Here's twelve. Tell me if you don't understand something I'm having one of those low-self esteem everything I do seems bad, so naturally this doesn't look as though I've done a good job, but *shrugs* tell me what you think so I know if I should re-write it or something. oh and in response to why I was using all the /blah/ things: I'm writting this all in HTML and fanfiction.net won't suport tags so I had to find a way to represent thought. I also used it as an emphsis in earlier chapters but this is what I've settled on:/blah/ is thought and *blah* is emphisis.(did I spell that right?) So there ya go. Any other questions. Always thanks to Jen for correcting all my little stories and just generally putting up with me.

Twelve: The Reunion

Harry had been upset all morning.

"He won't talk to me!" He exploded when he was finally alone with Severus that night.

"Maybe he has good reason not to." Severus suggested gently. Harry rounded on him.

"Are you saying he doesn't trust me...?! No, that's not fair, don't answer that." He sighed. "I just...he's in so much pain, and I want to help him, but I can't if he won't talk to me." Harry fell into a chair with a sigh. Severus could simpathize and gave the boy his moment of silence. He did seem to be a confident a lot lately. "I guess trust is just not something that comes easy with either of us, now is it?" He tried a weak smile, but it dissolved quickly. Severus was searching for something to say when the familiar sound of an owl tapping at his window shocked him out of his train of thought. Rolling his eyes he opened the window. The owl was the same one from the night before and it flew straight to the still open bag of owl treats while Severus read his letter.

"Severus, I assume you have Mr. Potter with you, so I've only sent one letter. Could you both hurry to my office please?" He read outloud. Harry laughed softly and shook his head. From Severus' expression and the owl's action he could tell this was a regular ritual. "Well, I suppose we best get going."

Dumbledore had the room set for five. Two of these seats were turned away from them and Dumbledore was visable in one across from the door.

"Ah there you two are. Please join us." He waved them over to the empty seats. As it was their nature both Harry and Severus moved catiously. Coming around to the front side of the chairs, they finally saw who was there.

"Remus! Sirius!" Harry exclaimed. Both stood and moved foreword to greet him with hugs and pats on the back. Severus simply stood and glared inbetween the two visitors and the headmaster.

"Oh look, if it isn't the dog and the warewolf. Who drug you two in from the garbage heep?" Severus sneered. Sirius tensed and rounded on the Slythrin House head. Seeing the emminent fight between the two, Harry stepped in between them.

"Stop it, both of you!" He snapped. The room fell into a shocked silence.

"My God, Harry! Where the hell did you get a command voice like that?!" Sirius asked in wonder.

"From teaching *your* class!" He stated, pointing a finger in Remus' face. "And now, since you're here, they're really your class again and I don't have to deal with them." He seemed pleased with himself and smiled broadly. Remus' returned it, however it was a very menicing smile like he was about to spring some unpleasent news on him.

"Sorry Harry, but they're still your class. I can't teach." Harry's smile immediatly turned into a glare that scared even Snape.

"What...?" He asked dillibratly. Remus recovered his momentum and smiled in the face of Harry's smoldering rage.

"You see, no one knows where myself or Sirius are. And it needs to stay that way. So for official records, I'm still off in God-only-knows-where-ville. And definitly not teaching." If possible, Harry's glare deepened. He dropped into a chair and simply glared at nothing in particular, but since he was sitting across from the headmaster, the full force of his not at all benevolent glower was trained on Albus Dumbledore.

"Now, Harry. Don't be cross, it's only a little over a semester after all." He pointed out. Harry finally released a heavy breath and slouched down in his chair, his glare evaporating. The rest of the small party took their seats at this point, mainly relaxed. If you could call tension so thick you could cut it with a knife 'relaxed'. "Severus, I know you don't appreciate me springing this on you, but you wouldn't have come if I'd told you they were here." Dumbledore said in the potion master's direction. Severus turned his trade-mark glare at Dumbledore.

"Now where ever would you get *that* idea?" He hissed. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Would you all at least try to be civil for christ's sake?!" he admonished, though he had a feeling it wouldn't do much good. Dumbledore ignored the tension in the room and continued.

"Remus and Sirius will be sharring quarters in the dungeons. Their location needs to remain secret if you catch my meaning." He looked dramatically in Severus direction, who pretended to ignore him. "Get used to it, Severus. You're going to be working together." The older wizard was obviously getting a bit fed up with their childish bickering and sounded very much annoyed. Severus eyes narrowed and though Sirius and Remus didn't exactly seem *pleased* they didn't look shocked.

"What do you mean, working together? You can barely keep us in the same room without going at eachother's throats and you want us to work together?! On what?!" Dumbledore sat quietly through Severus little fit, his eyes less sparkly than usual.

"You will be working together to discover a way to defeat Voldermort." He said simply, his tone matter-of-factly. Severus pursed his lips but said nothing. Eventually he turned his attention to Harry who was sitting on his right. Harry was slouched low in his chair and looked just as annoyed as Albus. He decided he would attempt to be civil, for Harry's sake /When did I start liking the boy so much?/ He sighed, forced his shoulders to relax and took a drink of his tea.

Sirius and Remus were both shifting anxiously in their seats. They alread knew all this, and wanted some 'one-on-two' time with Harry. Dumbledore seemed to sense this, and smiled in amusement.

"I can see that Sirius and Remus want to get away, but I have a few questions for Severus first." He turned to the potion's master. "How did the meeting with Lucius go?" He asked in a conversational manner, sipping his tea. Severus persed his lips, that same suspicious look returning to his face.

"He was remarkably...civil. Even for Lucius. He's up to something, I just can't figure out what." Harry noticed how Severus conviently left out Lucius desire to get to know Harry better.

"What did he want?"

"He wanted to take Draco home, as I'm sure you're aware."

"No," Dumbledore said, lifting his eyebrows slightly. "I wasn't aware. Draco left with him this morning then?" Severus nodded, still he left out the invite to the Malfoy annual Christmas party. Albus kept up mild small talk for a few more moments, before finally releasing everyone with a laugh. "You two just keep out of sight." He warned, waving a finger slightly and attempting to keep up a stern expression, but it faultered and he waved the younger men out of the room.

Harry waved goodbye to Severus as he was pulled enthusastically down the hall toward Sirius and Remus' shared quarters. Their room was not actually in the dungeons but the doors was, so three flights of stairs and two password incoded portraits later, he was in a large suite.

"So, how are you liking the teaching job?" As if abruptly reminded of something important, Harry rounded on the warewolf.

"You did this on purpose didn't you?! You weren't ever planning on teaching the class, were you?" Remus laughed wolfishly, his eyes twinking in the light of the fire Sirius had started upon entering the room. He nodded. Harry's glare deepened. "You wretched beast." He hissed. Remus smiled brighter.

"Damn right!" Harry followed him with his eyes as the warewolf circled him. He was so tense that he squeeked when Remus suddenly incircled him in his arms. "Getting jumpy, Harry. Have you missed me?" He asked nibbling on the younger man's ear. Out of reflex, Harry leaned his back to Remus shoulder, his eyes closed. Sirius chuckled softly.

"He does like to do that doesn't he?" He asked. Remus grinned, taking Harry's earlobe between his teeth and pulling lightly.

"Draco..." Harry whispered helplessly, lifting his arms to wrap around Draco's head. But something wasn't right, the hair under his fingers was too course, too mussed. He suddenly remember where he was and jerked out of his former lover's arms. Remus was blinking stupidly and Sirius was stone silent.

"Draco?" Remus questioned. Harry rubbed his ear softly and nodded. "You got to Malfoy did you? Well you really have slept with most of the school now haven't you?" The comment was made with an air of amusement, but there was an odd tone under it. Harry's eyes narrowed.

"No, I did not 'get to Malfoy'!" He snapped. Remus tipped his head to one side in that particular action that reminded Harry of a puppy. But he wasn't going to let it get to him. "It's not like that with Draco and I. Yah, it started out that way, but that's not all it is, okay?" He was glarring full forced to keep himself from trembling; he really hadn't want to bring up his relationship with Draco this way. Remus nodded, blinking furiously. Had it been anyone else, Harry might have thought Remus was trying to hold back tears. But he knew better; Remus was confused, curious and a little worried. Finally Remus sat down on the old couch, and patted the space next to him. Harry sighed and fell heavily next to his former lover.

"I never heard youo say anythign like that before. Even with me you were honest, 'it's just sex, attraction, and a little bit of affection. Don't read too much into it, Remus.'....so you're serious about Draco huh? Why him of all people?" Sirius had moved onto the couch and was leaning on his knees.

"You guys don't know him...no one does, I don't even think I do. But he's not what everyone thinks he is, he really isn't. Neither is Severus for that matter..." Sirius choked abruptly.

"You're sleeping with Snape!?" He bellowed. Harry rolled his eyes and sighed angrily.

"I am not sleeping with Severus! Just listen to me for a minute will ya'?!" He screamed back. Sirius sunk into the couch dejectedly and pouted at the fireplace. "You two of all people should know what it's like to be misunderstood for crying out loud!" Harry was off the couch now and had them both pinned with a menicing glare. "For the sake of all that's holy and otherwise! They are not the carefully crafted images you have them. They've both been misunderstood and they simply say and do nothing to the contrary." He dropped his shoulders and watched them sternly for a moment. They both looked severily chastized and ashamed. "Look, you two are going to be working in close quarters with Severus, try to get to know him. Wipe out everything you know of him and just try to put a new oppion together. It won't be easy, he doesn't just open up to everyone, but just try. I think you'd be surprised." Sirius and Remus exchanged glances, then in near unision, both nodded.

"I'm probably going to regret this..." Sirius muttered. After a few more tense moments, Harry lowered himself to the couch again. Sirius abruptly yawned and leaned his head on Remus' shoulder. Remus smiled softly and reached up to gently stroke Sirius' head. Harry could have sworn he heard the man purring.

"So you two finally got together, huh?" Harry asked, wondering at Remus' former actions but not really having the energy to ponder it at the moment. Remus only smiled and Sirius buried his nose further into Remus' shoulder. "I'll take that as a yes. How about we carry this on tomorrow; you both looked tired." He smiled and moved to stand up, but Remus caught him and pulled him into his lap. Sirius then wrapped an arm around his waist and held him firmly, but gently in place when he tried to get up. Remus was silent for a long time.

"Harry, I want to talk to you about Draco a little more later. But if you ever need anything-/anything/-we're here for you, okay?" Harry nodded and even allowed both to kiss him on the forehead before he slid of Remus lap and waved goodnight.

"You two get some sleep tonight." He winked and left taking the stair wells in a comtemplative silence.

I bet no body(except Jen because she's already read the next couple of chapters) can see where this is going! Well done with my taunting, how was it? I think I screwed the dialoges over, how about you?