In the dinning room of Sylvan Manor Ares and Moira Lupin are awaiting the arrival of their nine year old daughter, Cassandra, their seventeen year old son, Remus, and his guest. Remus has told them only that he has an announcement to make and refuses to discuss the matter until after the meal. He has made all the arrangements for the evening with the house elf himself. The finest china is laid out on the table, along with the best crystal and most intricate pewter silverware. Though neither of them has a clue what he plans to tell them it's clearly very important to him.

Cassandra enters the room wearing her best dress. Clearly, she knows what this is about. “Sandy dear, do you know who your brother has invited to dinner?” Moira asks gently.

“He asked me to let him tell you himself Mum and you always taught me to keep my word,” Cassandra rebuffs her.

“We just don‘t want to seem rude to his guest Dear,” Ares tries.

“You won‘t Daddy, I promise,” She says beaming.

“Can‘t you tell us anything about them dear?” Moira tries again.

“All you need to know is they make Remmy happy,” Sandy say with a smile neither of them can place.

~~~

Outside in the front garden Remus paces up and down, so scared about what he’s about to do that he can’t stand still. His ears are straining for the slightest sound as his eyes search the horizon. Sirius should be here any second. He sighs and says out loud, “Where are you Love? They‘re waiting on us.”

As if in answer to his plea there’s a glimmer of light on the horizon. Slowly the midnight black, many charmed, Triumph Hurricane glides into view silent as a dove in flight. Just as silent Sirius slips off the bike and flashes him a dazzling smile, “I‘m not late am I Love?”

“No, I‘m just nervous,” He’s still pacing. That is until Sirius peels off his leather jacket and drops it unto the handle bars of the bike. Sirius was wearing silk robes in a deep sapphire blue that set off the stormy blue of his eyes, the fabric followed his every move and rippled like water, it was tantalizing and begging to be touched.

“What? Don‘t tell me I‘m underdressed, these are the best robes I own.”

Remus swallows hard, “No, not at all, you’re gorgeous, you know the phrase ‘drop a nun at fifty paces’? Dressed like that it‘d be a hundred, easy.”

Sirius smiles again, “I‘m glad you approve.” He slowly runs a hand up Remus’ hip, “And you look positively delicious, shame this isn‘t a date, I‘d suggest we just skip dinner...” Remus for his part was wearing deep red robes the color of a fine wine that hugged his slim hips and thighs.

“There‘s nothing I‘d like more Siri but we have to do this while I still have the nerve.”

“I know céadsearc. I‘m with you and whatever they have to say about us I always will be. Nothing can change that unless you want it changed. You‘re my soul mate, we both know that.”

“And you‘re mine, that‘s precisely why I‘m finally ready to tell them Love, I‘m so much less without you.”

Sirius wraps his arms around Remus’ waist, “Love you.”

After a deep, soul shattering kiss he leans back against the bike, making Remus lean forward. After a moment Remus finds his voice again, “Come on, they‘re probably grilling Sandy by now.”

Sirius laughs, a deep warm sound, “After you Moony.” He takes Remus’ hand and feels him hesitate, “Only until we‘re inside, I promise.”

~~~

“Cassandra Marie Lupin, you will tell me who‘s coming to dinner this instant!” Moira’s voice echoes into the foyer.

“This is going well,” Remus mutters.

“You‘ll know in a minute Mum, they just came in the front door,” Cassandra’s voice is calm and collected.

“Remind me to buy her something positively wonderful for Christmas,” Sirius says laughing.

“I will Padfoot, now come on,” He says leading the way into the dinning room where they’d shared many meals.

Both adults seemed to be holding their breath as Remus and Sirius enter the room. Both break into relieved smiles when they see Sirius, it can’t be very serious if he’s involved. Ares stands up and shakes Sirius hand, “Good to see you again Sirius.”

“Very nice to see you as well Mr. Lupin. Good evening Mrs. Lupin, Cassandra.” He graces both women with charming smiles.

“Lovely to see you Dear,” Moira responds, charmed as always.

Cassandra stands as well, hugging Sirius, “I‘d missed you Padfoot.”

“Missed you too Sandy,” He returns as they release.

She sits back down as he and Remus make their way around to their seats across from the ladies. As soon as they’re seated Penny swoops in with salad, juice and wine.

Everyone’s manners were impeccable but as Sirius and his parents already knew each other this was to be expected. He squeezes Sirius’ hand under the table to warn him that he’s about to bring up the reason they’re all here. “Mum, Dad, as you know I‘ve asked to speak to you tonight about something that‘s very important to me.” He pauses and Moira looks expectant.

“Yes Son?” Ares asks with a penetrating gaze.

“I know that it‘s going to come as more than a bit of a shock but...” He looks to Sirius for support. Sirius nods encouragingly.

“What is Dear?” Moira ask.

“You know if you didn’t interrupt every time he takes a breath he might be able to finish,” Cassandra offers lightly.

“Well, Mum I‘m in love,” He stops there, waiting for the house to crash down around him.

It doesn‘t, “That‘s wonderful son!” Ares barks happily. Before he can go on Moira practically shrieks with glee.

“Who is she son? Have we met her? Is she that pretty red headed girl that was here last summer?”

Sirius does his best to give her a polite smile in place of the smirk threatening to steal over his features, “As she‘s about to be Mrs. James Potter Ma‘am I think not, but then again I could be wrong.”

Remus gives him a chiding look, “No, it‘s not Lily. She‘s... er... not my type.”

Sirius switches back to his supportive smile at that.

“Who is then Dear?” Moira asks. Ares is watching his son closely, trying to figure out why he was wringing his hands together on the table top.

"Sirius," he says in a very firm, steady voice.

"What about him Dear?" Moira asks looking confused. A fire lights in Ares' eyes.

"He's the answer to your question. I'm in love with Sirius. He's in love with me. We're soul mates. That's what we've come here to tell you tonight."

“You‘re what?” Ares asks in a would be calm voice.

Sirius sits forward, “Soul mates sir. It‘s not a load of romantic babble, there‘s magically research to support it. We need each other.”

“Bullshit!” He spits forgetting that he is a man of breeding entirely as he gets to his feet. “Even if there is such a thing it does not apply to you two! That is sick and perverted and wrong! I will not stand for such a thing under my roof.”

Sirius makes a move as if to strike him, Remus catches his hand. “What makes it wrong? I‘m sick of you condemning the only thing that‘s really important in the world, love, just because you don‘t understand it!” His voice while angry and urgent is no louder than normal. “That‘s like me telling you that you‘re sick for getting married and having kids!”

Moira gets to her feet, the look in Sirius’ eyes alone keeping her from slapping her son. “There‘s a difference! What you‘re doing just isn‘t proper! What would your grandmother say?”

Sirius looks at her contemptuously, "Who gives a damn? We're happy, what does it matter what someone else thinks about it?"

Ares levels a furious gaze on Sirius, “How long Boy? How long have you been coming into my home under false pretenses? Lying to me, playing innocent?”

Sirius is too angry to lie, even to calm the situation, “Since the day you and I met. I‘ve always loved your son, and I regret never having told you, but we knew you weren‘t a big enough man to accept that you were wrong.”

Remus winces but doesn’t turn away. Still clutching Sirius’ hand he speak in a hopeful tone, “We‘ve been together for almost four years and we are going to live together when we‘re through with school. I was hoping you‘d give us your blessing.”

“Our blessing? Have you gone daft?!” Moira says sounding even more outraged.

Ares however has shifted his gaze to Cassandra who is shaking her head sadly. “And you knew about this, didn‘t you?” He accuses her harshly.

“Yes! and I‘d hoped that you could accept it! Remus is happy, when did you ever see him happy before Sirius?”

In a flash Moira slaps her, “Don‘t you dare speak to your father that way young lady!”

Sirius’ eyes flash silver, “Mrs. Lupin if you lay a finger on your daughter again I‘m going to have to strike a woman for the first and last time.” When she takes a frightened step back Sirius turns around to face Cassandra, "You okay Sandy?" She nods mutely. He runs his fingertips lightly over the hand print on her face, "As soon as the mark fades it should be fine."

"I can't believe you struck Sandy!" Remus raises his voice for the first time.

"She deserved it," Ares counters. "And you'll get much worse if you don't stop this foolishness immediately."

"I could no more stop loving Sirius than I could stop breathing the air, and I certainly won't try."

“Then leave and don‘t you think about coming back. You‘re no longer our son. Do you even think of crawling back here when you figure out you‘ve chosen the wrong life, that this is a bunch of nonsense spouted by a sick little boy having his fun with you. You may keep the family name but never tell anyone you‘re our son because it isn‘t true.”

“Fine! At least Neve and Declan Black accept us for we are! They‘ve always treated me as a son and they knew from the onset! If you can turn your back on me don‘t be surprised that I can do the same. Siri?”

Sirius takes a step toward the door and Cassandra whimpers. He turns back to her, “What‘s wrong Sandy?”

“Take me with you, they‘ll hurt me if you don‘t,” She cries desperately.

Neither Remus or Sirius would have believed it of them before this very night but now they both suspected she was right. “Of course we will Sandy,” Remus tells her softly.

Sirius takes her hand, “I‘ll take her to pack some of her things, you go get your bags Love.”

Remus nods and the three of them head up stairs.

~~~

Ares hesitates at Remus’ door and then pushes it open. Remus is emptying a secret compartment in the wall that Ares had never know was there. “So you‘re leaving with him then?”

Remus jumps in surprise, “Yes, I am. I told you that already.”

“I meant what I said as well, no land, no money, no family.”

“I don‘t bloody well give a damn about your land, or your money, and as for family you‘re wrong. I may not have you or Mum but I‘ve got Sandy, and Sirius and Neve and Declan. And as for the family name, I’d drop it in a second flat if I could take Black in it’s place.”

“You ungrateful little shit!” Ares let’s his anger bubble over, he punches Remus in the cheek, aiming to break bone but not succeeding.

"That's all you get. You try it again and I break your hand, and you know I can. After that if you still feel angry I'll let Sirius know what you did, and believe me he'll do worse than broken bones." Ares backs away. “And do me a favor, if you ever see the error of your ways keep it to yourself because I don‘t give a damn.”
Remus takes out his wand and levitates his school trunk and his suitcase along in front of him while shouldering the backpack he had been packing his most personal belongings in. “Goodbye Ares.”

~~~

When Remus reaches the front garden Sirius and Cassandra are already on the bike, Sandy is wearing Sirius’ leather jacket. Remus puts his things in the magically enlarged cargo box and slips into his own leather jacket. “Won‘t you be cold Love?”

Sirius smiles at him, “I have you to keep me warm. You alright céadsearc?”
“I‘m fine Love, lets get going.”

Fifteen minutes later when he was sure Sandy was passed out against him Sirius turns his head to look at Remus, “What‘s wrong Remus? And don‘t lie to me this time.”

“Ares hit me.”

“I‘ll fucking kill him!” Sirius says angrily starting to turn the bike around.

“No you won‘t Sirius. You are going to take me and Sandy home, where we belong and none of us is going to speak of Sylvan Manor again.”

This stays Sirius’ anger, “If I ever see him again-”

“You‘ll turn away from him. You don‘t know him Sirius, and neither do we.”

~~~

A half hour later Neve Black embraces her son and his lover with soft words of regret and reminders that they are safe here. She’s slightly surprised to see the small girl her son carries to the guest room but knows immediately that this is Remus’ younger sister. “What happened to the poor dear?”

“Moira struck her,” Remus says stiffly, “I couldn‘t leave her there. I‘m sorry to impose on you Neve.”

“I think you can call me Mum now mac,” Neve rebukes softly. “And don‘t be sorry, I‘m glad to have her here. How old is she?”

“Nine, she‘ll be ten on September 12th,” Remus informs her.

“So she‘ll be starting Hogwart‘s next year?” Remus nods, “I‘m sure we can handle her till then, but I think perhaps after that she should spend summers with you boys.”

“Thank you so much Ne- Mum I‘ll never be able to thank you enough.”

“Nonsense mac, what is family for?”

Sirius wraps his arms around Remus waist, “We love you mo chori, and that makes us family. Now come on, you‘ve had a long night, let‘s go to bed.”

“Mac? You put your bike away?” Moira asks Sirius.

Remus had turned along with him, he knew the term meant son but she had been calling him that since they arrived. He remembered she had once called him “mac tire” which meant “wolf” but it had made Sirius angry, so that was not a viable option but they’d have to find something else for her to call him. That however could wait until morning, Sirius was right, they could use some sleep, and a nice, comforting shag.

“Yes mathair, Goodnight.”

“’Night Mum,” Remus adds.

“Night boys.”

~~~

Your Gaelic lesson for today:
céadsearc - Sweetheart
mac - son
mo chori- my heart
mac tire- “son of the land”- wolf
mathair- mother

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