Redmeadow: Hopefully this chapter explains Remus's appearance to you. Also, if you recall in the fifth book Rohwling describes Remus as haggard and worn in the final chapter as Harry sees him at the train station. Thanks for reviewing.

ruby01: TADA! I have finally updated. I am sorry but I will only be able to update my story approximately two to even three weeks every chapter. I have almost finished the story, however, it needs a lot of tweaking in some parts. Thanks for reviewing.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter unfortunately does not belong to me, but to the goddess J.K. Rowling.

Chapter 2

Thoughts
"": Talking

Previously

Slowly Remus and I looked up from our large books to meet each others eye. As we turned to greet our intruder I saw Remus sit straighter. I was wondering what we were going to say when I caught a glint in my companion's eyes. Remus put a cheerful grin on his face and finally greeted out unexpected (in my opinion unwanted) guest.

"Hello Severus. How do you do this lovely evening?"

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

"How do I do!" Snape spluttered angrily. "Lupin could you explain to me why Potter is no longer with his relatives like he is supposed to be. I know that Potter did not have previous knowledge of where you resided so you had to bring him, not him gallivanting here unannounced."

"Now, now Severus. There is no reason for you to be angry. There is a perfectly rational excuse why Harry is here with me." Remus told Snape in a tone that reminded me slightly of one used when reprimanding a disobedient child.

I looked over at Remus, trying to determine if he really was going to tell Snape the real reason I was at Marauders Lane. I am sure that Snape will slither to Dumbledore and tell him that both Remus and I have lost all sanity in our 'grief' or something akin to that. I was trying to communicate with Remus what I thought, but let him deal with Snape in his own way when I noticed a strange glint in his eye.

The only response that Snape gave to Remus' announcement was a raise of one oily eyebrow.

"Severus, both Harry and I are researching the processes behind dreams and the veil in the Ministry of Magic," Remus replied calmly.

"Why may I ask? Thinking of a way to save your poor misguided mate, Lupin," Snape sneered.

"Yes, actually we are."

"WHAT! I was joking Lupin." Snape said all of this as he hastily sat down in one of the remaining two chairs around the table.

I wanted to laugh so hard. Snape's face had been priceless when Remus confirmed his ill attempt at a joke. I turned to Remus and saw for a milli-second a hardness in his amber eyes before it passed quickly. Why would Remus be angry? He knew Snape would act like that when he told him. I thought about it for a few seconds before I turned to Snape when I realized something. Snape had called Sirius Remus' mate. But-but that would mean….Oh when we get Sirius back those two have some explaining to do.

"Well I was not Severus," Remus said coolly. "Both Harry and I have had dreams to make us wonder if Sirius is truly dead or not. Now I would appreciate it if you would leave so we could get back to our research. From what we have gathered Sirius may not have much time left before he is truly dead."

And with that Remus turned away from the enraged Snape and returned to skimming the large tome he had been reading before Snape's appearance. I glanced between both adults and I copied Remus and grabbed the tome I had been reading. Though I mostly grabbed the book to hide the large grin that I KNEW was across my face. Snape looked like a fish plucked out of water. I guess he doesn't like being ignored.

"Lupin-" Snape had begun.

"What." The look Remus gave Snape even had me looking down quickly.

"You-you can't bring him-" Snape faultered when he looked Remus in the eye. Snape had to have seen something in his eyes because for a few seconds I saw Snape's face soften and his eyes held sympathy in them.

I shook my head to wonder if I was imagining what I had just seen. But when I looked up I could see the heavy silence between the two of them.

The shaking of my disheveled head made Snape look at me and any softening that was there disappeared with a blink of an eye. "Black is dead. Nothing can change that Remus, nothing." Snape implored Remus while looking him straight in the eye.

Did Snape just call Remus, Remus. I am beginning to think that I am caught in some Monty Python skit without the script and no previous knowledge of the plot background.

"Unless you are going to aid in the research, you should leave. I do not mean to be rude but Harry and I are working on a limited time here. Also, I would appreciate it if you would let the Order know that Harry is here with me and there is nothing to worry about." Remus said coolly as he stared at Snape.

"Lu-" Snape did not even get the chance to finish one word before Remus sent him a glare.

I watched as the two held a staring contest for a what seemed to me as very tense hours but were a couple of minutes before Snape broke the connection. He gave a curt nod to Remus and ignored me completely before he dissappareated. I watched as Remus went back to his large tome as if the last twenty minutes or so were alleviated from his memory.

"Um Remus, I don't mean to pry or anything but, yeah." Eloquent Potter, eloquent. Wait, that sounded like Malfoy. Great just what I needed, when my conscience decides to be cheeky it resembles Malfoy. St. Mungos here I come.

"We were friends."

I waited for Remus to continue but he only seemed to glare at his tome. "If you don't feel like discussing it you don't have to."

"It isn't like it hurts to talk about it I am just ashamed, Harry." Remus said with a far away look in his eyes which made me wonder what he was remembering from the past. "You must understand that when I had begun Hogwarts I had no friends. As a child that is a werewolf I had no friends because my family and I had moved here to hide me from prying eyes. So when I had met James and Sirius who were already good friends with quiet Peter and all three wished to be my friends I was ecstatic. Then when I had met a quiet boy in the library who shared my thirst for knowledge I became even happier. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end somehow in someway or another."

With that said Remus took a quick breath before he returned to telling his story with a quick nod from me to continue.

"As you already know, your father and godfather enjoyed making Severus' life hell," he said with a sad smirk in my direction.

I nodded my head as I remembered what I had seen in Snape's pensieve last year.

"Well, Severus and I had decided that our friendship should be kept a secret because the Marauders would be enraged that I was friends with the 'greasy git'. Also, the rivalry between Slytherin and Griffryindor was just as strong in hatred as it is now. However, Severus became enraged and annoyed in our fifth year and would not meet me in the library to talk or do our class assignments that we normally did." Remus took a slow breath before he continued.

"At the end of our fifth year during the OWLS Sirius and your father embarrassed Severus in front of several students, including your mother. I had sat there and done nothing because if I had the other Marauders would have realized something was up."

I shook my head in remembrance as I recalled the incident in Snape's pensieve. That was probably the incident Remus is talking about.

"We eventually made up and became secret friends again. Though from our argument I found out that Severus resented the fact that Sirius and your father were able to be my friends out in the open, while he had no friends at all. Severus, he never knew that Prongs and Padfoot had more pranks planned to pull on him than he ever realized." Remus said with a shake of his head.

"You stopped them didn't you?" I asked.

"Yes, I would tell them that they had enough detentions or sometimes I even ruined them myself. In the beginning of our Sixth year Sirius had found out that Snape and I had been friends all this time and was enraged. He thought that Severus and I were more than friends and in a moment of complete idiocy decides to tell Severus where I go every month. Later he told me his reasoning was that Severus was not worthy to be my friend or 'more' because he will never accept what I really am."

"The Whomphing Willow incident," I stated.

"Hm, after that Severus didn't want anything to do with me. I tried many times to explain to him that I was not part of Sirius' cruel prank, but no. Even to this day I don't think he'll listen to me about the incident or wish to be my friend." Remus had a sadness in his eyes for the friend he had lost long ago.

I felt dreadful. Even though I despise the ground that Snape slithers on I know that Remus needs as many true friends as he can. He lost my dad and mom who still mean so much to him, betrayed by one he thought a trusted friend, and now we may never get Sirius back. I know that if I was in Remus' place and lost Ron and Hermione I don't know what I would do.

Remus quietly returned to his book after his declaration and I followed suit. As I closed the book I read to pick up another thought crossed my mind. I wanted to question Remus but I had already pried so much that I did not know what to do. With Sirius I could ask anything because of his nature but Remus reminds me of well, me. Both of us are open people but very private as we keep our true feelings to ourselves. I didn't have to think of a way to ask him much longer as Remus noticed that I had been staring into space for long period of time.

"Harry, is something wrong," Remus asked.

"Remus, what did Snape mean when he called Sirius your mate." I inquired though even as naive as I am, I did understand what the comment was intended as. I just wanted it confirmed by him.

"I was afraid that you may have noticed his comment," Remus muttered.

"Remus."

"Shouldn't we wait until Sirius is here before we get into this."

I gave Remus a look that clearly said, 'You must be joking'.

"First of all Harry, we were going to tell you this summer but, well, you know."

Remus continued with the small nod I gave him in understanding. I was not going to get angry over this. Though I must admit that I was keeping my temper in control as best as I could.

"As a werewolf I will be with only one person, my life mate and I will be with no one else." Remus looked at me for previous knowledge and I nodded my head as I recalled that lesson near the end of the term in Defense Against the Dark Arts third year. "Well for me that person was Sirius. As you know werewolves don't smell their mates out as Veelas do but bond with who we choose. The only difference is that when a Veela mate dies they can keep on living, albeit a half-life, werewolves can not. We die within a year or two of our mate because the wolf half of us dies without his or her mate."

"Like the ones in the wild," I added.

"Correct. The reason I appeared as shabby to you when we first met on the train in your third year was because of the long distance and time I had without my mate." Remus replied while quietly studying my reaction.

He had answered some of my questions but not all. My mind was still trying to shuffle through all the amount of information it had been given today. Even Hermione would have to slow down to calculate everything!

"Are-are you bothered by homosexuals, Harry?" Remus asked hesitantly.

I turned to him sharply and realized that he though my silence had been a rejection of his and Sirius' love! "NO. I mean no. To be quite honest I never gave same sex couples much thought. As long as people love each other it really should not matter if they are the same sex are not."

Remus smiled with me with pride in his eyes. He told me, "James and Lily would be so proud of you, Harry."

"Remus, how did you and Sirius become a couple to begin with?" I questioned. Now this was the interesting part.

Remus had just opened his mouth to retell the tale when we heard another pop noise to my right.

There before us was Snape with three heavy looking tomes. He glanced quickly at Remus and once again ignored me completely as he laid the three books on the table. "These are from the Restricted Section of Hogwarts, so be careful with them. I do not have any books on dreams so I had to borrow these," He told Remus.

"Severus, Thank-" Remus began before Snape dismissed his gratitude with a quick wave.

"Gratitude is not needed here. Just make sure Potter does not get any drool on them. He has a tendency to slack when thinking is a necessary." Snape added with a smirk in my direction. The only comment or glance in my direction since his opening appearance earlier this night.

"I do not drool. Perhaps you have mistaken your habits with mine professor," I gutted out with clench teeth.

"Don't get shirty with me Potter," Snape retorted.

"You're the one that-" My comment was halted as Snape gripped onto his left forearm and a swift look of pain crossed his feature.

"Voldemort," Remus stated.

"Yes, I must take my leave." With that he pivoted on his heels and his black cloak made a swoosh sound. As he was about to dissapperate, Remus bid a quick good luck in his direction. Though only Remus with his heightened sense of hearing was able to hear what Snape said right before he dissapperated. "And you as well…Remus."

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Any more researching and I think my eyes are going to fall out of their sockets. I glance down at my watch and then remembered that it was broken. I scanned the small room until my eyes rested on one side of the walls where a clock was. Three-thirty in the morning! Ron will not believe me when I tell him how much time I actually spent on researching. Though Hermione will be ecstatic. I was jostled out my thoughts with a shout of exclaim from Remus.

"Yes! This may be it."

"What did you find," I asked.

Remus looked up at my question and replied, "This incantation may be what we need to contact with Sirius if he truly is in the second dimension. If we can make contact with him then we know that neither of us are loosing our marbles. If and I mean if Sirius is there he may know a way to bring himself back since he has been trying to make contact with us."

"What does this spell entail," I questioned. Remus leaned over the table to display the pages of the text to my eyes as he explained the process of the spell.

"According to this divination thinker one can communicate with wandering souls in any dimension through Sedreamesente. A crystal ball is needed so that the vassal can focus his or her mind. A specific chant is needed and a deep amount of concentration on a particular soul for this to work."

"Do we have the incantation," I questioned.

"Yes. However, I will need to be the vassal because I have years of training to obtain tranquility where you do not. If this spell works you will need to question Sirius carefully to find out any useful information on returning him to our dimension. Then with the crystal…Harry do you have a crystal ball from your Divination class with the belongings you brought with?" Remus asked me while he was writing done several things on a spare of parchment.

"Yea, but it is locked away in my chest with the majority of my school things. It will not be that difficult to find."

"Good. While you are getting that I will be setting everything up in the living room. Alright lets go."

HPHPHPHPHPHPHP

I walked into the living room where Remus had set everything up for the ritual. All of the furniture was moved to one side of the room except for two large cushions in the middle of the room with an array of candles of different measurements in between. The candles made a small circle so they would be surrounding the crystal ball when it is placed. I recognized a few of the candles from Professor Trelewaney's classroom and identified them as the ones that seers used to calm the wandering souls.

"Remus, here it is," I said raising the crystal ball for Remus to see.

"Thank you, Harry. Place the crystal ball on the stand in the middle of the candles, please."

I placed the crystal ball in the middle and stepped back so Remus could light all the candles. I sat down on one of the cushions when Remus made a gesture to sit. Please, let this work.

"Harry, what is going to happen is a personal object will be used to connect to Sirius, which should aid in him taking over. I will be the vessel and you the inquisitor. Throughout your conversation with Sirius you must keep him concentrated on you. Other things may stray his own concentration in the domain he is currently in."

"What kinds of things," I asked.

"Remember dementors and thestrals are rumored to be from beyond the veil. We are technically opening a small hole through the two dimensions and they may feel the rift."

"Oh." Smart. I wonder why they don't call me the smart one. Great. Once again the voice in my head sounds like that prat.

"Harry."

"Oh, sorry Remus. I am ready."

I watched as Remus pulled out a white gold ring from his pocket and place it on the top of the crystal ball.

"This will be the personal belonging of Sirius' and we shall begin."

I gave a small nod to begin when Remus looked at me. I stretched out my arms palms up with eh crystal ball between them. I gave a start when Remus took a small knife from his worn pants and pricked his finger. He forgot to enclose that part in the layout. Remus let a drop of his blood drip onto the ring as well as the ball before clasping his hands with mine palms down.

Both of us made tight fists so hard that I would not be surprised we had fingernail marks on the underside of our fingers. I stared eye to eye with Remus as he began the incantation in Latin to summon Sirius. Remus said the problem with his spell is if the one we are trying to connect does not want to communicate with us or the one is too far in distance , there will be no connection.

Concentrate Potter. Remus has begun to chant.

"Orbis terrarum of nox noctis. Nos queso thee annecto ut unus yeas liberi. Nos scisco of thee honoro nos per an celebratio per parvulus vos portus. Orbis terrarum of nox noctis. cursor of patientia. Nos Queso thee. Nos queso thee. Nos queso thee." (1) Remus chanted the last line over and over again until he stopped. He broke eye contact with me and his head bowed touching his chest.

"Remus…Remus did it work," I questioned.

"Hey squirt," Remus said as he brought his head up. I searched his eyes and noticed the mischievous look in them. SIRIUS!

"The mischievous grin on Remus' face spread and resembled the ones that were always present on Sirius'. Rem-I mean Sirius turned towards me brought his two arms up to give me one of his fierce bear hugs. I shook my head no and held unto his hands. "If we let go we will lose the connection." I explained when Re-Sirius gave me a questioning look.

"Both of you did it. I knew you two would figure out some way to connect with me. After all there is your determination and Remmie's brains." Re-Sirius smiled.

"Thanks," I blushed.

"Okay, kiddo no more mushy stuff I have only a small amount of time here. Lets get to the serious stuff. Ignore the pun," he said with a smirk.

"Yes, Remus wrote me down a list of three questions to ask you. The first question is how do we get you back," I asked.

"Well, from what I heard there is a spell to bring one from the second plane. It is said to be common in most dream texts. However, we will need to make some adjustments. We must be in front of the veil, a personal belonging, blood of a relative and a strong patronous on the ready." Sirius listed as he counted off on his fingers.

"Why a patronous," I asked.

"Simple, kiddo. The dementors that remain in the veil will feel the opening we are making. They will not allow a tasty soul free without a fight." He said bitterly and looked somewhere off my right shoulder.

"Sirius. Sirius." I shouted when I noticed his attention drifting from me.

"Sorry." he said as he shook his shaggy head. "What were the other two questions? I can feel Remmie's presence becoming stronger."

"Oh, okay, umm…where did you get your source from? Remus does not want to do try this out without knowing it came from a good source."

"Nearly Headless Nick, the Bloody Baron, and the rest of the ghosts from Hogwarts when I tried to contact Dumbledore."

"Nearly headless Nick! Why haven't the ghost said something or…" I stuttered as I recalled my last conversation with the Gryffindor ghost.

"Harry, you forget what this plane is. There are many times when a spirit will hesitate before heading to the light. When the spirit of a wizard is in decision a ghost can see the image though they are fuzzy. Most of the time a ghost does not mention them because the spirit eventually passes. After I got the information from them there was no reason to remain."

"I suppose that makes sense. That way the living are not hurt by any misunderstandings of their loved ones remaining."

Sirius smiled and looked at me. When I Sirius was just staring at me I realized he was waiting for the last question.

"Sirius, understand this is Remus' question and not mine." I said while trying to hide a grin.

"Harry, just ask the question." Sirius said with a smirk on his face as he blew on his bangs in fake irritation.

I cleared my throat then asked the question that Remus had said earlier was the most important one of all. " SIRIUS AARON BLACK WHAT WERE YOU THINKNING! I understand you hate your parent's home and I am sorry for agreeing with Dumbledore that you should remain there. BUT ACTING SO CAREFREE IN A DUEL WITH A WAND NOT INTUNED WITH YOURSELF! ARE YOU STUPID!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

To Be Continued

(1) "The world of the night. We beseech thee to connect to one yeas children. We ask of thee to honor us with an audience with the child you harbor. The world of the night. The carriers of suffering. We Beseech thee. We beseech thee. We beseech thee."

Translations possible by Italian.