Author's note: In Chapter One, Lucius was mentioned as being 6 years older than Remus – upon further investigation and thought, I have made Lucius 9 years older than Remus, 13 years older than Cassius. Sorry for the inconsistency! :-) I don't think it's that big of an impact on the story, it just means the Marauders were never at school with Lucius.
Chapter 8 – Developments
They'd been married over a year when Cassius came home from work and gathered Remus in his arms, swirling him around in a circle. "They've done it!" He kissed Remus deeply, sweeping his tongue inside, tightening his arms so Remus was crushed against him.
"Who's done what?" Remus was dizzy from the kiss and from the swirling around. Finally Cassius set him down. Remus clung to him to stop from falling over. Cassius kissed him again.
"The potion makers at the Ministry – they've made a potion that will allow werewolves to keep their human minds when they transform!" Cassius's emerald eyes were sparkling with excitement.
"What?" Remus was shocked. He knew they'd been trying for years, but he had given up hope that the Wolfsbane potion would be successful.
"They couldn't get it to work for the whole night until six months ago, and then they had to make sure. It works!" Cassius kissed Remus again.
"Really?" Remus couldn't quite believe it.
"I've got the recipe. Are you up for trying it the next full moon?" Cassius tilted his head as he looked down at Remus. Remus didn't seem as excited as he thought he would be.
"I…I guess." Remus didn't sound sure.
"There's no harm in trying it. Just think how wonderful it would be for you, darling." Cassius brushed his hands through Remus' brown and grey streaked hair, leaning in for another quick kiss.
"I…I just…it'd be so nice if it worked." Remus buried his face in Cassius' thick sweater, it was a cold winter day, even though it was early March.
"They say it will…They've been testing it. You know how thorough the potion makers at the Ministry are." Cassius knew how much it meant to Remus to have control over the wolf inside him. "Just give it a chance." Cassius rubbed his hands over Remus' back. "Hey." He whispered. Remus lifted his head and looked up at Cassius. "It can't make it worse, can it?" Remus slowly shook his head. Cassius tilted his head down and kissed Remus softly. "Then you'll try it?" Remus nodded. "And I'll be with you." He kissed Remus again. Some days it seemed to Cassius that he couldn't kiss Remus enough. "Shower with me."
"Dinner is in 30 minutes." Remus knew that the shower would evolve into a slippery wet session of lovemaking.
"I'll make you come in 20." Cassius let Remus go and grabbed his hand, dragging Remus up the stairs. Cassius locked the bathroom door and put a silencing spell on the room. Cassius looked at his watch. "So, we'll start the time now, shall we?" Remus nodded, watching Cassius lift his sweater over his head. He was wearing a cotton shirt underneath. He pulled that off a moment later. He unbuckled his belt. "You should be getting undressed too, wife." Remus shook his head, watching his husband get undressed. Cassius sat down on the edge of the bathtub and unlaced his boots, pulling them off and tossing them to the floor with a clunk. The socks came off next.
"Turn the shower on, please." Remus took a step back, keeping his eyes on Cassius. "I'll wait." Cassius smiled. Remus turned quickly and turned on the water, adjusting the knobs. He turned back. Cassius unbuttoned his pants and stood up, undoing the zipper before pushing them to the floor along with his boxers. He walked towards Remus slowly.
"Now…" He reached for Remus' sweater and shirt, pulling them over Remus' head together. Remus reached his hands out and put them on Cassius' waist. Cassius undid Remus' pants and shoved them to the floor. Cassius grinned as Remus' naked body was fully exposed, including his arousal. He pulled Remus towards him and a muffled groan escaped him as he felt his mate's skin against his own.
He moved them into the shower. He kissed down Remus' neck and then licked the bite mark. "I love you." Remus moaned, shivering with pleasure in spite of the hot water that was coursing over the both of them. Cassius muttered a lubricating spell as he lifted Remus up. Remus twined his arms tighter around Cassius' neck and felt his back press against the cool tile of the shower wall. He hooked his legs around Cassius' waist. He felt Cassius' hardness press into him, joining them together. Cassius was as good as his word, twenty minutes after he had looked at his watch, Remus was trembling in his arms after a breathtaking orgasm.
"I love you." Cassius rubbed his nose against Remus' who could only nod in answer. Remus lowered his legs but they still dangled inches from the floor. After another moment of kissing, Cassius slowly lowered him back down to the floor. Remus leaned against the wall, feeling lightheaded. Cassius took a step away, grabbed the soap and a washcloth and started working up a lather. He swiped at Remus' chest.
"Wife, you all right?" Cassius arched an eyebrow at his mate. Remus nodded. "I realize you're older than me, but I thought you could still keep up."
"Oh, shut it." But Remus was smiling.
"Come here and I'll wash you."
"You come here." Remus stayed where he was. Cassius did, washing him thoroughly before washing himself. He quickly turned off the water and stepped out grabbing towels for both of them. Although they could do drying spells, often they chose to dry off the muggle way. Cassius wrapped the towel around his waist, waiting for Remus to do the same. Then he opened the door and he and Remus went into their room. They both changed into a t-shirt and jeans before going downstairs. Tabby was just setting the food on the kitchen table as they walked in.
"Hello, Cassie." Tabby smiled at Cassius. He walked over to her and kissed her cheek. "Now, sit down, sit down." She waved him away but as he sat down, she smoothed his damp hair back from his forehead.
"Did you hear, they've made the Wolfsbane potion." Cassius reached for the pitcher of blackberry juice. Tabby had made the juice today from some berries she had saved from the summer harvest. It was Cassius' favorite. He'd been gone on several long assignments lately and Remus knew she had made it as a special treat for him.
"Successfully?" Tabby asked as she sat down and began to serve the garlic mashed potatoes.
"They say so – they've been testing it for 6 months with success." Cassius held his plate up to get some potatoes.
"That's exciting, isn't it Remus?" Tabby put potatoes on Remus' plate before serving Cassius.
"Yes." Remus said, as he served them all the green beans, levitating the spoon to Tabby's and Cassius' plates.
"You don't sound excited." Tabby said, slicing into the vegetarian meatloaf she had made. She levitated a large slice onto Remus' plate, again serving him before Cassius. She gave a larger slice to Cassius.
"I…I just don't want to get my hopes up." Remus took a bite of the meatloaf. It was delicious, as usual. He reached for his glass of juice which Cassius had poured for him.
"The Ministry is always very careful about potions. They test them for 6 months straight before releasing them to the public." Tabby said.
"That's what I told him too." Cassius spoke around a mouthful of potatoes.
"Don't talk with your mouth full." Tabby and Remus spoke together. Cassius swallowed quickly.
"If I don't say it immediately, I'll forget it." Cassius said indignantly.
"Hmm…" Tabby looked over at Cassius. "No excuse for bad table manners." But her brown eyes were twinkling. "What else happened today at work?"
"Moody said he's going to retire."
"When?" Tabby asked sharply.
"He told me within two years, he'd retire. It's a secret for now, he's not going to tell Fudge yet. He wants to make sure the department is in good order before he goes. He wants to be able to promote Kingsley to be a Senior Auror, because Grant is retiring next year." Kingsley Shacklebolt was another auror, he was a few years older than Cassius and they often worked on assignments together.
"He doesn't want to promote you?" Remus asked, glancing at Cassius before looking over at Tabby. She seemed agitated.
"I told him I don't want to be management." Cassius shrugged. "He says with Kingsley promoted, the Senior Aurors will be loyal to him for years, no one else is due to retire any time soon. Fudge called a meeting today about reorganizing the Auror department. I think Fudge doesn't want anyone being as powerful as Moody." Cornelius Fudge had recently become Minister of Magic, the rumor mill said Dumbledore had been offered the job but chosen not to take it. Moody was known as a great friend and supporter of Dumbledore. "In the new structure, the Head Auror wouldn't know all the assignments. The Senior Aurors wouldn't know what the other cases were. Fudge wants more layers of secrecy."
"And so Moody will make sure the senior aurors are trusted by Fudge but also loyal to himself?" Remus asked.
"He says he'll be the shadow Head Auror. He'll be more powerful retired than he is now." Cassius smiled. Moody's plan was brilliant in Cassius' opinion. And it served Fudge right for trying to push Moody aside.
~~
The sun was just rising, bringing a soft glow to the bedroom. Remus propped himself up on his elbow and was tracing over the magical writing that was tattooed on Cassius' collarbone. It was an ancient protection spell. It was tradition within the Auror department that after three years on the job, everyone got the tattoo. Cassius had just passed the three year mark and the tattoo was about a week old. Remus was still getting used to the mark on his mate's body, but he liked it.
"Remus." Cassius' eyes were still closed, Remus had thought he was still sleeping, he loved to look at his husband, especially when he was asleep, he was so peaceful.
"Yes?" Remus started tracing the words again, starting at the top of Cassius' right arm. The tattoo started on the upper arm and then the writing extended up over the shoulder and across the collarbone, narrowing into a point where the collarbone met the breastbone.
"Moody thinks I should ask Father about my…my mother."
"I think that's a good idea." Remus said softly.
"You do?" Cassius' eyes snapped open.
"Cass, you're 24. I think it's time you learned about her. Moody and I talked about it when he was here last week." Moody had come over for breakfast on his final day at the Ministry. The entire Auror department had gone out at the end of the day. According to Cassius, everyone had gotten roaring drunk, thank Merlin, Remus reflected, they'd been at a secure location. Moody was like a father to every auror, they all knew his plan and supported it.
"I'll owl Lucius and see if I can go over to Malfoy Manor tomorrow for dinner – I'll talk to Father then."
"Just be careful and don't let him get to you." Remus leaned down and kissed his husband – they'd been married for 2 and a half years now and Remus loved him more each day.
"I'll try." Cassius pulled Remus on top of him. Cassius' warm hands slid down Remus' back. "Why am I naked and you aren't?"
Remus laughed, he had pulled on his flannel pajamas sometime during the night because he'd been cold. "I thought you could use a challenge this morning."
"Hmm...." Cassius whispered a spell and Remus' clothes vanished. "Not much of a challenge." His eyebrow arched up at Remus.
"Well, I know what a problem you usually have with simple charms…" Remus tried to keep the smile off his face but he couldn't resist rubbing his body against Cassius'.
~~
The next night, Cassius returned from Malfoy Manor in a solemn mood. Remus was in the sitting room playing the piano Cassius had bought for him on their second anniversary. Cassius dug in his pocket and pulled out a small piece of scroll. He unrolled it and sat down.
"I found out her name."
"And?" Remus stood up and crossed the room, Cassius reached out and pulled Remus into his lap.
"It was Emma."
"Emma what?" Remus asked after Cassius was silent for a few moments.
"He didn't know."
"Oh…" Remus knew that Cassius' mother had lived with the Malfoys as Julius' wife for over 5 years. He couldn't believe no one knew her last name.
"She was pure-blood."
Trust Julius Malfoy to make sure the witch he raped was pure-blood, Remus thought with disgust. Cassius looked down at the scroll. Remus looked at it too but he couldn't make out any of the words on the scroll. Although Cassius' writing was messy, Remus had learned to decipher it over the years. "Who wrote that?"
"Lucius, so I wouldn't forget." Cassius waved the piece of scroll in his hand.
"That was nice of him." Remus tried not to sound too surprised by the gesture. Cassius kept telling Remus that Lucius was a good brother, but Remus had heard stories about Lucius from others and wasn't convinced that Lucius was even capable of being nice.
"She was 7th year when Lucius started his first at Hogwarts. I should be able to find out her last name in the Hogwarts records."
"It's a start." Remus smoothed a hand over Cassius' forehead. "How did you get him to talk about it?"
"Veritaserum, Lucius put it in his glass for me." Remus stroked his fingers over the back of Cassius' hand as it laid on Remus' knee. "He said Aunt Black has some pictures of her…from when we went there for holidays. Aunt Black liked her…he laughed when he said that because she, my mother, was under the Imperious Curse so she said anything he wanted her to." Cassius said dully.
"Oh…" Remus couldn't think of what to say. "Would you want to see if you could find the pictures?" Sirius' mother had been dead for three years, the house stood empty – except for the house-elf who refused to leave.
"No – I don't want to go there."
"Well, Hogwarts should have some pictures of her…you'll be able to see what she looks like. See if you look like her."
"I don't look like her…I look like Father…except for my eyes."
"How do you know that?"
"Father told me. When I was 11…he told me she killed herself because she couldn't stand to look at me – because when she looked at me, she saw him, only with her eyes. Father was so proud - Malfoys breed true, he said."
"You didn't cause her death." Remus said firmly, putting his hand under Cassius' chin, forcing Cassius to look at him. Cassius' green eyes were cool, Remus hated when they looked that way, it meant Cassius was hiding his feelings.
"Didn't I? I look just like him, the man who raped her, who controlled her."
"You don't look just like him." Remus stated emphatically. "I've looked at that portrait in the attic and I've looked at you." Cassius didn't answer. Suddenly Remus understood something that had always puzzled him. "Is that why you don't look in mirrors? Because you see your father reflected back?" Cassius nodded without speaking. "When was the last time you looked in a mirror?"
"After he told me…"
"13 years ago?" Remus couldn't believe it. "You should look sometime."
"I don't need to, I see Lucius and Father often enough to know what I look like. Draco looks like us too." Draco was only 7, but Remus had seen pictures and knew that Draco did indeed look like the rest of the Malfoys with his pale blond hair and pointed chin.
~~
Remus heard Cassius floo into the kitchen. He finished reading the page and put his bookmark in. He heard Cassius walk into the hallway and start up the steps, his footsteps going quickly to the landing. Remus drew his brows together. Usually Cassius came into the sitting room to find Remus, it's where he always was before dinner. He got up and followed Cassius' scent up to the bathroom. He opened the door. Cassius was facing away from the door, stripping off his clothing, the bathtub was filling with water
"How was your day?" Remus stepped closer to Cassius. Cassius whirled around.
"Fine..." His eyes looked wary.
Remus suddenly realized he could smell someone else's scent on Cassius.
"Who were you with?" Remus growled, he felt the hair on the back on his neck stand up.
"Kingsley and I were tracking a thestral in Yorkshire, it'd been killing sheep. It went into a cave, there was a rockslide and we got trapped for over four hours." Cassius spoke quickly as he stripped off the rest of his clothing.
"And what did you do?" Remus grabbed Cassius' arms tightly. Cassius had to clench his jaw to keep from gasping in pain. He knew he'd have bruises later.
"Nothing!" Cassius' eyes widened. He'd never seen Remus so angry.
"Then why can I smell him all over you?" Remus felt black fury growing inside of him as he pulled Cassius closer to him.
"He shoved me out of the way of a big boulder and he landed on top of me. Nothing else happened." Cassius spoke softly, they were nose to nose.
"Then why did you avoid me?" Remus snarled.
"Because tomorrow's the full moon and I thought you'd overreact!" Cassius suddenly thought he should have gone to Moody's first, and cleaned up there. He'd read that werewolves became more possessive and dominating in the days around the full moon although he'd never seen Remus get that way. If anything, Remus just became more demonstrative and affectionate.
"Tell me again that nothing happened." He locked gazes with Cassius. Cassius decided he definitely should have gone to Moody's. Remus' eyes were glowing unnaturally and he looked wild.
"Nothing happened. Nothing would ever happen with anyone else. You know that." Cassius looked deeply into Remus' eyes.
Remus took a deep breath…he knew nothing could have happened, but he couldn't calm the wolf yet. His mate still had someone else's scent all over him. "Get in the bathtub," he growled.
Cassius stepped into the bathtub and quickly sat down starting to wash himself. Remus stripped off his clothes and stepped into the tub behind Cassius. He reached forward and grabbed the sponge and the soap from Cassius' hand. He lathered up the sponge and started to wash Cassius. His hand shook as he moved the sponge across Cassius' shoulders and down his back. They had been mated over three years but Remus had never felt so possessive or jealous. He could feel his heart thumping in his chest.
"You're mine." The words jumped out of his mouth as he moved to wash Cassius' chest.
"I know." Cassius answered submissively as he tilted his head to the side, allowing Remus access to the mating bite mark. He'd read that the human mate needed to be subservient when the werewolf got possessive. He steeled himself against the pain to come. Driven by the wolf's instinct, Remus lowered his head and bit down hard. Cassius couldn't help gasping as the pain burned in his shoulder. Remus swallowed the blood that flowed to the surface of Cassius' skin. He licked at the bite and Cassius shuddered as a jolt of pleasure coursed down his spine. Remus lifted his head and quickly washed the rest of Cassius' body and got out of the tub. He did a quick drying spell on himself. Cassius sat in the bathtub watching Remus warily, he didn't know if he should get up or wait for Remus to tell him to do so. He didn't have to wait long.
"Get out." He growled, his
amber eyes glowing.
Cassius stood, water cascading down his tall, lean body. Remus felt himself get harder. Cassius stepped out of the tub and was pulled close to Remus.
"You are mine." Desire and possession mingled in his voice.
"I know." Cassius repeated softly.
Remus pulled Cassius into their bedroom and shoved him down on the bed. He nuzzled Cassius' body as Cassius lay passively. Cassius smelled of water and soap and Cassius. Remus took a deep breath, trying to calm the wolf, but the wolf wasn't satisfied yet. Remus knelt back and pulled Cassius' hips up onto his thighs. Cassius lay there, compliant, allowing Remus to arrange his limbs. Remus gazed down at his mate's body, feeling calmer. He took another deep breath. The wolf didn't want its mate hurt, however much it wanted to possess him. He quickly did a spell that prepared Cassius and then slid in, joining their bodies. Finally, the wolf was satisfied.