Well, about regularly updating... ups?

It did not work out and I don't want to promise anything - but I am still working on this story! I have not abandoned it. Just know that updates may take a while. i am sorry.

Chapter 16

Remus was still smiling slightly as he cleaned up the plates from the dinner table. While much had gone haywire in the time they had come to the past – a little more than two weeks only, it felt so much longer! – the dinner had been a true reprieve.

Dora´s run-in with Kingsley had opened a door neither of them had thought about and had allowed them to reconnect to a dear friend from their time – though of course, the Auror had no recollection of this. But his wife´s open personality had allowed her easy enough to keep in contact with Kingsley. Inviting him over for dinner as an apology for her mishap had been a surprise for the werewolf, but not an unwelcome one.

Remus was as well connected in these times as he had ever been in his life and remembered the people. He had friends – though contact was hard – his father – with whom he was reconnecting, the order, his pack.

Their arrival in the past had been just after the Potters had gone into hiding - not with the Fidelius yet, but they had retreated from active missions when Lily´s pregnancy became more and more pronounced and Voldemort targeting them specifically became clearer and clearer. It had allowed Remus the ease of running from this specific confrontation just a tad longer. Still, he would have to write them a letter soon before Sirius wrote too much… Sirius was another matter entirely. Remus had tried contacting him over and over last week, but letters, patroni, and knocks to his front door had remained unanswered. If Remus knew his friend well enough – and as had been proven, he had known his friend very well, despite what twelve years, the public opinion and his own doubts had said, Sirius, who was normally prone to outbursts of temper when angry, to rash and hasty actions, took a personal betrayal very differently. In Pettigrew's case the deed had been done, the betrayal open and -in his eyes- for all to see. So, Sirius had acted, with no other thought in mind but hurt and betrayal and murderous rage.

This case was different. Sirius had no proof but a werewolf´s words shortly before the full moon. In public it would need much less than that to get Remus out of the way, but in private it was another matter. At this time mistrust was everyone´s steady companion and accusations against each other were dangerous. It would increase mistrust and fear, or it would be shrugged off as imploding fight between war-torn youths. Remus knew Sirius did not need the werewolf´s knowledge of his past to know how badly his openly accusing anyone could backfire. Despite his actions, Sirius would never be free of his family´s stigma, as Remus could never break a werewolf´s chains.

So, Remus knew what Sirius would do. He would wait and gather what he would consider proof and watch Remus like a hawk. He would try and protect Pettigrew, would try to make sure Remus got as little input as possible, and would try and increase the phoenix members´ mistrust of Remus. A hot-head he could be, but whether a prank or a mission during the war – when it counted, when the first burst of temper was vanquished, Pads could wait, and the most insane plans would come to mind. Insane they may be, but also very successful… Remus would need to be even more careful now.

Internally Remus sighed. He did love Sirius deeply, but his temper and single-mindedness could be very troubling at times. Raising his hand against the wizard had been unforgivable, a short slip that could have easily…. That had ruined so much. Had this been the main reason for Sirius's anger, Remus would have completely understood, would have stayed away on his own accord, or would have submitted to a punishment deserved. He was forever grateful nothing more had happened, but if Sirius's refusal had been belayed understanding of what Remus had tried to warn his friends about for years, about the monster within him, the monster he was, Remus would not have been surprised by the actions following. But it was not.

Instead, Sirius's true reasoning hurt so much and made their hard task of changing the past for the better even harder. Not only had he now his family to protect, his cover to maintain, his pack to lead, a traitor to uncover, a war to win, Horcruxes to hunt, and Voldemort to kill, now Sirius would make his life in the order hell. And without talking to him, this could not be resolved. But forcing his way into the flat or cornering him somewhere would only make Sirius dig his heels into the ground much deeper. It would not make him listen. So, there would only be waiting and looking for an opportunity. And of course, dealing with the fallout.

About Peter Remus did not even want to think but visiting him was high on their to-do list.

A few letters had been sent to reconnect with other friends. Remus was anticipating as much as dreading the answers.

As established as Remus socially was in the moment, Dora was not. Their social contacts were solely bound to Remus. His love had nobody to fall back to. So, when she had invited Kingsley, Remus had been worried, yes, but also immensely happy, not only to see his friend again but to have his wife starting to build up her own network.

Dinner had been a bit awkward at first. When he had arrived, they had met Auror Shacklebolt and not Kingsley. The man had been very careful – a healthy habit in these times – obviously having researched them beforehand and constantly checking for the magic surrounding him. They had checked each other's identity and forearms checked for any spell and took every caution they knew how to take – which especially for two Aurors took some time, but the war veteran twice over knew a lot as well. Shacklebolt then had proceeded to inspect the house, food, and drinks before finally relaxing a fraction. It had needed Teddy´s charm to open up the possibility of a truly pleasant evening – from Kingsley´s side of things. Letting the man near their baby was all the proof the other needed of what was true: the Lupins trusted the Auror very much.

All in all, the evening had developed into a rather pleasant experience. It had not been nearly close to the camaraderie they had shared before, bound to a cause, experience, and deep trust, but cautious talk evolved into sharing tales from their childhood, about magical theory and Quidditch. They had carefully stayed away from anything serious.

Now, after seeing off Kingsley Dora had gone to look after Teddy (sound asleep for two hours now – he would be up and hungry soon) and Remus was tidying up.

At that moment a knocking at the window could be heard. Winking the plates to the counter, Remus moved fast to open the kitchen window. Outside sat his father´s burrowing owl, Athena, watching him with bright eyes. While he fed her, he unbound the letter from her long leg. Athena picked up his offering, her brown, white-spotted feathers bristling, before hopping towards her burrow close by the house.

Seeing from who the letter was, his anticipation rose. Opening it quickly, he began to read.

"You are alive!

No, seriously, do you know how worried we have been? No word for three weeks! THREE WEEKS Remus! Do you know how worried we have been? Do you? It is bad enough without you pulling a vanishing act! Lily and Alice are in hiding and the unofficial death account is rising as much as the one about people disappearing! We thought you might be among them! Dumbledore saying everything is all right just doesn't cut it!

And then Sirius starts acting strange. Did you two have a falling out? He said you did not live with him anymore. Since when?

You may have the night to work out a good explanation – and don´t even bother lying! Don´t you dare! We will be over tomorrow around three.

Love,

Dorcas"

Merlin´s holey slippers!

Well, tomorrow was going to be an interesting day. Remus winced. He was so dead…