Chapter 2
The lunch passed in complete silence for each was lost in his thoughts.

Remus couldn't stop smiling. He wondered what had changed the fates and they had decided to bestow on him such complete bliss. It wasn't just desire that he felt for Léon… nor love… it was something even superior – as if he could not exist without him and could not help wonder how he had been about to survive hitherto. His bright mood dampened for a minute when he thought of Sirius. But he was so sure that he could not continue with him now. He had been certain the moment he had set his eyes on Léon…

He looked at him again – just to confirm that he was there – in his full material form and not just an apparition who would break his heart. Léon looked up to meet his eyes. Unlike Remus, he wasn't smiling. But what those eyes said reassured Remus that they would always be together. What a happy world it was! Why had he ever complained about it? Everything seemed to induce ecstasy!

Once they finished their meal, and Léon had paid the bill, he slipped his arms around Remus and briefly touched his lips to Remus'.

"Let's go,' he whispered.

Léon's grip on him tightened and they Disapparated.

Remus tightly gripped Léon's shoulders for support. Until now, he had been excited about Apparition and Disapparition lessons after the last term of the year. Now, he wasn't so sure.

"Are you alright?" asked Léon, slowly massaging his neck.

"Warn me when you do that next time," sighed Remus as he rested his head on Léon's chest.

"It's just for a few minutes," said Léon consolingly, leading him to a couch and sitting down next to him.

"Feeling better?"

"Somewhat… And here I was thinking that the Portkey was the limit."

"It just happens with combined Apparition. Otherwise it is wonderfully simple. Since only I was the only one Apparating, I happened to act like a Portkey for you."

"Hmmm…," murmured Remus, snuggling closer to the warmth of Léon's body.

"You are dreadfully un-inquisitive, Remus," remarked Léon after a while.

Remus suddenly realized that Léon had Apparated them inside a building – it was so pleasantly warm here. But he had been so lost in Léon that the thought of examining their new location hadn't occurred to him.

He raised his head (the spinning had slightly lessened but was still there) and squinted his eyes as the glaring fire hurt them. There was a life-size portrait of Léon above the gleaming marble mantelpiece. The room had been decorated in shades of pale blue and black. He could see a king-size bed in the shadows on the other side of the room.

His observations were interrupted as he felt Léon flick his tongue along his neck.

Moaning softly as his stomach clenched with anticipation, Remus clasped his shoulders and leaned in for a kiss. Léon hungrily grabbed fistfuls of brown hair and deepened the kiss. Unlike the one they had shared in Night Shadow, this kiss spoke of raw desire and impatience for the tongues battled for dominance and Léon left gentle bites on Remus' lips, and then soothed them with his moist tongue.

Letting go of his hair, he gathered the boy in his arms and brought him to their silk-covered bed.

"Do you think that he has forgotten?" said Peter impatiently.

The Marauders had planned a trip to Zonko's on Christmas Day.

James glanced at Sirius whose brow was darkening by the minute.

"Well…," he began, but was unable to proceed as Sirius got up and started pacing the room.

"Maybe his parents didn't allow him," suggested James lamely. He didn't want Sirius to get into a temper now. It would certainly not help!

Sirius cast a look of mixed incredulity and anger at him. "Yeah? And what would they want him to stay back for?"

James shrugged and tapped his foot impatiently. He had had an extremely hard time convincing his mother to allow him to leave the Christmas Family Reunion (also, his Uncle Angie was embarrassing him too much) and he didn't want to let it all go to waste.

'Count on Remus to destroy all our plans,' he thought sullenly.

He was not taking Sirius and Remus' relationship too well – not that he had any problem with them being gay, but he had always been Sirius sole confidante and best friend. He felt as if Remus had come between them.

Not that Sirius felt any different about Lily… But it just wasn't the same with Sirius dating Remus! Lily wasn't a Marauder!

An hour later, Peter and James headed back to their home in a decidedly bad temper.

Sirius had gone from being angry to being worried. Remus would certainly not forgo a date on mere whim. He hadn't been looking too well last night. Could his health have gotten worse?

Putting on his cloak he decided to go to Remus' house.

Lucius ran his fingers through the soft brown hair of his young lover.

Finally… he felt 'complete'.

Remus lay asleep, cuddling against him and a soft smile on his glowing face. He had all the insecurities and hesitations of an inexperienced teen, but he could become amazing with time – and experience.

He wasn't quite sure as to why he was doing this. Any moment his father could come in to talk about his future as he always did in the evenings, trying to convince him into courting a Black. He wondered his reaction if he saw him in bed with Remus. He was almost tempted to try out the idea.

All the same, he knew that it would be intensely foolish to do so.

He propped his head up on his hand and cupped Remus' face.

He looked so much calmer when he was asleep. His tired eyes were closed, no lines of worry marred his perfect brow and his whole demeanour breathed relaxation. If only he could give him such peace while he was awake…

He would find out what – or who – worried him so much. He would do anything to make him cheerful.

By Salazar! He sounded so… old.

'Post-coital elation,' he thought with a wry sneer.

Wincing slightly as the grandfather clock in his room struck five, he lay his head on the pillow again.

'Damn father! The room is charmed to prevent anyone from entering. I am not letting Remus go before I absolutely have to.'

He wasn't quite sure what woke him up – the gong-like noise which he suspected was from a clock, the hand running up and down his back, the warm lips against his cheek or the unfamiliar surroundings.

Probably, all of it.

Yawning and stretching his limbs, he slowly opened his eyes. A faint blush tinged his pale cheek as he saw his reflection in pale silvery-blue eyes.

"Good-evening?"

He couldn't help but grin. He just couldn't stop being happy when he was with Léon. Had he really met this man only yesterday? He felt as if he had known him forever!

"Sweet dreams?" enquired Léon in return.

"No dreams – it was a wonderful sleep. Thank-you.'

"You've got nothing to thank me for."

"Yes, I have – thank-you for being here."

"If I'd have to thank you for that one, I could never be grateful enough," said Léon, curling a brown lock around his index finger.

Remus closed his eyes and shifted on his back.

"I'll… go now… What time is it?"

He felt Léon's arm over his stomach.

"It's just five o'clock. You can stay for a while yet."

Remus' eyes shot open.

Five o'clock…

It wasn't the time which reminded him, actually. It was the possessive way in which Léon had put his arm over him… like Sirius did…

'… So it's decided, then, Marauders, we'll go Zonko-ing tomorrow. Good thing they don't close on Christmas! Three-thirty sharp! Don't be late, Wormtail…"

"Oh shit!" exclaimed Remus, sitting up.

Léon sat up, too, looking concerned.

"What's wrong?"

They must either have gone without him or not gone at all. But it was too late to go now, anyway.

"Ummm… nothing."

"You can tell me anything, Remus."

"It's really not important," replied the boy and lay down again. He'd tell them that he was too sick to come or something like that. After all, it hadn't been long since the last full moon night.

And that just brought dark reality crashing down on him. Léon didn't know that he was a werewolf. He could already feel the painful throbbing at the back of his head.

'But maybe,' said a small hopeful voice, 'he will be like James, Sirius and Peter and accept me.'

There was a chance, yes, albeit not as strong as the one to the contrary. However, presently, he would not bring it up. He won't be in London during next full moon anyway… so there was no reason to tell him about anything.

"I hope you are not thinking about me with that dark frown," he heard Léon murmur against his neck. The man gently clasped his fist and opened out his fingers. "Come back to me."

Remus opened his eyes and drew away his hands.

"I've really got to go now."

"Just for an hour more?"

It might as well have been an order for Léon pushed him down and clasped his wrists.

Lucius prayed for patience as loud knocking interrupted his attempt to detain Remus. Trust his father to ruin his life.

He felt the tension which had just begun to leave Remus, flood back.

Knowing that it was futile to try at a second round of love-making and the wards won't hold up long against the Dark wizard, he rolled off Remus, who sat up instantly.

"Well, it seems your wish of leaving me will be fulfilled after all," snapped Lucius as he got off the bed and began searching his coat for his wand.

"I don't wish to leave you, Léon…"

Regretting his peevishness, Lucius gave him a small smile and a quick kiss before he dressed them both with a wave of his wand.

"I know you have other obligations… as I do, too." He frowned at the door.

Putting his arms about Remus, he said, "I'll Apparate us back to the restaurant."

Remus could feel the disdain oozing off the restaurant manager as he walked out alone. He didn't really bother. He was pretty much used to it.

Plus, his mind was still on Léon.

As the freezing December wind made him shiver, he wondered if he had been under some sort of illusion – he felt so content!

But all the feelings and the love bites he could still feel on his body were real enough. He fingered a particularly possessive mark on his throat with a smile and drew the cloak closer about him.

"Merlin, Remus!"

Before he could even look up, he felt two arms around him in a bone-crushing hug.

"Sirius… I… am… going… to… die…"

Sirius grinned as he released him.

"You're fine," he declared brightly.

Remus rubbed his arms, wincing slightly.

"I am sorry I couldn't come…'

But Sirius cut him off.

"At least nothing happened to you. I heard that there was a Death-Eater attack not long ago… and you seemed to have just disappeared from the face of the earth."

Remus felt guilt surge through him.

"You're safe. I am just happy about that."

'It isn't the right time,' Remus told himself. 'It just isn't.'

"Circe! I am so cold and hungry – now that I think about it. Come."

Remus let Sirius drag him into a café not far away. That was the only option available to him, anyway.

"So," said Sirius between munching on the cake ("It's tea-time anyway"), "where had you gone off to?"

'The 'I was ill' excuse isn't going to work – and I don't want to tell him about Léon – definitely not now.'

"I wasn't feeling too well. I was just sitting in the Leaky Cauldron until I felt better."

Sirius didn't look very convinced, but he so firmly believed that Remus would never lie to him that he let it pass. Remus hardly ever talked to him about the troubles with his family. Sirius could understand that and assuming it to be the same situation this time, didn't persist.

"I am going to run away soon," he informed him solemnly.

"Run away?"

"Yeah, this summer."

"It isn't very…"

"Aww… don't disagree with my best plan, Moony. I've got it all figured out. As soon as I am of age this summer, I am going to go down to James' place."

Sirius practically radiated excitement.

"Can you believe it? After all there dreadful years… I. WILL. BE. FREE!"

"That'd be great."

"Super-great! And I'd get to meet you as often as I want – anytime! We'd all be Aurors and get a… what-was-it… in London. Then we can be together always!"

Sirius flashed him a dazzling smile and clasped his hand.

"Aren't you just so happy, Remus?"

"Very."

Remus thought his heart would break under the weight of the secret buried in it.

"Severus, what are you doing here – of all people?"

"Your father is ready to kill you. I just came to warn," said the boy darkly.

"What's the meaning of this?"

"You forgot about the attack on the Smiths' home today, didn't you?"

"Hell."

"Exactly."

"Where are you going?"

"Back to Master Jordan's. Where else?"

"I am really in no mood to face my father. I am coming with you."

Severus looked doubtful but eventually agreed.

"All right. But I have to stop at the Apothecary to pick up a few things."

"Whatever."

Remus and Sirius strolled down the Diagon Alley – talking about most senseless things but above all, enjoying each other's company. While he felt overwhelmed with guilt, Remus wasn't sure if he wanted to break up with Sirius. The resolve which had been so firm when Léon had filled his every sense – his very being – waned as he felt the lively presence of Sirius next to him again.

Sirius and Léon were different from each other in every respect except that they both loved him…

'Does he love me? I've had sex with him… but he didn't say anything except that he wanted me. It isn't really love – or is it?'

Sirius told him that he loved him quite often. He wasn't even averse to publicly displaying his feelings. It was just Remus who felt uncomfortable if Sirius did anything beyond embracing when they were among people.

"Wait a second, Remus," said Sirius suddenly. "I've run out of beetles, thyme and bezoars… must've been the Paranoia-Potion we brewed last term. I'll get them."

"I'll stay here. Try not to steal anything."

"Hey! I am not a shop-lifter – not a common one, anyway."

And with an eerie smirk on his face, Sirius went inside.

Remus shook his head and leaned against the wall. It was always colder inside the Apothecary for some reason. Hence, he had decided to remain outside.

Sirius had hardly been there for a minute, when Remus heard shouts from inside. Before he could go and check what it was about, the boy came outside – clutching his bleeding jaw.

"Sirius!"

Remus was instantly at his side.

"What did you do?"

Sirius looked affronted.

"It wasn't me! Why should you always suspect me?"

Remus raised a brow as he pressed a kerchief against his wound.

"It was that bloody Snape and… Lucius Malfoy."

By his tone, Remus could discern that the two had also come out of the shop.

Curious about the much-talked-about Lucius Ancus Malfoy was, he turned to look back.