#ploy!remus and regulus

[rachhaven]

For poly!moonwater, the three of them all being in different houses and get their ties mixed up and that's how Sirius discovers their relationship?

here you go lovely- i wrote this in my lecture and during an endo flare so apologies if it doesn't make sense 😭

635 words- ish?

Last night had been- fun, to say the least. A game of exploding snap between the three of you leads to a cup of tea spilled on the wooden floor of your dorm, and then Regulus’ feeble attempts to clean it up lead to a bleach stain on Remus’ trousers, and the horrid smell left in the air, so to the Slytherin dorms it was, spiked hot chocolates in hand a good book to fall asleep reading together. It was nice, peaceful even, to sneak around and spend the evening together without fearing your and Regulus’ older brothers finding out. 

The brothers, the older brothers, James and Sirius are a package deal, so it only made sense that their little sister and little brother met and spend time together, and Remus just slotted in so perfectly and beautifully in the way that only he can, it just worked, but James and Sirius still don’t know. Well, until now. 

It was safe to say you were all running late when you woke up with only half an hour of breakfast left before lessons, so you were all in a hurry to get ready, chaste kisses and hugs goodbye as you all head to your separate tables, Hufflepuff for you, finding Hannah sat and waiting, Reg heading towards the Rosiers and Barty at slytherin, and remus towards the rest of the marauders on the gryffindoor table, happy as larry and finally ready to start the day. 

“moony?” Peters brow furrowed. “reg?” asked between laughs on Barty’s behalf. “Y/n?”, Hannah’s voice breaking you from plating your food. 

“Who’s tie are you wearing?”

Shit. 

You look down, a green and silver tie around your neck, your head spins to regulus, a red and gold tie around his neck, and finally Remus, adorned in a yellow and black tie. Shit. Shit. Shitty fuck. 

A squeal breaks through the air and it’s the only two you can imagine it would be, Sirius and James. Something about being ‘brothers in law’ and ‘family holidays’ and ‘shared bloodline’ and you’re all lost, you and reg excusing yourself to the Gryffindor table to sort this mess out. The tie you originally had on is in your hand, passing it to regulus as regulus passes his to Remus, you taking yours back at the same time. Cheeks burning red and embarrassed, but the feeling of safety you only get when you’re with your boys, Remus welcoming you to sit down with him, and sort this out, your forehead falling on Remus’ shoulder as regulus shoots daggers at his brother. 

“how long?” asks James, eyes curious and filled with such joy, speaking at the exact same time as Sirius, “how didn’t I know about this?”. Both questions are valid, James is nosey, always has been, but Sirius, he’s best friends with Remus, regulus is his little brother, and since moving in with the potters back in third year, he’s your older brother by proxy too, he means a lot to all of you. 

“six months”, you mumble, answering your brother, regulus answering his. “they were hesitant, didn’t want to upset you if anything went wrong” he explains, his head tilting towards you and Remus, Remus’ arm over your shoulder to try and ease the anxiety all the attention is giving you. Reg was loud and proud about his love, relieved to have finally found someone, two people, who he can actually open up to, who love him for him, but with your brothers antics and both yours and Remus’ hatred of being looked at by everyone else, it was nice to keep it quiet, like a sanctuary, but with how open and welcoming James and Sirius have been, maybe there wasn’t any need of fear. And just maybe, everything will be fine. 

[latenightreadingpdf]

Hold Me - James Potter

₊‧⁺˖⋆ Masterlist ⋆˖⁺‧₊

Summary: After a hard-fought Quidditch match against Slytherin, Gryffindor’s loss hits James Potter harder than anyone expected. With the defeat weighing heavily on him, Y/N stays behind to offer comfort while his friends try to lift his spirits.

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

The sun was high in the sky, casting long shadows over the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch. The stands were packed with students, their scarves and banners waving frantically as Gryffindor and Slytherin faced off in what was bound to be one of the most intense matches of the season. Y/N sat in the Gryffindor section of the stands, nestled next to Remus Lupin. He had a book in his lap, though he wasn’t reading it, his amber eyes fixed on the pitch below.

"Come on, James," Y/N muttered, her gaze darting between James Potter and Regulus Black. The two Seekers were neck and neck, their brooms weaving in and out of the players below as they chased after the elusive Golden Snitch.

Remus nodded silently, his lips pursed. "They’re so close." His knuckles whitened as he gripped the edges of his book, though he had abandoned any pretence of reading. He hadn’t turned a page in the past half hour.

Y/N could feel the tension in the air, thick like a storm cloud. Every single student in the stands was on edge, watching intently as the Seekers danced through the air. Gryffindor’s hopes rested on James catching the Snitch, but Regulus wasn’t going to let it go easily. Y/N's heart raced as she watched the two of them twist and turn in midair, the tiny golden ball barely a blur in the distance.

James and Regulus were neck and neck, brooms darting dangerously close as they sped through the maze of players. There was a collective gasp from the crowd as they narrowly avoided colliding with a pair of Beaters who were too absorbed in their own skirmish to notice the Seekers darting past.

“They’re going to crash if they’re not careful,” Y/N whispered, her hands clasping tightly together as anxiety bubbled in her chest. She could see the raw determination on James’s face, his hair windswept and wild as he leaned forward on his broom, pushing it to its limits. His focus was entirely on the Snitch, completely oblivious to anything else on the pitch.

Suddenly, something strange happened. James’s broom jerked unnaturally, wobbling violently as if an invisible hand had grabbed it. It veered off course, and for a split second, Y/N thought he might be able to regain control, but the broom jerked again, this time harder. It twisted sharply to the left, causing James to lose his balance. His fingers gripped the handle tightly, knuckles white, as he struggled to steady it.

The crowd gasped, and Y/N instinctively grabbed Remus’s arm, her nails digging into his sweater. James fought to steady his broom, his face set in determination, but it was no use.

“Merlin’s beard,” Remus muttered under his breath. “That’s not normal. Someone’s messing with his broom.”

Y/N���s heart sank. She had seen something like this before—the time during their second year when Professor McGonagall had to stop a match because someone had tampered with one of the school brooms. But this time, it was worse. It wasn’t just a Slytherin ploy to distract James; it was sabotage.

Regulus, on the other hand, seized the opportunity. With a final burst of speed, the Slytherin Seeker shot forward and snatched the Snitch from the air. The whistle blew, and the Slytherin section erupted in wild cheers. Their green and silver banners waved triumphantly as they celebrated their victory.

“Slytherin wins!” the announcer’s voice boomed, but all Y/N could hear were the groans and disappointed mutterings of the Gryffindors around her.

Remus exhaled slowly. “That was… unexpected,” he murmured, his eyes narrowing as he watched James struggle to bring his broom back down to the ground. Y/N's chest tightened with frustration. She knew something had happened to James’s broom—probably Slytherin sabotage—but there was no proof.

As the Gryffindor team trudged off the pitch, heads hung low, the cheers from the Slytherin stands rang in her ears. The energy in the Gryffindor stands had drained, leaving behind a dull silence, broken only by scattered conversations about what had just happened.

“Bloody cheats,” Mary Macdonald muttered, standing next to Lily Evans, her hands clenched into fists. “There’s no way that was an accident. They did something to his broom. You saw how it was jerking around.”

Lily nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with concern as she watched James descend toward the ground. “I don’t know how, but they definitely did something. James should have caught that Snitch.”

“Yeah,” Dorcas said, wrapping her scarf more tightly around her neck as the evening air grew colder. “You could see it from up here. There’s no way his broom would just do that on its own.”

The rest of the Gryffindors in the stands had already started to file out, but Y/N and her friends lingered. Marlene McKinnon, the Gryffindor Chaser, was the last to leave the field. Her shoulders were slumped, her expression dejected as she trudged toward them, her broom dragging behind her.

“Marlene!” Lily called out, hurrying forward to meet her. The group closed in around Marlene, pulling her into a big, warm hug.

“You played great,” Mary said softly. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“Yeah,” Dorcas added. “That broom business was total rubbish.”

Marlene gave them a weak smile, her eyes filled with exhaustion. “Thanks, but it still sucks.”

“It’s not your fault,” Y/N said, stepping closer and resting a hand on Marlene’s shoulder. “It was Slytherin cheating. You did the best you could. James knows it too.”

Marlene gave a small nod, but the disappointment in her eyes was hard to shake. She had given everything during that match, and losing like this felt like a punch to the gut.

“Let’s head back to the dorms,” Lily suggested, glancing around at the emptying stands. “We can have a girls’ night, yeah? Chocolate, pyjamas, the works.”

Y/N gave Marlene’s arm a reassuring squeeze. “Go on. I’ll wait here for James and Sirius.”

Marlene nodded, a bit of the sadness lifting from her face as the group began to make their way back toward the castle. Y/N watched them go, then turned back to the pitch, waiting patiently as the last few stragglers left the stands.

After a few minutes, the locker room door creaked open. Sirius Black emerged, his usual cocky grin nowhere to be seen. His shoulders were tense, and his dark hair was damp from the post-match shower. The moment Y/N saw him, she stood up and hurried over.

“Sirius,” she called softly.

He looked up, his grey eyes dull with frustration, but before he could say anything, Y/N pulled him into a tight hug. “You were brilliant out there,” she whispered, her voice soothing. “It wasn’t your fault, and you know it.”

Sirius sighed, wrapping his arms around her in return, though his grip wasn’t as firm as usual. “Thanks, Y/N,” he muttered, but his voice was distracted. He pulled back slightly, glancing over at Remus, who was watching quietly from a few feet away.

Remus stood up and offered Sirius a small smile. Sirius walked over to him, and without a word, Remus pulled him into another hug. Unlike Y/N’s brief embrace, Sirius stayed in Remus’s arms longer, resting his head on his shoulder for a moment longer than necessary.

Y/N’s heart warmed at the sight, the quiet beginning of something unspoken passing between the two boys. She could feel it, even if they didn’t realise it yet.

Once they pulled away, Sirius rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. “James… isn’t doing great. He’s pissed—mostly at himself—and he doesn’t want to see anyone. He’ll probably take a while to come out.”

Y/N frowned, worry creeping into her chest. “That bad?”

Sirius nodded. “He blames himself for losing. Thinks he should’ve been able to fight whatever Slytherin did to his broom.”

Y/N exchanged a glance with Remus. “He’ll come out when he’s ready,” she said. 

Sirius gave a faint nod, looking relieved that someone would be there for his best friend. “We should head back. He’ll be fine eventually.”

As they made their way back to the castle, Y/N walked beside Sirius, linking her arm through his, offering comfort. The three of them didn’t say much, but their presence was enough to calm the disappointment that hung in the air.

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

Later that night, Y/N walked into the Gryffindor common room, the warmth of the fireplace casting a soft glow over the space. Sirius and Remus were sitting on one of the couches, close together, wrapped in cozy jumpers. Their heads were bent in quiet conversation, the firelight flickering over their faces.

“Is James back yet?” Y/N asked, approaching them.

Remus nodded. “Yeah, he’s upstairs. Hasn’t come down since.”

Y/N sighed and leaned down to give each of them a quick hug, planting a kiss on their cheeks. “I’m going to check on him.”

Sirius nodded, his eyes following her as she made her way to the boys’ dormitory stairs. “Good luck,” he called after her.

Climbing the stairs, Y/N reached James’s door and knocked gently. There was a pause before she heard his muffled voice from the other side.

“Go away, Sirius.”

“It’s me, James.”

Silence followed, and for a moment, she wasn’t sure if he was going to answer. But then she heard the soft click of the door unlocking, and it creaked open.

James stood there, his glasses slightly askew and his eyes red-rimmed from crying. Tear tracks marked his cheeks, his face crumpling the moment he saw her.

“Oh, Jamie,” Y/N whispered, stepping inside and closing the door behind her. She pulled him into her arms, and James buried his face in her neck, his breath shaky as he tried to hold back more tears.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, his voice hoarse.

“You don’t have to be sorry,” Y/N said softly, running her hands up and down his back, offering comfort. She guided him over to the bed, sitting down and keeping him close. James wrapped his arms around her, holding on as if she were the only thing grounding him.

“Is there anything I can do?” Y/N asked, her voice gentle as she played with his messy hair.

James shook his head against her chest. “Just… just hold me, please.”

“Come here.” Y/N said as she leaned back, pulling him with her until they were lying on the bed. His head rested on her chest, his body curled up beside her as his arms stayed wrapped around her waist.

Y/N smiled softly, her hands threading through his dark hair, massaging his scalp in slow, soothing strokes. She could feel the tension in his body begin to ease as he relaxed into her touch.

After a while, James’s breathing evened out, his grip on her loosening slightly as sleep began to pull him under. Just before he drifted off, he mumbled in a low, sleepy voice, “Godric, I’m so lucky to have you.”

Y/N’s heart swelled with warmth, and she pressed a soft kiss to the top of his head. “I’m lucky to have you too, Jamie.”

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

[lulublack90]

Prompt 21 - Support

@jegulus-microfic March 21 Word count 962

Previous part First part

The silence in the dining room was deafening. Regulus and Remus stared at Orion, who sat waiting for their reactions. 

“Er—e-e-erm—P-p-papa—I-I-I-I I don’t know what you—” Orion raised a hand, cutting Regulus off. 

“Now, Regulus, do Blacks stutter and stumble over our words like common fools, or do we use our years of elocution lessons and training?” He said eyebrow quirked very much the same way his sons regularly did. Regulus lowered his eyes to the table and traced over the serpent’s body that coiled around his silver knife. He realised a tad too late that Remus couldn’t use such utensils, and he left his eyes flick to the left and saw that Remus had transfigured the family silver into muggle steel. He gritted his teeth. If his mother had noticed that, they’d have all been dead. The set had been in the family for 300 years. “Regulus?” His father asked again. 

“No, Papa.” He said quickly. 

“Then why don’t you start again, and don’t bother trying to deny it. I have it on good authority that that is exactly what you are up to.” Orion steepled his fingers and waited for his son to answer. 

“Who’s authority?” Regulus asked curiously. Orion leant forward, a mischievous grin on his face exactly the same as Sirius’s. 

“Albus Dumbledore.” He said, a gleam in his eyes. Regulus and Remus froze.  

“Dumbledore?! But how?” Regulus was glad he managed to form true words this time, even if they were slightly shaky. Orion sighed and raked his long fingers through his dark curls. 

“I am Albus’s spy. I have been keeping an eye on what transpires within the Death Eaters, and I bring back what limited information I can get as I have not actually been marked.” 

Regulus couldn’t believe his ears. 

“If you are a spy,” He started, carefully picking his words before saying them. “And I am supposing you don’t actually support the Dark Lord? Then how could you let him do this to me?!” Regulus ripped his sleeve back to reveal the ugly, inky image on his forearm. “How could you let this happen?” His eyes had begun to prickle, so he stopped not wanting to cry in front of his father. Orion looked at him so sadly. 

“You were supposed to go with Sirius when he ran away. But instead, you stayed, and I guessed your mother had gotten to you and that you believed the hate that lunatic is spouting. I thought you were lost, mon fils.” 

Regulus slowly absorbed his father’s words. He could have left with Sirius. He could have been free. But instead, he had stayed and was stuck fighting for, as his father put it, a lunatic. 

“Well, if I had left with Sirius, I would never have figured out the Dark Lord’s secret.” He saw Remus smirk out of the corner of his eye. Orion’s eyes lit up. 

“Dumbledore said you had a secret,” He cocked his head. “Am I allowed to know?” Regulus debated for a moment before turning to Remus. 

“What do you think?”

“He’s your father. If you think he’s trustworthy, and this isn’t just a huge ploy to get evidence for Voldemort to kill us, tell him.” Remus said, flicking his eyes over to Orion every few seconds. Regulus nodded, taking what Remus had said into consideration. 

“What I tell you does not leave this room, Father.” He said sternly. “I want you to promise on the magics that you will keep our secrets safe.” Orion scrutinised his son’s face for a moment and then raised his wand. 

“I, Orion Arcturus Black, swear to keep my son’s secrets safe.” The tip of his wand glowed, and they could all feel the magical binding. “I hope you will realise me from that once it is safe to do so?” Regulus nodded. 

“Yes, Papa.” He cleared his throat and checked the wards around the room, adding a few more of his own to be certain. He turned his gaze to his father and took a deep breath. Remus reached out and squeezed his shoulder just once, but it grounded him enough to continue. “Voldemort has created Horcruxes and a secret group of Death Eaters, Order members and one randomer that insists on being a part of it have been tracking them down.” 

Orion’s eyebrows travelled further and further up his forehead as Regulus continued. “We believe there is one more, and we assume it is in Lucius’s care. But we don’t know what it could be or where he could have put it if he even has it.” Orion nodded as he mulled over Regulus’s tale. 

“So you’re telling me that the most powerful Dark wizard in the last hundred years trusted Bella with a Horcrux?” 

“Yes, Papa.”

“Arrogant bastard!” Remus snorted into his wine glass. 

“Sorry, Lord Black,” He spluttered as he vanished the spilt wine. 

“It is Orion or Papa to you, Remus. Though, ensure you don’t call me either when others are around.” Orion warned. 

“Papa?” Regulus drew his father’s attention away from Remus’s steadily reddening face. “We’re not related to the Crouchs, are we?”

“Very distantly, I seem to recall. A distant cousin a few generations back or something like that.” Remus had to cover his mouth with his hand, damn werewolf. Orion seemed to find him amusing. “So you think there is a Horcrux in Malfoy Manor?” He asked. 

“If it’s not there, then perhaps their vault. Bella was supposed to put the cup in the vault the second she was given it, and Lucius is far more into showing off than Bella. So we think it’s probably in the Manor.” Orion smiled. 

“I think it’s time I visited my dear niece. Don’t you think Regulus?”

Next part

[hxlda-hxlda]

:)

“That’s my mirror,” James says, accuses, the moment Remus returns to them. He’s midway through shoving the mirror into a little sewn in pocket on the inside of his jumper.

“No, it’s my mirror,” Remus mutters, fighting with the knitted fabric as it catches on the elaborate plating of the mirror.

“Where the fuck did you find my–”

“Regulus and I made them,” Remus says off-handedly, finally slotting the damn thing back into place. When he looks back up, Sirius and James are both frozen, eyes wide, deer caught in headlights. There’s irony there, Remus doesn’t have time to be amused at it.

“Come on,” Remus nods over his shoulder when both the boys, men, remain uncharacteristically quiet, “there’s more explaining to be done than we thought.”

“We?” asks James.

“How do we know this isn’t some ploy to kill us?” asks Sirius at the same time.

“You don’t,” Remus shrugs, exhausted of reasons and justifications and mildly (incredibly) tempted to kill them both anyway. That way he wouldn’t be wrong. Sirius always hated being wrong, he would really be doing him a favour. He’s nice like that.

Sirius scoffs. It’s grating to Remus’ ears, too posh-sounding and condescending. “Quite the explaining you’ve done so far.”

“Well if you just fucking let me–”

“I have been!” Sirius bursts suddenly, eyes flashing, indignant and angry. “I’m still here, aren’t I?! And you’ve given us nothing. Not a single good reason to believe we should– we shouldn’t fucking kill you right now.”

“Christ.” Remus pinches the bridge of his nose, wishing Regulus was here to deal with this.

“Merlin,” James sighs, stepping between the two of them. Remus had somewhat forgotten he was there at all. “Here, Moo– Remus, give me your wand so we know you can’t hex us.”

Remus blinks. “I don’t have a wand.”

James turns to fully stare at him. “What?” he and Sirius demand simultaneously.

“It’s not like they gave me a nice and shiny new one after they shattered the old one, did they?” Remus replies, feeling put on with both pairs of eyes staring at him. It’s embarrassing, in a strange way.

“Oh,” says James. “Yeah.”

“Then how the fuck–”

“Wandless,” Remus answers the question before it is out of Sirius’ mouth, waving a hand impatiently, the tips of his fingers flickering with a deep red. A party trick, a point proven. “If you could just fucking come with me, I can explain–”

“No.”

“Padfoot–”

“Your brother is alive.”

It is a rather inelegant way to break the news. Alas, Remus had never been known for his elegance.

[allamericanb-tch]

only the brave thoughts (1)

chapter 1

i’m so invested in this already

dorcas!!! my fav

background rosekiller ?! they’re my everything

ooh regulus is a prefect

eugh snape

wait i got distracted a new chapter of a diff fic im reading got posted 

regulus and remus just got paired together moonwater is my fav platonic ship ever

“It’s annoying to him that Sirius seems to only have good looking friends.” BYE

ooh pov switch hello james

oh peter i hope i love peter in this

wait what year are they in (im sure we will find out later)

literally the next sentence— “Last time he saw Regulus, on this very train on the last day of their sixth year and Regulus’ fifth,” so they’re in seventh year and regulus is a sixth year

oooh james is seeing regulus

sirius thinking james is distracted by lily ahahaha

chapter 2

“Regulus can’t sleep.” me core

dorcas i love her so much

“”I was with someone,” she whispers, surprising him somewhat.” marlene ?!

who is this blair

dorcas and regulus coming out to each other i love them

james pov switch

they’re brewing amortentia ooooh

james smells lavender im almost certain that will come up with regulus later

sirius smelling chocolate and being upset about it wolfstar wolfstar wolfstar wolfstar

regulus pov switch

i love barty he makes me giggle

omg regulus is overhearing marlene and lily talking about james’ amortentia smelling like lavender… lily smells like lavender… oh no

this conversation oh my

“Regulus thinks he’s going to pass out. How are these girls discussing this so casually? Like it’s no big deal? His palms are sweaty and he’s pretty sure he’s hyperventilating. And yet, for some reason, he cannot force himself back into his chair. He wants to hear what the girls say about the possibility of James Potter - the straightest bloke to ever exist - liking a dude.”

noooo lily don’t ask him out

this is stressful

chapter 3

quidditch practice woo hoo

“There should be no one here. No one at all.” pleeeease i hope it’s regulus

IT WAS AHHHHH

“James wants to hit on him.” go get your man james

they need to kiss so bad the tension omg

regulus pov ahhhh

oh, regulus. dear sweet regulus.

pandora i love pandora

“You’re in a cave. It’s dark, and wet, and cold, and you’re afraid. You’re very afraid.” oh??? this is so cassandra coded

the sun is james

ooohhh the party

eavesdropping again are we reggie

eye contact omg

what is sirius yapping about

EYE CONTACT

chapter 4

james is tweaking out rn

james is telling remus and lily he has a crush… please tell me lily doesn’t think it’s her

oh no remus is leaving remus you are not the wingman you think you are right now

JAMES SAID HE wait did lily even notice

james what are you doing

regulus pov !!

background rosekiller is background rosekilling

BARTYLUS HELLO

they’re calling regulus a dragon this is so funny

reggie’s plotting

oh he’s just being a good friend

hello did james just burn down remus’ bed as a ploy to make wolfstar happen

oh remus is pissed

chapter 5

eugh blair

omg regulus you icon

i want to know his little plan for vengeance SO BAD

regulus is looking for james abhhh

“James’ hands. He’s going to kill whoever did this to him. Slowly. Painfully. He’ll make them suffer. Drag it out.” it’s funny bc james did it

omg james thinks regulus is sirius

this is making me nervy

BAH NO REGULUS CALLED JAMES PRONGS 

james pov switch

eeeee party time

see james is being a good wingman right now

james and pete plotting to make wolfstar happen

“He wishes Regulus would show up” i have news for you james

omg regulus is here

ahhhh james is walking over

omg is marlene gonna ask dorcas out

remus and regulus talking hello

i mean i can’t just end it here

chapter 6

a cigarette 

platonic moonwater save me platonic moonwater

regulus running straight into james and then just insulting him

HELLO??? THEY WERE ABOUT TO KISS AND REGULUS JUST ZAPS JAMES WITH HIS WAND AND RUNS AWAY

hrnghhhh i know this fic was tagged with slow burn but i want them to get together so bad

sirius pov jump scare

“Sirius is seriously (haha)” BYE

SIRIUS’ HAIR IS PUT UP WITH HIS WAND RIGHT NOW

“Remus smiles, lifts his arm. Sirius ducks under it immediately. It’s one of his favourite places in the world. Next to Remus. Touching Remus. Remus smells so nice, like chocolate, and the outdoors. Sirius could bottle Remus’ scent and carry it in his pocket.” how has he not realized

oh???

aww they’re hugging

james pov again

oh my

“You have exactly one minute to tell me that the crush you need getting rid of isn’t on Regulus Black,”

james is lying booooo tomato tomato

james is going to buy cigarettes for regulus (!!!!!!)

gasp the pub goers are taking about voldy

BYE WHY IS HE GOING TO DUMBLEDORE

the prank ☹️

dumbledore isn’t being useless for once! huzzah!

HELLO??? ENDING??? I CANT BE EXPECTED TO JUST STOP READING THIS but i’m reading it with my friend so i can’t get ahead

[maraudersandlily20]

Hope

Okay, here’s the thing. About 2 years ago, when I was in the THICK of the HPRP community (which is dead now, honestly. RIP.), I found myself drawn to weird characters, SUCH AS: Charlie Weasley, Regulus Black (this one is still very much happening), and Hope and Lyall Lupin. I was doing a bunch of research and investigating on Remus’ parents, and the way those two met and fell in love was ADORABLE. So I started to write that story, and I asked Carolina (aka @the-moon-and-stars-my-love ) to read and edit it for me. I should have known that she would go above and beyond, as is per Carolina. But I was rereading HOPE, the story, a few days ago and decided that the only way I could post it was if I actually PUT Carolina’s commentary into the story. Because it makes me laugh and people need to see it. 

I’ve only written 2 parts of this story, because I hit a block after I finished the second part. So I’ll post what I have. 

Here’s Hope, part 1. Carolina’s commentary will be labelled, bolded, and italicized for less confusion. 

Part 1

If there was one thing that was certain, it was that Hope Howell wasn’t foolish. She wasn’t foolish. She knew better than to be out this late, especially in these woods. There were reports of robberies, rapes, and even murders that happened when people were out too long. But this time, it wasn’t people, it was her.

“You’re really done it now, Hope. Really. You just HAD to go to Carreg today to write. You couldn’t have just stayed home and had tea with mum?” Hope was babbling, of course, which she was hoping would soothe her nerves and help her dismiss the small sounds from the dark crevices of the forest. There were plenty of animals and bugs in this forest, they were probably just making a debut. And if it wasn’t animals, that didn’t necessarily mean it was anything bad.

“It doesn’t matter,” she reasoned. “There’s nothing bad in this forest. People just say there is to keep naughty children away or have them return at a reasonable hour. And I’ve never been reasonable, I’m a rebel. I go home when I want to, dark or not.” She was hoping, somewhere in the back of her mind, that if she could convince herself, even momentarily, and boost her confidence, she wouldn’t feel so completely stripped of all protection. 

She should have accepted Miles’ offer to go with her to Carreg, but she had been adamant that she would be perfectly fine. Besides, he would have read too much into it, and she wasn’t going to string him along. She shook off those thoughts and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. 

“I AM perfectly fine.” she reasoned. “They’re just old wives tales and superstitions. And I, Hope Howell, am not a superstitious person,” she said as if trying to reason with some stubborn part of herself. 

A branch broke, making Hope freeze in her tracks. She felt her pulse quicken, but refused to look in the direction of the noise. 

Carolina: girl these are your flight or fight instincts kicking in liSTEN TO THEM

She was just jumpy from remembering the stories and legends that were very much NOT true, she told herself. The noise was nothing. Just an animal. Or, maybe a bug. “I’m not superstitious. I’m not. Truly.” 

Carolina: sure jan

However, to give herself some form of comfort, she picked up a large branch on the side of the road and wielded it as though it were a weapon. It didn’t mean she was afraid, it just meant she was smart, she thought. 

Carolina: hahahahaha I'm just so amused because she is a stubborn woman who refuses to be afraid i love her

Her feet seemed glued to the ground and no matter how many positive thoughts she whispered into the air, she couldn’t will herself to move forward.

Carolina: ooo i see what you did there! with the boggart. uh huh uh huh yes good nice i like it she's already feeling the effects because she's probably looking at it but not realizing she's looking at it so she's already scared. nice little detail!

Suddenly, there was a low groaning noise and Hope’s eyes widened in fear. Slowly, reluctantly, knowing she should have already been running at this point, she turned to look into the darkness. 

There was nothing visible to her beyond the shadows of the trees, of course, but the possibilities of what could be lurking just out of view flooded  her mind . “I’m not afraid, I’m not afraid, I’m not afraid,” she whispered, over and over, but her mind didn’t seem to believe her. 

Frozen in place, Hope swallowed. “H-hello? Is there anyone…. Is there anyone out there?”

Nothing.

Silence. 

“I mean it. If you’re out there, this isn’t funny. If you’re looking to kill me or… or rob me or anything, let’s just move on with it.” she was impressed with how clear her voice sounded despite her high adrenaline. “I don’t even have any money on me, so I’m not sure why you would even want to rob me. But, you’re more than welcome to try.” She sounded ridiculous, she knew, but she wasn’t sure what else she could do. 

Again, nothing,

Just the silence.

Hope shook her head, loosening her hold on her makeshift weapon with the softest sigh of relief. “Silly girl. Of course there’s nothing out there. You’re not superstitious. People don’t just go around hiding in forests like it’s some fairytale. This is 1958 for Christ’s sake. Who in their right mind would-” She stopped dead as another noise manifested itself from the space right before her.

“Hello?” She said again, trying to keep her anxiety at bay, but failing miserably. “Hello?” It was practically a squeak.

And then, there, from the darkness, emerged a huge cloaked figure, with broad shoulders and gleaming eyes. It loomed over Hope and she felt all the blood rush from her face. She couldn’t help herself. She screamed.

She screamed and screamed and the figure moved closer to her. Finally, her heart couldn’t take it. Hope collapsed onto the ground, her vision fading in and out. Hope was swimming in and out of consciousness.  Almost as if it were a dream, she watched a man break through the trees, holding what appeared to be a small stick. He brandished it toward the cloaked figure and shouted a strange word into the air. A bright light filled her vision, and then the figure disappeared into the trees without a backward glance. 

As Hope tried to push her eyes fully open, the face of the man appeared above her.

“Are you alright?” were the last words she heard before everything went black. 

-

The air was cold against her skin, and it roused her from her sleep. It must have been a few minutes before she regained consciousness, as the man who had miraculously saved her was now sitting nearby with his back to her, his gaze trained on the forest, as if watching for more perpetrators. 

Hope shook her head, trying to dispel the dizziness that fogged her brain. She pushed herself up into a seated position with a groan. A pair of hands reached out to steady  her and there were definitely words being spoken to her, though it took a moment for her mind to unscramble them.

“Easy there,” the man said, trying to sound reassuring by keeping his voice low. His hands were calloused and rough, she noted, which was strange compared to the gentleness he was using with her. Her eyes trailed up his arms, taking in the overcoat he wore and the sweater beneath that looked hand-knitted. Her gaze slowly continued upward, and she couldn’t help but feel both fascinated and silly at her interest of his neck and his jawline. She prayed he hadn’t noticed her perusal of him when she finally met his gaze. Hope looked into warm brown eyes of this stranger and was struck dumb. This man had saved her? He was…. Beautiful.

Carolina: listen this is the cutest thing and i am so here for the moment of "shit they're beautiful" and i'm so glad you included it because yes she was aw awestruck of him as he was of her

Also Carolina: can i get uuhhhh mUTUAL PINING???

While they sat looking at each other, it wasn’t lost on her that there was a chance this was another ploy to rob her. But, at the same time, she was so relieved that the much larger and, frankly, more terrifying man hadn’t hurt her. The man in front of her was so handsome and gentle that she really couldn’t find it in her to care if he was going to rob her. 

Carolina: hOPE MY GOODNESS IF I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS MA BOY LYALL I'D BE CONCERNED BUt also it's Lyall and he's been so good this whole time and it he wanted to do something he wouldn't have been there when you woke up bUT STILL (not a bad thing just a realization lol)

“I’m alright,” She whispered, holding a hand to her head.

“Are you sure? You took quite the fall, you know. And over a simple boggart too.” He chuckled, not registering the look of confusion on her face and then seeming to remember something. “Oh, here,” he muttered, reaching into his pocket and fumbling for a moment before pulling out a small wrapped candy. He noticed her wary gaze and shook his head. “Don’t worry, it’s just chocolate. Eat. You’ll feel better.”

Carolina: cries bc throwback/foreshadowing to remus saying this to harry about boggarts too

He handed it to her and she took it, though she wasn’t sure why. 

Carolina: dID YOUR MOTHER NOT TELL YOU NOT TO ACCEPT SWEETS FROM A STRANGER??? Hope i love you but dear goodness woman

When he looked away from her, apparently sorting through the contents of his pocket, she stuffed the chocolate into the pocket of her coat. It wasn’t that she wanted to be rude, but she was wary of accepting any sort of food from a nameless, though very handsome, stranger.

Carolina: !!! yes good on you Hope you gots to be careful! stranger danger

As her pulse settled into a normal rhythm, and as she realized there was no imminent danger, she took a moment to take in her surroundings. They seemed to be in the same piece of wood she had fainted in, but somehow, it looked brighter. Maybe it was just the beautiful man sitting beside her that made her think that. She couldn’t be sure.

Carolina: gOD Hope could you BE any more enamored by this man??? how dare you make this so cute, Jo???

And then she remembered what had made her faint. “You-” She turned back to him suddenly. “You rescued me!” 

The man laughed with a sheepish smile. “Really, it was nothing. You must have just lost your wits. You would have been fine without me.”

“Are you out of your mind? That man was HUGE! There’s no way I ever could have gotten rid of him without you.”

The stranger stopped. “Man…?”

“Yes, the big cloaked man that you chased off with your little… little stick?” her nose wrinkled as she remembered. “You were holding a stick, weren’t you? How did you even do that? And what did you say earlier? That he was a … a Boggart?”

They looked at each other and Hope felt as if she was being sized up. Some sort of clarity seemed to hit him. “Oh, uh, it wasn’t a stick, it was a knife. I always keep one in my pocket . An old habit I developed from the war.” He pulled out a small knife, holding it out towards her by the wood handle. She nodded. “As for the… the boggart part. In my hometown, Boggart was a name we called scary looking men who were weak.” 

Carolina: hA. Nice save Lyall v slick i like it. also, really clever on you for coming up with that being the explanation Lyall would have given her!

Hope nodded, as if she understood, but thought it was a right silly thing to call anyone. 

There was a pause. “Are you sure you’re alright?” he asked.

A little laugh left her throat. “Yes, I’m sure. I kept telling myself over and over that I wasn’t afraid and that there was nothing out there to worry about. But at the first sign of danger, I went and fainted.”

“I hardly think your reaction was unreasonable,” Lyall reassured her. “I had the benefit of being rescuer, and not the damsel in distress. It’s always easier to save someone else than to fight things off yourself. I very well might have reacted the same way.”

Carolina: Lyaaalllll what a sweet lad validating her feelings and admitting to probably reacting a similar way if he had been in her shoes. what a man :')

Hope smiled, finding it funny that he was trying, in a way, to save her pride. She had already fainted in front of him, she assumed that all presumptions of pride were long behind them. “Well, it wasn’t an ideal reaction either. You are right thought. Being a damsel in distress is hard work. Who knows what would have happened to me if you hadn’t come along. ” This made the man snort with laughter, which then made Hope giggle, which was something she never did. 

Carolina: pRECIOUS the absolute NERDS

Gratitude shone in her eyes as she smiled at him. “Thank you, by the way. For saving me.”

If Hope had been paying more attention to the handsome man’s face as she smiled at him, she would have noticed the flush that covered his cheeks and the nervous way he bit his lip. 

Carolina: cuuuuuute. he's already so into her and it's adorable and sweet and pure

However, Hope wasn’t always the best at picking up romantic signals from men. 

Carolina: lmao Hope is me can't pick up signals aT ALL xD seriously love when they're both pretty much oblivious at the signs

He studied her for a moment before clearing his throat. “It was my pleasure, truly.”

They continued smiling at each other, there in the fading light of the evening, neither sure what to say or what to do, but feeling very warm. It was almost like if they moved, they would break the sort of spell that they were wrapped up in, and so both were reluctant to move even an inch.

“I’m Lyall.” he finally said, his voice soft. “Lyall Lupin.”

It was a name that suited him, she thought. “I’m Hope Howell.”

Carolina: dO YOU HEAR MY CRYING??? MY PRECIOUS BABIES

The man, Lyall, her mind supplied with a giddy jump of her heart, got to his feet and extended a hand down to her, which she accepted. Once they were both up and dusted off, Lyall rubbed at his neck. 

Carolina: *nervous boi is nervous around cute gal he just met 

[h e a r t e y e s]

Hope’s eyes snapped to trace the movement, but she immediately tried to act like she wasn’t blatantly staring. He grinned. Not wanting to embarrass her, he played it off that he hadn’t noticed. He had definitely noticed. 

Carolina: seeeee?? she thinks you're handsome and wonderful tooooo you've got a shot boy-o!

“Well, I think, Hope Howell, that it may be time to get you home. Would you mind if I escorted you there?” 

Carolina: *insert more happy crying here* WHAT A GENTLEMAN! PUT ON A RING ON IT, HOPE

Her cheeks flushed red as her name rolled off his tongue and she nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’d appreciate it.” 

So the two walked together, side by side, along the forest path. Hope couldn’t help but notice that the trees no longer appeared menacing and somehow everything seemed lighter. Even though the stars twinkled down at the both of them and the air was growing chilly, the two new acquaintances didn’t seem to mind. They seemed to be desperate to speak to each other and so they talked. And talked. And talked. Back and forth they asked questions and told stories about things they normally wouldn’t have said to someone they had just met. But they just had a feeling.

Carolina: THE FEELING IS LOVE IT'S OKAY YOU CAN SAY IT

Hope couldn’t remember a time when she had laughed so much. She had been pursued by multiple young men in university, and even Miles was now pushing for them to “see where things went”, as he so eloquently put it. However, none of them, not a single one, had the ability to make her feel as warm as Lyall Lupin did. For some reason, she felt as though he were looking at her and seeing more than anyone else ever had. 

Carolina: do you know that this sentence made my heart melt just a bit more???

Hope led them along the path back to her village, where her farmhouse sat on the outskirts, away from the main square. She almost wished it had taken them longer to arrive, but she tried not to seem too disappointed.

“Well, here we are,” she said, standing at the end of the walkway that led to her door. She didn’t want to bring him too close to the windows, in case her nosy mother were peering out. She had made it very clear that mothers had a seventh sense when their daughters brought home boys. Hope had laughed at the time, but currently, she wasn’t anxious to test that seventh sense out.

Carolina: jokes on u Hope - mOMS ALWAYS KNOW IT'S THEIR SUPER POWER! but also if hope not wanting to bring him closer a'int a mood lol

“Oh.” He seemed as reluctant to part as she was. “It’s been a pleasure meeting you, Hope.”

Carolina: oKAY NOW ASK HER OUT LYALL DO IT

Also Carolina: go on and kiss the girl (on her hand bc that's cute as heck and she is a lady, lyall lupin

“You as well.”

“Don’t go wandering around in the woods in the dark anymore, alright?” he quipped, eyes gleaming with amusement.

“Wouldn’t want to attract any more Boggarts, now would I?” she replied, teasingly.

Lyall started a bit at the word and then let out a laugh a second later. “Exactly.” 

Carolina: lmao he must have been TERRIFIED for a moment. "oh no i just broke the statute of secrecy" must have been his internal monologue for a moment there

They stood, staring at each other for a moment, that same warmth covering them, and both wished that this didn’t have to be goodbye.

“I should… probably get going.”

Carolina: oh my gosh...that reluctance...my inner hopeless romantic is scREAMING

Hope nodded, sure that her disappointment was clear, though she was attempting to play it off as tiredness. She did not succeed. Lyall turned to leave before stopping. In a second, he was facing her again.

“Would you mind if I came to see you again? Just to check up on you? Would that be alright?” he asked, nearly stumbling over his words and his barely concealed excuse.

A grin covered Hope’s face and she didn’t even care to try and hide it. “I’d really love that.”

He laughed, his grin matching hers. “Good. Then, I’ll see you soon, Hope Howell.”

“I’ll see you soon, Lyall Lupin.” 

Carolina: full names?? fULL NAMES?? BECAUSE THEY JUST WANT TO KEEP SAYING EACH OTHER'S NAMES??? HI YES PLEASE AND THANK YOU

She bit her lip, trying not to burst into excited giggles, because, really, that was so uncharacteristic of her. After a beat she turned and walked swiftly to the front door. When she reached the handle, she couldn’t help herself and turned to wave at him. He was still standing exactly where she had left him, watching her as she went. He wiggled his fingers in return and she sighed, content.

She pushed into the front room, feeling the warmth from the fireplace cover her in an instant. Everything was where it had been that morning. Her house was still her house, the couches and tables and blankets were all exactly where they had been before she left for Carreg. But she was different.

Lyall Lupin made her feel different.

Carolina: can you hear my squeals of delight over how gosh darn lovely their feelings for each other are???

“Is that you, calon bach?” came her mother’s voice drifting out from the kitchen.

“It’s me mam.”

“How was Carreg? Did you have a nice time?”

Hope bit her lip, shaking her head in disbelief as she remembered the warmth and compassion she had seen in the eyes of Lyall Lupin. 

Lyall Lupin. 

Lyall Lupin who wanted to see her again, just as much as she wanted to see him.

Carolina: i love that her thoughts keep going back to Lyall it's cute

Her hand drifted into her pocket and pulled out the small wrapped chocolate, the wrapper shining in the light of the living room. She turned it over and over in her hands, grateful for the anchor to reality, the promise the chocolate seemed to portray. It was a promise that Lyall Lupin was real. And he was going to come back to her.

Carolina: imma just go and say it. chocolate is incredibly important to the lupins as a family even before remus became a werewolf and i think that's wonderful because it just carries on into each aspect of their lives. i really like that you brought it back to the chocolate

“Yeah, mam. I had a real nice time,” came her belated reply and she stuffed the chocolate away again, heading toward the kitchen.

Lyall watched as the beautiful woman disappeared from his view and the door closed behind her. He couldn’t help the grin that covered his face. He must have looked nearly manic, going on so.

“The lads will never forgive me if I carry on like this,” he whispered with a laugh. And then, suddenly, the place where Lyall Lupin was standing was empty, the young man appearing to have evaporated into thin air. 

-

Okay, well. That’s part one. Lemme know if part two is of any interest to you. I mean, I’ll probably post it anyway, but whatever. I hope you enjoyed Carolina as much as I always do!

[prof-iupin]

sirius black and the road to maturity

okay but listen:

7th year sirius black watching his best friend grow up as the war loomed above them

sirius thinking it was a ploy to win lily over when he noticed that james changed around them too

sirius staying up late realizing how *serious* everything going on is

sirius seeing his brother in the hallways and reggie's friends hissing at him and taunting him

sirius retaliating for the first few weeks before he decided to walk past

walking past didn't work when they started attacking him

but suddenly regulus raises his wand as sirius is unable to move and sirius is scared

but he's not scared because of what reg could do to him, but that it was reg doing it

but then regulus mutters finite incantatum and leaves at once

and sirius suddenly realizes how james loving lily influenced his change

and then he wants to change too and be a model for his brother

so no, he does not pull that horrid prank on severus and reveal to him that moony's a werewolf

so years and years later, snape would still protect harry because of his """""love""""" for lily, but in third year, he wouldn't know about remus being a werewolf

so dumbledore finds slughorn and asks him to prepare the potions for remus

and snape wouldn't follow them that night to the whomping willow

and peter is actually caught this time bc there's no wasted time

and sirius is freed of his false charges

and snape is so furious but he doesn't reveal that remus is a werewolf because he doesn't know

and remus stays the year after and the year after

and voldemort doesn't return in fourth year

when dumbledore finds the ring and wears it, he finds out about the horcruxes

and then he takes harry to slughorn under the pretense that he wanted to make him the potions master to accommodate to remus' needs

but they get slughorn drunk and find out about the horcruxes

and they destroy them (despite the struggles) before voldemort could ever return

so when he does, and it's done after deliberately planning it, harry lets himself "die" before boom, he kills voldemort

and yknow, remus would have stayed alive bc he wouldn't have been lacking in training and sirius would stay alive and the explosion in the room of requirement wouldn't happen

and you know where I'm going with this.

[theprodigypenguin]

if u are still taking prompts can u do 54. “How long have you been standing there?” With jegulus????

54. “How long have you been standing there?”

This was reaaaaally fun to write eheheheheh~

Regulus had seen some pretty bizarre stuff in his years at Hogwarts. Things he couldn’t explain, things he understood but just couldn’t mentally deal with because of how truly absurd it was, things he simply ignored because he didn’t have the time or energy to deal with it. He’d walked in on Severus Snape in the Slytherin boy’s lavatory sitting in the corner ugly crying with a brush in one hand and wand in the other, his hair a nest of actual rats (likely aftermath of a hex). He’d witnessed his brother splashing into black lake screaming he wasn’t coming back until he’d married a mermaid, while Peter clung to his waist begging him not to, James laughing his ass off on the shore as Remus stood beside him with an open book lifted in front of his face to make it easier to ignore his foolish friends. He’d even accidentally walked up on Professor McGonogall and Professor Dumbledore in a heated discussion about what sounded like love.

“It’s Black, Minnie dear, trust me, I know these things.”

“Absurd! It’s Evans!”

“Thirty Galleons as agreed, Minnie.”

Regulus didn’t know what the hell they’d been talking about or what they were betting on, but he did remember how adamantly McGonogall had refused to pay without “concrete proof”. Whatever that meant.

Bottom line, Regulus had seen and been witness to many strange occurrences, but through the years he’d come to just accept the oddities. It was a day to day normality when your older brother was Sirius Black, who smuggled weird Muggle crap into Grimmauld Place and spent his summers locked into his room reading magazines with pictures that didn’t even move. If anything was weird, it was his obsession with “motorbikes”, whatever the hell those were.

Still, this would definitely be strange enough to add onto Regulus’ list of weird happenings. It was just after curfew, Regulus was walking along the hall that lead to the stairs towards the Gryffindor common room, Prefect badge in view so teachers wouldn’t think he was breaking any rules (he was just doing his job). Standing in the middle of the hall was James Potter, who was positioned in front of a glass display case holding Quidditch memorabilia. At first Regulus thought he was just admiring what was there, until the older boy leaned closer to the glass, squinting and grinning his teeth, lifting a hand to pick something from between them, then turned his head and wiped at a smudge of dirt or chocolate on his cheek. He then bowed his head, eyes lifted to watch his reflection as he ran his fingers up into the untamed fringe of dark hair.

Regulus had absolutely no idea what the idiot was doing. Normal people would go to an actual mirror to freshen up, but James seemed fully satisfied in admiring his reflection in the glass display case, standing straight and fixing his tie where his Head Boy pin was secured into it, smoothing a hand down the front of his white button up to wipe away the wrinkles, then fidgeted with the buttons of his sleeves, folding them back to show off his forearms and the muscles built up from years of Quidditch. He has nice arms, Regulus thought in passing, watching with squinted, still confused eyes as James lifted a hand to rub roughly at his jaw. Regulus was close enough to note the shadow on his face. Was James already old enough to be getting stubble like that?

“Should I come back later and give you two some privacy?” Regulus asked on a drawl, finally interrupting James, who jerked so violently to the side it looked like someone had cursed him.

“Mother of Merlin’s bloody bitch!” the Gryffindor screamed, hugging the wall and gaping over at Regulus with wide, startled eyes. Regulus couldn’t control the snort, lifting a hand to his mouth to hide the smile as he dipped forward a little and James glared at him. “How long have you been standing there?!”

“Long enough, I imagine,” Regulus snickered, looking off to the side and rubbing the back of his hand over his lips to force the smile off his face, then looked back at James, who looked like a deer caught in the headlights (whatever headlights were, Sirius used that expression a lot). “What are you doing, exactly? I wasn’t aware that admiring one’s reflection was part of your Head Boy duties.”

James’ entire face went dark red and he stepped away from the wall, lifting a fist to cough into before setting both hands on his hips. “Of course! It’s important to observe everything as Head Boy!”

“Including yourself?”

“Exactly!”

“You know you can’t fool around like that with me, right?” Regulus arched an eyebrow and James seemed to deflate, lifting a hand to ruffle the back of his hair, one corner of his lips curling into an awkward grin that had Regulus staring. He had a lot of smile lines in his face. James looked… older, suddenly, now that Regulus was looking. When had that happened?

“Ah, I’m man enough to admit I admire myself, Reg,” James said, looking back at his reflection and snapping his fingers before pointing charmingly at the glass with two finger guns. “I’m just wise enough to pick up on the aesthetic. It’s important to admire beautiful things, isn’t it?”

Regulus just squinted at James. “I think you’ve busted your head one too many times, Potter.”

“What, you don’t think I’m hot?”

“Is it a requirement to answer?”

James strode towards Regulus unexpectedly, and Regulus backed up, startled, until his shoulders hit the sturdy stone wall and James was hovering over him. Had he always been this tall? Or was Regulus just smaller than he thought? James had a smouldering smile on his face that Regulus had heard girls squeak over before, and suddenly he felt very on edge, his fight or flight response making his fingers tingle as James leaned closer.

“Absolutely,” James said, and for a minute Regulus forgot what question he was answering. “As Head Boy, I can give points, but I can also take them away you know. Depending on your answer, maybe I’ll give you five or ten, yeah?”

“You’re bribing me, are you?” Regulus narrowed his eyes dangerously as James continued to grin. This idiot had gotten unbearably cocky this year alone, what was his problem? Regulus wanted to knock him down a peg or two, but what was he supposed to say to rattle the idiot? What was the best way to startle a Gryffindor who was a little too in love with himself? Regulus tried not to smirk as he purposely raked his eyes over James, from head to shoe and back up, taking his time and twisting his face into a scrutinizing stare that did its job as James went rigid, looking uncomfortable.

Regulus had to admit, James wasn’t bad looking, and it looked like he could potentially crush Regulus just with his arms, which was admittedly a little impressive. His clothes seemed to fit him better, the black pants and belt with the white button up that was only half tucked into the waist of his uniform pants, and the red and gold tie that was snug around his neck. It looked odd like that, not at all the style Regulus expected to see on James Potter.

He reached up slowly and James went rigid, eyes locked with Regulus’ and smile gone as Regulus took hold of the tie knot under his chin, hooking his fingers and tugging once to loosen it a bit, then tugged at the first button on the collar of James’ shirt, flicking the collar open before dropping his hand to his side, not moving his eyes from James’ even once.

“There,” he said, and James’ brow twitched just enough to show his confusion as Regulus moved his gaze to the now visible column of James’ throat. “Not that I’m one to objectify people, but if you want a compliment, you should probably earn it.” Regulus met his eye again, lifting his chin in a haughty air people had come to recognize from him, though normally it was just a ploy to hide insecurity. “But you know, Potter… I’m more inclined to think I’m a little better looking than you. Black genes and all. It runs in my blood.”

“What does?” James asked, and Regulus had to note the almost drunk drawl to his voice.

He lifted a hand, tucking his fingers into the side of his own black hair and tilting his head into his hand, grinning at James, who looked completely out of it. “Aesthetic.”

The last thing he expected was for James to close in on him, hands pressing flat to the wall on either side of Regulus, pinning him there with his chest as their face came inches from touching. Regulus was startled, but somehow able to keep his steely composure as he narrowed his eyes almost daring James to do something. He looked completely at ease and unaffected by the sudden closeness, but under his chest, his heart was racing. They were close enough that Regulus could see when James’ pupils expanded, as if he was staring at something he wanted, something he was hungry for.

It was elating to realize what he wanted was Regulus. He felt powerful for a moment, even if this was a fluke and would never happen again. Regulus wanted to see how far James would go. All he had to do was look down, flick his eyes to James’ mouth, and suddenly the heat was on him, their lips crushing together. Regulus pinched his eyes closed and gasped at the tongue prying between the seam of his mouth, hot and deep and making his entire body feel like air. Regulus dug his hands into the wall to keep from touching James, though he wanted to, so badly, to run his hands along his chest and feel the muscle in his arm. He didn’t, because this wasn’t passion, this was just a game, and Regulus intended on winning.

When James pulled away, his eyes were dark with something mature and indecent, but Regulus just lifted a hand, swiping his thumb across his lips as if he was cleaning a meal from his mouth, staring at James through his eyelashes.

“How many points does that get me, Mister Head Boy?” he asked, and James blinked, cheeks red and hot, opening and closing his mouth before muttering.

“Fifty points to Slytherin…”

“Thank you very much,” Regulus smiled slyly, passing James and reaching out to drag a teasing hand across his side as he passed, grinning at the Gryffindor from over his shoulder. “Nice doing business with you.”

And with that he continued on his corridor towards Slytherin common room, trying his hardest to forget the kiss, though James made it incredibly difficult when the next morning he still looked starry eyed and for some reason wouldn’t let anyone fix the tie that was crooked and loose on his neck.

Send in prompts: Dialogue Prompts | Miscellaneous Prompts

[dewitty1]

Chapters: 10/10 Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Regulus Black/James Potter, Hermione Granger/Viktor Krum Characters: Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Regulus Black, James Potter, Nymphadora Tonks, Fleur Delacour, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Teddy Lupin Additional Tags: Alternate Universe- Time Travel, No Voldemort, Alternate Timeline, Everyone lives, past James/Lily - Freeform, Past canon relationships mentions, Enemies to Lovers, Time Travel, PTSD, Post-War Trauma, Unspeakables, Tonks/Fleur - Freeform, Lily/Marlene, Fluff, Friends With Benefits, past George/Harry Series: Part 1 of White Knight Summary:

When Harry wakes up in an alternate timeline--a timeline where Voldemort was defeated long before the first war--he discovers everything is different. His parents, his godfather, his friends--and him. Harry must deal with the consequences of who he would have been if he had been raised by his parents, and figure out where he stands with his casual hook up, Draco Malfoy.

Excerpt:

Draco choked on his swallow of brandy, his eyes going wide as he thumped his chest and cleared his throat. 

“Wow, Potter. If I’d have known you’d be this much fun I’ve had got you pissed more often.”

“You’re saying we never shag pissed?”

Draco lifted a brow. “I’m not an arsehole.”

“Yes you are,” Harry corrected.

Draco spread his hands. “Fine, I am. But I like my partner giving me loud, enthusiastic consent.”

Harry’s brows went up, realising that the other Harry must have far more experience in the whole field of sex than he did, because that never occurred to him. It was another layer to Draco Malfoy that Harry had seen during the date. The other was him being polite to the servers, ordering all of Harry’s favourite dishes without even trying, and making conversation which actually made Harry laugh. A true, honest laugh. Not once had Draco made a rude comment about muggles, muggleborns, or part humans. He hadn’t once brought up blood purity or, “My father…”. He was still the self-important, superior, smug, arse, but in a far more palatable way.

Harry was starting to wonder if his dad was actually right. Maybe there was room for him to grow as well. Maybe Draco was just looking for a reason to change.

Harry didn’t want to get his hopes up. This could be an elaborate ploy to get another shag out of him, but something in him was hopeful. Dangerous as it was.

“Earth to Potter?”

Harry blinked, realising Draco was speaking and he cleared his throat. “Sorry, what?”

“I said are you still so sure you don’t want to end the night at mine?”

Harry thumbed the rim of his snifter. “I thought you didn’t shag me when I’m pissed.”

“I don’t. And it’s rather rude of you to assume I’d invite you over for just a shag,” Draco said with an indignant sniff.

Harry rolled his eyes. “Count the number of times you’ve had me at yours when we didn’t shag.”

“That was before we were dating,” Draco argued.

“We aren’t dating,” Harry countered.

Draco sat back and sighed. “Next Saturday, only you are taking me out.”

Harry shook his head. “It’s my birthday next Saturday.”

“So…?”

“My parents are having a party.”

Draco lifted a brow, staring pointedly, and it took Harry several moments to realise what he was waiting for.

“Oh. No. No way. You’re not coming to my birthday celebration. Hermione and Viktor Krum are going to be there.”

Draco stared, then threw his head back and laughed. “How the bloody hell did you arrange that? Confundus?”

“No!” Harry said, crossing his arms. “We’ve made amends. I told you I’m…not the same.”

“So it would seem,” Draco said slowly. “Fine, what if I swear to be on my best behaviour.”

Harry eyed him for a moment. “Clear your schedule for Thursday. I don’t have a game, and practise will be light. I pick the place, and you won’t complain.”

“Casual or formal.”

Harry thought for a moment, even his alcohol-laced brain wondering why the hell he was actually considering this. “Casual.”

Draco pulled a face. “Fine. But if things go well, I get a birthday party invite.”

Harry huffed, but eventually shrugged. “You’re going to have to really impress me to let you be round my friends and family, Malfoy.”

“If I can get you to call me Draco to my face, I get the automatic invite,” Draco challenged.

Harry lifted a brow, but shrugged. “You have to call me Harry as well. And it has to be natural.”

Draco stuck his hand across the table. “Deal.”

Harry took it, then let out a choked noise when Draco—instead of shaking it—twisted Harry’s hand round, and brought his lips to Harry’s knuckles. 

The kiss was slightly open-mouthed, warm and hot and just the faintest bit wet. 

Harry’s entire body went flush with want, but he forced himself to breathe, and ignore the smug look on Draco’s face.

“Deal,” Harry said shakily.

[saturninebravery]

;

*cracks knuckles* alright, let’s get some thoughts down. and remember kids, saturn is not trying to start shit. saturn does not care for flame wars. bye

PRISONER OF AZKABAN VS SEVERUS SNAPE: a reflection you never asked for.

PART 1 of TBC

introduction:

snerp is a piece of shit.

okay but the books are written to be narrated from harry’s point of view (for the most anyway). so it stands to reason that severus snape is an unredeemable greasy git of a bully who does nothing but make harry’s life hell (amongst others). doesn’t help that he shows no emotion by way of occluding and is by far the hardest character to read. he also is prone to saying angry shit he doesn’t always mean (ahem mudblood?) this means we are taking his words and behaviours at face value. which is why the prince’s tale is one of the most heart-wrenching, finest plot twist chapters i’ve seen in a long time. it is arguably the biggest reveal in the deathly hallows instalment, let alone the entire saga. who’d have thought snerp to be anything other than the secretive bastard murdering death eater he’d played the part of so well? anyway i’m getting ahead of myself. point is, through a clever literary device we are only given snippets of this character through hostile eyes - mostly people he’s antagonised, until we finally see the story through his own eyes, and it changes E  V E R Y T H I N G. 

disclaimer: this is my interpretation (and how i weave it into my main verse narrative)

1. Why does Snape hate Sirius? oh boi. they go way back. snerp believes that (this is a non exhaustive list):

- sirius trash talks slytherin house during their first meeting - sirius is part of a popular clique: is arrogant, good looking and everything snape isn’t. his antipathy with sirius is unfounded, is skin deep and visceral. - sirius seems to enjoy bullying snape for entertainment (and it would seem that james did so also to amuse sirius) - sirius tried to kill him back in the summer of 1958 saturn this is not a stephen king novel -as a result of that ‘prank’ he now owes a debt to james fucking potter which he certainly isn’t pleased about - sirius betrayed the potters which led to their deaths and killed peter pettigrew - sirius broke out of azkaban to seek revenge on harry for the dark lord’s demise - the blacks are well known for pure blood fanaticism and obsessive loyalty - after witnessing his capability for murder, snape didn’t seem to think that sirius becoming a death eater like bellatrix and regulus was too far fetched - he overhears him boasting about the prank in the shack. as far as he’s concerned he’s a gloating killer

2. Why did he leave the Wolfsbane potion in Lupin’s office? premise: he was sure to see lupin there, so obviously that must have jump started his heart into a frenzy - ‘where the fuck is he, he is supposed to be taking this at this precise time’ etc. we don’t know the particulars of the wolfsbane ie if it needs to be drunk at a specific time, if it can be put in specific containers, ect.

1. lupin is not there when he SHOULD be as he needs to take the potion before he goes on a murdering rampage in a school 2. he’s clearly left in a hurry (ie something very important) to which snape jumps to the conclusion he’s been suspecting all year: the time has come for lupin to let mass murderer sirius black in 3. his suspicions are raised alarmingly when he sees the map lupin has left out. does he trust a random magical artefact he has no time to study? probably not. is he going to take the risk considering there is no time, he’s already paranoid and all he lives for is saving harry potter’s life? h e l l  y e s.  4. he panics. he leaves in a rush and forgets. unlikely snape behaviour? we know he’s a man with a plan and takes calculated risks UNLESS it involves harry directly. then caution is thrown to the wind and he r u n s. 5. OR if he hasn’t forgotten like a dunderhead, there is no time left. either the wolfsbane might be ineffective if removed/carried out/drank at a different time or it’s just too long a way to the shack: sirius could already be doing murdery things to the trio, children are in mortal danger, lupin could be transforming any moment - does he really have time to scoop that shit up in a container, or go back for it provided that he’s momentarily forgotten?

3. Why did Snape react angrily and irrationally? erm. he is trapped at the end of a tunnel - down memory lane - in front of a mass murderer and a werewolf about to transform. double the trouble he once almost died to, and he has to face this shit again because there is NO ONE ELSE. he fears for his life and three kids to top it off, one of which he has sworn to protect. so he is doubly scared - triggered by the memory, and by the fact that he is about to lose harry and fail his only reason for living. by black’s hand. AGAIN. he overhears sirius talk about the prank (strike one), sees ron with a broken leg (strike two), and when he reveals himself sirius taunts him (joke’s on you again) and remus calls him a fool (strike three). rage and terror work a charm on him. he’s not going to take their word for it. he doesn’t know about them being animagi and so spinning a story of how peter was a DEATH EATER (of all things?) has been living as a rat in the weasley household for the last 13 years seems as likely as his happy ending. snape is a close minded misanthrope. he does not take a step back, he does not listen.

and then he gets c o n c u s s e d. he literally bleeds from his head. obviously later he’s going to act frantic, mad with rage and utterly irrational (and out of character for him) which is in line with some of the symptoms of concussion.

shit went down really badly and really fast, and this probably ranks very high in the worst nights of his life. 

conclusion: is it personal? to a point. he barrelled into a known danger out of fear for the children’s life, but also a rush of adrenaline in knowing he was R I G H T all along, his instincts had not betrayed him. so he’d want to rub it in everyone’s face (ESPECIALLY Dumbledore), save the trio, get revenge for lily’s betrayal by delivering the pair of traitors to the dementors (which he believed was the apt punishment for their infamy) and get a well deserved order of merlin. recognition does not come by severus snape’s path often. or ever. he lives in the shadows, serving two masters in deceit. he will never get a chance to see his name restored or his talent extolled. he’s always the greasy git with the shady reputation. so excuse u for being fucking miffed at losing the one chance of being rewarded.

epilogue:  is clear in the later books that snape has eventually come to accept sirius’ innocence and loyalty to the order, although he still hates his guts and he makes no secret of that. while it may be viewed as a ploy to get him riled up, he does seem to try get him to stay away from the Ministry at the end of OotP (perhaps to protect him from harry’s vision coming true). he also warns dumbledore and gives fake veritaserum to umbridge so that harry won’t spill the truth.