Washed Clean
Remus neatly stacked the dishes and tidied up the room to make the elves' job easier. He'd chased Sirius off, refusing to let him help. Frankly, Remus was surprised his lover was still standing when it was obvious that his entire body trembled due to the exhaustion strumming along his muscles.
He entered the bedroom just in time to see a long line of naked skin vanish under the rich burgundy bedspread, accompanied by the half-moan, half-sigh that he'd only hear when Sirius was at the limits of his strength. Smiling slightly, Remus noticed other prosaic images, signs of the presence of his lover that somehow warmed the room and chased away the loneliness; the pile of discarded clothes tossed on a chair and the lingering minty scent of toothpaste in the air.
His heart swelled to bursting with love and longing. Remus gulped hard, surprised at this sudden surge in his emotions. He hurried into the bathroom to stifle the tears that threatened him. It would only distress Sirius to see him crying. And all Remus wanted to do was join his lover in bed, flesh to flesh, limbs entangled in the reassuring closeness that both of them needed so badly. With meticulous precision, Remus undressed and folded his clothing, still trying to swallow the lump in his throat.
He reached for the tube of toothpaste. The top was askew, like a hat tilted at a jaunty angle. And that mundane sight, that fingertip-sized bit of evidence of Sirius' return, made something break inside. The heavy chains that had wrapped around his heart shattered like glass and a flood of emotion split him open. The tears he had stifled for so long poured out of him.
Remus gripped the edge of the sink, silent sobs shaking his frame. They pressed out of him, wringing the air from his lungs until there was nothing left. He couldn't control the great, gasping breaths he took, no matter how he tried. He wanted to be silent, to not disturb Sirius, to not wake him if he'd already fallen asleep.
Strong arms slid around him. Startled, he pulled away, only to hear, "Shhh, it's alright, Re."
The arms gathered him close and he leaned his head against a smooth shoulder and surrendered to the wracking sobs he'd smothered for months. He clung to Sirius, clutched him tight. He'd never let him go. Never again. The pain of losing him could not be borne.
Battered by the violence of his tears, Remus was conscious of only the feel of Sirius' body and the sweet murmur of his voice in counterpoint to the cries ripping from his own body. It wasn't until the storm passed that he realized where he was; secure in Sirius' arms, settled on the spacious bed, propped up against a small mountain of pillows. Long fingers soothingly stroked his hair. Remus finally stirred, aware that his face and Sirius' shoulder and chest were streaked with tears.
"We're a mess. I'm sorry."
"Shush. There's no need to apologize," Sirius whispered. He placed a gentle kiss on Remus' forehead. "Lay still, love. I'll be right back."
He slipped off the bed and headed into the bathroom, his skin burnished by the firelight.
Although physically and emotionally spent, Remus felt a calm at the core of his being that hadn't been there in months. He floated in a comfortable limbo until a warm, damp cloth pressed against his face, wiping away all traces of his tears. A plush towel dried him. The tender ministrations were so reminiscent of how Sirius used to tend to him after particularly bad transformations that, for a moment, he felt they were barely twenty years old.
Remus opened his eyes and smiled at the man hovering above him. "You're still so good to me. Forgive me for drenching you?"
Sirius flung the wet washcloth in the general direction of the bathroom. They heard a solid 'thwap' as it hit the tiled floor. He let the towel fall as he climbed back into bed. Sirius pulled Remus close. "It's not the first time I've been covered with your bodily fluids." His mouth closed over Remus' in a slow, sweet kiss. "I don't mind at all."
Remus kissed him back. "I love you. I'll still love you even if I step on that soggy, cold washcloth in the middle of the night."
"There's one foolproof way of avoiding that fate."
"You'll stop throwing things on the floor?"
"No. You won't leave this bed. Not until at least noon tomorrow."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Surprisingly, Remus woke several times during the night. The emotional exhaustion of the previous evening didn't translate into unbroken sleep, even when he had drifted off blissfully cocooned in the warm embrace of his lover. Maybe his wakefulness was some sort of defense mechanism. Perhaps his subconscious needed constant reassurance that Sirius was not going to disappear in the middle of the night.
The first time Remus woke he felt disoriented. But the sound of the slow, deep, even breathing of the man sleeping next to him brought everything back. He choked back a whimper of relief. Quietly, slowly, he slid up against Sirius, resting his palm against that warm, soft spot on his neck beneath which a pulse beat, strong and firm.
Later, Remus woke again, this time aware of his precise location inside Hogwarts, in comfortable rooms, in a gloriously large bed. And he was fully conscious of who shared his bed. Remus settled back against the body spooned up behind him. He dozed off, securely locked in the arm that had reflexively tightened around him.
And finally, he woke at sunrise, alert to the play of shadow and light across the planes of Sirius' face. As their room brightened, the thin features, relaxed in sleep, came into clearer focus. No museum in the world owned a masterpiece with a face as alluring as the one he watched, drinking in every remembered detail. The shadow of ebony eyelashes, spread like tiny, delicate fans. The welcoming soft pillows of perfectly formed lips, so ideal for kissing. The small wrinkles that highlighted the corners of the closed eyes and bracketed the sensuous mouth. They were marks of experience and a life lived hard. Not imperfections, but badges of strength, testaments to courage writ in flesh.
Remus drew a forefinger along those lines in a touch soft as a spring breeze. He explored, wanting only to rediscover, not awaken. But, despite his gentleness, the startling pale eyes fluttered open and a lopsided smile appeared. And once again, as had happened countless times in his life, that face took his breath away.
"It's early, my love," Remus whispered. "Go back to sleep."
"Nuh-unh." A raspy mumble. "I'd rather lie here and look at you looking at me."
For long moments, that was all they did. The nervous anxiety that had held Sirius fast in its grip melted away like early morning haze. He was back where he so longed to be. Almost casually, he raised his hand and laid it like a benediction against Remus' cheek. The hazel eyes closed and Remus leaned into the hand, slowly rubbing against the warm palm. The pad of a thumb ran back and forth across his lips.
The hand moved, sliding into silver-streaked hair, long fingers curling around the back of his head, pulling him close. Remus gave no resistance and instead, eyes and lips barely parted, he slipped into Sirius' arms. With an insistent push, he rolled them over until he lay on top of his lover. Their bodies felt good together, hard and soft in all the expected places. Remus couldn't help grinning right before he claimed the willing mouth that panted for his kiss.
It was just as Remus remembered. He felt Sirius. He tasted Sirius. The slopes and curves and angles of their bodies fit as they always had. Remus felt blessed that the greatest desire of his heart was reunited with him. The piercing emptiness he'd lived with was filled. It was enough, for the moment, to reacquaint himself with Sirius' mouth, which surrendered to his tender assault. Remus' tongue dipped between the parted lips to tempt and tease its mate to come out and play.
Sirius' arms tightened around his lover to mold their bodies together. Touch. How he'd hungered for touch when trapped in his barren room. And now the heaven that was Remus' body nearly overwhelmed him. The ripple of muscle under sleek skin, scarred or smooth, released him from the deadened limbo in which he'd existed for months. It was over. In this moment, together with his lover, Sirius felt something he hadn't felt in years, that he'd finally come home.
The exquisite touch of Sirius' hands on his body made Remus shiver. They slid over his back to tangle in his hair. They played his spine and grasped the firm mounds of his buttocks. It was getting difficult to breathe, with their lips sealed together and two tongues in his mouth.
Remus turned his head, shifted his position atop Sirius. He kissed his way along the strong jaw and nipped a velvet earlobe. His oral travels continued down the column of Sirius' neck to the graceful curve where it flowed into his shoulder. Remus alternated his kisses with insistent, sucking nibbles, paying special attention to this spot until he got what he wanted, until he heard the growly purrs of pleasure sighing through Sirius' lips.
Black hair spread like night against the pillow as Sirius moved beneath Remus, rubbing their bodies together. He craved sensation, begged for touch, and hungered to feel Remus. His hands, his flesh, his hair, his mouth. Sirius wanted everything. And that would finally convince him that his life had truly been given back to him. A wave of sensation rippled down from his shoulders to his hips. The long legs spread, bowed upwards, gripped Remus between strong thighs.
Humming with arousal, Remus' kisses grew stronger, harder, demanding, as his mouth traveled the familiar map of Sirius' body. One of his hands clenched a fistful of black hair while the other slipped between their bodies to fasten around the warm, heavy weight of Sirius' arousal. The slim hips responded, bucking up into him. Sirius' grip tightened. Legs, arms, hands pulled Remus close, as if to force their two bodies to become one.
More, more, more. Sirius' every nerve tingled and twitched for stimulation. Weight, heat, pressure. Warm friction of skin on skin. Fingers teasing and caressing. Teeth nibbling. Lips savoring. He yearned to feel all of it everywhere. Remus' fingers danced along his body. They drew patterns on his flesh, painting with a palette of touch. They crinkled through the fine, dark chest hair like the drift of a warm breeze. They sculpted the form of his muscles and bones. Playful and tender. Demanding and giving. Those strong, knowing, beloved hands guided Sirius out of the shadows of loneliness and back into the brilliant dawn of a second life.
Remus rose and crouched over Sirius, only to sink slowly down until the long, hard length of his lover filled him with its smooth heat. The limber muscles of his thighs raised and lowered his body. The tempo of his sinuous movements was matched by Sirius' warm, teasing hand exploring his arousal. Their blood turned to liquid fire and roared through their veins, lighting them from within with the fierce blaze of their desire. Feeling the final rush towards climax, he hauled Remus' head down for a deep, searing kiss. Their bodies lurched together in one last, clenching plunge and they cried their release into each other's mouth.
Panting, they collapsed together. The warm stickiness that had sprayed across Sirius' belly now coated them both. Once they regained their breath, Remus noted ruefully. "I seem to have created another mess."
"At the risk of sounding repetitive, it's not the first time I've been covered with your bodily fluids. And I still don't mind."
Remus' smile still crinkled his eyes in the most alluring way, Sirius was happy to see. Impulsively, he grabbed his lover and pulled him into a tight, lingering embrace. Remus was too close to see the radiant smile that lit up Sirius' face, but he knew it was there. He snaked his arms around his lover and kissed his neck. "Welcome home, beloved."
Sirius had taken the final steps back into the living world, here in this bed, with the keeper of his heart.
The Plan Revealed
The crisp, clear weather of Halloween had dissolved into gray, sodden showers. Raindrops splattered against the windows, driven by a raw, harsh wind. Sirius sat still, feet pointed at the fire, and listened to the rain, the crackling wood and the scratch of Remus' quill against parchment. He thought about Harry's visit, where the most important thing they discussed was Quidditch. He looked forward to similar visits, although he knew that they would inevitably talk about much more dire subjects. But the memory of today's visit, curled up in the warmth and comfort of his rooms, would stay with Sirius a long time. Caught in the grip of an unaccustomed emotion, it took him a while to recognize it. He was happy.
A sharp rap on the door announced a visitor. Before either man could move, Albus Dumbledore entered. The three men exchanged greetings and then the Headmaster sank with a weary sigh into one of the large, cushioned chairs. He noted how keenly Sirius watched him and knew the black-haired wizard expected to hear about Albus' plan.
"Sirius, how difficult was it for you to learn the Animagus transformation?"
Sirius thought about the long, tedious process he had embarked on with James, Peter and Remus so many years ago. "The greatest difficulties were getting our hands on the information we needed and then scrounging for the ingredients required for the potion. It took a while to piece together the process, since we needed books from the Restricted Section of the Library. Once we thought we understood the theory, we still needed to get some rather esoteric ingredients."
"Yes," Dumbledore mused, "some of those are not commonly available due to their potential misuse in dark magic. If I may ask, how did you manage to obtain them?"
Sirius snorted with disbelief. "From my parents, of course! My mother had a small arsenal of vials and bottles filled with questionable, if not downright illegal, substances. I simply had to be careful not to get caught filching the stuff, and not to steal a noticeable amount at any one time."
"Determined lad, weren't you?" Dumbledore muttered. "The potion can have some temporary, but nasty, side effects. What happened when you brewed and drank the potion?"
Sirius groaned at the memory. "I was violently ill."
Remus nodded. "What a nerve-wracking night that was! I was convinced they had poisoned themselves. All three of them got sick. But, Sirius was the worst. He got horribly dizzy about two hours after swallowing the potion. It dropped him like an ax felling a tree."
"That was the first night you ever peeled my clothes off. Too bad I was too sick to enjoy it."
"Sirius! We weren't..We hadn't..we were just friends!"
"Hmmmm." Sirius replied noncommittally. Remus glared threateningly, but wasn't entirely successful.
Dumbledore rescued him. "You had other symptoms?"
"Fever, dizziness, aches, vomiting. It hurt to move. When Remus tried to get me to Hospital that Monday morning, I passed out from the pain. I was sick for four or five days."
"And what about the actual transfiguration? How difficult was it?"
"Dealing with the potion was the hard part for me. I do remember, though, that the effort of saying the incantations correctly while concentrating on the mental aspects of transfiguration required some practice, especially since we didn't know what animal we would become."
Remus interjected, "Yes, but you did it quickly. You became Padfoot the first night you tried. It took James several days and Peter several weeks to find their animal forms."
"You've never had trouble switching back and forth?" Dumbledore asked. "Never felt that you were stuck in one form or the other? Never lost your sense of being Sirius, even when you were Padfoot?"
Sirius shook his head. "Never. Once I made that first transformation, it was as easy as breathing. I never had a problem. Not even in Azkaban."
Dumbledore sat back in his chair, a satisfied smile on his face. Remus also looked pleased. Sirius glanced from one to the other. "Well?"
"The Order needs skilled wizards like you, Sirius. But, right now, you can't help us to the best of your abilities if you're forced to remain in hiding. If we could capture Pettigrew, we could prove your innocence and set you free. Of course, that would mean you'd be free to put yourself in danger, but I know you feel trapped and useless at not being able to more actively contribute to our cause."
"All true, but what does this have to do with being an Animagus?"
"The Death Eaters think you're dead. Even so, a number of them would still recognize Padfoot if he were to be seen. Certainly Pettigrew would. But, that doesn't mean that they'd mistrust every animal that comes their way. I think it quite possible that Peter Pettigrew could be discovered by the spying of other animals."
The old Headmaster looked hard at Sirius, a conspiratorial gleam in his eyes. "Do you think you have the magical strength to become a Polyanimagus, to be able to transform into any animal at will?"
The face Remus had seen in his imagination when Dumbledore first proposed this plan months ago now shone before him. Sirius was indeed salivating at the thought. For Sirius, the possibility was breathtaking. He could attempt powerful magic. And then he could apply that to a task which, if done successfully, would give him his freedom and bring a murderer to justice. He could openly take his proper place in Harry's life and carry his share of the burden faced by the Order. Sirius looked long at Remus, silently asking if his lover realized that to go forward would ultimately lead to danger and possibly death.
Sirius suddenly looked ten years younger, Remus thought. He'd finally been given a chance to do something to manage and control his own life. Surely, he was owed that. And, just as surely, he owed the powers that had returned him to life to use that life and the talents with which he'd been blessed. Remus would never deny him this. They were all in danger, but evil was easier fought head-on than by standing on the sidelines.
Remus rose and walked over to Sirius. He held out his hands, and when Sirius grasped them, he pulled his lover to his feet. Neither man said a word, but both knew what the other was thinking. Finally Remus leaned forward to kiss this battered, beautiful man who held Remus' heart in his hands.
"Well, Sirius, do you want to plan a midnight raid to the Restricted Section to find what we need, or do you trust me to do your research for you?"
Sirius' grin was all the answer he needed.
END
A/N: I'm planning a sequel.
Remus neatly stacked the dishes and tidied up the room to make the elves' job easier. He'd chased Sirius off, refusing to let him help. Frankly, Remus was surprised his lover was still standing when it was obvious that his entire body trembled due to the exhaustion strumming along his muscles.
He entered the bedroom just in time to see a long line of naked skin vanish under the rich burgundy bedspread, accompanied by the half-moan, half-sigh that he'd only hear when Sirius was at the limits of his strength. Smiling slightly, Remus noticed other prosaic images, signs of the presence of his lover that somehow warmed the room and chased away the loneliness; the pile of discarded clothes tossed on a chair and the lingering minty scent of toothpaste in the air.
His heart swelled to bursting with love and longing. Remus gulped hard, surprised at this sudden surge in his emotions. He hurried into the bathroom to stifle the tears that threatened him. It would only distress Sirius to see him crying. And all Remus wanted to do was join his lover in bed, flesh to flesh, limbs entangled in the reassuring closeness that both of them needed so badly. With meticulous precision, Remus undressed and folded his clothing, still trying to swallow the lump in his throat.
He reached for the tube of toothpaste. The top was askew, like a hat tilted at a jaunty angle. And that mundane sight, that fingertip-sized bit of evidence of Sirius' return, made something break inside. The heavy chains that had wrapped around his heart shattered like glass and a flood of emotion split him open. The tears he had stifled for so long poured out of him.
Remus gripped the edge of the sink, silent sobs shaking his frame. They pressed out of him, wringing the air from his lungs until there was nothing left. He couldn't control the great, gasping breaths he took, no matter how he tried. He wanted to be silent, to not disturb Sirius, to not wake him if he'd already fallen asleep.
Strong arms slid around him. Startled, he pulled away, only to hear, "Shhh, it's alright, Re."
The arms gathered him close and he leaned his head against a smooth shoulder and surrendered to the wracking sobs he'd smothered for months. He clung to Sirius, clutched him tight. He'd never let him go. Never again. The pain of losing him could not be borne.
Battered by the violence of his tears, Remus was conscious of only the feel of Sirius' body and the sweet murmur of his voice in counterpoint to the cries ripping from his own body. It wasn't until the storm passed that he realized where he was; secure in Sirius' arms, settled on the spacious bed, propped up against a small mountain of pillows. Long fingers soothingly stroked his hair. Remus finally stirred, aware that his face and Sirius' shoulder and chest were streaked with tears.
"We're a mess. I'm sorry."
"Shush. There's no need to apologize," Sirius whispered. He placed a gentle kiss on Remus' forehead. "Lay still, love. I'll be right back."
He slipped off the bed and headed into the bathroom, his skin burnished by the firelight.
Although physically and emotionally spent, Remus felt a calm at the core of his being that hadn't been there in months. He floated in a comfortable limbo until a warm, damp cloth pressed against his face, wiping away all traces of his tears. A plush towel dried him. The tender ministrations were so reminiscent of how Sirius used to tend to him after particularly bad transformations that, for a moment, he felt they were barely twenty years old.
Remus opened his eyes and smiled at the man hovering above him. "You're still so good to me. Forgive me for drenching you?"
Sirius flung the wet washcloth in the general direction of the bathroom. They heard a solid 'thwap' as it hit the tiled floor. He let the towel fall as he climbed back into bed. Sirius pulled Remus close. "It's not the first time I've been covered with your bodily fluids." His mouth closed over Remus' in a slow, sweet kiss. "I don't mind at all."
Remus kissed him back. "I love you. I'll still love you even if I step on that soggy, cold washcloth in the middle of the night."
"There's one foolproof way of avoiding that fate."
"You'll stop throwing things on the floor?"
"No. You won't leave this bed. Not until at least noon tomorrow."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Surprisingly, Remus woke several times during the night. The emotional exhaustion of the previous evening didn't translate into unbroken sleep, even when he had drifted off blissfully cocooned in the warm embrace of his lover. Maybe his wakefulness was some sort of defense mechanism. Perhaps his subconscious needed constant reassurance that Sirius was not going to disappear in the middle of the night.
The first time Remus woke he felt disoriented. But the sound of the slow, deep, even breathing of the man sleeping next to him brought everything back. He choked back a whimper of relief. Quietly, slowly, he slid up against Sirius, resting his palm against that warm, soft spot on his neck beneath which a pulse beat, strong and firm.
Later, Remus woke again, this time aware of his precise location inside Hogwarts, in comfortable rooms, in a gloriously large bed. And he was fully conscious of who shared his bed. Remus settled back against the body spooned up behind him. He dozed off, securely locked in the arm that had reflexively tightened around him.
And finally, he woke at sunrise, alert to the play of shadow and light across the planes of Sirius' face. As their room brightened, the thin features, relaxed in sleep, came into clearer focus. No museum in the world owned a masterpiece with a face as alluring as the one he watched, drinking in every remembered detail. The shadow of ebony eyelashes, spread like tiny, delicate fans. The welcoming soft pillows of perfectly formed lips, so ideal for kissing. The small wrinkles that highlighted the corners of the closed eyes and bracketed the sensuous mouth. They were marks of experience and a life lived hard. Not imperfections, but badges of strength, testaments to courage writ in flesh.
Remus drew a forefinger along those lines in a touch soft as a spring breeze. He explored, wanting only to rediscover, not awaken. But, despite his gentleness, the startling pale eyes fluttered open and a lopsided smile appeared. And once again, as had happened countless times in his life, that face took his breath away.
"It's early, my love," Remus whispered. "Go back to sleep."
"Nuh-unh." A raspy mumble. "I'd rather lie here and look at you looking at me."
For long moments, that was all they did. The nervous anxiety that had held Sirius fast in its grip melted away like early morning haze. He was back where he so longed to be. Almost casually, he raised his hand and laid it like a benediction against Remus' cheek. The hazel eyes closed and Remus leaned into the hand, slowly rubbing against the warm palm. The pad of a thumb ran back and forth across his lips.
The hand moved, sliding into silver-streaked hair, long fingers curling around the back of his head, pulling him close. Remus gave no resistance and instead, eyes and lips barely parted, he slipped into Sirius' arms. With an insistent push, he rolled them over until he lay on top of his lover. Their bodies felt good together, hard and soft in all the expected places. Remus couldn't help grinning right before he claimed the willing mouth that panted for his kiss.
It was just as Remus remembered. He felt Sirius. He tasted Sirius. The slopes and curves and angles of their bodies fit as they always had. Remus felt blessed that the greatest desire of his heart was reunited with him. The piercing emptiness he'd lived with was filled. It was enough, for the moment, to reacquaint himself with Sirius' mouth, which surrendered to his tender assault. Remus' tongue dipped between the parted lips to tempt and tease its mate to come out and play.
Sirius' arms tightened around his lover to mold their bodies together. Touch. How he'd hungered for touch when trapped in his barren room. And now the heaven that was Remus' body nearly overwhelmed him. The ripple of muscle under sleek skin, scarred or smooth, released him from the deadened limbo in which he'd existed for months. It was over. In this moment, together with his lover, Sirius felt something he hadn't felt in years, that he'd finally come home.
The exquisite touch of Sirius' hands on his body made Remus shiver. They slid over his back to tangle in his hair. They played his spine and grasped the firm mounds of his buttocks. It was getting difficult to breathe, with their lips sealed together and two tongues in his mouth.
Remus turned his head, shifted his position atop Sirius. He kissed his way along the strong jaw and nipped a velvet earlobe. His oral travels continued down the column of Sirius' neck to the graceful curve where it flowed into his shoulder. Remus alternated his kisses with insistent, sucking nibbles, paying special attention to this spot until he got what he wanted, until he heard the growly purrs of pleasure sighing through Sirius' lips.
Black hair spread like night against the pillow as Sirius moved beneath Remus, rubbing their bodies together. He craved sensation, begged for touch, and hungered to feel Remus. His hands, his flesh, his hair, his mouth. Sirius wanted everything. And that would finally convince him that his life had truly been given back to him. A wave of sensation rippled down from his shoulders to his hips. The long legs spread, bowed upwards, gripped Remus between strong thighs.
Humming with arousal, Remus' kisses grew stronger, harder, demanding, as his mouth traveled the familiar map of Sirius' body. One of his hands clenched a fistful of black hair while the other slipped between their bodies to fasten around the warm, heavy weight of Sirius' arousal. The slim hips responded, bucking up into him. Sirius' grip tightened. Legs, arms, hands pulled Remus close, as if to force their two bodies to become one.
More, more, more. Sirius' every nerve tingled and twitched for stimulation. Weight, heat, pressure. Warm friction of skin on skin. Fingers teasing and caressing. Teeth nibbling. Lips savoring. He yearned to feel all of it everywhere. Remus' fingers danced along his body. They drew patterns on his flesh, painting with a palette of touch. They crinkled through the fine, dark chest hair like the drift of a warm breeze. They sculpted the form of his muscles and bones. Playful and tender. Demanding and giving. Those strong, knowing, beloved hands guided Sirius out of the shadows of loneliness and back into the brilliant dawn of a second life.
Remus rose and crouched over Sirius, only to sink slowly down until the long, hard length of his lover filled him with its smooth heat. The limber muscles of his thighs raised and lowered his body. The tempo of his sinuous movements was matched by Sirius' warm, teasing hand exploring his arousal. Their blood turned to liquid fire and roared through their veins, lighting them from within with the fierce blaze of their desire. Feeling the final rush towards climax, he hauled Remus' head down for a deep, searing kiss. Their bodies lurched together in one last, clenching plunge and they cried their release into each other's mouth.
Panting, they collapsed together. The warm stickiness that had sprayed across Sirius' belly now coated them both. Once they regained their breath, Remus noted ruefully. "I seem to have created another mess."
"At the risk of sounding repetitive, it's not the first time I've been covered with your bodily fluids. And I still don't mind."
Remus' smile still crinkled his eyes in the most alluring way, Sirius was happy to see. Impulsively, he grabbed his lover and pulled him into a tight, lingering embrace. Remus was too close to see the radiant smile that lit up Sirius' face, but he knew it was there. He snaked his arms around his lover and kissed his neck. "Welcome home, beloved."
Sirius had taken the final steps back into the living world, here in this bed, with the keeper of his heart.
The Plan Revealed
The crisp, clear weather of Halloween had dissolved into gray, sodden showers. Raindrops splattered against the windows, driven by a raw, harsh wind. Sirius sat still, feet pointed at the fire, and listened to the rain, the crackling wood and the scratch of Remus' quill against parchment. He thought about Harry's visit, where the most important thing they discussed was Quidditch. He looked forward to similar visits, although he knew that they would inevitably talk about much more dire subjects. But the memory of today's visit, curled up in the warmth and comfort of his rooms, would stay with Sirius a long time. Caught in the grip of an unaccustomed emotion, it took him a while to recognize it. He was happy.
A sharp rap on the door announced a visitor. Before either man could move, Albus Dumbledore entered. The three men exchanged greetings and then the Headmaster sank with a weary sigh into one of the large, cushioned chairs. He noted how keenly Sirius watched him and knew the black-haired wizard expected to hear about Albus' plan.
"Sirius, how difficult was it for you to learn the Animagus transformation?"
Sirius thought about the long, tedious process he had embarked on with James, Peter and Remus so many years ago. "The greatest difficulties were getting our hands on the information we needed and then scrounging for the ingredients required for the potion. It took a while to piece together the process, since we needed books from the Restricted Section of the Library. Once we thought we understood the theory, we still needed to get some rather esoteric ingredients."
"Yes," Dumbledore mused, "some of those are not commonly available due to their potential misuse in dark magic. If I may ask, how did you manage to obtain them?"
Sirius snorted with disbelief. "From my parents, of course! My mother had a small arsenal of vials and bottles filled with questionable, if not downright illegal, substances. I simply had to be careful not to get caught filching the stuff, and not to steal a noticeable amount at any one time."
"Determined lad, weren't you?" Dumbledore muttered. "The potion can have some temporary, but nasty, side effects. What happened when you brewed and drank the potion?"
Sirius groaned at the memory. "I was violently ill."
Remus nodded. "What a nerve-wracking night that was! I was convinced they had poisoned themselves. All three of them got sick. But, Sirius was the worst. He got horribly dizzy about two hours after swallowing the potion. It dropped him like an ax felling a tree."
"That was the first night you ever peeled my clothes off. Too bad I was too sick to enjoy it."
"Sirius! We weren't..We hadn't..we were just friends!"
"Hmmmm." Sirius replied noncommittally. Remus glared threateningly, but wasn't entirely successful.
Dumbledore rescued him. "You had other symptoms?"
"Fever, dizziness, aches, vomiting. It hurt to move. When Remus tried to get me to Hospital that Monday morning, I passed out from the pain. I was sick for four or five days."
"And what about the actual transfiguration? How difficult was it?"
"Dealing with the potion was the hard part for me. I do remember, though, that the effort of saying the incantations correctly while concentrating on the mental aspects of transfiguration required some practice, especially since we didn't know what animal we would become."
Remus interjected, "Yes, but you did it quickly. You became Padfoot the first night you tried. It took James several days and Peter several weeks to find their animal forms."
"You've never had trouble switching back and forth?" Dumbledore asked. "Never felt that you were stuck in one form or the other? Never lost your sense of being Sirius, even when you were Padfoot?"
Sirius shook his head. "Never. Once I made that first transformation, it was as easy as breathing. I never had a problem. Not even in Azkaban."
Dumbledore sat back in his chair, a satisfied smile on his face. Remus also looked pleased. Sirius glanced from one to the other. "Well?"
"The Order needs skilled wizards like you, Sirius. But, right now, you can't help us to the best of your abilities if you're forced to remain in hiding. If we could capture Pettigrew, we could prove your innocence and set you free. Of course, that would mean you'd be free to put yourself in danger, but I know you feel trapped and useless at not being able to more actively contribute to our cause."
"All true, but what does this have to do with being an Animagus?"
"The Death Eaters think you're dead. Even so, a number of them would still recognize Padfoot if he were to be seen. Certainly Pettigrew would. But, that doesn't mean that they'd mistrust every animal that comes their way. I think it quite possible that Peter Pettigrew could be discovered by the spying of other animals."
The old Headmaster looked hard at Sirius, a conspiratorial gleam in his eyes. "Do you think you have the magical strength to become a Polyanimagus, to be able to transform into any animal at will?"
The face Remus had seen in his imagination when Dumbledore first proposed this plan months ago now shone before him. Sirius was indeed salivating at the thought. For Sirius, the possibility was breathtaking. He could attempt powerful magic. And then he could apply that to a task which, if done successfully, would give him his freedom and bring a murderer to justice. He could openly take his proper place in Harry's life and carry his share of the burden faced by the Order. Sirius looked long at Remus, silently asking if his lover realized that to go forward would ultimately lead to danger and possibly death.
Sirius suddenly looked ten years younger, Remus thought. He'd finally been given a chance to do something to manage and control his own life. Surely, he was owed that. And, just as surely, he owed the powers that had returned him to life to use that life and the talents with which he'd been blessed. Remus would never deny him this. They were all in danger, but evil was easier fought head-on than by standing on the sidelines.
Remus rose and walked over to Sirius. He held out his hands, and when Sirius grasped them, he pulled his lover to his feet. Neither man said a word, but both knew what the other was thinking. Finally Remus leaned forward to kiss this battered, beautiful man who held Remus' heart in his hands.
"Well, Sirius, do you want to plan a midnight raid to the Restricted Section to find what we need, or do you trust me to do your research for you?"
Sirius' grin was all the answer he needed.
END
A/N: I'm planning a sequel.