The Storm Gathers
Summer faded in autumn, where Remus had been sent away on another mission by Dumbledore, in Edinburgh this time, of all places, and Sirius was a complete mess without the reassurance of the werewolf's comfort bringing, doting, caring presence. He hated that Dumbledore had sent his husband away again but they had found out that no one in the Order of the Phoenix realised that they were married, thinking them close friends who live together. Apart from James and Lily who knew full well they were in love, as well as Marlene McKinnon and Dorcas Meadows who were girlfriends but hadn't gotten around to tying the knot yet. It was perfectly legal in the Wizarding society of Great Britain for two wizards to marry, or two witches, the law was quite open to gay practitioners of magic. The Department of Social Affairs gave out grants to young witches and wizards born in the wrong bodies to receive permanent transfiguration to change that, as well as potions to change and realign their hormones to correct ones. Dumbledore himself had seen that the age of the magical change was seventeen, even with parent or guardian supervision. He had sent Remus off seeking lycanthropic help from the United States. The task that Dumbledore had given him was quite dangerous and could potentially result in his death. He had refused at first, but then Dumbledore had threatened them by possibly enforcing new laws on werewolves that nullified their eligibility for living with wizards and witches, leaving Remus little choice but to go. He was terribly angry about this, his eyes flashing pure gold the more he thought about it.
Sirius had been absolutely raging when he told him what had happened and demanded to go with him. Dumbledore had told him that it wasn't possible, as he was needed with the Potters to which Sirius told him point blank, "That's fucking rubbish! Remy needs me more than Prongs does!"
But Dumbledore, the cunning old fox, managed to tell Sirius that if he didn't, he would enforce new laws on werewolves with the Wizenmagot so it would become mandatory for them to be isolated permanently from Wizarding society, which had stunned the curly haired wizard into silence at the betrayal of the Headmaster.
On that fateful Halloween night, when chaos, death and destruction ensued; Dumbledore's grand plan came to fruition. He purposefully let Peter Pettigrew escape, knowing, full well, that he was a Death Eater and had betrayed the Potters. Then he had spread the lie of the twelve Muggles being killed by Sirius Black as well as the blowing up of Peter Pettigrew, which he had entrusted to the Weasleys as a "pet rat for the children". He made sure that Sirius was imprisoned before the werewolf he was so close to returned from America, knowing Remus would be absolutely livid and spitting with fury at the loss of his friend, having no clue they were mated or married. He had sent the werewolf on a mission that would likely take about thirteen or fourteen years to complete, meaning that Sirius would be incarcerated for twelve years or so at the most.
Ten years went by in the blink of an eye as Remus collected aid for the Order of the Phoenix in most states in America, as he had been instructed to do by the headmaster. He had finished his mission for Dumbledore earlier than he thought he would've thanks to a few kindly local alphas, mostly in Canada which wasn't in the States, Florida, New York, Kansas and Ottawa. He was happy at the thought of returning home to his husband and finally thinking about those children they had wanted to have. Remus reported back to Hogwarts, where the Headmaster was waiting for him.
“Remus! I’m surprised you finished your mission so early, my boy. Was your journey pleasant?” The headmaster exclaimed upon seeing him. Privately, he thought to himself, ‘Bloody werewolf came back too soon and could potentially foil my plans to make Potter the perfect weapon against Tom, just like the prophecy foretold!’
Remus nodded, “Yes, thank you. Dumbledore, may I ask something?” he had gotten worried when his husband wasn't home.
Dumbledore nodded, smiling sweetly at the werewolf, “Of course, dear boy. Go on.” Remus nodded, “I dropped my bags off at my home before coming here and I noticed that Sirius was nowhere to be found. May I ask if you know where he is?”
Dumbledore grinned internally at the chance to personally fool the former Gryffindor into thinking that Sirius was to blame for his friends' deaths. He offered a sad smile to the amber-eyed man, “I am afraid I bear bad news, my boy. He was not who we thought he was. He was a Death Eater and it was him that alerted Voldemort where the Potters would be. He went after Peter Pettigrew, likely the only one who knew his secret. He’s in Azkaban for his crimes and has been there these past ten years.”
He didn’t usually let the wolf out to the surface, but a kindly fellow alpha, Travis, had told him that once he started seeing himself and the wolf as one entity his transformations would be so much easier, with less pain and brutality, which in truth, Travis had been right, which was amazing, because less pain and having your own mind on the full moon was a gift that Remus treasured. Since learning this, he had fully accepted his wolfish side freely, which surprisingly gave him a lot more confidence. Remus narrowed his eyes carefully, flickers of gold entering them. He spoke slowly in an even voice, trying to control his anger, “Are you, quite sure?” he asked testily, knowing that what the headmaster had just said was the biggest pack of lies he had heard in a while, but wanted to know why Dumbledore thought this.
The older man furrowed his brow, “Yes, my boy, very sure. Why is it you ask?” he didn't break a sweat, but was anxious that the werewolf knew the truth.
Remus’ eyes narrowed further, making the Headmaster a bit nervous, “For three reasons. Would you care to hear them?” his tone was emotionless, and he was glaring furiously at the grey-bearded man.
“Of course, Remus. I do need to know your reasoning. He was a dear friend and you have the right to want to defend him, despite what he did.”
Remus smirked wickedly at him, pleased he could tell him now, “I have four now, if my friend is all you think he was.”
Dumbledore looked confused, wondering what the sandy haired lycanthrope meant as he asked, “Pardon me?”
Remus chuckled darkly, “Right, here we go then. My first reason…Sirius said on many occasions he would rather die an excruciatingly painful death rather than be a Death Eater.”
Dumbledore nodded gravely, “A mask, I’m afraid, to hide—” but Remus held up a finger, as if to say, ‘I am not finished’ and continued talking. “My second reason is that my husband would rather die than betray James who was practically his brother. My third reason is I suppose you didn’t check Peter’s wand or see if there was any evidence that he escaped? My final reason is that my husband was not a Death Eater. I’ve seen every single inch of that smooth, pale skin. Believe me, there’s no Dark Mark. In fact, the only marks are his tattoos, and the ones I made, since he's my mate.” He added smoothly, with great satisfaction.
Dumbledore looked absolutely sickened, almost queasy, to think he had kept a werewolf away from its mate knowing the consequences to this. Remus could kill him if he wanted and no one would know. All he could do was shake his head and mutter, “Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.”
Remus was about to take out his wand, but he thought better of it. He’d been unofficially known as the brains of the operation as a teen with his fellow Marauders, he should act as such. He smiled sweetly at Dumbledore, a fake smile if ever there was one, but the Headmaster didn’t know this, pretending to change his mind so that the Headmaster would be on his side, “Headmaster, my apologies. I am steeped in guilt and grief. Could I possibly go and visit the traitor to give him a piece of my mind?”
Dumbledore beamed widely, like a child at Christmas, “Of course, my boy! I’ll make the arrangements and go with you—“
Remus shook his head, “This is something I must do alone, Albus. But thank you.” Dumbledore nodded, thinking the werewolf looked a little like himself when he had gone to visit Gellert for the first time in Nurmengard prison. He gave the werewolf a pitying look, a hand on his shoulder, “Of course, Remus. Here, I will write you a slip as the Head of the Wizenmagot that you’re allowed to go and see him.”
Remus inwardly smirked but smiled sadly on the outside, “Thank you, Albus. I’ll be going now.” Dumbledore patted his shoulder morosely and let him go. Remus Apparated back to his and Sirius’ home. He had to make plans to get Sirius out of there, now. What he couldn’t understand is that he and Sirius had been exchanging letters these past ten years, Dumbledore had forbidden the use of the two-way mirror and had confiscated them of course, but they wrote to each other whenever possible. In each letter, Sirius seemed to be more and more bitter towards Dumbledore and Remus wondered why. He didn’t know that Dumbledore had cast a charm on Sirius to not be able to tell anyone what had gone on, unless bonded by blood to them. Remus thought to himself with a smile, ‘Old fool doesn’t realise marital ties mean bonded by blood and magic.’ Remus put on one of his thickest cardigans, a deep blue in colour, putting his wand in its holster, he didn’t go to Azkaban straight away. He was smart about his decisions and immediately Apparated to Spinner’s End where he found a depressed looking Severus Snape.
Usually, Remus wouldn’t be so dramatic in describing people’s appearance, but this was likely the word that summed up Severus’ expression at the moment. He glowered at the wolf, “What do you want?” he bitterly asked, putting down the glass of what smelled like fire-whiskey.
Remus put a hand on his shoulder, “Severus, I urge you, please. I need your help.” Severus arched an eyebrow, “What in Merlin’s name could you possibly want from me?” he asked in a drawled tone.
Remus took a deep breath, “I need to know if you have a potion that would allow me to speak to someone in thoughts without using Legilimency? Please, don’t ask why.”
Severus smirked a little, “I have a fair idea why, Lupin.” He went to his potions cabinet, stored with many labelled vials, bottles and jars. He found two small glass test tube shaped bottles with cork stoppers. He poured some of the Cogitatio Loquens potion, a fairly new invention of his that would indeed allow the drinkers to hear each other’s’ thought. into two of the glass container. He gave it to Remus and sternly told him, “Two drops under the tongue for each of them works for an average human.” he added with derision.
Remus blinked, the insult not phasing him, like water off a duck’s back, he’d been called worse, “How many should I take then?”
Severus sighed heavily, speaking softly, “That was cruel. I am sorry. These past few years… they’ve taken their toll. Eight drops should do.” Remus put a hand on his shoulder, “I am sorry for your loss, Severus. She was a good friend of mine too. Let me know if there’s anything I can do, alright?”
Severus nodded, blinking a little in surprise, “Very well. Now, go and do what you will with that potion.” Remus smirked a bit, “Oh, I intend to. Thank you.”
Severus nodded and Remus Apparated away. He was back in his and Sirius’ home in Beaumaris, just about to leave for Azkaban, before locking the door behind him, pausing to stuff the note from Dumbledore allowing his entrance to the island prison into the other pocket. He Apparated, arriving at the gates and was greeted by one of the few human guards there. He didn’t waste much time and showed them the note immediately and was brought to Sirius’ cell, where there was a sight he never wanted to see again. It hurt his heart to see him like that.
His husband was in his dog form, curled about himself and clearly extremely distressed. Remus spoke gently to him, "Sirius, I'm here, sweetheart. I'm right here. I know you can hear me." The guard had left him alone with Sirius, a foolish decision on their part but one that Remus was thankful for. He had been permitted access to sit in the cell with Sirius, so he opened the door to do so.
Sirius sniffed the air and let out an ecstatic yip, shifting back immediately and throwing himself towards the werewolf, kissing him deeply on the lips as he held him close.
For Remus, who hadn’t had those lips on his for far too long, the kiss was like ambrosia. He kissed back hungrily but then pulled away, causing Sirius to whine loudly. He spoke in a hoarse voice, “R-Rem! Darling, is it really you?”
Remus hugged him closely, “Yes, my mate, it’s me. There isn’t much time, love. Drink two drops of this for me, okay?”
Sirius didn’t doubt him for a second and dropped two drops of the acid green potion onto his tongue without so much as a second thought. He felt his throat burn, similar to the effects of fire-whiskey, “Remus…what was that? Not that I don’t trust you with my life, I do, darling.”
Remus kissed his forehead, “A potion that will allow me to hear your thoughts whether you’re a dog or not.” He downed eight drops of the potion himself, “And now, you’ll be able to hear mine, so we can communicate with more than letters, since the old fool thought it clever to keep me from my mate.” There was a slight growl to his voice, even if it was gentle.
Sirius looked at him, shaking as he held him close, speaking hoarsely, “You…yyou don’t…you don’t believe...“ he looked down, unable to finish the sentence.
Remus bit his lip, kissing Sirius’ nose, “I could never think that you’d betray your brother, sweetheart. I am getting you home and we’re clearing that lovely name of yours so that we can kill Peter together.” He kissed his lips softly. Sirius held him close, not daring to let go for even a second. Remus tried out the thought process. Both of them were awful at Legillimency, but Remus could perform some level of Occlumency just fine and planned to teach his husband how to do so, lest the badgering old bumblebee delve into their thoughts.
He thought hard, concentrating on sending the thought to Sirius, ‘I love you and I missed you so much that it pained me to breathe without you beside me, my mate. I’ve accepted my wolfish side, like you and James were trying to get me to do for years.’
Sirius gasped softly and smiled, tears rolling down his ashen face from his sparkling grey eyes as he thought back, ‘That crooked old bastard is going to pay dearly for taking my darling husband away from me. I adore you so much and I’ve missed you so much, my heart ached every day for you. But my Patronus isn’t a black dog anymore.’ He added with the ghost of what would have been a cheeky grin. Remus tilted his head curiously, ‘Oh? What is it now, my lovely mate?’ Sirius smirked weakly, ‘It’s a wolf.’
The taller of them smiled a watery sad smile. He couldn’t resist his mate much longer, so he kissed Sirius deeply, backing him slowly up against his cell wall. Sirius kissed back frantically, needing to kiss the wolf badly and feel those lips he had thought of for the past decade and then some on his own again, at last. Remus bit down roughly on his bottom lip, to which Sirius opened his mouth for immediately. Remus shoved his tongue into Sirius’ mouth and fought for dominance, Sirius fighting back strongly, until his husband gripped his hips tightly. A low keening moan escaped the Animagus’ lips, sounding more like a whine than anything.
Remus chuckled against his lips and pulled away from the kiss, gently carding a hand in that curly hair he loved, but then decided that his mate needed a hug. He hugged him close, murmuring solemnly into his left ear, “I will track down that rat bastard that put you in here, sweetheart, I promise. It pains me to leave you, but at least we’ll be able to hear each other’s voices, my star. I will come back for you as soon as I can. I give you my word.”
Sirius whimpered in a small voice, “I want to go with you…I want my big, strong, sexy Alpha to bring me home...” Remus’ heart broke at that sentence. He held Sirius tightly in his arms, “I want nothing more than to steal you away from here, my mate, and go back home with you but the life we’d live, Padfoot… a life on the run, it wouldn’t be worth it. Not to mention, we need to find Prongs’ fawn.”
Sirius buried his face in Remus’ neck and whispered, “I don’t care what they could possibly say, Remus. You’re all that I see when I close my eyes, darling. I was terrified that you thought that I was the traitor. Terrified.” The shorter man whimpered the word, his voice cracking as he did so.
Remus held onto him closely in what can only be described as a possessive grip, holding him as close to him as possibly able and kissing his neck gently, “Sirius… You’re the first thing that I see before I close my eyes at night and again before I open them in the morning. I have missed you. It’s been agony, despite transformations being more painless than usual, without you there at my side, without my mate to play with, to curl up to run with...”
Sirius held him closer, whispering hoarsely, I’m so sorry that you had to go through moons alo—“ he almost got out, before his husband cut him off.
Remus nipped his neck, to get his attention more than anything, “Don’t you dare. Don’t you dare apologise for that wizened old fuck’s doings. He’s to blame here. Actually, when I went to his office, it took a lot of restraint and self-composure not to tear him to shreds because of what he did to us.” He really was the worst at telling when his voice let growls slip into it.
Despite himself and the situation at hand, Sirius couldn’t help the involuntary moan that slipped out of his mouth at the coarse language on the usually mild-mannered man’s mouth, especially the underlying growls but then again, he had always found them hot. He chuckled softly, whispering into Remus’ ear and snuggled him close, “When I get out of here, he’s getting such a fucking earful for keeping me away from those sweet irresistible lips of yours.” He took a deep breath, gasping out his words, “Dementors or not, I might just get myself off to your voice, love.”
Remus chuckled softly, “I’ll help you.” But at his other words, he nipped him again, “Make sure to test the thought process out when and if you get around to doing that, because I may have to wait to have you be all mine in the best way, sweetheart but it will be worth it.” He closed his eyes briefly in appreciation at the thought alone.
Sirius felt a grin spread over his face, “Good. We can kill him and Pettigrew together.” He smirked, “The wait will be worth it, my Alpha, I know it. ...Doesn’t mean I can’t be a bloody tease in the meantime though, Moony.” he chuckled a little.
Remus’ amber eyes swirled with the gold of his wolfish nature shining through until they were fully the colour of the precious metal, “Agreed.” he stated simply, but then growled right into his ear, “If you do, don’t think I won’t retaliate, Pads.”. Remus very begrudgingly let go of his star as he whispered in a soft sad tone, “I don’t want to go…”
Sirius looked down, “But you have to...” he mumbled, understanding but not liking the fact that his husband had to leave.
The taller wizard smirked a tiny bit and thought to his husband, ‘I’m not sure about how this thing works, but I’m almost sure we can send memories to each other, but I’m warning you to not overuse it’,
There was a gleam in his eyes. Sirius shivered a little, ‘Any kind of memory?’ he hopefully asked, ideas filling his head that weren’t exactly innocent in their nature. Remus chuckled a little, 'I can practically see the dirty intentions in your silver eyes but yes, I believe it so, my mate.’
Sirius let out a pleased moan sound at this and kissed the space behind Remus’ left ear, a soft spot of his.
Remus inhaled sharply as he whispered, “Don’t make me use the bond as a means of payback, sweetheart.”
His husband smirked a bit, “How would you manage to do that, my moon?” Remus blushed a bit, “Like this, my star.” He looked Sirius directly into his eyes and mentally sent a memory that was immensely close and dear to his heart, their wedding day.
Sirius hummed softly and tugged the taller wizard closer to him, “I love you so much, Remus John Lupin.” The werewolf kissed the shorter wizard’s cheek, “I adore you, Sirius Orion Lupin.”
The Animagus groaned at his full name, “Say it again, Moony.” he whispered urgently. Remus hugged him close, not wanting to leave Sirius in the cold, damp, dank prison cell, “Sirius Orion Lupin, I don’t want to leave you here, and I will get you out of this damn place.”
He whispered, “Kiss me? Just...just one more time before you go, my Alpha?”
Remus hugged him tightly, like a lifeline, “I will be back for you, mark my words. I’m going to get you out of here, my lovely mate.”
Sirius smiled softly, “Until you do, I’ll have your thoughts entwined with mine so the ‘mentors can’t hurt me.”
His husband nodded, his throat going dry, “I swear, I’ll send you as many as I can, my beloved star.” With that, Remus gave him a searing, passionate, firm kiss to last him until he would be back for him. He begrudgingly left Sirius’ arms and Disapparated back to their home in Beaumaris.