The Midnight Club

by Myka

Chapter 2

Pairing: Sirius x Remus

A/N: I want to thank all who reviewed the first chapter. Made me script the second chapter that very same night. Many thanks to Amber for betaing.

~~~

It was Sunday morning, and already the vampire attack had been forgotten at the home of Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. It had instead been replaced with family time because Harry would be returning to Hogwarts that afternoon.

Harry cooked breakfast as a thank you gift (and also because he still felt guilty about the fruitcake), and afterward he and Lupin finally went to the market to replace it. Sirius was one happy wizard when the dessert was back on the fridge, and this time he secured it by placing a sealing charm on it. A few rounds of wizard chess, during which not even Sirius and Harry together could beat Remus, filled the afternoon. Before long it was four o'clock, time for Harry to leave.

Everyone said their goodbyes and at exactly ten past four, Harry threw the floo powder in his hand into the fireplace. "Gryffindor common room!" he yelled. The time had to be precise, because that was when Ron and Hermione had promised to have the room deserted.

After Harry was gone Sirius, smiled warmly at Remus. "So, what's for dinner?"

~~~

On Monday, their usual routine took place. Remus woke to Sirius's loud snoring and had to untangle his lover's arm from his waist in order to get out of bed and prepare some breakfast.

It was surprising how the house had emptied itself out after the semester at Hogwarts had started. The visit from Harry had been a nice change of pace, but Remus had to admit he liked it like this, a big house just for himself and Sirius.

By early evening, Remus was at the study going over some papers for the Order while Sirius fed Buckbeak. There was a soft tap against the window, and Remus blinked in surprise when he spotted an owl there with a letter attached to its foot. Remus opened the window and untied the letter from the owl's paw, reading it silently as the bird flew away.

He scowled at the words written on it and headed upstairs to Sirius. Sirius had already finished feeding Buckbeak and was on his way down the hall when Remus caught up with him. "I have to go out for a short while," he announced.

"Out?" Sirius asked.

Remus nodded.  "I just got an owl from Alastor asking me to meet him on one of the Muggle pubs not too far from here."

"But it's after dark, Moony," Sirius protested, remembering Saturday night's attack.

"It's for the Order, Sirius, and the letter said it was important."

"Then why doesn't he stop by the house?" Sirius asked, still suspicious.

"Maybe he can't, Sirius. That's why I have to go."

"But Remus…"

"No but's Sirius. I'll be back soon. Don't worry," Remus finished, leaning forward and giving Sirius a peck on the lips before turning around and heading out.

Sirius stood there for a while, his suspicion and worry not minimizing one bit.

~~~

Remus refused yet another drink offering from the bartender as he sat on a stool waiting for Alastor to show up. He had been waiting for around fifteen minutes now, and he was starting to get restless. Five more minutes passed, and Remus stood from his spot and left the establishment, looking around for anything unusual.

The letter had seemed a little suspicious, but it wasn't the first time he had been asked to meet in secret for the Order. He had expected someone, if not Alastor; to be there, but no one had shown up.

He headed back toward home, and when he was halfway there, a sudden gush of wind reached him and made him freeze on the spot.

"Good evening, Mr. Lupin," a cold voice spoke from behind him.

Remus turned around, his eyes going extremely wide. A woman about his height with short dark hair and green eyes, accompanied by a man almost a foot taller than her with similar features, stood a mere five feet from him.  "You! You where the ones who attacked us the other night!" he yelled, drawing his wand and pointing it at the pair.

"Expelliarmus!" Mikael called, and Remus's wand flew from his hand and landed in the street.

"Were really sorry…" Mara spoke as she stepped forward.

"What do you want? If it has something to do with Harry, you better think twice before getting close to him.  We won't let you touch him."

Mara blinked.

"He's too on the defensive, Mara. We're not getting anywhere fast here," Mikael whispered to his sister.

"Please, just hear us out," Mara pleaded again, sounding sincere.

"I don't want anything to do with you.  Now, if you'll excuse me." Lupin gave his back to the vampires and rushed down the street in a steady pace, picking up his wand along the way and gaining a good distance from the spot.  He often glanced behind him, spotting nothing and cursing silently that his sense of smell was useless when it came to vampires.

He was three houses away from Twelve Grimmauld Place, in the same spot where he and Harry had been ambushed the last time, and just like that, they appeared again.

"We request that you hear us out," Mikael spoke very solemnly.

"Not interested," Remus said.

Mikael scowled at the response and vanished suddenly, reappearing again beside Remus and snatching his wrist.  "I'm really sorry, but we just can't let you leave."

~~~

Sirius sat at the kitchen table, sipping from a mug of coffee.  Its twin sat in front of him, already cold.

He shifted nervously and walked towards the house's entrance, a peculiar feeling rolling over him. He stopped by the main door and opened it; he could have sworn he had heard his name.

One step outside, then another.

Then he heard it.

"Sirius!"

"Remus!" Sirius gasped, instantly taking his Animagus form and running toward the source of the scream.

~~~

Remus stared at his wand that lay a few feet from him; it was the second time that night that it had flown out of his hand. He had lost it again after escaping from Mikael's grip and screaming Sirius' name. He glared at the vampires in front of him. Remus didn't know what they wanted, but he was at least certain that it had to do with him and not with Harry. But what could they possibly want with him?

They vanished again, and suddenly they were beside him, one on each side, grabbing his wrists again. Remus had a second to glance at each of them, their emerald eyes gleaming in the dark, before a blow landed on the back of his neck and his world went black.

~~~

Mikael took Lupin's weight into his own hands as the werewolf collapsed and placed the body over his shoulder with a good fireman's hold.

Mara sighed. "Shall we go?" she asked her brother, who nodded in response. She stepped forward when a black dog, the one from the previous night, appeared from the darkness and sank its teeth into her leg. She screamed, brandishing her sharp nails and slashing at the animal. Her nails connected with one of the dog's legs, and it retreated for a second, giving the twins enough time to propel themselves from the ground and into the air, Remus still unconscious over Mikael's shoulder.

Mara glanced at the shrinking ground as she flew upwards, and much to her surprise, she witnessed the black dog taking the shape of a man and starting to scream after them.

"Remus!"

~TBC~