'Til The End

The Minister

Pads?' Sirius turned to look at Remus, grinning. He liked it when Remus called him Pads. 'You know how muggles go on a honeymoon after getting married?' Sirius propped himself up in one elbow, nodding. 'I was thinking we deserved one too...' Sirius pulled himself closer to Remus, half on top of him. 'I love that idea.' Remus smirked slyly, and Sirius drew closer still. 'Ever heard of Moony island?' Sirius pulled himself on top of Remus now, straddling him. 'No, but I already love it.' Remus leaned up and kissed Sirius, as Sirius worked on the button of Remus' jeans. Remus was fiddling with the bottom of Sirius' shirt, and he pulled it off.

Sirius lay still for a moment, his skin burning and red, before rolling off Remus. 'Bloody hell.' Was all Remus said.

'MOONY! WE FORGOT TO GO INTO SCHOOL!' Sirius shouted up the stairs. Remus' response came in the form of 'SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT!' They had both re-dressed themselves, then Sirius had suddenly realised they probably should have gone to school. 'COME ON!' Sirius shouted impatiently, drumming his fingers on the bottom of the banister. 'I CAN'T FIND- NEVER MIND!' Remus came hurling down the stairs later, clutching Sirius' wand. Sirius took it and held it in his mouth as he twirled his long hair up into a bun, then tucked the wand through it to keep the bun in place. 'Show off.' Remus winked, opening the door and stepping out into the sunlight. Sirius followed, then offered his hand to Remus. Remus took it and Sirius spun them into thin air. Remus hurried up to his office, and Sirius ran all the way to the Transfiguration classroom. 'Nice of you to join me, Lupin.' Minerva said, her eyes not leaving the paper on her desk. Sirius winced, dropping his bag to the floor. 'Sorry I- We- I'm sorry.' Sirius said sheepishly. Unfortunately, Minerva wasn't stupid. She waved a hand, and Sirius took himself to me dismissed. 'Lupin?' Minerva called, and Sirius wheeled round. 'Unless you want the entire school to guess where you and Remus have been I suggest you button up your shirt properly.' Sirius glanced down, and realised his shirt was, indeed, buttoned up wrong. He hurriedly unbuttoned it, then buttoned it up again, before hurrying out sheepishly.

'Sirius!' Sirius turned, hearing his name just down the corridor. Hermione and Ginny came hurrying up side-by-side, Hermione clutching a small scroll of parchment. 'Professor Flitwick asked us to give you this.' Sirius grabbed the scroll from Hermione's hands and unrolled it. 'Oh shit.' Sirius breathed, glaring down at it. 'Dumbledore's in the school?' He asked, shoving it into his pocket and picking up a walk. Ginny and Hermione nodded. 'Alright, thanks girls. Tell Harry to get up to Remus' office immediately.' Hermione and Ginny walked off in the other direction, and Sirius jogged all the way to the Headmasters office.

'I'm here!' He said breathlessly, flinging open the door. 'What in the Merlin's name is this?' Dumbledore turned round in surprise, and Remus just rubbed his temples wearily. Sirius walked straight over to Remus and placed both hands on his shoulders. 'Reason?' Sirius demanded, nodding at Dumbledore. Sirius could feel the tension in Remus' shoulders and began to rub small circles with his thumbs, easing out the knots. 'I'm mid-meeting with Remus, discussing the matter of Dolores Umbridge.' Sirius groaned, pressing slightly harder, causing Remus to wince. 'Sorry,' Sirius muttered quietly, then looked back up at Albus, 'for fuck's sake, we got rid of her ages ago.'

'Oh yes, I'm well aware of that fact, but the Ministry seems to want her back at Hogwarts.' Dumbledore started, 'and both you and I know they can overpower all the staff if they want to.'

'She's not coming back.' Sirius said, 'there is no way I'm risking the safety of the students for her. She was cutting their hands open, she was torturing them.' Dumbledore didn't look in the least surprised, he looked amused. 'I know. That is why-' Sirius growled in frustration, and Dumbledore gave him a look before continuing. 'I have refused. Yet, as headmaster of this school, it is Remus' decision.' Well then! Sirius thought, Remus would simply decline, but Sirius felt him tense under his fingers. 'There's a catch, isn't there?' Sirius said. Remus dropped his head and sighed, nodding. 'They want me to register.' Oh. There it was.

'They can't make you!' Dumbledore and Remus were both nodding, though Dumbledore looked amused, not weary. 'They can.' Remus said gravely, 'the Minister is due up here any moment, which means you need to go.' Sirius stared at the back of Remus' head for a moment, unmoving. 'No, they can't drag me off to Azkaban anymore, they've got Wormtail, it's over.' Remus just sighed. So, when the Minister entered the Headmasters office, accompanied my Minerva, all three figures were still in Remus' study. 'Dumbledore.' Fudge said shortly. 'Lupin, Black.' This will be fun, Sirius thought, smirking. 'I think you'll find it's Lupin, Lupin, now, Fudge.' The Minister ignored Sirius and took a seat next to Dumbledore. Sirius noticed Minerva was still standing at the edge of the room.

'Er, no! He had every right to fire Dolores Umbridge! She was torturing the students! Minerva, fetch Harry and Ginny.' Sirius fumed. The Minister had hastily moved onto the subject of Toad Face, and the twenty minute and counting debate wasn't going well for the Ministry. 'What do Potter and Weasley have to do with this?' Fudge demanded, slamming his fist on the table. Minerva was ushering the kids into the room, and Sirius marched straight across to them. 'See this, Minister? This is what Umbridge does to them!' He yanked Harry and Ginny by the arm across the room and shoved their left hands into Fudge's face. He didn't have a response to that.

Fudge left shortly after, with promises that Umbridge would not return. Harry and Ginny were still standing side-by-side at the edge of the office, trying not to grin. 'Come on, party in Gryffindor common room.' Sirius slung an arm round Harry's shoulders, and Remus came up the other side of him. 'Is a party appr- oh, go on then.' Minerva said, ushering them out.

'Tell Lee to get the firewhisky.' Sirius whispered to George.