Disclaimer: They ain't mine! Although I wish they were, but hey, who doesn't? Nobody reading this fic, I'm sure!
July 5, 1994
An owl landed on Remus's lap. He looked up from his book, startled. He gave the owl a pat on the head and took the letter it held in its beak. The owl flew off and Remus opened the note.
Remus,
Meet me tomorrow. I'm staying at my old house, Number 12 Grimmauld Place. I believe I told you how to get there once, if you know what I mean. If you think about it for a bit I'm sure it'll come to you. I hope you can make it.
Sirius.
Remus grinned at the signature. Sirius had apparently traced the capital S several times. His name was printed rather than signed; Remus suspected he had forgotten his signature in prison.
Remus reread the note, trying to remember what Sirius had told him about his family home. Number 12 Grimmauld Place... that was it! One simply had to think of the house number while standing between 11 and 13 Grimmauld Place, and the house would appear.
Remus threw the note onto the fire to avoid its getting into the wrong hands.
-----
July 6, 1994
Remus mounted the old Shooting Star 600 he'd gotten for his 14th birthday, and set off for Grimmauld Place. He could have just Apparated, but Remus felt like flying: it was a beautiful day.
Upon arrival, Remus recalled the words of the note Sirius had written, and the house loomed up in front of him. Sighing and squaring his shoulders, Remus walked onto the front step and knocked.
the door opened almost immediately and Remus was confronted with a tall, thin man, his dark hair hanging in tangles around his pale face.
Sirius grinned widely. "Moony, old friend! So glad you could make it! Come in!" He took a few quick steps back, allowing Remus inside. "Would you like some tea?"
"No, thanks." Remus looked around curiously; he'd never been in Sirius's house before. The place looked like it hadn't been inhabited in twenty years, which, Remus reflected, it hadn't. Sirius had moved out when he came of age, and his mother had died the following year. It was a pity, really; she would have been proud to learn her son had sold his best friend out to Voldemort-- even though he actually hadn't.
Sirius was pacing, a thoughtful look on his face. Remus glanced over at him.
"Sirius."
Sirius stopped in his tracks, and looked up. "Yes?"
"Er... what was it you asked me here about?"
"Well, you see..." Sirius cleared his throat, "while I was in Azkaban, there were a few things I realized-- unfinished business, if you will. One of these, of course, was that Peter had betrayed us and I was being blamed-- the bastard-- and the other--" he cleared his throat again-- "was that I never told you I love you."
Remus blinked. Surely Sirius couldn't mead-- but he was cut off from this vein of thinking, as Sirius was plowing forward, his words hurried.
"You see, I tried to tell you, but the timing was never right-- and when they took me away-- well it wasn't a pleasant thought so they couldn't make me forget; it was a regret-- though after a while I forgot why I'd loved you in the first place, as I couldn't remember anything good about it, but when I saw you again, it all came back, and-- Remus--" he looked Remus in the eye, placing his hands on Remus's shoulders, "--I love you."
Sirius fell silent, awaiting an answer.
Remus continued his previous thoughts. No, surely he didn't mean... what Remus wanted him to mean, he admitted to himself. No, he must mean the feelings of love you have for your closest friends... Sirius had always been the sentimental type. But that would mean he'd never told James either... Oh, poor Sirius!
"Sirius, I--" Remus dropped his eyes to the floor for a moment, "I love you too, but-- well, I'm glad you told me, I guess..."
Sirius sighed. Obviously, Remus didn't get his meaning. He would have to tell him explicitly.
"Remus, I don't think you understood me. I love you. As in, I'm in love with you."
Remus stared.
"I..." he seemed to be having trouble getting oxygen to his brain. He took a deep breath and decided on a confirming answer rather than a sappy one. "My answer still stands I love you too. As in," his mouth quirked up a bit, "I'm in love with you." Yes, the oxygen was definitely in short supply. Was Sirius's house on a different altitude level or something?
Remus didn't have any more time to speculate on this point, because Sirius had swept him up into a sudden, strong embrace. Remus hugged Sirius back tightly, loosening his hold after a minute. Sirius also stepped back a bit.
-----
Sirius held Remus gently by his shoulders, looking into his eyes. Remus-- he had gotten older, certainly, there were fresh lines, and grey bits in his hair-- Sirius suspected he looked much the same, though he hadn't gotten a chance to look in a mirror-- but his eyes were the same unusual golden colour. Sirius noticed that Remus had two new scars on his face. He touched them softly. Remus smiled and placed his hand behind Sirius's head, pulling him into a soft but impassioned kiss. Sirius's arms went around Remus's waist, and Remus tangled his fingers into Sirius's knotted hair.
-----
Sirius and Remus sat on the couch, a tangle of arms and legs, Remus's cloak thrown over the arm of the couch. Sirius was running his fingers through Remus's hair.
"Oh," said Remus, remembering something. "I brought some of your old clothes. I don't know what possessed me to keep them, but I did, and since you're not really in the position to go shopping..."
Remus produced a small cardboard box from his pocket and touched his wand to it, saying an enlarging charm. He set it on the floor and opened the top.
"Oh, I remember these!" Remus pulled out a pair of tan bellbottoms. "I remember thinking how good they looked on you."
"Hey, my bellbottoms! Thanks, Remus!"
"There's more where that came from!" Remus rummaged around in the box. "Your motorcycle jacket..." he tossed it at Sirius, who was grinning wildly. "Let's see... another pair of bellbottoms... denim with green insets... I remember these from the summer we spent at James's house between 4th and 5th year..." He tossed them at Sirius as well. "Leather chaps..." Remus grinned and held them up, examining them before handing them to Sirius.
"Don't get any ideas, Moony."
Remus scoffed. "Please, Sirius, I'm not that type of person." But there was a mischievous gleam in his eye.
"Er... here, you can keep the box."
"Right," said Sirius.
-----
Remus rode home, a ridiculous grin plastered on his face. He was a grown wizard, and here he was acting like a schoolboy, doing loops on his broomstick.
Sirius had given him a rather passionate goodbye kiss, along with some chocolates, and he'd nearly fallen off his broom in his distraction when he'd left.
Remus did another loop despite himself and grinned like the 16-year-old he hadn't been for years.
-----
I Love You - Sarah McLachlan
I have a smile
Stretched from ear to ear
To see you walking down the road
We meet at the lights
I stare for a while
The world around us disappears
It's just you and me
On my island of hope
A breath between us could be miles
Let me surround you
My sea to your shore
Let me be the calm you seek
Oh but every time I'm close to you, there's too much I can't say
And you just walk away
And I forgot
To tell you I love you
And the night's too long
And cold here without you
I greive in my condition
For I cannot find the words to say I need you so
-
Oh but every time I'm close to you, there's too much I can't say
And you just walk away
And I forgot
To tell you I love you
And the night's too long
And cold here without you
I grieve in my condition
For I cannot find the words to say
I need you so bad
I need you so bad
Yay! Next chapter: Revenge, batter, and a haircut!