"Papers?"

Remus put the paperwork onto the counter and watched the wizard inspect his identification and the freshly signed paperwork that Tina had gotten drawn up by her old offices at MACUSA, giving Remus Lupin clearance to disapparate internationally using side along with a minor. Bradley hovered at Remus's elbow, looking around at the crowd of witches and wizards coming in and going out from all over the world. Remus held Newt Scamander's suitcase in one fist and Bradley's hand in the other.

"You're British. Where are your entry papers?" asked the wizard, looking up from the pile Remus had already given him.

"We came through Greenland when we entered," Remus answered, "With Newt Scamander. He has special clearance. We were picking up a creature in Newfoundland on the way to New York City. If you see here on the back of this one here, you'll find his clearance identification and he signed off for me..." Remus turned one of the sheets over.

"Yes, I see," mused the wizard.

Remus's hand had shook just slightly pointing at the blank sheet that Newt had promised him would show whatever he said it would show when the time came. But the wizard never batted an eye, simply nodded and shuffled the papers back together before handing them to Remus. "Alright, on you go then. You'll wait in line over there 'til you're called..." He waved Remus and Bradley off, then motioned for the next wizard in line to approach his desk.

Remus and Bradley hurried to a cluster of people waiting by one of the wide gaps in Lady Liberty's crown - the arrival and departure point in Manhattan for the International Disapparation line.

"This is so cool," Bradley was gushing. "I've never done it by side along before. Usually I'm in the case. Do you think we might see some like sea serpents or sharks or something?"

"Why on earth would we see sea serpents and sharks?" Remus asked, looking at him curiously.

"Well, we're going over the ocean aren't we?" Bradley asked.

Remus chuckled, "Yes, but we're disapparating. We'll only see glimpses of the check points along the way."

"Oh," Bradley said in a disappointed tone.

"Maybe there will be some in the water around the check points," Remus said.

They were in line for a time, waiting for a large family disapparating in from Greece with at least fifteen people in their group, and then a family wearing traditional hijabs on their way to Iraq, right behind a wizard in a kilt, dragging behind him a great big hairy-looking cow.

"I feel so boring," Bradley said. "We should've brought one of the creatures on a leash. Maybe one of the occamies."

"I'm nervous enough trying to side-along you, not to mention an occamey, too," Remus said.

"Is it hard to disapparate?" Bradley asked.

"It takes a lot of concentration," Remus answered.

They were finally next up and Remus grabbed onto Bradley's hand and they walked up to the hoop that lay on the floor, marking the disapparation point. "Hold on tight," Remus said, taking a deep breath. He felt Bradley's fingers tighten on his and he closed his eyes and concentrated --

CRACK!

They'd reached the second point, took a couple steps to the next hoop, and --

CRACK!

Third point - somewhere mid-Atlantic --

CRACK!

Remus looked over at Bradley, whose eyes were wide and face flushed. "Do you need a break?"

"I'm alright," Bradley replied.

"Alright, two more and we'll be in London."

"Alright."

CRACK!

"Last one!"

CRACK!

They stepped out on the other end, stumbling through a tiled room full of hoops.

"Welcome ter London, mind the gap!" called a tinny voice and Remus carefully manuevered Bradley 'round a gap between the hoops, leading the way across the room to a small booth. They got inside and the booth raised them up, opening like an elevator at ground level in King's Cross Station. There was a great deal of hustle and bustle, people running every which way and trains whistling from the Platforms. Remus smiled - he missed King's Cross. It reminded him of going home to Hogwarts and he breathed deeply the smell of the train exhaust, people, and food that made up the station's unique scent.

"Wow cool," Bradley said, looking around as Remus directed him through to the doors that led out into the courtyard. He stared up at the pretty glass ceilings.

Outside, London was hot and overcast, so the air was thick like soup and Remus paused to take off his jumper, folding it over his arm while Bradley jumped up onto a low stone wall and chased after a pigeon.

"Remus?"

He looked 'round and saw Marlene McKinnon coming across the courtyard outside of the station, parting away from her siblings. Remus only knew that's who it was because he spotted her sister, Annalee, who he knew, and another sibling - an older brother with a bushel of blonde hair that was the precise color and texture of Marlene's, the sort of hair that your hand tingles to run through just to see what it feels like.

"Oh hi Marlene. Hi Annalee - and --" he offered his hand to the boy, "I'm Remus, I've not met you before?"

"Archie," the boy said, and he shook Remus's hand then pulled him into a hug so their chests's banged together and he patted Rey's back like old friends.

"Stop attacking him, my God Archie, you have no boundaries." Annalee rolled her eyes. She had on a pressed grey skirt and blazer with twenty-eight buttons and a dark purple scarf tied smartly around her neck, purple high heels, and purple-rimmed glasses. "How've you been Remus?" she asked, smiling.

"I'm alright," Remus answered. "You work for the Ministry?"

"Yes," Annalee smiled, "Newly promoted. Secretary Assistant to the Junior Minister."

"Very cool," Remus had no idea what exactly that entailed but it sounded very official and Annalee looked proud of the title.

"She fetches lunch for the Minister's intern is what she means by it," Marlene said, as though reading Remus's mind.

Annalee flushed, "But I work in the Minister's office."

"Does he know your name?" Marlene teased.

"Shut up, Marly," Annalee replied. She looked at Remus, "She doesn't understand what it's like working in politics."

"But I do understand clothes - will you look at her? How perfectly did I fit her skirt, huh?" Marlene waved at Annalee's skirt.

"Ugh, Remus doesn't want to look at my skirt," Annalee groaned.

"It looks very lovely, rather," Remus answered.

"Gays know how to tell fashion, Annalee," Marlene said primly. "Isn't that right, Remmy?"

"Well, I reckon Sirius is a good deal better at it than I am, but -- wait a second. BRADLEY! Get off that. Get over here!"

Bradley had climbed up onto the plinth of a statue in the courtyard and looked over his shoulder at Remus, flushed, then leaped down to the ground and came streaking back to Remus's side all breathless.

Marlene looked at Bradley, then back to Remus, "What's this?"

"I'm Bradley Scamander," Bradley answered.

"Oh!" Marlene smiled, "Hi Bradley. I've heard about you loads."

"Who are you?" Bradley asked.

"Remus's friend," she answered, "My name's Marlene."

"Oh. I haven't heard about you," Bradley said and Marlene laughed.

"Alright, honesty, I dig it kid," Archie said, and he offered Bradley a high-five, which Bradley had to jump to make.

"Where are you lot off to?" Remus asked.

"I'm off to work, actually," Annalee said, glancing at her watch. "You lot be good, especially you Archie... Nice seeing you again Remus, nice meeting you Rodney. Oh and Marly - let me know how your date goes tonight."

"Yeah, I will..." Marlene flushed and waved as Annalee left.

"Rodney?" said Bradley, looking after her.

"Annalee's dumb," Archie said, shrugging.

Bradley laughed.

Marlene turned to Remus, and lowered her voice as Bradley and Archie started talking. "How's Sirius?  Alice told me about what happened. About Frank having to arrest him."

Remus's face flushed. "Honestly, you likely know more than I do at the moment. I haven't been at home."

"Right, I heard about that too, that there was a rumor - you poor thing - you must've been positively horrified. What a rumor to start! Sirius is such an idiot sometimes. It's a good thing he's cute. I swear. But I mean, it's easy enough disproving something like that, quick blood test and voila you're clear, right?"

"Yeah. Quick blood test." Remus nodded, then, to change the subject, "You've a date?"

"Yeah, tonight," Marlene flushed, eyes darting meaningfully to Archie.

Remus glanced at Archie, then back to Marlene, "Anyone I know?" he asked.

Marlene shook her head.

"Still broken up with...?"

"Yeah." Marlene answered.

"I'm sorry."

"Me, too, but hey maybe tonight will make it all better." Marlene smiled. She took a deep breath, then, "Well, tell Sirius to stop being stupid because he probably looks awful in stripes - he's no Elvis Presley."

"I'll tell him," Remus laughed.

"Nice meeting you Bradley," Marlene said, "C'mon loser, let's go," she said to Archie.

"Bye," Archie said, waving to Remus and Bradley, and the pair of them walked off, leaving Remus and Bradley to head off to the underground station that would bring them on to Waterloo, where they'd walk to the Flat in East London from.

As they neared the flat, Remus started getting nerovus and his palms started sweating. What would Sirius have to say? What did he, Remus, have to say to Sirius? What a big proper mess everything was and his face started to burn with anxiety when he saw the curry shop up ahead and he and Bradley started up the steps to the door of the flat, his stomach churning with nervousness.

"Here we go," Remus said, and he opened the door, letting Bradley in first.

They were instantly accosted with very loud music.

The record player was blaring and Bradley covered his ears, turning to look at Remus as he stopped just inside the doorway. Remus put Newt's suitcase down carefully, walking into the living room, looking about for Sirius. Remus waved his wand, lifting the needle off the vinyl. "Sirius?" he called out. The record player was on the coffee table.

There was a pause and then there he was in the door of the kitchen, hair a mess, wearing pyjama bottoms only, holding a whole bottle of orange juice, wand tucked over one ear. He stared at Remus a moment, then looked at Bradley, then back to Sirius. His nose was flaring and he looked lost, like he wasn't sure what to say or at very least how to say what he wanted to.

Remus took a deep breath, "Hey you."

Sirius took a timid step forward, shuffling on his stocking-covered feet.

Bradley looked between them, "Hey," he interjected.
Sirius looked at Bradley again.

Remus cleared his throat. "Anyone like some tea?"

"I'd rather cocoa," Bradley said.

"It won't be as good as Tina's," Remus warned, "But few cocoa recipes are." He waved for Bradley to follow him, then led the way to the kitchen, Sirius turning to let them pass and then ducking back in behind them, eyes following Remus's every move as Remus waved for mugs to fly down from the cupboard - a mixture of patterns between his own and Sirius's came floating onto the table - and Bradley watched as another couple flicks had the stove lit, a kettle of water on, and a small sauce pan from the cupboard as Remus pulled open the fridge for the milk and cocoa powder.

"Tea, Sirius?" Remus asked.

Sirius nodded.

Remus got two bags from the caddy as Bradley climbed onto one of the chairs. "Here's some biscuits, Bee," Remus said, handing Bradley a tin.
"What's going on?" Sirius asked, and Remus could tell from the look on his face Sirius meant why was Bradley there and was Remus still mad at him - both at the same time and with equal amount of confusion and worry.

Remus opened his mouth to answer, but it was precisely then that there was a loud crash in the living room and Sirius turned to look out and see what happened.

"Oh bloody hell - you brought the Niffler here?!" came Sirius's voice.