Remus and Sirius were staring at each other with equally dumbfounded faces. The last thing Lupin expected was for his best friend to show up at 4:00 in the morning, staggering like a drunk and giving away everything he'd managed to learn from the Pensieve of Maya Granger. Moreover, she seemed to the werewolf a more intelligent and reasonable witch, who definitely would not involve the reckless Black in such complex matters as salvation-altering reality.
Remus was flattered that Hermione had opened up to him, the only one of them all. Of course, he understood that the witch was desperate, that she needed friends or at least allies, because such a load of problems could not be endured alone, but he also understood her Slytherin strategy. To be honest, he didn't care. If one-hundredth of what Granger had told him was true, then he certainly had nothing to lose.
"So you knew? Knew and kept quiet?" Sirius clenched his fists. Remus didn't raise an eyebrow.
"Well, let's say I did, and so what?"
"How is that? You're a traitor, Moony, that's what! After all these years, you didn't give a damn about our friendship and ran after someone you don't know because she beckoned you with a vial of a shimmering potion!"
Remus leaned forward. Black was slightly tipsy, in shock and despair, thinking badly, and such a Sirius should have been kept away from people and explosive objects so that he would not do trouble. In fact, that was exactly the kind of Pads that managed to chase Wormtail and end up straight in Azkaban... From Remus' point of view, absolutely nothing surprising.
"You're easy to punish, my flea-ridden friend," Lupin replied calmly, carefully examining his comrade. "Have you forgotten how they locked me in a cage under The Willow so that I wouldn't tear people apart? And you secretly dragged pies for me from the kitchens? And then Prongs stole a book from McGonagall about animagi and you wasted a year of your life before you learned to transform properly?"
Sirius quieted down in shame and lowered his head. Remus looked at him impassively and closed his eyes: the full moon was approaching. Blake, as usual, showed up at the wrong time.
"Here, and you say, "potion"... Yes, if even a fraction of a percent will help me remain a man and not a bloodthirsty creature, then I agree."
"You don't know anything about her!"
"Just like you, and yet you made up with your brother, apologized to your mother, pulled your cousin out of Tom Riddle's lair, and what are you doing there at four AM? Oh yes, welcome. Why?"
"Do I know? She saved my brother! I don't know why she does it! Maybe she truly wants to ingratiate herself with us..."
"Stop, Pads! To us? Do you already consider yourself a pureblood den? And who recently, foaming at the mouth, proved to me that Gryffindor and only scarlet banners are the essences? Now what? Did you run under your mother's skirt?"
Sirius glared at his friend, ready to rush into battle, but saw the mockery in Remus' eyes and waved his hand at him.
"You are a fool, Moony!"
Remus shrugged.
"Exactly the same as you. Why did you come to me at four in the morning?"
"Where was I to run? Wake Prongs in the middle of the night? So he will do as Lily says, and she seems to have reconciled with Snivellus, and the two of them are brewing medical potions for Reggie. He's good now, damn him! Or to the Wormtail? To avenge an unfulfilled future? Or to my parents? The father obviously knows more than he prefers to spread. Or Alice and Frank? Two crazy Aurors, you know what they'll do to her without even sorting it out? What are we going to do, Moony?!"
Remus winced at the harsh sounds. He terribly wanted to cover his head with a pillow or throw it at Black.
"Don't yell, it's sickening already! What do you want from me? Figure it out yourself first, and then make plans."
"You tell me! I believe her, sort of, and I do not believe her at the same time."
"And what do we have to lose? And you yourself saw the memories, you need to have a very high level of Legillimency in order to alternate the memories already taken."
"Do you know what shields she has?"
"Almost the same as yours!"
Sirius snorted.
"The Blacks have been taught Occlumency since childhood. And she's obviously a Muggleborn."
"What, Pads, purebred nonsense again?" Remus arched an eyebrow. Sirius showed him an obscene gesture.
"You are a pureblood. The kettle calls the cauldron, just so you know."
"Perhaps, I just like to irritate you, then you start to think."
"Sod off, you know? Tell me what to do."
"Talk to Lily..."
"Absolutely not! If everyone knows who Maya really is, then what is the point of her whole operation?"
"But we have Horcruxes to destroy. And there are no people who want a place in Tom's camp and under Dumbledore's skirt."
Sirius laughed and patted the armrests.
"Let's start with the Horcruxes. I'll talk to my parents, they know more about the Dark Arts than I do."
Remus smiled contentedly. Sirius grew worried.
"Speak up already, Remus! What did you think?"
"So far, nothing. For now, I'm just speculating what would happen if Maya's potion worked. At Hogwarts, I remember, the position of Defense teacher is still vacant, huh?"
"And Lils dreams of applying to the Obstetrics Department at Mungo's..."
"And what is this to us for?"
"Because Narcissa Malfoy can't get pregnant, and her husband, Lucius, is Tom's right-hand man. And he certainly has some artifacts at his disposal. Maybe not Horcruxes, but something important too. It is necessary to help Narssi to owe Maya a Life-Debt and, according to the laws of pureblood magic, to reclaim the debt."
Remus just shook his head in disbelief.
"What kind of Gryffindor are you, tell me?"
Sirius scratched the back of his head.
"Well, I bargained with the Hat, threatened it that I would sneak into Dumbledore's office at night and definitely burn it if it herded me to the serpents."
"Terrible man, you, Sirius, terrible and quick-tempered. Did you see what it got you into?"
"Haven't done it yet."
"Keep you going in the same way, and you will achieve your goal."
"Back off, Moony, you're like my mother."
"Why do you keep talking about your family?"
"Maybe I finally realized? Maybe I'm not such an idiot as you all think? Maybe I'm glad that Reggie is alive and well. Do you think I didn't worry that my whole family was going to hell when at first Reg disappeared, then Bella got involved in this story with the Death Eaters, then my mother stopped even sending me Howlers, and Narcissa kept going to the healers and had already lost two children?! Do you think this doesn't apply to me? I am the bloody Head of the Family! And I feel it too, Moony! Everyone feels it like you feel your Pack!"
"So what are you talking about again? I, too, am glad that you have finally come to your senses before it is too late. And admit it, you like her, this Maya, whoever she is, well?"
"Hell, but I do! Bring me a drink! Yes, I like her, she is crazy and stubborn, she has seen a lot in her life and she has a great right hook!"
"Just like Marlin. How are you doing with her, by the way?"
"You know how to jump from topic to topic, Moony! No way, I'm going to persuade you to accompany me to the ball the other day."
"A werewolf amongst the purebloods? You're crazy!"
" I am the Head of the Family! I can order them around."
"You are not the Head yet."
"But I promised my father that I would become one if they let me be with Marlene."
"Oh, Sirius, when will you grow wiser? Your ancestors load you with magic that has no equal, and you're all about girls?"
"No one's perfect, Moony, but I'm trying desperately," Sirius beamed, luring a bottle of cheap beer from the fridge.
Remus threw a pillow at him and closed his eyes.