Title: The Nova.

Genre: Humor, tragedy.

Summary: When a star dies, it emits a force that is unimaginable. Non slash.

Main characters: Sirius and Remus. Again. This is only something quickly written for fun, not the best I've done.

Setting: Grimmauld Place, maybe a couple of months before the Department of Mysteries battle.

---

The star shall give an impressive death. Why not I?

"Sirius The Dog will fashion unbridled spirits and impetuous hearts; it will bestow on its sons billows of anger, and draw upon them the hatred and fear of the whole populace. Their hearts start throbbing at the slightest cause, and when speech comes their tongues rave and bark, and constant gnashing imparts the sound of teeth to their utterance. Their failings are intensified by alcohol, which gives them strength and fans their savage wrath to flame. No fear have they of woods or mountains, or monstrous lions, the tusks of the foaming boar, or the weapons which nature has given wild beasts; they vent their burning fury upon all legitimate prey…you see how even the constellation itself hunts among the stars, for in its course it seeks to catch the Hare in front.

Manilius, Astronomica.

First Century A.D."

Remus stopped reading. "You have to admit…that is you to a T."

"I guess I do instill fear and hatred within the whole of the populace. Well, now anyway. Savage wrath intensified by alcohol? I suppose so. But no fear? Sounds like Manilius was a little carried away…Besides, astrology is ludicrous."

Sitting in the doldrums of the kitchen, Remus had unexpectedly pulled out a copy of Astronomica. He must have had it up his sleeve. They had spent the afternoon across from each other, laughing at Manilius and his astrology. Sometimes it was as if the author's hand could not keep up with his thoughts.

"True. But it is interesting. Especially the part about the heart throbbing at the slightest cause. That makes sense, because you really haven't got any common sense at all, have you?"

"I have so!"

"Have not."

"Have so."

"Have not."

"Have so!"

"Have not!"

"Have so--infinity."

Remus made a face. "Now you think you're special."

"I've always thought that. Be wise, or my savage wrath will be upon you!"

"No, upon yourself."

"Well. The star shall give an impressive death. Why not I?"

"The difference between you and the star is that the star will engulf the world in flames when it dies. Or collapse into a black hole."

Sirius leaned back in his seat and rested his boots upon the table. "And how should I not?"

"I should hope that you would not expand when you die. Or implode. Be very traumatizing, it would. Do me a favor."

"What?"

"Don't plan on any of it."

"Can I at least emit gamma rays?"

"No."

They both stared at the table for a moment.

"Very grey." Remus stated.

"What, your hair?"

"Yes. No, the table."

"Ah. And who's fault is that? Not mine. I'm not the one who painted this house."

Sirius glanced at Remus, who was looking up at him with those blessed blue eyes of his. Sirius raised his eyebrows.

"What?"

Remus smiled.

"Impetuous."

Sirius caught on. He had played this game many times before. "Blighter."

"Naff."

Sirius pointed to himself. "Me? Nosey parker."

"Muppet."

"Muppet? Knave."

"Ruffian."

"Waif."

"Miscreant."

"Poi-face."

"So you're saying my face is a Hawaiian dish made from taro root?"

"Yes."

"Well, you were always the most creative at insults."

"Yes, but you always had to be so bloody kind, and that made me stop." Sirius smiled at his friend.

Remus sighed. "I'm tired of Manilius." He tossed the book over his head where it flopped to the ground.

This made Sirius launch himself forward from the chair ending up a few millimeters from Remus' face. "Hello-Good-bye…Moony threw a book." He weaved his fingers into the copper-colored hair. "I'm so proud of you…" Their foreheads rested against each other.

There was still something very humorous about Sirius being so proud that he had thrown a book. Remus knew it had always been that way. There were things that would never change, and some things that he had difficulty figuring out about his friend. Like how to free him. Days when all he could see was a dead cage in his eyes. Today there was humor, but it was like a thin mask that could be seen through wrapped tight about his face. No one else noticed. Or chose not to notice. He felt cold skin upon his hands. There was dry air on his neck like ice.

"Remus…" a breathing whisper.

"Yes?…" he spoke through eyes closed.

Sharper words. "Remus. Look at me." The earnestness of the voice turned his stomach a little, but he brushed it aside and looked up.

"Promise me…."

He gave a weak smile. "Of course."

"Promise me, that when I'm gone…" there was a waver in that voice.

"Oh, Sirius. Don't think of--"

"No." He took Remus' face in his hands. "Look at me." There was a disturbance in his eyes.

"Promise…promise me that you won't follow me."

Remus thought of what he meant. He himself wanted to deny that anything of the sort was coming. But if it had been he that was locked in the house for months on end, he supposed that the notion of death would seem rather comforting. How could that possibly be his only means of freedom?

To sit in regret behind these walls forever was not the path he would let himself take. The path that he should not have let Sirius take. Yet every day Sirius was slowly treading so many endless circles of mourning that Remus could not physically follow. Or more of a path that he chose not to follow with his steps but instead towed his spirit along, like a little boat and string tied to wrist.

He placed his hands on the opposite man's shoulders.

I will always go where you take me.

"I cannot make that promise."

Sirius looked slightly taken aback.

"But you have to--for them. One of us has to see it finished. If something should happen. I don't know about you…but I feel as if it won't be me."

Remus was getting desperate.

"And if something should not happen?" he suggested. The other man dropped his hands away Remus' hair and sighed.

"I must be going mad."

"You were born mad."

"Thank you."

"And that's all the better for you. Because if you weren't mad, none of your plans would have worked."

Sirius pretended to think about that for a moment.

"True."

They resigned to resting their foreheads against each other again. Remus was in the process of pushing the conversation they just had to the back of his mind. Which was difficult to do in the eerie silence of the house. He felt Sirius take his hand.

"Moony?"

"What is it?"

"…Not even gamma rays?"

---

---

I had to put something there. I know. Too much dialogue. Maybe I'll create a new and improved version of this someday. Any reviews are much appreciated.