A/N: This is the final chapter. Sirius's part is set before the battle in the Department of Mysteries; Remus's is set after. Slight Remus/Tonks at the end, but mostly still Remus/Sirius. Feedback, reviews, and concrit are appreciated, thank you.
Sirius
Sirius was slightly surprised when Severus Snape burst into his house in the middle of the afternoon. "What brings you here, Snivellus?" he asked, coming down the stairs into the kitchen. "Haven't you got a class to teach?"
"Is it really so important, Black," Severus replied, "for you to insult me that you'll waste time when I've come to tell you about your godson?"
"What?" Sirius asked sharply. "What about Harry?"
"He's gone to the Ministry. Said something about rescuing you. Had another of his… dreams, I suppose."
Sirius grabbed Snape by the throat and pushed him against the wall. "If you'd… you should've kept teaching him Occlumency… you…"
"Sirius," Remus yelled from the top of the steps while adjusting his robes. "What is going on?"
Sirius was breathing heavily with anger and fear. "Harry," he panted. "He… Ministry… Snivellus…"
"Calm down, Padfoot," Remus said gently. He turned to Snape. "What is he talking about, Severus? Where's Harry?"
"Potter has taken it into his head that someone's got Black inside the Ministry of Magic. From what he said, I assume he means in the Hall of Prophecy, but he was practically raving. Not," Snape continued coldly, "that that is anything new." He was cut off by Sirius lunging for his neck again. Remus put a hand on Sirius's shoulder and pulled him back.
"That's not going to help, Pads," Remus said.
"We have to," Sirius said in a strangled voice. "We have to help him."
"Fine," Remus said. "I'll go find Tonks and Alastor and the three of us will."
"No!" Sirius exploded. "He's my godson. I have to take care of him. I promised. I promised Lily and James," he roared, his voice cracking on the last word.
"Alright," Remus said. He sent Severus back to Hogwarts to see if he could catch up to Harry and his friends and then went to alert the other members of the Order.
Sirius paced anxiously, worrying about Harry, wanting to rush off to the Ministry, damn the Order, damn help. Harry was his godson, he had to protect him. When Remus returned, he put a comforting arm around Sirius and Sirius gripped it tightly. Remus kissed him softly on the cheek.
"Let's go," Remus said quietly.
"We're going to save him," Sirius said.
"We're going to save him," Remus agreed.
Remus
Remus Lupin was in shock. He felt terrible for it, knowing that he wasn't the only one who cared for Sirius; wanting to be selfless and swallow his pain so that Harry would have someone to talk to, but every time he started to leave his room in Grimmauld Place, he saw the room across the hall. Sirius's room. And so he would retreat backwards and close the door, blocking out reality so he could be alone and remember his best friend.
"Always the hero, aren't you Sirius?" he said to the empty room. "Just like James. Just like Harry, for that matter." Remus walked the length of the room and gazed out the window. The moon was almost full. 'It'll be down to the Whomping Willow in a few days,' Lupin thought, half-smiling. 'Wormtail running ahead to press the knot on the tree. Me running to reach the Shrieking Shack before the clouds clear. Prongs behind, keeping watch. And Padfoot. By my side.'
"Everyone knew about us," Remus said aloud. "But no one really... understood, I suppose." He turned from the window and shut the shade. The breeze blew and made the curtain sway and rustle a bit. Without thinking, Remus reached out and ripped the shade from its hooks. Then, staring at the limp piece of fabric in his hand, he let out a long, shuddering sigh.
Day after day, he pretended that he was alright. Though he grew quiet and stared into space if Sirius's name was mentioned, Remus managed to converse normally on other matters.
He spoke to Nymphadora Tonks often. She hadn't known Sirius as well as the others and so had been less aware of his relationship with Remus ('everyone knew,' Remus thought, 'even when we tried to hide it. Not that we ever tried hard. Sirius was always a show-off, practically an exhibitionist at times') Because she didn't know how he felt about Sirius ('I loved him,' thought Remus. 'I love him.') he was not subjected to the looks of pity he got from the older members of the Order.
As the days went by, he began to realize that Tonks cared for him. He started to push her away, afraid that he would begin to return her affection. He couldn't let himself care for her, he thought; it would be betraying Sirius. The thought was irrational but he clung to it, determined not to give any bit of his heart to anyone other than Sirius.
Quickly, he realized that this was ridiculous. Even if he wouldn't let himself have feelings for Tonks, he couldn't become completely distant. Sirius would want him to take care of Harry.
Night after night, Remus sat alone in his room. Sat alone and remembered when Sirius used to knock on his door in the middle of the night. Remus would let him in, smiling, and Sirius would smile back with that big grin.
Remus did not smile. He looked at the still shadeless window. Days had passed and the moon had become just a sliver of light in the night sky. The stars were not visible, covered by a layer of clouds. Remus looked to the north, and there was no light. He breathed deeply, trying to block out all of his thoughts, but one slipped through. 'Love you,' he thought. And he realized, the night was darker without the Dog Star. 'love you,