HARRY POTTER AND EVERYTHING RELATING TO THAT MAGICAL UNIVERSE BELONG TO JK ROWLING, WARNER BROS, BLOOMSBURY BOOKS ETC. AND I AM VERY LUCKY TO BE ALLOWED TO PLAY WITH IT ALL.

It's A Dog's Life

"Not rushing off? Staying on here for a while?"

It seemed as though every person in the room could hear Snape's words and knew what they meant. Bill got away from the insinuating Potions Master as swiftly as he could.

He found himself on the front steps at the same time as his parents. His mother looked up at him with narrowed eyes, his father completely avoided acknowledging him. Bill stood still to let them get ahead and the sharp wind slashed at his overheated cheeks. He knew what his parents' attitudes meant: this was the 'wait 'til I get you home' routine. He had enough to worry about.

One of the bank clerks had been off work for a couple of days without letting anyone know why. Bill had called round at his place and there had been no sign of life. Dundas Bindloss. It was too early to call it a disappearance. If he couldn't locate him by Monday evening then he was going to have to inform Dumbledore and then it would be official. Like the ones who'd gone missing last time. That was, apparently, how it had started.

He was disappointed in Babwinde. He hoped the goblin was just a fantasist, but was starting to worry that he had been set up deliberately. What would that mean? He was being observed when he was at work: beady goblin eyes burning into him. He felt like retreating into Fleur's little post room all day. But he had to work and he had to spy.

And he was worrying about Sirius doing something risky again. He wished he had more time to spend with him. Keeping the Animagus occupied would keep him safe. But, of course, that wasn't the whole story.

Bill watched his parents cross the square towards the Apparition point. He ought to catch up with them. He didn't like letting them down any more than he liked handing that slimy git Snape a victory. But now he had no choice. He was at the man's mercy.

An elbow caught him in the lower back and he stumbled down the steps.

"Holding up the traffic," Mad-Eye muttered behind him.

Bill righted himself and strode across the road. Moody kept pace with him.

"Whatever it is," Moody snarled out of the side of his mouth, "either come clean or work on your discretion techniques. We can't have division in the group. I was counting on you, boy. Fresh blood. Don't let me down."

He made a right turn and limped off.

Oh, yeah, that was what he was short of, something else to worry about!

Molly looked back at him and then Apparated. Bill counted to ten and followed her.

He let himself float for a moment before he concentrated on home. He liked the empty darkness of Apparition, just atoms without sentience, suspended through space.

The kitchen of The Burrow was chilly. Molly pulled a huge baking tin out of the oven. There were three places set at the long table running down the middle of the room like the one at Grimmauld place. Irritated, Bill wondered to himself why they couldn't just shrink the thing during school holidays.

Arthur stood with his back to the fire watching Bill. He took a deep breath. Not now!

"Now, look here, son …"

"Not now, Dad …"

"Don't you tell me when …"

Mrs Weasley interrupted them, clanging the tin onto the table. "Just sit down and eat this, we'll deal with …"

"I'm not hungry, Mum. I'm going upstairs."

His mother summoned three plates as though he hadn't spoken.

"Sit down!" she ordered.

"No!"

"Don't talk to your mother like that!"

Their voices were getting louder and their faces redder.

"Don't be silly, Bill. Just sit down and eat. You can't expect your father and I to get through this much Toad-In-The-Hole on our own and it doesn't keep."

"I'll have it later! I just need a bit of peace …"

"We are going to talk to you whether you sit down and eat with us or not. Tonight at the meeting, I was ashamed. I don't know what's got into you. I'm not going to let good food go to waste while you …"

The dam broke and the fury came yelling out of him: "Can't you bloody leave me alone woman! Stop nagging and fussing! I'm old enough to choose whether to eat or not! I can make my own decisions! It's my fucking life! No wonder Percy escaped!"

Molly burst into tears. Arthur stood up, fists raised, shaking with fury. Bill Apparated.

He had no idea where he was heading for. Fleur or Sirius? Or the pub? His parents would expect him to go to The Leaky Cauldron so he wasn't going to fulfil their expectations. It would be sweet to lay his head on Fleur's lap and have her feed him cheese and wine. He could tell her all his troubles and she would nod and hum sympathetically. Except that he couldn't tell her half his troubles: the Order, Sirius, Snape, Voldemort, Babwinde nor why his parents were angry with him. Grimmauld Place then. Sirius' strong arms round him, hands running over him. But how many Order members were still there? Was it safe yet? He needed to make a decision soon or he'd splinch himself. A bed in St Mungo's for a week? That was tempting. Or maybe he'd split neatly into two and Sirius and Fleur could have half each.

His feet hit solid ground and he looked about him. He was in the alley at the back of the Leaky Cauldron. He was disgusted with himself. His subconscious had deposited him where his parents would have predicted.

He stomped into the pub and pulled his bag of coins out of his pocket. He waited for Tom to serve him.

"Floo powder, please," he said, handing over a sickle. Exorbitant, but Tom's fireplaces were charmed not to accept anyone else's powder.

"They're all free," Tom advised him, looking through the drawer under the counter. Of course they were. They would be busy later tonight when the clientele realised they were too drunk to Apparate and had no other way of getting home. That was why the scam worked.

As Tom handed over the little hemp pouch he asked, "You want a drink with that?" and Bill was tempted. But he shook his head.

He went into the emptiest back bar. There were three middle-aged witches in there, sipping something green and chatting quietly. He nodded politely to them, then knelt in front of the fire and whispered "12, Grimmauld Place," before throwing in a pinch of green powder and pushing his head through the flames. His heart rate increased in the expectation of seeing Sirius.

Instead he came out beside Remus' ankles. The werewolf looked down at him, startled. His features then settled on disdain.

"Hi Remus, Sirius around?" Bill forced relaxed friendliness into his voice.

Without answering, Lupin stood up and yelled, "Hey Pads! Your boyfriend's back!" in a sing-song voice.

Bill's gut twisted. He hated all that 'Padfoot, Moony' bullshit, all that referring back to the larks of their schooldays. Together. With their real friends. Without him.

Sirius came up from the cellar. At least he looked happy. Bill hoped that Remus was the only guest in the house and that he'd be gone soon.

"Is it safe? Can I come through?" he asked.

Sirius nodded, his eyes shining. "Yes, yes, yes, yes."

Relieved, Bill pulled back into the pub room. There was a swift movement behind him. He turned to see the three women stiffening and angling their heads towards each other. They had probably been ogling his bum while his head was elsewhere. Normally he wouldn't have cared, but tonight he was easily annoyed. He scowled at them before Flooing out.

The basement kitchen took form around him. He could feel the soot in his hair. On the other side of the room, Sirius gazed at him. Now, that felt good! He spread his arms and, as he had hoped, Sirius came over to him. He gripped the bony shoulders and held the beautiful body to him. He sank his head down onto his lover and felt hands slide round to his buttocks.

They stood, motionless and unspeaking, for several minutes.

It was Sirius who broke the silence, breathing into Bill's ear, "What's the matter, baby?"

"Oh everything!" Bill sighed. He added, "Except you." It was a lie - a good handful of Bill's problems came down to his relationship with Sirius - but it seemed polite.

Sirius pulled his head back to look at what he could see of Bill's face. It obviously wasn't enough because he pulled his arm out from under Bill's to gently tip his chin up and examine his face.

"Never mind," Sirius cooed, "you come to Papa Black and I'll make everything better."

Bill smiled in a way he knew was pathetic. Then he asked, "Remus?"

"Gone," Sirius said. "Let's go somewhere comfortable."

Sirius leaned against the propped pillows and Bill lay across him, his knees and neck supported by Sirius' strong arms. He curled round with his face in the older man's chest.

"You want to talk?" Sirius asked.

"Not really. Not now," Bill mumbled.

"OK then," Sirius whispered. He leant over the lovely red hair and lightly kissed the top of Bill's head. Bill looked up at him, but he was too close for focus. Bill closed his eyes and felt soft lips touch his temples, then his nose, his cheeks, finally his mouth. He felt a lot better already. Even though he hadn't shared it, his burden was lighter.

Bill's legs slipped down onto the bed as Sirius' hand moved up to his shirt, undoing the buttons and kissing the skin as it appeared. When the cotton slipped off his chest, Sirius moved his hand down to the hard lump distorting the front of Bill's trousers. His mouth continued to play over collarbone and nipples.

Bill groaned and pushed himself closer. His hands stroked through the black hair tickling over his body.

"I want …" Sirius said in a choked voice. He didn't look up, stayed concentrated on Bill's torso. "I want to … make love again." He managed.

Bill's anus twitched. He recalled the fire and the complete lack of control or consciousness.

"God, yeah!" he panted. Just in case there might be any confusion, in case Sirius could have meant anything else, he added, "Screw me again. Please!"

Sirius looked up then, his eyes huge. Bill lunged for the dry, red mouth and they fell together flat onto the bed. Teeth clashed and tongues writhed.

After several minutes, Bill pulled away and said, gasping, "But I want to sleep with you afterwards. I want to stay all night."

"Yes," Sirius answered, softly, desperately.

"I have to …" This was embarrassing! He wasn't a kid! "Have to tell Mum I won't be home."

Sirius nodded and shifted off him. They both sat up, while Bill tried to compose himself to send a Patronus. While he flicked his wand, he said the message out loud, like a seventh-year. If he'd tried to do it silently, there was every chance his subconscious would have stuck in something unhelpful like 'cos I'm shagging Sirius'.

"Hey Mum! I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I've been under pressure, just need some time to myself. I'll be back for lunch tomorrow. Don't worry. Love to Dad."

Sirius watched him. "What is it?"

Bill didn't understand the question.

"Your Patronus. It's what you'd be as an Animagus. I just wondered."

Bill grinned, "I'll Patronus you some time. Let's just say I could play with your dog if it came to it."

"What did you say to your Mum? You don't have to tell me," Sirius added quickly.

Bill sighed. "I'm such a prick! I lost my temper, said I agreed with Percy or something."

Sirius pulled a face. Bill was about to say something like 'Yeah, yeah, I know, let's not talk about it,' but Sirius didn't need to be told. He leant in to resume their kiss.

With lips locked, they peeled off their clothes, rubbing their bare skin against each other's bodies as it was freed. Bill heard Sirius panting and groaning, felt the vibrations inside his mouth. The contractions of his throat told him that he was doing something similar.

When Sirius rolled himself over to the bedside table for the lube, Bill turned over onto his belly. He moved his head to look at his lover. Sirius' excited eyes ran the length of Bill's body. Sirius licked his own kiss-bruised lips.