Waiting For Merlin [Remus/Sirius]

Title:Waiting For Merlin
Author: batmanboxers [Sarah]
Pairing: Remus Lupin/Sirius Black
Rating: PG
POV: Third
Summary: “The tree, us two, waiting all day, you quoting Beckett,” Remus replied, annunciating each word with a flail of his hands.
Disclaimer: This is not mine, if it were Prisoner of Azkaban would have been much different.
Author Notes:Written for the barefootboys august 19th prompt. Dedicated to xrainbowcloud in the hope it cheers her up.

We are all born mad. Some remain so.
-Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot

Waiting for Merlin

Pink light seeped through his fingers as he did his best to shield his eyes from the harsh sun. Slow footsteps crunched gravel to his right as Sirius paced back and forth. Remus didn’t have to see to know that Sirius was impatient, bored, and frustrated.

“Moony, we’ve been here for hours, I don’t think he’s coming,” Sirius stated breaking the unearthly silence that had descended on the two.

“He’s coming.” Remus replied with his hands still clapped over his eyes.

“How do you know?”

“Dumbledore said he’d be here” Remus answered with a small shrug and turned his gaze to Sirius, “Padfoot, stop worrying. He’ll be here soon enough, we’ll get what we need and before you know it we’ll be back home.”

“But are you sure Dumbledore said to meet him here today?”

“Yes,” came the exasperated reply, “look, I got the owl this morning, they said to meet him here at this exact spot.”

“I know Remus, but can we seriously trust someone whose codename is Merlin? Sounds like a bit of an arrogant prick, doesn’t he?”

“This is why you should let me do the talking” Remus suggested, shielding his eyes once more so that he could stare down the empty road. Sirius gave a huff of a sigh and resumed his pacing, pausing every so often to check his watch. Remus hummed tunelessly under his breath and kept time to Sirius’ march. They’d been here for ages, simply sitting by the side of the road, waiting for Dumbledore’s ‘friend’. Remus wasn’t sure exactly what it is they were here for, something very important he assumed.

Sirius was still pacing the roadside, kicking up dust as he walked. Remus wrinkled his nose, trying to fight the oncoming sneeze. His gaze turned to the tree just off to the west of the pair, he’d not given it much thought until now, not really noticed it. It was a sloping, withering mess, dead. Remus wasn’t exactly sure why the tree felt important to him, but something was there, tickling his subconscious. He rolled his shoulders before leaning back, angling his face to the sun.

Sirius stopped pacing suddenly and stretched his back, popping several joints in the process,

“Man, I’d kill for my bed right now,” he moaned, flopping down beside Remus and sending up another cloud of sand and dust. Remus sneezed violently and Sirius looked at him with wide eyes.

“Bless you!”

Remus inclined his head in thanks before asking, “May one enquire where His Highness spent the night?”

“In a ditch,” Sirius replied cynical but with a small smile at the corner of his mouth.

“What were you doing in a ditch?” Remus asked incredulously.

“I got into a rather rousing debate with Lucius Malfoy.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, obviously my mere presence in this world is an insult to everyone and Lucius has taken it to be his personal responsibility to snuff me out.”

“He’s a smarmy bastard Pads, I hope you broke his nose.” Remus replied vehemently.

“And a couple of fingers,” Sirius replied proudly.

“So you slept in a ditch?” Remus asked concern evident in his voice.

“Yeah, don’t worry though, I was quite unconscious, I didn’t notice the various health risks until I woke up.”

“Oh, Padfoot.” Remus murmured and they both lapsed into a contemplative silence. They both knew that these wouldn’t be random occurrences for much longer, the sides were dividing, and war was on the horizon. That’s why they were here, Remus mused, and doing anything they could to give Dumbledore the upper hand. It was just as important now that they knew Lily was to have a baby; they all had a reason to make the future a safe place.

“Hey, is that him?” Sirius asked, jumping to his feet and pointing to the horizon.

“Where?” Remus queried, rising more slowly, bones aching and stiff. Sirius looked at him with worry before offering him his arm.

“Y’know, one day you’ll be nothing more than a little heap of bones. I wish you’d let me help you.”

“I don’t see anyone Sirius.” Remus stated, ignoring Sirius’ statement and looking off in to the setting sun.

“I imagined…” Sirius murmured, “For a second.”

“It’s alright, it’s late.” Remus stated quietly.

“Are you certain it was here?”

“Nothing is certain when you’re about.” Remus answered as he sank to the floor, “Dumbledore gave me these exact coordinates, it’s the right place.”

“But the right day?”

“Yes Sirius, the right day.”

“I feel about as dead as that tree,” Sirius commented, nodding towards the black withered bundle of branches.

“Yeah, well at least we have each other,” Remus mumbled, fanning his face lazily. The heat was now at an unbearable temperature and he felt as though his skin was bubbling and burning.

“What kind of hippy malarkey is that?” Sirius questioned, looking alarmed.

“I must be going mad.”

“Y’can’t be, we’re all born mad anyways.” Sirius stated, clapping Remus’ shoulder in sympathy. Remus’ head shot up and he glanced quickly from the tree to the road and back to Sirius.

“That’s just too fucking surreal.”

“What is?” Sirius asked.

“The tree, us two, waiting all day, you quoting Beckett,” Remus replied, annunciating each word with a flail of his hands.

“Who?”

“Beckett?”

“Never heard of him.”

“You’ve never heard of…?” Remus asked dubiously, “Oh forget it, I forgot who I was talking to.”

“Who’s that?” Sirius asked, directing Remus’ attention to a small figure making his way towards them. The boy walked cautiously up to them, as if the existence of two adult wizards was the most frightening thing in the world.

“I’ve a message from Mister Merlin sir,” the boy told Sirius and Remus gave a short, stiff laugh.

“’Course you do,” he stated sardonically and Sirius shot him a quizzical look.

“He’s not to come today.”

“But he’ll come tomorrow?” Remus asked wearily, running a hand through his greying hair.

“Surely.”

“Right, well, see you tomorrow then.” Remus replied, rising from the floor and pulling Sirius with him.

“Why isn’t he coming today?” Sirius asked in confusion, “will he really come tomorrow?”

“I seem to be caught in a very bad dream Sirius, be a lad and burn all my books for me, would you?”