Predisposition|Remus Lupin

Romantics are the new rebels

"Don't be overdramatic, Remus, let's-" My wand drops and I replace it with my fist. Crunching against his nose. Never thought I'd be punching my best friend. But how dare he call me over dramatic. When he let me believe he destroyed the people I loved the most in the world.

Staggering back, Sirius steps into the light, his chest peeping through his shirt, he's got more tattoos since I last saw him. Watching the blood drip down his front, I'm reminded of all the fights he would get into, defending my honour, protecting me from the evil.

Flexing my knuckle, I guess I could thank him for teaching me how to punch properly. I sit down at the kitchen table, kicking out a seat for him. Sirius submits and sits, watching me, waiting for me to say something because now I am in control. This is my debate and he is my subject.

"You let them take you to Azkaban."

"It wasn't like that."

"Yes or no Sirius." He sighs in defeat, rubbing a hand over his tired face carefully avoiding his nose, I never thought I'd see him again.

"Yes."

"Good. You let me believe, that you killed them. You let me believe that you were guilty."

"Remus I promise you, it's not as simple as yes or no." He leans forward and tries to reach for me, but my head is thrown back in indifferent laughter. Looking back at him, the confusion would be amusing if I wasn't burning inside.

"Underestimate me again Sirius. It'll be fun." I warn him, never have I spoken to him in this way, I didn't think we would ever have to. I thought we could be straight with each other.

"Yes. I let you believe that. I let you believe it to protect you, Remus. Can you imagine if I let you spend all these years trying to prove my innocence? Can you imagine how outcast you would be? I couldn't ruin you."

"As if I was a model member of society already. Sirius, I would have. I would have done it all for you. But now, all you've done is forced Guinevere into that same fate you tried to save me from." Dropping his head to the table, I hear the string of curses tumble from his mouth.

"I didn't mean to." I turn my head away from him "Remus, it was fucking hell for me too. You don't think I didn't think about you all every day? I grieved alone in Azkaban. I cried myself to sleep every single night, I spent my twenty-third birthday being feasted on by Dementors. But I did it because I knew you were safe. That was all that kept me going." Slamming his fists against the table, I remember the feeling of him running them through my hair.

As touching as that is, he was all that kept me going. Without Sirius, I wasn't anything. Losing my sister, then James and Lily, and then him? What did he expect me to do? Thank him for not fighting it? For not even trying.

"Look at me Moony." I refuse, keeping stiff, I jerk when I feel him lurch across the table and bring his face to mine. "I've loved you all this time, and I don't think I'll ever be able to stop. You were there for me after Marlene passed and I promised myself I would never lose you. But right now, all I need is my best friend. My brother, just to hold me and tell me it will be okay. Because I didn't just come back for Harry, I came back for you." Sirius's hands soften on my jaw, before completely letting go. I stare at him as his breath shudders and his body writhes. Walking round to him, I pull him to face me, and he sinks into me.

"It's all going to be okay." It felt good to have him back in my arms.

Guinevere

We'd got everyone back to The Burrow safely. Molly and I cleaned everyone's cuts bruises, administering a tonic for Ginny to sleep easier Molly thanked me, she kept weeping into my shoulder, thanking me for protecting them all, over and over. She offered for me to stay, but I told her I had to try and find Remus. With Death Eaters and dark wizards making appearances like that, it wasn't safe for him. For anyone really.