#Sirius just found out james is smashing his brother

[starsandmoonys]

James: Moony, would you take a hit for me.

Remus, confused: You are my best friend, I suppose.

Sirius, angrily running through the door: POTTER!!

James, jumping out the window: Thanks, mate.

[thebibutterflyao3]

Day 14 - Prompt: Devil @wolfstarmicrofic

January Daily Series - 999 words

<<<Previous Part OR Start Here

“James! Where are you?” Regulus yelled, covering his ears as the shout bounced back at him.

“I went right, then left, then right twice more.”

Sirius cleared his throat and pointed at Padfoot. Regulus let out a relieved sigh, then followed him into the winding cave. He wasn’t actually certain Padfoot could find James, but it reassured his brother enough to stop screaming hysterically.

“James,” Sirius called calmly. “Call Padfoot.”

The dog’s head perked up when a sharp whistle pierced the air. “Pads! Come here, bud!”

Padfoot bounded down the left side of the cave passageways, the opposite of where James said he went. Regulus clicked his tongue disapprovingly as he followed, looking over his shoulder at the other entrance.

When Padfoot slowed, Sirius called, “Again, James.”

“Pads! Over here!” James said, along with a smacking sound.

The dog rushed to the right with Sirius on his heels, but Regulus hesitated to go further, eyeing the main entrance worriedly. “I’m going to stay here, Sirius, to watch the tide.”

“Alright.”

Sirius hurried after Padfoot as he made three sharp turns, then skidded to a stop and leapt up in the air. The sound of his claws scraping against something soft was a good sign, but Sirius couldn’t see a thing. He whipped out his phone and opened the flashlight app.

“Ouch!”

“James?”

His camera flash flickered for a moment, then lit up the cavern in front of him. Sirius stared at the comical scene and bit back a laugh. What a twit!

James was wedged into an opening that would have challenged Sirius to crawl through. Somehow, the utter twat had squeezed his shoulders into the hole, but then stopped. Now, he was on his back with his knees bent and his arms trapped beside his head. Meanwhile, Padfoot was jumping over his belly and trying to wrestle with the bottom two-thirds of his body. Sirius quickly snapped a photo.

“Take it easy, Pads,” James chastised. “You’re going to smash my bits.”

“Don’t let Padfoot smash his bits!” Regulus ordered, his voice wavering.

Sirius chuckled as he leaned down to assess the situation. “What the fuck have you done, mate? You’re way too big for this hole.”

“I found a pretty rock in here and tried to grab it to show Regulus because he wouldn’t come in this far, but I had to reach in pretty deep and…got stuck.” James rambled as he wriggled his body, then huffed in exasperation. “A little help?”

“Yeah, alright. Pads, quit.” Sirius settled the dog, then propped his phone on a rock to shine the light at James.

Slowly, he worked James’s right shoulder back and forth while pressing down the skin to protect it from the jagged rim of the hole. After several minutes of easing him loose, James’s shoulder popped out of the hole. As he began working on the left side, he heard snuffling behind him and rolled his eyes at Padfoot’s exploring.

“Can you hurry?” Regulus asked.

Sirius pulled harder and scoffed, “I’m trying!”

James shifted his stance and forcefully pushed against the stone. A few pieces of rock fell around them, but he hadn’t budged much. He repeated the movement again, then swore under his breath.

“Regulus, are you alright?” he yelled, pausing his struggle to listen.

“It’s just that the water is up to the front of the cave and I-I’m worried we won’t be able to get out.”

“Get out of the cave, Reggie!” Sirius insisted, tossing the dog’s leash aside. “Take Padfoot with you. James and I can swim, if necessary. Go get him, Pads!”

“You know how to swim? When did you-” Regulus was cut-off by an excited yap and huffed loudly. “Hold on a minute, mutt!”

The sounds of his brother grumbling and Padfoot’s feet dancing on the stone amused Sirius for an entire thirty seconds, until he saw the cut on James’s arm. James hissed through his teeth when Sirius touched the skin around it gingerly.

“Fuck, that hurt.”

“Yeah, you did a number on it arsehole.”

James wriggled harder as Sirius turned and pressed his left shoulder to help ease it free from the sharp rocks gripping it. Every centimetre of progress was undone by a slight shift in James’s stance. The twat must have twisted his upper body to fit into the crevice.

“For fuck’s sake,” Sirius said, swatting James’s side. “Why didn’t you just take a bloody picture?”

“Yeah, well. I didn’t think of that.”

Suddenly, Sirius’s knees were soaked by a flood of water that rushed into the cave. “Shite!”

“That’s about the sum of it, yeah,” James gasped, shivering violently.

A loud thud and a splash echoed through the cave and James stilled. His chest spasmed with a shaky breath. “Regulus? Don’t come in here if you can’t swim!”

“That’s not him. He’s not big enough too-” When large hands grabbed him around the middle, Sirius startled and flailed. “Wha…who…I?”

“Out of the way,” Remus said gruffly, moving him aside. The bloke knelt in the shallow water and peered up into the hole with one eye closed. “Well, James. Stuck yourself good, didn’t ya?”

James burst out laughing, but it sounded more delirious than amused. “Fuck me. Thank the devil it’s you, Remus.”

“I’ll pass for now, thanks, but I might have to get a bit familiar with you to pull you out.”

“Whatever. Go for it.”

Sirius stared in awe as Remus straddled James’s hips, braced himself, wrapped both arms around James’s chest and yanked hard. Remus’s back muscles strained against his shirt as he repeated the move twice more with a grunt. There was a sickening pop when James finally broke free.

James grimaced as he rubbed at his shoulder and sat up. When he spotted Sirius, he offered him an apologetic grin and held out his hand. A smooth green stone with coral bits attached on one side lay in the palm of his hand.

“Do you think he’ll like it?” he asked earnestly.

Sirius rubbed his temples and sighed.

Next Part>>>

[breeistired]

"Invisible string."

A starchaser angsty blurb?

This is part one of Bree tries to make fanfics while doing school.

TW: NO HAPPY ENDING, its my first time writing a blurb I think thats what you call it?, I dont know how to write on tumblr either, so bare with me.

----- (i dont know how to make an aesthetic boarder thing-)

James and Regulus never talked much. Only knowing each other from their mutual classes, or in this case, brothers.

Regulus had always found James quite annoying. "Why was he always laughing? What is there to laugh about anyways?" He would say to his friend Pandora.

If you ask anybody in this school, Pandora was tired of hearing Regulus complain about, "Pisser Potter."

"Maybe you should just fuck the hatred out of you both." Barty Crouch Jr would say with a mischievous smile. "Nobody asked for your opinion in this Crouch," Regulus snapped.

And so on the conversations would never be about anyone else, only James.

James on the other hand, paid much attention to Regulus. He noticed when Regulus had cramps, when he was mad or sad, when he was annoyed, James even noticed what time he ate and went to sleep.

James and him had many differences. Such as, Regulus being positive on his sexuality, he loved men and was a man.

Not his mothers little girl, her boy.

James, didn't know he liked boys until he met Regulus. When he first saw Regulus walking towards him, he walked the other way and ran into a wall.

Remus knew about James' little crush, it was quite obvious, but not to Sirius. To be fair, Sirius had just found out that Marlene liked girls, and she came out in front of them.

That's besides the point. James never felt as comfortable with his sexuality like Sirius, Remus or even Marlene.

Kissing boys felt weird. His whole life he was being told to create grandchildren with a nice girl, or marry a woman that he loves.

But what about the boy he loves?

Without even knowing it, James began to get closer to Regulus, feeling this invisible string pulling him closer and closer.

The invisible string pulled Regulus to James as much as it pulled James to Regulus.

The invisible string had no boundaries but someone did.

Regulus set major boundaries about touching. Anytime someone would touch him, he could push them away.

"Regulus!" James screamed, running to him. He hugged him, rather tightly and smiled. Regulus awkwardly, patting his back with a small smile. He couldn't explain why he was hugging him back, it felt natural.

James would do nice gestures for Regulus, such as, giving him flowers, buying him chocolate when he was dealing with his mensural cycle, buying him binders, etc.

Regulus could feel himself falling in love with James.

On one cold winter night, Regulus finds himself in the astronomy tower, with a blanket draped around his shoulders.

James himself couldn't sleep either, so he walked to the only place he knew Regulus would be at.

When James sees him, a bright smile spreads across his face. He slowly walked to him, his breath uneven.

"Don't you look cozy." James whispered sarcastically. Regulus rolled his eyes and looked up at the taller man. "What are you doing here?" Regulus mumbled. "I couldn't sleep." James gulped as he looks in Regulus' greyish eyes.

Regulus nodded and looked down at his feet. That gesture alone made James' heart tremble. Something came over him, with his right hand he lifted Regulus' chin up to face him. They stare at each other.

James smashed his lips onto Regulus' without any warning. Regulus kissed back, a small whimper eliciting from him.

They kiss for what felt like hours. James is the first one to pull away. "I shouldn't..." James mumbled. "I shouldn't have done that." His face turning into a look of regret.

"If its about my brother, we can fix that, he'll just have to live with it-" Regulus ranted and sighed. "Its not that." James gulped. Regulus' face turning into an expression mixed with confusion and panic. "What is it then?" He murmured.

"I wish you were a girl." James looked at Regulus, the twinkle in his eyes no longer there. Without another word, James runs off back to his dorm.

The next day comes around, Regulus was sitting at his usual spot at the slytherin table, having a much more gloomier face than normal. No one dared to talk to him.

He looks over at the gryffinor table, seeing everyone celebrate. He walks over there with a curious expression.

Sirius ran over to him. "James Potter has finally got a girlfriend! Can you believe it?" Over to the right, over Sirius' shoulder, he sees James kissing Lily Evans.

Regulus pushes Sirius away, not caring anymore. Regulus runs to the astronomy towers and breaks down. The words playing over again, "I wish you were a girl." Regulus' knees buckle, he falls to the ground, punching the floor. "Why not me?" Regulus cried out loud. Why not him?

James notices this and followed him. Not caring if anyone asks about his whereabouts. "Regulus, I swear-" James said once he gets to the astronomy tower. He doesn't let him speak. He stood up on wobbly knees and pointed at him, anger written on his face.

"I didn't realize I was such an inconvenience to you." Regulus deadpanned and swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Regulus I didn't mean to hurt you, I'm not ready-" James tried to explain, but he cut him off.

"Are you ashamed of me?" Regulus murmured. James shook his head frantically, trying to tell him no. "When you kissed her, did you think of me? When you looked at her, did you see me?" Regulus whispered, his voice slowly growing louder. "I let you tear down my walls, and after I gave my all, that's all it took for you to get over me?" Regulus shouted.

James just stood there, taking it. He knew he hurt Regulus, and he hated himself for that.

James slowly tried to reach for Regulus' hand, trying to comfort him. "Don't fucking touch me!' Regulus yelled as he yanked his wrist back.

Regulus started to walk away before he heard James whisper something.

"I never told you I loved you." James looked at Regulus, eyes filled with tears.

"Maybe that was for the best." Regulus deadpanned and wiped away his tears.

And with that, he never looked at James again. James would steal glances at him while he was with Lily. She would never know about the invisible string.

The day Regulus died, James could feel the string cut. And then he knew what Regulus had felt when he broke his heart.

-

HIII, THANKS FOR READING. I DONT KNOW IF I SHOULD MAKE MORE, PLEASE GIVE ME FEEDBACK ON WHETHER OR NOT I SHOULD MAKE MORE. REQS ARE WELCOMED IF YOU WANT. COMMENTS HELP OMG. PLEASE ASK SOME RANDOM QUESTIONS IN MY ASK BOX. AND IM STILL FIGURING OUT TUMBLR SO IF YOU COULD HELP ME THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MWAH. BREE LOVES YOU.

[fanfic-recs-01]

Jegulus Fics

This is just a list of all the Regulus Black/James Potter fics I like on AO3, if you have any recs for me feel free to send me some!

Updated 5/15/24

Confessing to a lunatic by MiriamMT

~another James tells Sirius he is dating Regulus fic because they are funny.~

my almost lover by alarainai 

~“If I was dating Regulus, I would have noticed.”

A pause. His friends all stare at him with various levels of disbelief. Suddenly, he feels very stupid.

“Are you sure?” Remus asks.~

A star for a summer's day by her_smile_forges_galaxies 

~Barty is in love with Evan, and he doesn't know what to do about it. Regulus is in love with James, and he doesn't know what to do about it.

Luckily for both of them, Barty has a foolproof plan (or maybe not so full proof after all, but you can't blame a guy for trying)~

Regulus Black's Favourite Gryffindor by MiriamMT

~Regulus became an Animagus because he wouldn't let Sirius and his friends become the youngest wizards to have ever accomplished that. Being a cute, black cat he gets into every common room - scratching everyone who tries to touch him, except for a certain James Potter. He also so happens to be able to A) annoy his brother who is allergic to cats and B) overhear interesting conversations.~

sometimes it’s easier to be invisible by introvertedhufflepuff

~Regulus Black hates James Potter. He's loud, egotistic, and replaced Regulus at a time he needed Sirius the most. But when Regulus gets kicked out of his home and forced to live with him, will their spark grow or die?~

In All Your Gorgeous Colours by AlexSW97

~When the Prophet prints a photo of Regulus snogging a bloke in Hogsmeade, Regulus realises he can't stay at Grimmauld Place any longer. He follows after his brother, who ran away only a few months before. Sirius just happens to be living with James, who Regulus has fancied for years.~

Far Too Young to Die by xjustakay

~Sirius couldn’t bear the thought of leaving his little brother behind, left for a life of darkness. James would have his heart broken knowing he could have protected Regulus, too, but did nothing. And thus a master plan is concocted.~

Truth Be Told by QueenOfStormySkies

~James has never had a problem playing Truth or Dare before, but he’s also never had such a big secret to hide.~

comfortably numb by littlelous

~Regulus and Sirius Black have the worst fucking family in the world- James Potter, the best. Sirius is already living with the Potter's, but dire circumstances call for dire actions in the case of one Regulus Black. He hates his brother. He hates his brother's friends. But at this point, he doesn't have a choice. Bitter feelings are worked through, pranks are executed, Quidditch games are played, and teenagers fall in agonizing, beautiful, terrible young love.~

lost and found by rxgulus

~The marauders gain a new companion on their monthly adventures around the grounds of Hogwarts. James Potter finds himself incredibly attached to his new feline friend, so when the cat stops showing up he is understandably devastated. Thankfully, Remus is full of good ideas, and putting up flyers with Whiskers’ cute fluffy face on yields a reward he could never have foreseen.~

You idiot, Potter. by aithusarosekiller

~James didn't know that it was Amortentia...which is why the whole school finds out that he is attracted to Regulus Black. Good one, Sirius.~

James Potter's Application to Court Regulus Black by MiriamMT

~“Hello and welcome, my name is James Potter and this is my presentation on ‘Why I should be allowed to date Regulus Black’.”~

Smash or Pass? by MiriamMT

~Remus and Sirius just moved in together. Their friends get a hold of Sirius' Family Photos and decide to play Smash or Pass - until James sees pictures of a particularly beautiful young man. He immediately wants to meet him, and vows to marry him. Much to Sirius' horror, this man isn't some distant, long-dead cousin but his brother.~

The Mystery of the Pears by sonwar

~n the cave, Regulus doesn’t beg for it to stop. He begs not be left behind, alone.Perhaps this is why, when Kreacher gives one last look over his shoulder and sees terrible, pale hands reaching for his master, he appears in a flash at Regulus’ side, clutches him by the elbow, and Apparates them both out of the cave, directly disobeying his master’s last order.~

Like a Ballast by orphan_account

~When Regulus realises he doesn't want to follow the path his mother set out for him, he attempts to seek support with his brother. Sneaking into Gryffindor Tower is easy, but he chooses the wrong bed, and winds up face-to-face with James Potter, his long-time crush, and the person his family blames for corrupting his brother.~

just lovers (like we were supposed to be) by bizarrestars 

~Or, the one in which James Potter wants to prove he'd be a good boyfriend to Lily Evans and comes up with the brilliant plan to fake date Regulus Black his way into falling in love. It doesn't quite go as anyone expects.~

hard feelings by jilylicious

~in a parallel universe Sirius grabs Regulus' arm right before he vanishes into thin air when he's sixteen~

This House Could Be A Home by Fullmoonstar00

~Sirius Black has been living with the Potter’s for nearly 2 years and is constantly filled with guilt and regret about leaving Regulus behind. In the summer before the Marauder’s sixth year, Regulus turns up at the house with nowhere else to go and no one else to turn to. ~

invisible string by moonysdustymarsbars

~Regulus Black wakes up one morning to find himself in James Potter's bed in the Gryffindor tower. It isn't until it happens again that he questions whether his bed is cursed or if fate is pushing them together.~

[starchaseriseverything]

NSFW: SEX SCENES!!!

Alice wakes up to kisses being trailed down her neck to her breasts and hands roaming all over her body. Her eyes flutter open, and she looks down to see her wife under her shirt. “Cissa.” She says groggily. “What are you doing?”

“Giving you a birthday surprise.”

“The kids-”

“They’re with their dads so we have some time alone.”

“But-”

“You have no excuse.”

Alice groans and pulls off her shirt showing Narcissa about to grab her breast. “Fine. Suck away.”

Narcissa just grins up at her and says, “Oh, I’ll be doing much more than that.”

Alice moans as Narcissa starts sucking and massaging her right breast then switches to the left. "Cissa." She moans out her wife's name.

Narcissa smirks up at her and goes farther down, pulling down her pajama bottoms in the process. Narcissa smiles yet again before disappearing between Alice's legs. Narcissa's tongue darts across her wet pussy before a finger slides in along with her tongue. Alice can practically feel her wife smiling at how much she's moaning, and she can.

Narcissa and Alice smile the whole way down the stairs after an hour of sex. Narcissa starts up the breakfast and leads Alice back upstairs for breakfast in bed.

Narcissa blindfolds her wife all throughout the car ride and her friends and their kids are right in front of her when she finally takes it off.

Alice smiles widely when she sees Frank and his wife, Hestia, with their kids and hers and Franks. She also sees Lucius with Lila and Draco off to the side smiling at how happy Narcissa is. Mary, Marlene, and Lily smile at her when she cuts her cake, then smashing it in her face when she tries to hand it to Marlene.

Alice laughs. "You guys are the best."

"We know." Marlene replies.

"Thank you."

"It was Cissa's idea. Not ours."

Alice smiles at them. "Well, I'll be sure to thank her tonight, but for now, thank you." Lily, Mary, and Marlene smile at her and go back to their kids, making sure they have cake and ice cream.

"Did you have a good day, mom?" Neville asks.

"Yeah, did you?" The twins, Juliana and Nicky ask at the same time.

"Did you mom?" The other twins, Lila and Draco ask.

Alice smiles at them. "Of course I did. It was the most amazing day a mom could ask for."

"I bet it was." Narcissa whispers in her ear.

"Can we come home now?" Lila asks.

"No, not yet." Narcissa says to her daughter. "Stay with your dad for one more night, then We'll come pick you up in the morning, okay?"

Draco and Lila both nod and run to Lucius's car to go to sleep. Neville, Juliana, and Nicky run to their brothers, William and Alexander, and get in the car with Frank and Hestia, both parents driving off one after the other.

James smiles at her. "Nice to see you happy, Al." He says when Narcissa walks away to talk to her sisters, Bellatrix and Andromeda.

Alice smiles at him and looks back to her wife. "I am. I really am, Jamie."

James smiles at her when she turns back to him. "I'm glad. You deserve it." He turns around to look at the view of the sky at the top of the hill. "You know, I remember the day we found this place. Do you?"

"Like it was yesterday."

“We were all so drunk and we just came from a party.”

“A Slytherin party.”

“Oh, yes. Because Marlene had to drag us to her girlfriend's party, so she’ll have company.”

Alice laughs remembering that day. “And yet, she never talked to us, just made out with Dorcas.”

James laughs, too. “And Sirius and Remus were off in a corner making out.”

“And a lot of others.”

“Oh, yeah.” He laughs. “We all were so drunk and couldn’t even remember falling asleep up here, let alone actually walking up here.”

Alice laughs again. “We didn’t even have a car to drive so I don’t even know how we got this far from the party.”

“That was one of the days where we all were together without any fighting.”

Alice smiles. “I wish we could go back to that day.”

James smiles from beside her, as well. “Me, too.”

Alice pats James’s shoulder after five minutes of watching the sunset and says, “Well, I think it’s time we leave. See you later, Jamie.” James turns to her and hugs her.

“Happy birthday, Al.” He whispers by her ear. “Have the best night.”

“Who says we’ll be doing anything?” She asks as they pull away.

James raises his eyebrows. “Your kids going to their dads on a weekday.”

Alice laughs. “Oh, that. Guess you caught us.” Alice smiles as she walks away and says, “Better go fuck my wife.”

“Dad, what does fuck mean?” Euphemia asks James.

Alice laughs as James yells, “Alice!” And Narcissa and Alice just drive away, leaving James to explain and everyone else to clean up.

[fensherohair]

The Marauders and the Metamorphagi Part 2

Warning: None Words: 1.5K

The first year at Hogwarts had gone by without any serious happenings. Lily continued to spend time with her close friend Severus, a bright Slytherin student. At the same time, Marlene and (Y/N) would talk and swap notes about the classes they attended. Remus, Sirius, James, and Peter had gone on to call themselves The Marauders, although each was smart in their way, they'd prove themselves to be a nuisance at the best of times. James and Sirius had grown fond of tormenting Snape, as did Peter when he joined in. Remus wasn't truly on board but still didn't do anything to stop the three boys. Hufflepuff had won the famed House Cup that year. 

The second year was when things started to heat up. After a comment or two from James about being mischievous, he'd quickly found himself in a prank war. At first, he had no idea who'd jinxed him when going to and from classes, he'd never seen the person who switched his books or messed with his uniform. Until the day (Y/N) had made it obvious. She'd quietly sent a jinx his way but had fallen over something during her escape attempt. From that moment on the duo of (Y/N) and James had been enthralled in a prank war. 

"I swear one day I'm going to catch her" commented James, as the Gryffindor and Slytherin students left Charms class that afternoon, The last lesson that day, was the ever-boring History of Magic with Professor Bins. The ghostly man could bore anyone to death including himself. Most students often messed about or fell asleep at some point. Remus chuckled slightly at James's words, he'd long since worked out (Y/N)'s secret, just as he knew the odds were very much against James. He'd only catch (Y/N) if she wanted him to. 

"I've got detention with her later on. Professor Slughorn, wasn't overly thrilled when she stumbled over something and knocked a few shelves over" laughed Sirius, recalling the incident in question. How the quietness of the dungeon classroom had been destroyed by a yelp and subsequent smashing and crashing sounds. Poor Professor Slughorn had looked mortified as if he questioned his very reasoning for becoming a Hogwarts professor in the first place. Sirius himself had landed a month's detention after he'd purposely ruined his potion and caldron, adding all the wrong ingredients and ignoring the instructions until his potion was nothing more than an acid-like sludge that melted through everything. 

"Sirius and (Y/N) sitting in a tree" started Peter, a wide grin on his lips, although it faded the moment he looked to his left. There walking along with the four boys was (Y/N), a wicked grin painted on her lips, as her eyes shone with their normal mischief and scheming gleam. With a cheeky wink, she sped up to catch up with Lily and Marlene not too far ahead. The moment she caught up to the pair, her midnight locks turned a dark purple, once again sparking the majority of the Marauders to question what charm or spell she'd used to get her hair to do such a thing. Once again Remus could only chuckle. Recalling agreeing to keep (Y/N)'s secret as she'd agreed to keep his. 

"Hey James" called Allegra Smith from behind, despite her young age, there was a hint of flirtation ringing through her voice. Her twin sister Isolde was at her side and rolling her dark eyes, as if already fed up with her sister's ways. So far that year all Allegra had been interested in was causing drama, spreading gossip, and attempting to flirt with as many boys as possible. She'd been confronted many times already by both their housemates and some of the professors. 

"To the earlier topic" spoke Sirius, his own wicked grin coming to his lips, as his dark curly hair blew in the breeze. "There's a better chance Miss Flirts A Lot getting what she wants than you catching (Y/N)" laughed the eldest Black brother. Remus joined in as the group of four entered the History of Magic classroom, Professor Binns was quick to announce a new seating plan, whereupon he began to float over to each desk and call the names of both the students to be sat there. Much to the dismay of the students. 

Peter had been placed at the front directly in front of Binn's desk, paired with Allegra, much to her annoyance, as she'd been hoping to be sat with someone she could flirt with. Remus had been paired with Marlene placed in the back row, (Y/N) and Sirius were next to them closest to the window, at least allowing them a view while being bored to tears. Lily had been paired with Severus as she had requested the previous lesson. Finally, James had been paired with Isolde Smith, the quiet of the muggle-born twins. The pair were in the third row furthest from the window. The opposite side of the room to Lily and Snape. 

As expected the lesson had been boring, Professor Bins droned on and on in his unusual monotone voice. He'd not noticed when the pranks had begun. James's attempt to jinx (Y/N) had caught a dozy Sirius instead. The jinx he sent Severus's way had hit its mark but he'd gotten one back just as quickly, much to Lily's dismay who simply swatted his shoulder. Allegra had attempted to get in on the action too, finding herself jealous of her twin Isolde, Marlene, and (Y/N) for being sat next to her crushes, she tried to jinx each but failed miserably, showing her lack of attention extended to almost every lesson. 

"How'd you get your hair to change color like that?" asked Sirius, upon noticing (Y/N)'s once dark purple hair was now a silvery/purple color. He'd watched as it slowly changed, yet noticed she never uttered a single word or even touched her wand resting in front of her. Before her hair changed color (Y/N) had been doodling on a piece of parchment, and scribbling something else. "A potion or a spell?" he asked, knowing (Y/N) was no stranger to experimenting with advanced magic, despite being a second-year witch, she could do magic that even seventh years would struggle with. She'd recently scared the life out of anyone in the Gryffindor common room with the Patronus charm, revealing she wasn't only powerful enough to cast it but also that hers took the form of a particularly aggressive dragon. The Hungarian Horntail. 

"Magic" simply replied (Y/N), the smallest of grins appearing across her lips, as she glanced over to her partner. Chuckling at his deadpan expression. 

"Are you serious?" he asked. 

"No, you're Sirius" laughed (Y/N) in response. Watching as Sirius couldn't help but smile at the quick-witted answer. 

"Okay, I'll admit that was a good one" Sirius casually responded, finding something funny about the response, all while questioning why no one had used it before. Not even Regulus his younger brother had thought of it, which said something as the younger wizard was smart for his age. "What do you suppose Slughorn will have us doing in detention tonight?" he asked, suspecting her line of thought would be the same as his. 

"Cleaning up our messes probably" replied (Y/N), hearing James loudly exclaim he was in love with Professor Bins, Allegra just in front of his desk had cheeks beetroot red, whereas Isolde simply chuckled, most likely being the one to dare James to loudly proclaim such a thing. "Or replacing the ingredients we used/scattered everywhere" laughed (Y/N), smiling brightly. Even more so upon noticing Professor Binns had since turned his attention away from the chalkboard, he now patiently waited for Allegra to find her will to move after such an embarrassment and return to her seat. 

"Could be worse. We could be sent to do tasks with our dear old caretaker, Pringle" commented Sirius, recalling seeing the caretaker continue his crusade against Peeves recently. The mischief-loving poltergeist, always causing chaos somewhere in the castle, whether he was sending students in the wrong direction, doing something daring in corridors, or winding up other ghosts. His latest targets had been Moaning Murtle in the girl's bathroom and several students, including Allegra. There was no end to his antics, not even when the ministry members stopped by for a visit. 

"Oh maybe we'll be pruning the whomping willow or polishing the old trophies" laughed (Y/N), knowing the punishments from Pringle could be far more brutal than just cleaning and helping with maintenance. Pringle had been known to whip out corporal punishment before, anything from a night in the dungeons to whipping out the cane. 

"I'll take my chances with the cane than trying to prune that bloody tree" spoke Sirius, remembering wondering a little too close to the tree weeks prior. James had been knocked back with a thunderous branch to the ribs, and Peter had been whipped by the long twisted vines. Lucky for Sirius, Remus had pulled him out of the way, before he too had been thrown around by the defensive tree. 

Masterlist

[allalrightagain]

Once More Unto the Breach (Wormtail Week Day 5)

Part 2 of Pocket Dad/A Rat in the Hand (read part 1 here)

As always, thanks to @wormtailweek and my betas.

Peter didn't know why he thought this would be easy. Or: Some things form bonds. Troll fighting in bathrooms has always been one of those. Peter & Harry, Peter & the Golden Trio, Harry & Ron & Hermione (Also on Ao3!)

Peter was running.

Racing, weaving through crowds of feet and empty hallways alike.

(It was some of his better work, if he did say so himself.)

(It made him think of racing after a different messy head of black hair, testing out new quidditch drills or chasing each other to the Shack on full moons — which made him remember it was Halloween and no, not now)

The kids had come back from a midnight adventure with whispers of a three-headed dog and a trapdoor, and he’d vowed to keep a closer eye on them, though today it had been just as much to beat back his own ghosts than to protect Harry from his.

Tucking himself into Ron’s bag had been the right call, he knew, right up until it was unceremoniously dumped on Neville and Ron and Harry went running towards the danger, instead of away from it.

Cursing the Potter bloodline— not for the first time— he dodged a near trampling by a crowd of older Ravenclaws before skidding to a stop.

He didn’t need to give chase anymore.

He’d caught up to the boys, and the boys had found the troll.

The boys who were bravely (foolishly) not running away, but trapping the troll away in— that wasn’t a broom cupboard. Peter realized the same moment Hermione did, her shrill scream from inside the bathroom jolting Harry and Ron into opening the door again.

Peter had a split second to wish that his animagus form had come with the power and size he didn’t have as a human, that he might throw himself, as James or Sirius might have, in between the boys and their stupid, stupid act of chivalry before they got themselves killed.

He debated the merits of going for help— if only he still had the map— but no, even if he could find someone trustworthy enough to help, his own presence would negate it, prompt questions he couldn’t answer.

The door was swinging shut, Peter had only a moment to decide.

We’re brothers. We take care of our own. James’s voice echoed in his mind, a long ago conversation about a very different type of beast, but the message was the same: no one looks out for us better than we do.

He’d fucked that up before, he knew, biting back the grief. James might have said something different if he’d known what the future held. But James would also want his son to live, to survive his first year without being smashed to bits by a troll he had no business facing.

He was out of time. Even if it was the wrong decision, even if he fucked it up again, even if everything fell apart even more than it had before, this was something he had to do.

Mind made up, Peter slipped inside, so close he nearly caught his tail in the door.

The bathroom was a disaster. The troll had shattered the sinks along the wall, spraying water and debris. Hermione was trapped against the far wall; despite the boys’ attempts at distraction and Harry’s desperate calling for her to run, Peter could see no path clear of both frantic troll and obstruction.

It turned towards Ron, then, and Peter had a split second to consider his options— any chance of tripping the troll without collateral, or luring Harry away and consoling him on the loss of his newfound best friend— before Harry made the choice for him and did something so brave and so stupid it put nearly everything they’d done in seven years of school to shame.

With a great running leap (and an odd, bellowing call), Harry threw himself at the troll’s back and jabbed his wand straight into the troll’s sinuses.

The troll bucked, arms flailing and batting at its face, nearly flinging Harry off and into the stalls behind him.

Without thinking, without considering how it might all go wrong again, Peter transformed just in time to watch Ron levitate the troll’s club out of its hand.

Peter shot the most powerful stunner he could muster at its chest. Ron yelped and the club dropped, falling straight onto the troll’s head. It wobbled once, twice, and— before it could fall backwards and crush Harry or Hermione— Peter kicked hard at its right knee and it fell face first into the ground with a sickening thud.

All three kids looked at Peter in shock, and not, as he felt was warranted, at the newly stunned troll dominating the room.

“Who are you?” Harry asked.

A clatter sounded from down the hallway, making Peter jump.

“As far as anyone’s concerned, it was Ron’s quick thinking that saved you,”he said, glancing quickly at each of them. “Good job. Try to make it to Christmas without doing it again.” With that, he transformed into Wormtail and disappeared into the walls just as the door flew open.

[enbysiriusblack]

Broken

"Sirius! It's the middle of the night, we're going to get in trouble!"

"Exactly. It's the middle of the night; everyone's asleep, so we won't get caught."

Regulus rolled his eyes but let them pull him to the kitchen. Sirius rifled through the cupboards, until they found chocolate and strawberries.

"I'll melt the chocolate", Sirius said, grabbing a antique bowl and filling it.

They got out their wand, hovering the bowl above the open fireplace. When they both heard footsteps coming.

"Sirius! Someone's coming!" Regulus hissed, grabbing their arm.

Sirius lost their focus as they turned around; the bowl falling and smashing into pieces on the floor.

"Who's in there? Kreature?" The voice of Walburga called out.

Sirius and Regulus scrambled to pick up the pieces of the shattered china, cutting their hands in the process. They threw it into the fire before scrambling to hide in the large cupboard.

The door opened and Walburga stepped through, looking around the room and noticing a few small shards left on the floor and a bit of melted chocolate staining it.

Her eyes flashed in anger, "Sirius Orion Black! Stop hiding and come here this instant!"

Sirius moved to get out when Regulus pressed a hand over their mouth and pleaded with them to stay. So they did.

Walburga looked around the room before coming over to the cupboard and opening the door.

"I'm sorry, Mother." Regulus said as soon as she spotted them.

She ignored him, instead pulling on the sleeve of Sirius.

"Leaving your room in the middle of the night, bringing poor Regulus along into your little misadventures, breaking precious china, and actively refusing to listen to me."

Regulus stepped out the cupboard after them, "I agreed to come and it was my fault the china broke-"

Sirius interrupted him, "he's lying. It was all me. Obviously."

Walburga tightened her grip on Sirius' arm, "Of course it was. Regulus go back to bed and come to me if your brother ever forces you to disobey us again."

Regulus stayed, until he made eye contact with Sirius. Sirius pleaded with him to leave, nudging his head slightly towards the door. So Regulus listened. They always listened to each other.

As Regulus left, Walburga pushed Sirius over to the shards of china. She knelt down and pressed his already bloody hand over the small shards. He hissed in pain but didn't speak.

She let go after a few minutes, "clean up the mess you caused. You have one minute."

She left the room; and Sirius sat down on the floor, picking up the small shards as fast as they could.

Regulus spent the next morning healing Sirius' hands and picking small shards out the cuts.

.

Sirius and James snuck out of bed in the middle of the night; it was the last night before going back to school so they decided to end the summer with a midnight feast.

As James collected the food, Sirius was tasked with reaching the top shelf where the Potter's kept their alcohol. To do so, they climbed up onto the kitchen side.

Just before they were able to grab a bottle of fancy wine, they slipped. In a panic, Sirius scrambled to grab anything to stop their fall and grabbed onto a stack of antique plates.

They crashed down around them, all the plates breaking.

Sirius was bleeding from the broken plates falling on them, but proceeded to try picking up all the broken china.

At the sound of the crash, James ran over from where he was filling a basket up with food. And Euphemia and Fleamont woke up and followed the noise downstairs.

James got there first, "Sirius! What in Merlin's name are you doing?"

"Quick! Help me!" They replied, grabbing as many shards as they could and dumping them in the bin, ignoring the pain of the sharp china.

"What? Stop doing that, Sirius. You're bleeding." He ran over and tried to pull Sirius away from the broken plates.

"What's going on here?" Euphemia said, crossing her arms as she entered the room.

Sirius looked over with tears in their eyes and blood over their hands and pajamas.

"Sirius! What have you done?" She said, walking over to them.

They flinched backwards and closed their eyes, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It was my fault. Not James'. I made him come with me."

They felt something cold on their hands and opened their eyes to see Fleamont with a pair of tweezers. He tried to take any shards of glass stuck in the cuts out as painlessly as possible. Euphemia was kneeling down, sweeping up the rest of the broken china.

Sirius didn't know what was happening and where James had gone, "I'm sorry. Please don't punish James, he had nothing to do with it. It was all me."

Fleamont looked up at them, "Sirius. We aren't going to punish either of you. How are your hands? I think I've got all the shards out."

He let go and came back a moment later with a wet cloth. James came back in the room with a clean pair of pajamas and the mop.

Euphemia took the pajamas of him and put them down on the side while James started mopping. She went over to Sirius and tried to hug them while Fleamont finished cleaning the blood of their hands.

"What's going on?" Sirius asked, frozen in the spot, feeling overwhelmed.

"We never want you to be hurt, Sirius. You're safe here. You're safe, my darling son."

Tears pricked Sirius' eyes. Euphemia passed them the clean clothes and James came over.

Wordlessly, Sirius wrapped their arms around James.

James hugged them back, "you're an idiot, you know?"

Sirius laughed, "I know."

[blitheringmcgonagall]

Congrats!! Prompt: Lily + green + bittersweet

@elizabeth-dicewielder i hope you like this!!

“Congrats, Potter!”

“Well done, Captain!”

“Excellent match, James, you deserved the win!”

“Gryffindor for the win! Prongs, you wonderful, fucking talented bastard!”

Lily snorted to herself as she watched Sirius Black shove aside the groupie that had been hounding his friend since he had entered the Gryffindor Common Room. He smacked James Potter on the back and the two boys embrace enthusiastically.

“You were on the team too, you idiot!” James laughed.

“You won the game for us!” Sirius Beamed back. “Here, have some firewhisky, you deserve it.”

He shoved a bottle of the amber liquid at Potter, who grinned and raised it, clinking Sirius’s glass.

“Cheers! Here’s to beating those Ravenclaws!”

Lily let her eyes linger on the Captain’s muscular forearms, on his athletic shoulders, which looked ready to burst through his skin-tight quidditch uniform, the way it hugged the outline of his pecs and abdominal muscles, his muscular calves, his-

“Lily, you’re staring.”

Mary MacDonald’s voice sounded amused. Even now Lily was reluctant to tear her eyes away.

“Very obviously staring. You seem very, er, thirsty. Shall we get you a drink?”

Mary was outright laughing at her. Lily’s sharp elbow dug into her annoying friend’s side and Mary yelped in surprise.

“I’ll get it myself, you muppet!” Lily said, trying to keep her expression neutral even as she felt herself turning red.

“You’re very pretty when you blush, Evans.”

She turned around, heat rising, and gave Sirius Black a condescending glance, before downing an entire glass of firewhisky in one go. The golden liquid made her throat burn, her eyes sting. She didn’t splutter or cough once. She watched Sirius’ gaze, impressed, his expression softening a bit.

“Fuck off,” she said, when she could speak.

“Don’t you like being complimented?” he said with a smirk.

“Not particularly,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes good naturedly. “Would you like it if I said you were looking pretty?”

He made a face.

“Not particularly,” he said, laughing.

She laughed too, twisting the glass in her hand.

“You do look well, Evans,” the dark haired boy said. “Trying to impress anyone?”

She had worn a muggle outfit, a long, boho dress in very fine crepe de chine polyester fabric with swirls of sea green, bright pink, cornflower blue. Her hair was long and wavy, the dark auburn colour highlighting her emerald eyes. She had worn it become she looked almost ethereal in it, stunning, and because...

Her eyes fell on the Gryffindor captain again, who was linking arms with a tall, dark-haired witch, a Seventh Year girl, who was also on the Quidditch team. She looked wonderful and they looked well together, happy, laughing, contented.

She had only found out they were dating when she had seen Potter pull her in for a quick kiss. Dorcas had confirmed it, sensitively. She had dropped her glass of butterbeer, smashing it on the floor. And replaced it with something stronger.

“They look well together,” she said.

She was still twisting the glass in her hand.

Sirius looked over at his friend. He shrugged his shoulders.

“She’s great,” he said. Noncommittal.

“I’m glad he’s happy.”

If Fifth Year Lily could have seen herself now at the start of Seventh Year, the bittersweet tone of her voice, longing in her eyes, brooding facial expression... she’s have been stunned.

“You are in your arse,” said Sirius.

She stared back at him, preparing herself to look highly offended. But...

“Come on, Evans, don’t be a coward,” Sirius Black’s grey eyes flashing, full of challenge.

“Look. I’m glad he’s happy, I’m not lying, alright? I just... I just wish I was the one making him happy. Satisfied?”

She sighed and poured herself another drink. She couldn’t believe she had just said it. Must be the alcohol.

“That’s my girl, a true Gryffindor,” Sirius said, his grey eyes alight now, twinkling dangerously.

“If you fucking say a word to him, I swear to you-“

“My lips are sealed, Evans,” he said, putting his arm around her and squeezing her shoulder tightly. “He’s my best friend, but that doesn’t mean he’s not an idiot. And anyway, we’re friends too now, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, I think we are, Padfoot,” she said, using the nickname she had heard for the past two years.

“One of these days I’ll explain where that comes from,” Sirius said, barking a laugh as he took her hand and led her to the centre of the Common Room, where numerous couples had started to slow dance. “Sometimes When We Touch” came on the magical record player.

“Come on then, Evans, a dance for old time’s sake, seeing as we’re mates. It’ll cheer you up. Do it for me. I’m thwarted in love and drowning my own sorrows. Help a chap, would you?”

“Oh?” she was surprised that the suave, charming but aloof boy was opening up to her of all people. He hadn’t liked her last year, but they had grown closer since then, realising they had much in common.

“Oh fine, Sirius, just because you asked nicely,” she said, pushing his arm playfully, slightly less morose than before.

“Excellent,” he said, putting his arms around her waist.

She didn’t see the flash of mischief in his eyes.

The lyrics played...

At times I'd like to break you

And drive you to your knees

At times I'd like to break through

And hold you endlessly

At times I understand you

And I know how hard you've tried

I've watched while love commands you

And I've watched love pass you by

At times I think we're drifters

Still searching for a friend

A brother or a sister

But then the passion flares again

James Potter was now staring at his attractive friend, holding onto Evans’ waist, Evans who looked bloody gorgeous in her beautiful muggle dress, like a vision... wait, what? And Sirius still wearing his tight Quidditch gear, which for some bloody stupid godforsaken reason he seemed to have charmed to fit him too tightly, look at his bloody arse that was fucking ridiculous, and WHAT DO YOU MEAN “THEN THE PASSION FLARES”!?!?!

Lily Evans had her head on Sirius’ chest, a glass of firewhisky still in her hand, the other one looping casually around his friend’s neck. Occasionally they murmured something between them, both of them giggling aloud, intimate, serene. Playfully swatting each other, Sirius whispering in her ear, Lily’s neck arching backwards, her eyes closed blissfully...

And sometimes when we touch

The honesty's too much

And I have to close my eyes and hide

I wanna hold you 'til I die

'Til we both break down and cry

I wanna hold you 'til the fear in me subsides

Sirius caught him staring and smiled back, smug, with a barely raised eyebrow.

James stared back, raising both brows, surprise, trying a feigned indifference. Trying, and failing.

What the fuck, his look said, I didn’t know you fancied Lily?

Maybe I do, Sirius Black’s eyes challenged. You’re over her anyway.

Potter sweeps a hand over his face in desperation.

[ghostofbambifanfiction]

Part 1 of ?????

Started writing this fic a while ago and then lost faith in it. Should I continue? Feel bad for not posting much lately so I thought I'd share this. Read on and weigh in.

COME OUT TONIGHT

NO

You don't have to fucking shout?

Said the pot to the kettle?

Oh you grandmother The caps were an accidental by-product of voice-to-text Blame Siri if you're going to blame anyone

You have a Samsung Galaxy S20.

HAD. It got smashed. Worst luck. Listen, come out with me tonight.

Urghhhhhhhhhhhhhh I'm tired!

https://www.boots.com/wellness/vitaminsandsupplements/vitamins-supplements-shop-by-ingredient/echinacea

Hah (indifferent)

Just come out with me! Isaac has to go see some godawful student performance of the Antigone in wherever the fuck Chichester is and it's Sirius's flatmate's birthday party so I have to go and I don't know any of his weird mates

You don't HAVE to go.

Have to/want to Semantics

I'm not in a birthday party mood. I'm having a stressful week. My arse has been tense since Tuesday.

I will wade into the deep and massage your arse if I have to, just come It's a swank pad in Belgravia! I bet they'll have all sorts of expensive nibbles!

I read that as expensive nipples.

Those too!

Partying it up with the children of wealthy Tories. Sounds super fun.

Just come out with me, for fuck I'll pick you up at 7 and we can steal their silverware if it's boring as the grave

URGH I'll go but I'm NOT dressing up!

You don't have to dress up!

FINE!

*

take the drawings down please i'm begging you i'm actually begging you

Nah mate

siriusssssssss pleeeeeease

Nah

PLEASE

Nah

PLEASE ffs it's MY birthday!!!! there are going to be PEOPLE there! standing around! AT EYE LEVEL

I don't see what the problem is.

EVERYONE will see what the problem is! they literally will not be able to IGNORE what the problem is!

Sounds like a recipe for lively discussion to me tbh

that is NOT what i want people talking about at my birthday!

If I take them down, I'll have to take all the nails out and that'll leave nail marks all over the walls. It would be unsightly.

MORE UNSIGHTLY THAN YOUR DICK, SIRIUS?

My dick is bewitching.

DIE

*

She walks in expecting to find herself the infiltrator of a Made in Chelsea/Royal Ascot/Henley Regatta netherworld, filled with a gaggle of giggling, SW-postcode socialites wielding suspiciously powder-edged Harrods Amex cards in the place of horses and boats, but that's not what actually greets her on the other side of the lacquered front door.

What greets her is really quite ordinary.

Aside from the naked drawings of Kingsley's mate, which aren't.

Otherwise, the whole affair is pretty relaxed. People her age are clustered in their small groups, swigging beers. There's a table of oven-heated party foods, salty snacks and rapidly depleting ramekins of guac. She spies more band shirts than there are dress shirts. There's a round of Fortnite in full swing on the TV.

It's all just...startlingly normal. A normal birthday party.

And that's sort of embarrassing, really.

Where are all the visible Tory toffs, she wonders? Where is the braying laughter? The Eton alumni reunion? The glimpse of hunting-happy tweed and shotgun barrels as a coat cupboard door swings shut? Where's the indelible air of sneering superiority, of "we're richer and more privileged and better than you, so fuck the NHS and death to foxes!" that she'd been expecting? There's a fucking Henry Hoover in the corner of the hall, for Christ's sake. Lily came here to smile through her teeth at them all, to listen to the champagne problems privilege that bubbled from their lips and tell herself that she was the one who knew better, who thought better. Her plain white tee and skinny jeans and scuff-toed, high-top trainers were supposed to be a statement, a subtle setting-apart, but she's not even the most underdressed person in the room.

She pre-judged a house full of people. What's that about?

There's a lesson to be found in this. Perhaps.

*

James covered all of the dicks in Paw Patrol stickers that he bought from the newsagent on his way home from his mum's, but Sirius peeled them all off while he was taking a soothing lavender bath, so what's the bloody point in birthdays anyway?

It's early in the evening, and he's wedged—against his will—between the dining room bar and Shane Ruttle, who has just pointed at one of the many lamentable dicks and asked, "Is this one of yours?" which James kind of wants to thump him for. It's bad enough that he looks like a madman who stuffed his house with naked drawings of his brother, now people are actually assuming that he drew the damn things, even though most of the compositions are appallingly far beneath his skill level. He's a professional illustrator, for the love of god, and Shane is really standing before him like the posturing prick he is, asking him if he's the one who drew Sirius with one arm disproportionately longer than the other.

He knows that he should cheer up.

It is his birthday. There is cake.

Good cake, too, not the kind that gets buried in too-thick fondant that he has to pick off before he can eat what's underneath.

The problem is, there's also a party, and his friends are his friends, Peter and Sirius included, and Peter and Sirius can both get drunk much faster than James can. When Peter and Sirius get drunk, serious injuries tend to follow, Remus tends to fuck off in a flash and James tends to be the one who calls for an ambulance or mothers them back to health—physical, mental or otherwise. He has just turned twenty-six, and these repeated, drunkenly dramatic medical emergency scenes are starting to wear a little thin.

Can't a man get comfortably drunk and have a laugh at his own birthday party?

No, he can't, because Peter's already halfway to trashed, wobbling unsteadily towards the French doors that lead to the terrace, wearing that look on his face that says I'm definitely going to vomit or maybe even shit myself like I did on that one night we all spent in Munich with the Belgian handball team and the creepy tour guide who couldn't keep his sleazy hands to himself. For the sake of sparing the lawn such a punishment, James hastily removes himself from Shane, grabs Peter by the collar, shoves him in the direction of the downstairs loo and retreats to the safety of the living room, where there are, at least, no naked drawings of Sirius gracing the walls.

Most of the people in here are transfixed by Saffy Stephens, who is down to the last three in her Fortnite game and cursing like a sailor, but there are a small pile of birthday cards on the end table where James and Sirius normally keep their keys. He perches on the sofa arm, sets his half-drunk beer bottle on the carpet, pushes his dark, disheveled hair away from his forehead and begins leafing through them. It's a necessity when one lives with Sirius, who thinks nothing of swiping gift cards when the mood strikes him and he's had enough to drink.

They're mostly from his female friends, and all pretty standard, until he reaches the middle of the pile and finds a card bearing a picture of a moustached tabby and the caption: Have a Purr-fect Birthday!

The inscription inside is written in a lovely, swirling hand.

To Jasper/Jack/Jason/maybe Ja Rule?/J-something idk

(see above: everything I've learned about you from the friend* I came here with, verbatim)

(*who can't remember your name)

Happy Birthday! Thank you for (not) specifically inviting me, a stranger, to your party to celebrate this momentous event in your life. Please enjoy this festive card/social nicety/convention from me to you. My friend brought rum which you may prefer.

I'll be around. Not that you'll know.

LE

James lowers the card and twists on the sofa arm at once, eyes darting around the room in search of its author, as if they might be laying in wait to watch him read it and see how he reacts. Nobody appears to have ducked behind the couch, however, so the situation merits further scrutiny.

Obviously, he needs to meet this person.

A mystery! At his birthday party!

He perks right up after that.

*

She's coming out of the downstairs loo when a short, blonde man in a garish Hawaiian shirt barrels past her and pukes all over the chequerboard tiled floor, narrowly missing her jeans.

"Oh no," he moans into his wet hands. "Oh no—"

"There there, mate," says Lily consolingly, never one to judge somebody for getting drunk early at a party. She pats him on the back before squeezing past him and rejoining Kingsley, who is standing in one of this meandering Georgian house's many hallways, chatting to a bloke in a houndstooth sweater vest and holding two glasses of something very, very sparkly that she must try at once.

"It's like...it's like everything and nothing at the same time," Houndstooth Bloke is saying when Lily draws close, gesturing to a huge canvas painting of a rain-soaked fairground at night.

"Is it?" Kingsley asks.

"Mmm. Very." Houndstooth shakes his shoulders like he's slipping out of a robe. "Meant to be esoteric, I suppose."

That sounds suspiciously like pretentious bullshit to Lily, who doesn't find the concept of a merry looking fairground all that difficult to absorb. Kingsley knows more about the art world than she does, but he must agree with her assessment because he grunts and shoves her glass into her hand when she stops beside him, and more roughly than she deserves, as if she's the one who landed him in this mess of a conversation to begin with.

Trust him to find himself stuck with the only dick (not etched by a 4B Steadtler graphite pencil) in the building, and trust her to be stuck with the person who got himself stuck with King.

"What are we talking about?" she asks brightly, just to fuck with him.

"Drink your champagne, there's a good little hen," King mutters, his teeth clenched together, hallway lights bouncing off the smoothly waxed dome of his bald head.

"We've been discussing this piece." Houndstooth nods to the painting, but his limpid eyes narrow on Lily's face. "Christ, you're very redheaded, aren't you?"

It's decided. She'll wait 'til Houndstooth is drunk and trip him up with Henry Hoover's hose.

"Ergo soulless, yes," she agrees.

"And you...enjoy that?" he asks, as if being redheaded is her profession.

"Very much, thanks."

"Hmmp. Well. I came here with Saffron," he announces, pronouncing it Sef-ron. As if Lily is supposed to know who that is. "Platonically, of course. Actually, we're some sort of cousins, I think. What do you think the artist is trying to convey?"

He's very pointedly asking her, so Lily blinks at the painting, her eyes on the outstretched arm of a child on the carousel.

"I like the pretty colours," she decides aloud.

"Right," says Houndstooth, "but that's not—"

"And the lights, too. The lights are really pretty."

"But—"

"I love funfairs, actually," she brightly continues, finding a strange satisfaction in playing dumb in front of Houndstooth and his overbleached fade. Although she does really like the colours. "Haven't been to one in years!"

"Yes, good, whatever, but what is the artist trying to convey?"

"What artist?" comes a voice from behind them.

Lily glances over her shoulder and finds herself looking up at the man whose penis she's spent the past thirty minutes avoiding eye contact with, though he is taller, better proportioned and infinitely more beautiful than any of those crudely drawn depictions could possibly convey. He is also beplumed and bejewelled like a pirate, wearing a sumptuous velvet jacket over a loose white shirt, numerous rings on his fingers and an assortment of silver chains around his slender neck, while his grey eyes and elegantly high-set cheekbones are framed by a tumble of black hair that genuinely looks like silk.

The man is so beautiful, in fact, that Lily immediately wonders why he's been taking sketches home from the life drawing class that he and Kingsley pose for—hence their acquaintance and Lily's presence at this party—when nothing she's seen tonight has done him any justice.

Most happily, his penis is tucked safely out of sight.

"Alright, Sirius?" says King.

"Alright, Marvel?" Sirius claps a hand to the taller man's massive shoulder. Kingley's muscles bulge in a way that cannot be hidden by modern habiliments. "What are we talking about?"

"Not much." Houndstooth looks put out by the arrival of yet another person. "We were just mesmerised by this piece."

Lily refrains from gesturing to the painting with both hands and a "ta-dah!" choosing instead to sip her champagne.

It's very good champagne. Mmm. Yes.

"Oh, yeah, it's really something," Sirius agrees. He brushes past Kingsley and runs a finger over the illegible squiggle of a signature on the canvas. His nails are beautifully manicured. "Local guy, young up-and-comer. I assume you've heard of Algernon?" he asks Houndstooth, fixing him with a steely-eyed stare.

"Er, yes." Houndstooth's gaze slides from Sirius to the painting. "I know him."

Sirius's eyebrows lift. "Know him personally?"

"Well—"

"That's so weird, I heard he never speaks to people."

Houndstooth chews on the inside of his cheek, weighing up the challenge. "How…funny."

"Funny?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just, I know I've spoken to him before, and since you've bought his painting I assumed that you'd have—"

"That is funny, actually," Sirius interrupts, "because the artist is my brother, and Algernon is the name of his cat."

Kingsley has been tugging on his earring and almost rips it out of his ear as his body convulses, champagne spraying from his nostrils, while an alarming red flush sweeps across Houndstooth's face and he begins to sputter on his own self-importance. Sirius has clearly decided that he's done with all of that noise, however, because he turns back to Lily instead, looking her up and down with great and sudden interest.

"Who's this then?" he asks Kingsley, cocking his head to one side. "James's present?"

The champagne glass swings down and Lily fixes him with a deadpan stare. "Excuse me?"

Sirius slants a grin at Kingsley, a quick flash of teeth. "This one's queenly, isn't she?"

Kingsley wipes his nose with the back of his hand and laughs again. "Hardly."

"This is Primark, mate," Lily retorts, tugging on her t-shirt.

"Queenliness is a state of mind," says Sirius, "not a state of wardrobe."

"You had me marked down as a prostitute not ten seconds ago."

"Oh, that. I was only joking," he sighs, and grips her arm at the elbow, his long fingers cool against her skin. "But still, you're far too attractive to stand here talking to this clown. Come with me and I'll find you someone better."

*

James's friends are useless.

And drunk. Useless and drunk—or sort of drunk, in Saffy's case. Remus is certainly already pissed, but Remus is on meds so often that he drinks but once in a blue moon. One cocktail is usually enough to set him off, and he's been hard at the gin since he turned up with Peter at six.

"I don't know anyone with those initials," Saffy declares, once she has read, examined and even sniffed the birthday card for clues. "Except for Lisa Edelstein."

"Who's Lisa Edelstein?"

"Cuddy from House," says Remus, lowering the negroni from which he has been drinking deeply.

James pulls a face. "What the fuck is a Cuddy?"

"Oh, actually, it could mean le?" Remus suggests.

"Yes!" Saffy points at him like he might be onto something. "Like the French word for the?"

"Exactly, like—"

"It doesn't mean that!" James interrupts, unwilling to allow such profanity in his home. "That doesn't make sense, why would somebody sign their name as the?"

"Now you're asking me to explain how French people think?" says Saffy derisively, adjusting her bra strap beneath that burnt orange waistcoat she loves, the one that makes her look like she's directing a pornographic movie in the 70s when she pairs it with her tortoiseshell-framed aviators. It clashes wildly with her electric blue buzz-cut. "Am nooooo drunk enough for that."

"They could be one of those one word moniker pop stars, I suppose," Remus pipes up, smiling slyly. "You know, like Madonna?"

They think James doesn't realise that they're taking the piss out of him, but neither of them are sober enough to attempt their gambit with any kind of subtlety or grace.

"You know that's actually her real Christian name?" says Saffy.

Remus turns towards her with interest. "What, Madonna?"

"Yeah!"

"Really?"

"Yeah!" Saffy repeats. "I thought it couldn't possibly be her real name because, I mean, Madonna, yeah? But then I looked it up and apparently that's the name her mummy gave her, just goes to show—"

"I'm sorry," James interrupts, "but is Madonna relevant to this conversation?"

"Yes, always," says Saffy.

"She's an international pop megastar," Remus seconds.

James stares at his friend incredulously. "Drinking really chips away at your wit, y'know?"

"Does it?" Remus grins lazily and jiggles his cocktail in the air. "Oh, well, I'm negronly joking."

Saffy does a spit-take without the spit and clings helplessly to Remus's shoulder as she laughs, knees buckling, bangles tinkling, but James fights his own urge to start snickering.

"It's not that funny," he lies, and Remus eyes him with an alarmingly teacher-like shrewdness, despite the tellingly intoxicated flush that has crept into his thin, freckled face.

James's love of puns is tragically well known.

"You didn't get it." Remus points at his drink. His speech is starting to slur. "This is a negroni, what I said was—"

"Yeah, I got that part, I just—"

"Jesus fuck, look at her!" Saffy suddenly hisses, staggering sideways into Remus and sending him into the wall in a flurry of giggles—Remus giggling?—her voice hushed and urgent. "Who the hell is that?!"

James does look, following the direction of Saffy's gaze. Sirius has just entered the living room, casually clutching the elbow of a……

……goddess.

An actual. Like. Goddess.

A goddess. In James's house. In his living room. In the place where he eats his chocolate boulder cereal and rewatches Scrubs (even season 9, which is hilarious, and very unfairly disparaged by Joe Public) on Saturday mornings.

She's a goddess. A real one, and cleverly disguised as a mortal, sure, with her slouchy white t-shirt and her big hoop earrings and her light blue jeans that are torn at the knees, wearing her shoulder-length red hair half up, half down and slightly messy, but that doesn't hide what she is.

"Oh my god," he murmurs. His heart is pounding all of a sudden, which is so...utterly bloody stupid, but Saffy's right, bloody look at her, Jesus fuck.

"Surely she can't be with Sirius?" Saffy murmurs back.

"No, she—" He watches Sirius lean down to mutter something in the redhead's ear. A ghost of a laugh flits across her beautiful face. "She's not his—he isn't—"

"D'you think—"

"No, I—"

"Good," says Saffy firmly. She lets go of Remus and rises, lengthening her spine. It is a battle stance of some sort, presumably. "Because I saw her first."

"No!" James cries, wounded, and the redhead shoots him a curious look with a pair of eyes that are startlingly emerald green, even from all the bloody way over here. He spins to face Saffy and lowers his voice, face burning. "It's my house!"

"What are you arguing here, ownership rights?"

"No but it—it's my birthday!" James retorts, jabbing at his own chest. "And, actually, and—"

"It's in the bloody post!"

"—you didn't get me a present!" he finishes in triumph, not that he knows what he's arguing for, because the likelihood is that his tongue will glue itself to the roof of his mouth if he even dares to look in her direction one more time. "Plus I set you up with Vanya Petrich, with whom, as I recall, you enjoyed four years—"

"Stop throwing that in my face!"

"—four blissful years—"

"Is it my fault that you've never fancied any girl I've set you up with?!"

"—promised me an Easter ham for setting you up with her and I never got it—"

"So now you'll trade a woman for a ham?" Saffy accuses, though her face is too lit up, her brown eyes too crinkled at the corners—she's having fun with this and she isn't going to fool him and she knows it. "That's so low, even—"

"Don't start with that," James scathingly cuts in. "You offered me Sean Connery's autograph for Bonnie Grogan's number—"

"Which you never gave me!"

"Because you forged the bloody signature!"

"And now she's bloody married!"

"Yeah, well, Isabella wouldn't give me a counterfeit present, would she?" he retorts, and Saffy lets her shoulders drop, smirking. "This is pointless, Saf, we can't—"

"She's just left with Sirius," Remus informs them, and burps.

[sirisuorionblack]

Counting...

Sirius Black x Reader

Summary - (Y/N) had been waiting for four very painful hours for the return of her boyfriend and he did just for mere minutes but she was determined to get him back.

Warnings - So many tears that u could bathe in and fluff.

(Y/N) sat at the dining table, alone, a coffee that turned cold being left unattended, her foot tapping anxiously and she blankly stared at the mahogany wood though her thoughts ran wild.

It's been four hours, very long four hours since Sirius - her beloved boyfriend - was supposed to be back home by the time from a "mission" but he still hasn't returned just adding fuel to the blazing amount of worry she had been enduring these days. She was a strong woman, Sirius always told her that, he would add it with a chuckle just realising how lucky he was.

Rapid knocks pulled her away from her trance. She gulped, taking out her wand and arming herself as she tentatively walked the door.

Upon unlocking, the door swung open and Sirius - she just knew it was him - smashed his lips against hers, pushing the two of them inside, pinning her to the wall.

He kissed her as though there was no tomorrow, as though he was terrified of something beyond her knowledge. He kissed her hard. A deep intuition in her just rang those bells of alarm. 

(Y/N) pulled away, cupping his face as he heaved deep breaths, his head ducked and his whole body shivering. 

"Hey, hey, Sirius, look at me," she pressed, softly as she tried to get him to look at her for she would read him like an open book once she saw his eyes.

When she did see those grey orbs, a soft gasp tumbled from her lips. There was no such thing as a sparkle in his eyes anymore, it was hollow, empty and filled with tears.

"Sirius, what happened?" She asked, worried beyond any level. A sob racked his body, his hands clawing hers as he tightly held them.

"James," he muttered through his sobs.

"James? What happened to him!?" She asked her eyes widening with fear, "Sirius, what happened!?"

Sirius flinched and tried to regain his breath, "James and Lily - they - that rat - he killed them!" 

He sank to his knees in front of her but she stood there watching him sob uncontrollably as she numbly tried to comprehend the situation vaguely.

Giving up her attempt she too, collapsed before him, collecting him in her arms as he held onto her as if she was his lifetime. Not a single tear strung her eyes rather she blankly stared ahead, holding Sirius tightly in her arms.

It would take her years to accept what had happened, she lost them, she lost her best friends, she lost her almost family but what actually made her feel something was how Sirius felt, he lost the one he called his brother right after he lost his own, the girl he saw growing accustomed to their shenanigans and keeping them on the line was simply gone. He wouldn't hear his laughter anymore, he would see her lovely emerald eyes anymore and all because of the person they considered their best friend.

Rage passed through her though it subsided the moment a beaming Harry's face crossed through her mind.

"Sirius, Harry!" She vaguely exclaimed. 

Sirius' sobs intensified and she waited until he calmed down enough to speak.

"Hag-Hagrid took him and I-I did a foolish thing," Sirius said, not meeting her eyes as he felt his head spin.

Her eyes widened, filled with an excessive amount of worry, "Wha-?" 

She didn't even get to finish the question before the door burst open, a group of Aurors stood at the door, their wands outstretched, glaring at the couple sitting on the ground in each other's much-needed embrace.

"Mr Black," the Auror in the middle, growled as he stepped in. (Y/N) and Sirius scrambled to their feet, (Y/N) before Sirius. 

"Ms (L/N), move over, he is dangerous," A female Auror said softly, outstretching her hand and looking at her as though she was a child about to throw a tantrum. 

"Dangerous?!" (Y/N) scoffed, "Absolute bullshit!"

"Ms (L/N), step aside," Another Auror commanded her.

Sirius slipped his hand into hers, squeezing it, searching for the warmth he was afraid he would be deprived of.

The two Aurors in the front whispered amongst themselves. Suddenly one of them harshly pulled (Y/N) back, dragging Sirius away from her.

"NO!" She yelled as she struggled against the restraints of the Auror holding her back by the arm.

Before her, Sirius struggled to remove his arm from the Auror wanting nothing more than to just rush into her arms and be in her comforting embrace though that seemed like a wild fantasy at that moment. 

Finding (Y/N) too hard to be held back, the Auror muttered a spell under her breath. (Y/N) straightened, her eyes turning blurry. She balanced herself against the wall, shaking her head and blinking her eyes.

"Sirius," she muttered, slipping in and out of consciousness. She no longer was able to stand on her feet. And Sirius watched her, yelling her name over and over again until three Aurors bodily dragged Sirius. 

"(Y/N)!" Sirius yelled as he tried to pry the Aurors' hands at the same time (Y/N) whispered, "Don't go, Sirius," watching as he struggled against them and then, blank.

"(Y/N)," she heard someone call her name, "(Y/N),"

"Moony!? Moony is it you?" She asked, trying to open her eyes.

"Yes, yes, it's me," Remus said, helping her sit up. When Remus had entered Sirius' home after he had received the news, tears staining his cheek, he found the door blast down, not a soul aware of what had happened and what he next saw disturbed him senseless. For a second he was scared into oblivion, for a second he doubted his best friend, for a second he pitied that traitor as he saw (Y/N) laying on the ground motionless.

Remus had rushed to her, racking his brain all the difficult charms and methods he had been taught to wake her up but in the state of panic, he forgot the simplest method of all - just shaking her to wake up.

(Y/N) sat on the floor, her back against the wall, her hand clasped tightly in Remus', she took deep breaths. They sat in silence as the two of them tried to contemplate what had happened. 

"They dragged him, Remus, I don't know even why. They said he was dangerous; Sirius cant be dangerous, he isn't," she muttered, looking at him with tear-filled eyes.

Remus sighed as he sat on the floor, squeezing her hand comfortingly and took a deep breath for what he was about to say, "After he found out about...Peter, he left after him and Sirius seemed to have cornered him, and then the Aurors arrived when almost 12 muggles were killed, and they saw nothing of Peter except for his finger was found. Before they could arrest Sirius there itself he had apparated here,"

By the time Remus finished, (Y/N) had her head leaning against the wall, staring at the photo frame right before her. It was of Sirius and her, making goofy faces and smiling at the camera, it was a week after they graduated.

"Why would Peter do that?" She whispered as she finally looked into his eyes. Remus chuckled sadly, "You know him, very well honestly, he would want to be under those who were more powerful than him, so he joined," Remus gulped, "Voldemort,"

(Y/N)'s lips parted in disbelief, "He was the spy?"

Remus nodded.

"But how did he do it?" 

He sighed, "He was the secret keeper, it seems,"

"What?"

"Yeah,"

(Y/N) slapped a hand against her mouth as tears ran free from her eyes. Remus wrapped his arms around her, allowing his best friend to weep into his arms and he too, unable to hold the tears, let them stream down his eyes.

The morning when Dumbledore came to the household where Remus and (Y/N) sat, silently grieving for their best friends, not a word uttered by them, to inform Sirius has been sentenced to Azkaban for life, (Y/N) didn't feel sadness rather rage, "What!? He's not been given a chance to prove his innocence! You can't throw just him like that into Azkaban forever!" She yelled.

Dumbledore spoke calmly, "Ms. (L/N), please calm down. It's been declared by the Ministry, we cannot do anything about it,"

She took a deep breath and looked at the man pointedly, "Well, professor, if that's it, I don't find a reason for your presence here anymore,"

Dumbledore's blue eyes flashed but he apparated without a word nonetheless.

"What have you gotten in your mind?" Remus asked with a smirk as he looked at her pulling her hair into a bun and taking a deep breath.

"I am gonna prove Sirius' innocence and get my godson back," she said, determinedly as she left to her room leaving Remus sitting on the couch smiling to himself. When you have a determined (Y/N) with you, that's an announcement for the hell that is about to break loose and it could be positive or negative. 

"Coffee," Remus muttered, placing the flask on (Y/N)'s desk as he glanced over the papers and textbooks scattered on her desk, "What are these?"

(Y/N) sighed, placing her pen down and leaning back on her chair, tipping it as Sirius taught her, unconsciously and Remus didn't want to point it out to her, dampening the mood.

"It's so simple, honestly," She said, glancing at the papers and then at him, "I have to get Harry's custody, and if not me Sirius should, it's legally that way too. You can't just place a year old baby in a household of the worst sort of muggles, one that absolutely ignored the fact that she had a sister,"

She took a deep breath, "Now, to Sirius, you cannot arrest someone without any evidence, much less sentence them to prison with no trial permitted. If we just try to get him a trail then everything will fall back to normal,"

"As normal as it could be," Remus said carefully. 

(Y/N) sighed and nodded, "As normal as it could be,"

"What are we gonna do next?" Remus asked.

"Find someone who could help us officially for this,"

"Can't we, I dunno, do it ourselves?"

"I...I don't know,"

"We will give it a shot?"

"Damn right you are,"

Finally after two exhausting days, (Y/N) stood before Barty Crouch, some would say glaring at him, the other a cold fixated stare. She stood briskly, head held high without the minimal amount of shame or fear in that massive room, filled with people.

"Ms (Y/N) (L/N), you are here requesting another trial for Mr Sirius Orion Black." Barty Crouch said, looking at her through his glasses. 

She shook her head, "Demanding for a trial,"

Crouch's nose flared as he without any disagreement corrected his mistake, knowing far too well the capability of (Y/N).

"Now, the best Aurors have seen Mr Black on the spot laughing like a maniac as the street held 13 dead bodies, including his very own friend Mr Peter Pettigrew," Barty Crouch said.

"First of all, 13 dead bodies? When was Peter's body found?" (Y/N) asked, ignoring the whispers and mutters that grew thick in the council, her gaze fixated on the man before her.

"That's right. His body was never found," She said.

"So are you telling the Wizengamot that Mr Pettigrew just magically disappeared from the scene,"

"Oh please, this Wizengamot is for magic!" She stopped to look at the slightly embarrassed face of Crouch and smirked, just look at him in the end, "Besides, he could have apparated for all we know. But that's a matter for another day; all we have at our hands is a trial for a falsely imprisoned man,"

"Ms (L/N), I will be the one directing the Wizengamot today, so please," Crouch glared at her. Someone raised a hand amidst the crowd, Amelia Bones, "Mr Crouch, I think it's best if we allow her to explain her demand. We can vote," she said, looking at the council.

A little more than half of them raised their hands, "Ah, the motion is passed, Mr Crouch, we must let her speak,"

Barty Crouch's lips twitched, "Very well then, please proceed Ms (L/N),"

(Y/N) had a smirk rivalling Sirius himself's. She took a deep breath, this moment would determine her whole life, "I demand a trial for Sirius Black, with respect to the event that happened on the night of Halloween. I am quite blatantly ashamed that the most powerful ministry wouldn't grant a trial for an innocent man," there was a voice of disapproval. 

(Y/N) ignored it and continued, "I find it extremely disturbing that someone just based on his last name could be sent to Azkaban for a crime he allegedly committed. Now, Siri-Mr Black's relation with...James Potter was well known, they were almost brothers and the question here is how was he supposed to betray someone so close to him,'

"It was also known by almost everyone here about how Mr Black was disowned for going against the absurd ideas of his mother at the young age of 16, would that very man commit a crime as such!? And it's quite easy to find the truth here at the Ministry of Magic, a simple Veritaserum would do the job and if that didn't work, a check of memories of muggles at the spot would have shown the truth. And just as you said you have the best Aurors, allow them to seem the truth!"

(Y/N) finished, taking a sip of the water beside her and the council looked rather convinced by her speech. Once again Amelia Bones stood, "A vote again, perhaps, Mr Crouch?" She asked.

The man in question looked absolutely bewildered by how wrong things have been going now that the spotlight to it had been given. He nodded. 

"Great. Those in favour of granting Mr Black his fair trial upon the use of Veritaserum," she said and grinned as almost all the members in the council raised their hands.

(Y/N) beamed as Crouch announced, "Sirius Orion Black will be given his trial on the third of November, here at this very room with Veritaserum brewed by a highly talented Potions Master. Any objection? Very well then, Council dismissed,"

"Moony!" (Y/N) rushed into Remus' arms, tears stinging her eyes, "We did it, Moony! We did it!"

"You got the trial!?" Remus asked, grinning at her after she pulled away.

"Yes!" She chuckled happily.

"You did it!" Remus yelled as he pulled his best friend into a bone-crushing hug, wiping his own tears.

"When is it?" He asked, still beaming.

Her bottom lip quivered, "Third of November,"

Remus' shoulder slumped, Sirius had planned something that would have changed the two of their lives on that day, and it was part of the reason why he got arrested. Remus engulfed her in a warm hug.

"Don't worry, we know he is innocent," Remus reassured (Y/N), him moving to the stands while she stood in the front of the very room she struggled for a trial on November 3.

Minutes later, the Aurors escorted Sirius into the room, he looked glum and hollow. He looked as though he feared human touch anymore, as though all those bad memories within him surfaced. He looked fragile and in that moment (Y/N)'s heart shattered. 

She wanted to just rush into his arms and never let him go, hold him close to her, whisper soothing terms into his ears, for only him to hear.

Sirius glanced around the room, his eyes falling on (Y/N), he felt in the precise second nothing but pride blooming through his chest, she was his brave girl, he wouldn't worry about her, he knew she would survive. If his world hadn't collapsed, he would have called her his fiancee. 

"Mr Sirius Orion Black, after the request of Ms (L/N), you have been granted a chance to prove your innocence. You will be given two drops of the truth potion - Veritaserum, and then Ms Amelia Bones, will question you," Barty Crouch announced.

Sirius was then seated in the middle of the room, his eyes fixed on nothing but (Y/N) who smiled warmly at him and he felt as if there was nothing wrong, it's just another prank he got caught in, just another petty detention, just another pathetic duel with Slytherins, he felt a bloom of comfort spreading from his chest. He allowed a little smile, very minuscule to tug on the corner of his lips.

"You, Sirius Orion Black, son of Walburga and Orion Black?" Amelia Bones questioned the basics, testing the potion.

Sirius snorted, folding his arms before him and slumping on his chair, "Unfortunately,"

"You were a Gryffindor?"

He smirked, "Yes,"

"Well, Mr Black now let me know what happened on Halloween's night?"

Sirius took a sharp intake of breath and sat properly on the chair, "I went see Prongs first to tell about the ring and when I went there the roof of their house was absolutely collapsed and I was afraid what could have happened so I went in and," Sirius' voice broke and tears stung in his eyes just as it did to (Y/N), she never knew these.

"And I-I saw James laying on the floor, his eyes were open but....he wasn't- he wasn't moving and when I checked for his breath," Sirius took a deep breath, "There was nothing,"

Sirius retold what he had seen and done on that day, with pauses for breath and sips of water to calm himself down.

By the end, Amelia Bones was moved to tears so were the rest of the courtroom, especially (Y/N) who often wiped her eyes.

Bones turned to Barty Crouch, silently asking him for the final judgement. 

He took a deep breath, "Very well then, at the end of this trial, based on accounts given by the Accused induced with Veritaserum, I, Bartemius Crouch, hereby declare, Sirius Orion Black innocent!"

Remus and (Y/N) patiently waited for Sirius to change out of his Azkaban clothes and into the one he was wearing that day.

"Love?" Sirius called, tentatively, about four feet away. Tears started to stream down (Y/N)'s eyes as she ran towards him.

She threw herself into his arms, burying her head into his shoulders and chanting his name. Sirius slowly started to rock her, finally, the warmth he had been deprived of seeped into his body, he felt safe and...home.

"Darling, I am here, don't worry, it's going to be OK," He consoled her. The turn of events was almost hilarious for (Y/N), it was supposed to be her saying those words.

She pulled away, cupping his cheeks. There were dark circles under his eyes, his eyes - Oh goodness - they were a dark shade of grey, bad memories and tears clouding them, and he looked pale.

She couldn't hold her to see him anymore so she smashed her lips against his, inviting him for a passionate embrace. Neither of them knew until then that this was what they wanted, to feel the other, a silent reassurance that everything is going to be alright.

Remus watched as the two of his...remaining best friends held each other in a much-needed embrace, he smiled warmly. The surprise that would await the two of them by the other.

"Come on," (Y/N) beckoned inside their, squeezing Sirius' hand and Remus in tow, "Stay here," she said and disappeared inside a room.

Sirius took out the velvet box buried inside his coat pocket and showed it to Remus, who clapped him on the back and nodded encouragingly. 

When (Y/N) returned with a sleeping baby Harry in her arms, beaming, she didn't expect to see Sirius on his one knee, holding a velvet box open, a beautiful diamond ring shining inside.

The two of them gasped simultaneously as Remus watched with proud eyes, feeling like a mother watching her kids grow.

"I dunno what to say," Sirius said, "Everything I prepared flew out of my mind. But just one thing, I need you in my life, I need you for my sanity, I am absolutely nothing without you and you hold my world above, darling, if it wasn't for you it would have collapsed ages ago. Over everything else...I love you, so much that I can't even express it. I-will you, (Y/N) (L/N), marry me?"

(Y/N) nodded rapidly, unable to speak she rushed into his arms, still holding Harry carefully.

They pulled away after a moment and Sirius slipped the ring into her finger and took Harry in his arms, admiring how much he looked like his father.

"I love you, (Y/N)," he said, his arm encircling around her waist.

"I love you too," she muttered, laying her head on his shoulder.

"Remus," Sirius called, glancing behind for his best friend, "Group hug,"

Remus rushed to the three of them. Finally, they felt happy perhaps like tightly woven remainings of one big family.

[siriusmydeer]

For the Thank You Next can you do Imagine with James Potter?

thank you, next.

james potter x slytherin!fem!reader

summary: you go through the stages of love till you find your person.

word count: 2.3k

warnings: mutual pinning, over use of sarcasm it’s so bad, SWEARING, kissing, mentions of kissing, mentions of an arm falling off, mentions of injury

—0:00

‘Thought I'd end up with Sean

But he wasn't a match

Wrote some songs about Ricky

Now I listen and laugh

Even almost got married

And for Pete, I'm so thankful

Wish I could say "thank you" to Malcolm

'Cause he was an angel’

one day, when you’re young, your mother tells you, ‘there’s lots of fish in the sea, but you have to wait for the right catch’ or maybe that was just your deranged mother. normally, you thought all of that was bullshit. a slytherin princess should never be mistreated, someone whomst you honour and adore with all in your beating heart; turns out slytherin boys didn’t get the fucking memo.

the only person who did understand was the one and only, regulus arcturus black. but you unfortunately lacked sexual attraction to him so therefore you couldn’t date him, so that was a feigning issue. evan rosier was fit, top of his classes and a quite nice mop of blonde on his head, he was a quidditch player and a pureblood slytherin; so etiquette is to be clearly expected. too other schoolmates, especially the fawning girls of almost every house, he was probably the full package, one of the alpha males that roamed the hallways at hogwarts; oh were those girls the biggest knob heads to exist.

turns out he was just the biggest fucking dick to ever walk the planes of the earth, he ran around with idiots like lucius malfoy— another mistake of the century, and little severus snape; thank merlin, and salazar slytherin themselves you never resorted to him.

‘One taught me love

One taught me patience

And one taught me pain

Now, I'm so amazing

Say I've loved and I've lost

But that's not what I see

So, look what I got

Look at what you taught me

And for that, I say’

normally your first couple of boyfriends should teach you something out of the relationship, maybe what you needed to strengthen for the next time you were in an intimate relationship, like trust, communication, maybe even sexual intimacy.

all these absolute dunces taught you was to pick your boyfriends better, and to stay away from every slytherin male that had ever entered hogwarts. evan— oh, he only taught you that everyone and everything was a priority over you, always the ‘talk to you later.’ and the casual, ‘blowjob?’ comments; absolutely fucking arse. lucius, couldn’t forget his moto in your mind even if you jammed it in your strongly-witted brain that money was power and money over any atom to every exist.

regulus understood, strict pureblood parents but he still understood how to treat a partner. i guess it was nice not picking up every habit of walburger and onion— sorry, walburga and orion, noble heirs of the house of black. yeah, did i mention they were second cousins?

‘Thank you, next (next)

Thank you, next (next)

Thank you, next

I'm so grateful for my ex

Thank you, next (next)

Thank you, next (next)

Thank you, next (next)’

“you could always hang out with my brothers mates, i see them not casually oogling you.” oh regulus, sometimes you did lack the slytherin wit and ambition. he was sprawled on the malachite coloured couch, a pearly white quill fumbled between his slender digits as he started aimlessly into oblivion at the dying out fire in the midst of the frigid common room.

“yeah, let me go hang out with my best friends brothers friends, slytherin haters! such a good idea, reg. maybe they should’ve put you in ravenclaw from that amazing idea!” if you were sarcastic before, there aren’t a non-vulgar amount of words in the universe to describe the tremendous mockery in your tone; as you intensely stared into the crevices of the ceiling while laying on the opposite viridescent sofa.

“merlin, tone down the sarcasm a bit? i was just offering, it’s not like your a pureblood, or a prat.” regulus offered, looking at your form, your elbow now covering your eyes and making recurring heavy sighs every few minutes. “being a half-blood is enough for hatred, regulus, m’dear.” you sighed again, in defeat. hopeless romantic and hated by many, fantastic, am i right?

‘Spend more time with my friends

I ain't worried 'bout nothin'

Plus, I met someone else

We're havin' better discussions

I know they say I move on too fast

But this one gon' last

'Cause her name is Ari

And I'm so good with that (so good with that)’

don’t think, breath and just do what your heart tells you to. fuck that— panic, cry, scream, whatever, be scared. you were gaping at the red mass and overdue of shades, it wasn’t ugly but definitely not the prettiest colour to exist; mixed with mustard yellow. gryffindor students absolutely covered in both. well students, no, james potter, yes.

he happen to be your victim, well friend of sirius; regulus did say after all they oogled you, whatever that meant. you both played quidditch, pretty decent grades, both had good humour, your more so, i mean c’mon you couldn’t find that wit just anywhere, and well you could be best friends. well friends, acquaintances, maybe one, possibly. if only you had the confidence of a leo male, all you needed was to strut over to the damn quidditch field and say something, literally anything.

so that’s exactly what you did, your shoes crunching against the no-longer damp grass, dry after morning dew showers. your bag hanging off of your left arm, your head preoccupied with ways on how to greet someone because slytherin etiquette right now was not the way to go; it would only cause assumptions and stereotypes. i mean who the actual fuck says, ‘how do you do?’ anymore.

‘She taught me love (love)

She taught me patience (patience)

She handles pain (pain)

That amazing (yeah, she's amazing)

I've loved and I've lost (yeah, yeah)

But that's not what I see (yeah, yeah)

'Cause look what I've found (yeah, yeah)

Ain't no need for searching

And for that, I say’

enemies, nope. acquaintances, don’t think so. friends, getting there. close friends, i would say. if someone ever said they saw james fleamont potter hanging around a slytherin they would’ve assumed that someone was knocked upside the head with the biggest beaters bar you could find, but the green and red weren’t that bad of a mix after all.

henceforth, here you were giggling like school girls with james fucking potter right by the black lake. “james, respectfully, stop carrying that stupid snitch everywhere. doesn’t it weigh down your pockets?” you queried the boy who was fumbling with the golden snitch for the past three minutes, flipping his hair so he could knock the brunette tendrils from his eyes while he gaped at you.

you were glowing— the sun at its highest peek, he could’ve been on his knees thanking albus dumbledore in his office for free period; knowing james we would’ve offered to comb his beard and maybe even a shampoo and condition it while he was at it.

your eyes glittered as you chortled at him for dropping that stupid ball for the third time, your hair dancing in the wind like it was a routine, a perfect routine, your teeth glinting at the suns ethereal rays that hit you just right. imagine if james’ foolish cocky mask instead would’ve rejected your offer of friendship that one humid day on the quidditch pitch— he would’ve been the biggest git to ever stride the planet.

‘Thank you, next (thank you, next)

Thank you, next (thank you, next)

Thank you, next (thank you)

I'm so grateful for my ex

Thank you, next (thank you, next)

Thank you, next (said thank you, next)

Thank you, next (next)

I'm so grateful for my ex

Thank you, next

Thank you, next

Thank you, next’

friends, that’s what it was suppose to be. pals, mates, schoolmates, whatever the fuck you called it. it wasn’t suppose to be frenemies, to friends to lovers! you weren’t suppose to notice the navy blue flecks of colour in his cerulean eyes, the way his lips curled in a smile after he caught that silly snitch that blazed the thick sure after a hefty match, the way he brushed the tresses of hair behind your ears when the wind was assaulting your face and you were basically swallowing your hair.

now sitting with him in the library you were mentally stabbing your stygian heart, why men. why do they do things, why do men sometimes have the decency to show sympathy, and partiality with their friends. he hugged you, he kissed your forehead when you felt dejected, james potter went through the slytherin common room to bring you chocolates on your period. which fucking gryffindor would do that, huh? definitely not frank longbottom or fabian prewett.

his hand scathed yours as he pointed at how to make a draught of peace potion, his hand was warm and smooth but only from what you touched— you could see slight callouses forming on the pads of pads palm from broom handling, and the small cracks in his knuckles from the lacking use of lotion. you felt the rapid rate of your heart merely increasing at the minute from the slight touch, a rush of rose clouded your cheeks. this was so embarrassing.

‘One day I'll walk down the aisle

Holding hands with my mama

I'll be thanking my dad

'Cause she grew from the drama

Only wanna do it once, real bad

Gon' make that last

God forbid something happens

Least this song is a smash (song is a smash)’

you were mid flight, smashing a bludger in the direction of the vermillion colours. even when you were immensely sweaty, intensely panting, abundantly tired, and your arm looked like it wanted to fall off he wanted to kiss the energy back into you. james loved winning against slytherin, it might’ve been his favourite thing at hogwarts; but he would murder a pack of death eaters if it meant he got to see your smile when your emerald-clad seeker clutched that small golden ball.

both teams landed, a handshake due for the game to be over after almost two continuous hours of playing and that stubborn ball blazing the air. he meant to walk over there, a hug overdue in his prideful way of saying congratulations but he did not think that he would’ve strided over to your panting figure and clasped your soft cushion lips with his own parched ones from the continuous heaving in his breath.

your lips tasted of peach, hints of mango. your lips dried of chapstick but still smooth— feeling the grooves in your lips, they were puffy and swollen probably from the tremendous amount of times you had bitten your lips in anxiety. your lips disconnected for a moment, suddenly realizing that you had an audience of your fellow slytherins, your enemy gryffindors and not one but two shocked crowds of hufflepuffs and ravenclaws suddenly watching the private scene unfold.

james cleared his throat, looking at your grinning face that was encased between his palms, your face was significantly flushed, your chest moving every millisecond at the loss of breath in your lungs. “good, uh, good game james.”

‘I've got so much love (love)

Got so much patience (patience)

I've learned from the pain (pain)

I turned out amazing (turned out amazing)

I've loved and I've lost (yeah, yeah)

But that's not what I see (yeah, yeah)

'Cause look what I've found (yeah, yeah)

Ain't no need for searching

And for that, I'll say’

cocky, quidditch captain, school prankster, pureblood gryffindor, and head boy. that to the peering eyes of hogwarts was james potter, but he was so much more than that. he was like an onion, gross comparison but for the sake of it you’ll use it, he had layers but everyday it’s like you cried a little less and you peeled just a bit more.

he was benevolent, he guided first years to common rooms and sometimes he studied with fourth year hufflepuffs. he was sensible, sometimes, he helped out madame pomfrey in the healers wing when remus had been injured from a full moon along with any remaining students in the ward from previous incidents, not to mention, you did uncover remus’ ‘furry secret’ and swore to secrecy. and most of all, james was cherishing, he actually did give a fuck when you had a bad day, he stroked your back and hummed you stupid baby lullabies.

i mean could you imagine lucius malfoy and evan rosier humming a girl lullabies when they were upset? celebratory kisses after quidditch, bringing you snacks while you were overwhelmed in school work and actually made an effort in the relationship? they would’ve bought you a pair of red bottoms and called it a day.

‘Thank you, next (thank you, next)

Thank you, next (thank you, next)

Thank you, next

I'm so grateful for my ex

Thank you, next (thank you, next)

Thank you, next (said thank you, next)

Thank you, next (next)

I'm so grateful for my ex

Thank you, next

Thank you, next

Thank you, next

Yeah’

there was infact one thing that your past relationships taught you;

never date a man to ever be put in the slytherin house ever again.

taglist: @kittykylax @ronbrokemyheart @aspiringsloth20 @maddoxsmythologicalmind @amourtentiaa @msmb @five-cups-of-coffee @emmaev @serenitywilderness @spencerfuckingreidswhore @artemis1orion @famdomhideout @hufflepogue @dear-luna @luvvninaz @miraclesoflove @black-like-my-soul @sirius-animagus

[nothingandeverythingintheworld]

I have this headcanon about how Lily found out she was pregnant

So okay context

It was the peak of the First Wizard War, Voldemort has gained so much power in the last few years, people were disappearing everyday, no one was safe, the Order was working like crazy trying to save as much life’s as possible but it was not able to save everyone

Regulus had just died and Sirius was a WRECK and James was spending a lot of time with him. Lily was taking as much missions for the order as possible in order to help people and to keep as sanity because every time she stopped to think about everything it seemed so horrifying that she just wanted to sit down and cry for days

So neither of them realized that Lily had just missed her second period because with everything that was going on her menstrual cycle was not in the top priority things to keep in mind

So one day, Lily went on a mission with a worried and scared Remus that was leaving Sirius alone after long time of keeping him company after Regulus’s death, but Remus couldn’t put out his responsibilities in the Order right now and he knew Sirius would be fine because James was with him.

It was a simple undercover mission to go to a place where death eaters were seen a few days ago. What they didn’t know was that they had just walked on a terrible trap and there was at least five of them waiting for Lily and Remus

They fought bravely and well (Remus and lily were a great duel duo just like James and Sirius) but they here highly outnumbered and there was nothing they could really do. Lily while fighting with two death eaters at the same time was hit with a weird spell in the chest that cast by a third death earter r that she hadn’t seen coming. She just fell unconscious on the ground, Remus was shocked just like the other fighters and used the split second they were stunned to just grad lily and apparate out of there

They both just arrived in the middle of Remus and Sirius apartament (that had really powerful ant-tracking spells so the death eartes couldn’t follow them there). And Sirius who was sitting in the couch with James just stared at Remus all bloody in the floor holding an unconscious Lily in his arms

They quickly called by a patronous the Order’s healer and she went to their apartment in a second and begin to try to find out what was wrong with Lily. The healer run some magical test to find out what was wrong with her and after a particular test she just stared at the result for a few seconds in shock while Remus, Sirius and James just hyperventilated around her.

James was shaking and silent tears were running down his cheek but he couldn’t loose Lily, Sirius just felt extremely guilt because he was mopping around because of his death eater brother while his brother’s friends tried to kill Lily, who was like a sister to him. Remus was still with so much adreline and couldn’t think straight, he just knew they couldn’t loose Lily because she was the best of them. Peter had just arrived what was sat in the corner patting James in the back not knowing exactly what to do but wanting to be there for his friends

Finally the healer told them Lily would be fine, she just needed to rest for a few hours but she would wake up in no time. After saying that she just kept staring at them not knowing how to give the big news, she asked to talk to James in private and everyone expected the worse, but since James couldn’t move and was in shock state, Sirius stepped up and asked the healer to tell him the news and she would pass him the news later. The healer was a little unsure but seemed like she didn’t have much of a choice, she just told him slowly what she found out while running the tests

Sirius just didn’t know what to say or how to tell the rest of them. A flow of emotions and felling flow through him, they would have a baby prongs! But it was the worst time possible for it. Sirius just sat on the side of James and said “just wanted to tell you that the marauders just got a sixth member bro”

James, Remus and Peter took a while to realize of Sirius actually was telling them and after that all had the same reaction as Sirius. It was wonderful that they were getting a tiny prongs baby but NOW?! They were just kids, how would Lily and James take care of this baby in the middle of the war?

While they were all freaking out, Lily woke up and saw these four boys with a extremely scared look at their face and she was like “Fuck I must be super fucked up”. The moment James realized she was a wake he just jumped in a huge hug and began to cry harder and Lily was like “baby, I am fine really, my heads just hurts a little” and James didn’t let go of her.

The boys stepped aside to give them some privacy and James told her the news. Needless to say, Lily wasn’t expecting that because “there was no way I wouldn’t know if I was pregnant James, I had my period just last ...?” And she began to realize it was a while since she last had cramps. As the realization came to her face she just felt so much to love for this little creature but also so much sacred for him, how could she and James have a baby right now? They were just kids and there was a war going on.

Seeing her face, James just pushed his own fears aside and told her “Evans, hey, it’s going to be fine. We are going to be great parents and this child will be so loved. We can do this, you know we were always ahead of our age” and Lily gave a little smile hearing him call her “Evans” after being a potter for a few months now. She was still pretty much terrified but felt warmer because whatever happened, she and the baby had James and as long as they had him, they would be just fine

After a while, Sirius jumped in the hug, pulling Remus by the hand with him, with a huge smile in his face (a smile they hadn’t seen in Sirius face for a really long time). Sirius just smashed both of them (carefully around Lily because she was still badly injured), he was just so happy that in the middle of all of this caos they had this new light with them, he would loved this baby so much (he already loved him) and would make sure this fine little bean was always safe and loved.

Remus gave Lily a guilty look because of the failed mission and planted a small kiss on their forehead and just said smiling “Congratulations you both! I can’t wait to meet this baby”. While Peter gave James a huge hug and cried a lit bit himself and everyone find it really cute how emotional he was about the baby

“Guys you do realize this baby is OUR baby right? It’s the first marauder’s baby. Oh gosh what nickname should we give to little prongs?” And Lily and James just looked at him and smiled because has long as they had each other and their friends, they would be just fine.

[fruitquake]

realizations pt. 2

part one

read it on ao3

Regulus Black knows he doesn’t like girls. He wishes he did. It would make everything so much easier. But at some point, you have to accept that maybe you aren’t just a late bloomer. Maybe it isn’t just that you “haven’t found the right girl yet”. Maybe it’s just who you are.

Aside from knowing he definitely doesn’t like girls, though, it’s all very confusing. It seemed like a logical conclusion that if he doesn’t like girls, he must like boys.

But then, James Potter kissed him, and he’s pretty sure that if he were gay, it would’ve felt… special. Or it would’ve felt like anything at all. But rather, it felt exactly the same as kissing girls: uncomfortably and wetly smashing your mouths together. He didn’t say any of this to James. He didn’t say anything, actually, just left with what he knows was a terribly transparent excuse. Now, he’s in his room, sitting on the floor and staring out of the window at the few stars visible through the clouds.  

Is there something wrong with him? The question has been echoing in his mind since the kiss. Well, really, it’s been there long before, but he has managed to ignore it well enough before today. It was easy to push it to the back of his mind, and tell himself that he would figure it out eventually and it didn’t really matter.

But… He kissed James. James Potter, the guy who half the girls - and several guys - are utterly enamoured by. James Potter, who is objectively very handsome. And surely, if he were gay, kissing him would’ve felt… good? How is kissing supposed to feel? Regulus has tried it a few times by now, and it has never been the enjoyable experience that people make it out to be.

He is typing the words into google before he even registers having taken his phone out. Is kissing supposed to feel good?

Most of the search results are clinical, detached articles, explaining the biological and social reasons as to why humans like kissing. Until he stumbles upon a blog post on one of those ask-and-answer forums.

Anonymous: need advice!! my friends are constantly going on about their crushes and the people they’ve been with, how much they love kissing, all that stuff. and i just can’t relate at all. i’ve kissed a few boys, and once a girl too, and i don’t understand the hype at all? i’ve never really had a crush on anyone either, i think. all that kissing and dating and sex stuff just seem like a waste of time to me. is there something wrong with me? am i broken or something?

Regulus’s heart stutters as he reads the post through. He… relates to most of it. Is there something wrong with me? It’s the same question that’s been ringing loud and clear through his head since the kiss.

The comments are mostly stuff like “just wait til you’re older” and “you’ll get it when you meet the right person”, and Reg feels his stomach sink. Is that really it? He’s supposed to sit around and wait for “the right person” to come into his life and… fix him? He thinks about James again. James, who is kind and funny and one of his favourite people in the entire world. But kissing him didn’t feel right. It hasn’t felt right with anyone.

But then his eyes catch on another comment on the person’s post: you should look into the terms asexual and aromantic. i don’t think there’s anything wrong with you or that you are broken, but if you don’t have an interest in romance/sex it could be because you’re ace and/or aro.

Asexual and aromantic. Regulus googles both terms, spends hours reading through articles and blog posts and people sharing their experiences, and for the first time in his life he feels… seen. He hadn’t realized how lonely he felt, before discovering that he isn’t alone.

It’s a lot to take in. A lot of thoughts and questions and answers swirling in Regulus’s head. He really, really wants to talk to someone about all of this. But first of all, it’s 3 AM. Secondly, who?

James is… kinda the whole reason he’s having this sexuality crisis to begin with. He is certain he would’ve figured it out anyway at some point, but it’s thanks to James that he is up in the middle of the night, buried in research about his own identity. He doesn’t think he can talk to James about all this. At least not yet.

Then there’s Sirius. Regulus doesn’t know if he would understand. He feels some of that familiar loneliness creep up on him again. He and Sirius are finally close again. After years of division and hurt and pretending the other doesn’t exist, they have a relationship that’s actually good, and Regulus doesn’t want to ruin it. What if Sirius doesn’t understand or doesn’t accept him? He can’t lose his brother again. He doesn’t have anyone else.

Should he just… not tell anyone, then? Perhaps that is best, at least for now, he thinks. If no one knows, no one can judge him for it or tell him that it’s wrong or that his experiences aren’t real. He nods to himself, settling back into bed. It’s better if no one knows.

-

Regulus doesn’t get any sleep that night. Not that he really expected to. He spends the next day dozing off in class and avoiding James. Both are working out great for him until he starts awake, feeling a gentle hand on his shoulder.

He sits up straight on his chair and squints as he looks around. The classroom is empty, except for him and-

“Sorry, did I wake you?” James asks. He's standing beside Regulus’s desk, looking down at him with something like concern.

“S’fine,” Regulus mumbles, stifling a yawn.

James sits on top of the desk next to Regulus’s. “You look tired,” he says. “Are you okay?”

Regulus still doesn’t know how to react to people showing him genuine concern. It’s not something he’s really used to. “I’m fine,” he says, perhaps a bit too forcefully. He stands up, almost knocking over his chair in the process, and starts quickly packing up his things.

“Hey, uh,” James says, nervously messing up his hair in that way he does. “There’s something we should probably talk about.”

The kiss. Reg was desperately hoping James would pretend it never happened. He slings his bag over one shoulder and starts towards the door. “I’m sorta in a rush.”

James stands up. “Reg, please,” he says. “I… I really need to talk to you about it. Please.”

Regulus sighs, but stops in the doorway. “We don’t have to,” he says in an almost pleading tone, turning around to face James. “It doesn’t matter.”

“You don’t understand.” James looks at him with big doe eyes. “Reg, it matters to me.”

He regards James for a while, before nodding, signalling for him to say whatever it is he wants to say.

James takes a deep breath. “So, er… The thing about the kiss,” he begins, fidgeting nervously with the strap of his bag. “It sorta… made me realize something? About myself?”

Regulus has never seen him this nervous. He waits in silence for him to go on.

“Shit,” James mumbles, rubbing his face with his hands. “I feel like I’ve rehearsed this conversation all day, but now I just, like… Have no idea what to say.” He takes another deep breath. “Screw it, I’m just gonna say it, okay? I really fucking liked that kiss and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it and also I’m bisexual.” It comes out as a quick string of words with no pause for James to breathe - or for Reg to interrupt him.

James looks at him; nervous, expectant, awaiting. But Regulus really doesn’t know what to say. He feels a tight knot in his stomach. “Oh,” he finally manages.

“Ah, shit,” James says frantically. “That’s right, there was something else I was gonna say, something important. I, er… I completely get it if you don’t feel the same way. I don’t want this to ruin our friendship, because I really care about you and I don’t wanna lose you. I just… really needed to get this off my chest.”

He sounds so genuine. Of course he does, Reg thinks and feels stupid. When has James ever been anything but genuine, honest and loyal? When has he ever judged Reg or turned his back on him for anything? James knows him better than he allows most people to, and if there’s anyone Reg can talk to about this, it’s him.

“There’s something I need to get off my chest too,” Regulus says quietly.

James’s eyes widen. “Oh? What is it?”

Reg sets down his bag and goes to sit by the desk opposite James. He doesn’t look at him as he starts talking. “I’m aroace. I don’t experience… that kind of attraction. Romantic or sexual. It’s… not exactly that the kiss made me realize it. Or maybe it did. But I kinda already knew. I just… wasn’t ready to admit it to myself, I suppose? Also I didn’t really know the word for it. But… yeah, that’s who I am and I can’t do anything to change that, just as you can’t change the fact that you’re bi, so… I hope you won’t hate me now.”

When James stays quiet, Regulus forces himself to look up. James is looking at him with an unreadable expression, and Reg’s stomach drops. This was a terrible idea. He should’ve known he couldn’t tell anyone. He has ruined everything. James opens his mouth but before he can say anything, Reg has pushed out his chair and is walking toward the door with swift steps.

“Nevermind,” he says, ignoring the stinging of tears in his eyes.

“Reg, wait!”

“Forget everything I just said.”

-

James finds him rather quickly, at the area behind the school that’s nearly hidden with shrubs. It’s where he comes when he needs to be alone, and he knows it’s also where Sirius comes to smoke.

Regulus is sitting on the ground with his back against a tree trunk, not caring if his clothes get dirty. James sits down about a meter away from him, but doesn’t speak, so Regulus is the one to break the silence:

“Are you upset because of my sexuality or because I don’t have feelings for you?” he asks. His voice is harsher than he meant it to be, but at least it’s not shaking.

James draws in a sharp breath, turning to face him. “I’m not upset at all!” he exclaims. “What on earth gave you that idea?”

He’s… not upset? Regulus clears his throat. “Well,” he mumbles. “You didn’t say anything.”

“I’m sorry,” James says earnestly. “I didn’t really know what to say. And you didn’t exactly give me a lot of time to think before you stormed off.”

Now Reg feels like he’s the one who should apologize. He doesn’t, though. Just stares straight ahead at the shrubs surrounding them.

“I’m really sorry I made you feel this way, Reg,” James says softly. “I promise I’m not upset. I care about you. A lot. And I, er… I may not know that much about this stuff, but I’m gonna do research on it so I can support you the best I can, because I care about-” He cuts himself off. “No, wait, I already said that part,” he mumbles, laughing nervously.

Reg smiles at him. “You hate doing research,” he says. “You avoid it like the plague.”

James laughs again. “Shut up, you wanker,” he says, shoving him gently. “This is different!”

He scoots a bit closer, putting his hand on Regulus’s shoulder. “But really,” he says, his tone more serious now. “I support you one hundred percent. You’ll always be family to me. So if you want, we can just forget all about that kiss.”

“But…” Reg looks up at him. “The kiss did mean something to you, didn’t it?”

James considers this for a moment. “I mean… it was a good kiss. And it did sorta… force me to come to terms with my sexuality. But what really means something to me is you, Reg, and our friendship. I don’t wanna lose that, ever. So… do I maybe have a teeny tiny crush on you? Yeah, I think I might, but it’s honestly no big deal. It won’t change anything between us, I promise.”

He holds out his pinky finger, and it takes Regulus several moments to realize what he’s doing. He holds up his own pinky and laces it with James’s.

“I just realized, I’m kind of an asshole,” he says after a bit. “I practically dismissed your coming out because I was so worried about my own.”

“Oh.” James chuckles. “Mate, don’t worry about it. I completely understand.”

“If you want, you can tell me again and I will try to react better,” Reg offers.

James shakes his head, amused. “I… alright,” he says, grinning. “Regulus?”

“Yes?”

“I’m bisexual.”

Reg smiles at him. “Oh, okay!” he says, acting as though it’s the first he’s hearing of this. “That’s lovely. I’m very happy for you. And… obviously, I support you, and I care about you a lot, too.”

James’s grin grows wider. “Thank you,” he says.

They sit quietly for a while, before James speaks again:

“Do you wanna come over today? Mum is making pancakes for dessert. And we can play Mario Kart.”

Regulus groans, but can’t quite suppress a smile. “Ugh, I don’t wanna play Mario Kart against you. You always win. I swear you’re cheating, somehow.”

“How would I cheat at Mario Kart?” James asks with a laugh.

Reg shrugs, crossing his arms. “I don’t know, but I don’t wanna play with you either way.”

“Okay, well… You can play against Sirius? Or you two can team up and try to beat me together,” James suggests, nudging his shoulder. “Come on, it’ll be fun. And pancakes.”

“Fine,” Reg says, as if he wasn’t going to say yes from the beginning. “But only because of the pancakes.”

James nods solemnly. “That’s fair,” he says, and Reg tries not to smile like an idiot, but it’s hard not to because at least for now, all of the worries and doubts swirling in his chest have been driven away by a warm, relieved feeling.

“James?” he says.

“Yeah?”

He doesn’t actually know what to say, so he just wraps his arms around James and pulls him into a hug. James hugs him back tightly, and Regulus feels incredibly lucky to have a friend like him.

[justauthoring]

To Be Loved (5/?)

Prompt: Perhaps, you understand Harry Potter better then anyone else. Perhaps, it’s why, when your eyes meet his for the first time, you feel an instant connection. Perhaps, it’s why, you love him.

Based off of: The Harry Potter Series Pairing: Harry Potter x Black/Tonks!Reader, slight Fred Weasley x Black/Tonks!Reader A/N: Next part will be the last part for Philosopher’s Stone!

“Nonsense! Why would Snape put a curse on Harry’s broom?”

“Who knows?” Harry counters, “why was he trying to get past that three-headed dog?”

Instantly, Hagrid’s eyes fall on Harry. “Who told you about Fluffy?”

Your brows furrow, tilting your head curiously, asking with interest; “Fluffy?”

Though, Hermione and Ron seem a lot more appalled then you do, face scrunched up in disbelief. “That thing has a name?”

“Of course he has a name,” Hagrid explains, as if wondering why someone would ever wonder. “He’s mine,” he gestures to himself, “I bought him off an Irishman I met last year. I lent him to Dumbledore to guard--”

He cuts himself off, but it’s clear it’s too late.

“Yes?” Harry prompts.

“I shouldn’t have said that,” Hagrid grumbles to himself, before turning to the four of with a sharp look. “No more questions! Don’t ask anymore questions! That’s top-secret, that is.”

“But Hagrid!” Harry cries, “whatever Fluffy’s guarding, Snape’s trying to steal it.”

“Codswallop,” Hagrid denies without even an ounce of doubt. He comes to a stop before the four of you, turning to face you fully. “Professor Snape is a Hogwarts teacher.”

“Hogwarts teacher or not,” Hermione steps forward, shaking her head. “I know a spell when I see one. I’ve read all about them. You’ve got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn’t blinking.”

Nodding at Hermione’s words, you eye Hagrid seriously. “I trust Hermione,” you say, not an ounce of doubt or question in your eyes. “She’s right.”

Inhaling sharply, Hagrid sighs. “Now, you listen to me, all four of you.” He points at each one of you swiftly, as if to make his point further. “You’re meddling in things that ought not to be meddled in. It’s dangerous. What that dog is guarding is strictly between Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel.”

You blink. 

“Nicholas Flamel?”

Hagrid’s eyes widen in panic. “I shouldn’t have said that,” he mumbles quickly, panicked. “I should not have said that.” And continuing to mumble on, he starts walking, shaking his head at himself.

“Nicholas Flamel,” Harry whispers, watching Hagrid leave, “Who’s Nicholas Flamel?”

Shaking your head, you frown; “I swear it’s a name I’ve heard before,” and then, turning to Hermione, surely she--

“I don’t know,” she shakes her head, having caught the waiting expression in your eyes.

Well, you thought if anyone would know it’d be her...

-

Head in your hands, you watch the Wizard’s game of chess that Harry and Ron are playing with a curious expression. You’d been watching them since they started, having already packed and gotten ready to leave whilst you waited for Hermione to do the same. It was interesting enough to watch, especially since you refused to play yourself, though the boys had offered plenty of times.

You’d be lying if you said you weren’t rooting for Harry. Though of course, you wouldn’t tell Ron that; and well, you knew Ron would win anyways since he’s so exceptionally well at it. And Harry, having been raised by muggles, didn’t have much experience with the game.

“Knight to E-five.”

Eyes falling on Ron, you eye him curiously as his own gaze drifts across the board; obviously trying to think of the best course of action.

However, at the sound of approaching footsteps, a smile curls onto your lips when you notice Hermione, waving her over eagerly.

“Queen to E-five,” Ron calls, and when you look back at him, he has an expression of triumph.

It’s obvious why in the next second. His chess piece, the queen, pulls up into the spot Harry had just moved his king, taking the throne she’d been sat on and swinging it hard right towards the king; thus, smashing him to pieces. You wince as you watche, shaking your head. Ron was really just too good.

“And you wonder why I never agree to play against you!” You exclaim, meeting Ron’s eyes before turning to Harry whose shoulders have sagged at the realization that he’s once again been beaten, laughing lightly. “You always win!”

“That’s totally barbaric!” Hermione calls, and when you turn to her look at her, she seems appalled at what she’d just witnessed. Sometimes, with all her knowledge about the wizarding world, you forget she was also raised as a muggle like Harry.

“That’s wizard’s chess,” Ron shrugs, “I see you’ve packed.” He eyes her suitcase.

“I see you haven’t.”

“Change of plans,” Ron explains, “my parents went to Romania to visit my brother Charlie. He’s studying dragons there.”

“Y/N?” Hermione calls for you, her voice considerably softer. “Are you all packed?”

Smiling at her, you nod; “yup, mom and dad will be meeting me at the train station. They say they’ve got an early Christmas present for me.” Then, turning to Ron, you grin, “and it’s good thing you’re staying behind for Christmas this year, Ron. You can help Harry.”

His brows furrow; “with what?”

“He’s going to the library to look up Nicholas Flamel,” Hermione explains for you, nodding at your words.

Ron’s shoulders instantly sag in disappointment. “We’ve looked a hundred times!”

Hermione leans forward, purposefully lowering her voice. “Not in the restricted section,” she whispers, eyeing the both of them carefully. Then, leaning back as if she, Hermione Granger, hadn’t just proposed breaking the rules, turns to her, eyes brightening. “Come along, Y/N. We should be going. We don’t want to miss the train.” Then, she waves to the boys; “Happy Christmas!”

You push up from your seat, grabbing your own smaller back and pulling your scarf around your neck before turning to the boys yourself. You wave bye to both of them, but your eyes linger on Harry’s a tad bit longer, smiling gently. “Have wonderful Christmas you two.”

And then, you’re off.

-

Hermione’s parents are right at the train station when the two of you arrive. 

The train having been somewhat emptier then it had been arriving, since not all students had gone back home for the holidays, you and Hermione had managed to get a cart all to yourselves. It was kind of nice just being able to chat the two of you, without the boys, and you were all too giddy the entire time to see Andromeda and Ted and maybe Nymphadora if she managed to get time off early this year and tell all about your first term at Hogwarts.

Especially all the wonderful friends you’d made. Namely three.

But after bidding goodbye to Hermione, you found you couldn’t find Andromeda or Ted anywhere. You’d frowned, thinking they were maybe late, waiting a few minutes and watching the many children reuniting with their parents longingly until you started to wander, turning a little more desperate.

And then you’d caught sight of a familiar shaggy brown sweater and messy dirty blonde hair and you’d doubled back the way you’d just walked, eyes blinking in confusion before you met Lupin’s familiar ones. It took you a second, having not expected to see him here, before a bright smile curls onto your lips and you’re all but breaking out in a fast run in his direction, not wasting any time in practically throwing yourself into his awaiting and expecting arms, a laugh of joy falling from your lips.

“Uncle Lupin!” You exclaim, pulling back from his arms to blink up at him, shaking your head. “What’re you doing here? I thought mom and--”

“I wanted it to be a surprise,” Remus says softly, in that wise and calm voice he’s always had, for as long as you can remember. It’s instantly calms you, making you feel all warm and giddy inside. “Wanted to be the first person to see you back and hear all the wonderful stories you must have.” Then, his cheeks warm, just faintly, and he turns slightly bashful. “I’m, uh, sorry i’m late. It’s been such a long time since I’ve--”

“It’s no worries,” you cut off with a shake of your head. “All that matters is you’re here! Oh, Remus, I can’t wait to tell you everything! I’ve made so many friends, and oh! I don’t know if you saw her, but I got off the train with one, Hermione Granger is her name,” you point behind you, in the direction Hermione had gone, whilst you and Remus starting walking. “She’s super smart and she knows like everything. And then there’s Ron, who’ve I've known for a while, and while he can bit a bit of a... boy sometimes,” Remus laughs at that, “he’s super sweet too and he’s my friend. Oh! And Harry Potter!”

You miss the way Remus turns slightly rigid at the name. Miss the way his eyes widen. Miss any sort of inclination that the name Harry Potter meant something more to Lupin beyond just the stories told of him. That Harry Potter meant more to him then you could possibly understand.

You continue on, blissfully unaware. “He’s super smart too! And he’s really good at Quidditch! Youngest player on the team too! He’s a seeker and he won the last game for Gryffindor, he was amazing, truly!”

And of course, you miss the smile that curls onto Lupin’s face as you continue gushing on about the boy. As Lupin recalls memories of his days in Hogwarts, watching James Potter as Seeker for the Gryffindor team win games time and time again. As Lupin imagines young Harry Potter, who he’s never even met beyond when he was just a baby, looking the spitting image of his father.

It’s a funny thing, fate, Lupin finds. How somehow you two, in a school full of children, had managed to find each other and become so close when your parents had been just as. How someone James and Sirius, despite everything, despite all that happened, had someone, in one way or another, managed to find each other.

You miss the way, couldn’t possibly have ever seen either, the way Lupin’s chest pangs painfully at the thought.

“And Gryffindor, like you!” You turn to Remus, eyes sparkling, pulling him from his thoughts with a blink. “Aren’t you so proud of me?”

Smiling gently, eyes filled with warm, Remus doesn’t hesitate to nod. Now’s not the time to think of something so silly. Now’s not the time to think of the past. Not when his future is right before him.

“Of course I am, Y/N/N.”

-

Christmas had been wonderful. Lupin could only spend that one day with you, but you were content with just that. Not to mention, Nymphadora had gotten home just that evening and you hadn’t seen your sister in so long either.

You received lots of beautiful and wonderful gifts, including the annual sweater that Mrs. Weasley always sent to you. In a beautiful shade of deep red that you loved very much, with your first initial stitched on the front. And whilst the break had gone by far much quicker then you would’ve liked, you were all too happy to see Hermione back on the train and be walking the halls of Hogwarts once more. And of course see Harry and Ron as well, and ask them all about their Christmas.

The only thing you didn’t love, as much, was returning yet again to the library in hopes of finding something about Nicholas Flamel -- which, even after all this time, none of you had been able to find anything.

“I had you looking in the wrong section. How could I be so stupid?” Jumping in surprise as Hermione all but slams down the huge book in her hands right onto the table, barely giving you a minute to pull your own belongings out of line of shot, you turn to look at her as she sighs. “I checked this out weeks ago for a bit of light reading.”

Eyeing the book, Ron shakes his head; “this is light reading?”

Choosing to ignore his comment, but not forgetting to send him a nasty glare of course, Hermione flips through the book until she finds the intended page. “Of course, here it is,” she exclaims, eyes lightening with relief. “’Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosopher’s Stone.”

Both Harry and Ron’s face scrunch in confusion; “the what?”

“Honestly,” Hermione sighs, “don’t you two read?”

And, at the looks on their faces, you can’t help but let out a small giggle.

“‘The Philosopher’s Stone is a legendary substance with astonishing powers’.” Hermione explains, reading from the book. “‘It’ll transform any metal into pure gold... and produce the Elixir of Life which will make the drinker immortal’.”

“Immortal?” Ron questions.

“It means you’ll never die,” you explain.

“I know what it means!” He defends, voice pitching. Harry is quick to shush him, pressing a finger to his lips, before turning back to Hermione.

“‘The only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicholas Flamel...’” Hermione continues, “’the noted alchemist who last year celebrated his six-hundred-and-sixty-fifth birthday.”

Your eyes widen at the age. That’s a long time to live...

“That’s what Fluffy is guarding on the third floor. That’s what’s under the trap door. The Philosopher’s Stone.”

-

“Hagrid!”

“Oh!” Hagrid calls, surprised at the sight of four. “Don’t wish to be rude, but i’m in no state to entertain.” He moves to close his door, but before he can, all four of you yell out;

“we know about the Philosopher’s Stone!”

Pushing back open the door, Hagrid simply says; “oh.” Before moving aside to let you all in. Being the last one in, you make sure to shut the door behind you, quickly pulling off your robes at Harry moves to continue.

“We think Snape’s trying to steal it.”

Huffing, Hagrid shakes his head; “Snape? Blimey, you not still on about him, are you?”

“Hagrid,” Harry continues, taking a seat with a sigh. “We know he’s after it. We just don’t know why.”

“Snap is one of the teachers protecting the Stone,” okay, so you hadn’t been expecting that. “He won’t steal it.”

Furrowing your brows, you shake your head; “what?”

“You heard,” Hagrid says simply. “Now. Come on. I’m a bit preoccupied today.” He moves to his hands, in a signal for you all to get going, but none of you move. At all.

“Wait a minute,” Harry calls, “’one of the teachers’?”

“Of course,” Hermione calls, “there are other things defending the Stone, aren’t there? Spells, enchantments.”

“That’s right.” Hagrid nods, but your attention is pulled off of him at the sound of something, or someone, slobbering. Turning your gaze ahead of yourself, your lips curve into an expression of disgust when you see Hagrid’s dog licking Ron’s ear, slobbering, as you heard, all over the place. “Waste of a bloody time, if you ask me. Ain’t no one gonna get past Fluffy. Ain’t a soul knows how, except for me and Dumbledore.”

And then, without pause, Hagrid sighs; “I shouldn’t have told you that. I should not have told you that--”

Luckily, maybe more for his sake then anyone else’s, all attention is pulled towards his fire at the sound of some sort of... rattling? It’s coming from the pot centered in the middle of the fire and a deep frown mares your lips as you watch, baffled, as Hagrid pulls out an egg from the pot.

Balancing the very clearly hot egg in his hands, Hagrid rushes over to his table, gently laying it down while the four of you rush over to watch.

“Uh, Hagrid,” Harry calls apprehensively, “what exactly is that?”

“That? It’s...  uh, it’s...” He pauses, clearly he doesn’t know exactly what it is. “Umm...--”

“I know what that is!” Ron exclaims excitedly, pulling back to grin at Hagrid, before frowning in confusion. “But, Hagrid, how did you get one?”

“I won it,” he says simply, “off a stranger I met down at the pub. Seemed quite glad to be rid of it, as a matter of fact.”

It starts rattling more intensely, the egg, and sending Hermione a look, you both wisely pull back, watching it carefully. Then, the egg starts to crack, and you watch with a wince, arms held before you, as a... leg? kicks out, cracking the shell, revealing...

revealing a baby dragon.

Watching it for a moment, you turn to Hagrid, trying to see if you were right, if it actually was a...

“That’s not just a dragon,” Ron explains for you, having it click inside your mind that his old brother Charlie trains dragons, so of course he’d known. ”That’s a Norwegian Ridgeback. My brother, Charlie, works with these in Romania.”

“Isn’t he beautiful?” Hagrid gushes, surprising you. “Oh, bless him,” he chokes as the baby dragon turns towards him. “Look, he knows his mummy.” Reaching forward, he moves to scratch just under his chin, calling affectionately; “hello Norbert.”

“Norbert?” Harry frowns.

“Yeah, well, he’s gotta have a name, don’t he?” He turns back to the dragon, “don’t you, Norbert?”

“Well,” you call, grinning up at Hagrid, “I think it’s adorable.”

“You do?” Hermione turns to you, surprised, wide-eyed.

“Yeah,” you shrug, “misunderstood creatures, dragons. Lots of creatures are. Anything that just looks different, and the worlds so quick to be afraid.”

Hagrid nods quickly at that; “right you are--” But before he can finish, he’s interrupted by Norbert breathing a bit, just a bit, of fire directly into his beard. Your eyes widen in response, jumping back, as Hagrid quickly uses his over mitts to pat down the smoke. “Well, he’ll have to be trained up a bit, of course.” 

Norbert lets out a cry.

“Who’s that?”

Blinking your eyes at Hagrid’s sudden question, you turn your head in the direction he’s looking, managing to catch a glimpse of...

“Malfoy!”

-

“Hagrid always wanted a dragon.” Harry explains, walking into the castle, the rest of you beside him. “Told me so the first time I met him.”

“It’s crazy,” Ron huffs, “and worse, Malfoy knows.”

“I don’t understand,” you mumble, shaking your head at Ron. “Is that bad?”

“It’s bad,” he calls, frowning, but his gaze isn’t on you. It’s past you.

On... Professor McGonagall.

“Good evening,” she greets sarcastically, quirking a brow at the four of you.

Low and behold, stood behind her is Draco.

-

“Nothing, I repeat, nothing... gives a student the right to walk about at night. Therefore, as punishment for your actions, fifty points will be taken.”

Each of you gasp in response, shocked, but the only one who doesn’t keep quiet like he, regrettably, should, is Harry. “Fifty?” He gasps, lips parted in indignation as he glares at Professor McGonagall.

“Each.”

Shaking your head, you bite your lip.

“And to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” she continues, eyeing the four of you each separately, carefully. “All five of you will receive detention.”

Five?

“Excuse me, Professor,” Draco speaks up for the first time, stepping forward, all trace of that arrogant smirk wiped off his face. “Perhaps I heard you wrong. I thought you said the five of us.”

“No, you heard me correctly, Malfoy,” she says plainly, “you see, as honourable as your intentions were, you too were out of bed after hours. You will join your classmates in detention.”

And at the look on his face, you find, even if just a little, the situation a lot more funnier then it had been a few minutes ago.

-

Part 6?

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All in the Family

Chapter 133: The Second War Begins

They all found themselves blinking in stark contrast of the lazy morning sun from moments ago to a heavy orb of late afternoon beating down on them all. Alice got a particularly painful landing, smashing face first into something hot and metal, Lily found herself scattered painfully in a pile of woodchips, and Frank was somehow twisted up in a lone swing set, the other already broken. Regulus was perched ungainly on the very highest peak of the playground, the sign visible to him at the end of the road from his view trailing this as Magnolia Park.

Peter, Lupin, and Potter were visible scattered around the street as well, his friend having smacked against the chain link fence and had the mark on his face to prove it. Lupin was still dazedly in the street right in front of where one of those muggle contraptions could run over him, or fly over him if it was anything like Arthur's. Potter was looking curiously around at all the Muggle dwellings, but bypassed them as he ducked his head around the corner and immediately took to his feet, ignoring the bleeding palms of his hands for landing on the sidewalk like that as he called after Sirius. He couldn't see his brother in the alleyway but kept his balance on his wooden perch and tipped his head up to the sun anyways, enjoying the view and thinking to himself for now.

If they'd been born Muggles, would they have ever done something as simple as play at a park together before? He'd never wanted to be one before, it was base traitorous to his species he was sure to even entertain the thought, and besides, those Dursleys proved enough Muggles were no better about being scum than some wizards. What Evans had said still lingered in him though, what he'd give just to play a game at a place like this.

Sirius had been the only one to land in the shade of the alleyway and so was already brushing himself off and back on his feet the fastest, but he could see from his crooked vantage that nobody was dying, not even Regulus who seemed in no danger of falling, so he'd happily kept himself out of the way for now, leaning against the cool wall and wondering if this was the exact spot Harry had once fended off the dementors and gotten his first sight of him so long ago as he still turned everything over while James and Remus quickly joined him anyways.

"I'm fine," he told them both before they could even ask, and he really meant it this time. He told them in detail and made sure to meet both of their eyes as often as he could so they'd believe him, "I'm exhausted, and depressed as hell it came to this, and still pretty pissed all things considered, but we'll be fine."

James only studied him for a moment before relief flooded him and he seemed to take him at word. Remus though was studying him intently, a question on his lips he kept suppressing by pursing them up and glancing guiltily at James.

He had an idea what this was going to be about and so saved Moony the awkwardness of stopping their fooling around before James even did know about it. "Give us a moment, yeah?"

Prongs looked surprised at the dismissal, but not particularly offended, appraising the two for a moment before shrugging and jogging off towards Peter. Sirius watched him go, never having felt more love in his life for his brother, James still trusted him after everything. He met Peter's eyes and flashed him a genuine smile, who'd been standing on the edge of the grass. Sirius couldn't deny he was a bit glad he hadn't come over though, he really was too tired to deal with anything else right now and that swirl of emotions he couldn't avoid when he did head over there after this. He had a lot of cleanup to do.

Surprised, but willing when Remus took his hand and took him deeper into the alley out of sight of the park entirely, they could go no farther back onto the other street from the barrier once more. He braced himself, telling himself he would not hold it against Moony for cutting this off now that he'd had a reality check and that hadn't been helping, so he was fairly surprised when Remus leaned in and kissed him fiercely instead.

Sirius hummed in pleasure at how very alive he felt, the warm bricks on his back, Remus's fingers trailing lightly up his neck and hovering there, pulling him in closer and feeling very secure in how utterly good this still felt. The book finally started though, and the two sprung apart like the guilty party they still were as Evans read The Second War Begins.

"I'm, surprised," Sirius admitted quietly, the burning pain of Harry suffering through the various stages of grief only slightly easier to get through as he rubbed his thumb against Remus's bottom lip in silent question.

"Of course, you idiot," he scoffed in return, before he seemed to check himself and looked at Sirius steadily. "Look, I know we started this for the wrong reasons, but um, I've been wanting to do that this whole time, and I should have, but, I've been a coward. Look, you should know, I-"

"Think we should tell James," Sirius thought he was agreeing. Remus pulled back though and Sirius let his hand fall in surprise as he surmised, "that's, not what you were going to say?" It only just occurred to him he hadn't told Moony of his more recent conviction to even do so and probably should mention it to him first. "I know I said we'd wait until we got out of this mess, but come on Remus. You know he's no more going to be one of those pureblood arseholes who frowns upon shirt-lifters than I am. He should know why we keep buggering off."

"I just, like my business private, you know that," he muttered, no longer looking directly at him.

Sirius flushed and leaned farther into the mortar now with shame, but Remus quickly corrected, "not that I'm accusing- look Sirius let's move past that Snape shit for the last time, honestly. The arsehole is not worth the breath wasted."

"And we'll be discreet," Sirius more than happily agreed, taking Remus's hand and hoping he was caving. "Won't tell anyone else obviously, none of their bloody business, not even Peter if you don't want."

Remus still looked a tad panicked, so Sirius altered, "not next time everyone falls asleep, I'm too exhausted to stay up myself, but the one after that then?" Let him get used to the idea at least beforehand, that felt like a kind compromise anyways.

"Okay," it did seem to ease him up, he released a breath anyways and squeezed Sirius's fingers. He still tensed his shoulders though and looked like he was building himself up to say something, but then leaned in and kissed him again, with somehow even more enthusiasm than before.

He was very convinced Moony was just worried about being caught now, and hadn't the blood left in the right places to worry about such a thing as his fingers frisked lower.

"Down boy," Remus pulled back with a chuckle, leaving Sirius a panting and flustered mess. "Can't stay like this forever now," his smile was odd.

Sirius huffed and glared at the neighboring houses. "Think any of those will open for us? I'd curl up on that grass for a lie down if I wasn't worried Evans would shove those wood chips under my nails, and you know how I'd sleep even better." He still had his hand very suggestively in place.

Remus placed his hands on either side of the wall and pressed their foreheads together but seemed unwilling to do anything else, as if suspended in place. Sirius sighed but finally forced himself to be the one to pull away, ducking under his arm and jogging back out into the street to check himself. Remus already knew it hadn't worked though when he yelled at the top of his lungs, "no bed and breakfast for us, but thanks for stopping to check Evans!"

It was all too easy to picture in his head, Sirius jogging over to James's side like nothing had happened, the two still able to keep each other's spirits up through Harry's miserable coping, as if hoping their laughter would echo through time for him.

'You should have just asked,' Remus continued, accusing himself now that Sirius was long gone and it would be even weirder and more noticeable if he called him back. 'He's not a bloody mind reader!' It did matter to him though, what exactly Sirius wanted to say to James. That the two were just off shagging, or that maybe it was something more? He had time now at least, not much but some to get up the nerve and ask later.

Sirius certainly hadn't made it seem like it was going to be any such thing that full moon day he'd screwed all this up, but things had changed since then. They'd been through a lot dealing with these books and mostly each other, and he was positive enough in the enthusiasm Padfoot still showed just now his reluctance back in the Centaur's home had just been his abysmal way of dealing with this future and shutting down, which Remus should have stepped in and helped him with like Prongs had!

The hell was the matter with him, too cowardly to comfort him when he needed it but dragging him off like this at a convenient time? Or was it all just wistful thinking on his part he could have even made a difference, maybe only James really could have gotten through to him in that moment, it's not like he'd done anyone any good in this future after all.

He knew what a hypocrite he was being too, doing exactly what Sirius just had and trying to put it all off for later and avoid really talking to him. He wouldn't let it build up so bad he'd have a bloody breakdown over it though, he quickly promised himself. He just had to ask, and accept whatever Sirius's answer was, nothing else was required on his part. If Sirius didn't reciprocate he couldn't force anything to happen otherwise regardless.

Pushing himself off the wall and still cursing Prongs for these stupid too-tight pants, he leaned in the shadows for now and watched with a smile as his prediction had been exactly right.

Sirius had gone right over to James, and there was that air around him all the Marauders knew so well as he smiled at his best mate and instigated, "want to play king of the castle?" With his head cocked suspiciously in Regulus's direction.

"I'm game," James promised at once, turning back to Peter and only feeling slightly bad he already forgot whatever he'd been saying about magnolias and their plant properties. "Want to team up with him?" He offered in form of apologizing by letting them play start and including Regulus without protest.

Peter couldn't have looked more surprised if James had just blotted out the sun, but he grinned and said, "yes," at once. Hopping the fence and quickly scaling the playground nearly up to Regulus and explaining quickly while the two were already silently counting down the head-start they'd given.

Lily sighed as Potter began laughing again of all things while Harry was boarding the train once more to a home that didn't want him, now with no options left in the world even if the Order did arrive in some form of collective presence. She finally understood though, watching them play some deranged game that seemed to have no rules as the four shot spells at each other with no clear endgame to her. James Potter, much like his best friend, would never pass up an opportunity for a laugh if it was available, and she was really starting to see how that was okay as she caught herself smiling for the infectious noise and holding off far longer than was needed to on the last sentence as the park teemed with life.

HPHPHPHP

As always, please feel free to guess future chapter locations, as well as what you're looking forward to seeing them react to. I have them all planned out at least in principle, but it'll greatly amuse me  to see your guesses.