Several more months passed and Remus watched day after day as the light came back on in Sirius's eyes. He wasn't entirely his old self again yet, but he was getting there. And their sex life was slowly reigniting, much to Remus's delight. Of course there was still a level of physical intimacy that Sirius wasn't comfortable with but Remus didn't mind at all. And after all he still had his own demons haunting him.
Remus did wonder at what point their lives would truly begin again. Sirius was better but Remus could see there was an emptiness inside of him, longing to be filled. For now, Sirius wasn't living, he was healing and Remus was doing his best to make the healing move swiftly.
Finally, one morning Sirius asked if they could go into the palace. Remus said nothing, only nodded. They left the cottage and made the walk up to the palace. Remus remembered the morning after Lily and James were murdered when he was informed by Dumbledore via hologram what had happened. He had been away from the capitol and was in transit back to Fidelius when he got the call.
The pain he had felt was horrific. All his friends were either dead or gone in an instant. He was numb when he arrived at the capitol two days later. The palace had been evacuated at Dumbledore's insistence. James and Lily had brought him on as royal advisor right after their marriage. With them dead what little power existed shifted to him.
The crown always goes to the oldest living heir but now there was none. Petunia Evans had forsaken her birthright and even if Dumbledore had convinced her to return to the capitol to rule he might have had a hard time getting anyone to follow her.
Dumbledore had decided that for now it was okay to let the UTP be ran with a limited government until after the war was over. Of course now, Remus knew that the truth was Harry had lived and Dumbledore had kept him safe with Petunia and her husband Vernon. After the war it seemed likely that Dumbledore intended for Harry to be crowned the new king and let things start anew. Well… if there was an end to the war.
Remus and Sirius made it to the broken palace doors and went inside. Sirius looked around at the blue halls and sighed. When there was an echo he jumped. He must have forgotten how badly the halls echoed, Remus thought.
"Let's go to the throne room, Moony. I want to pay my last respects," Sirius said. "I never got the chance before," he added bitterly.
"Very well," Remus said and they walked left down to the throne room.
Once inside, Sirius looked around with sadness etched on his face. "Oh, Moony. If only we could go back!"
"Hmm. It was a good year. Well, at least we thought it was at the time," Remus said.
"I just want to go back and have it be the four of us and Lily again. Well… the three of us and Lily anyway," Sirius said, clearly thinking better of leaving Peter on the list.
"Peter was our friend. We must never forget that."
Sirius scoffed but didn't respond, instead going over to look at the mural. Remus walked up behind him and draped and arm around his shoulders. Sirius was quiet and he touched the mural with his fingers tips briefly, then withdrew.
"You're right," Sirius said, his voice low and grim. "Peter was our friend. And somehow Voldemort made him betray us."
Sirius stood there silently for a time then said, "I wish there was something we could do." He then turned to look at Remus and suddenly his mouth was on his. Remus felt desire surge through him and they fell to the floor tangled in each other's arms and mouths drawn together.
Sirius pulled away and began to rip off his clothing and Remus did the same. When Sirius had finally removed his underwear Remus could see that his cock was very hard, to his delight. Sirius then kissed Remus again then whispered in his ear, "I have lubricant in my trousers. I want you fuck me, Moony."
Remus grabbed Sirius's trousers and found the pocket with a tube of lubricant. Sirius was on his hands and knees in the center of the throne room and Remus moved behind him. He then pressed his cock against Sirius's crack and slid it up and down.
"Don't tease me. Just do it, please," Sirius begged.
Remus opened the tube and poured some of the fluid on his prick and slicked it up. He then found Sirius's hole and pushed himself inside, slowly. It was perhaps too slowly for Sirius who pushed back to get Remus inside faster.
Once Remus had got as much of his cock inside of Sirius as he could he began to thrust in and out while Sirius moaned and began to stroke his own cock.
"Don't hold back. I want you to fucking come inside me," Sirius called out. "Please. I need this, Moony," he added, the desperation obvious in his tone.
Remus began to pound hard and fast knowing he could make himself come whenever he wanted, or in this case when Padfoot wanted it. Sirius pushed himself back into Remus nearly as fast as Remus pounded into him and then when Remus saw the signs across Sirius's body that he was about to come he felt himself tense up and pleasure moved through his body as Sirius let out several loud moans that echoed in throne room and down the hall as well.
Afterwards, both men collapsed to the cold stone floor and stared up at the ceiling, which had designs of clouds and birds on it. Remus knew he had to tell Sirius, but he didn't want to.
"Padfoot… I'm afraid I've been keeping something from you," Remus said. He realized the words sounded like he was literally forcing them out of his mouth.
Sirius rolled over and looked at Remus and said, "What is it?"
"There is something we can do. Something we can do for the war, that is. Before your escape Dumbledore came to me and told me…" Remus trailed off.
"Told you what?" Sirius said.
Remus sighed and said, "He told me there might be a cure. A cure for… my affliction."
"What? A cure! That's wonderful news, Moony!" Sirius said with excitement.
"I haven't told you the rest," Remus added, solemnly. "The cure, if it exists, is on a planet on the edge. It's the place where the virus came from. They may have a cure"
"If we get it then how does it help the war?" Sirius asked.
"I've heard rumors… rumors that someone is infecting people on Voldemort's orders," Remus said and Sirius's face went from excitement to rage and disgust.
"Why would he do that?" Sirius asked, his voice tinged with anger.
"Why does he do any of it? No one knows. But the point is, Padfoot, that there may be a chance to not only cure myself but everyone. But Dumbledore hasn't been able to get anyone on the planet. Hardly anyone is even willing to travel to edge and one they get there they are not inclined to explore strange planets filled with people who turn into savage beasts whenever a full moon is out," Remus said.
"So we have to do it because we're the only ones Dumbledore can trust who also have a personal investment in the cure," Sirius said.
"Padfoot, I can't ask you to do this with me. Not after what you've been through!"
"Oh Moony, don't be ridiculous. You couldn't stop me if you tried," Sirius replied.
Remus raised his eyebrows, said, "Would you like to bet?" and then smiled.
"Let's do it. Let's get the fucking cure. Let's go out to the edge and see what's really out there," Sirius said.
"Okay. But not now. We need to plan for this journey and you still need time to heal. And don't you dare disagree because it's as much for my benefit as yours. Do you think I want someone unwell having my back? Merlin, no. I want you at your best, Padfoot," Remus said.
"I'm always at my best when I'm with you, Moony," Sirius said. Remus rolled his eyes, but secretly was touched.
Over the next eight months they did what research they could. Sirius was strong and vibrant again. That spark that he had been missing had been rediscovered and Remus wrapped himself up in the passion of Sirius's love.
After much debate they decided that sneaking onto large freighters would probably be the best way to make it the farthest out to the edge. Beyond that they weren't sure. They could only hope they could find a smaller ship to help them finish the journey. But for now they had nothing.
They also decided that they would stop by Hogwarts and see Harry before they left. After all, they might not come back. Few ever did.