Chapter Two
Sirius Troubles

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Sirius Black was never a subtle man - Remus, out of all people should know that. Ever since they've met, Sirius was anything but subtle. Loud, obnoxious, overly happy at times, but there was something that Remus saw that made him connect with him even deeper;

Sirius Black was dark.

There was no question about his origins; The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black was considered one of the darkest families there was. They were pure and proudful - both characteristics that even Sirius, the black sheep of the family, possessed. He hated to say it, but he was more like them than he wanted to be. Not only by his looks, in which he was almost a carbon copy of his father, but by his heart.

But, Remus Lupin saw his darkness in a whole different way. He never mentioned it, acted like it wasn't there, but most importantly he understood it and never judged it. He saw Sirius' darkness as his worst traits and he saw the war that was happening underneath the dimpled smile. His face wore a big smile, but his eyes weren't. Remus saw it, he saw it in the pranks he committed, he saw it in the triumph when he'd win a battle against Death Eaters and the worst thing about it was the fact that that darkness was now directed his way.

He saw it in the mistrust.

As Remus opened his eyes he heard the tapping. He could swear that a moment earlier the same melody was played in his sleep, playing with the wisps of a dream he had but couldn't remember afterward. There, in his dream, had been an image of his father, a fast one, almost as gone as it happened. Taking a breath, Remus stared at the ceiling of his cottage as he heard the tapping stop at his intake of breath. He had to visit his father soon.

"Moony, you awake?"

Sirius' voice filled his eardrums and he suddenly felt tense. It wasn't supposed to be this way, he supposed. It never was. Mistrust and fake concern weren't supposed to happen between them - the Marauders. It was wrong, so wrong.

Blinking, Remus slowly got up into a seated position trying to ignore the painful stretch of his muscles and the crack of his bones. The blanket on him moved a bit and he saw the cut on his thigh that would slowly turn into one of his scars as the times passed. Disgusted with himself, Remus leaned on the rest of his old couch he got as a present from his parents. Before he moved here, to live by himself, that same couch could be found in the attic of his parents' house. It was old, but he loved it. It reminded him of his transformations as a child, that is.

Looking around as if he was in his own house for the first time, the only alive thing he could see - except himself who felt as if he was on his deathbed - was Sirius Black seated in a beige armchair on the side of his coffee table. Clothed in a maroon like robes with gold details he looked as if he was swallowed by the Gryffindor common room. Remus wanted to laugh, but the pain in his stomach turned it into a dry cough making his target look at him. Sirius eyes narrowed for a millisecond at him and that expression was gone almost as fast as it happened. Instead, he smiled.

"So, Moony, how are you feeling?" He asked, his smile not reaching his eyes. Remus didn't miss the emphasizing of his nickname. And again we go.

"Awful," Remus began, closing his eyes again just to stop Sirius looking at him. "Tired, beaten up, disgusted with myself and dirty like I haven't had a shower in years."

Sirius chuckled for a second and Remus could swear it sounded sincere. As he saw the letter from yesterday morning still on the table where he left it a thought popped into his head.

"Where's James?" He asked, remembering the silhouette of a huge and magnificent - a bit angry too - deer steering him towards the woods.

"He left about six in the morning," Before he could ask, Sirius continued. "It's ten now. Harry woke up and cried, so Lily sent a Daffodil for him."

Unable to keep serious, Remus let out a deep and honest chuckle. Lily would never forgive him for naming her Patronus after a flower. Daffodil, he mentally snorted, what does a bottle of Firewhiskey do to you.

"I guess he was really happy when he saw what time it was," Sirius nodded with a small smirk while thinking of James. Then, Remus frowned. "Please don't tell me you spent the whole night sleeping in that armchair! Sirius, I told you a thousand times - it's only good for sitting, you'll get cra-"

"James slept in your room. Don't worry." He said, not looking at him. Instead, he was eyeing the letter on the table as if he wanted to read it, but couldn't.

"And you? Where did you sleep?"

"I didn't." Padfoot cut him off. Feeling sudden uneasiness in his chest, Remus bit his tongue.

He couldn't help but make difference between Padfoot and him - the cold bastard that was now sitting in front of him carrying the name of his best friend. Maybe this was the Orion - that part of him which he inherited from him parent, the part that was in his middle name, because this wasn't Sirius. This just wasn't his best friend. But, again, Padfoot hadn't been his best friend for over a year.

The only time he'd see his best friend for more than a chuckle or a tiny expression was when he was with James or with the rest of the crew. But, it wasn't the same, at least towards him. Gathering the strength to talk without spurring anger at the dog, Remus swallowed his spit permeated with his pride.

"It's from Peter," He started, watching as Sirius looked at him curiously. Remus nodded towards the table. "The letter. He sent it yesterday morning saying he couldn't make it. Apologized and everything."

"Ah," Sirius began, looking almost ashamed. Remus knew better. "No one told me."

"You came late." That was his only response.

Moving a pillow from the couch behind his back, Remus watched as Sirius put on a fake smile that never reached his eyes anymore and squirmed in his seat. James was furious. The agreed time was eight o'clock in the evening so they could gather before the transformation happened. James was there in a second; he came by Floo with a huge smile on his face, gripped Remus hard as he hugged him and proceed to tell him all about Harry's tries to talk. He was so happy - and then half an hour passed.

Sirius just wasn't there. James told him he talked to Sirius and that he agreed that he was coming. After an hour and a half, they gave up on waiting. James was fuming. He didn't want to tell Remus why, but he already knew - Sirius wasn't coming.

It seemed like a miracle when he showed up. Two hours late, hair disheveled and a scent of Firewhiskey on his tongue. Nobody said anything.

"But, you understand Moony, don't you?" He started, chuckling akwardly. "'A wizard is-"

"- nothing without his witch'," Remus continued, nodding. His eyes fell on the clock in his miniature kitchen which could be seen from his position in the living room. "I understand, yes."

There was the silence. When it first started Remus couldn't take it. He used to ask Sirius every single question he thought of just to get rid of the goddamn silence. But, now, he got used to it. Watching as Sirius took Peter's letter from the table and started to read it, he could but reminisce the time when he first moved in here.

James, Peter and Sirius - all three of them- joked about Remus letting his inner wolf live a little. After every transformation, they would be here as well as the smell of fresh and hot chamomile tea in the air that would make Remus smile.

But, nothing in this situation made him smile now. No chamomile tea, no friends, just an awkward conversation with an untrusting stranger.

"Pete's sick now, is he?" Sirius mumbled. "I remember him almost throwing up on Harry's birthday, blueberry cakes weren't it?"

Remus nodded.

A few minutes of uneasy silence passed when Sirius stood up. Straightening his robes, he took a deep breath then looked at Moony as he passed by the table and went for the fireplace.

"I have to go now," He gave him a fake grin full of pearl white teeth. "Don't want to keep my witch waiting."

Nodding again, Remus mouthed goodbye as Sirius disappeared in the wisps of green smoke. Snorting - and hearing it echo in the empty house - Remus smiled painfully.

There is no witch that is a match for the bachelor Sirius Black, He thought. Only the Firewhiskey or Lily's treacle tarts.

Trying to postpone him getting off the couch, he moved his legs trying to find a more comfortable position. As he felt the skin of his both legs collide, his mouth made a straight line suddenly becoming conscious of his current state. With an odd reminder, Remus remembered that under the blanket he was very much naked.

"Merlin, thanks for the Reparo." He mutters, thinking about his tattered and very much destroyed clothes. He stayed in that position until noon when his stomach growled.

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MUSIC LISTENED TO
WHILE WRITING

dark music - the sealed kingdom
(there is a howling wolf and i am so connecting moony to this goddamn)

A FEW NOTES
FOR YOU TO KNOW

firewhiskey or firewhisky?

This is officially the second chapter of TDC!
It wasn't supposed to be written so soon, I had an idea to update it after more than 7 days!
I am so happy for having it finished - I am one of those writers that never finish their stories, so this is a big step for me. A chapter by chapter, a step by step. I hope that you enjoyed it, even though there's not much of you reading. If you did, please leave me a comment down there, it really makes me want to write more.

It isn't as long as I first thought to make it, but it just fit. Sorry.

Also, do you like how I worked out the Marauders? Do you have any complaints, suggestions? I'm always willing to listen and cooperate, so if you have any advice please tell me. I'm really interested in what you have to say. Thanks for reading, see you soon!