Six years and I'm back to this story in hopes of completing it.

I want to complete some of my old works and I've always loved this story. Usually I write Sirius as not having a problem with Werewolves, so Sirius learning to overcome his fear and see past his prejudices is something that has always stuck with me. I've always considered that growing up, Sirius held similar beliefs to his parents simply because he didn't know any better and that's what I had tried to show in previous chapters. Having read back, I'm not sure I expressed that as well as I thought I had six years ago.

I will be working through other old fics, but this will be first. I feel the need to try and complete something, and this story is that project.

Also - my style of writing has changed a lot in six years, so the story may be noticeably different than before. Starting with the tense-change. I feel more comfortable writing in current tense, and I feel that if I try and write in past tense in my efforts to complete this, I'll end up abandoning the story which I don't want to do.

I'm trying to stick with the original story plan and therefore I know what's happening in the following two or three chapters, but need to plan further than that.

Also, I don't ship James/Lily like I did six years ago, but they will remain a pairing in this fic as that's what I've built up already.

Chapter unbetaed

Sirius

It's the middle of the night when the wards go off. It's like a jolt of electricity shooting through Sirius' body. He grabs his wand from under his pillow and mutters the password which will end the sensation. "Padfoot." It seemed the most appropriate word to use as the password since Remus had been the one to give his Grim form the name in the first place.

Immediately the feeling stops, though he's left with a slight ache in his body, the after-effects of the little shocks that had shot through him. He expected this to happen though, he's read up on warding - these little aches are easily worth Remus' safety - they were the most powerful he could manage.

There were harder ones that Sirius has yet to master. He doesn't allow himself to wonder how those would feel going off. More painful, he expects. The wards are attuned to him, so they draw from his magic and someone inside of the wards is a horrible sensation. The stronger the wards, the worse the feeling.

But it's all worth it because Remus will only ever get Sirius' best. There will not be any half-hearted attempts because Remus deserves everything Sirius has to offer.

There's no time for him to stop and consider why he's going through so much effort. He's thought about it a few times, and though he's tried to kid himself that he's returning the favour… well, after hanging out with Remus, he knows full well that he could have repaid his debt with simpler wards.

It's not a case of Remus saved his life and now he owes Remus, anymore. There's so much more to it, and Sirius doesn't feel like he's in the right head-space to really examine those feelings. Too much in his mind conflicts. How can he care about a werewolf when he hates werewolves? How can he be a good friend if he's got this prejudice?

But the more he thinks about it, he more he realises that his hatred isn't for werewolves. He's beginning to see that Greyback doesn't represent what all werewolves are like - Greyback is the worst of both beast and human, and shouldn't be what Sirius compares all other werewolves too.

Remus didn't know that Padfoot was really a wizard. Sirius found himself in a place where he could see the truth behind Remus Lupin - he was the man's faithful pet, and he saw Remus for who he truly is because Remus had no reason to pretend.

He knows without a doubt that Remus is a beautiful person with a kind heart. Remus is lonely and afraid, but Remus is brave and amazing too. If Greyback is the worst that someone can be, Remus is right at the other end of the chart, and it's a long chart because of how completely different Remus is from Greyback.

And the more he considers Remus' words and actions, the more the hate just starts to fade away. Sirius knows he'll have to put in the work, to make the effort to fix his past prejudices. To show that he's changing because he truly wants to change. He wants to prove that he can be a good friend, and though he's not planning to help werewolves at the centre just for Remus (he's doing it for himself, to undo some of the hate his parents taught), it doesn't hurt to keep Remus in mind as a reminder that someone can be a werewolf but still be completely amazing.

But these are just fleeting thoughts as Sirius rushes around his bedroom, wand in his pyjama pocket as he pulls his robe over his head and tries to push his feet into his boots at the same time, not caring that he's not wearing socks. He's not wasting precious moments by fussing over warm socks and he's sure Dorea will understand, as she's always pushing both him and James to always stay warm.

Socks are the least important thing right now considering the fact that the wards at Remus' have been breached. Someone is there with hostile intentions and he's not going to let anyone harm Remus.

He races down the hall and pounds on James' door as hard as he can. He doesn't care if he wakes Dorea and Charlus - because their door is his next stop. "James, the wards have been breached." There's a look of panic on James' face as he opens his bedroom door.

"Where? Is someone downstairs?" James' wand is ready in his hand.

"Remus' wards," Sirius adds. James' worry fades and anger crosses his face.

"Lily and Remus are in danger?" he asks, his voice little more than a whisper. James is furious, Sirius can hear it in his voice.

Sirius is glad that James included Remus' name without even needing to think about it. Though Sirius cares for Lily and wants to keep her safe too, it's as though Remus has invaded every thought of his and he's barely able to comprehend that other people may need him. But James' concern is immediately for both of them.

"The wards are for the entire property," Sirius clarifies. He doesn't know if one or both are in trouble, but no matter what, he's going there to protect them, to protect Remus, because he feels sick at the idea that something bad could ever happen to Remus Lupin. "Let's go."

He turns to go downstairs, noticing Charlus and Dorea coming out of their room. Dorea is still in her pyjamas but Charlus is half-dressed, robes over his pyjamas just like Sirius, and he looks just as determined as James. For the first time, Sirius can see Head-Auror Potter, rather than Pops, his all-but-blood dad.

"Dorea, you get the Order," Charlus says. "See if anyone is around to offer support. I'll go with the boys."

Sirius barely hears this as he's already rushing down the stairs. There's no time to waste - Remus needs him, and he needs to protect Remus, even if he's putting himself in danger.

Oh, and Lily of course, but if anything happens to Remus… Sirius will never forgive himself for taking so long to get there.

James

"He's gone," James says, looking at the spilt floo-powder on the floor. It's clear that Sirius tried to floo first, but failing that, has apparated away without waiting on anyone. The sound of him apparating away had them all rushing down the stairs to follow him.

He steps into the floo anyway, grabbing some of the powder as he does so, and throwing it down. Lily's floo is closed and James wonders if it's because of the evening, or perhaps Death Eaters (or whoever is there) closed it?

Either way, he needs to get there quickly, and looks at his father as he steps out.

"That boy, always so reckless," Dorea says with a sigh, setting the floo-jar back on the fireplace and slipping her feet into her boots. She grabs a handful of floo-powder. "Well. you both had better get going - he's going to get hurt if you don't get there soon!"

"He's going to wait for me," James insists. "He won't go in alone. Sirius isn't stupid."

Dorea smiles. "Love makes you do stupid things, dear."

"Love?" James repeats. "Mum… what?" He should be rushing to the garden to disapparate, but he's stuck in place. Did he mishear her?

Her smile widens. "I don't want to waste time, but it's quite clear that our darling Sirius is quite taken with Remus. For someone to slip through those walls that Sirius has built up… for Sirius to have done the same with Remus' walls… I can see it in his eyes. I never considered the pair would…" she sighs happily. "He'll work it out, he just needs time, so be sure to make Remus feel like a part of the family."

James nods as his mother disappears in a green burst of flames. Sirius falling in love with Remus? But it somehow makes the most sense. Sirius has seen the man behind the wolf, he's already grown to care for Remus, to feel protective over the man. The only thing standing in the way of him realising his feelings is the fact that he hates werewolves… which Sirius has started overcoming because Sirius has finally realised that not all of them are the same - just like there are good and bad humans in the world, there are also good and bad werewolves.

But as he rushes to the garden with his father, he can see it more and more. Sirius, spending the full-moon with a werewolf - Sirius wouldn't do this out of the kindness of his heart. He'd have to really care for someone to do this. Sirius going over to visit and have a take-away.

No wonder Sirius has been quiet these past few weeks - Sirius is clearly conflicted because he's falling for someone whom he feels he's supposed to hate.

He's glad it's Remus. Sirius has dated some arseholes in the past and James often fears he'll settle down with someone who doesn't deserve him, that he'll settle in fear of being alone, because James knows that even though Sirius won't admit it, he's terrified of being alone - it's one of his best friend's biggest fears. But James can tell that Remus is a good person - Dorea seems to adore Remus, Lily cares about him and Sirius… well, James will make his own judgement on Sirius' feelings for Remus.

But if his mum is right, he knows that Sirius has finally found someone who'll treat Sirius as he deserves… and if Sirius is willing to spend the full-moon with a creature that he claims to despise… well, James has no doubt that Sirius would do anything for Remus in return. With Remus, Sirius wouldn't be settling at all. He'd be finding someone who is perfect for him.

He hopes his mum is right.

Sirius

Sirius isn't going to waste time waiting on James. They're awake, they know where he's going. He needs to get into that house and keep Remus safe at all costs.

Seconds wasted could be the difference between life and death and the idea of Remus dead… well, Sirius can't even let himself imagine a world without Remus. He's not known the man for long, but he can't imagine a future where he's not sitting and watching films with Remus, where he's not grabbing them both a takeaway, where he's not curled up on that crappy little sofa with him.

He wants that future. He wants the… friendship - He's not sure that word is right, but it'll do for now - with Remus, the companionship. He wants to be the person Remus confides in, the one Remus feels he can talk to. Even if he has to transform into Padfoot to make Remus more comfortable, he'll do so without complaint.

Remus takes away hate. There's too much hate within Sirius, he's always been aware of that. It's dark and ugly and he always strives to be better, though he's aware that he fails sometimes. When people like Dorea and James and Charlus are so light, he tries to be like them, but it's hard for him to let things go.

Had it just been one of his parents teachings, he'd have been able to get over that hatred like he's learnt with other things they've told him… but Fenrir Greyback happened. The man terrified the hell out of Sirius and Sirius still has nightmares about him. He's unfairly been using Greyback as the marker in which to judge all other werewolves.

As Dorea has told him recently - there are good werewolves and bad werewolves - just like there are good humans and bad humans. He's heard it before, but this time he can truly understand this and appreciate what Dorea is telling him.

People hear Sirius' surname and think he's like the rest of his family. They hear Black and think he's a dark wizard. Sirius wouldn't consider himself 'light' like James and the rest of the Potters, but he's not dark. He'll fight for the light side, though he's more grey than anything.

He knows spells that James would never use. He'd fight dirty in a way James wouldn't because James would feel it's dishonourable. Sirius is very much grey, but that doesn't make him bad.

He hates when people judge him because of what family he's from, but he also knows he's been doing a similar thing - judging all werewolves because of Greyback. He knows it's different too. Being from a family is a lot different than being part of an entire race. But it's the closest he can get to understanding.

Remus doesn't deserve that sort of judgement. He's heard Remus' story, though not in much detail. Remus was a victim and Sirius knows Remus does everything he can to stop anyone falling victim to his own wolf-form.

And after hearing that the full-moons have been easier with Padfoot there. Well, he's going to be there every single full-moon for the rest of their lives, because no-one should ever be alone - especially on the worst day of their lives, and Remus' worst day is the full moon.

Sirius understands the size of the commitment he's making. It's not a choice anymore, it's a promise and Sirius doesn't break his promises.

He's at the top of the stairs now, sitting outside of Remus' door in his dog form. He turns, gripping some fur between his teeth and sharply pulling it out. He winces at the ache this leaves behind, and drops it on the top stair. James will see it and know Sirius has gone inside - and then begins to paw at the door, whining convincingly.

He needs to get inside and see that Remus is unharmed.

He paws at the door a second time, and this time it opens and a wand is pointed at him. He braces himself. He merely stares at the wand and whines, before standing and wagging his tail, bumping at the gap in the door with his nose.

"It's a dog," the Death Eater says. Now that Sirius' head has crossed the threshold of the door (even slightly), he can hear noises from inside.

"Big black thing?" another voice asks. "Yeah, it's his dog. I've seen them both out walking and running with it. Just leave it out there."

"What if it starts barking? It might draw attention and Greyback wanted—"

"I know what I asked," comes the low voice that sends fear through Sirius' body. Greyback is in there. There's a moment where he wants to retreat, to run - but then he realises that Remus is in there with the monster that bit him all those years ago. He can't imagine how much more scared Remus is at the sight of the man.

His own fear wouldn't even begin to compare to Remus', and he can't bring himself to take a step away. Remus needs him. Even if he just sits at Remus' side until the Order gets there, Remus is smart enough to know that Sirius would have alerted someone. But Remus needs to know he's not alone.

Remus needs him and that's all he needs to know.

He nudges the door once more and whines.

"Let the mutt in," Greyback orders. "Maybe my little wolf will be a bit more compliant with his other pet in the room…"

"I'm not a pet," comes Lily's defiant, angry voice. It's just a hiss, but she sounds very pissed off and if Sirius was in his human form, he'd be smirking. One thing he knows - do not piss off Lily Evans. He's been on the receiving end of some pretty nasty hexes and he's sure that the Death Eaters and Greyback will all misjudge what the witch can do, especially due to the views of the Death Eaters that Muggleborns are less powerful.

The door opens a little more and Sirius slips in. He turns his head to the sofa, and Remus is watching him, terrified. His head slowly turns back and forth as though he can't believe that Sirius is there.

"Out," Remus whispers.

Sirius ignores him. Remus needs him and there's nothing that could make him leave. He walks over to Remus and licks at his friend's wrist, before nosing at the box under the sofa and grabbing a toy. He needs to appear nonthreatening.

"Padfoot," Remus says, pleadingly. "Out."

Sirius ignores this. He takes the toy to the bed behind everyone and settles down. Eyes follow him for a long moment and Remus' eyes dart between the two Death Eaters and the monster pacing his flat.

The fear fades and he looks determined now.

"You should leave. I'm not joining you - you're wasting your time," Remus says, in response to a question Sirius assumes was asked before he turned up.

"Oh my little wolf…" Greyback walks slowly around the sofa, and Sirius' eyes follow him. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."

Sirius watches carefully whilst pretending to be preoccupied with the dog toy. He knows how much danger he's put himself in, he knows that James and their parents are going to freak the hell out and he's going to be in so much trouble.

But Remus needs him.

Remus is worth it. Remus will always be worth it.