Written for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges and Assignments) Term 14 and Quidditch League: Wigtown Wanderers as Seeker

Quidditch League: Wigtown Wanderers, Seeker - Round Four: Apocalypse

Hogwarts Assignment 7: DIY and Home Repairs: Task #2: Electrical: Write about something risky or dangerous

Challenges listed below

Sirius ran like his life depended on it. Honestly, it did, but it was something he was trying not to think about. He'd rather think about catching the Snitch or running from a Bludger, anything other than running away from the Dementors trying to kill him.

After Voldemort's win, the Wizarding World had descended into utter chaos. Hospitals had closed, Azkaban had become a regular place for people to visit, and Dementors floated freely around the streets, doing whatever they wanted. People weren't leaving their houses anymore, afraid of running into one of the creatures. Families were not seeing each other, scared of even using the Floo Network. Everything was just too unstable.

Sirius should have stayed home. He knew he should have. But he couldn't handle being locked up—not again. He had lived twelve years with those pesky things around him, and he needed to see his family. He needed to see Remus during the full moon.

Remus didn't have a fireplace connected to the Floo Network, so Sirius had to run. He also couldn't Apparate there, which was proving to be a real pain lately. Everyone had put anti-Apparition wards around their houses, even Sirius, but that didn't mean he had to like it when it got in the way of his plans.

"Get away from me!" He yelled, casting one Patronus spell after the other. He was getting tired.

Only a few more meters and he would be safe.

His eyes darted around the empty streets. It was not a pretty sight. Houses were abandoned, stores and shops were sacked, broken, and decrepit. All the windows and doors, if not broken, were barricaded with wooden planks, and, no doubt, hundreds of spells. There was nowhere he could hide.

"Shit," he swore as he stumbled on a brick. It slowed him down considerably, and the Dementor was getting closer. He felt the cold chill in his bones, and the hairs on his arms rose.

Sirius ran faster. He didn't think he could, but he drew from the adrenaline and sprinted the last few meters, throwing himself into Remus' house as soon as he opened the door.

"Oh, thank God," he said, allowing his body to collapse onto the floor.

"I didn't think you believed in God," Remus teased in a dry tone.

"I don't," he retorted. "But Lily said that damn phrase so many times that I got used to it."

Remus offered him a sad smile and his hand to get him off the floor.

"Come on," he said. "We need to get you some water and something to eat. You look like you're about to pass out."

Sirius gave a humourless laugh. "Maybe that's because I am."

His legs weren't obeying him anymore. They felt like gelatine under him, and Remus had to carry him to the kitchen, where he fell heavily onto the chair. He let his head fall back as he waited for Remus to get him a glass of water.

"I told you that you didn't have to come all the way here. I can handle a transformation by myself, you know that, right?" Remus scolded him as soon as the color started coming back to his face.

"Since when do I listen to you, exactly?" Sirius retorted.

"Since never," Remus answered honestly. "But I thought you might start now that we're all about to constantly die."

"Haven't we always been about to die?"

"Sirius. Can you please stop being so stubborn?"

"And lose half my charm? Never." He flicked his hair behind his shoulder. "Also, I don't care if you can handle a transformation by yourself. I have lost twelve years' worth of them, and I'm not losing any more."

"Fine. I'm not going to change your mind, anyway. I might as well just let you rest here until the full moon is up."

Sirius smiled victoriously. There hadn't been much to smile about since the mess that was losing the war, so he took every little chance he had to do so. Remus was usually one of the only ones that gave him those chances. Remus and Harry.

"Have you talked to Harry today?" he asked Remus, trying to change the subject so Remus wouldn't change his mind.

"No," he said. "Molly told me that he's still too weak to write himself, but he's getting better."

"Right."

"Sirius, you know it was for the better."

Remus didn't have to say anything else. Sirius had been bitter since Molly basically kidnapped Harry after the war ended. Sirius told everyone that he was more than capable of taking care of Harry, and making sure he was safe, but nobody listened to him. He also yelled and broke things as he did that, and he was sure that it hadn't helped him make his point very well.

"Can we not talk about this?" Sirius asked, picking at his nails.

"You brought it up." Remus pointed out.

"I just wanted to know if he was alright."

"He is. We'll try and visit soon enough."

"Yeah, if we don't die before that."

"We won't," Remus assured him.

"Wow, Remus Lupin is the one trying to cheer me up. I've really hit rock bottom here."

Remus punched him in the shoulder. "I'll throw you out into the street if you don't stop being a prat."

"You would never."

They both smiled, and Remus got him an apple to eat. As Remus joined him by the table, Sirius closed his eyes and sighed. He needed a little bit of peace, and Remus' house was the best place to get it right now. They could bicker and annoy each other all they wanted, but it felt familiar and homely. Sirius needed all of that right now. There was nothing more that made him feel less tired and even hopeful that one day they would be able to end Voldemort and restore the Wizarding World to its former state. Right now, however, they would have to get through tonight.

Sirius and Remus stared at each other, both knowing exactly what the other one was thinking. How were they supposed to get through a full moon with Dementors and Death Eaters all around?

They didn't know yet, but they would figure it out. They always figured it out.