A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! I really appreciate constructive criticism, so any helpful suggestions will be nice.
Chapter Six
It turned out that Remus' fear about having to go through another physical like the first one were unjustified. After James and Sirius arrested David, they saw to it that everyone knew what sort of procedures Mr. Thunderburg was forcing werewolves to undergo. Although they failed to get Mr. Thunderburg removed from office as they'd hoped, he was told that the Ministry was going to be investigating him and his employees. He would undoubtedly lose his job if he was found to be ordering any more unsatisfactory practices. David was not only arrested, but after hearing testimony from Remus and several other patients who had seen him with similar reports, he was convicted and sentenced to life in Azkaban.
Sirius was especially happy because Remus did not have to go through another physical - the Ministry had apparently decided that the one he'd recieved at St. Mungos was more than enough. Now, all they had to worry about was the hearing, which was set to be on Novemer 3rd, two weeks from tomorrow.
They had already listed James and Lily as character witnesses, and now Remus was on his way to Peter's house to enlist his help as well. Peter lived in a small wizarding village several miles outside London, called Mayonaise. He still lived with his mother at the moment, but had plans to moveto ahousein Hogsmeade after his marriage to his fiance, Grace Pole. Gracewas one of Lily's closest friends, and had been a fellow Gryffindor in their year. She and Peter started dating at the start of their sixth year. James and Sirius had been quite shocked to learn that their supposedly shy friend had actually asked a girl out without consulting them first. They had been even more shocked (and a little offended)when Peter told them that he'd gotten Remus' helpboth with asking Grace out, and planning the date.
Grace and Peter already knew about Remus' pregnancy, as Sirius had gleefully made the announcementa few weeks agoat a meeting for the Order of the Pheonix. They had already agreed to help their friends in any way they could, but now Remus had to get them to sign a few documents that would make them official witnesses. Remus rang the doorbell of the Pettigrew's small, one-story home and waited for an answer. A few seconds later, the door was opened by an elderly woman with short grey hair and watery blue eyes. She smiled warmly upon seeing who it was.
"Hello Remus! Come in, come in. I suppose you're here to see Peter then?" She asked as he followed her into the cramped but comfortable living room.
"Yes, I am. Is he busy?" Remus asked, sitting down on an overstuffed couch against the back wall of the room.
"Actually, he's not here yet. He just owleda while ago to say that he and Grace would be running a little late - he had to fire someone atthe Apothecary shop they opened, you know, and now they're having to close the store up themselves," Mrs. Pettigrew said, before entering the adjoining kitchen. "Would you like some tea Remus? I'm sure they won't be long, but you never know."
"Yes, please," Remus said, getting comfortable. "Why'd they have to fire someone? I thought Peter and Grace said all their employees were working wonderfully."
"Well, that's what they thought," stated Mrs. Pettigrew, frowning in disapproval as she set came back into the room a few moments later with two steaming cups of tea. She handed him his tea before sitting down in a chair across from him. "But then they found out about a week or so ago that the man they'd hire to work weekends, what was his name? Jack Silver? Jack something, I know. Anyway, they found out not long ago that he'd been stealing potions ingredients from the shop. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough proof to have the man arrested, so they just had to fire him. Terrible business, that. But enough about all that. How are you doing?"
"I'm fine, thank you. I just had a check-up today, and the Healer said that the babies are coming along nicely. Though I suspect you can probably see that for yourself," Remus said with a laugh. Indeed, now that Remus was about a month pregnant, he was starting to show. It was a bit of a problem, considering that men weren't supposed to be pregnant. Whenever he was going somewhere where their would be people who weren't aware of either of his 'conditions', Remus was forced to place a concealment charm on himself, in order to keep others from finding out the truth.
Remus chatted with Mrs. Pettigrew for a few more minutes before they both heard the front door being pushed open. He turned to see Peter entering the room carrying an armload of groceries, followed by a pretty girl with waist-length strawberry blonde hair. As Peterand his mother went to put thegroceries away, Grace greated Remus.
"Hello, Remus. How are you and Sirius? I hope the babies are doing alright!"She said, sitting in the chair Mrs. Pettgrew had jus vacated.
Remus nodded. "Everything's going alright so far. The babies are both healthy, asfar as we can tell. It'sstillmuch too early to tell whether we've got boys or girls, but Sirius and I are very excited. Or at least we will be if the Ministry sides with us, and lets us keep them."
"Oh, I'm sure there's nothing to worry about, Rem," Grace said sympathetically. "I mean,now the Ministryknows what sort of man that Mr. Thunderburgis, they're bound to keep a tight leash on him, so to speak. And he's been the main onepushing all that ant-werewolf legislation, right?"
"Grace is right, Moony,"Peter said as he reentered the room and saton the arm of Grace's chair. "Besides, you guys'll have us, James andLily, and Dumbledore helping you. There's no way they won't let you keep the kids."
Remus smiled. "You're right. I'm just being stupid.Anyway, Ibrought the papers aroundfor you two to sign,"he said as he reached into his robes and pulled out a small packet ofdocuments. "So if you'll just read through everything and then turn it back in to the Macigal Creatures department by Monday,that'd be great. Oh, and Lily wanted me to invite you to over to their house next weekend. James has decided that he wants to throw yet another of his parties, where they're asking everyone they know to come."
"Okay, thanks. We'll owl them after dinner and let them know we'll be there," Grace said as she pulled her hair into a loose ponytail. "What time does it start?"
"Not a clue," Remus said as he stood up. "You'll have to ask Lily. You know James'll probably forget the time. Anyway, I'd better go - it's getting a bit late and Sirius is probably wondering where I am."
"Are you sure you've got to leave, Remus?"asked Mrs. Pettigrew, returning to the living room as Peter and Grace stood up."I was just about to serve dinner, and there's plenty for you if you want some," she offered.
"I'm afraid I'll have to take a rain check on that one, ma'am. Sirius and I've already got plans for tonight; otherwise, I would be glad to stay," Remus said as he moved towards the door. "Thank you again for doing this, guys. I can't tell you how much Sirius and I appreciate it."
"Oh, hush. It's nothing, Remus, we're glad to do it!" Grace exclaimed as she engulfed him in a warm hug.
"Yeah, Moony. How could we not help you out? You and Sirius would do the same for us," Peter said.
"Still, thanks. Well, I guess I'll see you later. Thanks for tea, Mrs. Pettigrew!" Remus called, shaking Peter's hand before leaving.
Sirius paced the living room in his flat worriedly. Remus should have been home ours ago. What could possibly be taking so long? Surely Peter and Grace hadn't wanted him to stay and go over the papers with them. Just as Sirius was beginning to wonder if Remus had been captured by Death Eaters, he heard the door opening. Whirling around to face the noise, Sirius was relieved to see that it was his lover.
"What took you so long?" He asked as Remus walked into the living room.
"Peter and Grace were running late, and weren't there when I arrived," Remus said, giving Sirius a light kiss on the lips. "I talked with Peter's mum for a while before they showed up. Sorry if I worried you, love. We're not late, are we?" Some friends of Sirius' from work had asked them to come to dinner later that evening.
"No," Sirius said. "We'veonly got about an hour or so before we need to meet Richard and the others, but we'll make it if you hurry and get dressed now." They were going out to one of the more expensive restaurants in Diagon Alley, and then to aMuggle dance club. (A/N: I'm feeling too lazy at the moment to describe what he's wearing, so just imagine something nice and sexy, and fill in on your own.)
"Where is it we're going again?" Remus called from the bedroom.
"That new place in Diagon Alley. I can't remember the name, and I don't know the dance club we're going to later," Siris said as he checked his reflection in a mirror.
"I think I know the restaurant. Who else is coming, besides us?" Remus asked as he looked at the clothes Sirius had picked out for him to wear (he didn't know what to wear to a club, as he'd never been to one before).
"Just some guys from work. I don't really know who other than Ricky and Cameron." replied Sirius.
"What about James?" Remus asked.
"Nah, Lily would never let James go to a nice restaurant without her. Besides, we're going to a gay club, so I don't think he'd be interested, do you?" Sirius asked with a laugh.
Remus chuckled lightly as he finished dressing. "No, somehow I don't think he would. But then, I'm rather hoping you aren't that interested, either. I'd hate to have to drag you away from some other man."
Sirius' breath caught in his chest as he saw Remus walking back into the living room. "You look absolutely gorgeous, love," he breathed. "Not that you don't everyday, but...well, trust me - you won't have to worry about me running off with anyone else. I'll probably be having to beat off all the guys who'll want to steal you away from me!"
Remus blushed slightly, asking, "Um, Sirius? Won't your friends wonder why I won't be drinking anything? What am I supposed to tell them if they ask?"
"Already thought of that, love. I told them we're coming on my bike, so if they ask, we'll just say we're not drinking anything so we won't get in a wreck on the way home," Sirius answered, walking over to Remus and wrapping an arm around his waist. Remus couldn't stand Apparating or flooing now that he was pregnant - they both made him feel sick, and he never took the Knight Bus if he could avoid it, so he'd been walking or riding the back of Sirius' bike whenever he had to go somewhere.
"Alright," Remus said. "Shall we go? It's almost ten til eight now, if we don't leave soon we definitely will be late."
Sirius nodded, kissing Remus on the cheek before saying, "You're right, we need to leave. Though," he added with a whisper in Remus' ear, "with you dressed like that, I'm tempted to just floo Ricky and tell him we can't come."