Chapter Three
Now, it was Harry Potter’s turn to clear his throat.
The small crowd looked up from their champagne flutes as they sat at the tables or stood on the makeshift dance floor. Harry held his own glass in two hands as he said, “Er…”
“Great start,” Ron said, clapping Harry on the back before going to stand beside Hermione and Ginny.
Harry shot Ron a bit of a dirty look before turning back to look at the small party, “Er, so, I’m Best Man…”
“Too right he is!” Sirius cried, grinning broadly and raising his glass.
“That’s Harry!” Teddy chirped from beside Tonks, who was holding his hand.
Harry smiled and felt his nervousness abate slightly, “Right. So, I thought I’d just say a few words. I’m not big on speeches, as you all know…”
“Oi!” Fred said loudly, “You gave plenty good speeches in the D.A.!”
“Don’t interrupt him!” Molly hissed to her son, “Go on, Harry dear.”
Harry was smiling now and squared his shoulders, focusing on the two men standing a little to the right-side of the crowd. Sirius was standing in front of Remus, leaning against him. Remus had one hand on Sirius’ waist, the other holding his own glass of sparkling champagne.
Harry cleared his throat again, and this time it was not from nervousness, but because his throat now felt rather thick, “I wish James and Lily—my parents—were here today to celebrate with us,” Harry said, “But I’m just so glad that I am. If you had told me at the start of my third year that in four years, I’d be at my Professor Lupin’s wedding to none other than Sirius Black, I’d have thought you were madder than I reckoned Sirius to be at the time.”
Sirius barked with laughter and the twins grinned widely. Remus bowed his head as he chuckled, bringing his lips to kiss Sirius’ temple.
Harry cleared his throat again, “And in those four years since I met Remus…and later on, once I met Sirius and we all realized his innocence…there have been hard times. For all of us. But what I can say for myself is that in those hard times, when I could have felt alone, when I could have felt I had no one who understood what I was going through, I had them.”
Harry blinked his eyes—as they were quite prickly now, “I don’t know what I did to deserve such amazing friends and family. And especially the two best guardians I could have ever imagined. There have been hard times, but also the best of times.”
Harry finally admitted to himself that blinking wasn’t going to suffice and so he wiped at his eyes for a moment before continuing, “I guess one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from Remus and Sirius is that no matter what happens…no matter what obstacles we face…no matter what the world tells us or throws at us…to never give up on love. My parents didn’t, and I know none of the rest of us here will either. It’s the most powerful magic in the world, and it’s what’s worth fighting for. So…” Harry raised his glass high and the others followed suit.
“To Sirius Black and Remus Lupin,” Harry Potter said, “and to many more of the best of times.”
The others chorused, “Sirius and Remus! The best of times!” and Sirius wiped at his watery eyes, striding over to Harry and enveloping him in a tight hug.
“Oh, pup,” Sirius said hoarsely and then stepped back, smiling through his tears, “I guess you’re not really a pup anymore, eh?”
Remus had walked over to join them and smiled warmly down at Harry, “Thank you.”
Harry shook his head, smiling back, “No,” he said, “Thank you.”
Evening fell upon the small party in the back garden of Hope’s Cottage, the sky grew strewn with stars, the waning Moon high overheard as the horizon darkened.
“Aw, look at him…” Hermione Granger said, sweeping her mane of brown hair out of her pink face as she and Ginny collapsed into chairs at Harry and Ron’s table.
Ginny was beaming, her brown eyes blazing under the string lights overhead as if she had just flown particularly well at Quidditch practice (and Harry thought she had just been dancing as well as she always flew), “Which one d’you mean?” Ginny said, turning to look back at the dance floor.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed her gaze as well, and found her to be looking at none other than the two men they were currently celebrating.
Sirius and Remus were dancing, their arms outstretched as they held hands, and they were laughing—Sirius’ head was thrown back, his laughter nearly as loud as the music, which was currently ‘Another Brick in the Wall’—and Remus was laughing as he sang along, “Hey, Teacher, leave them kids alone!” and with a long arm he pulled Sirius in closer as they both belted out, “All in all it’s just another brick in the wall!”
Sirius beamed and bounced up, throwing his arms over Remus’ neck and kissing him as the music continued. Around them, Fred and George whooped and jumped up and down, their faces sweaty from dancing. Charlie let out a wolf-whistle and Tonks cheered where she danced beside him. Harry grinned as he saw Bill trying to teach Fleur how to dance to the rock music.
“I didn’t mean Sirius or Remus,” Hermione said with a laugh, “although I don’t think I’ve ever seen either one of them look so young before. I was talking about Teddy actually.”
Harry glanced down at the child in his lap, whose head was nodding against Harry’s chest as he kept trying to peel his eyes open and stay awake. Harry smiled and rubbed Teddy’s back, “Aw, Teddy, sorry…I know it’s getting late…”
Molly appeared at Harry’s side a second later, as if Summoned, “Poor thing,” she tutted, sitting beside Harry and reaching out to take the toddler into her own lap, “Arthur and I should take him back to the Burrow soon. And I reckon we all should travel together. It’s safer, of course.”
Harry nodded, glancing about to see Arthur dancing a little ridiculously with Andromeda and Ted, grinning ear-to-ear as he exclaimed to them, “I love Muggle music! Where has this been all my life?!”
Harry fought back his laughter and turned back to Molly, “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
The plan was for Harry and Teddy to stay at the Burrow for the rest of July until Bill and Fleur’s wedding, and Sirius and Remus would join them in two days after having a bit of time alone and with no Order missions for a honeymoon. After Bill and Fleur’s wedding, Sirius, Remus, and Teddy would return to 12 Grimmauld Place, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione would be off…where, yet, Harry was not certain.
The implications of the discovery that Regulus had been the one to take the real Horcrux had been stalled a bit by Sirius’ reaction and he and Remus’ wedding. Harry still needed to talk to Sirius about any ideas he had for what Regulus had done with the real one, and he hoped to do so once Sirius and Remus joined them at the Burrow after their two days of honeymoon.
The Pink Floyd song ended and Molly rose to her feet, holding Teddy, who was rubbing his eyes, as she bustled over to Sirius and Remus on the dance floor.
Sirius had stepped over to the table nearby to drink his glass of champagne while Remus turned to look at Molly. He smiled as she approached, his brown eyes twinkling and his cheeks pink as he bowed his head to inspect the child in her arms.
“Bedtime, is it?” Remus asked the toddler.
Teddy reached his arms out toward Remus, “Moony,” he said as Remus took him into his long arms, “Read story?”
Remus swept some of Teddy’s turquoise hair out of his small face, “I’m afraid that it is a little late for a story, Teddy. Do you remember what I told you? You’re going to be staying with your Aunt Molly and Uncle Arthur tonight and tomorrow.”
Teddy looked up at Remus and at once his little face crumpled, “No, Moony, I don’t want to!”
Remus tsked his tongue gently and smiled still at the child, “Oh, come now, Teddy. You love the Burrow.”
“Stay with you,” Teddy insisted, “You and Padfoot. Teddy stays.”
“Oh, there’s the little tyke!” Sirius crowed, setting down his empty champagne glass and striding over toward Remus and Molly.
“It’s quite late for him,” Molly said to Sirius, “I reckon Arthur and I should take him home to bed. And the others should come with us. Best to travel together, you know.”
“No!” Teddy cried suddenly, his hazel eyes wide on Remus’ face, “Teddy stays!”
Remus smiled and spoke patiently, “Harry will be with you. It’s just for a little while.”
Sirius stepped closer and patted Teddy’s back, “It’ll be fun!”
Teddy frowned, “Moony just do wolf. Not Moon and wolf time. Why go? Why a little while? Why not Teddy?”
“We want to spend time with you, Teddy,” Molly interceded, “Moony and Padfoot have to share sometimes,” she added with a smile.
Teddy continued to frown, his eyes not leaving Remus’ face.
“We all love you, Teddy,” Remus said quietly to the toddler.
Teddy continued to frown, but then he couldn’t help it—he yawned widely and rubbed his eyes.
“We’ll see you so soon,” Sirius said, grinning, “And you be good, will you?”
Teddy pressed his head against Remus’ shirt and mumbled, “Teddy will be good.”
Remus rubbed Teddy’s back and whispered, “Sleep well, little one,” as he lightly kissed the child on his forehead and handed him back to Molly.
A few minutes later, Molly had gathered Arthur, Bill, Fleur, Charlie, Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, and Harry at the edge of the back garden near the ward’s allocated Apparation point.
Tonks and her parents joined as well, shaking Sirius’ and Remus’ hands, giving hearty congratulations along with promises to see each other soon.
“Enjoy your honeymoon, Sirius!” Andromeda said with a wicked grin that was so familiar to her cousin’s as she kissed his cheeks.
“Oh, I will,” Sirius told her with a barking laugh.
“Thank you for watching over Teddy,” Remus told Molly and Arthur for the umpteenth time and Molly playfully slapped his arm with her free hand, the other holding the now fully-sleeping child.
“See you in two days,” Arthur said with a grin, “Excellent night! Bloody excellent!”
“Legends,” Fred and George said together as they shook Sirius’ and Remus’ hands, “Complete legends.”
“Blimey, I think I actually like weddings,” Ron said as he shook the two men’s hands.
Sirius barked with laughter, “Me too.”
Harry stepped forward and hugged each of his guardians in turn before stepping back and beaming, “It really was bloody excellent.”
Sirius ruffled Harry’s hair, “Too right!”
Remus chuckled, “See you soon, Harry.”
“See you soon!” Hermione and Ginny chorused.
“Have fun!” Tonks said, “but not too much fun!”
Sirius grinned wickedly, “No promises.”
One after another, the guests Apparated from the back garden of Hope’s Cottage. First, Arthur, then Molly with Teddy, followed by Bill—with Hermione side-alonging, Fleur—with Ginny side-alonging, Charlie—with Harry side-alonging, Fred—with Ron side-alonging, and then George. Finally, Tonks, Andromeda, and Ted said they’re final good-byes and Apparated back to Andromeda and Ted’s safe house.
Sirius and Remus stood in the soft quiet of the early night.
They turned to face the decorations and Remus instructed Sirius to wave his wand to fold up the dance floor and Transfigure it, as well as the chairs and tables, back into their miniature size to store within the garden shed.
Remus kept a few of the string lights magically suspended in the air, and Summoned a picnic blanket, along with a few bottles of leftover champagne and two glasses. He set the record player with his record collection beside the picnic blanket. As Sirius brought the furniture into the garden shed, Remus Summoned a picnic blanket which he spread under the remaining string lights.
Sirius turned to find Remus sitting on the picnic blanket, two glasses of champagne poured and waiting as he shifted through his record collection with his long, deft fingers before pulling out an album.
It was Mirage by Fleetwood Mac. Remus set it on the record player before saying, “I reckoned a toast was in order,” as Sirius sat down beside him on the blanket.
Sirius grinned, “Go on, then.”
Remus lifted his champagne glass as Sirius did the same.
“To you,” Remus said.
Sirius cocked his head and opened his mouth in protest.
“Sirius, none of this would have happened if it had not been for you,” Remus said.
Sirius shook his head.
“I would have loved you in silence,” Remus told him, “I would have been your friend, and taken all you would have given me, and not have taken anything for myself. If you had not kissed me that day in our sixth year…I had resigned myself to a life in the rafters, Sirius. Of unrequited pining, and that would have been alright. Because I got to love you. I thought that it would have been enough. Because never would I have believed that you’d want me in return…that you would love me as well.”
“Moony—”
“I know the Animagus transformation was more your idea than James’. You did it. And it was the greatest gift you’ve ever given me,” Remus continued, unrelenting.
“Moony—”
“You escaped Azkaban, Sirius. And you kept yourself sane. You escaped to catch Peter and protect Harry. If you had not…”
“Moony! You—”
“You adopted Teddy, Sirius. And you asked me to marry you. Don’t you see? All along…it’s always been you, making this life possible.”
“Moony! Please! You told me after I kissed you that you wanted to be together. You survived after James and Lily…you took the D.A.D.A. job, you came to the Shack that night, you helped me recover from Azkaban, you rescued Teddy and brought him home—”
“Sirius—”
“No, listen!” Sirius set his champagne glass aside and rose on his knees, his dark eyes firm in his stern face, “Why do you think I did any of that? Kissing you, becoming an Animagus, even escaping Azkaban—yes, I did it for Harry, for James and Lily, but also for you. Because you inspire me, Moony. It was you inspiring me all along, and you’ve never led me astray. I wanted to do everything with you. I want to doeverything with you.”
Remus smiled softly, “This toast is not going as I planned.”
“Sod your toast,” Sirius said, “It’s always been us, hasn’t it?”
“I suppose it has. And I want to do everything with you too,” Remus said softly.
“Well, that’s bloody good that is, seeing as we’re married now,” Sirius said with a wicked grin.
Remus shook his head, smiling widely, “Can you believe it? I never would have thought it would happen for us. Of course…I dreamed…”
“See, that’s where we balance each other out, Moony,” Sirius said, reaching out to Remus’ free hand, interlacing their fingers, “You know what they say about dreamers? That they need someone to pull them back down when they get too carried away? Well…the practical ones need the dreamers too—or else they might never get off the ground.”
Remus smiled, and raised his glass once more, “Alright then. To the dreamers and the realists. You and I.”
Sirius reached for his glass and raised it to Remus’, clinking their glasses.
There’s nobody in the future
So, baby let me hand you my love
Oh, there’s no step for you to dance to
So, slip your hand inside my glove
Hold me, hold me, hold me
Hold me, hold me, hold me
The birdsong woke him.
Sirius opened his eyes to find the sunrise bathing the hills and forest around them, the sun’s early rays warming his bare skin.
Sirius turned on the picnic blanket—in the night, right before the passion, Moony had had the brilliant idea of Transfiguring it so that it had all the comfort and thickness of a mattress, and now Sirius propped his head up on one elbow and looked at the sleeping figure beside him.
Remus was naked as Sirius was, his skin flush with the rising sun. His grey and brown hair was sleep tussled, his eyes closed, a small smile on his fair lips…
His long arms were at his sides, and Sirius marveled at the sinuous muscle, the prominent veins…and the scars that ran along nearly every inch of Remus’ skin…
There were the three deep, long claw marks on his stomach from where he had been attacked last September, and the burn marks left by silver on his narrow wrists.
Sirius leaned forward and brought his lips to Remus’ shoulder, tracing them along a scar there…breathing in Moony’s scent of pine and earth and sweet summer storms…
When Sirius leaned back, he saw that Remus’ eyes had opened and he was smiling at Sirius with such brightness in his eyes.
“Come here,” Remus whispered.
Sirius moved closer, pressing himself against Remus’ side and kissing him on the lips as Remus’ arms wrapped around him.
Moony’s magic now swirled among the morning summer air and Sirius’ head was filled with it—and Moony’s hands slid down his broad back, to his hips…
“I want you,” Remus murmured.
Sirius broke the kiss, breathless, and he reached his own hand down…
“Then take me,” he growled.
And Remus responded at once and soon he was stroking Sirius until he felt poised on a knife’s edge, until Sirius’ blood pulsed with pleasure and burning, aching desire as Remus kissed his neck, trailing it with love bites.
And Sirius was stroking Remus in turn, his head falling back, exposing his throat fully to Remus’ lips…
Remus lifted Sirius effortlessly, shifting them onto their sides as he wandlessly cast the spell which made entering Sirius easier, and Sirius heard himself cry out in desperate want, and then Moony did as he asked, and filled him…
A little while later, they entered the cottage and showered.
Remus laughed as he bowed his head for Sirius to administer his shampoo and Sirius felt himself sigh with pleasure when Moony did his—his long, nimble hands massaging his scalp.
Breakfast was toast and tea and afterwards, they returned to the back garden. Padfoot ran and sniffed at the yard while Remus inspected the flower plots beside the backdoor, and soon he sat on the grass and threw sticks for Padfoot to fetch.
Sirius transformed back while Remus was petting Padfoot’s head, so that Remus now found his hand among Sirius’ glossy black locks as Sirius crouched before him, moving in with a devilish grin to kiss him on the lips.
Needless to say, there was more passion after that. But this time, they Apparated up to their bedroom.
Languid and loose, Remus ran his hand up and down between Sirius’ shoulder blades as Sirius lay against him, their legs intertwined below them.
“I want to give you credit, Sirius,” Remus murmured.
Sirius tilted his head up to peer at Remus’ face.
Moony was smiling, his brown eyes soft and warm as he continued to run his hand up and down Sirius’ back.
“I want to give you all the accolades you deserve,” Remus continued.
Sirius fidgeted, “Moony…I’ve made many mistakes…I have many regrets—”
“They are far outweighed, Sirius, by everything else you have done. And long since forgiven. You must forgive yourself now, my love. It is long since overdue.”
“I—I want to…”
Remus pressed Sirius closer against him, “That is the first step,” he murmured, “and let me give you a little praise, hm?”
“Well, that’s the pot calling the kettle black.”
Remus chuckled, “You may be right,” and he moved his hand to caress Sirius’ face, his long hands so very gentle, and his voice was heated as he said lowly, “But please…let me exalt you.”
Sirius’ back arched, “Well…I’d certainly be a fool to say no that…”
Remus brought his lips to Sirius’ neck, right on his pulse point, “You’re not too tired? Not too spent?”
“Never,” Sirius breathed, his heart now thrilling in his chest.
By the following morning, Remus wondered how he may contain his lust and longing for Sirius now that they must return to the real world and all of its duties. How had they managed before?
Sirius was of the same mind, and as he straddled Remus’ hips that morning he gave Remus a wicked grin, “Oh, this will be quite a challenge at Bill and Fleur’s wedding, won’t it?”
“You always liked a challenge.”
Sirius barked a laugh, “You did too. That’s probably what drew us together. Two challenges, aren’t we?”
Remus lifted a hand to tuck a strand of Sirius’ dark hair behind his ear, “Seems so. But I never minded, not in the slightest.”
“Never minded, eh?” Sirius said with a playful cock of his eyebrow.
“No,” Remus said, smiling now, “I loved it. I love you.”
“Took the words right out of my mouth,” Sirius said, taking one of Remus’ hands and bringing it to his lips to kiss the back of Remus’ knuckles, one of his fingers touching onto Remus’ wedding ring.
“What should we do, Sirius, about the others at Bill and Fleur’s wedding? Should we keep this a secret? And ask the ones who know to keep the secret too?” Remus was looking now at his ring.
Sirius cocked his head, “I was going to ask you. What do you think, Moony?”
Remus stared at the beautiful ring that Sirius had had crafted, and then he looked to meet Sirius’ gaze, “I think it’s time, don’t you think? I think it’s time for people to know.”
Sirius beamed, “I was hoping you’d say that.”