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.

**Remus**

Every so often, he could see Sirius looking at him. He felt the heated glance when he sat in potions and allowed the warmth to keep him from freezing when he crossed the yards. But the possessiveness had taken a toll on him. He'd grown too comfortable, too safe in that gaze. The world couldn't touch him, because Sirius was always there, growling lowly and staking a claim that he hadn't made yet.

Remus hadn't even offered that claim to Sirius, and while he luxuriated in it, he could not bring himself to allow that sort of bond to be made. Sirius was too uncontrolled, too absolutely passionate with anger. That part of him must be calmed, and when it subsided—then, and only when he was sure—would Remus allow that bond.

Not before. And as he sat, wrapped safely in the robes that smelled so richly of Padfoot, in the clear winter air, he realized that the bond may never have a chance. Because Sirius was too volatile. Even now, as Remus was bleeding, propped against a tree; even now as the full moon rose in the dark sky, a fire raged and burnt the snow and James came running across the open grounds, as Severus stepped back once…twice…

Even now…

Chapter Da Eighth

Anger could not accurately describe the wealth of rage that blew up inside of him. It was as if someone had reached down into him and ripped open something he had fought so hard to keep silent. Coming from a family of Slytherins provided him with a dark knowledge of how far a Slytherin would go for revenge. But Sirius had never thought the stupid asses would go so far as to challenge him in such an outright way.

Yes, the sorting hat put him in Gryffindor; but he wasn't a do-gooder with no clue how to stand up for himself. He wasn't burdened with the sort of integrity that prevented James from lashing out at those that attacked him. Sirius was fully capable of anger, fully capable of revenge, and at that moment, he was more than happy to deal it out as best as he knew how. Because those assholes had attacked Remus. Because if he hadn't gotten there, flying on the motorcycle, to catch Remus then the boy would be dead.

The forest exploded in flames when the motorcycle careened out of control. Sirius had thrown Remus and himself off before the impact, but Remus was still bleeding and anger the likes of which had never been felt before burst out of the dark haired boy. He propped Remus up, bent forward to kiss him, and then turned to face the sniveling little waste of skin and bone that was running towards the fire.

Snape stopped, stared and tried to back up.

"Ready to die, Snape?" Sirius growled. He was holding his wand, amazingly, and he was shaking in fury. Every muscle in his body was taunt, his face glistened with sweat from the heat and the rage. Somewhere, as if from a whole different world, he could hear James screaming.

"I… I…" Snape was barely standing, moving backwards like a worm. Like a worthless snake, and Sirius only grinned.

Yes. Death would come.

But before he could deal it out, before the words escaped him, James was there, in front of Snape, protecting the sniveling weakling. "Stop it," James said. His chest was heaving and he was red everywhere.

Then Lily was there too. "It's a full moon," she whispered.

Anger dissipated. Only enough that Sirius sneered at the crouching wimp behind Prongs, and then he turned. "Get inside then." He ran back into the forest, past the fire, to where Remus was sitting. Amber eyes stared at him, a pale hand rose and touched his face, drawing Sirius down, closer. Then lips, and a warm mouth. Comfort. Remus wrapped an arm around Sirius and pulled him tight against him. Warm breathes caught between them, and a single heartbeat.

"We need to get farther into the forest," Remus whispered.

Sirius nodded, and pulled Moony to his feet. They struggled. Sirius carrying Moony, watching him twist in pain as the moonlight broke through the trees and the full force of the change lingered just on the edge. Then, when Sirius heard flesh start to tear, he set Remus on the ground and with a barely conscious thought changed himself to suit his mate.

***~***

Morning rose, and shed its light, but there was no warmth. Padfoot curled himself around Remus and offered the sleeping, naked boy all the warmth of his fur. Dogs temperatures were naturally several degrees higher than humans, and that blessed little fact was all that stood in the way of Remus dying of exposure as he slept off the morning-after sickness from the werewolf extravaganza the night before.

"Would you have killed him?" Remus whispered, without even opening his eyes. His hands tightened in the long black fur that was all around him, but he didn't move otherwise.

Padfoot licked his hand in response, and when the amber eyes opened to look at him, the answer was there in the dog's face. No doubts; Sirius would have leveled the bastard to the ground if Jamey hadn't been there to stop him.

Remus forced himself to sit up and hissed at the scrapes on his back and the lacerations across his chest. "Lets go to the Shrieking Shack," he said. "It's too cold here."

Sirius changed back and stood with him, pulling his own robe off and offering it to Remus. "Take it. I've got clothes on at least." Then he wrapped an arm around Moony and supported him as they picked their way through the underbrush of the forest.

Remus tripped on a fallen branch, cursed and fell to the side, accidentally pinning himself against a tree with Sirius pressing against him. He smiled, despite the throbbing pain in his recently abused foot, and leaned forward the scant inches to press his lips to Sirius'. tongues met, and Sirius' arms dropped from around his shoulders to around his waist as hands moved against his chest. Sirius pulled away from the kiss, and lowered his head to kiss Remus' neck. He pushed the robe back to expose the chest, and dipped his head to lick the long scratches.

Remus wrapped his hands in Sirius' hair and pulled the long silky dark strands tight, hissing and without even meaning to, pressing his whole body forward into Remus. He moved without meaning too, in a primative rhythm, seeking the warmth of his mate. Growls rumbled through his chest, and he yanked Sirius' head back up to kiss him. Teeth clashed, Remus bit his lip and sucked on the blood even as he twisted the hands in Sirius' hair tighter, making the boy hiss in pain. Sirius's hands were around his waist, on his hips, squeezing his ass, pulling him closer and guiding him in the rhythm.

Sirius shuddered, panted against Remus' shoulder when the death-grip on his hair loosened. He nuzzled the smooth clean skin of the boy's neck. Licked the area, and then when Remus wrapped his legs around him, and pulled his hair again, Sirius bit him, sinking his blunt teeth into skin until there was blood.

The world could have exploded around them and the pair would not have noticed. Remus growled, like an animal, and ripped Sirius' shirt, exposed the skin of his neck, and sank his teeth in the tanned skin.

***~~***

Dumbledore questioned, and Snape hung his head but spoke answers. Not enough to indict his fellow Slytherins. Not enough to implement Lucius, but enough so that Sirius and Remus wouldn't be punished at all. The fire was an accident, and though it damaged a vast part of the forest, it had not hurt any students. Remus was not hurt by his swan dive off the roof, and the Slytherins were free to go without punishment.

Severus sneered as he walked back to his dorm. Bitterness welled in him that once more he had been face to face with those so called Marauders and once again he was too much a coward to stand against them. What good was it to know dark curses if you were too much of a wimp to use them?

He spoke the password to the portrait and it opened. The common room was empty except a silvery-blond man standing in front of the fire. Lucius turned to look at him with as much disdain as a man could possible ever hope to attain. Then he strode across the room and smacked Severus with the back of his hand. Never hard enough to leave a bruise, but hard enough the meaning was not mistaken.

"What did you squeal this time, Severus?"

"Nothing," Snape spat.

The slap again, followed by the soft feeling of perfectly manicured fingers touch him. Soft and smooth, running down his pinkened face. "You realize I don't believe you."

Snape ducked his head in acknowledgement. The fingers moved under his chin and forced him too look at Lucius.

"And you realize that you must make amends for this?" Lucius turned his back, moved like a king, floating away and then he sat in the oversized armchair, looking every bit the self-proclaimed ruler of the Slytherins that he was. He did not speak but the command was there nonetheless.

Snape shuddered in revulsion. Felt his own weakness and his own worthlessness. But he did not disobey. Severus was no fool. There was no benevolent headmaster that looked over Slytherins with a twinkle in his eye and a deep understanding for their tomfoolery. There was no Marauders Four to protect him from this degradation. Just himself and if he wasn't strong enough to resist it was humiliation after humiliation. True; he could resist, refuse and Lucius would smile at him, complement him on the backbone he had grown. But then fear would become a way of life for him, and he would lay in bed at night, knowing what was coming but not when. Then, just as the fear was assuaged, when he felt safe, Lucius would always be there to remind him that no one was safe.

So Snape moved across the room, bowed his head and fell to his knees before Lucius. Perfect long legs opened before him, and a bored sigh was all the encouragement he received.

Lucius laughed at the boy and then, with a sneer he commanded: "Convince me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~***

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