Chapter 56 – Living Together

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Only a month after they moved in, Sirius and James bought and installed two Quidditch posts in the garden. Living with six under one roof, well Izzie was prepared for the worst, but it went more smoothly than anyone would have thought. The house was big enough so that everyone could escape to their own quarters. Their own room, the library, the garden.

Remus, Lily and Regulus were often found in the library with their noses in a book. Even though Regulus loved the library, he was even more at home on a broom which Izzie still couldn't get. But here they were again. Regulus, James, Sirius and Evan were playing two-on-two while Izzie and Remus were cuddled up in a hammock between two trees, and Lily and Barty were playing chutes and ladders. Barty scowled when he fell back down a chute again much to Lily's delight.

"Your boyfriend looks really good up there." Izzie grinned as Remus pursed his lips at her. It was a warm day, and Reg and James played skins, while Evan and Sirius were wearing a wife beater, showing off their firm arms. Reg looked extremely pale next to James, but he was lean and fit. "He should strut around shirtless more often. Hey!" She called when Remus pinched her arm. "A girl can look, alright." She laughed.

"It would be kind of weird if you didn't find him attractive since they look so much alike." Remus mused as he looked at the flying men above them.

"So, what you are saying is -" She pushed herself up, leaning on Remus's chest, grinning. "- that you find Sirius hot."

"I - no, Izzie – I." He shook his head flustered. Izzie let her head fall on his chest, laughing hysterically. "You are awful."

"Oh, you love me." She grinned and kissed his cheek.

"Oi!" Sirius called down. "You already have a boyfriend, you know."

Remus and Izzie laughed as James tossed the quaffle at his head. "Was he talking to you or me?" Remus asked, still grinning wildly.

"I have no idea." Izzie's eyes were wet from laughing. Her eyes scanned the flying boys again. "James and Reg seemed to get along."

"Yeah." He smiled softly. "They never really got to know each other before but now – well living together makes it nearly impossible not to." He chuckled. "Quidditch was an in when it comes to those two."

"Who would have thought." She snorted. "Has he had any nightmares lately?"

"No big ones. He stirs in his sleep a lot, but I can calm him down quite fast. He hasn't told Sirius though."

"I figured." Her eyes followed Sirius for a moment. "They are getting along really well, but I think that's still a step too far for Reg. One step at a time, I guess. They haven't hugged either, there has been more physical contact between them, like playful bumping and a bit of roughhousing but other than that... I think they will get there. They just have to get to know each other again."

"Once Reg is finished with school, they will have enough time."

"How are you feeling? About Reg going back to school next month?"

"I'm trying not to think about it, not just yet." He looked somber but then turned to her with a little smile. "But thanks to you, we have a whole schedule to meet up."

"What are best friends for than to help you get laid." She smirked up at him.

"Izzie!" Remus barked out a laugh so loud the others all turned to them. Izzie could help but beam at him, just for seeing so him so happy.

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Alright, alright. Everything will be just fine. Remus said to himself as he and Regulus apparated to Diagon Alley to get Reggie's things. Reg was squeezing his hand so firmly it would have bruised if it wasn't for his werewolf strength.

"Do you want me to get Izzie? Or Sirius?"

"No." Regulus shook his head as his eyes scanned the crowd. "Isabelle's taking Sirius flying as a surprise. I won't ruin that for him."

"We can come back another day, if you want." He rubbed circles on the back of his hand.

"No, it will be fine. We waited long enough. School starts in a week, can't really wait any longer. I doubt my parents are lurking in the shadows of Diagon Ally every day." He smiled a little, but Remus could hear he wasn't sure.

"Alright, let's make the most of it." He lifted their intertwined hands, and he kissed his knuckles softly. "Flourish & Blotts first?"

Regulus nodded and Remus guided him through the crowd excitedly, their hands firmly clasped together. Remus smiled like a love sick puppy as he saw his boyfriend instantly relax between the rows and rows of books. They got to Diagon Alley early, just because he knew Reg would spend at least two hours in the bookshop, not that he minded, he needed some new books himself. And he just loved seeing him surrounded by piles of books, almost hidden behind them. He looked so carefree and young. There were no worry lines or frowns, just a secret smile that tugged on his lips. A far cry from the smirks he send people years ago. That was all Izzie's doing. She literally hit him over the head and scolded him when he called a first year a mudblood. He never said it again. Not even Sirius managed to do that, no matter how hard he tried. Remus figured he needed to do something for Izzie because if it wasn't for her, he would never have found the love of his life. The love of his life. It hit him like a stray bludger, almost making him trip over his own feet. He knew he loved him, he was so in love with him, his heartbeat fastened just from the thought of him. But now.. now he knew he was the one for him and nobody could take his place, nobody. He stumbled forward and crashed to his knees before he cupped his cheeks and kissed him with so much passion, he almost apparated them right to the bedroom. Regulus, surprised at first, tugged on his collar and pulled him closer, almost on top of him. Thank Merlin they were hidden by piles of books.

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He heard a scream. It was so fierce and penetrating, it made him freeze. He knew that scream, he hasn't heard it for years, but he knew. Izzie bolted up from his arms and before his eyes were fully open, she had bounded out the room. Sirius jumped out of bed and followed his girlfriend to the hallway. He saw her caramel brown hair disappear in Remus and Reggie's room. The screaming was still filling the house. Sirius froze in the doorway. His little brother was trashing in the bed, his arms dangerously waving around. His eyes were still closed but his face was strained. Remus was sitting beside him helplessly, his face pale... except from a new bruise on his cheek.

"I - I can't calm him down. He won't wake up. Izzie." Remus was close to tears, he was shaking all over. Lily and James walked in, but Sirius was still rooted in the spot, he couldn't move. Seeing his brother like that, the fact that he didn't knew... James walked past him and pulled Remus from the bed, wrapping him in his arms.

"IZZIE!" He screamed. "NO!"

"Reg." Izzie's voice was soft. "Reggie." She managed to grab a hold of his wrists and forced them down.

"NO! Don't hurt her!" Regulus screamed. "I will kill you!" Sirius swallowed at the fierceness in his voice. He really would kill anyone that would hurt Izzie.

"Reggie! I'm here, I'm okay." Izzie tried to soothe him. "They are not hurting me. I'm safe, we're safe."

He seemed to calm down a little. Izzie slid in the bed next to him, cradling him to her chest as she whispered things to him, he couldn't hear. Regulus hands clutched on her shirt, tears rolling down his cheeks. Izzie's eyes locked with his, her eyes were sad and knowing.

"Sirius, love." Her voice was quiet and still had the soothing tone in it. "Can you get the dittany?" Her eyes flickered to Remus, who was still in James's arms, the bruise already becoming darker.

"I'll go." Lily said before she slipped out of the room.

Sirius stumbled closer to Izzie and Reg, his knees shaking badly. He fell to the floor next to the bed. Izzie's free hand that wasn't caressing Regulus head, wiped the tears away that were falling down his cheeks, he didn't even know he was crying.

"Oh, Reg." Sirius voice was thick with emotion as he put his hand over his brother's.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Remus said through his own tears. "Normally I can calm him – but -"

"It's not your fault." Sirius and Izzie said in unison.

"He'll be okay." Izzie continued, as her fingers combed through his hair. "He's strong."

Lily had come back in and was softly spreading the dittany on Remus's bruise. The colour was retreating almost immediately. "Why are the dreams getting worse?" Remus asked once Lily was done.

"The dream was about Izzie. Maybe – maybe because he's going back to Hogwarts alone, that he can't see her every day, to make sure she's okay, is what makes it worse."

"I'll talk to him in the morning. Make a plan so he can know that I'm okay. But maybe you and Lily can make some sleeping potions for him." Her eyes found Sirius.

"Anything." He whispered; his heart was still pounding in his chest. Did they tell everything that happened that night in Grimmauld place? Regulus, he sounded like he was afraid she would die...

"Is there something we can do?" Lily asked as she stood at the end of the bed.

"No." He saw Izzie shake her head lightly. "You should go to bed; I'll stay with him."

"Come get us the moment you need something, alright." James said as he wrapped his arms around Lily.

"I will. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." The couple retreated to their room.

"I'll go make us some tea." Remus said and swiftly walked out of the room, but Sirius could see the tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Why didn't he tell me?"

"He- he didn't want to be a burden. I know -" She said as he started to open his mouth. "You would never think it's a burden, but Reg does. He loves you so much, Sirius. He just wants you to be proud of him, and I think telling you would make him look weak. And he just wants to be strong and confident as his big brother. Talk to him tomorrow, okay? Talk to him about everything and nothing, you two will figure it out." She reached over to squeeze his hand. "You should go to sleep, love."

"I'm not leaving." He leaned forward and kissed her softly. The way her lips felt against his, made him instantly relax. He pulled back with a relieved smile and a little sigh. He gave her a wink before turning into Padfoot. He always loved her amused expression when he turned into the big, black, shabby dog. He hopped on the bed and laid down at their feet, his large head rested on Regulus's ankles. A few minutes later, Remus walked back in. His eyes were red, but the tears were gone. He had a tray with four cups and a full teapot with steam coming out. He sat down and filled three of the cups, handing one to Izzie and setting one in front of Sirius, who licked it carefully, before he drank one of his own. Ten minutes later, after the tea was gone, Remus scooted down and turned to face Izzie and Reg. Regulus was still curled up against Izzie, his fist still on her shirt, but his face was relaxed, and his breathing had calmed down. Moony put his hand on Reg's waist and Reg turned a little closer to Moony, but not far enough to let go of Izzie. Sirius saw how Moony intertwined his fingers with his little brother's and that's how they fell asleep. Reg on Izzie's chest, Remus behind him with intertwined fingers and Sirius at their feet.

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The next day Sirius and Regulus talked for hours in the library. Reg told them about the nightmares he's been having for years, some worse than others. He told him what the reason was when they get really bad, like last night. That was because he was so afraid to see his parents at Diagon Alley to take him away, or that they would put their anger on Izzie the nightmare worsened. Lily and Sirius made enough sleeping potions in the next few days that will last until Christmas. Izzie made him promise to send a fire message every morning and evening when he was at Hogwarts, but that was a small price to pay for him, especially if it would help him not to have any nightmares. It wasn't long before school would start and reality kicked in. Just a few days of utter bliss and denial, just a few days of playing Quidditch in the garden, reading together in the library or BBQ'en in the evening sun.