Monsters by Nightfall

The day was already drawing to a close when Remus finally rose from the teachers table at the end of the Great Hall, saying his goodbyes to his neighbors before heading for his quaters.

Remus wasn't particularly eager to return to his room, dreading the silence waiting for him there. Surely he wasn't going to sleep without a dreamless sleep potion either, given the latest news he was still fighting to comprehend. But bugging Snape again wasn't an option either.

So with a sigh he moved on to his chambers. It was a bit unfortunate how far away from the Great Hall they were located, given his slight limp. It wasn't an issue normally, but this many stairs still presented an issue.

Perhaps because of his exhaustion, Remus didn't notice the immediate change in both scent and magical signature inside. Breath still uneven, Remus moved to wards one of the armchairs to remove his shoes proberly.

And there he stood, in the shadow of a bookshelf. More disheveled and scrawny, then Remus had ever seen him. Clothed in rags and covered in dirt, cuts and bruises. He looked so utterly helpless. His eyes hopeless, pleading for all of this to be over.

But Remus couldn't say it. Couldn't tell him everything was alright. He couldn't do anything really, only stare at the figure that had once been his friend.

"Remus."

Sirius breathed after a while, as if he had needed the time to work up the courage to speak the others name. And even Remus' name sounded broken and sad out of the other's mouth.

"Is it...is it over?"

He sounded almost like a child. His black tousled hair hiding his face underneath. As if Sirius was hiding himself from Remus gaze. And it all broke Remus' heart.

Remus carried on taking off his shoes, slowly, not looking at Sirius anymore. Trying to prepare himself to face his friend.
Then he stood, hand on the armchair in order to stabilize himself. And then he moved. And as did Sirius.

And suddenly the small figure that had once been bursting with strength rediced intself to a pile of whimpers and tears in his arms. Arms that drew around Remus as if they weren't willing to ever let him go again. And just as strongly, altough mindful of the bony physique of the other, Remus hugged him back. Pressed his face into the others hair and breathed him in.

A tear ran down Remus' face as well, at the pained noises coming from the man in his arms.

"It's over."

He whispered into the other's ear. One hand of his rise up into the others hair, while the other drew circles into Sirius' back.

"Everything's gonna be alright Sirius. You'll never have to hide again."

He pressed a kiss onto the others head, sniffling.

"Wormtail will never see the light of day from somewhere other than Azkaban ever again."

Sirius made another heart clenching noise at the name of the prison the man had been held in for the last decade.

"But what if he flees? Like I...I did?"

Remus shook his head drawing back a little bit only to take the other's facen in his hands.

"They know about him being an Animagus now. They won't let him escape. I promis you that. Alright?"

Sirius sniffled, nodding slowly.

"Okay."
He croaked before burrying his face into Remus' shoulder again.

-

Cleaned up now, wearing only a towel around his waist, Sirius leaned in Remus' doorway. The black haired man seemed unsure of what to do next, watching Remus closely, as if fearing something were to destroy this any moment now. As if he was burning the image into his brain just to remember it a little longer.

Remus felt a bit silly, sitting on his bed in pajamas his reading glasses on his nose pearing at the book in his hand.

A grin drew itself up on Sirius' face at the darkening of Remus' cheeks when he looked up at his friends. Even though Remus could see the outline of his ribs and the fatigue on the others face, Remus still couldn't deny how beautiful he looked. Still after all these years there was a soft spot reserved for the black haired man.

"There are clothes in that wardrobe over there. You can take whatever you want."
Remus pointed in tge general direction before hiding his blush behind the pages of his book again. Sirius let out a confirming murmur, before he moved towards the indicated space.

When Remus suddenly felt a presence sit down beside him he startled a bit before relaxing again when his eyes set on Sirius. He was wearing a simple gryffindor red coloured long sleeve and a pair of joggers. The sight of Sirius in such mundane clothes made Remus chuckle quietly.

"The last time I saw you wear joggers you were complaining about how profane they were and how they couldn't compare to normal pajama pants."

Sirius grinned at him.
"Well I was sort of trying to prove the point that I don't always side with James. And he looked so comfortable in his. I just had to spite him."
Remus smiled.

"Of course you had. Everything was always about James."
Remus snickered. Sirius eyes grew immediately though, shaking hus head.

"Not everything was about James."
He looked down at his hands.
"Not us."

Remus smiled bitterly at the memory of their past.

"I see you got the job you always wanted."
Sirius mused, trying to change to topic to something lighter. And Remus was really glad for it.

"I did."
"Is it everything you hoped for?"
Remus chuckled.
"I want to say it's even more than that, but there are some students that really make my job a lot harder. But I do love teaching. And with Harry there it's sometimes almost as if they were there too."
Remus smiled sadly, looking down on Sirius hand, which no longer lay in his own lap but were placed on Remus' thigh.

"What's he like? He damn well looks like James. At first I thought it was him, when I saw him at Privet Drive."

Sirius seemed deep in thought.
"He lives with Petunia Evans and her family. Lily's sister. That shrill woman that screamed at me when we visited Lily that one summer. You remember?"

Remus chuckled fondly at the memory.
"Well you did drag in a ton of dirt. And to her defense, you also came off like a tosser with your long hair, that leather jacket and that 'I don't care' attitude."
Sirius let out a shocked scoff.

"Me? A tosser? Weren't you the one showing up in 4th year with those steel caped Doc Martens and that haircut that was shorter than a hamsters life expectancy?"

"Oh come on. You loved it! I distinctly remember your heart eyes."

"Heart eyes? I beg to differ. You fell first!"
"You fell harder."
Remus grinned, challenging the other. Sirius burst out laughing though, before it could take effect.

"Merlin! I can't take you serious with those glasses."
He laughed heartedly. It was a beatiful sound and Remus wanted it to never stop.

"You look like an old person."
He suddenly laughed even louder.
"You look like Mcgonagall."

Remus sent his friend an unamused look, that made Sirius laugh even louder. It was hard to keep a straight face when Sirius laugh was both so addictive and contagious. So before long Remus couldn't hold himself either and joined into the laughter,when Sirius fell into Remus' side wheezing.

"I should burn those glasses. They do look like something James would wear, thinking he's stilish."

Remus stopped at the realization what tense he had used. And suddenly he didn't really feel like laughing anymore. Neither did Sirius who calmed down next to him.

"So what's he like?"
Sirius head was still leaning against Remus shoulder, making Remus refuse to move.
"He has Lily's eyes, you know? He's also smart like her. Well in some cases. He's brilliant in DADA. Beats everyone else at duelling too. But sometimes there's a lot of James in him too. The way he smiles, the ego's there too, but way smaller. Nobody could have an ego as ginormous as James'."

Remus wasn't sure whether talking about them made it better or worse.

"I'm teaching him the patronus charm."
Sirius shot up in surprise.
"Isn't he only thirteen?"
Remus nodded.
"Yes. His boggarts a Dementor though and he was almost attacked by one on the Hogwarts Express at the beginning of the year."

Sirius seemed concerned.
"What kept them away?"

Remus scoffed.
"I cast a Patronus Charm, but I wasn't quick enough. Luckily Malfoy was."

Sirius eyebrows furrowed.
"Lucius Malfoy? The unpleasant guy that married my cousin?"

Remus chuckled and shook his head.
"They have a kid, Harry's age. Draco Malfoy. Merlin, he's a nightmare. He was about to suck out Peter's blood when I found them."

Sirius raised a brow.
"I'm sorry what?"

"Oh right. Kid's a Vampire. Probably should've lead with that."

Sirius was silent. Calculating.
"And he was gonna kill Pettigrew?"

"Well he was eying him very suspiciously. Had another snack with him too, drenched Harry in rat blood all the while."

Sirius raised the other brow.
"Harry's a Vampire too?"

Remus burst out laughing.
"No! Bloody hell Sirius. The boy was sneaking around under the invisibility cloak and probably just happened to stumbled upon Malfoy and Peter just like I did. Maybe he was following one of them before. I don't know."

"So they helped you bring Peter in?"
Remus shrugged, letting himself fall back onto the bedcovers.
"More or less. I didn't recognize Wormtail though at first. So Malfoy pointing out it was an Animagus probably helped."

"Huh."
Sirius murmured, falling back as well.

"You think they're friends? Malfoy and Harry?"

Remus shrugged again noncommittal.
"Don't know. Seemed at least friendly. They were holding hands though, in Snape's office."

Sirius blinked.
"Malfoy and Harry? Snape's office?"
Remus chuckled. Moving himself up the bed to scoot under the covers.

"Come on, I'll tell you tomorrow."
Sirius hesitated and suddenly stood up.
"I'll go sleep on the sofa."
He murmured already leaving for the door.
"Sirius wait."
Remus waited for the black haired man to stop and only when their eyes locked he went on.

"You can sleep here you know."
"You don't have to..."
"Padfoot."
At the name something inside of Sirius broke, while another part flamed up.

"Alright."
His voice was almost as quiet as his movement when he hesitantly neared the bed and lay down on the other side, stiff at first but relaxing more and more into the covers, scooting a little closer even, while Remus turned the lights off and put his glasses on the nightstand.

"Goodnight Moony."
Was the last thing Remus heard before he fell asleep, however sad, a smile on his lips.