Remus was absolutely appalled at the events Sirius had regaled, once he had managed to calm down enough to speak through the tears. The hysterics picked back up once he had finished and the disgusted look on Remus disappeared into Sirius' hair. The taller boy had enveloped his boyfriend into another embrace.

"That fucking bitch!" James punched the wall behind him. 

"James, while we share the sentiment, please don't speak like that," Euphemia Potter spoke softly. "Sirius, darling, you know you've always been welcomed here. You can stay in James room. We still have the bed you used last summer. You don't ever have to go back." Sirius cried even harder, as impossible as it seemed as he hugged the gentle woman who appeared to be saving him.

"Mom, dad, can Remus stay the night? I think it'd be good for Sirius. He always likes Remus best when he's upset." James surprised everyone with his thoughtful observations.

"As long as Lyall is ok with it," was all Fleamont responded with.

After a small argument between Remus and his mother, wherein his mother relented, Remus had gotten his parents' permission to stay the night. Sirius spent the rest of the night clung to Remus. Remus was very patient and compassionate. He managed to get Sirius to eat some toast and drink some water. James had extended Sirius' bed to fit both the boys. 

Remus was laying in bed reading a book. Sirius had cried himself to sleep in Remus' lap. James sat across the room, polishing his broom. Neither knew what to say. Nothing seemed appropriate, the events of the day too severe for words. Sirius began to stir in his sleep, his face pinched in discomfort and fear. When a groan escaped his mouth, James looked up in concern and Remus began stroking the boy's hair. 

"He's not ok." It wasn't a question, but a sad observation, James wished he had helped his best friend sooner. 

"This is my fault. He said he had a bad feeling about going back, and I told him he was going to be ok. I failed him, James. I wasn't able to protect him, and I should have. Someone should have." The words dripped with sadness and guilt. James, abandoning his broom, crawled into the bed beside the other two boys. Remus rested his head on his friend's shoulder, accepting the support.

"We both did, Remus. I should have asked him to come here sooner. We both knew how his parents are. But they won't get a chance to do this again. I won't let him go back. My mum won't let him go back. You know what he said when I found him? He said he'd rather die than go home. I knew it was bad when it was Regulus who sent me a message, he never speaks to us, but I never imagined it was this bad. Do you think he will ever be ok again?" James' voice started to waver as if he was holding back tears.

"I don't know, James, I don't know. All we can do is be here for him." Remus just looked wistfully at the sleeping boy in his lap. After a long, sad silence, the other two boys also fell asleep. When Euphemia went to wake the boys for breakfast, she found all three sleeping tightly in the same bed, Sirius clinging to Remus and back to back with her own son. She decided that last night had earned them a lie in, and exited the room silently. The three continued to sleep peacefully, comforted by the presence of each other.