A/N: Thanks for sticking with the story so far. Meant to get this up yesterday but got spotted by family sneaking off to computer. It may be late but: Merry Christmas everyone!

PS: JKR still owns everything and I still own nothing.

I'll be There, One Last Time.

Remus decided not to dignify the Potions Professor with a response and instead flicked his eyes to Harry.

"Potter," Snape spat, "is carrying an object that is clearly of Dark origin."

Remus pushed the wand away, waiting for his eyes to readjust to the dark. "Really? Looks like a piece of parchment meant to insult anyone who reads it. Probably a Zonko product?" He looked at Harry as if for confirmation.

Snape opened his mouth as if to speak, but Remus continued. "Nonetheless, I think I'd better take that, since it is my field of expertise." He snatched the parchment from Snape. "Come Harry. Goodnight Severus."

"Lupin," he snarled, watching them leave.

"Turn that bloody light out!" Yelled one of the nearby portraits.

Snape rolled his eyes and with an irritated huff, turned on his heel and swept back down the corridor in a whirl of black robes, extinguishing the wand-light as he stalked.

Remus strode into the classroom, Harry all but trotting along behind him. He tossed the parchment down on the desk and turned on his student.

"Frankly Harry, I am incredibly disappointed that you did not bring this to me straight away!" He snapped.

Harry bit his lip. "I-"

"Harry, have you any idea what kind of danger this could put you in? That this map-" he waved it emphatically at the boy- "In the hands of Sirius Black is a map to you!"

"I didn't-"

"You didn't think of that, did you! Well you want to be careful Harry! There are people here trying to look out for your best interests, people who care about you and don't want to see you hurt, and you are throwing their concern away by walking the corridors after curfew and being in possession of an item that could very well get you killed!" He threw the map disgustedly back onto the table and ran a shaking hand through his hair.

From his Professor's response, Harry deduced that he was not used to losing his temper. He took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly, before leaning back on the desk to bring himself down to Harry's height. "Harry, I do understand. When I was at Hogwarts I behaved in a similar way. I just want you to see that you need to be careful. And not to throw the concern of your friends away so lightly. I will not bail you out again, are we clear?"

"Yes Professor."

"You may go Harry."

As he reached the door, Harry turned back to Remus. "Professor, just so you know, I don't think that map always works."

"Why?"

"I saw someone on there tonight. Someone I know to be dead."

"Who was it?"

"Peter Pettigrew."

And Harry left, lights extinguishing behind him, leaving Remus frozen behind the desk, frozen in the deep insane knowledge that the Marauder's Map never lies. Trapped in the knowledge that if Peter Pettigrew was alive, then Sirius hadn't committed the murder he had been sent to Azkaban for. But, perhaps, Harry was mistaken?

Remus tapped the tip of his tough fingernail against the parchment and muttered, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

Lines of faded brown ink seeped out from his finger, forming the familiar lines and nuances of magic that he had helped to create. Warm nostalgia that had nothing to do with the nuances of magic shot, burning through his veins.

"Show me Peter Pettigrew," he whispered. The lines on the map flickered silver, a sign that the parchment recognised Remus of one of four people who had created it. Sure enough, taking an erratic path across one of the second floor corridors, was a pair of footprints marked 'Peter Pettigrew'. He gasped and dropped the map. The lines returned to brown and the area to the floor Remus currently occupied.

A new pair of footprints had appeared on the wall next to him. The letters seemed blurred in the dim light. An 'S' maybe, an 'R'..

He lifted his wand and hovered it over the parchment. "Lumos."

The writing became flooded with white wand-light, the letters clearing. Remus's eyes flew wide and it was only his protective instincts that kept him from dropping the wand. The letters above those footprints were written in elegant gothic hand and read 'Sirius Black.'

Faced with the man, who had once meant the world to him, Remus didn't know what to do. He dare not lift his eyes from the parchment, lest he be faced with that terrifying notion of Sirius being guilty.

A rustle of fabric drew his gaze. Lightning flashed, revealing a gaunt figure in the window, long messy black hair, dark ragged clothing.

Remus felt a shudder move through his body.

The figure stepped forward. Remus lifted his wand in a trembling hand. "D-Don't move."

"It's true," the figure rasped. "Pettigrew is alive. Despicable creature! I should have killed him!"

Remus's wand clattered to the floor, the wand-light going out as wood met stone. The two men were plunged into almost complete darkness. Neither moved.

"Lily and James..."

"I know why you suspect me Remus. If I were you, I would suspect me too. And I thought it was you at some point."

"You were their secret keeper!" Remus all but screeched.

Large hands came to settle on his upper arms, rubbing soothingly. "They changed Secret Keepers. At the last minute. I thought they changed to you, but it was Pettigrew. You're right. I killed them. I didn't think I could handle it. I helped convince them to change." Tears shone on his face.

"P-Peter."

"You know he's alive."

"The map never lies."

Sirius hesitantly wrapped his arms around the werewolf, who was still shaking. "I missed you."

"Twelve years Siri," Remus blinked back tears, craning his neck to meet his companion's eye. "Why didn't you tell anyone!"

"Who would I have told? The Dementors? I doubt they'd give a shit."

"Sirius!"

"Oh all right. I doubt they'd give a damn. Better?"

"Yes."

"Good to know some things don't change." He pulled the werewolf tighter. "I forgot. I forgot everything." He whispered in a teary voice. "Most of all, I forgot how it feels. I can remember actions, events. That all came back but I forgot... How it feels."

Remus pulled back from the embrace. "Come and sit down in my office. I'll light a fire and we can talk."

Sirius smiled wryly, despite knowing that Remus couldn't see it. "I can't stay."

"I know. But it's cold outside and I can get you something to eat and drink and you can get warm." He pulled Sirius into the adjoining room and sat him down in a squishy armchair. He summoned his wand and lit a fire. "I'll be right back."

He slunk downstairs, tickling the pear into the kitchen and came face to face with a house elf. "How can Dobby help Professor Lupin sir?"

"I'm feeling rather peckish. Could you get me something to eat? Don't go to any trouble. Just leftovers or something."

"Of course sir!"

Dobby reappeared two minutes later with a plate laden with food. "Thank you so much Dobby," Remus whispered, climbing out of the kitchen.

Thankfully, he met no one else out in the corridors as he made his way back to his office. Sirius looked up as he walked in, but did not move from his space. Remus gave him the food and a bottle of Butterbeer from the cupboard under his desk.

They sat in silence, as Sirius polished off the meal in record time. "It gets a little tedious living on a diet of rats and rabbits that I can catch as a dog." He admitted.

"I'm sorry," Remus whispered. "I wish I could do something."

"That you believe me is enough." He caught Remus around the waist as he stepped back from poking the fire and pulled the man on to his lap. He squeaked in surprise, before awkwardly settling himself.

"I forgot how it feels," he repeated.

Remus nuzzled his neck.

"Well in their face!" He announced rebelliously. "I remember now."

Remus decided that it would be worthless to remind his friend that Dementors did not in fact, have faces. Merely skulls. Besides, he didn't want to remind Sirius that he would have to leave soon. He enjoyed having him back and didn't want to give it up.

Their hands intertwined in Remus's lap as he reached up to place a tender kiss on his former lover's dirtied cheek.

Cuddling with his old friend felt warm and homey to the escapee, and he couldn't help but mentally gloat a little that the Dementors hadn't permanently taken away anything.

"Good night Remmie," he murmured.

A/N: Hm. I'm not too pleased with this. Did I get them to meet too soon d'you think?