Chapter 14 – Shooting Stars

Sirius sat quietly in Dumbledore's office after declining the Headmaster's offers of tea, scones, or lemon drops. He looked for all the world like someone waiting patiently for a train. There wasn't a hint of anxiety or upset or fear on his face. Although Albus would never say so aloud, he found the preternaturally impassive face of the teen disturbing. The Hogwarts staff had known for years of the effortless ability of that face to hide any trace of guilt or pleasure over a well-executed prank. What had become all too evident over the past week was how well that face masked raw, bleeding emotional wounds. So well that none of them realized just how poisonous the relationship between Sirius and his parents had become. They had been kept in the dark, and thus had not offered help until events erupted with potentially lethal consequences.

Albus's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the spiral staircase. They stood. Albus looked once more at the calm face. "Sirius, remember. If at any time you wish to end this meeting, say so and I will escort your father out."

"Yes, sir."

The door opened and Hadar Black stalked into the room, sartorially splendid in deep burgundy robes. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of his son, and his upper lip curled.

"Thank you for coming to see me, Mr. Black," Dumbledore began. "I know this last-minute meeting may have-"

"It has seriously disrupted my schedule for the weekend. However, as I needed to speak to you anyway regarding my son's future education, it's just as well we can do this with one meeting."

"Please be seated." Dumbledore said, settling back on his chair. Sirius sat, also. "May I offer you-"

"There is no need for the niceties, Dumbledore." Hadar hadn't budged from his stance in the middle of the room. "I won't be staying long and I intend to take Sirius home with me."

"You're being a bit hasty."

"Hasty? I should have removed him long ago!" Hadar turned to Sirius. "Just what sort of idiocy did you involve yourself in this time, that you managed to get a month of detentions?"

Not a flicker of emotion crossed Sirius' face. "I put two fellow students in mortal danger."

"You what! Are you dragging people across the rooftops on one of your climbing escapades? What is wrong with you? What sort of madness is this?"

"Actually, it was anger." Sirius replied. He seemed completely unruffled by his father's growing irritation.

"Is that so? Well, I can believe it, after seeing your outburst when you came home for Christmas." Turning to Dumbledore, Hadar missed the tension that momentarily gripped his son's body. "Sirius has become increasingly prone to ugly displays of temper. I hoped it was simply a teenage phase, but now I see that stern measures must be taken, and I know from past experience that he will not receive that sort of guidance and correction here at Hogwarts."

Dumbledore said nothing. Sirius picked up the thread of his explanation. "I was angry because someone had stolen the note that Anders Groot sent to me. The note that detailed what a lovely time he had with me in his bed and how he hoped that I could continue to be part of the gentlemen's agreements between the two of you."

Hadar froze, his pale blue eyes boring into his son's face. He whispered slowly, "What kind of sick fantasies are you spinning?"

Sirius didn't so much as blink as he returned the look. "Of course, he didn't mention the love potion in the note, but I have proof of that, too."

Hadar snarled, "I don't know what sort of perverted scheme you've dreamed up, my lad, but it won't work." He turned back to Dumbledore, his cold words snapping like sleet against a window. "Surely you realize that Sirius would do just about anything to remain at Hogwarts. And he's devious enough to plot something quite ingenious, no matter how vulgar and hurtful it might be to his parents."

He rounded on Sirius, his barely held temper starting to get the best of him. "How can you sit there and make these gross accusations? When all your mother and I have ever wanted for you is a secure and happy future?"

Sirius leaped to his feet, his calm mask cracking. "You never cared about me! All you ever wanted was for me to be under your boot heel, worshipping at the altar of Les Etoiles!"

"Don't you dare speak to me in that tone!" Hadar advance towards Sirius, his hand raised.

"Mr. Black!" The Headmaster's voice cracked like a whip. He had risen to his feet, wand drawn. "I will not permit you to strike your son."

Hadar drew a quick breath and yanked his emotions back under control. "No, no, of course. I wouldn't have touched him. But, you see, Dumbledore. You see the kind of temper he has."

Dumbledore's icy expression did not alter. He said, waving a hand to indicate the various items on his desk, "I also see the pieces of evidence I have gathered that support Sirius's story. Perhaps it's time for you to take a look at them."

Hadar Black's eyes flicked back and forth between Sirius and the Headmaster. Then he crossed to the desk and snatched up the first piece of paper, the note Sirius received from Groot. "This doesn't
prove anything. Sirius probably had one of his friends write this!"

"Then you'd best look at the letter Mr. Groot sent to me in response to my enquiries. As you can see, the handwriting is the same, and, although he downplays the events that occurred at his home, I have obtained other proof."

Hadar snorted derisively. "This is no more than a clever ruse designed to thwart my plans for my son. You have no right to interfere-"

Dumbledore's calm voiced paid little attention to Hadar's interruption. "I also heard from a friend in the Ministry who reported that Mr. Groot has vacated his London digs rather precipitously. Perhaps he was worried about the possible consequences of having had sex with a minor and chose to leave the country rather than face any sort of criminal charges."

"This story is preposterous. You, as Headmaster of this school, should know better than anyone Sirius's penchant for elaborate schemes. If anything happened between Groot and my son, you can bet they were partners in planning the whole thing."

Sirius started, his hands momentarily closing into fists. Hadar's quick glance saw the movements and he smiled coldly. His expression faltered slightly as Sirius's posture relaxed and he stared evenly back at his father.

Dumbledore handed several more papers to his visitor. "Here are two reports from London cabbies, one who distinctly remembers driving the two of you to Mr. Groot's apartment last Saturday, and one who remembers driving a teenage boy from that same apartment to King's Cross station on Sunday. The boy's trunk and caged owl made something of an impression on the fellow. When you're done with that, here is an analysis of the ingredients of the potion that Sirius was given without his knowledge. The combination of some of those items smacks of Dark Magic, Mr. Black. Some of them are, in fact, quite illegal."

Hadar made no response, but quickly went through the remaining pages of the evidence. Sirius stood silent, watching his father's face intently. When he was through, Hadar stared blindly at the desktop. Finally he said, "What do you intend to do with this, Headmaster?"

"Sirius," Dumbledore said. "What have you decided?"

Hadar whipped around to fix his piercing stare on his son. Identical eyes fired right back at him, and Dumbledore sensed sadly that the space between them was now so wide a gulf that no bridge would ever span it again. Neither Black said a word or moved a muscle, until finally Sirius spoke. "I will keep that evidence in my possession and will not make any of it public, unless you try to force me to leave Hogwarts. Once I'm seventeen, you'll have no legal right to drag me home, so I'll be free to finish my education here. When I have graduated, I'll destroy all of it."

For the first time since he had arrived, Hadar Black allowed a wicked smile to play about his lips. "You'd make it public? You'd announce to the world that you're hardly more than a whore? Oh, Sirius, I don't think so."

"No? Then drag me home with you and see what happens." Sirius' answering smile froze his father's blood. "I guess you won't mind how your customers will react to these revelations in the Daily Prophet. Or how sad Mother will be to know she won't be a welcome guest at all those grand society events."

For the first time in his life, Hadar saw that, in some ways, his son was exactly like him. He saw that Sirius would trade viciousness for viciousness, and that, even if this brought him down, he was ready to pay that price to take his father down with him. Like any good businessman, Hadar Black knew when it was time to cut his losses.

"If you don't come home with me now, you had better plan on making other living arrangements. I will disown you, Sirius."

Sirius bent down and retrieved a box that had been on the floor by his chair. "Then you'd better take these back. I don't want to be accused of stealing anything from you."

Hadar opened the box. Inside was every piece of jewelry that he had ever given to Sirius.

His face a mask Hadar turned towards the door. "It seems as if our business is over. I wash my hands of my son's actions in the future."

"You are still legally his guardian, as he is not yet of age, Hadar. I will continue to send you whatever communications that Hogwarts requires to be sent to a student's parents."

"I've told you I'm disowning him. I'll simply throw your letters out." He opened the door and paused, staring back over his shoulder at the implacable face of his son.

Sirius merely said, "Throw out whatever is in my room, too. You might as well complete what you started."

Hadar Black walked out, slamming the door behind him. Sirius closed his eyes for a long moment.

"Sirius?" The Headmaster's gentle tone brought him back. "Do you wish to talk further about this?"

Slowly, as if dragging his attention from something infinitely more interesting, Sirius faced the old wizard. His face was no longer impassive. It was stark and wounded with his flayed emotions. "Hating my father has never been a goal in my life. And, I'd like to believe that hating me wasn't part of his original plan. I still don't understand how he could do that to me. Can you explain that? Can you explain why? Can you explain how the two of us got to this point?"

Great sympathy swam in the wise blue eyes as Professor regarded student. "There are no easy answers, Sirius. I've seen families split apart under less strain than that which has grown between you and your father. Sometimes it's a matter of misunderstanding piled on top of miscommunication. Sometimes the personalities involved simply do not mesh. Throw in hurt and anger and vulnerability and the breaking of trust, and suddenly, a chasm separates those who should be together."

Dumbledore knew his reply was inadequate. Sirius knew it, too. He answered his own questions. "I didn't think so."

He gathered up the letters and reports on Dumbledore's desk and followed in his father's footsteps out the door.

When he reached the bottom of the spiral staircase he heard, "Pssst!" The door across the hall was partially open. Inside he found James, Peter and Remus waiting for him.

"Well?" James asked. "What happened? Are you staying?"

"Yeah. I'm staying."

Listening to their babble of relief and support brought a small smile to Sirius's face. He realized that he wasn't adrift in the world.

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Remus's eyes slowly opened to the cool, dark night, which was easy to ignore in the nice, warm bed. He must have drifted off for a moment. He was rather surprised that Sirius hadn't poked a sharp finger into his ribs for his rudeness, as they had been talking about classes. He reached out only to find cool sheets. No body. A sudden heat in his groin reminded him of how much he wanted that body. They had been steadily repairing the damage that had strained their bond, but sex hadn't yet entered into it. Sirius's desire for any physical contact had slowly grown to include gentle kisses and the slow strokes of Remus's hands down his back. But he didn't seem to want more, and Remus determined not to push beyond what Sirius could accept.

Lying in bed, Remus waited patiently for Sirius to return. When several long minutes had passed, he got up in search of his missing bedmate. Sirius wasn't in the dorm room or the bathroom. Standing on the stairs, Remus pondered where he might have gone, his concern starting to grow, as Sirius was still somewhat emotionally shaky.

Then Remus noticed cold air coming down the stairs and all of his pent-up desire disappeared. Oh, no. Why now? Why tonight, in the middle of winter?' Slipping back into the dorm room, Remus quietly put on warm clothes and grabbed a cloak. Then he climbed to the top of the stairs in Gryffindor Tower, to the partially opened window. Easing it wide enough to scramble out onto the ledge, Remus gingerly sidled his way up and onto the roof.

And there he was. Perched precariously on the pitched roof, wrapped in a blanket, staring at the night sky. Remus balanced uneasily next to him. "Tell me again why you won't go to the Astronomy Tower to look at the stars?"

"Too many people snogging in the dark."

"At least none of them are crazy enough to crawl across ice and snow to cling to these uncomfortable seats. If we lean over too far, we'll slide right off the roof!"

Remus could just make out Sirius's wistful smile in the starlight. "I can't see many stars in London, Remus. There's too much light from the city. Only the very brightest stars shine there."

"The very brightest star isn't in London. He's chilling his arse on a roof at Hogwarts."

Sirius chuckled quietly. "That's my Moony. Sentimental and prosaic at the same time."

"Prosaic? What's prosaic about risking life and limb to watch the night sky!"

"Stop complaining and just look. There's a meteor shower tonight."

Remus's vision gradually acclimated to the dark. With every second, more and more stars became visible, diamond dust across the midnight sky. Soon he was able to pick out the fiery tails of light searing the heavens. They sat close together, the trails of shooting stars reflecting in their upturned eyes.

As the shower neared its end, Remus leaned over to kiss Sirius gently on the cheek. His lips caressed a leisurely path to the corner of Sirius's mouth. Slowly the dark head turned towards him. Their breath mingled in a translucent cloud which disappeared entirely once their mouths slid together in a teasing, soothing, hungry kiss. Drawing breath, Remus murmured against Sirius's lips. "Will you come back inside now?"

"Yeah," came the whispered response.

Remus drew back slightly to look at Sirius's face, all starlight and shadow. He ran his fingertips slowly along Sirius's jaw and felt an answering pressure as Sirius leaned into the gentle touch. A spiraling warmth spread from the depths of his body as he felt Sirius's arm snake around his waist.

"Remus," Sirius bit his own lip nervously. "Can we go back to bed? I mean…you know…not just to sleep?"

"You're sure?" Remus felt his heart skip a beat. Sirius had offered something rare and precious and fragile and Remus hoped with all his soul that he'd handle it with the care it deserved.

Sirius nodded and gently tugged Remus towards the window. Carefully, they clambered back in, tiptoed to their room, shucked off their clothes and burrowed into the warm cocoon of their shared bed.

Remus briefly reinforced the silencing charms and then set several balls of blue flame glowing above them. At Sirius's raised eyebrows, he asked simply, "May I look at you?"

A shadow flitted across Sirius's face but he nodded and made no protest as Remus drew the covers down. Sitting next to Sirius's prone form Remus ran his hands slowly from mid-thigh up across the smooth skin of his belly, coasting across the muscled chest to gently cradle the dark head in his palms. Shifting ever so slowly, Remus straddled his lover and eased down on top of him. Flesh to flesh, the warmth of their bodies surrounded them, driving away winter's cold. Remus's mouth pressed against Sirius's, his tongue seeking and finding its partner. They kissed for long, timeless minutes, wrapped up in the feel and taste of each other. Remus felt lean, strong fingers spidering across his back, curling into his hair. He felt fiery fingers of desire trace through his body, tugging at his nerves, teasing into his groin.

With a moan he lifted his head and rose on his elbows to look down at Sirius, drinking in the sight of the fathomless eyes. Remus bent his neck and his lips sought the faded bite marks that now barely marred the pale neck and shoulders. Gently he kissed each shadow, as if sucking the poison out of a wound and replacing it with a healing benediction.

"Re…oh, Remus…" came a sigh of half-pain, half-pleasure.

"Shhhh…It's alright." His mouth caught Sirius's and once more their kiss melded them together as if the flesh of their lips, their tongues, their bodies was each part of the other. Drunk. They were drunk on the very taste of each other and that fed their hunger to touch more, to feel deeper. Remus's heated passion flared uncontrolled, a flame flashing across dry wood, his body impatient to possess Sirius, to drive away memories and thoughts of any other person who had dared to defile him. He panted out words of love; gasped his adoration of the perfect body that Sirius gave to him so freely.

Remus held back, keeping his desire in check, refusing to abandon himself to his own pleasure with no regard for his lover. He would not take without giving. He would not sate his own desire without doing his utmost to fulfill Sirius's needs. He waited for permission, which finally came by touch and not by speech, as Sirius's hands urged him forward and his body arched up to meet Remus. Their bodies moved together until, with a final wild push, they came in a mad, trembling clench. Remus's eyes shut tight and still he saw the trails of stars flash across his darkened vision.

As their breathing slowed, Remus slid to one side, tugging Sirius with him. He extinguished the balls of flame and pulled the heavy bedclothes over them. Wrapped up in sheets and blankets and downy comforter, safely in each other's arms, the living nightmare in which they had existed was driven away, at least for a little while. They both knew that things would never be quite the same, but their love for each other would survive. Sirius once again fell asleep to the soothing beat of Remus's heart, and the delicate touch of Remus's fingers in his hair. This was now his home, and there was no place in the world more perfect.

Remus understood Sirius more clearly. He had seen more raw pain and anger and hurt in Sirius since their return to school than had ever been evident before. He saw complexities and tangled emotions and frailties. And he understood that Sirius was fighting his battles as best he could, just as Remus himself fought his own curse. Each was a danger and a blessing to the other. Remus listened to Sirius's quiet, regular breathing and vowed that their love would not burn out in a brief, blazing trail, but would endure, deep and permanent and constant, like the brightest stars in the midnight sky.

END

A/N: Thanks to all of you who have gone on this journey and who have supported me with your thoughtful and enthusiastic reviews. I hope you enjoyed the ride.