[-OOD MAKES HASTE *crackle* -HIND SMITH WHO SEEMS TO BE NONE THE WISER AND- OH! ASHWOOD'S GOT THE QUAFFLE!]
Sirius brushed his shoulder length curly brown hair silently while standing in front of a circular mirror placed above a hardwood dresser. It had a soft light behind it, making it easier for Sirius to revel in his own vanity. The Quidditch match featuring The Fitchburg Finches against the Haileybury Hammers echoed from their small radio into the dimly lit room.
'Damn those Aurors' he thought upon hitting a knot in his messy hair. 'Making me look presentable- bloody hell does an Auror have to look presentable for? This isn't a fashion show. Now a Lorcan D'eath concert, that's a different story.' He smirked as he pulled his wild curls into a tight bun at the back of his head.
[-RECOVERS FROM THAT STUNT AND SEEMS TO BE GAINING ON ASHWOOD BUT NOT BEFORE *crackle* CAN-]
A loud cheer boomed through the crackly radio on their nightstand. Remus Lupin let out an annoyed groan from where he was sleeping on the bed metres away from it.
[TEN POINTS FOR THE FITCHBURG FINCHES! BOY DO THE HAILEYBURY HAMMERS LOOKED TICKED OFF! CAP *crackle* -AIN ALISON GRETZKY SEEMS TO BE PUTTING THE TEAM TOGETHER FOR ONE *crackle* -THEIR MOST FAMOUS PLAYS, LET'S SEE IF-]
"Sirius for the love of Merlin turn it off." Remus mumbled exasperatedly, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and raising his body a bit to look at his partner.
The two of them were staying in one of New York's finest hotels for magical folk: Delacour Tower. It wasn't as grand as Grimmauld Place, (that was always too much for Sirius honestly) but just a step below on that scale. It was a tall building disguised as a 'felecommunications' company to muggles- Sirius didn't really know what felecommunications were but Remus explained to him it was the muggle equivalent of a two way mirror. It was sort of funny to him that the muggles would need a whole business for that, honestly.
The hotels in New York were much different than that of Britain's hotels, in that it had much more softer, open and modern design. Sirius and Remus's room was a fairly comfortable one with a king sized bed in the middle against the wall, two mahogany nightstands next to it, and a dresser at the left of the room where a mirror was also held. Tall wooden doors were at the right side of the room that led to a bathroom and a telly sat across from the bed by their front door. Not that they had any time to spend watching it, though.
Since the middle of May the pair had been working endlessly with five other American and British Aurors to catch a group of dark wizards that had escaped the Ministry's clutches. They had found them in Bulgaria by the end of the month but narrowly escaped the lot after they had tried to blow their Division up in a decrepit cave. After that ordeal, the lot of them apparently made their way to New York which was why Sirius and Remus were now stationed there. Sirius did like Auror work- it was what him, James and Remus had always dreamed of doing as kids- but honestly, he was getting rather tired.
He wanted to go back to teaching at Hogwarts and watching his godson grow up; which he completely missed out on doing due to the fact the bloody ministry thought he had betrayed his best friends which lead them to their death. He thanked Merlin every day that they caught Peter and poured veritaserum down his throat to find out the truth on who actually betrayed Lily and James. It made him sick for years that others thought he was a cold blooded killer and betrayer; it made him even sicker though that Remus had stayed on the run with him since James and Lily died. He never wanted his boyfriend to live such a life, but in the end he was happy he had him by his side on cold, sleepless nights spent in abandoned houses and forest floors.
"They're in the finals though, Moon." Sirius replied as he put his battered brown hairbrush onto the top of the dresser.
"Who the hell cares?! It's American teams!" Remus exclaimed, putting a pillow over his head.
Sirius grinned at his boyfriend. He walked over to the bed quickly and jumped on him, earning a loud 'oof' from the other man.
"Sirius- ge'off!" He yelled in annoyance. "We have one more hour to sleep- bloody utilize it!"
Sirius straddled his hip while Remus lay curled into a fetal position; pulling the white comforter around him tighter and covering his face with it.
"Sleep is for the weak, Mr. Lupin." He said cheekily and Remus snorted.
"I'm weak then. Get off."
Sirius rolled his eyes and pulled the blanket slightly to get a view of Remus's face. His almond eyes were closed with his eyebrows tightly together and his heart-shaped lips were pulled into a frustrated frown. 'Always so adorable- even when he's angry.' Sirius thought as he pecked his cheek lovingly and got off of his boyfriend's sleepy form.
"Yeah sure, Moony."
He walked over to the radio going to turn off the Quidditch match that he was guessing was won by the American team from all the loud cheers. Just as he turned the plastic knob though, a knock came at the door.
"Bloody hell!" Remus exclaimed, sitting up quickly.
"We got in at two a.m., does no one in this department sleep?!"
Sirius laughed at all the adorable tufts of brown hair sticking up at random places on Remus's head and the disgruntled expression he so clearly held on his weathered face.
"I'll get it, love. Don't go all mental now; you know how much they love early rising here."
"It's seven am, Sirius! I've slept only four hours! How do you expect me to go a week combing the Norvan State Forest if I haven't slept?!"
Sirius rolled his eyes at his partner's dramatic tone and walked over to their hotel room door. 'He's gonna lose it if it's housekeeping' he thought with a slight smirk.
Upon opening the hardwood door, his eyebrows raised at the sight of their Head Auror, Matias Lopez. He wore his usual day garb (he always did, as to completely blend with the muggles) which was a blue dress shirt and dark blue suit jacket coupled with a pair of black dress pants.
"Good morning, Black." He said with a kind smile.
He was a rather tall man with curly brown hair, thick eyebrows, thin mouth and soft face. He honestly looked like a muggle professor instead of MACUSA's head Auror while dressed in those clothes- but he played his part well. So far, he was the strongest wizard Sirius knew in the America's. But what was strange was that he was standing in their hotel; he never made contact with the pair unless it was absolutely dire, usually choosing to speak by owl or through their Captain, Mrs. Byeol Kim.
"Good Morning, Sir! To what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked politely, trying to hide the surprise painted on his face.
"I received a letter from a Professor Snape of Hogwarts School requesting you two return to Britain immediately- something about family matters?"
Sirius's heart fell to his stomach almost immediately. It was then he noticed the piece of parchment in Matias Lopez's hand.
"Wha- May I, sir?" He outstretched his hand for the letter quickly and the other wizard nodded while giving it to him.
Sirius began to read the letter over with darting eyes; Severus Snape's handwriting boring into him.
"The man made it seem that this is really important, so I can relieve you two of your current duties if need be."
July 22nd, 1993
To Mr. Matias Lopez,
My name is Severus Snape and I am a professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am writing today to ask you if you could alert Sirius Black and Remus Lupin in Division 43 of dire family matters that need to be attended to as soon as possible. Please inform them that I am at The Burrow in Ottery St. Catchpole as is their godson, Harry Potter and am needing them to return as soon as they get this message.
Best regards,
Severus Snape
"Remus." Sirius breathed out fearfully.
He heard Remus get out of bed and pull on his royal blue cloak that hung on the bedpost.
"What is it? What's wrong?"
Sirius looked up to his Head Auror. The man stood looking at the two with raised eyebrows.
"We need to leave now, sir. I'm so-"
Matias put up a hand.
"Say no more. I completely understand, Black. Could I arrange you two a portkey to this… 'burrow'?" He asked with a slight chuckle at the end of his sentence and Sirius quickly nodded.
"Meet in my office at The Woolworth Building in half an hour, then?" The wizard asked and Sirius nodded again with a hasty thank you before slamming the door shut and running to the dresser.
"What is it? What's in the letter? Is it Harry?" Remus prodded in concern, grabbing the letter off the bed as Sirius threw it on the plush comforter.
"Obviously the git didn't tell us anything more but he wouldn't be writing unless some- WHERE IS MY BLOODY WAND?" Sirius yelled as he through clothing item after clothing item out of their hotel dresser and bent to search around their nightstands.
Sirius felt like he was going to vomit. He was so mad at Severus for not telling him what had happened to Harry in the letter. He was also livid that it had been five days since that letter was written.
'Dire family matters?!' he thought angrily. 'That could mean anything!'
"Pads, calm down. Here." Sirius turned around swiftly and let out a quick 'thank you' as his wand was given to him.
He went about the room using it to pack their things while Remus got dressed rapidly. Sirius's mind went to the worst possible conclusions as he accio'd his garments into his tattered brown suitcase- loss of limb, head injury, illness; all of it was making his head spin. Ever since Harry left Lily's womb he loved the lad to pieces- even when he was still covered in that gross goo Lily informed him was 'vernix caseosa'; whatever the hell that meant, he adored him. He remembered the moment Harry was born fondly with ease and had vowed right then and there that nothing bad would ever happen to him. He felt unbelievably guilty that he hadn't been able to prove himself innocent sooner and watch Harry grow up and felt even guiltier he left him this summer- seeing as he apparently needed him there for reasons that was terrifyingly unknown to Sirius.
"Have everything?" Sirius asked breathlessly as he threw his black cloak on, buttoning it at the top.
Remus nodded; looking around the room once more as he grabbed both their suitcases.
"Let's go." Sirius stated thickly, pushing the door open with a swift spell and running through the frame with great haste.