Hand-me-Downs

Days and nights went by, and the house continued to improve bit by bit. Lupin had guard duty often enough that it was easier for him and Sirius to maintain a nocturnal schedule rather than attempting to switch back and forth. Unfortunately it meant that they only saw the Weasleys for a few hours in the mornings and evenings, but every night they woke up to find more good work done for them to continue from.

The morning after Lupin's second watch at the Ministry, Bill and Charlie Weasley decided that the paint in the Blue Room was safely dry to bring in furniture. They borrowed Lupin's house again to move things from the Burrow, carried in two dressing tables, and put one on each side of the fireplace; then came three beds with their heads against the opposite wall. The bedrooms in the Black house were luxuriously large, so a sufficient fork of floorspace was left to walk around and even put Bill's old writing desk in a corner. In moving it, they broke a few more flakes off its already-chipped veneer, but no one worried much about it, especially not Bill.

Once they had it all in place, the brothers said they would leave Sirius and Remus to start "breaking it in." They slept that day in the donated beds, which had a pleasantly homey smell, like firewood with a touch of remembered home cooking.

Charlie wasn't at the house that evening, and didn't come for more than brief visits in the days that followed; he was still sorting through his situation and trying decide whether to go back to Romania or try to find a job in England. Dumbledore suggested that making overseas contacts would be very valuable--so Lupin heard through Molly--and most of the good positions for Charlie's expertise were ultimately Ministry jobs: wildlife preserves, zoos, and similar. Unfortunately, the higher-ups at the Ministry of Magic were already finding a hundred little ways to make Arthur's days miserable, and it was clear to everyone that this was no time for another Weasley to put in at the Ministry.

Bill, on the other hand, was in England to stay, having transferred to Gringotts' main office to do desk work and give "ground school" preliminary training to new curse-breakers. However, the holiday he'd taken only lasted a few more days, so he took that time to go with Remus and Sirius through some of the rooms that hadn't been so thoroughly swept for curses yet. They planned to concentrate on the drawing room and master bedroom; the boxes from the attic that were piled in the sitting room would take too long to go through, and they reasoned that anyone leaving curses about would be more likely to have overlooked those. However, mentioning the sitting room did remind Sirius of the fourth-floor broom closet right near it, and they decided to empty that before moving on.

The closet had a padlock on its double doors, which Sirius opened with a tap of his wand and the words "Toujours Pur"--just like in Lupin's dream. Inside they found some trunks of magical devices which they carried to the drawing room to go through later, but most notable were the five brooms there, which they took down to the entry hallway with its high ceiling, and they whispered over them and checked and tried them under the baleful glares of Sirius's painted ancestors.

Two of the brooms were Nimbus 1400s--the newly-released top-of-the-line, Sirius recalled, the year his brother had died. Now it was an outdated model, but Bill noted that it was still better than most of his family's brooms. Sirius wanted to keep the broom closet stocked for the Order's use, but said he'd be quite willing to trade once they were certain that these were safe.

They also found an older but rarer Nimbus 1001 "Nights" Limited Edition, which had a diamond-studded ebony shaft and pale, silvery willow straws bound with a strong ribbon of black silk. It bore an edition number of "0006/1001."

The last two were the most extravagant: a matching pair, each elaborately carved and finished, obviously a special artist commission. Indeed, just above the sheeny head of bristles, each one was inscribed with the stamp identifying the maker as a Ministry-licensed broom artisan and the words: "Elmeric Weatherhill, for" --here one read "Orion Black" and the other "Estelle Black"-- "on the occasion of 10th wedding anniversary, October 13th, 1968."

After an initial check revealed no traps or curses, the three of them cast cushioning charms over all the surfaces of the entry hall and tried lifting off and hovering around on the brooms, getting disapproving grumbles from the paintings. Mrs. Black's broom turned out to be totally inoperable, and only Sirius could get any response from his father's. Other than that, all seemed to be in perfect working order. Lupin was rather awkward on a broom, though, and admitted that he hadn't flown one since he was a student--he had never been able to afford one. Sirius shook his head at that and declared that the "1001 Nights" was now Remus's broom.

Bill took the Nimbus 1400s when he left that evening, promising to bring back some of the Weasleys' brooms after more safety checks. Sirius and Lupin locked the other brooms back in their closet and spent the night sorting through boxes in the sitting room. When they went back to the Blue Room to go to bed, Sirius's prison robes were missing, and he had to sleep in the stiff velvet robe.

The next morning they started in the bedroom, where they caught Kreacher scrubbing at the blue stars on the wall; he'd already rendered one in need of touching-up, and additionally admitted to having thrown out the old prison robes as garbage. Sirius told him to leave everything they'd painted alone and to stay out of the room while he, Remus, and Bill were going through it; the house-elf bowed and obeyed, but only retreated as far as the doorway and watched them anxiously. As they pulled out the contents of the wardrobes and dressers, he caused just enough noise to make his disapproval known without being ordered further away.

They checked Mr. Black's side of the room without incident. The robes had already been taken from the wardrobe, and nothing else in it caused trouble, although Remus and Bill examined the highly-ornamented sword they found there with special scrutiny. Lupin looked not only to see whether it was dangerous, but also whether it looked familiar; he had a sickening feeling that it did, but couldn't remember such a detail from his dream clearly enough to be certain that it matched. The contents of the dresser were mostly innocuous garments--trousers, undershirts, socks, etc., none presenting detectable danger--but the top drawer was given more to opulent accessories. It contained gloves, rings, cufflinks and other gems, and even a few gentlemanly canes fitted magically inside it, all things that called for more careful checking. However, even secret compartments in one ring and some of the canes turned up empty and harmless, and the most threatening thing they encountered was a black left-hand glove wearing a golden family crest ring, which would clench its empty calfskin fingers tightly enough to thwart any attempt at removing the signet--or anyone but Sirius's efforts to put the glove on.

Lupin sat on the edge of the bed sifting through the extensive array of jewelled watch-fobs as Sirius and Bill took on Mrs. Black's wardrobe to Kreacher's obvious distress. They started with a large inlaid-lacquer jewelry box on the top shelf, and no sooner had they opened it than all the brooches and hatpins flew out and across the room to attack Lupin. He only barely raised his arms in time as they hurled themselves at his face and neck, and the pins stabbed deeply into him before Sirius and Bill could stop them.

A "Finite!" made all their hinges and chains at last go slack, and Sirius climbed across the bed and asked Remus if he was badly hurt. He was just answering that he would be all right when they heard a dry cackle. Kreacher was laughing from the doorway. Sirius began to turn on the house-elf in a rage, but Lupin seized a fistful of his robe to stop him, even as the needles in his arm made the motion a spasm of agony. His cry of pain stopped his friend immediately, and Sirius only barked at Kreacher to go away before turning back to attend to him. The gold braid on Sirius's robe scratched Lupin's hand, painfully pulling out a brooch that had become snagged in it.

As Bill and Sirius carefully picked the jewelled thorns out of him, they had to wonder why the baubles had gone out of their way to attack the person furthest from them. The answer was quickly obvious: Sirius and Bill may have been "blood-traitors," but they came from pure wizard families; Remus was the only "half-blood mongrel" in the room. There was no telling what else Mrs. Black had enchanted to attack any Muggle blood it could, so Sirius and Bill decided to continue the task alone, once they had taken Remus to a bed in the Blue Room and called Molly to tend to his injuries. After she applied medicine and bandages, he soon fell asleep.

When Molly woke Lupin and Sirius for dinner, it was left to Bill to spend the meal telling Remus about what they'd found after he left. Sirius's mother had left behind robes that shrieked at anyone who touched them, long stockings that had tried to gag them and tie them hand and foot, and a pair of buttoned gloves that had attempted to throttle Sirius, not to even begin talking about her extensive collection of shoes and hats.

Predictably, Sirius had a good deal to say about his mother and her cursed posessions, but withheld it until the Weasleys had gone home and he and Lupin were sorting through things in the sitting room. Again he cut off when Molly and Bill returned in the morning. The day before, he had told Bill all the significance of every item he was asked about, even if he wouldn't volunteer information, but this morning as they finished the bedroom and started on the drawing room, he offered only terse, clipped replies, as if annoyed at the presence of an interloper. Even when he and Lupin went to bed that morning, Remus's attempts at conversation were met with only distracted mutterings of response.

He might only be tired... Lupin told himself, settling in on his back and staring at the blue-painted ceiling for a moment before closing his eyes. As he drifted off to sleep, his consciousness drew inward until everything beyond his face felt miles away, and he and Sirius's beds were as far apart as two continents, floating in this painted sea.

Lupin gazed out the window as he buttoned his cuffs. He didn't think he would ever be accustomed to beginning his day with the sky pink from sunset, not sunrise, but around this time it might be just as well. Full Moon was only one more night away after tonight, close enough to prickle him. Even when he wasn't transformed, his nights in bed tended to be fitful if not sleepless when the moon was round and bright. He pulled his old sweater over his head and turned around as he began combing his hair. Sirius was just sitting on his bed, gazing toward the fireplace mantel with a thoughtful frown.

Remus followed his eyes and looked at the decoration Arabella had given him to put there, a painted ceramic tile in a frame of cast-iron filligree. Age had stained the tile yellow and the iron and paint black, even the once-colorful dot flowers surrounding the message that was painted on it:

in chipped, chisel-brushed letters. The first line had once read "Bless this Hearth," but Remus had found it at Arabella's house when he was very young, young enough that he hadn't yet known the word "hearth." He had, however, noticed Arabella's tendency to say "Bless his heart" in affection for third parties, reasoned that that must be the intended message, and had thoughtfully made corrections by scratching at the paint with his fingernail. A few flecks and smudges were all that remained of the first t and the final h.

Sirius was still staring pensively at it. "Missing Harry?" Remus asked, tying back his hair.

"Hm? Oh... yes..." He shook his head as if to clear it. "I don't know what has been wrong with me lately... Sometimes I think it's this haunted tomb of a house... Sometimes I think it's not being able to help with anything important..."

"That isn't--"

"...And sometimes I think it's being here while Harry is held prisoner on Prissiness Drive in the foulest pit of Muggledom, as if I'm so incapable or so horrible that my godson is better off with people who hate him than with me..." He trailed off in a hot sigh, but before Remus could find words, he spoke again. "But honestly, I don't know what it is. Every time I try to puzzle it out, I remind myself of everything that's wrong, and I come out of it feeling even worse and even more like everyone--" He stopped at the sound of the dumbwaiter bell--Molly had dinner ready.

Lupin clasped Sirius's shoulder. "I'm certain you'll get through it, whatever it is. When I think of everything you've come through already, it will take much worse than this to get the better of you."

Sirius smiled gamely for a moment, but when Lupin took a step toward the door, he didn't move. "You go on; I'll be down shortly."

"I'd be happy to wait."

"No, go ahead."

Remus hesitated for a moment and gave his shoulder an affectionate squeeze before going down to the kitchen.

Alastor was there along with Molly and Bill; he had a plate of curry which he was examining not only with his magical eye, but through an Arcanocular, a contraption of lenses that looked like an elaborate, particolored jeweller's loupe. He kept flipping lenses in and out from before his eye in different combinations, and a Sneakoscope lay still on its side on the table among a collection of other magical detectors. "Remus, rise and shine," he greeted distractedly. Seemingly assured that the food was safe, he folded the Arcanocular and put it aside before taking a hand-hammered spoon out of his robe. "Hate to do this to you, but can you cover the Ministry tonight?"

"I suppose I could," Lupin said, taking a seat as Molly obliged him with a plate. "But why?"

"That useless gi--" Moody began around a mouthful.

"Alastor," Molly chided.

He swallowed. "Sorry, Molly. Mundungus Fletcher was supposed to cover tonight, but... I was talking to Shacklebolt and the Tonks girl today--they're coming for dinner in a few days, by the way--and seems there's a jump in the off-the-books Time Turner market since he stood watch last."

Lupin shook his head into his hand as Bill groaned through an amused grin and Molly gave a loud, hot sigh.

"Cloak's over there," Moody said, pointing to a chair near the fireplace where the Invisibility Cloak was draped. "Still has the portkey-coins in the pockets. I'll set up the right one to take you to Dumbledore's office in the morning. He wants to see you."

"Oh, good. I would've had to contact him tomorrow about the potion..."

"Until I get some of our other slugabeds into it, that just leaves you, me, and Diggle for guard duty," Alastor growled, then muttered something about "sleep schedules," "day jobs," and "Constant Vigilance" around a mouthful of curry. "He and I can both take it twice, but then can you be back the first night you're back to normal?"

"That shouldn't be a problem," Lupin said. The transformations to and fro in themselves always strained him, but he would have a full day after changing back to recover, and while he was a wolf, he couldn't talk, write, or do anything at all that required an opposable thumb, so there wasn't much for it but to curl up and sleep.

"I could do some, but I thought with my experience, I ought to concentrate on the house," Bill offered.

"Probably should," Alastor agreed. "But we'll have it pretty clean before long. What kind of schedule will you be looking at by then?"

While they discussed it, Molly leaned over to Lupin. "What's keeping Sirius?"

"I don't know. He said he'd be coming just a little after me."

"Is he angry with me, do you think? All that about Harry...?"

He looked up at her. Obviously she had noticed Sirius's strange behavior as well, which he was at least glad for; he'd begun to wonder if no one else was paying attention. "No, I'm quite certain it isn't that," he assured her. "I'll have to tell him about the change in guard arrangements, and I can take a plate up for him..."

The news of Remus unexpectedly being called away for the night at least stoked Sirius's mood into heated complaining for awhile. Remus tried to steer him off course whenever he started in the direction of "if only" he could take turns on guard duty, and he slipped in some of the old jokes and reminiscences--heavens, yes, The Marauders would've jumped at a chance to get their hands on a Time-Turner and would've made all sorts of wonderful mischief with it. He even managed to elicit some smiles, although he thought he saw a worrying hint of wistfulness in Sirius's face even then.

Unfortunately they weren't able to talk long; Lupin hated having to leave his friend, but nothing for it. The watch tonight felt even longer than the ones before, now that the near-full moonlight reached even through all the walls and floors and ceilings of the Ministry and caused a hint of tingling itch in his bones and his brain that he could never reach to scratch. For now, it merely lay dormant, not intruding on his body or his thoughts, but always there as a lurking irritation. He trusted and was thankful that Dumbledore would have the Wolfsbane Potion for him in the morning; it wouldn't get rid of the sensation and indeed had its own side effects, but at least would numb and dull it. Unmedicated, the moonlight would needle him more and more intensely until the night it transformed his body and drove him mad--mad enough to bite anyone close, anyone he could chase down...

He shook off those thoughts. That wouldn't happen this month, and for tonight the irritation could even be a blessing. It kept him restlessly alert and pacing watchfully in front of the Department of Mysteries' black door through the long, silent darkness.

When morning came, he again waited there under the Invisibility Cloak until the lights flicked on--he reasoned that if he was in any way detectable so that someone would see a hint of change when he left, he could hide it in that moment as the hallway was totally transformed by the light and be shrugged off as just a shadow, a trick the person's senses had played in the dark. When he touched the coin in the cloak's right pocket, he was whipped away from that burst of illumination into a light even brighter. Morning sun streamed straight into the tall windows of Dumbledore's office.

Lupin had half-expected to arrive and find the Headmaster there in his chair, greeting him over the goblet of potion ready and sitting on the desk, but the room was quite still except for Fawkes on his perch, who raised his head and greeted Lupin with a bright eyed gaze and a snatch of song. Remus looked around at the empty room as he walked over to the phoenix. "Albus isn't here in the office?"

Fawkes gracefully cocked his head and leaned forward as if to nuzzle Lupin's face with his beak. Only when Remus raised his hands into his own view did it dawn on him that Fawkes could not only see him but recognize him through the Invisibility Cloak. The bird cooed happily as Remus stroked his ruby-fire feathers. "I don't know what Albus would say about this, but..." He reached under the cloak into his own robe, broke off a small piece of the chocolate bar he always kept in his pocket, and offered it. Fawkes pecked at it, trilling brightly between nibbles, and when it was gone he stroked his head against Remus's hand.

He waited there for a long time, and after hours of standing and pacing in the Ministry's hallway, he soon had to go over to one of the armchairs in front of Dumbledore's desk to rest. With one soft flap, Fawkes glided after him and perched on the winged back of the chair. More time dragged by. The slant of the light from the windows grew steeper, and as the wait turned into hours, Lupin wondered if perhaps he should leave, go back to the Black House and wait for Dumbledore to call him, but then, getting in touch with Dumbledore about the Wolfsbane Potion would be the first thing he had to do anyway, and the only absolutely sure way to prevent a message's interception was not to send it, so best to keep magical communication to a minimum and simply wait... He got up and paced the room, perused the bookshelves, looked at all the paintings of the former Hogwarts Headmasters--who took no more notice of him than a whispered "Do you think someone's here? I thought I heard something..." "Oh, I shouldn't worry..."--and came back to the bookshelf again. Did he dare take anything down from it? He stood for a minute or two, frozen in thought at the question with his finger on the spine of "What None Can Spell: The Limits of Magic" by Lenora Goshawk. Fawkes chirped at him from the back of the armchair, and he took the book back over there and sat down with it.

He had some trouble focussing on reading; he kept thinking that Sirius and the others must be wondering where he was and what could be taking him so long. However, he had at last managed to become engrossed in the book and was a little bit into chapter two when he heard someone coming on the stairs. Not making any assumptions about who it might be, he rose and turned around to stand behind the chair, pulling the Invisibility Cloak close around him and holding the book to his chest to hide it--probably less likely to arouse suspicion than leaving it laying on the desk.

As the footsteps got closer he heard familiar voices, and when the door opened, Dumbledore entered carrying the goblet of potion, with Severus Snape following close behind him. "--These circumstances, I don't see why you don't simply give me the position," Severus was saying. "Surely a Ministry-appointed Potions Master would do less damage."

"Yes, but we have an excellent Potions-Master, one whom, in light of recent years, I do not wish to gamble on one year of Defense," Albus answered, setting the potion on his desk. "Besides, I do feel that Potions is more suited to your temperament as a teacher."

"Meaning that I'm strict?" He took the chair beside the one where Fawkes still perched and Lupin still stood invisible.

"In a word, yes, but then Potions is a strict subject--doesn't admit of much error."

"And I suppose Defense Against the Dark Arts can afford mistakes?" Severus questioned, arching an eyebrow.

"Defense requires more space for students to grow," Dumbledore answered.

"Well, I'm certain Fudge will send you someone very nurturing."

"You might be surprised. I'm constantly amazed at how much the students can grow in that subject when deprived of believable guidance..." The Headmaster trailed off distractedly as he looked around, right past Lupin under the cloak. "I suppose Remus must have left..."

Fawkes chirruped at him, but he was facing away by the time Lupin took off the cloak. Snape noticed first.

"I'll just have to send a messeng--ah." Albus finally turned to see him.

"Enjoying our conversation, Remus?" Severus asked tartly.

I've heard better, quipped the Padfoot-and-Prongs voice in his head, but he thought it an inappropriate thing to say. "I didn't want to interrupt." He came back around in front of the chair, folded the Invisibility Cloak neatly, put it on Dumbledore's desk along with the book, and sat down.

"Your potion, Remus," Dumbledore said, offering it. "Terribly sorry to keep you waiting, but Minister Fudge insisted on having a chat. He tells me that I have twenty-four hours to find a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for the coming term or else he will. Not that I think he can hold me to that, however..."

Lupin lifted the goblet from the desk and took a bracing swallow from it. As always, the Wolfsbane Potion tasted horribly bitter and burned his throat, not to mention its texture, which had just enough fibrous viscosity that it was a struggle not to gag on it. He took a deep breath and drained the rest in one draught, with a grimace and a shudder.

"You'll forgive me if I don't experiment with improving the taste. This potion especially doesn't 'admit of much error'," Severus said.

"Of course, you're quite right," Lupin coughed. "Despite the look on my face, I appreciate it very much. Thank you."

"If you'll excuse us please, Severus," Dumbledore said. "There are matters I would like to discuss with Prof. Lupin."

"Should I be welcoming him back...?" Snape asked as he stood to glare down his nose at Remus.

"I fear that would be premature at this point."

"Very well." He took the goblet with him and walked stiffly out of the office.

When the door had closed behind Severus, Dumbledore fixed his gaze on Lupin across his desk. "As you can see, your post is still very much open. I don't suppose you've reconsidered?"

Lupin shook his head sadly and elicited a sigh. "Have you spoken to Alastor about it?"

"I did, first thing. At this point, Alastor feels that working in the field as a member of the Order is more important, and after what he went through this past year... Well, when I broached the subject of him staying on, he didn't give me a direct 'yes' or 'no.' He suddenly remembered an urgent appointment, and for reasons unknown I was finding Remote Sneakoscope Tokens and similar devices hidden about my office for several weeks. I hesitate to bring the matter up again."

Remus nodded understandingly. Another thought came to him, a suggestion and where its discussion could lead. He hesitated to say it, but beneath his surface of caution, the deeper parts of him very much wanted to...

Fawkes fluffed his feathers and settled comfortably into them, still perched on Remus's chair. He began to sing low and soft, as if it were a lullaby to himself.

"What about Arabella?" Remus asked.

"You know very well that she can't be spared," Albus said.

"Home and family matters regarding Harry have changed. Perhaps it would be best for him to live with Sirius and free Arabella for other work."

Dumbledore sat back, seeming a little surprised as Remus looked him directly in the eyes. "I thought that had been discussed, we had agreed that keeping him with his mother's relations was best."

Remus reflected back on that first meeting at the Black House, Fawkes still humming in the silence. "Sirius challenged you on whether born relation was stronger than magical relation, relation by choice... He left without giving you a chance to answer, and the matter was merely dropped..."

"I understand how he feels, but tell me," Dumbledore looked over his spectacles at Lupin the way he might look at a student, "what did a magical bond of blood mean to Peter Pettigrew in the end?"

"What did a natural bond of blood mean to Barty Crouch?" he countered. He had let the idea occur to him aloud and was a little surprised at himself; nonetheless he pressed on. "What was it that saved Harry when he was a baby? Was it Lily's blood, or was it her love?"

"Her blood that was shed for love," Albus answered thoughtfully. "Her love that was born of blood."

"Failing someone who has both, is he safer with someone who shares that blood, or with someone who shares that love?" Remus asked. "Lily loved Harry enough to die for him. Sirius's familial relation may be only artificial, but I know that he also loves Harry that much. So does Molly, I believe. I... Well, I like to think that even I would, if it came to that..." He hit an awkward place and trailed off, but quickly recovered. "Can we say that about Petunia Dursley?"

Albus knit his brows. "There are other issues to consider," he said. "Not least being that of putting all our proverbial eggs in one proverbial basket. If we lose the headquarters, we've lost a great deal, but if we lose Harry as well, then you know the prophecy--we've lost everything."

"According to the prophecy, losing Harry loses us everything, regardless of anything else, so the safest place for him is still the most important issue."

"Do you think the Black House is safe enough for him? I understand you had an unfortunate experience with Estelle's jewelry, and Harry would hardly have passed her inspection..."

"I believe it's manageable already," Lupin said. "By the time Arabella would have to leave it will be better; we'll have cast the Fidelius Charm by then..." As he mentioned the Fidelius Charm, he suddenly realised--it would require the participation of everyone who knew that the Black House was the Order's headquarders. You can't cast it without me.

He thought it looking directly into Albus's sparkling eyes, and the Headmaster snapped to closer attention and returned him a penetrating gaze. No doubt he had caught that thought and was now listening closely to everything passing through Remus's mind--but better that he did. Considering such a thing in secret would be sabotage, but he thought he was right to realize, and Albus should know, too: It is my decision. Sirius and Harry need each other, Harry can't do anything from where he is, and Sirius doesn't feel that he's in any position to impose... But I know they need each other, you need me, and it is my decision. He remembered Sirius sitting in the kitchen, saying that James and Lily had still had one blood brother left whom the law would entrust their child to before Muggle relatives, but that if that vague memory was true... If Albus had mentioned it to him, asked didn't he think that was best...

"I did," Albus confirmed.

Sirius's voice echoed in Remus's mind. "...He had to know as well as anybody that you'd agree to anything he told you he'd decided..."

"Do you think he was right, that that was wrong of me?" Dumbledore asked patiently.

Remus closed his eyes, hiding his thoughts again. "I think he was right about me. It was a mistake that I don't intend to repeat."

"You know how important the Order's work is..."

Fawkes was still singing softly just above Lupin's head. "I know the importance of several things," he said, then opened his eyes with a touch of sly smile. "I'm not going to do anything to compromise our headquarters. I couldn't put everyone there in danger, but perhaps... Perhaps I wanted to remind you who you're dealing with. Moony wasn't only the Marauders' conscience, you know."

Dumbledore gave a weary sigh and rubbed his crooked nose. "I'll take your thoughts into consideration..." he said. "You've been standing watch all night, you should go back to the house and get some rest..."

"I expect you'll see Alastor to return his cloak before I do..."

He nodded.

As Lupin crossed to the fireplace, he heard Albus speaking softly behind him as Fawkes ended his song in a flourish. "Did you think I wouldn't notice you there?" A little trill from the Phoenix. "You beautiful traitor, you..."

Of course, Remus remembered: Phoenix song was said to lend courage to the pure of heart. Had Fawkes meant to encourage such challenging of his own owner? No use wondering about it... He took a handful of Floo powder from the bottle on the mantelpiece and left for the Black House.

He found Molly there in the kitchen making the mid-day meal, but she was alone in the room. It was the first time he had returned from guard duty and not found Sirius waiting for him, but then, he was very late...

"You're back! Is anything wrong?" Molly asked. "I was starting to wonder..."

"No, everything is all right. Albus was detained on business and I had to wait for him."

"I'll have lunch ready in just a few minutes, and then I'll get you something to eat..." she said apologetically.

"Thank you, but I think I'll go on to bed..." he said, although he did notice that there was one largish piece of Arabella's chocolate cake left, and he took that. "Have a good day."

"Sleep well."

He climbed up to the third floor and opened the solid blue door of Sirius's old bedroom. After the long watch and the long wait, the beds did look inviting, but Sirius wasn't here, either. He had an uncomfortable intuition, took his night-robe, and checked the master bedroom next. As he'd thought, Sirius was asleep there in the grand curtained bed.

It was true that they had spent one night here and not been harmed, but he thought surely Sirius shouldn't be sleeping there alone...