I
It was by chance alone that Remus Lupin and Sirius Black ended up seated in a little run down theater, in search of some cheap entertainment. Cheap is exactly what they discovered. The set was unimpressive, and the acting even more so. They were butchering Shakespeare to bits, but Remus was even more disgusted by the rudeness of the crowd. No one even bothered to keep their voices down as they spoke over the play.
With his eyes on the crowd rather than the stage, he happened to catch the sudden change in atmosphere the moment it happened. Everyone in the crowd fell silent and paid close attention to the stage. Up in one of the boxes, Remus caught an expression of love on a young man's face, framed by golden blonde hair. The larger man seated next to him stood up and applauded. Remus turned his gaze back to the stage to find the object of everyone's sudden attention.
Juliet had walked onstage. She was gorgeous, in contrast to everyone else in the cast. Remus found himself waiting on the edge of his seat with the rest of the crowd to hear her speak– but he was terribly let down. The girl's acting was flat, and not one word from her mouth held a hint of emotion. After a few lines, it became painful to listen to.
Sirius turned to him, making a face. "Think it'll really be worth seeing through to the end?" he asked.
If even Sirius didn't want to stay, it must have really been bad. Several others in the crowd were getting up to leave as well, so Remus sighed and shook his head. "Let's go," he said. He glanced back up to the box he had been watching before. The attractive man who had earlier looked very much in love now looked heartbroken, with tears in his eyes. His friends were exiting the box, leaving him to himself.
Remus walked outside with Sirius, sighing heavily. "What a disappointment," he expressed. "I had been hoping for something worthwhile."
"Worthwhile?" someone scoffed behind them. "You won't find anything worthwhile in that theater. I'd expect one to gather that just from taking a look at the place."
Remus turned around, and found that he had been followed by two of the men that he had seen up in the box. The man who spoke to him was dressed nicely– more nicely than Remus could afford. "Sorry," Remus answered, getting a tad defensive. "Not everyone can pay for the kind of entertainment I imagine you would deem worthwhile."
The man laughed. "I mean no disrespect," he said. "We were incredibly disappointed as well. A friend of ours, Dorian Gray, brought us here to show us the girl he had fallen in love with. He promised her to be the most exquisite actress. She seems to be more than a little ill, if that is the case."
Sirius smiled at the man, seeming to take a liking to him. "That's a pity," he said. "If only her talent were as pretty as her face."
The man laughed again. "I'm Henry Wotton," he introduced. "This is my good friend, Basil Hallward."
"How do you do," the other man said politely.
"Sirius Black," Sirius said with a nod. "This is Remus."
"You seem like fine gentlemen," Henry said. "You don't often come across gentlemen around these parts."
Remus found this amusing, given the way Sirius had been raised.
"Gentlemen can be either born or learned," Henry continued. "Those who are not born into families such as mine can certainly learn, but many choose not to. It's nice to see that you both have."
Remus gave a little chuckle. "With no disrespect, I don't think you can make those kinds of judgments when you've only just met us," he said. "You speak of which you know nothing."
"My apologies," Henry said. "I was not intending to judge, but merely attempting to read you as you are."
"I see no difference," Remus muttered. He couldn't help but feel that Henry seemed false.
"Basil and I are going to the club," Henry spoke up, changing the subject. "You may join us, if you wish."
Sirius grinned at Remus. "That sounds fun," he said, nudging him.
Remus felt a little uneasy, but nodded. "Alright," he agreed slowly. "We'll go for a little while."
II
Once they were at the club, Henry and Sirius hit it off. They laughed together and perused the venue to speak with women. Remus sat with Basil, who was rather quiet. He seemed to have other things on his mind. After a while, Henry leaned over to them. "Tell Remus about your art, Basil!" he exclaimed.
Basil made a face of discomfort. "Oh, I'm afraid there isn't much to speak of."
"Nonsense!" Henry insisted. "Tell him of the portrait you painted of Dorian!"
"Harry," Basil said sharply, "you know I don't wish to speak of the portrait. I regret telling you about it."
"Look Basil, you've offended our guests," Henry complained.
"I'm not offended," Remus inserted. "I'm intrigued, but I don't wish for you to speak of topics that you are uncomfortable with, Basil."
Basil smiled at him. "Thank you. You're kinder than Harry is."
"I am very interested in the fact that you are an artist, though, if you might be willing to talk with me about some of your other paintings."
Basil hummed thoughtfully. "My good friend Dorian Gray sat for me on several occasions aside from the portrait Harry spoke of, and I am very proud of my work of him. He is a beautiful model, and very artistically appealing."
Remus spoke with him on the subject for a good while, until Henry finally stood. "I should be returning home," he said. "Sirius, you must send me a letter soon. I'd love to have lunch."
Sirius nodded. "I'll keep that in mind, Henry, thanks."
"I'll see you soon, I'm sure, Basil."
"Of course, Harry," Basil agreed.
As Henry left, Basil turned back to Remus. "He means well," he said, "or I like to believe he does."
"I did hear him state some rather dangerous ideals," Remus said uncertainly. "It almost seemed to me that he was trying to be something he wasn't."
Basil sighed. "He has passed those ideals on to Dorian, since I introduced them," he said sadly, shaking his head. "I often fear for him."
They remained for another hour, then parted with a word of farewell, insisting that they would meet again soon. Remus and Sirius walked side by side on their way home. Remus stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked up at the sky. "Poor Basil," he sighed.
Sirius looked at him. "Poor Basil?"
Remus hummed softly and nodded. "He spoke often of his friend Dorian Gray. It seems he has some strong feelings for him that are not exactly returned."
They were both quiet from then until they got back to their shared apartment.
III
Four years passed before Remus called on Basil Hallward again. He sent a letter ahead of time, apologizing for not keeping in touch. Basil sent a reply inviting him to lunch, which Remus gladly accepted.
Basil's butler answered the door when he arrived, and informed him that Mr. Hallward was in his studio. Remus waited while the butler left to notify Basil of his arrival. When the man in question descended the stairs, he caught sight of Remus and smiled.
"Remus," he said. "It's nice to see you again."
Remus nodded. "I'm sorry it's been so long. Things haven't been too easy for me."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Come, sit with me. Lunch is being prepared."
Remus sat with him and crossed his arms. Basil had a very nice house, perhaps the nicest he had ever set foot in. He wondered if Sirius's family's house had been as nice, then shoved the thought aside.
"Tell me, what have you been doing in the past few years?" Basil asked.
Remus sighed. Too much had happened; he hardly knew where to start.
"Well, I've been all over the place, mostly in search of a place to sleep. I can't seem to keep a steady job," he admitted.
Basil's eyes filled with pity, and Remus felt uncomfortable under his gaze. He had encountered far too much pity since Halloween three years prior.
"Did you and Sirius have a falling out?" Basil asked. Remus's heart twisted, and his stomach turned.
"Sirius murdered three of our best friends three years ago," he said calmly, though his face still paled a bit.
Basil's expression turned from pity to shock. "Sirius did? I never would have thought..."
Remus shook his head. He had seen the signs, had held onto his suspicion, but what had that gained him? "I didn't want to believe it, either. But he did. He's in prison for life."
Basil let out a long breath. "I'm so sorry. That must have been a terrible experience to live through."
Remus simply nodded. He was quiet for a long moment, looking down at his hands.
"But I don't hate him," he said finally, surprising himself with his own honesty. "I have every reason to, but I can't. He was so important to me. He took everything from me, and yet I still find myself missing him."
Basil sighed again. "I understand," he said softly. Remus looked up at him as he continued.
"Years ago, I painted a portrait of Dorian Gray, who was once my best friend. I put all of myself into the painting, and I was afraid that if I exhibited it, the world would see all that I put into it, and my feelings would be revealed. The day I finished the painting was the day he met Lord Henry, and Dorian was changed. He now lives by Harry's ideals, and he no longer cares to see me. He once had my painting hanging as the centerpiece of his house. Now he tells me it has been destroyed." He looked at Remus with tears in his eyes. "I care too much for Dorian. I worship him, even when he won't see me. I fear that he could do any horrific thing to me, and I would forgive him for it."
Remus rubbed one hand over his face. He had once held onto similar feelings, when he and Sirius had shared a little apartment, and the distrust between them had been strong.
"I don't think you're wrong to feel so strongly about Sirius, even after he has wronged you," Basil continued gently. "If I did, I'd be a hypocrite."
"Thank you, Basil," Remus said softly. "I thought that you might understand. I wish it made me feel better."
"Perhaps we should talk of other things, then. We may never move on, but we can still enjoy a nice lunch together, can't we?"
They spoke of art and music, fresh wounds and old scars, and reminisced about old friendships. Speaking of James, Lily, and Peter almost made it feel like they were alive again. For the first time in years, Remus felt cheerful.
IV
Remus occasionally wrote to Basil following their meeting. Anytime he found a new place to stay, he would send a letter to inform Basil of his new address. In the form of written words, they helped each other to process their heartbreak and grief.
Years later, Basil received a panicked, scribbled note stating that Sirius had escaped from prison. He waited anxiously for an update, and finally opened a more eloquently-written letter from his old pen pal. Remus had been offered a job as a teacher at the boarding school he had attended as a student. He would be safe there from any harm Sirius might try to cause him.
From then on, they wrote each other weekly. While Basil watched Dorian descend further into depravity, Remus discovered that Sirius was innocent. Remus took him in, hiding him in their tiny shared apartment– just as Basil knew that he would.
Dorian's temper grew and grew, while Basil read of Remus's similar struggles with Sirius. The baggage he held onto from prison made him reckless and quick to anger. Basil couldn't help but question Sirius's innocence, though he never shared such thoughts. Admitting this uncertainty would force him to further question Dorian's morality, as well.
The letters were scarce after Sirius was killed. Basil could only imagine the magnitude of Remus’s grief, experienced now for the second time. He learned of Remus's sudden marriage, but it was not spoken of with joy, but with worry.
He received one single joy-filled letter when Remus's son was born. It was the last letter Basil ever received from him.
Months passed. Basil's fear and concern surrounding Dorian crept in more than ever, and he wrote to Remus, begging for a reply that he would never receive.
Basil Hallward only lived for one more year. His body was never discovered.