Just wanna mention once again that I also post this story on Archive of Our Own if anyone would rather read it there. The version on that website is actually slightly better quality because I will go back and do edits/fix typos/do small rewrites on previous chapters sometimes that I don't bother to do on this website. This is partly because it's harder to do edits because of the UI. It is also because nobody here really comments or engages with the work, whereas people from AO3 usually do (although thank you to anyone who has ever commented on this fic here. I always really appreciate it). Here is the link if you would rather follow it there: archiveofourown dot org /series/1941016 or search Descend by LightAndHeat
"I just think if we sent someone out to look for him, just to make sure," insisted Arthur.
"If it comes to it I'll go find the lad myself," proclaimed Moody, forcing Remus to keep a straight face at Moody referring to someone almost his age and several times his size as 'the lad', "but Hagrid is no slouch. He can look after himself."
Kingsley spoke up in agreement. "We can't afford to divert any of our resources to the issue until we know that it is necessary. Not with Sturgis Podmore still in Azkaban. Not with the extra resources already being utilized cleaning up after Sirius' unfortunate sighting," he said sternly, though his look of judgement was directed towards Tonks, who Remus knew was Kingsley's primary target for having allowed the incident to happen under her watch.
This certainly did not stop Sirius from taking it personally.
"Great, so it's my fault if something happens to Hagrid then? I suppose we'll still be bringing it up if we lose the fucking war," he snapped, adding "There aren't even any kids here!" to Molly's furious glare.
"Settle down, please. I know you are all concerned. I am sure we will have word from Hagrid in due course," said Dumbledore to the anxious crowd gathered around the long wooden table. A begrudging hush fell over the room. "If there are any last matters to be brought forth before the conclusion of this meeting, let us hear them now," Dumbledore invited, firmly closing the door on all previous arguments.
"Diggle and I have made good progress on securing new safe houses for the Order," said Hestia Jones, ever the professional, staying well out of any social drama. "The biggest development is that we've managed to find a secure location in France with the aid of the Delacour's. Thanks again Bill for putting us in touch. All we need to do now is hammer down our routes in case we need to get someone out of the country quickly. For obvious reasons, I think it's best we keep those details need to know," she finished.
"Excellent work," said Dumbledore. "I will be in touch with you and Dedalus soon. If that is all-"
"Actually," said Mundungus, "I got an update 'bout Potter and his gang." All eyes eagerly turned to the scrawny man who was onto his third glass of wine. "When I was following 'em at Hogsmeade like you asked, him and a bunch of kids was holed up in the Hogs Head talking something about starting a secret society 'gainst that Umbridge woman-"
"Oh, would you look at the time," interrupted Dumbledore pleasantly, staring up at the clock on the back wall. "I should be getting back to Hogwarts, where I'm sure all my students are doing their very best to abide by the new rules set forth by our Minister's lovely new representative."
This earned a few sniggers, including from Sirius. Remus smirked. He couldn't help but delight in any effort by students and staff alike to make life harder for that heinous, hateful woman. Dumbledore stood, excusing himself politely and thanking Molly for the hospitality, as she had arrived armed with food for all.
"Mundungus, please feel welcome to share your findings with all interested parties, I only wish I had a moment to spare for it," he said with a glimmer in his eyes. "Remus, if I may have a word in the drawing room," he added politely.
Nobody but Sirius payed attention as Remus got up and followed Dumbledore. Shaklebolt and Jones also excused themselves, citing work to be done. The rest were all far too eager to be rid of them so they could interrogate Dung. He looked back at Sirius with a silent promise that he would fill him in when they were alone. Sirius nodded his acknowledgement before rounding on Dung with the rest of them, almost laughably eager at the prospect of hearing tales of Harry defying authority.
Remus sat on the couch closest to the door, a pale blue quilted velvet affair that matched the one on which Dumbledore sat opposite him. No matter how they tried, they couldn't quite get the smell of mothballs out of the drawing room, though the relatively undamaged state of the upholstery suggested that the mothballs had been remarkably effective. It was one of the nicer rooms in the house.
"You have no doubt anticipated the topic of this conversation," began Dumbledore.
Remus nodded. "With the Death Eaters making such clear plays in marginalized magical communities, I assumed we would want to move soon."
"There has been a somewhat unexpected turn of events that I believe you will find interesting," said Dumbledore. "You recall Mademoiselle Annabelle Garou, from your missions in Wales, I'm sure."
A cold swept through Remus' body. He remembered his time in Annabelle's commune vividly. He had spent time there on two occasions in the last days of the war. The mission itself had been largely successful. Annabelle's commune had also been the place he had learned that his life as he knew it had been reduced to rubble along with the Potter's home. A fact that Dumbledore was well aware of, having gone there personally to deliver the news.
"Of course," he said calmly. "I also recall that Annabelle had very little interest in engaging with anyone outside of her community."
"Ah," said Dumbledore, holding up a finger. "This is where the point of interest arises. You see, it was actually her who reached out to me. It seems that Greyback has already attempted to pay her a visit, though he did not get very far given the considerable defenses around her property."
"So, naturally, she's come to revise her isolationist tendencies now that it's clear she's not getting out of this war untouched," concluded Remus.
"Naturally," confirmed Dumbledore.
Remus leaned forward, clasping his hands together in front of him. Annabelle was always going to be their best bet. In the time since the war, most of the packs that had existed back then had either completely restructured or dissolved all together. There were people left who he knew from the old days, but it would take a great deal of time and resources to even get close to the level of organization Greyback was achieving. Not to mention someone to lead them.
Annabelle's commune had remained stable. Grown, even. She had the qualities needed to reach out into the werewolf community and she was sharp enough to know that anyone associated with Voldemort offered empty promises and a far greater risk than she was willing to accept. For all her disregard of those outside her community, she protected her people. She would not just throw them to the wolves, so to speak.
"When do I leave?" asked Remus.
"In three days. You will be meeting in a neutral location. The place has already been selected. You will arrive a day in advance to ensure that it is properly secured. You will be working through daily negotiations. She will need assurance of the level of support the Order is willing to provide if she chooses to join our efforts. All of the measures we have previously discussed. On a positive note," said Dumbledore lightly, "given that all of this is taking place in Wales, I see no reason you cannot stay in your own home, given the proper precautions."
They continued on for a short while, ironing out a few of the details. Given the likelihood of Greyback having left an agent or two in the area to keep an eye on Annabelle's pack, it was a decidedly high-risk endeavor. This was especially complicated by the fact that Remus was by now well and truly known to the Death Eaters as both a werewolf and a known associate of Dumbledore. Having your face splashed over the papers would do that.
"Given the high risk, I have arranged with Kingsley to provide some extra support and maintain security measures while you focus on negotiations. He has agreed to loan us Tonks for the duration," said Dumbledore with a smile.
Remus couldn't help but feel relieved. As far as his past missions went, this was comparatively simple. The key advantage was that he knew Annabelle. She wasn't exactly what he would call predictable, but she certainly wasn't a violent person. She loathed chaos, which made her unarguably the most stable member of any pack that he had ever had to deal with. Nonetheless, it put him at ease to know he would not be doing it alone. That was always the worst part, going into those places knowing that absolutely nobody had his back.
"There is one last thing," said Remus as they wrapped up. Dumbledore looked at him invitingly, waiting for him to speak. "You need to find something for him to do," he said, with neither of them needing him to clarify who the 'he' in question was. "It's not fair for everyone to punish him for being reckless then continue to put him in situations in which he is isolated, aimless, and without support. Not one of the rest of us could stand to be locked up like this. To feel useless. And that's without having been through half of what he has," said Remus firmly.
Dumbledore was quiet, staring at Remus over the rim of his glasses. As he had since he was a little boy, Remus felt as though Dumbledore was somehow seeing through him.
"I agree," he said eventually. "I will look into the matter."
"Thank you," said Remus, letting out a breath.
As Dumbledore made his departure, Remus headed back to the kitchen, already hearing a medley of raised voices before even reaching the top of the stairs.
Whatever Harry, Hermione, and Ron were getting themselves into now, it was causing quite the hearty debate.
"Come on mum, do you really think that Ron shouldn't learn how to properly cast?" reasoned Bill to Molly as Remus entered the room.
"He's right," grunted Moody. "It's important for them to be prepared. You're never too young to know how to defend yourself."
"Not if doing so puts them at risk!" insisted Molly furiously.
"What on earth is going on in here?" asked Remus.
"Remus!" exclaimed Molly, spinning around to face him. "Finally! Someone else who is capable of being reasonable! Now, tell me dear, do you think-"
"Give it up Molly," interrupted Sirius. "Remus and I are the only people in this room who know what it's like to be a teenager preparing for a war. Wrapping them in cotton wool isn't going to protect them when they're up against Death Eaters!"
Remus opened his mouth to speak, to get some kind of answer about what argument he had just been dragged into the middle of, but Molly got there first, this time glaring at him as much as Sirius. As was so often the case with these arguments, what had started out as a discussion between everyone had rapidly devolved into a battle for dominance between the two people with the largest claim over Harry's guardianship.
"The fact that you were allowed to just join up with the Order when you were barely out of school is hardly an argument in your favor! Maybe if someone had bothered to protect all of you, things wouldn't have turned out like they did!"
"That's enough!" said Remus, stepping in the middle of them.
He stared Sirius down, who looked very much as if he was ready to pounce after that comment. Arthur put a hand on Molly's shoulder and said something too quietly for Remus to hear. She kept a firm determination on her face, but it was clear she at least somewhat regretted her words. An awkward silence had descended on the room and the air was thick with tension.
"I have no idea what the hell this is about, but I think we all just need to take breath and calm down," said Remus sternly. "Molly, James was a trained Auror with just about the most protective, loving parents I'd ever met in my life. Do you really think a lack of guardianship is what killed him? Sheltering people from reality isn't the same as protecting them. You were out of line," he said firmly, though not unkindly. "Sirius, Harry has already had to fight Voldemort himself." He ignored the shudder that went around the room. "He is only fifteen. Don't even pretend our situation was comparable. He needs all of our protection, even if we can't always agree on what that looks like."
There was a long pause as everyone stared at him. Molly had her lips pursed and her arms folded tightly over her chest. Sirius was stood in front of a chair, gripping the back of it so tightly that his knuckles were white. His eyes were narrowed at Molly, but he spared a passing glance to Remus that he recognized as attrition. For the moment.
"Great, glad that's settled. Now," said Remus, "can someone please tell me what on earth we're talking about?"
"Well, you see-" started Mundungus before being cut off by Arthur.
"I think it's time we head home, dear," he said with his hand still on Molly's shoulder and a tired grimace. "But-" "Sweetheart, I don't like the thought of any of our children putting themselves at risk anymore than you do. Unfortunately, our kids are the only ones we actually have any say over. If Dumbledore is choosing to keep out of it, I just don't see what we can do," he said, speaking lowly and only to her but still loud enough for the room to hear it.
Molly looked at her husband, mouth open with an argument that never made it off her tongue. She picked up her purse and rifled through it, pulling out a little notebook and a pocket-sized quill. She slapped the notebook down on the countertop and furiously scrawled a few sentences. She tore off the page, folded it in half, then put her writing tools back in the purse.
She stepped forward and thrust the note out to Sirius, who reached out slowly and took it, tilting his head in confusion.
"If you're going to insist on pulling that stupid stunt with the fireplace in the common room again," she explained, giving Remus the sense that there was a whole other fight he had missed, "then the least you can do is pass on this message."
"Of course," agreed Sirius sincerely, pocketing the note.
"Just so you know Mrs Weasley, I think you're bang on! Couldn't agree with you more," piped up Mundungus.
She looked at him, a sauce stain from dinner still visible on his shirt, with a mix of restrained disgust and forced politeness. "Er, yes, Mundungus. Thank you," she said in a clipped tone.
Molly took one look back at Arthur and then the two of them were out of the room. Arthur gave a silent but friendly little wave goodbye behind his wife's back.
"Suck up," said Sirius, leaning forward and swatting Dung up the backside of his head.
"I was just tryin' to be friendly," said Dung defensively as he flinched. "Maybe I should go," he said, standing up and brushing crumbs off his jacket.
Moody stood up, stepping forward. "I'll be off too then. Dung and I here have some business to discuss regarding some rumors I've been hearing about his latest entrepreneurial endevour."
All the color seemed to drain form Dung's face as Moony clapped him on the shoulder with false joviality and led him out of the basement like a man trying to keep control of an unruly puppy.
Sirius, Remus, Tonks, and Bill were all left standing around the table, staring aimlessly at each other.
"You know she means well," said Bill, interrupting the silence as he spoke to Sirius. "I know she can be overbearing, trust me, but all she wants is to protect them. When my uncles joined up with the Order in the last war she supported them and to be honest, I don't think she's ever forgiven herself for not talking them out of it. She's just afraid," he finished softly.
Sirius hung his head, sighing deeply. "I know."
Bill nodded. "So," he said, tapping his fingers idly on the table, "anyone up for a game of cards?"
Sirius and Remus locked eyes for only a fraction of a second. It was enough that Remus was certain they were thinking exactly the same thing.
"Honestly, I'm rather tired," said Remus. "There have been people over all day. I think I'll just clean up here and then turn in."
"Fair cop," replied Bill. "Come on Tonks, let's leave the old men to their rest and grab a pint."
"Sound like a plan," she agreed enthusiastically. "You going to invite along you're pretty little French girl again?" she teased.
"You mean the teenager?" said Remus with a raised eyebrow.
Bill rolled his eyes. "For the last bloody time, she is of age. Not that it matters because we are just friends! That's all!" he insisted.
"Maybe you think so, but she clearly has something more in mind," scoffed Tonks. "Oh Bill, of course you can use one of my family summer homes as a safe house," she teased in a very poor mockery of a French accent.
"I have done nothing at all untoward! Is it really my fault that people find me irresistible?" he said, putting on his jacket and making his way to the stairs.
"Oh, right, she's literally part Veela but you still think you're the one who's irresistible. You astound me Weasley. Really, the gall."
They continued their banter as they made their way out. Remus and Sirius listened intently, waiting for the moment they were completely gone.
Sirius turned to Remus when there was silence, a smile playing at his lips. "I thought they were never leaving."
In a flash, Sirius was pressed back against the kitchen bench, Remus' hands in his long hair. He could feel Sirius' own hands grasping at the back of his shirt, at his neck.
"Wait a second," said Remus, pulling away breathlessly, "I still don't know what the fuck is going on with Harry."
Sirius looked at him incredulously. "Well, are you going to tell me what you and Dumbledore were just talking about?"
A beat.
"You're right, we can talk about it later," said Remus before leaning back in.
Ever since that first kiss they had been like teenagers. Neither of them wanted anyone else to know. They didn't fully understand exactly what they were, and they certainly didn't want anyone else meddling or making assumptions while they were still figuring it out. Especially Remus, who had always had a bit more regard for privacy than Sirius.
It was all stolen moments and heat and it was thrilling. It was exciting. It was just so fucking fun. Quick kisses in between Order members coming and going. A hand on his thigh under the table during a meeting.
As hot and heavy as things had been getting, it had been uncharacteristically chaste. The one time Sirius' hands had made their way below Remus' belt he had grabbed his wrists and diverted his efforts elsewhere. Sirius' had looked at him questioningly for just a moment before leaving it alone. He hadn't tried again since. Even when they were teenagers, neither of them had shown nearly that degree of restraint. James and Lily were together for months before they had taken that step. It had taken Remus and Sirius about a day and they weren't even each other's firsts.
He was grateful for that Sirius was letting it go without a word. Remus hardly had a perfect record of self-restraint when it came to this sort of thing. That was part of the problem. There were larger conversations to be had before that happened and Remus wasn't quite ready to talk just yet.
Not when there were so much better things he could be doing with his mouth.
"Oh! Oh no, oh I'm so sorry," came a frantic voice from the entrance.
Remus and Sirius broke apart, straightening out their clothes, instinctively trying to pretend that nothing had been happening even though it was a blatantly futile effort.
"Tonks, what are you doing here?" snapped Sirius.
She jumped a little, clearly on the verge of melting with embarrassment and bursting with laughter.
"It's nothing. Didn't mean to interrupt your, um- I forgot my bag again," she said, pointing to where her bag sat on the floor on the other side of the room.
Remus scrubbed his face with his hand, not quite meeting her eye. He could feel the heat rising in his cheeks. He looked at Sirius, who, infuriatingly, didn't seem the least bit embarrassed. Typical.
"Go get your bag then," he instructed when Tonks just stood there staring at them.
She moved quickly, as if having completely forgotten her purpose there despite just having explained it. She practically ran across the room, picked up her bag and quickly crossed the distance back towards the entrance. She stopped short of exiting, turning back to face them both.
"So how long- I mean, I didn't even know either of you were... that way inclined? Not that it matters!"
"Why do you care?" asked Remus, desperately wanting her to leave.
"No, I don't. I just owe Bill five galleons," she said, rather flustered. "He's going to be so fucking smug. Anyway, you two crazy kids have fun," she added through a barley stifled laugh, running up the stairs.
"Wait!" Remus called out after her, much to Sirius' surprise.
"What?" asked Tonks, swinging round and almost tripping over as she stepped back down.
"I have an alternative proposal," said Remus somewhat frantically.
Tonks looked suddenly very wary. "You're not going to invite me to have a threeway are you? Because last time that happened-"
"What? No!" shouted Remus as Sirius let out a roaring laugh. He was glad that Bill must already have been outside the house or he most certainly would have come to investigate all the noise. "Why in the world would you think that?" he asked with a note of hysteria.
"Back up a second," interjected Sirius. "I'm going to need you elaborate on the 'last time' part of that sentence," he said delightedly.
She looked at them both with narrowed eyes, decidedly cagey. "What is your proposal, Remus?"
"I- Well, we can all agree Bill is a git, right?" he said regaining his composure somewhat.
"Absolutely." "Definitely," they said simultaneously.
"So what if instead of letting him win you just... didn't say anything? To anyone."
"If you want privacy just say so," she said. "I can keep my trap shut if it's so important to you."
"That would be appreciated," said Remus.
"Don't know why you care, but sure, you're secret is safe with me," she agreed.
She stood there for another moment, just staring.
"Go away now," said Sirius, making a shooing motion with his hands.
"Right!" She turned and ran back up the stairs.
Remus' previous relief over the idea of her accompanying him on his mission was becoming less appealing by the second. "This somehow actually feels worse than the time my dad walked in on us."
"Probably because Lyall didn't think you were propositioning him," joked Sirius, barking out a laugh when Remus punched him in the upper arm. "Hey, I might have said yes. You well know I think your dad was a hunk."
"That is sick! Even for you, that is fucked! You are a sick person," accused Remus.
"More than you know," he said huskily, grabbing Remus' collar and pulling him close.