Wake Me Up Inside

Version Two: Edited, Longer, and whatnot.

Notes: Well, here we go…I'm back, I'm sure you're all overjoyed. I'm ready to pick this up now that 'Should Have Been' is winding down, but edited to make it fit with the fifth book. Obviously, Sirius is a pureblood and his family is insane and Remus is a half-blood…only, for the sake of the story, he doesn't know that yet. …stop looking at me like that. It'll make sense later.

Well, I've added chapters and made things longer and…yeah. Just stuff. It'll be fun, I promise. Plus I had the first five chapters done prior to posting this one, so the updates should go at a more normal pace. I hope.

Hey, before I forget, if I could get someone to help me with my French, I'd be grateful. I've edited what I had, based on suggestions I got about the last story, but I could still use assistance. Clearly, I suck. I should have known better, I can barely write in English properly…

Summery: Remus has a crush on Sirius and when he gets an invitation to a wedding and Sirius offers to pretend to be his boyfriend he gets a perfect chance…apparently he forgot how insane family functions were.

Chapter one: Lightning Crashes

Remus J. Lupin scowled at the girls crowding his friends. Sirius and James had helped their team win the Quidditch Cup and now had girls all but throwing their panties at them. James of course had Lily so he couldn't take the girls too seriously, but Sirius wasn't so hindered.

Though, not for lack of trying to Remus' part. And it…wasn't fair. What did a guy have to do to get noticed, stand in front of Sirius naked?

"You okay Remus?" Peter asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Remus had been helping him with their Transfiguration homework but had become somewhat distracted by the party going on around them. It was nearing ten o'clock yet there seemed to be no sign of it ending, so the boys were at least attempting to do their work.

Remus because he was Remus, and that was just what he did, and Peter because he desperately needed to manage decently on the exams coming up. The end of sixth year loomed a head of them and all had trouble believing the time had passed so quickly. Remus turned to the smaller boy, flashing him an apologetic smile.

"Fine. Can I help you with this later? I have something I really need to take care of."

"It's fine. I'll…umm…" He trailed off and shrugged some. "Find something to do."

"Thanks Pete." Remus stood up and headed for the portrait hole.

He didn't notice how Sirius suddenly lost all interest in the many girls crowding him and the other members of the team and he didn't feel the questioning gaze the dark haired teen laid on him because he was far too wrapped up in his own thoughts.

The moon was due to become full on Sunday. It had gone by strangely uneventfully last month, and probably this month as well, but Remus had to confess he wasn't looking forward to the full moons without the company of his friends. He'd finally been able to go through a change and not wake up the next morning covered in bites and bruises.

He wasn't eager to go back to the way it'd been before.

And, even more than that, another year was going to go by without Sirius figuring out that he head-over-heels for him. It wasn't entirely Sirius' fault of course, Remus had this tendency to get tongue-tied anytime he wanted to confess his feelings, and nothing good came from it.

He wasn't sure what it was holding him back. Fear of rejection seemed obvious, yet he knew that wasn't it. Sirius had accepted that he…preferred males to females, had even gone so far as to search out all of the gay boys in Hogwarts so Remus could 'find himself a nice boy to pop his cherry'. (And yes, Remus even adored Sirius' vulgar mouth…)

It went without saying that it hadn't happened and probably wouldn't happen until he could move on from this silly crush.

Sirius was only interested in him as a friend and he knew that…he didn't know why he kept hanging on when it was painfully clear he didn't have a snowballs chance in hell of landing Hogwarts self-proclaimed 'Witch Killer'.

Rumors surrounded Sirius and Remus had no idea what was true and what wasn't. The only thing he could say for sure was that Sirius certainly wasn't with him, and that was a serious tragedy in Remus' honest opinion.

------------------------------

"Where'd you go last night Moony?" Sirius asked curiously as the brunette sat down across from him. Peter was attacking his food while James and Lily talked about the Charms test James had later today. Apparently Lily was giving her boyfriend some last minute advice.

"A walk." Remus said, shrugging some. "I'm surprised you even noticed I was gone." Sirius raised an eyebrow at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Remus frowned as he put some bacon on to his plate. "Why does it have to mean anything at all? I'm just surprised you noticed, you did seem really preoccupied with the party and all of those girls."

He tried to keep the annoyance out of his voice, really he did, but was pretty sure he failed, judging by the look Lily gave him. Then again, she was oddly observant, where as Sirius was clinically oblivious, since he didn't seem to pick up on it.

Not that he ever seemed to pick up on much of anything…

"Oh. Yeah." Sirius nodded then glanced up as owls started to fill the Great Hall.

Remus glanced as well, though he didn't expect anything. The year was winding down and it wasn't like his parents had a hell of a lot to say to him.

So Remus couldn't be blamed for jumping when an envelope was dropped into his oatmeal. He winced and pulled it out, noting the Lupin crest stamped in brown wax over the flap. He was sorely tempted to ignore it until the ink began to run and he couldn't read it, but he knew that would bring nothing but trouble in the end. He cracked the seal and pulled it out.

"So what is it this time?" Sirius asked. Remus blinked at him then realized Sirius must have read what had to be dismay on his face. (Okay, so maybe he didn't miss everything, just everything that might have given him a clue of Remus' feelings for him. That was just so Sirius.) "A letter from the parents right?"

"Of course." He smiled sardonically. "My Aunt Patricia is getting married three weeks after we get out of school. I'm to take the train to Old Lupin Manor immediately after getting off the Hogwarts Express. This means a month trapped at that stuffy old place with my entire family."

"Why do you have to be up there so long?"

"Lupin weddings are a big family thing, starting like…two months in advance. It's like a giant party at night and chaos during the day. Then there's the wedding and then much…I don't know, rejoicing. A week at the least." Remus smirked. "Sometimes the party lasts longer then the actual marriage. This is my aunt's sixth husband if I remember correctly."

"Wow. I'll pray for you Moony. Wish I could help, but your parents aren't exactly my biggest fans. Hell, my own parents aren't even my biggest fans. Or fans…period."

"That's all right. Its strictly family, close friends of the bride and groom, and anyone crazy enough to date a member of our family." Remus made a face. "So I'll suffer alone."

"Remus, can you believe Auntie Patricia is getting married again?" Remus' twin sat down next to him as he spoke, pointedly ignoring the dirty looks the Gryffindors laid on him. Romulus was in Ravenclaw and, as Sirius had pointed out on more than on occasion, just as stuck up as the rest of their family.

Remus tended to agree. He knew his friends often wondered how he and Romulus were of the same family, let alone twins but Remus had to confess he too was at a bit of a loss in that respect. Besides, he often wondered the same of Sirius and his family.

Of course, Sirius had finally gotten away from his family. Remus had yet to muster up the courage to do so himself, and so he suffered in the presence of his family. He wished he could just pack up and leave, but knew he'd never do it.

Family ties ran far too deep. His family had always, and probably would always, control most of his life. From the moment he'd been bitten, they'd lorded over him as if they didn't trust him to make his own decisions. And he let them do it.

"Yes." Remus said dully. "Really, its not at all surprising, unless you consider the fact she waited an entire year before sinking her claws into another man."

Romulus made a face at him then waved it off. "Do you think cousin Shannon will be there?"

"If there is truly a god then no." Remus' eye twitched. Their cousin Shannon was…well an extremely grabby young man, whose favorite target seemed to be Remus' behind. He'd informed him on more than one occasion that he wasn't 'up for grabs' but if the older teen gave a damn he sure didn't show it.

Remus, to be frank, didn't care for him in the least.

"I think I'll take Lisa." Romulus said, ignoring that as well. (He ignored a significant amount of what Remus said to him, since very little of it was nice, flattering, or encouraging.) "It's too bad you don't have anyone to take Remus. Maybe Mum will find someone to set you up with."

Remus turned and glared at his twin, golden brown meeting pale blue. "Mêle toi de tes affaires."

"Tes affaires sont mes affaires à moi aussi. Qu'est ce que mère et père vont dire si tu vas au marriage seul?"

"À peine." Remus would have continued, but he noticed his friends were staring at him, confused. Right, English. Though, really, he doubted his brother would afford them the same courtesy. "And what makes you think I'm going alone?"

Remus had to confess he was a touch offended. Why did everyone always just assume he'd be alone all of the time? Okay, maybe it was true that he didn't fuck anything that moved like Romulus, but that didn't mean his entire family had to think he was some kind of…monk in training or something.

Though he'd probably be better off as one considering.

''Tu as un petit-ami, Remus? Que c'est mignon." Romulus' tone was clearly mocking. Remus glowered at him. Like he figured, Romulus couldn't care less that the entire table (and a large part of the Slytherin and Hufflepuff tables to either side of the Gryffindor table) were staring at them and undoubtedly wondering what the hell they were saying.

''Va chier."

Romulus sighed. "Now now Remus, language."

"Vas-t'en Romulus." Remus said, tone clearly exasperated.

"Si tu veux, petit. Je te verrais sur le train, avec ton petit-ami, je l'espère." He smiled. "I'll even tell Mere and Pere you're bringing someone." With that Romulus got up and walked back to his table, looking incredibly smug as he did.

"So…what just happened?" Sirius asked.

Remus kept meaning to teach Sirius some French, as the other boy was constantly insisting that Romulus was insulting him.

Which was, to be honest, absolutely true. The disdain Romulus and the rest of their family had for Sirius was usually reserved for Muggle Born wizards, but Sirius was a special case. They feared he would be a bad influence.

Remus sighed and buried his face in his hands. "I just doomed myself to a month of meeting every eligible boy and girl at this stupid wedding. Again. I swear he's been doing this to me since puberty hit. I'm a idiot you know, letting him do this every time."

"No worries, I know what a pain brothers can be." Sirius said, offering a small smile. "I don't suppose you could just not go? You could spend the summer with Peter or something."

"Or us." James said. Lily smacked him the arm and he blinked then flushed. "Well, not me…and I'm not sure if another friend from school would go over too well."

Lily rolled her eyes then looked at Remus apologetically. "James is coming home with me to meet my parents and sister this summer."

"It's okay, I have to go. There is no escaping the Lupin family torture fests." Remus sighed then stood up, grabbing his bag. Suddenly he wasn't hungry anymore. "I'll see you in class."

He hurried out, shaking his head. He always fell for Romulus' game. His twin would tell his parents he had a date, then he'd show up alone and they would feel the urge the compensate for it by trying to set him up with every single person within a ten mile radius. Never mind the fact he was related to well over half of them by more then marriage.

"Moony." Sirius had followed him it seemed and was chasing him to catch up. He stopped and waited for the dark haired teen, a bemused expression on his face. "I was thinking-"

"Did you hurt yourself?" Remus inquired, falling into their usual 'insult-insult' way of discussing things. Sirius however didn't rise to the bait as he usually would.

"And I thought I could go to this wedding thing with you." Remus blinked, eyes widening. That actually sounded like a great idea. If anyone could make the monotony and pointlessness of these get-togethers seem worthwhile, it was Sirius…but, of course, the rules.

He shook his head. "That's a nice offer but I can't just take a friend."

"Well, I got that part thought out. I'll pretend to be your boyfriend."

"Pretend." There was a note of bitterness that Sirius apparently didn't catch. Then Remus snorted. "Thank you Pads, but I don't think it'll work. My entire family is going to be watching and looking for something to gossip about, it's how they work. I don't think its something you can just…fake."

"Optimism really isn't your strong suit is it Moony?"

"Lets see, I'm sixteen, notoriously anti-social, a werewolf and a virgin with a family so prissy they snub even each other and turn everything into a contest of who can blow the most money." Remus raised an eyebrow. "I see no reason to be optimistic. Do you see a reason I should be optimistic that I seem to be missing, because if you have one, I would love to hear it."

"You've got me on your side."

Remus groaned, putting a hand over his eyes. "Well fantastic Sirius, that really gave me the boost of confidence I was lacking. If you'll excuse me, I have to go throw myself from the Astronomy Tower." He turned and began to stalk off.

Though, with his luck, he'd bounce.

"Come on, you're one of my best friends." Sirius said, chasing after him "I can't let you suffer through this. You wouldn't let any of us go through this alone and I won't let you."

Remus wondered if maybe Sirius was being just a little over dramatic…but no, Remus' family really was that bad. Worse even.

"I work best alone." Sirius just stared at him. Remus stared back then shook his head again. "No. It wouldn't work…you can't even speak basic French. My family would kill me if I brought a guy who couldn't at least speak French. It's a sign of good breeding."

"I'm pureblood, how much better could my breeding get?"

"Well, you did run away from home and shun all that is good, wholesome, accepted, and pure." Remus pointed out. "They won't treat you any better than they would Lily, if not worse. It'd be best to have as much going for you as possible."

"Well you'll teach me all of that important junk before we go." Sirius said patiently. Remus bit his bottom lip. He should say no, he'd only be torturing himself by doing this, but…it was appealing. Maybe by getting Sirius to pretend to be his boyfriend he could prove to the other teen he was worth another look, that he could be more than just his best friend.

…Still…it was a bad idea. A very bad idea. A horribly bad idea even. His parents would never believe it.

His brother would never let them believe it. Romulus wanted nothing more than to watch him squirm and be tormented by being forced into as much family contact as his parents could muster. If he brought someone with him, certain allowances would be made so he could entertain his guest, no matter how much his parents hated him.

…Then again…his parents would hate him. Every pureblood in the world knew of the trouble in the Black family and how Sirius had been disowned. His parents might just stroke out if he brought Sirius with him, and that'd be worth how awful it'd be to pretend to be Sirius' boyfriend.

"We'd have to start now. And Rom would have to believe it too." Remus said finally

"Bring it on." Sirius said, beaming. "I'm nothing if not a good liar."

"True enough." Remus said, smiling. "Meet me in the library later to talk, okay?"

"Sure." Sirius said, nodding. The chime for first class was about to sound and Remus had advanced Charms with Lily, while Sirius, James, and Peter had Divinations. From what Remus had gathered it was a total crock of a class, which was why the three of them took it.

"Wait, Moony…" Remus blinked, tilting his head off to the side. Was Sirius reconsidering already? "I forget where the library is. It's been so long."

"…You are so hopeless.