Whispers of the Dove / R.L & S.B

🌼~°19°~🌼

<<<<Sirius>>>>

Waking up in the middle of the woods after an attack by what felt like hundreds of Dementors was disorienting enough, but what really threw me was the sight of Willow—our Willow—turning into her dove form and flying toward the castle.

An Animagus. She's an Animagus too.

Even as the cold from the Dementors' attack lingered in my bones, the thought brought a flicker of warmth. Willow seemed amazing—beyond anything I could have imagined—and thinking about her felt like sunlight breaking through years of endless darkness. My thoughts, once weighed down by dread and pain, now held something brighter, something hopeful.

"Sirius, we have to move. We can't let anyone find you," Remus muttered, his voice low and urgent.

I knew he was right, but there was something I needed to do first—something I had dreamed of for thirteen long, agonizing years.

Without hesitation, I turned to the tall, scarred man before me. The man I had thought I'd lost forever. My best friend, my love.

I stepped closer, grabbed his face with both hands, and kissed him like it was the only thing keeping me alive.

For a moment, Remus froze in surprise, his body stiff against mine. But then, slowly, he melted into it, his hands coming up to grasp my arms as he kissed me back with as much fervor as I gave. It felt like we were trying to make up for every second we'd lost, pouring years of grief and longing into this one stolen moment.

When we finally pulled apart, we both sucked in deep breaths, chests heaving in unison.

"I fucking missed you, Moony," I said, grinning despite myself.

And there it was—his smile. That soft, tired, heart-stopping smile I'd missed every single day since Azkaban. Even with the scars and the wear of the years, Remus Lupin was still the most beautiful man I'd ever seen.

"I missed you too, Padfoot," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

But there was something else I needed to know. The questions that had been nagging at me since I met Willow.

"You have to tell me everything, Remus," I said, my tone soft but insistent. "How did you two meet? And why the hell didn't she know about you?"

At that, his gaze dropped to the ground, shame flickering across his face.

"Well," he began hesitantly, "you know what I am—"

I cut him off sharply, stepping closer and holding his gaze.

"Don't. Stop calling yourself a monster, Remus, because you're not," I said firmly. "And I'm going to remind you of that every damn day until you finally believe it."

His amber eyes softened, and for a moment, it felt like the years between us vanished. "I thought I lost you forever, Padfoot," he whispered, his voice trembling. "I was alone. I lost all of you. And then, when I met Willow..."

He trailed off, shaking his head slightly as if he couldn't quite find the words.

"We both got roped into teaching by Dumbledore," he said finally, his lips twitching into a faint smile. "And she's just so..." He paused again, struggling to put into words what he felt.

But he didn't need to finish. I already knew. Willow wasn't just anyone—she was extraordinary.

For a moment, the world stilled around us. There were no Dementors, no Ministry, no war. Just me and Remus, standing together in the quiet woods.