There was something strangely satisfying, thought Remus as he awoke an hour or two later, about the idea that he had been the one to rob Sirius of the last bit of innocence he had.
The idea brought a smirk on to his face.
He rose from the bed a stretched. The sound of shouting and Wizard music (Remus's lip curled) told him that he hadn't slept through the Christmas piss up.
He pulled on a pair of old jeans and a scruffy jumper in place of his dress robes, which he quickly remembered were on the floor and scrambled to pick up, fold carefully and place in his trunk. He walked to the other side of the bed where Sirius lay, heavily breathing the corner of his mouth twitching into a little smile, with his hair messed all over his face, still damp with sweat. Remus touched his cheek, he made a little whimpering noise and rolled over and Remus didn't quite have the heart to wake him up.
He scribbled a hasty note on piece of parchment he found lying on the floor and left it on the bedside table. He put his feet in a very battered pair of slippers and left for the common room, closing the door as quietly as possible behind him.
Trotting down the stairs he was met with the sight of Peter splayed half way up them, lying in his own vomit. At least, Remus hoped it was his own vomit. He carefully side stepped Peter, who appeared to be quite blissfully asleep and trotted into the common room which was filled with not just Gryffindors but Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws and even a few Slytherins. Remus could barely hear himself think over the talking and shouting and awful music which was filling the common room. He wasn't sure what exactly he planned to do here, he craned his neck and scanned the room for James but was suddenly rugby tackled by something rather ruffled and bony which smelt faintly of drink.
"Moony!" James said squeezing Remus's waist
"...James" said Remus, patting James on the head. James sighed
"You smell like sex and sweat" he giggled "... Where's Sirius?"
"Sleeping" said Remus curtly
"Oh, I see... finally make a woman out of our Padfoot did you?" Remus cocked an eyebrow "ah you should've been there Moony, when we came out of the ball, Sam and Cheng and some other people took me to get some drink! They showed me secret passageways and I can't believe I didn't find them before! The Hogshead gave us TWO GALLONS of Firewhisky for hardly any money! Amazing!" He released Remus, grinning like a mad man. A pissed mad man.
"Great well, we'll talk about this again when you're sober"
"Sounds like an excellent idea! Guess what I did?"
"What?"
"I put a line of aging around the dorm stairs so no one under thirteen can get down"
"That's... responsible of you"
"That's what Lily said! Then I grabbed her tit. She was not happy" he said darkly "now my arse is covered in boils! Doesn't even hurt!" He grinned, if it was possible, even more broadly. Remus took a step away from him
"... okay... how much exactly have you had to drink?"
"A few shots? Why?"
"You're like this after a few shots?"
"YES! Brilliant isn't it!"
"To a degree... where's Lily?"
"Her and Alice went somewhere to talk to someone about something"
"Specific. Did she seem annoyed at all?"
"Ah... at you? Yeah she was a bit. Once they'd realised thingy was gone as well they went all giggly and she was alright"
"Alright then"
"Okay well I'll see you later mate, me and Cheng are going up to the dorm room for..." he guffawed with a lecherous look in his eye "you know... stuff"
"James... at least chuck poor Sirius out before you start" Remus pleaded. James grinned
"Will do!" He turned around "OI! CHENG! COAST'S CLEAR... QUICK BEFORE YOUR BROTHER NOTCIES!" Cheng waved an arm and ran up to James madly giggling, equally reeking of Firewhisky. She waved at Remus then James took her by the wrist and dragged her up to the dorm room. Remus settled himself on a chair by the fire and watched the chaos around him. There were a group of seventh years running around in their underwear with ties around their head and a Hufflepuff fourth year girl and Gryffindor boy kissing on the sofa across from Remus, well, dry humping would be a far more accurate description. A small Ravenclaw boy was looking a bit lost near a group of people who were dancing, till what Remus supposed was a very dishevelled looking Trinity Greengrass - hair half pulled out, make up smudged, dress torn – tugged him in to a very close dance which involved lots of hip grinding that made the small Ravenclaw blush and shove his hands into his pockets. Remus spotted Katrina Lestat and Gabriel Fisher in the distance, dancing closely and far too slow for the speed of the music, wrapped up in their own private bliss. A dreamy smile etched across Katrina's face , the same on Fisher's as they swayed slowly and then kissed. Just over them Remus saw Sirius with his lip curled at the bottom of the stairs, topless with his t-shirt bundled up in his hands, barefoot and hastily checking his fly before putting the shirt on. Remus smiled, waving to catch his attention.
Sirius walked over beside Remus he shook his head at the scene and mumbled, he was to quiet to hear over the noise. Sirius pointed at the portrait hole and Remus nodded. The fought their way through the crowd till they were out in the corridor.
"It's like Sodom and Gomorrah in there" laughed Remus. Sirius smiled and nodded, they began to walk. Sirius didn't really say anything, but once they were down a darker corridor, he took Remus's hand. A rare occurrence, especially out of the dorm. Remus patted Sirius's hand affectionately with his other and suddenly felt much older as Sirius suddenly looked much younger. He wasn't sure why.
"Alright?"
Remus asked, giving Sirius's hand a little squeeze as they walked.
Sirius nodded and smiled in a way that didn't quite reach his
eyes.
"You're rather quiet, all of a sudden" Remus said
lightly. Sirius shrugged then chuckled.
"Come on, you're
starting to scare me" he warned
"Sorry" Sirius blushed. Sirius almost never blushed "It's nothing... I'm fine, honestly"
"Is it about... before? Is that what you're feeling strange about?"
"... maybe. No... yes... no"
"That's a yes then" Remus said looking down at his shoes. Sirius shrugged.
"Not feeling strange... just different... you know because... I liked it. Really really liked it. And... well you know what it means... if I liked it"
"I suppose"
"And it's just a bit weird to know I definitely definitely am... like that"
"Like me"
"Yeah... like you. I mean... I was talking to Alice before... and I told I was and it just rolled so easily off the tongue. I put it down to the two of us being al giggly and stuff but" He shrugged again "I suppose it just really... hit home" he sighed "I mean it isn't a bad thing though. I'm not sad or anything it's just... I was thinking" he sighed again and laughed "It's stupid really. But I was thinking about after Hogwarts. When James marries... I dunno... let's say Lily and they'll have their little kids, poor things'll probably end up looking like James with his crap eyesight with Lily's ginger hair. And Peter'll marry some mousey little thing like the girl he brought to the ball. And they'll end up with fat little mousey kids, who James's kids'll take piss out of for being fat and generally a bit rubbish. Then I thought about us. And I realised I won't ever have kids... we won't ever have kids."
"Hmm" Remus said, knowing he had been frowning through everything Sirius had said, and not meaning to "I've never thought of that before"
"It's weird isn't it?"
"s'pose" The fell silent after that. Remus taking a tighter grip on Sirius's hand, Sirius doing the same to Remus's. They stopped for a moment when they reached the area round the dungeons, almost constantly haunted by Slytherins after hours. They looked to each other, silently agreeing to let hands go, wandering into the dungeons. Remus wondering why they hadn't turned back about three minutes ago and wandered toward the kitchens instead. But they kept walking, for a while until they heard voices and footsteps and Snape... Rosier as well. And a higher younger voice that Remus thought must have been Regulus, and confirmed his suspicion when he took a look at Sirius's face, twisted into a suspicious scowl. Sirius grabbed his wrist and tugged into one of the thousands of alcoves Hogwarts boasted, just behind a bust of Elfrida Clagg.
"I really need to speak to him" Regulus said quietly.
"What for Black" Rosier snapped "What exactly was in that letter?"
"It's private"
"I already guessed ten minutes before you turned up Evan" Snape snorted "It's Black, the older one"
"The bent one" sniggered Rosier
"Shut up, he is not" They stopped just across from where Sirius and Remus were hidden. Regulus pouted just like Sirius did.
They did look disturbingly alike, Regulus's his hair was poker straight and quite a bit lighter than Sirius's, it being a dark chestnut colour, and his eyes pale blue. But, for the most part, Regulus was a younger, if slightly more delicate, reflection of his brother. He was skinnier and a lot shorter, but they had the same basic build, narrow waist and hips and broad shoulders, the lips were the same, full and red, and the eyes were the same prominent almond shape. Both their noses were straight and up turned and their cheek bones were equally high and aristocratic. One of the main differences was that Regulus's jaw was weaker, his chin pointed and far more feminine. He was a stark contrast to Snape, who he stood next to, who had been beaten rather viciously with Ugly Stick at a very young age and seemed doomed to remain that way.
"Their
mother just wrote to Regulus informing him he should prepare to
become the heir to the Black estate" Snape said coolly
"You're
joking!" Rosier grinned. Regulus shook his head. "Nice one"
"... she says he has one more chance. One more then..." Regulus looked up and made eye contact with Remus, who stumbled further back into the alcove "... then he's off the family tree. Disowned" Sirius's breath hitched. Remus hadn't ever seen a boy look as miserable as Regulus did.
"That's a good thing though. You'll finally be rid of that embarrassment" spat Rosier. Regulus shook his head.
"It's complicated. I... I've changed my mind, I'll go by myself. You two just go back to the common room. If I'm not back in an hour send out the sniffer dogs and tell my mother I love her" There was a ghost of a smile on Regulus's face. Rosier rolled his eyes, half smiling and Snape just sneered as he always did.
"See you later then" Rosier said. He and Snape began to bicker quietly as they walked off and Regulus hummed to himself as he walked in the opposite direction. A minute or two passed, both Remus and Sirius reluctant to say anything in case they were over heard when they heard the bounding of feet down the corridor and Regulus stopping in front of the alcove.
"Do you two have any idea what Evan might have done to you if he saw either of you?" He hissed, looking terrified, back and forth over his shoulder.
"Care to explain exactly what the fuck is going on!" Sirius hissed back, slouching and bending so he was nose to identical nose with Regulus. The smaller boy stepped back and scowled
"I was just coming to find you to show you" he fumbled in the pocket of the trousers of his dress robes and pulled an envelope. "... this" and handed the paper to Sirius. Who snatched it with unnecessary spite and flipped the envelope open.
"Why are you in dress robes anyway? It was only fourth years and above allowed in and only with a date."
"A girl in fourth year asked me. I mean she did run up squealing, oh my god, it's a miniature Sirius but she was pretty so" he shrugged. The corner of Sirius's mouth twitched up, but immediately fell when he read the letter.
"One more chance eh?"
"Just one. Then you're off and I'm the heir"
"I know, you just stood and watched me read the bloody letter"
"No need to be such a twat, I was only trying to help! You don't want to get kicked out the house... do you?" Regulus's eyes widened. Sirius shrugged nonchalantly, as if Regulus was asking him the time "Don't be an idiot Sirius. Where will you live?"
"Dunno" he said coldly
"What will you do for books and Clothes? Buy second hand?" Regulus looked over at Remus "Er... no offense"
"None taken" muttered Remus, who tugged at the fraying sleeve of his ratty jumper, which was not, by the way, second hand. Granted it was three years old, stretched to buggery and patched in about six different places but it was not second hand. Regulus smiled apologetically and continued
"Anyway, you won't even have money to buy second hand. You'll be on the streets" Sirius curled his lip. Regulus clearly unable to see Sirius was winding him up. Well, at least that's what Remus thought he was doing.
"I'd rather be on the streets than in that house, with those two"
"Who do you mean?"
"Who
the fuck do you think I mean?"
"... oh" Regulus creased his
brow and stared up at Sirius. A mixture of worry and adoration etched
on to his face. He frowned "So... you'd just leave me then?...
Leave me with them"
"Well Regulus, I don't know " Sirius scoffed "you're obviously the favourite"
"Now I'm the favourite! I wasn't for..." Regulus gave a frustrated groan and huffed
"Regulus, do you have any idea what Mother did to me this summer?"
"Choking curse." He said bluntly "The same one she used on me since I was five" he snapped. Sirius bit at his bottom lip and tugged his brother's down collar. The skin on his neck was paler than the rest and seemed almost leathery.
"Fucking hell Reg" There was a long silence while the brother's exchanged various meaningful looks, between Sirius staring at Regulus's neck. Remus couldn't help but feeling he was intruding on something terribly private so much so, Remus was about to excuse himself when Regulus raised a hand a placed it on Sirius's arm,
"Please don't do anything stupid."
"Define
stupid"
"Don't talk about politics. Don't talk about
muggles and don't play your bloody music"
"Rather difficult considering mother blew up my record player" Sirius pouted
"To be fair, you were asking for it"
"Don't side with her!"
"That reminds me, don't answer them back, don't argue"
"I'll argue all I fucking want"
"For the love of Merlin Sirius! Just hold your tongue. For once in your life, hold your fucking tongue." Sirius grimaced at Regulus, who was giving him a beseeching look that bordered on pathetic.
"I don't see why I should"
"Do it for me" said Regulus quietly. "Please." Sirius rolled his eyes, his scowl barely shifting at all. "Oh... never mind" muttered Regulus, flashing Remus a haughty look before striding down the corridor.
"FINE!" called Sirius. Regulus turned on his heel and ran back. He threw his arms round Sirius's neck and pulled back, blushing furiously before running off again. Sirius stood staring off at the wall for a moment.
"Well...
this evening has certainly been eventful" he clapped his hands
together and put his arm round Remus "Fancy a drink?"
"Good
God, yes"
*
"Oow" groaned Sirius as he woke up the next morning rubbing his head, feeling as if there were hundreds of tiny men trying to drill their way out of his skull. Accept they weren't using drills, they were using rusty spoons and cork screws and awful medieval things that his Grandfather kept up in the attic. And judging by the surrounding noises, Peter was still sleeping and James was also in some sort of pain, but Remus was nowhere to be heard or seen. Sirius didn't dare expose his tender eyes to daylight, keeping them tight shut.
"What happened last night?" he asked, blindly groping for his wand, in the hope he might remember some kind of headache curing charm
"... drink" muttered James, there was a decidedly female groan and a mutter of
"I think I'm going to be sick" the girl mumbled getting up with a rustle and heavy stomps. Followed by a delightful wretch
"Watch for Remus, he's had his head in the toilet for two hours" called James listlessly
"It's okay!" answered the girl's voice "I got it in the sink!" the tap went, and there was gargling and more footsteps thudded.
"Can you put some clothes on please?" asked James
"Oh yeah, who's going to care? We spent the night together, Fatty's unconscious, Lupin's bent and based on the position I saw them in when I woke up earlier on to be sick, so is Black."
"True. Don't put clothes on then, I don't mind" he chuckled and the sheets rustled again. Sirius cleared his throat, just managing to squawk out
"Who are you and what position did you find us in?"
"Yumiko Carolyn Cheng, surprisingly energetic blow job" she said sounding fairly impressed. "I'll keep quiet about it on the condition you do the same for me"
"Right O... erm... are you still naked?" Sirius asked, wincing in preparation for the answer.
"M'under the covers" she mumbled. Sirius smirked and stepped out of the bed, to find he hadn't changed out of the clothes he'd been wearing the previous night. The dorm looked as if it had been hit by about six bombs. Clothes and books, empty bottles and various other knick-knacks now carpeted the floor. Sirius tripped the minute his feet touched the floor.
"What the fuck!" he snapped, at no one in particular "What the fucking fuck!"
"I have no idea" muttered James. Sirius looked up at his friend who was lying in bed with his arm around Cheng. His hair was actually just vertical and his face was smeared with Cheng's lipstick. At least he hoped it was Cheng's lipstick. Cheng was looking equally dishevelled, her hair sticking out at all angles, traces of vomit clinging to her lips.
Sirius massaged his temples and screwed his eyes shut, he groaned and sat on his bed.
"Accio, my stuff" and from the pile on the floor, his things separated and flew over to him at such a speed that Sirius had to jump, far faster than his aching muscles would want him to, across to Remus's bed
"That's my things sorted" he grinned and wandered into the bathroom, where Remus was moaning, muttering and on his knees, head lolling into the toilet
"You alright love?" snorted Sirius
"I have over indulged. And I am poorly" he muttered, not lifting his head.
"I don't suppose you have absolutely any idea what we did last night?"
"I remember you talking to Regulus. I remember him telling you to Hold your tongue because your mum was going to throw you out. I remember you suggesting we get a drink, then it's blank" Reus mumbled hoarsely.
"Yeah... pretty much the same here" Sirius leant against the sink, "I don't suppose you remember any head ache charms do you"
"... ngh"
"Was that a yes ngh or a no ngh?"
"... ngh"
"Bollocks"
"Have
a glass of water... and please be quieter" he moaned before being
sick again. He whined rather pathetically and finally flopped back
from the toilet after flushing it, whining again when his head made a
dull thud on the tiles "O-o-w"
"Merlin's beard!" Sirius
laughed, when he saw Remus's face.
"Do I really look that rough?"
"No it's not that... well, you do... but..." he snorted laughing
"What?"
"You've got a beard" he snorted again.
"What?" Remus sprung into a sitting position and looked as if he instantly regretted it, he raised a hand to the short but thick auburn stubble on his face "This is ridiculous... I barely even shave" he stood, groaning as he did and stumbled over to the bathroom mirror "Fuck me..."
"Has it got something to do with the testosterone... with the wolf reaching maturity?" asked Sirius. Remus glared
"Oh, no shit Sherlock." He snapped, his face softening in an instant "Sorry!"
"um... no problem... I'll erm... go and ask James if he remembers the charm" Sirius said quietly, making sure to close the door quietly behind him.
A/N:Bloody hell we're on chapter 40... I am incredibly sorry for the amount of time it has taken me to update this! I've been busy and tired and would've much rather been writing fan fic.
On the Brightside, Me and a few other girls from the R/S ship have started a podcast in association with www. Blacklupin .org
Which you can download at http://www. Mediafire .com/ ?mnzkymceynw
Obviously you have to take the spaces out :P
Thanks for reading and reviewing etc :D I love you all!
