Lessons in Etiquette

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Harry Potter, or any of the characters mentioned in this story, unless stated otherwise. Rated for possible sexual content, violence and language. Reader discretion is advised. Any similarities to real life are purely coincidence and I will not be held responsible! Thanks!

WARNING: WILL CONTAIN SLASH (male on male), and AU-ness!! Ye be warned

Author's Note: aha! So we're back with more chapter for this crazy thing that I don't know the direction it's going of…if that made ANY sort of sense! Erm…yeah. On a completely unrelated note: I AM IN LOVE WITH WALL-E. Greatness! Go see it, all of you!! That's enough of that, onward with the chapter. Cheers!

PS. – Happy belated Canada Day to my fellow Canucks and Happy belated Fourth of July to my American readers.

XXX

Lily rolled over, checking her sturdy Muggle watch for the fourth time in the last twelve minutes. She sighed (as she had done three times previous) and flopped back onto James Potter's pillows. It was early, that much she knew (her handy-jim-dandy watch had told her so), but she couldn't take much more of this lying in bed and not getting up business. She was a woman of action! Or at least active television perusing, but with her current bed-owner's status of occupying the couch, she could hardly just stroll in there and flick on the telly.

Her stomach rumbled absently, and Lily rolled onto her side. She sighed once more and closed her eyes, breathing deep the scent of the bedding around her. It smelled vaguely of cigarettes and stockpiled dead skin cells, but mostly like James himself; strong, proud, brilliant, and with delectable taste in cologne. It was a heady mixture to be sure, and despite the want for food and to be up and about, Lily found herself reluctant to leave the comforting warmth of James' bed. She was probably one of many who'd felt the same way.

Then as this thought fully registered in her sleep-fogged brain, she sat up and tossed off the tempting warmth of James' comforter. Like hell was she going to stay in this bed where Potter had done Merlin-knew-what, with Merlin-knew whom, and Merlin-knew-when. Besides, she needed coffee to decide what the best possible ways to helping clear Remus might be. Which was priority number one right now.

She eased open the bedroom door; aware she was only in her bra, panties and James' pyjama pants. She had been tempted to keep her t-shirt on, but the room had apparently had other plans, and the heat had been unbearable the night before. She padded, yawning, down the hall and detoured for a bathroom break before shuffling into the violently orange kitchenette and beginning her mission to find coffee.

Just as she had located a slightly dusty-topped jar of instant java, there was an insistent knocking at the front door. Lily frowned, thinking who could possibly be calling on Black and Potter so early, abandoned her mission only temporarily, and headed out to the living room and front door.

Lily spotted James lying, mouth open and snoring softly, jammed uncomfortably onto the sofa, his long legs tucked up close to his chest and a blanket thrown haphazardly over himself, on her way. Smiling softly at the innocent expression on his surprisingly attractive glasses-free face, the knock sounded again, and Lily was reminded what she had come out here for before going off into Potter La-La Land.

She stifled another yawn as she unlocked the door and opened it. "Hello?" she asked tiredly.

The woman who stood at the door, a hate-ably-gorgeous blonde with pretty green eyes, slightly more blue-tinged than Lily's own, a tiny waist, and impressive breasts. If Lily batted for the other team she would undoubtedly have found the young woman drool-worthy. Even now, she was half-considering it… "Er…" she said, blushing suddenly, realizing the girl must have been staring open-mouthed because of her nearly indecent lack of clothing. "Can I help you?"

"I'm…I'm here to see James… Could you tell him its Kelly?" the girl asked coolly, and Lily cocked a brow. So Potter was the type to bring his slags home with him was he…? Well she supposed it was better than a motel romp or something…

"Yeah sure thing. Just a sec." She closed the door rather unceremoniously in Kelly's face, and then turned back to James, who was still sleeping adorably on the too-small couch. She sighed and strode toward him. "Potter. …Potter? Potter!" She jabbed his in the side and he only mumbled incoherently and attempted to roll over. "James," she whispered into his ear, trying for a new tactic. "There's someone at the door for you…" she purred.

James smiled absently and his hazel eyes flickered open. "Evans. What a sight to wake up to…what were you saying?" James' arms rose over his head as he made to stretch out fully, and promptly tumbled in a tangle of blanket to the floor.

"Door," Lily replied, giggling despite herself. She realized again she was wearing no shirt as James hungrily eyed her exposed midriff and luscious cleavage. "And do you have any sort of coffee in this place?"

James managed to tactfully pry his eyes away as Lily made to cover herself with her arms. "Yeah, check the cupboard beside the fridge." The messier-haired-than-was-strictly-normal James yawned hugely and made for the door, opening it. "Kelly!" he called in surprise as he spotted the sexy blonde, arms folded, glaring on the other side of the door. "What brings you here so early, luv?" he asked.

"Or better yet, what the hell are you doing here so early with some redheaded tart!?" Kelly demanded. "Been having a lie-in?"

James laughed at the implication he and Lily had and/or were currently sleeping together. He would never have minded (of course), but the fact remained that it was as likely as Sirius declaring his undying love for toast. (Which, if James' memory had served better, he would have realized Sirius had done several times already, the first of which being fourth year at Hogwarts). Apparently, his laughing hadn't been the best idea, as Kelly was now openly glaring at him, her hands balled into fists and her eyes shining.

"So you're not going to deny it!" she shouted.

"No, Lily and I have never – she doesn't even like – you've got the wrong –" James tried, but seemed unable to say exactly what, as he was now retreating into his flat as Kelly approached, looking murderous. It was his experience that such a look from a woman usually meant one of two things: hexing, or physical abuse.

"How dare you! You sick, lying… …bastard!" Kelly made an angry noise like a cat slipping into a filled tub, and whirled about, leaving a helpless James and a slightly amused Lily standing in the flat, the door still hanging open uselessly.

"Potter, you only have instant coffee," Lily said finally, breaking the terrible ensuing silence, and James seemed to snap out of himself.

"Yeah well, I usually don't drink it, and Sirius buys his when he goes out." Lily rolled her eyes.

"So do I want to ask what that was about?' asked Lily over her shoulder as she put the kettle on and prepared her crappy, instant coffee grounds. James had followed her back into the kitchen and now sat down heavily in one of the chairs that Remus had sat in himself mere days ago.

"That was Kelly, a bird I was seeing. Apparently she's also a nutter. She thought we were sleeping together…and I tried to tell her we weren't, but…well she got a bit riled." Lily smirked even though she felt somewhat bad for unintentionally causing James and his girl to break up.

"So I heard," Lily said as the kettle whistled and she poured the boiling water over the coffee grounds and sugar. "I'm sorry you two split because of me."

"Don't worry about it," James replied yawning again and finally rubbing the sleep from his eyes tiredly. "She had a bloke anyway. Said she just wanted something on the side… We weren't dating or anything."

Lily rolled her eyes as she sat down across from him. "Figures," she muttered into her coffee, sighing as the warm beverage slid down her throat.

"So anyway," said James brightly, how'd you sleep?"

"Lovely. Minus the fact I was hot all night." James, who had gotten up and was currently drinking milk straight from the carton, suddenly choked and lowered the milk, coughing obscenely as milk flooded his lungs.

"Wh-what?"

"Eww – pervert! I meant it was hot. In your stupid room. The temperature was too high for my comfort." Lily felt herself blushing despite her indignation, and James nodded, not daring to look at her.

James replaced the milk to Lily's slight horror, and waffled about, trying to make something that didn't involve cooking to eat.

"So where d'you reckon Black is? I would have thought What's-Her-Face's shouting would've woken him by now," Lily said when the threat of blush had dissipated.

James snorted as he stuffed some toast with jam into his mouth. "Yeah…unlikely. Sirius could sleep through a train wreck even if he was on the bloody train. I suspect he's just stayed up the entire night, unable to get to bed, and passed out a few hours ago. Best to just let him sleep."

Lily nodded and sipped some more of her coffee. She suddenly felt very uncomfortable. It may have been several years since she'd gone to school with him, but Lily still didn't really trust James, remembering his elitist attitude and aptitude toward bullying. She finished her coffee before she knew it, just as James finished off the last bite of toast.

"Care to watch some cartoo-er…television until Sirius gets up? Unless, of course, you have things you need to do elsewhere." Being a medical student, Lily knew at heart she should probably be starting on the paper her Professor had set for hand-in next month, but James was smiling at her charmingly and she felt herself giving in despite not speaking the words aloud yet.

"No, I don't have anywhere to go… I'd love to watch the telly with you." James wasn't sure if she was being sarcastic or not, but as she was moving toward his living room, he didn't complain, and merely followed.

The two settled themselves comfortably, and James found his eyes, whenever a commercial came on, flicking more insistently back to Lily. She could feel his gaze as it raked appreciatively over her, and she felt her cheeks heating again and tried to ignore the feeling. He was a stupid hormonal male who thought only about sex. He wasn't interested. And even if he were, like she'd even think about going for him. Right? Right…? Her subconscious refused comment.

Just as the most annoying commercial for cereal ever came on, she let her gaze slide back to James', and saw that he was blushing just as hard as she was (served him right too, for being a pervert, she thought savagely) as their gazes locked. "Evans?" he asked, voice deep and attractive and caressing just the right parts of Lily's hearing to make her melt slightly into the couch.

"Potter," she replied, sounding breathier than she would have liked. Her heart was suddenly throbbing mightily in her chest, and she felt her mouth go dry. She tried to lick her dry lips and swallow, but it was impossible, as she felt like she was sinking irreversibly into a pit of quasi-melted marshmallows. They leaned closer, and Lily barely registered conscious thought leaving her mind, as her lips pressed firmly and perfectly against James'.

Then it hit her. She was sitting on James Potter's couch, kissing him, not wearing a proper shirt. And the next thing she realized, James was kissing her and she was kissing back, tongues tentative around lips as mouths opened, and another thought hit Lily's debilitated consciousness. How in the hell had a polite offer to watch television turn into a snog session? And more importantly, why wasn't she stopping it?

XXX

Remus' tongue felt thick in his mouth. It seemed inconsequential, at least in the scheme of the events of the last few days, but there it was. His tongue felt way too big for his mouth and that was all he could seem to handle thinking about as he lay on his back on the stone floor of his holding cell. He wondered absently, in a detached sort of way, as though he were reading a story or something about a character that magically had the same thoughts as him, if he'd been drugged.

Then the horrible memories of a needle spearing ruthlessly into his arm surfaced and confirmed his belief. He had been drugged in some sort of horrible experimental testing… He felt sick to his stomach at the mere thought.

He looked up and saw Patrick's glinting eyes staring unflinchingly at him form the cell next door. He smiled weakly. "Hello."

"They hurted you."

Remus sat up and tried to suppress the wince of pain as his head throbbed and his vision swam slightly. "I'll be fine," he said gruffly. His stomach rumbled angrily, having not been fed in seeming ages, and he rubbed it consolingly.

"Here." A thin hand, appeared in the vague puddle of light from Patrick's own cell into Remus' and a slightly eaten crust of bread was held out in his tiny, boney fingers. "Take it."

Remus was about to decline, knowing that the poor, feeble-voiced boy probably needed it more than he did, but his stomach rumbled angrily again, and he didn't know when he might get any food again. He accepted it silently, discovering it was only slightly less hard than the stained cement floor. "Thank you, very much."

Patrick moved into the light, and Remus saw the boy fully for the first time since he'd come to this hellhole. His heart ached and he felt nausea rising in the back of his throat. It looked as though the boy had been mauled by some kind of rabid dog. He had long arcing scars across his visage and Remus could only imagine what the thin torso underneath his overlarge, stained t-shirt would look like. His cheeks were hollow from his obvious lack of nourishment and there were great hollowed circles around his startlingly blue eyes.

His hair was long, unkempt and dirty, as were his fingernails. He looked as though he'd been here for so long he had forgotten what normal life and normal people were like. Rage and pity fought for dominance within him as he saw the boy's ghost of a smile at the kind words. Pity that such a precious soul had been locked away and forgotten for so long, and rage that no one cared enough to question the Ministry of Magic for this sort of atrocity.

"What…er…how did you come here? What about your parents?" Remus asked softly, ripping off a piece of hard bread and forcing himself to chew it. He needed food. Patrick looked at him wistfully.

"I just woke up here on day. Then the man…he…" Giant tears pooled in Patrick's eyes, but the boy gulped them back, even as Remus' heart broke for this poor boy. "He told me," he continued in an even softer voice that Remus had to strain to hear, "that my parents had brought me here because they couldn't stand having a werewolf as a son. I've never heard from them and I…I don't even know if I remember them anymore." There was a silence in which Remus swallowed some bread. "What about you? Where are your parents?"

Remus could see his mother's careworn eyes in his mind's eye, the lined but still kindly face. "My parents are dead," he said blankly. "I came here when a…a man came to my friend's apartment and told me I had to come for the time being. I'm supposed to have some sort of evaluation." Patrick looked almost amused now, or as amused as a person could look in such a place.

"You won't get an evaluation."

"Why not?" Remus asked, feeling the little ray of hope he had clung to since he came here beginning to falter.

"They tell that to everyone, but no one ever has one. We're really just here to-" But before he could finish, there was the sound of a door somewhere down the narrow corridor outside their cells opening, and Patrick shrank back into the shadows.

Remus put down the half-eaten crust of bread, his appetite no longer existent as footsteps hurried toward their end of the ward. "Remus? Are you down here?" asked a familiar voice, and Remus felt his stomach clenching. Remus tried to stand, blinking back the black dots that wavered in his vision momentarily. No…this was impossible. But wait, he worked here, right? Maybe he was coming to let Remus out.

His gaze wandered back to Patrick's holding cell of its own accord, where the bright, haunting blue eyes gleamed dully. A terrible notion occurred to him then. The boy was going to die in here. Remus clenched the metal of the bars hard, the cold of them clearing his mind a little. He knew what he had to do, and as Sirius Black stepped into the puddle of light from the naked light bulb, a plan formed in his mind. He was going to bring those Ministry pricks down if it fucking killed him.

XXX

Lily's eyes, which she hadn't recalled closing, snapped open suddenly, as the warm mouth that had been invading her own suddenly pulled back. James was blushing hard and looked sheepish. "I'm sorry Lily, I never… I mean that was fantastic, but I know you don't feel the same about… Unless… No. Do you?" She tried to hold in a giggle but it was hard.

"I don't know, Potter," she murmured as her giggles subsided. "I mean…I'm attracted to you. A lot. I just…there's a lot of really…awkward history. Y'know?"

James nodded. "Look, I'm sorry for kissing you. But…well, in my defence, you came at me." Lily rolled her eyes, and they settled back into the couch to watch some television. "So…was it good for you too?" James asked after several long minutes of silence.

She couldn't help but grin. "Yeah. I must say, the rumours about you from Hogwarts were surprisingly not all talk." James looked over at her and leered.

"You have no idea yet, Evans… I could show you the whole truth behind those rumours if you'd like…"

Lily Evans felt the corner of her lips quirk upward, her grin turning wry. Suddenly, she levered herself up from the couch and was sitting astride a very shocked James Potter's lap. "Can you really now?" she purred and slid her hands up his torso. James could only gape at her, and Lily laughed. "Don't tell me you're getting cold feet, Potter… Show me if you can live up to the legend."

"But…what if…what if Sirius comes-? Are…wait…" James stuttered, barely registering her was speaking. Lily was pouting temptingly at him from her perch on his lap, and her green eyes had turned dark with lust. He really hoped she wasn't just kidding about, 'cause if she was, it was a really cruel trick. Then suddenly, something clicked in his brain, and his hands rose, gripping Lily's hips as his mouth met hers.

The kiss was hot and passionate and Lily felt dizzy from it. She had, in all honesty, just been intending to give James a little teaser, but now that she felt him grinding her downward against the length of his manhood, while his tongue worked insistently against her lips, she felt her own excitement rising. Her tongue speared forward into his mouth, and the lovely mounds of her breasts pushed forward, rubbing against the soft satin of her bra, making her nipples ache.

James gripped her arse with one hand, the other moving to tangle in her mass of fiery hair as her arms went around his neck. Their mouths tasted greedily and hungrily, and they were both panting hard through their noses. His mouth slid to suck at the sensitive skin that covered the column of her throat and a moan was pulled from her panting mouth. "Yes, James…" she breathed, and James felt his cock twitch beneath her. She was rolling and gyrating her hips against him in a blissfully hard and erotic rhythm and he was thrusting forward, trying to get some sort of friction on his hot hard cock.

Unbidden, an image of a faceless man, naked and groaning beneath her erupted inside Lily's mind, breaking free from its self-imposed prison. She flinched slightly, then looked at James and caught his mouth with hers again. This was James she was kissing. James. Not some random man to try and bury her loss in. That was long time ago, from a different part of her life.

The messy haired man reached up, in heaven, and weighed Lily's breasts in both of his hands, groaning as she ground into him more forcefully. He caressed her through the supple fabric until it was too much to bear. The front clasp popped open with the slightest flick of a finger, and James groaned at the sight of Lily's lovely, high breasts, all round and firm and perky, and perfect for his mouth or hands or…well they were just perfect.

His head dipped to taste her rosy areolas, gently tugging on her nipple with his teeth. Lily cried out softly, and arched into the feeling, her hands ravaging the messy tufts of James' hair. "Oh Merlin…Lily…" James gasped as she tugged on his hair again and thrust her nipple more fully into his hungry mouth.

"James," she murmured, her eyes falling shut again, and a dark, blurry memory flashing in her mind's eye.

"Say my name again baby," he managed to ground out, sucking even harder and more roughly at her tender, sensitive nubs. Lily's eyes snapped open, but she wasn't seeing James anymore. She felt panic rise in her as she tried to see through the thick fog of memory and remember James' name.

She could feel, almost in a detached kind of way, the gentle thrust of his pelvis against her own, the ridge of his manhood riding intimately between her thighs through their pyjamas, and the exquisite stabbing pleasure he wrought upon her breasts. Tugging, licking, sucking, biting… But still the panic rose in her, despite the arousal that burned away deep inside.

Suddenly, the hands that had clenched at him, pulled him closer, longing for, needing his touch, shoved James away. Blind hysteria took over, as Lily felt the rough, unshaven cheek from her memory over her soft skin, the teeth pulling insistently at her nipples and before either of them realized just what the hell was happening, she was screaming and shouting and trying to push him away. She didn't want this. No…NO! Get away!! But still his hands held her down, and she felt tears sting her eyes and trickle helpless as she felt, down her cheeks.

"Lily? Lily!" James shouted, not really sure what was happening. One second Lily had been moaning and arching into him and the next she was beating the shit out of him, trying to get away. To say he was confused was like saying the thing that sunk the Titanic was an ice cube.

Lily felt herself snap back into reality. She felt the warmth of James' throbbing erection beneath her, and felt his equally warm hands gripping the tops of her arms. He was talking to her, calling her name, and she turned wide, apologetic green eyes to him. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry…"

"What the hell happened?" he asked, more softly now that he was cure she wouldn't kick him in the balls on purpose or accidentally. "You were…and then…" Lily buried her face in her hands, and James hesitantly put his arms around her. "I'm sorry. You probably didn't want to…it's my fault…"

She shook her head firmly. "No. No, it's not. James, I want you… I want you more than I've wanted anyone in a long time, but… I have history. History I've never told anyone about…and…I'm scared that…"

"That I won't still want you if I hear it?" James murmured shrewdly, attempting to pull her hands away form her face. Lily nodded miserably and James pressed a relatively chaste kiss to her forehead. "Let me tell you something Lily. I've had a crush on you since third year, when you told me that you'd rather go to Hogsmeade on Valentine's with the giant squid than me."

Lily groaned in horrifying remembrance and buried her head in James' shoulder. "I never meant-"

"Oh I know you meant it. And I deserved it, not that I even realized it for a good four years. I want you, any way you are, because I've seen you at your worst and most bitchy."

Lily shook her head sadly now. "You haven't seen me at my worst," she mumbled. She tried to fortify herself with a deep shuddering sigh, and felt marginally better. She had to get this off her chest. It was time. And since there was no polite way to say it (or even any sort of social decorum to follow now Lily thought on it), she was just going to have to do it. "Three years ago, I gave up magic…and I've never told anyone why." She looked up at him and James felt an unfamiliar emotion tug at his heart, weighing it down as tears glinted in Lily's eyes. "I want to tell you. I…I'm ready and…well seeing as you're here and all… Do you want to hear it?" James' brief grin faded and he pondered it a moment. He could feel the weight his decision carried, but he didn't really even need to think about the answer. Ever since Valentine's Day in third year when she told him she'd rather go out with the giant squid than him, he knew he would have given anything to hear anything Lily Evans ever wanted to tell him.

He nodded gently. "Yes."

XXX

"Sirius," he breathed, the sight of his former riding pupil, turned lover, pushing everything to the back burner of his mind at least for the few moments he drank in the sight of him.

"Remus," said the other, stepping quickly across the gap between them. And then, as though their sudden proximity brought all their passions rearing alive, they were clinging to one another thought the awkward metal bars. Their mouths met in a passionate hungry melding and Remus found himself, so close to the full, thrusting his tongue greedily into Sirius' mouth, and suckling at his bottom lip.

Sirius groaned into the kiss, the stack of parchments he had paper clipped together to show Remus dropping from his grip, forgotten, as the lycan slid a hand through his hair and tugged his yet closer by the belt. He gripped Remus' sides as they slid erotically against one another, both feeling their arousal stirring and grinding more deliberately together.

"Fuck," Sirius murmured as Remus broke the searing lip lock to suck teasingly on his lower lip. Remus smirked and pulled back, taking Sirius' lip with him before he let the sensitive skin slid deliciously from his teeth and kissing Sirius once more.

The lycanthrope reached around and gripped his lover's arse firmly, squeezing longingly, wishing that the damn bars weren't in the way. "Mmm…Remus…wait," Sirius panted between kisses, and Remus held back slightly to give him a chance to speak. They both were breathing hard, panting into one another's mouths from the intensity of their reunion.

"Remus, I…" Sirius pulled away, hating himself and knowing that when Remus found out what he had done, that there would be little chance of snogging or erotic rubbing. "I have to tell you something. Something important."

Remus felt his stomach clench. Every time he had heard those words, something bad had come right after them. His heartbeat, which had been thudding in pure relief and joy, now thudded in anxiety. What was Sirius going to tell him? That he couldn't get him out?? "Okay," he said weakly, clenching the smooth, unforgiving steel of the bars on his prison once more.

"You know that I love you, right? That I would never do anything if it were to hurt you in any way?" Remus nodded mechanically. Those were almost the exact same words his mother had used when she told him she was dying… The same words she had used when she'd told him why he was in the magic hospital… He couldn't breathe; he was choking, suffocating to death on his own fear. He forced himself to stand on shaking legs and tried feebly to draw air into his lungs.

"Remus?" The lycan looked at Sirius, and Sirius felt as though his heart might just break all over again. Except this time, he would be the one at fault… His hands shook as he bent to retrieve the fallen documents and watched Remus' gaze flick to them confusedly for a moment. "Remus, I'm so sorry…" His voice broke and a lump rose in his throat preventing further speech. Wordlessly he pressed the parchments into Remus' hands.

Remus looked concernedly at his lover for a moment, wanting to reach out and console him, but when he tried, Sirius flinched away from the contact. He didn't look him in the eyes. He didn't even appear to want to be here… Remus felt his heart twist with agony. He may not love him, but he certainly cared for Sirius, and this…this was just…

"Just read the parchments," Sirius croaked, and Remus' gaze finally fell to the papers. He had seen these before… The night he'd been taken…but how? His gaze continued down the page, barely taking in any of the legal mumbo jumbo until they stopped at the bottom, and the large, looping signature at the bottom.

"Sirius Black…" he breathed, unable to believe his eyes. His fingers brushed over the paper, feeling the slight raise of the ink and miniscule rut where the quill had dug into the parchment. His head whirled. He stomach clenched. Hate rose up inside him. "You…" he looked at Sirius, and for once, he felt no need whatsoever to remain polite or courteous. He doubted he would even remember his manners that had been drilled into him at this point. "You did this."

Sirius stared at his shoes. "Remus, I'm-"

"Go. Just go…I can't, I can't even…" He shook his head bitterly. "Just go," he whispered.

Sirius looked up as Remus sank to the cold, stained floor; his heart being wrenched from his chest. And then, for once, he didn't argue or try to prove his point. He shut his mouth, blinked back the tears, and followed polite etiquette. He just went.

XXX

Author's Note: AHH!! So much cliffhanger-ish-ness! But I know you all love it and hey, if it keeps you coming back for more then I'm ALL for it. I even tried a bit of smut this chapter! Hope you liked it. 'Wish I could shut my playboy mouth.' Cheers!