Definition Of A Wolf

Part Six

Disclaimer: I didn't do it!

A/N: I've fluffed up the timing. Never mind. Just . . . pretend everything flows nicely, okay? Maybe all that magic floating about mucked up the clocks. Yeah.

***

Sirius stood and watched Remus leave. The werewolf did not look back. Not for the first time in twenty-four hours, Sirius murmured to himself "what the Hell just happened?"

He reviewed the past ten minuets. He had been dozing off when Remus appeared beside him. The werewolf had flirted outrageously, as he usually did and had done since their schooldays. Then Remus had actually climbed on top of him, straddling him, looking for all the world like he was going to take Sirius there and then. The expression in Remus' eyes had not only contained lust, but something more frightening; deep, desperate, unconditional love.

Frightening . . . ? Yes, it was frightening. Very frightening. Yet Sirius had played along, touching and laughing and . . . almost kissing. When had his relationship with Remus turned into this behind his back? And did he want this? Well, yes, he did. Remus was perfect in every way. There could be no one as kind and funny and understanding and warm as Remus, but . . .

And that was when Sirius Black realised that he was truely scared. At first he could not believe it, but it was still there. Fear of . . . something. What? Commitment? Rejection? Simply becoming involved with another man in that way? Maybe all of them, but whatever it was, it scared him more than Dementors or Voldemort or Wormtail, not because it was more important but because he knew how to deal with them. This, he could not deal with.

He took a deep breath and composed himself. Dumbledore would be waiting for him. He left the room.

***

Harry Potter and Ron Weasley almost ran into each other outside their common room. They stared at each other, and then both at the same time declared, "You'll never guess what I just saw!"

They grinned. "You first," said Ron.

"Right," said Harry. "You know that new Care of Magical Creatures woman? Professor Garland? Well, I just saw her sneaking past Hagrid's hut. I followed her, and guess where she went!"

"The forest?" Ron suggested,

"Nope. She went right up to the Whomping Willow, froze it with a stick, and crawled into the tunnel. Obviously she's trying to get into the Shrieking Shack, but why? Only Lupin goes there at full moon."

Ron's face paled. "It's full moon tonight! What if she's there and Lupin eats her?"

Harry shook his head. "Sirius is back, that means he'll go with Lupin tonight. He'll keep Lupin under control. Besides, it's a few hours until moon rise. What was it you saw?"

Ron paled further and recounted his tale. Harry's eyes had widened when he was finished.

"That can't be true," said Harry. "Sirius isn't - "

"I *saw* them, Harry!"

"Maybe you saw wrong."

"I didn't. There was Sirius lying there, and Lupin was - "

"I don't want to hear it!" Harry shouted, scowling. "And I don't believe it, either, Ron. They were probably doing something perfectly innocent."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. I'm more interested in what Professor Garland was doing."

"Y'know," said Ron, giving in, "I really don't get her. She's weird."

***

The men weren't back yet. Ella Black was worried. It wasn't like Thuban to be late. She hoped they hadn't come across any difficult werewolves. She hoped they hadn't come across any at all.

Ella sighed sadly. She was incredibly fed up. She had been in this house for months without leaving. She had no friends left; Julian would not let her see them. She did not understand why because she had never asked. She did not question Julian, or Thuban for that matter. That would be asking for trouble.

But there was one man she *would* question. A man who she knew would not lie to her. And she knew that one day he would be hers.

***

Dumbledore briefed the entire staff on Wormtail; Peter Pettigrew. Sirius and Remus were already familiar with all of this, and were present merely to re-enforce their senses and instincts. Not that either of them were listening. They were standing together at the back of Dumbledore's study, watching each other like cats.

"I know you feel it," Remus murmured right into Sirius' ear so that he did not interrupt Dumbledore. "You know how I feel for you, don't you? And I know you feel . . . something."

Sirius stared at him. "What are you saying?" He muttered.

"I'm saying, Sirius, that I. . ." Remus' voice trailed off as he realised the people closest to them would possibly hear him. Instead he let his fingers seek out Sirius' hand. He stroked his friend's knuckles, a subtle gesture. Sirius didn't respond. He just stared placidly into Remus' face, his expression once more incomprehensible.

"And that," said Dumbledore, "Must conclude this meeting. Back to work, ladies and gentlemen. Except for Remus, of course."

Remus nodded, not breaking eye contact with Sirius. Sirius, on the other hand, scowled.

"Where're you going, Moony?" he asked.

"The Shack," Remus explained. "Snape hasn't been here to make my Wolfsbane potion, and I tried to make it myself, but . . . well, you know me and potions."

"I'll come with you, then," said Sirius at once.

"If you don't want to, then - "

"Of course I want to, Moony. It'll be like the old days - "

Dumbledore's voice interrupted them. "Sirius, I'd like you to cover the rest of Remus' classes today, if you would. We really have no one to spare with Severus away. You don't mind, do you?"

With an almost relieved sigh, Sirius shook his head. "I don't mind, headmaster," he said.

Remus gave Sirius a small smile, and trotted from the room. Sirius groaned quietly. He didn't know what he was going to do about Remus and his feelings. The werewolf had always been slightly flirtatious with Sirius; it had been a joke really. At school Sirius had been a heartbreaker. He had a new girl every week, loved to chat them up, treat them like princesses, then, just when they were thinking of inviting him to meet their parents, dumping them with no good reason. But still they came for more. He was irresistible to females.

Remus, on the other hand, could have been the only boy in a boarding school full of beautiful girls and still feel queasy at the thought of kissing them. He'd been open with his sexuality, but not promiscuous, like one or two other boys in their year (or like Sirius, for that matter). He had been a shy boy, coy, quiet, patient. Only Sirius had ever publicly received the full heat of his charm, and that was only because it provided ludicrous entertainment for the rest of the school. Sirius was as straight as a plank, Remus about as straight as a corkscrew. Total opposites.

What was it they said about opposites?

Sirius shook his head. He couldn't be attracted to Remus. It just didn't fit into his schema of how the Universe worked. But the Universe worked differently these days, didn't it? These were the days when Sirius' own brother wandered about at night murdering werewolves, and when Lily and James were dead, and Peter was a wanted man. These were not the days Sirius had been used to.

A strange thought was forming in Sirius' mind. It had never been seen there before, and all his other thoughts stared at it like a stranger. Nevertheless, it was going to be heard. And it went like this: I really, really like Remus. I told him he's beautiful. I meant it. Why not give him a chance?

There was a few moments of silence in Sirius' mind as this was processed and digested. A couple of lesser thoughts yelled "here, here!" A few more joined in. Soon there was no escaping it. He was going to have to sit and really think about this. What did he have to lose? Still, it was a big decision. He had time to think. He could confront this later.

***

Remus trudged down the tunnel underneath the Whomping Willow, reached the trapdoor at the end, and pressed his hands against it. Then he froze. His ears pricked. He was sure he had heard something moving about in the house above. He shrugged, opened the trapdoor, and hauled himself up into the Shrieking Shack.

As soon as he had closed the door, he heard another sound upstairs. He took a deep, calming breath. The wolf was struggling at his chains, teeth gnashing, claws digging into the ground. Shh, he told it. Just a few more minuets. *Then* I'll set you free.

He took the stairs two at a time. The sound had stopped, but he could smell something now. He didn't know what it was. So near a shape change the senses became clouded, smells were difficult to make out, even familiar ones, but he knew there was something wrong. That was the wolfish sixth sense, the ability to detect kinks in the thread of normality. Something was in pain, close by. He ran along the corridor, and threw himself against the bedroom door, shouldering it open.

Before he got the chance to see what was within, moonlight from the window hit him full in the face. The wolf inside him tore frantically at it bonds, finally ripping them apart. It howled triumphantly as Remus fell to his knees, clutching his head. He felt his teeth lengthen, his hair grow long and wild all over his body, felt himself shrink, his limb-joints reverse painfully. The whole process took a few seconds, but to Remus, every transformation took a lifetime.

He let out a howl of pain as he dropped to the floor, fully transformed. Through the pain, he could make out two eyes peering at him. Yellow eyes, deadly bright in the dusk light. The thing moved towards him, and he knew that until his strength returned to him, he was helpless . . .

To Be Continued . . .

A/N:

Well, I'm not a proud of that chapter as the rest. Never mind, eh?

Lady Midnight: Thanks for reviewing! You've been sooooooooooo kind!

Ice: Yar, I love writing Siri-Rem cuteness. More on the way, if the story decides to go that way.

Padfootwolfboy: PHWEEEE!! You're nuts, you are! Found my muse yet? I have a few bones to pick with it.

Dace: **Points. Laughs.** You're coming to Chatham!! **Laughs a bit more** Well, we'll make your stay more enjoyable. . .