Rating: Yes, I know that I've updated the rating to M, but I've never been quite sure about the rating and I figured that it was better to be wrong than removed off fan-fiction. So, here it is.

Disclaimer: None of the characters mentioned in this story belong to me, but rather to J.K. Rowling, I promise to return them to her once I am done with them. The poem which this story features is taken from the novel, The Smoke Jumper by author Nicholas Evans.

Part Seven – Leaving

"Each giving and each taking."

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June 1978

As the scarlet Hogwarts Express rolled away from the platform, Remus stuck his head out of the window to watch as the castle he had spent the last seven years of his life in slowly disappeared from sight. The feeling was bittersweet. On the one hand, he was finally free to do whatever he wanted, but on the other hand he was leaving behind the place where he had lived some of his best years, some of his best moments. And some of his worst. Remus could hardly believe that he was really leaving Hogwarts for the last time.

"I can't believe that we're actually leaving for real this time." A voice said behind him. Remus turned to look at his boyfriend, smiling.

"Reading my thoughts again, Sirius?" He said teasingly before moving to sit next to his boyfriend. Sirius chuckled and lifted up his arm, allowing Remus to move closer.

"What can I say, Remus, I'm psychic." Sirius said jokingly before leaning in to kiss his boyfriend gently.

"More like psychotic." A male voice mumbled from the other side of the carriage. Remus lifted his head to look at James and found himself smiling. James was hardly to be seen, seated as he was with his girlfriend Lily on his lap. Lily's eyes were closed and she was resting her head on James' shoulder, with his arms wrapped tightly around her waist.

It had been a shock for them all, most of all James, when Lily had loudly announced in the common room one night earlier in the year that if James Potter did not get over there and ask her out she was going to have to hex him to hell and beyond. James had been quick to comply; Lily's hexes were painful. Remus shifted his gaze to look at Peter who was seated next to the couple. He had already managed to find chocolate frogs and Every Flavour Beans within the deep recesses of his bag and was devouring them ferociously.

"I'd be watching what I was saying if I were you, Prongs my dear fellow." Sirius remarked, closing his eyes and tightening his hold on Remus as he spoke. " I currently have on my side a very vicious werewolf who wouldn't hesitate to hurt you if I asked him to." James snorted and Remus looked at Sirius incredulously.

"Is that really what you think, Mr. Black?" Remus asked politely. Something in his tone must have warned Sirius, for he opened his eyes and smiled at his boyfriend.

"Of course it is, Remus. You love me, remember?" Sirius said innocently before winking and closing his eyes again.

"Hmm." Was Remus' only reply before he moved around; this time lying on the seat with his head in Sirius' lap. "Believe what you will."

There was silence throughout the carriage for a while disrupted only by the sounds of Peter unravelling his chocolate frogs and Lily and James conversing in whispers and giggling.

"Where are you guys all going to next?" Peter said abruptly, causing everyone to look at him. "I know that we've all talked about it before, but we never clarified it."

"Well, Lily and I are going to move in together. We've already got a place." James said, holding Lily's hand as she blushed. Sirius sat up, dislodging Remus off his lap. Remus cried out in shock before sitting up, glaring at his boyfriend, who didn't even notice.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" He exclaimed. "How long have you had the place?"

"Well, we've been discussing it for a while." Lily said. "We didn't want everyone at school to know, so we decided not to tell anyone."

"I'm sorry mate," James said, looking Sirius straight in the eyes. "You have no idea how hard it was for me, not being able to tell you."

"I know, Prongs. It was just a bit hard to grasp at first, I mean you're only eighteen…" Sirius said before trailing off. "But then, if you're sure that you're going to be happy together and not at each other's throats all the time… Wait, I'm talking to Lily and James, aren't I? Good luck."

"Well, I'm returning home to live with Mum for a while." Peter said, unwrapping yet another chocolate frog. "After that I don't know."

"I have no idea at all." Remus mumbled, before moving so that he once again had his head in Sirius' lap. "Don't you move a muscle." He said warningly.

"Sorry." Sirius said sheepishly, belatedly realising that he had dislodged his boyfriend earlier. "Well, I'll have to find somewhere to stay now that James' place isn't available. I think that I'm going to look for a place of my own. I do have that money Uncle Alphard left me." Remus looked up at his boyfriend when he said this, a questioning look in his eyes. "You're welcome to come over whenever you want." Sirius told him, pinching his nose in an affectionate gesture. "You all are. You guys just have to knock first." The other three laughed and once again there was silence in the cabin for a time, as all focussed on their future outside of Hogwarts.

When the five of them got off the train, they walked a few steps before stopping abruptly. There were tears glistening in all of their eyes, but Lily was the only one strong enough to freely admit it.

"We'll catch up some day soon." Sirius said, wrapping his arms around Remus' shoulders. "It shouldn't be too long."

"No, of course not." James said, pulling Lily into a tight embrace. Peter seemed to be fighting hard not choke on his sobs and said nothing, simply nodding before delving into his bag and pulling out six chocolate frogs, giving one each to all of the others and keeping the last two for himself.

"Well, we had better get going." Lily said after a while. "I'm taking James to meet my family." The three other boys all winced in sympathy for their friend and Sirius reached over to pat James on the shoulder.

"Good luck mate. If I never see you again, remember that you'll always be my best friend." Sirius said solemnly. James nodded and embraced first Sirius, and then Remus and Peter before he and Lily, who had already said her goodbyes to the other Marauders, moved off towards the barrier.

"I had better go too," Peter stated. "Mum will be wondering where I got to. I'll see you guys later." And then Peter was gone too, leaving Sirius and Remus alone on the platform.

"So…" Sirius said, glancing sideways at his boyfriend and putting his hands in his pockets.

"Yes, Sirius." Remus sighed, smiling before picking up his trunk and moving towards the barrier.

"Yes, what?" Sirius asked, catching up to Remus with his trolley in tow.

"Yes, you can stay with me until you get your own place. I'm sure that my parents won't mind." Remus said, stopping just short of the barrier. Sirius whooped in delight and picked Remus up, spinning him around.

"I knew that I liked you for a reason." Sirius said, kissing Remus furiously. "You're so kind to me." Sirius kissed Remus again before letting him back down and walking through the barrier. Remus shook his head and followed his boyfriend. One thing was certain, the next few months were going to be interesting. The future after that was uncertain and not exactly a bright one, what with the threat of You-Know-Who hanging over the wizarding world. But all five of them had each other, and that was enough for now.

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Message from the Author - Halfway there now, everyone. Hold on!