I. APHRODITE AND THE FAT LADY
"I'm sure this looks rather suspicious, but trust me: it's not," Sirius said, cupping Remus's face in his hands. Sirius touched the knot that turned off the Whomping Willow with a branch. They slipped down the narrow passageway, closing the door to the Shrieking Shack.
"Sirius, this is too dangerous," Remus gasped, but Sirius still clutched his hand. Remus sighed.
"Aphrodite watches lovers when the full moon rises," Sirius said.
"Do we count?"
"Of course," Sirius said, "why wouldn't we?"
"Well, I'm a werewolf..."
"I know that."
Remus kissed his lover, full, like drinking a glass of coffee mixed with milk. The two wizards began to slip off their robes, but at that moment, Remus doubled over. The change had begun.
"Leave...Sirius," Remus struggled to speak, "I'll be okay."
Sirius ran a finger down Remus's curving back. With a pop, he became a black shaggy dog. Remus, almost in animal form, gasped in surprise. If Sirius was an animal, Remus couldn't hurt him...
As his bones cracked and his flesh melted, Remus could taste the love he held for Sirius in the shallow layer of blood that covered his tongue from biting it.
***
Hogwarts was not a school to keep a secret. James woke up from a nervous dream filled with ravenous wolves. He opened the curtain surrounding his four-poster and put his feet on the cool stone floor. Moonlight streamed in the window, washing his pasty face. He heard Peter stirring uncomfortably.
He noticed that the room was otherwise silent. James rose and opened the curtains to Sirius's bed. The sheets were twisted but empty. James knew that Remus was absent; the full moon always stole him. James didn't know why. He supposed Remus was plagued by the same dreams as he was every lunar cycle, and wandered around the grounds as he planned to do.
He slipped his shoes on silently, and padded down the stairs. The common room was cold and empty, the remnants of a Gobstone game resting on the table.
He didn't want to bother with the Invisibility Cloak. He had the suspicion Sirius was under it. James knew the secret passageways well enough. He wouldn't be found.
He opened the portrait. The Fat Lady woke up. "What are you doing? You shouldn't be out of bed right now!" she chided.
James winked at her. "No telling?"
"You're lucky you're so charming," she said.
"Did Sirius leave tonight?"
"I don't remember," she said. "He and Lupin went to the Library and a big group came back. I think he was with them."
"Thanks," James said. She hadn't given him the right answer, but it did tell him something. Wherever Sirius was, Remus was with him.
"I'm sure this looks rather suspicious, but trust me: it's not," Sirius said, cupping Remus's face in his hands. Sirius touched the knot that turned off the Whomping Willow with a branch. They slipped down the narrow passageway, closing the door to the Shrieking Shack.
"Sirius, this is too dangerous," Remus gasped, but Sirius still clutched his hand. Remus sighed.
"Aphrodite watches lovers when the full moon rises," Sirius said.
"Do we count?"
"Of course," Sirius said, "why wouldn't we?"
"Well, I'm a werewolf..."
"I know that."
Remus kissed his lover, full, like drinking a glass of coffee mixed with milk. The two wizards began to slip off their robes, but at that moment, Remus doubled over. The change had begun.
"Leave...Sirius," Remus struggled to speak, "I'll be okay."
Sirius ran a finger down Remus's curving back. With a pop, he became a black shaggy dog. Remus, almost in animal form, gasped in surprise. If Sirius was an animal, Remus couldn't hurt him...
As his bones cracked and his flesh melted, Remus could taste the love he held for Sirius in the shallow layer of blood that covered his tongue from biting it.
***
Hogwarts was not a school to keep a secret. James woke up from a nervous dream filled with ravenous wolves. He opened the curtain surrounding his four-poster and put his feet on the cool stone floor. Moonlight streamed in the window, washing his pasty face. He heard Peter stirring uncomfortably.
He noticed that the room was otherwise silent. James rose and opened the curtains to Sirius's bed. The sheets were twisted but empty. James knew that Remus was absent; the full moon always stole him. James didn't know why. He supposed Remus was plagued by the same dreams as he was every lunar cycle, and wandered around the grounds as he planned to do.
He slipped his shoes on silently, and padded down the stairs. The common room was cold and empty, the remnants of a Gobstone game resting on the table.
He didn't want to bother with the Invisibility Cloak. He had the suspicion Sirius was under it. James knew the secret passageways well enough. He wouldn't be found.
He opened the portrait. The Fat Lady woke up. "What are you doing? You shouldn't be out of bed right now!" she chided.
James winked at her. "No telling?"
"You're lucky you're so charming," she said.
"Did Sirius leave tonight?"
"I don't remember," she said. "He and Lupin went to the Library and a big group came back. I think he was with them."
"Thanks," James said. She hadn't given him the right answer, but it did tell him something. Wherever Sirius was, Remus was with him.