I wrote this for a contest at a livejournal community, HogwartsElite. The prompt was to write at least two scenes backwards, with each scene occuring before the previous scene, rather than after.

Title:Lean on Me

Characters: Remus Lupin, Sirius Black GEN

Words: 627

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Remus Lupin shut himself in his room at Number 12 Grimmauld Place and did something he hadn't done since he was a frightened first-year with no friends: he buried his face in his dusty pillow and wept.

For so many years there had been, if nothing else, hope that he was not alone. He had pretended to accept the story he was told, the story of Sirius betraying one of their closest friends and killing the other, but there had always been a light, without which he couldn't have ever understood or accepted that Sirius was innocent on that night two years before, at least not as quickly as he did.

Now, he was at last completely alone, completely devoid of any hope to ever feel the support of the only family that had ever really loved him just as he was, the only barrier he'd ever had between his heart and his despair.

"Silly Moony," Sirius grinned affectionately. "Can you really not tie a bowtie properly?"

"No, I'm sorry," Remus said, whipping the offending cloth from around his neck and throwing it down. "Some of us haven't been much in demand at fancy parties, or grown up owning more than one single suit for funerals, much less a tuxedo."

His friend laughed, retrieving the battered tie and wrapping it back around Remus' neck. "Why didn't you get a clip-on, then, like Peter? He's already done with this mess and outside, making eyes at Lily's bridesmaids."

"I wanted to look my best. It's the first wedding I've ever been too, much less in." He fidgeted a bit, throwing off Sirius' progress on the bowtie, until Sirius slapped his shoulder lightly and he stood still. "It'll probably be the last, too. I doubt I could ever find a girl willing to marry me, and you… well, I just can't imagine it!" It was unspoken that Peter probably wouldn't be getting married, but it wasn't necessary to say it.

"Don't worry about it," Sirius said, putting the final knot in his bow and resting his hands on Remus' shoulders. "We'll be like an old married couple, together as long as we live. You can cook my meals and clean up after me like you always do, and I'll take care of you, like I always have."

The first strains of organ music reached their dressing room from the window, and Sirius smiled down from the sill at their friends waiting nervously by the flowering arch. "Come on, now. James looks about to faint, and I don't want to miss that."

The small, mousey-haired boy curled into the corner of his compartment on the train, alone. There was still a bruise covering a good portion of the right side of his face from his last transformation.

With a loud bang, the door flew open and two disheviled black haired boys spilled in, talking and laughing. They fell into the seats across from him, only noticing his presence when he lifted his head to stare.

"Hello," the boy with the shorter hair said. "I'm James, James Potter. Sorry to bother you."

"It's okay," Remus mumbled, sitting up a bit. "I'm Remus."

The other boy was frowning at him, and he shrank back into his seat. "What happened to your face, Remus?" he said. "If someone's been after you already, you should tell us. We'll teach them not to mess with us just because we're new."

"No, I'm fine," Remus said quickly. "Please don't. I just slipped and fell down yesterday. I'm a klutz, really."

"Alright," said the other boy, grinning confidently. "Don't worry about that. My name's Sirius Black. I'll take care of you, Remus."

The smaller boy couldn't resist smiling back. "Thank you, Sirius. I'm sure you will."