#<- same with marlene and dorcas but rather that they don't want to be around sirius and james 24/7 and don't like kids

[enbysiriusblack]

personally i think sirius should live with james, lily and hari.

[emswritings]

Summertime!

Synopsis: you get to spend the summer with evan and barty

Wordcount: 1.4 k

Tags: fluff, poly!rosekiller x fem reader, potter!reader

Authors note: this could be read as a part two to pandoras friend, or it could be read by itself

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This could potentially be a very bad idea. Maybe inviting some of your brother's rivals over to your house for the summer wasn't the smartest idea on the planet. But you asked your parents and they agreed, knowing they probably had a bad home life. So you went up to Pandora, Evan and Barty the next day to ask them. You’d ask Dorcas, but she’s already talking about how Marlene told her to move in with her family, whose house is right across the street from yours. 

Sitting down at the table, you say, “you know how summer’s coming up?” Evan raises an eyebrow at your(seemingly stupid) question, but responds, “yes babe, I think we are all well aware of that fact.”

Your face reddens, but you try to continue like nothing happened, so you say, “well, I talked to my parents, and we wanted to officially invite you to the potter manner for summer break. If you want to come, that is.”

Barty’s staring at you with his mouth open and Evan and Pandora have matching looks of confusion on their faces, so you take it as a sign to keep talking. 

“It’s just, you shouldn't have to stay with your wretched parents, and we have plenty of room at our house. Plus, Regulus is living with us! Not to mention the fact that Cassie’s staying right across the street all summer, so you would still get to see everyone. Of course, if you’d rather stay with your families, I respect that, I just want to put the offer out.” You're aware that you're rambling, but none of their faces have changed, so you keep talking until Barty literally puts his hand over your mouth to shut you up.

“Now that you're quiet, I would love to spend the summer with you, and I’m sure Dora and Evan would too,” you both look over at the twins, then. You with Barty's hand still on your mouth and Barty with an almost expectant look on his face.

“You can count us in,” Pandora smiles. 

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Although you had told James that they were staying for the summer, he didn't necessarily believe it.  At least, not until they were standing with you, James, Sirius and Regulus while you tried to find your parents in the large crowd.

“Why do they have to join us for the summer again? I thought this was supposed to be a time for relaxing,” James whined to you. 

“For the same reason Sirius and Regulus stay with us. I care about them and don't want them to have to go back to their parents,” you explained to him for what felt like the hundredth time.

“You realize they are standing right there right?” Regulus asks, pointing back to Barty, Evan and Pandora. You smile back at them (specifically Barty and Evan, but they don't need to know that), and apologize for your behavior when Sirius spots your mum and dad.

“Effie! Monty!” He shouts, running up to them and hugging them. Your parents laugh, but hug him back nonetheless.

“Hi hun, how was school?” Your mum asks, pulling back. Sirius rolls his eyes with a smile and responds by saying, “they better be glad that it's summer now.”

You’ve now all caught up to Sirius, and are standing around, waiting for your turn to get a hug. 

Yawning, you lean back a little, resting more weight onto your ankles, and you hit someone's chest. Barty smiles down at you, wrapping an arm around your shoulders and twirling your hair. You laugh softly, and lean into him some more.

“And you three must be y/n’s friend,” your dad, Fleamont, says, turning his attention from James, Sirius and Regulus to you, Pandora, Evan and Barty.

“Yes sir, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Evan says, holding his hand out to shake. 

Fleamont laughs and shakes his head, “there’s no need for you to call me sir, just call me Monty. And which one are you?”

“Uh- I’m Evan Rosier, this is my twin Pandora Rosier,” Evan says somewhat awkwardly, pointing to him and Pandora. She smiles, waving.

“I’m Barty,” Barty says from behind you. Monty raises an eyebrow at how he's holding you, but doesn’t say anything.

“Well, now that we all know each other, I think it’s time to go home,” you announce, clapping your hands once.

“Yes, let's get out of this crowd,” euphemia, your mum, nods. Her and your dad lead the way out and into an alleyway, where they apparate everyone into the potter manor.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, you, Evan and Barty are all hanging out in your room. Regulus and Pandora are over spending time with Dorcas, and Sirius and James are off in town doing stuff they shouldn’t. You're reading while Evan and Barty play a game of exploding snaps. 

“There’s no fuckin way you won that blondie! Treasure, tell him I won!” Barty exclaims, throwing his arms up and turning towards you.

“Sorry B, I wasn’t watching, though I'm pretty sure you can't cheat in exploding snaps,” you shrug with a small smile.

“Told you so,” Evan snarks, standing up. He walks over to the bed you were reading on and sits down, tapping at the small of your back to get you to scoot up.

“Whatcha doing there Ev?” You ask as he sits behind you, pulling you against him.

“Waiting on you to keep reading,” he responds, resting his head on your shoulder. You roll your eyes, but do as he says and continue reading.

“He meant for you to read out loud, treas,” Barty teases. You startle, because when did he put his head in your lap? And then you're reading the book to them, with Evan basically hugging you to him and Barty tapping a steady beat on your thigh. 

You're just getting to the good part of the book when someone knocks on the door before pushing it open.

“What do you want–oh, sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt this moment!” Effie exclaims, causing your face to redden, because there wasn’t anything going on between the three of you. Even if you wanted something to happen.

“Hi mum, you weren’t interrupting anything, what did you need?” You smiled at her, closing your book.

“I just wanted to know if you wanted anything specific for dinner tonight,” she says almost warily, giving you three a look that made you think she didn’t necessarily believe you. 

You shrug it off, and say, to both the boys and your mum, “not really, do either of you want anything specific?”

Barty shakes his head, and Evan thinks it over for a second before saying, “no, i'm alright with anything, thanks.” Euphemia nods, then smiles at the three of you and walks out of your room.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That night, you're setting the table for dinner, when your dad comes up to you.

“So, two boys huh?” He asks, handing you the plates.

“Hi dad,” you take the plates and put them on the table in their spots.

“I mean, no judgment, I just don't want to see you get hurt is all,” he shrugs, “hell, I was in one at one point.”

“What?” You ask, disbelieving. He nods, smiling, then says, “you have to tell me what's going on with those boys before I tell you the story though.”

You sigh, but listen, “nothing’s really happening. I mean, I like them, and they seem to like me, but we’ve never actually talked about it before.”

“Do they like each other?” He asks.

“Yeah, they definitely like each other,” you confirm, remembering all the times you’ve walked in on them being very comfortable with each other.

“Then I think, if nothing comes of this before the school year starts up, you should say something about it,” your dad advises. You nod, agreeing, then say, “alright, enough about me, what's your story?”

“Oh that? I dated a boy and a girl in my sixth year, we broke up. It was actually right before me and Effie got together!” He says, before going into detail on what it was like for him. You listen, and by the end of his story, dinner’s done, and you’ve decided to embrace this thing you’ve got going on and let whatever comes- whether that be a relationship or something else- come naturally.

[neverenoughmarauders]

HP canon debater & canon fanfics writer

I am in my 30s, genderfluid - she/they - Scandinavian, but live in the UK, and a long COVIDer/ME/POTSer!

On this blog, I am (mostly) a canon-compliant Marauder fanfic writer - who likes to discuss the canon - and I am currently working on a long fic from 1971-1981 called: When we were up to no good.

More about my ambition below, but long story short - I just want a LONG fic that's not Wolfstar, that's a faithful interpretation of the canon, and which tbh isn't overly about sex or the usual fanon stuff. It's just four great friends; an 'enemies-to-lovers' love story; a war and a betrayal.

I mostly ship canon (especially Hinny, Romione, Jily) because I am boring, but I adore Prongsfoot and Sebinis, and I’m not anti most non-canon ships if they are true to their canon characterisation.

I will argue and discuss the canon with anyone who's interested. If you don't care about the canon, fine, but you and I probably won't enjoy each other's posts very much.

I don’t support JKR’s views (Read: I AM EXTREMELY ANTI HER VIEWS). I regularly question whether I should just abandon the fandom because of her (I have stayed away in the past), but then again, I discovered a lot about my own gender fluidity through the fandom, so it’s all very complicated.

I started writing When we were up to no good because I wanted to write a story where:

Sirius and James are best friends, inseparable and extremely talented

Remus and James have a solid friendship; not just Remus and Sirius

While Sirius and Peter take a bit of time to become close, Sirius ends up closer to Peter than Remus (at the latest) by the later stages of the war.

Peter is very much part of the Marauders, and there’s nothing obvious (to Sirius and James) to suggest he does a 180. Nevertheless, as readers who know what happens, we can see the small stuff that lays the foundation for the betrayal

James and Sirius are bullies! This isn’t a story trying to ignore their bad sides

Remus’ personality is affected by his lycanthropy - he has three great friends and that’s it: James, Sirius and Peter. He does not stand up to his friends (much) as he cannot afford to lose them

Lily struggles to adjust to the wizarding world given her blood status and she struggles with her friendship with Snape. She loves him so much but she’s not blind to his friends and the path he’s being led down

James and Lily have arcs that both make us understand why she disliked James so much, but also understand how the two are rather similar in their own way. The relationship, when it happens, should feel solid and lasting.

James does not go around declaring his love for Lily at every opportunity. It doesn’t fit with the canon

Not every OOTP member are in the same year as the Marauders. In my story, Marlene is 10 years older (and Molly’s best friend), Frank and Gideon are 6 years older; Alice and Fabian are 5 years older; and Dorcas is long gone from school etc.

Frank and Alice starts dating after Hogwarts (not everyone has to start dating at school)

There's lots of (hopefully canon-compliant) plot and character development. And it’s a long story! I want to make justice to their story and not rush it (but I don't want it to feel dragged out)

There is as much fun and fluff and comfort and hurt as I can get away with while feeling I can call it canon-compliant

There are plenty of Easter eggs and things we know happened in the canon, such as: Bertha Jorkins as a source of Hogwarts gossip; the Whomping Willow becoming off-limit, the newly built abandoned Hogsmeade house slowly becoming known as the Shrieking Shack, Mundungus Fletcher finding himself banned from the Hogs Head ca 1975; the 1974 World Cup and more.

That’s the ambition. I’m not by any means an experienced writer and I’m learning as I go. If this is something that interests you, then cool! Absolutely engage as much or little as you’d like with the story! I love geeking out over canon and writing!

I post extracts on here quite often! You might call it self-promotion - I call it oversharing - something I do in all aspects of my life! 😂

[anticomedygarden]

how to trick your friends (don't worry, you're still a good person)

Five years ago, Remus and Lily may have convinced their boyfriends that it was proper for purebloods to give gifts on Thanksgiving.

@kaymardsa look what i did!

also on ao3

-

Remus supposed he should feel bad about this, and he did. A little. A bit. Definitely more than none.

But as they got closer and closer to the holiday, and the pile of brightly wrapped gifts in their closet steadily grew, he couldn't help but laugh to himself, especially knowing that a few blocks away, Lily was doing the same thing.

So when they pulled up to James and Lily's flat on the night before Thanksgiving, Sirius toting a bag with an expansion charm to rival Santa Claus, Remus just sat back and watched him dump it out next to James' pile on the floor by the couch, grinning when he caught Lily's mirthful eye.

Then, Sirius and James disappeared into the kitchen to do the lord knows what, and Mary looked up from the couch and said, "Are you two really still doing that? At this point, it's just mean."

Marlene made a humming noise from her place on Dorcas' lap next to Mary. "I don't know, it's not like it's hurting anyone." Odd stance for the blonde, considering there wasn't a gift for her in the pile.

"Right," Lily said, pointing to Marlene. Remus stifled a laugh as she shifted her gaze to Mary. "And if you want those gold earrings you liked at Tift's, you'll keep your mouth shut."

Comically, Mary's mouth popped open in surprised glee, and she mimed zipping her lips. So much for principles.

Which - it was fine. It wasn't that bad of a lie. Besides, it wasn't like either of the boys couldn't afford it, and they did enjoy giving gifts. Honestly, Remus was more worried how Sirius would react when he found out his boyfriend had been lying to him. If he found out, and that was a big if. Thinking back on it, Remus was still shocked they'd believed it in the first place.

Five years ago

"...And every single year, Petunia would fall asleep on the car ride home, so, of course, I would shove marshmallows from Aunt Lyla's yams in her pockets." Lily snickered. "She'd be so pissed when she woke up, but I still did it every year."

On the other side of the table, Remus laughed into his eggs, as did Sirius. Across from them, James' face seemed to be going through a mix of amusement and absolute admiration at his girlfriend.

Since it was the night before fall break, they'd been sharing each of their Thanksgiving traditions, and Remus had to say, Lily's took the cake.

"All right, that's the best one," Sirius snorted. "Anyone else got any?"

Remus cleared his throat around the last few chuckles. "My Uncle Edgar used to give us all gifts on Thanksgiving, and they were always awful, you know, socks, sunglasses, he even gave me a toothbrush once."

"A toothbrush?" James said incredulously. "What?"

Remus laughed. "Right? And it wasn't like the man was poor, he was actually pretty well off, so I don't know what the hell he was thinking."

If he'd expected more laughter, he was disappointed. Rather, Sirius and James were glancing at each other with furrowed brows. "Thanksgiving gift?" James murmured. "Is that a thing muggles do?"

Remus opened his mouth to tell him that, no, that wasn't normal and his uncle had just been a man with some quirks, but Lily beat him to the punch. "Actually, purebloods are supposed to give their muggle born and halfblood friends gifts on Thanksgiving. Isn't that right, Remus?"

There was a very brief debate in his mind. "Yeah, it's an old public welfare tradition from when purebloods staked us in the streets." Lily snorted into her pumpkin juice, but apparently there wasn't enough sarcasm in his voice because both James and Sirius' eyes went wide.

"Really?" Sirius said after opening and closing his mouth a few times.

Lily turned to him with shocked glee written all over her face. "Of course, have you not heard of it?"

With one last look at the other black haired boy, James gave a nervous laugh. "Of course we have."

Then, there was movement under the table, and Sirius shook his head. "Yeah, me, too."

Lily gave him a look full of bewilderment, like she couldn't believe her lie had worked, before the conversation moved on, and he forgot about it entirely.

At least until four days later, when two different owls arrived, both with books and enough chocolate to last him to Christmas.

Now

A couple hours later found the group in various places in the living room, Marlene and Dorcas squished into one large purple armchair, James and Lily in the black loveseat, and Mary and a recently arrived Peter on the light gray couch. Remus was lying on the floor between Sirius' legs with his head resting on his boyfriend's chest and Sirius with his back to the loveseat. They were all stuffed full, though it was only a precursor to the dinner they would have tomorrow at Effie and Monty's.

Remus may have been a werewolf, but he had definitely outgrown whatever it was that made teenage boys able to eat so much, because as he laid there with Sirius gently playing with his fingers, it was all he could do not to throw up.

Then James said, "Let's open presents!" and it quickly became apparent everyone else was in the same boat as him.

"I'm so full," Dorcas groaned. "I don't think I can move."

Above them, James shifted. "That's what wands are for."

A moment later, two boxes, one with turkey wrapping paper and the other covered in dancing elves, dropped into his lap.

He really should feel bad.

But it was too funny.

And it has been going on for five years. It would just be awkward to tell them now.

Somehow, he managed to sit and lift his arms to open the paper, as did everyone else. Well, everyone except Marlene.

("How come Regulus and McKinnon don't have to partake in this little tradition?" Sirius grumbled, looking through the shelves of a muggle department store.

Remus thought fast. "Marlene's family doesn't celebrate muggle holidays." He paused. "And if we made Regulus participate in muggle holiday gift giving, he'd probably give us poison.")

The first gift was from James, a collection of the works of O'Henry and, of course, chocolate. He looked up at James with a minimally guilt-tinged smile. "Thank you."

His friends' hazel eyes were soft. "You're welcome."

Back on the floor, Sirius tapped him on the thigh. "Open mine."

"Yes, boss," he said, getting a light kick to the ankle in response. He opened the other box.

His gift from Sirius was, as usual, incredibly thoughtful. This year, it was a brown leather notebook, pristine and marked with his initials.

He felt Sirius put his lips next to his ear. "For all those thoughts, Moony."

Remus turned his head to kiss him, this time with a bit more guilt. He really should tell him the truth. "Thank you, baby, I love it."

In lieu of a 'you're welcome,' Sirius slipped him the tongue.

Next year. He'd tell him next year.

Just then, the front door opened, showing Regulus Black with snow dusting his shoulders and inky black hair. "Sorry I'm late. Boss wouldn't let me leave."

They all offered up greetings, groaned out through full stomachs.

"There's still plenty of food in the kitchen," James announced.

Behind Remus, Sirius shifted to better speak to his brother. "Be fast, I have something for you this year."

There was a scuffling noise, presumably from Regulus kicking off his shoes. "Does that mean you're finally dropping the charade?"

Then, unaware of the bomb he'd just dropped, the younger Black walked right into the kitchen without a backward glance.

Remus sat frozen and felt Sirius sitting stock still behind him, too. Was this really how their relationship would end, with a five year fib revealed by his would-be brother-in-law?

Wait. Why had Sirius frozen? And why hadn't he or James said anything?

With a dawning horror, Remus turned around to face his boyfriend. "You knew?"

After a brief pause, Sirius nodded slowly. "Yeah, we know."

A gasp went around the room. "If you knew, why are you still doing it?" Peter asked, a Honeyduke's container held in one hand and a jumper on his lap.

Lily made a noise of agreement.

"We liked it," James said honestly. "It's fun to give you guys shit."

Remus knew his friend well enough by now to know that he wasn't lying which only made him feel worse.

"And it was a pretty great prank, you have to admit." That one came from his boyfriend, and he laughed, the rest of the room soon to join in.

"How'd you figure it out?" Mary asked.

Sirius snorted. "I asked Remus' dad what he was getting him for Thanksgiving, and he acted like I was insane."

Remus groaned. "My dad was in on it?"

"Yep." Sirius giggled.

"Have you known the whole time?" Marlene asked.

"Yes," James and Sirius said in tandem.

That was when Regulus reappeared out of the kitchen door a plate of food in his hands. "They believed it for three years."

"You little jerk," Sirius exclaimed, flicking a piece of wrapping paper at him. "Fucking snitch. Whose side are you on?"

Regulus smirked at him, making himself comfortable on the floor in front of Mary. "Not yours."

Sirius threw another bit of paper at him, starting an absolute war, and everyone quickly forgot about the gift debacle but were pleasantly reminded a year later at the next Thanksgiving.

[mrsfrecklesmarauders]

alecto carrow hcs?

I know she is a death eater and criminal in Canon but I am going to answer this question about my Muggle AU Headcanon. I hope it's okay.

Alecto is in the same year as Regulus. She is also in Slytherin.

Born in the 12ve of November of 1997 as well as her twin brother Amycus. They are both Scorpio.

English father and Japanese mother.

Her father belongs to a very important family of businessmen. Went to Hogwarts in his youth and his family is very important and rich.

Her mother is a model and actress. She had had many lead roles in popular Japanese movies and dramas. She is very beautiful. And Alecto always wanted to be just like her.

Pampered by her father as his baby girl. Always receiving expensive gifts from him. But never enough attention.

Pressured by her mother about beauty and the importance of physical appearance. Alecto is constantly taking care of her skin, weight, clothes. Constantly on diets even though she is very skinny. And very beautiful as well.

She appears to be sure of herself but is rather insecure in reality. If she thinks she is not physically perfect, she goes through a crisis.

Alecto and Amycus were constantly alone as kids. Because both of their parents have important jobs and are never around. That brought the both siblings closer.

Alecto has a stronger character and personality than Amycus. She claims she is older than him by seconds. And is constantly bossing her brother around.

She is a massive Britney Spears fan. Also Japanese pop fan. And when she was a kid, she made Amycus make up choreographies to pop, cheesy songs for fun. And even though Amycus said this music was girly, he secretly had fun.

Wants to be a model or actress just like her mother.

When she got to Hogwarts, she easily made friends, while Amycus was shy. So Amycus hang around with a bunch of girls at first. Thing their father didn't like.

Amycus then befriended older boys and both siblings kind of broke apart into their respective friend groups.

Alecto's best friends consists of Dorcas Meadowes, Alice Fortescue and my OC Josephine Bhatt. All of them rich and pretty girls.

Alecto is loud, an extrovert and very funny. Although she is a rich superficial girl for the way she was raised.

Classic mean girl but with actually good intentions. She just says what it is in her mind about people, thing that gets her a lot of enemies. And people think she is superficial and hallow.

Mary and Marlene don't like her. And they are constantly bickering with her. She bickers back.

Alecto had a crush on Sirius Black ever since she met him at eleven. She saw him taking care of his little brother on his first day of class and was immediately in love.

When she found out about his family, his name and who he was, she was even more in love. She always saw him as the man of her dreams. Constantly dreaming about their married lives together. Kind of her only crush through her teens.

Alecto was constantly doing things to gain his attention and she used to call Regulus his: "brother in law". Even though she wasn’t even dating Sirius.

In her fifth year, Sirius’s sixth, he finally noticed her in a party and they snogged for a while.

But Sirius was in a stage of his life that he didn't want anything serious (pun unintended). Although Alecto had already pictured their wedding and chose the name of their children already.

So when Sirius blew her off, she was devastated. Then when Sirius realized he hurt her, he apologized.

After that, they became friends. Sirius liked her because he thought she was genuinely funny and pretty. But everything made sense when she found out Sirius was into Remus. She was supportive even though her heart was broken when the boy of her dreams fell for someone else, specially a boy.

After Sirius, she wanted to be by herself for a while. She took care about herself. And she tried to get her brother back.

I like to think of her as this superficial mean girl that has a character arc and becomes more mature and profound with time.

[themuseoftheviolets]

Hi Lia!! Would love to hear more about the necromancy fic, the dick measurement contest fic and all of my devotion turns violent🫶

hi nea!!!

under the cut because it got. long

the necromancy fic.... oh i am so insane about this one!!!

it's a dorlilylene fic and it's not set in canon however there is a war between the death eaters and the order (but i have done. excatly 0 worldbuilding for this so i could not tell you the first thing about it) and there is still magic but it's not hp magic and they don't use wands but rather weapons and potions

but!! about the actual story!! the tagline for this fic is 'marlene mckinnon is murdered. her girlfriend wants revenge, but her ex has a better idea'

the girlfriend is dorcas, they've been together for maybe a few months and after marlene's death she goes on a rampage killing death eaters. and the ex is lily, she and marlene were very on and off until dorlene got together. and dorcas and lily absolutely HATE each other

the better idea in question is, of course, necromancy. which is very frowned upon (and perhaps illegal) and it's something lily learned from her other ex, pandora

pandora in this fic is not a part of either the order or the DEs, but she has friends in both groups. she's a mad scientist/witch and her practices are. very much frowned upon but people are too scared of her to try and get her to stop, and it's believed that pandora currupted lily

dorlilylene were all a part of the order, but pre fic lily was kicked out by dumbledore.....

now for the dick measuring contest fic!! this one is so silly and fun

it's half jegulus and half emmalily, but also it's mostly centered around emma vanity and james potter, who have been rivals since they made it to their respective hogwarts quidditch teams

they're both chasers, and both become captains. and it's slytherin and gryffindor so like. it was Double the rivalry they were at each others throats all the damn time

but then they both graduate and end up on the same professional team and are now expected to be partners.... you can imagine this does not end well....

their captain is fed up with them so he gives them an ultimatum. either they start getting along or they're off the team

while trying to get along james discovers emma has a crush on lily, who is one of his friends. and james has a crush on regulus, who emma was a mentor to and is close with, so he decides the best way to bond is to try to wingman each other

basically they spend the whole fic (and like a whole ass decade) having a dick measuring contest and they never end up liking each other even tho they become sorta friends? but they're just. the fucking worst and so very dear to me <3

and last but not least! all of my devotion turns violent!

this one is canon compliant lilylene fic following lily after marlene's death. lily and marlene were friends who got together and had toxic on and off again relationship, eventually they got with james and dorcas but never actually moved on and there was probably some cheating in there somewhere. but the fic starts with lily finding out about marlene's death and ends with her own

[heartofspells]

Holliiiii,

For the wip thingy: just gimme something soft? Pretty please? If there's a soft along the broken edge thing I'd *love* that, but anything is fine really :)

Brittttttt! I do have a bit of Broken Edge for you! I hope this is soft enough <3

--

"That's great, Pete. She sounds wonderful from what Dorcas and Marlene have told me," says Remus genuinely, trying not to react to the nickname, hearing it hitting him harder, the memories from his return home still too fresh in his mind. His eyes narrow as he stares at his friend, Peter going a bit red around his ears and high on his cheeks, avoiding Remus' gaze. "When do I get to meet her?"

Peter chokes, coughing and gasping as he splutters into his beer. Remus reaches forward and beats his fist over his friend's back as he laughs.

"You don't," heaves Peter, and Remus mock frowns, the expression exaggerated, causing Peter to choke further, Remus' eyes dancing.

"Seems a bit unfair, Peter," remarks Remus thoughtfully, taking a steady sip of his own, Peter scowling at him, though it comes across as more of a pout than anything. Remus bites back on another laugh. "Best mates should meet the important people in each other's lives, you know. It's only right."

"What, so you can tell her all the stupid stories you've got about me," levels Peter, eyebrows arched, features unimpressed. He sets his glass on the table between them, pointedly pushing it away from himself for the time being. Remus can't quite stifle his snort. "No, thanks. I'm good."

Clicking his tongue admonishingly, Remus shakes his head slowly, eyes filling with dark promise. "I'll just get myself introduced through Marls and Dorcas," he plants with a winning smile, and Peter visibly droops. "You know they'll do it without hesitation. Wouldn't you rather control it?"

"Control the uncontrollable, you mean?" grumbles Peter, Remus chuckling quietly at the petulant expression coating his friend's face. "You know, I could just as easily do the same to you if you'd stop being so stubborn."

Remus rolls his eyes, brushing the matter off with a wave of his hand. "I'm not stubborn, and I'm good as I am, thanks," he responds as he looks away under the pretense of searching for their friends, forcing his smile to stay in place. It doesn't fool Peter, he knows that.

"You are and you're not," protests Peter. "How long's it been now, Remus? All those reps that filter through the office, planting themselves so willingly in front of you, pushing equipment you never buy but you don't have the heart to turn them away without at least hearing them out. Some of them are pretty fit, you know. I've noticed, and that says something, doesn't it?"

"Mm, is that what the gift you left on my desk was about?" questions Remus with the inflection of irritation.

"It was, and you should make use of it. Sooner rather than later, preferably," notes Peter, sounding unperturbed by Remus' tone.

"In my office, Pete? Really?"

Want a snip?

[lottiebagley]

True Love- Sirius Black

Sometimes I hate every single stupid word you say Sometimes I wanna slap you in your whole face There's no one quite like you You push all my buttons down I know life would suck without you

"I swear, her body was like fucking heaven," Sirius is talking loudly, aware that it was way more than just his friend group listening to his conversation. It wasn't that he was trying to brag to the whole common room. No. The rest of the world didn't matter, he wanted her to hear. Her to know he'd had sex with someone who wasn't her. He wanted her worked up and jealous and he wanted her to know everything she was missing out on.

"Ignore him," Lily mutters to her best friend, she's sat with a tense jaw and a furiously tapping foot

"He's a man whore. Someone should make him shut up," She mutters it. His plan wasn't working, although she had no clue the whole show was for her in the first place. In fact it was doing the opposite.

Sure Sirius Black looked like he'd been designed by god himself, all messy dark hair and cheeky smirks and broad shoulders. Yes, the few times she'd caught herself listening to his friend group when he wasn't behaving like a pantomime star he had been funny and caring and the whole thing was rather endearing. But Lily and Marlene and Dorcas were wrong.

She wasn't harbouring any secret feelings, no heart wrenching crush, no wishing it was her who got to feel his hands touching every part of her.

She didn't glare at him and make snarky comments to try and get his attention or because she hadn't processed her feelings.

Instead, she just disliked the boy.

"You could be the woman to tame him," Marlene teases, blonde hair twisted around her finger as she bats her eyelashes at a girl in the year above sat a few tables a way.

"And catch whatever diseases he has and fucking die, I'd rather not,"

"Talking about me darling?" His voice is like a purr as he leans over her shoulder, she hadn't even noticed him approaching for which she now feels stupid. His smell, so masculine and somehow soft and utterly him, wrapped around her and she wants so badly to take a deep inhale which was a mystery to her, why would she want that?

"It's interesting to me you hear diseases and link it to yourself? Perhaps you should see Madame Pomfrey," She shrugs, Dorcas smirking a little at Sirius who blanches momentarily

"Or maybe I just know the only boy you'd risk catching a disease for is me. You want me darling, no need to lie about it,"

"Was that supposed to be romantic,"

"No, but it almost was," He smirks, she rolls her eyes a little

"Keep the romance for your next broom cupboard rendesvouz with Julia," She suggests

"Only you get my romantic side darling, don't be jealous," He smirks, standing up straight shooting her a wink before striding up the stairs to the boys dorm.

At the same time, I wanna hug you I wanna wrap my hands around your neck You're an asshole but I love you And you make me so mad I ask myself Why I'm still here, or where could I go

"This is my worst nightmare by the way," She states it simply as she drops into the table at the library where Sirius had been waiting. They'd been partnered up for a Herbology project which meant for the next 4 weeks Sirius would get the study dates he secretly wished for since 2nd year.

"Figured as much," He smirks, watching as she pulls her textbooks and some parchment from her bag. Digging around for her quill before a look of annoyance falls onto her face.

"Forget your ink?" He questions, she hadn't. Sirius had enlisted Peter to take it from her bag for him. He was going to do it himself but he knew she'd be glaring at him so harshly he couldn't pull it off. Then he thought Remus, the pair were actually friends and so him coming over and sitting with her long enough to swipe the ink unnoticed wouldn't be some crazy shock, Remus had immediately stated he wasn't going to steal from his friend. And so Peter it was.

"Could I please borrow some?" She questions, expressionless.

"On one condition," Sirius smirks, she groans but nods for him to continue "You tell me what you're doing for the Hogsmeade trip this weekend," His plan was in motion. Find out her plans, hopefully they'd be to hang out with her friends, and then he'd know what they were doing and could go and woo her.

Sirius had no doubt if she just gave him the opportunity he could make her fall as hard for him as he had for her.

"You're a nosy dickhead," She states, glancing around the library before her eyes fall on Snivellous of all people. She stands up, flouncing over to her best friends friend who happily supplies her with his spare ink pot.

Of course. Of course fucking Snape had ruined his otherwise solid plan. Sirius groans, running his hands through his hair frustrated before turning back to her when she drops back into her seat.

"You seriously like Snivellous?"

"Christ no. Just didn't fancy letting you pry into my personal life and knew he'd give me some in the hopes I'd tell Lily and she'd think it's charming," She shrugs and Sirius can't help but chuckle

"I'm glad you don't like him," He announces, watching as she raises her eyebrows in a silent question "I'd have been very worried about your character judgement,"

"No I hate him almost as much as I hate fucking Rose," She spits the name out and Sirius smiles, glad to see her drop her guard around him just a little

"Rose Banley?"

"God yes. She's like torture, her voice sounds like nails on a chalk board. Her laugh is like a dying hyenna. She's fucking rude to Dorcas, I mean genuinely nasty and Dor is the sweetest thing, wouldn't hurt a fly. And everyone always compares us to each other, I mean sure we look kinda similar and both play quidditch in the same position and compete for second best grades after Lils but still, plus, Rose is like fucking head over heels for-" She cuts herself off abruptly and Sirius has been so certain by the look on her face she was going to say him. He wonders though, why that would make her hate the girl more. She couldn't be jealous, maybe she just didn't like her choice in men.

"She's a bitch and you're right about her laugh," Sirius agrees. She's too frozen over her near slip up to do much but nod and the pair begin to work in silence, only talking when necessary until the library begins to clear out as curfew draws closer.

"You could have just asked you know?" She questions, Sirius had fallen into step beside her and she saw no point in walking separately. They were going to the same place and being a few feet apart was plain awkward.

"Sorry I don't know what you're talking about," He admits, eyes flitting down to look at her quickly

"What I was doing for the Hogsmeade trip. I want my ink pot back by the way," She doesn't look at him, but if she turned for even a second she'd see the glimmer of hope written all over his face

"You knew?"

"Peter is the least subtle person I know," She shrugs

"Right." He nods slowly before pausing right outside the door to the common room, not wanting to stop spending time with her "So, what are you doing?" He questions

"We aren't friends and it's none of your business," She states simply

"But?"

"But I have a date," She announces, shoving the door open and leaving him staring after her

You're the only love I've ever known But I hate you, I really hate you So much, I think it must be

"You know you could just ask her out right?" Remus questions his friend, who's currently watching from across the corridor, waiting for the girl of his dreams to exit her potions class room.

Sirius sighs, allowing his friend who had spotted him to pull him out of his concentration.

Sirius had been planning on waiting until she'd left the class, and walking straight up to Rose, a girl who shared the class and he knew she hated, before asking Rose out right in front of her. Hoping to spark some jealousy or at least competition with the girl. That was until Remus had arrived.

"Who are you even talking about?" Sirius feigns ignorance to which Remus rolls his eyes

"I'm not going to help you if you act like a prat,"

"Okay as her friend, do I have a shot?" Sirius questions

"You have more than a shot," Remus shrugs, watching Sirius' face light up "Once you stop showing her the playboy bad boy act and actually just act like yourself around her," He adds with a slight smirk

"You're a dick,"

"She hates you, but I think she would really like the real you," Remus comments, glancing through the small gap in the open classroom door

"So what's your plan?"

"Ask Rose out in front of her,"

"If you want her to like you, that's the worst plan I've ever heard," Remus informs simply.

"She'll be jealous and-"

"She'll see you as even more of an egotistical pig head, her words not mine. Just be honest with her," Remus informs, squeezing Sirius' shoulder before taking up down the corridor

"Where are you going?"

"I don't wanna watch you crash and burn, I'll cringe too much," Remus calls, slipping round the corner and out of sight.

The bell rings and the corridor begins to fill up, Sirius spots her easily. She's got her arm linked through Marlene's and the girls are whispering to each other, excited grins on both their faces.

"Hey Sirius," Marlene smirks upon seeing him, his eyes widen, mouth dry when for the first time, upon seeing him she smiles slightly rather than shooting him a glare.

"Hey girls," He smiles politely, though he's staring at her and it's so clearly meant just for her.

"You looking for someone?" Marlene questions, head making what he's sure she thinks is subtle nod  to her friend who shoots her a silencing glare.

He feels like someone has their hand wrapped around his throat, like someone is making it impossible for him to speak. Remus' words ringing through his head. He should abandon his plan.

Lie and say he needed to study for the herbology project today instead of tomorrow.

Tell the truth and admit he liked her and ask her to ditch whoever she had this date and go out with him instead.

Anything other than

"Yeah, Rose," He smirks, pushing past the girls and towards Rose who greets him with a bright smile.

Sure, he felt a bit bad using her but he just didn't have the nerve to admit how he felt, not when she fucking hated him.

True love, true love It must be true love Nothing else can break my heart like True love, true love It must be true love No one else can break my heart like you

"I mean sure, I thought maybe I got it all wrong," The girl is ranting to her friends as they all sit around their dorm, mugs of hot chocolate in hands and a pack of playing cards still in the middle of the floor, game yet to be restarted.

"How do you know you didn't?" Lily questions

"He asked Rose out, that's like a fucking violation. I mean I say I hate her and then suddenly he's interested in her,"

"Almost like he's trying to get under your skin," Dorcas comments, holding her hands up in surrender when she's shot an ice cold glare

"I mean Sirius is very good looking," She states

"He's practically carved by a god," Lily agrees

"And I guess with the studying over the last couple days we had a few good conversations and I considered the option I was wrong and he's alright,"

"I think he's funny," Marlene comments

"But I've hated him for years and what, I have one good conversation with him that doesn't end with me wanting to rip my hair off my head and suddenly I what? Don't hate him?"

"Have a massive crush on him," Lily teases

"I do not-"

"You always have. You just don't know how to process your emotions," Marlene smirks

"It's alright, if you spoke to him I'm pretty sure he'd tell you he's head over heels for you," Dorcas shrugs, stretching almost cat like before taking another sip of her drink

"The sexual tension between you two is fucking insane," Lily comments

"Speak for yourself,"

"Don't bring James into this!" Lily scolds, shoving her best friend a little

"I don't fancy him and I have a date with Tim tomorrow,"

"Tim's boring," Marlene complains

"You guys have been on four dates and he hasn't even kissed you yet," Lily adds

"He's shy, which is sweet. Way better than over the top arrogance,"

"Confidence is sexy," Dorcas shrugs

Just once try to wrap your little brain around my feelings Just once please try not to be so mean Repeat after me now R-O-M-A-N-C-E-E-E Come on I'll say it slowly  You can do it babe

Despite Remus telling him this was the worst idea he'd ever had, Sirius had managed to force Marlene to find out where Tim was taking her on their date and planned to do the exact same date with Rose, knowing how much it would piss her off, after all, even negative attention was better than the standoffish cold silence he'd been greeted with when they studied the night before.

He wasn't the type to make much of a habit of Madame Puddifoot's and he knew for a fact she would hate this place, yet as he leads Rose into the small tea shop full of teens on dates, his eyes immediately land on her.

She looks beautiful, a small coy smile on her face and yet her eyes look almost disinterested, he wonders if Tim could tell.

"Ooh, can you excuse me for a second? I just saw Tim and I need to pass on a message from his dorm mate," Rose speaks, Sirius can't help but agree about her voice in his mind

"I'll come with," Sirius smirks, arm going around the girls shoulder to lead her towards the couple.

He feels his heart drop a little when he notices Tim's hand holds hers on the small table as he leans over to be closer to her.

"Hey darling," He smirks, Rose and Tim caught up in their own conversation

"Sirius," She acknowledges politely

"Good date?"

"Great," She speaks curtly

"I'm glad," He drawls, flashing her a wink before he allows Rose to drag him to a booth.

Sirius follows her into the same side of the booth, the one clearly in her eye line.

"What are you doing silly?" Rose panders, voice shrill

"Just wanted to be closer to you babe," Sirius lies smoothly, not watching to notice the blush overtake Rose's cheeks

Rose waffles into his ear but he stares at the girl a few tables away who's laughing at Tim, he notices that it's not her laugh. Not the laugh he'd coaxed out of her late in the library, the one that makes her nose wrinkle and he hand clasp to her chest.

"You friends with her or something?" Rose questions, drawing his attention momentarily

"Mutual friends," He shrugs, forcing himself to pull his eyes away and focus on Rose, if the plan him and James thought up in the back of Muggle Studies was going to work she couldn't know he was more focused on her than Rose.

"Oh, Marlene I guess,"

"Yeah and Moony," He nods in confirmation, feeling eyes on them he shuffles slightly closer to Rose, arm coming around her shoulder comfortably.

"About her only friends I can stand,"

"Really?" He questions, expecting the answer he recieves

"It'a just Dorcas really, she's so whiney and pathetic," Rose bitches, he zones out as he watches her laugh with Tim. Watches him cover their bill, watches her kiss his cheek in thanks and take his hand.

Rose's bitching like white noise and jealousy sprouting in his heart. He doesn't think, James had specifically told him not to over do it, but when she takes one last glance through the window Sirius crashes his lips to Rose's.

True love, true love It must be true love Nothing else can break my heart like True love, true love It must be true love And no one else can break my heart like you I love you, I think it must be love, I love you

"Seemed like you had a good date the other day," He speaks casually

"I did," She informs, nose still buried in her herbology text book.

"So did I," He adds

"Glad to hear you got your dick wet, Black," She doesn't bother to look up and Sirius almost wishes he hadn't brought it up because he swears he can see a look of hurt on her face for a split second.

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, you had your tongue halfway down her throat in a coffee shop lord only know what you were doing in private," She shrugs simply

"If I didn't know better I'd say you were-"

"Jealous?" She questions, finally looking up at him her brows raised in question

"Something like that,"

"Please, I have self respect," She mutters

"What's that supposed to mean?" He questions, slightly offended

"I want someone who cares about me, sees me as more than just a shag," She shrugs

"Someone boring and predictable," Sirius mutters

"Not at all what I'm saying," She retaliates

"Guess Tim makes a bit of sense now," He smirks

"He has nothing to do with this,"

"So you aren't seeing him again?" Sirius hates the spark of excitement in his chest.

"That's none of your business and also nothing to do with this," she snaps

"Can I just ask, what do you think this is?"

"This is me hating a dirty pig headed playboy and being forced to study with him,"

"Y'know I don't think you actually do hate me," He speaks, she's not sure why the air around her suddenly feels hot or why his cologne smells so strong until she realises he's leaning in, far closer to her than he ever had been before "I think you just wish I'd give it all up to be with you,"

"Like you think you could have me,"

"Oh, I know I could," He smirks, eyes flickering to her lips "I can tell by the way you look so nervous. You wanna know what I think this is?" He questions

"Not particularly,"

"I think this is a matter of time. I think one day you'll snap and admit you've wanted this all along,"

"And what? You'll be waiting,"

"Darling, you know I could give you the night of your life," He's so close now that she can feel his hot breath fanning across her face, it's almost like a promise

"Too bad I have a boyfriend then isn't it," She smirks, pulling away and turning back to her book.

Why do you rub me up the wrong way? Why do you say the things that you say? Sometimes I wonder how we ever came to be But without you I'm incomplete

The music is pounding in the Gryffindor common room, the party in full swing and in the middle of it all there she is. Alcohol is running through her blood stream, heart beat faster and eyes fixed on him.

He looks almost too good, eyes focused in on her and a half empty bottle between his long and slender fingers. He's leaning against a wall, chatting casually with Peter and watching as she dances with Lily.

It was rare that the common room hosted house only parties, only once a term usually and probably thrown together last minute. Sirius was glad however that it was house only, with Tim being in Ravenclaw it allowed him to look at her and not have to see her drunk and making out with her boyfriend.

He wanted them to break up so badly, the last three weeks of their relationship was a nightmare for him. Every where she was Tim was close by, flitting around her way too anxious and uncomfortable, the poor guy was like a moth to a flame.

He'd thought a few times about speaking to Tim, forcing the guy to break up with her because he knew she wouldn't really care. He knew she would move on and even if it wasn't himself, Sirius knew she could do a lot better. He didn't however want to add on to the pile of reasons she had to hate him.

It surprises him when stumbling a little, she leaves Lily with Dorcas and Marlene to approach him.

"You sure do like staring at me Sirius," She comments, Peter clearly sensing his turn to leave and slipping off in the direction of James and Remus.

"You're a very pretty view darling," He shrugs simply

"Doubt Rose would appreciate it,"

"She wouldn't have a leg to stand on,"

"Just another notch in your bedpost?" The girl questions with a slight scoff

"I never slept with Rose" He admits rather airily

"You didn't?"

"Course not," Sirius sighs

"Why?"

"Didn't feel fair when I only asked her out to get your attention. Plus sex has been shit recently,"

"And why is that?" She doesn't know why her heart is shimmering with hope

"They aren't you," He shrugs. He freaks a little when he is met with silence but before he knows it her hand is wrapping itself around his "Darling?"

"We are gonna dance now," She informs, pulling him through the crowd

I think it must be True love, true love It must be true love Nothing else can break my heart like True love, true love It must be true love

"I hope you're fucking happy!" She's yelling the second she enters his dorm. It was empty aside from a shirtless Sirius who turns in slight surprise

"Alright darling?"

"For christ's sake, put a shirt on so I can yell at you," She grumbles

"Distracting?" He questions, easily catching the shirt she's flinging at him

"You told my boyfriend to break up with me!"

"You weren't happy with him. He wasn't good enough," Sirius shrugs

"For fucks sake Sirius! You don't get to decide that you barely even know me, how would you know if I'm happy?"

"Your eyes don't light up around him, sue me, I notice that shit when it comes to you!" He's yelling back now, frustrated that she couldn't see it

"It's none of you business,"

"You're acting like an idiot. Have you even noticed you're hardly even upset! You don't care about Tim you're just mad at me! Think about why!"

"Because you made my boyfriend break up with me!" She yells, exasperated

"You shouldn't even be with him!"

"And why's that?" She snaps

"Are you kidding? Fuck! It's like you never even see me. I am right here. I am right here and I am perfect for you!"

"No! No Sirius! I hate you!"

"You're blind,"

"No. You are. We aren't perfect for each other. You irritate me, your voice is annoying, you're a man whore, you're an attention seeker your hair needs to be fucking brushed for once and I hate that you think you know the first thing about me!" She's yelling, pacing, and Sirius is so far past done with this shit.

"Okay. If you think you truly hate me then kiss me. Kiss me and if you feel nothing I'll drop this and I'll leave you alone and I'll go to fucking Tim and tell him-"

He's shut up by her lips crashing against his. Her hand immediately tugging him by his crumpled shirt as close as humanly possible, allowing him to push her against the wall of the dormitory. He explores every little part of her, hands seemingly everywhere all at once because fuck if he was only going to kiss her once it was going to be the best kiss of his life. He was going to commit every single curve and dip of her body against his.

Her hands tangle in his hair, lips falling from his in a breathless gasp, not stopping him when his travel down her jaw to suck light kisses into her neck, a slight moan falling from her lips and a whine when he pulls away, forehead falling flush against her.

"Look me in the eye and tell me you felt nothing and you can never speak to me again," His voice is a low whisper and it makes her knees weak

"Okay, I'll admit. Maybe for once in your life you were right," She admits, he grins widely, lips chasing hers all over again but she shoves him away slightly. "Sirius I can't just be one of those girls you sleep with and brag about in the common room, it's not me and-"

"Do I really have to spell it out for you? I love you. There you go. You aren't some random hook up to me. I love you. Are you happy now?"

"I think I love you too. I mean I thought I hated you but the line between the two is so thin and-"

"You don't have to love me yet. But you will, cause you and I darling, we are prefect for each other,"

"Just don't break my heart Black,"

"Never,"

And no one else can break my heart like you  No one else can break my heart like you  No one else can break my heart like you

MASTERLIST

[joaquinwhorres]

hoax (Ch. 1) {Sirius Black x F!OC}

SUMMARY ››››› It started out as a simple bet: who could get the girl chosen for them first? After four years of half-hearted attempts, Sirius decides it’s time to make a concerted effort to win over the notoriously undateable Florence Saise.

WORD COUNT ››››› 4,100-ish

WARNINGS ››››› Pretty much every chapter is going to have mentions of sex. Including this one.

A/N ››››› I'm so thankful to every single person who responded to my incessant "does this line make sense?" or "can you read this to tell me what you think?" Without you guys this never would have been uploaded, and I'd never already have the start of a second chapter.

Series Masterlist | Read on ff.net | Read on AO3

Florence Saise was rather convinced that she was the only person not excited to find themselves back at Hogwarts. Everyone else seemed to be coping with the looming start of the school year just fine, if the laughter and shouts that greeted her as she flung open the carriage door was any indication. It was, by all accounts that mattered, (which is to say, hers) not fair.

The blonde haired girl jumped down from the horseless carriage, landing with a heavier thump than might have been expected from her small frame. Before her, masses of students cursed up the hill chattering to one another with smiles on their faces. Not one had the same little crease between their eyebrows that threatened to turn into a full-on scowl.

It was as if every single one of them had either forgotten the bullshit that came along with living amongst their peers or were still blissfully unaware of the curse that was adolescence. Even her friends, who hopped down out of the carriage behind her, seemed too entrenched in the debate that had stretched from the train compartment to the carriage, to fully register what being back at Hogwarts meant.

"You've been quiet, Lory, what do you think?" Marlene asked, throwing an arm around Florence's shoulder as the small group of girls joined the throng of students.

"If Sebastian doesn't know what to do with his tongue when kissing, there's not much hope for him using it elsewhere. You'd do better with Roger."

"Aha!" Marlene cried out triumphantly, pointing a finger at Mary. "That makes it two for Roger, one for Sebastian, and one for giving up on boys all together," she tallied as Florence shrugged out from under her arm. Lily appeared on Florence's other side, trapping Florence in the middle of the group.

"You can't just use physical stuff as the metric for whether or not a relationship will be any good," Lily asserted. "There's more to dating than snogging and sex."

"Says the person who's never properly snogged anyone," Marlene stage whispered to Mary.

"Exactly," Lily said, perhaps a little too passionately. "And look how fulfilled I am."

Marlene shot Florence a skeptical look, and Lily reached across her to smack at Marlene's arm. This started another round of fierce debating, Lily reminding Mary that Sebastian had written her once a week all summer whereas Roger had only written four times, Marlene reminding Mary that she didn't want to die a virgin, and Dorcas reminding Mary that she never had any of these problems with her girlfriends.

Florence felt a dull needling, like a knuckle digging into the side of her head. At this rate, she was going to have a headache before they even reached the castle.

The Gryffindor strode ahead of the group, near enough that she wouldn't catch any flack for abandoning them but far enough that she could more easily drown out their bickering. She would give anything for just a single moment of peace today. Between her father and brother waking her up with their argument to Lily and Marlene's stupid battle over who Mary should date, all Florence wanted was ten minutes where she didn't get roped into playing referee.

But as she looked up ahead on the path, her eyes landing on James Potter and his crew, it seemed like peace was not in the cards for her today.

The group of boys were laughing amongst each other as they subtly enchanted trees to tap students on the shoulder or grab an unsuspecting second year. It was, objectively speaking, rather funny to witness the reactions of their various victims. One boy let out a startled shriek so loud, Florence would have expected it to come from a banshee. Another girl was attempting to fight off a branch that kept pulling at her plait. The problem with Potter and them's joke was not so much the unrest it caused amongst the students ahead of Florence.

The problem was Lily.

"You have got to be kidding me," Lily sighed, cutting Marlene off mid sentence. "What's even the point in making Remus a prefect if he's going to let his friends get away with everything?"

Before any of the girls had a chance to talk Lily down, the prefect marched up the hill with impressive speed, her hair billowing behind her.

"I am not missing this," Marlene said eagerly, grabbing Mary by the hand and tugging her up the hill with her. Dorcas and Florence shared a look and a sigh, before following them after Lily.

"Potter!" Lily shouted, and the group of boys came to an abrupt stop, nearly causing the group of Ravenclaws behind them to collide with their backs.

"Ah the dulcet tones of Lily Evans," James Potter said as he turned around to face the fuming redhead, a smirk set firmly in place.

Lily pulled up right in front of him, chest heaving from her quick trip up the hill. "You are to stop using magic at once or else I'll be forced to give you detention."

"I'm not sure what you mean," Potter said, tilting his head and allowing confusion to overtake his features. Lily's scowl deepened, clearly not buying the act. "I think you and I are both aware that it's against the rules to use magic before term starts, and we're not even at the castle yet."

Behind him, Pettigrew and Black snickered. The sound seemed to bolster James Potter's already rampant egotism as the smirk returned once more to his face.

"Unless of course, you're saying that I've enchanted you. Do you find me bewitching, Evans?" Potter asked, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"I think I've made it quite clear what I think of you, James Potter," Lily snapped, her hands balling into fists at her sides. "10 points from Gryffindor."

"Ah, Evans," Potter tsked, as if regretting the fact that he would have to share bad news with her. "Prefects can't take points until the start of term. Learned that fourth year," he added on, dropping the sympathetic act.

Marlene nudged Florence with her elbow and held out her hand expectantly. Florence's eyes moved from the open palm to her friend's gaze, raising an eyebrow.

"I believe you owe me a hundred galleons," Marlene informed her, a smile tugging at her lips even as she fought to remain serious. "As James Potter has just confirmed that he has, in fact, learned something in his past five years here."

"That doesn't count," Florence said dryly, slapping Marlene's palm down even as Marlene grinned at her winningly. The stare off between a seething Lily and smug James was looking very much like it was about to end in a murder. Remus Lupin must have also caught onto this because he shook his head and finally stepped forward.

"Come on, let's at least make it to the castle this year before you and Lily have a row," he appealed, making a half-decent attempt at Prefect-like behavior.

Potter turned to his friend with a magnanimous smile. "Since you asked so kindly, Moony," Potter paused, shooting Lily a look. "I'll make sure there is no more confusion about whether or not we might have been doing magic. Watch carefully, Evans. I'm putting my wand in my back pocket. Feel free to track its progress up the hill," he added with a wink.

Lily let out a disgusted noise as Marlene snorted, and Potter turned to continue back up the hill with his friends, Sirius Black playfully pushing him as he rejoined the group.

"What a wanker," Lily murmured, watching the boys go.

"Maybe, but he's looking well fit," Marlene noted, taking Potter up on his offer to make sure his wand stayed in his back pocket. "You could do a lot worse than James Potter."

Lily whirled on Marlene, emitting a scandalized,  " Marlene! "

The dark haired girl laughed and shook her head. "Oh come off it, Lils, he's smart, funny, attractive, all of which is important to you, and," she looked around before leaning forward conspiratorially. "I've heard his wandwork isn't the only magical thing he can do with his hands." Marlene wiggled her fingers at Lily, who pulled back looking so pale that for a moment, Florence thought she might actually be sick.

Which was far too hilarious not to laugh at. So she did, earning a dark look from Lily and a shiteating grin from Marlene.

Lily rounded back on Marlene before shaking her head and starting back up to the castle.  "He's not funny; he's cruel. And he's only half as smart as he thinks he is."

"So you agree he's attractive?" Marlene asked, raising an eyebrow, and Lily's face turned bright red before she managed to sputter out a:

"Looks don't mean anything!"

"She's right," Dorcas added. Contributing to the conversation for the first time with the decisiveness that the girls had come to expect from her.  "Looks don't mean anything. But being good with his hands, well…"

Lily emitted a strangled sound somewhere between disbelief and mild outrage as the rest of her friends laughed at her and moved past on their way to the castle. A small feeling in Florence's chest loosened as she walked with them, the conversation alternating between teasing Lily and debating between Roger and Sebastian. Maybe this year wouldn't be quite as bad as the past five.

Naturally, the hope of a better year was squashed the very next day.

This, of course, should have been expected. After all, the first day of classes was primarily meant for overloading students with work they weren't yet prepared for and reminding them that their very futures depended on the mastery of the material. However, those spiels were not the giveaway that this year would be more or less the same in terms of teenage bullshit as the years prior. What it really came down to was her Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

The death of her hope began the moment she walked into the classroom and was faced with an obscenely tall and lanky man, dressed in a smart tweed suit with his chin length hair tucked behind his ears. A name was written in halting cursive on the chalkboard behind him.

Oleander Fernsby.

It was a ridiculous name for what was, by all indicators, a ridiculous man.

Although, as Florence watched the way his eyes darted around the classroom, shooting away every time a student got too close to making eye contact, she began to think that perhaps ridiculous was the wrong word. It suggested a certain confidence that this man in front of her was severely lacking.

It was painful to watch really, seeing him hoist the corners of his mouth up just to seem to lose his grip and have the smile come crashing down again. Both of his hands were shoved into his pants pockets, the right one fiddling with something it found in there so that the pocket almost seemed to flutter with his nervous energy. Even as she sat down next to Marlene, Florence couldn't take her eyes off of this clear disaster waiting to happen.

"This is going to be interesting," Marlene noted with raised eyebrows as she tapped her quill tip on the desk. "Reckon he'll make it the whole year?"

"Reckon he'll make it to the end of the month?" Florence returned, and Marlene snorted.

The last of the students shuffled into the room, claiming desks next to their friends and casting skeptical looks up at the unusual choice for professor. Even Remus Lupin looked unsure about Dumbledore's choice as he sat with eyebrows raised and a slight frown on his face.

The professor cleared his throat, which was completely ineffective when it came to quelling the murmurings of students sizing him up.

"Excuse me," he said, his voice dipping down into a mumble on the last syllable. As could be expected, the class' attention remained on their own conversations.

" Merlin's beard," Dorcas muttered under her breath from behind Florence. The professor furrowed his brow, a look of resolve on his face before trying again.

"Good morning." He had added a bit of volume and force assertiveness to his voice, but it wasn't until Potter hit Black on the shoulder and gestured with his head to the professor that the talking in the room tapered off. Faced with a room of quiet students, he succeeded in finally managing a weak smile.

"Good morning," he repeated, his voice soft but steady at least. "I'm Professor Fernsby, and I'll be teaching you Defense Against the Dark Arts this year."

It was hard to imagine this particular wizard ever standing up against the dark arts. He looked like he could hardly manage a boggart let alone a hag or Lethifold. Even faced with a room full of bored teenagers, he was crumbling under the pressure. Across the room Peter Pettigrew snickered, and Fernsby's expression faltered.

"I know that I am a new face here, and you've had five other professors, but I hope that together we'll have a good year this year and learn a lot."

Florence snorted and either Lily or Dorcas (probably Lily) jabbed a finger into her back in scolding.

Fernsby's smile flickered, and he paused. "Erm, yes. I know that this is your second class of the day, and it's early. The first years were all practically asleep at their desks this morning, but this is an NEWT-level class, so we will be covering rather complicated and dark material--oh! Yes, you there," Fernsby said, gesturing towards a student in the back. Florence turned, watching as Cassius Avery lowered his hand, a self-satisfied smirk already twisting at his lips.

"Can you explain what you mean by 'dark,' professor?"

The classroom went so still even Fernsby seemed to notice, his pocket fluttering once more.

"Well, we'll learn about the Unforgivable Curses. How to battle Inferi--"

"Will we be learning more about the Dark Arts themselves?" Avery interrupted, tilting back his chair so that it leaned against Thaddeus Nott's desk.

Fernsby's eyes flicked around the classroom as if looking for help from one of the students, but everyone remained still and quiet, watching to see what would happen. Florence set her jaw as she looked back at Avery who was looking rather smug. Beside him there was a glint in Thomas Mulciber's eye as if he were watching an animal fall into a trap.  "I'm not sure that would be entirely appropriate--" Fernsby started.

"I was just thinking that we should know how the Dark Arts work and such so we can properly defend ourselves?" Avery clarified and beside him Mulciber smirked. Florence's hand curled into a fist on her desk. "I mean, you want us to be prepared, don't you, professor? We need to know--"

"Avery you smarmy little git, would you shut up?" Florence snapped, and the eyes of the class shot over to her. But she was just looking at Avery whose eyes flashed angrily. "Even he's not thick enough to teach you how to curse someone. Go ask your dad. Or is he too busy shagging his cousin--I'm sorry, your mum."

There was a beat of silence as the whole class seemed to collectively hold its breath before across the room, Sirius Black broke out into a loud barking laughter, muffling whatever Avery snarled at Florence.

"Pardon?" she asked, arching an eyebrow, and though he opened his mouth to say it again, it wasn't Avery's voice, but Fernsby's she heard next.

"That is--that is quite enough," the professor finally interjected, and Florence turned around, ready for her detention or points to be docked, but as Fernsby's eyes landed on her and she met them with a fierce unrepentance, he wet his lips and moved on.

"Merlin's beard," Marlene whispered to Florence. "Been holding onto that for a while, haven't you?"

"After what he and Mulciber did last year to Mary, he's lucky I haven't set him on fire," Florence mumbled. "Last thing we need is that lot learning about the Dark Arts so they can practice on muggleborns."

Marlene nodded her agreement, and the two focused back on Fernsby who was presently taking attendance.

Class continued and with it the growing feeling that someone was attempting to stare daggers into the back of her head. When she finally turned with a raised eyebrow, she found that not only was Avery glaring at her, but Mulciber and Nott had also joined in their friend's effort. She gave the three of them the most saccharine smile she could muster and lifted a middle finger towards them. When she turned back to Fernsby, he was in the middle of listing his credentials and previous places of employment..

He had just finished on how formative his time in the Azkaban processing unit was when James Potter began to loudly pack up his bag. "And erm..." Professor Fernsby stopped, watching as Potter corked his inkwell and dropped it into his bag. "Mr….Potter was it?"

Potter looked up, "Oh, I'm sorry, Professor," he said, his face genuinely apologetic. "I thought you were about done."

"Done?" Fernsby asked. While the word might have cracked like a whip from McGonagall or Kettleburn, instead it came out rather helpless as he looked appealingly to Potter for an explanation.

"It's just that usually professors keep class short the first. To get us acclimated to the school schedule again, you know."

Fernsby said nothing, looking out over the class to see nods of assent. Even Dorcas kept quiet.

"He's right," Marlene said from next to her, and Florence's attention whipped to her friend. "Although usually they make us stay at least half the block," she added with a reproachful look to James.

"Ah, well, I suppose here is as good a place to stop as any," Professor Fernsby said. "Come ready to learn, as I will be picking up the pace as the year progresses."

He seemed rather proud of himself, Florence thought as she along with her classmates scurried to pack up their books before anyone could possibly grow a guilty conscience. He probably thought the early dismissal was a sign of kindness and not what it really was: blood in the water.

Shouldering her bag, Florence headed out behind Lily and Dorcas into the hallway.

"We're not going to learn anything all year," Dorcas moaned, tossing her head back to stare miserably at the ceiling.

"It's going to be an easy O at least," Lily sighed. "And besides, next year it'll be someone new. Maybe they'll be able to catch us up."

Dorcas wilted a little, head coming back down to face forward with a pout tugging down her lips. "I suppose."

Marlene looked disbelievingly at the group. "Are we really not going to talk about Avery?"

"Do we have to?" Mary asked with a shudder. "He's so creepy. "

"That whole group is destined for Azkaban," Lily murmured, shaking her head.

"Not if Lory gets to them first," Marlene countered, smirking.

Florence shrugged, "I already told you I didn't think Fernsby had the backbone to tell him no."

"Right, but going after his dad like that?" Marlene pressed, raising her eyebrows at Florence as if to prompt an explanation.

"Everyone knows the Sacred Twenty-Eight's inbred," a voice drawled from behind the group. Lily rolled her eyes, letting out an annoyed sigh through her nose as Potter, Black, Remus, and Pettigrew interspersed themselves amongst the girls. "After all, you're looking at someone whose father shagged his cousin. Thankfully all of the negative effects of my parents' decision to procreate saved themselves for Regulus. Florence snorted at this, and Marlene barked out a laugh. Even Lily's lips quirked up into a reluctant half smile. "I have to say, Saise, that was a thing of sheer beauty in there. I think I might have even fallen in love with you a little," Black grinned.

Florence rolled her eyes and shook her head, even as the grin stayed on her lips. "I hope you're prepared for heartbreak then. Pettigrew, I'd start collecting chocolate frogs now, he's going to need them."

A quick confusion crossed Pettigrew's face as he darted a glance at Black, as if to ask if Florence was serious. But his friend was too busy throwing a hand over his heart and staggering back as if wounded.

"Should I get some chocolate frogs too, Evans? Or are you planning on sparing my heart this year?" Potter asked, grinning winsomely at Lily.

She gave him a tight lipped grin back, tilting her head towards him. "You should get as many as you can and stick them in your bag. That way, every time you have even the faintest impulse to ask me out, you can take one out and shove it in your mouth to save us both the trouble."

With that, Lily brushed her hair over her shoulder and moved forward to link arms with Florence, turning them both around to march down the hallway and away from their heartbroken boys.

"I think there was progress," James said, piling potatoes onto his plate once the boys had sat down for lunch. The past forty-five minutes that they should have spent in Defense Against the Dark Arts had been devoted instead to James' eternal pining over Lily Evans. "She didn't call me any names."

"Didn't need to, mate," Sirius said, snagging the serving spoon from James. "Her face and tone of voice largely did that for her."

"Yeah? What'd it say?" James asked, raising an eyebrow as he watched Sirius spoon potatoes next to his sausage.

Sirius straightened up in his seat, pointing the spoon at James. "It said, James Potter, you are a complete tosser," he said, mimicking Lily's high voice, much to the amusement of both Remus and Peter.

James looked down the table to where Lily tossed her head back laughing at something Mary Macdonald said. The lack of outright animosity had been progress, but she still didn't look at him with even a fraction of the warmth she gave to everyone else. Lily caught sight of him and the smile slid from her face, settling into a look of pure disdain before she turned back to her friends and said something that made Marlene McKinnon almost spit out her pumpkin juice.

"Well at least I can say I'm trying," James protested, turning back to face Sirius.

"Trying what? To get Lily Evans to hex your arse halfway 'cross the country?" Sirius asked. "Because that is about the only thing you're set to succeed at with her."

James scoffed before growing serious.  "I'm trying to win the bet."

Sirius raised his eyebrows at his best friend, and even Peter seemed to have checked back in to the conversation. Remus however let out a groan and set down the book he'd been reading so he didn't have to listen to James going on about Lily. "I thought you two had given that up."

"It was just on hiatus for a while," Sirius dismissed, picking up his fork to dig into his lunch. "Because unlike Prongs, I don't have to spend years just to get Saise to tolerate being in the same room as me."

"And yet," James said, picking up his own fork. "You still haven't won."

"Well, I've been a bit too busy with other matters to be worried much about the birds?"

"Like what?" Remus asked, picking his book back up.

"Largely, being the family disappointment," Sirius remarked with some finality as he bit into his sausage.

James just laughed at this. "Please, you have about as much interest in dating as Saise does. One of you is going to call it quotes before you can even go public--let alone last two weeks."

"All I'm saying is that at least Saise doesn't actively detest the very sight of me," Sirius shrugged, taking another bite of his food.

"I'm making progress."

"Of course you are, mate," Sirius nodded, navigating the words around the mouthful of food.

James shook his head at Sirius, "Padfoot, when it comes right down to it , I don't even think you could get Saise out of her knickers, let alone date you."

Sirius scoffed. "Everyone can get her out of her knickers. Everyone practically has gotten Saise out of her knickers."

Remus looked up from his book, a frown tugging at his features. "That's an ugly thing to say Sirius," he scolded, but Sirius looked completely unrepentant.

"It's not like it's a secret that practically our entire year has shagged Florence. Everyone knows what she's like," Peter shrugged.

"Exactly. Thank you, Wormtail," Sirius said. "But if you're so certain I can't do it, Prongs, then you'd have no problem making a little add on to our bet. Right?"

"No problem at all," James said, smugly.

"Great," Sirius said, leaning forward on his elbows. "Let's talk terms."

[enbysiriusblack]

dorlene july event, day 7- books

"I don't think I can read."

Lily turned to Marlene with a frown, "I think you can read, I think you would just rather be tearing up the pages of the book and squashing them into little paper balls to then see how far across the library you can throw them."

Marlene stared at the pages of the charms textbook in front of her, resisting the urge to to exactly what Lily had said.

"Yeah", Marlene sighed, flopping her head onto the table, "But I still don't understand it anyway... You know you're so smart, Lily. And you can concentrate so well, and get all your work done days ahead of time and you really understand all the concepts and theories, especially in charms, and you'd be able to explain it all so well."

Lily glanced up from her own work, "Do you want me to help you?"

Marlene grinned, passing her textbook to Lily.

Lily skimmed through the page Marlene was already on, jotting down key points onto a piece of paper before turning the page and pausing, eyes stuck on the bottom right corner.

Marlene leaned over, "What's wrong?"

"Is this your textbook?"

"Course it is- what did I spill pumpkin juice on it again or something? I totally ruined my potions book last term and my parents made me buy another one with my pocket money but I had spent all my money on that new guitar like a day beforehand and so I stole Meadowes' book and she found out and pushed me in the lake. But I didn't really mind, other than the fact I had my defence homework in my pocket and it got totally soaked, because the water made my shirt see-through and Meadowes fucking blushed and ran away and it was like the best day ever."

Lily slowly looked up, "What are on about? No- look, someone's wrote something in it for you."

"Really?" Marlene snorted, climbing over the table to see.

Marlene read the small, scratchy writing.

You're the most irritating person I have ever met and I'm definitely in love with you

"Well, shit."

Lily smiled, clutching Lily's shoulders, "Someone likes you!"

"Yeah, well", Marlene huffed, sliding back into her seat, "Maybe I don't like them."

"I wonder who it is?" Lily hummed, glancing around the room in thought.

Marlene folded her arms, "I mean they called me irritating, what sort of love confession includes insults!"

"It's in your charms notebook so it'll be someone from our class", Lily ignored Marlene, "A Gryffindor or Slytherin in our year then."

"And- And they vandalised my property!" Marlene continued, ignoring Lily in turn.

Lily tapped the table in thought, "It's not one of the boys or Mary or Em, I know all of their handwriting. Which means it's got to be a Slytherin, discluding Severus it's not his handwriting either."

"And what do they even mean by 'definitely', you can't be definitely sure about anything! I mean I'm pretty sure I'm a witch named Marlene but you know what? I'm not definite. I could be wrong, I don't know!"

"I don't think it's a boy, I mean you're pretty out as a lesbian so they should know they don't have a chance, and you've never really talked to any of them for them to know that you're irritating or to be in love with you."

"And why can't they just say that to my face? I mean it's not that hard, you just open your mouth and talk, I do it constantly!"

"But it's the same with the slytherin girls really, you don't really talk to any of them. I mean other than-"

"Whoever this person is, they're probably such an arsehole-"

Lily and Marlene both glanced to each other, realisation clear on their faces.

"It's Dorcas Meadowes."

[rivervixen327]

A change of heart (James and lily)

Aesthetic for chapter

Chapter ONE↓

1

The summer holidays were finally over and none could be happy about the fact, than the two sisters that sat silently in the back of their father's car. Petunia Evans was on cloud nine so much so that she hadn't complained once about the owl, that lay resting in it's cage on her sisters lap. Neither had she moaned about coming to wave off her younger sister,as she got on the train back to her precious school. Petunia Evans was in a good mood as she had been all summer long,yes it's very true the blondes holiday had been a Great one. She had met a boy over the summer break at the firm she was interning at, collecting coffee and fetching tea was all petunia Evans really did. It was wasn't anything truly exciting and to be honest she didn't really learn much, but she had a met a boy.

Vernon Dursley was the name he was a little older than her, he had an apprenticeships at Grunings he made drills and was very good, it was same firm that the blonde work at. Over the summer they had gotten close and had started courting as Petunia put it. Lily hadn't met him as her sister had refused to let her, but according to her mother Vernon Dursley was utterly ridiculous. He was on all accounts over wait and had a rather thin line of hair on his upper lip, Which he had called a mustache. Mr Evans would've laughed but he didn't want to seem rude and risk damaging his already fragile relationship with his eldest daughter, so he had refrained from doing so and gave the young man permission to continue to date Petunia. Mr and Mrs Evans had also agreed to allow the blonde permission to attend a weeks vacation with some of her school friends, down in the Welsh Ilse. It was safe to say everything this summer had seemed to go her way, resulting in her high right now.

Now lily's summer hadn't been a good affair , in fact it had been terrible. It started with her sister, the redhead had been pushed out all summer by Petunia Evans, she hadn't let her meet the boy whom had captured her heart. She had forbidden her attended the 18th birthday barbecue her parents were throwing for her. Though Petunia pushing her away was nothing knew, the older girl had been doing it since lily got her letter six years ago now. It was what happened with her best friend this summer that had left lily Evans stumped.

Severus Snape was a tall boy with greasy black hair and large hooked nose, people often said was snotty. That boy was lily's best friend, he was the first person whom made the red head feel normal, as opposed to the way her sister made her feel. And she was the first person to look at the young boy and not be repulsed, by his appearance. Over the years the pair had spent a lot of time together making for a  life long friendship, spending their summers under the willow tree in Which they had met. But this summer something was different, Severus Snape had been distant, the young man had been on Edge. His already short fuse and gotten shorter, yelling in the street to the muggles who let Thier eyes linger on him to long as they passed. Picking fights in public parks and youth club's he would likely loose without using his wand and exposing the wizarding world. He had even on occasion snap at lily, a girl who he loved and one day hoped would love him back. But at the rate he was pushing her away it became less likely that such a thing was going to happen. Lily Evans was extremely smart and new that something was going on, that the greasy haired boy was hiding something, something he didn't want her to know. Lily knew he wouldn't tell her and she had no hope in trying to reach the boy who trusted no but her had been keeping her at arms length.

So lily sat in the back of car twiddling her fingers, preying  that summer would come to an end instantly.

2

The Evans family car pulled up about outside kings Cross Station, in no time lily and family were walking through station Heading for platform nine and three quarters, Muggles staring as they did so. That was the Muggle way to lear longingly at thing's that seem different, or strange in anyway. And something about a young sixteen year old girl pushing a trolley filled with trunks and a black owl with flecks of white In his feathers,caused them to stare. Lily like the other witches and wizards of Hogwarts was used to it by now, it was nothing knew to her. All the whispering, the pointing of little children were expected, so it didn't faze her. Petunia Evans on the other hand hated. She hated being the girl with a odd sister whom got all the attention, she lothed the feeling of being constantly over shadowed even by strangers, most she would never likely to see again.

Five minutes later lily and her family had found the magical entrance to the train, and all four of them and ran threw wall just as instructed by lily years before. It seemed funny to the Evans family that there was a whole other world behind one little wall, a world of wonder and magic. And yet here they were standing in the thick of it, while they watched their youngest daughter suddenly feel at home and that she did.

A smile lit up the face of the red head as she stood scanning the station, watching the new first years run through too the platform for the first time on shaky leg's. One little boy coming up to her as she looked the least intimidating, his hair was short and his cheeks still held his baby fat perfectly.

"Excuse me, but where do I take my trolley" lily smiled and bent down a little to reach his eye level, she could tell he was nervous and very clearly like her. A Muggle born.

"Hello, you see that man over there take it to him and then head for the train, earlier you get on the better compartment you get." Lily said shoeing him on, the boys father following him smiling. Kindly at the redhead.

Lily turned back to her mother and father aswell as a very bored looking petunia Evans, hugging each of them as she said her goodbyes. Her sisters scowl warning lily to do no such thing with her, so the young witch gave a simple curt nod. Something that Appeared odd to others as they glanced at the interaction between sister, but the lily and petunia Evans the act was a far more normal occurrence than hugging.

"Oh baby, promise me you'll write every week" Catherine Evans spoke to her daughter, lily nodded and waved one last time before running off to find her Friends.

Marlene McKinnon was the easiest to Spot you Heard her before you saw, she was always getting in trouble in class because of it. Once it cost gryffindor twenty House, Slughorn felt terrible for taking the point's but the blonde was being extremely loud. But in her defence she was having a battle of wits with Sirius Black, it didn't end well for ethier of them. Especially when professor McGonagall found out, the pair had been given detention and they ended up hating eachother more than before.

"COME ON MUM, DAD IM GOING TO BE LATE" it was then lily saw her, blonde wild locks went barrelling towards the front of train with fifteen minutes to spare, the blonde was in such a chaotic state she completely missed the redhead standing to the side of her.

"Hey Mar we've got half and hour till the train leaves not fifteen."

"Lils that's not the__ OH MY GOD LILY " the blonde screamed throwing her arms around the Muggle girl.

"Missed you too mar, but do you mind if I breathe now, thanks" lily pushed her way out of the blondes arm's. Marlene McKinnon's mum and dad had left once they saw the two walking off completely forgetting they were still there.

"So let's go and find Dorcas and Alice, hey did you here about Alice yet" both girls keeping an eye out as they walked around the platform for the two missing from their little click.

"No, is she okay. "

"Oh she's Great, like really Great." Marlene spoke suggestively.

"What happened mar" lily stopped her in their tracks worried.

"How about we let the huffle-slut tell you__ ALICE FORTESCUE, GET OVER HERE YOU HUFFLE-SL" the brunette was barley five feet from the girls, but still Marlene McKinnon raised the volume of her voice to grab the attention of Alice Fortescue. And we'll it worked.

"Will you shut up, oh hey lily." Alice Fortescue now stood in front of her two friends, and a few seconds later the wild curly locks of Dorcas meadowes followed.

"hello Dizzy Dorcas, how did you find us" lily said earning her a shove on the side of her arm, by the Coco skinned girl.

"I heard Mar"

"Yeah I think everyone did" Alice Fortescue quipped.

"Hey I wasn't that loud" said the blonde mock affended, her Voice still slightly raised.

"Yes Mar yes you were, anyway i hear you have something to tell me Alice." Instantly Alice went red in the face, she wasn't embarrassed by what she had to tell lily Evans, it was just she wasn't used to it yet.

Taking a deep breath she spilled the beans " me and Frank are dating, he asked me over the summer, first week actually."

"Oh Alice that's great we've been rooting for you two" the redhead squealed happy for her friend.

"Did he get down on one knee," Marlene asked, all three girls looking at her like she had a third eye.

"Mar he asked her out not to marry her"

"I know that Dizzy Dorcas, but it just seems very Frank Longbottom, you know very proper." Alice rolled her eyes,

"No but he did give me flowers." The brunette swooned,

"Ugh, so lils how was your summer with the devil spawn." Dorcas meadowes had turned to conversation to the redhead, who's smile faltered.

"Petunia was well petunia she ignored my very existence," lily said.

"That's not the devil spawn I was asking about, I ment Severus Snape, you know tall with a chip pan for hair."

"I don't kn __" lily was interrupted by Alice, tapping her on the shoulder, pointing out the teen in question. "Lils, look other there"

Lily followed the gaze of her friends, green eyes Landed on the young boy with greasy hair. He walked through the platform, Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Black, Rodolphus Lestrange and Narcissa Black she was pushing her trolley. Lucius Malfoy to most was the scumm of the earth, he graduated from Hogwarts last year and just like his father had become a death eater along with Bellatrix Black. The girl with mast of curly black hair was practically psychotic, taking every chance she could to hex her cousin Sirius Black. The girls understood in a way why Lucius and Bellatrix were on the platform, the pair must of been seeing Narcissa Black off to her final year of school. But Rodolphus lestrange was a mystery, he had left Hogwarts about four years prior to Lucius and Bellatrix and yet here he stood. He had a reputation of being cruel even in school, it was wide a spread rumor that he had tortured a Hogwarts house nearly to death. Of course nobody could prove it even back then so Rodolphus lestrange for away with it. and there they all stood with lily's best friend.

"Well I guess that's where Sevs been all summer" lily said Turing away,

"So you haven't seen him all Summer," Alice placed a hand on lily's shoulder, the girl smiling at gesture.

"I saw Sev a few times but he seemed different, distant his temper was shorter than usual."

"Wow, come let's get a compartment. Maybe you guys can talk later" the black eyes Severus Snape falling on lily, he watched as she walked away. Silently vowing to reconnect with his best friend this schooling year of Hogwarts.

3

James potter and Company had just made to the platform with ten minutes to spare, as usual they planned to meet between platforms nine and ten and as usual He and Sirius were late. Remus had raised his arms in the air like a disapproving father and Peter well he was Peter, he just wanted food.

" Where in Merlin were you two?, We could've missed the train"

"Keep your knickers on Mooney, we've got ten minutes" Sirius Black spoke slinging his arm around Peter Pettigrew, while the tall boy scowled at their attitude.

"What he said mate, don't wolf out on us I was getting you a gift." James potter a bespeckled boy with black tousled hair, smirked whipping out a bar of Muggle milk chocolate.

"Thanks mate you're forgiven" Remus lupin mumbled taking the chocolate bar off his friend, peters mouth watering for a peice.

"seriously, he's forgiven, It was my Idea. I'm hurt, I'm hurt Mooney." Sirius Black spoke falling backwards, into his best friends arms. Far more dramatically then it sounds.

"Face it pads he loves me more," James push the raven haired boy up and out of arms, now walking backwards like a smart arse. Hair blowing more skew-whiff if that was even possible.

"Does not"

"Does too, he wants to steam up my specks"

"Shut it prongs he wants to kiss me and run his fingers through my hair, I mean come on I'm gorgeous." James bent over in laughter. Sirius's hair was dreadful, jet black and full of knots no matter how many times he pulled a brush through it.

"The bush you mean." James quipped.

"Remus kiss me, comon kiss me. Fine let me give you a big old smooch then " the tall boy cringed, he couldn't think of anything worse, snapping a strip of creamy chocolate off for Peter.

"No thanks, come__is that Lucius Malfoy"

Now all four boys had their eyes trained on the older boy, amused by whatever his three friends were doing. But on closer inspection Remus lupin noticed the four of young Wizards and Rodolphus lestrange were hazing a first year, before the poor tike hadn't even boreded the express. "Prongs, Padfoot are you seeing this" The two young Wizards didn't say a word in reply, instead they rushed off in the direction of Lucius Malfoy and his possy leaving Peter to trail behind.

As they got closer they saw a cute blonde girl, obviously a first year, robes barley off the floor and she still had her cart. Lucius Malfoy used his wand to riffel through the girls trunk, pulling the pages out off her new school books. James potter rolled his eyes, as they met with Severus Snape levitating the small blonde girl upside down now. The bespeckled boy taking the opportunity to startle the former student .

"Didn't know you could read Malfoy," the blonde Wizard jumping back startled by the sudden appearance of the bespeckled boy. The much older death eater rolling his eyes at Lucius Malfoy's obvious fear of the sixth year boy.

"I fail to see how that's any of you're business Potter" Malfoy spat

"Well I just made it my business, let the girl go Snivellus don't want to get bogey's on the poor thing." James potter spoke to the raven haired boy lowering the girl, once her feet reached the ground she legged it behind Remus lupin and Sirius Black. You couldn't blame the girl, the wolf boy was unnaturally tall and raven haired Wizard held a dark look in his grey orb's that would even scare her father.

"Arh yes potter I forgot you hang around blood traitors and mauled half-bloods." The boy with tawny curls retreating into his tatty clothes at the mention of his scared face, James and Sirius Black whipped out their wands in the defence of their friend.

"Watch you're mouth Malfoy." This time Sirius Black spoke up his voice venomous, the blonde ignored his second cousin and turned to the werewolf. Rodolphus lestrange deciding to leave the argument was a childish one and he definitely wasn't a child.

"Father works In the ministry's office lupin, there a bit if an enigma surrounding you." Malfoy paused for a second. "May I asked, did an unfortunate event befall you, or were always this hideous."

Though Remus didn't get to answer the question and not that he would any way, but the fist Peter Pettigrew had landed it's into the jaw of pureblood dick Lucius Malfoy. The three remaining marauders stared at their friend, Remus lupin was simply grateful that Peter chose this moment to finally snap. While James and Sirius looked on like a proud dads also laughing at the boy who had just been flattened, Malfoy though was fuming.

"My fa__" stoping when he heard James and Sirius making a bet.

" Three galleons if he says my father will hear about this" James smirked "your on pads"

"You little Rat my father will hear about this " the blonde Wizard stumbled to his feet with the help of girlfriend. Admittedly narcissa Black was far too pretty for the wizard and perhaps if she had more courage she'd of ran away from her depraved family, much like her older sister. But alas she didn't.

"Damit, here take em" james shoved the golden coins into the hands of Sirius Black, who took them gladly.

"Mark my words, dangerous times are coming boys and when they do,don't imagine you'll be Safe " the boy wizard said pushing his girlfriend away form the four boys.

" Thankyou for helping me, I'm Gabby Douglas." Came a soft voice from behind Remus lupin.

"It's not a problem munchkin, all in days work for the mighty Padfoot and friends" the first year smiled at the door sixth years stood looking down at her.

"Now run off and sit with the first year's okay." The tall boy with brown curls spoke to the girl.

The Marauders following suit made it just time, to bord the Hogwarts express. By now most of compartments upfront Were occupied and filled by loud and confused first year's, All seemingly unaware of the prejudice that would follow once they had been sorted. For some the friends they made on the train weren't likely to stick with you through the years to come, unless you where lucky like the four boys plodding along now. Sure with a few exceptions you could be friends with a Slytherin but it almost always ended in disaster, as lily Evans would find out the harsh way, just a few months into the new school year.

The boys eventually found Thier compartment near the back of the train and as luck would have it, it was the same very one that they had met in way back when in first year. They didn't know then that perhaps this would be the last time it was just the four of them, in that dinky compartment. If they had then maybe Peter Pettigrew wouldn't of buried his face in mountains if food, and somehow still have room for dinner In the Great hall later tonight. Perhaps if he knew Remus lupin wouldn't of let his heavy eyes droop shut at the impeding doom of the full moon tonight. The first day back and he was  having to spend it in pitiful sleep and in a grotty room. And perhaps James and Sirius wouldn't of spent their time plotting yet another well thought out hex on Slytherin. But things  simply were as they always had been, four best friend's who more like brother's really gearing up for another year of leaning, and shenanigans.

Word count : 3395

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed the chapter, let me know what think. What you didn't like and what you did, in the comments.

Untill next time  Hollie xx

[enbysiriusblack]

James Potter's birthday

"They're going to come", Lily sighed, trying to usher Hari away from the table of food laid out.

"They're not coming", James moaned for the millionth time that day.

Lily grabbed his face, "they'll come, okay? Nothing is more important to them."

James nodded, but a moment later looked out the window with a sigh, "I'll understand if they can't come. I mean, with the war on and Sirius and Remus aren't in a great place-"

"They're going to come." Lily recited.

At that, the front door swung open, followed by a loud shout, "Prongs!"

James ran to hug Sirius, the two staying in the embrace for more than a minute, only detaching as Hari crawled towards the two, mumbling 'pa.'

Sirius grinned, instantly sitting on the floor to play with him. James huffed.

"I told you", Lily said, "the 'p' sound is just a lot easier for him than the 'd'."

"nah, you just like me more, don't you, Hari?"

Hari giggled in reply, looking up at James.

James tried to resist a smile, "I feel like he's pranking me."

"It'd serve you right", a voice came from the kitchen.

"Marlene, how the fu-n are you in our kitchen?" Lily shouted, turning around on the sofa to see Marlene and Dorcas in the kitchen doorway.

Sirius hit James' arm, "You gave them keys too? I thought I was special?"

Marlene grinned as she flopped onto the sofa, head on Lily's lap, "They just left their backdoor open", she bopped Lily's nose, "We're in the middle of the war, you'd think you two would learn house safety."

James frowned, lifting up Hari in the air, "Who's going to attack a baby? Look at him, so cute!"

Dorcas stood behind the sofa with a grimace, "He looks like yoda."

"He does!" Marlene laughed, as Lily threw a vegetarian sausage roll at Dorcas.

At that, a knock sounded on the door.

Sirius froze up, eagerly taking Hari to play with as James went to get the door.

"Pete!" James shouted, hugging him in the doorway, Sirius relaxing and ushering him to come in.

"This your house, Sirius?" Lily joked.

Sirius grinned, "I wish. Still can't believe you won't let me live here."

James sat back down next to Sirius and Hari, Peter choosing the armchair instead.

"You've got someone to live with", James said, trying to get Hari to play with the toy deer.

"I'd rather live here", Sirius huffed, getting up to grab some food.

Peter, ever the distractor, grabbed a boardgame from Lily and James' collection, "who wants to play cluedo?"

An hour and a bit later, Dorcas won victorious, but their celebration cut short by another knock on the front door.

This time, Sirius instantly got up to go to the bathroom.

"Remus! I didn't know you were going to make it! Come in, come in" James smiled, directing Remus to the lounge where they all sat.

Lily got up, going to hug Remus who returned it, tightly hugging her back.

He then bent down to face Hari, "Hi Hari, you're getting bigger."

Hari looked at him quizzically but smiled nonetheless.

"That's what happens when you don't come round for months."

Remus turned to look at Sirius across the room, before turning between James and Lily, "Sorry about that, I've been really busy recently."

"It's fine, Moony", James said, a hand on his shoulder.

Sirius turned and stomped away, fleeing to the back garden.

James moved to go after them, but Peter got up and stopped him, "I'll go. Stay here and enjoy your birthday."

James let him go instead, turning back to Remus to hug him, "I missed you."

"Same, you don't understand how much" Remus sighed, "I can't stay for long though, my shift starts in half an hour."

"What?" James let go.

"The part time tutoring was barely covering anything, and the money Da saved up for when I moved out has ran out so I got a bartending gig at nights."

James instantly went to his wallet, "You know I'll give you however much you need. Just come on- stay, I haven't seen you in months."

"I can't take your money, Prongs."

"Please, come on. I haven't seen you for months and now you're only staying for five minutes? Just-Just take it and then you can stay here and skip your shift. Just this once."

"That's not how it works, I'd get fired. And I've told you, I'm not taking your money. I can deal with this myself."

James sighed, "I just want to hang out with you again."

Remus grabbed something from his bag and held it out, "I got you a gift."

James smiled and took it.

"It's an apron. I made it, well with Mam's directions, I think it was the longest phone call I've ever been on, she kept shouting at me in a mix of Spanish and Welsh. Terrifying."

James laughed and brought him into a hug, "exactly how we felt everytime you got angry."

Remus laughed, moving away to hug the others before he had to leave.

Sirius and Peter came back in, Sirius seeming even more irked than before.

He eyed Remus near the door, his coat and shoes still on.

"Leaving so soon?"

Remus huffed, "Leave it, Sirius. We can talk later?"

"When's later? 5 weeks? 6? Cause that's how long it's been since I last saw you?"

Remus clenched his jaw, "Dumbledore assigned me a mission, I told you."

"But why are you constantly going on these month long missions all the time, when the reat of us only get week long ones at most. What the fuck is so important for you to disappear for that fucking long?"

"Sirius!" Both James and Lily shouted.

Remus closed his eyes for a moment before speaking in a low voice, "Can we please not do this here?"

Sirius frowned in frustration, "If we don't do this here, then we'll never talk because you're never actually around to talk to! Hari doesn't even know who you are and you're his godfather!"

Remus took a step towards the door, "You think I want be gone all the time? I hate it! I hate being on these missions! I hate being away from everyone and missing every single thing! I mean, Marlene's got a ring on her finger and I have no clue when that happened!"

"Four months ago", Dorcas said, quietly.

Sirius smirked, "four months ago, Moony. They had a party to celebrate and we got sent an invitation. I couldn't tell you though, because you were off who knows where! As usual!"

"I can't help it if Dumbledore makes me go on month long order missions! I can't help it if I have to work day and night! I can't help it if I just want to sleep when I finally get home but I can't cause my partner's acting as if I killed their brother or something!"

Sirius froze, and looked away before retorting, "Maybe you did. How would I know what you get up to?"

James excused himself and went upstairs without a look back.

Lily stood up, grabbing Hari, and paused beside Remus, "I think you should go."

"I'm so sorry, Lily. Can you please tell him I'm sorry."

"I will", she promised, squeezing his shoulder before climbing the stairs.

"You two need to fucking deal with whatever's happening between the two of you", Dorcas said, sitting upright on the sofa.

Remus nodded, "Congratulations on your engagement", he replied before leaving, a small look towards Sirius as he left.

Marlene and Dorcas whispered to each other before announcing they should all probably leave as well.

Peter and Sirius both walked out together, Peter turned to them, "Remus has changed a lot, hasn't he? Do you think somethings up?"

Sirius nodded, "You know Moody told us there was a spy in the order at the last meeting?"

Peter nodded, guilt written on his face. Sirius saw it, taking it as guilt of suspecting Remus as the spy. Sirius felt the same guilt, after all.

"I wanted it to be fun", James said, curled in a ball on their bed, "I thought it'd be like old times, just chatting, and drinking, playing games. I miss it."

Lily nodded, "I think we all do."

"I miss him and I miss my parents."

Lily grabbed two framed photos by their bedside, "Talk to them then. I'll give you some privacy", she got up to leave before James stopped her.

"Can you come back when I talk to Reggie? It feels right, all three of us."

Lily nodded, "course."

He turned to the photo of his parents as the door shut, "Hey Maa, Pitā. It's my birthday! 21 now... I feel old and I hate it. I can't imagine how you two felt", he laughed, "sorry... I'm a little mad at Sirius right now. I know, I know, you hate it when we argue. But, we're not technically arguing. They're just- they can't even stand the sight of Remus right now. Which is crazy because they're practically soulmates and it's just that Remus is having a hard time right now, which Sirius doesn't seem to understand! And-and it's my birthday today. I used to be so selfish as a kid and I know that and I feel like I'm maturing, you know? I'm trying not to be so selfish. But it's my birthday- it was my party and Remus turns up an hour late and only stays for five minutes in which he and Sirius get into a huge argument in front all of us and Sirius swears in front of Hari. And it just- it pissed me off. A lot. I feel like I'm constantly having to do things, change things for everyone. We always have meat for Remus, even though I'm a vegetarian and I can't stand the sight of it. We built a smoking area in the garden for the both of them- obsessed with those things, they are. But it's just- they couldn't just get along for five minutes for me- just five minutes! And maybe that's selfish... but I just want to be selfish for once."

James wiped his tears away with his sleeve so it wouldn't drip on his parents.

"Maa, I wrote down all your recipes yesterday, every single one, and I'm going to teach Hari. And we're going to fly to India next year to meet with the rest of the family, Lily's really excited. She's never gone on an airplane before. And Hari will be able to talk by then so he can say hello to everyone. He's so cute. Re- um Regulus brought clothes for him years ago and they fit luckily. We were really worried they wouldn't. They're all green though", he laughed quietly, "if Hari gets put in Slytherin, I'm blaming him... I'm planning to see you two, and him tomorrow. I know Hari and Lily usually come, but we think he's been there too much. He gets all sad and quiet whenever we go. We don't want him to spend his entire childhood in graveyards."

James placed the photo back onto the bedside table, "I miss you both so much. I don't know how I'm meant to live for so long without you both around."