Work Text:
When Remus asked Hope if Sirius could spend Christmas with them, she was happy to oblige. He rarely asked for anything, and she was just happy to have him home for the holidays, unlike the previous year. Lyall was less enthusiastic, given his (not unwarranted) prejudice against the Black family, but, as Hope reminded him, Sirius was no longer a part of that family and, as Remus’s friend, he was welcome in the Lupin household at any time.
Sirius arrived on the evening of December 21st, stumbling out of their fireplace a full hour before he was expected. Remus made a joke that only Sirius could understand and the two of them laughed as Remus brushed ashes off the back of Sirius’s coat. Hope made cod and chips for dinner, and although at the beginning of the meal Lyall and Sirius seemed a bit uncomfortable in each other’s presence, by the end, with the help of a little cider, everyone was more or less relaxed. The four of them retired to the sitting room to watch a bit of television, a favorite activity of Sirius’s from past visits (Hope couldn’t fathom why wizards thought themselves so superior when they didn’t even have television ).
Hope noticed right away that Remus and Sirius seemed closer than they had been in the past, but it took her another two days to figure out why. There wasn’t anything in particular that gave it away. But between Sirius following Remus around like a puppy and Remus smiling whenever Sirius talked, the pieces came together in her mind.
She had mixed feelings about it.
It wasn’t that she had anything against people that way inclined, and she’d wondered about Remus for a few years now, as he’d never mentioned a girlfriend (although, she’d thought perhaps that was just Remus being Remus, very private, even for a teenage boy). The problem was that life was already hard enough for her son, and this wasn’t going to make it any easier. People already had reasons to judge him unfairly. But to hell with those people; Hope wasn’t going to be one of them.
It bothered her that Remus didn’t feel comfortable sharing this with her. Sometimes she felt that she knew very little of what was happening in his life. But maybe bringing Sirius home for the holidays was Remus’s way of telling her.
More than anything, though, she was overwhelmingly gratified to see Remus looking happier than he had in years.
On Christmas Eve, Remus came downstairs around eleven in the morning, while Hope was washing the dishes from breakfast. Lyall was out doing some last minute grocery shopping and Sirius was exploring Cambridge by himself.
“G’morning,” he said, pulling out a chair at the kitchen table.
“Morning, love. Can I fix you something to eat?”
“No, that’s alright. I’ll make something for myself in a little while.” After taking a glance at the local paper, Remus got up and put the kettle on the stove. Hope took pride in the fact that he still did some things her way, even though he had magic at his fingertips.
When Remus had a hot cup of tea on the table in front of him, he asked her if she’d seen Sirius.
Hope smiled. “He went for a walk.” She wiped her hands on a towel and began drying the clean dishes.
“Only he would, in this weather,” Remus said, shaking his head. It was raining and Hope wouldn’t be surprised if it turned to sleet before the day was out.
“So,” she began, wondering how to phrase this. It was probably best to be direct. Hope set down the pan she had just dried, about to face Remus, but then picked it up and changed her mind. She hung the pan on its hook by the stove, deciding on a casual approach, and asked, “Are you and Sirius together?”
Remus didn’t say anything.
Hope turned around to look at him. He was staring at his tightly-clasped hands which rested atop the table. His wide eyes met hers for a moment and he nodded once.
Hope was about to say, “Good for you, he’s quite a looker,” or something along those lines, but Remus spoke first.
“I’m sorry, Mum,” he said, directing his apology to the mug in front of him. His voice was strained. “I know it’s bad enough to have a werewolf as a son without him also being queer, but I… well, this is just who I am.” There was the slightest touch of defiance in his tone that disappeared with the next sentence. “I’m sorry if I’ve let you down.”
Hope felt an ache in the back of her throat. “Oh, Remus.” She walked over to the table, sat in the chair next to him, and placed both of her hands over his. “I have always been proud to have you as my son. More so every year as you grow into the person you are becoming. This doesn’t change that.”
Remus blinked rapidly. “Really?” His voice cracked in a way it hadn’t since he was thirteen years old.
“Of course.”
Remus leaned forward and hugged her tightly. Nothing and no one could ever take away her love for him.
“Thank you,” Remus said quietly, and then pulled away and wiped under his eye with the back of his hand.
Hope smiled and pressed a kiss to his forehead.
“Don’t tell dad,” he said, looking to the doorway as if he expected his father to materialize there.
“Okay, I’ll let you do that,” she said lightly.
“Hm.” Remus picked at the sleeve of his jumper. “I don’t think he’d react quite as well as you.”
“Well,” she said, tapping his hand so that he’d leave the loose thread alone, “he might be a bit surprised, but he loves you just as much as I do. We want you to be happy and well. That’s all that really matters.”
Remus chewed his lip and then smiled like he wasn’t quite sure what to do with himself. “Well. I am happy. I don’t know what I’m doing,” he shrugged, “but I’m happy.”
Hope beamed at him. Sometimes the best things in life are unexpected.
Perhaps sensing that some questions were forthcoming, such as how long they’d been together and whether or not they were being safe, Remus excused himself to go find Sirius. On his way out of the room, he turned back and gave her a look that radiated pure joy.
“Don’t stay out long - you’ll catch a cold!” she shouted as he bustled about in the sitting room, hopefully dressing properly for the weather.
“Alright, Mum!”
The front door opened, permitting the sound of rain for a moment, and then shut.
Hope resumed drying the dishes.
God help Sirius Black if he hurt Remus in any way: he would feel the unbridled wrath of Hope Lupin. He might be a wizard, but she was a mother.