First of all - I don't usually do this, but I feel that it needs to be said.

This goes to a reveiwer named Roxanne Barnett: Your words touched me in a way that no others have. I've always been iffy about my work - always thinking that I could do better. Though when you told me the things you did - it nearly brought tears to my eyes. I've never had anyone say such a thing about my writing until you. So... this Chapter is dedicated to you. Thank-you for your kind words, you have no idea how much they mean to me and how much I treasure them. Words are simple to string together - but the meaning behind them is something special all together. Thank-you from the bottom of my heart.

Morning came and the boys had made their way back to the dorms without being noticed. Remus slept soundly through the night, as did Sirius.

"Wake up you two, you're going to miss breakfast." James stood in-between Remus and Sirius' beds and put his hands on his hips. "Come on, just get up." He took the blankets off of both the boys.

Sirius curled up into a fetal position and squeaked when the blanket came off. "AH! Give it back James!"

"No. Get up."

Remus turned to lie on his back and let out a light yelp.

"What's wrong, Remus?" James sat down on the bed beside his friend and stared at him.

"What? Oh... nothing." Remus tried to sit up but only cringed. "Ow..."

"Remy?" Sirius sat up at stared at his boyfriend.

Remus flung his legs over the side of the bed with great effort and smiled. "Siri?"

"You're okay... you know... umm..."

"Yeah. I'm fine – it's just really tender."

James looked from one boy to the next. "What, did you hurt your leg or something?"

"Err... yeah." Remus answered quickly and stood up. He walked slowly towards his trunk. He was suddenly glad that James didn't notice the looks between the two boys, nor the color of his eyes.

"I don't see you limping." James stood up and crossed his arms, staring at his friends back.

"It only hurts when I put pressure on it..." Remus turned and smiled quickly at his friend, however, when he turned around again his face constricted in pain. 'Bloody hell OW... Lube is a must next time...'

"Yeah. All right. Just get dressed and I'll meet you two downstairs in 10 minutes." James smiled quickly and walked swiftly out of the room – grabbing his bag as he went.

Sirius came up behind his boyfriend and wrapped his arms around his waist. He whispered into his ear. "Is it really that sore...?" his voice carried a hint of guilt.

"Yeah... but it'll stop hurting in a while." 'God I hope it stops hurting...' Remus smiled and turned around. "Lube is a must next time."

Sirius threw his head back and laughed. Once he had quieted down he looked into Remus' eyes. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

Remus smiled and spoke quietly into Sirius' ear. "The only reason it hurts is because I'm not used to having your dick inside me." He winked. "And bloody hell is it ever large."

Sirius looked down and blushed. He looked off to the side then quickly back at Remus. "Well next time it'll be my ass that hurts." He kissed Remus' neck quickly and moved to find his things.

Remus smiled to himself and bent over to gather his clothing. Remus took a longer time than Sirius to get dressed – for obvious reasons. The boys grabbed their book bags, brushed their teeth and hair, and started down stairs. As soon as Remus stepped down on the first stair he yelped.

"Holy Mother of God!" Remus stopped and stood for a second to regain his composure. He looked over at Sirius. His expression was a mix between surprise, guilt, and trying not to laugh. "Oh... um... Sorry."

"That's err... fine. Want me to carry you then?"

"Oh no... I'm fine. I'll just restrain from yelling out colorful sentences." He smiled sheepishly and took the next step. He rolled his eyes and bit his lip. 'I will not yelp, I will not yelp, I will not yelp...' "JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!"

Lily came up behind them and her eyes were wide. She removed her hand from Remus's butt. "I... err... I'm sorry Remy."

Remus smiled quickly and wiped at his eyes. "That's ok, Lily." He let her pass and looked at Sirius. His cheeks were bright red from embarrassment.

"Jeeze Remy..." Sirius came closer and wrapped his arm around his boyfriend's waist. He then bent down and put his other arm under Remus's knees. He hoisted Remus into his arms, and carried him the rest of the way down the stairs.

"Awww, look! Here comes the bride and groom!" James snickered as Sirius set Remus down on his feet.

"Remus isn't a woman." He sneered over at his friend.

"I wasn't referring to Remus."

"Why you little-" Sirius made to grab for James but was stopped immediately by a hand on the back of his cloak. Sirius nearly fell over from the strength that was holding him back.

"Just leave it Sirius." Remus frowned at him and let go of his cloak. "He was just playing around."

"Whatever." Sirius glared at James and moved towards the portrait. "I'll see you later. Detention tonight. Don't miss it." With that the portrait closed.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" James looked over at Remus with his eyebrow raised, a small sneer still visible on his lips.

"... Nevermind."

"What, now you're pissed at me too?" James picked up his bag and flung it over his shoulder.

"No, I'm not... I'll tell you later alright?" Remus stepped up beside him and moved towards the portrait.

"Yeah..." James frowned as he opened the portrait. "C'mon Lily."

"Yes! I'm coming!" She hurried up behind them and shut the portrait after herself.

...

The day went by slowly. Divination was spent reading again, Potions was spent taking notes on the Beautification Potion, and Charms was spent trying to learn how to master the Freezing Charm. The time for lunch had eventually come, and Sirius was still in a sour mood from that morning.

"Listen, Sirius... I'm sorry." James spoke quietly as he looked into his friend's eyes.

Sirius looked down at his plate and toyed with the food on his plate. "Yeah. Whatever."

James took a deep breath and rolled his eyes. Remus slowly sat down beside him and yelped slightly as his butt touched the chair. Sitting all day wasn't helping his current situation. "Just go numb already..."

"What was that, Remus?" James looked over at his friend. "Just go what?"

"Huh?" Remus looked up from the table and over at James.

"What did you just say?"

"Huh?" He smiled faintly.

"No, Remus – what did you just say."

"Huh. I said Huh." He smiled slyly and looked over at Sirius. He cracked a smile and put his food in his mouth.

James shook his head and looked over at Sirius. "We have Transfiguration next."

Sirius looked up a trace of a smile still on his lips. Though that smile faded when he met eyes with James. "Yeah... we do."

James looked angrily at his plate and breathed heavily. "I'm gone. See you later." He slammed down his fork and knife and left the hall in a rush, leaving his book bag behind.

"What's wrong with him?" Peter furrowed his eyebrows together and frowned.

"It's not a matter of what, more than it is a matter of whom." Remus spoke quietly as he looked into the depths of his tea, taking a sip. He then looked up at Sirius.

"But I... he called me a-"

"That shouldn't matter, Sirius. He's your best friend. You should have known he was kidding."

Sirius took a deep breath and looked into Remus's eyes. They were still the same color as they were the night before. "Your eyes look beautiful."

"Thank-you. But stop trying to snake your way around the problem at hand, Siri." Remus looked down into his tea once again. "Go talk to James."

"Well I don't know where he is, Remus." He added Remus's name, almost as if he was trying to insult him.

Remus took notice and looked up at Sirius. His amber eyes suddenly flashed a bright yellow color and then deepened back into the brilliant amber. "He's headed towards the Transfiguration Room. Take his bag with you, he forgot it." He added a smile.

"You're eyes just-"

"Nevermind my eyes. Go talk to James." Remus smiled again, trying to hide his frustration.

Sirius suddenly felt an unknown force trying to push him onto his feet. He resisted it with great effort, pushed his plate to the side, and crossed his arms on the table – all the while looking into Remus's eyes. "I'll talk to him later."

Remus set down his teacup and blinked. "Very well." He bent over to pick up James' bag. Remus moved to stand up, and felt a hand on his arm. Remus looked down at the hand and then followed the arm from the hand to the face, towards the person to which it belonged. His eyes again flashed yellow. The hand didn't let go, it's grip only tightened.

"Sit down. I'll go to him, okay?"

"Don't bother." Remus looked into Sirius' eyes, allowing his eyes to return back to their now normal color. He then shook off the hand and walked swiftly towards the door, swinging both his and James' bags over his shoulder.

Remus directed himself towards the Transfiguration classroom and spotted James leaning against the wall. He had crossed his arms, one hand held his circular glasses – the other was over his eyes.

Remus walked quietly towards him. James didn't look up when he felt his bag fall beside his feet.

"James..."

James wiped his eyes and looked at Remus. His voice was hoarse. "Why does he always do this to me? Why does he always get so defensive over stupid little comments?" He looked down and crossed his arms together. He shook his head as he spoke. "I didn't mean for him to take offence to what I said..." He sniffed back another round of tears.

Remus placed a warm hand to James's cheek. He pulled James into a hug. James rested his head on Remus's shoulder and cried silently. Remus ran his hand along James' back in a comforting motion – the way his mother used to comfort him when he cried. "Shh..." He ran his fingers through James' hair and massaged his head. James' crying eventually ceased, and he merely stood in Remus' embrace – enjoying the overwhelming amount of love, and calmness that he suddenly felt radiating off of his friend.

James leant back and looked into Remus's eyes. They were soft and gentle as they looked back into his hazel eyes. Remus let his hand travel down the side of James's neck and down his arm. He rested his hand on James'. James stared into his friend's eyes and felt the tears of hurt rising again. He looked down and let the tears flow. "I hate him... I really do."

Remus shook his head and took his friend back into his arms. He ran his hand along his back again and swayed gently from left to right. "No you don't, Jamie..." He ran his hands along his back and began to softly hum a song into James' ear. He felt James heave a sigh into his shoulder and wrap his arms around Remus' back. Remus smiled into his messy hair and ran a hand along the nape of his neck, slowly finding his hair. He ran his fingers through his hair again and massaged the same place. James' tears seemed to stop flowing as soon as Remus touched that area on the back of his head. He leant back slowly and rested himself against the wall, still holding Remus.

"Why does he do this to me?"

Remus spoke softly. "I don't know."

James sighed and looked down, vaguely aware that he was still holding Remus' waist, and that Remus still had his hands on his shoulders. "I hate how he treats me."

"He doesn't treat you badly all the time, Jamie. He does love you. This happens to everyone in a friendship... feelings get hurt, apologies are given, received, and accepted. Hearts are broken and mended," Remus smiled softly and brushed the hair out of James' eyes with the greatest amount of care and love. "You've touched his life in a way that no other person will ever be able to, Jamie. You have helped to mold him into the person he is today. He is who he is very largely because of you."

James couldn't help but smile. He spoke quietly still looking at the ground. "He doesn't deserve someone as amazing as you."

Remus placed two gentle fingers underneath James' chin and forced him to look up. "You may not think that he deserves me Jamie, but I deserve him. He fills all of the empty places in my soul and he makes me truly happy. Without a doubt, he is everything to me." Remus smiled and pulled James into another hug and spoke softly as he stroked James' hair. "He is still trying to find out who he is inside. He's still very lost as to the kind of person he wants to be – and ultimately what he wants to be when our time at Hogwarts is over. This is the time in both of your lives that you need eachother to be at your sides, as you both grow and change as people." Remus felt James nod against his shoulder.

"Thank-you." He leant back and placed a kiss to Remus' cheek. "Thank-you for everything."

Remus smiled quietly and ended the hug. "You're alright now?"

James rubbed his eyes and nodded, putting his glasses back on. "Yeah... I guess." James sighed and picked up his school bag. He looked down the hall and his eyes caught Sirius'. He spoke still looking at Sirius. "Mind if we sit together for just this class, Remy?"

"Sure." He smiled and propped himself beside the wall infront of James. He looked forward and read the various plaques mounted on the wall signifying championships the school has received.

Sirius came up beside them and stood beside Remus. He looked at Remus from the corner of his eye then to James. "I... I'm sorry."

James smiled slightly as he held out his hand. "It's alright." A few moments before and that apology would have gone by unnoticed – if it weren't for Remus.

Sirius took his hand and pulled him into a hug. He spoke quietly into his ear. "I mean it... I'm really sorry."

James smiled and hugged him back briefly before the two boys separated. "I know, and it's okay."

Remus smiled gently as he looked at Sirius. Sirius looked down at his feet. Lily came past him and took James' hand, leading him slowly away from the two boys. She knew that they needed a bit of privacy.

"Siri... look at me."

Sirius looked up into his eyes. His face was clouded over with sadness. He bit his bottom lip as it began to tremble. Remus smiled gently and reached over taking Sirius' larger hand in his. He pulled Sirius into a gentle hug and his heart fluttered when he felt Sirius' hot breath caress his neck as laid his head in the curve of his shoulder. He let his hands find his cloak and go underneath it. Remus ran his hands along the tight muscles on his back, feeling them through the thin material of his shirt. He felt warm and happy. "My Siri doesn't cry infront of anyone but me." Remus felt Sirius laugh and only pulled him closer.

"You aren't mad at me for being such a prick to James?" Sirius spoke quietly, still letting his head rest on Remus' shoulder.

"A little." Remus visibly shuttered again when he felt Sirius' breath on his neck as he breathed out. It amazed him how something as simple as breathing could make his knees go weak, and his heart pound madly. He felt Sirius kiss the pulse point on his neck very gently, hardly letting his lips rest there for more than a fraction of a second. Remus couldn't help but let a small moan escape his lips, one intended for only for Sirius to hear.

Sirius let go of Remus and took his hand. "I'm going to sit with Lily and Peter today... that's alright?"

Remus' looked up at Sirius with slightly glazed over eyes. "Mhm. That's fine – I was going to sit with James anyway."

Sirius laughed at the expression on Remus' face as they walked into the room – 5 minutes before the rest of the class entered. Sirius took a seat behind Remus and smiled when Remus gasped slightly when he turned to face him. He leant over the desk and took Sirius' hands. He looked deeply into Sirius' eyes – the eyes of the man he so dearly loved. He leant forward and gently kissed his warm lips. He let Sirius part his lips with a gentle nudge of his warm, wet tongue. He enjoyed the sensation of feeling Sirius' tongue in his mouth. Remus parted his lips slightly more, allowing for more of Sirius' tongue to enter his mouth. Remus gently stroked the top of Sirius' hand with his thumb as they kissed. The two stopped kissing and rested their foreheads on each other's. They both smiled and looked down at their entwined hands, silently exploring the other's hands with their fingers.

For the first time since Remus and Sirius had been involved, James saw how much they truly loved eachother. It was this simple gesture of stroking each other's hands lovingly and smiling so peacefully together that made James believe in true love. He had never seen the two as they were now, so completely involved with each other – ignoring all the people filtering into the room around them. Even the noise of the room could not disrupt the moment the two were sharing. James smiled silently and turned to open his book.

Sirius traced the faint scar on the top of Remus' hand. 'I love you Remus Lupin...' He smiled to himself.

"And I love you Sirius Black." Remus spoke quietly and smiled slightly squeezing Sirius' hand. Sirius looked up at him with a quizzical look on his face. "What?"

"I... I didn't say that aloud."

"Sure you did... I heard you say it."

"No... No I honestly didn't say anything aloud, Remy."

"But I heard you say it."

"He didn't say anything mate." James leant back and raised his eyebrows.

Remus looked from James to Sirius. He then dropped his eyes and let go of Sirius' hands. "... Oh."

Sirius smiled and leant forward placing a gentle kiss to Remus' cheekbone. "Don't worry about it."

Remus smiled and kissed Sirius' cheek in return. He then turned around in his seat, just as Professor McGonagall stepped out of her private room.

"Wands out class." She stepped infront of them and frowned in the direction of the Marauders. "Do hurry Mr. Pettigrew."

"Yes Ma'am." He hurriedly got out his wand and placed it infront of him.

"Does anyone remember what we will be doing in today's class?" A small blonde girl raised her hand timidly into the air. "Yes Miss. Williams?"

"We will be turning stone objects into something real. For example, turning a stone fish into a plant."

"Very good. 5 points to Gryffindor." McGonagall smiled slightly. "Can anyone else elaborate on what she has already said?" Remus' hand quickly flew into the air before anyone else's. McGonagall turned her attention to him. "Mr. Lupin?"

"The spell will be very hard to achieve – as the two objects have virtually nothing in common. Even though the two objects do come from the earth – they are made of different substances – thus making the relation between the two almost nil. To successfully turn a stone object such as a fish, into a plant will require a great deal of concentration and has the possibility to go very wrong if preformed incorrectly."

"Excellent! 10 points to Gryffindor." She smiled warmly at him.

The rest of the class was spent reading through the text, and performing the spell. 3 of the Gryffindor students had successfully preformed the spell – and won their house 30 points – bringing that days total up to 45 points. As the bell rang, McGonagall motioned for the four Marauders to come up to her desk.

"You four will be taking detention tonight with Mr. Filch – as you remember. Mr. Potter and Mr. Lupin you will be paired tonight, Mr. Black and Mr. Pettigrew, you will be the other pair."

"Ma'am... why are we serving detention in pairs?" Peter spoke quietly.

McGonagall crossed her arms and stared down at the boy. "Because that is how it has been arranged. Mr. Filch will inform you of your duties when you get to the Dungeon. Be there at 8 o'clock – and do not be late." She smiled slightly and turned to leave. "You are dismissed."

"Yes Ma'am." All four boys spoke in unison as they watched her leave the room.

"Great... It's going to be a lovely evening in the presence of the ever charming Filch." Sirius sighed and took Remus' hand in his.

"Oh it won't be that bad, Sirius."

Just as Remus spoke, Filch happened to walk by. His greasy face set on the boys. On his chapped, thin lips spread the most gruesome smile any of the boys had ever seen. Filch then let out a low grow as he stared at the boys, narrowing his eyes. He passed them quickly shouting at a random student to get out of his way. The girl let out a yelp as he walked past. She looked as if she was going to burst into tears.

"My ass it won't be that bad." Sirius growled as they passed him. "Tonight... is going to seriously suck."