Sirius/Remus

"This is our opportunity, Remus. We have got to be practical about it," Sirius explained for the fourth time since they had stepped off the bus and arrived in Surrey.

"Yes, Sirius; I agree with you, wholeheartedly," Remus told him for the fourth time since they had arrived in Surrey and rounded the corner into Little Whinging.

"Right then, once we're on the same page nothing can go wrong." He clapped his hands together in a vigorous rub and bit his bottom lip. "What if they tell us to fuck off?"

"Christ, Sirius! If you talk like that they will tell us to fuck off."

"Mind your fuckin' language," Sirius smirked, giving the wolf a quick wink and strode a pace or two ahead of him. "Come on, move it. That poor child probably can't wait to see me."

When they arrived at the neatly kept house that was No. 4 Privet Drive, Sirius turned to his best friend and heaved a nervous sigh. "We can do this, can't we, Remus?"

"Of course we can," Remus told him with an encouraging smile. He gave his friend's shoulder a tight squeeze and nodded to the small entrance gate. "Age before beauty."

Sirius smirked and nudged his way through the gate. It had been some time since he had seen this house, walked this path...it had been a very long since he had last thrown eggs at these windows with his other best friend, James Potter; but that had all been some time ago and things were different now. Now there was Remus to think of and Harry to care for and social services to convince.

"Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin," the middle aged social worker greeted. "Do come in."

"Call me Sirius," he smiled with a wave of his hand. "Remus has told me a lot about you. I apologise that I couldn't make our last meeting – nasty case of stomach flu." He shook her hand and leaned closer to her ear, all the while not failing to notice how very beautiful she was. "I couldn't make it from the toilet seat to the shower, never mind having to come all the way to Surrey!"

Behind him Remus cleared his throat and interrupted any further rambling. "Thank you for inviting us over, Ms. Sue," he said, guiding her gently down the hall as if she were leading him. "We have been very anxious to get any sort of updates."

"And updates there will be," she giggled, fanning herself when he smiled and allowed him to push her into the living room.

"What were you thinking!?" Remus growled, pinning Sirius to the wall in the entrance hall.

"What?"

"Stomach flu?" he hissed, furrowing his brow in disgust. "Not a cold, or a job interview, or maybe even an arrest. No, you to tell her you had the shits!"

"I panicked, Remus! I'm nervous. There's a lot riding on this and your foul language is throwing me."

Remus glowered down at the shorter man, debating whether he could get away with nudging him between the legs without causing a scene; he tactfully decided against it. "Just relax, alright? Dumbledore hand-picked this woman, so you can be sure she's going to report everything back to him."

"What's her name anyway?" Sirius asked, peering around Remus' arm and into the living room where she sat and spoke with Vernon and Petunia Dursley. She was a slim woman with a well-rounded bosom and hips; her legs were long and Sirius liked the way her calf muscles stretched athletically in the short beige heel she wore. Her blonde hair was turned neatly into a top knot, not a single hair out of place, save for a few neatly positioned strands that framed her face. And her face, oh, Sirius thought that she had the most beautiful face he had ever seen. Her cheeks bones, perfectly high and rosy, complimented her dainty nose, full lips and well lined eyebrows.

"Her eyes," Sirius mumbled and a strange glaze crossed his face. "There two colours – blue and brown. What's her name?"

"Mary," Remus clucked, scowling at his idiotic expression. "Mary Sue."

"Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin? Do come in!" Mary Sue beckoned with her clipboard from the chair she was perched daintily on.

They crossed into the room, smiling politely at the Dursley's and sat on the couch opposite them. A tray of coffee and cheap biscuits had been put on the table between them; Remus half suspected the Dursley were attempting as much of a show as they were. Excellent, he did love a good debate!

"Gentlemen, I'm so glad that you could make it," Mary Sue began in her sweet voice. Remus stood on Sirius' toes in warning. "I understand that you've been taking young Harry fortnightly for the last year. How has that been for you?"

"Wonderful!" Sirius declared. He didn't need to lie about that. Ever since Pettigrew Rat had betrayed the Potters, he and Remus had fought hard to see Harry. Dumbledore had insisted the child have no contact with magic until the right moment, but with much persistence, anger, pleading, guilt and sherbet lemons, the old man had agreed to visitation rights. "He's such a bright young man. You should see him on his bike now – just the one stabilizer! And he's already reading words and he's so excited to start reading The Tales of Beedle the Bard!"

"And Mr and Mrs Dursley…" Mary Sue beamed over at the wary couple with an inviting look; when they said nothing she continued with a scowl. "Vernon and Petunia, I should say. How are you finding Harry when he returns from these visits? Have there been any thoughts for concern?"

"He's using… it…a lot more when he comes back from seeing…them," Petunia sneered, craning her neck back as if trying to distance herself as much as possible from the three magical adults.

"I assure you that is all perfectly normal for-"

"NORMAL!" Vernon bellowed, his moustache twitching violently. "There is nought normal to say for that behaviour, Ms. Sue."

"Mary," she corrected, her eyes flashing quickly in Remus' direction. "And if you had let me finish, I was going to say that it is perfectly normal for a magical child to exhibit such displays of uncontrolled energy."

"Harry should be allowed to use his magic," Sirius argued, toying pointedly with the outline of his wand in his pocket. "It's his right, Dursley."

"And what about my rights, hmm? Those were thrown down the drain when that little freak was dumped on my doorstep by your kind."

"Say that to my-"

"If I may interject!" Remus called with a cough and sharp stare in Sirius' direction. "I understand your frustrations Mr. and Mrs. Dursley. Nobody is claiming that anything Harry is doing is normal considering your status, and I can only thank you for doing what my kind were unable to do. However, there are positives to Harry utilising his magic more so than normal – and just let me say this, he genuinely cannot help it; but by allowing him to do so freely in our presence he is releasing any built up elements he cannot release here."

"A very good point," Mary Sue gushed, taking some notes on her clipboard. "Of course when Harry turns eleven and is accepted to Hogwarts he will then be expected to control his magic, but until then it is pretty much a fee for all."

"Those are my concerns," Petunia affirmed with a sniff. "I have a young boy to protect too."

Sirius cast a glance at the pink beach ball in the photographs around the room. He was sorely tempted to pass a remark on the brats likeness to a piglet, but settled for sneering at the Dursley's instead.

"Well then today's discussion might ease your mind a little," Mary Sue smiled. "Professor Dumbledore has agreed to allow Harry to have over-night stays with Sirius and Remus. He has told me personally that he feels it may be of some benefit to Harry, if he were to be around familiar faces."

"Good," Petunia sniffed again, tightening her grasp on the edge of her skirt. "Is that all then? Do I need to sign somewhere?"

"Right here, the both of you." Mary Sue shoved a document across the table and both Dursley's hastily scrawled their signature across the bottom. "And Sirius, you sign here as his legal godfather," she said, then inched a little further off her chair and rested the documents on Remus' thigh, taking care to place her wrist just slightly on his knee. "And Remus, you need to sign too as you're actively involved."

"That's it then," she announced, securing the document to her clipboard and putting it into her large red handbag. "Harry will remain here for the rest of the week and you can collect him on Saturday for an over-night stay, and again on Wednesday. Other than that, we're done!"

"Can I see him now?" Sirius asked, rising and peering into the hallway, half hoping the child would magically appear.

"He's napping," Petunia said, picking up the tray and forcing him into the hall. "I don't want to wake him."

"Can't I just see him then?"

"No," she called over her shoulder. "Good-bye."

"Let it go," Remus warned, guiding him to the front door, Mary Sue in tow. He turned to her as they closed the door. "Thank you for arranging this. It means a lot to us."

"Anything for you," she giggled, touching his arm. "I'll pay a house visit soon – it's mandatory, don't worry. Until then, have a good day, gentlemen."

The familiar sound of apparating shook Sirius from his daze and he grinned up at Remus. "She's a looker, isn't she? D'you think I've a chance? If I clean up I mean." He scratched his unruly beard thoughtfully. "Anyway, that was a good out-come, Remus! I still want to drop that bastard Dursley one, but Harry's more important than that. Three days, old boy," he muttered, casting a glance back at the house in hopes he might see a small, dark haired little boy looking back, but none did.

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Thank you to those of you what have taken interest in this...whatever this is, haha.
To come : Severus gets a surprise and we find ourselves in Malfoy Manor.