As the fifth year Gryffindors walked into the great hall they scanned the head table. The first thing they all noticed was the tall, handsome dark haired man sitting next to McGonagall's empty seat. Dean turned to Ron who was closest and said, “Another pouncy pretty boy to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts no doubt.”

Behind them Hermione laughed, “You don’t know the half of it.”
Ron ignored her, “He can‘t be, Remus is sitting next to him.”
Harry reached out a hand to hit him but Hermione stopped him and instead pulled him to the back of the group. She whispered, “Did you know they were going to be here?”

“I knew Remus took the defense job again but no I had no idea Sirius would be here,” Harry returned with an a unbelieving look at his rejuvenated Godfather. “I wonder what he thinks he‘s doing showing up in public like this.”
Hermione gaped at him, “You really don‘t know, do you?”

“Know about what?” Harry asked annoyed.

Clearly visible beneath the head table Sirius put a hand on Remus’ thigh and Hermione felt that answered his question entirely but Harry continued to look expectantly at her she sighed, “I can‘t tell you here and when I do you have to promise not to get mad, at anyone.”

“Alright,” Harry conceded.

A few paces ahead of them she heard Lavender, sounding rather disappointed, say to Dean, “It seems we got a pouncy defense teacher after all.”

All through the sorting Ron looked at Sirius searchingly until he turned to Harry curiously and asked, “Who do you suppose he is? He seems awfully friendly with Remus.”

Harry laughed, “You‘re blind when you want to be Ron. It‘s Snuffles.”

“Snuffles?!” Ron says disbelieving. “staying with Remus did him a lot of good.”

Hermione chuckled again. Harry glared at her. He did however ask her the question that was haunting him, “Why wouldn‘t he tell me he was going to be here?”

She looked at him sympathetically, “Perhaps he thought it was implied in what he did tell you.”

“All he told me was that Remus would be back. And even if he had given me some clue he was coming to the castle he didn‘t tell me anything that would explain him sitting there like no one knows who he is,” Harry almost whined.

The sorting was over. McGonagall took her seat next to Dumbledore. He stood up and motioned for silence, “Normally I would not introduce our new professors until after the feast but as the circumstances are different this year I ask you all to bear with me. After all traditions are made to be broken. As many of you may have all ready observed Professor Lupin has returned to take over the Defense Against the Dark Arts position, I hope you will make him welcome as I am in the midst of persuading him to take the job permanently.” He paused as a cheer and a wave of clapping started at the Gryffindor table and spread over the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables as well and even including a few Slytherins. Harry looked at Malfoy and smiled all the brighter at his unhidden fear. When they quieted Remus was blushing profusely and Sirius was whispering in his ear. “And entirely new to our staff is our new Muggle Studies professor, Sirius Black. As some of you may have read in today's edition of The Daily Prophets Mr. Black has been cleared of all charges..." The din of the students drowned out Dumbledore's voice, Sirius Black was innocent? There was a loud bang and all eyes returned to Dumbledore, “Professor Black is innocent, though the man responsible for framing him is still at large. Speaking of which if anyone happens to spot a rat with a silver paw please report it immediately. You will treat Professor Black with respect or you will deal with me directly,” This last bit was directed at the Slytherin table. “Now, let‘s begin the feast shall we?” He clapped his hands and the food appeared.

A few minutes into the meal Harry noticed that while Snape was indeed present he had not looked up to sneer at a single person the entire time. And while they talked to each other, and occasionally McGonagall and Dumbledore, enthusiastically neither Remus nor Sirius so much as glanced at him. As he watched them sullenly, wondering if he was now only a bother to Sirius he felt a familiar malicious gaze fall on him. He looked up and met the hate filled eyes of Snape. It was oddly reassuring, the whole world hadn’t been thrown off. There was a disturbance at the head table when McGonagall cried out, “I will not lighten up, that's positively indecent!”

Hermione, who’d been watching and happens to read lips knew “that” was Remus’ suggestion that he and Sirius find an empty classroom and “relive the old days.”

For the first time both Remus and Sirius seemed to notice that they were in a room full of children they’d be teaching come morning. Remus blushed scarlet and both of them sent sheepish smiles Harry’s way. Sirius whistled and a small barn owl flew down to his shoulder. He stopped and spoke to Remus again for a second who then handed him a quill. With a subtle movement of what Harry amused was a new wand he conjured parchment and ink. He jotted something quickly and handed it to the owl. It winged it’s way to Harry lazily, not even landing, just dropping the parchment on his plate as it flew past. He picked it up, “Sorry we didn‘t have a chance to let you know. We‘ll find you in the entrance hall after dinner to talk.”

Hermione leaned over the table to read it, “You still don‘t see it?”

“I have no clue what you‘re talking about Hermione,” Harry said smiling at his Godfather and gladly receiving a smile in return.

“Boys can be bloody daft. Have you ever noticed that he always writes ‘we’ never ‘I’?”

“They‘re best friends Hermione, they spend all their time together, of course he writes ‘we’.” He looked at her as if she was the one being unreasonable, "You expect him to write 'Remus and I' all the time?"

She resisted the urge to smack him. Barely. “Alright Harry. Stay blind if you want to. I can‘t explain to you here anyway but you maybe the only living thing in the room that doesn‘t seem to know. I‘d bet even Sir Nicholas knows, but then again he‘s got an advantage, he was around in ‘the old days’.”

“What‘s that supposed to mean?” Harry asked still confused.

“Never mind Harry,” Hermione said distractedly.

After dinner Remus and Sirius were waiting for Harry to the left of the front doors, out of the stream of students going either upstairs or down. Lavender paused before starting up the marble staircase to call, “Wonderful to see you again Professor Lupin.”

Remus laughed and called back, “Good to see you as well Lavender.”

Seamus looked Sirius up and down appraisingly before he winked at Remus and said “Good for you Professor Lupin.”

Sirius laughed, “Nice to meet you too.”

Ron and Hermione moved out of the stream of people but didn’t approach them. Harry practically ran to Sirius, hugging him tightly.

Dean gave a wolf whistle and Hermione scolded him, “He‘s Harry‘s Godfather you twit!”

“Then that‘s really kinky,” Dean snickered when Harry hugged Remus in turn.

“Leave him alone Dean. He doesn’t seem to know they‘re gay.”

Unable to completely ignore the chattering masses Sirius gave Remus a questioning look and turned to Harry again, “Why don‘t we go to our office? It‘s a bit loud down here.”

“Hermione quit eavesdropping,” Remus said smiling, “If you want to know that badly you and Ron can join us.”

Hermione soundlessly made to follow them. All of them went up the stairs and down a corridor on the fourth floor to a large office. There are two desks and clearly too occupants but the general feel of the room is a cozy and informal mix of their personalities.

On Remus’ desk a small stack of books was tipped over with the sleeve of a leather jacket they all recognized as Sirius’ from pictures laying over them. It was piled in the middle of the desk as if it had been pushed off the shoulders of someone sitting on it.

Hermione figured that was enough to tip Harry off, even if he didn’t notice Remus' reading glasses sitting precariously on the edge of Sirius' desk. There was even a picture of them dancing at what seemed to be the Potter’s wedding on the wall. It was no wonder they thought Harry knew. It was bloody obvious.

Both Remus and Sirius lean against Remus’ desk as it’s less cluttered. “I‘m sorry I haven‘t had a chance to write to you since I told you we were coming to Hogwarts Harry,” Sirius said apologetically.

“It‘s been a busy week,” Remus said by way of an excuse.

“Shall we start with the beginning?” Sirius asked with a smile. “Dumbledore wrote to us asking that we come here immediately. We figured he was going to ask us to do something for the Order.”

“When we got here there were a half dozen ministry workers around. One of them called Padfoot an ‘adorable puppy.’”

“Which I object to, I‘m large and frightening thank you very much,” Sirius pouted.

“What ever you say Siri,” Remus said dismissively. “It turned out they were the ones that the Order managed to convince of Voldemort‘s return.”

“Dumbledore and Remus managed, by skill alone I might add, to convince the head of the department of magical law enforcement that it was in the ministry‘s best interest to offer me a fair trial.”

“Sirius thought it was risky without Peter for proof. It took me a few days to convince him to do it.”

“This was the day before yesterday. I was very wrong. We didn’t need Peter. As a matter of fact, I was the only witness.”

“They put him under Veritaserum, he called Fudge ‘that weasely, sniveling rat bastard with a stick up his arse.’”

“Well he is,” Hermione piped in.

“Anyway, I couldn’t very well lie under Veritaserum,” Sirius commented, “so they had to let me go after they questioned me. And in the celebrations afterwards I couldn‘t find time to write. Then yesterday Dumbledore told me that he‘d been holding the muggle studies job for me since they agreed to give me a trial.”

“And I think that brings us up to date,” Remus said leaning back a bit further on the desk.

“Well except for the Bitch...” Sirius added cryptically.

“What, you had a run in with Rita Skeeter?” Harry asked unthinkingly.

Remus laughed, hard, “No Harry, not ‘the bitch’, ‘the Bitch.’”

“What‘s the difference?” Ron asked confusedly.

“The Bitch is my motorcycle,” Sirius tried to explain.

“After all I‘ve been through with it I think it‘s only fair to call it our motorcycle Sirius,” Remus rebuffed.

“Right you are. The Bitch is our motorcycle, a 1975 Triumph Hurricane. My Da was muggleborn, he bought it for me used as a seventeenth birthday present. Over the next couple of years we put every charm we could think of on it. By 1980 it would expand to accommodate anyone or anything, fly, and well that‘s all I think you kids need know about it.”

“We went and got it out of storage where I left it and got Fudge to agree to never impound it despite the fact that it terribly illegal,” Remus explained.

Silence had descended on the room. Finally Remus yawned, “I‘m knackered, I‘m going to go to bed. See you three in the morning.” After giving Harry another quick hug and a nod to Hermione and Ron he disappeared through the back door of the office.

Sirius gave each door a glance then gave them a smile, “I don‘t mean to rush you out but I‘ve got my first class tomorrow and I could use my beauty sleep,” There was a call of ‘Peacock!’ from the other room. “The Gryffindor password is ‘phoenix tail.’”

As they made their way to the fat lady Harry checked his watched, “It‘s only nine thirty.”

Now even Ron looked at him as if he’d just declared that the sky was blue. Hermione decided to try to be gentle about it, "Harry, have you ever noticed that when ever Remus and Sirius are together they're always talking to each other or touching each other?"

“Yes, of course I have. Are you finally going to tell me what you‘re on about?”

“She’s trying mate,” Ron said quietly.

“All right let‘s try this again... Have you even noticed the way they look at each other? The playful bickering? The pet names?” Hermione tried again.

“Pet names?” Harry asked skeptically.

“You‘re right it’s only one, Remus calls Sirius ‘Siri.’”

“And that‘s supposed to mean something?”

Ron groaned, “I think a slightly more direct approach is in order. Has one of your mates ever grabbed your arse? Not counting Seamus.”

“Why yes, why do you ask?” Harry asked with no hint of a joke.

Ron blanched a bit, “Who?”

“Lavender,” Harry replied nonchalantly.

“Has a male friend ever done it Harry?” Hermione pressed on.

“No! Of course not!” Harry cried loudly.

“Well Remus can’t say the same,” Ron informed him.

“Huh?” Was all Harry managed.

Hermione started, “That first night in the shack-”

Ron took over, “When Sirius and Remus were hugging, Sirius grabbed his arse.”

“And I know my best friends just grab my arse every day. And you and Ron grope each other during meals as well I’m sure,” Hermione announced, throwing caution to the wind.

“So you mean that Sirius?... And Remus?...” Harry asked with a look of utter bewilderment. Then he looked at them with a smile, “You two are playing with me aren‘t you?”

“For Godric‘s Sake! Harry they‘re in there, in their shared room I might add, shagging as we speak!” Ron shouted and the sound echoed. He blushed deeply.

“While I wouldn‘t have been that blunt Harry, Ron‘s right. And what‘s more is they think you know they‘re shagging, which is why they haven‘t told you,” Hermione said kindly.

“Okay. Could everyone do me a favor and not use the word shagging for a few minutes?” Harry asked before sliding down the wall beside him.

“Look Harry, it‘s not really about that anyway,” Hermione said soothingly. “They love each other. Their lives are intertwined down to the smallest details. Neither of them ever gave it a single thought that you wouldn‘t realize how in love they are.”

“I think I need to go back to the dorm and recover from the two of you shouting about my da- godfather‘s sex life at me before I can process that,” Harry said shakily.

“All right then Harry,” Hermione conceded. “We should have been a little more understanding.”

Ron cocked his head to one side and looked intensely at Harry, “You started to call Sirius ‘my dad’ didn‘t you?”

“So what if I did?” Harry asked trying to sound petulant but only managing ‘lost puppy.’

“Nothing really, I‘ll just be careful what I say about him in the future, I wouldn‘t want to insult someone you feel is your father.”

“Not my father, my dad. Father implies we‘re related.”

Hermione smiled at him, “That‘s really sweet Harry. And the fact that you feel that way is a good sign that if you want to you‘ll be able to accept this.”

“I want them to be happy, and I know they‘re happy together it‘s just going to take a little time to get used to the full truth of why.”

They started to head back to the dorms again until Harry stopped suddenly. “When you asked if anyone ever grabbed my arse you said except Seamus, he is gay isn’t he? Don‘t tell me I‘m that blind.”

“Very,” Ron asserted.

Hermione turned thoughtful, “We all say it but what precisely is very gay supposed to mean?”

“Hitting on two of your professors because they‘re together?” Ron asked.

“Point taken,” Hermione said quickly.

The next day at lunch Ernie Macmillan came over to the Gryffindor table, “Harry, is it true the reason Professor Black came here is that he‘s your Godfather?”

“Yes it is, why?” Harry asked confused.

“I just wanted to know because he‘s one of the coolest teachers I‘ve ever had, he brought in a motorbike that belongs to him and Professor Lupin for our first class today,” Ernie told him.

“It seems the Bitch is a rather important possession to him,” Harry comments with a nod. Noting Ernie’s confusion he amends, “The motorbike, it‘s wrapped up in... family history.”

After Ernie left Hermione looked over at him, “Have you decided what you think yet?”

“I really don‘t care, I love them both, so if they‘re happy so be it.”

“Oh they‘re happy,” Hermione said evenly.

“What?”

“Nothing really. They were in the prefects bathroom is all...”

“Okay, I‘m not that okay with it yet Hermione.”

~fin~

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