Chapter 3
Severus is the first to say anything at all, ““Always a black stain on the people around you” He spits as he steps toward Sirius and shoves a finger at him.”
“Now Severus,” Dumbldore interrupts, calm even with the yelling and rage threatening to tear apart the room. “I know where Remus has been, the tracking charm is still active since he was at the camps until last night, and I am assuming Sirius has been with him.” Remus stares in confusion, tracking charm? No one had told him of this. How long had they- Dumbledore- been watching him. The wolf throws itself against the cage in his mind. Screaming to be let out, to be allowed to defend him and his mate.
“That doesn’t mean anything Albus.” Arthur’s voice is firm but his wand falters. Molly has stepped out from behind him slightly as the bundle in her arms begins to cry. The sound of crying slows Remus' thoughts some but clearly only agitates Sirius.
“Harry?!” Sirius stumbles forward, voice raising in pitch and hands outstretched until Snape starts walking towards him again. “Is that Harry?! Let me see him!” Remus steps forward now and pulls Sirius toward him. Not sure who he’s protecting when he does. Sirius doesn’t fight him but he doesn’t move far or lower his hands.
“It’s our son, Ronald.” Molly is measured and calm when she speaks, her eyes never leaving the boy in her arms. Sirius’s arms drop and with them so does he. Sinking to the floor he puts his head in his hands and rips at his hair.
“Please,” his voice breaks and tears well in his eyes, looking up at them he begs, “please you have to know I would never hurt James or Lilly. Please.” To watch Sirius beg on his knees in this house of all places is what finally truly breaks Remus. To see the love of his life so utterly devastated and literally begging his chosen family to believe he wouldn’t hurt them kills something in Remus. It kills something in him and the wolf loves it.
“ENOUGH!” Remus is done. Done with this fucking war. With everything. He steps around Sirius and stalks towards Authur until the tip of his wand is digging sharply into Remus’ chest. There faces inches apart as he leans in. “We have been in the Shrieking Shack all night. Either tell us what we need to do or lower your goddamn wand Authur. I’m done with this.” His voice is a low growl but his face is deadly calm.
Arthur drops his wand at the thinly veiled threat from Remus, but Severus raises his and points it at Sirius, Remus looks murderous at the sight of it. He spins quickly and marches toward Severus with a growl rumbling low in his chest. More wolf than he ever enjoys being.
“You're right Mr. Lupin,” Dumbledore reaches out a hand and pushes Severus’s wand down. “Come, there is much to discuss.” There’s a not so brief moment where they all just look at each other. Sirius from his knees on the carpet and Remus frozen between them all. Molly is the first to move stating she is putting the baby down upstairs for the meeting. Once that first moment of tension is broken everyone seems to move with more ease. With tempers so close to a boiling point all over again the silence is deafening and profoundly necessary. Snape glares at the two men before turning quickly into the kitchen behind him.
They gather at what was once the Blacks dining table, no one really making eye contact except Sirius and Severus. Who seem to be locked in a battle of wills, both challenging the other to make the first move. Remus sighs as he sits at the table, not wanting to do this but knowing it is necessary. A few other familiar faces sit around him, but he is too tired to really see who is there. When Dumbledore enters the room he holds two blue vials and wears a grave face.
“This is, a truth potion,” he sets a vial in front of each man. “We need you to drink this and tell us where your loyalties lie.”
Sirius first looks as if he is about to object but decides to slam the potion like a round of firewhiskey instead. A look of pure spite on his face as he does it. Remus follows suit, letting the warming and almost intoxicating feeling of the potion wash over him in a familiar way. Reminding him of nights in Gryffindor Tower getting drunk of butterbeer, firewhiskey, and stolen Veritaserum. Making truth or dare games far more interesting than the muggle way of playing.
“What do you want to know,” Sirius is firm with his question but his voice is light showing that the effects of the potion were firmly in place. Remus only looks at the people around him wondering if they’ll ever be back to normal, wondering if it’s worth hoping for.
“Were either of you the Potter’s secret keeper?” It’s Dumbledore that asks the questions, but then again who else would. It’s a question he should know the answer to. This mock trial is only that. A mockery of justice in the face of his friends’ deaths.
“No,” Remus and Sirius answer in tandem, for no reason other than the substance currently running through their veins. Thoughts start to become difficult, the warmth in his veins leading him towards memories it’s best not to think of at this moment. All secrets he had shared with both James and Lily threatened to spill across his lips. He wondered if Sirius was having the same fight.
“Do you know who it was?” Severus leaves in a huff before they answer the second question. Clearly disappointed he’s not going to watch either of them be found guilty of being a traitor. Sirius slams his hand on the table and looks like he wants to follow him but does not move. Dumbledore’s harsh glare seems to hold him in place.
“No,” they are less in sync this time. Pain and rage seep through both their voices. Unable to help, utterly useless in this hunt for the rat. The worst part is the helpless feeling. Muggles would psycho babble it as survivors guilt, but this is more. This is the guilt of not being able to stop it and the guilt in the knowledge they may never be able to. The profound sorrow of the thought of Harry growing up an orphan.