A/N: I just wanted to thank silvesun101 for the wonderful, and only, piece of criticism. Sneers at the slacker review kiddies I'm sorry this has taken so long, but work prevents me to do a lot. I hope this isn't too crappy. All of the disclaimers apply. Enjoy and - cough - REVIEW!

Chapter 3: Pasts and shattering disclosure.

Warm sunlight filtered through Remus' small window, cruelly hitting Sirius' shut eyes. He groaned, turning over to shade himself. His leg stretched out, finding a pleasantly cool spot with his bare foot and he let out a content sigh into his pillow.

After a moment of tossing, he found he could not return to his peaceful slumber. He turned, face still half-buried in his pillow, to Remus. The young man across the room lay sprawled with the covers twisted around his lithe body. His mouth was slightly parted, chapped lips pale in the morning light.

Seeing Remus, however far, beside Sirius made him feel somewhat giddy and he couldn't fight the smile that fluttered to his lips. He pressed them further into the pillow as Remus's eyes lifted slowly. Remus sighed quietly before wetting his lips and smiled groggily at Sirius.

"Morning, Padfoot." His voice was hoarse with sleep and he yawned hugely.

Sirius smiled again, cursing himself.

The foggy light made a soft halo around Remus's head as he sat up, stretching his arms high above his head. The muscles tightened and stained only to relax, falling with bone and flesh onto the sea of white cotton sheets surrounding the frame of the young werewolf. Sirius couldn't help but take in every detail, hoping his friend would not notice.

Any possible thought that was wafting his way was broken as a clear knock sounded on the oak door to Remus's room.

"Boys? Are you two awake?"

"Coming dad." Remus called out, standing to his full height, "Coming Sirius?"

Sirius nodded dully, head still half-covered in his pillow before standing, stretching awkwardly. He eyed Remus as he turned to the dresser, pulling out a plain white tee. Sirius stood gaping as Remus lifted him arms, pulling the soft cotton over his thin arms. The muscles in his back tensed and flexed wonderfully before being covered completely. He turned around, his shaggy bangs swiping across his forehead. Sirius then noticed that he was staring and turned to the opposite wall, hiding his face from Remus.

---

Sirius' stomach twitched convulsively as Mrs. Lupin set the plate of eggs and toast infront of him. He still couldn't contain the still-frame feeling he had as Remus dressed. It had sent his mind into a confusing frenzy, and would not wane. He stared at the boy across the table from him.

Remus sat there, slowly eating his scrambled eggs, fluffy yellow mounds still waiting on his plate. He didn't look any different from when Sirius had seen him off on the train. But, he held this new light, like some one had changed out a dull bulb in a lamp. Everything about him seemed ... intensified. He could see every tawny strand that framed the pale face, every fleck of amber when Remus would casually look upon him.

Sirius didn't really know when he started to see this, it just happened.

He could feel someone loom over him and was startled to see Mr. Lupin's face inches from his shoulder, thin rimmed glasses flashing in the fluorescent light of the kitchen.

"Do you feel ill, Sirius? Perhaps, do you need a glass of water?"

Sirius swallowed the lump in his throat before shaking his head then shoved a fork full of eggs in his mouth. He briefly saw Mrs. Lupin smile quaintly before turning to her husband. "Stop bothering the boy, John."

Mr. Lupin smiled and winked at Sirius before walking up to his wife. "Good bye, darling. I'm off," he kissed her sweetly before patting Remus on the head. Sirius saw Remus feign a weak scowl as the edges of his mouth tugged slightly upward.

The sound of footsteps carried over to the door, only to be completed with a snap of a lock. They sat there quietly for a moment, the only noise being that of the clinking of dishes in the sink and the scrap of forks on plates.

---

"So, where does your dad work?" Sirius asked, tossing a stone across the forest, hitting a tree with a clunk.

"He works at the University here. He is the professor for philosophy." Remus said, welling with pride. Sirius looked over to him through a set of shaggy bangs, offering a sheepish smile. Remus held his gaze, seeming torn, but then looked up into the graying sky.

There was an uneasy silence for a moment. Sirius knew exactly what he was thinking, too. But he decided to skirt the issue a bit longer.

"This is a really nice place. Have you lived here all your life?" Sirius felt ridiculous. Here he was, talking to a friend he had known for six years, and he felt as if he was just learning about him. But that was how Remus was. He never said anything about his life; not a word of his parents, his home, or his past. And Sirius was more than a bit intrigued. Yet, with their closeness, he could never bring himself to ask of anything of Remus's. He wanted it offered, deserved. He hoped that Remus would give this to him ...

"No ... I've lived several places actually," he continued his gaze across the stretch of trees, into the distant village. "I was born in Belfast, Ireland. But when I was small, we moved to Germany. There was where I was bitten." His tone faded in a forlorn fashion, dipping his eyes down to the ground where he stopped.

Sirius stopped also, a mere two feet behind him. He held his breath, knowing what was to come. Feeling slightly sickened by the anxiousness and delight that overtook him, Sirius felt all too privileged that Remus was telling him this, opening up to him. He stared at the back of his neck, watching the wind blow at the strands of hair that lay there.

"We lived just outside the Dark Forest. It was a prime place for my dad to do his studies. Being a muggle married to a witch had an effect over his perceptions. I would go out with him into the forest to help look for pixies, but only small things like that. He only allowed me to do small group studies as such, and I would obey. But one night, both mum and dad went out, and being a curious six year old, I wanted to come too. Mum said they'd only be gone an hour. I dismissed it as unimportance ... so I followed. If she hadn't have been there that night, I would have died."

He took a shaky breath, shifting his weight to his other side.

"After that, we moved to France. We didn't live there long because a girl discovered my secret. I didn't know her very well, but she lived in my village. She seemed to take an interest in me and snuck up to my window one night and saw my scars. The town chassed us out and we moved here. I'm not even allowed to go out into the village." His voice lowered to a whisper, "Nor do I want to ..."

Sirius was fixed at the spot, letting everything sink in. A long silence fell between them, until Sirius walked closer to Remus, resting his chin on Remus's nape.

"My father used to never hit me. Mother was the one to do that. He used to be the only one I could run to. I wouldn't even say a word, I just sat there in his study, watching him read and smoke his pipe. That was all I needed. I don't even think I even spoke more than five words to him.

"But then I was sorted into Gryffindor. And I met you and James and Peter. Everyone was confused as to why I was sorted that way, but for once I was proud of myself. For something I had done. That was when I started to see my family. Actually see them for what they were. They didn't want me to be friends with any of you. They accepted James and Peter cause they knew their families, but they thought that they were blood traitors and shunned them anyway. But they were unfamiliar with your family, so they didn't see you fit. Then I figured out what you were, and I hated them. I knew what they would have done of you, and for once I didn't care what they thought of me.

"Then Father wouldn't even look at me over summer hols. He would denigrate me for the slightest things. About my hair, my music ... Then he found my letters to you after the- yeah- and he hit me. Hard. It sent me spinning, and I couldn't even get up for five minutes. I grabbed what I could ... and now here I am."

Sirius finished with a blush, thinking that he had said too much. But as he pulled away, Remus spun round, grabbing him firmly around his chest. They sat there in a solid embrace. Sirius buried his nose into Remus's neck, taking in his scent, holding him tightly with his arm around his waist.

"Thank you Sirius ..." came Remus's rough whisper, forehead falling to Sirius' shoulder. Sirius nuzzled his nose closer into Remus's nape in an all too familiar canine gesture and his lips brushed the exposed, pale skin. Suddenly, everything started to tingle. His fingers flexed automatically, aching for more skin. His toes curled, shooting bolts up through his legs and into his thighs. His chest felt heavy and tight and his brain suddenly shut down. He felt his body set aflame with electricity and he pulled away abruptly.

He cleared his throat and rasped, "Race you back," and darted.

He could feel Remus's body follow him.