Chapter 2: Mysteries of The Blacks
Remus was filled with such joy he nearly began to sing, but as he turned the street corner and approached his home all happy carols exited his mind. Remus stopped for a brief moment gawking at the front door in fear of his parents and in quiet curiosity.
The door to number 170, Canine Drive was painted a deep midnight blue. Two tiny windows were placed at eye level so one could look in and out from either side. A white fence lined the house and stood to Remus' knee length. A few fruit trees were growing and blossoming wonderfully in front of the house, followed by many wild flowers.
Remus loved to read outside on a stone bench below a vine of moonflowers.
The house where Remus lived was a two-story house, painted pearl white, and seemed calm to passerbies.
Remus took a great breath and proceeded to open the door when it opened swiftly as Remus just barely grazed the doorknob.
"Mum!" Remus yelped nervously.
Mrs. Lupin was a tall woman who stood about three feet over Remus. Mrs. Lupin had a body that showed hard work similar to a farmer. Her eyes were kind and gray like overcast skies, almost white at times of deep concern. Her face petite and very womanly. However at this particular moment no kind gestures could be noticed.
"Remus J. Lupin! Where have you been?"
"I....Well...I..." Remus stuttered and replied incoherently.
"I'm waiting Remus!" Mrs. Lupin replied, while tapping her foot furiously.
"Mum, I..." Remus stared at his foot and replied "I stayed out with a friend last night."
He said softly. Not willing to lie, Remus decided on the truth, hopeful he might not plunge himself deeper into trouble.
"And you didn't think of calling?"
"Well, it was a spur of the moment type thing."
Still, gaping at his feet, "I'm sorry mum." Remus responded in sincerity.
"Remus, your father and I were worried sick!"
Upon watching her son's reactions Mrs. Lupin realized her son was being indeed sincere and would probably never repeat those actions again. Remus was a good boy who never rebelled against Mr. and Mrs. Lupin.
"Well come in then, your father will be pleased to see you're all right."
Remus nodded and followed his mother in. Remus inhaled again and preceded to the most likely place his father would be- the back garden, reading the daily paper, drinking earl grey tea, and quite possibly eating a small croissant or a few jam cookies.
Remus spotted his father in the back garden, reading the paper, in a large wicker chair that towered over everyone that had ever stepped inside the Lupin's home including all who dwelled within. Besides the chair, a small table made of glass and painted with gorgeous summer flowers held a pathetically miniature dish with a large crack springing down the middle. On top the dish three jam cookies sat, waiting to be eaten.
Remus stepped to face his father giving 10 feet between them. Mr. Lupin heard his wife scowling Remus only moments before and rather than follow suit, Mr. Lupin asked for the privacy for himself and his son. Mrs. Lupin hesitated at first but left in agreement.
Remus watched his father scan him as if trying to find lies in his son's eyes, guilt and the most vulnerable questions he could ask to find the truth.
Mr. Lupin was a tall man quite thin for someone is height but the Lupins were malnourished most of the time. Mr. Lupin's face was oddly appealing. His hair, cinnamon in color, his eyes green pearl. His skin pale as baby's breath, and yet strangely attractive to many. His eyes did not show kindness as easily as Mrs. Lupin, but anyone who knew Mr. Lupin would defend him as the sweetest man they had ever come across.
"Remus I was young once." Remus nodded and didn't allow himself to reply just yet.
"You will not be punished by me but I cannot promise mum will feel the same."
Remus grinned and backed away slowly, attempting to leave before his father stopped him, and he did.
"Remus, what were you doing last night?"
"Well, I met ...." "A lady?" Said Mr. Lupin in anxious tones.
"Not exactly." Remus said, blushing scarlet.
"Don't be modest Remus, you're an attractive young man."
"Sure pop." Remus rolled his eyes.
"The lady you marry will be crazy about you, I'm sure. It's in the blood Remus, women can't resist us."
Mr. Lupin watched Remus lean from one anxious foot to the other.
"You may go." Remus nodded and left quickly, skipping towards his bedroom on the first floor.
Remus entered his bedroom with a heavy frown, shut the door quickly and sprang onto his feather matriced bed. He longed to see Sirius again, to smell his intoxicating scent, to run his fingers through his shaggy hair, to look into those eyes that seemed to hide secrets of generations past.
He closed his eyes attempting to fall asleep but he couldn't. He wanted to tell his parents about himself, what they didn't want to hear. Remus loved the secrecy of his relationship with Sirius- it made him feel special. However, he also felt ashamed and utterly confused to hide his happiness from the ones he loved.
Remus glanced around the room stopping his eyes momentarily by various objects that caught his interest. He noticed his bookshelf attached to the white wall. At least 100 books on many subjects on the one bookshelf. At least 500 books rested throughout his tiny bedchamber: a pile of folklore books lie in front of his bed. A large stack of poetry of the romantic period claimed his desk chair. A dozen books sat to the side of his bed, and so on.
Remus room consisted of a twin bed with a few thin blankets and two rather fluffy pillows. Above his bed, a large window to let light shine majestically in. Besides his bed, a wooden table, holding a ceramic night light with painted wolves on the lamp base. A closet was parallel to his bed. A wooden desk and matching chair to the right of the bed.
When he couldn't contain his worried thoughts in a soothing matter Remus decided to take a long bath and hopefully get some clarity of what he must do next.
Meanwhile, three blocks away....................... Sirius had entered his home and when he had his mother was drinking wine in the kitchen alone. Sirius had been witness to this many times. Whenever something happened that Mrs. Black could not control she drank, and it was often. Mrs. Black could never control Sirius, though she sustained from alcohol most of the time in Sirius' presence.
Mrs. Black was an interesting woman to say the least. She had a crooked nose, and crooked face for that matter. Her eyes were dark as was her smiles and gestures. She was slightly plump but none the less beautiful in some frightening way.
"Hello mum." Sirius said as his mother's eyes looked into her sons.
"Good afternoon Sirius, you're home earlier than usual."
"Yes, well.... I'm just going to go to bed." Sirius said and left the room.
Sirius walked through a large hall way with pictures of his families past almost whispering out through photographs and paintings. As a child he had dreams of the pictures and paintings speaking to him as he walked by and sometimes to each other. Sometimes he still thought he heard whispers behind his back as he walked through.
Sirius entered his bedroom, which was on the second story of the house. As he opened the door he fell unto his bed without the need to turn on the light as he always had the ability to find his way in darkness brilliantly.
Sirius had felt exhausted the last three weeks and could not quite understand why. He was Remus age. They both were 17 years old. 'He tires me out.' Was all he could justify to why he had been immensely fatigued.
Sirius fell asleep immediately and had the same recurring dream:
A young child with shaggy black hair and deep Mediterranean eyes walks enchanted down a long, narrow hallway. Photographs and paintings are placed on black walls all the way to the ceiling, which is about 200 feet in height.
"Good day young lad." A man with Atlantic eyes replies as the young boy walks by. The boy notices the pictures move and speak.
"Hello." The young boy says.
The paintings portraits seem to move from one picture to the next. Some people wave at the boy, some gesture for him to come closer.
"Sirius Black. No hellos for your grandfather?" One painting says- a man with fading ebony hair and deep Atlantic eyes.
"You're my grandfather?" The boy says, eyes widen.
"You don't recognize your own grandfather when he speaks to you? Why aren't you at school? Why not at Hogwarts?"
The young boy runs down the hallway, timid of booming voices and animated faces like he had never seen before. The boy reaches the kitchen and gray fog.
Sirius awakes from the dream that disturbs him every other week at least.
Sirius Black flicks on his lamp, besides his bed and notices the time- 1:00 am.
"Shit!" Sirius says in realization of how late it is for Lupin, and how he must be tucked in by now.
Remus was not tucked in. He read from one of his mythology books, half interested and half longing for Sirius.
Sirius hopped out of his bed and tip toed through the hallway of pictures. No voices now, though he wasn't particularly clear headed. He longed for Remus as well. The innocence in Remus was astounding.
Just as Sirius turned the doorknob to exit he felt a hand on his shoulder and the touch ran a chill down his entire body.
"Sirius," It was a woman's voice. "We will have a talk when you come back home." It was his mother who seemed in a trance, but Sirius only half noticed.
"Sure mum." With one goodbye, Sirius bolted towards Remus.
Remus heard a tap at a window above his bed.
"Sirius?" Remus replied.
"Yes, Rem. It's me. Open the window wills you?"
Remus obeyed and allowed his friend to hop through. Sirius climbed through the window and fell onto Remus' bed in no elegant manner.
"Sorry I'm so late Rem, but I dozed off."
Remus smiled. He could care less; Sirius on his bed and nothing seemed to matter at the moment. Sirius touched Remus cheek softly with his palm, and began to kiss Remus gently. But as he did, Remus began to playfully bite Sirius' lips. Sirius becoming more aroused and did the same to Remus. Sirius' fingers began to trail from Remus hair to Remus' arse, now in flannel pajamas. Remus began to moan loudly and Sirius stopped his ferocious kisses.
"If you wake up the entire house, I'll have to come back another day." Replied Sirius.
"Not before finishing the job." Remus whispered in Sirius' ear as if a threat.
Sirius raised an eyebrow. He had always been the dominant one.
"Is that right?" But before Sirius could finish his thought out loud, Remus pulled his lover to himself so their bodies were pressed together. Now Sirius moaned.
"If you wake up the entire house you will have to come back another day." Remus replied teasingly.
Sirius captured Remus mouth in a deep kiss and pushed himself and Remus onto the bed. They fell as one, and both boys began to touch each other curiously. Both began to moan louder as there pants began to expand with newly discovered sensations. They rubbed into each other and Remus moaned louder than before. This time, sure they had awoken someone in the house; Sirius jumped off Remus bed and ran to the closet to hide.
Sure enough in moments a knocking was heard at Remus door.
"All right in there?" Remus' mother said.
"Yeah mum, just a nightmare."
"All right, if you're sure."
"Yes, thanks mum."
Sirius climbed out of the closet and stood in front of Remus with longing and wonderful discipline painted across his face. Remus however had little discipline as the sensations from moments before seemed to haunt him wonderfully.
"Rem, I should go."
"No!" Remus bellowed loudly.
"I don't want to get you into trouble." Sirius said with thoughtfulness.
"I don't care, it would be worth it!" Remus pleaded.
"We will make love Rem, I promise. Besides I have an idea."
Remus stopped his begging and looked at Sirius in interested demure.
"What Sirius?"
"I thought this Friday we should take a trip to Paris." Sirius waited for Remus to respond to his idea before continuing on.
"Paris? What about school and my parents- your parents?"
"My mum won't give a damn, as for yours, well we can decide that on the boat ride back." Sirius leaned in to Remus, licking his neck in-between rough kisses.
"Sirius...Oh...you make it... soooooooo hard to... say no to you..." Remus began to moan loudly again as Sirius pushed himself into Remus body.
"Well, will you come to Paris Rem?" Sirius said, groping Remus' behind.
"Yes!" Remus said with intense passion.
"Wonderful, I'll see you tomorrow night after school." And Sirius gave Remus one last kiss before leaving.
"All right." Remus replied watching Sirius climb back out through his window.
Remus fell quickly asleep, blissfully content.
Sirius arrived home and found his mother awaiting him in the large living room. Sirius wandered in with a giant grin on his face but dropped it immediately as his mother looked deeply concerned.
The living room was decorated with furniture from the 1920s. Green wall paper- velvet in comparison plastered the walls. A large black couch was against a wall. Matching comfy chairs were placed in a circular way. A crystal chandelier hung in the center of the room. More paintings were along the walls. A maroon carpet shimmered from the candle light of the chandelier.
Mrs. Black smiled weakly and gestured for Sirius to come closer.
"Sirius, I need to be honest with you."
Sirius nodded and listened attentively.
"You were supposed to grow up differently than you have. You were supposed to go to another school."
"What are you talking about?" Sirius asked eagerly.
"You were supposed to go to Hogwarts."
At that moment Sirius realized his dreams might have not been dreams but indeed very real.