![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
mindabbles.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
small_giftsTitle: A Cottage In The Woods
Author/Artist:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mindabbles
Recipient:sambethe
Rating: PG-13
Contents or warnings (highlight to view): *None *
Word count: 2,800
Summary: It's been a bad end to a bad day, but with some help from his friends, Remus can believe that the New Year might get off to a fine beginning.
Notes: Thank you for taking on a pinch hit, in addition to everything else. Thank you for being a wonderful, kind, and efficient co-mod and wizard with spreadsheets. I looked back at a couple of old sign ups and nabbed 'life in war time' and 'boys in love' from, I think 2007. Hope you enjoy.
The crofter's cottage offered some shelter. The mossy roof had long since given up trying and lay in crumbling piles around Remus' feet. The walls were, however, what interested him most at the moment.
"Moon—" Peter began and Remus held up his hand to stop him. He pressed one finger to his lips and gestured for Peter to get to the corner.
Remus followed and let himself sink to the floor next to Peter, ensconced in the back corner of the room, partially hidden by a sturdy old table.
Inside the shelter of these walls, the sounds of the battle no longer drowned out the pounding of his heart. They were hopelessly outnumbered and it was only the look of terror on Peter's face that had shaken Remus out of his fury enough to realise that hiding was, in this case, the better part of valour. Remus clenched his wand and listened. He'd have to come up with a plan to get them out of here.
"Moony," Peter said. "Sirius got away. I saw him. He'll send help."
"You're right." Remus said. "Of course he did."
It began to snow.
***
Remus started as a hand landed on his shoulder. His knees had become small snowy peaks. He didn't remember falling asleep. It has been days since he did more than cat nap, so it was not that surprising. Two days ago, he fell asleep leaning against a tree.
"Moony," Peter whispered. Peter never fell asleep in the field, not even if they were out for days. He seemed to have taken Mad-Eye's advice on to an impressive degree.
Remus heard voices coming closer. He caught snippets of the Death Eaters' conversation.
"They don't know where we've gone," Peter muttered, repeating what Remus could hear anyway. "But they're guessing in here."
"So, do we hide, try a Disillusionment charm, and hope they walk on by or fight while we have a hope of taking them by surprise?"
"Prongs and Padfoot would say fight," Peter said. He looked like he was going to be sick, but he gripped his wand and Remus felt a wave of affection for him.
"They're not here, Wormtail," Remus said. "We are. Along with about a dozen Death Eaters."
Peter looked at him, pleading with him to make the decision.
"All right," Remus said. There wasn't really a choice. "If we have a go now, we might be able to take out half of them before they get in here."
***
Remus took the front of the cottage. The ancient wooden shutters gave him a good shield. He helped Peter prop the table in front of the back window. They both had good vantage points from which to work spells.
The snowfall and resulting mist that rose from the warmer earth were just thick enough to give the Death Eaters some cover, making them look like ghostly shadows in the woods. He was afraid he was losing track of some of them and had no idea how many of his spells had hit home. Peter worked spells behind and he could hear a rising panic in Peter's voice.
"How many back there?" Remus called, keeping his voice even.
"Too many," Peter answered. "Stupefy."
"Switch sides on three," Remus said. "Fresh eyes." He was certain that they'd mostly snuck around back by now. He only had track of three in the front of the cottage.
Peter scurried back to where Remus had been and Remus ran to the back window. Sure enough, he counted at least ten figures in the trees right at the back garden. He started to work spells as fast as he could, ducking when he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Flashes of colour lit the woods and cut through the snow and mist and it occurred to him that they might just not make it out of here.
He heard a shout and then another after he fired of two hexes in rapid succession and he let the success narrow his focus. He used the light from their spells to find them and waited, sending a hex a split second after they did. He heard another shout. There were still so many and Peter was shouting something about them coming closer.
The shouts from outside suddenly doubled and tripled. Two more figures outside crumpled to the ground.
He hadn't done a thing.
"Where the hell did you come from?" The shout came from a Death Eater whose voice sounded vaguely familiar.
"Petrificus Totalus," shouted an even more familiar voice. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
Sirius stepped out of the mist. His cloak billowed behind him and he seemed to stride in slow motion, felling Death Eater's as he went.
"Bloody Black," one of the Death Eater's cursed and Sirius ducked just in time. He turned around and stunned the Death Eater, picking his pace up a bit.
Remus pushed open the back door just as Sirius walked up to it, looking for all the world as if he planned to knock.
"Could you be any more of a stereotype, swooping in through the mist?" Remus said, grinning. "You and your bloody grand entrances."
"An archetype, Moony. I'm am archetype. And I know you're pleased to see me."
"I thought you got away," Peter said. He stepped away from the window just as a spell shattered the glass.
"I did, but I came back," Sirius said. "Of course I came back."
"And now we're all trapped," Remus said because that was the truth of it. The other truth was that he'd been holding on a bit to the idea that Sirius had got away. That he was safe.
"Not all," Sirius said. "I managed to get a Patronus off to Prongs before they chased me in here. He'll come."
"Yes, of course he will," Peter said.
"Let's just hope he doesn't decide to come alone," Remus said. It was quiet outside. They seemed to be regrouping, which wasn't comforting in the least.
"Come now, Moony. There's not a bunch of wizards that can take the four of us at once."
"I don't know if your confidence is comforting or disturbing."
"James'll come," said Peter.
***
James didn't come. Or at least, it had been some time and the Death Eaters had moved in closer and he hadn't come yet.
"Why haven't they tried to kill us in the last ten minutes?" Sirius said quietly.
"Maybe they plan to let us starve," Peter said.
"I doubt they have the stamina for that," Remus added. "Here, why don't you transform and see if you can find out what's up?"
"Oh, okay," Peter said. He looked relieved. Remus could identify. Not knowing what was going on was worse than fighting.
"What do you really think is going on?" Remus asked Sirius as soon as Peter had changed into a rat and snuck out under the back door.
"Don't know," Sirius said. His eyes never left the window, scanning the woods and the garden for activity. "I think they might actually be trying to starve us out."
"Keep watch in case they try and sneak up."
"Order me about some more, Moony," Sirius said, flashing Remus that maddening, exhilarating grin.
***
The sprinkling of snow muffled the sound and Remus didn't know Peter had come back until he sprung up in front of him.
"We're utterly surrounded," he said, breathless. "They think there's about ten of us in here and they've summoned reinforcements. They're waiting until they outnumber us."
"We'll one of us is worth at least three of them, so that will take them a while."
"Three? Is that all you reckon?" asked Remus. "How long until their back up arrives?"
"Don't know. They didn't say, but they had sandwiches and were sitting around."
"Peter, you have to go and get help," Sirius said. "I don't know why Prongs didn't come, but you have to find Mad-Eye and we don't have sandwiches."
"There's more going on here than we thought. They're protecting this area for some reason. Tell Mad-Eye. Go to Dumbledore if you can't find him," Remus added. He spoke slowly because the look on Peter's face was a little alarming.
"Why don't we all go? Come with me."
"You can be so small no one can see you. We can't. You can run past the area they've got under spells and Disapparate," Sirius said, with uncharacteristic patience. That was the first indication Remus had that Sirius might be afraid.
***
"How long since he left?" Sirius asked. He pressed his back to the wall and looked sideways out the window, out on the croft.
Remus glanced out the window under his watch. The quiet hush of the light snowfall muffled all sound. The soft light from the moon and the reflection of the snow created a lovely glow. Snow filtered through the remains of the roof and landed, flecks of brightness, on Sirius' dark hair before they melted.
"Think they've declared a truce?" Remus suggested. He hadn't seen movement outside since Peter left.
"Doubt it," Sirius said. He frowned and leaned a little closer to the window.
"Let me guess," Remus said. "You want to make a run for it and see if we can get far enough from their base to Apparate."
"Well, I'm not going to just sit here all night."
"Sirius—" Remus began.
A silver streak of light zipped under the gap at the back door. A glowing, little Wormtail scurried through the debris on the floor and spoke in a slightly squeakier version of Peter's voice, more of them than we thought. Dumbledore and Moody and others coming soon. Stay put. You too, Sirius.
"What do you think he means by soon?" Remus asked. He touched his cloak with his wand and muttered a spell, warming himself from top to bottom.
"A while, if the past hour is any indication. Moony," Sirius said. "Come here."
"I'm watching the front garden."
"I'm cold," Sirius said. He slid down the wall to sit on the floor.
"So do what I just did."
"You've already done it, so I don't have to," Sirius said, a touch of pleading sneaking into his voice.
"Idiot," Remus said. He ducked down and moved, low and swift, across room, careful that he shouldn't been seen by anyone who might be keeping on eye out. Sirius reached up and grabbed his hand, pulling him down to sit next to him, in against the wall under the window. Sirius tucked himself under Remus' arm and wrapped Remus' warmed cloak around him. Remus pressed his cheek to Sirius' cold, snow-dampened hair.
"It's been a helluva a day, hasn't it," Sirius said, turning his head so he could look at Remus.
There were snowflakes on his eyelashes and one landed on the tip of his nose and melted into his skin. Sometimes, when he was this close, looking at Remus like that, it made Remus' chest ache with how beautiful he was.
"Looking up, though," Remus whispered. He leaned to kiss Sirius on the lips. Sirius' lips and cheeks were cold and Remus could feel his own grow warm as they deepened the kiss. Remus laughed, breaking the kiss.
"What, Moony?"
"Let's see. We started the day being set upon by Pixies, then we had to strike camp yet again to come even further north, then without even any tea mind you, we were ambushed and outnumbered. It's not been the best day, as you pointed out. Now, we could be rushed by Death Eaters any moment and I want nothing more than to push you down onto this floor. It's hardly the time. You make me stupid."
"You've never said anything nicer, Moony," Sirius said. He ran his hand down the front of Remus' jumper, pressing against his stomach and making Remus gasp.
"Still, not my preferred way to ring in the New Year with you," Remus said, sighing and mirroring the way Sirius was touching him.
"It's the New Year? I lost track."
"Yes, Padfoot and I may be superstitious as my Gran, and you'll take the piss no end for this, but you're meant to be home, in a clean house, greeting your first foot at midnight, who, if it's to be a good year, will be tall, dark, and handsome, and bearing a lump of coal and a bottle of whisky."
"Moony, Moony, the day's looking up." Sirius slipped his hand under Remus' jumper and tee-shirt and slid it up his stomach to his chest. His cool fingertips brushed over one of Remus' nipples and Remus moved so he could wrap a leg around Sirius' hips.
"How's that?" Remus asked. His voice sounded rough and far away to his own ears.
"It just so happens that I've got you covered." Sirius slipped his other hand into his own pocket and pulled out a silver flask. He flicked his wand and summoned a half-burned stick from the abandoned fireplace. "I am tall, dark, and exceedingly handsome, have the required bounty, and am more than happy to cross your threshold."
"You're barking mad and that was the worst line I've ever heard." Remus laughed and he wanted to melt into Sirius.
"But you want me."
"I already told you, you make me stupid."
Sirius smiled and it was nearly enough to make Remus forget that they were huddled under his cloak on the floor of a crumbling cottage, surrounded by enemies, waiting for a rescue that was seeming less and less likely to arrive.
"Here’s a thought," Remus said. He pulled Sirius close and rocked against him. "Let's add some Sleeping Draught to your Firewhisky and levitate it to our friends in the woods. Maybe they'll pass it around and we'll be able to get out of here."
"Mm," Sirius murmured, moving his hand to rub over Remus' other nipple. "If it's Goyle and Crabbe out there, they're thick as a brick shithouse. They might fall for it."
"Do you have any Sleeping Draught, then?"
"No, I thought you might," Sirius said and he kissed Remus before he could tell Sirius off.
There was nothing he could do, Remus told himself. They had to wait and Sirius was warm and his hands were everywhere and his tongue slid perfectly into Remus' mouth. He let himself pretend they were somewhere else, somewhere safe and warm, and like he always could, Sirius made that true.
Remus worked his hand into the front of Sirius trousers, and there, there was the soft moan that filled his every fantasy. Sirius reached for Remus and somewhere in his awareness, he heard a shout and then another, and he reached for his wand and didn't realise he had until he saw that Sirius had done the same.
The door of their little cottage banged open.
"Oh for the love of Merlin, you two," said James, who was suddenly standing in front of the hearth in the cottage. Remus lowered his wand. "In case you haven't heard, there's a war on."
"We've heard," Sirius answered, extracting his hands from inside Remus' clothes. "And it took you bloody long enough."
Remus straightened his clothes and stood as quickly as he could.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," James said. He turned and sealed the cottage door with a charm. "Apparently your friends out there were waiting for reinforcements who were held up, courtesy of Emmeline, Caradoc, and Lily."
"You came alone, didn't you," Remus said, rolling his eyes. Now it was three to how ever many.
"I wanted to, but Moody insisted on joining in," James said. "Here's the plan." James went on, explaining where the others had been, how they were now creeping through the woods to surprise the Death Eaters, what small victory they'd won by stopping the Death Eaters from finishing what they'd apparently come to do. He explained how they'd wait until they heard Emmeline's signal and then they'd burst from the cottage, taking the Death Eater cell from all directions.
"And then we'll meet up at the flat, just us, and ring in the New Year properly," Sirius said. He pressed his palm against the small of Remus' back.
"Right, of course," James said. He rolled up his sleeves and twirled his wand between his fingers. "If a battle in the woods isn't your idea of a proper way to ring in the New Year."
"It's one way," Remus said. And all things considered, given the way the evening had started, it could be worse.
A soft call, like an owl, rose above the hush of the gently falling snow.
"Right, lads," James said.
"That's us," Remus and Sirius said at the same time. Remus reached to squeeze Sirius' hand, suddenly sure that they would make it home and they'd do their own first footing. The three of them ran, as close to together as they could, out of the cottage and into night.
Author/Artist:
mindabblesRecipient:
sambetheRating: PG-13
Contents or warnings (highlight to view): *None *
Word count: 2,800
Summary: It's been a bad end to a bad day, but with some help from his friends, Remus can believe that the New Year might get off to a fine beginning.
Notes: Thank you for taking on a pinch hit, in addition to everything else. Thank you for being a wonderful, kind, and efficient co-mod and wizard with spreadsheets. I looked back at a couple of old sign ups and nabbed 'life in war time' and 'boys in love' from, I think 2007. Hope you enjoy.
The crofter's cottage offered some shelter. The mossy roof had long since given up trying and lay in crumbling piles around Remus' feet. The walls were, however, what interested him most at the moment.
"Moon—" Peter began and Remus held up his hand to stop him. He pressed one finger to his lips and gestured for Peter to get to the corner.
Remus followed and let himself sink to the floor next to Peter, ensconced in the back corner of the room, partially hidden by a sturdy old table.
Inside the shelter of these walls, the sounds of the battle no longer drowned out the pounding of his heart. They were hopelessly outnumbered and it was only the look of terror on Peter's face that had shaken Remus out of his fury enough to realise that hiding was, in this case, the better part of valour. Remus clenched his wand and listened. He'd have to come up with a plan to get them out of here.
"Moony," Peter said. "Sirius got away. I saw him. He'll send help."
"You're right." Remus said. "Of course he did."
It began to snow.
***
Remus started as a hand landed on his shoulder. His knees had become small snowy peaks. He didn't remember falling asleep. It has been days since he did more than cat nap, so it was not that surprising. Two days ago, he fell asleep leaning against a tree.
"Moony," Peter whispered. Peter never fell asleep in the field, not even if they were out for days. He seemed to have taken Mad-Eye's advice on to an impressive degree.
Remus heard voices coming closer. He caught snippets of the Death Eaters' conversation.
"They don't know where we've gone," Peter muttered, repeating what Remus could hear anyway. "But they're guessing in here."
"So, do we hide, try a Disillusionment charm, and hope they walk on by or fight while we have a hope of taking them by surprise?"
"Prongs and Padfoot would say fight," Peter said. He looked like he was going to be sick, but he gripped his wand and Remus felt a wave of affection for him.
"They're not here, Wormtail," Remus said. "We are. Along with about a dozen Death Eaters."
Peter looked at him, pleading with him to make the decision.
"All right," Remus said. There wasn't really a choice. "If we have a go now, we might be able to take out half of them before they get in here."
***
Remus took the front of the cottage. The ancient wooden shutters gave him a good shield. He helped Peter prop the table in front of the back window. They both had good vantage points from which to work spells.
The snowfall and resulting mist that rose from the warmer earth were just thick enough to give the Death Eaters some cover, making them look like ghostly shadows in the woods. He was afraid he was losing track of some of them and had no idea how many of his spells had hit home. Peter worked spells behind and he could hear a rising panic in Peter's voice.
"How many back there?" Remus called, keeping his voice even.
"Too many," Peter answered. "Stupefy."
"Switch sides on three," Remus said. "Fresh eyes." He was certain that they'd mostly snuck around back by now. He only had track of three in the front of the cottage.
Peter scurried back to where Remus had been and Remus ran to the back window. Sure enough, he counted at least ten figures in the trees right at the back garden. He started to work spells as fast as he could, ducking when he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Flashes of colour lit the woods and cut through the snow and mist and it occurred to him that they might just not make it out of here.
He heard a shout and then another after he fired of two hexes in rapid succession and he let the success narrow his focus. He used the light from their spells to find them and waited, sending a hex a split second after they did. He heard another shout. There were still so many and Peter was shouting something about them coming closer.
The shouts from outside suddenly doubled and tripled. Two more figures outside crumpled to the ground.
He hadn't done a thing.
"Where the hell did you come from?" The shout came from a Death Eater whose voice sounded vaguely familiar.
"Petrificus Totalus," shouted an even more familiar voice. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
Sirius stepped out of the mist. His cloak billowed behind him and he seemed to stride in slow motion, felling Death Eater's as he went.
"Bloody Black," one of the Death Eater's cursed and Sirius ducked just in time. He turned around and stunned the Death Eater, picking his pace up a bit.
Remus pushed open the back door just as Sirius walked up to it, looking for all the world as if he planned to knock.
"Could you be any more of a stereotype, swooping in through the mist?" Remus said, grinning. "You and your bloody grand entrances."
"An archetype, Moony. I'm am archetype. And I know you're pleased to see me."
"I thought you got away," Peter said. He stepped away from the window just as a spell shattered the glass.
"I did, but I came back," Sirius said. "Of course I came back."
"And now we're all trapped," Remus said because that was the truth of it. The other truth was that he'd been holding on a bit to the idea that Sirius had got away. That he was safe.
"Not all," Sirius said. "I managed to get a Patronus off to Prongs before they chased me in here. He'll come."
"Yes, of course he will," Peter said.
"Let's just hope he doesn't decide to come alone," Remus said. It was quiet outside. They seemed to be regrouping, which wasn't comforting in the least.
"Come now, Moony. There's not a bunch of wizards that can take the four of us at once."
"I don't know if your confidence is comforting or disturbing."
"James'll come," said Peter.
***
James didn't come. Or at least, it had been some time and the Death Eaters had moved in closer and he hadn't come yet.
"Why haven't they tried to kill us in the last ten minutes?" Sirius said quietly.
"Maybe they plan to let us starve," Peter said.
"I doubt they have the stamina for that," Remus added. "Here, why don't you transform and see if you can find out what's up?"
"Oh, okay," Peter said. He looked relieved. Remus could identify. Not knowing what was going on was worse than fighting.
"What do you really think is going on?" Remus asked Sirius as soon as Peter had changed into a rat and snuck out under the back door.
"Don't know," Sirius said. His eyes never left the window, scanning the woods and the garden for activity. "I think they might actually be trying to starve us out."
"Keep watch in case they try and sneak up."
"Order me about some more, Moony," Sirius said, flashing Remus that maddening, exhilarating grin.
***
The sprinkling of snow muffled the sound and Remus didn't know Peter had come back until he sprung up in front of him.
"We're utterly surrounded," he said, breathless. "They think there's about ten of us in here and they've summoned reinforcements. They're waiting until they outnumber us."
"We'll one of us is worth at least three of them, so that will take them a while."
"Three? Is that all you reckon?" asked Remus. "How long until their back up arrives?"
"Don't know. They didn't say, but they had sandwiches and were sitting around."
"Peter, you have to go and get help," Sirius said. "I don't know why Prongs didn't come, but you have to find Mad-Eye and we don't have sandwiches."
"There's more going on here than we thought. They're protecting this area for some reason. Tell Mad-Eye. Go to Dumbledore if you can't find him," Remus added. He spoke slowly because the look on Peter's face was a little alarming.
"Why don't we all go? Come with me."
"You can be so small no one can see you. We can't. You can run past the area they've got under spells and Disapparate," Sirius said, with uncharacteristic patience. That was the first indication Remus had that Sirius might be afraid.
***
"How long since he left?" Sirius asked. He pressed his back to the wall and looked sideways out the window, out on the croft.
Remus glanced out the window under his watch. The quiet hush of the light snowfall muffled all sound. The soft light from the moon and the reflection of the snow created a lovely glow. Snow filtered through the remains of the roof and landed, flecks of brightness, on Sirius' dark hair before they melted.
"Think they've declared a truce?" Remus suggested. He hadn't seen movement outside since Peter left.
"Doubt it," Sirius said. He frowned and leaned a little closer to the window.
"Let me guess," Remus said. "You want to make a run for it and see if we can get far enough from their base to Apparate."
"Well, I'm not going to just sit here all night."
"Sirius—" Remus began.
A silver streak of light zipped under the gap at the back door. A glowing, little Wormtail scurried through the debris on the floor and spoke in a slightly squeakier version of Peter's voice, more of them than we thought. Dumbledore and Moody and others coming soon. Stay put. You too, Sirius.
"What do you think he means by soon?" Remus asked. He touched his cloak with his wand and muttered a spell, warming himself from top to bottom.
"A while, if the past hour is any indication. Moony," Sirius said. "Come here."
"I'm watching the front garden."
"I'm cold," Sirius said. He slid down the wall to sit on the floor.
"So do what I just did."
"You've already done it, so I don't have to," Sirius said, a touch of pleading sneaking into his voice.
"Idiot," Remus said. He ducked down and moved, low and swift, across room, careful that he shouldn't been seen by anyone who might be keeping on eye out. Sirius reached up and grabbed his hand, pulling him down to sit next to him, in against the wall under the window. Sirius tucked himself under Remus' arm and wrapped Remus' warmed cloak around him. Remus pressed his cheek to Sirius' cold, snow-dampened hair.
"It's been a helluva a day, hasn't it," Sirius said, turning his head so he could look at Remus.
There were snowflakes on his eyelashes and one landed on the tip of his nose and melted into his skin. Sometimes, when he was this close, looking at Remus like that, it made Remus' chest ache with how beautiful he was.
"Looking up, though," Remus whispered. He leaned to kiss Sirius on the lips. Sirius' lips and cheeks were cold and Remus could feel his own grow warm as they deepened the kiss. Remus laughed, breaking the kiss.
"What, Moony?"
"Let's see. We started the day being set upon by Pixies, then we had to strike camp yet again to come even further north, then without even any tea mind you, we were ambushed and outnumbered. It's not been the best day, as you pointed out. Now, we could be rushed by Death Eaters any moment and I want nothing more than to push you down onto this floor. It's hardly the time. You make me stupid."
"You've never said anything nicer, Moony," Sirius said. He ran his hand down the front of Remus' jumper, pressing against his stomach and making Remus gasp.
"Still, not my preferred way to ring in the New Year with you," Remus said, sighing and mirroring the way Sirius was touching him.
"It's the New Year? I lost track."
"Yes, Padfoot and I may be superstitious as my Gran, and you'll take the piss no end for this, but you're meant to be home, in a clean house, greeting your first foot at midnight, who, if it's to be a good year, will be tall, dark, and handsome, and bearing a lump of coal and a bottle of whisky."
"Moony, Moony, the day's looking up." Sirius slipped his hand under Remus' jumper and tee-shirt and slid it up his stomach to his chest. His cool fingertips brushed over one of Remus' nipples and Remus moved so he could wrap a leg around Sirius' hips.
"How's that?" Remus asked. His voice sounded rough and far away to his own ears.
"It just so happens that I've got you covered." Sirius slipped his other hand into his own pocket and pulled out a silver flask. He flicked his wand and summoned a half-burned stick from the abandoned fireplace. "I am tall, dark, and exceedingly handsome, have the required bounty, and am more than happy to cross your threshold."
"You're barking mad and that was the worst line I've ever heard." Remus laughed and he wanted to melt into Sirius.
"But you want me."
"I already told you, you make me stupid."
Sirius smiled and it was nearly enough to make Remus forget that they were huddled under his cloak on the floor of a crumbling cottage, surrounded by enemies, waiting for a rescue that was seeming less and less likely to arrive.
"Here’s a thought," Remus said. He pulled Sirius close and rocked against him. "Let's add some Sleeping Draught to your Firewhisky and levitate it to our friends in the woods. Maybe they'll pass it around and we'll be able to get out of here."
"Mm," Sirius murmured, moving his hand to rub over Remus' other nipple. "If it's Goyle and Crabbe out there, they're thick as a brick shithouse. They might fall for it."
"Do you have any Sleeping Draught, then?"
"No, I thought you might," Sirius said and he kissed Remus before he could tell Sirius off.
There was nothing he could do, Remus told himself. They had to wait and Sirius was warm and his hands were everywhere and his tongue slid perfectly into Remus' mouth. He let himself pretend they were somewhere else, somewhere safe and warm, and like he always could, Sirius made that true.
Remus worked his hand into the front of Sirius trousers, and there, there was the soft moan that filled his every fantasy. Sirius reached for Remus and somewhere in his awareness, he heard a shout and then another, and he reached for his wand and didn't realise he had until he saw that Sirius had done the same.
The door of their little cottage banged open.
"Oh for the love of Merlin, you two," said James, who was suddenly standing in front of the hearth in the cottage. Remus lowered his wand. "In case you haven't heard, there's a war on."
"We've heard," Sirius answered, extracting his hands from inside Remus' clothes. "And it took you bloody long enough."
Remus straightened his clothes and stood as quickly as he could.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," James said. He turned and sealed the cottage door with a charm. "Apparently your friends out there were waiting for reinforcements who were held up, courtesy of Emmeline, Caradoc, and Lily."
"You came alone, didn't you," Remus said, rolling his eyes. Now it was three to how ever many.
"I wanted to, but Moody insisted on joining in," James said. "Here's the plan." James went on, explaining where the others had been, how they were now creeping through the woods to surprise the Death Eaters, what small victory they'd won by stopping the Death Eaters from finishing what they'd apparently come to do. He explained how they'd wait until they heard Emmeline's signal and then they'd burst from the cottage, taking the Death Eater cell from all directions.
"And then we'll meet up at the flat, just us, and ring in the New Year properly," Sirius said. He pressed his palm against the small of Remus' back.
"Right, of course," James said. He rolled up his sleeves and twirled his wand between his fingers. "If a battle in the woods isn't your idea of a proper way to ring in the New Year."
"It's one way," Remus said. And all things considered, given the way the evening had started, it could be worse.
A soft call, like an owl, rose above the hush of the gently falling snow.
"Right, lads," James said.
"That's us," Remus and Sirius said at the same time. Remus reached to squeeze Sirius' hand, suddenly sure that they would make it home and they'd do their own first footing. The three of them ran, as close to together as they could, out of the cottage and into night.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}