Thank you to all of you who reviewed my story. I really appreciate the feedback and so do my muses.

kagemusha ,Phoenix Guardian, @FicA.org: thanks for reviewing

daniz : Thanks for the offer, but DruidGoddes is already betaing. And to answer your question, I'm German by birth.

Author's Notice: Do to ff.net's most recent problems I had trouble logging in to update. Please remember my stories can also be found at my website www.gundam-wing-universe.net The Harry Potter section there is really small since I only opened it a few days ago, but I hope it will be growing. Anyway you can always check there for new updates and even receive update notifications via e-mail.

Guilty of Being Innocent – Part 3

Early the next morning Remus apparated to Diagon Alley. The wizard had not dared leaving the house while Sirius had been sick and now he needed to stock up on many things including food and potion ingredients.

First he had to make a withdrawal at Gringotts. At the bank was an account in his name in which he had never deposited as much as a single Knut into. People like Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall had put the money there for him. He knew they meant well and were only trying to help him, but Remus was too proud to accept handouts and had never before touched any of it. No matter how though times had been, somehow he had always managed to make ends meet. But this time it was different. Sirius needed new clothing and healthy food, preferable something more substantial than the soups and stews Remus usually lived on, to gain back some of the weight he had lost during his time at Azkaban. The bank was buzzing with magical folk and Remus was glad when he finally was back on the street. His next stop was at the Apothecary. When he had left Hogwards last summer Snape had given him (after some convincing from Dumbledore's side Remus assumed) the recipe for brewing Wolfsbane potion. Remus never bought all the ingredients at once to not arouse any suspicion. Next he purchased a couple of shirts and pants for Sirius and at Madam Malkin's two new robes. Finally he headed to the market. Less than 30 minutes later Remus materialized in the middle of his kitchen, carrying a good dozen packages.

"Sirius, I'm home," he called out as he reached for his wand. He didn't receive any answer.

A flick and a swish and the groceries put themselves into their cupboards.

"Sirius?!" Remus called again, a little louder this time, unable to suppress a slight feeling of concern.
"Up here," Black's voice reached him from the second floor.

Letting out a silent sigh of relief Remus picked up the remaining packages. He found Sirius in the bathroom.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to cut my hair." The wizard sounded frustrated. "Doing it myself is not quite as easy as I thought."

"Maybe I can help you," Remus offered.

"Thanks, that would be great."

Remus moved a chair into the bathroom and ordered Sirius to sit down. He cropped the damp, black hair to about shoulder length, cutting off the heaviest of the knots and snarls. He then reached for a brush to straighten out the last remaining tangles.

Sirius felt himself blush. Remus' strong and yet gentle fingers were touching him. It was only his hair, but for some reason that Sirius didn't quite understand, it was making him warm and filled him with an odd, fluttering sensation. He was almost glad when the brush hit on an especially stubborn knot. It hurt when Remus tried to pull the brush through the tangle, and that pain distracted Sirius from the sensations coiling up inside of him.
"Ah, much better now," Remus noted in satisfaction as he finally finished his job. "Now let me show you what I bought you." He pulled Sirius into the bedroom and gestured at the packages he had thrown onto the bed.

"For me?" the black-haired wizard asked surprised. "All of them?"

Remus nodded, a slight smile on his lips. "Open them I want to know if you like what I got you."

Sirius unpacked a pair of black trousers and a green shirt. "It's lovely. You even remembered my favorite colors." He was touched. The next package he ripped open contained a robe. The material was soft but warm, perfect for the upcoming winter. When he unpacked a second robe a faint blush of embarrassment touched his pale cheeks. He looked at the garment, then at Remus in his own faded and worn clothing.

"I could have done with one, you know," he said quietly. "You should have bought yourself a new robe instead."

Remus gave a tiny smile.
"It's okay, really. You needed them more than I do. Why don't you try them to make sure everything fits?" he suggested. "I'll be down in the kitchen starting dinner."

***

When Sirius walked into the kitchen a short time later Remus couldn't help but notice how different his friend looked in his new clothes and with neatly trimmed hair.

"What do you think?" For the first time a genuine smile touched Sirius lips and there was a tiny sparkle in those dark eyes that reminded Remus of the old Sirius he had known.

What do I think? I think if I wasn't still in love with you I could fall for you all over again. Remus thought, but aloud he said.

"I think you look wonderful."

"Thank you. Not only for these clothes, but for everything you have done for me."

"It's nothing, really. I'm sure you would have done the same thing for me if I would have needed your help."

"Nevertheless, I appreciate it. - By the way I noticed earlier that there are some leaks in the roof. I thought maybe I could borrow your wand and make myself useful. It's the least I can do to show my gratitude."

"You don't have to do that," Remus answered, stirring around in the pot he had just put onto the stove.

"I know, but it would make me feel better."

Remus sighed as he handed his wand over to the other man. Magick was really all that kept these walls from falling apart. What this house needed was a top to bottom repair job, but that required money, money he didn't have.

While his friend went back to preparing dinner, Sirius climbed up into the attic. The old wooden staircase squeaked in protest under his heavy footfall. The room was cluttered with all kinds of boxes and trunks. For a moment he was tempted to look around and see what Remus was keeping hidden up here, but then he told himself that it was really none of his business. Besides, he remembered that Remus had said he had not yet gotten rid of his parents' belongings. So that was probably what he was keeping in these boxes. In the dim light Sirius almost stumbled over something. A broomstick, he realized as he picked it up. What really surprised him was the fact that it seemed barely used. It was an old model that had it's prime more than a decade ago, yet it looked brand-new. Why would anybody keep a nearly new broomstick in the attic? The only explanation Sirius could come up with was that Remus must have left it up here by accident and didn't remember where he misplaced it. He put the broom near the door so he would remember taking it downstairs later when he left, then started looking for those broken shingles in the roof.

Dinner was just about ready when Sirius walked back into the kitchen with the broomstick in his hand.
"Look what I found. I bet you have been looking for this for ages."

Remus turned and felt an icy chill in the pit of his stomach.

"No actually I had put it up there on purpose," he answered quietly.

"Why is that?" Sirius asked puzzled.

Because every time I look at it I'm reminded of the day I got it and I can't stand thinking about it. You don't remember, do you? No, of course not, because it would have been one of those happier memories.

It had been his birthday. Each of his friends had pitched in to buy him what back then had been the newest broomstick model. Remus still remembered how much fun they had taking turns riding it that evening. They were young and so carefree, and even though James had already been married and a father by then it hadn't stopped him from being as wild as the rest of them. Unfortunately it had been the last time that the four of them had been truly happy together. Soon after things had changed

Remus pushed those memories out of his mind. He wasn't sure what had kept him from getting rid of the broomstick for good, but he kept telling himself that it was because he hated to be wasteful rather than admitting that there was aother more sentimental reason.

"I just don't have much use for it, you know," he answered, and then before Sirius could asked any more questions he added. "Help me setting the table, will you."

***

"Nooooo!" The scream ripped Remus from his sleep and sent an ice-cold shiver down his spine. The wizard jumped out of bed. When he burst into Sirius' room half a moment later he found his friend sitting up in bed, wide eyed and panting breathlessly.

"Nightmare?" Remus asked sympathetically as he lit a lamp with a flick of his wand. He pulled a large slab of chocolate out of the nightstand's drawer.

Sirius gave a small nod. "I dreamed I was back in Azkaban I was all alone and"

"Shh, it's okay. I'm here now." He lowered himself onto the edge of the bed as he broke off a piece of chocolate and handed it to the black-haired wizard. He sat there holding Sirius' hand until his friend's breathing became more controlled and his frantic heartbeat returned to normal.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

Sirius nodded.

"Maybe we should try to go back to sleep." Remus suggested.

Another nod, but when he tried to get up Sirius refused to let go of his hand.

"I don't want to be alone." He sounded like a terrified child.

"You are not alone," Remus told him softly. "I'm right across the hall, remember."

"Will you stay here with me?" Sirius asked quietly, pleadingly.

"If that's what you want, of course I'll stay. Let me go get some blankets and pillows. I can sleep right next to your bed."

Sirius looked at the bed then at Remus.

"You don't have to sleep on the floor. There is enough room for us the share the bed."

"Are you sure about that?" Remus asked.

"It will be fine." It sounded like Sirius was trying to convince himself as much as the other man.

A moment later, Remus pulled away the covers and eased in beside him, doing an excellent job of keeping to one side of the bed.

"Good night, Sirius."

"Good night, Remus." As the light went out Sirius lay sleepless in the dark. After a long time he reached out, carefully, tentatively until his fingertips brushed against his friend's shoulder; reassuring himself that he really wasn't alone.

Eventually he must have fallen asleep, because when he opened his eyes he found himself cuddled against the other man's chest and wrapped up in his warm arms. Afraid to move, he listened to Remus' light breathing and the beating of his heart.
It was still night or early morning, judging by the chill in the air. No wonder the two of them had curled together. As a faint breeze blew in from the open window Sirius shivered, snuggling even closer.

"Another Nightmare?" asked a quiet voice. "Go back to sleep, I'm right here. You are safe now."

*****

TBC