InsaneJournal

The Triad Series (1/?) - Snape/Sirius/Remus
First Posted: 02-23-2007

Title: The Triad Series: Episode 1 – Introductions (1/?)
Author: Rain ( iheartbowie )
Rating: PG-13/R for mentions of off screen dirtiness
Word Count: 2149
Summary: “Welcome to Triad Books!” An AU that finds our favorite adults in a muggle life. (Snape/Black/Lupin)
Authors Notes: So I begin yet another large adventure into the unknown. Always gotta be doing something big. Who needs small stuff? ^_^;;; This is intended to be an open ended series which will contain an unknown amount of “Episodes.” Each episode will most like center around this trio, however as I go along, I’m certain that more than a few other characters will also put in an appearance. This is meant to be something light and fun for me to work on when writing gets slow. I figured that this would be a good starting point for things.
Mucho thank you to my beta, greenwyvern. She’s super cool and actually volunteered to do this often for me! *gasp!*
(Also…this isn’t exactly Snape and Lupin on the motorbike, but it’s not that bad is it? For _lore who was kind enough to sponsor me for hpqfac.)




“I don’t know how you find the time to actually cook for us, when you’re with me at the store all day long,” Sirius commented, standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

Remus collected plates and silverware, before handing them to Sirius. “I make the time,” he said with a smile.

Sirius grinned and kissed Remus’s cheek briefly before setting the table. “Well it certainly smells amazing,” he said. “What do we get tonight?”

“I’ve got a pot roast, potatoes and some vegetables,” Remus said, starting to put everything into serving dishes. “There is more than enough for you to take some with you to work tomorrow.”

“Wonderful!” Sirius exclaimed. He headed to the fridge to pull out drinks for everyone. A bottle of clear soda and the last of the wine made their way to the table to sit beside the salt and pepper. “Is Severus still locked up in his dungeon?”

Remus rolled his eyes. “He’s in his office, yes.”

“Well if he didn’t keep it so dark in there, you might notice the difference,” Sirius teased. “I’ll go collect him for you.”

Sirius turned and headed down the hallway towards the small office that had been set aside as Severus’s. Sirius knocked briefly before opening the door and heading in.

“Helloooo?” Sirius called as he made his way to the desk. As he had said, the room was kept fairly dark. The curtains were thick and closed over the only window. The only light came from the lamp that lit the entire desk. Severus was seated behind the desk, hunched over his figures and books.

He looked up at Sirius and rubbed at his temple unconsciously. “Ah, it is time for dinner I take it,” he said.

Sirius came up behind Severus, reaching out for his shoulders and beginning to massage them. “Soon enough. What have you been working on this time?”

Severus relaxed under Sirius’s hands easily and leaned back in his chair. “It’s tax season. I’m always swamped at this time of year,” he said.

Sirius worked through a particularly difficult spot at the base of Severus’s neck. “Well, try to come to bed at a reasonable hour tonight. I’m sure we can help make you feel better,” he offered with a faint grin.

“If I knew that I would not have more work waiting for me tomorrow I would be more eager to take you up on that offer,” Snape said.

“Do you need any help with all of this stuff?” Sirius asked. “I’m no math wiz, but I’m sure I can use a calculator and fill in the blanks.”

“Perhaps, if things get worse, but I am certain that I can handle things adequately at the moment,” Severus insisted.

“All right. If you say so,” Sirius said. “Come on. Eat dinner and then come back and work on this some more. They can’t give you more work while you’re eating.”

*

Dinner at Brookwood was always an enjoyable affair. The three men that shared the house together conversed and ate. The work was always shared between them. Sirius or Remus would cook the meals; Severus usually tided up the kitchen and cleared away the dishes with the help of whoever did not cook. On the more pleasant occasions, they would move to the living room or sit outside and while away the remainder of their evening.

This particular evening was left to Sirius and Remus alone, however, as Severus retreated once more to his office. Sirius tuned the radio to a light jazz station and they curled up together on the sofa with books to read. Sirius lay with his head in Remus’s lap, which allowed Remus greater opportunity for petting him and running his fingers through his hair, Sirius felt.

Remus headed up to bed first, wanting to run through his nightly routine. Sirius wandered back to Severus’s office to attempt to collect him. He was in the exact same position that Sirius had found him in earlier.

“It’s after midnight,” Sirius said. “You should come up to bed. You’ll be able to work better once you’ve rested.”

Severus sighed. “All right.”

Sirius rewarded him with a kiss, threading his fingers into Severus’s dark hair. He gave Severus a warm smile. “I’ll tuck you into bed,” he promised. It only made Severus shake his head in faint amusement.

Remus was already laying in bed reading. He didn’t look up as they headed to the bathroom to handle their own evening routines. Severus trudged back to the bed they shared and slipped under the blankets. He shifted until he was comfortably pressed against Remus’s side, letting his eyes fall closed tiredly.

Sirius came out a few moments later, tossing his clothing in the hamper. He slipped into bed behind Severus and Remus took that as his cue to put aside the book and turn off the lights. Both men turned to Severus, wrapping arms and legs around him. Sirius ran his hands down Severus’s front, holding him from behind.

“Just relax and leave everything to us, Sev…”

*

“Welcome to Triad Books!”

It was a familiar call, one called out several times a day in the cozy book shop in the downtown area. The store was one of many small businesses, as the area was known for keeping out large corporate chain stores. Everyone that visited the store agreed that it was much more comfortable in Triad Books than any of the large corporate owned chains.

While the owners of the store were not natives to the town, they were still certainly welcome. Mr. Black arrived first every morning with a loud roar of his motorcycle. He was always chipper and eager to begin his day, even when the sun had not made its way over the horizon. He would get everything ready for the store to open. There was always paperwork and coffee to make.

The store offered drinks and some small snacks in order to draw in more customers to sit down and make themselves at home. Sirius had reasoned that if he had the choice between a library and a store for reading, he would pick the store because they would not give him so much grief for having his tea while he read. Having the store sell the tea was even better.

Sirius Black was in charge of the floor at the store. He could find anything you could possibly want in the store and still recommend at least five more options that would have you ready to drop everything and just enjoy. He worked well with customers and was fairly good at defusing any problems that arose with them. He knew all of the regulars by name and favorite book, and would often have what they wanted pulled aside before they even arrived.

The store opened at nine every day. The first hour was fairly quiet unless it was a book release day. Remus would arrive at the shop at ten and man the small café for the remainder of the day. When he was not keeping the café in “ship shape,” he was the events coordinator for the store. He arranged the book signings, book club meetings, and any other events that the local townspeople were interested in having.

Remus was more of a behind the scenes kind of person. He handled all of the marketing and coordinated with their outside vender on the general maintenance of their website. They were a mildly popular source of books on the internet because of their somewhat eclectic selection and less corporate nature.

The daily running of the store was always an interesting adventure. Whether it was a slow business day or a madhouse of people clambering to get their hands on the copy of the newest book by so-and-so, there was always a story to be told at the end of the day.

In most cases they would have a story to tell Severus by the time that he arrived at the store at precisely 3 pm every day. Severus was their bookkeeper and preferred to spend as little time at the store as possible. While he enjoyed the store for its literary purpose, he found the constant movement and noise to be distracting. Not to mention the sight of Remus bent over the oven could often prevent Severus from completing any work for hours. This would lead to a tremendous amount of trouble with Sirius at the end of the day, when he was furious for being left alone to tend the whole store.

So Severus usually slipped quickly into the backroom to take care of the paperwork and ensured that all of their records were properly entered into their accounting system. It was not an overly difficult job. Sirius and Remus were good about keeping everything neat and together (for the most part.) Although there was one instance of a series of chocolate pudding covered receipts that were extremely difficult to read. Sirius claimed to have no idea how they came to be that way.

Severus would sit hunched over his desk in the backroom punching numbers madly into his calculator until he was satisfied that everything had been taken care of. Sirius or Remus would stop to bring him tea and chat with him briefly before returning to their work. At no later than 5:30 pm, Severus would get back into his car and return home. He always had more work to do.

Severus was a private accountant and did the books for many of the small businesses and wealthy residents of the town. He worked well with numbers, much more so than he did with people. Strangely though, his clients seemed to prefer his stiff and sometimes gruff behavior. It gave them the impression that he was going to be just as stiff and stringent with their money.

He worked from home, and the peaceful quiet of the house helped him get his work done. On occasion, Severus would need to travel to the office or the home of one of his clients. For the most part he liked the distance that he could place between himself and his clients. If they needed something, they would call or send him a package of receipts or other notices for him to go through.

The bookstore closed at 6 pm daily. It could stay open longer, but Sirius and Remus knew that they would have to hire more help to do so. They wouldn’t be able to handle working from store open to close as they did if it stayed open late. They returned home and took to cooking and enjoying the remainder of the evening together.

*

After 2 am, Severus came out of his office. He had once again been busy in his office all day long. Tax season was beginning to wear on him and he was grateful that he had nearly finished everything that he had been given.

Severus was surprised that he was allowed to remain undisturbed for so long. It was an uncommon occurrence, as Sirius preferred to drag him to bed at a more reasonable hour. He stepped into the living room briefly as he noticed a light on. There was the sound of light snoring and Severus looked over the back of the sofa to see Sirius asleep, sprawled across the sofa. It became apparent that this was why he had been left alone for so long.

Severus slipped around the sofa, looking down at Sirius fondly. He shook his head wondering, not for the first time, why it was that Sirius was more like a dog than a man sometimes. His unfailing loyalty was surprising and more than slightly endearing.

“He said he didn’t want to let you go to bed alone.”

Remus slipped behind Severus, wrapping his arms loosely around his waist. He looked tired and had most likely woken at the sound of the door opening and closing. Remus woke easily at the slightest noise.

“He did not have to go to such great lengths. He needs to be at the store in the morning,” Severus replied.

“Oh you know how Sirius is…” Remus said. He pressed his face into Severus’s back and smiled.

“Yes…” Severus let out a faint sigh. “Go back to bed. We’ll be up in a moment.”

Remus pulled back, pausing only to press a short kiss to his cheek. “Don’t be too long.” He turned and headed up to their bed.

Now alone with the still snoring man, Severus knelt down beside the sofa. He ran a hand through Sirius’s hair lightly. It was hard not to be grateful to the two men that shared his life. He had a great deal of freedom, but at the same time they were never far off if he should need them.

“Wake up Sirius. It’s time for us to go to bed.”