Marauders Short Stories

Sirius was fidgeting with the ring on his finger, looking anxiously at the clock. He should've been back by now. The sun had risen an hour before. He should be back. He should be back, and they would eat Mars Bars and laugh and kiss and hug and talk.

That was the plan Sirius had laid out for Halloween 1981.

Why wasn't Remus following the plan?

Sirius started pacing their small flat, running his hands over his face. A heavy stone was in his stomach.

What if—

"No," he muttered. "He's not a spy, he's my Moony, stop thinking like that." He looked out the window. "It's not the first time he's late. He's been late before, something probably just came up."

Perhaps he betrayed you.

"SHUT UP!" Sirius buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking slightly. He couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. His fingers itched to do something.

- - -

'Where will you be going for the mission?" Sirius asked, fiddling with his bottom lip as Remus pulled on his cloak.

'You know I'm not supposed to tell you,' Remus said, smiling softly. He stepped over to Sirius. 'It's against the rules.'

'Please, Moony,' whispered Sirius.

Remus sighed and squeezed his hand. 'The Dean forest. That's where they're meeting tonight.'

Sirius nodded. 'Promise me you'll be back at dawn? If not, I swear—'

Remus kissed him. 'Promise.'

- - -

Sirius wiped his nose. Dawn had come and gone, his love not returned. He grabbed his wand and apparated.

The Dean forest was cold and seemingly empty. He looked around, frantically.

"Moony!" he called. "MOONY!" He could feel sobs whack his chest. They couldn't have taken him. Not again. Sirius needed him. "MOONY!"

He changed into Padfoot and used his snout to smell the air. There was something there—blood. Familiar blood. Padfoot followed the smell, running faster than he'd ever done on any full moon together with the wolf.

When he saw him, he stopped abruptly and changed back. He fell to his knees next to the body, whimpering, "Moony?"

Remus was lying there, blood coating his skin from a deep claw mark in his stomach. His legs were broken, snapped. His eyes were closed, but his chest was still faintly rising.

"Moony," Sirius brokenly let out again. "Love, wake up. I'm here."

Remus's eyelids fluttered open, a small smile stretching on his face. "Sirius," he whispered and tried to reach up to touch Sirius, but winced, and his arm fell to the ground.

"My love," Sirius sobbed. He cradled Remus's head in his lap. "What happened?"

"S-someone ratted," Remus whispered. "T-told them—" He started coughing, blood trickling down his chin.

"Moony," Sirius whimpered again, wiping the blood away with his hand. He searched his pocket for his wand, but he knew it was useless. He had never bothered to learn healing spells. "Moony, healing spells, anything!"

"I have tried," Remus wheezed. "Don't work. Th-hey enchanted the wounds. Can't be healed. On-only managed to slow down the p-process. Needed to—to see y-you."

Sirius pressed his forehead to Remus's, crying. "Don't leave me," he whispered, carding his fingers through Remus's hair. "Please, Moons."

"I—I don't w-want to," Remus croaked.

"I know, I know," Sirius mumbled. He contemplated apparating them away, but the strain would probably snap the last of Remus's thread.

"I'm so sorry," Sirius whispered, kissing Remus's forehead.

"What for?"

"I thought you were the spy, I'm so sorry, Moony, I'm so, so—"

"'S okay," Moony mumbled. "I know you did."

"You did?"

Remus gave a faint nod. "I know you."

"Why didn't you confront me?"

"I w-wanted to show you. S-show that I'm not a mo—" He broke into a coughing fit again. "Fucking h-hurts."

"Wait." Sirius pulled a small vial out from his pocket. A pain-killing draught he always carried around for full moons. "Open your mouth."

Remus's lips parted and Sirius poured the liquid into his mouth. Remus let out a relieved sigh.

Sirius kissed his lips, not caring for the blood. Remus weakly kissed him back.

"I love you," whispered Sirius, pulling back. His tears hit Remus's cheeks. "I've always loved you, Moons. I need you to know that. You're the love of my life. I've known since I was eleven and you stuck your tongue out at me at King's Cross."

Remus smiled weakly. "And I knew already then, I was doomed." He reached his hand up, now able to due to the draught, and poked Sirius's cheek. "That Sirius Black grin."

Sirius let out a watery laugh, but then broke down sobbing. "'S too early. You're not ready."

"I once told James 'Die young, leave a pretty corpse,' though I don't think I look pretty right now." He gestured down his clawed stomach, the blood still oozing, his broken legs.

"You're always pretty," Sirius whispered.

"Heh, thanks." Remus closed his eyes, exhaling. "I'm so tired."

Sirius heart beat even faster in his chest. "No, no, Moony, Remus, don't be tired yet. Love, open your eyes, please."

Remus opened his eyes a slither. "'S so light—st-stars."

"No, no, no," Sirius whispered frantically, cupping Remus's face. "Hang in there, Moons, we'll—" He knew there was nothing he could do but watch, but he refused to accept it. "We'll—"

"Padfoot," Remus mumbled weakly, "I love..."

His eyes relaxed closed, the strain leaving his body. His chest rose one last time. Sirius looked in horror, his lips parted. Someone had taken his heart, ripped it out, thrown it to the ground at his feet, and killed it.

He screamed, pulling Remus's fragile body to his chest. He wailed, he cried, he cursed. He mourned. His sobs whacked his chest, tears clouding his vision. His moon had died, disappeared. Who was supposed to light his nights now, surrounded by the other stars?

Sirius hated the other stars. At that moment, he even hated his own.

He was there for a long time. Hours, holding the shell of what had been his lifeline for years.

When the moon and stars peeked out from the tree crowns, Sirius knew he needed to get away. He hoisted Remus body up, carrying him bridal style. He suddenly weighed much less when he wasn't full of life, but perhaps that was just because Sirius felt numb. He apparated both of them to Godric's Hollow. Peter had been made the secret keeper, but Sirius still was aware of the location. Remus had never known it, but well, Remus wasn't going to tell anyone about it now.

The minute Sirius lay eyes on the house, he stopped in his tracks. The corner of the upper floor was completely blown away.

"No," he whispered, clutching Remus's body tighter. "No, no, no..."

He slowly carried his dead boyfriend through the gate and to the front door. It was open and there in the hallway—

Sirius let out a wail at the sight of his best friend on the floor, unseeing, glasses askew. He didn't even have his wand in his hand. Fresh tears flooded his cheeks and he quickly moved to the living room, laying Remus's body on the couch, putting a blanket over him. A wand had fallen off the couch in the process, now lying on the floor.

James's.

Sirius closed his eyes, breathing deeply. He went back to the hallway. To the body of his best friend. Sirius fell to his knees beside James. His brother. His other half.

- - -

'Whotcher, you don't happen to be related to the Black family, do you?'

'Probably am some way or another. Pureblood stuff, you know. Don't like them very much, though. Name's James Potter.' The boy grinned. There was an eyelash stuck to his glasses.

Sirius grinned, stretching out his hand. 'Name's Sirius Black. I hate them, too.'

- - -

Sirius cradled his best friend's body, hugging him. His skin was cold. Then he heard a faint sound from upstairs.

Crying.

"What..."

He rose to his feet and walked up the stairs.

Lily was in front of the crib, red hair splayed out, green eyes open wide but unseeing. Sirius's heart lurched in his chest.

But then there was Harry. He was in the crib, but he wasn't dead. He wasn't lifeless. He was very much alive and silently crying. When he saw Sirius, his little chin wobbled and he started crying loudly.

"Pafod," he wailed, chubby hands reaching for his uncle.

"Sh, sh," Sirius whispered and pulled Harry out of his crib. "Uncle Padfoot is here now."

Harry hid his face in Sirius's neck. "Bad guy 'ere."

Sirius tightened his jaw and finally felt a moment of clarity in all the darkness.

"Wormtail."