Same story, more corrections

As always, I don't own HP or anything else. Please enjoy ;;; And review if you can!

Sirius Black felt trapped.

And it wasn't just because he was forbidden to leave Grimmald place, number 12.

The summer had been going along fabulously… having Harry around was a lark. And it was for that reason alone that Sirius had put up with a certain redheaded woman's meddling. When Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had packed up-the day after Hogwarts express had departed- Sirius had felt that the stale air in the house had suddenly become more breathable.

After feeding Buckbeak, he decided to go downstairs and to make himself a large bacon sandwich. (Mrs. Weasley had never let him make his own, probably because whenever he did the pans used would have to be soaked for days to remove grease).

Down the attic stair, he hummed a tune- one of Lily's favorites that had been played at her wedding. After approaching the top of the second flight of stairs, he halted, his eyes widening in surprise.

In the center of the stairs, sitting with his back leaned against the wall and completely asleep, was Remus Lupin.

Sirius paused in concern. Carefully stepping down a few steps, he leaned down, peering at his friend's face.

Pale to the point of transparent, large rings hung under each eye. Each scar crisscrossed, creating a background for the new marks freshly piercing his skin. His hair was ruffled, his collar rumpled and dirty… all in all… not one of his better transformations.

Sirius frowned. The moon was last night. However Grimmald had been a flourish of activity and, of course, Remus would never impose himself by asking for a room… utter git.

He lowered himself to sit on the stairs beside the exhausted werewolf. Remus had probably transformed in the Shrieking Shack. And Sirius... Sirius could not accompany Remus for transformations if he left the house.

Somehow the years had changed things between the two men. They were there for one another, and at the same time, Remus had once again clasped a very tight control over his cursed life… and who he allowed to enter it.

He was going to have to learn that sitting in Azkaban for a few years hadn't made Sirius think of his hairy little problem as a weakness. They still had time to iron the whole thing out. Maybe Sirius could even convince Remus to let him buy some Wolfsbane.

Sirius looked wryly at his friend's sleeping form. 'Well maybe that's a bit of a jump for now.' He ruffled the Lycanthrope's hair, remembering how Remus used to hate it when he did that. He grinned when Remus brushed his hand away and slept on. 'No matter what, Remus will always be Remus.'

Still, something had to change about the situation. It would not do to have Professor Lupin so tired that he couldn't make it up the stairs to his own bedroom.

Tipping his forehead and allowing the rueful smile to emerge, Sirius reached out two fingers and gently poked Remus' forehead.

"Moooony…"

Not surprisingly, Remus merely shifted slightly and moaned.

Sirius grinned a little and poked him again.

"Moooooony… wakie wakie!"

This time, Remus' eyes immediately snapped open. With the moon only a few hours past, Sirius wasn't surprised to see that his friend's eyes were disturbing golden.

"Where am I?" Remus inquired hoarsely. He blinked a few times, and the irises went back to blue.

Sirius swept one arm out. "Welcome…" He said pausing for dramatic effect, "to my stairway."

Remus blinked at him a few seconds, his airy tired expression making Sirius chuckle.

Shaking his head, he reached forward and grasped the man from under one arm, pulling him haphazardly to his feet. "You probably won't remember this in a few hours." Sirius said cheerfully.

Remus stumbled up the stairways, being half dragged by his black haired friend. He shakily threw an arm over Sirius' shoulder before Sirius did the same for him, stabilizing their balance.

Suddenly, Sirius realized that even with his better lifestyle, he still wasn't in tip top shape himself. That's what happened when you were in the Big House too long. Once he almost fell before he shot out a hand to catch the railing. Sirius paused for a moment, unsure, until Remus steadied him and his footing.

So they climbed the steps. Together. Sirius couldn't help but see the ironic half of the situation.

Their friendship had fallen down the stairs a few times… when Remus had tried to hide himself from them… when Sirius had betrayed Remus by telling Snape his secret… and then afterwards suspecting Remus to be a spy, Remus thinking Sirius a traitor… their friendship had taken such a tumble at the bottom it was hard to imagine ever getting back up.

But that was the choice you made. Sirius knew it- 'And so does Remus…' He thought as they conquered another step. Either you got up and tried to climb again or you would die at the bottom. Azkaban sucked. Lycanthropy sucked. There was no getting around it.

But that didn't mean they had to lay at the bottom of the stairs and die.

"It doesn't mean you have to try to climb it alone either." He murmured. "Especially when you're feeling like shite."

Remus either didn't hear or was too tired to comment.

They had reached the last one. They were at the top. Sirius looked down, a half smile crossing his face.

'Maybe someday our friendship will become what it was… will reach the top… as well.'

"Moony old man, next month you will be staying here... and not in that stupid shack." He said aloud. "Now… let's get you to bed."

Review please.

FP