Settling Down (like they told me to)
The movers truck arrived the next day, pulling up to Ludwig house and helping Remus and Sirius to haul the boxes inside. The rest of the week was spent unpacking and sorting the house. It didn’t take that long since the couple was able to use magic to alleviate the work of unpacking everything by hand and levitate things into their right spots. By Friday, the house was filled with their furniture and belongings, looking more and more like home with every laugh and conversation shared and every cup of tea sipped inside its walls.
“Well?” Sirius asked Remus as he rearranged the bookshelf for the sixth time. “Are we done?”
“Yeah. Yeah I think so.” Remus said, replacing Bathilda Bagshot’s ‘Hogwarts: a History’. He wiped his brow.
Sirius watched his lover from their warm, worn brown couch. Remus’ dark blonde hair looked golden in the sunlight. Every scar across his face and forearms sparkled like silver slivers of starlight.
“You are so whipped.” Remus chuckled, spotting Sirius staring.
“Yep.”
Remus crawled onto the couch and onto Sirius’ lap. They lay there for a while, like two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together. The way that Remus fit in the crook of Sirius’ neck and the way Sirius’ hand fit into Remus’ was destiny.
They looked around their new room. Photographs and paintings hung on the walls, the magical inhabitants smiling and getting accustomed to their new surroundings. One photo of James and Lily, in black and white, rested in a gold frame on the fireplace mantle piece.
“Do you think they’re happy?” Sirius asked like he had voiced a thought that had long pestered him.
“They’re together.” said Remus after a pause, “And they know we’ve got Harry… Yeah, Pads, I think they’re happy.”
Sirius kissed the top of Remus’ head.
“Where's the kids?” Sirius asked.
Remus hummed, “Outside.” He crawled up, Sirius still clinging to his shoulders, “Tea, love?”
“Yes.”
They wandered into the kitchen which Sirius had performed a tricky spell to make the tiles change colour to a bright turquoise. Their favourite mugs were magically procured and set down on the bench. The window over the sink saw into the backyard where Iris led Harry through the jungle of the garden, picking bits of flowers and plants to make a ‘potion’. They weren’t allowed to make any real potions without the supervision of one of their uncles, but they decided that mixing dirt and leaves together was just as magic and twice as fun.
Iris spotted them in the window. She waved. They waved back. She knelt down and tried to get Harry to wave to them too. He was too enthusiastic and bumped his own head with his hand.
Sirius snorted with laughter at the sight of his godson’s confused face. Remus’ shoulders shook with chuckles as he poured two cups of tea.
They spent lunch outside in the garden, the little family planning out a veggie garden and flower beds. Remus was insistent on planting fruit trees so they could have the joy of a harvest each year. Sirius really wanted a pathway leading to and from the house and the woods beyond. Apparently Harry was insistent on shoving pieces of dirt into his mouth. Iris cackled at his muddy face as he looked puzzled at her, asking, “Waz funny?”
Evening came on and soon Harry and Iris were in bed. Sirius lay in his and Remus’ bed, trying to answer a letter to Molly Weasley. Moonlight flickered through the sheer curtains. The moon was big and bright. Not yet full, but soon to be.
“Rems? Lovey?” He called softly in the house.
“I’m in the study.” Remus answered.
Sirius padded through to the study, dressed in red tartan pyjama pants and an old AC/DC shirt. He found Remus crouched on the desk, resting his face on his fist and waving his wand to sort papers while staring at a letter. The envelope sat on the desk as well, it was from the University of Manchester.
“They want me to come back for another term.” Remus said.
Sirius pushed Remus’ chair back so that he could sit on Remus’ lap. He studied the paper. Remus had taught English Lit at the university sometime after his graduation from Hogwarts and his work with the Order of the Phoenix.
“Up to you.” Sirius said, passing Remus the paper.
Remus’ brows furrowed. He still looked tired, but since the move, the bigger space had given Iris and Harry room to play so that Remus wasn’t constantly stuck having to entertain them in intervals with Sirius.
“I… I don’t know.” said Remus, “This term was meant to be my last…”
“Do you like your job?”
“I mean… yes…”
“Then do it. Sorted.” said Sirius, beginning to braid a lock of Remus’ hair.
“I’m just… I’m so tired, Pads.” Remus said. He rubbed his eyes then looked up at his partner. Amber met grey, “I wish Lily were here. She’d know what to say.”
Sirius wrapped Remus in a hug, which was hard since he was sitting on top of Remus.
“I know.”
Remus stared out of the window. The moon looked at him with disdain.
“Only four days.”
Sirius nodded, he picked up the half written letter he brought with him, “Molly offered to take the kids for the night.”
Remus smiled, “That sounds good. Thank her for me?”
“Done.” said Sirius scribbling on the letter. “Bed?”
Remus nodded, getting up to shower.
Sirius finished the letter and walked out to the kitchen. He opened the kitchen window and whistled two long notes. Soon, a large dark brown owl fluttered on the window sil. It nibbled Sirius’ ear in an affectionate sort of way.
“Sorry we haven’t gotten a roost for you yet, Navy.” Sirius said, petting the owl, “Good hunting tonight?”
The owl hooted.
“Feel like a long fly?”
Navy held out her leg for Sirius to tie the letter to it. She hooted twice, in the same two long notes that Sirius had whistled and then flew out of the window and into the darkening night.