Family

Remus Lupin ladled the foaming, smoking concoction into a cold, elegant goblet. With a slight shiver, he took a few sips. The man stood tall, with forest green, velvet robes and a gold rope tie. He looked a bit weary, frayed, much like always. He closed his tired, deep eyes as he took a seat on the pillow in front of the fire, keeping his goblet level with skill as it floated before him. The giant flames leapt at the mantelpiece, warming him just enough. He barely flinched to hear the chamber door open and close with its familiar scrape and creek. And he failed to open his eyes as a more familiar smell caught his nostrils. Remus gave a sigh as a soft hand caressed his cheek, and a large body settled next to him on pillows on the floor.

“Wofsbane?” came a strong voice, trying to sound soft and only half succeeding.

It made Remus smile, and he shook his head. “No, just some home-brewed Butter Beer to get rid of this chill in my bones.” He took a small sip then, as an afterthought, held the glass up in question. “Would you like some? It might calm you if you’re as nervous about tomorrow as you have been all day.”

Taking the goblet and allowing himself a mouthful or two, he then put his head on Remus’ shoulder. He gave a soft whimper.

“Shhhh, Sirius,” Remus hushed his mate, wrapping an arm around him. “You’ve never seen Harry at school. He’ll be well protected, especially with Dumbledore there. There’s no need to worry yet.”

This only made the man whimper again. “Of course I’ve seen Harry at school. When they thought I was after him, I managed to get into there a dozen times, and Harry managed to get out a dozen more. He’s a headstrong boy, just like his father.”

Remus nodded, dropping his voice down. “Much more like James than he realizes.”

“Aye,” his voice was harsh, and he cleared it. Only then did Remus look over and see a single tear make its way down the rough man’s cheek, hiding against his nose.

“He’ll be all right in the end. He has to be. He’s faced Voldemort three times already.”

“That doesn’t mean he’ll be all right the next time…”

“But he will. We’ll see to that, for James and Lilly’s sake.”

Sirius nodded, looking over towards the spare bedroom with an apprehensive look. “The boy?” The door was cracked an inch, but dark within.

“Fast asleep under the covers an hour and a half ago.”

With a deep sigh, “I should like to go there myself presently… are you coming, Moony?” his voice hinted of excitement.

Emptying his goblet down his throat, the werewolf nodded. “Coming, Padfoot.”

The blue and gold satin covers were eased up to their chins, as the pair snuggled beneath, and beside each other. Remus held his arm out to his side, wrist bent so his hand rested on Sirius’ back as the man crushed his body against the other’s side. Sirius rested his head on Remus’ shoulder, then draped his hand over his mate’s chest.

With a kiss to the top of his head, Remus sighed.

Sirius lifted his head to look up at his mate, bathed in half-moon light. In the silvery shine, the man’s few gray hairs could not be distinguished among the blonde ones. His face looked soft, smooth, as if he were a student back at Hogwarts himself. This was how Sirius best liked to look upon Remus, though the man was always a welcome sight to his eyes. But it was only in this sort of light, looking up from snuggling at the man’s chest, that Sirius caught the both the wolf, and the lover in him. There was no mistaking either one, the rough stubble on the man’s chin, and the softness of his lover’s embrace. The sharp angle of the deep, dark eyes, and the dancing spirit behind them. The worn, fatigued, harshness that required him to be an outcast, and the inviting, protective nature that let him open his arms to his friends in hiding. “You’re so tense tonight, Remus.” His voice sounded harsh, and much sadder than he’d intended.

Remus nodded. “I’ll miss having him here, just as I missed having you here when you were in Azkaban.”

“Just…?” Sirius asked, putting his head back down and absentmindedly running a finger in circles around Remus’ chest, spelling out the letters of a love endurance spell he remembered from their youth.

With a bit of a chuckle. “All right. Perhaps not just the same,” he wrapped both arms around Sirius and gave him a tight, sharp squeeze of a hug. He chuckled again. “You’re as tense as I.”

Smiling, “I’m worried about the boy. He is my God Son, after all.”

“Well…” Remus gave a soft growl. “Let me see what I can do to help us both forget about Harry for a little while.”

With a sparkle in his eye, “What did you have in mind?”

“I wonder…” Remus mused, running his hand down the man’s front, resting in his nether-regions with a few well-placed rubs.

“Mmmm…” Sirius, in a small burst of energy, pitched himself over Remus, then caught the man in a sweet, passionate kiss. “What do you think?”

“I think that you’re just as handsome as you were when we first found one another.” Lupin reached down as far as his hands would go, to the back of the man’s thighs and, after gathering the robe, slid his hand underneath and up to ease the robes off.

Sirius took the hint and wriggled out of the rest, then helped Lupin do the same. He nuzzled his face into his mate’s crotch, then his neck, giving another strong kiss.

“But you certainly have improved in this department since then,” Lupin commented as he felt his body become taken over, smothered in the strong body of Sirius Black. Each time they made love, Lupin always felt as if just a bit of himself slipped out to help restore his friend. And though it had been many moons since Sirius had left Azkaban, Remus could still feel the coldness that the dementors had left inside. It was a coldness he tried to warm in every way he knew how. His words were gentle, but the intentions harsh as he gave a wolfish growl and sunk teeth into Sirius’ neck, an act that would have surely meant the worst for his friend had he been in his werewolf incarnation. “Take me, Love.”

And Sirius, growling like his own dog self, wasted no time in doing just that.

~ * ~

It was rather late that night, or early the next morning, when Remus woke to see a small figure at the foot of the bed. The figure was but a dark shadow, with light streaming in from the doorway behind him. But though Remus could not see the face, he knew at once who it was. He shot forward, sitting straight up with alarm. He’d forgotten he wasn’t clothed still, and kept one hand gathering the blankets over his waist. “What’s wrong!” It was not a question but a statement. He grabbed for his wand, clutching it tightly in sweaty hands. If he were here, there must be something wrong. An intruder? An owl with news? Voldemort? Worse?

Harry shook his head, with a hand on his forehead. “Just feeling a little off. My scar hurts a bit,” came a soft voice that was clearly trying to make his pains sound not half as bad as they were. “Can I…sleep with you both tonight?”

With a glance over at the sleeping Sirius, Remus nodded. “Sure, just give us a moment here, all right? Why don’t you get a damp washcloth from the bathroom?”

Nodding, yawning, Harry made his way down the hall. Remus quickly pulled his sleep robes back on, and did the same for a groggy Sirius. When Harry returned, he was invited to crawl into bed between the two.

Sirius, perhaps still asleep and not opening his eyes, rolled on his side and draped an arm around the boy, with a deep murmur, “Goodnight Harry.”

Harry, lying on his side, turned to pat his God Father on the head. “Sleep well, Snuffles.”

The man gave a smile then settled back into sleep.

Harry felt Lupin’s arm slide beneath his head, propping it up, then curving around to let the lad snuggle against him. “Continis,” Lupin whispered, tapping his wand to the washcloth. He then placed it on Harry’s forehead gently. “Thank you,” Harry yawned, closing his eyes with a sigh. “I hate Voldemort,” he said so nonchalantly that it made Lupin flinch.

“Harry… you’ll be all right. We’ll take care of you.” Lupin stroked the boy’s arm gently.

Harry shook his head. “I’m not worried about myself. I’ve faced him before. But he’s growing stronger and stronger- I can feel it. And innocents and the ones I care about could die. You both… Ron… Hermione… just like Cedric.”

Rubbing the boy’s messed hair affectionately and removing the thick-rimmed glasses, “You cannot worry about things that have not happened and may not happen and over which you have no control. We’ll face the future only when it comes, and we, your friends, will stand beside you.”

Harry yawned.

“You look tired. You have nothing to worry about, lad. We’ll take care of you.”

Harry had never had people to take care of him before. The Dursley’s had tolerated him, and it was the job of the teachers at school to look after him in a purely academic sort of way. Dumbledore was the closest Harry had ever come to having someone taking care of him before. Aside from his parents who… who had protected him more times than he could have imagined considering they were dead. But after the summer here with family… Sirius and Lupin were like his family. And his parents, he was sure, would have approved. He felt like crying out about things. He felt that he should not have to handle all of this. But he also felt that there was no need in complaining if he could not change it. The cool wetness on his forehead soothed the ache and he yawned once more. “I am tired.”

With a sigh, “Now, try to get some rest. You have a long journey back to school tomorrow.” He hugged the boy against him, and Harry closed his eyes and curled up, nuzzling his face into Lupin’s robes and his warmth. Knowing that Lupin would stay awake until Harry was assuredly asleep, Harry relaxed and fell to sleep feeling safe and cared for.

~ * ~

When Sirius woke the next morning, he was surprised to find Harry in bed beside him. After racking his brains, he vaguely remembered curling up against the lad the night before. He looked over to see Lupin stretched out in bed on the other side of Harry, his face soft and peaceful. Lupin’s hand was out and on the pillow by Harry’s face, having fallen from holding the washcloth on the boy’s forehead. He did his best to slip out from under the covers, but in the process woke Harry.

Harry stirred, taking the washcloth from his head. “G’morning.”

“Morning, Harry,” Sirius whispered, making way for the boy to get up. “You all right?”

Harry nodded, yawning. “Voldemort was on the move again… I couldn’t fall asleep because my scar hurt. I’m all right now.”

It was a story Sirius knew too well. Many nights in the last month Harry’s scar had been hurting at night. Voldemort was painfully close but not close enough to harm him. No, not with the spells both he, Remus and Dumbledore had all placed on this house. He hugged Harry and stood with a yawn and stretch of his own. “You know what to do if that happens when you’re away at school, right?”

Harry nodded, getting up as well and heading to his room to change for the day and finishing packing. They had been through the drill many times. Send word to Dumbledore through a secure messenger they would set up when Harry arrived for the new school year. Perhaps one of the owls, or by magic. Then get a cold washcloth for his head and snuggle under the covers until morning. They’d been through all the drills a hundred times or more… and Harry couldn’t help but feel as if he were going through it all over again just as they were. The sign in the sky, the spies, the fear, the murder, the secrets. It all seemed familiar to him somehow. In some uncomfortable way he could not put into words for the two men who were like his family.

Remus woke to a soft kiss and a warm hand on his cheek. “How’s Harry?” he asked through a strong, wolfish yawn.

Sirius smirked. “You wake and immediately it’s ‘How’s Harry?’ Not ‘Good morning, Love’ or ‘How handsome you look in the dawn light, Padfoot’?”

He shook his head with a smile, “Nothing you haven’t apparently heard before. Besides, you’ll have the whole school year to listen to my romantic wake up messages.”

“What’s more practice then?” he growled with a great smile and gave him one more kiss before rising. “Your turn to make breakfast. I’ll make sure Harry is all packed up and ready.”

It was always Remus’ turn to fix breakfast, but the man hardly minded. Mornings were the most quiet time of day, only the occasional song of a bird outside their cabin, the gentle song waking them all up slowly for each busy day. There was always so much to teach Harry, who was more than anxious to learn. Spells of defense, spells of protection, the sorts of spells that any regular young wizard didn’t need to learn. The sorts of spells that could save his life or someone else’s. They were difficult, advanced, but Harry was persistent above all else. Nights were filled with reading, and Harry doing his homework, and sometimes games of magic. But mornings… mornings meant no moon… no fear… nothing bad ever happened in the mornings.