October 31, 1981
6:49 PM
Remus had gotten home late again - he’d meant to get back at 5:30, a new cut across his face - courtesy of Regulu’s curses. Though that particular one hadn’t been aimed at Remus, it had hit him anyway. He walked through the door of his apartment, expecting Sirius to be asleep and the lights to be off, but he was surprised to hear a familiar song playing from the record player, and a voice singing along with it. Sirius walked into his line of vision.
“I can dim the lights and sing you songs full of sad things, we can do the tango just for two,” Sirius sang loudly.
Remus laughed, for what felt like the first time in months, his face stretching into a smile. “Padfoot…”
“I can serenade and gently play,” Sirius came closer and grabbed Remus’s hands. “On your heartstrings, be your Valentino just for you!”
“Pads, the neighbors complain enough already,” but Remus was still grinning, his green eyes sparkling.
“Ooooh love,” Sirius sang, throwing his head back. “Ooooh loverboy!”
Sirius spun Remus around, just like they used to in their dorm. “Whatcha doin’ tonight, hey boy?”
Remus started to sing as well, both now belting out a song that had been a hit five years ago, in their sixth year.
“Set my alarm, turn on my charm, that’s because I’m a good old-fashioned loverboy.”
“Oh, let me feel your heartbeat,” Sirius sang, his voice clear in the October air.
“Grow faster, faster,” Remus finished, dipping Sirius.
“Oh, can you feel my love heat?”
“Come on and sit in my hot-seat of love.”
“And tell me how do you feel right after all, I’d like for,” They both sang.
“You-”
“And I-”
“To go romancing! Say the word your wish is my command. Oh, love, oh, loverboy! Whatcha doing tonight, hey boy?” They sang in unison with Sirius’s old record.
“Write my letter-”
“Feel much better-” they switched off, then joined back together for; “And use my fancy patter on the telephone.” They sank into an exaggerated lower pitch. “When I’m not with you, think of me always.”
“Love me,” Sirius sang over the music, purposely saying the wrong word.
Remus rolled his eyes. “Love you.”
The two continued singing until the song ended, Sirius turning down the next song to dance slowly with Remus in the kitchen.
“How’d you get the cut?” He asked, stoking Remus’s cheek.
Remus, who’d noticed Sirius’s impending bad mood over the past few months, thought it wouldn’t go over well if Sirius knew it was his brother’s work, so he simply said, “Snape.”
Sirius tensed, and Remus rubbed his back softly until it relaxed again.
“You haven’t been home a lot lately,” said Sirius in a somewhat accusatory tone.
It was Remus’s turn to tense up. “I’ve been on tons of missions for Dumbledre you know that. And I've been over at the Potter’s taking care of Harry and helping Petals and Prongs out.”
“Yeah, yeah I know,” sighed Sirius. “It just feels like I never see you anymore.”
“It really does,” Remus replied. “I haven’t really spent time with you since,” he trailed off. It had been only a week before Harry’s first birthday when they’d all gotten the news. Marlene and her entire family had been killed by the Death Eaters, and only a day after, Dorcas had died by the personal hand of Voldemort.
“Yeah.”
They stood in silence for a minute, then Remus spoke. “I mean, you could’ve comforted me about it. You just shut yourself off.”
Sirius pulled away from the swaying. “Comforted you? I was way closer to McKinnon than you were,” he said.
“What are you going on about? We all loved her! I’m just saying, you could’ve been there instead of disappearing for a week! It was so embarrassing when I showed up at the 911 at Potter’s house and he asked me where you were and I couldn’t tell him!”
“Oh it was embarrassing for you? That’s what you’re worried about? They’re saying you’re the spy Moons!”
“I’m the spy? I’m the spy?” shouted Remus. “What about you? You’re the one who’s secretive! You’re the one who’s never home!”
“Me? I’m James’s best friend! His secret keeper! How could I betray him?”
“Exactly like that! You could easily tell anyone you wanted where James and Lily are!”
“That’s what you think of me? Really? Glad to know that’s what you really think of me,” Sirius said in a low voice, brushing past Remus. “I guess the feelings mutual.”
Sirius walked out of the door, letting a cold gust in, and the door slam shut behind him. Remus hesitated, then ran to it and opened it again, just in time to hear a loud rumble, and see the big black motorbike take to the skies.
“He’ll be back. I know he will. He’s just going to James’ house.”
And Remus Lupin walked out of his front door to wait at the shrieking shack - the Marauders safe house for his boyfriend to come back home.