See first chapter for notes and warnings.

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Chapter Seven

When Remus arrived for dinner in the Great Hall that night, he was in an unusually good mood. He tried to tell himself that not being hated by Severus Snape wasn't really the most wonderful thing on earth, but it just wasn't working. It had been a very long time since he had been able to count anyone as a true friend and he hope that with a bit more work, Severus might be just that.

Remus took the chair next to Professor Flitwick and listened as the small man began talking animatedly about the newest charm he was teaching his seventh years. Pretending to be listening, Remus searched the Great Hall for the dark figure of the potions master. Finally he saw him sweep into the room, black robes billowing, and watched as he headed for the empty chair next to Remus.

Remus couldn't quite conceal his disappointment when Hagrid reached the seat before Snape did, and he was forced to take a chair at the far end of the table. Pushing back a sigh, Remus smiled at Hagrid. "How are you today" he asked.

Hagrid launched into a lecture about his newest creature: something that was probably dangerous, and most certainly could not be described as cuddly. Remus listened with half an ear, making appropriate sounds of agreement whenever Hagrid paused for a breath, but his mind was elsewhere.

Remus noticed that Harry kept throwing him concerned glances throughout the meal, obviously waiting for him to keel over from whichever poison he thought Severus had slipped into the potion. He briefly considered falling to the ground, pretending to choke, just to see what Harry would do. He would likely draw his wand and hex Severus without a second thought. As amusing as the idea was, Remus decided not to experiment; he was supposed to be something of a role-model after all. Ah, the burdens of authority.

It seemed that Harry wasn't the only one throwing him covert looks. Every time Remus glanced to the other end of the table, he saw two dark eyes staring back at him. Unable to completely restrain his mischievous impulses, he caught Severus's eye and winked at him. Severus jerked back in his chair, covering the sudden movement with a rather fake cough, and glared at Remus quite thoroughly.

Concealing a smirk, Remus turned back to Professor Flitwick to continue what would have undoubtedly been a fascinating conversation if he had been paying the slightest attention. When dinner was over, he noticed that Severus took much longer than usual to rise from his chair. Perhaps he really did want another conversation. Remus managed to delay his own departure until the hall was nearly empty, and as he walked to the door, Severus fell into step beside him.

"We need to talk" he said quietly.

"So soon" Remus asked in mock astonishment. "You might want to be careful; people could start to think that you've decided to be sociable."

"Merlin forbid it" Severus said with a slight shudder.

"We could go to my office, if you want to speak now" Remus offered.

"No, later would be better." He glanced around to be sure that no one was within earshot. "Three hours."

"In three hours, or for three hour" Remus asked playfully. "As much as I'm beginning to like you, I doubt I could put up with your scowling for three hours."

Yes, that was the scowl he was speaking of. How kind of Severus to demonstrate. It was obvious that he wasn't even going to dignify that with a response. "Fine, fine" Remus said. "Three hours. Your place, or mine"

"Yours" Severus said somewhat disdainfully. It looked as though was going to say more, but they both froze as they heard a sudden commotion from the direction of Gryffindor's common room. Professor McGonagall rushed past them, heading in that direction, and they fell into step behind her. The entire house seemed to be huddled together in the corridor and they were all looking towards the portrait of the Fat Lady in horror.

They pushed through the crowd just in time to hear Dumbledore say"We need to find her. Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady." Remus stared past him to the portrait that covered the entrance to Gryffindor House and saw that it had been ripped to shreds. His blood ran cold.

Behind him, he heard a cackling voice say"You'll be lucky"

Remus turned to see the poltergeist, Peeves, floating above the crowd, grinning broadly.

"What do you mean, Peeves" asked Dumbledore.

"Ashamed, You Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful" Peeves said with glee.

"Did she say who did it" Dumbledore asked quietly.

"Oh yes, Professorhead" said Peeves. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves grinned at Dumbledore. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

It was only Severus's steadying hand on his arm that kept Remus from sagging to the floor. It couldn't be true! Sirius couldn't be here, there was no way that he could have gotten past the dementors. Peeves had to be playing some kind of prank, a sick prank to be sure, but it couldn't be true.

Dumbledore quickly sent the students back to the Great Hall and organised a search of the castle. After taking a single look at Remus's bloodless face, he ordered him to return to his rooms, promising to send word when the castle had been cleared.

Remus knew that he should be joining in the search. He should be helping to ensure the safety of the students. But the anger he always felt at the mention of Sirius's name had been replaced by a tendril of fear that was now snaking its way through his chest. Sirius was in the castle, and he had a knife.

Remus ran to his rooms and slammed the door shut behind him. The door had heavy wards placed upon it - as did the doors to all of the professors' quarters - but would they be enough? Sirius shouldn't have even been able to get past the dementors and into the castle. Drawing his wand, Remus began to layer ward upon ward over those already on the door, until he was certain that it would take hours for anyone to break through them.

The Fat Lady's portrait had been shredded with a very sharp knife. Was it...that knife? No, it couldn't have been, Remus assured himself. The knife that Sirius had always carried had been destroyed, along with his other personal effects, when he had been sentenced to Azkaban.

"But he could have found another knife" a taunting voice whispered in the back of his mind. "One just as sharp. I'm sure he's looking forward to using it."

"What are you doing"

"What does it look like I'm doing" Remus asked. "I'm leaving."

Sirius's eyes narrowed. "You can't leave."

Remus threw the last of this things into the tattered bag and slung it over his shoulder. "Watch me."

Sirius leaned against the door, effectively blocking it. "Do you really think I'm just going to let you walk away? Sit down, Remus. Let's talk about this."

"I'm sick of talking, Sirius. Nothing ever changes. Just get out of my way." He tried to push him aside, but Sirius grabbed his arm.

"Sit down" Sirius said coldly.

Remus's wand was still in the robe of his travelling cloak, and he cursed himself for not having kept it closer. With no choice but to obey, he backed away from Sirius and sank down onto the edge of the bed.

Sirius sat on the bed beside him, draping his arm possessively around Remus's shoulders. "Really, Remus" he said in the smooth whisper that Remus had long ago learned to despise. "Where could you go"

"Honestly, I don't care" Remus said. "Anywhere would be better than this." He tried to push away his arm, but Sirius dug his fingers painfully into his shoulder.

"That's not what I mean." Sirius put his hand to Remus's face and forced him to look into his eyes. "Where could you go that I couldn't find you? You know I won't just let you walk away."

A chill ran down Remus's spine. He didn't even see Sirius pull the knife from his pocket, but he certainly felt it when the tip was traced down the side of his face. It burned as though it had been heated in a forge. Remus gasped and tried to jerk away, but Sirius held him tightly.

"I would find you. You know that" Sirius said in that low whisper. He held up the knife and turned it so that its razor edge caught the light. "Beautiful, isn't it? Its made of silver. You do know what silver does to werewolves, right? I've heard that it causes a most painful death."

Sirius slid the knife back into his belt and stood, turning away from Remus. "Put your things away, I know that you're not leaving." He walked to the door, then paused, looking back over his shoulder. "I knew you'd feel better after we talked."

Remus pulled his bottle of firewhisky from the desk drawer and filled a glass. His hands were shaking so badly that much of the smoking liquid missed the glass entirely and spilled across his desk, soaking several student scrolls. The first sip burned terribly, but had an instantly calming effect.

Remus began pacing, his hand clenched around the glass of firewhisky. Sirius obviously had found a way into the castle that would allow him to avoid the dementors. It was quite possible that he could reappear at any time. With the knife...

He couldn't face Sirius again. After all these years of doing everything in his power to numb his mind and push away the past, he couldn't bear the thought of coming face to face with him once more. He would die first.

Suddenly he remembered the vial of Dreamless Sleep that still rested in his pocket. Pulling it out, he held it up and watched as the torchlight flickered through it. Three small drops would be enough to chase away his demons, and give him hours of sleep, free from nightmares. But what would be the point in that, when all too soon he would awaken, and find that nothing had changed? All the dreamless sleep in the world could not change the fact that it was his life that was the true nightmare. If he wanted to find a lasting peace, it would take much more than three drops.

Uncorking the vial, he emptied it into his firewhisky and drank deeply. The burn was as welcome as the oblivion that soon followed.