Since their first year at Hogwarts, before they discovered Remus' secret - before they were The Marauders, and long before the two of them realized that they were in love with each other, Sirius had never liked being away from Remus.

At first, he had chalked it up to the mystery and curiosity of where his strange roommate with the wild eyes kept disappearing. When Remus would leave for days at a time, Sirius would spend hours wondering what he was doing and where he had gone to the point where James and Peter would hex his mouth shut, tired of his obsessive chatter.

After that, it was worry. Before the discovery, Sirius was terrified that something – or more to the point, someone – was hurting his poor, sickly-looking friend and he felt this dire need deep inside of him to protect Remus. Once he learned the truth, the worry remained. After all, it was someone who was hurting Remus. It was Remus himself.

As the years went on and the four of them grew closer - much closer than any of them had ever imagined - it turned into something different entirely. They would all return to their respective homes for the holidays and, of course, Sirius missed his friends. He missed Peters' late-night snack runs and his ability to make every dull moment more entertaining with even the simplest ideas. He obviously missed James. James was his brother and his other half. You never saw one without the other. He missed plotting with him, sneaking out to the Quidditch pitch in the middle of the night to practice dangerous tricks on their brooms when there was no one around to tell them not to. He missed lying awake until four in the morning discussing completely absurd topics like whether or not garden gnomes lived in family units… did they fall in love and marry other gnomes? Did they decide they wanted to start a family and find their own garden to inhabit?

But the way he missed Remus was always different. Thinking about him made Sirius' chest ache and his stomach would tie up in knots. He'd lie awake at night trying to remember the precise color of the werewolf's eyes. He'd fall asleep replaying every time he heard Remus Lupin laugh in his head.

Once they became a couple, it all made complete sense. Sirius would spend the first few weeks of the summer pining dramatically over how much he missed his beloved Moony and driving James nearly insane until Remus would finally arrive to stay with them for a few weeks.

But this…

This was far worse.

And they weren't even apart yet.

"Hate to leave you…" Sirius' voice was muffled as he kissed his way up Remus' neck. "I can't stand the thought of you alone for the full moon."

Remus' fingers stroked lazily through Sirius' hair as he lay back on the bed, trying to distract himself from the ache in his bones with the way Sirius' mouth and hands felt on him.

"I know, Pads. I'm not exactly thrilled about being locked up alone in the basement either."

Sirius made a distressed sort of sound into the crook of Remus' neck and Remus sighed. "You know you can't stay, Sirius. My parents can't know that you're an animagus and if you stay and you're not able to be with me…" he shuddered. "I think that would be worse for both of us… Knowing you're so close but not having you beside me. You understand, don't you?"

Sirius nodded. He did understand. He knew that would indeed be far worse for them both. He still didn't like it.

Remus kissed the top of his head, nuzzling his hair and inhaling the scent of his mate. "I'll be at James' in three days. No time at all."

"Feels like a lifetime," Sirius sulked.

Remus nodded. It really did. "I know."

When the time came for Sirius to leave the Lupin Cottage later that afternoon, the two of them stood, locked in a tight embrace in front of the fireplace for what felt like an eternity. It was as if they couldn't let go of each other or they would have the very life sucked right out of them. Eventually, they did, and to no surprise, they survived it, and with one final kiss goodbye, Sirius Flooed back to the Potter's.

—-

James noticed right away that there was something off when Sirius returned home.

"Everything's alright, isn't it?" He asked as they lay out in the grass behind the house, throwing a Quaffle back and forth lazily. "I mean… Moony's mum… she didn't-"

"No! Merlin, no, of course not," Sirius assured him quickly. He ran a hand through his hair anxiously. "I just hate leaving him alone during the moon, you know?"

James raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing that that was the only thing troubling his best friend about being away from Remus. "And?" He threw the quaffle back to Sirius, who caught it with one hand. "He's alone every moon during the summer."

"And it always bothers me."

"You seem more than bothered."

Sirius groaned and tossed the ball back to James with a little more force. "If you don't stop being so nosy, I'm going to start calling you Snivellus."

"Yikes, low blow Padfoot. Sorry, I asked."

Sirius sighed and sat up, shaking the grass out of his hair. "Everything went great. More than great, really…" He smiled a little. "His parents were really cool about us. They like me, I think-"

"Strange."

"Shut up." Sirius rolled his eyes, reaching into his pocket for his cigarettes. "Moony got to have some quality time with his mum and… we did it."

James snorted. "You 'did it'? What are you a thirteen-year-old girl?"

Sirius didn't answer. He had always talked to James about things between him and Remus, even if sometimes James insisted he really didn't want to know. This seemed different though. It seemed more personal and intimate between just the two of them.

James watched closely as Sirius lit his cigarette and inhaled deeply. Suddenly, realization hit and his eyes went wide.

"Oh! You mean 'IT'? Moony finally caved?"

Sirius coughed. "He did not cave, you prat. It's just, the time was right, that's all." He rubbed the spot on his neck where a silvery pink scar had started to form. The corner of his lip twitched upwards, memories from that night rushing back into his head.

James laughing loudly broke him from his thoughts and he glared at his friend.

"What the hell, Potter!" Sirius picked up the forgotten quaffle and chucked it at James' head, narrowly missing as James ducked and rolled out of the way.

"So, what, now you and Remus are like werewolf-married?"

"You. are. an. idiot," Sirius muttered, shaking his head. "We aren't married! We're just… it's…" He groaned and rubbed his temples. "I can't explain it, alright? It's this crazy strong bond we have now and it's important and meaningful and it would be nice if our best mate could just support us."

James wiped a tear from his eye, still laughing lightly. "I do support you. I always have. I think what you two have is something really special -not something that everyone finds- and I'm really happy for you both."

"Thank you." Sirius raised his head a little higher.

James smirked. "Doesn't mean I won't be calling you Moony's Wife."

"This is why you can't get a girl, you prat," Sirius grumbled irritably, taking a drag of his cigarette. James sighed and rolled onto his stomach in the grass, moving closer.

"So it sucks more to be away from him, that's what you're saying?"

Sirius shrugged. "More or less. I can feel it, you know? Like something's missing."

James nodded understandingly before rising up onto his knees plucking the cigarette from Sirius' lips and taking a puff of it himself. "Let's go out."

Sirius glared at him for a moment. "Out where?"

"I dunno. Out. I'm bored sitting around here every evening and you need a good distraction or you'll be staring out your window at the moon, all brooding and pathetic." He smirked and ran a hand through his hair, messing it up and causing some stray blades of grass to fall. "Let's go into London. Get drunk. Manage some mischief." He stood up and ruffled Sirius' hair until Sirius swatted his hand away. He was grinning though, so that was an improvement.

"Yeah, alright, fine," Sirius agreed, also getting to his feet and brushing the grass off his knee. "Maybe we can finally get you a bird."

"You're an arse."

"You're single."

—-

"Look at them," Bellatrix hissed, sounding somewhere between disgusted and fascinated. "Filthy creatures, all of them."

Regulus frowned and peered out from where they were standing in a dark alley, hidden from the sight of the passing Muggles. Regulus had never really seen real Muggles before, and he was sure his cousins hadn't either, but he had to admit that they didn't look any different than any Wizard he had ever met. He dared not to say anything though.

"This is stupid," muttered Severus beside him. The other boy was leaning against the dirty bricks of the wall with his arms folded and looking completely unamused.

Bellatrix whipped her head around so quickly that the hood of her robes dropped and her wild curls nearly took out Rudolphus' eye and she glared sharply at Severus. "Stupid?" She challenged.

Severus wasn't phased. He shrugged. "Standing around gawking at Muggles like they're an exhibit may be thrilling to you, Black, but this hardly seems productive."

Bellatrix growled and borrowed her eyes angrily. "The Dark Lord-!"

"The Dark Lord wouldn't be impressed by you lurking in the shadows and watching, too afraid to even step out into the streets," Severus interrupted and the others mumbled quietly in agreement. Severus pushed himself off the wall. "I've got better things to do than sit here all night. I'm leaving." His eyes landed on Regulus, raising one eyebrow in a silent inquiry as to whether the younger boy would be joining him.

Regulus licked his lips nervously. He was about to concede and follow Severus back to Diagon Alley when Bellatrix made a frustrated whining sound and stomped her foot.

"I'm not afraid!" She insisted, making Severus stop in his tracks and face her once again, this time with a hint of more interest. Without another word, Bellatrix took a step backward, out of the darkness of the alleyway and into the light of the street lamp on the sidewalk. None of the passing Muggles paid her any mind, though every time one would walk by her, Regulus noticed she would cringe just a little as if she thought they might attack out of nowhere. After a few moments, she gave Severus and the rest of them a smug smirk.

"Well? Aren't the rest of you coming?" She asked, holding her head high and proud. Rudolphus and Rabastian exchanged a quick look before they too stepped out of the alley, and Mulciber and Avery followed them without hesitation.

Regulus stood still, chewing his bottom lip under the expectant gaze of his cousin.

"Well?" Bellatrix said again.

Severus glanced down at him. "We could still leave, you know… we don't have to go with them."

Regulus considered it. Severus was right, no one was forcing him to be here. He could turn and go back home and let his cousin and housemates do whatever it was they planned to do without him. However, the idea of Bellatrix roaming around Muggle London made his stomach clench. What if something happened? Whether he was fond of the girl or not, she was his cousin and after all, he was supposed to be the head of this family someday. He had to make sure she stayed out of harm, didn't he?

Sighing heavily, he gave Severus an apologetic look before he too stepped out onto the sidewalk. Bellatrix cackled gleefully and clapped her hands together.

"Looks like you're on your own, Snape!" She grabbed her hood and pulled it back over her head. "Let's go." And she spun on her heel and started to walk into the crowds of Muggles, followed closely by the others.

Regulus only hesitated for a second, but it was enough to see the look of defeat on Severus' face before he too left the alley and joined the rest of the group.

—-

By the time Sirius and James got to the second bar of the evening, they already had a decent buzz going. James had been right, of course, getting out of the house and trying to have a good time was much better than simply sitting at home and worrying about Remus' transformation, a thought that Sirius was trying to keep in the back of his mind so he could enjoy the night out.

"Next round's on me." He grinned as he and James both set their empty beers down on the bar.

James snorted. "Should be all rounds on you, mate. What with all that money you've still got lying around and no idea what to do with."

Sirius barked a laugh and elbowed his friend in the rib. "Right, like you aren't sitting on a mountain of gold in your inheritance as well."

"Ah, but Messer Padfoot, I have yet to inherit," James smirked. "You've got it all right under your fingertips and absolutely no idea how to use it all. You'll probably end up wasting it all on one of those silly Muggle brooms you're always ogling at-"

"Motorbike, James," Sirius corrected, rolling his eyes. "And for your information, I've got some other ideas as well, thank you very much." He threw down the Muggle money Remus had helped him exchange at the start of the summer and handed James his beer. James took a swig of it and raised an eyebrow, asking him to continue.

Sirius fiddled for a moment with the neck of his bottle. He had had this idea for quite some time, but he hadn't thought it through fully and he wasn't exactly sure how to bring it up to any of his friends. "What are your plans for after school, Prongs?"

James frowned at him, looking confused as he straightened his glasses on his nose. "What d'you mean? I thought we were both going into the Auror Academy together. You haven't changed your mind, have you?"

Sirius shook his head quickly. "No, no, that's not what I meant. I mean like… d'you reckon you'll just keep living with mum and dad for a while or… I dunno… flee the nest?"

James shrugged. "I haven't thought about it, I guess. Why? What were you thinking of doing?"

"I don't think there's much of a choice for me, Prongs. I can't just keep living with your parents-"

"Sirius, don't be ridiculous-"

"I can't, James." Sirius sighed. Then he smiled and forced a laugh. "I don't think I'd want to continue living back with them anyway. I mean, we're adults, aren't we? I was thinking maybe I'd take some of that money and put it down on a flat. Y'know for all of us. Like Gryffindor Common Room 2.0."

James snickered. "You're such an adult that you want to keep sharing a living space with your school roommates?"

Sirius frowned and shoved him. "Prat. Fine, if you want to be that way, you're uninvited. It'll only be me, Moony, and Pete and you'll be jealous of all the fun we have in our super cool flat while you're still living in your childhood bedroom well into your thirties."

James continued to laugh into his beer as he took another sip. "Alright, alright. You're right, Pads. It would be nice for us all to stay together. Especially if you're paying for most of it." He winked and Sirius rolled his eyes again. "Besides," James continued. "I couldn't leave poor Pete alone with you two mutts shagging all the time. Hardly fair."

Sirius felt heat rise in his cheeks but he smirked. "Probably." He hadn't even thought of that part. Living in his own flat where he and Remus could have their own room – theirs – to be able to lock the other marauders out whenever the need arose. He liked the sound of that…

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of giggling girls and he looked up to see that indeed, two of them were standing beside him, batting their eyelashes at him. He smirked. "Hello, ladies."

"Hi," one of them said, looking up through lashes coated with thick mascara and flipping her blonde curls over her shoulder. "I'm Madison, this is Delilah." She nodded to her shorter, brunette friend.

"You're cute," Delilah blurted out between giggles.

Sirius flashed them a winning smile and they both squealed. "I'm Sirius."

"We've never seen you 'round before," Madison observed, eyeing him hopefully.

Sirius shrugged. "Oh, we're not from around here," he lied easily, watching their eyes light up even more. He chuckled, it would be rather cruel to lead the girls on. "Sorry girls, but I'm not on the market."

Madison sighed. "Figures. All the cute ones are always taken or gay."

Sirius nodded gravely. "Seems so. And what rotten luck, as I happen to be both." He smirked.

"Told you!" Delilah exclaimed, smacking her friend on the arm.

"However," Sirius continued, reaching behind himself to grab James' wrist and pulling him over so quickly that the other boy nearly tripped. "My best mate, James here, happens to be quite single and very heterosexual. Right, Jamie?"

James blinked at him for a second, gaping like a fish out of water before he shook himself off and plastered a grin on his face, extending a hand to the girls. "Too right, Sirius. Hey girls, James Potter's the name."

—-

Several hours later they were stumbling out of the bar, laughing.

"I reckon you probably could have gotten both of them," Sirius winked, and James shook his head.

"You're such a dog, Sirius"

"Staggering deduction, Prongs."

Then suddenly there was a loud BANG! And light flashed across the sky. The Muggles, as well as James and Sirius, stopped walking abruptly and looked around. Some were muttering quietly about lightning or some sort of electrical explosion.

Sirius felt the hairs on his arms and the back of his back stand on end and he glanced sideways at James, meeting his eyes and knowing that he felt it as well.

Magic.

Dark Magic…

Hope you enjoyed! Apologies for no chapter last week, I was on vacation and didn't feel like uploading a chapter. Sorry not sorry. But I'm back nonetheless.

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