Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy, and all these other people are characters belonging to J.K. Rowling. I claim no rights to them, their surroundings, or their situations. Much to my sorrow.

--- 24 Remus Lupin: The Hour Between the Dog and the Wolf

"Not through making an arse of yourself, I take it?"

Sirius glanced up from the book he was idly perusing, grinning sheepishly at the lean unassuming figure who stood hands-in-pockets just inside the doorway, watching him with an air of tired amusement.

"Well, I've always been so good at it, you know. Seems a pity to stop now, when I'm about to complete my master work."

"Dumbledore's never going to let it pass. You know he won't." The moon was nearly full, and as usual, Remus felt perfectly wretched. He tried not to let it show, primarily for the comfort of the people around him; but with Sirius (who knew very well why he was cranky, and did not let it frighten him,) he generally didn't bother.

"He might. If I can persuade enough people..."

Remus sighed. "What is it you're after, Sirius? You've never been the activist sort, most days you can barely organise your own breakfast...and you're driving a wedge right into the middle of the Order. Don't you think we have bigger issues to concern ourselves with?"

"No, actually, I don't. Can't you see it, Remus...I didn't invent the Slytherin problem. It's been there right along. I just saw an opportunity to do something about it, once and for all."

"And you're so uniquely qualified to make that decision."

Sirius frowned. "Why not me? I'm an alumnus, my godson attends. I'll probably risk life and limb helping see to it that the new building goes up safely. I think I have as much right as anyone else to express my opinion."

"Granted, but..."

"Do we really want the same infighting at the new school that always went on at Hogwarts?" Sirius shook his head, flipping past several pages, though it was pretty obvious he was no longer seeing them. "If we all make it, if we see the end of You-Know-Who, does it make sense to set things up for a new Dark Lord to rise the same way he did? I don't think so."

"I'll agree with you on that point." Remus came a few steps further into the room, his eyes not quite meeting Sirius'. The last thing he wanted was for this to become a confrontation. "But I think there are better ways to go about it."

"Like what, ask Slytherin to change? Go ahead, you have a word with Snape about that and see where it gets you. Just let me know ahead of time, so I can get a front-row seat and some popcorn."

"And that's what this really comes back to, isn't it. Snape." Remus wandered over and seated himself on the sofa next to the man unjustly convicted of murder, who also happened to be his oldest and dearest friend. "You're not doing this for the new school. You've finally seen a chance to put paid to the old grudge, and you're going to bury him if you can, House and all."

"Well, what if I am? It doesn't make what I'm saying any less true. The fact that I personally dislike the man doesn't mean--"

"Dislike is hardly a strong enough word for it, Sirius. I'm sorry to say it, but I think your judgement is badly skewed on this matter."

"I don't remember asking your opinion," Sirius growled.

"I can't remember a time that you wouldn't listen to it anyway," Lupin retorted.

Sirius shut the book with a snap. "Why are you fighting me on this, Moony? I don't understand. You never liked the Slytherins any more than the rest of us--"

"No I didn't, but then I never enjoyed tormenting Snape as much as you and James did either." Remus frowned. Severus Snape hadn't been their only target, but he had certainly been the undisputed favourite. The Prank, the Underwear Incident--it was only years after the fact that he had come to understand, to his shame, just how apropos the nickname 'Marauders' really was. "I've often wished I had spoken up about it more often."

"It would have made no difference." Setting the book aside, Sirius turned to face the werewolf, slinging one arm over the back of the couch. "Might as well try to convince a volcano not to erupt. Some people are just born to hate each other."

"I don't believe that. And if I did, I'd still say they have a choice about whether or not to act on it." His joints ached, all of them, persistently. It was nothing compared to what he had to look forward to a few days hence, but he hated it; hated feeling like an old man when he hadn't yet reached his fortieth birthday.

"Be that as it may, I wish you'd try to see where I'm going with this."

Remus kicked his shoes off, sliding into a comfortable slouch. It only redistributed the tension, shifting the focus of the pain somewhat, but he'd take whatever form of relief he could get. "It might help if you'd try to explain it in terms not limited to 'Slytherins are troublemakers' and 'Snape is a dirty rat bastard.' "

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Well, they are, and he is. Those aren't reasons enough?"

"Not for me. A thousand years' history isn't something to throw away over a pissing contest." He stretched and groaned, grimacing as his body complained resentfully of its woes. He supposed he should be grateful; the advance warning, which seemed to grow more acute with each full moon, meant that he never missed the necessary dose of Wolfsbane Potion.

Not that he would anyway, after the near-disaster in the Shrieking Shack a few years prior. What he could have done to his students and Sirius that night (never mind Snape) had since been the raw material for some of the worst nightmares he'd ever had.

Sirius watched, his face unreadable, as he finished his stretch and tried to relax. Then, moving slowly and deliberately, the animagus leaned over and carefully removed Remus' glasses, setting them on a nearby table. "What if I told you," he said softly, "that I've died once without leaving a mark on this world worth mentioning, and I don't want to do it again?"

"I'd say you're wrong on the first count," Remus said gently, his face warmed by the fleeting touch of Sirius' fingertips, "and the second is the stupidest damn thing I've ever heard." He picked up one foot and then the other, depositing them both in Sirius' lap. "What if I were to remind you that you and I and Snape are about the only ones left, now?"

His hands automatically found their way to the right pressure points, and Sirius smiled with satisfaction at the small, not-quite-human sound that rose from Remus' throat. "The only what? He was never one of us."

"No. But I've been giving it a great deal of thought, and I think he could have been." The werewolf closed his eyes, slowly melting into the sofa cushions with a deep and heartfelt sigh. "If we'd ever given him a chance."

"You're out of your lycanthropic mind, Lupin." Though the tone was affectionate, Remus detected a slight edge to Sirius' statement. "I'd sooner have hung around with a jackal--"

"Or a werewolf?" Remus murmured. "Or a rat?"

Pause.

"Why do you have to make so much goddamn sense?"

"Well, someone's got to. Merlin knows you don't."

"Bah. Reason is overrated...move over." Sirius stretched out, and Remus shifted slightly to make room alongside him, though it was a bit of a challenge on the narrow piece of furniture. "I'm still not giving up on this, you know."

"I know. I just wanted you to know where I stand." He draped an arm around Sirius and they snuggled close, managing to find a reasonably comfortable position. The sofa really wasn't meant for this sort of thing. But despite the large size of the Safe House, between students, faculty and the Order of the Phoenix, they were lucky to have found a bit of privacy in this tiny out-of-the-way room.

"What do you think Harry's going to do?"

Remus smiled, stroking Sirius' long hair. He'd wondered how long this question would be in coming. That was Sirius--cock up now, ask questions later. "What Harry always does, I expect. Surprise the hell out of us all."

"You think he'll hate me?" Sirius asked in a small voice. "He and the Malfoy brat seem to have got awfully chummy the past few days..."

"And you've behaved like an utter prick as a result. No, I don't think he'll hate you." Remus shivered as Sirius' hand strayed lazily over his chest and slipped inside his shirt, caressing ever so lightly. "But I do think you have got to stop treating him as the reincarnation of James, because he isn't."

"Well, James sure as hell wouldn't have taken up with a Slytherin." Sirius took out his wand and pointed it at the door. "Colloportus."

"What d'you think got me thinking about Snape?" Though admittedly, Snape was about the furthest thing from his mind just now. "Sirius, if you want my honest opinion--"

Sirius planted a kiss just beneath his ear. "--not that I asked--"

"--of course not, but since when has that mattered--mmm--" Remus momentarily lost track of what he was trying to say. "Harry is a better man than James. And I don't think there's a higher compliment I could pay anyone." He fumbled at the buttons on Sirius' shirt. "If he stands against you in this, it will be because he thinks it's right, not because he wants to."

"And what about you, Moony? You going to speak your mind this time?" Sirius rolled on top of him, propped up on his elbows, and smiled that rakish, slightly sinister Black smile, the tip of his nose almost touching Remus'.

Remus tilted his head slightly, invitingly. "I can't. Conflict of interest."

"You mean you're hoping I win?" Sirius kissed him tenderly, taking his time about it; since returning from the realm of the not-quite-dead, he'd seemed more apt to do that, to savor each touch and taste and murmur as though it might be the last.

Nor did it escape either man that this might, indeed, be the last time. The knowledge only fueled their mutual sense of urgency.

Long moments later, as they came up for air, Remus said hoarsely, "No, I mean you're going to need someone to cover your arse after Snape and Malfoy hand it to you." They fell to tugging at one anothers' clothing, resorting to charms when the usual method proved too awkward.

"Traitor." Bare skin slid across skin, limbs entwining, hands and lips roaming feverishly.

Sirius worked his way downward, leaving a trail of tingling sensation down Remus' chest and belly; and then Remus groaned at the sudden, enveloping, warm slick sweet...oh god... "Idiot," he gasped, all pain forgotten.

And then Sirius was back in his arms, breathlessly whispering his name, holding him, whimpering softly; pressed against him, hot and slick, inside him--

"Moony--"

"Sirius. D-don't stop..."

"I won't."

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