Forbidden Fantasies (Darkest Desire Book 2)

27. A Kernel of Truth

"Hey Remus" I breathed, giving him a quick peck on the cheek "You have no idea how happy I was to hear you'd be traveling with me"

"I'm more than happy to accompany you on this assignment, Aurora" Remus told me with a small smile.

"How about me Aurora? Do I get a kiss?" a voice sounded from somewhere behind me. 

Turning around swiftly my eyebrows rose when I saw Sirius leaning casually against the stone pillar, arms crossed over his chest and his signature smirk gracing his features as he looked at me.

"Sirius? What the hell are you doing here?" I said happily, rolling my eyes at the wizard and also giving him a quick hug.

"What do you think? Enjoying the bloody weather?" Sirius mused with an amused smile "I'm  coming with you and Moony of course!"

I quirked an eyebrow at him.

"You what?" I asked him, not sure I'd heard him correctly.

"Albus made the last-minute decision to send Sirius along with us" Remus explained with a dismissing wave of his hand "He thinks you'll need every bit of help you can get with the Drakii and Sirius was one of the few people currently not on any assignments for the Order"

"You know, because of my hermit status at Grimmauld Place" Sirius added sarcastically.

"Residing there is a measure for your own safety, Sirius" I said admonishingly "You're a wanted criminal in the wizarding world"

"Yeah...well...France is a long way from here" Sirius said with a shrug "And Albus thinks the Drakii will be a bit more difficult to convince regarding an alliance"

"So he's sending you as extra backup?" I muttered.

"Exactly" Sirius said with a smirk "Don't you feel safer already knowing you'll have me by your side?"

"Don't answer that. His ego is big enough as it is" Remus joked with a look at his friend.

It was still strange to watch Remus interact so naturally with Sirius, and I almost seemed to forget they used to be inseparable back when they were in school themselves. Afterwards they'd stayed close friends, and only Sirius's prolonged stay in Azkaban had been able to put a hold on the bond between them. Usually Remus was much more quiet and socially awkward around other people, and it had taken me some time to get through to the shy lycanthrope. It was god though, to see him joking around and teasing Sirius. He seemed to have gotten comfortable with having me around as well, and for that I was grateful. I considered Remus and Sirius among the few good friends I had. 

I just smiled and shook my head as Sirius laughed and petted Remus on the shoulder amicably. They'd explained the whole 'Moony and Padfoot' thing a while back, and it was highly amusing to see that their old friendship had rekindled so quickly, as if they'd never stopped being friends. 

"So...where exactly in France are these Drakii supposed to reside?" Remus asked me, passing a hand through his hair and adjusting his robes by pulling them tighter around his shoulders.

"Smack in the middle of Paris" I told Sirius with a small smile.

"Seriously?" Remus asked with a surprised look "Aren't they afraid of detection or something by residing in such a densely populated area?"

"Well they look human and they usually only come out during the night" I said with a shrug "Besides, they live in the catacombs, not the city itself"

"You're telling me they live in an ancient cemetery?" Sirius barked with a short laugh.

"Do you even know what the Drakii are and what they're capable of?" Remus asked his friend with a roll of his eyes.

"Aren't they the ones that came up with those amazing tattoos inked with Dragon Blood?" Sirius asked curiously.