It takes two | Sirius Black

42.

Remus knocks on the front door, he's fully prepared to have it slammed in his face. It's the least he deserves. His bag is weighing his shoulder down, it's not that the bag is heavy more that he is weak and his body is hurting all over. The full moon was tonight and as always his body was suffering. It was worse now he was taking wolfsbane, refusing the wolf his freedom.

He admires the long grass, the blue skies and realises this is the place Kate and Sirius always spoke of. The future they planned together, except Sirius isn't there.

The sound of a large dog is barking and scratching at the door, he can hear Kate telling it to sit. The dog doesn't listen as Kates footsteps get closer. Remus almost forgets how to breathe as the door flings open. For the first time in years, Kate and Remus stand before each other. She hasn't changed much, her hair is shorter and she's aged a little, but she's still Kate.

"Hi." He says offering her a small awkward wave.

She arches her eyebrow at him, "Hi?"

"I'm sorry." He says with a harsh breath, "You were right."

Kate half smiles, opening the door wider, "I have waited twelve years for you to say that."

"I should have listened."

"I am always right, Remus." She reminds him jokingly, "You best come in."

He steps inside the house, his first thought is homely. It's warm and cosy, pieces of the children are everywhere. There's Phoenixes drawings on the fridge, photos of the kids on the fireplace, Zion's skateboard leaning against the back door and Marlie's bright yellow wellies shoved under the table. Sirius would love it here. It's everything his own childhood home was not.

He follows Kate into the kitchen, where she starts to boil the kettle. He bends over and strokes the dog for something to do. There was nothing he could ever say or do, to show how sorry he was.

"I work at Hogwarts now, I have to say Marlie was a surprise." Remus says, breaking the silence.

"I tried writing to you." Kate replies with her back to Remus, "I tried to keep you involved."

Remus let's out a defeated sigh, "I left Potter Manor a week after you did... all this time I just assumed you cut me out."

"And all this time I thought you were just an asshole."

"I am a little." Remus admits, "Zion is really protective of her, both of them are but Zion.."

"Yes." Kate nods as she takes two mugs out of the cupboard, "He witnessed something horrific and it stayed with him."

"He's a lot like Sirius."

Kate turns to Remus a sadness in her eyes, "Painfully so. All three of them remind me of him in their own ways but Zion, he's just an exact replica of him."

"We always said he was Sirius 2.0." Remus whispers.

Kate makes the cups of tea in silence, she remembers exactly how Remus has it. They sit at the kitchen table, sip their mugs of warm tea in further silence.

"They both have his hair." Remus whispers once again.

Kate groans, "The pair of imbeciles refuse to have it cut. Apparently the ladies like it."

Remus snorts unintentionally, remembering Zion and his three girlfriends. Being a Professor at the school you learn a lot about the students and their dramas. Kate smiles too as she sips her tea. They're silent again. It's not uncomfortable. It feels like they had never been apart, it's like Remus had just walked in from work after finishing or something. It doesn't feel like twelve long years have passed.