The Little One with Green Eyes

23: A Complication

-October 18 1991-
Sirius shifts awkwardly in his place, and he starts when a hand comes to squeeze his own gently. With a strained smile, he turns to look at his lover who is equally anxious. Remus smiles at him and nods encouragingly. Sirius wishes that he could be as bold as Remus.

It had been two days since the couple had confronted the Dark Lord, and during those two days, the pair had done nothing except worry and pace inside their home. Sirius was on edge, his fear of losing everything keeping him up all night. What if the Dark Lord rejected their offer? What if he told someone about what they'd done? They'd lose not only the chance to be with Harry, they'd also lose their friends' trust.

(Not that they would have that for much longer, anyway.)

"Calm down, Padfoot," Remus whispered, his comforting hold on his hand tightening as he pulled Sirius to the sofa. Sirius, broken out of his nervous pacing---well, almost pacing, as he didn't really move from his frozen place by the fireplace---looked at Remus with a nervous grimace. "It'll be okay."

"Why hasn't he called for us yet?" Sirius asked, a hand coming up to drag through his black locks.

"I don't know," Remus answered honestly. "But I'm sure he will. After all, you said it yourself, who doesn't want more spies?"

"I bet he decided we're too much of a threat," Sirius said bitterly. "After all, he knows Harry likes us better."

Remus whacked him lightly on the arm and Sirius hissed. "That's not funny," he said with a glare. "If he does accept us, we have to be subservient. You know that! You can't just say something like that!"

"We're in the privacy of our own home!" Sirius cried, throwing his hands up in the air with exasperation. "Who cares what we say?!"

"He probably has, I don't know, spies or something!" Remus responded with a heavy eye roll. "I wouldn't be surprised if he was watching us right now!"

"That's just creepy." Sirius pouted, crossing his arms over his chest with a huff. "And if he were, I would appreciate it if he would give us a bloody response already!" he shouted.

"Sirius!" Remus hissed. "Don't do that! Are you trying to get us killed?"

"We're already dying of anticipation," Sirius deadpanned. Remus only glared harder. Sirius sighed and slumped into the sofa dramatically. "I can't just keep waiting for a response! I'm going insane!"

"You are not going insane," Remus said with a fond smile. "You're already insane."

Sirius let out a mock gasp of offense. "Betrayed---"

The loud pop of a house elf entering their house startled them out of their childish bickering. The house elf squeaked at their startled faces and bowed deeply. "I be calling yous to see the Dark Lord." the house elf chirped. "He's be expecting yous."

It was silent in the house for a while as Sirius and Remus stared at the house elf. Remus suddenly moved and let out a weary sigh. "Thank you," he said. "How do we get there?"

The house elf toed the ground. "I be taking yous." he said, holding out his hands. Sirius sent Remus another look to which Remus responded with another smile and stepped forward to take the house elf's wrinkly hand.

Sirius sighed and took the hand that was held out for him and blinked at the disorienting feeling of being transported via elf magic. Sirius felt his body being squeezed tightly before he popped into the meeting hall that they'd been in the last time they went to see the Dark Lord.

Just as last time, the Dark Lord sits in his stone throne with poise, his crimson eyes appraising them with barely concealed disdain. Sirius bows low to the ground, gritting his teeth as his pride threatens to shine through. As much as it pains him to bow, if he wants the chance to be with his godson and do what Jame and Lily asked of him, he needs to do this.