love you too mum.' Then Remus kissed her cheek and squeezed her once more.

When they broke apart, Remus tried not to catch James's eye. He merely smiled widely at his father and nodded when Charlus asked if they were ready.

He was ready. He missed Sirius too much to not be ready.

xo

'They're going to be here any minute uncle,' cried Sirius. 'Get the house-elves to put out refreshments-'

'They have Sirius,' Alphard responded lightly, smoothing his blue robes.

'And have the furnished the two spare bedrooms?' he asked tirelessly.

His uncle shook his head in amusement. 'Yes Sirius.'

'And what about-'

'Calm down,' his uncle said in a deep voice. He beckoned Sirius forward and pushed his nephew so he fell back onto the large sofa before the spitting fireplace. 'Relax Sirius. Everything has been done, checked over and checked again.'

The young teenager huffed. 'I just want everything to be perfect. They've never seen me in a … home setting before I guess.'

'Well everything will be perfect-'

Alphard was interrupted by the golden flames of the fireplace changing to green, and a person popping out. It was Remus caked in soot. He barely had time to brace himself before James appeared behind him, also grey with soot from the fireplace and with a lens missing from his lopsided glasses. He bumped into the blond boy and sent them both flying to the ground.

'Merlin guys,' laughed Sirius as he hurried over and pulled them both up. 'Uncle?' the grey-eyed boy said, pointing at both his friends. In an instant, the soot was gone and they were clean and grinning up at him.

'Sirius!' said James with a shoulder-slap. 'Good to see you!'

'Good to see you too Prongs. Hey Moony!'

Remus's golden brown eyes narrowed. 'Hello Paw-face-'

'That's atrocious,' laughed James. Then all three boys looked up from their otherwise divinely poignant and touching reunion when Alphard cleared his voice.

'Good morning boys,' the tall man said in a low voice with a handsome smile.

James was the first to respond out of the two and walked over to shake Alphard's hand. 'My name is James Potter sir.'

'My name is Alphard.' Then he turned to the blond boy with pink cheeks. 'And you are...?'

'Remus Lupin.'

If Alphard recognised the name, which Sirius could tell he had, his uncle did not say anything other than, 'It's a pleasure to meet you both.'

Sirius grinned widely and clapped his hands together. 'Right, we have lots to get up to. I have refreshments for us to eat, games for us to play and a few brooms for us to fly-'

'Awesome,' squealed James. He winked at Sirius and they laughed together.

Then Sirius turned to look at Remus; shy Remus, reserved Remus, delightfully-mischievous Remus and broke into an even wider smile. Their eyes met, and when golden fire was met with cool silvery grey, like an eclipse, darkness took and shook the two boys, barely for a moment before Sirius looked away to answer his uncle's question; like the moon retreating after a failed battle against the blazing sun.

'Lunch, did you say? We'll take it in my room uncle.'

The rest of the day was packed with events: such as flying, swimming in the magically constructed swimming pool in Alphard's garden, eating "top-notch grub" as James called it and talking around the fireplace when they were stuffed.

Alphard had left an hour before, telling the boys to behave and jokingly adding, 'But not at the expense of your fun'.

'You'll definitely get on the team Prongs,' said Remus on the other side of the sofa from James. 'It's your year.'

James was nodding to himself reassuringly. 'Exactly. I have to be on the team.'

'Betty,' called Sirius as he stretched out on the other plush leather sofa, lithe limbs appearing even longer. He raised his voice when, after two seconds of waiting, he got no reply. 'Betty?' The elf hurried into the room and threw herself on the floor before her master.

'Master Sirius, Betty is very sorry. Can Betty get Master Sirius anything?'

'Make me and my friends the best hot chocolates you and Brittle can.'

The elf nodded fast and said in a squeak, 'Betty and Brittle will make the best hot chocolates for Master Sirius and guests Master Potter and Master Lupin.'

'Good,' he said to dismiss her. Then Betty was gone and Sirius was left with his friends in the large drawing room. He turned to look at Remus who was still watching after the elf, or rather, where the elf had disappeared. 'What's wrong?' he asked softly, recognising the glazed look in Remus's eye.

'Do you reckon that elves know they're treated like second-class citizens? Not even citizens at all?' when no one answered, he continued. 'Do you think that maybe they even know when people are being rude to them? Or are they so used to it that it's natural for them. Welcomed.'

Sirius shook his head. 'Elves don't know that. They think that this is the way it's meant to be.'

'You talk like you're not sure what it is meant to be-' murmured the blond boy as he ate the last of his Chocolate Frog.

'I know what is meant to be, both at home and in the pureblood world in general. House-elves are below us, they live to serve-' he was interrupted by two elves hurrying into the room with a large tray levitating above their large heads.

On the tray was a teapot, three empty mugs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and to top it off, several long chocolate flakes. Sirius stared at Remus whilst the elves hurriedly assembled the mugs of hot chocolate. He was biting his lip and concentrating really hard on the elves. Then he did the most unexpected thing: he spoke to one of the elves and it was not a command.

'Bettie, is it?'

The elf looked up but did not meet Remus's eye. Her head was bowed and she was trembling.

'Don't be shy,' he breathed so softly, it was heart-melting. He was so gentle sometimes that Sirius forgot he was a werewolf.

The elf was trembling even harder and when Remus uttered her name once more, Bettie dropped the mug she held in surprise at how kind and patient his voice was.

'No,' shouted Sirius, lurching out of his chair despite the futility of such an action. The delicate china mug shattered into millions of little pieces and the brown hot chocolate spread, like an infection, across the thick, heavy and very expensive cream rug.

Bettie let out a quiver and threw herself at Sirius's feet, grasping at the fringes of his robes and kissing the hems. 'Betty is so sorry Master Sirius.' Then she grabbed one of the empty mugs from the tray and started hammering her head with it.

'What, stop-' Remus cried in alarm. The house-elf did not heed the order though and carried on letting out agonised screams as the mug left bruises and blood behind in its wake. 'Please stop it! Please!' he was screaming now as the handle of the mug broke off with how vigorously Betty beat herself.

He turned his desperation to Sirius. 'Please!'

Sirius grabbed the mug from her and rose, pulling the elf up with him. Whilst Betty did not protest, as he was her master, the behaviour was so unusual that it was imperative that she ask why he stopped her. 'Why is Master Sirius not letting Betty punish herself?'

He paused, cast another fleeting glance at a frowning James and sickly-pale Remus. Then Sirius said in a mouse-like whisper, 'Because you are punishing yourself in front of my guests. Get out.'

Betty hurried away and Brittle was left to clean up the mess and make a new hot chocolate. When all three boys had their mugs clasped in their hands and the hot chocolate stain was gone without a trace, a heavy cloud hung over them.

James spoke first to Remus.

'Moony?'

There was silence so James pressed again, his voice demanding for answer. 'Moony?'

'Yes.' It was said stonily. Did it hurt for Remus to engage in conversation? Did he not want to speak?

Breathe?

'You need to understand that…' he hesitated, 'er … that even though house-elves are no different to us really, they are raised for their whole lives to believe that they are inferior to us. They're … they're conditioned into a world where they are "scum" and we are their "masters".'

Then Remus mumbled but it was so inaudible, James acquiesced that he would have to ask Remus to repeat himself. The blond ran a hand through tousled golden locks and shrugged. 'Why does it have to be that way?'

Sirius answered for James, who did not know what to say, if there was in fact anything he could say.

'Because that's the way it is.'

Conversation meandered, albeit awkwardly, onto different topics until the boys grew too sleepy for lazy, idle chatter and retired to their separate rooms.

xo

The door to Remus's room opened ever so quietly so as not to wake James down the hall. Sirius snuck into the room, more adept than a thief in the night.

The windows were open, sending a pleasant draft into the room. It was silent outside too, though perhaps that was down to Alphard's brilliant spell casting more so than Marylebone Road being silent; as if that was ever possible.

Sirius crawled onto the large, comfortable bed with fragrant bedclothes and silken sheets. He lay down beside Remus and looked at the other boy. The moon was a waning gibbous which meant that whilst Remus was not fully recovered, he looked better than he had done a few days ago.

The dark-haired teenager ran his fingers over Remus's cheek, a smile painting itself across his face as Remus subconsciously turned in his sleep so he was laid out before Sirius.

Only, when their eyes met, he realised that Remus was not asleep, not even a little asleep. His eyes were glassy and there were tear tracks, all the more noticeable in dim moonlight, marking his cheeks with their journey over supple skin.

'Moony,' Sirius breathed.

'I never knew something like that could happen-' but he was silenced when Sirius kissed his cheek and wrapped his arms around him. He rolled on top of Remus and anchored himself even tighter to the other teenager's body.

'It's not your fault-'

'But it is.'

'Moony,' protested Sirius but he was cut off again.

'It is my fault Sirius! I disorientated her. When was the last time she was spoken to so kindly?'

The dark-haired teenager did not even attempt to lie. 'She never has. But it's not your fault that that happened. It's society's fault, never yours.' Then Sirius pecked his lips quickly and muttered, 'Never yours.'

'I barely heard you coming in here,' Remus said.

Sirius ducked his head and nuzzled Remus's chin. 'Maybe you were so absorbed in what had happened that you weren't paying attention?' he suggested.

Remus shook his head. 'I think your feet are even more padded than ever before. Padded-feet.'

'Pad-feet?' sighed Sirius against the blond's neck, kissing the soft smooth skin he found there.

'Padfoot?' gasped Remus.

Sirius rose above him and stared down before he nodded with a creeping smile covering his face as each second ticked by. 'Padfoot. I like it.'

Then they kissed some more; not venturing past pecks, nips, tongues caressing and sighs panted into one another's ears.

'I missed you ... so much...'

Sorry for the slow update! Please review :)