Scratch

Scratch. . . .

Scratch. . . .

Scratch, scratch, scritchity, scratch!

Something both clawed and determined was at the back door to the house in Godric's Hollow. Remus Lupin, wizard, werewolf and all around good guy, pulled out his wand and spouted, "Alohomora," casting an unlocking spell. The door swung slowly open to reveal a Great Black Dog, who scampered in, closing the door behind him. Remus let out a sigh Of relief. "Padfoot, you mangy mongrel, you . . ." he scolded. He opened his arms to embrace the dog, who was suddenly much less hairy and much more bipedal, though no less Black- Sirius Black.

"What's happened?" Remus asked, concerned, as his dearest friend tunneled his face into the valley created by the meeting of neck and shoulder. A muffled answer prickled his skin (Sirius was in the wanting side of a shave), but did not serve to enlighten him. With great effort, Sirius pulled himself back far enough to be understood.

"Harry," he whispered.

"He's not . . ."

"No! No, he's alive, only by a hair's breadth. He seems to be a bit like his old dad in that hmm?" A wry smile was glinting in his eyes.

"Then why are you here? I would have expected wild hippogriffs would have had to drag you away if . . ."

"Dumbledore's orders; I've already been to see Arabella and Mundungus. They've agreed to alert the others."

"He's reactivating the Order? Sirius, tell me what is happening by . . ."

"He's back! Bone and flesh and . . . blood . . . Harry's blood! He's back." He spoke in a biting whisper. "Peter killed the Diggory boy," Sirius continued. A harsh breath was wracked from Remus, as if it was his very essence being ripped from him.

"Cedric?" He had been a promising student and a fine boy.

"Just there by chance. It's just like before; all those Muggles. . ." He burrowed back into the comfort of Remus' warmth, too needy to continue. Remus cleared the gathering tightness from his throat.

"Do we have orders?" came the raspy query. The tenuous quivering that had been ever-present in Sirius' form was briefly channeled into a negative answer; his head shaking sideways across the ever more sensitive juncture of tissue tickled by unkempt whiskers.

Unbidden, Remus' hands found their way into the over long mop of Sirius' hair, soothing them both. It was wiry and dry, nearly abrading the soft creases between his fingers. They swayed, lulling, drawing around each other, and closing out the world. His scent was earthy and familiar; it chafed and consoled concurrently. Remus was suddenly, startlingly aware of every point at which their bodies touched. An incendiary itch played up and down his body, sparking at those points of contact.

Sirius' unvoiced and barely contained sobs were interrupted by a decidedly canine growl as he, raised his head, inhaling Remus. The look of yearning on his face was replaced by one of dawning comprehension, as an answering, shudder rocked through Remus. "How long?" Sirius snarled.

"Always," a sibilant reply.

"Always. That's it isn't it?" He retracted himself from the encompassing joy that was Remus' body. "You always hold back don't you? You only admitted to being the wolf when we had you cornered." He was pacing the room, seething. "You wasted all that time and worry, building mistrust between us all because you couldn't just tell us. Now you've done it again. Always? You've loved me always? Do you know how much ruddy time we've wasted? How much sex we could have had by now?" He was ridiculously angry or angrily ridiculous, Remus could not tell anymore. "No, more! No bloody more!" he threatened, impinging menacingly into Remus' space again, capturing his arms, and aligning their bodies again. "Promise me, Moony, no more," he pleaded.

"No more, I promise," he parroted, knowing that what he was promising was more akin to 'Forever More'. A satisfied look crossed Sirius' face as he leaned in.

"Good, very good." The words scuffed over his chapped lips just before they connected with Remus'.

Long, panting, rapacious moments later, Remus looked into Sirius' longing eyes and asked, "So, um . . . you love me too?" Sirius laughed.

"I think so," he said, scratching behind his ear rather vigorously, "or, it could be fleas."