Once in a Blue Moon (COMPLETE)

A/N: Thank you DiscoLemonade for the comment. Sorry I have been lazy about updating this. I have been writing but didn't think anyone was reading it here and the manual mucking about of the formating was winding me up so I was putting off adding the next chapter. Here's the next part. I'll try not to leave it so long before adding another chapter now I know there is someone waiting on it.

Your Secret’s Safe with Me

Sirius didn’t know how long he sat leaning against the cold stone wall of the basement. Time didn’t seem to have any meaning for him and things as trivial as curfews and school rules didn’t even cross his mind. The only thought in his head was whether the magical barrier that was keeping the werewolf from attacking him would hold out forever.

Gradually Sirius came to realise that the magical barrier was strong enough to keep the creature contained and his fear subsided enough that he felt comfortable enough to inch forward ever so slightly to see the werewolf more clearly.

The barrier was invisible until the werewolf touched it and Sirius made sure to stay well back from where he thought it was. Raising his wand, still glowing from the lumos spell, Sirius pointed it towards the werewolf. His hand began to shake slightly as the wolf growled and snarled at him but now that the initial shock had passed he was curious to see the animal at close quarters.

Sirius knew that there were differences between regular wolves and werewolves, but he didn’t know what they were. For a moment he wondered if the wolf was a normal one, one that the Lupin brothers were perhaps keeping in their basement, then the sight of a torn shirt, one that he recognised as belonging to Remus, forced him to dismiss that notion.

“Remus?” he whispered and the golden eyed creature turned to snarl at him again. For a moment Sirius thought the werewolf was going to charge at the barrier again and he braced himself for the blue light and the shock of the animal leaping towards him. But surprisingly the werewolf didn’t try to attack him again. He wondered if perhaps the animal had realised that it was fruitless to attack the barrier, or whether it was just too tired to do so. Then, somehow, the foolish idea entered his mind that perhaps, just maybe, Remus was still in there and was controlling the wolf in some way. It went against everything that Sirius had ever heard about werewolves but for some reason he liked that idea more than the others.

“Remus?” he asked again, slightly louder this time. “Can you hear me? Can you understand?”

If he was expecting an intelligent response, Sirius was sorely disappointed. But any disappointment was completely quelled by the realisation that the werewolf, Remus, was not minded to try and attack him again.

The sound of a door slamming set the werewolf howling again and Sirius jumped up in horror as he realised that it was probably Romulus returning home and that he would be furious to find Sirius there on this particular night.

“Nox,” Sirius whispered to put out the light his wand was emitting, but before he could creep back up the staircase a familiar silhouette appeared in the doorway.

“You’ve been noisy tonight Moony,” Romulus said as he walked down the stairs. “What’s been upsetting you?”

Sirius slid back into the shadows wishing there was something for him to hide behind, but the only furniture in the basement was a small and rickety chest of drawers, and Sirius knew that the moment he took a step towards it he would be seen.

“I could hear you at the Hogs Head clear as anything,” Romulus continued. “Luckily for us the regulars think the sounds were coming from the forest.”

Moony, Remus, howled again before stretching and growling at Romulus.

“I see you cut it close again tonight Moony,” Romulus said as he gestured towards the torn clothes. “And you’re sewing them yourself this time as a reminder to be down here well before sunset.”

Sirius listened as Romulus talked to Moony as though the werewolf could understand him, as though it were simply a normal discussion between the two brothers with Remus likely to answer back at any time. More than anything Sirius wanted to ask whether Romulus believed the werewolf could understand what he was saying.

Crouching down on the floor, Sirius watched as Romulus sat down on one of the lower stairs and leaned back against the wall. Even in the dim light from Romulus’s wand, Sirius could see that he was tired and he wondered if he was going to sit there all night. He hoped he’d fall asleep so that he could creep out of the house but it didn’t look as if he was going to. Instead Romulus was chatting away, just as he did when the two brothers were sitting at the kitchen table, as though he was expecting a cheeky response every other moment.

Moony meanwhile seemed much calmer than he had been arlier that night. Instead of attacking the barrier, he was curled up on the basement floor looking every inch like a household pet. Every now and then Sirius felt the werewolf turning his gaze towards him and he tried to slink back even further into the dark.

“You’re calm now, aren’t you Moony?” Romulus commented after he’d been sitting chatting for nearly an hour. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you less agitated. You tired or have you hurt yourself?”

Moony lifted his head up and looked towards where Sirius was hiding. If Sirius didn’t know better he’d have sworn that Moony was trying to explain to Romulus that he was there. Whether it was intentional or not, it had that precise effect and Romulus jumped up from his seat on the stairs and pointed his wand towards the corner of the room.

“Lumos maximus,” he called out and the small glow from the wand expanded to light up the whole room, revealing Sirius’s presence and startling Moony into attacking the barrier again.

“Sirius!” Romulus exclaimed as he looked from the werewolf to Sirius and back again.

“I’m sorry,” Sirius hurriedly cried out. “I didn’t mean to pry, I didn’t know, I heard noises, I thought Remus was in trouble. I didn’t know, I swear.”

“Upstairs, now!” Romulus ordered. “Don’t worry, Moony can’t get past the magical barrier,” he added as an afterthought.

Sirius nodded and hurried after Romulus, wondering just how he was going to talk his way out of this one.

“Sit down,” Romulus said as he pointed to the squashy living room sofa, taking a nearby seat for himself.

Sirius obeyed instantly and he scuffed the toe of his shoe on the carpet, scared of meeting the eyes of his best friend’s brother.

“So now you know,” Romulus finally commented in a tired voice that sounded far older than his actual years. “I imagine it’s been a bit of a shock; would you like a cup of tea or something? It’s supposed to help.”

“Yes please,” Sirius replied with a nod. He didn’t really want a drink but at least while Romulus was rummaging around in the kitchen it would give him time to collect his thoughts and try to work out how to explain himself.

He was still wondering what he was going to say when Romulus returned and passed him the hot mug of tea. “Drink it while it’s hot,” he advised and Sirius nodded obediently as he raised the mug to his lips. He vaguely thought that it tasted a little strange, somewhat bitter. Then he felt his eyes closing of their own accord and no matter how much he tried to keep them open he couldn’t seem to manage it. He felt Romulus removing the mug from his hands but couldn’t seem to muster the strength to resist.

His eyes were completely closed as he felt strong arms catch him and a soft cushion being placed beneath his head. Then he gave himself up to the sleep that he knew was potion-induced.

--xXx--

Remus opened his eyes and cringed at the pain the action caused his swollen left eye. It felt like he’d spent all night beating his head against the wall and the pounding of his head when he tried to sit up only served to verify that assessment.

It wasn’t quite sunrise but Moony had retreated for the month. All Remus had to do now was wait for the sunrise to come and for the magical barrier to vanish for the day. The barrier itself appeared every sunset and remained until the following sunrise, the spell working irrespective of the moon’s cycle. It was for Remus to make sure that he was safely behind the barrier when the sun disappeared beyond the horizon on the evenings when the moon was full.

It was also for Remus to remember to leave himself plenty of time to undress and push his clothes out of Moony’s way. The barrier only stopped living beings, animal or human passing through. Remus looked at the torn shirt and jeans and knew he’d left it too late the previous night. He looked through the barrier and saw that his mirror had gone and wondered if Romulus had picked it up. He didn’t like his brother seeing him in his wolf form but he had long suspected that he came down to the basement after he’d transformed in order to check on him during the night. His mirror certainly wasn’t where he’d left it, so someone must have been there, and Romulus was the most likely suspect. He only hoped that he hadn’t recognised the mirror as a magical item, and that Sirius hadn’t tried to speak to him through it during the night.

Remus waited, somewhat patiently, until the barrier flashed red before disappearing entirely. Gathering his torn clothes, he hurried to the small chest of drawers and pulled out the replacements that he kept there. Once he’d dragged on his jeans and t-shirt he made his way up the stairs, limping slightly from the soreness that almost always accompanied the mornings after the full moon.

“Remus?” Romulus asked quietly from the top of the stairs.

“Who else?” Remus called back with a rueful smile.

“Come through here,” Romulus said, as he hurried across the kitchen, ushering Remus through to his bedroom.

“What’s wrong?” Remus asked as soon as the door closed behind them.

“We need to get out of here.”

Remus looked around the room and saw that the battered trunk from the closet was open, his belongings crammed into it in a rather haphazard fashion.

“Are you all right for travelling?” Romulus continued as he hurried through to the adjoining bathroom, returning a moment later with the potions and ointments for Remus’s monthly injuries.

“I’m just a bit bruised this month,” Remus said. “I think I twisted my ankle too, it’s sore and a bit painful to walk on.”

“That’s okay, we’re apparating,” Romulus said shortly as he passed Remus the ointment to treat the bruises.

Remus gasped. “But you don’t have a licence.”

“We don’t have a choice.”

“But why? The Ministry doesn’t know we’re here, do they?”

“Not yet, but it’s only a matter of time before they arrive on our doorstep. Now where did you put the herbs you were gathering last week?”

“In the study. But why do we have to leave now?”

“You’re secret’s out,” Romulus said quietly. “Go get those herbs and put them in the kitchen with the rest. Then start packing the books into the boxes from the attic. I’ll shrink them down for storage when I’m done in here.”

Remus stood as still as a statue as Romulus continued to rattle off instructions. He’d heard nothing past the words that his secret was out.

“Well don’t just stand there Rem,” Romulus ordered as he waved him back out of the door, following after him to start packing away the kitchen utensils.

“But how?” Remus whispered, the ointment jar forgotten in his hand.

“We had a visitor last night,” Romulus explained. “We don’t have much time, now hurry up and help me pack.”

“Can I go and say goodbye to Sirius?” Remus asked quietly. “I can’t leave without saying goodbye, he’s my friend.”

“Not any more.”

“What do you mean?” Remus asked, a cold feeling of dread settling in his stomach as he realised that Romulus wasn’t meeting his eyes.

“Just start packing and I’ll explain later,” Romulus hedged.

“I’m not leaving without saying goodbye to Sirius,” Remus argued, his jaw stubbornly set, despite his brother’s look of warning. “He’s my best friend.” He didn’t add that Sirius was his only friend, but the words hung in the air just as surely as if he had.

“Sirius was the one who saw you last night,” Romulus sighed. “Now please…”

“He won’t tell anyone,” Remus interrupted frantically. “He’s my friend. He’ll keep it a secret, I know he will.”

“Remus,” Romulus warned. “We are not having this discussion. Now do as you’re told and start packing.”

“But I have to explain to him.”

“Explain what?” Romulus shouted. “You’re a werewolf, he’s not stupid! He’ll know why you kept it a secret. You’re unregistered and on the run. We have to leave before he tells anyone.”

“He won’t.”

“You don’t know that! You didn’t see him last night. He was hiding in the corner of the basement; he was frightened. We can’t trust him. We can’t trust anyone.”

“But…”

“Remus, we don’t have time for this. Just go and get the boxes and start packing. We need to get out of here before – ” Romulus stopped himself suddenly and Remus wondered what it was that his brother had been about to say.

“Before?” he asked.

“Just get the boxes.”

“Before what?” Remus pressed on.

“Before he wakes up,” Romulus finally admitted with a nod towards the closed door to the living room.

“He’s still here?” Remus gasped as he rushed towards the door, only to find it locked.

“Yes, he’s still here,” Romulus sighed. “I couldn’t risk him going back to the school and raising the alarm before the full moon had passed.”

Remus looked at his brother with narrowed eyes. There was something Romulus wasn’t telling him and although he already had a sneaking suspicion as to what it was, he wanted to hear it from his brother himself.

Finally Romulus seemed to get Remus’s silent message. “I slipped him a sleeping draught, okay?”

“I want to talk to him,” Remus insisted. “As soon as he wakes up, I want to talk to him.”

“We’re going to be long gone before he wakes up,” Romulus pointed out. “At least we will if you go and get the boxes like I’ve told you to, and start packing.”

“I’m not going,” Remus muttered stubbornly.

“You want to stay here and wait for the Ministry to come and get you?” asked Romulus with barely concealed sarcasm amidst the growing impatience.

“Maybe mum and dad have changed their minds about me?” Remus suggested. “Maybe they missed us?”

“And if they haven’t, then we’re both screwed,” Romulus snapped.

“Let me talk to him, please.”

“And what exactly do you think you’re going to say to him?”

“I’ll explain things”

“There’s nothing to explain,” Romulus pointed out again. “There’s nothing you can say to him.”

“I can ask him to keep our secret,” Remus cried. “I have to give him the chance.”

“And what if he says he’ll keep quiet but then tells someone?”

“He won’t.”

“You don’t know that for sure. It’s safer to get out of here now before he has the chance to tell anyone.”

“It’s not fair,” Remus sulked, knowing that it was pointless to continue arguing but determined to have the last say anyway.

“Just go get the boxes from the attic,” Romulus sighed. “And don’t take all day about it. I don’t know how long it’ll be before Sirius wakes up. I didn’t dare give him an adult dose since he’s only thirteen, so he could wake up any time. We need to be out of here before then.”

Remus nodded dejectedly and slowly made his way into the hallway. He dragged his feet as much as he dared, hoping that they would still be there when Sirius woke up, but at the same time terrified of what would happen if he did get to speak to his friend before they left.

--xXx--

Sirius’s neck was hurting when he woke up and for a moment he wondered where he was. Then he realised that he had been asleep on the Lupins' sofa, the uncomfortable position causing the crick in his neck. Memories of the previous night drifted back to him, the golden eyes staring back at him from the other side of the magical barrier, Romulus discovering him hiding in the basement, and the knowledge that his best friend was a creature of nightmares…a werewolf.

From the other side of the door came the sounds of someone moving about in the kitchen, to Sirius’s ears it sounded like pots and pans were being thrown around the room and he wondered what was happening.

Then the sound of footsteps on the stairs caught his attention. Remus’s footsteps he thought to himself with a smile. The same pace of footsteps usually signalled that his friend had some chore or another to do and that he was reluctant to get started on it.

“Have you got them all?” Sirius heard Romulus call from the kitchen.

“I think so,” Remus replied.

“Okay, put them in the fireplace and I’ll burn them.”

“No!”

Sirius rubbed his neck as he walked over to the door, wondering what it was that Romulus wanted to burn.

“I want to take them with me,” Remus was saying as Sirius reached the door and tried unsuccessfully to open it.

“We’re not taking everything,” Romulus argued. “You don’t need those letters.”

“I can’t find my mirror either,” Remus said. “I’m not leaving without it.”

“I’ll get you another mirror for Merlin’s sake.”

“I don’t want another mirror, I want mine.”

“Remus, please!”

Sirius could tell that Romulus’s patience was wearing thin. He put his hand into the pocket of his robes and pulled out the mirror that he was sure was the one Remus was searching for.

He was about to call through the door that he had Remus’s mirror here when the ramifications of the conversation finally registered in his still sleepy mind.

The Lupins were leaving. Remus was leaving.

Sirius tried the handle of the door again but to no avail. When it was clear that he wasn’t going to get out of the room that way he banged loudly on the door instead.

He heard Romulus swear in the neighbouring room.

“Let me out!” Sirius yelled as he banged on the door again, in his distress forgetting to check whether he still had his wand, and not knowing that Romulus had forgotten to remove it from his person, while in a similar state panic.

--xXx--

“Rom, please?” Remus begged. “Just a few minutes.”

Romulus looked hesitantly at the door that Sirius was clearly trying to open.

“Just a few minutes?” Remus repeated. “What harm can it do?”

“Five minutes,” Romulus finally agreed. “Here, take my wand.”

“What for?” Remus asked curiously even as he reached to take the long strip of wood from his brother’s outstretched hand.

“If he looks like he’s going to run for it or hex you – I forgot to take his wand off him – if he tries anything …stun him,” Romulus whispered. “Don’t hesitate, just do it.”

“I can’t stun Sirius,” Remus whispered back, the very idea of such an action completely unthinkable.

“Just in case,” Romulus said quietly. “And I’ll be right out here.”

“Counting the minutes,” Remus muttered as he pointed the wand at the door handle and spoke the spell that would unlock the room.

The door swung open from the force of Sirius’s banging on the wood and Remus jumped back to avoid being hit with it.

“Five minutes,” Romulus reminded him as he stepped into the room and closed the door again.

Despite all his arguing and all his pleading for a chance to talk to Sirius, now that he was finally in the same room as his friend, Remus had no idea what he was going to say.

“So?” he said questioningly. Sirius didn’t reply, and Remus suspected he was equally unsure about what to say.

“Why did you come here last night?” Remus finally asked. His eyes were trained on the threadbare carpet and no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t bring himself to look Sirius in the eye. Romulus’s wand was still in his hands and he toyed with the wood distractedly.

“You left your mirror activated,” Sirius explained as he pulled the said mirror from his pocket and held it out to Remus. “I thought you were in trouble.”

Remus snorted with the bitter humour that he certainly was now. Even so, he reached out to take the mirror from Sirius’s hand, his fingers brushing the other boy’s slightly as he did so. Sirius pulled his hand back as though he’d been scalded and Remus couldn’t help but notice the way his friend flinched at his touch.

The mirror and Romulus’s wand dropped to the floor and Remus bolted from the room, unable to bring himself to look at his friend. He pushed past Romulus who was standing on the other side of the door and ran into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

--xXx--

Sirius looked at his treacherous hand, which was starting to shake. He reached down and picked up the mirror at the same time as Romulus quickly retrieved his wand. A moment later and Romulus had his wand trained on him and Sirius wondered if he was going to be allowed to leave the Lupin house alive.

He knew he’d seen Romulus angry before, but he’d never seen hatred in his eyes; he’d seen nothing like what he was seeing right now.

“I…I’m…”

“Don’t!” Romulus snapped. “Just listen up, and listen good.”

Sirius nodded obediently as he pulled his hand into a fist in an attempt to stop it from shaking.

“Remus is a werewolf. He’s a danger to humans on one night of the month. I’m his brother and there is nothing I won’t do to protect him. That makes me dangerous every day of the month.”

Sirius shrank back against the sofa, the flashing anger in Romulus’s eyes far more terrifying to him than the golden eyes of the werewolf the previous night.

“I can’t stop you from telling everyone what you’ve seen,” Romulus continued in a low voice. “But I promise you that if anything happens to my baby brother because of you, I’ll track you down no matter how powerful your family is.”

“I won’t tell anyone,” Sirius whispered, shaking his head vehemently. “You don’t have to leave, do you?”

“Remus has spent all morning begging to stay here,” Romulus said quietly. “All my arguments have gone over his head like water off a duck’s back. But in less than a minute, and without a single word, you’ve done what I couldn’t. You’ve made him want to leave.”

“I’ll talk him round,” Sirius said and he felt his eyes begin to water. He rapidly blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall.

“I don’t want you to talk him round,” Romulus replied.

“Doesn’t mean I’m not going to try,” Sirius declared and he ran from the room before Romulus could stop him.

Remus hadn’t locked his bedroom door but as soon as Sirius was inside the room he pulled out his wand and took care of that.

“Go ‘way,” Remus mumbled from where he was laying face down on the bed.

“I’m sorry,” Sirius whispered.

“I said go away,” Remus snapped, turning to glare at Sirius before turning to face the wall instead.

“No,” Sirius declared as he took a few paces further into the room. He was vaguely aware of Romulus trying to open the door and he pulled out his wand to move a chest of drawers into the doorway. He knew it wouldn’t keep Romulus out for long, but he hoped the few additional minutes would be enough.

“Remus?” Sirius asked as he sat on the end of the bed.

"..."

“I’m sorry,” Sirius said again, louder this time.

"..."

“I don’t want you to leave,” Sirius tried again. “You’re my best friend…”

“I’m a werewolf!” Remus muttered bitterly.

“So I saw,” Sirius replied.

“Do you hate me now?” Remus asked as he finally turned round to face him. Sirius could see Remus’s face was tearstained and he cringed inwardly at the thought that he had been the one to make it that way.

Sirius shook his head, replying “no” without hesitation.

“But you’re scared of me,” said Remus, and Sirius could tell it wasn’t a question.

“No.” Sirius shook his head and reached out to take one of Remus’s hands in his own. “I’m not scared, not any more. And I don’t want you to leave.”

“We’re still friends?” Remus whispered, hope emanating from his every word as he sat up properly and used his free hand to wipe his eyes.

“Best friends,” Sirius assured him, pulling Remus into a hug. “Please don’t leave,” he whispered.

“It’s not up to me,” Remus replied with a barely concealed sob. “It’s up to Rom.”

“Guess we’ll have to talk him round then,” Sirius said. “He doesn’t like to refuse you anything and with me and the infamous Black family charm,” Remus snorted at this. “With my charm we’ll talk him into staying here forever.”