A/N - Originally posted in 2005, this was my first piece of fanfiction. I removed it several years ago but I'm working on re-posting all completed chapters (I get a little nostalgic around Christmas). Happy holidays and thank you for reading!

Disclaimer: Any familiar characters, settings, etc. most likely do not belong to me.

Pairing: Sirius and Remus

Rating: M

Genre: Romance/Adventure/Alternate Universe

Chapter 1- In Order to Touch

After only a few days into the break Remus' homework was already finished. He smiled softly to himself—pleased that he could now use the remaining time to recover from a particularly exhausting week.

He watched the moon through the open window and thought back to the previous night.

The pull had been stronger than normal. He could remember hearing Madame Pomfrey's soft voice telling him she would return soon before leaving him alone to await the change. He took a seat at the end of the bed and began staring thoughtfully at the filthy, splintering wood under his feet. He wondered for a moment what it would be like to have someone there with him when he changed, but shook his head at the thought. Even if someone was brave enough to stay with him, the wolf would be unforgiving. He willed himself to concentrate on more rational thoughts but it was only moments before he began to feel the start of what he knew would be a painful transformation. For the first time, as he succumbed to the wolf, he felt a new kind of hunger stir within him.

The sharp sound of laughter made Remus jump slightly in his seat. He looked across the room at the two boys who were laughing loudly as the third reenacted his latest quidditch triumph.

He watched as the dark-haired boy stood and waved his arms around—clearly amused by his own story.

Remus stared for a second longer then looked back down at the table in front of him. He felt a dull ache in his side and pressed his hand gently against it.

He didn't notice the gray eyes glancing discreetly in his direction.

As he began packing up his supplies, he did notice the harsh, chilling breeze filtering in through the opened windows of the Gryffindor common room. He walked swiftly towards the cool air, intent on shutting it out.

However, as Remus neared the windows, he quickly became distracted by the night sky. He was only distantly aware of the common room lights flashing brightly before the room went dark. Captivated, he watched as each one of the night's lovely stars flickered and vanished from the sky. A strong feeling of loneliness overtook him as the sky rapidly darkened. Remus sat weakly on the window seat, pulling his knees up to his chest, and watching, entranced, until the very last light was gone. Finally, encompassed by darkness, he did the only thing he could think to do, and closed his eyes.

"He's beautiful."

"There's no doubt he'll be taken."

"Quiet! We can't let them find out about him."

"He's too perfect not to notice. Besides, there's no way out of here without passing by the school wards."

"He's right. They're always watching. One of them is always watching."

Remus slowly came to as he heard the hushed voices. At first, his fuzzy vision prevented him from seeing anything but a blurred mass of faces. Yet as his sight slowly returned to him, he could only stare in awe as he found himself surrounded by nearly a dozen unfamiliar—and undeniably beautiful—faces.

Looking around, he began quickly taking in his new surroundings. He seemed to be in a drawing room of sorts—it was remarkably large, with expensive looking furniture strewn about it in a deliberately disorganized way.

"Where am I?" he asked softly, his voice slightly shaky.

"Hogwarts, of course," a pretty young woman answered.

Turning his head towards the voice, Remus found himself looking into bright blue eyes that seemed to be intently studying his face. Slightly unnerved, he began scanning his memory for any recollection of the many faces staring down at him.

A series of sudden, loud thumping sounds did not allow him much time to ponder.

The blue eyed beauty had stood up straight, looking fearfully towards one of the doors, then reached down and hurriedly grabbed Remus' arm and tugged him towards a door further back into the room.

In that moment, Remus' mounting worry swiftly increased.

"They mustn't see you," she whispered.

"Who?" he asked, startled.

"They haven't seen a new face in years, much less one like yours," she continued on, ignoring his question.

She pulled him down numerous hallways, only stopping when they reached a room quite a distance away.

After she deemed the new location safe enough, the young woman swiftly left a very confused Remus alone. He now found himself in a room even more intriguing than the one they'd left. Swallowing down his rising apprehension, he began a thorough study of the newest location. There were two large windows on the wall furthest from the doorway, both covered by thick dark green curtains that seemed impossible to pull open—although he was too distracted then to even attempt to see past them.

Carefully maneuvering himself around the expensive looking furniture, he came to an abrupt halt upon passing a nearby mirror.

He almost didn't recognize himself!

He was still small, with hints of a hidden strength, but all of his features seemed more accentuated. His skin glowed in an unfamiliar way, his lips were strangely fuller, his hair now longer and beautifully mussed.

Yet it was his eyes that stood out the most. In place of his plain, brown eyes were large golden orbs, and upon looking closer, he saw that the colors in them seemed to be slowly moving… it was as if someone was stirring cinnamon and honey to make an unearthly color.

His gaping mouth quickly shut as the sound of deep voices flowed past the closed door.

The unsettled feeling within Remus grew, and he quickly ran to the covered windows in a nervous attempt to escape from this unfamiliar place. Looking down as he opened the window, he found he was not far from the ground, and quietly lifted himself through the window.

The first thing he noticed when he landed was the familiar towering outline of Hogwarts.

Ignoring the darkened towers and pouring rain, Remus broke into a run towards the place he'd called home for over five years.

Briefly glancing back, he saw that the building he'd come from seemed to be a castle all its own. Suspended slightly in air, it exuded almost as much magic as Hogwarts itself.

Panting and drenched from the cold rain, he continued on until he reached a courtyard lined with many windows…revealing the familiar, yet strangely changed, Great Hall.

Currently, it was filled with hundreds of boys, large and burly, all no younger than 16. And if that alone was not enough to unnerve Remus, the glowering faces and gruff demeanor of each of the boys did the trick.

All the young men here seemed to be wearing the same hardened expression on their masculine faces. Glancing towards the front of the room, Remus saw what must have been a professor, angrily lecturing the boys. Ducking down, he attempted to get closer in order to hear what the roomful of boys heard as they silently watched the older man.

As Remus debated whether he should enter the school, his normally keen senses did not pick up on the sound of an approaching figure.

Golden eyes widened in surprise as he felt a heavy body push his own against the wall from behind.

A deep voice began whispering in his ear, "I thought I was dreaming when I saw you."

Remus was too shocked to respond and the voice continued.

"There's no doubt I'll get detention for walking out, but I couldn't resist. I've never seen anyone like you. Tell me your name."

The (clearly male) figure didn't wait for an answer. He quickly buried his nose in Remus' hair in a way that hinted the act was something forbidden.

Suddenly Remus felt a warming sensation moving up and down his arms and realized that the mysterious person was trying to warm him up. Struggling to see his captor, he found himself looking into vaguely familiar gray eyes. Sirius Black?

At that moment a loud bell echoed through the courtyard and with one last touch to his cheek, the strong, black haired boy reluctantly released Remus and stalked away at a quick pace.

As Remus watched the young man's retreating back with a mixture of longing and confusion, a number of thoughts flew through his mind.

Casting one last glance towards the Great Hall, Remus rushed back towards the floating building from which he'd first come—shivers running down his back.