A/N: -sniffles- It's over... we've had some fun, but now it's time for me to go. WAAAAAAH! NOW WHAT WILL I DO WHEN I'M BORED AND ALONE AND PMSY? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

-wipes eyes- at least my readers have been sooooo nice and given me chocolate and blue sherbert when I was sad, and I'll just have to write something... this story has got me itching to write a Remus/Severus, even though I don't particularly support that ship. (Better than Sirius/Severus... EW.)

Review thankings to Periwinkle4444, ELemental-ANimal, Beth5572, Gummi Bear, Riku-Rocks, and dracolover18!

Canine Affinity

"Ready to go, Sirius?" Remus asked, straightening his hair. He was really unsure as to whether or not he wanted to stand up and say what he was, but in any case, he wanted them both to look nice."

"Ready as I'll ever be." Sirius sighed, smoothing his hair one last time.

Remus smiled and kissed him on the cheek, leaving behind the faint scent of chocolate and toothpaste. "You'll be fine. Don't worry."

000

In the entrance hall, students were milling around, waiting for the arrival of the minister. The room had been filled with plastic chairs for all the students, as well as the press, and everyone else who would be present. Sirius and Remus found seats in the middle of the fifth row, nice and close to the podium that Dumbledore had erected that night. Before long, James and Peter had taken seats on either sides of them. No going back and hiding in their room now... this was it. They announced themselves and stayed a couple, or they stayed sitting down, and things went back to the way they were.

Gradually the seats filled up, a couple of very pretty blonde girls sitting a few seats away from James and Sirius and distracting them. Who said that Sirius was all gay?

Finally, the minister appeared, banging open the doors, followed by the press who took photos left right and center, and interviewed everyone they could get their hands on. It settled down, though, once the minister had taken to his podium.

"We are gathered here today, to prove that homosexual marriages are uneeded by today's society. I ask you to look at the students amassed before you, each of them a proud heterosexual, and wanting it to stay this way. Marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman, and that is the way it should remain, a special thing that only they can share. For if this is a right given to anyone, then who is to say a man and his dog cannot get married? What about a man an a child, still in school? What if it were your child? No, marriage is an act so pure and holy that it can only be shared by a man and a woman, or else who knows where it will stop?"

It was an impressve speech. All around them, quick quotes quills were scratching like crazy, acentuating everry word. And then the minister spoke again.

"Now, I am here with the youth of today, and as you can see, none of them have any need of same-sex partnerships. I see men and women sitting hand in hand, here today to unite against this menace. And I ask them now - if there are any homosexuals among you students, feel free to stand up and prove every word of mine wrong." And at that, the minister eyed every student in the hall, daring them to stand up.

And one did.

A few rows ahead and to the right of our heroes, Severus Snape unexpectedly stood up. "I'm willing." He drawled, waiting for the inevitable outburst.

And an outburst there was - people laughed and jeered, and several people threw things at him but Severus stood there still as a stone, bearing it and muttering 'Be brave, have courage...' to himself under his breath.

To say that the marauders were shocked was an understatement. Not even Remus had known. And then, beaming, he yanked Sirius to his feet. Arms and fingers entwined, he glared at the minister. "Us too."

This time, there was a deadly hush. Snape was one thing, but the marauders? And then, just as the silence was waning, and the jeering was about to start, James and Peter stood up in defense of their friends, flanking them, arms crossed, like bodyguards.

"And if anyone has anything to say about it, they'll answer to us." James said, glaring at the crowd in general. Peter nodded, actually managing to look tough for once.

There was a deadly silence, then the two blonde girls stood up too. Remus noticed that they were a Hufflepuff and a Slytherin. They stayed silent, though the Slytherin looked as though she was restraining the Hufflepuff from attacking the minister right then and there, with her bare fists. Remus smiled warmly, then turned the smile full blast to Severus, who smiled back. It was a thin, despairing smile though. And then, a girl in the back row stood up, then a couple of boys somewhere in the middle, and before long, almost the entire population of the school was on it's feet. Even some of the staff, although nobody commented on this.

"I... I see..." The minister sighed, collapsing into his seat. "Well I guess. Well... I..."

"Have changed your point of view?" Came a voice from the crowd. Remus recognised it to be Severus straight away. The minister nodded weakly, and an almighty cheer came up from the students of Hogwarts.

And it was as if they had been set free. All at once, people appeared to be looking for each other, praying that person of the same gender was inded standing. Remus could just barely see the blonde girls hugging enthusiastically and he knew then. They had won. And with that, he kissed Sirius squarely on the lips.

000

It was all over the newspaper the next day, a front page article with a huge photo and everything. The photo was one Remus knew he would keep forever - it showed the crowd cheering, in the middle of which you could clearly see Sirius and Remus kissing. Severus could be seen off to the side, celebrating with the others, and even being hugged by a girl and thanked for his courage. On the other side of the picture, the blonde girls (who were now eating side by side at the Hufflepuff table) could be seen hugging and dancing happily. Yes, that was one Remus would keep for a long time. As well as the article below it.

'MINISTER FOR MAGIC TROUNCED AT HOGWARTS'

Yesterday morning, the Minister for Magic went to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, for a conference about the recent gay marriages movement. The minister gave a short, yet well-written speech about how it would only get worse (can be read in full on page 2) followed by asking any gay students to stand up and prove him wrong. 6th year student Severus Snape stood up immediatley to defend his sexuality, followed by 6th year couple Remus Lupin and Sirius Black and their (straight, yet supportive) friends James Potter and Peter Pettigrew. After them came 7th and 5th years respectively Katherine Stanley and Philippa O'Neil. Before long, the entire hall was filled with students defending something they had been denying for a long time. A few hours later, the move for gay marriages was approved by the council, with 75 out of 76 votes. The Minister was seen shortly afterwards muttering to himself, but politely declined comment.

The first gay marriage signed up was that of Adam McKinley and his longtime partner Joseph Evans...

James leaped up straight after reading that line, shrieking in horror. "Lily! That's..."

"Yes, my father and Colleen's. Don't act so surprised James, you knew that we call each other sisters."

"Yeah, but I thought that was a girl thing! Not a 'our dads are in love' thing!"

"Oh, I dunno. I wouldn't think you would find that so strange, since you're obviously so gay." She smiled knowingly.

James looked even more horrified. "Hey! You know you're the only one for me, Lily!"

Lily laughed. "Well thank you. All of you. You guys standing up means that my dad's the happiest he's ever been now. And I think there's someone else I need to thank." She got up and walked over to the Slytherin table, James staring after her in total awe.

"Severus?" Lily asked, smiling down at the pale man now surrounded by people admiring his courage.

"What is it, Evans?" Snape asked, only half as rudely as Lily had expected.

"Thank you for what you did. My dad's getting married now, thanks to you." She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek, turning his normally pallid face the same shade of pink as the lipstick mark she left on his cheek. She then smiled, and went back to breakfast.

James seemed deeply downhearted. "What, no kiss for me?"

Lily chuckled lightly, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek. "I mean it. Thank you guys so much." She sat back down, and everyone resumed eating, Remus reading some more of the newspaper.

...who are scheduled to wed on October 21st. Numerous other marriages have been registered, proving that this choice is alrady a whirlwind sucess. The Daily Prophet sends it's best wishes to all those enjoying the freedom granted by this somewhat overwhelming act of tolerance, and would like to thank the students of Hogwarts for their tremendous show of courage and faith in themselves. You have given same-sex couples everywhere new hope for their relationships.

The article went on, but Remus didn't need to read any more. He smiled contently, putting the paper carefully in his bag and turning to Sirius.

"I'm very proud of you, Sirius. You stood up for something that was right, and a lot of people are happier for it. And you get rewarded for it, too..." Remus grinned, dragging Sirius into a passionate kiss.

"Of course..." He added. "We have to wait until we're of age..." Remus gave his partner a cheeky grin, placing his hand between their lips. "And not before."

Sirius' cry of anguish could be heard throughout the school.

A/N: IT'S OVER! TEH OMGXORZ! The sequel is called Lupine Attraction, and will be posted tomooooorow:D so keep an eye out fo' that shizzle nizzle. And I just want to say that I wrote this, and this chapter STILL makes me bawl like a little baby. Damn hormones... BUT WEMUS! AND SEVEWUS! AND SIWIUS! WAAAAAAAAA

Remus: -sniff- It's over!

Sirius: But we get to come back!

Remus: Yay!

Sirius: And you get chocolate!

Remus: Where!

Sirius: -pours melted chocolate all over himself- Come get it!

Remus: -tackle-