Snapshots: Interludes

1986--Part Two

"Moony," Sirius said, sticking his head into Harry's room, "have you seen my tie?"

Remus sighed and pulled Harry's shirt over the still sleepy boy's head. "You're wearing it. I tied it twenty minutes ago."

Sirius frowned down at the tie in question. "Oh, thanks. Are you sure it goes with this shirt?"

Harry rubbed his eyes as Remus picked up his brush and handed it to him. "Since when do you care about your tie matching? I doubt it's going to impress the Wizengamot."

"How long's Harry been up?" Sirius asked, avoiding the subject and watching Harry as the boy fumbled to comb his perpetually messy hair.

Remus stared up at him before taking the brush from Harry and started to brush his hair for him. "Fifteen minutes or so--it took me forever to get him out of bed. Someone kept him up all night watching television."

"He said he wasn't tired." Sirius shrugged dismissively. "What time is your mum coming to pick him up?"

"You should have put him to bed and read him a story," Remus sighed and put the brush down on the dresser. "Mum said she'd be here about nine."

"I--I want to go with you," Harry said, yawning and staring up at Sirius pleadingly.

Sirius crossed the room and picked him up. Harry quickly wrapped an arm around his neck and laid his head on Sirius' shoulder. "Moony and I have business at the Ministry today. You and Eva are going to have a good time at the cinema and go to the toy store and if you behave we might go get ice cream after Moony and I get back--all four of us. Does that sound like a plan?"

Harry didn't answer.

"Harry?" Sirius said. "Harry?"

He glanced at the boy, tiny mouth open slightly in sleep, and smiled.

Remus chuckled. "See? You shouldn't have kept him up."

Sirius smiled and shifted Harry. "He's getting heavy." He paused. "How did you get dressed before I did?"

"You'll have to forgive me for not forgetting what I did with my left shoe," Remus said and glanced down at Sirius' sock-clad feet. "Still not found it then?"

Sirius frowned. "The last time I saw it, I was wearing it."

"When was that?"

"The other night when we went out dinner at that new little French place while Harry stayed with your mum. We came back and started upstairs to..." Sirius glanced at Harry. "You know."

Remus grinned. "Did you check the stairs?"

"Moony, one of us would have noticed if I'd left it there."

"Right," Remus said and started from the room. "Did you check under the bed?"

"Twice," Sirius answered, following Remus. "It wouldn't be in the bathroom, would it?"

"I don't know. You take Harry downstairs and put him on the couch and I'll help you look for it. That sound alright?" Remus said.

Sirius leaned down for a quick kiss. "Thanks, love."

Remus smiled, watching Sirius slowly descend the staircase for a moment before turning and walking to the bedroom. Glancing briefly around for the missing shoe, he strode into the bathroom with a sigh. He checked behind the toilet brush and the ancient claw-foot tub to little avail.

"If I was Sirius' shoe..." he said absentmindedly to his reflection, his brow furrowed.

"If you were his shoe," his reflection said, "then I'd feel pretty sorry for you right about now."

Remus started. He frowned at his mirror-self. "Aren't you helpful this morning?"

The reflection scowled, its eyes following Sirius as he walked into the small room.

"Did you look in the wardrobe?" Remus said as Sirius checked the bathroom over again.

"What kind question is that, Moony?" Sirius said, gaping up at Remus.

"You didn't, did you?"

Sirius blushed and laughed nervously.

Remus sighed. "Honestly, Sirius."

"I tried a Summoning charm, at least," Sirius said.

"Obviously it didn't work," Remus said as he left the bathroom briskly. "I thought you took the anti-Harry charm off."

Sirius smiled. "He's still little."

"That's not an excuse," Remus said, opening the wardrobe door and looking in. He smirked. "See anything familiar?"

Sirius wrapped his arms around Remus' waist from behind, resting his chin on Remus' shoulder. He chuckled and the other man shivered. "I have no idea how it got in there." He placed a chaste kiss on Remus' cheek before pulling away to take the shoe.

"Now," Remus cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair, "do you remember where the other one is?"

"Downstairs by the umbrella stand," Sirius replied, grinning impishly. "Harry's out of it and we've still got some time before we have to be at the Ministry...."

"Sirius, I don't think--" Remus trailed off as Sirius dropped the shoe and closed the difference between them.

Remus gasped as Sirius wrapped his arms around his waist, elegant hands quickly untucking his shirt and tantalisingly slipping around to undo the buttons. He leaned into the touch, breath ragged as Sirius started trailing soft, chaste kisses along his jawline.

"Mum's going to be here any minute, you know," he said, hands already starting to undo Sirius' tie again.

Sirius chuckled against his skin and Remus shivered. "The woman'll be late for her own funeral. You said so yourself."

Remus smiled, nimble fingers undoing the buttons on Sirius shirt before working on the knot of his tie. "She'll be on time the day pigs decide to start flying."

Sirius leaned in for a kiss, pulling Remus' belt free of his trousers. "Flying pigs?" he whispered. "Honestly, where do Muggles come up with all those awful sayings?"

Remus smiled into the kiss, hands slowly trailing along Sirius' clothed chest. "The hell if I care right now, Padfoot."

Sirius let out a barking laugh before pulling Remus close, feet moving of their own accord towards the bed. Remus stumbled as the back of his legs hit the side of the mattress, falling back and letting Sirius push him down. Remus scooted further onto the bed, resting on one elbow as his right hand twined into Sirius' dark hair. He moaned as Sirius straddled him, thigh pushing his own apart as a hand worked at the fly of his trousers.

"Si-Sirius," Remus said as Sirius trailed fervent kisses along his neck, "we shouldn't be doing this right now."

Sirius smiled into the kisses. "My Moony. Why not?"

"Harry's downstairs," Remus said, arching into Sirius touch as a hand slipped under the waistband of his pants. "W-what if he needs something? The door's open."

Sirius kissed Remus, hand slowly building a rhythm. "He's asleep, love."

Remus moaned as Sirius sped up, lost in a deep kiss and feeling close to the edge. He threw his head back, lean neck exposed, eyes lidded and lips swollen. Sirius whimpered and leaned forward to lick the line of Remus' throat, nosing the shirt away from the spot where neck meets shoulder to gently nibbled and suck as Remus made desperate, almost canine noises at the back of his throat.

He shuddered as Remus whispered his name, arms shaking and erection throbbing between his legs. Remus' breathing grew ragged and he moaned as Sirius frantically thrust against his thigh. His fingers tightened in Sirius' hair, right hand gripping desperately at the duvet and suddenly stilling as the doorbell cut through the silence of the house around them.

"Shit!" Sirius swore, stopping as Remus came with gasp.

Remus threw his head back to look at the clock, breath coming in quick gasps as Sirius continued to swear.

"Eight-fifty," he said, watching Sirius as the man hastily buttoned his shirt with shaking fingers, trying to calm down. "It's still too early f-for Mum."

"Well who else would it be?" Sirius said. "Fuck. What did I do with that bloody shoe?"

"By the wardrobe," Remus said, standing and muttering a cleaning spell as the doorbell chimed again. Sarcastically, he added, "Are you going to get it or are we just going to let Harry?"

Sirius looked up from the wardrobe, dress shoe dangling from one finger. "Can't you get it, Remus?"

Remus gave Sirius a Look.

The dark haired man sighed. "Fine then," he conceded and crossed the room to kiss Remus before darting from the room.

Remus watched him leave and sighed before doing up his shirt with still-trembling fingers.

******

"Sorry, kiddo," Sirius said as he passed Harry in the foyer as he hurried to the door.

The six-year-old frowned up at him with bleary, droopy eyes. "It's too early."

"I know, Harry," Sirius said as he grabbed his other shoe by the ugly umbrella stand they'd picked up on their last trip to St Ives. "You can sleep in tomorrow."

With a deep breath to steady himself, vaguely aware of Remus watching from the top of the stairs, he threw open the door. Sirius froze, mouth agape at the man standing on the stoop in a Muggle suit at least forty years out of fashion. The man grinned, a twinkle in his blue eyes as he took in Sirius' messy hair and crooked tie.

"Good morning, Sirius," Albus Dumbledore said with a knowing look. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything?" His eyes drifted up the staircase where Remus stood, cheeks still flushed and a gap in his shirt where he had missed a button.

Sirius turned to look at Remus, a brilliant blush creeping across his cheek. "N-not at all, Professor."

Dumbledore chuckled. After a long, quite minute, he said, "May I please come in?"

"Oh, sorry," Sirius said and stepped aside to let the old headmaster step into the foyer.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Remus said as he started down the stairs.

"I'm afraid I'm the bearer of bad news, Remus," he said and smiled as he noticed Harry attempting to hide behind the banister. "And this must be Mr Potter. I dare say you've grown since the last time I saw you." He stooped down and offered his hand for Harry to shake.

Harry glared at the old man. He shot a questioning glance at Sirius and Remus, who laughed as Sirius poked his stomach through the gap in his shirt. He stepped forward after Remus nodded as if to say "it's alright" and tugged on Dumbledore's long, silvery beard.

"Harry!" Sirius scolded, laughter evident in his voice. "That's not very polite."

Harry stepped back again once he had shaken Albus' hand. He stared up at him with something akin to reverence. "You look like Father Christmas."

The old man chuckled. "You really think so? I'll have to tell Kris the next time I see him. You have been a good boy this year, haven't you?"

"Who's Kris?" Harry said, reaching up for the end of Dumbledore's beard again.

"Father Christmas has many names, Harry. Santa Claus, Pere Noel, Kris Kringle--those are just a few of them. It's all the same man, when you get down to it."

Harry smiled, fingering the end of the old headmaster's long whiskers. "You really know him?"

"Since I was your age," Dumbledore said. "Do you mind if I borrow your godfathers from you for a moment?"

Harry, wondering if Dumbledore had ever been his age, started to ask another question but Sirius cut him off. "Have you brushed you teeth yet, Harry?"

Harry frowned and half-turned towards him.

"Yes," he said a little too curtly.

"You wouldn't be telling a tale, now would you, Mr Potter?" Dumbledore asked and stared down at the boy over the rim of his half-moon spectacles.

Harry sighed dramatically and started, grudgingly, back upstairs.

With a soft chuckle, Dumbledore turned to face Sirius and Remus once Harry had safely rounded the corner upstairs. He sighed, sobering, and said, "I know we discussed this over the Floo day before yesterday, Sirius, but things have turned for the worse since then, I'm afraid."

"'Turned for the worse?'" Sirius parroted and glanced at Remus, blissfully unaware of the arm he had draped across the werewolf's waist. "What do you mean--'turned for the worse?' I thought everything was set. The hearing's still at ten, right?"

Dumbledore sighed again, looking the old man he was. "Perhaps we had better sit down. This may be a bit of a shock...."

"Lounge's this way," Remus said, taking a tentative step forward.

Sirius followed on his heels, waiting until Remus had sat down on the comfortable, shabby couch before sinking onto the arm of the settee by his lover; Dumbledore took the overstuffed chair by the television, sinking into it slightly.

"I'd offer you tea," Remus said, clearing his throat, "but all we've got left is that awful Christmas blend."

Dumbledore smiled wryly. "Which may be appropriate if I look that much like Saint Nicholas."

Sirius smiled and draped his arm across the back of the couch. "Sorry about that--Harry's been asking about magic and the existence of so-called magical beings. Now what was it you wanted to tell us?"

"As you know," Dumbledore said, clasping his hands together in his lap, "Peter's hearing was scheduled for this morning." He paused. "However, I'm sorry to say that there's been a change of plans."

Sirius felt Remus tense beside him and reached down to gently squeeze his shoulder. "And?"

Dumbledore sighed and watched Harry ran into the room making airplane noises, a small wet spot on his shirt and a dab of green toothpaste on his chin. The men watched as he climbed onto the couch and snuggled between Remus and Sirius.

"I'm going to be blunt about this," Dumbledore said, meeting Sirius' eye before turning to Remus. "The Wizengamot thought it best to hold the trial late last night in order to avoid, and I quote, 'pesky reporters from the Prophet, Witch Weekly and Merlin-knows-what-tabloid', otherwise known as the Quibbler. Had I not received the owl thirty minutes before the proceedings, I would have been sure to let you know. Of course, I'm quite certain the real reason is being withheld for whatever reason the Ministry deems fitting."

He swallowed and stared between Remus and Sirius, waiting for either of them to say something.

After a long, tense moment, Sirius said, his voice quiet, "What's the verdict?"

Dumbledore hesitated. "Life. In Azkaban."

Sirius sighed and ran both hands through his hair. With one swift, fluid movement he stood and walked over to the doorway. With a feral yell, he punched the wall there, keeping his back to the others.

Remus jumped and Dumbledore watched carefully as Harry whimpered and wrapped his arms around the werewolf, burrowing his head against his chest.

"And why the bloody hell didn't they give him the Kiss?" Sirius said slowly, his voice shaking with anger. "WHY?"

He punched the wall again and wiped his hand on his trousers as he pulled it away.

Dumbledore glanced at Remus, blue eyes meeting amber ones. The old man stood, his hand tucked into his pocket, clutching his wand. "They didn't think him much of a threat, Sirius. It would seem that the Wizengamot only saw him as the majority of us saw him--weak, shallow, someone who followed those stronger than himself. To them, he's just another one of Voldemort's supporters."

"'Another one of Voldemort's supporters?' Are they daft?" Sirius said venomously, turning slightly. "HE FUCKING HANDED OVER LILY AND JAMES TO HIM! If it wasn't for him, my best friend and his wife would still be here raising their son! He's the reason their dead! He deserves to die too!"

"Sirius," Remus said sharply, "you've got--"

"No, I don't have to calm down, Remus! He as good as killed Lily and James! What part of--"

"You're scaring Harry!" Remus shouted, wrapping his arm tighter around the boy. "Sit down and shut the bloody hell up and stop acting like you're fifteen again and Snape breathed on you!"

Sirius turned around to face them, stormy grey eyes softening as he saw Harry clinging to Remus like a lifeline and his tiny shoulders shaking. With a sigh, Sirius walked passed Dumbledore and dropped to his knees in front of Remus.

"Harry?" he asked softly, placing a hand on the boy's back. "Look at me please?"

"No," Harry said, voice muffled against Remus' chest.

"Please?"

Harry shook his head 'no' and sniffled.

Sirius looked up at Remus, who frowned and looked away.

"So you're angry at me too?"

Remus looked him in the eye and sighed. "Does he really deserve the Kiss, Sirius?"

"Moony--" Sirius said, reaching up and brushing Remus' fringe from his eyes.

"This is Peter, Sirius. I refuse to believe the little tag along is completely evil," Remus whispered.

"He joined the Death Eaters, Remus. He's one of them."

"So he's like Bellatrix or Malfoy or Nott? Wouldn't we have noticed if something was wrong? What if he was forced into it? What if--"

Sirius silenced Remus with a finger over his lips; neither man noticed as there was a soft knock on the door or as Dumbledore excused himself to answer it.

"Remus," Sirius said and carefully stroked his cheek, "you can't blame yourself for this. It's not your fault."

Remus stiffened. Taking Sirius' hand in his, he said quietly, "And you don't blame yourself at all? You broke down at the funeral, Sirius. We shouldn't have been so ignorant about what was going on around us instead of worrying about who was a one of them or when the next strike would be. We were young and stupid. What would have happened if we'd never had that row? What if I hadn't stopped you from going to Godric's Hollow that night?"

"Then I'd be the one in Azkaban or worse," Sirius said. "I'm glad you stopped me, Moony." He sighed and looked Remus in the eye. "But did you have to cast that Body Bind curse on me? I think I still have a scar from where I smashed into that china cabinet we bought at one of those Muggle car boot sales." Sirius smiled a little, hoping to lighten the mood.

Remus stared into his grey eyes and Sirius felt as if he could he was looking through him. "If I hadn't cursed you and made you listen, you would have stormed out on the bike without thinking about what would have happened to all of us. What then? You'd be rotting away in prison and I'd be in hell without you. What about Harry?"

Sirius looked down at their intertwined fingers and sighed. "I know, Moony, but Peter still as good as killed Lily and James. He still deserves the Kiss."

"So Hammurabi's Code is--" Remus started, barely aware of Harry sitting up beside him.

"No one deserves to die," Harry interrupted, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

"Harry," Sirius said and hastily wiped a stray tear from the boy's cheek with his free hand, "this man is the reason your parents are dead."

Harry looked up at Remus and smiled before turning back to Sirius. "Then I wouldn't have you."

Sirius chuckled and stood, picking Harry up and spinning him around.

"Yes, you would, squirt," he said as he sat Harry down on the floor and straightened his shirt. "You just wouldn't have to put up with us twenty-four hours a day."

Harry ran back over to the couch, taking Remus' hand and pulling as the man stood up. "I still want to go with you t'day."

"I don't think we're going anywhere right now, Harry," Remus said quietly.

"Why?" Harry asked, his lower lips stuck out in a pout as he looked up at him.

"Big people stuff," Sirius said.

"Oh. Rats!" Harry said.

"Exactly." Sirius said and looked up as Dumbledore chuckled from the doorway. "Sorry, Professor. I guess I forgot you were here." He frowned at the plump, brunette woman standing next to him and checked his watch. "When did you get here, Eva?"

The woman smiled, the soft eyes her son had inherited lighting up. "Long enough. Am I still taking Harry with me today or shall I pop back over to Cardiff all by myself?"

Harry looked up at Sirius pleadingly. "Can I go with you? Please?"

Sirius shared a look with Remus before sighing before kneeling down to hug the boy. "I think Moony and I need to stay here and talk for a while. I'm sorry, Harry. Some other time."

Harry sniffled and wiped his nose on his sleeve again. "Promise?"

"Promise."

"All right. I'll go with Eva."

"That's a good lad," Remus said, ruffling Harry's hair. "We'll make it up to you."

With a sigh, Harry walked over to Dumbledore and offered his hand. "It was nice to meet you."

Dumbledore chuckled and shook the boy's outstretched hand. "The pleasure is all mine, Harry. Now I'm sure you and Mrs Lupin don't want to be late."

Harry smiled up at the woman. With a wave back at Remus and Sirius, he took Eva's extended hand. As they started for the door, Harry stopped and asked Dumbledore, "Do you really know Father Christmas?"

"Who do you think he got the idea for the beard from?" Dumbledore said solemnly.

Harry laughed and allowed Mrs Lupin to shoo him out the door before Disapparating with a soft "pop."

"You've done a good job with him," Dumbledore said as he turned to Remus and Sirius again. He frowned. "I suppose you're wondering why I'm here?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Since when does the Wizengamot need to worry about the paparazzi?"

Dumbledore sighed and sat back down. Stroking his beard, he said, "They thought Veritaserum was good enough for his confession in lieu of your testimonies."

"There are ways around it," Remus said as he ran a hand through his hair. "They know that. Though it would appear they made the same mistake we did by underestimating Peter."

"He confessed to everything, Remus," Dumbledore said, refusing to meet his eye. "I'm sure you both know what Peter is and isn't capable of?"

"Seven years of him tagging along behind us?" Sirius spat out and started pacing. "Of course we know what he's capable of? Do you know how long it took him to finally get the animagus transformation?"

"He wasn't stupid, Sirius," Remus whispered. "He was our friend."

"Was he?"

"I refuse to believe he wasn't. We don't know why he changed sides, really."

Sirius stopped his pacing in front of Remus and met his eye for a long, silent moment.

"Oh, Moony," he said, breaking the silence and taking Remus in his arms.

Dumbledore watched as Remus clung desperately to Sirius, head resting against the man's shoulder, watched as Sirius rubbed the werewolf's back, watched as Sirius placed a chaste kiss against Remus' neck.

"Jim could have been a Quidditch star," Remus whispered, eyes closed and tightened his arms around Sirius.

"I know," Sirius said. "And Lily wanted another baby before going back to work."

Remus sighed. "Harry never got to know them." He paused to turn his head. When he spoke again, his voice was muffled against Sirius' chest. "And it's all his fault. He was there when he was born for Merlin's sake. He babysat when we couldn't. Fuck, Sirius, it's--"

Dumbledore watched as Sirius pulled away and tipped Remus' chin up, silencing him with a Look. The headmaster looked away as Sirius kissed Remus. Neither of them noticed as he, feeling ever the intruder, slipped from the room and Disapparated, .

"It's not your fault, Moony," Sirius said. "Hell, I'm not even sure it's mine half the time. All I know is that worrying about it won't change a bloody thing and Harry needs us. Besides, Peter's safely tucked in Azkaban. He's got Bellatrix and the Dementors for company. I'm sure he won't be enjoying it there very much."

Remus smiled wanly. "Since when are you this wise?"

Sirius chuckled. "We've been friends for what? The better part of sixteen years? I think some of your infinite wisdom has rubbed off on me."

Remus grinned and leaned forward to kiss Sirius, pressing his body languidly against the other man. "You're just saying that...." He frowned. "What are we supposed to do today now?"

Sirius looked over his shoulder at the now-vacant chair Dumbledore had been sitting in and frowned. "We could go back upstairs and finish what we started...."

Remus sighed and traced the faint pattern one Sirius' tie. "I don't feel like it anymore."

Sirius smiled. "What do you want to do then? We could take the bike out for a drive...."

"Weatherman said it was going to rain later. It's no fun on the bike when it rains, magic be damned," Remus said and wrapped his arms around Sirius' neck. "Hold me?"

"Always, Moony," Sirius said, pulling Remus close and kissed his cheek.