For Our Parents Willed So

For Our Parents Willed So

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Explorations

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"Peter, dear?" asked Remus casually.

"What it is, love?" the fair-haired boy asked back, raising his eyes from his Charms homework. They were supposed to turn it in the next evening, and he'd hardly even started on the whole essay.

"I think we should try kissing."

At this, Peter blinked. "What are you talking about?" he asked, frowning slightly. "We just kissed a couple of minutes ago. Why should we 'try' it, like you put it?"

"Not that kind of kissing," the werewolf explained. "The... different kind. Real kissing, the thing all unengaged ones seem to be so frantic about."

"You mean, some over-sixteen things?"

"Exactly."

"But, Remus, why? We're only fourteen! Or, well, I'll be fifteen in a week, but still!"

The werewolf shrugged. "I'd like to see what it feels like," he answered. "Besides, nobody's forbidden starting earlier. It's just that the couples are supposed to get 'serious' once the younger hits sixteen, so they'll be ready to marry by the time they've both graduated. I should suppose we're well past the point where we can kiss."

"Well, if that's what you want, it's fine with me," Peter replied with a shrug, "but... How's it different from our usual kisses?"

"Honestly, I don't know," grinned Remus. "Let's try to find out, shall we?"

So, the book, the parchment, and the quill were pushed off Peter's lap, just like Remus had emptied his own lap just moments before. A bit hesitantly, they approached each other, not entirely sure what to do.

Then, something you could call only an instinct took over them. Remus's fingers went to Peter's hair, tangling with the soft, short curls, just long enough to get a grip on, while Peter wrapped his arms around Remus's shoulders. Carefully, they moved nearer, until their lips were just an inch apart.

Then, they closed the distance.

At first, it felt nothing different from their usual kisses. Just lips touching ever so slightly, as a mark of firm friendship and closeness, not romantical purposes. But then, as they started to slightly move their lips, trying to get a taste of each other, it changed.

After what seemed to be only a second Remus's tongue slipped out through his lips, drawing a line over Peter's lower lip. Used to do whatever his fiancé wanted and expect the same in return, Peter soon parted his lips, allowing the werewolf an entrance.

And as soon as their tongues brushed against each other inside Peter's mouth, exchanging their taste, they knew what all those others thought so special about kissing.

Sooner rather than later they lay on Peter's bed, Remus on top - he was still the lighter and smaller, still the perfect Seeker, even though he nowadays had got past at least some of the younger students in height. Remus's hands were still in Peter's hair, Peter's hands snaking their way under Remus's shirt, and they were kissing. Bth boys involuntarily shivered every now and then because of the sensations of skin caressing skin, as well as their tongues' battling for dominance. Tiny waves of warmth flew through them, sending pleasure all around their bodies.

Suddenly they were startled apart by a cough from the doorway. Breaking off their kiss, they glanced over to the direction of the sound, seeing one very amused and slightly shocked Lily Evans.

"So you finally decided to develop your relationship further than just friends, eh?" their friend asked, a broad grin on her face. "About the time and all. I was starting to wonder about you two, you know."

"In fact, we're not required to be anything but friends until we turn sixteen," Remus reminded calmly, untangling his fingers from Peter's hair and rolling to his side. "We just decided to at least try something a bit earlier."

"And how was your try?" Lily questioned further, her eyes twinkling. "Worth the effort, or not?"

The two boys glanced briefly at each other. Then they turned back to Lily, tiny grins on their faces. "Definitely worth it," they said in unison.

*

Sirius sat curled in an armchair in Lucius's quarters. As they only had a year ahead - three months more, and Sirius would turn sixteen - his father insisted that he and Lucius now met thrice a week, two hours at time. As Sirius had only so much Potions homework, and neither of them could think of anything they could talk about, they just tried to spend their time as well as they could.

Suddenly, the book was snatched from his hands. "'Animagia Exclusiva,' a highly restricted book," said Lucius almost lazily, scanning the cover of the book with his silver eyes. "Sirius Solomon Black, what the Hell do you think you are doing? Even possessing this book without the Ministry's permission will get you expelled, if not worse!"

"Give it back," Sirius grumbled, knowing that Lucius was telling simply the truth.

"No, I don't think I will," the blond smirked. "At least not before you explain yourself properly."

"And if I don't?"

"If you don't give me a satisfying explanation, I shall go to Professor Dumbledore with this book and tell him where I got it. Having a Gryffindor for a fiancé is bad enough, but he being a criminal on top of it is too much."

Avoiding Lucius's intense gaze, and not doubting a single word of his threat, Sirius said quietly, "We're doing it to help Remus. The wolf doesn't stand humans, so we're going to become Animagi to be able to be with him."

"'We?'" echoed Lucius, raising an eyebrow. "So you're not in this alone?"

"Nope. I and James and Peter are all studying to complete the transformation."

"I see." For a moment, they were both quiet. Then Lucius asked, "I suppose that none of you even thought about getting yourself registered?"

Shaking his head, Sirius snorted. "Yeah, right. Three teenagers begging for a permission to become Animagi? We'd be laughed out of there."

"Then I suppose I have to do that for you."

Sirius's eyes snapped up to your fiancé. "What?" he asked in disbelief.

"The Malfoy name has quite some power in the Ministry," explained Lucius calmly. "It's much easier to get you three registered than to try to save the family's reputation if you're put into Azkaban. And, knowing just how bloody Gryffindor you are, I don't think there's any way to stop you from doing this, either."

Sirius just sat there for amoment, staring at Lucius, his eyes wide. At last, he said, "Lucius... Thank you. I don't know how I can ever repay you for this."

"What about not getting a detention for a whole week?" suggested the Slytherin with a little smirk. "None of the teachers ever forget to tell me whenever they've put you into a detention. It'd be more than enough of a repayment if you spared me from that shame for some time."

"It's not my fault that those stupid gits don't understand some humour," grumbled Sirius. "Do you think that I like spending my spare time in detention?"

"Seeing that you broke the last record in the amount of detentions halfway through your third year, yes, I do think so."

"Drop it already, will you?" the younger wizard asked pleadingly. "Besides, it's not like you were the Boy Perfect back in your own times..."

"No, I wasn't, that much I admit," Lucius said with a grin, "but the difference between us is that I never got caught. You, however, do that all the time. Believe me, I don't give a crap to whatever you do, as long as nobody knows it's not you. I didn't say that you should stop pulling pranks, I said you should stop getting detentions."

"If I don't get a detention for a whole week, will you give me full points from my next essay?"

"That'd be considered favouritism, I'm afraid," Lucius pointed out. "If, however, you and your friends indeed keep out of trouble for a whole week, you'll get your book back - along with your permissions to study Animagia."

"Hey!" exclaimed Sirius. "You promised to return my book if I explained you why I was reading it!"

"So I did," Lucius replied calmly, "but I never said when I'd return it. Besides, haven't you already learnt not to trust a Slytherin?" This got him a half-glare from Sirius's direction, but there wasn't real malice behind it.

Glancing then to his watch, a Christmas present from Lily the last year, Sirius said, "Anyway, the two hours are almost out. I should leave." Getting to his feet, he placed a hand on Lucius's left arm. "May I?" he asked softly, looking the older wizard right into the eye. Lucius nodded, and Sirius pushed the sleeve up his forearm, letting out a sigh of relief as he found no mark there. It had become almost a little tradition to them - even though only a miracle could stop the Mark eventually being carved to Lucius's skin, every time Sirius saw the arm still smooth and free of the burden of Mordsmodre was a sign of still some time of innocence allowed. When Lucius joined the Death Eaters, he'd be pressured to make Sirius join also, and neither of them wanted that.

Letting the sleeve fall back down, Sirius bade his quiet goodbyes, and left. Even though the temporary loss of his precious book made him angry, he was still glad to know that, at least by now, he'd manage to live through his life on Lucius's side.