Fake Friends and Friendly Foes ||DMHP

Chapter Two

"Because, I wasn't their Secret Keeper." Sirius spoke. The words took a while to register into his head.

"What?" He had to be lying. There was no way Sirius could be telling the truth. So, why was the hope bubbling in his heart?

"I wasn't their Secret Keeper.- Sirius repeated, more confident. "-I would never betray Lily and James. They mean the world to me. And Harry.... Sweet Harry. He looks like James. But he has a bit of Lily in him too." Sirius said his voice lowering as he spoke. His eyes somewhat glazed revealing that he was speaking from a memory.

"Focus, Sirius." Remus said, harsher than intended. He didn't mean to be harsh, but if he were innocent. If he were truly innocent maybe he could finally let his thoughts be at rest.

"If you weren't the Secret Keeper, then who was?" He questioned. He wasn't letting go of that hope now.

"Pettigrew." Sirius had spoke with so much hatred and venom, Remus was surprised it wasn't dripping from his mouth.

"Peter...?" Remus asked warily.

"Yes. Him. The rat. Wormtail." He didn't speak in full sentences. But Remus understood what he meant. Sirius was implying that Peter was the traitor.

"I don't believe you." It didn't sound real. Even if he was right, Peter seemed to be a bit of a coward.  He would never be able to betray them, would he?

"I'm not surprised, you always chose logic and rational thinking over your instincts, but, just this once trust in yourself Moony."

"I-" Remus voice died off. He wanted to say something. Anything. But he couldn't. He needed to sit down. He needed to process this. And he did. Sirius was still tied up so he didn't have to worry about the dog-man trying to murder him. There was a small pessimistic side whispering to him that he wouldn't care if he died anyway. He took a deep breath and gripped the arm of the armchair. He had to trust him. Even for a while.

He knew. Sirius couldnt, no, he wouldn't ever lie to him. His inner wolf believed him so, why couldn't he?  Remus' wand lowered slowly but completely.

"Finite." He muttered, Trust, he needed to trust. Sirius body which had hung limply fell on the couch with a light sound. Remus looked at him. His now amber eyes glowing.

"If you lied to me. I wouldn't hesitate to kill you." Remus said. His voice held promise. "I would never lie to you, not about this anyway." Sirius said, adding the last part hastily. A small smile forming, brightening his dead face.

Remus cautiously took one step closer to him. "He didn't even give me a trial, you know." Sirius whispered.

"Not Crouch or Fudge or even Dumbledore. Just locked me up." Remus sucked in a sharp breath and stared at him in disbelief. "Not even a Priori Incantatem." Remus questioned slowly, his low tone matching that of Sirius.

"No." Was the only reply the Animagus gave. Remus walked over and hugged him. Tightly. Sirius rested his chin on Remus' shoulder. "Why now?" Remus asked, holding Sirius a little tighter. He was thin. Unnaturally so, it looked as if his magic was the only thing sustaining him. "He is alive." Sirius said. The venom returning. "He..... who?" Remus asked. Sirius was unstable. But who wouldn't be after 12 years in Azkaban.

"Pettigrew. That's who." Sirius replied in a biting tone. Remus sucked in another sharp breath and held him tighter. "He can't be. He's dead. You killed him." Remus said unconsciously repeating the same words he had said earlier.

"That's what I thought. He isn't. He's alive." "H-how do you know?" "I saw him. In the Daily Prophet." "What!?" Remus yelped. He removed Sirius from his hug and held him by his shoulders so he could see his face. "What do you mean Daily Prophet. He didn't appear in any articles." Remus looked at him as if he was crazy. Then again, he probably was. "Not as a human Remus. But as a rat." Sirius explained. "You're insane Sirius. Any rat could look like him. It's a rat." Remus said. Sirius removed Remus' hands from his shoulders and promptly stood up.

"I KNOW WHAT I SAW! And I know it's him. " Sirius all but yelled. The second sentence came out calmer. More tired and weary than serene. "Its him Remus. It's really him." Sirius face was etched with fury but not at Remus whose face remained impassive and tired."I thought I killed him. But he escaped. He's alive. I know it." Sirius muttered. He was pacing back and forth. Muttering words under his breath, completely forgetting the existence of a werewolf. "Sirius calm down." Remus said walking over to him and placing his arms on his. "You need to eat. And sleep." Sirius looked at him, eyes shining. "You're letting me stay the night." whispered in disbelief. "Yes. You're not in your right mind. You need food and rest." "But.... but it-the Aurors. They'll be after you. If they find out you're holding a convict in your house, they'll  arrest you too." Sirius shook his head." N-no. I'll have to go. We are both in danger." His voice was shaking. He was genuinely terrified.

"Sirius. Listen." Remus strengthened his grip on Sirius. "You are not going anywhere. There is basement where I endure my transformations. You can stay there." Sirius looked at him, took in a deep breath and chuckled. "You're not letting me leave are you." "Nope." Remus said popping the p.

"I think I have some sandwiches left over." Remus said smiling making his way into the kitchen. Sirius stood there waiting for him. He came back a few minutes later holding a plate of BLT sandwiches. Sirius looked at the sandwiches as if it were the gift of the gods. "Eat." Remus said sternly. Holding out the plate of food in front of him. Sirius nearly lunged at the food in front of him. Inhaling it as he went. It was a bit disgusting, but the man hadn't eaten in Merlin knows how long.

After 15 minutes, Remus came up from the basement as Sirius was finishing his food. "I laid some pillows for you down in the basement." He said. You can sleep down there. Sirius morphed into a dog and followed him down. The room was, utterly destroyed. Scratches covered the walls. A bit of dust and spiders lay in ceiling corners. In the corner of the room was a mountain of pillows. A near literal mountain. The human-now-dog tipped and wagged its tail as he made himself comfortable on the pillows. Sirius had fallen asleep instantly. Remus smiled and chuckled lightly before making his way up and into his own bedroom. He had a lot to think about tomorrow. And a lot to sort out. He wasn't planning on Dumbledore anything, anytime soon. If what Sirius said was true, anyway.

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Sirius couldnt sleep. He was comfortable as hell but couldnt sleep. He even tried changing into a human but that only resulted in nightmares. Remus couldnt hear him. There were silencing charms on the basement door. The basement room was dark. It reminded him a bit of his Azkaban cell. No. He wasn't going to think about that wretched hell hole. Sirius decided there was one thing to do. Hopefully, Remus wouldn't be pissed come morning.

He trotted up the stairs (as a dog, he wasn't risking anything if Aurors were keeping watch around the house.) And made his way to Remus' bedroom. There he was, Remus was sleeping quite soundly surrounded by a maddening amount of pillows. This man has an obsession with pillows. I wouldn't be surprised if they smelled of chocolate. He moved up onto the bed, careful not to wake the sleeping werewolf up. Granted, it was a bit difficult to manoeuvre around all the pillows. He settled down next to him, in his Animagus form, resting his head on a nearby pillow. And fell into a soundless sleep.