Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers

dynamics

Sirius and Remus' dynamic was thrown after the dominance ritual. They had been through an interesting cycle since the end of last year. 

They had spent the summer growing closer. Sirius finally allowed someone in. He stopped trying to handle everything by himself. Then that was taken away. His person- his Remus- was pulled in 20 different directions. Between his worsening transformations and Bertram's pestering on top of his symptoms of companionship, Remus was not is the best place. Sirius wasn't either, for a long time. He felt gutted. He didn't find joy in anything; until he found himself feeling nothing at all. To the point that he craved any type of feeling. And the easiest ones to find were short term satisfaction and physical pain. So, yes he found himself sleeping around a lot. Not because he wanted to, but because he needed to.

Remus loved what he was able to give Sirius. He loved being there for some one in the way that he needed someone for so long. But Remus never really knew how dark the crevices of Sirius' mind were. And he had a lot of other things to worry about too, he knew that Bertram had ulterior motives for being with him, but Remus still thought that the best way to protect his secret was to try to please him. Looking back, Remus realizes just how wrong he was. He wasn't there for Sirius in the way he promised to be. He did something he hadn't done in years; let his lycanthropy control his entire life. 

They were tested the most by Remus' irritability and aggression. It targeted both of their insecurities. Remus woke up everyday feeling like the monster he had finally been convinced he was not. Sirius was pushed farther and farther away from the love and affection he desired so greatly and from the one person he let himself love entirely.

Thankfully, the boys persisted. It was not easy. Not by a long shot, but they made it. 

But they had broken the promise they made to each other.

Now, they were tiptoeing around each other. They weren't communicating well. The intimacy they shared, regardless of their arguments, had vanished after the full moon. 

Remus found himself feeling as though Sirius settled for him because he felt obligated to. Both of them felt as though they were just going though the motions.

The day after the full moon, they argued for a long time about testing if the ritual worked. Remus was adamant to test it, Sirius wasn't, because he knew that regardless of the outcome, he wanted to be with Remus for as long as he'd have him. Eventually, they did perform the test. It was a simple spell. First, both Remus and Sirius had to write their most prominent symptom of companionship on a slip of paper and add a few drops of each other's blood to their paper. Then, both boys had to chant vinculum autem lux three times. If the dominance ritual was successful, both slips of paper would quickly catch fire.

The ritual was definitely successful. Remus felt as though he could cry just by how relieved he was, but the success only sent Sirius into a deeper feeling of guilt.

For the next five days, Remus noticed Sirius' mood shifting. He was reverting back to the Sirius who locked everything in. They did not share their usual affectionate touches or knowing looks. Sirius felt distant and Remus was worried he's never reach him again. 

"Will you come with me?" Remus asked Sirius softly. They had already eaten dinner and Sirius was flipping through the Daily Prophet while he sat in front of the common room fire place.

Sirius set his paper down. "Where are we going?"

"I have something special to show you."

Sirius shrugged, but got up and followed Remus regardless.

Remus lead Sirius up to the seventh floor and they passed the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy thrice. 

"We need to have a discussion." Remus entered the Room of Requirement and sat at the small table that the room presented.