Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, I would be in my giant swimming pool filled with dollar bills – or five pound notes, as it is. Coins are too cold. But I'm here, on a really uncomfortable chair, tapping out my little stories, so I guess I don't own them. Bummer.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. This chapter – I'm rather happy with it. It's extremely angsty – and I love a story with angst. Lots of heartbreak and tears – that's my thing. And they've been very happy lately. This will counter the mushy sweetness of previous chapters.

Lunaris – Uh oh. I hope you don't fail on account of me. Thanks for the review here – and on "Absolutely Nothing". I appreciate it!

sakurablossoms4 – More more more on the way. Thanks a lot!

MO – Well, here's James's reaction. Not sure that everyone will be pleased, but oh well. Thanks!

Akuma Malik: Queen of Typos – *blushes* Brilliant? I don't think so, but who am I to argue. Here's your update.

The Merciless Torturer – Lol. I do like McGonagall, she's awesome. And yes, they tell him. Tanks a lot!

Moongirl – They are sweet, aren't they. Thanks for the comment!

Enjoy this chapter – and don't forget to review!

Behind Closed Doors

By: Hawkeye's Seductress

Chapter 5: Not Quite Perfection

"This really sucks," James announced, rubbing furiously at a spot on an Award for Special Services to the School (awarded to P. Riddle in 1802) that refused to come off.

Remus grinned at him. "James, your vocabulary is atrocious. Try something with a little more pizzazz – like woefully inadequate." James chucked a rag at him. "You're woefully inadequate," he countered, now scraping at the spot with a fingernail.

"I'd like to disagree," Sirius objected from his corner, where he was polishing a Quidditch award. "I've found Remus to be extremely adequate in some things." He tipped Remus a wink. "Hey look, Dumbledore played Chaser for Gryffindor!"

James dropped his rag to investigate. "Hey, he's right! How about that?" He snickered. "Can't imagine Dumbledore on a broom, can you?" He and Sirius burst into laughter. "His beard would get in his eyes," Sirius answered. Remus rolled his eyes, returning his attention to the cabinet door he was cleaning.

James and Sirius had thrown down their rags and were inspecting the vast amount of awards for Quidditch. "Where's ours?" Sirius asked, scanning the shelves. "Here!" James exclaimed, pointing to the plaque.

"Mr. James Alfred Potter – " Sirius crowed with laughter, ignoring the snarl from James – "and Mr. Sirius Black." He smirked. "I'd rather have no middle name than one like Alfred." He exaggerated the name, drawing it out dramatically. "Alfred Von Potter. Alfred – hey!" He glared at James, who was laughing, holding the bottle of polish. "You got that stuff in my hair!"

Remus glanced over at the pair – James still laughing, while Sirius scrubbed at his hair with his robe. "Your hair is lovely and shiny now, Siri," James chortled. Sirius growled, and Remus grabbed his arm as he went for his wand. "I'm not telling him anything if he's mad at us," he said quietly. "Then let's tell him now," Sirius replied. "When he's nice and happy."

"Sirius Black, if you – "

But Sirius ignored him. "Prongs, Remi and I have got something to tell you." James stopped laughing. "What?"

Sirius nudged Remus, but the werewolf kept his mouth shut, shooting the other boy a glare. Sirius answered with a notorious puppy dog look. Remus sighed. "We're…we're going out, James. We're…gay."

The couple watched their friend's expression slid from confusion, to shock, to disgust, coming to rest at amused. "Great joke, boys, you almost had me there," he grinned. Sirius and Remus exchanged worried looks – he didn't believe them. Remus tried again. "James, it's not a joke. It's true."

James stared at them. "You're not kidding, are you?" he asked weakly. They shook their heads. "Prongs..." Sirius reached out to touch his friend's shoulder. But James jerked away, staring openmouthed at both of them, then turned and ran out of the room.

Remus sighed. "Damn," he swore, uncharacteristically. He looked up at Sirius – and was surprised to see a lost, sad look occupying his boyfriend's handsome face. "Siri?" he asked gently. Sirius seemed to wake up. "He hates us," he said. Remus shook his head. "No, he doesn't. He was just surprised, that's all. C'mon, let's go."

As they walked into the dormitory, they noticed that the curtains were drawn around James's bed – something he had not done their entire time at Hogwarts.

* * *

"Mr. Lupin, are you mad?" The shriek of the Hogwarts matron echoed around the hospital wing, and Remus was quite sure it could be heard down in the dungeons.

"I don't believe so," Remus replied. Madam Pomfrey snorted derisively. "We'll leave the backtalk to Black and Potter, shall we?" She poked his arm quite viciously, and the deep cut healed instantly, leaving yet another pale scar to mar his body.

"And just when were you planning to come and see me about this?" the nurse continued, slathering a ridiculous amount of Dr Ubbly's Oblivious Unction on the scar. Remus jerked slightly – the goopy mixture was extremely cold. "And this?" She stabbed her wand at the slash on his inner thigh, and he blushed as she slopped the frigid potion on his bare skin.

"Uh…eventually?" he suggested. She shot him a glare that he was positive would have burnt his head right off his shoulders if could looks kill.

"You just sit there for ten minutes – don't roll your eyes at me! Ten minutes, and then you can leave. And next time, you come to me right away! You hear me?" Remus nodded, and Madam Pomfrey stalked off to her office.

The door opened, and Sirius walked in. "Hi," Remus greeted him.

"Hi." The word was flat, void of emotion. "What's wrong?" Remus questioned. Sirius was quiet – and he was never quiet – unless something was wrong. "Is it James?" Sirius nodded. "He won't say anything – won't even talk to me." He rubbed his eyes, looking all for the world like a little boy. Remus felt his heart melt. "Siri…"

"We shouldn't have told him," Sirius said, his face stony. "We should have just left it alone." Remus shook his head vehemently. "No," he replied. "No. We had to tell him. Would it have been better for him to…to walk in on us or something?" Sirius shrugged. "I dunno." He ran a hand over his face. "Look, Remus, I think I need some time to think about this."

Remus stared at him. "Uh…ok." Sirius grinned, but it was sad, holding none of the usual joy and mischief. "I'll see you later." He walked out of the hospital wing, leaving a shell-shocked werewolf behind.

* * *

Remus returned, fully clothed, to Gryffindor Tower, meeting Peter on the way in. "Oh, hi Remus," the smaller boy squeaked. Remus nodded briefly to Peter, before picking up his bag and leaving. "Well, bye then," Peter said to the empty room.

Remus sat in his usual seat in the empty Charms classroom. He was early, and the room was silent, making him reflect on the morning's events. So Sirius had to think about it, did he? Remus snorted. That was his patented break up statement. How many times had he heard Sirius say that to the current girlfriend?

He sighed, burying his face in his hands. How fitting that they hadn't even lasted a day. His first relationship was just a taste of things to come – because who could love a werewolf? Not Sirius, obviously.

He heard the door swing open, and sound once again pushed his dark thoughts from his head. He pulled his hands away from his face, opening his eyes to see James walk in, hesitate at his seat, then sit down. Sirius did the same thing – only Peter entered as though all was normal.

Usually so attentive, Remus found he could not concentrate on the lesson. Charms was one of his favourite classes, and he enjoyed Professor Flitwick's teaching, but it was all background noise for the soundtrack playing in his head. Not even a day, not even a day, not even a day…

He blinked – class was over. He packed his things away, shoving the blank parchment into his bag. He would have to get the notes from someone, because he dimly registered that today's lesson would be on the exam. Joining the group at the door, the Marauders headed off to Transfiguration – not quite together, but not really apart.

 The day passed in a blur. Remus found himself in the common room, although he wasn't sure how he had gotten there. He sighed. This had been a really horrible day. Three teachers had yelled at him for not paying attention, and he had badly burned his hand when he unwittingly laid it on his red hot cauldron, not even realizing it was there until Lily Evans dropped her flask, the crash bringing him back to reality. He glanced down at it. The skin was blistered and red, and it throbbed painfully. But Remus could not bring himself to go to the hospital wing.

The portrait swung open, and Sirius climbed in. He paused just inside, as though he was trying to decide whether to run or not, then joined Remus on the couch. "Moony?"

Remus looked up at him. "You should put something on that hand," Sirius continued. His cool fingers trailed, featherlike, over the sore skin. Remus jerked away. "Please, Sirius, don't touch me," he said, voice hoarse. "Just don't touch me."

Sirius opened his mouth to respond, but Remus shook his head. "No, don't say anything. You don't have to. I understand. It's over." His face twisted. "It barely even started." He stood, and ran up the stairs. Sirius sat, mind blank, a single tear tracking its way down his cheek.

The portrait opened again, and James clambered in, jaw set. He took a deep breath – "Sirius?"

Wiping his eyes furiously, Sirius turned. James took another deep breath. "I just wanted to say that I'm ok with you and Remus being…being together, and I really hope you guys are happy." He made this announcement with his eyes shut, and at the end, he opened them, half grinning at Sirius.

"Thanks James, but don't worry." Sirius stared at his hands. His voice broke slightly. "Nothing's going on. Not anymore, at least. I…I fucked things up. Badly. And now Remus is really angry with me." James stared. "What did you do?" he asked. Sirius shrugged. "I was so stupid…I told him I had to think about it." He laughed bitterly. "How many girls has he heard me say that to? He knows what it means. He's not stupid. But I am. I've gone and messed up the one thing in my life that's gone right. James, he hates me!"

James shook his head. "I don't think so. I don't think Remus can hate anyone. That's just not how he is. He's hurt, though. You hurt him." Sirius stood, pacing the room. "I'm so stupid. So godamned stupid!" His voice had risen to a shout, and he slammed his hand on the wall. "And I think I just broke my knuckles."

James suppressed a smile. "Sirius, talk to him. Go up there and talk to him." He turned and left, Sirius standing in the middle of the room.

He took the stairs two at a time, reaching the door and hesitating before walking in. The curtains were drawn around Remus's bed. Sirius approached them. "Remus?"

"Go away."

"Remus, I want to talk to you."

Remus stuck his pale face out through the curtains. "I don't want to talk to you!" he snapped. "Just leave me alone!"

Sirius's temper got the best of him. "Damn it, Moony, will you just listen to me? I'm trying to say I'm sorry!" Remus snorted. "Sorry? Sorry for blowing me off like that? Sorry for making me think you actually loved me? Sorry doesn't always work, Sirius." He retreated back into the red curtained tent.

"I do love you!" Sirius shouted.

"Just leave me alone!"

"Listen to me, Remus. I love you."

Silence.

"Alright," Sirius said, his voice breaking again. "You win." He made to leave, but just as he reached the door, he heard the curtains being pulled open. A quiet voice called, barely heard. "Sirius?" He turned. Remus was sitting on his bed, staring down at his hands. "What?" he demanded. "Did you mean it?" Remus asked, still looking at his hands, as though they were terribly fascinating. "Mean what?" Sirius questioned, still standing at the door. "When…when you said you love me."

In three strides, Sirius was at the bedside, kneeling to hold Remus's uninjured hand. "More than anything. I was just being stupid." He laughed weakly. "I guess you were right about me being the loud, stupid one."

Soft laughter answered him. Remus slid off the bed and into his arms, pressing their foreheads together. "I think we're both stupid," he said, amber eyes staring into Sirius's blue one. Sirius melted. "We're perfect for each other, then," he said, a smile gracing his lips.

And in the darkened dormitory, the two boys repaired their broken relationship.

~TBC~ (I think)

I dunno, should I end it here? I think there are too many loose ends still, but it would be so good – to have it start in the dorm and end in the dorm. Review, and tell me what you think.