DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter
A/N: This is indeed the fic that spurred Oz's "Sid the Squid". If you've not read that, you should it's really good.
"He should have never even left the house!" Molly Weasley exclaimed to Dumbledore, Remus, and a couple other members of the Order as she bustled about Sirius's kitchen.
Remus fought back the urge to growl at the plump woman who was fluttering about. She had no right to talk about…him the way she did.
"He had Harry to THINK about! Sirius shouldn't have been thinking about just being able to get out of the house!" Molly cried, setting the tea cups down on the table so hard that a bit of the liquid sloshed over the side of the cup.
"Enough," Remus said in a deadly tone. Everyone but Severus and Dumbledore, whose eyes twinkled at the outburst, jumped at the tone used and looked at Remus "Do you even hear yourself Molly?"
Molly's mouth was hanging open just a bit, but no sound came from her.
"Do you?"
Still, Molly gave no answer.
"Don't ever think that Sirius went just to get out of the house. He was thinking about Harry."
Mrs. Weasley narrowed her eyes.
"Now Remus, I don't think that is the truth…"
"How would you know the truth? How would you even know what Sirius was thinking? Sirius cared for Harry. He cared so damn much! And if you all had seen past his urge to be reckless again you would realize that! HE DIDN'T LEAVE THIS DAMN, MERLIN-FORSAKEN HOUSE JUST TO GET OUT! Gods know he needed it though. And all you ever did was act like Sirius was such a damn bad person. He was more of a damn human being than you ever will be. How can you sit there and say you care about Harry when you're picking apart Sirius apart, every foible, every mistake right in front of his own godson. You acted as if you owned everyone in this house, especially Harry! And you don't! Need I remind you that Sirius was Harry's godfather. Not you and not Arthur," Remus cried out pointing at Arthur, who was quietly trying to eat his soup. "But SIRIUS."
Molly looked terribly offended and Arthur looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Tonks looked as if she wasn't sure whether or not she wanted to clap for Remus or stay out of it. Dumbledore sat at the table as if he had heard none of the shouting. While Snape smirked rather largely at Molly.
"Sorry Arthur," Remus said in a tired tone. "Do you want to know what he was doing when we found out Harry was trouble?"
The red haired woman just stared at Remus.
"I'll take that as a yes. He was in the middle of kissing me and telling me about what he was going to do as soon as he was acquitted. And do you want to know what that was?"
Molly's eyes widened, as well as the most of the members of the Order's did. Only Severus's and Dumbledore's did not. Not many were aware of Sirius's and Remus's relationship.
"Go on Remus." Dumbledore motioned with a sort of grandfatherly smile on his face.
Tears welled up in Remus's eyes and his voice broke.
"H-he was saying that we were going to buy a house closer to Hogwarts. And we'd take Harry with us, because neither Sirius nor Harry couldn't stand the Muggles. Plus, he r-really didn't want Harry to have to be in this dreadful place more than he had already been," Remus wiped away the tears that had streaked down his face and tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. "So don't you try tell me or anyone else that Sirius wasn't thinking of Harry. Because that's one of the only things he's done since he was thrown in Azkaban!" Remus screamed.
For once his anger had gotten the best of him.
"Bloody hell! Sirius thought of five damn people as he sat wasting away in that damn cell. James, Lily, Harry, myself, and…Peter."
Everyone sat at the table, stunned into silence. Dumbledore's eyes still continued twinkling, Tonks's hair had turned at least seven different colors in the small span of two minutes, and Molly's face had turned a very pale shade. Severus, who had been sitting beside of the werewolf, place his hand on Remus's arm.
"Besides Molly, I didn't see you there for Harry."
And finally Remus broke down completely, sobbing quietly at first, and then excusing himself from the table. Everyone sat there for a moment before Severus stood, his dark hair hanging in his face. For a moment he looked as if he wanted to spew a thousand scathing and cutting words to the woman but decided against it.
"Surely you must realize that you're not the only one who cares for Potter, Mrs. Weasley," He snapped.
With that, Snape swept out of the kitchen with his robes billowing out behind him, intending to go and try to comfort Remus.
Still, everyone was silent. No one had made a move, besides Severus, since Remus left the room. The silence was thick and it seemed to choke everyone. Finally, someone spoke.
"Molly, you must indeed know that others care for Harry. Sirius especially." Dumbledore stated quietly, folding one hand over the other.
Molly nodded, her face still pale and her expression stoic.
o0o0o0o0
Remus had already started his trek up the small set of stairs, quietly as to not wake Mrs. Black. Turning sharply on the landing, he made his way up one more set of five stairs, before finally reaching the second floor of the house.
Remus let out a large sob, tears welling up and falling down his cheeks, before blinking rapidly and grabbing the doorknob of the den. He flung the door open, allowing it to hit the wall loudly. He sat down on an old, ragged gray chair, grabbed a tissue, and started wiping his nose and dabbing at his eyes.
'He should have never even left the house!' Molly's shrill voice rang through his head.
"What damn right does she have to even think things like that about Sirius. This is --was his damn house anyway." He cried out loud, tears once again spilling over the rims of his eyes.
"Remus."
Remus looked up to see Snape standing in front of the coffee table, looking at him gently.
"She had no right to say what she did Severus. No right at all."
"We know, we all know." Severus replied, moving slowly in front of Remus.
"And it's not fair! It's just not fucking fair!" The werewolf screamed, alarming the dark haired man in front of him. Remus stood up and paced around the den, quickly walking from Severus, to the bookshelf and back to Severus. Snape watched the werewolf pace three more times before the explosion came.
"IF SHE'S GOING TO ACT LIKE THIS THAN SHE CAN JUST GET THE FUCK OUT OF HIS BLOODY HOUSE! SHE'S NO RIGHT BEING HERE IF SHE'S JUST GOING TO DISRESPECT HIM LIKE THAT!"
"Remus, calm down."
"I AM CALM!"
"No, you're not. Do you think Black would like you screaming yourself raw?" Severus asked, paused for a moment and then corrected himself. "Well screaming yourself raw because of Molly Weasley."
Remus smiled wryly, tears still slipping down his cheeks. He did quiet down though. Sniffling every so often, he would glance up to meet the black-brown eyes staring warmly at him. Finally after many moments of silence, a gentle voice was heard.
"No," Remus said in his quiet, gentle tone. "No he wouldn't."
Severus smiled awkwardly and placed his hand on Remus' shoulder.
"Exquisite. Now maybe we could make it back to the kitchen?"
"It's just…" Remus started, but couldn't continue and flung his arms around Severus's abdomen. Remus laid his head on his friend's chest, his tears soaking through the black robes that Snape wore.
When Remus first hugged him, Severus's eyes widened almost comically, if the situation had been different. For a moment he just stood there, his arms down at his sides. Before long, his arms gawkily twined around Remus in an awkward hug.
Severus tried his best at assuaging the werewolf's hurts, whispering soothing words the best he knew how. And every time he would say something, Remus would nod, his chestnut hair getting messier by the moment.
They stood there in the den, Severus holding Remus up as the werewolf cried indistinguishable words into the hard chest, for the longest time. Soon, Severus noted that Remus's breathing had gone even and he hadn't moved since he had hugged him. Severus stood there a moment longer before deciding that he should seat them before his legs gave out.
Moving just an inching, Snape slowly eased both himself and Remus onto the couch and sighing as he did so. As he started to put Remus on his own cushion, the brunette looked up and kept his arms around the taller man.
His wide amber eyes were rimmed red and Severus could tell that Remus's vision was blurry. For a second Remus looked as if he were pondering over what to do and in a split second he placed his head back on Severus's chest and sighed quietly. A few tears slipped out silently and Remus just held on to Snape tighter.
Severus looked down at the chestnut hair that was covering his chest and a small, barely visible smile appeared on his face. Remus's breathing once again evened out and Severus decided that if Molly Weasley were to ever start on Remus and Sirius again, he would personally make sure she couldn't open her mouth again.
FIN
A/N2: I would consider the ending of this to be preslash. BUT it would take a long long time for Remus to actually want to date again. So, please don't flame about the SS/RL
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