“Who let the dogs out?”

Remus firmly grabbed Sirius by his forearm, forestalling the removal of his wand from beneath the long cloak.

“Don’t rise to the bait,” Remus said softly.

Sirius rounded on Remus, snarling.

“That git needs his mouth shut, permanently,” he snapped at this friend.  He knew Remus was right, that the former Slytherin was just trying to bait him.  He wondered if Malfoy actually knew how close to the truth he was in his off-hand remarks. 

“That may be so Sirius, but it is not our place to do that.  Remember Professor Dumbledore’s warnings.”  Remus’ chuckled and gave Sirius a small grin as an added warning to treat the confrontation with humor.  Sirius’ anger was quickly defused as he looked at his dear friend, the friend who soon would be leaving him under the same professor’s orders.  They both had duties to perform for the newly formed Order of the Phoenix for which they had both been recruited and Sirius would not let Lucius Malfoy interfere with what could be their last day together.  Sirius had plans for this day and a fight with a probable Death Eater was not one of them

“As I recall, we have a date this evening so let’s go join the boys,”  Sirius said choosing to merely nod at Malfoy.  His preference would have been to send a Cruciatus Malfoy’s way, unforgivable or not, he thought as his hand released his wand.

“James has done it again,”  Sirius said as he and Remus approached the bar.  The deep bass beat threatened to lift the very roof from the building in which the bar was housed.  “Did you remember the eyeplugs?”

Remus laughed and pushed Sirius towards the entrance.  How he would miss this gentle man’s smile and laughter, Sirius thought.  Yes, Remus had his monthly ‘moments’  but when the werewolf was in check, Sirius could not think of a soul nearer to his heart than Lupin.  He would not let himself become morose and spoil the evening though.  There would be plenty of time for sadness later.

The raucous smoky room barely contained a mass of churning witches and wizards.  Sirius spotted James’ distinct cowlick even before the man turned to wave them over.  On the journey through the sea of revelers, Sirius nicked a frothy drink from a waitress’s tray and threw it down his throat before any but Remus behind him, could catch him.  He felt his friend’s fingers prod him in the back as a warning that he had been caught, and in answer, Sirius nicked another, laughing.  By the time they finally had reached their destination, Sirius had a fine glow on his face.

“Peter, go get us some pints,” James shouted and Wormtail scurried off in what appeared to be the direction of the bar.

“So where is Lily this fine evening?” Remus asked.

“Oh, she and her girls are off at some muggle cinema.  Apparently, there is a new movie with a ‘cute’ blonde boy who is an outer space wizard or something and they had to see it. I didn’t feel like seeing a girlie film.”

“Give us a fag,” Sirius said.  This night was cause for celebration and Sirius intended to indulge as many of his vices as he could. James handed the packet to Sirius, but Remus grabbed them before they reached Sirius’ hand.

“Since when did you smoke, Mooney?”

“Since now, Prongs.  I figure since you blokes are going to be breathing heavily into my face all night, I might as well smell as bad as the rest of you lot.  Give us a light.”  Remus winked at Sirius as he hauled in a lung-full of smoke. 

Sirius waited for the fit of coughing he knew would follow a novice’s first drag but instead, his eyes were captivated by a perfectly formed ring of smoke which escaped from his friend’s mouth.  Mesmerized, Sirius stared at Lupin’s mouth as it continued to pulse out smoke rings, watched as his tongue darted briefly between his lips.  Finally, when all the smoke had been exhaled, that same tongue caressed Remus’s pink lips, wetting them, coating them with a sheen that glistened even in the darkly lit room.  Sirius felt a familiar stirring between his legs, familiar, yet the cause now was different from any other time.  Or was it?

“This is not the first time you’ve smoked,”  James said.

“First time in public,” said Remus,” but I have been practicing.  The Shrieking Shack comes in handy at other times of the month too.”

Sirius tore his eyes away from Remus’ now laughing mouth and slapped him on the back.

“So you were studying smoke rings, not NEWTs when you snuck up there.”

“And the prize goes to Mr. Black!”  laughed Remus.

“Speaking of prizes,” said James, “there’s a singing contest here tonight.  Any takers?”

“I vote for Pettigrew!”

“Those contests are supposed to be voluntary, Sirius,”  Remus said.

“So we’ll volunteer him!”

Remus leaned in close and Sirius could smell the acrid smoke on his breath.  Sirius’ eyes fell again to the wet mouth, now grinning and watched as Remus bit his lower lip.  Sirius wanted to feel that lip between his teeth, feel the softness of it as he sucked it into his mouth.  These thoughts filled his mind and heated his body.   Uncertain of why he had never been plagued by them before, he accepted that the desperation of his possible last night with his friend had finally made him realize his true feelings.  But would Remus understand?

He felt the shock of cold liquid suddenly extinguish any heat that was beginning to rise as Wormtail slammed a jug of ale onto the table. The contents had lapped over the top of the jug and onto Sirius’ lap.  He jumped up cursing Peter’s ongoing clumsiness.

“Take it easy, Pads,”  Peter said.  “It’s just a bit of ale.  It’s bloody crowded in here and someone bashed my elbow.  Wasn’t my fault.”

“Nothing’s ever your fault.”  Sirius glowered at the mousy man.

“Relax Sirius.  Let’s go get you cleaned up,”  Remus said.

Sirius looked up from his sodden pants into his friend’s glowing eyes.  He saw the familiar sparkle there but there was something else too, something he couldn’t quite name.  He wanted to put a name to it. 

Sirius poured a pint of ale and threw it back.

“Let’s go then,”  he said, motioning his head towards the back of the bar.

They pressed their way between bodies.  Sirius was conscious of every touch, of every brush against unfamiliar people.  His sense of smell took on a heightened awareness, as if his animagous had transformed itself unbidden and he inhaled the musky aromas filling the room.  Yet, when he arrived in the washroom, the mirror reflected back Sirius, not Padfoot.  He began to wonder what those stolen drinks had contained. 

Remus applied wet towels to Sirius’ pants, cleaning away the ale.  Sirius felt himself grow hard as Remus continued to gentle rub.  He wanted more;  he wanted to feel the pressure of Remus against him.  He stared at those lips that had made magic with smoke and he wanted to feel those lips against him, against his mouth, against the hardness rising in him.

“Harder,”  Sirius heard himself say.

“Did I miss a spot?”

“No, man.  But I want it harder…please.”

Remus looked at Sirius and it was then that Sirius realized that Remus was clueless. This gentle man had no idea what effect he was having on him.  How could he know?  Why would he after all these years of their friendship, consider that Sirius wanted him in this way.  Sirius finally knew that the ache he had been feeling at the thought of their separation was more.  He certainly didn’t feel that same ache in his heart knowing that he might not be seeing James as much.  Yes, it was a different ache Sirius felt in his chest as he looked upon his dear friend.  He loved this man in a way he had never loved another man, and he wanted Remus now. Never a man of great reflection, Sirius chose to act.   He couldn’t, wouldn’t let this opportunity slip away and putting his hand to the back of Remus’ neck, pulled those captivating lips towards him.  His mouth embraced Remus’ and although at first Sirius could feel a stiffening in the man’s spine, soon his lips parted and the stiffening had descended to Remus’s crotch as Sirius discovered, pressing himself to the man.

Footsteps approached. Remus tore himself away, breaking their embrace.  He turned to the sink and opened the taps, not looking at Sirius.  The lavatory door opened and in burst two drunken Ravenclaw year-mates.  Sirius nodded to them while Remus splashed water onto his face.

“I’m…I’m sorry mate.”  Sirius said softly.  He needed to break the silence, needed to know that his rash actions had not severed the friendship between them.

“Are you?” Remus asked, drying his face.  Finally, he stared into Sirius’ eyes. “I’m not.”

Sirius’ mouth had gone dry.  He had expected any response but this one, yet, he wasn’t shocked.  Remus’ body had responded to his. 

“You boys are missing the fun,”  said one of the Ravenclaw’s.  “The contest has started.  You should hear some of the banshees on stage.  It’s great for a laugh.”

“Yah, thanks man,” said Remus. “We’re just on our way.”

“Hey, Black.  Looks like you wet your pants,”  laughed the other boy.

“That was Pettigrew,” said Sirius.

“Oh, so you’ve got a thing for Pettigrew, do you?”  chuckled the boy.

Sirius felt the color rise in his face, surprised at how close the boy was in his comment.

“Sirius has better taste than that, Armstrong.”  Remus winked at Sirius.  “Let’s go.  The pants’ll dry quicker out on the dance floor.”

As he passed Remus holding the door open, Sirius felt the brush of his lips on his ear and heard the soft whisper of later.  Later could not come soon enough as far as Sirius was concerned even though it meant their last moments together would be that much closer.

As they reached the table, Sirius heard his name being called from the stage.

“The next contestant is Sirius Black.  Come on up on the stage!”

“Go on Pads.  You’ve up next,”  said James.

“Up for what?”  Sirius asked.

“To sing of course.”

“No, no.  It was Peter who we were going to volunteer.”

“Who wants to hear his squeaky voice when we have the sultry tones of the master Sirius.  I put your name in.  I knew you’d do great.”  James grinned and pulled him towards the stage.  The combination of three frothy drinks, a pint of ale and the promise of later all buzzing in Sirius’ head, made him easily compliant and before he really had time to think, and with thinking not really his strong suit, Sirius found himself on stage.  A table full of Slytherins in the front row was chanting.

“Who let the dogs out, who, who, who…”

He looked for Malfoy but instead saw a smirking Snape sitting silently among the group.  Sirius felt his hackles rising but knew he could give this audience a show worth hearing.  He would show this group of prats what a Gryfinndor could do.  In his mind though, he  didn’t care about the Slytherins.  In his heart, he knew that he would be doing this for Remus and he knew just the song.

“Okay, boys.  B-flat please.

“This song is dedicated to the person who has brought light to my life over the past seven years.  Here’s hoping that light continues to shine.”  Sirius looked to the table where Remus sat and opened his mouth.

Never knew I could feel like this
Like I've never seen the sky before
I want to vanish inside your kiss
Every day I Love You more and more

Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing
Telling me to give you everything
Seasons may change, winter to spring
But I Love You, until the end of time

Come what may
Come what may
I will Love You
Until my dying day