Hey! I wrote. Sorry it took so long but I haven't felt so great and I just had to do school work first. Otherwise I'll start with a failing grade. That's no good. Read and enjoy

Chapter Nineteen

The arm on his shoulder felt like a yoke. It felt trapping. He knew he couldn't run if he wanted to. The dark corridor seemed the perfect place to dump his body. Black would hide Black's crimes. The body not found until Black was gone. Severus began to shake, just a little. He wasn't scared of death in front of the Dark Lord, but Remus' friend could convince Remus to leave him. He didn't think he could accept that.

Sirius felt the other boy begin to quake and he spun him around. "I wont hurt you." Sirius stepped away and held up his hands in a sign of peace and good will. Sirius checked the black eyes that still revolted him slightly. The fear seemed to have dissipated, though it lingered in the deep recesses. It made Sirius proud that he could scare Snape with his kindness. A smile quirked the edges of his lips and he turned and continued to walk.

Severus assumed he was meant to follow. If not this would be awkward. He tried to calm down. They were at school. Remus wouldn't be happy if Black killed him, thus Black wouldn't kill him. It made sense.

Sirius sat in the alcove, pulling his legs up and leaning against the wall. He was glad to see that the bat had followed him. The dark shouldn't scare him. Sirius scolded himself. He had to stop that hate, even just in his head. Remus wanted this to work. It would take patience from Sirius, but it would work.

"Snape," Sirius said, patting the seat in front of him. There was room and he might as well be comfortable. This wasn't an interrogation. It was just a chat. He used those exact words when explaining it to Snape, along with a suggestion to not tell Remus where their chat was held. "You make Remus happy. Anyone with eyes can see that. I want to trust you, just because you make him happy, but I don't." Sirius looked at Severus as warmly as he could, trying to ease the tension after those last words. "Remus told me that you had earned it. I don't know what that means, and if its what I think it is I don't want to. That should be enough." Sirius looked away. "It would be enough if Remus and I were just friends. But we aren't." Sirius paused. He didn't know how to say what he wanted to put next.

Severus stopped breathing. If they were more than friends he held no chances. They had history and clearly were close. They shared everything. Sirius was better looking, if definitely not smarter. Severus was nothing in comparison. Why had Sirius really brought him here? To kill the competition?

Sirius continued, finding the words. He was going to go from his heart. "We are like brothers. He watches out for me. I know it. I know him well enough to know that I will never know all he has done for me." Sirius' voice trembled and he coughed to try to cover it up. Severus started breathing again, hoping he had just misunderstood. Hoping for no more shocks like that. "He has been better for me than my own family. I don't often get to help him back, he is so pulled together almost all of the time. This is my chance to look out for him. Play big brother for once, instead of the defended."

Sirius shifted so that his legs were crossed. Severus didn't miss that this limited his space, encroaching slowly but surely. He tried to pretend it was unwitting, even though he knew that Black played these mind games. It was like a cat playing with a mouse.

"I see that look. Snape, I'm sorry. For all that I have done. Your house is low to begin with in my eyes. You didn't deserve the hatred though.' Sirius moved his legs closer to his body, trying to respect his space. "You haven't earned my trust, and with Remus its going to take a lot for me to trust you. But it will be easier on Remus if I, we, act as if we accept each other, if not trust or even like." Sirius tried to collect his thoughts again. His thoughts never cooperated though and this was no different than usual. "Most protective older brothers would tell you to be respectful. Or threaten your package if you touch him. But Remus could chew you up and spit you out. So don't worry about that, but be kind to him. He is so lonely sometimes. Don't mention his parents. Not worth it."

Severus perked up at the comment about Remus chewing him up. Did Remus really get around? He figured that would not go over well right now. He was still alone, far away from the general population.

"I would also avoid mentioning the fact that he could chew you up. He get self-conscious about his past." Sirius heard whoosh of sound, like a deep breath, or a squandered chuckle. This got Sirius angry, even with no evidence of anything. "Am I boring you? Or do you find this funny?" Sirius stood from the bench and grabbed the Slytherin across from him, hauling him to his feet. "I know you've thought it, but let me say it." Sirius pulled Snape farther into the darkness, further from the remembrance of light. "I could kill you. I want you to be straight with me, on penalty of death,, or worse." Severus tried to focus on the Dark Lord. He was succeeding until the whisper of, "I grew up a Black, with the Black's knack for forbidden games. I wouldn't risk it." Severus decided he wouldn't either.

"What do you want to know?" Severus wanted to sound confident but only made it to quivering and small.

"I have three main ones," Black said. Then he mumbled words. It sounded like gibberish to Snape but he tensed anyway when he felt the flow of magic through the air. "I wouldn't lie if I were you." Sirius cleared his throat. "Do you care for Remus?" There was a nod. Severus was reluctant to answer out loud, just in case. "You can be punished for omission. The spell wouldn't know."

"Yes I care for Remus, deeply. I'm not sure how much but its enough that I'm standing here talking to you." Sirius seemed satisfied with that answer.

"Will you talk of anything Remus tells you, or does for you, with others?" Sirius didn't want to mention being a werewolf, incase he didn't know, so he made it seem as if it were about sex, but the spell would pick up both.

"No. Everything Remus does or says will be held in the greatest of confidences." Severus couldn't believe he was being so forthcoming.

"Will you lie to Remus, unless it is for his direct safety?" Sirius wanted to know that Remus could trust him. Who cared if he messed with anyone else. That was someone else's problem.

"No. Remus will here the truth, the minute I know it, as long as it isn't in his best interest to be kept in the dark." There was a whir of magic and a ding. "What the hell kind of spell was that?" Severus was so confused.

"I mumbled random words and threw a timer spell in so you would get that rush of magic. Just wanted you to tell the truth. You did good kid." Sirius put his arm back over the unwelcoming shoulders and started for lunch.

"That was underhanded, but that was well played Black." Severus figured he was smart enough to be tolerated, and Sirius liked anyone who complimented him on an idea.

The trip to lunch was nearly silent. It was a little awkward for Severus because no matter how hard he wriggled he couldn't win free. Once on the lawn it turned yet more odd because Severus stopped squirming, lost in thought. If Black had used one spell, he could've added any spells. He had the wit and the intent. Severus would just have to trust in Remus' judgment.

"Hey guys," was the collective greeting when they breached the perimeter. Severus went quickly to sit by Remus, scared and slightly awed by this new look at the marauders. He was a foot away, but the next thing he knew Remus' leg was laying right next to his. Severus lay a hand on the closest thigh, loving the feel of the muscles beneath his fingertips, itching for more contact, for more skin.

Remus leaned in a pressed insistent lips to Severus' shocked pair. He hadn't expected to kiss in front of everyone here, but the warmth, and the softness that was offered was too much after the hallway and soon it was just them in a world of their own.

They didn't here the counting down, but at the same time Sirius and James sprayed them with water to cool them off. "Just being helpful,' James said from right next to Remus. "You guys looked too hot.'

Sirius mock gagged. "I just wanted to be able to eat. Its rude to do that when someone was," he emphasized the word, "hungry." Sirius stuck his tongue out. Remus through a roll at him, which was caught and soon eaten.

"Wonderful as always, Rem. Tell our homey elf that this is spectacular." James was trying to sound cool, but when even Severus couldn't fight the laughter, he decided to stop.

"Lily likes books, James. You just look stupid when you try to be cool." Remus tried to fight the laughter, at least while he said the words. James turned bright red and went to storm off when Sirius pulled his foot, causing the whole being to tumble to the ground.

"Potter, she likes Dickens. Buy her a first edition." Severus hadn't consciously thought the words, but they slipped out confidently, as if he had. All the movement in the tent stopped. Everyone was frozen, waiting for a response for the prone James.

"Thanks. I'll try that. I've tried everything else." The motion returned, but the quiet remained. It wasn't uncomfortable, just peaceful.

"Where the fuck is Peter?" Sirius whined, breaking the tranquility that had been established. "He missed Remus' big lunch with his new boy toy.' Sirius grabbed a cream puff and stormed off, subtly, and yet loudly, trying to give the couple privacy in his own special way.

"I'll just be off then," said James, though the other two didn't hear him because they were too intent on each other. They each had a hand on the other's face and instead of kissing, were just staring. James ran as fast as he could. This relationship was moving fast. He didn't want to be there for their next milestone.