The conflict on Lupin's mind was causing him to pace around the Great Hall for the hours he guarded the place with all the students. Other teachers noticed he seemed ready to act if necessary, given the current imminent threat, but as soon as the clock accused it to be four in the morning, Dumbledore approached him. Lupin started to nod in a disapproving way from across the hall, only stopping when spoken to directly.

"My trust in you to do the right thing is unshaken, Remus" Dumbledore stated looking straight into his eyes. "Go to your accommodations, have some sleep. We have some night owls to finish the shift" The old wizard said glancing at Snape, Minerva, and Hagrid

"I can come back in an hour" Lupin answered with tired eyes

"We'll need rested wizards when the sun comes up. Make no mistake, the day will be as long as this night. There will be another search and we wouldn't want to overlook any rooms"

"I'll be up for it as soon as I can" Remus stated

While walking fast to his accommodations, to make sure no one would suspect of him helping Black, Remus started to wonder if maybe, just maybe, he should.

There was something off about the way Dumbledore always referred to this situation. Almost like he had an obligation to keep himself on the right side of securing all the students but also speaking his mind in a way that made it implied the old wizard knew more than he cared to tell others.

Remus was just rewinding all their conversation that took place the previous afternoon.

"... or lack of freedom to act upon the calling we have in our hearts. I'd say we have good intuition to distinguish when this very calling comes from a benevolent source…"

Those words, something about those words.

"My trust in you to do the right thing is unshaken, Remus"

That's when Lupin stopped walking in the middle of a long corridor.

The books, the extra help on securing his mind from Snape! Suddenly it all started to make sense but in a different way.

"We wouldn't want to overlook any rooms"

Remus stood there in the dark. His long pale fingers over his mouth. "Oh mine, I must be insane"

He turned around and stood still in the darkness, right in the middle of the hallway. He stared into the darkness, waiting for an answer. On this very night, darkness looked back at him or maybe it was simply the calling he needed. Ramus started walking in the opposite direction he was once headed.

"No, we wouldn't want to overlook any rooms" he decided, walking fast to his office, where the Marauder's Map was.

This was as ridiculous as it could possibly be. Both Snape and Lupin were back to Dumbledore's Office to explain why on Earth Filch heard them exchanging spells on the night the Fat Lady was attacked.

Some days had passed and the Headmaster was collecting all people's testimonies on that night. He suspected them to have fought due to their private issues, but is there really such a thing when it comes to them and Sirius Balck? As Headmaster he simply had no choice.

"Very well... Severus, could you explain why you started the attack by using Legilimency on Remus?" Dumbledore asked seriously, his fingers crossed and resting on his table

Snape scoffed.

"That is a very biased question wouldn't you say?" He said narrowing his black eyes

"And yet, it's the question I'm making you. You can either answer it or leave this office" Dumbledore said firmly

Remus swallowed dryly. The next one in line was definitely going to be him.

Severus would rather be bitten by Fluffly on both his angles than having to answer that one. He could feel Lupin observing him with the corner of his eyes.

"I used Legilimancy because… It works best when the subject is caught up by surprise -which he would if I entered without knocking- And because…" Snape paused, narrowing his eyes. "I suspected he… could be involved with Sirius Black being inside the castle," he said in a painfully slow pace, sounding defeated

The headmaster raised his chin. "I presume one cannot unsee someone's mind," he remarked still looking straight at Snape

"No, I cannot," Snape said crunching his teeth

"It's done, then. Would you mind informing me if you found something worth your suspicion?"

Dumbledore asked, this time looking at Lupin. There was something on his eyes. Something so close to being hope, that Remus lost a heartbeat

"No. I didn't. I saw nothing about Black. No images, voice, shadows. Some nostalgic feelings perhaps, but no recent memories" Severus replied bluntly

Remus was outraged by the comment, opening his mouth slightly. How dare him? The werewolf looked at the dark-haired wizard directly now.

"Remus," Dumbledore interrupted what might have been the beginning of a fight. "Did you have a glimpse too, at what Severus had in mind?"

"No. I only noticed that he can make your thoughts align in a way suits his purposes best" Remus said upset

Now Snape was outraged. Overall, he didn't like criticism on the quality of his spellcasting. He looked back at Lupin raising an eyebrow inquisitively.

"You two finish this conversation elsewhere" Dumbledore announced. "Only…" he said as the two wizards were about to leave. "Severus, you don't have permission to use such an invasive spell on any of my staff. And Remus, you will be assigned some tasks around the castle with other teachers. It's a delicate situation and I don't want to hear theories about you wandering the hallways alone. Am I clear?"

Both wizards were displeased to hear what the Headmaster said last. But nonetheless, it was fair enough in both cases.

When they went down the statue to leave the office, it was rather uncomfortable to share the same small space after everything. When it finally finished spinning on its own axis, they left the enchanted staircase and stood outside, waiting for a first word from one another.

Remus was having a hard time not starting the conversation, which is something he usually did.

The corridors were empty since all the students were being taken care of by teachers in large groups during the days. Silence followed. Seconds that seem to last years. Until Snape turned to look at him, which made Remus stop breathing for a moment in anticipation.

"Remus…"

His voice was cautious and low. Strange to feel that even after all the recent events, they almost didn't have the courage to be so mad at each other, especially now, that they were finally face to face.

"I'm right here" Remus said looking back at Snape.

Snape noticed all the anger from just a few moments ago had considerably faded, Remus seemed hurt rather than furious. But also inexplicably secretive about something. Almost like he could accept a terrible deal between them simply not to go further into details.

"I shouldn't have attacked you" Snape stated, this time looking away. "And I am sorry, I had no right"

Snape fell silent. That was all he could manage to apologize for when it came to that matter. Even at the office, he still felt something was off about all this just a moment ago.

Remus couldn't contain his old habit of touching Snape on his shoulder to look into his eyes, quickly realizing the motion and taking his hand away. The contact was brief, but they both felt desolated by it.

"You really didn't have the right" Lupin answered bitterly. "But... If you forgive me for hexing you, I can do the same" He said hating to remember that night

"Of course, you were just protecting yourself," Snape said in a low tone

Another moment of silence took place.

"Anything else?" Remus said almost hopeful

All Lupin wanted to hear was a complete apology. He knew his heart would betray him on the first sign of reconciliation if Snape said the words. Even not wanting to forgive him, it was too easy to win him over now that the first apology was there.

"No" Snape said almost sounding apologetic for not giving them this chance. "Nothing else. You?"

Lupin squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, almost like receiving a painful spell on his stomach. Why did this have to be so difficult?

"No. Nothing else" Lupin answered sadly. "Good night, Severus"

Severus didn't have the chance to see tears forming in the corner of Remus' eyes, the werewolf took the path to his office, leaving him behind.

The potions' master had this horrible gut feeling he messed up in an irreparable way. He felt terrible too, reflecting on his memories of how he would always manage to bring the worst out of people. Something about him and his actions that always made the best people feel tested to exhaustion. Lupin had his fair share of feeling it was no easy task to love him, and Snape was no different. He was always too sure people would betray him, until he acted on his insecurities and made all the job for them. Hard thing to be betrayed when you don't give people enough time to do so, only to hurt them first.

When Snape arrived at his room, his mirror started to resonate. He didn't have many items made of glass there anymore.

"Just break!" Snape thought impatiently

And it did. Except, the effect on Severus wasn't as satisfying as casting a spell would be. He knew his magic would be hard to control for the next moments so he just tried to sit quietly by his desk. Some of his books also trembled for a brief moment, however, as Snape breathed in trying to calm himself, his objects simply stopped being influenced by his temper.

He wished he had never seen Lupin's office that night. Maybe his ex-lover was indeed just keeping himself informed. But that was just the beginning of what would be a long night of self-reflection to Snape.

He regretted not letting Lupin enter when he was knocking on the door. Not because he believed Remus, but because they were lovers. It's the kind of trust that was expected of them. And also something Snape could never provide to anyone. Not truly.

The last days and nights of searches around the castle had been rough on him, it was early in the night but he found himself to be unusually tired. So he laid on his bed, missing the one that shared that very space with him not too long ago. It was not a double bed, however, it had never felt so spacious and cold on the other side.

During that same late evening, Sirius Black was at the Room of Requirement, eating the first decent meal of the last thirteen years. He knew he couldn't stay too long there, Remus left "messages" to him around the castle to warn him of which places were safe to stay, teachers were turning that castle apart trying to find him. And sadly, this room had been less known on their time.

At first, it had been hard to know if Remus was on his side. Just the thought one of his best friends could actually believe he had betrayed them kept him up countless nights.

So Sirius tried not to be too happy when he recognized the smell of Lupin's all-time favorite chocolate brand marking the rooms he could go, but he decided it was worth the risk. Soon after the first chocolate scents, some other rooms started to smell like a herbal disgusting mixture of death and something sweet in the middle. Quickly, Sirius concluded those rooms would be searched soon and that his werewolf friend was marking them with a couple of drops of Valerian. It was almost fun to remember Lupin had always understood him better than others when it came to his sense of smell. Possibly something related to being wizards with strong relations to dog and wolf animal forms. Even when walking around as wizards, somethings linger regardless if you want them or not. And they certainly had a history of pranking each other with scent.

"Look who's here to join my little feast" Sirius said out loud

How strange to remember the sound of his own voice.

He welcomed Crookshanks with open arms and the room quickly gifted them with tuna cans in the table.

"I didn't think of it, I assume you want me to open them, right?" Sirius said while raising one of them to his eye level

The ginger cat walked around him, caressing him in the most cat alike manner, using his furry head to poke him and also his tail. Sirius let the can on the table once again and let the feline jump into his lap. He used his long and broken nails to scratch him nicely and show some appreciation for all the help his little friend had given him.

Black opened the cans and let Crookshanks have his fun with them, also enjoying the company to eat his long-awaited dinner. When the cat was done with the content of the cans, licking his paws and cleaning his whiskers, he sat close to the wizard and looked at his dish inquisitively.

"If you had actually killed that filthy rat I'd serve you in a silver plate for the rest of my life" Sirius said sipping his pumpkin juice

This was the first time Sirius had the time to actually look at himself after escaping from Azkaban. He cleaned himself in the lake a few times and stole some coats here and there to protect himself from the cold, but caring about his appearance just seemed like a bad joke to him given the life he was living.

However, while he used the shower, he took his time to acknowledge how his arms were thin and his chin was pointy. Even his jaw was marked in a way it had never been, even in Azkaban. Maybe one day he could dare to feel happy again, maybe one day he could think of feeling something other than despair, sadness, hatred, or numbness. All he needed was a horizon without Dementors and a safe place to stay. With his, he wondered how his house was, what had become of it. Perhaps Harry could like to live there with him, his muggle uncles were just a sad excuse for company in his opinion after watching them closely for a while.

"He thinks I want to kill him, he would never accept it... As far as I know, he believes I'm guilty" Sirius thought to himself out loud while taking a look at his now clean feet

As much as he'd love to, he couldn't stay the night in the castle. He had seen Harry and his friends during the night - without their knowledge, of course - and collected as much information as he could to capture Pettigrew. It was time for him to leave for the forest once again.

On his way out, the black dog couldn't avoid choosing the way that made him pass through Remus' room. He knew it was a terrible idea, but when you are a fugitive these were the little moments that made life worth it. Sirius stood there quietly for a moment, just outside the door. There was a candle lid inside.

For a moment, Sirius felt his heart be filled with excitement when he heard a familiar voice coming from inside. It was Remus! He was reading a book out loud. Something about his voice accused he probably didn't have such a good day, but this night activity had always been one of his favorites. Sometimes James asked him to read for them at night, he could make just any story sound interesting or worth their time.

Apparently, Sirius arrived just in time for the last paragraph of the chapter his friend was reading. He heard a low mutter, something in the lines of "I'll continue tomorrow". The animagus couldn't contain himself. He sniffed the entrance of the door a bit loudly and gave it a little friendly scratch with his black paw in the corner.

Sirius went his way fast, not wanting to be caught and still smiling to himself because he knew Remus had dropped his book inside the bedroom. The next full moon would still have to wait, but if he was lucky enough, maybe he could find the werewolf in the woods.