Remus lay down on his bed. First he tried lying on his back, but the mattress felt hard and lumpy. He twisted onto his right side, but now he could see the wall, and he hadn't seen the wall on his right side in a long time. So he turned onto his left and saw the empty bed, which was worse than the wall. He turned onto his back again. The last time he was in this bed Sirius had been on the right side of him. Sirius' arms had been around Remus and his head had rested on Sirius' chest listening to the steady heartbeat. Sirius had been snoring. What he wouldn't give to hear that annoying sound right then, to hear that half snore, half bark that happened when Sirius had drank too much and was out for the count. He looked at the potion in his hands that Dumbledore had given him, it was a sleeping draught. He supposed he needed that the most right now, there was no way he was sleeping without it. He threw the lot down his neck. It was sweet and acrid, the two tastes dancing in the back of his throat, like a cough drop that had been left to go out of date. He curled up on the other pillow and closed his eyes smelling the earthy scent of Sirius.

Sirius' fingers stroked the side of Remus' face; Sirius's thumb ran along Remus' lip. Remus resisted the urge to bite the thumb.

'Where are you Sirius?' Remus asked. Sirius kissed Remus' neck with soft butterfly kisses. Remus wanted to close his eyes and just feel the mouth against him. He was warm and delirious; he could smell marshmallows and cupcakes.

'You know where I am Moony,' Sirius replied. 'My moony.' He continued kissing Remus' neck.

'Are you safe?' Remus asked. 'Have they hurt you.'

'I'm here aren't I?'

'I'm dreaming. You're not here. You're with them. They have you.'

'Stop worrying Moony. You're always worrying.' Sirius had one hand in Remus' hair while the other ran up and down his back.

'Why did you go?' Remus half sobbed. 'Why would you go back to them after all this?'

'I thought my family could be useful for once and I'd be able to save you Moony.'

'But - '

'Stop talking Moony, you're ruining it.'

Remus stopped talking and let dream Sirius love him. Sirius kissed his collar bone, his jawline, his lips. Remus' hand crept under Sirius' shirt and he felt the warm skin beneath his finger tips. Sirius was pulling Remus' shirt off and he let him. Sirius was kissing his ribs his chest, there wasn't an inch of him that Sirius wasn't loving with his tiny kisses. Remus felt hot liquid run down his cheeks.

Sirius had failed several times to smash the window and break down the door, his old room was in pieces from where he'd smashed things apart to make things to break other things, but his stupid mother must have realised what he'd do because the doors and windows were spelled to be unbreakable. Or at least that is what his shattered remains of a room concluded.

'Kreacher!' Sirius yelled kicking the door some more because he could. The grumpy house elf appeared behind him.

'Yes,' he sneered.

'Why is my mother keeping me here?' Sirius asked turning to face the elf. Kreacher's lip curled in away that reminded him of Snape, 'I do not know Mistresses plans. And I would not share with them with a filthy mudblood lover.'

'You're the scum of the earth, did you know that?' Sirius said. 'I am still a Black and you still have to answer to me!'

Kreacher looked like he'd consider murdering Sirius. Sirius would relish the fight, he needed somewhere for all the pent up energy buzzing under his skin to go.

'Tell me how to get out of this room,' Sirius demanded.

'It's impossible. Everything is charmed so you will remain in here.'

'Get me my wand,' Sirius ordered.

'Kreacher does not know where your wand is. Mistress hid it from you and from me. She knew you would ask me.' Sirius growled and kicked the bed. He searched around his room for anything that could help escape. His eyes caught sight of the owl still perched on the branch outside the room.

'Fine. Get me some parchment, a quill and some ink.'

'What?' Kreacher looked at his feet as if searching for a way to say no to Sirius.

'As your master I command it.'

'As you wish,' he snapped his fingers and the items appeared in his hands. He passed them to Sirius and then popped out of the room, which was fine by Sirius, he didn't need the elf skulking around while he tried to write this letter.

Moony

I'm so glad you're safe. Don't run off again you hear me! I'm at my mother's house and she's locked me in my own bedroom, can you believe it! She has my wand somewhere as well that stupid bint. Please send rescue party to storm the gates. Not that I'm a princess in a tower, but my mother is kind of a dragon. Don't go running off to Death Eaters on your own anymore okay!

Padfoot.

Now how was he going to get this letter to the owl outside. He could call Kreacher back but the stupid elf would proably ignore him. Or bring tea spike with the living death.

He was pondering exactly how to do all this without magic when he head a loud crash from downstairs. He rushed to his door and pressed his ear against the cold wood.

'Professor Dumbledore,' he heard his mother shriek. So Prongs had told them where he had gone, thank god for that.

'Hello Mrs. Black,' he said. 'You did not respond to my correspondence and I wanted to check upon the safety of your son.'

'Regulus is at Hogwarts,' she snapped.

'Not Regulas, your other son. Where is Sirius, Wellburga?'

'He has left home, I suppose you'll find him elsewhere,' she remarked flippantly. 'He is a lost cause that boy and he is not my son.'

'Bitch.'

'PRONGS!' Sirius yelled at the top of his voice. But the silence from downstairs showed no one had heard him. The room was soundproofed and he knew it.

'Mr. Potter please,' Dumbledore replied. 'I am sorry for his outburst, you see we would very much like to find Sirius and I should clarify, we know he came here.'

Yes they did know he was here.

'How? As I have not seen him, and he is not welcome here.'

Bitch! LIAR! BITCH! LIAR!

'I see,' Dumbledore said. What did he see? 'We have overstayed our welcome Potter let's go.'

'What!' he heard James yell. 'What about Sirius, this bitch is lying. He was coming here to find out what you know about the Death Eaters and Remus and I know you have him.'

'I do not associate with Death Eaters, please get out of my home.'

'Come now Potter, we shall look for Sirius elsewhere.'

'NO!' Sirius yelled and banged on his door. 'I'M UP HERE YOU IDIOTS. I'M HERE DON'T LISTEN TO HER. KREACHER!'

There was no answer.

'KREACHER AS YOUR MASTER YOU WILL APPEAR BEFORE ME.'

Kreacher appeared, 'Yes.'

'As your master I command you to tell Albus Dumbledore and James Potter that I am locked in my bedroom.'

'I cannot. I have been commanded by my to mistress never to tell anyone where you are.'

'Shit,' Sirius cursed. 'Fine. I command you to give this letter to James Potter immediately'

Kreacher yanked the letter out of Sirius' hands and vanished.

'Kreacher?' he heard his mother gasp in shock.

'Potter I have a message.'

'No!' His mother commanded.

'Please Mrs Black let us hear, he might know where Sirius is. Surely you want to know so as to have suspicion cast away from you.'

Ha! Take that mother.

'Sirius Black wants me to give you this letter.'

'Where is he?' Prongs demanded.

'I do not know,' Kreacher replied. 'Here is a letter he left with me.'

'Then how did he give you the message?'

'He is not here!' his mother snapped. 'Will you please get out of my home.'

The next thing he heard was someone leaving using the Floo. He knew his letter was addressed to Remus, but had James seriously not read that thing? What the hell? What were they doing just up and leaving on him. Sirius slumped against the door, his head resting on his knees. How in Merlin's name was he going to get himself out of this one?

He heard the mumble of a spell being chanted on the other side of the door. He only just managed to scurry to the other side of the room before it was slammed open. Bellatrix walked in, wearing her customary black ensemble. Her hair was coiffed perfectly in a jet waterfall. Hell even he knew his cousin was attractive, it was just a shame she was such a crazy bitch.

'Oh goody, the reason I've been kidnapped,' he said. 'Were you the one who stunned me'

She didn't say anything just she walked in and sat in his desk chair.

'The silent treatment Bella?' he shook his head. 'Aren't we a little old for that. I didn't steal your doll this time.'

'You,' she smiled. 'You're an idiot.'

Sirius for once kept his mouth shut.

'I met with Remus last night,' she said. Sirius clenched his jaw. 'He's getting desperate. You should've heard the threats he came out with. I was worried there for a moment. Thought he might've been right. Even after a little crucio he remained steadfast.'

'You did what?' Sirius started for her, but her wand was out and pointed at him.

'None of that muggle violence thank you very much. Kindly sit on the bed, thank you. Now where was I. Oh yes I remember. So Remus plays his hand well. Too well. I think we might have lost him. Maybe we should think of another plan. But then you. You idiot, the joker of the pack play right into our hands. It didn't take much persuasion of Aunty Black to ask her to give you to us. She was rather happy to be of help actually.'

'What do you want with me?' Sirius forced out through his clenched jaw. 'I'm nothing to any of you.'

'See that's where you're wrong. I thought about the way you defended that werewolf to me. I know devotion when I see it. You've delivered me the key to getting that werewolf to do exactly what I want him to do, and that key is you.'

She got up and walked towards him, her wanted still pointed at him. She twirled a bit his hair in her fingers.

'You finally have some use to this family. It's about time. I was beginning to think I was going to have to kill you and leave you to the buzzards.'

'Bitch.'

'Sticks and stones dear cousin. I've written the letter, let's see what you think.'

Werewolf,

I have Sirius Black, and I will torture him everyday until you transform in the grand hall.

Bellatrix Lestrange

'Christmas you stupid bitch,' he snapped.

'What?'

'The next full moon is Christmas. There won't be anyone in the grand hall. Your stupid plan will fail. Not to mention he will have told Dumbledore already and he will be preparing for that eventually. I bet, he'll evacuate all the children come the full moon.'

'Hm good point dear cousin,' she said sweetly. She looked at her letter and scribbled some more notes.

Werewolf,

I have Sirius black, and I will torture him everyday until you transform in the grand hall on January full moon. Do not tell anyone as to the change of the date or I will kill him.'

Bellatrix

'How about this one?'

'You're going to torture me for two months? Regardless of whether he says yes or no? That's not good blackmail.'

'Maybe not, but it's more fun for me.' She grinned and Sirius rolled his eyes.

'What happened to I'm still family and I won't kill you till you step out of line nonsense you were spotting last month,' Sirius asked.

'Situation has changed. He is more valuable than you are. And as long as I have you he isn't going to make good on his threats either.'

She looked very smug with herself, which was one of the only expression she did wear.

'Moony threatened you? Good on him,' Sirius remarked. He always wanted to protect Remus. He saw Remus' kind heart and wanted nothing more than to defend every one from hurting him. To make sure they bruised Sirius before they even touched Remus. It was so much a part of Sirius, running deep in his marrow, that he forgot the Remus could take care of himself. He was strong, he was a werewolf for merlin's sake, and he was more than a capable wizard. Of course he didn't go to the Death Eaters to roll over like the dog they thought he was.

'He did the nerve of that half breed,' Bellatrix snarled.

'What did he threaten you with cousin mine?' Sirius said absently. 'Not with magic, he's not as ruthless to outfight you.'

She looked at him pointedly. He wasn't wrong then. Not magic.

'He'd bite you,' Sirius said and the twitch at Bellatrix eye gave the game away. 'Ah and Voldypants wouldn't want his right hand woman as a snarly wolf now would he.'

Her face turned a delightful shade of red and Sirius was so proud of Remus he wanted to run into his arms and kiss the living daylights out of him. His wolf was a genius. Sirius laughed.

'Having me won't stop him from biting you, he's more likely to do it now.'

'Enough,' she snapped and a jet of red hit him between the eyes.

'Remus wake up!' James was shaking him. Remus sat up.

'Sirius!'

'His mother has him the bitch,' James snapped. 'Here read this. It was addressed to you.' James thrust a letter under Remus' nose so fast he nearly gave Remus a paper cut. Remus took the letter from and started to read. He reread the letter a few times and let the words sink in that Sirius was alive and at least somewhat okay.

'Why haven't you gotten him?' Remus asked.

'Because he's not there anymore,' James said. 'By the time we did manage to get a look in on his room he was gone. Packed up and shipped off. He had definitely been there, the place was smashed to bits like he'd been trying to escape.'

'Where to?' James clambered onto his bed and Peter followed.

'That's the questions isn't it,' James said. 'We know who though.'

'Do we?' Peter asked looking between the two of them.

'The Death Eaters have him,' James said. 'His own fucking family sold him to them. Actually not even sold, gave him up like a christmas present.'

'Why?' Peter asked.

'Me,' Remus said groaning. 'To use against me.' He had a bitter taste in his mouth, like the sleeping draught only less sweet.

'This isn't your fault Remus,' James interjected. 'Sirius was the one who ran off.'

'Don't blame him!' Remus snapped. 'He went back to them, for me, to save me. That stupid idiot.'

Remus growled and yanked at his hair with his hands. He brought his knees up to his chest and buried his face in them.

'What is with you two?' he heard James ask.

Remus looked up at James; he didn't have the energy to hide the despair that he knew was showing.

'Look, I want him back: more than anything. But the way he acted when you had vanished, the way you're acting now. You're not yourselves. The first thing either of you think about is each other. All sense goes out the window'

Remus sighed, 'It would be the same if any of you would be gone.'

'No it wouldn't,' James said. 'He's my best friend. He's my brother. I need him not to be with the Death Eaters. But your eyes Remus.'

They said nothing and Peter looked between them both so fast he probably sprained his neck. Remus could feel his eyes burn. How could he answer a question he didn't have the answer to? He didn't know what they were. He'd broken it off before that had been discovered. He put his forehead to his knees again.

'I love him,' Remus said to his knees and the sound was muffled.

'We all love him,' James said.

'No. I love him,' Remus said again. 'I… I don't know how Sirius feels. I never did. But we…' God how did he do this, how did tell his best friends that he wasn't the person they thought he was. 'We were….'

'Together,' James finished. Remus' head snapped up and Peter's jaw dropped open. 'You've been screwing.'

Remus winced at James' words. Peter's jaw stayed open.

'How?' James said. 'How long?'

'A month, after the thing with Snape,' Remus said.

'What! How did we not know about this!' James yelled and Remus shrank back into the pillows.

'We were worried what you'd think. It's not exactly normal. I thought Sirius would get bored and move on and I couldn't bare if the marauders were ruined over something that was trivial.'

'You love him?' James questioned.

'I always have,' Remus said. 'Lily knows.'

'How the hell does my girlfriend know what my best friends are up to before me?'

Peter had yet to move or speak.

'She figured it out, we didn't have to tell her, she noticed. Don't be mad at her I asked her not to tell anyone.' James' eyes widened and he cursed.

'That's when he demanded to talk to Lily and he was weird and said it was about a potion's essay. He must've wanted to talk about you.'

'When was this?' Remus asked.

'The night you left,' he said pointing his finger a Remus.

'I ended it that night,' Remus said. 'He never felt the same way.'

'Did he say that?' James asked.

'No he didn't need to. It's Padfoot. He doesn't do relationships remember. He just fucks and moves on.'

'Yeah but he's never fucked a guy before and certainly not one of us,' James said and Peter finally moved his head in a nod.

'He still sees me as just a friend Prongs. He sees me as Moony, and a Moony he kisses, but thats about it.'

James was silent for a moment. 'I'm pissed at you. I'm pissed at him. You both should have told us when this started. You should've trusted us. But I think you're wrong.'

'What?'

'You weren't there when you'd left. I saw the look of confusion and hurt in his eyes when he demanded to speak to Lily. I saw how he was when he realised you were missing. He stared at the map, waiting for you to return. Stared at it. He damn near hexed Wormtail for trying to borrow it. He was planning to run away with you to keep you safe. He faced his mother for you.'

'It's because-'

'Don't you dare say it's because we're marauders because that isn't it. He'd never be so stupid for the rest of us,' James interrupted. 'Actually now that I think about it, it all makes sense. I think Padfoot's been in love with you as long as you've been in love with him. He was always so protective over you. And the way he reacted when you got a girlfriend. It makes perfect sense.'

James were grinning so much; Peter looked like he was about to cry.

'It doesn't matter,' Remus said. 'They still have him, and they are going to use him to force me to do exactly what they want.'

'You can't,' James said all matter of fact.

'What do you mean I can't? I can't let them hurt him.'

'You have to. Sirius won't forgive himself if you let yourself hurt anyone to save him. Sirius would want you to fight them. Trust us that we'll rescue him, or that he'll get out on his own.'

There was a screech and Remus covered his ears against the sound. A black hawk flew into the room; a letter clutched in its talons. It dropped the letter on the floor next to the bed and stared at Remus with it's jet beady eyes. A shiver ran down Remus' spine and he reached for the letter addressed to the werewolf. The hawk started and Remus flinched, but it was only taking off and out of the room.

'Three guesses who that thing belongs to,' James mumbled. Remus wasn't really listening, he was opening the letter. He took one glance and showed it to the others regardless of the inked warning.

'Ah, well we saw this coming,' James said, throwing the letter on the floor. 'What are we going to do about it?'

Peter apparently hadn't finished reading it and went scurrying after it.

'Wormtail, what did Regulus say?' Remus asked. Peter was half hanging off the bed reading the letter, he turned to look at Remus.

'Hadn't been home, didn't know what was going on. Didn't care to help if his brother was going to be so stupid.' Peter clambered back on to the bed with the letter in his hands and settled back into his comfy spot.

'Brilliant,' Remus said. 'Anybody know where Bellatrix would hide him?'

'No,' James said. 'But Snivellus might. He's been all kinds of buddy buddy with her hasn't he.'

'Yeah sure, Snape will help rescue Padfoot,' Remus sighed.

'No, but he might help if Lily asked him,' James said. Remus nodded, but he didn't think Bellatrix would be stupid enough to let anyone know where she was taking her prisoner. Anyone could be tortured for information. Better no one knew at all. Voldemort probably didn't even know. But that, he bet, was based more out of Bellatrix not wanting to tell him in case it failed.

'So we're going to ask Snape?' Remus asked. 'Why not use Regulus as well?'

'Erm…because of what he said earlier,' Peter ventured with a cheery smile.

'No I don't mean ask him,' Remus said. 'I mean use his blood to find him. Blood tracker spell.'

'And how do you supposed we get his blood without him knowing?' James asked with a hint of sarcasm.

'Hey, you're the pranking genius, you should know,' Remus huffed; tiredness washing over him again. He rubbed his temples, why were they even having this conversation in his bed. And what's worse was the missing voice that was deafening in their ears. How were they going to come up with their scheme without Sirius? James looked at Remus and he knew he saw it too. James needed Sirius to bounce ideas off of, to throw caution to the wind together, and Remus was the caution they often threw. Thats how there group worked worked. How could they figure it out with our him?

There was a knock on the door to the dorm and Lily poked her head around the door.

'I got tired of waiting in the common room for you,' Lily said walking in. 'I know you're not used to having girlfriends that can actually think for themselves, but I would like to be included in on this discussion.'

Lily shoved at James till he moved over to let her on the bed.

'Sorry its Moony's fault,' James said with wide droopy eyes. Remus wanted to barf.

'How is it my fault? You jumped onto my bed!' Remus declared.

'Yes because you were sleeping,' James agreed. 'Ergo it is your fault.' Remus sighed and wished it was Sirius he was arguing with.

'We need you to talk to Sniverr-Snape,' James said and Lily's lips pursed slightly.

'Please,' Remus added. 'We need to know what he knows about Bellatrix.'

'He won't tell us,' she said with a shrug. 'He won't tell me.'

'Our only other option is to steal Regulus' blood and to do that blood tracker spell,' Remus said.

'Good, but we still should know what Snape knows,' she said and chewed her lip.

'Yes but you just said he wouldn't tell us.'

'Yes I know I said that. But Bellatrix might tell him,' she said.

'How does that help us Lily?' James said. Lily glared at him.

'Don't take that tone with me. It helps because one of us could look like Snape.'

Remus looked at Lily closely then. Sat on his bed next to James with a look of a smug cat on her face. She'd slotted herself so perfectly into their boys club. Where other girls had demanded and wailed, mostly at Sirius, Lily had just become one of them. With her warm eyes and bright smile, it was like she was the puzzle piece they hadn't realised they were missing.

'You can make a polyjuice potion?' Remus asked. It was a complex potion, one that took months to brew effectively. 'We might not have enough time.'

'Yes of course I could make a polyjucie potion,' she pursed her lips again. 'But you're right we don't have time to sit around and wait. Slughorn has some. He sells it.'

'Do I want to know how much for?' Remus winced.

'I've got it,' James said. Matter of fact. As if it wasn't going to cost the amount of money Remus' his parents made in a single month. 'What? Don't look at me like that. It's for Sirius. I would sell my kidney if it would sing us a song telling us where to go find him.' Peter snorted in the corner.

'Fine you and Lily go do that, but leave me the invisibility cloak.'

'You've already nicked it once,' James pouted.

'If I'm going to go trying to sneak Regulus' blood, I'm going to need to remain unseen aren't I?'

'I suppose.'

'Okay that's it; the plan is settled. Me and James will got the polyjuice potion and Snape's hair. You and Peter can go find Regulus get his blood and see if that can lead us to Sirius. If the spell works, we can get a meeting between Snape and Bellatrix so as to get her out of whether it is she's hiding him.'

'Wow,' James said his eyes wide with wonder at the girl next to him.

'Don't start snogging on my bed,' Remus mumbled.

'Well apparently you've been doing enough of that yourself,' James replied. 'And don't think I'm not still mad about that. Cause I most certainly am, and as soon as Padfoot is back I am going to be having words with you two. All this sneaking around and not telling the marauders indeed. Not to mention it was after Padfoot had been so bloody stupid and nearly killed Snape and had you sent to Askaban.'

'Don't,' Remus interrupted. 'Yes it was monumentally stupid that he did that. But he did it for me. Snape threatened me and he lashed out. You should have seen him when he found me. The look in his eyes. I can't, just don't blame him for that anymore okay. You have to let it go.'

'Fine,' James agreed. 'No sense arguing about it now anyhow, we have work to do. Come on sweetheart, let's go buy some overly priced nose grease.' Lily slapped him on the arm with a glare, 'None of that either.'

'You all take the fun out of everything. Okay let's get going. Good luck you too.'

Lily got off the bed and James scrabbled after her. He smartened up his clothes and gave them one meaningful salute and left the form. Lily gave a half wave and followed after him.

'Ay Wormtail, who ever would have thought she would have so easily just become one of us.'

Peter didn't answer and Remus looked at him to see him glaring at where Lily had been sitting..

'What's wrong?'

'It's not the marauders any more if she's in it.'

'Of course it is.'

'She's a girl,' Peter stressed.

'Yes but she's an amazing girl. And we'd be lucky to gave her in our group. What's a matter with you.'

'Nothing.'