Title: Two Sides of the Door

Rating: (That's tough to decide, really. The plot encompasses most of the specter.) I think I can settle with a semi-maturity rating of PG-13.

Archive: FF.net, SBRL mailing list, Azkaban's Lair (if Nezad decides to do so). Other offers for archiving are welcomed, of course. (For contact details, please refer to my profile.)

Author's notes: This is my debut story into the Sirius Black-Remus Lupin slash domicile. Please be indulgent enough to overlook any inconsistencies, as I'm still easing my way into another completely different slash world. Moreover, this is only the second story I've successfully published and pushed through with after my two-year hiatus, so if the content seems a little rough, I have a sort-of excuse. What you're about to read is also un- beta'ed stuff, so... please bear with me. Feel free to point out any discrepancies, and constructive criticism is more than welcome.

Preamble: This is a two-part story, but I didn't feel the need to divide them into two separate chapters. The story starts with James' side, and how he perceives what he hears. For the second part, however, the narration shifts from Sirius and Remus' side. (This story was written sporadically over the last 3-4 days, spending at most 5 hours a day with it. I happen to have landed myself a rather demanding college schedule this term, and it is such the anti-creative writing force to be reckoned with.)

Parameters used: "..." - to denote spoken words; [...] - to denote character's thoughts.

Disclaimer: Rights to Harry Potter and its characters belong to, but not limited to, J.K. Rowling and associates, Scholastic Books, Bloomsbury Books, et al. I own no claim to any of the characters mentioned in the story to follow, so please, hold down the lawsuits.

~@~

Part 1: JAMES - I HEARD MY FRIENDS...

Nighttime had already long fallen upon Hogwarts when James Potter had come out of the dungeons, where students take their Potions classes. He had been penalized by the Potions professor with the duty of cleaning out every single slime-coated cauldron [Muggle-style] for causing half the Slytherins' potions to mysteriously evaporate just when they've finished with the mixture (this happened earlier that day). This caused James three precious hours of his evening, not to mention having to give up going to the Great Hall for the evening feast.

After a grueling walk from the dungeons way up to Gryffindor Tower, he could barely muster up enough energy to give the password ("Varuna"). Eventually, the Fat Lady withdrew to reveal the shadowy passageway leading to the Gryffindor common room and dormitories (after hearing a choked, garbled rendition of the password). James traipsed inside, only to be greeted by the sight of a very much empty common room.

He perched himself on one of the armchairs by the withering fire and leaned on the velvety caresses of the chair. [I'm really tired... But I'm really hungry too.]

"Kitchen raid tonight. Definitely." His spirits renewed by the thought of warm lamb chops, chicken pasties, and iced pumpkin juice; James picked himself up from the chair and vigorously bounded up the stairwell. [I'll grab my invisibility cloak and go. Sirius, Remus, and Peter don't have to know anything.]

Finally reaching their room, James reached for the doorknob, but it won't open. Apparently, some locking charm was placed on the door. Bewildered, James tried breaking through the spell ("Alohomora!"), but a void ward was placed on the door too. This ward prevented anyone from breaking through a locking charm, unless the one who placed the ward removed it himself. To put it shortly, James was locked out of his own room.

Infuriated at his rotten luck and at his equally rotten friends, he raised a foot; supposedly in an attempt to kick the door in an invective of rage, but a shuffling movement inside caught his attention. He eagerly (and suspiciously) glued his ears to the door.

The voices were only slightly drowned by the oak door -- James could easily make out the enunciations made by his friends.

"Hmmmm... Do you really think we should be doing this tonight?"

[So... Remus is in there...]

"Of course! It's the perfect time! Peter's out visiting his sick aunt, and James's doing his detention tonight; we'll be both alone... Nothing can stop this now."

[Sirius! Of all the...!] He drew in closer, his ears practically welded to the door, hoping to catch whatever mischief they were setting up for tonight. [How dare they even *try* to keep me out of this!]

"Si-Sear?"

"Yes, Rem?"

[What's up with those pet names? When did they start calling each other 'Sear' and 'Rem'? I've never heard them call me 'Jame' or 'Jamesie'...]

"I... I think... I'm *ready* for this."

"Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you... Since this is your, *first time* and everything, I want your absolute assent."

James' eyes widened. [What the..?] He felt his pulse and heartbeat quicken, and his breath came in shuddering gasps. [Are Sirius and Remus... a *couple*? They're both gay and they *fancy each other*? How could I have *not* seen this happen?]

"Lose the clothes, Rem."

He could make out sounds of clothes being discarded, and James could feel himself bursting into a kaleidoscope of emotions - he wanted to get away and put as much distance as possible between himself and the offending room, but he couldn't bring himself to pick up his feet. Listening in to Sirius and Remus shagging each other seems much easier, no matter how lewd and unbecoming it was of James Potter.

James gulped, as he strained his ears only to hear the muffled gasps and the occasional grunts of "Oh, Sirius! Ahhh... Siriuuusss... Mmmm..."

James shoved his fist in his mouth to stifle his groans of embarrassment, disbelief, and shame - both at himself and two certain friends of his.

Later, after ten agonizing minutes of James' eavesdropping. ("Sirius! No, not there! Sear, that tickles!", "Rem, you squirm way too much, that's why...")

James still *can't* bring himself to leave the two shag in peace. One should wonder *why* he would subject himself to this kind of mental torture, really.

A breathless voice cut in saying, "Rem, let's move this to the bed. *Your* bed."

Remus let out a whimper. "Why not yours?"

"Because I don't want my sheets all dirty and rumpled, that's why."

Outside, James rolled his eyes in spite of himself. [Sirius, that's soooo romantic and considerate of you.]

"Fine."

A rustle of the bed-curtains being pulled open, and a creak of the mattress told on James that the two *indeed* brought this to bed.

"Oh, Sirius, I never thought this day would come."

"You really wanted this, did you?"

"Oh, more than you'll ever know."

"Shall we do this?"

[Wow. I've never imagine Sirius using such a smoky voice before.] James swallowed. [They're really going to *do* it, those blokes.]

"Sear, I've been thinking this to myself since we've started doing this..."

"What? Are you having doubts?"

"Not really... I was just wondering... Maybe I won't fit in nicely; I'm really *big*, Sear!"

James choked, catching Remus' reference to his own cock. He smothered a snicker at Remus' straightforwardness. Sirius' jubilant laughter rang in James' ears.

"Rem! Believe me, you'll fit! I guess there are really just some people with small arses, some really big. But you'll thank me, after this, you will look and *feel* better than you've felt in ages." (James could virtually *hear* him wink.)

After that rather sleazy comment, he just *had* to hold on to something to keep him from falling flat on his face. James, who held the doorknob in a vice-like grip, adjusted his glasses. He still, however, kept his ears to the door (much to his conscience's and sanity's consternation).

There was a rustle of sheets, and reverberations of rapid movement of the bed. Again, Remus gave a throaty "Ooohhh...," to which Sirius replied with a feeble grunt of his own.

He could just envision Sirius and Remus, both laying wantonly on the bed, one atop the other, limbs entangled lustfully, lips and tongue meshed together covetously, heated skin abrading equally heated skin. James felt the hairs on the nape of his neck rise in tension; the electricity from the moment sent shimmering tremors down his spine, the awkwardness of his predicament ostensibly eroding his stomach.

"Sirius! What's that?"

"It's something that will make this both easier for us."

"Really? How in the world would scented oil help us here?"

"Well, for one, I thought that this could help you slide in much easier. This might make the process less painful for both of us. The slickness reduces the pain and friction, you see."

James felt hot. He could feel the sheen of sweat on his forehead forming more definitely now, as he thought of what his friends were thinking of doing next.

"Ohhh... Yeah, I remember. But, Sear, don't you have any other lubricant? I'm not so sure with scented oil..."

"Don't worry about this; I'm sure of what I'm doing. I promise scented oil will be as effective."

"But why didn't you think of this earlier?"

"Well, for one, I didn't *plan* on doing this tonight with you either. I would've snuck down to Hogsmeade and grabbed a tube."

"Enough talking, I just want to get me in there, *NOW*."

James eyes widened. This was *for real*. He bit his lip, as he thought ahead of this day. How in the world is he expected to have normal and peaceful nights after this? [Would they be shagging each other every night? How the hell are Peter and I supposed to sleep at ease now?]

His ear was on the receiving end of numerous gasps and ragged pants.

"Urrrggghhh..."

"Sear, right there, *yes*!!! Just a bit... ummmmppphhh... more..."

"Rem!!!"

"It's getting there!"

"Ooooohhh!!!"

James shut his eyes. He cringed in embarrassment. [Is love-making supposed to be this loud?]

"Sear!!!"

"Rem!!!"

In moments, both had let out full, half-hissed, half-screamed renditions of each other's names ("Seeaaarrruuuhhh...," "Reeemmmuuhhhh...").

James had let out a pained wail of his own. "Aaaaarrrggghhhh!!!"

~@~

Part 2: SIRIUS and REMUS - BEHIND THE CLOSED DOOR...

Remus Lupin looked up from the Arithmancy formula parchment he was poring over. He pursed his lips, as if in deep thought.

Stretching lazily on the bed covers behind him was Sirius Black, humming a familiar-sounding Muggle song. He propped himself up and leaned on his pillows, his long legs unfolding onto the duvet.

Sirius stared at the ceiling of his four-poster and muttered to himself, "It sure is boring around here... Peter out visiting his sick aunt, and ickle James doing detention until who-knows-when... Nothing much to do 'round here, eh, Moony?"

"Yeah," Remus murmured distractedly. [What if... since James and Peter are not here... Sirius and I could...]

Without as much as a warning, Remus bolted up from his chair and started towards his wardrobe, cautiously pulling something out of the trunk - an article of clothing which suspiciously looks like synthetic black leather pants. Sirius wordlessly followed Remus' every motion, transfixed and curious. [What's Moony up to? Are those *black leather pants* he's got?] Sirius raised his eyebrows in question.

"Moony?"

Remus walked past a bewildered-looking Sirius, his question left hanging. He proceeded to the door and started putting various locking enchantments and wards on it. A sinister smile passed over Sirius as he watched Remus in mild amusement and interest.

As the last of the charms were placed, Remus purposefully turned around, facing Sirius. He held out his hands, revealing a, surely, pair of black leather pants.

"Remus," Sirius started, "Are those *James'* leather pants?"

"Right you are, Padfoot. I want to try them on," said Remus with a crooked smile gracing his face.

Sirius shook his head in disbelief. "Have you ever tried on a pair of leather pants before, Rem?"

"Well, no... but, really, what harm is there in trying?"

Sirius thought back to the many times he had attempted to fit in a pair of leather trousers back at Diagon Alley's Madame Malkin's clothing store. How eventfully tragic each attempt had ended, how every attempt had been in vain.

[*Why* in the world could my arse not fit in leather? Don't they know that my arse was *sculpted* for leather?]

Sirius fought back those ugly memories and kept his voice steady. "Hmmmm... Do you really think we should be doing this tonight?"

"Of course! It's the perfect time!" Remus smiled, hoping that he looked and sounded encouraging. "Peter's out visiting his sick aunt, and James's doing his detention tonight; we'll be both alone... Nothing can stop this now."

But Remus eyed Sirius' closed expression with unease. For a moment, he considered *not* pushing through with this after all. [Heck, they aren't even *my* leather. They're James' leather.]

Sirius and Remus sighed.

"Si-Sear?"

"Yes, Rem?"

"I... I think... I'm *ready* for this." Remus looked imploringly into Sirius' eyes. [Please? I *really* want to feel how wearing leather feels like...] Remus pouted inwardly.

Sirius caught the beseeching tone in his words. "Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you... Since this is your, *first time* and everything, I want your absolute assent."

Remus nodded confidently.

Sirius shrugged in defeat. "Lose the clothes, Rem."

Remus practically tore off the trousers he wore and tossed them over his shoulder, landing in a messy heap beside Sirius' bed.

Sirius lay the leather pants under Remus and motioned for one foot to enter a leg of the pants.

Remus, who was almost squealing aloud in elation, let out a husky "Oh, Sirius! Ahhh... Siriuuusss... Mmmm...," the moment the leather touched his skin.

Sirius snorted at Remus' reaction. When both feet were in, Sirius gathered the rest of the clothing and *tried* to glide them up Remus' calves, then his knees. Problem was, Remus was moving around a tad bit too much for comfort.

"Sirius! No, not there! Sear, that tickles!" cried Remus in an outburst of mirth, while Sirius was struggling with the task of pulling the left pant leg up to Remus' knees.

Sirius rolled his eyes and tried to keep Remus still. "Rem, you squirm too much, that's why..."

Sirius was kneeling behind Remus now, his arms reaching around him in a desperate try to pull the leather up to the boy's thighs. It would have made the task less laborious, only if Remus would stop giggling every 4 seconds.

His energy half-spent, Sirius pulled himself up and tried to catch his breath. "Rem, let's move this to the bed. *Your* bed."

Remus whimpered in disapproval. "Why not yours?"

Sirius stuck his tongue out at Remus. He really looked ridiculous, with the leather pants less than halfway up his legs. "Because I don't want my sheets all dirty and rumpled, that's why."

"Fine."

Sirius pulled apart Remus' bed-curtains and sat down his legs akimbo and outstretched, Remus in tow. Sirius motioned for Remus to settle in between his legs. He, again, began to pull up the leather pants.

"Oh, Sirius, I never thought this day would come," Remus purred as he leaned into Sirius' shoulder.

Sirius smiled in spite of himself. [Remus and leather. What a pair.] "You really wanted this, did you?"

"Oh, more than you'll ever know," Remus' voice gave a slight hitch, as Sirius finally managed to get the pants up his knees. [Ouch, Sirius was right about having qualms doing this... Wearing leather pants *is* a tricky business... I wonder how James gets into these things?]

"Shall we do this?" Sirius asked again. [We still have to get this over your thighs, Remus.]

"Sear, I've been thinking this to myself since we've started doing this..."

"What? Are you having doubts?" Sirius gave the pants another vehement tug.

"Not really...," Remus felt a blush enveloping his face. "I was just wondering... Maybe I won't fit in nicely; I'm really *big*, Sear!"

Sirius burst out laughing. "Rem! Believe me, you'll fit! I guess there are really just some people with small arses, some really big. But you'll thank me, after this, you will look and *feel* better than you've felt in ages."

[At least, even if we don't succeed here, at least I'll know a significant someone else whose arse wasn't made for leather either.] Sirius hid a sly smile. He gave another strong pull on the pants, which, in turn, made Remus almost lose his balance. The pants were halfway up Remus' thighs now. "Ooohhh...," Remus murmured huskily. He loved the way the leather felt on his skin, the way it molded onto him like a second skin, clinging on to every crevice of the expanse of his legs.

Sirius himself was making subtle grunting sounds of his own. He was now working the pants up Remus' thigh, almost making contact with the base of Remus' buttocks. He was pulling up the rest of the clothing when, with a start, he remembered something.

Sirius reached for something on the bedside table between his and Remus' beds. Remus looked at the item closely and asked, "Sirius! What's that?"

"It's something that will make this both easier for us."

Remus wrinkled his nose. "Really? How in the world would scented oil help us here?"

"Well, for one, I thought that this could help you slide in much easier," Sirius replied. He began to unscrew the bottle and poured a copious amount of the substance on his hands. "This might make the process less painful for both of us. The slickness reduces the pain and friction, you see."

"Ohhh... Yeah, I remember. But, Sear, don't you have any other lubricant? I'm not so sure with scented oil...," Remus writhed in discomfort as he felt Sirius' hands on him, massaging every expanse of leather-unclad skin he could get his hands on.

"Don't worry about this; I'm sure of what I'm doing. I promise scented oil will be as effective," Sirius placated, his ministrations unremitting.

"But why didn't you think of this earlier?" Remus cringed, as Sirius poured even more scented oil on him.

Sirius nipped at Remus' ear playfully. "Well, for one, I didn't *plan* on doing this tonight with you either. I would've snuck down to Hogsmeade and grabbed a tube."

Remus laughed softly. He then freed Sirius hands' off of him. "Enough talking, I just want to get me in there, *NOW*."

Sirius nodded obediently and proceeded to the task at hand. Reaching out from behind Remus' waist, he gave a forceful heave. "Urrrggghhh..."

[Ohhh! Sear! Scented oil *does* work!] Remus thought as he felt the constricting material glide through his skin, now with more ease and less effort. "Sear, right there, *yes*!!! Just a bit... ummmmppphhh... more..." The pants were definitely climbing up Remus' buttocks area now.

"Rem!!!" Sirius grunted, putting on more strength. He wound his legs around Remus' now, hoping to gain more leverage. "It's getting there!" "It's getting there!" Sirius has, finally, overcome the obstacle that is Remus' arse. The leather now hung on Remus waist, now only a pair of zippers and a couple of buttons separating them from absolute completion.

"Ooooohhh!!!" Remus marveled at the sight of his almost-completely leather- clad legs.

Sirius shifted his position, letting Remus lean on the bed's headboard. Sirius climbed over the other boy's body, straddling him and gripping his hips. Remus nodded eagerly, in mute understanding.

Sirius took a deep breath and pulled on the zipper. Remus gasped, "Sear!!!"

"Rem!!!" Sirius groaned out loud as he successfully fastened the zipper and the two buttons. [There. Done.] Spent, Sirius collapsed on Remus' waiting arms with abandon.

"Seeaaarrruuuhhh...," Remus soothed. [Poor Sirius... But thank you sooo much.] He whispered a chaste word of gratitude and gave the worn out boy a sheepish smile. Remus laid Sirius down on the duvet carefully before sauntering over to the full-length mirror across the room.

Remus took his time checking himself out, turning sideways and back again and again, admiring at how perfectly the leather seemed to mold to the curves and angles of his body. [Only one word. Sexy. *Very* sexy.] Satisfied, he turned to face Sirius, who stretched out luxuriously on Remus' bed.

Sirius called out, "Reeemmmuuhhhh...," and gave the boy an approving thumbs- up, implying a compliment.

A comfortable silence passed between the two, only to be interrupted by a distant but distinct, wail ("Aaaaarrrggghhhh!!!") which apparently came from the other side of their dormitories' door.

[What was that?] Sirius and Remus looked at each other questioningly. Remus, with Sirius behind him, crept towards the door. When every ward and enchantment was dispelled, both boys stuck their heads out the door. No one was there.

A thought came to Sirius' mind askance. "Remus, do you think that was James?"

Remus' eyes widened in horror. "Merlin! Sirius! Do you really think so?" He surveyed the other boy's eyes with a nervous glint in his own. "Do you think he might've heard us?"

[Not to mention that we didn't ask his permission to wear his leather pants...]

Sirius shrugged. "No big deal. We could tell him that we just *borrowed* his pants for a while, and that we'll clean it for him."

Remus bit his lip. "I just hope James is not mad at me."

Dismissive wave of hand. "He'll get over it. It's not that we were doing anything wrong, right Moony?"