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That’s What The Blacks Do


Dora Potter arrived shortly after sun-up, as the boys were eating the breakfast Molly Weasley had prepared. Though Molly offered Dora to stay for breakfast, too, James’s mum had exactly one thought on her mind - how ruddy furious she was at her son for running off as he’d done - and Molly understood when Dora insisted they leave immediately. James hung his head and thanked Molly and Arthur for taking care of him overnight, a sentiment repeated by both Remus and Sirius, and then Dora marched them out of the house, into the lane. “Stay. Here. Do not move or you will be in so much trouble that you’ll not even be able to wrap your mind about it,” she said to James as she grabbed hold on Remus and Sirius’s wrists. James nodded.

Dora turned on the spot, and the next thing they knew they were outside of the Lupin’s house. Remus swallowed back the lump rising up in his throat. Every single light in the house was ablaze. He looked up at Dora, “Thank you,” he said lowly.

She was tight lipped, but she nodded, then turned to Sirius, “And where am I taking you, then?” she demanded of him.

Sirius didn’t know where to tell her. He didn’t have anywhere to go.

“He’s staying here with me,” Remus injected before Sirius could come up with a reply.

Dora nodded and released Sirius’s wrist. “Go on then. I want to see to it that you both go in that house before I leave. I need to see it with my own eyes, since you lot aren’t trustworthy.” Her voice was sharp and Sirius felt terrible, even though it hadn’t been his fault that the other two hadn’t gotten permission to go and rescue him from Grimmauld Place. It hadn’t even been his idea for them to come at all! But Dora was such a kind woman that Sirius felt truly terrible having any part in anything that had disappointed her.

“C’mon,” Remus said, leading the way through the gate and up to the kitchen door. Remus pushed it open and Sirius looked back to see Dora Potter still watching them. He waved… but she didn’t smile or wave back, she only nodded, motioning for them to go inside. She didn’t disapparate back to James until the door had closed.

Lyall Lupin’s voice shouted through the house when he heard the kitchen door, “TIZZY? REMUS? IS THAT YOU? REMUS?” Footsteps thundered on the floor above as he ran through the house to the stairs.

Remus looked at Sirius, “I don’t know how to tell him.”

“Gently,” Sirius said. “I’ll help you.”

Remus looked at the frame of the doorway as his father came in, wearing his best blue tweed suit that he only wore to work.

Lyall Lupin’s eyes were wild with worry, “Remus!” he shouted, relief pouring over his face, “Mrs. Potter sent me an owl last night, told me you were alright, I had no idea I should be worried! What did you do? Why did you boys sneak off like that? Where’s Tizzy?”

“Dad -” Remus’s voice shook, “Dad, Tizzy’s…”

“Is she hurt?” Lyall looked desperate. “I’ll get the healing kit. Where is she?”

“Dad, she’s been killed,” Remus said it quickly, before the words could leave him again, “She’s dead.”

Lyall stared blankly ahead, eyes unfocused, his jaw dropped and trembling. He stumbled forward and dropped into the nearest chair at the table, which Sirius had jumped forward to pull out for him when he’d seen the strength go out of Lyall’s knees.

Remus’s voice trembled, “We buried her… We buried her by a creek outside of Ottery St. Catchpole… She - she saved our lives, Dad. She was a hero.”

Lyall’s eyes moved and focused on Remus. “What have you done?” he whispered thickly, his voice trembling with anger.

Remus looked surprised, “I didn’t mean for it to happen! It wasn’t supposed to go like that, she wasn’t supposed to even be a part of it, but then there was a problem and --”

“AND YOU LET HER DIE!” Lyall yelled.

Remus’s eyes widened as he took two steps back, tripping over his own feet and catching the counter to regain his balance. Sirius spoke up, “Please, sir, it wasn’t Remus’s fault,” he said thickly, “It was… it was mine.”

Lyall looked at Sirius, his eyes blurry with tears that were pooling thickly, “Of course it was, I should’ve bloody known it was. Killing innocent things. That’s what the Blacks do, isn’t it? Destroy lives! I know about the Bells. Every one of ‘em killed by a Black. You’re all good for nothing, bloodthirsty, power hungry, stop-at-nothing and crush anyone who gets in your path…”

“STOP IT!” Remus bellowed, “Don’t talk like that to him!”

“It’s better you learn it now, Remus, before he goes stabbing you in the back, too!” shouted Lyall, “You think he’s your friend but that’s a lie. It’s a LIE. Blacks have no friends, they have no loyalties. They only have themselves.” He turned, shoving his finger right into Sirius’s face he shouted, “YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY SHOULD GO AND BURN IN HELL FOR THE THINGS YOU’VE DONE!”

Remus ran forward and without thinking he slapped his father’s hand out of Sirius’s face. “I SAID DON’T TALK LIKE THAT TO HIM!” Remus shouted, though his voice shook slightly, breaking at the end of the sentence.

Lyall stared at Remus, “You’re too trusting! You’ll end up dead if you trust this bastard of a boy!”

“WELL I DO TRUST HIM I TRUST HIM WITH MY LIFE!” Remus bellowed, and he shoved his father away from Sirius, coming between them. “I’D GIVE MY LIFE UP FOR HIM, IF I HAD TO! Not that my life means much to you -- does it? -- but I’d give it freely if it meant keeping him safe. Sirius Black is the most perfect human being on this entire planet! He has the purest heart, I swear it’s probably made out of ACTUAL GOLD.”

Lyall looked quite bewildered for a moment. “The things you’re saying - it sounds almost as if --... as if --...” He stopped, eyes searching the fire in Remus’s expression and the way his jaw was set. He knew this look. He’d once stood before his parents wearing that same expression, explaining that he was in love with a muggle woman. His stomach churned deep inside of him and he looked at Sirius Black and back at Remus and his lip curled up in disgust, “You cannot be serious.”

“I am,” Remus replied solemnly.

Lyall’s jaw trembled. “Get out.”

“What?” Remus asked in disbelief.

“I said get out. Both of you. Get out of this house.” Lyall’s voice was even and blisteringly cold-edged.

“But --” Remus started to argue, but Sirius grabbed onto Remus’s wrist, recognizing the tone that Lyall had as one of absolute unwavering certainty. “But - but Dad - I --”

“GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE!!! For fourteen years I have put up with the moon cycles and worked hard to keep your secret, to go against everything I believe in about inter-species interaction because of your condition and this is the thanks I get? Your mother would have died now if she hadn’t already, hearing you talk like this. She’s probably rolling in her grave right now! A faggot werewolf son! What did we ever do to deserve this! MERLIN KNOWS I TRIED TO BE A GOOD FATHER BUT YOU’VE TAKEN IT TOO FAR! Even your mother would have stopped loving you for this!”

Tears swarmed Remus’s eyes, “I’ve finally disappointed you enough for you to say it! At least you’ve got it off your chest! At least you’ve finally told me how much of a ruddy let down I am!” Remus shook, “Well you’re a let down, too! Mother’s rolling in her grave, I’m sure, but it’s not at me, it’s at YOU and what a narrow minded git you’re being! YOU’RE AS BAD AS VOLDEMORT! You’re just a different sort of prejudiced!”

“GET OUT! GET OUT!!!” Lyall drew his wand.

Sirius grabbed Remus’s shoulders and pulled him out the door, even though Remus tried to stand his ground, making him stumble as Sirius dragged him away. “No, no!” Remus yelled, struggling against Sirius, “He can’t say that stuff! He can’t! He can’t say that mother wouldn’t love me anymore!!” His face was nearly purple it was so red and Sirius wrapped his arms about the much taller boy’s frame and had to use every ounce of his strength to force him away from the house.

Remus fell to the dust in the street just outside the gate and Sirius bent to comfort him, his hand on Remus’s back. “Breathe, Rey, you gotta breathe.”

“How could he say that.”

“I dunno, he was angry.”

“Mother would’ve understood… she was a romantic… she would’ve… she would’ve been rooting for… for…” Remus looked up at Sirius and then looked away, “She would’ve understood.”

Sirius rubbed Remus’s spine soothingly.

“I really am going to be alone,” he choked.

Sirius whispered, “No, you still have me.”

“I don’t have you,” Remus said thickly.

“You’ll always have me,” Sirius answered.