Author's Note: Well ... Here we are. The final chapter to my first SiriusRemus story. It's been awesome to write, and I'm so glad all you of you reviewers liked it, too. :) By the way, this chapter takes place during the Prisoner of Azkaban time. It starts off when Sirius is in the tower. :(
Chapter Twelve:
"Thank you, Sir."
"You're very welcome, Remus. But, please, don't call me Sir; call me Albus."
"Alright." Remus smiled and blushed slightly. He pushed open the door to the tower and nearly began crying upon seeing Sirius sit there, waiting for his fate.
Without second-guessing himself, Moony ran over to Padfoot and dropped to his knees beside him. He embraced the other man in a tight hug and began to cry on his shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, Sirius," Remus sobbed.
Sirius frowned. He hadn't expected Remus to suddenly show up and start crying.
"Sorry for what?"
"Sorry for ever believing that you were the one who killed Lilly and James." Moony sniffed. "I shouldn't have doubted your innocence. I'm sorry."
"Well ... That explains where some of those crosses on my ring went." Padfoot tried a feeble smile. He smoothed Remus's hair down and wiped away his tears. "There's no need for tears, Moony. What's done is done." He kissed the smaller man's head.
"I just feel so bad," Remus told him. "I should've known better ..." He leant into the warmth of Sirius's body and felt two familiar arms wrap around him. They weren't familiar through physical feeling, for Sirius had lost a great deal of weight in Azkaban, but the love surrounding the gesture was far from unrecognizable. Moony's crying ceased to sniffs and hiccups. "I don't want to lose you forever," he whispered.
"Hush now." Padfoot's voice had become a bit shakey, but he tried to keep it steady for Remus's sake. "Things happen for a reason."
"But why? What's the reason for this?" Remus had begun to cry again. "What have you done to deserve this?"
Sirius shook his head.
"I don't know."
"Remus?" Dumbledore poked his head through the door. "I'm afraid you'll have to leave now." He left to give the two Marauders privacy for their goodbye.
Remus was now shaking slightly, and once more Sirius had to wipe his tears away.
"Moony?" asked the black haired man. "Can you smile for me? Your smile was always beautiful." His head tilted.
Somehow, through his tears, Moony managed a small smile. He and Padfoot shared a sad kiss. With a swallow, Remus freed himself from Sirius's embrace and walked to the door.
"I love you, Padfoot." And he was gone.
"I love you, too, Moony," Sirius whispered to the dark.
The train ride seemed much slower than Remus had remembered it. He looked out of the window and watched the scenes go by. Somewhere out there was Sirius (yes, Dumbledore had informed Moony about what Harry and Hermione had done). Smiling inwardly, Remus leant back and closed his eyes.
He couldn't describe how happy he had been when he knew that Padfoot was safe (well, except for the fact that he was still a wanted man). Now, a new feeling of happiness washed over him.
Moony knew that he and Sirius would find each other again shortly. He knew that they would start from where they left off. That was a feeling that he knew he'd never trade for anything, had he the chance to do so. Remus opened his eyes and looks out the window again.
"I can't wait to see you again," he said to the sky.
He lied back and closed his eyes once more. Suddenly, the train ride didn't seem so slow anymore.
Chapter Twelve:
"Thank you, Sir."
"You're very welcome, Remus. But, please, don't call me Sir; call me Albus."
"Alright." Remus smiled and blushed slightly. He pushed open the door to the tower and nearly began crying upon seeing Sirius sit there, waiting for his fate.
Without second-guessing himself, Moony ran over to Padfoot and dropped to his knees beside him. He embraced the other man in a tight hug and began to cry on his shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, Sirius," Remus sobbed.
Sirius frowned. He hadn't expected Remus to suddenly show up and start crying.
"Sorry for what?"
"Sorry for ever believing that you were the one who killed Lilly and James." Moony sniffed. "I shouldn't have doubted your innocence. I'm sorry."
"Well ... That explains where some of those crosses on my ring went." Padfoot tried a feeble smile. He smoothed Remus's hair down and wiped away his tears. "There's no need for tears, Moony. What's done is done." He kissed the smaller man's head.
"I just feel so bad," Remus told him. "I should've known better ..." He leant into the warmth of Sirius's body and felt two familiar arms wrap around him. They weren't familiar through physical feeling, for Sirius had lost a great deal of weight in Azkaban, but the love surrounding the gesture was far from unrecognizable. Moony's crying ceased to sniffs and hiccups. "I don't want to lose you forever," he whispered.
"Hush now." Padfoot's voice had become a bit shakey, but he tried to keep it steady for Remus's sake. "Things happen for a reason."
"But why? What's the reason for this?" Remus had begun to cry again. "What have you done to deserve this?"
Sirius shook his head.
"I don't know."
"Remus?" Dumbledore poked his head through the door. "I'm afraid you'll have to leave now." He left to give the two Marauders privacy for their goodbye.
Remus was now shaking slightly, and once more Sirius had to wipe his tears away.
"Moony?" asked the black haired man. "Can you smile for me? Your smile was always beautiful." His head tilted.
Somehow, through his tears, Moony managed a small smile. He and Padfoot shared a sad kiss. With a swallow, Remus freed himself from Sirius's embrace and walked to the door.
"I love you, Padfoot." And he was gone.
"I love you, too, Moony," Sirius whispered to the dark.
The train ride seemed much slower than Remus had remembered it. He looked out of the window and watched the scenes go by. Somewhere out there was Sirius (yes, Dumbledore had informed Moony about what Harry and Hermione had done). Smiling inwardly, Remus leant back and closed his eyes.
He couldn't describe how happy he had been when he knew that Padfoot was safe (well, except for the fact that he was still a wanted man). Now, a new feeling of happiness washed over him.
Moony knew that he and Sirius would find each other again shortly. He knew that they would start from where they left off. That was a feeling that he knew he'd never trade for anything, had he the chance to do so. Remus opened his eyes and looks out the window again.
"I can't wait to see you again," he said to the sky.
He lied back and closed his eyes once more. Suddenly, the train ride didn't seem so slow anymore.