A/N: I love you guys x 2304930484545. Plus twelve.N. Beresford – Thanks, hun. I'm glad you like it! MinervaEvenstar– Five reviews at once! Wow. Thank you so much. And I'm glad you like my Regulus. I don't like it when he's villified. Black's Crystal – There is quite a bit of arguing in this fic, yeah? teehee. I call everyone sugar. :) Captain Oz – Yucky scotch. And thanks, darlin'. I'm so glad you like it. Tyleet27 – "how does Peter fit into everything" LOL! So, you've noticed how I've completely ignored Peter for the last three chapters, eh? Yeah, I never know what to do with Peter so he usually slips through a fanfiction black hole. scouser4life – Why, thank you, sugar. DragonChild-Malfoy – Always a happy ending, promise! And don't worry, this won't be the last you hear of Remus and Sirius from me. Jenny (Miss JaD) - Je suis désolé! J'ai oublié votre phrase française! I'll tell you what, I'll write a oneshot one of these days where James drinks some mystery potion and spends the rest of the story speaking French! LOL. harrypotterislife – Ah, Katrina! As I said on the other thread, don't worry, this won't be the last you see of our boys. KawaiiMegami86– Of course Lily is the only one who understands anything – she's the only GIRL! LOL. Boys are hopeless. rebellover – Thanks, honey. Glad you enjoyed the James/Lily convo. Hope you like the ending as well! Lykaios Nyx – Yay! You're the second person who's commented on Regulus. I just love him. He is my new favorite since the fifth/six books. the silent scene – A sad panda? LOL! I'm so glad you've liked this story so well. :) Appledagger– Yeah, angst is good in small doses. But I like things to end happy. LOL. JennytheSpam – Yeah, James is being childish, but he gets better this chapter. And, well, love is never easy is it? mintypepperoni – LOL! Everyone is very excited for the firewhiskey! I hope you enjoy this last chapter. Oh, and as to your second review, erm, remember that Remus alluded to it being "his turn"? Yeah, so they kept going, but only lucky Lily got to see. :) Hpfan4life1313 – Wow. Thank you. I'm glad you've enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I hope this last chapter doesn't disappoint! Jessica – Well, damn. :) Thanks, sugar. ljp – Glad you liked how they got together. Tayler – Gah! It makes me so happy that you always come review on this version too! I heart you. Like woah. Original Katie Bell – Thanks. Yeah, the plot for this story is strictly the romance, mainly between Remus/Sirius but also slightly between Lily/James. There's no other over-arching storyline with Voldemort or anything, if that's what you were asking.
Disclaimer: They're not mine, okay? Stop rubbing it in.
Warning: Slash. Of the Remus/Sirius variety.
Rating: T – For language, slash, and lots and lots of firewhiskey.
This is for all my lovely reviewers. Y'all have been wonderful, and I hope you love this last chapter.
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Chapter Eight: Boyfriends
Lily was completely fed up with all of the men in her life. She couldn't believe the way her boyfriend was acting. And even Remus and Sirius! For all she knew, they had broken up again already. Boys are hopeless! She thought as she lay sprawled out on her four poster bed, glaring up at the ceiling.
Eventually, she decided she wouldn't be able to avoid James forever, so she reluctantly lifted herself off of the bed and made her way down to the common room. James was no where in sight, though. She was about to take off looking for him when she noticed Sirius seated on the big couch in front of the fire, scowling at nothing in particular.
"What are you sulking about?" She asked, plopping down next to him.
"None of your fucking business, that's what." He snarled, hands crossed over his chest.
"Good lord. Don't tell me you've managed to screw it up already?" Lily sighed, slumping back into the couch. "And to think I wasted a perfectly good disillusionment charm on the two of you."
Sirius' eyebrows shot up.
"That was you?" He asked, incredulously. "I thought Remus had…"
"Please." Lily interrupted him, rolling her eyes. "I think Remus was a bit occupied."
Sirius blushed slightly.
"Well, thanks, I guess." He mumbled.
They sat in silence for a while, until realization finally dawned on Lily.
"This is about James, isn't it?" She concluded. "You weren't supposed to tell him."
Sirius glanced at her sharply.
"You've talked to him about it?" He asked.
"If you're asking whether I've had a rational conversation with him about it, the answer is no." She replied. "But I have listened to him rant like a six year old, if that's what you meant."
"I take it he hasn't gotten used to the idea yet, then?" Sirius questioned a tad bitterly.
"The last I heard he was still picturing you two shagging in broom closets behind his back." She informed him dryly.
"Yeah, I wish." He returned sullenly. "The only action I've gotten this year is from my right hand."
Lily grimaced.
"Thank you for that wonderful image." She told him sarcastically.
"I need a drink." Sirius declared after a moment.
He looked at Lily sideways, sizing her up.
"Come on," he said finally, seizing her hand and pulling her to her feet, "let's go to Hogsmeade and get smashed."
"Are you honestly suggesting," Lily asked, pulling her hand away from Sirius' grasp, "that the head girl sneak out of the castle with you to illegally enter Hogsmeade and consume alcoholic beverages?"
Sirius smirked.
"Afraid that with a bit of firewhiskey in you, you won't be able to resist the charms of Sirius Black?" He suggested with a wink.
"All of the firewhiskey in all of England wouldn't make me want to shag you." Lily retorted.
"Well, no worries then." Sirius replied, not even flinching at her stinging remark.
He grabbed her hand once again and dragged her out of the common room, pulling out a worn piece of parchment and consulting it as they went. Eventually, Lily stopped struggling and let herself be dragged along. Her thoughts drifted to the exams that were fast approaching and her earlier fight with James. You know, a drink might not be this worst idea, she thought with a small smile as they entered the shady pub.
"Two firewhiskies." Sirius told the barman as they took a seat at the bar.
When the drinks arrived, he raised his glass to Lily's.
"Cheers." He said, clinking the glasses together and then downing his in a single gulp.
He held up his hand to the barman to signal another, and Lily took a taste of her own.
"So, James said he had a fight with you." Sirius mentioned as he waited for his second drink. "What was it about?"
"You and Remus." Lily answered bluntly.
She looked down at her drink and sighed.
"Actually, it was really more about me and him." She admitted, running a finger along the ring of her glass. "I guess I just don't know if I can really see a future for us. I mean, in a few months we're going to be entering the real world – living on our own. Yet, James is still such a child sometimes."
"Aww, come on, Lil." Sirius said, already working on his third drink. "You're being too hard on poor Prongsy. He loves you."
Lily's expression softened somewhat.
"So what about you and Remus?" She asked, switching the focus to Sirius. "Are things ever going to work out for you two?"
Sirius sighed, staring down into his drink.
"I have no idea." He answered truthfully. "No bloody idea."
At that particular moment, the object of their discussion was currently back on the grounds of Hogwarts, walking along the edge of the lake and trying to puzzle out that very same question.
He passed the infamous old oak and thought back to Sirius' harsh words to him, that day when everything had fallen apart. Suddenly, his mind flashed to the conversation they had had over the summer the day they found out James was coming to visit. Sirius had accused him of lying as a way of life. Maybe it was true.
But if that was the case, he mused, if his life was so covered in deceit, how was he supposed to find the truth? How was he supposed to trust someone? How could he allow himself to trust Sirius after everything that had happened?
He absentmindedly picked up a pebble and tossed it toward the lake. It skipped the water several times before slowly plunging into the depths.
"Four skips. Not bad." Came a voice from behind him.
Remus turned to see James walking towards him.
"What are you doing out here anyway?" He continued. "Where's Sirius?"
"I needed some time to think." Remus muttered, avoiding his friend's gaze.
"That doesn't sound too good." James commented. "That's the same thing Lily always says after I've done something to piss her off."
"I'm sorry I didn't say anything." Remus burst out suddenly, finally looking up at James. "I was just worried how you'd react. I didn't want to lose your friendship."
James was taken aback by Remus' outburst, and the pleading look in his eye. He looked so small and frightened.
"No, it's okay." James found himself responding quickly. "I mean, I was, erm, surprised. I'm still, you know, having a bit of trouble wrapping my mind around it…"
"Well, you don't have to, anymore." Remus interrupted him, gazing back out over the lake. "I don't think it's going to work out."
James opened his mouth to reply but then shut it. Remus seemed so genuinely upset. He thought back to the conversation he'd had with Sirius when he had found him out here, almost at this exact spot.
"I know he can be kind of a prat." James heard himself say. "But he's really in love with you."
Remus glanced back sharply in his surprise.
"You actually want us together?" He asked, incredulously.
James shook his head slightly. He was just asking himself the same question.
"Look, you guys are my best mates." He answered finally, grudgingly. "And not to be a complete girl, but I do actually want you both to be happy. When I talked to Sirius earlier today, it was the most miserable I've ever seen him. And you don't look so great yourself, at the moment."
As he thought it over, James realized that Lily had been right all along, in a way. He still thought the whole thing had come completely out of no where, and he still thought it was a bit weird for two blokes to be shagging each other – but he had to admit, he'd rather have Sirius and Remus be together as a couple, then apart and making everyone else miserable. These past few weeks had not been fun for anyone.
Remus, however, did not seem entirely convinced.
"I don't think I can ever trust him again, James." He said with a heavy sigh.
"Okay, now who's being the girl?" James replied, eliciting a slight smile from Remus.
"Look," he continued seriously, "trust takes time. But that doesn't mean you have to give up on him entirely. Besides, he'll wear you down eventually, anyway. He's Sirius."
At this, Remus laughed outright. He thought briefly about his and Sirius' earlier tryst in the hospital wing. James had no idea how right he was. Sirius was bloody irresistible when he wanted to be.
"Come on," James said, motioning for Remus to follow him as he took off towards the whomping willow. "I know what will make you feel better."
"Firewhiskey?" Remus guessed with a smirk, following James nonetheless.
"You're a mind reader, my dear Moony!" James confirmed, prodding the massive tree with a stick to quell its flailing branches.
"No, I just know you too well." Remus replied with a laugh.
He and James ducked into the hidden passage and made their way into Hogsmeade and towards their favorite pub. They had just barely stepped inside and were contemplating where to sit, when a shout came from somewhere in the vicinity of the bar.
"Moony!" Someone exclaimed, noticing them at the door. "Prongs!"
James and Remus made their way towards the sound and found Sirius and Lily sitting at the bar. Lily still seemed to still have her wits about her, but Sirius was obviously completely wasted. Lily actually looked rather relieved to see them.
James looked back and forth between his girlfriend and best friend in utter disbelief.
"You came out drinking with him?" He asked Lily, a bit more accusatorily than strictly necessary.
"She wanted to shag me, too." Sirius offered helpfully, reaching out to clap James on the shoulder and nearly falling off his barstool. "Had to remind the poor girl that I'm gay."
He gestured at Remus, as if to strengthen his point. This time he really did fall off the barstool.
"Sirius is drunk." Lily clarified, when James tore his gaze away from Sirius' position on the floor and fixed his girlfriend with a raised eyebrow.
"Thanks, Lil. We'd gathered as much." Remus replied, pulling his robes out of Sirius' grasp.
With a sigh, he lowered his hand and pulled Sirius back to his feet. He kept a steadying hand on Sirius' shoulder to keep him upright.
"You were really this upset with me?" James asked, turning to Lily once again.
"I just didn't want him to go get wasted by himself." Lily defended herself. "I came strictly in a chaperone capacity."
"Liar." Sirius muttered. "She was trying to get me drunk so I'd sleep with her."
Lily rolled her eyes, apparently not thinking this warranted a response. They were beginning to draw attention from the other bar patrons, so Remus pulled Sirius into a nearby booth, Lily and James following close behind.
"Could you at least sober him up a little bit?" Remus asked, once they were all tucked in to the booth.
Lily gave a long suffering sigh and then muttered a spell, flicking her wand in Sirius direction. He sat up a bit straighter. He cleared his throat and seemed about ready to speak when the bartender sidled over, plunking four firewhiskies on the table in front of them.
"Your drink of choice, yeah?" He asked.
"Actually, we didn't order…" Remus tried, but the man was already halfway back to the bar.
"So, what are you two doing here, anyway?" Sirius asked finally, after a few moments of awkward silence.
"I thought Remus could use a drink." James told him.
Lily snorted.
"You mean, you thought you could use a drink." She said with a slight smirk.
"Well, I did just have a fight with my girlfriend." James returned softly.
"Yeah, I heard about that." Lily replied playfully, but with a hint of seriousness. "I heard she completely overreacted."
James smiled, wrapping an arm around her beside him in the booth.
"Nah. I was a jerk. I'm sorry." He told her sincerely.
He pulled her into a light kiss, which quickly became more passionate.
"Oh, get a room." Sirius muttered, quite bitterly.
Lily and James pulled away reluctantly and James fixed Sirius and Remus with a questioning glance.
"Well?" He asked. When neither of them answered, he sighed.
"Come on." He said in the tone of voice used to coax a child into eating their vegetables. "Now it's your turn. Kiss and make up."
He thought about what he'd just said and added quickly, "That's just an expression, you know. A kiss isn't strictly necessary."
Lily elbowed him under the table.
"Don't worry, James. Moony doesn't do public displays of affection" Sirius reassured him, finally taking a swig of the firewhiskey that had been sitting in front of him. "Wouldn't want anyone to think we were poufs or anything."
"Hey!" Remus interjected. "That's not fair!"
Lily gently pulled the glass out of Sirius' hand and set it on the table.
"How about you try to make things better, instead of worse?" She suggested.
Sirius sighed.
"You're right. I'm sorry." He replied.
He turned to Remus and repeated his apology.
"I just hate this!" He exclaimed in frustration. "It sucks when you're mad at me. I know it's my fault. I'm a complete fuck up. But, come on, I've always been a fuck up – you knew that going in."
Remus smiled slightly.
"You're not a fuck up." He said quietly. After a moment, he added, "I mean, you're not going to be winning any 'Best Boyfriend of the Year' awards or anything…"
"Boyfriend?" Sirius repeated, cutting him off. "Do you realize you just referred to me as your boyfriend?"
"Well, that's what you are, isn't it?" Remus returned, not able to keep a slight smirk from creeping across his face.
Sirius stared at him for a moment, seemingly lost for words. Then he apparently decided words weren't necessary and pulled Remus into a hard, passionate kiss. There was an indistinct noise from somewhere in James direction, but to Sirius' surprise, Remus didn't push him away. He deepened the kiss.
"Oh, for God's sakes!" James cried. "Are you trying to kill me?"
Remus laughed into the kiss, finally pulling away. Sirius looked happier than James had seen him in a long time.
"I think this calls for a toast!" Sirius declared, grabbing his glass and motioning for the others to do the same.
"What are we toasting to?" James asked, dutifully picking up his glass.
"To me and Moony, of course!" Sirius replied. "And to the fact that I am so bloody gorgeous that he can't resist me."
James snorted, and Remus rolled his eyes.
"Wait." Lily cut in. "How about we toast to James and I?"
"What did you two do that was toast worthy?" Sirius demanded.
"How about to friendship?" James compromised. "That includes all of us."
"To being seventeen." Remus said quietly, raising his glass.
The others looked up and smiled as they raised their glasses in turn. It was perfect.
"To being seventeen." They chorused.
"To being seventeen and in love." Remus added as, much to James dismay, he pulled his boyfriend into another passionate kiss.
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
And that's it. The. End.
I hope you guys enjoyed. It was my first real attempt at full-length slash. A final review will earn you my undying gratitude. I hope to see you again, reading my future fanfictions. And don't worry, I've got more Remus/Sirius in the works.
All my love, Leanna
