Sirius didn't trust himself to be alone with Remus, he didn't believe he could resist the desire to kiss him again, taste him on his lips and hold him in his arms.
After finishing the wood chopping Sirius with Eddie nad Harry went outside to finish the chores, with music playing loudly they painted the cottage, mended the chicken coop, weeded the garden and had brought in all the ripe vegetables from the patch. The hours had widdled away before Eddie left the boys to prepare lunches, Harry, Remus and Sirius walked down to the river to collect the fish nets. Harry sat down on tree stump wiping sweat off his brow, Sirius smiled at Harry
"Feel like a dip Harry?"
Harry nodded as Sirius produced board shorts for himself and Harry with a brief wand movement, Harry and Sirius stripped down and changed into the swimmers before looking over their shoulder looking for Remus.
Remus appeared at the other side of the river, standing balanced on a tree branch that over hung the river but still dressed in his cut of jeans. Harry waved and gasped as Remus drived off the branch into the river with a splash, Sirius smiled at his friends ease as Remus corssed the river in power fast strokes. Remus stood up holding the fishing net tightly in his hand, he hung it in the near by tree before walking back into the water and floating on his back with a smile on his face. Harry entered the water after placing his glasses on the tree stump and sighed as the cool water washed away the hard work of the morning.
Sirius ran into the water, tackling Harry submerging them both beneath the surface, splashes, swearing, yells and limbs broke the surface before a hand freed Harry from his godfathers grip. Remus grinned at Harry showing sharp teeth, Harry smiled back, Sirius sighed
"Rem I almost had him! I was winning"
"Yes Sirius I hope you felt tough almost drowning your godson"
"I do actually" Sirius laughed slowing walking around Remus preparing his pounce on his friend. Sirius pounced suddenly but fell into the water with an ungrateful ooph as Remus easily side stepped his friends attack
"You know better than to try to sneak up on a werewolf, don't start Sirius or I will throw you across the river"
"Nice try Sirius" Harry added cheekily
Sirius splashed Remus daringly charging at his friend when his eyes from the water onslaught, Remus didn't dogde Sirius this time, bending slightly arms out bringing Sirius close to himself and flinging him high and far into the river.
Harry couldn't believe his eyes roaring with laughter as his godfather resurfaced sputtering. Remus grinned at Harry before slowly stepping forward him
"No, no, no, no" Harry begged before trying to run out of the water, Remus picked him up with one arm around his waist and threw Harry further into the river than he had Sirius. A voice amplified from the cottage announced lunch was ready. The boys walked into the kitchen still dripping slightly and Eddie shook her head at them, her wand dried them. Sandwiches filled the table dozens of them, some cheese and tomato, oters ham and mustard, along with corn beef with pickles ones, curried egg ones and roast beef with tomato chutney sandwiches. Fresh fruit cut up filled bowls in the centre and a large jug of pumpkin juice finished the meal.
Harry was straving! He filled sandwiches on his plate and watches Remus grab a beef sandwich off Sirius plate. Sirius glared at Remus before getting another and eating it quickly. Eddie asked Harry about school, his friends and quiddick to which is answered happily, Sirius was watch Remus as he listened to Eddie and Harry talk, Remus was clearly aware of everything around him and Sirius eyes on him but Remus's eyes darted to the side before suddenly darting over to the window, opening it as an owl came flying in.
Remus opened the letter and his eyes snapped to Eddie
"Open the floo Ed"
Eddie awlked into the sitting room opening the floo network, the fire quickly turned green and Dumbledore stepped through.
"Headmaster" Remus greeted suddenly softly spoken again, his shoulders slunched down and sitting far stiller than he had been before.
"Afternoon, I'm afraid I have some bad news for you Sirius"
Sirius stood up at his name but it was Harry who spoke
"Has something happened Professor"
"Yes Harry, Grimmauld Place was searched by death eaters early this morning and they destroyed it when they were done"
"What" Sirius demanded
"It was the inferio curse, it was unstoppable"
Sirius slumped down into his seat defeated
"Everything?" He tentatively asked
"Most, except those things under protective charms"
"What charms, I didn't charm anything" Sirius asked
"Hmm that was me" Remus spoke
Sirius looked at him confused
"I put a few charms around to protect some choice items, worst case scenerio and all that"
"Like what?"
"Harry's school trunk, yours as well as the trunks with the photo albums and journals, the order related boxes in the attic oh and the jewlerry of your mothers and those emergency back pack with some of you and Harry's clothing"
Sirius pulled Remus into a tight hug, tears in his eyes at the realization that Remus had protected the things most important to him. Remus patted Sirius's back gently
"We can do get them out now if you want"
"Where will we go?" Sirius muttered to himself
"Here" Remus stated firmly, leaving little room for argument
Sirius looked at Remus, steel eyes begging Remus to say more
"You sure?"
"Naturally" Remus turned to Harry "its not much but it will do until you find somewhere permant"
Dumbledore nodded happy with the arrangement, his eyes glistening mischiefly
"Wonderful, now you should collect your things?"
They arrived at Grimulad Place to find a black sooted exterior, the damgage clear from the street as they slowly walked up the front steps, Remus gave everyone face marks to keep the dust and soot out before Sirius opened the front door.
The whole place had been completely gutted, it was nothing but black soot and ash, piece of furniture not completely destroyed created tripping hazards as they walked in silence. The old house had finally meet its match. Sirius led them first into Harry room where they found his school trunk looking completely untouched, Harry went to it and opened it, sighing happily that the context had also survived. Harry picked up an old suitcase with contained his photos albums and other thing he wanted to take with him in an emergency as well as clothing.
Remus shrunk the trunk and suitcase into small charms which Harry put into his pocket. Next they entered Sirius' room, it seemed to be were the fire started as it was in the worst shape, a large whole in the floor looking down onto the lower level. Sirius flicked his wand causing his trunks to appear out of different parts of the room, Sirius had 3 trunks, one from his school days, one with important family paper work and heirloms as well as another with photo albums, journals and a few spare clothes. Sirius shrunk them as well, putting them into his pocket.
He led them up more stairs to reach the attic which was the least damaged room they had come across. Sirius once again summoned the required boxes of order coropondence and an very old trunk that had Sirius families crest on it.
All these joined the others in his pocket.
"Okay" Sirius said "I've seen enough"
The dirty trio returned to Lupin cottage where Eddie was waiting.
Eddie smiled smpathically before suggestion they all have a shower and clean up.
Harry was sent into the bathroom he had change in early, Sirius stating he will go next once he was clean.
"You can put for things in my room, it has the most space" Remus said nautral voice making it sound more like a demand than a suggestion, which is was Sirius knew. He followed Remus into the room, pulled out the charms from his pocket and re sizing them, he opened on and pulled out his now only other pair of jean and a plain black t shirt.
"You shower first" Remus said, handing him a towel
"You go" Sirius replied cheekily
"No you go" Remus smirked back
"You go" Sirius repeated
"You go" Remus laughed
"You come with me?" Sirius joked
Remus' eyes dialted slightly, a pink tinge appeared on his cheeks as it took a split second before Remus' eyes had cleared of the desire and consideration that crossed his face when Sirius asked, Remus stepped back from Sirius, looking away.
"Rem, I hmm I was joking, I didn't mean to make a pass it was a badly timed joke" Sirius stuttered trying to get rid of the tention in the room
"I know" Remus confirmed
Sirius stepped forward getting right up almost touching Remus chest to chest
"I'll shower first then"
"Sirius" Remus warned, voice raw and almost growling
"Thank you for putting the charms on these, I don't know if I could of handed losing those photo albums"
"I know" Remus stated again "Your welcome"
Sirius lent forward and kissed Remus gently on the cheek
"you really are wonderful"
"Sirius don't" Remus asked
"One day you might believe me" Sirius sighed sadly before entering the bathroom.
Sirius let the water rush over him, as he silently cried, the heat washing away the tention of his shoulders and the pain from Remus' rejection. He wasn't sure how long he had been in the shower but he walked down stairs to find a clean Remus sitting with Harry going through the cd collection in the sitting room.
"Took you long enough" harry greeted
"It takes work to look this good" Sirius laughed
Eddie was sitting reading in one of the arm chairs
"I tuned up the car while you guys were gone, you can go to town and pick up a few things while your there" She suggested innocently
Harry smiled at the suggestion, Remus glaring harshly at his daughter while Sirius looked at Remus
"Fine, I need to drop in a cheque anyway" Remus conseated
Harry sat in the back seat of the old dual cab truck as they drove over a dirt road towards the small rural French town Remus had mentioned earlier. It took them around an hour to reach the small town, it was simple and had only the basics available to them. Sirius and Harry jumped out while Remus took his time leaving the car
"I need to go to the bank" He pointed down the street
"The grocery store is up there" He pointed the other way
"And the clothing store next door might have a few t shirts or something you get"
Harry walked off towards the clothing store while Sirius watch Remus walk up the street, he greeted several other people on the street and stopped to talk with one woman for several minutes in French. The woman was young, thin but large in the chest, she worn skin tight jeans, knee high boots and a button up shirt that had the top 3 buttons undone showing her cleavage and a hot pink singlet top underneath. Sirius' blood boiled as the woman laughed at what Remus must of said, touched his arm while speaking to him and kissed him on the cheek as she turned to leave.
Remus turned quickly, locking eyes with Sirius acknowledging he knew Sirus had been watching them, Remus walked into the bank and only after a few moments retuned to Sirius. As Remus walked towards Sirius several young adults walked by, dressed in ripped jeans, dark colour tops, gel or styled hair and many piercing they all stopped and shook hands with Remus eagerly, talking rapidly in French at Remus. Remus nodded and continued on his way over to Sirius
"Let find Harry, he will need some help unless he speaks French"
"Who were your friends" Sirius asked calmly
"Hardly friends" Remus stated
"Oh Rem, look a band is playing end of the week" Sirius pointed to the poster
"What are they named?" He continued, the poster was all black with large writing over the top
"Blackened Hearts" Remus sighed reading the sign before walking on
"Really" Sirius asked
"Yes, they perform in town occasionally, they have a large following"
"Music any good?"
"Not bad if you like that not quite heavy rock music style"
"Which you do" Sirius smiled
"Which I do" Remus agreed, Remus stopped out front of the clothing store as Harry left carrying 2 bags, he handed one to Sirius
"Jeans and t shirts" Harry stated
"Black?" Sirius asked
"Naturally" harry smiled more than aware that Sirius rarely wore anything other colour.
Remus walked into the grocery store, getting a trolley and started roughly throwing in things as he walked up the aisels. Harry and Sirius walked behind with Sirius threw things into the trolley ignoring Remus' glares, Remus continued to rush them through before Sirius placed a hand on Remus' shoulder
" Easy Rem, what's the rush?"
"Just want to get home" Remus muttered
"Your not embrassed to bee seens in public with us are you Rem?" Sirius joked
"Come on you mutt" Remus replied blushy slightly
After checking out they followed Remus into the butchers on the otherside of the street, Remus greeted the butcher kindly as he placed several very large and almost bursting boxes on the counter in front of Remus.
"Hungry Rem" Sirius smirked pointedly
"Always" Remus answered honestly before speaking to the butcher in French, the man disappeared and Sirius raised an eye brow at Remus
"He's getting more, this is my ususal monthly shop" Remus explained blushing slightly
Sirius threw his head back laughing heartily at Remus' embrassement patting his friend and want to be lover on the shoulder sympathically
" Don't worry Rem we wont eat you out of house and home"
The butcher came back with another box of meat before Remus paid and walked them out towards the truck.
"All done" Remus stated
"Is that the pub where the band is playing?" Sirius points
"Only one in town" Remus confirms
"Lets go have a quick one" Sirius smiles "I can age Harry easy as, we got pretty good at aging charms while we were underage"
Harry laughed "Im sure you did"
Remus shook his head "It isn't worth the effort" he started loading the goods into the back of the truck. Remus reversed the large old truck out of the car spot as a youth stopped to look into the drivers window, the young adult turned to his friend pointing at Remus saying in a thick German accent unplaced in rural France, " Blackened Heart "
Remus ignored the youth, Sirius looking at Harry clearly puzzled
An hour later they had returned to the small farm, Harry started carrying bags into the kitchen were he found Charlie sitting around the table with Eddie, empty cups of tea in front of them. Sirus walked in carrying several boxes with one arm, clearly having magically lightened them, Sirius put down the boxes and called out "Oh Remy" sweetly
"What you want" Demanded Remus from outside
"Guess who is here" siruis continued in a sing song voice
Remus walked into the kitchen carrying all the remaining shopping effortlessly
He looked at the table show Eddie then locked eyes with Charlie, Remus' eyes narrowed, he seemed to gain several inches of height, his shoulders squared off and his entire demenour became predatory and intimidating
"Charlie, to what do we owe this pleasure" Remus asked voice still in his fake netural voice but spoke with icey calmness.
"Mum sent me here with a few of Harry's clothes he left at the Burrow, said he might need them now" Charlie explained standing up and walking over to Harry slapping him on the shoulder affectionately.
"Ron told me to delivery this too" Charlie handed a letter to Harry with Ron's messy scrawl on it, Harry smiled and rushed outside to read his letter happily
Eddie started unpacking the shopping with random flicks of her wand
"Charlie was telling me about this new band that he discovered by one of his muggle born friends who lives in the neighbouring town the 'Blackened Hearts" Eddie continued
"Oh" Declared Sirius sitting down ungracefully "I saw a poster of them in town, they any good"
Sirius and Charlie chatted eagerly about the band while Remus and Eddie unpacked the shopping looking nervously at each other and the two chatting men occasionally.