Title: On the Way to Nowhere
Archive: Here, but if you want it, just review and tell me you're taking it.
Rating: Mostly "R" I think that's how it'll stay.
**James**
It wasn't that he blamed Sirius, but it seemed infinitely more convenient to allow that conception to be accepted. Even Sirius, himself, had the good grace to stay away. Only Remus would enter the room, quietly, and sit on his bed, mulling over homework and pondering the thing that had been done to him.
James, resolutely, blamed Sirius for not intervening, but he couldn't honestly blame the boy for it happening in the first place. Not even Sirius was capable of something that horrible. Not even with the new found anger and the temper could Padfoot contemplate something like that.
Still—Lucius and Severus, obviously, had. And now Remus was suffering for it. For the attack and for the repurcussions. Because, while Severus and Lucius had ripped his clothes, they had not succeeded in their original intent. But, the fact remained, Remus had bitten Severus.
Why? How?
…the questions exploded in James' head as he watched Remus sit there, very still, on his bed. Because there was something he didn't know about Remus. Something dark that was coming to the light where James was sure to see it. Something all together a little bit too much like Sirius and not nearly enough like the image James had built up. When that unpleasantness festered in James, he thought of Lily, and it calmed him. She was so sweet, and soft—so much like what Remus had been to James just days before.
Chapter Da Sixth
Remus stepped into Dumbledore's office and sat in one of the chairs. He waited patiently, his head tilted slightly to the left as he watched Fawkes clean his feathers. He'd been in this office so many times he had the place memorized. But this occasion was a bit different than any other. His clothes were shreded, his pants had nearly fallen off five times on his way here and his mouth still tasted like blood.
"Remus," Dumbledore said gravely. He appeared at he stairs in his office and walked down them slowly. "I have heard something very interesting." He paused for a moment, his eyes appraising Remus for a moment before he continued. "It seems that Severus was with Madame Pomfrey, complaining of a bite. I must admit the poor boy was quite overwrought with pain and worry. He seems to think that now he will be a werewolf."
"You can't be made into a werewolf unless you are bitten after the transformation. Even Severus has to realize that."
"Still," Dumbledore said, "It was a cruel joke."
Remus said nothing. He wasn't about to explain the circumstances. He would allow Dumbledore to believe him capable of something so stupid and base as biting someone as a prank. It didn't bother him. As long as the old wizard didn't kick him out of the school, he'd bear whatever judgements.
"Perhaps it wasn't a joke. What happened to your clothes, Remus?"
"Sir…" a very frazzled witch said bursting into the room. "There is a very insistent Sirius Black out here demanding he be let in. He seems to think that Remus if very fragile and traumatized although he won't explain."
Remus said nothing.
"Let him in," Dumbledore said.
Sirius swept past the witch, frowning at her, and dropped a new robe on Remus' lap. "I thought you might be a bit more comfortable if you could make it back to the dorm room without showing anything." Sirius leaned against the chair and looked at Dumbledore gravely.
"Why do you believe that Remus has been traumatized?"
Sirius glanced down at Remus. Remus simply shrugged. "You see," Sirius started, "Those ignorant snakes attacked Remus. They were going to frame me. They were going to say that I raped him." Sirius raised his hand and dropped Lucius' knife on the desk. "There's blondie's knife."
"And Severus?" Dumbledore inquired.
Remus shifted slightly in his chair, but said nothing in his own defense. Sirius frowned, and then stood up straight and cleared his throat. "I wasn't in the room while the…events were occuring. I found Remus and Lucius after Severus took off screaming."
"I see," Dumbledore said, "Well… I must think on this. You two, go back to your dorms."
Sirius helped Remus get out of the chair, making him appear weak and hurt. They walked close together as they left the room and Remus shrugged into the new robe, closing it around his slashed clothes. He walked next to Sirius for a long time before he stopped abruptly and shoved the boy into an abandoned hallway.
"What are you doing?" Remus demanded.
"Protecting my friend."
"Where's James?"
"I don't know. He took off with Lily, remember? You didn't see him up there defending you. I know you Remus, you'd just let Dumbledore think whatever he wanted."
Remus sighed and turned away. "Sometimes, you're too much to handle." Then he walked away without explaining himself.
Sirius straightened his robes and roamed around the halls for a while. There was nothing for him to do. Both Remus and James were probably in the dorm room, and neither were inclined to see him at the moment. So, instead, he walked aimlessly.
"Hey, Sirius!" Lily yelled. She ran over to walk next to him for a moment. "I needed to ask you something."
"Yeah?" He asked. He didn't even look at her.
"I was just wondering…I feel so bad for asking this, considering what happened…but are James and Remus really…serious?"
Sirius snorted. He didn't know the answer to that question. He knew that Remus was loyal to his friends, he knew that the boy would protect James from anyone that presented a threat, but he didn't know if it was going to last. Probably not considering Remus had basically guaranteed that he and the boy would be together. "I don't know. I don't think so. It's more like a passing fling for James, I think."
"Well, what about Remus?" Lily asked.
Sirius stopped and turned to look at her. She looked so serious, and tortured as if she was immensely guilty for the whole thing and somehow everything that was about to happen was her fault. "Remus is… No," he said finally, "Remus doesn't think it'll last for very long."
Lily nodded to herself and smiled, "Well thanks…" She turned to walk away but Sirius stopped her. He looked at her pretty face for a moment and then kissed her cheek.
"Don't blame yourself, Lily. Remus and James were drifting apart long before this happened. You and James…" He trailed off for a moment. "I think you two would make a great match."
She blushed. And then nodded before walking away.
~***~
"You know, James, eventually we are going to have to talk about this," Remus said. He sat on his bed, but turned to look at the pensive boy.
"I don't want to."
"All right, then I have something to tell you." Remus cleared his throat. "As you might know—or not—werewolves are believed to mate for life. Fate, of course, plays a big role in that mating. And I have come to realize, over the past few days, that you and I are not meant to be forever."
James sat up slowly and blinked behind his round glasses. He looked confused for just a moment and then attempted to say something.
"I've seen how you look at Sirius, and how you look at Lily. I understand, James. I know that you understand. But you can't let this tear us apart."
James crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. "Why not? Sirius has been after you since he found out about us! And what does it matter how I look at Lily, I'm with you!"
"It matters," Remus said patiently, "Because you're meant to look at Lily like that, and you're not meant to be with me. And as for Sirius…he's been after me since puberty. He just didn't have any competition until recently."
"So what now?" James demanded cruelly, "You're going to run to him and mate?"
Remus raised a careful eyebrow and then sighed. "No. Not directly. Sirius is far from ready for a relationship."
"But…" James stopped and ground his teeth together. "What will happen to all of us?"
"I suppose we will forgive each other and continue to be friends, or we will let this get the better of us and pair off."
James didn't say anything. He stood up, still grinding his teeth, and stormed out of the dorm.
~~~~~~~~~
comment in general:
Hey, I'm really sorry that it's been so long since I updated. It's been hectic…let me tell you. But the updates should be regular from now on. Probably on Tuesdays and Thursday/Fridays.
Thank you for the reviews, I'm so glad everyone likes my Dark Sirius and Remus. I'll respond to the reviews in the next chapter.
Poll (polls are like my signature, I have one at the end of every chapter.): which do you want to see: More Sirius/Remus involvement or do you want the Marauders Four to get back at a certain slimy duo?
