#marlene's box of letters

[loserboyfriendrjl]

Dorcas,

They've found Caradoc. The river Thames. He's dead. I can't say I'm surprised.

I'm sure you've realized that the situation keeos getting worse and worse. Our days are dark, and our nights cut short. I haven't been able to see you in a while. Pity, since you're so pretty ;)

I hope this will end soon. I hope that this will stop, and that I'll be able to love you right again. I hope that I will be able to hold you gently and tell you sweet little nothing, hiding behind a cigarette. I hope that I will be able to kiss you again, the way we used to kiss before. I hope I will be able to love you right once more. Till then, we wait.

War kills lovers. We've seen it many times before. However, we are still alive. We are still alive; our hearts are still beating and our blood still flows through our veins. We wake up every morning, opening our eyes and taking a deep breath in. We're alive. We're alright.

Until we've become soldiers, I didn't appreciate my life much. Of course, I was happy to wake up in the morning and to be alive, but I considered my life something endless, something infinite. When I started fighting, I've realized that life is something that is granted to us, and not to be taken for granted.

Love is all the same. However, love is endless. Love has no barrier such as life or death, and that gives me hope. I will be able to love you beyond my grave, Dorcas. I may be a ghost, or a hallucination, or a figment of what I had once been, but I will still be hopelessly devoted to you. You will mourn for me, of course; but I will still be there, watching over you, loving you. Death can't stop love, my sunshine. And I will love you, no matter what it takes.

There are pizza leftovers in the fridge. I left you a pack of cigarettes on the counter. Don't finish them until I am home. Take care, Dorcas, and do not overwork yourself. You're still needed, as much as I am.

James says hi.

With love,

Marlene ♡

[my-castles-crumbling]

admirer - @wolfstarmicrofic - word count: 329

It starts with a single, red rose. Delivered to Sirius Black at breakfast, brought by a school owl, and dropped on his plate. Blushing, he tucks it into his hair, through the dark locks that are tied into a bun. 

And everyone gapes. Because Sirius Black has certainly never been one for flowers.

The next week it’s a letter. Nobody realizes at first that it’s out of the ordinary until Sirius, while reading it, turns a delicate shade of pink that makes Marlene McKinnon crack a joke about him going soft. But Sirius seems too happy to care.

A few weeks after, it’s a hair tie. He’s been growing his hair out longer and longer, needing to pull it back for Potions and Herbology, and the Gryffindor girls have been complaining about him stealing all of theirs. So, at breakfast, one is delivered. A ribbon, embroidered with moons and an intricate pattern of stars. Immediately, he pulls his hair back with it, little tendrils slipping down in his sparkling eyes.

Painstakingly-folded origami, small boxes of chocolate, beautiful quills. The gifts continue. And every time, Sirius’s reaction is as mistifying as the last. He’s known for being confident to the point of obnoxious, for not caring about the little things. But when the owl delivers these tokens of affection? Everyone can see it: He all-but-melts.

Bets are made. Coins exchanged. People have hunches, but nobody knows for sure. Until the last day of sixth year, when the (now well-known) owl swoops down, and heads turn. But it’s not Sirius the owl lands in front of. 

Remus Lupin, blushing scarlet, has a gigantic bouquet of roses on his plate; so big he can no longer see across the table. And, as the Great Hall bursts into murmurs, Sirius grins. 

“Think they all know who my admirer is now, Moony?” he asks, landing a kiss on the taller boy’s cheek. 

But Remus just rolls his eyes and pulls his boyfriend in closer.

[petalsthefish]

Lily Evans failed a lot of tests her first year at Hogwarts. She kept every letter anyone wrote to her in shoe boxes under her bed. She made her tea in the morning with sugar, but at night she liked to drink it plain. Lily hated ancient runes and walked out of the class in third year. Her hair was always long, except for the summer in fifth year when Marlene cut it on a dare. Her fingernails were short from her nasty habit of chewing on them when she was nervous. Her first kiss was James Potter. If she was crying, she was in pain. If she was laughing, she was loud. If she was quiet, then no one in the room dared to cross her. She wasn’t in the popular crowd and yet everyone was her best friend. She wasn’t a saint, but no one could ever remember the detentions she served. Lily believed in love more than she believed anything else in the world. She dried flowers between the pages of her potions books. Lily’s socks were often mismatched because she was too lazy to sort through them. She hated the snow, but loved snow days. She wore her heart on her sleeve. She had the biggest dreams. She hated her nose. She loved her singing voice. There were few people who trusted her with a boiling pot, but she was a natural at gardening. She lied to her sister about a lot of things. When the autumn leaves fell, she always went to go dance in them. She married James Potter because somewhere along the way he’d become her best friend. She always forgot to take her medicinal potions and got pregnant on accident because of it. She spent a ton of time with Bathilda Bagshot because she thought the old woman was brilliant, not batty. She wrote lipstick notes on the mirror for her husband. She always left glasses of water all over the house. She loved her son. She died too young.

[addsalwayssick]

“Look what i’ve found, Haz!” Draco said as they were looking through the attic. He pulled out a box of pictures. They were old, from the 70s in fact. Draco shuffled through the pictures as Harry sat by him.

Harry pulled out a picture of his dad, James, and Sirius lying on the couch next to each other. Another one of Remus and Lily in the library. Marlene and Mary at 3 Broomsticks. James and Peter playing chess. Remus and Sirius kissing. They were all from when they were young, maybe 15 or 16.

“Your dad was fit,” Draco teased. Harry grinned at him and smacked his thigh.

Harry picked up a letter. He read through it carefully.

‘How I miss you. I want to see you. We haven’t talked. You don’t ever want to talk to me. You walk past in the halls and don’t ever say a word. Meet me in the room of requirements tonight. -James.’

We don’t talk enough, we should open up

Harry furrowed his eyebrows as he gathered piles of letters that said almost the same thing.

Before its all too much

He picked up a photograph of his dad and a man he didn’t recognize in their quidditch kits. The man had a Slytherin uniform on. He was number 12, and his dad was 21. His dad had his arms around him and was kissing him deeply.

Draco looked at the picture and gasped. “Is that Regulus?”

“Who?”

“Sirius’s younger brother.” Draco whispered.

They looked at the picture, then at each other. “They’re like us.” Harry mumbled.

Will we ever learn? We’ve been here before.

They read through the letters, detailing their romances. It detailed the way they loved. The secrecy. The way James was so deeply in love with Regulus it hurt.

There was only one letter from Regulus. It said, ‘James, i’m sorry, i’m so fucking sorry. Please forgive me. It wasn’t my choice. It was my parents. Please, I still love you. Please James, I love you.’

Harry’s hands shook as he dropped the letter, going downstairs to find Draco’s that said nearly the same thing. ‘Harry, I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to get it. Please, don’t hold this against me. My parents made me. I still love you. Please, Harry, I love you.’

It’s just what we know.

The last letter from James said. ‘I’m here Regulus. For whatever you need. If you need someone to love i’m here. If you need someone to hurt, im here. I’m sorry.’

Stop your crying baby, it’s the sign of the times.

_____<>

Based on sign of the times

[elilelibeli]

Remus has a camera. He has this camera because he captures everything he sees beauty in. Remus doesn’t think he is beautiful, he also never thought he was really surrounded by it. The pain, hardship, fear made it hard to still notice beauty around him, so he has a camera and takes pictures of everything to remind himself of beauty still around him.

He has pictures of Lily. With flowers in her hair or books in her hands just many many pictures of fiery, shiny and radiant Lily, Remus’s soul friend.

He has pictures of Mary getting ready, Mary dancing, Mary in the diner, Mary to remind him being beautiful means beauty inside as much as it means beauty outside. Mary shines in how she looks but she shines that much more from the inside and Remus wants to surround himself with that light forever.

He has pictures of Marlene, because he wants to be reminded of her beauty, beauty in chaos, loudness, bravery.

He has pictures of Peter, weirdly so many of Peter surrounded with strange plants. He is reminded that beauty can be found in anything just like Peter has found it in that weird plant he got for Remus on his birthday. Peter looks great in Remus’s green sweater sleeping on a couch and Remus knows that his friend’s safety is really really beautiful.

He has so many pictures of James. He can practically hear his laugh when he glances at those pictures. James is the reason he even thought about beauty still left around him in the first place. James loves very fiercely and the little bit of a crazy approach of seeing beauty in every little thing is fascinating to Remus. James got the camera for Remus and Remus started to notice tiny beauties around him.

And there’s Sirius. Amount of pictures he has of Sirius could probably fill up an entire room. After all Sirius is the reason Remus knows what beauty means. He always sneaks in pictures when Sirius is not looking, trying to regain the breath his best friend stole from him with one smile. He takes the secret pictures and stares them at home, alone, when he grants himself a second of bravery to imagine what it would feel like to have Sirius like Remus wants to have him, have him fully and eternally.

As much as he snaps pictures of everything and everyone he hates getting his picture taken. Why would anyone want to take a picture of him he thinks. He is not worthy to be captured by a camera that can capture beautiful things and he isn’t worthy of Sirius. Sirius deserves great things, beautiful things and Remus is none of those so he continues to take pictures of Sirius and anything else that reminds him of his muse, longing for him behind the lenses.

And then one day when Remus borrows a book from Sirius and he opens it to the page where something is wedged as a makeshift bookmark, he finds himself staring at a polaroid of himself. He remembers this from their lake day, he looks tired and he has that weird half smile in the picture. He didn’t know this picture was taken.

He notices a second polaroid wedged between the pages of another book on Sirius’s shelf. It’s one more of him, but this is from Christmas, he is wearing a red and green sweater from Effie.

Another one falls from the book, this is not of him. This one is taken in a tea shop, boxes of different mixes of tea and small chocolate biscuits in front. The Polaroid has a quick note in Sirius’s handwriting on it that reads “smelled like Remus”.

Remus finds one more of him reading in the library. One more between books of him showing a middle finger to James. All the books on Sirius’s bookshelf have Remus’s polaroids wedged between pages, with notes or timestamps or just plain. The pictures are all of Remus, different Remuses, while he had no idea he was being captured. His hands tremble while he picks up one more book from the shelf, the note on the polaroid reads “my moony”, he reads each letter scribbled by Sirius and he feels each of them inscribed in his heart with Sirius’s handwriting. Each letter giving him enough bravery to run and “capture” Sirius not only by his camera but by his devotion and love. And Remus is running and for the first time ever he wants to have his picture taken the moment he lays his lips on Sirius’s because he knows that will be the most beautiful moment ever.

[arumidden]

Can we talk about the Time Travel Memories box?

I had generally knew it existed before today but only discovered this aspect just now and holy shit I need to talk about it.

I went to a pop-up store today that was selling BTTF merch and saw a display case full of the materials from the Time Travel Memories box. At first I thought, ‘oh cool! There’s all kinds of replica props and interesting maps and photos!’

But then I noticed this:

I couldn’t read all of the letter, so I hunted down an unboxing video on YouTube to read the rest. And you know what it is? It’s an in-character letter from Marty to Dave and Linda.

And oh boy, does it have some interesting implications.

The full letter explains that Marty is lost somewhere in the past with Doc (what a surprise), and that Marty hasn’t seen his siblings in a while because of it. Apparently Marty has already revealed to Dave and Linda that he’s a time traveler, but they didn’t believe him, so he’s left them a box of evidence to prove it.

I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS.

When did he decide to tell them this? And why? How long has this been an open secret? He mentions Junior and Marlene in the letter, so it’s got to be at least a decade or more after the trilogy ended (probably close to 15+ years later if his kids were still born around the same time as they were born in the crushed hand timeline). Have they known the entire time? How has this affected their relationship? Marty carried a photo of the three of them in his wallet, so he must care at least somewhat for them, right? How much distance has him coming clean to them caused? Are Dave and Linda the only ones he’s told? What about George and Lorraine? Did they also get a version of this letter? Had they already been told about the time travel or have they figured it out on their own?

AND YOU KNOW HOW HE SIGNS THE LETTER?

Your brother in time, Marty

[padfootdaredmetoo]

I love your Harry Potter x Peaky Blinders crossover!! The idea of Harry growing up as Tommy's son is amazing!! And just imagining book one with Harry having the attitude/life experience of growing up around the Peaky Blinders is incredible! Also the mental image of little first year Harry Potter insisting on wearing a peaky cap like his family is adorable!!!!!! If you ever wrote more of that universe I'll be eternally grateful<3

Hey Anon,

Again I'm so so sorry this took forever. Thank you for writing in and I'm happy that you enjoyed the story! Hope this blurb makes you just as happy.

Warnings: Mentions of death, boys fighting

You were tucked in your closet clutching a sticky half-drunk bottle of sweet wine. Tears were stinging your eyes as you thought over just how difficult things were. Sirius was trying his best to adjust, but his hollow figure and quiet nature was heartbreaking. He did his best to listen when you would talk to him but you would see his mind wander regularly. He’d cry at night, about James, Lily, Regulus, Marlene, no different than you or Remus. 

The dinner was a disaster and you were wondering how you would make these two very different lives mesh together. Looking up at the yellowing lightbulb hanging from the ceiling you said a silent prayer. Your eyes landed on a small pink floral picture box on the top shelf of the closet. 

You got up craving the familiar sting of comfort mixed with pain. Opening the box you carefully sorted through what was left of your friends and family from that lifetime. Photos, letters, ribbons, tickets, and candy wrappers. The box was so colorful, filled with laughing smiling faces, and yet things felt so dark and cold. 

You picked up a letter from Lily, in the brief time she had after school had finished. She was upset that her sister had sent her a mean letter. It didn't matter how many nasty things or how much time Petuna had been removed from her life, these things always cut Lily deeply. She complained about how her sister had bought the house near her childhood home, and how Lily wasn't invited to the wedding. You recalled the comforting letter that you had sent her. Reassuring her that she would be your maid of honor when the time came. 

You started to wonder if Petuna still lived in that house. From what you knew of her, you strongly doubted she would move after living on the same street her whole life. If she was there, Harry was there too. While Dumbledore had said you had to leave him there, you pulled the thick purple envelope from the stack of worn papers. You technically had custody…. 

You could drive there tomorrow and visit, just to ensure the boy was alright. No harm would be done by checking up on him. 

You dried your eyes, and the pain of the current stressors in your life shifted to the back of your mind as you embraced your new mission. 

You told Tommy the plan lying next to him in the dark. He’d found you in the closet crying not too long after you had made your decision. 

“I’ll go with you.” He said kissing the top of your head. You thought of all the meetings and things he had planned for tomorrow.  

“You don't have to, I could see if the boys want to go.” You thought of how Sirus would react and realized that might not be the best idea. 

“Let's scope the place out before we kidnap the boy eh?” He chuckled. “Figure out what we are getting ourselves into, then tell Sirus.” 

Guilt swirled in the pit of your stomach. You hated keeping things from your friends, however, Sirius was temperamental these days. He was trying to figure out what life without James was like. Once he picked Harry up there was nothing that would stand between him and the boy. Dumbledore’s warnings rang through your mind. 

“We will sort it, we always do,” Tommy murmured before falling asleep. You tried to follow him, but for once you were the one left awake with ghosts swimming in your eyes. 

________________________________________

You wore a nice dress and were happy that Tommy, a muggle was accompanying you. Thomas was their kind of people and it should put them at ease. You had called ahead and after a rather rude discussion, they had agreed for you to come by. 

You watched their eyes absorb the wealth that oozed off of you and Thomas. You certainly caught them off guard. Once you saw the little face poke out from behind a wall at the end of the hall something inside you shifted. 

The big green eyes of your childhood best friend peered up at you hesitantly. Dark bags lay under his eyes, his skin too pale. He had a large red mark on his cheek and a cut above his eyebrow. Anger swelled inside you as the boy visibly shook. 

“Harry, say hello.” Vernon barked. “He’s a slow talker. Been to lots of doctors” Vernon fumbled in his excuses clearly caught up in winning Tommy’s approval. You moved past Petuna’s skeletal frame and watched the boy take a step back from you. His clothes were too big making him look even skinnier if it was possible. 

You opened your hands to him and he reluctantly toddled towards you. You pulled the boy up to your chest bringing those haunted green eyes eye level with your own. 

“Hey, Harry.” The boy gave a little nod showing that he had heard you. “I’m a friend of your parents.” You said softly. The boy’s face perked up with interest as a small stuffed horse came into your line of vision. Thomas handed the small boy a white horse. 

“Should name him Shadowfax” you mumbled more to yourself than anyone else. It was a stupid reference, you didn’t know why you said it. The memory of listening to Remus reading the Lord of the Rings to the group in the boy's dorm crushed you. Who read Harry's stories at night? Did they read to him at all? 

A wave of hysteria washed over you. Thomas with his cold mask in place put his arm around you and started to lead you out of the cramped entry hallway and out into the front yard. He opened the car door for you and commanded you to get into the car. 

There was a short and curt conversation by the door but you were too absorbed in looking down at the boy. 

The three of you sat in silence the whole journey back to Arrow House. You had brought lots of water and treats along for the ride and Harry wasted no time eating them. His hands were sticky with jam and you tried to wipe it off with a handkerchief. 

The car parked and the realization of what had happened hit you. People, Dumbledore, would surely be on his way. So many questions and conversations would have to be had. 

Harry’s laugh brought your attention back to the cab of the car. Tommy had taken off his hat and placed it on Harry’s head. The hat had slipped forward causing the boy to laugh. The sound was enough to cure any sadness. You let out a laugh as he pushed it back up his face for the thing to fall forward immediately. 

What ever happened you could sort it out. 

_______________________________________________________________________________

Harry was an abnormally easy child as long as you were holding on to him. Esme had brought over some clothes for him, and some toys. Tommy had handled all the phone calls for you. Leaving you to get Harry washed and dressed. You wrapped him in a big linen blanket before settling on the couch in Tommy’s office. You started to read The Hobbit to him in a soft voice. 

The boy had one arm around his horse and the other hand fisted in your blouse. You felt his body go limp as he drifted off to sleep. The door to the study opened and you jumped at the sound. Sirius rushed into the room with the fire that used to surround him. His eyes were bright and teary. He sat on the couch next to you before putting his arm around you. His face hidden in your neck. 

A sob shook through him and you tried your best to comfort him. Remus slumped into the spot next to him looking worn and unprepared. After a long moment of silence, you continued to read aloud from the book. After a long while Sirius finally sat up. Harry let out a squawk and you watched how everyone came back to life around you. Sirius and Remus both fawned over the boy. 

You handed the boy to Sirius and for a moment you wondered if he would ever put Harry down again. 

“I suppose he will come home with me then?” Sirius said while bouncing Harry on his lap. 

“Wh-” Before you could answer Thomas had stepped in. 

“Figured it would be best to do this the traditional way. A village and whatnot. You can take the cottage at the end of the property or stay in the house.” 

Your head spun to look at him then back to Sirus to see how he would respond. Sirius got up and extended a hand to Thomas. They shook hands, silently ending a feud that had been hanging over you since you got Sirius released. 

“I’ve gone over the paperwork you have done, to my understanding you have custody regardless of what this Dumbledore has to say. Remus can you look over it to see if I’ve missed anything.” 

Remus gave him and nod and the two of them started to discuss the paperwork and magical law over Tommy’s desk. Sirius leaned against the back of the couch as Harry drifted off again. The firelight shining against Sirius’s face was soft and warm enough to almost hide the damage he had suffered. For a moment he looked like the boy that you grew up with, back in the common room. 

His eyes opened and flashed to you. 

“Wot?” You said quietly. 

“I didnt think he would let you keep him here.” Sirius whispered. 

“Why?” 

“Well, it's all fancy, maids and nonsense.” Sirius waved his hand. Suddenly his reluctance to your new life made more sense. 

“Thomas knows what it’s like to be a kid like Harry. He wouldn’t let it happen to someone else if he could help it.” Anger was starting to swell in your chest. 

Sirius thought about things for a moment. 

“What do you mean?” He asked in an interested voice, free of the usual judgment reserved for Tommy. 

“Sirius, Tommy built all of this” You waved your hand around. “This isn't family money or status. He made his way in life, you might not like how he got here, but he is fair.” 

Sirius thought about your words staring back at the fire before a smile crept across his face. 

“Might have misjudged him.” He said quietly suddenly looking at his fingernails. You punched his arm getting even more frustrated when he barked a laugh. “I guess this place just reminded me of my parents a little, he’ll never be good enough for you.” He paused for a long moment before sighing. “But I will say he’s trying to be and I respect that.” 

You smile at him and finally felt that he was home from Askaban. It took some effort but soon everyone had settled into Arrow house. 

Dumbledore came and helped with the protective enchantments. You and him struck up an agreement that so long as Voldemort was gone Harry could stay. However, once he started his comeback Harry would have to go back to the Dursleys. You shook on it, knowing full well that you would never let it happen. 

_________________________________________________________________

Harry got put through another round of hugs as his large family stood on the platform. He was glad that his cousins and most of the family stayed home having said their goodbyes the night before. 

Polly crushed him in her arms leaving a smudge of pink lipstick on his forehead. He watched as Sirus struggled to stay calm, Remus looked a mix of excitement and his usual sadness. Harry had been up most of the night with his Godfather listening to all sorts of stories about Hogwarts. Harry was excited to see everything for himself, but he would have to admit he didnt like the feeling of being away from his family. Saying goodbye to Sirus was hard, and Harry could feel the anxiety radiating off of him. 

You hugged him next, you had the same sort of anxiety radiating off of you. Your arms made a painful lump form in his throat. You kissed the top of his head. 

“See you at Christmas, love. Whatever Siruis told you to do.” You put both hands on his shoulders and looked down at him with a hard eye. “Don't.” You smiled and Tommy came and gave him a quick hug. 

Tommy placed his cap on his head and Harry froze. 

“For good luck. Stay out of trouble alright.” He said it in a firm voice but winked at Harry. 

He got on the train and felt a strange sense of panic wash over him. He was excited, his parents sat on this train just like he did. But as far back as Harry could think he had never been on his own before. There were always people at Arrow House, just outside his bedroom. Always games to be played with his cousins, always someone telling stories. 

He was on his own. 

He pulled open the glass door of a compartment. He tossed his heavy trunk up into the shelf above the seats. He pressed his face up against the glass and waved at his family before they faded out of view.  

Someone knocked on the glass and he saw a redheaded boy, with worn clothes.  

“Can I sit here?” 

“Yeah, sure.” Harry was slightly hesitant. He was always hypervigilant of strangers, he knew what could happen and go wrong with outsiders. The heavy cap on his head gave him an added sense of security. His fingers came up and ran gently along the rim of the hat. No blades. But that could be easily fixed if Harry felt he needed some. 

“Woah, you're Harry Potter.” He scrunched up his nose for a moment, before nodding. Sirius said it would happen. He thought the name sounded funny after being referred to as a Shelby all the time. 

“That’s me,” Harry said wondering how the boy would react to him.

“Ron Weasley.” The boy stuck out his hand and Harry shook it. He thought of how Sirius had met James on the train and smiled brightly hoping that maybe Ron would also become a lifelong friend. 

_________________________________________________________

Everyone was stuffed into the hallway, some kids looking nervous, others looking excited. When Harry saw a particular blonde-haired boy he knew right away they wouldn't get along. The boy had a mean sneer on his face as his eyes locked onto Ron. Harry was ready, his fists balled properly. He knew that he would have to assert himself quickly, it’s what Tommy would do if he was here. 

The blonde boy moved towards them with a strut in his walk. 

“Weasly. Surprised they another one of your lot in here.” Harry noted the posh accent and it made his blood boil even more. He hated people like this, whether that came from Sirius or Tommy, he wasn't sure. Harry made a quick assessment of the two larger boys that hung off of the small boy's shoulders. 

If he was going to hit him he would probably take a beating, but that shows bravery, right? Harry listened as the boy started to list off, rather loudly about how poor Ron’s family was. He looked as Ron’s face got redder and redder, his own hands balled into fists. Harry figured he would know what to do then. 

The boy took a sharp step towards Ron and by instinct, Harry took his hat in hand and started to beat on the blonde-haired boy. There was a satisfying crunch of his nose and Harry figured that a crooked nose would teach him not to be rude.  

The other two boys started to lay down upon him, his ribs burned and he took it without crying or fussing. 

He pushed himself up off of the floor and started to round on one of the boys. He doubled over when Harry hit him hard in the stomach.  

“Boys! BOYS!” A stern Scottish voice called out. Harry took a step back and looked up at the woman, who surprisingly looked exactly as Sirius had described her.  Minnie. 

She grabbed his shoulder tightly, stepping in between the boys. 

“You will behave for this ceremony, or you will be sent home.” She paused for a moment to let her words sink in. “Now we will talk about punishments after.”

She glared down at them over the top edge of her glasses before ushering them into the great hall. 

Anxiety gripped him tightly until the hat shouted he would be in Gryffindor. Just like his parents, he took a breath and settled into the castle. 

__________________

You were tired and missing Harry. Tommy was feeling the same way as he poured over his paperwork. You sat on the couch next to Polly as she tried to teach you how to crochet. You knew she was trying to give you a project to save you from empty nest syndrome. She understood why Harry had to go but she wasn't pleased about it in the slightest. 

Your fingers kept getting tangled in the yarn and you wondered when her patience would wear thin enough that she would let you give up. The door swung open and all three of you jumped. 

“He’s already in trouble,” Remus said as Sirius handed you a letter. Your eyes ran over the paper. A fight with another first-year? 

“A fight with another boy?” You murmured. 

“Malfoy” Sirius added in a dark tone.  

“Oh,” You weren't sure how you felt but were relieved to know that you and Sirus had been summoned. 

“Aren't they death munchers or whatever” Arthur had also entered the room and you were surprised he remembered that. Sirius snorted at the mistake. 

“Good on him. He’s got to assert himself right away with that crowd.” Polly said with urgency. 

“Exactly,” Thomas said with a nod. “He needs to show he’s not soft in case Voldy-whatever comes back.” 

Esme and John came in and also started to make their arguments for not being soft in a school that size. What they should do to the Malfoy family in retaliation to show that his family would back Harry magic or not. 

“Let’s go and see what’s this about before we start threatening people,” You said trying to get the yarn untangled from your hands. 

You could tell that Tommy wanted to go, he was a father figure to Harry. You asked Sirus quietly as you walked towards the front door.  He gave a nod and you called out for Tommy. 

The three of you walked through the night to the cottage, as it had the only fireplace connected to the flu network. 

___________________________

He got in a good deal of trouble for starting the fight. The boy’s father came through the giant green flames in the fireplace. Harry took a breath about to claim that his parents should also be summoned but seeing your face emerge from the flames he thought perhaps it was better that you weren't involved. 

Sirius also followed through the fireplace. Harry could tell that he was not pleased. Then to his surprise, Tommt came through. He could tell that the Malfoys were already making judgments.

“Now-” Dumbledore started then Draco quickly interrupted. 

“He started it! I was walking up just like everyone else and he attacked me!” His voice was whiney and Harry felt that the boy's behavior had already gotten him out of trouble with his family. 

Harry took a breath and let his face fall like Tommy’s was. 

“Look, I don’t know what your problem with Ron is, but I won’t sit around and watch people throw slurs.” He shifted his gaze from Malfoy to the fire. “Plus, three-on-one is a coward's move.” He smiled smugly as both the boy and his father got angry. 

“My son was assaulted.” The man shouted viciously. Harry felt triumphant, he was calm and cool and they looked positively deranged. 

“Your son deserves-” Harry started but Sirius clamped his hand down on Harry’s shoulder. Harry was conflicted on one hand he thought Sirius would be happy he was like his father, but instead he got the feeling all of you would be giving him a long lecture. 

“Now, I want this boy expelled or I’ll be forced to go the ministry. He’s dangerous.” Malfoy spat at Dumbledore. 

“I hardly think a conflict between 11-year-old boys needs ministry intervention.” To Harry’s surprise, it was Tommy who spoke. “Harry will apologize, and I assume that someone at the school possesses the magical ability to correct the boy’s nose?” 

There was silence in the room. When no one else said anything he continued.  “My son won’t tolerate whatever agenda that boy is pushing, so for everyone’s safety I would recommend he keeps his thoughts to himself before things like this escalate past broken noses.” 

His eyes locked with Malfoy's father’s. Harry could feel the power radiating off of Tommy’s glare, he could tell that the other man would back down. 

“Harry apologize.” You spoke clearly. 

“I’m sorry I broke your nose,” Harry said in a flat tone trying to sound like Tommy. The two men were still glaring at each other when eventually the man gripped the boy's shoulder in a way that almost made Harry flinch. 

“I’m sorry I spoke about your friend that way.” Draco looked scared and Harry felt sorry for the boy. 

“Well, all that’s left is punishment,” Dumbledore spoke softly. “This will be determined by your head of house, and approved by me.” The man looked slightly amused and Harry wanted to know why. 

“I would like to speak with Harry before we leave.” You stated and Dumbledore nodded. Sirius guided Harry into the hallway, where you and Tommy followed. 

“Punishments here are no joke, so I would get that temper under control before your quidditch years,” Sirus said sternly. Harry gave him a nod. 

“No more hitting. Older students-” 

“Don’t tolerate whatever shit that boy was pushing. Not ever, not for a moment.” Tommy interrupted you. “That nonsense has hurt this family enough.” 

Tommy bent down to look at Harry. “You need to be smart about how you navigate this, you're not like everyone else. The reputation you need to build here can’t be won with violence. A time is going to come when you will get a chance to fight. But this is the time to make friends, find out who you can trust. And learn everything you can about people like them.” His voice was low and dark. Harry didnt know what exactly he was referring to, but he believed him. He would be more careful. 

Tommy gave him a hug and then he listened to you and Sirius before getting more hugs. He felt sad as his family departed into the fireplace. 

________________

Harry got settled into his bed after talking with Ron. He could see the bruise forming where Ron had been hit, and he was glad that Ron’s family hadn’t been called.

He missed his bed. He missed how you would still come and read to him before bed. Looking up at the beams supporting the curtains he could see a little set of antlers carved into the wood. His heart lept at the thought that perhaps this could have been his father’s bed. With his thoughts wandering he realized that Tommy had referred to him as his son in the meeting. He felt conflicted about how much that meant to him. Sirius never crossed those boundaries, out of respect for him or his father he wasn’t sure. He was a Godson. You always said all the things a mother would say but still never assumed the title of his mother. 

Tommy had said, son. 

Perhaps that would make his parents happy. Maybe they could see how many people loved him. He hoped they knew.

[marylily-my-beloved]

Letters to A Happier Life - 2,744 words - Marylily hurt no comfort - ao3 link - hope you enjoy!

It was just a normal average day for a normal average woman in her normal average life, with a normal average husband, and normal average friends. But to her it didn’t feel like a normal average day. 

Mary woke up that day, and went for a walk, when she suddenly felt a strange feeling, loneliness, it rushed through her veins, leaving her in sadness. 

Mary was never lonely though, she had her husband, and her friends, and her dog, and all of her friends' kids. She had no right to feel lonely yet she did, she felt lonely while watering her plants, she felt lonely while cuddling her husband, she even felt lonely while she was out with her friends. 

It was like all of a sudden she realized she was living a boring average life, with a boring average house, and a boring average husband, and friends that felt too fake, and a life that felt like it was never meant to be hers. 

This went on for months, the loneliness tugging at her bones, coursing through her veins and settling deep in her chest, a feeling that she could never escape. It tugged at her everyday and everyday, all of those days normal average days, with normal average people, that were starting to become boring. 

No adventure, but Mary can’t remember a time that there was adventure. Loneliness, but now Mary looks back and can’t find a time where she didn’t feel lonely, or out of place, or like she was supposed to be somewhere else. Average, but isn’t everything average, Mary can’t remember anymore. She needs to go get her memory checked or something, it feels like she can’t remember how to live anymore,  it’s almost like she never learned. 

Mary started feeling incomplete, like there was this aspect of life that she once had, now forgotten. She felt like she must have forgotten something important, she must’ve lost something along the way of paving her life.

Her heart felt hollow, as if there used to be something filling it, but not anymore. 

She tried her hardest to think of what that could be, maybe she wants a kid, or something else average and exciting, but she couldn’t quite figure out what was missing in her life. Even while talking to her husband John, this hollowness in her heart still stayed, it seemed no matter what she did she would end up feeling like this. 

She had tried very hard to ignore it, she had tried very hard to will it away, she felt as if she had tried everything to feel how she felt just a mere months ago. 

On another normal average day, months after the first feeling of loneliness, Mary decided she needed to clean up the house, it was too messy, and maybe that’s why she felt like this. 

Another normal average day in between thousands of normal average days. She vacuumed the floors, and did normal average cleaning things.

Then she decided to look through the attic, since it’s been ages since she went in there. She started clearing up the boxes and found a box full of letters. ‘Interesting’ she thought, ‘the last time me or John used letters was quite a few years ago, since the internet became a thing we stopped’. 

The last letter was dated 1982 so Mary thought maybe these were John’s old collection of letters, so she was ready to set the box aside until she saw her name in there. She decided to pick up the letter at the top 

——

04/05/82 

Today is the day Lily. I’m never gonna even think of you again, I really wish you guys were still here, I’ll miss you so much, but I know you’ll still be there somewhere, I really hope you’re still somewhere out there, enjoying life with James, Marlene, Peter & Dorcas. God, I can barely function without you guys. I miss you all so much.

Love, for the last time 

Mary Macdonald 

——

Mary felt confused, thinking ‘who is this Lily? Why did we stop talking? and why can’t I remember anything about this?’ 

She decided to dump the box and sort out all the letters by their dates, so maybe she could try and remember who these people were, and why they seemed so important to her. 

Mary also felt like she needed to sort them out by the people that were mentioned. Remus, Sirius, Lily, Marlene, Peter, James, Dorcas, & Pandora.  ‘weirdo names’ She thought, ‘except for Peter, James and Lily, and who even are these people?’ After Mary had sorted out all the letters, she decided to pick from the ones about ‘Lily’ and picked up the oldest one, dated from her school years, the summer of ‘72 and it was decorated with flowers drawn on it. 

She remembered that those were her first years of school yet she can’t remember anything about it, as if it was erased from her memory.

——

12/08/1972 Hi Lily! How has your summer been? I’m sending this through a muggle post because well, we’re both muggle-borns and I don’t have an owl yet. (My mom says they’re gonna be a big pain in the ass so we can’t get one, she’s such a buzzkill, having tons of fun, and I’ve missed my TV so much. I’ve spent some time with Marlene (we used magic, haha, I don’t know how they didn’t catch us!)  and I hope you can come visit soon. 

Love, 

Mary (your new friend!)

——

Mary felt even more confused, who were muggles? Why did she need owls? Who was Marlene, and who was Lily? She had always thought she had forgotten her school years due to her age, or the genetics that were passed on to her, but while she read this letter she felt as if something had happened, as if something important happened in her brain. She decided to look at a letter sent from ‘Marlene Mckinnon’ 

——

09/12/1973 Hi Mary! It’s me Marlene, well you would probably know that but anyways, I forgot to write you letters last year, and I felt really bad about it, so here you go! A letter from your best non muggleborn friend! How has your winter been? Mine’s been pretty good, I’ve hung out with James and Peter a lot, and sometimes Remus comes and visits them so it’s always fun! I know you said you were dreading going home, but I hope it wasn’t that bad. 

Love ya,Marlene Mckinnon

——

Looking back upon school days, Mary had tried really hard to think, think and remember what had happened, of who she was friends with. Some started coming back to her, bright fiery long hair, flying brooms, big massive tables filled with food she could never even imagine and short blonde hair. Who were they? Why can’t she remember? 

She continued looking through the letters, still not understanding anything. How could they be magic? Were they wizards? She couldn’t understand anything, except for minor details.

She reviewed what she knew. Lily used to hate the boy called James. Her and Lily, Marlene, Dorcas & Pandora were friends in school. The letters from the boy Sirius started in ‘76 and ended ‘81 and it seemed like they were dating from ‘76 to ‘77. James and Lily started dating in ‘78 and got married in ‘79 and had a baby in ‘80. All the letters stopped in 1981. Marlene’s letters stopped in 1980, so did Dorcas’s and Pandora. She only had four letters from Peter, dated ‘78 ‘79 ‘80 and ‘81, one per year. 

They all mentioned a war by 1978, it seemed that they were all fighting in it, or fighting against it? She wasn’t sure. 

Mary cannot for the life of her remember any wars in the UK from that time, she can’t even remember something important happening that year. The memories were just a blur of school and colours, nothing important at all.

Mary found a pretty informational letter that seemed to have been unsent, to one Lily Evans. Who was supposedly her best friend. 

——

13/08/1978

Hey Lily. I’m so sad  happy you’re with James now I miss you so much. I just wanted to check up on you, I hope you’re doing well. Tell me more about your summer. I miss your letters and your love. I also wanted to ask if we were still a thing? Like we were last year. FuckI just wanted to check in!

All the love,Mary Macdonald

——

Mary was finally starting to piece together everything. She was in love with Lily Evans, Lily Evans was in love with James Potter. Lily Evans used to love her, but stopped. They were still friends. They must’ve gone no contact. Lily must’ve started to hate her and her love. She hoped they were still alive, she had to contact them. 

Mary saw another letter, it explained more to her. More about what had happened to them, and who they really were. 

——

03/04/82 

Lily, the wizarding world rejoiced and celebrated, but I can’t believe that you, James, Peter, Marlene, Dorcas, and everyone are just gone and that Sirius betrayed you. I miss you so much, and I’m thinking of obliviating myself, I see you everywhere, I see them everywhere, and I hope Remus is okay, I can’t see him anymore. I miss you, I wish we were back in Hogwarts, nothing would kill us there. Lily, I’m sorry, I’m never going to remember you after this. Goodbye my friend Snape came after me, I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t wanna hurt you, my love, I know we’re just friends but I miss you

Love, 

Mary Macdonald, I’ll never forget you 

——

Mary finally seemed to understand. They might be dead, but she wasn’t sure yet. They were all friends, there was a war. She felt a pang in her chest, she missed them, even though she barely knew them. This must’ve been what she was feeling, a longing for the past, the better past, her real life. 

‘Wizards must be real,’ she thought to herself, ‘I must be one. But how?’ She was still confused about the logistics of it, but she knew she was a wizard, or used to be. She must’ve used a spell to erase her memories. Why? Was it that heart-breaking? Mary didn’t know, but she assumed. 

Suddenly she felt a light blinding her, she collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily, her heart pounding in her ears and her vision dark.

Her vision was filled with a bright white light, and it felt like all her past memories were coming back. Her head hurt, and all she could see was what seemed to be her old friends, they were joking around, small and young. Then they were kissing and playing silly games like truth or dare, and throwing around spells with wands like it was easy. 

Then she saw something important, her and a redhead were kissing, and kissing, and the love filled the air, but it changed, the redhead was kissing a boy. A boy, and not her. 

The memory quickly changed to a battlefield, the blood was everywhere, it was even all over her. She felt it on her head, in her bones, staining her. She was the redhead and her friends fighting too, all bruised and bloody. Fighting against people with masks. They all had wands too, it must’ve been bad. She saw dead people everywhere, and then the light was gone.

Everything went back to the dark, and she tried to get up but she couldn’t. She tried to open her eyes, and after a couple of tries she managed to get them open, her eyelids heavy and drooping.

Mary stayed on the ground for a minute or two longer, processing what she had seen, what memories had come back to her, the redhead must’ve been Lily. The boy James. Her heart broke slowly, the pieces stuck in her body, making her choke on her emptiness. 

Mary truly felt the weight of what she remembered, they must all be dead. Her friends, her love, her everything, and she had chosen to forget them. She had chosen to live oblivious. She hated herself, why would she do that?  She wanted to remember everything, she wanted all the love back. She knew this love, this life she had lived wasn’t real. It wasn’t hers, not anymore. It was the life of a person unburdened by their past, unknowing of their truth. 

She stood up, shaking, and walked to the only table in the attic, sitting on the small short chair, grasping to its edges, eyes searching for a pen and paper to write on.

She saw a paper on the edge, she picked it up slowly, her hand shaking and tried to write a letter to Lily. 

——

13/07/92 

I know who you are now. I really miss you, I hope this gets to you. I hope you’re alive. I just wanted to reach out again, Lily Evans. I couldn’t get you out of my mind, even when I didn’t know who you were

I hope you’re out there somewhere, and this gets to you. I hope one day we can meet again, and I can see you and the others.

Regards,

Mary Macdonald 

——

After Mary had written down her thoughts in the letter, she sighed. She felt like she would never get a reply, and it would tell her that her fear was real, but she had to try. 

She walked back to the floor, picking up an envelope and an opened letter to figure out Lily’s address and write it down. She put her letter in the envelope and wrote down the address, put a stamp on it, and prayed. 

She went downstairs, put the letter in the mailbox, and prayed for it to reach. Prayed for Lily to be alive. 

She saw the letters get taken away the next day, and she prayed. 

She continued her normal average life, and continued praying. Praying the letter would reach, praying they could be friends again. 

She kissed her husband, she babysat her friends' kids, she went out, she had fun, but not without praying. She did everything with the feeling of despair in her bones the longer the letter wasn’t replied to. 

6 MONTHS LATER: 

Mary checked the post anxiously, knowing the letter should’ve gotten to Lily already, knowing she should have a reply already. 

Six months had passed, it had been so long with the fear of Lily being dead in her body, and now she knew. The letter was in the mailbox, address not found. Person dead.

Lily was dead. The only tether to her past life, the only tether for the pain she was feeling. The one who had made it better and then worse again. She felt the pain in her chest before it hit her mind, making her breath heavy and her body shake.

She barely knew this person, yet here she was, crying over them being dead. Lily must’ve died ages ago, but Mary didn’t know. 

All Mary knew was that it was 1993. January, her husband's birth month. The day she found out Lily was dead. Lily was dead, which meant all her friends were dead. It was like before she had found out, she still didn’t know them, and she would never be able to. They were all gone. Forever. She would never even get to see the fiery red hair again, unless it was someone else, someone different. Not Lily. 

She ran to the attic, where all those months ago she had sat down, and written a letter to a dead person. To a dead person she once knew, to a dead person she would never get to feel again. 

Mary sobbed and sobbed and sobbed until her body was empty of tears, and her voice gone. She would never get to remember them again, all she had was letters. Letters to a happier life. 

She never did get over it, years and years later, an old woman, with her old husband. She held on to those letters, never letting them go missing, keeping them in a box titled ‘Don’t Forget Me’, and she never did forget. 

Sometimes she would wish that she could erase her memories again, but this time she lived with the pain, and died with the pain. 

—

hope you guys enjoyed and cried !!

[emswritings]

Marauders headcannons

Authors note: yall im so bored, so here some hcs bc i have no idea what to write rn

Remus always has chapstick on him

It took lily being dared to kiss marlene to realize that she liked girls

Peter was friends with regulus, and they would meet up a lot to simply read with each other

Regulus is the biggest gossip girl. Like he would stop everything to hear some good gossip

Remus wears glasses because of how often he read in the dark

James is really clumsy, and he has random bruises from falling or bumping into things

Pandora had a crush on mary at one point

James is pansexual

Sirius wrote letters to regulus after he ran away, but was too nervous to send them, so he kept them in a box and gave it to him when their relationship was steady

Peter has a speech impediment that causes him to stutter a lot

Mary’s bi

Dorcas dated evan rosier before she realized she was lesbian 

Barty used to be really awkward whenever anyone would show him physical affection, but after awhile he started to love it, and now hugs his close friends whenever he can

James coddles his friends, but constantly forgets about himself

Sirius had no idea that someone could be gay for the first fourteen years of his life. So when he realized his feelings for Remus, he just thought that's what every friend feels for their friend

Peter is asexual

Lily kisses her friends on the cheek all the time

People thought pandora and Regulus were dating for the longest time

regulus was really clingy when he was younger, but only with sirius

[loserboyfriendrjl]

Dorcas,

Once you find out what is right, you have to fight for it. It is what we do, after all, isn't it? Fighting for the right cause, unaware of what it may bring upon us. We'll keep on fighting no matter what; this is what we do. I wish it will not be what we both think it might be; I am not ready to die, love.

I'm not ready to die. I'm not ready to be buried, to be dead, to be gone. I don't want to be forgotten. That's why I wrote all of these letters, and I will let you find them, and read them, and not forget me.

This letter has been written in May, 1980. Lily is very pregnant, and James is extremely excited to meet their child. They're having a son, did you know that? So, you were right; I thought it would be a daughter. His name is Hari, by the way, and Sirius and I are going to be the godparents. (I just came back from their place (James started crying when he asked us to be the godparents. Sirius said he's being a dramatic tosser), and I am now writing this letter to you.) Don't worry, you and Remus are next. They'd love to have you, if you want to.

I have been thinking, recently. About many things, thinking and overthinking, thinking and rethinking. We don't have much left; whether you want to accept that or not, the fate is not on our side, this time. I love you. Would you want to get married? We could have a little ceremony, and a party. We could finally be united, forever, like we've always dreamed. How's that sound? (No, James is not going to officiate it; he's going to start crying.)

We don't have much time left. Why not make the most of it? Why not do the things we've always wanted to do?

I'll be leaving for the week. Dumbledore's sent me off with Caradoc, said he doesn't trust him anymore. He's shaken, of course, after Benjy's death. Poor bastard needs a break. But the war won't end on its own, and so, he's still fighting. An Achilles of some sort, you know? Fighting to avenge his dead lover. I hope we won't have to do that.

However, I do hope that, when I will come home, you will wait for me, and we will get one more night of love. One mord night before the sun rises, one more night before it all ends.

Feed the dogs for me, please. Don't forget to put the shoes out; Fergie has gotten quite the nasty habit, he's started chewing them. And don't miss me too much; I will be back. I always am.

Marlene ♡

[moutainrusing]

love

656 words, no warnings, @dorlenemicroficprompts

Being incapable of love was something Dorcas had familiarised herself with. She didn’t know what love was. She was possibly a psychopath, but after she’d spiralled into fretful pits of self-loathing and slowly inhaled and exhaled herself back onto the stable ground of calm, she’d researched, and it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Dorcas was just… apathetic. Or not really. Well, to be a psychopath wasn’t inherently bad. Maybe. It depended on your intentions.

Psychopathy was a personality condition bearing a lack of empathy. Did Dorcas fit that box? Well… empathy meant the ability to sense other people’s emotions and understand how they’re feeling. And Dorcas… she could see if someone was hurting, but at the same time… she couldn’t grasp why. That was life. Life hurt. Get over it. Over yourself.

She was too detached to offer any sort of comfort. Was that a bad thing? Perhaps it was social ineptitude. But she just didn’t… care. Not one bit. Someone crying in front of her? Dorcas would just stare and walk away from the mess. Tomorrow they’d be fine.

Life went on.

Shit, she was such a psychopath, fuck. But if she cared about being a psychopath then surely she was able to care?

There were all types of psychopaths. Actually, psychopathy needed a diagnosis, so she really shouldn’t be calling herself one.

At least she wasn’t killing people.

Good talk.

She wanted to cry. That wasn’t very psychopathic of her— She needed to stop. Stop throwing the word around like a slip of her tongue. It was a genuine condition, she shouldn’t play around with it. She shouldn’t label herself.

First step was to understand her feelings.

So… now she had to feel.

Any time now.

A scenario. Someone crying in front of her. Dorcas, how does this make you feel?

I dunno, Dorcas, eyes have tear ducts and sometimes they leak. That is natural.

Yes, but imagine the tears are falling because the person is sad.

Well, sadness is also natural.

Are you even trying?

No.

I know what will make you tick.

You are me.

Marlene’s crying.

What?

Marlene’s crying.

Yes, I know, but why is this making me tick?

You tell me.

You are me!

I want to hug her.

Excuse me?

Who are you to question me?

I am you!

Marlene in tears, in front of her, in tears, in front, in love.

Dorcas felt awkward. She always did. Stiff, unsure. What to… do? How to… help?

Tomorrow Marlene would be fine. She’d get over it.

Why was she even crying? Sadness was a natural part of life.

Stop crying.

Dorcas wanted to hug Marlene and call her stupid and bury her face in Marlene’s hair and hold Marlene against her chest with her head in the crook of her neck.

Was this care?

Was this love?

Did you care because you loved or did you love because you cared?

Did Dorcas love Marlene? She didn’t know what love was. She didn’t know what care was. They were just words fabricated from letters fabricated from mouths fabricated from cells fabricated from time fabricated from minds fabricated from cells—

Words didn’t matter.

Words didn’t mean anything unless you said them with meaning.

The definition of love in a dictionary came up with a sentence of words, and each of those words came up with another sentence of words, and it didn’t end. There wasn’t one definition.

So really, Dorcas could take the fact that she was being herself: her awkward, fumbling, indifferent yet trying, self-loathing yet tranquil self, and call it love. She could take the fact that she thought crying was stupid yet she would hug Marlene through it, and call it love.

After all, humans pointed up and called it ‘sky.’ It could’ve easily been the other way around. What if they’d pointed up and said ‘ground’?

Dorcas looked up.

Marlene, I love you to the ground and back.

[metalomagnetic]

Voldemort meets Sirius.

He knows this one will be different as soon as he steps foot in the messy house.

The wards that guard it are borderline dark magic, barely legal. They are well executed, as well. An auspicious beginning, Voldemort thinks, as he patiently dismantles them.

The Black scion isn’t home; Evan dutifully let Voldemort know he’s drunk in some Knockturn pub.

“He often comes to drink in Knockturn, but always alone. Never with his Gryffindor friends. He’s a mean drunk, too, my lord. Perhaps if you wish to have a semblance of a rational conversation- as much as it is possible with any Black- you shouldn’t approach him when he’s wasted.”

The walls are …colourful. The paint was once white, but the young Black heir hung posters of muggle singers everywhere. Perhaps actors, too, Voldemort isn’t familiar with what passes for famous these days in the muggle world.

He only recognises Elvis, mounted over the fireplace.

They all look the same- tall, dark haired, dressed in leather.

Pictures of his friends are up there as well. He recognises Potter in many of them- hard not to, with that trademark Potter hair. The girl draped on his arm, red head, must be his mudblood. Voldemort forgot her name. Something flowery, but it escapes him.

Bella and Evan, occasionally Rabastan often complain about Black’s entourage, but they only name Potter.

“Stupid Potter, his mudblood and the werewolf! He left us for those little worms!”

He thinks the werewolf must be the thin one, an air of misery draped over him in every picture. Greyback complained about him, too. Remus, that’s the one, it comes to Voldemort. Remus Lupin, werewolf.

“With a name like that, I had to bite him,” Greyback smirked, in one of his rare funny moods. “He was destined to be mine, but Black stole him.”

The other boy that appears in almost all the pictures, Voldemort doesn’t even try to place.

He got a report on all of them, marked as Dumbledore’s puppets, but he only remembered the important names on that list.

The girl, he knows. Only one picture with her. Marlene McKinnon. A fighter- a good fighter. She killed three Death Eaters. A Healer, too. Voldemort always looks after powerful witches. They are sorely misrepresented in this war. It upsets Bella, who is trying to recruit more girls, with little success.

She’s in Black’s lap, head thrown back, while Black sucks a bruise on her throat. Voldemort tilts his head, wastes a second more than it is needed on the picture. He’d never seen a picture this vulgar, especially put on display on a wall. The girl is engaged, isn’t she? With one of the Prewett brothers.

He scans the walls for them, but he can’t find them anywhere.

He finds muggle telephone numbers scribbled in lipstick on the walls, instead.

The most amusing- a picture ripped from a newspaper, showing the Dark Mark floating over a house. It has many sharp objects stuck in it-

Darts. Yes, that’s the name of the game.

He smiles. Black has good aim- one of the darts is stuck in the eye of the snake.

Under the bed, beneath a loose floorboard, he finds a box kept safe by no less than five curses. He opens it to find a picture of Orion Black. It is clipped from a newspaper article, cut carefully and precisely around the edges. And a letter. It’s clearly the second page of one- the first is missing.

‘-no need to play dumb, it doesn’t suit you. You know fully well it is not cursing the half-blood that bothers me, but your lack of decorum. You are a civilised young man, you represent our family, and you should act accordingly. I warned you I do not enjoy having to correspond with either McGonagall or Dumbledore, yet you’re forcing me to do so when you blatantly misbehave. Am I to presume you do not care about my displeasure, and this is why you disobey me? Or should I conclude you would like to please your father, yet you lack the self-control to do it? I struggle to pick which option is worse. This is the seventh time in a month I receive letters about your detentions. Do stop assaulting your schoolmates, or if you must, show some cunning and do not get caught. Or else we will have to have a serious conversation when you come home for Yule. I assure you, it is not a conversation you will enjoy.

Furthermore, I hear you intend to take a mudblood to one of those holiday celebrations Slughorn likes to host. Surely, I heard wrong. You would be wise to invite Helena Edgecombe to this function. Her father mentioned just the other day that she finds your company delightful.

Flitwick was accommodating enough to send me your Charms paper, along with your grade. He mentioned it was the best paper he graded in all his years of teaching, and, after reading it, I must agree it was quite extraordinary. I am half tempted to send it to my old mentor back at the Institute. Very well done, Sirius. You certainly can make me proud when it doesn’t inconvenience you.

If only you would show proof of your upbringing in your social life, as well, I would be most content.

With love,

Your father.’

The letter has blotch marks on it, as if someone cried over it. The word ‘father’, especially, is almost erased, and Voldemort imagines Black often moved his finger over it.

Bella mentioned Sirius Black was ‘unnaturally close’ to Orion, and that his father’s death broke him. She credits this event with the boy running away from Grimmauld.

Voldemort carefully arranges these apparently precious possessions back into the box, seals it under the floorboard with the same curses he found on it.

The house is messy, unorganised, clothes thrown around, bottles of alcohol everywhere, full to the brim ashtrays lying around in odd places, and burn marks on the rug.

Yet his collection of muggle records is organised in alphabetical order, neatly. And there, hidden behind the impressive collection, Voldemort finds eight tomes filled with dark magic. All illegal.

His bathroom cabinets are just as messy, and clearly his female guests left behind bottles of lipstick, or similar products. They also left behind some lingerie. A pair of pink knickers is half hidden into a tiny gap underneath the bathtub. He wonders if they belong to the same women who left her bra between the couch cushions in the living room.

Voldemort finds a secret compartment, coming out from the side of the bathroom cabinet. Hang-over potions, peppers up. Polyjuice.

Veritaserum.

Hidden further still, he finds three lethal poisons.

If he didn’t know better, Voldemort might think two different men share the house; a careless, Bohemian womaniser, a blood traitor surrounded by mudbloods and half-bloods and other blood traitors, with muggle musicians on the wall.

And the Black heir, interested in dark magic, poisons, sleeping with his father’s picture under his bed.

This will be easy, he thinks, as he sits in an appalling armchair that doesn’t fit with the rest of the furniture.

Charmed into the armrest, there’s a letter, covered in plastic for preservation. “You fucking dog, how dare you steal my armchair! Give it back, or I swear I’ll spend the rest of my life writing horrible articles about you!”

It amuses Voldemort, as it probably amuses Black, hence why he decided to place it on the armrest, permanently.

When the young man stumbles his way into the house, he contains his surprise to find Voldemort there remarkably fast.

People have been telling Voldemort Black takes after Walburga; he might, it’s too soon to tell, but his first impression is that Sirius favours his father.

Voldemort is yet to meet an unattractive Black- and he’s met them all- but the boy is something else, even for the Blacks.

His tall, broad body is on display in the muggle attire he wears, hair falling around his shoulders with a casual elegance; he is both handsome, with strong, sharp bones and beautiful, with soft lips and long, thick eyelashes, made even darker by the paleness of his eyes.

It has been so long since he felt attraction; it travels up his spine as he takes in the boy.

Who very quickly decides he will die a hero; Voldemort can see that decision forming in his eyes. Not with Legilimency. It’s just made obvious by the way his impressive shoulders straighten with pride, his jaw sets in determination, anger replacing the fear in his eyes.

And there was fear- Voldemort is intimately familiar with fear of death, can easily recognise it when it shines in front of him.

Yet he spent his life fleeing from it.

Sirius Black walks towards it, bold.

It takes only a minute of conversation to charm him; easy, indeed. Sirius’ interest is picked instantly; pride flickers in his eyes that someone like Voldemort would bother coming to kill him; even more pride when Voldemort explains he’s there to recruit him.

He is a Black, down to his last bone. He calls Voldemort a mudblood; he declares himself the purest being in existence. He speaks of his mother; the boy in the pictures is not there, the owner of muggle records, the blood traitor- no; only the Black heir speaks to Voldemort that night.

Powerful, too, like any Black. A diamond in the rough, his magic true and strong and raw as he unleashes it. Dark curses fall with a practiced ease from his wand. Fiendfyre engulfs the room in seconds.

What a treasure. As unhinged and powerful as Bella, this one.

And there it is, his pure blood spilling over the floor, staining the carpet. Voldemort has the impulse to taste it; a momentary madness, but the boy enchants him so.

His clothes are ripped and burned in places, and Voldemort can glimpse tattoos on pale skin. Voldemort wants his mark on that skin; he wants to hold the boy’s strong forearm and brand him as his own. Claim him for himself.

Sirius Black fights readily, bravely. With his wand and with his words.

But Voldemort can smell the mountain of insecurity hidden under the fury, like the boy hides his poisons under harmless perfumes.

Some men- most men- cower when confronted with violence, bend and break under pain, especially pain caused by Voldemort’s wand.

Not this one, Voldemort understands. No, violence will only be met with violence, here.

Voldemort will need a different approach.

[vinylfoxbooks]

July 18 - Fake | @jegulus-microfic | wc: 822 Part 14 of Medium!James AU Previous Part | First Part

Yule is both not at all what Regulus expected, and yet completely what he expected, though James has told him that the Potters don’t celebrate the holiday in the way that other Pagans or traditional families do, they remain more lax about it because the Potters have never gotten super traditional and down to the true holiday when they celebrate anything. “We prefer to celebrate how our hearts want to celebrate, not how the textbooks say that we should.” Was James’ way of explaining it, and Regulus liked that. It also explained why there were several aspects of Christmas in the way that they celebrated Yule instead of sticking strictly to the religion’s celebrations. 

That being said, it’s Christmas day and everyone is sitting around the living room. The previous day, Pete and Marlene’s family came around and the families exchanged their presents and Remus stayed long enough the other day that everyone had their gifts wrapped and Remus was able to take his and his family’s gifts to his house when he left. So right now, it’s just the Potters, Sirius, and Regulus. 

Everyone would up at a reasonable time in the morning -- apparently something that Sirius required of the Potters when he moved in because Monty and James have the horrid habit of waking up at the ass-crack of dawn to go running even when it’s cold as fuck outside -- and they all sat around the table, having breakfast and their morning drinks of choice. Then they migrated to the living room where the gifts were sitting. 

Sirius got a bunch of records, some jewelry, and a nice custom leather jacket that Monty and Effie customised for him. James got an assortment of things, including a nice, leatherbound journal from Regulus since they were talking about needing a new journal to track their spells and divination. 

Regulus wasn’t expecting to get as many presents as he did. Some muggle books that Effie thought he might like, advanced potions books from Monty, some of which even had his own notes and annotations and the man telling him that he’d be more than willing to take Regulus on as his apprentice -- which Regulus will deny to anyone who accuses him otherwise that he teared up at the sentiment -- Sirius gave him the present from him but told him to open it privately, which did make Regulus was suspicious. Remus had gotten him some more books, ones that, from the letter that he left in the box, he enjoyed that Regulus might like. 

And James? James got him a whole new set of rings. When questioned, they tilted their head a bit and smiled, “You stopped wearing most of your rings after starting to talk to Remus.” They note, and Regulus hadn’t even realised that they noticed that, “I imagine it’s because most of your rings are silver. These are fake silver rings, though they’re still a good quality so you don’t have to worry about tarnish.”

Sirius nods, “I have the same material, got them from the same store and everything, they’ve lasted me a long time and have no effect on Remus.” 

“Thank you,” Regulus smiles. Admittedly, he had been missing his rings but didn’t want to wear them, “You also made me another ring.”

James nods, “Since your last one broke, I wanted to make you another one.”

“Thank you, Jamie.” Regulus smiles, leaning into their space just a bit more. Effie and Monty opened their gifts next, receiving some random things, though Monty did get Effie a stunning, dainty necklace embedded with diamonds and lapis and James got for their parents cookbook that they had made of all of their parents’ favourite recipes so they could be all in one book. 

When the day was done with and over -- really, when they finished with the whole gift exchange -- then everyone split up and went to do their own thing until later that night. Which is how Regulus found himself lying down with James in their bed, talking quietly and Regulus half asleep, after Regulus and Sirius snuck into the younger’s room and Regulus opened his present from his older brother, that being two new binders, one in almost his exact skin tone and one in black, and the explanation that he knew Regulus was needing new ones.

“You’re not a morning person are you?” James asks, humor in their tone, “We got up at nine in the morning and here you are, exhausted.”

Regulus grumbles, “‘m not a morning person. The only reason I wake up as early as I do is because when I try to sleep in, I hear my mother’s voice shouting at me.”

“An effective internal alarm.” James laughs, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his lips, “I’m glad you liked the rings, and thank you again for the journal.” Regulus doesn't deign them with a response, just choosing to kiss them once more.

Next part

[youngsadlesbian]

SECRET KEEPER — marlene mckinnon.

pairing: marlene mckinnon x reader

summary: marlene is receiving little notes daily and tries in vain to discover who it is. until she starts to suspect one person: you.

a/n: i've discovered that i love writing these silly and cute things. i'm a hopeless romantic and I love cheesy stuff, sorry. hope u like it!

word count: 1,3k

warnings: none, just fluff and cheesy stuff.

Every morning, Marlene McKinnon received a small, neatly folded piece of parchment carried by an unfamiliar owl. This routine started a month ago, and the notes were always waiting for her at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. At first, it was a curious occurrence, but soon it became the highlight of everyone's breakfast.

"Look, it's Marlene's mystery admirer again!" Sirius Black exclaimed one morning, waving the small parchment in the air.

James Potter laughed. "Must be someone with excellent taste."

Lily Evans nudged Marlene playfully. "Open it! Let's see what today's says."

Marlene blushed but smiled as she unfolded the note. Her friends crowded around, eagerly awaiting the latest declaration of love.

Dear Marlene,

Your smile is the sunshine that brightens my day. I hope today is as wonderful as you are.

Yours,

Secret Keeper

"Aw, how sweet!" Mary Macdonald cooed.

"More like cheesy," Dorcas Meadowes added with a smirk. "But still, who could resist such devotion?"

Marlene laughed along with her friends, but a small part of her wondered who could be sending these notes. At first, she suspected Sirius—always the prankster—but he denied it vehemently.

"I swear, Marls, it's not me," he said with a grin. "Though I wish I'd thought of it first."

Determined to uncover her secret admirer, Marlene began to pay closer attention to the notes. She noticed the handwriting was neat and elegant, unlike anything she'd seen before. She tried to match it with her classmates' writing in their homework assignments, but it was no use.

One day, after receiving a particularly heartfelt note, she decided to consult her friends.

Dear Marlene,

The way you care for others is truly inspiring. I find myself thinking about you constantly. How can one person be so wonderful?

Yours,

Secret Keeper

"Okay, everyone," Marlene said, gathering the group in the common room. "I need your help. We need to figure out who this is."

James rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Have you noticed any patterns? Like, does the owl come at the same time every day?"

"It usually arrives right before breakfast," Marlene replied. "But I've never seen that owl anywhere else."

Lily suggested, "Maybe we should stake out the Great Hall in the morning. If we catch the owl arriving, we might be able to follow it back to its owner."

The next morning, Marlene and her friends woke up extra early and positioned themselves discreetly around the Great Hall. They watched as the unfamiliar owl swooped in and delivered the note to Marlene's usual spot.

"There it is!" Peter Pettigrew whispered excitedly.

"Follow it!" James urged, but the owl was too quick, disappearing out a window before they could react.

Sirius groaned. "This is hopeless. Whoever it is, they're good at keeping their secret."

But Marlene wasn't ready to give up. She started keeping the notes in a special box, reading and re-reading them, looking for any clues. The messages grew more personal and heartfelt, making her heart flutter each time she opened one.

Dear Marlene,

I saw you helping that first-year today. Your kindness knows no bounds. You have a heart of gold, and I'm lucky to have the chance to admire you, even from afar.

Yours,

Secret Keeper

One evening, as Marlene was organizing her notes, she noticed something peculiar. The ink on one of the letters had a faint, almost imperceptible shimmer. She remembered seeing a similar ink in your potions homework.

Her heart raced as she pieced it together. Could it be you? The idea seemed ludicrous, but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. The careful words, the heartfelt compliments—it all fit.

She decided to test her theory. The next day, she wrote a note of her own and handed it to the mysterious owl when it arrived.

Dear Secret Keeper,

I think I know who you are. Meet me at the Astronomy Tower at midnight with all the notes you've written. I'll bring mine.

Yours,

Marlene

At midnight, you stood nervously at the top of the Astronomy Tower, clutching the box of notes you'd written to Marlene. You had no idea what to expect. What if she was angry? Or worse, what if she laughed at you?

You heard footsteps and turned to see Marlene approaching, a similar box in her hands.

"Marlene," you began, your voice shaky. "I didn't mean to—"

She smiled softly. "It's okay. I think it's sweet, Y/N."

You blinked, stunned. "You... you do?"

Marlene nodded. "Yes. And, well, I have something to show you."

She handed you her box of notes. You opened it to find... notes exactly like yours.

Dear Y/N,

I've watched you from afar, admiring your bravery and kindness. I never had the courage to tell you in person, but I think you're amazing.

Yours,

Your Secret Admirer

You looked up, tears in your eyes. "Marlene, you wrote these?"

She nodded, her own eyes misty. "Yes, and I never thought you'd feel the same way.

Overwhelmed with emotion, you both moved closer, and before you knew it, your lips met in a sweet, tender kiss.

"I guess we've both been a little silly," Marlene whispered, pulling back slightly.

"Yeah," you agreed, smiling. "But I'm glad we finally figured it out."

The following morning, you both decided to share the news with your friends. As you walked into the Great Hall together, hand in hand, the Marauders, Lily, Dorcas, and Mary looked up in surprise.

Sirius was the first to speak. "Well, well, well! Look who finally figured it out!"

James grinned. "About time, you two!"

Lily clapped her hands excitedly. "This is wonderful! I'm so happy for you both!"

Dorcas and Mary exchanged knowing looks. "We had our suspicions," Dorcas said with a wink.

Mary added, "But seeing it happen is even better."

Marlene laughed, feeling lighter than she had in weeks. "Thanks, everyone. It means a lot to us."

You smiled, feeling a warmth spread through your chest. "And to think, it all started with those notes."

Despite now being open about your relationship, the notes didn't stop. Instead, they evolved into little reminders of your growing affection for each other. Every morning, there was a new note waiting at the breakfast table, filled with sweet words and playful banter.

Dear Marlene,

I can't wait to spend the day with you. Your laugh is the best part of my day.

Love, Secret Keeper

Dear Secret Keeper,

You make every moment magical. I can't believe how lucky I am to have you.

Love, Marlene

These notes became cherished keepsakes, each one a testament to your blossoming relationship.

A few weeks later, you and Marlene decided to take a trip to Hogsmeade together. It was your first official date, and you were both excited. As you strolled through the village, hand in hand, you couldn't help but feel a sense of joy and contentment.

You visited Honeydukes, where Marlene insisted on buying you your favorite sweets. Then, you went to Zonko's, where you both laughed at the various prank items, imagining the chaos they could cause at Hogwarts. Finally, you ended up at The Three Broomsticks, sharing a cozy corner booth and sipping on butterbeer.

"This has been the best day," Marlene said, smiling at you over her mug.

You nodded, feeling your heart swell with happiness. "I agree. I never want it to end."

Marlene reached across the table, taking your hand in hers. "It doesn't have to. We've got so much to look forward to."

That night, you found yourselves back at the Astronomy Tower, reminiscing about the night everything changed. The stars above twinkled brightly, and the cool breeze rustled through the trees.

"I think this is my favorite place now," Marlene said softly, leaning against you.

You wrapped your arm around her, pulling her close. "Mine too. It's where we started."

Marlene looked up at you, her eyes shining with love. "I can't wait to see where we go from here."

You smiled, leaning down to kiss her gently. "Me too, Lenie. Me too."

As you held each other under the stars, you knew that this was just the beginning of a beautiful journey together. And with every note, every laugh, and every shared moment, you fell even more in love.

[allamericanb-tch]

crimson rivers thoughts (19)

@tastetherainbow290 this was CRAZY and very long i read A LOT

chapter 51

"I love him so much. It tears me apart that I can't make him see just how special he is." i need a james

james and remus being friends

“The Hallows would sooner believe Sirius fell in love with the actual moon before they believed he fell in love with a servant” 😭😭

these fools need to hug each other

they told each other their birthdays! look at them opening up to each other

sirius is so cute just talking to the moon

lily mention 

regulus being mad bc he fell asleep on sirius 😭

“Sirius will sleep when he's dead, and hey, that'll probably arrive for him sooner rather than later. Silver lining? Bad joke.” YEAH IT WAS A BAD JOKE

day three! they’re going to escape today right? i hope 

sibling moment

more weird creatures?!

AUGUSTA NO

SHE LIVES!!! huzzah alice

yes emmeline 

“"You know," Sirius muses, "if James were here, he'd be beat-boxing right now."” sirius’ name is so ironic bc that man is NEVER serious 😭

regulus calling james his fiancé ❤️‍🩹

sirius 😭

“I am going to be sexy until the day I die” yes you are sirius

“Did he know he was engaged prior to Regulus announcing it when he sent the bagel? No. Is he going to protest it? Also no.” james is the realest ever

WHAT ARE THEY DOING

i’m gonna cry omg

i know regulus makes it but why would they torment him like this. 

evan 💔

YES

i am jumping with joy rn

chapter 52

boggarts?!

oh no so many warnings for this chapter

dorcas!

lucius?! 

the boggart 😧

oh!

they’re making into a competition of course they are

"You remind me of my Alphard. He cared so much it killed him." 💔

biological warfare 😧

VANITY 💔

sirius lost regulus AGAIN?!

oh!

narcissa?!

vanity 💔

JAMES?!

oh it’s a boggart

poor reg he just can’t catch a break

this is so sad omg i am actually going to cry

marlene!!!!! huzzah!!!

cannibalism as a metaphor for love 

“she could have put it though his chest. he wishes she did.” 💔

fiancé 🤭

oh no

AUGUSTA 💔

i’m crying omg

i love alice

this is so sad

poor frank omg 💔

oh no bellatrix has found sirius

no he’s dissociating 

i know sirius is alive but OMG

bellatrix doing what she does in order of the phoenix when she kills sirius ah stop it don’t do this to me

rip bellatrix black you will not be missed 🙏 

HE LIVES!!!!!

“bellatrix died with tears on her cheeks” WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT

alice ☹️

poor frank omg 

“we’re starting a war” AHHHH i love you dorcas

chapter 53

narcissa ☹️

james finding out about his district ☹️

oh i forgot about mary i hope she is safe

i forgot dorcas didn’t know about remus

oh!

i really hope remus didnt leave omg

effie!!!!

lily what

“Euphemia passes her thumb over the letter in her pocket and really, really hopes that Remus is included in that.” we are all hoping

mary! she is safe

the great hall 😯

enemies to lovers marylily endgame?!

sybill 😭

i still am confused on so bingley is

kingsley and sybill love

barty and amos 😭😭

“i don’t even like men” “you do not darling” i love barty

sybill is HILARIOUS how did she not know she was in a relationship with someone

sybill telling everyone about their Secret mission

barty too?! okay everyone’s just getting in on this i guess

barty seducing amos into letting them go on the mission he is So Funny i love him so much 

thunderbird thieves ATE

oh no james what happened

REMUS LEFT NO

poor pandora ☹️ she has to leave her dying father behind that is so sad

uh oh 😧

james saving the day as always

revolution!

lily: “we have this under control.” meanwhile everyone in the background screaming that they’re all going to die 😭

the ring is a tracker!

dorcas being a prepared queen 

“"You're crazy," Rodolphus states. "I like crazy." "I like women," Dorcas replies. "Only."” icon behavior i love dorcas so much

rodolphus being a respectful king

mission mission mission

oh no the password

POPPY!

marlene what are you doing

oh no no no no

they got regulus thank god but they can’t leave sirius behind

oh no oh no oh no

why would you end the chapter like this

guys my heart is beating so fast rn i’m not even joking and i have to end here bc i have to go back to school ahhhh 

chapter 54

oh no everything is going wrong

dorcas literally Killing It

“At one point, James runs out of bullets, looks at his gun, then just throws it at the Auror in front of him” 😭

remus kill count: 2

eek

james and his bleeding heart

FRANK NO

dorcas telling james about sirius why is this chapter so sad

james what are you doing

oh. remus doesn’t know about sirius

barty 😭

marlene 😧

MARLENE!!!!!

ugh snape

voldy 😧

sirius in azkaban that is FOUL

chapter 55

kingsley 💔

poor andromeda ☹️

effie ❤️‍🩹

i’m gonna cry ahhhh

LILY

oh no

poor remus omg 💔

“revived six years later just to disintegrate before her very eyes.” oh

lowkey forgot about aberforth

boooo dumbledore 🍅🍅🍅

chapter 56

sirius being chronically bored

sirius calling voldy a dead fish 😭

sirius is a certified yapper

sirius just. swallowing voldy’s blood 😭

WHO IS BINGLEY

OHHH HES MARY’S BROTHER

marylily? marylily. 

remus and lily friendship ❤️‍🩹

lily being in love with mary <3

effie ❤️‍🩹

marlene ☹️

barty and rodolphus? okay

opulent another vocab word

JAMES

chapter 57

of course it didn’t pick up with james’ pov. 

pandora being an oblivious queen 😭

dorcas being lily’s The One That Got Away ☹️

lily 😭

lily ☹️

mary next ahhhh

kiss kiss kiss

afhhhhh i need jegulus happenings its been too long

this is so sad ☹️☹️☹️

“aturally, Regulus freezes like a startled hare under the gaze of a watchful wolf.” get it bc remus is a werewolf

nooo don’t fight

yay they’re friends again 

"Dumbledore of the Albus variety” 😭

JAMES?!

james….

“and he's so nervous and full of anxious anticipation that he's struck with the impulse to beat-box.” JAMES 😭😭😭

sirius 😧

“you’re hot” then sirius 😭😭

"Are you, like, allergic to prison?" 

prongsfoot is prongsfooting

☹️

chapter 58

ALBUS AND ARIANA WERE IN THE SAME HUNGER GAMES?!

ALBUS VOLUNTEERED FOR ABERFORTH?!

side note — i love that their names are albus and aberforth and then theres just 💫ariana💫

regulus is learning all the lore

so grindelwald killed ariana? and that’s why albus killed him?

albus dumbledore, always pacing in his office. 

regulus is so regulus

"If I can't persuade the leader in you, then let me persuade the man who knows what it is to be in love, let me persuade the brother you are. I love James, and Sirius is my brother. Please."

"We have a deal."  HUZZAH!

dora you are a little icon 

sprout! 

trojan horse 😧

ahhhh wolfstar and jegulus happenings will be happening soon 

marleneee don’t be mean to the love of your life

this is sad

i’m giving you an all tomato. which means you give me the whole tomato, or else.

they’re swapping…. please don’t die marlene

the way mary and sirius are always together briefly in every fanfic 

MARYLILY KISS!!!!!!! AHHHHH!!!!!!!!! a cheek kiss but a kiss nonetheless 

barty 😭😭

oh regulus

effie 😭 god i love her

barty is so barty 

DID HE JUST BREAK SOME RANDO’S ARM 😭 REGULUS WHAT THE HECK MAN valid honestly. defend your man’s honor.

“needless to say regulus ends up in solitary” yeah we all saw that coming

aberforth! he’s really starting to grow on me

regulus is so regulus

pomona having an Extensive Wine Collection is so real

why does marlene have it out for lily (i mean i know why but they need to Be Friends)

oh are they Being Friends now?

yes they are and i love them ❤️‍🩹

chapter 59

ugh snape

why is this literally the red scare

OH WAIT is severus dumbledore’s ‘source’

“Potter is a fool, no doubt about it, but he isn't the biggest fool in this room. No, that honor goes to Riddle.” bars

did anyone else stop breathing when they read the suffocation part

"Now, I present you with my own to do something that's very on brand for James and I, which is me arguing with literally everything he just said."

“Oh, yeah, Sirius remembers what he did. He got sexy.” 😭😭 sirius 

“My pasta is calling my name, you have no idea." ME FR

of course remus is volunteering to go get sirius

😧

sirius you did not just say “welp” 😭😭😭

i miss evan 💔

oh!

i hate that remus knows exactly where sirius is but also yay for the mission?

sirius nooo

eeeeee they’re kissing but can they Get Out Of There

"He never got to eat his pasta." 😭

dead body chute 💀

ok severus

ok i have to read another chapter…

chapter 60

james 😧

dorcas is So In Love and i lover i love dorlene

pomona 💔

i hope this has a happy ending 

"The world doesn't revolve around me, Dorcas." "Mine does." I LOVE DORLENE

bingley!

i love bingley and lily being friends

MARYLILY!!!!! AHHHHH!!!!!! ITS HAPPENING!!!!!!

oh?

“hope can be found, even in the darkest of times, if only one remembers to turn on the light.” dumbledore core

they’re immune ?!

DID SIRIUS GET IMMUNITY FROM INGESTING VOLDYS BLOOD 😭

regulus climbed the tree?! i am proud of him ❤️‍🩹

i’m crying

“he needs his glasses”

effie ☹️

“Before Regulus ever found the sun in James, Sirius was the brightest light he knew; his guiding star.” ❤️‍🩹

crying still

chapter 61

james pov!

he’s high 😭

“no! my skin” 😭😭

“what did the big flower say to the little flower? hey there bud” james im in love with you

“I love you because you're you. And you—you're my friend, Remus.” ❤️‍🩹

"We're alone, love." ahhhhhhh jegulus is So Back

baby

molly got glasses for james omg 

fab and gid 💔

eeee they’re kissing 

"I love you, James. I loved you from the start, I love you now, and I'll love you for as long as love is something that exists—and, if it ever stops existing, I'll reinvent it just for you."

🎶confess i loved you from the start🎶

remu and sirius

sirius you can’t just tell remus you think you should break up ?!

no don’t break up ?!

remus 😧

huzzah!

they’re kissing again

should i end here while it’s happy(ish)? i think i will i read so much today

[wastelandmoony]

Déjà Vécu: Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three : Fear and Trembling

Summary: Christmas at the Potters'.

Characters: Remus Lupin/Reader, Sirius Black/Reader (no use of y/n), James Potter, Petter Pettigrew, Regulus Black, Marlene McKinnon, Mary MacDonald, Lily Evans

Warnings: 18+ Only, Minors DNI; language, violence, gore, abuse.

Déjà Vécu Masterlist

Companion Playlist

Read on AO3

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December 21st, 1975

Sirius’ trunk thumped down the tower steps, echoing loudly against the stone walls. He’d be scowling for what seemed like the entire week, ever since the owl arrived during breakfast one morning with a letter demanding his presence home for Christmas. He had immediately incinerated it at the table, icy glare locked onto Regulus across the Great Hall. The Potter’s had invited everyone to stay for the entire break, and the plan had been for the five of them to have two weeks of carefree living, playing quidditch in the garden and eating their weight in Euphemia Potter’s cooking.

“C’mon mate,” James tried to placate his best friend as Sirius dropped the trunk with a loud thud onto the common room floor, the rest of them waiting around with their own belongings for the journey home. “You won’t be missing much, it’ll be the same as last year: mum will cook Christmas dinner, we’ll all sit around and open gifts, and then—“

“—you’ll all laugh, and play games, and not be forced into some stuffy outfit to be paraded around to your extended family?” Sirius groaned, “Ugh, I’m going to be bored out of my mind!” 

She knew he wasn’t just worried about the boredom. Though his family had seemed to write him off for the past few years, something still didn’t sit right with her. 

Sirius continued his moping through the entirety of the train ride back to London, never breaking the grimace plastered on his face even after the numerous attempts by all of them to cheer him up. As they filed onto the King’s Cross platform, she discreetly took his hand and squeezed it. He looked back at her, expression never faltering as he pulled away and began to head towards his mother and younger brother.

“See you in two weeks,” he didn’t look back.

She wasn’t going to let Sirius’ bad attitude ruin their break, and it seems like the boys shared a similar sentiment. The moment they arrived at Potter Manor, James brought them upstairs to their rooms, chatting excitedly with Remus about a new prank idea he wanted to test out in the garden later.

After briefly unpacking, she wandered down the hall to James’ bedroom, finding him lounging against the headboard reading a quidditch magazine. She flopped down beside him and sighed.

“Alright?” He asked, tossing the magazine onto the quilt.

“I’m worried about Sirius,” she muttered, “Do you think he’s okay?”

James didn’t seem the least bit perturbed by the entire situation. “Yeah, he’s just being a moody git. You’ve seen how his family’s been the past few years, they just ignore him. I think they’ve given up.”

“Then why force him to come home now? Why not just let him do whatever he wants?” She couldn’t explain it, but something deep in her gut didn’t feel right.

James shrugged, “Who knows, maybe they just missed him?” 

She snorted, “I’m not sure Walburga is capable of that emotion.”

James laughed as he got up, “He’ll be fine. The only thing we have to worry about is the ranting we’ll have to endure when we all get back to school. I bet he doesn’t stop talking about how much he hates them until May.”

With an audible crack, the Potter’s house elf apparated into the room with a little curtsy. 

“Your mother wished me to tell you that dinner is ready,” they said. 

“Thank Merlin, I’m starved,” James exhaled, walking down the hall to grab the other two boys from Remus’ room. 

———

December 25th, 1975

They were swimming in gift wrap and glitter. The Potter’s sitting room was littered with torn paper, boxes and ribbon strew about, while plates and plates of baked goods covered the coffee table. Euphemia and Fleamont sat by the fireplace watching them open gifts, her parents having sent some as well. Remus leaned over to hand her a cup of tea as James stood up from the couch.

“I have one last present for you,” he said as he jogged out into the hall.

A few seconds later, his voice carried from the next room, “Close your eyes!”

Bewildered, and slightly afraid, she reluctantly shut both eyes. She could hear him reenter the room, followed by the crunch of gift wrap underfoot as he made his way to where she was seated. 

“Hold out your hands,” the excitement in his voice was barely contained.

Palms up, she waited, finally feeling smooth, polished wood against her skin. Her eyes shot open as she took in the broom on her lap, James standing above her with the biggest smile on his face. 

“I didn’t wrap it, because I’m shit at it, sorry about that—“ he started.

She was speechless. Though she was on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, she always just borrowed one of the school brooms, never wanting to bother her parents with the added expense of buying an entirely new one. So far, it had served her just fine. 

“Jamie…this is…this is too much,” she shook her head, “you shouldn’t have spent so much money on this, I don’t need—”

“Yes you do. I can’t keep watching you fly on one of those shit school ones, you’ll have much better control on this. And it wasn’t just me, we all contributed to this.” 

She looked around the room, Remus and Peter smiled, the former giving a confirming nod as tears began to blur their faces. 

“Thank you, I don’t even know what to say.”

“Just promise me you won’t tell anyone who gave it to you. If Marlene or the rest of the them find out I helped another team, they’ll kill me,” James said, face completely serious. 

She choked a laugh, wiping away a stray tear, “Deal.”

“So…drills then?” He raised his eyebrows.

She smiled, “…Go on.” 

Euphemia called after the four of them as they ran out back to the garden, “Don’t forget dinner is at 6!”

———

Christmas afternoon was spent outside in the crisp December air, trying to get used to how a capable broom handled. James was right, she was so much quicker and more agile with this one. Maybe this year, Hufflepuff would at least be a contender for the cup. 

Fleamont came outside as the sun was setting and ushered them all in for dinner, no one bothering to change out of their muddied clothes, not that the Potter’s minded.

After dessert, they all retired to the sitting room again, James and Peter breaking out the deck of Exploding Snap, while Euphemia tidied up the kitchen, and Remus and Fleamont read quietly.

“I’m going to change and then I’ll join you,” she said, excusing herself up to the bedroom, dying to be free of her grass-stained jeans. 

Pulling on the new sweater Mrs. Potter had given her that morning, and a pair of Remus’ old pajama pants she had stolen last year, she rifled through her trunk for the book she had brought. As she reached into the furthest corner, a crack echoed from downstairs, followed by screams.

“Help! Get Mum!” James’ voice filled her ears as she careened down the stairs towards the sitting room. 

Leaping from the bottom of the staircase, she rounded the corner and saw Euphemia and Fleamont bent over next to the fireplace, the three boys hovering around them. James was beside himself, paler than she’s ever seen him and pulling at the roots of his hair.

She saw the blood near Mrs. Potter’s knelt legs before she saw the body. 

Euphemia looked up at her husband, voice calm but filled with urgency, “He’s lost a lot of blood, Monty…”

Mr. Potter nodded, “I’m going to notify St. Mungo’s and send an owl to Dumbledore.” He swiftly left the room as she passed through the doorway.

“Is he going to be okay, Mum?” James was crying. 

Remus heard her footsteps and met her eyes. There was fear there. Pure, unfiltered fear. She’d never seen that in his face, even after his worst transformations.

“James, darling, help me move him upstairs to the extra bedroom,” Euphemia motioned for her son and Remus to help lift the body from the floor.

As Mrs. Potter rose to her feet, she saw Sirius lying on the wooden floor unconscious, bleeding profusely from his head.