Of Everything

They huddle in the secret nook behind the rude limerick-singing suit of armor on the fifth floor corridor in the east wing. It's somewhere only the four of them seem to know about, and even Filch passes them by without suspicion.

They talk about Remus's absences and the interesting things they'd studied in Astronomy last week, during the...full moon. The boy's pale face fades further towards alabaster and he feels tears prick at his eyes. This is it, the end of everything. They know and they'll tell the whole House and from there it will be only a matter of time before the entire school knows and he'll be chucked out on his ear.

But no. James looks horrified at the very idea of telling anyone else, Sirius throws his arm around Remus's shoulders, and Peter simply doesn't cringe when Remus reaches out to him. They will keep his secret. This isn't the end of everything.

* * *

Remus invites Sirius up to the Shack during the new moon. Sirius is excited, as he is the first of the Marauders Remus even considers letting see where he tears off his own skin every month. Remus brings his friend upstairs, and Sirius is glad to be somewhere only they know.

They drink butterbeer and play Exploding Snap and eventually Remus gathers enough courage to share his newest secret. He doesn't fancy girls at all and currently has a crush on that Seventh Year Ravenclaw who tutors OWL Arithmancy students. Oh ho, Sirius chuckles, now understanding why smart, attentive, overabundant-note-taking Remus goes in for extra tutoring (in a subject that isn't Potions, even).

Sirius makes coy remarks about James's arse, succeeding in making Remus blush, then assures Remus that he doesn't care, and neither will the other two. He should tell them, truly. This isn't the end of everything.

* * *

Snape overhears Sirius asking Remus if he can meet him at the Shack in the morning. As the two Gryffindors go their separate ways, Snape sidles up next to the dark-haired pureblood and softly makes a comment of a lewd and lascivious nature. Sirius is, quite rightly, disgusted...but hides his feelings well, retaining an air of cool detachment while he calmly suggests Snape drop by the Shack tonight if he's interested in a good time of his own.

Four hours later and now the Shack is someplace too many people know, and Sirius is desperately afraid that this is the end of everything.

* * *

Peter leads the way, transforming and slipping through the branches in the way that only he knows. The Willow stills, and Wormtail and Prongs slip into the passageway. Padfoot follows a bit behind, slightly worried at how he'll be received in the new pack. Remus has forgiven him, but their friendship is still bruised, and Sirius hasn't yet told Remus the full truth about The Prank.

He arrives in the Shack with his colorblind eyes and sees it all anew, in smells and tastes more than sights and sounds. He finds the wolf quickly, but remains in the back, unwilling to make the first move.

Moony is confused at these extra animals, but the boy inside, who still has a tenuous grasp on the lupine mind, recognizes them as friends. Moony steps forward, sniffs at the trembling rat and elegant stag...then peers at the shy dog. Three trots forward and he's sniffing at the dog's neck, confirming that he belongs. The dog whines and the wolf answers. Acceptance is made, and the tension fades.

They head out of the Shack and into the wood beyond, searching out new places that only they will know. The dog runs with the wolf, elated to know that this isn't the end of everything.

* * *

When Sirius runs away, he goes to the only place he knows is safe. The Potters are concerned but understanding, and bring in their son's best friend as a member of their own family. James brings him exploring along the nearby cliffs, and they discover small caves that only they must know. There they hatch plans for Maps and Pranks and James waxes poetic about the greenness of Evans's eyes and Sirius mostly-accidentally lets it slip that he fancies Remus more than any bird.

James pretends to be put-out that he himself is not the subject of his mate Padfoot's homosexual lustings, but he finds it hard to keep a straight face and before long is slapping Sirius on the back (perhaps a bit harder than necessary to reassure himself of his own masculinity) and begins scheming ways tell Moony.

Moony is brought to the cliffs that only Sirius and James know. It is sunset and the breeze brings a touch of chill to the late July warmth. Sirius asks if Remus still has that crush on WhatHisFaceTutor, and Remus says no, the berk who was brilliant at Arithmancy was shite at Charms and knocked up his girlfriend. Sirius points out that Remus is lucky he'll never have that problem. Remus is momentarily offended, as he thinks Sirius is taking the piss, but then Sirius is pressing their lips together, and they're staring at each other while they're kissing and oh this is the start of everything...

* * *

There is a traitor amongst them. James can't imagine it's truly any of them. Peter remains completely non-committal on the subject. Sirius starts to pay more attention to the cold half of the bed in the mornings. Remus starts to pay more attention to the cold half of the bed in the evenings.

This, for the first time, could be the end of everything.

* * *

Fawkes finds Remus in a place that only he knows. The werewolf has been hiding for the last three weeks, as per The Plan.

He decides it's the start of something new.

* * *

They begin again in a place that once only they knew. They talk about it and begin to rebuild the old trust and comfort as they unravel the truth and expose the man who ended everything they knew. Peter grovels and pleads for his life, but is by the grace of the son of the man he murdered that he lives. Sirius is faintly annoyed at Harry, while Remus feels a grudging pride in his student. All of them are older now than when they entered this place, and now it is time to leave.

Sirius feels freedom soaking into his bones, senses the end of everything he's gone through in the last dozen years. Remus feels foolish for ever doubting his old mate, and decides to just be grateful that everything can end now and they can start living how they were supposed to live, in a way.

Then the moon is revealed and so is Remus's distraction. The end of everything is delayed as children run for their lives and a traitor runs for his.

* * *

Another war begins and Sirius is told to stay with Remus. He's not sure where Remus is staying these days, so he sends out an owl, and the return note says in sure handwriting it's somewhere only they know. Sirius knows; he knows the route like the back of his hand (or paw, as the case may be), and within a few days he's at the riverbank near their cliff.

Remus joins him presently, casting the charms that will allow Sirius to see that his old friend has build his precarious home on the very spot where they experienced the start of everything. It's a simple thing, Remus says, the charms that prevent the back of the cottage from slipping down the cliffside, but Sirius doesn't want to talk about charms.

They walk into the house, make tea, and sit on the couch, talking about everything.

* * *

The room is a flurry of activity and after a few curses are thrown Remus doesn't know where Sirius has ended up. He's fighting off Death Eaters and in the back of his mind he's wincing at the thought of his aching muscles in a few hours, and how nice a hot bath for two will sound, perhaps with a soothing massage after. They are too prematurely old to be fighting wars.

Harry's voice snaps him from his musings; the boy has screamed Sirius's name, so Remus follows his panicked gaze and sees only dear old cousin Bella laughing manically.

But the veil is fluttering...as though...

Harry is still screaming, and starts to lunge forward and draw his wand so Remus quickly jumps to his side and holds the boy back and all the while it's becoming more and more obvious what's happened.

There will be no hot bath for two. No soothing massage. Some aches will never go away.

Sirius is somewhere only he knows.

This is the end of everything.