#sirius: grows up w the dark side

[padfootastic]

Some people are not ready to admit that we actually are introduced to a character who offers a gray perspective on the people involved in this war (as opposed to strict black-and-white) and that’s Sirius (and yes, this is spitefully motivated by the fics where Harry is a Slytherin, meets other gray characters, and Sirius is shown as an immature idiot). Has everyone somehow forgotten the scene in GOF when Sirius is telling people that he’s not sure if Snape was a Death Eater even though Snape hung out with people Sirius for sure knew were Death Eaters, and then says that he can’t be sure if BCJ was actually guilty or if he just had the bad luck of being near the Lestranges at the worst possible time?? Sirius outright admits that he wasn’t the only one who didn’t receive a trial, he knows it’s entirely possible that other “convicted” Death Eaters were innocent just like him. Sirius is the main person we see actually acknowledging that the villains are people too, the world’s not black-and-white, good-vs-evil. Say what you want about Sirius, but at least dislike him for what he actually did (and I will never shut up about “Sirius hated Slytherins,” show me where we see him insulting either Slytherin House or using that House as an insult, and him hating blood-purists who happened to be Slytherins doesn’t count, that’s just hating bigots. Maybe I forgot a scene [and no, the train scene doesn’t count because it’s James insulting Slytherin, Sirius doesn’t], but somehow I doubt that)

i was literally just asking ab this in the server today bc i saw that opinion floating around hey again and like—how?? where??

it’s weird that j&s become a single entity in exactly the worst possible way in a lot of marauder interpretations bc people see james being black & white and hexing people & fucking with snape and immediately paste the same traits onto sirius, even when we have the literal opposite evidence. why do we think sirius hated slytherins???? have i just completely forgotten that bit from canon?

ok also omg stop. you just brought back SO MANY years old flashbacks of me devouring slyth harry fics and almost every single one of them, without fail, had harry interacting w these worldly, complicated, morally grey characters vs being ashamed of his embarrassing one dimensional prejudiced godfather :/// ‘sirius will u stop calling my friends slimy snakes!!!!’ just. yeah. loved those fics. always had to click out of those bits lol

[futurequibblerjournalist]

reg and sev are the same shit on different days bro wdym. if I asked u to find which pale dark and broody fucking loser mega dork with black hair no height and the worst fucking social skills you wouldnt be able to tell which is which. and that they both have beef with one marauder over the rest, very personal relationships w james and a complex fuck around find out w sirius? insane.

HUH???? I AM IN SHOCK???? What do you MEAN they're the same shit on different days???? FUCK NO

Just in looks alone, while they might both be pale losers with dark hair that leans on the shorter side, Severus is malnourished in a way that's caused by growing up poor, he's got longer hair that's both greasy and curly in a way that Regulus's would never be (it's also damaged as fuck from him not taking care of it, like he's got split ends to the point where it's affecting his curl pattern while also having the most horrendously cut bangs you've ever seen in your life). Severus has a hooked nose, dark and beady eyes and something four hairs away from being a unibrow. While I imagine Regulus to be on the leaner side, he's lean in a svelte and sophisticated way not because he's not had the means to feed himself. His hair might be dark but it's cut to fit his features and you're not going to find a split end in sight on him. The few waves he's got are taken care of as well. Regulus, while I don't think he's necessarily the most handsome, at least not compared to Sirius, he will still always be more conventionally attractive than Sev, with his straight nose and his beauty spots rather than pimples and mosturised skin or even just a natural glow compared to Severus's greasier look.

I also don't think Regulus has the worst social skills ever, that's once again more of a Severus thing.

You have to remember how these two grew up, too, cause things like this set them apart once again. Regulus is the second son of one of, if not the, richest and most prominent pureblood families in all of England and perhaps even in France as well. He's been socialised with this in mind, which means, as pathetic and loser-like as he might be in other places of his life, he will still go through life with a certain kind of entitlement. Due to his family's position in wizarding society, it would not be far-fetched to assume that he's at the very least been socialised well enough to handle a dinner party. Severus on the other hand grew up as a dirt-poor half-blood with an abusive, alcoholic muggle father who hated literally half of him (his magical side) and a witch mother, who despite her ability to never stepped in to do anything against the abuse towards her son. I'm also 99% sure Eileen gets disowned after having Severus which means he's not even got family to rely on for socialisation, while Regulus might have at the very least had his cousins and his brother. Severus's socialisation would come from parents that do not care for his existence, perhaps peers at school who likely did not care for him either (that is if he was enrolled in muggle school at all) and then Lily and Petunia, one of which never liked him either. Severus also grew up in an area where it was common to have an accent that was viewed as less intelligent, something he'd have to peel off of himself just to be taken more seriously. This is also completely ignoring my own personal headcanons. As someone who think Severus is a part Greek Jew, his experience is never going to be the same as some pasty upperclass French dude, that's just not how things work.

And then, going into their relationship with the marauders, those are once again complex relationships built on completely different things. Ignoring jegulus as a thing, James is the guy Sirius ran away to stay with. He is perhaps viewed as a replacement for Regulus and I'm sure that could cause some issues. Then we've got Regulus and Sirius, brothers who grew up in a home with different expectations for them both, with abuse that affected them differently. I always say that no two siblings grew up with the same parents even if they grew up with the same mum and dad cause parents parent differently with each kid based on their personalities and circumstances and even the personalities and circumstances of their other siblings. I think this is very true for Regulus and Sirius. All of this however is NEVER going to equal being bullied relentlessly for years, bullying that started because of Severus's mere existence, and which ended in sexual assault. (I know some people are going to say that Severus was bullied for his death eater ways and while sure you could argue that that is true, he was not a death eater when he pulled up at 11/12 and we know the marauders didn't start bullying him after he started engaging in his death eater stuff, it was long before that). Those are not people with the same lived experiences at all! The way that this isn't even all the comparisons I could make too,,,

Also one of the few things that we know about Regulus is that he's soft to a degree that ends up hurting him, a thing that Severus never allowed himself to be. Also simply in a sense of helping with the war,,, Regulus actively complicated things while Severus dedicated his life to the war in more ways than one which is what partially led it to an end.

So, in short, I disagree, I think they're very, very different characters and thus bring very, very different things to the table in ships

[resident-gay-bitch]

🔞 Thirsty Thursdays 🔞

Marlene x Sirius (Blackinnon) smut part 2 on Trans Tuesdays

Sirius had kissed her, rolling them over until she was straddling marlene.

“W- Sirius, is this a bad idea?” She asked.

“I don’t care.” Sirius breathed, “You think I’m sexy, I want-”

“Yeah, but… I don’t know if-”

“Please.” Sirius muttered, “Fuck, I don’t even care if it fucks things up, Marlene. I want you- you’re so… for a while now. I fucking fancy you, okay? I don’t care if you don’t feel the same, just fuck me and… and… tomorrow.”

“This is stupid.” Marlene muttered, pulling Sirius down to kiss again, “We should talk about it-”

“Tomorrow.” Sirius said, muffled by her lips, “Please, I want you so bad, Marlene, I’m going insane.”

“Yeah- fuck, yeah, alright.” She whispered, tucking hair behind Sirius’ ear, “You’re so fucking pretty- take this off?”

Sirius blushed bright fucking red, Marlene had never seen her so shy. She thinks, maybe, she’s actually already succeeded in making Sirius feel like a sexy woman. But fuck if she isn’t going to make her feel like the sexiest woman alive.

She sits up, muscular thighs from all those workouts with James straddling Marlene’s waist. Sirius nervously bites her lip, peeling the straps off her shoulders to push the dress down to sag at her hips.

Honestly, she’s so endearing when she’s shy.

She blushed and looked down at her own chest, poking at the flesh of her breast, “Look, they’re growing- not much, but, it’s fucking working. And they’re not bad, right? Tits are tits, I guess.”

“They’re lovely.” Marlene smiled, sliding her hands up Sirius’ sides, cold rings making her flinch a little and lean into Marlene more. “Can I?” She asked, hands resting on her ribcage.

Sirius nodded, so she moved her hands to cup Sirius’ breasts. She hummed, biting her lip with the feel of them in her hands, nipples hardening into her palms. She pinched them, between two fingers, basking in the little moan Sirius let slip.

“Sensitive.” Marlene commented, teasing just a little, loving just how red Sirius got, “You’re really fucking gorgeous, Sirius. Such pretty tits.”

“Yeah, you think?” She said, a coy smile on her dark lips, lipstick smudged all over her mouth, “Grew ‘em myself and everything.”

Marlene laughed pressing her palms over Sirius’ chest again, “Dumbarse… you’re cute, you know that?”

“You think?” Sirius muttered, tucking some hair behind her ear.

Marlene nodded, “Yeah, real fucking cute. Wanna give me a kiss, baby?”

Sirius swallowed, nodding before leaning down again, a hand pressing into the bed beside Marlene's head for stability. She was tentative with her kiss, this time, gentle with it. Marlene could tell the nerves had taken over. Anxieties about her gender, not feeling feminine enough. And probably about fucking her best friend- her crush too. Marlene is a little shocked by that, to be honest, but it excites her. The thought of getting to do this with Sirius again; She thinks she might like that.

She lets her hands wander over Sirius’ chest and body, slipping down over her dress to squeeze at the arse that's been taunting her all night. Those fucking hips.

Sirius licks into her mouth, sweet little moans and squeaks when Marlene touches in the nice places. She starts grinding her hips a little, pressing into Marlene more, kissing her deeper.

“Here, baby, wanna grind on my thigh?” She asked, taking Sirius by the hips and moving her a little, “Would that be better?”

Sirius nodded, hands reaching out to push Marlene's blazer back, “Do you… can you take this off?”

“Yeah.” She snickered, sitting up enough to peel it off and toss it as Sirius got comfortable on her thigh. She felt Sirius press into her, the hard length of her cock grinding against her pant leg, warm and heavy, and immediately started second guessing herself.

Sure, Marlene is very confident in bed, and knew she could make Sirius feel sexy because she makes all the girls she sleeps with feel sexy. Because she knows what she’s doing.

She just had the sudden realisation that she has no idea how to suck cock or anything, and now shes fucking anxious about fucking up and making Sirius feel awful.

She’d actually hate herself if she made Sirius feel awful. At least James would have known his way around a cock.

She’s quickly pulled from her thoughts when Sirius kisses her again, panting and gasping into her open mouth with each movement of her sinful hips. Her hands are roaming, silently asking permission to rid Marlene of her bra.

“Yeah, baby, take it off.”

Sirius kisses down her neck, quick to unclasp it and toss it to the side. She groans, pressing her face to Marlene's chest, her hands cupping them both and pushing them up, “Fuck, forget my tits. They have fucking nothing on yours. You know, I’ve thought myself lucky for the fact that you don’t wear slutty tops or anything, so I don’t accidentally stare or drool over your cleavage. I felt like such a pervert tonight, couldn’t stop staring. Don’t know how you didn’t notice.”

Marlene snickered, “Too busy looking at your arse.” She said with a firm grab at said arse.

Sirius yelped, falling forward into her with a giggle, coming up for a kiss.

“Guess were both filthy perverts tonight then, huh?”

“Guess so.” Marlene grinned, pressing her thigh up into Sirius and earning herself a sinful moan, “Merlin, you’re fucking hot, you know that?”

“Sh- shit, really?” Sirius painted, hot breath against Marlene's lips, “You think I sound good?”

“So fucking good, holy shit.” Marlene groaned, “M’so wet right now, you’r fucking sexy.”

“Uuh, fuck.” Sirius moaned, “P- please, fuck me?”

“Mhm, yeah. You wanna top? Bottom? Wait, I don’t have my strap- what’s gonna make you feel best?”

“I don’t know.” Sirius said, blushing again, “I don’t… I don’t know. I’m nervous.”

Marlene laughed, head tipping back, “I’ve never seen you fucking nervous.”

“Hot girls make me nervous!” She whined, “Boobs make me fucking nervous- and you… you make me… so nervous. Just wanna impress you- wanna be sexy for you.”

Marlene smiled, laying flat down on the bed again, one hand running up the smooth skin on Sirius’ thigh, “Oh, you wanna impress me?”

Sirius nodded.

“You want me to like you?”

Sirius nodded again.

Marlene smirked, “Call me Master then.”

Sirius bit her lip, “M- Master-”

Marlene laughed, “Fuck, you’re obedient. I’m kidding. I expected some pushback, I thought you’d be a fucking brat.”

Sirius shrugged, “I like you.”

“Are you sure you want to do this, Sirius?”

She nodded her head, “Yeah, c’mon, please. M’so hard. You can’t get me this hard and then decide it’s morally wrong to fuck the girl who’s into you.”

Marlene chuckled, smiling up at her, “Yeah, alright. I’m really turned on, so. This, off.” She said, pinching the dress.

Sirius got to it quickly, wiggling back on her knees before shrugging the dress off as Marlene got to quick work on her trousers, both of them kicking off their shoes.

Sirius was shy again, crawling back over to Marlene in a pretty pair of black lace knickers. Marlene felt herself getting even wetter at the sight of Sirius, almost naked, crawling between her legs on all fours. She’s really fucking gorgeous.

Marlene tugged her forward for another kiss, hot and wet, more dark lipstick smudging fucking everywhere, but as if they give a shit about that. Actually, it’s quite hot, the sight of Sirius getting all messy from their kiss. And Sirius seems to agree, when she pulls back and moans after looking at Marlene's mouth.

“These are cute.” She muttered, reaching her hand out to cup Sirius over her underwear.

She flinched forward, another breathy moan punching from inside, and Marlenes getting the impression that Sirius is vocal in bed. Which is a really fucking hot thought. Marlene gets off real easy when her partners are vocal.

“F-fuck, you think? Mary picked ‘em, bought them the other day.”

“Yeah, so cute, baby.” She muttered, pressing another kiss to Sirius’ bottom lip, her palm grinding up between Sirius’ legs, “Look so sexy in them. Like a fucking tease.”

Sirius groaned, hips bucking down into her hand, one hand in her hair and the other on the bed for stability, “Mer-l-lin, I’m really… really close.”

“Wait- really?” Marlene asked, sitting up on her elbows, hand retracted from Sirius now.

Red in the cheeks, Sirius nodded, “Yeah, I’m really turned on- sorry. You’re just…”

“Yeah, okay.” Marlene laughed breathlessly, “You feel good, then?”

Sirius nodded, “Yeah, I feel nice. You make me feel good.”

“You sound like it feels good. Do you usually moan so much?”

Sirius nodded again, “I’m kind of loud, is that- okay? James won't mind. He’ll probably pass out cold once they’re done anyway.”

Marlene giggled, “No, that’s okay. I think it’s really hot, actually. I like it. Makes me feel good, lets me know I’m doing a decent job.”

Sirius smiled, “I’ll keep that in mind- you are, by the way. Doing a good job. I… I mean it helps that you’re a fucking lesbian, wouldn’t be attracted to me if you saw me as anything less than a chick, right?”

“Yeah.” Marlene laughed, “Honestly, it’s odd, being attracted to you all of a sudden. But, you’re really fucking pretty, and like… so my fucking type it’s crazy.”

“I’m your type?” Sirius asked, so bashful as she straddled Marlene's thighs.

She nodded, sitting up properly, arms resting around Sirius’ waist, “Yeah, I like fems, confident women… dark hair, pretty fucking eyes. Oh, and don’t get me started on dark lipstick- you know, when Mary went through her black lipstick phase I was insane.”

Sirius laughed, head tipping back and shoulders shaking, “Oh, she did look fucking good, I’ll agree with that. Uhm, do… by any chance are you into… erm… pillow princesses?”

Marlene snickered, “Why, are you one?”

“No, I… I just…”

“Want to be tonight?” Marlene asked with a cock of her brow.

“Maybe.” Sirius shrugged, “Maybe not-”

“Yeah, I can do that, baby.” She interrupted, way too eager to please. She actually surprised herself with how eager she sounded, “You can just relax and look fucking pretty for me, yeah? Let me make you feel good?”

“Oh, shit.” Sirius gasped, head tipping back as Marlene started to kiss her neck.

“Lay against the pillows, gorgeous.” Marlene muttered, helping to move Sirius by the hips, flipping them over until Sirius was comfortable on the bed, “There you go, comfy? Yeah, good girl.”

Sirius let out such a pretty moan, back arching up a little into Marlene.

“You like that? Good girl?”

Sirius nodded, “I have a bit of a praise kink.”

“Noted.” She winked, going back to kissing Sirius’ throat. She let her tongue wander, finding all of her sensitive spots, getting her riled up and as loud as possible, fingers tweaking at her pert nipples. She sucked a couple of hickies into Sirius’ skin, knowing she likes shit like that. Marlene likes it too. Feels fucking hot leaving her mark on someone, and leaving it on Sirius really stirs something in her gut.

She kisses her way down to Sirius’ chest, licks over all her tattoos, getting her skin all wet and shiny, which Sirius finds sinful. She lets her mouth wander Sirius' pretty little tits, leaving compliments between each of her kisses and wrapping her lips wrap around pert nipples. She’s so sensitive, writhing beneath Marlene, panting and moaning all sweet and pretty. And to make it all better, she can feel Sirius’ cock twitching and pressing up into her thigh.

She lets her teeth scrape over Sirius’ nipple, making her back arch up beautifully, the most lustful moan passing through her lips that Marlene immediately comes up to kiss.

“Please.” She whines into Marlene's mouth, “M’so hard, it hurts.”

“Poor, baby.” Marlene teased, fingers toying with the lacy waistband, “You sound like such a fucking slut, Sirius.”

She moaned again, “Mhm, please.”

Smirking, Marlene slipped her fingers under the waistband of Sirius’ knickers and began to tug, only to let the elastic snap right back on her sensitive skin. Sirius whined, writhing beneath her.

“M-marlene.” She muttered, “Please… please just fucking touch me. Need it.”

“Touch you where, darling?”

“M-my cock… please.” She panted, tilting her head so she could peak up at Marlene through her pretty lashes and fuck if Marlene can say no to that. Merlin, she’s fucking gorgeous. So fucking gorgeous. “Please, I’ll do anything.”

“You don’t need to do anything, baby.” She whispered, lathing kisses down Sirius’ jaw, “You just have to lay there and look pretty f’me, remember?”

Sirius nodded, “Yeah- yeah, pretty f’you.”

“Such a good girl.” She purred, creeping down to Sirius’ thighs.

She wasn’t lying about how fucking hard she was. Her cocks all flushed and poking out the side of her panties. Marlene swallows, her anxieties flooding her again. She’s pretty sure her gag reflex is dogshit. She gags when she brushes her teeth, for fucks sake.

“You okay?” Sirius asked tentatively, noticing Marlene's anxious stare. She lent up on her elbows, legs trying to close but failing with Marlene caught between them. “I- I’m… if you… you don’t want to? I- I’m sorry I’ve-”

“No, not- not that.” Marlene shook her head, staring at the head of her cock still, “I just… look, I’m gonna be honest. I think I have the world's worst gag reflex, and I’ve never worked with one of these before. Sure, I’ve used a strap, but… I’ve always been the one wearing it, you know? I don’t really know what to…”

“You don’t have to touch if you don't want-”

“No, I want.” Marlene nodded, licking her lips before looking up to meet Sirius’ eye, “I promise, I fucking want. I just… I’m apologising, I guess, if it's’ bad. I don’t want to make you feel bad.”

“Oh.” Sirius muttered, sitting up a little more, “Marls… you don’t… don’t be nervous about that. I’m so turned on, it’s going to feel good even if it’s not. Besides, I trust you. Like, so much. And I feel sexy- woman sexy, and… Look, the first time I hooked up with a bloke it was god-awful, so I guarantee you can top it.”

Marlene laughed, pressing her face into Sirius’ thigh, “Okay, yeah. You’ll help me, when it’s like, bad-”

“Yeah, don’t worry. You’ll know if it feels good anyway.”

She smiled and nodded her head, guiding Sirius to get comfy against the pillows again, fingers slipping under the pretty waistband and tugging it down.

Honestly, Sirius has a pretty cock. Marlene never thought she’d find a dick pretty, or have the desire to put one in her mouth, ever, but she’s discovering a lot of new things tonight about Sirius. And her fucking cock is one of them, because Marlene wants it in her mouth, now.

Though, she knows her limits, and starts with a hand. Sirius groans, her whole body relaxing deeper into the mattress with the contact. She works her hand over her cock, watching the pearly beads of precum drip down from her slit and into her hand. She flicks her tongue out, swiping over the head of her cock to get a taste.

Immediately, she’s suckling Sirius’ tip into her mouth, craving more of the seedy taste. Sirius is whimpering, trying her best not to thrust and writhe around so much as Marlene experiments, licking and kissing all over Sirius’ flushed cock, testing how far she can take it before gagging, using her fist to cover what she can't take.

Before she knows it, Sirius is tapping her head and pulling her up, on the verge of cumming again, nervously asking Marlene if they could maybe… “Do something else?”

“Oh, you want to fuck me, is that it?” She teased, licking Sirius’ cock again.

“Fucking- yeah. Yes, please, I wanna… wanna fuck you, Marls.”

“Well, since you asked so nicely… Do you have condoms?”

Sirius nodded, reaching over to get them as Marlene stripped herself of her sticky boxers.

“You want me to, baby?” Marlene asked, a hand out awaiting the packet.

She smiled all coy, handing the condom over to Marlene before settling back down on the bed, “Thanks.”

“No problems, darling.” Marlene smiled, getting to work quickly.

“You’re gorgeous, you know?” She said, admiring Marlene's body. “Like, really beautiful.”

‘“You’re sweet.” Marlene said, scrunching up her nose bashfully, “Thanks, gorgeous.”

Sirius giggled and held her hands out for Marlene's as she got herself into position, a thigh on either side of Sirius, lining herself up.

Marlene kissed her again, taking her length and sliding down on her slowly. It’s been a while since she’s actually had anything bigger than fingers inside, so it takes her a moment to get adjusted, moving slowly and taking her time. Sirius doesn’t seem to mind, head thrown back and eyes clamped shut and all. Marlene smiles to herself, reaching out to soothe Sirius’ hair back and pepper little kisses all over her pretty face.

“Can you- can you kiss my neck again, please?” She murmurs, all breathy beneath her.

“Yeah, baby, whatever you like.” Marlene mumbled against her soft skin, moving her kisses to where Sirius likes, “Such a good girl for asking- fuck, you feel so good.”

“Mhm, fuck.” Sirius moaned, back arching a little as Marlene sucked over a blossoming hickey, “F-feels so good. So warm.”

Marlene smiled, teasing Sirius with a light bite, scraping her teeth over the juncture of Sirius’ neck. She felt goosebumps grow under her tongue, a shiver rippling through Sirius as she began to slowly roll her hips.

“C-can you bite me? Please? Fucking- hard?”

“You really want that?”

Marlene asked, “I’ve got a mean fucking bite.”

“Yeah, I don’t care if I bleed. Feels good.”

“Fuck, you’re a little freak.” Marlene smirked, leaning down to bite on Sirius’ neck.

She hissed, bucking up hard into Marlene, which she should have anticipated, but didn’t. It felt good, though, both of them moaning and grabbing onto each other. She lathed her tongue over the sensitive spot on her neck, red blooming beneath. She’d probably have to ice the area later, if they didn’t want it to swell and ache, she really does have a mean fucking bite.

But fuck if it isn’t hot seeing her bite mark on Sirius’ neck.

“So fucking pretty.” She moans, sitting up to get a bit more movement, hands roaming over Sirius’ torso, making her shiver. “Jesus, you’re such a pretty fucking girl, Sirius.”

Sirius moaned, head tipping back, hands gripping so tight at Marlene's thighs her nails dug into flesh, “I- I’m getting close again, Marls- I’m sorry- sorry, I-”

“Shh, don’t apologise, darling.” She muttered, rolling Sirius’ pretty nipples between her fingers again, “It’s really fucking hot, actually.”

“You think I’m… sexy?” Sirius stuttered out, all breathless and panting.

“Oh, so fucking sexy, baby.” Marlene smirked, leaning down to kiss her hard, bringing two fingers to her own clit to speed it up a little, “So fucking sexy f’me. Aren’t I so lucky, getting you like this? The first one to have the real you, yeah?”

Sirius nodded, gripping at Marlene's hips now as she started to bounce, “Y-yeah.”

“I’m so lucky. Oh, fuck, you feel so fucking good, Sirius.”

“I-uuh, M-Marlene!” Sirius moaned, arching up into her, head tipped back into the pillows, “I-I’m gonna cum. Fuck, I’m gonna cum so hard.”

“Go on, be a good fucking girl and cum for me, baby.” She commanded, reaching her own orgasm now.

Sirius didn’t hesitate, spilling into the condom with probably the loudest fucking moan Marlenes ever caused, and immediately, she’s fucking proud. Sirius has her name on her pretty tongue, mumbling thank yous and profanities, cock pulsing as she finishes. It feels nice, inside, the warmth and movement, it brings Marlene to the edge quickly.

Sirius sits up, pulling Marlene into a hot kiss, one hand on her arse to help Marlene bounce, the other flicking her own hand away to rub her clit. She grabs onto Sirius’ shoulders for extra stability, moaning and panting hot breaths into Sirius’ mouth as she finishes.

They both slow down, breathing each other in, holding each other close for a while.

When Sirius lays back down, she’s dazed. Her eyes are all hazy and droopy, movements slow, voice all syrupy, and she’s giggly. Marlene makes quick work of their cleanup, pulling Sirius under the covers, lights out, and holding her.

She buries herself into Marlene's chest, leaving little kisses wherever her lips can reach, makeup all removed now so no more purple smudges unfortunately. Marlene holds her, running a hand through her hair and the other up and down her back.

“Thank you.” Sirius whispered against her skin, “That was nice. I had a good time.”

“Me too.” Marlene smiled, kissing the top of her head, “Did it work, your plan? Did I satisfy?”

“Yeah.” Sirius giggled, snuggling closer, “Yeah, I feel like such a sexy woman.”

“Well, you are- you’re so fucking sexy, Sirius.”

“Thanks, Marls.” She muttered, kissing her chest again, “I really appreciate you.”

“You too, darling.”

Sirius sighed and quickly fell asleep, Marlene not too long after.

They were abruptly woken by a loud clanging of two pots crashing together. They both sat up in a flash, their hair sticking up in all the wrong directions, pillow lines on their faces, to find James standing in the doorway, crashing the pots together.

“Morning!” He called, so fucking cheery, and Marlene realised it’s probably because she’s in bed, naked with Sirius. Actually, it’s probably from the audio porn he got last night. “Did you two have a fun night?”

“Fuck off, James.” Sirius groaned, flopping back down onto the pillows, “Go away.”

“Okay….” James chuckled, “Marlene, how do you like your pancakes?”

“Jam and cream.” She smiled, shy all of a sudden, pulling the quilt higher on her chest.

“I’ll remember that.” James nodded, “You know, for other morning-”

“James! Go away!” Sirius groaned again, looking like she had a hangover.

“Pills and water on your bedside.” He shouted, walking back down the hall, and then he started humming a happy tune.

Marlene was quick to take a sip, leaning over Sirius to do so.

“Oh, good morning me.” She said, an eyeful of tit, probably.

Marlene snickered, taking a pill before handing them to Sirius, “Drink, love.”

“Thanks.” She muttered, sitting up properly, the duvet slipping down to her waist, and she didn’t seem to care. And Marlene took the opportunity to look.

“You’d look good with nipple piercings, I think.” She muttered absentmindedly.

“Hm- I thought so.” Sirius nodded, sipping the water, “A couple of barbels with gems, right? What colour would look best, do you think?”

“Blue.” Marlene nodded, looking back at her pretty face, “Like the colour of your dress last night. It looks so good on you- fucking, I don’t care if Mary loves that dress, you have to keep it.”

Sirius snorted, “I don’t know if Mary will love that.”

“Please.” Marlene groaned, leaning over on top of her, hands clasped together in prayer, “I’ll literally pay Mary for it in full, with fucking interest, I don’t care. You looked so fucking good, baby. So pretty.”

Sirius blushed and looked away, “Really?”

“Yes, oh my fucking god.” She pressed her face to Sirius chest before looking up again, “I’m such a fucking lesbian.”

Sirius laughed, “Yeah, you fucking are.” She cleared her throat, face straightening out for a moment, “Erm, do you… can we talk about it, Marlene?”

“Yeah.” She smiled, sitting up beside Sirius now, reaching her hand out to smooth over Sirius’ side, “Wanna sit in my lap?”

Sirius was red again, “I- I don’t…”

“C’mere. You look good on top of me.” She muttered, taking Sirius’ hand and guiding her to straddle Marlene's thighs again, “Perfect. So pretty, baby.”

“I-” Sirius muttered, interrupting herself with a shy laugh and a bite of her lip. She wrapped her own arms around her naked body, letting the quilt slip away to expose her properly. Marlene noticed she was half hard again. “I… you’re not… stop. I need to stop.”

“Okay.” Marlene nodded, pulling her hands away, “What's’ the matter, darling.”

“I don’t want to have sex again, not until we talk about it.”

“Yeah, I know, Sirius.” Marlene snickered, “I- Look, you fancy me, yeah?”

Sirius nodded, “Yeah, so don’t fuck with me right now.”

“Swear I won't.” Marlene smiled, taking Sirius’ arms to gently pry them away from herself, dragging her forward to lean against Marlene's chest, “I will be taking you on a date though. Tonight. We're going to go to dinner, I’m gonna pick you up and everything, treat you real nice, baby.”

“Really?” Sirius blushed, hiding down in Marlene's neck.

“Yeah,” She chuckled, “and then maybe even a second date, if the first one’s good. I don’t know, you’re my best fucking friend, but… I’m kind of fucking obsessed with you now, gorgeous. Wanna see where this goes.”

“Okay.” Sirius smiled, kissing Marlene, slow and deep, “Yeah, me too.”

Marlene tugged her back into a deep kiss, reaching a gentle hand down to wrap around Sirius, feeling her fill out in her hand. She wrung another orgasm from her like that, Sirius all pretty and mewling in her lap, trying to kiss Marlene through her moans. And right as she spilled into Marlene's hand, James popped up in their door again with his headphones on, shouting when he realised what they were up too.

He was still annoyingly cheerful over breakfast.

And yeah, their date that evening was fucking amazing. And if Marlene thought Sirius in a mini dress was hot, Sirius in an ankle length dress was downright sin. It didn’t take very long at all for them to upgrade from best friends to girlfriends. Sirius was smitten, and Marlene was fucking obsessed. 

Hope you enjoyed!! Thanks for taking the time to read lovelies <3

[marauderslupins]

Amortentia

Remus Lupin x Reader

w/c 1275

{ You claim to smell nothing when sniffing Amortentia in potions, but the three lads know you’re lying and Remus is desperate to find out exactly what it was that you smelled. }

.⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☁︎

Every girl you met at Hogwarts, older or younger, always told you how excited they were for the day they got to brew amortentia in potions. There was so much excitement built up around linking the smells of the potion to someone they knew, someone who they must have been in love with. For you it was incredibly nerve-wracking, there was only one man you had ever believed you may have feelings for, but you weren’t sure you were ready to say it aloud yet. That was why you were trying to stall, just so you didn’t have to deal with the rigorous teasing you were bound to receive from your friends until you told them exactly what you smelt.

“Excited, love?” Sirius asked, nudging your shoulder as you eyed the cauldron nervously. You had been frozen in your spot for longer than you probably should and the lads were growing confused. Your eyes flickered over to the brunette. “No, not at all.”

He chuckled, resting his hand on your shoulder for comfort. You didn’t notice it but Remus was sending a stern glare his friend’s way at the way he was touching you, but his look wasn’t going to do much. “Well, you’re up, so get ready.”

You nodded, taking a deep breath to prepare yourself for what you were about to experience. Remus’ eyes were on you the entire time, watching you intently as you smelt the potion for the first time. He was nervous, he wanted nothing more than to be the subject of your affections, and he didn’t know how he would feel if it turned out you smelt someone else.

You could feel three pairs of eyes on you, your friends anticipating what you were going to say. “So?” James asked. Old books, dark chocolate and freshly brewed wolfsbane potion. You nearly outright gasped, but managed to bite it back so as to not raise suspicion.

“I, uh, didn’t smell anything,” you lied. It was an awful lie, but there was no other thing you could think of on the spot. The three boys looked at you, each one cocking their heads in the same bubble of confusion. There couldn’t possibly be any way you wouldn’t smell something in that cauldron, that wasn’t how the potion worked.

Remus narrowed his eyes. Not only was it impossible but he also saw the way your eyes grew fonder with each new scent. “Love, that’s impossible.” You shrugged your shoulders, missing the way James and Sirius glanced at each other with knowing smirks. He let it go for the moment but he wasn’t going to forget about this, he would be asking you about this later. “Maybe not, Rem.”

.⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☁︎

The topic wasn’t brought up again until a few days later. You were lounging around the common room with Remus. You were both reading, or you had at least both started out the evening reading. About half an hour in you got bored, eyes drifting to where the brunette sat on the couch near you.

Your feet lay in his lap comfortably, his thumb occasionally brushing the skin of your ankle whenever he would turn the page of his well-loved book he must have read a million times. It was a sweet gesture and you weren’t even sure he was aware he was doing it, but you would never ask him to stop.

Your eyes roamed every inch of his face. The slope of his nose, the way a few strands of hair dropped to tickle his forehead. The way his eyes skimmed the words on his page in mere seconds, the boy so entranced in the story he was reading. Often when he was concentrated, much like now, he would bite at his bottom lip and you found it strangely endearing.

You could’ve studied each feature of his face for hours had he not felt your stare boring into the side of his head. When he turned to look at you, he caught you red handed, a shy grin spreading across your face at the idea of having to explain yourself to the boy.

You didn’t wait for him to question you, he wasn’t going to get the opportunity to make your body burn with embarrassment. You instead took a leap of faith, sitting up and shuffling closer so your body was pressed against his side. “You’re s’pretty, Rem.”

It wasn’t unusual for him to be shy, but he even went as far as giggling as the compliment hit his ears. In moments like these he wished he could be as smooth and flirty as James, or as shameless and cheeky as Sirius, but you would argue his bashfulness only adds to his beauty.

His book was easily forgotten about now that you were in such a close proximity, basically in his lap. He couldn’t even think straight anymore.

“Remmy,” you whispered, lips mere centimetres away from finally touching. He looked at you in that moment like you were everything, the sun, the stars, the moon. There was something so intimate about the action, the way you were just admiring one another so up close. His large hand was still splayed across your lower back, itching to nudge you forward that final stretch.

His other hand shifted upwards to cup your cheek, running his thumb across your bottom lip affectionately. You couldn’t take your eyes off of him, the tender touch he was showing you making it impossible for your mind to be clouded with anything but your Remmy.

It was inevitable that his lips crashed against yours, there was no other way you could’ve seen this moment going.

This was the first time you had ever kissed Remus, and my did you hate that you waited so long to do so. You were shocked how good of a kisser he was, or maybe it was just that your lips slotted together like they were made for each other. You could never possibly get enough of kissing Remus Lupin.

It was too soon when he pulled away and you desperately tried to follow his mouth. It made him chuckle as your lips grazed.

“I need to know,” he muttered, pulling back from your lips for just a second to talk. Your chest heaved, gaze flickering between his soft lips and those pretty brown eyes. You were dying to kiss him again. “What did you smell in that potion?”

You grinned, the idea of that moment in potions having plagued his mind for days was something so amusing to you. You couldn’t begin to imagine the relief he would feel after finally knowing. “Old books,” you whispered, flickering your eyes down to the discarded book in his lap of that exact description before placing a sweet kiss on his jaw, “Dark chocolate,” you stated with a kiss to the bridge of his nose. This time it was his turn to grin, knowing that was the exact thing you could taste on him during your kiss, the half eaten chocolate bar probably melted due to the flames from the fireplace by now being a dead giveaway. “And a wolfsbane potion.” The final kiss was placed directly to his lips, the boy welcoming the peck.

With the three things you listed there was zero doubt that the potion smelled like anyone but him. His heart fluttered in his chest and his cheeks grew warm, displaying a faint red tint that suited him so perfectly in your eyes.

“Me?” he questioned just to make sure, eyes peering up at you nervously. You smiled, continuing to card your fingers through his fluffy hair. “It’s always been you, Rem.”

[harrypotter-imaginess]

Etsy Store Here l Ko-Fi l Commission Info I Instagram I Zine

Part 1 Here!

A/N: I think, maybe one more part and an epilogue and it's done haha.

- “You know I love spending time with you Reg-“

- Regulus looks up from his parchment to meet your eyes

- “But do we really have to hang out here?”

- He looks around the secret chamber in the clocktower in the courtyard you two are currently situated in

- The sliver of golden light streaming in through the clock’s face practically glowing on his parchment

- “Is there something wrong with this place?”

- He used to come here all the time when he was trying to get away from his “friends”

- He thought it was pretty pleasant

- A nice quiet place to study

- You just raise an eyebrow

- “Reg, you seriously see nothing wrong with sitting in a dust-ridden chamber and doing our homework by streams of sunlight?”

- It’s almost pathetic really, you both have to sit right by the face of the clock to get even a sliver of light so you can see where you’re writing/reading

- For a second, a single moment, you wonder if Regulus is ashamed to be seen with you

- But it vanishes as soon as it appears

- No, Reg isn’t like that

- You’ve had faith in him until now, not believing the rumors but instead trusting your eyes, and you’re not going to stop

- You’ve got some regrets

- But you know choosing to trust Regulus will never be one of them

- what Regulus says knocks you off your feet though

- “ I do it all the time at home,” he says automatically with a shrug

- Three seconds later his eyes punch shut

- He shouldn’t have said that

- And sure enough, when his eyes rise to meet yours you’re looking at him with a stern expression

- “They make you study in the dark?!?” You hiss, he imagines you’re whispering so you keep yourself from yelling

- “No they make me read in the dark,” He says it like there’s some great big difference or something.

- Ever since he opened up to you about his home life, you’ve been almost protective of him

- He’s started to patch things up with Sirius, but not in the eyes of others

- Mostly in carefully concealed letters and occasionally in the dead of night in the astronomy tower

- It’s not a ton, they still have to act indifferent to the rest of the world

- For Regulus’s safety

- But it’s already better than it was

- But of course, you don’t know that, he’s been especially careful that you don’t find out because it could mean danger for you

- He’s only opened his mouth, about to tell you:

- ‘It’s not that bad, it’s just when the lights on late at night his parents get suspicious he’s doing something he shouldn’t -which he technically is since he’s mostly reading Muggle books you recommended or writing letters to you- and will warrant a search’

- When you cup his face in your hands

- “You shouldn’t have to do that Reg” your eyes seem glassy, eyebrows threaded together as your lips pull into a fine line

- Adorable really

- It’s cute how you get so upset for him

- He’d have laughed if he wasn’t so away of how soft your hands were as they touched his face

- He shuts his eyes for a moment, relishing in the gentle comfort the skinship brings

- “They’re my family” he murmurs, nuzzling his face into your touch

- He says it like there’s nothing else to say

- Like it’s an irreversible fact of life

- And maybe it is because as long as he’s alive he’ll never be able to change the fact that he and his family are connected

- That he’s a Black

- The thought makes your mouth pull a little tighter

- It makes you angry

- Because when a family is that terrible to you, well it’s nothing more than a curse

- Before you know what you’re doing you squeeze his face and say:

- “Then I’ll be your family from now on”

- .

- ..

- ...

- Regulus’s eyes are wide as he stares at you

- You feel your face grow warm, mouth opening and closing-

- Why did you say that?!?!?

- Your searching for the right words, your hands about to move from his face when his hands cover your own

- “Is that a proposal (Y/N)?”

- There’s a teasing glint in Regulus’s eyes and you feel your face grow even warmer

- You would hide your face if he weren’t holding your hands in place

- “ Regulus (L/N) does have a good ring to it don’t you think?”

- You groan pulling your hands free so you can finally hide

- “Please stop teasing me I didn’t-“

- “Who says I’m teasing?”

- You look at him and he has the most tender expression as his fingers push a strand of hair behind your ears

- “W-what do you mean?”

- His smile doesn’t dim in the slightest, his eyes warm

- He moves closer to you at an impossibly slow pace

- You wait with bated breath

- And when he’s only an inch away he whispers

- “You’re smart (Y/N), so don’t tell me you haven’t figured it out”

- And then he kisses you

- His lips brush against yours

- It’s shy of even a peck

- As he retreats back, eyes fluttering open, you move with him pressing your lips against his more forcefully

- He almost stumbles back from the movement. Catching himself with a hand placed behind his hand

- His other hand threading into your hair

- Regulus has kissed people before

- Underneath the mistletoe at Slughorns Christmas party

- In the gardens at the pureblood balls

- One in a shadow in the corridor

- But it’s never been like this

- Where one kiss turns into two

- And then two into four

- And before he knows what’s happening he’s lost track of how many kisses you’ve exchanged

- All he can think about is the taste of your mouth

- The feel of your hair, the soft skin on your face, the tender feeling of his hands on your waist

- He feels like he’s drunk, almost dizzy with joy, completely intoxicated on you

- He only comes back to his senses when you place a hand on his chest and push back slightly

- “Stop” you whisper, and the world alone is enough to make him feel stone-cold sober

- “Not here, not like this”

- You’re sprawled on the floor of the clocktower, both of your hands pressing against his chest, pressing him back

- And he’s hovering over you, one of his legs pinned on either side of you, one his hands on your face, and the other is underneath the hem of your shirt

- He jerks his hands away from your waist

- When did he get on top of you like this?

- “Sorry I didn’t realize-“ his words stutter to a stop as he moves off of you

- He doesn’t even know when the situation escalated this much

- Weren’t you just exchanging chaste kisses a second ago

- He feels awful, he hasn’t even taken you on a date and he’s already pushing past your boundaries

- But you don’t let him feel awful for too long

- You thread your fingers through his, lifting his hand so you can press kisses to it

- “It’s not that I didn’t like it,” because you did, his hands were so warm, and he smelled so good

- It felt so soft

- So comforting

- But

- “ I just didn’t want to do it here” the place is covered with dust, and you’re pretty sure you felt a spider crawl up your leg at one point

- It’s just not hygienic

- You’re a little nervous you’ve upset him, most guys would

- Most boys wouldn’t have stopped when you told them, offering reasons to keep going, pushing a little bit further than you liked before retreating

- They certainly wouldn’t have found themselves away like Regulus did

- And of course, Regulus doesn’t get upset, how could he?

- He squeezes your hand, looking down at you kindly

- “No it’s okay. I’m more than happy to wait for anything more than a kiss until I’m officially Regulus (L/N)”

- You shove him away and he starts laughing

- “You’re never going to let me live that down are you?” Your face feels like it’s burning

- He only laughs harder, following you when you gather your things and start to leave

- “Don’t tell me you’re taking it back, you’re breaking my maiden heart over here (Y/N)” he grins when he sees you even more embarrassed As you walk through an empty courtyard

- You look mad, but you intertwine your fingers with his when he reaches for your hand

- And for now, it’s enough

Bonus:

- “So does this mean I’m you’re boyfriend now?”

- “Obviously”

- You’re scribbling away into your parchment, rushing to get all the answers down, your hand firmly held in his

- You hope he doesn’t hear how quick your heart is racing

- “So should I tell all our friends were dating with the intention of making me an official (L/N) in mind?”

- “I’m breaking up with you”

[spxllcxstxr]

Date Night • The Marauders

(Gif not mine)

Request: Maybe like a poly!marauders x (she/her) reader where they just spend a day together :) like you can write smut If you’d like, but yea maybe they can go out to eat id like to see a dynamic in a poly relationship w them. Thank you!! Love your writing <3 — anon

Summary: Date nights are rare, but tonight, you go out for ice cream with your partners

Warnings: Food and eating!! The entire fic is about eating, so please stay safe! If you have a peanut allergy no you don’t. Also, if you’re lactose intolerant like me, uhhhh pretend there’s a potion for that I guess, kinda implied first Wizarding war, smallest hint of steaminess

Word Count: 1.6k

A.N: Remus=Ross, James=Chandler, Sirius=Joey, right? This took me like weeks to finish...but overall I kinda like it. Let me know what you think, and love you all ❤️

****

The four of you very rarely had free time.

Between missions and meetings, you and your partners almost never had time off, and even when you did, one of you would still be busy. One of you would still be undercover or stuck debriefing the latest mission with Mad-Eye for hours.

So it’s weird to find yourself situated on the couch, Sirius’ head resting on your lap and Remus on the other end, stuck with his feet. James shuffles around in the kitchen behind you, stuck with dish duty after almost setting your flat on fire.

Sirius snuggles deeper into your thigh, evidently still exhausted from the previous day’s mission he was tasked with.

The flat is mostly quiet, the only sounds coming from Remus turning the pages of his novel and the ceramic plates clashing together as they get put away. The sun slowly sets outside, basking your living room in glowing orange in light.

You run your fingers through the mess of dark curls splayed out on your lap, always lustrous and soft to the touch. He hums deeply in approval.

A sharp clap from behind jolts you out of your peaceful thoughts.

You crane your neck to watch as James throws on his denim jacket.

“I believe that we,” He starts, eyeing the three of you. “deserve a date night.”

Instantly, a smile grows across your face. The last time the four of you had a proper date night, it was 1979 and Queen had just released a new song, which meant that Sirius needed to celebrate with all of you at the pub getting absolutely pissed.

Since you all joined the Order, all your free time has been sucked down the drain.

So that’s why the mere suggestion of the normally elusive date night makes you feel all giddy inside. You would’ve gotten up from your comfortable position to throw your coat on if it wasn’t for Sirius practically securing you to the cushions.

“But James...” He groans.

“Oh c’mon, Pads, we haven’t been on a proper date since—“

“Last year.” Remus interjects, shutting his book before placing it onto the coffee table. “But then again, you were too drunk for it to actually be considered a date.”

“Don’t blame me, blame Freddie and his Merlin given voice.” Sirius muses, still laying on your thigh. His fingers dance around your kneecap.

Remus slowly eases himself off the couch, joining James by the front door.

“Fine.” You hear James shrug. “We’ll just leave you here to suffer while Remus, (Y/n), and I go out to Florean’s.”

This seems to grab his attention, because he perks up just enough for you to slide out of his grasp.

You end up at Remus’s side, clinging to his grey jumper as you excitedly pull on your shoes.

“Ice cream?” Sirius asks, pushing his hair behind his ears. “Without me?”

“It doesn’t have to be without you, Sirius.” You retort, sandwiched between James and Remus. “If you get your arse over here, we won’t have to leave you.”

“Alright, you’ve convinced me.” Sirius huffs, hands raised in mock surrender, dragging himself over to the front door.

He waves his wand, boots zipping out of the closet and slipping onto his feet, his dark leather jacket covering his white shirt on its own.

“What, are simple tasks too hard for you now?” Remus teases, lightly bumping his shoulder into Sirius’.

“We’ve got magic for a reason, Moons.” The shorter of the two rolls his eyes. “Might as well use it.”

Remus opens his mouth to retort but James swiftly interrupts their bickering.

“I swear to Godric Gryffindor himself, (Y/n) and I will leave both you gits here.”

There’s grumbling from the two of them, but it becomes garbled once James throws an arm around you and Apparates you to Diagon Alley.

Your brain feels like it’s spinning in your skull and your stomach tugs familiarly at your naval. Sure you’ve Apparated many many times before, but it’s simply not fun no matter what.

As per usual, Diagon Alley is loud. Children and drunkards laugh, spells and fireworks whizz passed your ears, people in heels trot across the cobblestone path.

It’s places like Diagon Alley that remind you why you love magic so much.

James’ arm is still heavy on your shoulders as you watch people in cloaks and tall hats rush by you.

There’s a startling crack behind you and you and James turn around to see your other partners. Sirius might have a few new purple bruises littered across his collar bones and Remus might have a smug look plastered across his face, but no one says anything. Remus throws the two of you a silent wink as Sirius hangs off of him.

“Gonna hold my hand, Moony?” James questions, his arm outstretched.

Remus eagerly takes it, fingers interlocking.

So the four of you are connected as you stroll down the street. Your face is buried into James’ denim jacket, the faint smell of grass stains and broom oil an already welcomed scent. In the middle, James and Remus have their shoulders rubbing together as they walk, James’ thumb most likely tracing figure eights between his knuckles like he always does. Lastly, it seems like Sirius had changed his position enough to stick a hand in Remus’ back pocket.

The sun continues to dip lower below the horizon, resulting in candles and lanterns being lit in every dark corner. Children are ushered inside homes and adults start to flock towards the pubs.

With the looming threat of dark and dangerous wizards, people aren’t taking their chances, safety in numbers and safety indoors being popular within the village.

Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlor is lit up in a rainbow of colors as always, and the sweet scent of ice cream drifts through the air. People sit in crowds outside the shop, enjoying their treats on the sidewalk or some even spread out on the street.

“So what’re you going for today, Jamie?” You ask as your little group enters the shop.

A little bell sounds from above you, barely heard over the boisterous laughter and rowdy conversations that surround you.

Unlike you, Sirius, and Remus, James doesn’t have a signature flavor. He had to have a different kind every visit. So while Remus had already ordered his strawberries and cream in a waffle cone and Sirius is eyeing his peanut butter ice cream, James is still perusing his options like a little kid.

Your own ice cream starts to melt a bit while you’re waiting.

James squints his eyes at the names, despite his glasses already resting on the bridge of his nose.

“You haven’t done toffee apple in a bit, Prongs.” Sirius points, his finger making contact with the cool glass barrier.

“You’re right.” James hums. “Thanks.” He presses a quick kiss to Sirius’ stubbled cheek before ordering his ice cream.

There’s a small open table across the way, lit up by a few lanterns, which the four of you claim.

There’s a very slight breeze that makes you cuddle up to Remus’ soft jumper.

Desperate to talk about something other than the current state of affairs, James gets caught up talking the Wimbourne Wasps and their new Beater, Ludovic Bagman.

You watch Sirius, tongue poking ever so slightly out of the corner of his mouth, try to sneak a scoop of James’ ice cream while he’s distracted.

Attempting to hide your amusement, you bring a hand up to cover your mouth, feigning interest in the Quidditch talk.

You watch the spoon make an indent and it’s halfway to Sirius’ mouth before—

“Oi!”

The silver spoon freezes abruptly, and grey eyes widen significantly.

“Is that why you suggested toffee apple? So you could nick some of my bloody ice cream?” James gasps dramatically, mouth agape in shock.

“Where’re your manners, James?” Sirius retorts, licking his spoon. “Sharing is caring.”

His hazel eyes narrow. “I don’t know, Black, that looked more like thievery to me.”

“Well let’s take it to our very own Wizengamot, then.” Sirius loudly gestures to you and Remus.

“Well I’m sure that for a wee bit of ice cream, (Y/n) and I, as key witnesses to the whole event, can clear the air.” Remus smirks, biting into his cone.

Sirius swiftly pushes the rest of his ice cream across the table, not even trying to be discrete about his offering. You and Remus start to dig in.

“Bribery!” James shouts, throwing his arms up in the air in exasperation. “This trial is a load of bullshit!”

“Sorry James, can’t hear you over how good this is.” Remus remarks with his mouth full.

You lick your spoon, watching the theatrics.

“That doesn’t even make sense!” James straightens his glasses and runs a hand through his hair in playful frustration.

“Aw, Jamie...you want some of mine?” You pout, offering some of your own frozen dessert.

“At least someone at this table loves me.” James grumbles, sticking a spoon into your bowl.

Sirius sticks his tongue out.

“Hey, I never said Sirius was cleared of all charges.” Remus raises a scarred brow.

“What?” Sirius snaps. “But I bribed you!”

You snicker at his balled up fists.

“So you admit to the bribery, you might as well admit to the thievery while you’re at it.” He finishes the bowl, licking the last of it from his spoon.

“Oh how the tables have turned.” James smugly points out.

Sirius childishly pouts, opting to pick at his black painted fingernails.

“We should have date nights more often.” James chuckles, clinking your spoons together.

•

All Character Taglist: @aspiringsloth20 @amourtentiaa @cherie-draco @mullthingsoverinthehotwater

[pregnant-piggy]

I don’t wanna be your ex

James Potter x slytherin!reader

words: 6.5k

A/N: it was so weird to write this as i usually write people falling in love, but this was almost the complete opposite. Reader is a Slytherin beater and i’ve kept them gender neurtal. I hope you’ll like it!

Request: can u pls do a blurb for James Potter based on the song EX by Kiana Ledé or if thats kinda too much a headcanon of how him and a slytherin quidditch beater started dating? @artemis1orion​​

based on EX by Kiana Ledé

James drummed his fingers on the wooden table top in a non-existing beat while his eyes scanned the full Great Hall around him. Thoughts were racing through his head, leaving his mind before he had even had a chance to find their meaning. His foot was bouncing uncontrollably under the table; he couldn’t stop it.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. Just a week ago everything had been fine. There had been nothing to plague James’ mind, nothing that could distract him from the game today.

As his eyes glanced over the excited students around him, James wondered where it had gone wrong. Had it been off the entire time or had something changed? Was it his fault? In all honesty, he hadn’t seen it coming—to him everything had seemed perfectly fine.

James’ eyes locked on the person he had been trying to avoid and yet find. It had only been a week, but it had felt so strange. All that had grown familiar on him was suddenly ripped from his life.

You were seated at the Slytherin table in your quidditch uniform, the green and silver clashing with James’ red and golden one. In your hand was a cup with steaming hot tea. Probably green tea, James figured, the only one he didn’t like. You laughed and your nose scrunched up a little. Even from so far away James could hear your chortle, or he imagined it.

It had seemed like such an odd couple, the Slytherin and the Gryffindor. The green beater and the red chaser. Silver and gold. Never in his whole life, James had thought that he would fall for a person from the house he had sworn to be his enemy on the moment he stepped foot in Hogwarts.

But nothing had stopped him. He had fallen fast and hard, so afraid that he would hit the ground and shatter. You had brought feelings up in him that he hadn’t felt before, feelings that he was terrified of.

After a month of careful flirting and awkward situations, you kissed him. Without any warning you had pressed your lips on James’, that typical laugh of you still echoing in his ears as he answered your kiss by entangling his fingers in your hair.

Happy and merry had started in that moment and they hadn’t left James for a long time. Wherever he went, you were there supporting him; if not physical then mentally. There was an imprint of you in James’ mind. The sound of your voice was nestled in every corner of his brain and now he tried to fight it.

Because you weren’t his anymore. He wasn’t yours.

You had said that you had seen it coming from afar, like a dark cloud of thunder in the blue sky on a summer’s day. Fog had formed around the two of you, hiding one from the other. So with little words and meaningless promises an end had been put to the ‘us’.

But that end wasn’t as easy as James had thought it to be. For so long you had been there with him, that life without you seemed dull. The sun was never shining and rain always threatened to fall. However, James couldn’t ask you to come back. He didn’t even want that, that he was sure of. Time with you had been great, but you were his ex now and he had no intention to change that.

‘You nervous?’ Sirius asked as he slumped down on the wooden bench next to him, ripping James’ attention away from you.

‘Nah,’ James lied while his stomach made a turn as he tried to take a bite from his breakfast. His gaze wandered off to the Slytherin table again and he left his fork untouched on the side of his plate. Sirius seemed to notice who his friend was looking at and he sighed as he moved a little closer to James, so no one would hear them.

‘Just talk to them, if you want so bad. You don’t have to get back together or anything, but just talk,’ Sirius said, receiving a huff from James.

‘Why would I talk to them? They broke up with me,’ James said as he ripped his gaze from you and turned to Sirius.

‘Yeah, but didn’t you promise you’d still be friends?’ Sirius pointed out, as he nonchalantly played with his pumpkin juice while eyeing James.

James barked a short humourless laugh and shook his head. ‘Of course I said that—that’s what everyone says when they’re breaking up!’

‘So you’re just never gonna…?’

‘No, I really don’t see the point,’ James shrugged and he returned to his breakfast.

‘That’s too bad,’ Sirius muttered, while he waved at Remus and Peter, who just entered the Great Hall to wish James luck before the game. ‘They were neat.’

James grumbled something and his eyes found your figure back. His conversation with Sirius had made him think. He had indeed promised you to stay friends, but you sure knew that that was just something he had said to make the situation a little less uncomfortable. Surely, you didn’t actually expect him to be friends after you had broken up?

Tearing his stare from you, James focused on his friends instead. Peter was rummaging through his bag to find something and Remus was calmly trying to eat his breakfast while Sirius kept tormenting him with pleads for help on the History of Magic essay. It took five minutes and the promise that Sirius would leave him be for the rest of the day for Remus to give in and Sirius was smirking as he dramatically threw his arms around Remus’ neck and placed a sloppy kiss on his cheek.

‘Alright, alright,’ Remus mumbled, pushing Sirius away. ‘Now bugger off and let me eat my breakfast.’

Sirius let go of Remus and turned to James, who had till thus far been watching his friends with a faint smile on his lips. Sirius asked something about the strategy James had come up with to win this game from the Slytherins and as James dove with his pre-game nerves into a rant about how his beater had to clear the way for the chasers, Sirius’ eyes shifted to a spot above James’ shoulder. By the time James had realised it was too late for him to get out of the situation and he heard your enthusiastic voice.

‘Hey guys, what’s up?’ you said as you stood behind James, who kept his face at his plate. There was an awkward second as the three others looked from you at James and back, but Remus was quick to dismiss James’ distant behaviour and he smiled at you.

‘Not much here. Nervous for the game?’

James didn’t need to see your face to know exactly how you were feeling. He had been by your side for so many games. He knew that you were in fact nervous but would never admit it to anyone. Instead you would laugh everything away and pretend you were super excited.

‘No, not really. We’ve had a lot of practice this season. And having spent so much time with James I know exactly what his team will do,’ you chuckled.

The boys laughed softly and another silence followed in which you got called by your teammates. James dared to turn his head a little to look at them and felt some sort of anger towards them, even though his logic told him that they had done nothing wrong.

‘Well, I should go,’ you said and it was silent as James felt all eyes on him. But he didn’t react and he heard a little sigh from you. ‘I’ll see you around.’

Remus and Sirius waved after you and Peter wished you good luck, while you ran after the other Slytherins out of the Great Hall. James watched as you disappeared, glancing once over your shoulder back at the boys. When your eyes met his, you raised your eyebrows at him, but he averted his eyes.

‘Well, that was rude,’ Remus said, looking past Sirius to James. ‘Why did you ignore them?’

‘Because we broke up! Do I have to explain it to everyone? They’re my ex, why should I be friends with them?’  

-- - --

The quidditch stadium filled with students, as you waited in the changing room with the rest of your team. For some reason you felt more nervous for this game than you had ever been for any other game. It felt like more was at stake than just the quidditch cup this time.

You were hurt by James’ sudden cold demeanour towards you. Hadn’t you agreed to stay friends?

The time you had been with James had been amazing, but after a while you had realised that it was going nowhere. It felt like the relationship wasn’t moving forward anymore, you were stuck in the same place and that had started to grow uncomfortable on you. If you weren’t dating to go somewhere, you were dating for heartbreak and to spare the both of you pain you had called an end to it.

You had thought that it was a mutual decision, but James had been avoiding you all week and now you were doubting. Maybe he was more hurt than you thought he was or maybe he just didn’t care for you now you weren’t dating anymore.

That last one hurt but you feared that it was the true one. James wasn’t interested in just the platonic side of you. But you wouldn’t give up that easily. You still had Sirius, Remus and Peter as friends and surely James would come around after a while.

As the sounds of the students in the stands got louder, your teammates got a little more restless. Your team captain, Lucinda Talkalot, stood up and she paced up and down in the room, silently repeating her strategy.

‘Just… make sure we win, okay?’ Lucinda said and she stopped walking to look at everyone shortly. ‘We can’t lose from Gryffindor again.’

Next to you, the other Beater of your team, Michael Bennett, hummed in agreement, undoubtedly thinking back of the last time Gryffindor played against Slytherin and your team lost with a pathetic difference of two hundred points, because Michael was just a second too late with his Bludger. No one in the team blamed him for it, but he couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.

The Slytherin quidditch team existed of two girls and four boys besides you. Captain of your team was Talkalot, a sixth year. She was the team’s Keeper. The three Chasers were Javier Flores, Nerida Cooper and Rohan Alves. Nerida was in your year; Javier and Rohan were both fourth years. You and Michael were the Beaters of the team and Kevin Fox, only a second year, was Seeker.

While other houses laughed at Lucinda’s choice for Fox as the Seeker, she believed he was exactly what the team had needed after the last team captain had graduated and left the team lost. And she had been right, so far Slytherin had won from Hufflepuff after an astonishing short game in which Fox caught the Snitch within fifteen minutes.

The stadium full of students silenced slowly and at the sound of madam Hooch’s whistle, the quidditch team left the changing room. In a line you walked onto the green grass of the quidditch stadium and stood and turned towards the Gryffindor team.

You stood in front of the Gryffindor’s Beater, Cillian Martin, a short seventh year with ash blond hair, but you looked at James who stood opposite of Talkalot. Even from far away where you were standing you could feel the determination radiate from James and you realised that this would be a difficult game.

The Gryffindor team was just as your own team very skilled. You hated to admit it, but James had done a great job putting his team together. Idris Smith, the Keeper, had been in his position since his second year and it was almost impossible to get any balls past him. His sister, Abby Smith, was Chaser along with Crawford and James himself. The two Beaters, Martin and Trevino, were actually quite pleasant guys and always in for a friendly game if you asked them—you and Michael had had some fun times practising with them. Gryffindor’s Seeker was Hana Viotto, a sweet girl who wasn’t afraid to completely demolish you on the quidditch pit.

‘Shake hands,’ Hooch said and Lucinda gave James a short handshake and a nod while he stared coldly at her.

You looked away from the two team captains and nodded politely at Martin before you swung your leg over your broom. The stadium around you was completely silent for a moment and you wiggled your eyebrows at Nerida, who giggled softly. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the game started.

Pushing your broom off the ground you lifted in the air, your bat loosely in your hand as you looked around at the field. Immediately you recognised James’ setup, with two Chasers at the Slytherin side of the field and his Seeker high in the sky, scanning the field from above.

‘And the game is on!’ the commentator screamed through the quidditch pit. ‘The Quaffle is in hands of Slytherin, they’re off to a great start! Cooper has it in hands, throws it at Alves. Alves catches—owh, that must hurt!’

You looked over your shoulder at Alves, who was gasping for air and reaching for his stomach, dropping the Quaffle that got caught by Gryffindor’s Chaser, Smith. Behind you, you heard a snigger from Trevino and when you looked angry at him, he shrugged.

‘Captain’s orders,’ he said as he flew past you.

‘Gryffindor still has the Quaffle, but Smith’s being chased by a Bludger! Dive, girl, dive!’

You quickly flew to the other side of the field, zigzagging through the other players and turned around with your bat ready for action. Just as you had predicted a Bludger was flying your way. Throwing all your weight behind your swing, you hit the Bludger and sent it towards Smith, who still was in the possession of the ball. The Bludger didn’t hit her, but did force her to move away, giving Cooper and Flores a chance to catch up with her.

‘Nice job!’ Lucinda yelled at you from her position at the goal posts. You shot her a thumbs-up and flew to the middle of the field, trying to send as many Bludgers as you could towards your opponents.

‘Gryffindor has lost the ball! Potter makes an attempt to get the Quaffle from Flores and, well surely that must be a foul. We look at the referee and… yes, one penalty for Slytherin!’

Nerida took the ball back from James, who was starting to looked more cross with the minute, and flew to the central circle, waiting for madam Hooch’s whistle. At the high-pitched sound, Nerida stormed forwards and threw the Quaffle in the left goal, unleashing loud cheering from the Slytherins in the stands.

‘And we’re back to the game. It is a constant battle for possession. Bludgers are flying around, knocking people off their brooms. Smith saves! Crawford has the Quaffle, he gets hit by Y/L/N’s Bludger, Flores has the ball, Alves, Cooper, back to Alves, Flores again! That’s some nice team play from the Slytherins! Must be Talkalot’s new strategy. Quaffle is in the Gryffindor scoring area, Flores shoots and… he scores! It’s now twenty to zero for Slytherin, but we’ve only just started…’

The longer the game lasted, the more intense everyone got. Gryffindor made another two fouls, but so did your team. Twenty minutes and three penalties later, the score was 60 to 50 for the Slytherins, but where you were getting more tired, it seemed like the Gryffindors were gaining energy.

After half an hour of violently flying back and forth the quidditch pit, Lucinda called for a time-out. Hooch accepted and her whistle stopped the match for a minute.

‘They’re good,’ Rohan panted as you were huddled together at the goal posts.

‘They are indeed,’ Lucinda said and she shot a suspicious look towards the other team.

‘Potter must have given them a motivational speech or something,’ Nerida mumbled as she wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. You looked at James and the angry expression on his face. Something told you that he ignoring you this morning had something to do with the way he was scanning the quidditch field right now.

‘Kevin, it is crucial that you find the Snitch,’ Lucinda said. ‘I don’t know how much longer we can hold it.’

‘I’m trying,’ Kevin sighed and his eyes glanced quickly over the pit.

Madam Hooch whistled again and the game started again. The short time-out had given you some time to catch your breath and you were filled with energy and determination as you flew back to your position in the middle of the field, ready to hit whatever was coming your way.

The next fifteen minutes were filled with bat sweeping and Quaffle and Bludgers flying closely past your head. Twice you had to dive away to not get hit and once you were nearly knocked over by Crawford, as they tried to escape the Quaffle coming their way.

‘It’s currently 90 to 80 for Gryffindor and we’re forty-five minutes into the match! Smith has the ball, she’s making her way to Talkalot, throws, but oh! Talkalot blocks it with her foot. Pure luck or good skill? The Quaffle is back in the centre in hands of Alves. Bennett sends a Bludger to keep Potter away but he misses and almost knocks his own teammate off their broom! Alves is getting closer to the goal posts, will this be 90 to 90? He shoots and… Smith can’t hold it! It’s tied again! Surely the Seekers must have caught a glimpse of the Snitch by now.’

Yet it took another ten minutes before one of the Seekers finally made a move and by that time it was 130 to 120 for Slytherin. Viotto suddenly dove to the ground and Kevin quickly went after her. The game stocked for a minute as everyone held their breath. Viotto and Fox were battling for a head position in the race after the Snitch.

You held your broom still in the sky and squeezed your eyes to look at Kevin’s little figure. Whispering encouraging words, you focused on the two Seekers, forgetting that there was another game going on around you. The Quaffle lay in Flores’ hands motionless, but the Bludgers were still flying around.

‘Y/N! Watch out!’ Michael screamed at you.

A Bludger was coming at you with incredible speed and your only chance to escape it was to throw your broom to the side, nearly colliding with James, who happened to be right in that spot. You sighed relieved at escaping the Bludger and possibly a night at the infirmary, but your relieve soon disappeared.

‘Gryffindor catches the Snitch! Gryffindor has won! With 270 points to a mere 130 from the Slytherins, the Gryffindor team has won!’

The Gryffindors on the stands erupted in loud cheering, while the Slytherins groaned collectively. You understood their disappointment; not only had Slytherin lost from Gryffindor again, they had lost with a difference of 140 points and that wouldn’t do well on the leader board.

You turned to James, who now had a big smile on his face, and wanted to congratulate him, but when he looked at you, he quickly flew away. With an open mouth you watched after him and felt the pain combined with the sadness of losing spreading through your body.

Defeated in all ways, you followed your team to the changing rooms and prepared for a night of silence in the Slytherin common room.

-- - --

Loud laughter echoed off the walls of the lavatories on the ground floor as James and Peter watched Sirius trying to climb out of the stall they had locked him in. It was almost after curfew, but Sirius had insisted they’d go past the bathroom on their way to the common room. Now wasn’t it really a problem to wander the halls after curfew, but to not do something to Sirius felt like a missed opportunity to James.

‘Just let me out, you idiots,’ Sirius whined.

‘I don’t know, should we, Wormtail?’

Peter, however, was too busy laughing to answer James. Sirius tried again to climb over the door of the stall, but his feet slipped and with a sigh he landed back on the floor.

James, out of fear that Peter would wet himself if he laughed any more, unlocked the door with a flick of his wand. ‘Alright, alright, come out then.’

Sirius’ face stood thunder as he walked out of the stall and he stared at James angrily through the mirror as he washed his hands. James stared back at him with a smirk on his face and slung his arm around his friend’s shoulder as they walked out of the restrooms. Peter followed after them, wiping the tears from his cheeks with the sleeves of his jumper.

The castle was quite silent at this time at night with most students up in the common rooms and the teachers not yet checking the halls after curfew. The windows were fogged from the cold outside and James stopped to write his name on the glass.

The three boys were turned to the window, watching James write his name and other things that definitely should not be on a harmless pane of glass. Upon hearing footsteps in the same corridor, they turned around as one.

You were walking down the corridor with your broomstick in your hand, head to toe wet and muddy. You snickered softly at the scared expressions on the three boys’ faces and nodded towards the window. ‘Do I want to know?’

Sirius grinned and shook his head, slowly reaching behind James to wipe out the texts on the window. Peter had a giddy smile on his face and he nudged James, but this one was focused on you.

‘What are you doing here?’ he asked, ignoring his friends.

You raised an eyebrow and looked down at your clothes. ‘Really, the broom and dirty clothes don’t say enough?’

James scowled and he felt a hint of anger coming up in his body at your sarcasm. Sirius noticed his change and nudged James lightly. ‘James—’

‘I mean what are you doing here, in this corridor? Isn’t your common room on the other side of the school?’

You shifted your weight onto your broom and nodded. ‘It is,’ you said drily. ‘And why I am here is none of your business. Especially with that attitude.’

Peter chuckled and James shot him an annoyed look, making him shut right up. James was growing more irked with the minute. He just couldn’t understand why you wouldn’t take the hint and leave him alone. He thought he made it very clear that he didn’t want to see you anymore.

Yet here you were again, seeking him out. Just like you did yesterday before Potions class and last weekend after the Quidditch match. James was getting tired of having to ignore you, but he knew that that was for the best. You were his ex after all.

‘Fine, I don’t care,’ James said and he turned around to leave you alone. Peter and Sirius ran after him, but not before mumbling something to you James couldn’t hear.

Sirius walked up next to James. ‘You were rude again, mate.’

‘I don’t get why they won’t leave me alone,’ James huffed and he quickened his pace so he walked ahead of his two friends.

Sirius rolled his eyes at Peter, who shrugged back, before they both followed James to the common room.

-- - --

‘Sorry I’m late.’

Remus looked up from his book and waved your excuse away lazily as he made some space for you at the table. He pushed aside his book and stacked the pieces of parchment away.

You took your edition of A History of Magic out and dropped the heavy book on the table. Scanning Remus’ book for the right page you started to browse through your own book for the same page. At the chapter on the Salem Witch Trails you stopped. It was a subject you had had in class before but, with the grade of your essay on the subject in mind, you knew that it wouldn’t hurt to revise.

‘Okay, hit me,’ you said and smiled at Remus. He cocked his eyebrow incredulous but started anyway.

‘Right, what year?’

‘1962.’

‘Where?’

‘Massachusetts.’

‘What about the judges?’

‘Mostly Puritans, but there were at least two Scourers, who were there just for personal gain.’

‘How many victims?’

‘Twenty.’

‘Do you still have feelings for James?’

‘Do I—Remus!’

You looked up from your book in shock and stared at the boy next to you, who was looking smug with the execution of his plan. He had a smirk on his face and you wished you could slap the satisfied look off his face.

‘Is that why I’m here? Just so you could interrogate me?’ you asked, leaning back in your chair and staring at Remus. ‘Remus Lupin, you little shit!’

Remus let out a laugh and shook his head, though he made sure he was out of your reach. ‘No, I really did want to study with you! But when the guys found out they wanted me to ask.’

‘You’re weak, Remus,’ you tutted and pushed him against his shoulder.

‘I know, I know,’ he said, holding his hands up in surrender. ‘But if I’m honest, I was curious myself too.’

You sighed and rubbed your hands over your face. The answer to Remus’ question was simple. No. You didn’t still have feelings for James. However, what more intrigued you was the implication behind the question. Did they think you were still in love with James? Because if so, you definitely had to set something straight.

‘Well, you can tell your friends that no, I don’t have feelings for James anymore,’ you sighed, hoping that Remus would believe you. ‘Now are you done with your cross-examination? Because I’d like to finish before dinner.’

‘Sure, sure,’ Remus chuckled, bowing over his book again. ‘Wizards’ Council, ask me.’

Quickly you searched in your history book for the chapter about the Wizards’ Council. The title sprung out on page 89 and you scanned the text shortly to come up with some questions for Remus.

‘Ready? What was the Council’s main focus?’

‘Governing the Britain wizarding society.’

‘That’s right. Name some Chiefs.’

‘Bragge and Muldoon.’

‘What can you tell me about Elfrida Clagg?’

‘She was presumably the Chieftainess in the seventeenth century. Known for trying to import the Beings versus Beasts classifications, what led to an uprising from Trolls, Jarveys and Centaurs.’

‘Right. Okay, last one—why is James avoiding me?’

Remus opened his mouth and then closed it again. He sighed and closed his eyes, before turning to you. He was searching for words and you gave him time, wanting to know the answer to the question that had been bothering you for a while now.

It was more than obvious to you that James was avoiding you. Whenever you were around he made sure to be the first one to leave, he never really answered any of your questions and most of the time he just ignored your presence. Clearly, “staying friends” had a different meaning to him than it had to you.

Not only were you losing James’ friendship, along with that you also lost the connections with Peter, Sirius and Remus. You had gone from seeing them every day to only once a week if you were lucky. You didn’t blame them, because you knew they were better friends with James than with you. Yet you knew it would not hurt him if you saw your friends a little more.

‘He’s not—’ Remus started, but you cut him off.

‘Don’t do that, Remus. I know he is avoiding me. I am not asking you to change it; I just want to know why.’

Remus rubbed his face and pinched the bridge of his nose before he answered. ‘He is convinced that it is impossible to be friends with one’s ex.’

‘But that’s what we had agreed!’ you sputtered. ‘We didn’t work as a couple, so we decided on being friends!’

‘Well, to James that is something everyone says but never lives up to.’

‘That’s bullshit,’ you said and threw your head back, letting a cold laugh pass your lips. ‘So what? Is he just going to ignore me for the rest of his life?’

‘I don’t know,’ Remus mumbled. ‘We’ve really tried to change his mind, really. But nothing we say convinces him. He won’t listen to us.’

You shook your head and stared at your book. So this was the end of you and James? Just like that? Did you really mean that little to him? Now that you were just his friend, you were suddenly not important anymore?

You felt like someone had thrown a bucket of cold water over your head. Your inside now twisted at the thought of James and the memories you had made with him. Some part of you felt used at your sudden unimportance to James and you wished you were curled up in bed under layers of blankets.

However, you would stay strong. If James didn’t want to be your friend you would leave him alone. But you would not allow him ripping your friends away too. You wouldn’t stop seeing Remus, Sirius and Peter just because James didn’t want to be friends.

-- - --

Dark clouds had gathered in the sky, far away rumbling with thunder. A strong breeze forced most students to stay inside for the night, but you had braved the cold and were standing at the edge of the quidditch field with your broom in your hand. The wind blew sharply against your cheeks, but you had dressed warm enough.

High up in the sky the wind howled around your ears, drowning out your thoughts. You had released one of the training-Bludgers that was soaring through the air, coming right for you. With one deep breath and full power you hit the Bludger, the flat sound of your bat against the ball echoing on the empty stands.

It was nice to not think and just train for a moment. Right now there was no one whining at your head for your answers on the Charms homework, no one asking you to play a game with you and no one inquiring after what had happened between you and James.

You hadn’t seen James in two weeks, just like he had wanted. It was weird to suddenly not be around him anymore. For so long you had shared all your free time with him and now instead you were alone in those moments. Not his laughter, not his jokes.

You would be lying if you said that you didn’t miss him. It was always fun to be around James, he had a special way to make everything positive. After all this time you still didn’t know how he did it, but he had always cheered you up when you were feeling down. Sometimes just his presence had been enough.

A tear escaped from your eye, but whether it was from the wind or your thoughts you didn’t know. You wiped it away swiftly and braced yourself to hit the Bludger again. It was flying in big circles around you, coming closer with every round it made.

Movement down on the ground caught your attention and you tore your eyes from the Bludger. Someone was standing down on the field, a broom in their hand and a mop of black hair sticking out to all sides. It was James.

For someone who had made it abundantly clear that he didn’t want to see you, he sure had some nerve coming to you. You felt your blood boil upon seeing him and more violent than you had first thought you slammed the Bludger away. It flew back into the stands, where it broke one of the benches.

James was still standing on the ground, not making any move to get up in the sky. As you got back the ball you looked at him from the corner of your eye. So far from above, he looked smaller than he had ever seen. He looked… lost.

Grudgingly you flew down to the ground and jumped off your broom in front of James. Now you were closer to him, he was his big self again, but he still looked a little lost.

‘There was no practice today, right?’ you asked, suddenly wondering if he was here because he wanted to train with the Gryffindor team.

‘No,’ James said and he almost attempted to say more, but shut his mouth.

‘So you’re just here to practise alone?’

‘Uhh, yeah, I guess.’

‘And it wouldn’t bother you if I’m here too?’ you asked, your tone somewhat sharper than intended.

James shook his head and headed off to the chest with balls and other gear. You mounted your broom and let the struggling Bludger free. It flew away quickly before already starting to make its way back to you.

For minutes it was silent as both you and James practised alone. You were outing all your frustration on the Bludger and it seemed that it was holding a grudge against you for the hard hits you gave it because it kept coming back harder and harder. James was stationed at the goalposts, working on some of his new tactics. You could feel his occasional glance in your way, but you ignored them.

After some time, you descended to the ground to drink some and watched as James was struggling with the Quaffle and his wand. He obviously wanted to charm them to fly towards him as he guarded the goals. You laughed to yourself as the ball once again fell to the ground lifeless, but after a few minutes you got on your broom again and flew towards James.

‘Not that it isn’t fun to watch, but would you like some help?’  you asked carefully.

James looked from the Quaffle in his hand to the goalposts and then to you. You could hear the cogs working in his brain as he thought of what to do, but eventually he gave you a single nod and threw the Quaffle at you.

Although your position in the quidditch team was Beater, you wouldn’t say that you were bad at the other positions. Maybe it was just the feel of the ball that you had and not an actual position that you were best in, though you had trained many years to become the Beater you were today.

You started to torment James with difficult throws, making him work up a sweat. At first your aims were just to make it hard for him, but gradually you actually enjoyed playing with James. And, much to your surprise, the feeling was mutual. After half an hour there was a smile on James’ face and you recognised so much of the boy you had fallen for.

After yet another difficult ball that James only barely held, instead of throwing the Quaffle back at you he flew towards you. His smile faltered a little now he was closer to you, but that didn’t stop him from asking you if you wanted to change positions.

‘Alright, but I must tell you, I’ve gotten much better,’ you warned him with a grin and flew to the goals.

‘I doubt that,’ James shouted and he threw the ball from one hand to another. ‘You suck as Keeper!’

‘Ah! I’ll make you regret saying that, Mr. Potter!’

For a while everything was how it had used to be. There was no hurt between you and James anymore. It was just two friends playing a game together, both growing more and more competitive with every throw.

Half an hour you went on playing until it had gotten too dark to throw without chance of harm. You and James stuck away the Quaffle in silence—the easiness that had been there during the game had completely vanished. Awkwardness was creeping up your skin and you longed for something to break the silence.

As James locked the Bludger in the chest, it gave one last shudder and James let out a high-pitched yell. He fell to his feet and you burst out in laughter, clasping your hand over your mouth. From his place on the floor, James scowled dramatically at you and he attempted to hit your shin.

‘Don’t laugh!’ he cried out. ‘You scared too!’

‘Yeah, but I didn’t fall to the floor,’ you chuckled, offering James your hand. He took it and pulled himself up. Cleaning his pants, he sighed and then closed the chest with quidditch balls. Another silence filled the space between you and James. However, this time you knew exactly what to say; you just weren’t sure if you wanted to say it.

A light flash lit up the dark skies for a fraction of a second and three seconds later loud thunder roared over the silent school grounds. James and you were pulled from the tension as the first raindrops started to fall. Little drops fell on the top of your head and on your shoulders, soaking through your jumper. It was now or never.

‘Why can’t we have this?’ you asked hoarsely.

‘Rain? I think it rains more than enough,’ James joked, avoiding your eyes.

‘James, you know what I mean,’ you said, stepping a little closer. ‘Why can’t we just be friends? Why can’t we have fun, no strings attached?’

When he looked up to you, you could read the pain in his eyes. Even when you were dating, James had almost never been vulnerable. He always hid behind a smile and a joke and it was rare to see him like this.

‘Because you hurt me,’ James muttered. ‘One day you decide to end it. Just like that. You stepped away from me without any warning. I loved you and suddenly you were just gone.’

‘Do you still?’ you breathed.

James cleared his throat and shook his head. ‘No, I don’t. Not like I used to anymore.’

‘Isn’t it better then?’ you asked. ‘Can’t we try being friends? I miss you James. I miss being friends with you.’

‘I miss you too,’ James said and sniffed.

You cocked an eyebrow and smiled carefully. ‘Did I make the mighty James Potter cry? Did I break the unbreakable one?’

‘All I heard was that you think I’m mighty,’ James said.

You laughed and pushed him away. James bellowed a laugh and wrapped his arm around your shoulder. The rain was still pouring down and you were soaked from head to toe, but you didn’t care because you got your friend back.

- - - - - - - - 

taglist: general HP: @harry-pottery-barn​ @potters-heart​ @kingalrdy​ @missswriter​ @figlia--della--luna​ @aspiringsloth20​ @awritingtree​ @bi-andready-tocry​ @lilulo-12fanfiction​ @ananad1​ @treestarrrrrrrr​ @your-hispanichufflepuff​ @thefandomplace​ @theeicedamericano​ @girllety​ @moonstarrnghtsky​ @swearingsolemnly​ @weasleydream​ @secretsthathauntus​ @amixedwitch​ @izzyyy-1​ @gryffindorgirl​ @kitkatkl​

marauders: @tomshollandz​ @with-love-anu​ @fific7​ @cheoco​ @classicrocketqueen​ @iamninaanna​ @lonegryffindor2005​

MASTERLIST

[moonscarsandstars]

“You really think that-” Remus nodded to the list, “-is going to work?”

Pouting, Sirius held the list up in pride. “These are the most carefully researched and eloquently strung opening sentences ever known to wizardkind.”

“They’re pickup lines that you and Prongs found, aren’t they?”

“Even if they are,” started Sirius, pursing his lips tightly. “They’re guaranteed to work!”

“And you want to use them to feel like you’ve earnt my kisses?”

Granted, the idea sounded better in Sirius’s head. But if Sirius wanted to make Remus feel the same way- the butterflies, the way his heart skips a beat, the fluster that travelled to his cheeks- what better way?

“Start tomorrow, McGonagall isn’t going to be pleased if this essay’s filled with pickup lines, is she?”

“Is Minnie more important than I am?”

“Well, I've no doubt she can pick me up much better than you can,” said Remus with a grin.

Gasping with the most dramatic conviction Remus had ever seen, Sirius clutched his heart. “Oh just you watch, I can and will pick you up so- so much better than Minnie ever will.”

“Somehow I doubt that,” replied Remus with a grin. “But I invite you to try after i finish this assignment, how’s that?”

“Fine, but I’m going to scowl the entire time.”

~~~

Classes gave way to the two of them lounging around in the dormitories- Remus flicking through another muggle literature, and Sirius fumbling around with something or the other, glancing up at Remus more than he’d admit.

“Moons?”

Tentatively, Remus looked up from his book to Sirius rubbing his eyes. “Yes?”

“I think there’s something wrong with my eyes.”

“Oh- is it allergies?” Remus set his book down to the side, climbing from his bed to Sirius’s and picking up his wand. The concern on his face was so genuine, it almost threw Sirius off. “I heard professor sprout had an order of wild asphodels that are growing down-”

“No, I just can’t seem to take them off you,” said Sirius with a growing grin on his face as he gave a ridiculous, yet loving look to Remus.

The response was a dry look that couldn't help reluctantly growing into a grin- even he had to admit Sirius’s grins were the most contagious of all. 

Sirius took the absence of a long groan as a massive victory. Although, no victory was anywhere near as good as Remus dipping in, pushing Sirius against the pillows and indulging him with a deep kiss.

“I guess it worked,” mumbled Sirius against Remus's lips.

“Oh shut up.”

~~~

Eyeing Sirius’s ruffled hair and Remus’s undone tie walking hand-in-hand to dinner, James exchanged a grin with Sirius, who returned with a sheepish smile. Dinner had started almost half an hour ago, but neither of them were hungry.

“They’re working, are they?”

Nodding excitedly as he sat down, Sirius whispered under his breath. “Thanks, Prongs, you’re the best.”

“I told you they were genius.”

“They were pathetic,” deadpanned Remus.

“Your undone tie says otherwise,” mumbled Sirius to himself, though Remus blushed a bright shade of pink at the words, much to Sirius’s amusement. James merely cringed, ignoring the two of them and poking at his meal.

Sighing, Remus loaded his plate with obscure amounts of mashed potato, to give his hands something to do, sending the people next to him into confusion. “It’s a wonder I’m so in love with you.”

“It’s a wonder you weren’t in love with me sooner.”

Remus rolled his eyes, but there was no mistaking the grin painting his features and wrinkling the corners of his lips.

“You know, Moony,” started Sirius in between a pathetic attempt to smother giggles. With a side eye from James, he continued. “Your hands look really heavy... may I hold them for you?”

James burst into laughter, while Remus opened his mouth, and promptly closed it again, resisting a grin.

“Have I rendered you speechless?”

“No,” quipped Remus with a sort of sparkle in his eye. “But there are other ways of shutting me up.”

Now it was Sirius’s turn to blush a similar shade of pink, his eyes going wide. But with an attempt at a dry drawl, he muttered, "That was pathetic.”

“Your blush says otherwise,” replied Remus in perfect imitation. James was sent into fits of laughter, and Remus couldn’t help suppress a smug grin.

“Oh shut up.” It was a few seconds before Sirius’s eyes grew wide in realisation. “Fuck n- no!”

~~~

With the lights dimmed, and the black sky outside the curtains not far from sunrise, Remus was just about to fall asleep when he heard a noise. Propping himself up with his elbows, he peeked through the dark for the source of the noise.

Repeated, soft shudders echoed in the dead silence of the night, and Remus’s heart sunk as he realised.

“Sirius?”

The shudders came to an abrupt stop. Remus's worry, however, did not.

Slowly climbing out and creeping on his tip toes as to not wake anyone up, he made his way to Sirius's bed. The path between the two beds was so familiar to him, he could do it easily in the dark.

"Pads, what happened?"

Sirius remained quiet.

"May I stay here?" Tried Remus. With a shaky breath, Sirius nodded, and made the tinest space in his bed for Remus to crawl into.

Wrapping his arms around him, Remus climbed into the bed, silently stroking fingers through Sirius's hair after wiping away tears with his sleeve.

"D'you wanna talk about it?"

"Not really. Just want to fall asleep again."

"Hey, you will soon, I promise. Besides, it's getting better now, isn't it?"

"I suppose."

"Really, it's alright. It's going to be alright."

Turning to face Remus with glassy eyes, Sirius whispered brokenly, "Thank you. For- I don't know- being here."

Something about it- maybe the look on his face, or the broken whisper with which he uttered the words.

"Of course! I'm always gonna be there. All night, all day, even during Prongs's quidditch practice!"

That drew a chuckle from Sirius. "Really? Even during quidditch practice?"

"Yes," replied Remus with a small kiss to his forehead. "Also, Sirius?"

"Yeah?"

"You know, you've always reminded me of those brooms in quidditch practice."

Sirius looked utterly puzzled. "W- why?"

"Because," continued Remus, the grin growing on his face and rendering Sirius even more confused. "You've totally swept me off my feet!"

[lumosinlove]

Sweater Weather

part xxi

[see tags for tw]

Regulus liked the cubs. Finn was a little out there maybe, but Logan, off of the ice at least, was steady and put together.

Leo had snorted when he’d told him what he thought. “Interesting take.”

They didn’t seem to mind having him around, although there wasn’t much time lately when Regulus didn’t feel like an intruder on something. Living in his brother’s house when he probably wanted to be alone with Remus. Leo inviting him over to nights that would probably feel and go differently if he wasn’t there.

But he didn’t feel unwelcome. Just out of place. Which was surprising, given the fact that he was a Snake. Had been. He still felt like he was one, anyway. A Snake. An intruder. Out of place.

And now the Lupins were here to stay and Regulus was self-aware enough to realize that he was seeing for the first time what was probably the most loving family in the entire world.

“Julian, sweetheart, you have to let Sirius rest. He’s got some big days coming up, as you well know.”

Julian looked up at his mother.

Regulus wasn’t sure if Julian liked him all that much yet. Although, he didn’t really blame the kid. When you were little, the rivalries seemed like a full-blown military crises. That was how the Lions had seemed to him, at least. A real beast, with sharp teeth. He imagined that, for Julian, he had venom and a tail that rattled.

“But—” Julian looked up at Sirius, who was playing goalie in one of the make-shift nets that he had set up in the living room.

“It’s okay, Hope,” Sirius said. “We’ll go another half hour.”

“You’ll go until dinner, which is in ten minutes,” Hope said.

“Well, it that case, bud, we should go help set the table, non?” Sirius stood straight from his goalie-crouch. “We can play more later.”

“Really?” Julian said, clutching his hockey stick.

“Mais, oui. Allez, let’s go help your dad and Re.”

It left Regulus alone with Hope in Sirius’ large living room. Hope was a mother. Regulus didn’t know how to put her smile and that role together yet. He watched her put her hands on her hips and look around. Even Regulus had to admit that the living room was mostly empty and bland. Sirius clearly didn’t know what to do with a house besides sleep and eat there.

“Well,” Hope said, and then smiled at Regulus. “Needs some brightening, huh?”

“Probably.”

Hope nodded. “Probably. Come on, let’s eat.”

Regulus followed her through to the dining room where Lyall was setting plates of salmon and rice down, along with a large salad. As Sirius sat down, Julian all but climbed over Remus to get the chair beside him. Remus’ eyes found Regulus’, maybe by accident, but he smiled, and Regulus did, too, a little. Regulus gestured to his own chair, on Sirius’ other side, and moved across the table instead. He sort of wanted to sit beside Hope, anyway. He wasn’t sure why.

“Here you go, sweetheart,” Hope said, passing him a glass of water and a bread roll.

“Thank you.”

Family dinners had not been like this. He found Sirius’ eyes, and the thought seemed to pass between them.

Really, the place was crawling with families. Not Sirius’ house, but Gryffindor. Hogwarts Arena. Regulus had watched Logan be practically tackled by someone who could only have been Leo’s mother, with her bright blond hair. Leo’s father, also blond, had walked right up to Pascal, shaking his hand. He had a sharpie in his back pocket and a wide smile. Finn also looked just like his mother. Haley O’Hara and her dark red hair, cropped in a pixie cut, shared her sons’ easy smiles, but her startling blue eyes were her own. Ramsey O’Hara was dark haired and brown eyed, and always video taping. Alex had been wearing a Heart-throb-O’Hara t-shirt. Marius and Iva Tremblay were quieter, but Iva looked just like her son, and kept pulling Logan into her arms, her eyes almost relieved when they looked at her son’s smile. The Tremblay sisters were anything but quiet.

Regulus, while surrounded, had tended to keep close to one wall. The quiet kindness of the Lupins was welcomed.

Regulus also kept to himself during dinner, listening to the conversation and taking seconds—and thirds—of the food.

“Hungry teenage hockey player,” Lyall laughed, raising his wine glass towards Regulus. “That’s something I remember, eh, Remus?”

Remus smiled and glanced at Sirius. “I don’t think the hungry part stops after teenage years, dad.”

Sirius glanced up, mouth full. “No, it doesn’t.”

Regulus smiled, watching as Julian seemed to be trying to time his own bites with Sirius’. He remembered being that obsessed only, back then, it was just a little brother thing, not a Captain Sirius Black thing.

“So,” Hope said, leaning on her elbows and lacing her fingers. “For the dinner tomorrow. Re, why don’t you and Sirius go get the food?”

“Please let me go with,” Julian said. “Please, please, mom.”

“You’re on house duty with me. Plus, Remus and Sirius will be going right from morning skate, so—”

“He can come to morning skate with us,” Sirius said.

Remus nodded. “Yeah, mom, it’s no problem.”

“You’ll both be working, who would—”

“I don’t need to be watched, mom,” Julian begged. “Please let me go.”

“Julian, it’s not a babysitter, it’s just that—”

“I can…” Regulus glanced around. “Not watch him, but…we can hang out.”

The table went a little quiet. Regulus felt a little dizzy, like someone was going to swing at him. He knew that wasn’t true.

“I’ll probably go to the rink and watch, anyways,” Regulus continued into the quiet, looking at Julian, then Hope. “I’m going out with Leo after, so.”

“Leo Knut?” Hope said and then smiled. “Oh, I’m so glad you two are friends.”

Everyone kept saying that.

“Well, Jules?” Hope said. “Alright?”

“Okay,” Julian said hesitantly, eyes on Regulus. Regulus flashed him a tight smile and then looked back down to his plate.

He volunteered for clean up duty, just so he didn’t have to make conversation. It wasn’t awkward, but he wasn’t used to these laughter filled living rooms. He wasn’t used to Sirius’ laugh. It threw him off guard.

“Regulus?”

Regulus looked up from the sink to see Remus behind him in the kitchen window’s reflection. He was all shades of night, until Regulus turned around and he was warm again. Remus looked almost nervous, leaning back against the refrigerator.

“What’s up?” Regulus said.

“I just,” Remus glanced down the hallway, then shrugged. “I know Julian’s…not exactly warmed up to you. Thank you for offering anyway.”

Regulus turned back around to the soapy water. “Don’t worry about that. I get it. I’d probably be the same.”

“It’s just that, it isn’t you. It’s—”

“Remus, I know what it’s like to be brought up in a hockey household. There’s a whole lot of loyalty. And sometimes loyalty doesn’t change easily,” Regulus glanced back once more. “Don’t worry. I understand. I’m a Snake right now. He’s a Lion. I’m someone who betrayed their brother, and he’s someone who loves his brother more than anything.”

He could feel Remus’ eyes on his back.

“I understand,” he said again, and turned the water back on.

“Well, thank you again. I think you guys will like each other a lot.”

Regulus nodded. “I hope so.”

~

It was the Lions’ last practice before they would get on a plane for game one against the Snakes. Regulus knew he would be taking a risk, traveling with the team there. But he wanted to show that he wasn’t afraid. Part of him even hoped that he ran into Snape, or Riddle, or Malfoy, or any of them. Just to show that he was better off. The other part of him didn’t want to care what they thought.

Regulus could picture the stadium and the entire, green crowd that hissed and cheered. With the drums of the music, a single spot-light would appeared on the ice, and with each successive beat, one of three very familiar words. The Snakes’ motto.

ALWAYS

PURE

HOCKEY

Toujours pur, Regulus could remember his father saying to them growing up, accompanied by the slap of pucks against the boards, and endless drills. Toujours pur, toujours pur—

Someone tapped his arm, and Regulus looked up to meet Leo’s gaze. He was lacing his skates.

“Ça va?” he said, which made Logan look up.

“Oui,” Logan said, then noticed Leo looking at Regulus, not him. “Oh. Ça va?”

“I hope you beat them,” Regulus said. “That’s all.”

“Well, yeah,” Logan laughed, wrapping tape around his socks tightly. “Me too.”

“Regulus,” Julian came up to them. He was in a Tremblay jersey today and Logan wrestled him into a gentle headlock, making him laugh before looking back up at Regulus. “Sirius is going out to warm up can we please go watch?”

Leo smiled. “Take him out.”

Regulus couldn’t help but smile a little, too. “All right. Allez.”

Sirius was doing shooting drills, rubbing absentmindedly at his healed ribs. It was nice to be around the sounds of the ice again. Sirius’ basement didn’t count.

Remus was on the bench, sitting on the boards with his feet dangling near the ice. Every once in a while, Sirius would swoop by for a kiss, or to say something that made Remus laugh. The other boys were filing out slowly. Finn and Logan were passing a puck back and forth while Leo dropped into the splits, stretching and talking to them. Evgeni and Jackson were ramming each other into the boards and laughing. The atmosphere would change once Coach came out, but Regulus now knew that it wasn’t like in Slytherin. There was never any silence. The laughter never went away, not even when they were working hard.

“Why did you leave?” Julian asked suddenly. He was standing nearly pressed against the glass, watching. They made eye contact in the slight reflection from the lights. He looked just like his older brother, something people always said to Regulus, too.

“I…” Regulus took a breath. “I wanted to leave.”

“Why?”

“I wanted better for myself,” Regulus said carefully. “I think we should always want the best for ourselves, non?”

“What if you can’t have the best? My brother wanted to play hockey.”

Regulus glanced over at Remus, laughing as Kasey squirted him with his water bottle, and thought of the right words.

“What’s best isn’t always attached to a thing or a person?” he tried. “Sometimes it’s a good attitude. What I meant was, I thought I was stuck. Then, my brother showed me I wasn’t.”

“So, Sirius is the best for you?”

“Sirius showed me that I could be the best for me. But, oui, Sirius is pretty great. So is your brother.”

“I know that,” Julian said, and rested his forehead against the glass again. He was quiet, and then, “You said bad things about Sirius. I saw it on youtube.”

Regulus chewed on his cheek. “Yeah.”

“But then you said good things.”

“Yeah.”

“Did you say sorry?”

Regulus swallowed. “Yeah.”

“That’s good.”

Sirius skated up fast and hard and stopped in front of the glass, knocking his helmet over where Julian had his forehead. Julian laughed and knocked gently back.

“Ça va?” Sirius asked, glancing at Regulus.

“Oui,” Julian replied and Regulus nodded.

“Hey Jules,” Sirius said, loudly to be heard over the noises of practice. “Tell Reg to make you un sandwich de la rondelle in the kitchen.”

He skated away with a grin at Regulus, who couldn’t help but smile back. The words brought back a memory that he hadn’t thought about in a long time. It left Julian looking half expectant and half skeptical.

“Allez,” Regulus sighed as he pushed himself up from his seat. “I’ll let you in on a Sirius Black tradition.”

“Okay,” Julian grinned.

The Lions kitchen was a strange sense of déjà-vu. It was the Snakes’, only awash in brighter colors.

“What’s a sandwich…sandwich ron…”

“Sandwich de la rondelle,” Regulus repeated, opening cupboards until he found bread and peanut butter, and swiping a banana from the counter.

“It’s a peanut butter and banana sandwich,” Julian said.

“Oui, sort of. But—Les bananes,” Regulus held up the fruit. “Sirius use to fry them in cinnamon and honey and then they would become darker because they’re caramelized. They would look like little hockey pucks, or la rondelle.”

“I want one,” Julian said. “Please.”

Regulus laughed. “I thought you might.”

~

Sirius watched from the bed as Remus pulled on a long sleeved white shirt. The cotton clung to his strong shoulders and he shook the sleeve out over his watch. Sirius could see his star necklace through the thin fabric. Remus pushed his sandy hair off of his forehead and looked up at the shelves again, patted his dark jeans, and then turned the closet light off. He stopped when he stepped out and raised an eyebrow.

“That’s not exactly what I call dressed for guests who are showing up in—” he looked at his watch. “ten minutes.”

Sirius stretched out against the bed. “You look good, Loup.”

“I’m wearing jeans and a shirt.”

“I said you look good, I don’t care what you’re wearing.”

Remus smiled and knelt on the mattress. “Then in that case, you look good, too.”

“I’m naked.”

“Then what’s that on your face?”

Sirius groaned. “It’s tradition.” He touched the dark beard on his cheeks and chin. He was keeping it short and neat, rather than letting it grow wild like some of the other guys, but he still felt a little self-conscious. “It isn’t that bad…”

Remus crawled forward until he was poised over Sirius’ body. “You know you look good.” He leaned down to brush a kiss over Sirius’ cheek, feeling the coarse stubble against his lips. “But this place is going to be filled with families in two seconds.”

“Hm,” Sirius leaned up to kiss Remus’ throat, and Remus felt the scratch there, too.

“Parents,” Remus warned.

Sirius kissed along Remus’ jaw.

“Dumo.”

Sirius sighed. “We should get dressed.”

Sirius, forced into a pair of tight jeans and a button down by Remus, opened the front door to see Pascal standing there with Katie on his shoulders.

“Bonsoir,” Pascal said. “I come bearing hungry children and the most beautiful woman in the world.”

Sirius laughed and Celeste slapped Pascal’s chest. “Well, there’s a Leo Knut cooking with a Hope Lupin so I think we’ll be able to help with that.”

“Is Logan here?” Adele said, pushing her way past her family.

“Yeah, living room. What, don’t care about me anymore?”

She rolled her eyes and gave him a hard hug before disappearing into the house.

Celeste gave Sirius a smile, looking after Adele. “We are still missing Logan being just downstairs. You were a hard loss, too, you know.”

“Tremzy,” Katie said and pointed forward.

Logan appeared with Adele under his arm and Pascal ducked down so Logan could take Katie into his arms.

“Salut, Katie,” Logan pressed kisses to her cheeks until she laughed.

Sirius watched them wander off towards the kitchen and then looked back at Celeste. “I think it goes both ways.”

“I am going to see if the chefs need any help,” Celeste said, and followed Logan and her daughters towards the kitchen.

Sirius watched them for a moment, and then turned back to Pascal. “Where are Louis and Marc?”

“Sleepover,” Pascal laughed and stepped inside, handing Sirius a bottle of wine. “I guess playoffs aren’t that cool anymore. Katie seems to like hockey the best.”

“She’d make a killer center.”

Pascal scoffed. “Killer, eh? Been hanging out with Remus.”

Sirius smiled. “Of course.”

“What about your younger one?”

Sirius closed the door and the warmth of the house picked up again. “With the younger Lupin down at the rink.”

“Oh? They are friends now?”

“I was surprised, too.”

Pascal patted Sirius’ back as they came through to the kitchen. “Kids are quick to forgive.”

“Blow on the spoon first,” Leo was saying to Katie. “So you don’t burn your tongue, and then tell me what you think.”

Logan laughed softly, kissing Katie’s cheek again. “Our entire dinner is riding on you, mon coeur.”

Sirius watched as Katie blew very carefully on the waiting bolognese sauce, and then let Leo feed her the spoon while she held onto Logan’s neck. His eyes found Finn next, who had a look on his face that Sirius knew well. Sirius looked at Remus, holding a glass of wine and talking to Eloise Knut and Hope.

Sirius could get used to this.

“Where are your parents, Dumo?” Sirius asked.

“I’ll fly them out when we win,” Pascal smiled, knocked on Sirius’ head, and then put a hand on his shoulder. “You know… Sometimes I want to shove you back in my basement and never let you out. But then I remember you’re not the same boy you were.”

One corner of Sirius’ mouth lifted. “That would be threatening, coming from someone else.”

“Yes, but you know what I mean.”

“Ouais,” Sirius said, and put his hand over Pascals. “I know.”

“This has been a hard season. Your team is going to work hard for you.”

“Pascal,” Sirius said softly.

“Dumasha,” Sergei’s gruff voice called, and he appeared beside them, clapping Pascal on the back. “Come play bubble hockey with me. I’m beating all the kids. Omg.”

“No, he’s not,” Thomas yelled.

“I’ll win,” Pascal warned.

“We’ll see, you lumberjack,” Sergei patted Pascal’s thick beard before retreating back towards the living room.

Pascal tussled Sirius’ hair once before following, and Sirius watched him go. His memories of living with the Dumais’ felt at once distant and like yesterday. The earliest ones were covered with ice. He had been terrified of his own family and his new one. The later ones went from ice to slowly melting frost to new, spring soil. Pascal had done that. And Celeste and the kids. And Arthur, and the team.

Remus.

Sirius walked over to where he was standing with the two women.

“Well, if it isn’t Sirius Black,” Eloise smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “Hi, honey.”

Sirius, a little surprised, laughed. “Hi, Mrs. Knut. Hope.”

“Hello, sweetheart,” Hope said. “Nice party we have here.”

“Thanks to you and Remus.”

“Oh,” Hope laughed and rubbed Sirius’ shoulder. “You have a beautiful house, it should be filled with your loved ones. A truly beautiful house…”

“Mom,” Remus laughed. “You can stop telling Sirius his house is beautiful.”

“Then I’ll tell him he’s beautiful. And probably so will your father. Sirius, my husband loves you.”

“Tell me about it,” Eloise said. “Wyatt’s walking around with a sharpie, so if you see him be ready.”

Sirius huffed out a laugh. “I’m ready.”

“He loves you. Not as much as Jules, of course,” Hope said.

Remus gestured to himself. “Um.”

“Of course, not as much as Remus,” Hope and Eloise smiled at each other. “I’ll leave you two. I’m going to find that Potter baby.”

Eloise hummed. “I’m gonna go convince Leo’s boys to move home with him for the summer.”

Remus smiled. “I don’t think you’ll have too hard a time.”

“Oh, I know I won’t.”

Sirius pulled Remus against his side, leaning back against the wall to look out at the scene that the kitchen was. Remus settled against him.

“You know,” Remus began, and then cut off.

“Quoi?” Sirius asked. He looked down at Remus’ thoughtful smile.

“Whether or not things…happen…”

Sirius laughed, knowing that this was Remus’ way of getting around setting him off in a round of superstition.

Remus looked up at him. “We’re doing pretty great.”

“I was just thinking that.”

“Good.”

Remus tilted his chin up, obviously wanting a kiss, and Sirius complied.

“I can’t believe we’re getting on a plane tomorrow,” Sirius sighed.

“Is Regulus still coming?”

Sirius nodded grudgingly. “No matter how many times I tell him it might be a bad idea. Even Minnie says—”

“He lost his rookie season,” Remus said. “I think he needs to be a part of this.”

“He’ll get—harassed by reporters.”

“So will you, and you’re still going.”

Sirius smiled and pulled Remus in closer, wine glass pressed carefully against the small of his back as he looped his arms around him. “That’s different.”

Remus wrinkled his nose. “Is it?”

“I’m the Captain. I’m just worried.”

“A true Captain’s job,” Logan said as he passed them, Timmy and Olli in tow.

“I am,” Sirius said after them, and when he looked back down it was to be kissed by Remus.

“Dinner!” Leo shouted, Hope beside him putting a stack of plates out. “Y’all come get it.”

“I’m gonna die,” Finn sighed, stopping beside them. “The accent is so here right now and I’m just—I’m gonna die.”

“Harzy, are you talking to us?” Remus asked.

Alex looked up from where he was standing with Kasey and Natalie. “Just ignore him, he’s a fucking puppy.”

“I’m pep-talking myself,” Finn took a long sip of his drink. “For life.”

Alex patted his back. “Okay, Fish, get it together.”

“Stop yelling at me.”

“I’m not yelling at you.”

“You’re yelling. I’m telling mom.”

Alex scoffed as they walked towards the food. “You can’t tell mom.”

Sirius snorted and pulled Remus away towards the plates to serve themselves.

~

Game one was rough and fast and disappointing. When Sirius had first skated out, the hisses had been deafening. Remus had watched from the bench with his nails digging into his palms. The Snakes had won 3-0. Close, but not enough. Kasey had made forty saves. Elias Cook had taken a puck to the knee and Remus knew even before evaluating him that he might be out for the run. Snape had been vicious. But so had Sirius. The locker room had been crowded, the families wonderful but adding pressure, and Remus was more than happy to watch Sirius collapse on their hotel bed. He was still in his game suit, but it was rumpled. The steely color had faded as the adrenaline did, and he looked tired.

“Fuck,” Sirius sighed, and raised his chin to look at Remus. “Why are you standing over there? C’mere.”

Remus laughed and chucked his bag down before falling beside Sirius onto the bed.

“Hell of a game,” Remus said. “It’s just one game.”

“Yeah,” Sirius replied, and then was quiet. “Riddle’s a good goalie.”

“So is Kasey.”

“No, I know, I just… we really couldn’t get a single shot in. I’m just happy we weren’t at home. God, Kasey’s probably just…kicking himself right now.”

“Nat’s here. And his family. She’ll talk some sense into him.” Remus said. After a moment, he groaned and sat up again. “Speaking of home, we should pack for the flight back tomorrow.”

Sirius groaned. “Come back.”

Remus laughed. “We have to be out the door at six tomorrow, and I know you won’t want to get up early to do it then. Just put your suit away, that’s all you brought anyway.”

“I just played an entire hockey game.”

Remus suppressed a smile as he took one of Sirius’ ankles and pulled off his shoe. “The world doesn’t know you’re like this.”

“Non.”

“I could tell them, you know.”

Sirius laughed. “That you undress me?”

Remus smiled. When both shoes had clunked to the floor, he straddled Sirius’ hips, hands going to his belt. “You’re right, maybe not.”

Sirius smiled and let his head fall back with a groan. “Fuck.” Remus let Sirius pull him down against his chest. “You’re so hot, but I’m so tired.”

“Oh, no way we were not about to have sex. You are waking up at six in the morning and you’re playing the game of your life the next night.”

Sirius let out a content sigh. “Hm.”

Remus pressed a kiss to his neck and then reached for the buttons of his shirt.

“I think we have to go to the net harder,” Sirius said thoughtfully as Remus pulled him into a sitting position.

“I think we need to get a handle on our power play,” Remus said, pushing Sirius’ shirt over his broad shoulders. He kissed those, too. “I think Coach should put Finn back on it. He’s ruthless when he wants to be.”

Sirius hummed. “Yeah. Him and James do well together, too. Will you murder me if I watch some tape?”

“You’re going to sleep.”

“I just want to see that second period play. You know—”

“Tremz was off-side and, no, Carrow didn’t push him,” Remus smiled when Sirius made a face. “Believe me, it happened right in front of me.”

“We were going to score.”

“I know,” Remus bent to kiss the scar on Sirius’ cheek, then the one on his lip. “But that’s hockey.”

Sirius kicked his pants off once Remus stood to go to his own suitcase. “I wish we had come out of the gate strong, that’s all.”

Remus snorted, tugging off his shirt. “Nice media lingo, there.”

Sirius rolled onto his stomach with a groan, then pushed himself into a standing position. A moment later, Remus felt his chest against his bare back, their skin warm against each other.

Sirius’ hands stroked over Remus’ sides, dipping into the muscle that cut along his hips. “You haven’t even asked me how my ribs are,” Sirius said against Remus’ temple. Remus could hear the smile in his voice. “You always ask.”

“I know you’re better,” Remus leaned against him, tilting his head to the side when Sirius began to kiss his neck gently. He put his hands over Sirius’. “I know we didn’t win, but you were amazing tonight.” He turned in Sirius’ arms and wound his fingers in his dark hair. "You see everything out there, huh?”

“I try,” Sirius said softly.

“You do,” Remus kissed him, then again and again. “Don’t get in your head, baby. You’re good.”

Sirius let out a breath, lips against Remus’ cheek. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Remus wrapped his arms around Sirius’ waist and held him there.

“Just tape for, like, ten—“

Remus pressed in closer. “Nope.”

Sirius’ laugh rumbled against his cheek. “Come to bed with me, then.”

~

It was better to be back in Gryffindor. Remus didn’t want to admit how much of a weight it was off of his chest to be away. To have the team away, and Regulus. It had been fine. Regulus hadn’t been bothered. Not yet, at least. They would be on a plane back to Slytherin tomorrow, win or lose.

“Shitter-McFucks,” Thomas said loudly. “We gotta win this game.”

“Where do you come up with these things?” Sergei sighed.

“I don’t know,” Thomas said, and he looked thoughtful. “They come to me. Makes sense though, right?”

Sergei made a barely affirmative sound and returned to taping his stick.

“T,” Remus said, smiling a little at the conversation. He held out Thomas’ shoulder pads. “Fixed it.”

Thomas took it and clutched it to his chest. “Sick, thanks, Loops. I love you.”

Remus smiled and turned to the room. “Does anyone need anything?”

There were a few murmurs of no, and Remus let out a breath. “Okay.”

Remus glanced at his watch. Twenty minutes until they had to be out for warm ups. Sometimes it was strange, thinking about the Snakes in this very building, doing the same thing they were. Taping sticks, getting dressed, stretching. Remus’ eyes found Regulus, who was sitting in Sirius’ stall while Sirius stretched out on the floor. They were talking intently, no doubt about the game. Regulus seemed to be drawing plays out on his palm, Sirius nodding along, then pointing, as if to correct something. Remus smiled at the sight, then walked over and crouched by Sirius’ shoulder.

Sirius looked up, hands around his ankles stretched in front of him. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Remus replied, and glanced at the door.

Sirius blinked. “Oh.”

“And I’m out,” Regulus sighed and stood.

Sirius stood, too, adjusting his snapback and catching Remus’ fingers. “Yes, yes, now?”

“I thought you could use a pick-me-up.”

Sirius cursed under his breath, grinning. “Re…”

He already looked flushed with it—with just the thought—and Remus wanted him. Badly.

Sirius was on his heels until they got to the PT room, looking carefully out into the hallway before shutting the door and turning the lock. He was still smiling when he turned, gently taking hold of Remus’ hips and backing him against the exam table.

“I love you,” he said into his first kiss, and then, into the second, “how do you want me?”

Remus hooked his fingers into the band of Sirius’ spandex and turned them so that his back was against the table, cushioned by the padding. Sirius leaned down to kiss along Remus’ neck.

Remus reached down to cup Sirius’ cock through the thin material of his spandex. “Just like this.”

“Jesus,” Sirius breathed. “Fuck, we—how much time?”

“We have time.”

Remus knelt on one knee, then the other. He pulled the spandex away to reveal Sirius’ cock, half hard but twitching as it filled. Remus’ heart beat faster, his own cock beginning to press out against his thigh.

Sirius’ hand was gentle against the back of Remus’ head as he took him into his mouth, sucking on the damp head.

Sirius half laughed, half moaned, brows drawn together a little as Remus took him down further. He was fattening up to full now, slick and heavy in Remus’ mouth.

“Ah—” Remus looked up to see Sirius’ head fall back. The tension fell out of his shoulders. His back arched a little, defined abs flexing through the thin material of his black undershirt. “Yeah—”

Remus sucked harder, keeping a hand wrapped around the base of his cock, stroking softly in the way he knew Sirius liked. Sirius was already spilling thinly over his tongue, bitter and warm. Remus pulled off to the head again, pressing his tongue to the slit hard and making Sirius jolt.

“God, Remus—” Sirius choked the words out, cock slicking itself more as Remus reached down to cup his balls and stroke behind them. Sirius widened his stance, welcoming the touch. “Ouais—yes.”

Remus stilled and pressed his hands behind Sirius’ hips, coaxing them forward gently. Sirius blinked down at him blearily. “You—you want me…”

Remus pushed Sirius’ hips forward more insistently and looked up. Sirius’ fingers tightened in Remus’ hair.

“Merde,” his hips fucked forward, almost on their own. “Re.”

And Sirius complied, fucking himself into Remus’ hot mouth in slow strokes. Remus was hot and aching in his own pants, and he reached down to push them under his balls. He moaned at the first touch, and Sirius picked up his pace. Remus’ breathed in through his nose, smelling Sirius’ slight sweat, and fucked his fist in time to Sirius’ hips. He was heavy on his tongue. Sirius’ breathing was heavy, eyes dark and hair curling out form under his hat. He was gorgeous, and strong, and Remus didn’t care if they won a silver cup when he had those silver eyes.

Sirius’ mouth was open, eyes tight with pleasure as he watched his cock sink in and out of Remus’ mouth, watched Remus’ hips move at the same time. Remus moaned as he pressed his palm against his own head, fingers tight around his shaft.

“Mon—I’m gonna—”

Remus felt flushed and turned on by Sirius standing there, half dressed before a game with his swollen cock looking like that. It was only a few more strokes before Remus felt Sirius begin to come in his mouth. Sirius’ hips stilled, abs flexing in, and Remus bobbed his head, sucking him through it.

“Yes, yes,” Sirius whispered, head dropped back again. He stopped breathing and grit his teeth. He pushed his cock into Remus’ mouth once, twice. “Ah.”

Remus pulled off when Sirius made a soft, sensitive sound. Sirius took one look at him, chest heaving, and dropped to his knees, too.

“Baby,” Remus’ voice shook, fist quick on his own cock. He needed to come so bad.

Sirius just pushed at his shoulders, laying him back until he was against the carpet and Sirius had him fully in his mouth. He worked Remus with his mouth quickly, groaning around him, and Remus’ hips arched off the ground towards the heat. He came hard, forcing his eyes to stay open so he could watch Sirius.

They lay there for a moment, Sirius panting with his cheek against Remus’ hip, before he pushed himself up and positively beamed at Remus.

“Nice and clean,” he said, and surged up and kissed Remus. “I fucking love you.”

Remus wrapped his arms around Sirius’ neck and licked into his mouth. “I love you, I love you. You’re going to play so well.”

Sirius smiled into their next kiss, biting at Remus’ lower lip. “I am now.”

Sirius pulled back with a questioning noise when Remus started laughing into their next kiss.

“I’m sorry,” Remus laughed through the words, stroking his hands over Sirius’ cheeks. “It’s like an entire new experience kissing you with this thing.”

Sirius grinned and rubbed their cheeks together. “You like it a little bit, I know you do.”

Remus smiled into the kiss, but didn’t answer, instead carefully tucking Sirius back into his spandex and patting his butt. “See you out there, Captain.”

It was Sirius’ first home game back and playing. Instead of the normal pump up songs, the Lions’ had a special pre-game video on the jumbotron. When the lights went down, it played the first notes of Back in Black. At first the song’s notes were spaced out, remixed. It was hard to tell what the song was, echoing through the stadium. As soon as the crowd figured it out though, they went wild, and then an image of the back of Sirius’ jersey, slow-motioned, played of him walking down the darkened tunnel to the ice, his last name shining in glossy letters.

Dum.

Fast clips of Sirius’ tricky, skating feet.

Dum-da-dum.

A goal from the season, beautiful and impossible—until Sirius did it. Remus’ heart pounded.

Dum-a-dum.

The crowd recognized the song. Hogwarts roared.

Dum-a-dum-dum.

Remus laughed on the bench, popping a piece of gum in his mouth.

“Marlene’s a genius,” he shouted over the noise to Moody.

“She is,” he laughed gruffly.

The video continued with the rest of the team, highlights from the season and snippets of interviews. Finn and Logan crashing together after a goal. Leo’s bright blue eyes, focused from behind his mask. We’re ready, his accented voice said. We feel ready. James and Sirius’ famous one-two plays. Evgeni, mountainous and bear-like. Pascal and Logan. The French Canadian father and son, came Frank’s voice, and then the clip cut, bleeding together into a whole. Pascal and Sergei, helmets pressed together. Thomas, proud and tall, flipping a puck right between a goalies legs. Walkie-Talkie, walking the walk!

A waving rainbow flag being waved by numerous fans.

Remus felt tears building in the back of his throat. He wished he could see Sirius right then.

Frank’s voice over the speakers. Lions fans. Welcome to the Stanley Cup Finals.

He drew out the next words in the way he always did. Your Gryffin-dor Li-ons!

The Snakes skated out for warm-ups when the Lions did, insignificant and dark in their black away uniforms. When the lights came up, the Lions were out, Kasey raking up his crease and the others doing a lap on their side of the rink. Remus saw Snape’s eyes flick over from behind his visor, but that was all.

Arthur was bent over his calling card with some of the assistant coaches, motioning to various players.

“How does it feel?” Remus asked Kasey when he skated over to the bench for some water while Leo warmed up in goal, too.

“It feels good,” Kasey said. “It—”

James skated up fast and stopped hard. “Blue.”

Remus raised an eyebrow at him. “James, you ask me this ever game, I really don’t know how…” Remus trailed off and crossed his arms. “This is a superstitious thing. Isn’t it.”

James, looking only a little guilty, smiled. “Blue?”

Remus handed it to him. “You are all insane.”

“Bliz,” Leo said, opening the bench door. “You’re back in.”

Kasey tapped his butt with his blocker and skated back out.

“Is he okay?”

Remus looked back at James. He had his contacts in, adjusting one with a knuckle. “What?” Remus asked. “Who?”

James looked over to center ice where Sirius was tracing the Lions’ logo with a puck. Remus could see fans filming him—or maybe it was Kuny, down on the ice with his legs in the air, stretching.

“You know how Cap gets,” James said. “How much did he beat himself up over the last few nights?”

Remus sighed. “Oh, he tried to watch tape.”

James snorted. “Of course.”

“Didn’t let him, though. I all but wrestled him into bed—no.”

James’ face was already lit up.

“Not like that, Pots.”

James laughed loudly, reaching with his stick for a puck to take back out with him. “Sure, Loops, sure.”

Logan and Finn were standing near middle ice together, waiting for the wrap-around shoot. Logan was laughing at something Finn was saying. He took his helmet off and put it back on again, like he did with his hat.

“Cute, huh?” Leo said, and when Remus looked over at him, he grinned.

Remus laughed. “Proud of yourself?”

“Very.”

Remus found Sirius again. He was at the far side of the rink, pushing a stick over the glass for a little kid.

“Yeah. Yeah, me too.”

The horn went to signal the end of warm ups, and the team skated back towards the bench so that the ice crew could get rid of the shaved up ice.

Sirius jumped the boards in front of Remus, and Remus could already see the game taking over his expression. He was chewing the inside of his cheek, tapping various teammates and talking fast directions to them. Go hard here, ease off this, cover Malfoy on the power play…

When the lights went down for the national anthem, it felt sudden. Remus’ heart jumped in his chest. Sirius glanced at Remus as he pulled his twelve necklace out from within his jersey, smiling before bowing his head and holding the pendant to his lips. Finn had his hand on Logan’s shoulder, Logan was holding his necklace, Leo was behind both of them, close and shuffling from skate to skate.

Remus looked over to the Snake’s bench. They were still. Their eyes were ahead. He thought about Regulus, up in the Lions box with the other families, looking down at the red and green. He wondered, not for this first time, if Sirius’ parents were here. He hadn’t asked. He didn’t want Sirius looking for them, even subconsciously.

Things didn’t get interesting until halfway through the second period. The Snakes were mirroring Sirius’ line, calling Snape’s out whenever Sirius jumped the boards. Malfoy was on him like a magnet, hammering him into the boards and getting penalties called on himself for slashing.

“What kind of fucking strategy is this?” Finn said before climbing back out onto the ice for their fourth power play of the period. Sirius was circling with one of the refs, talking with his hands, his mouthguard in one of his palms.

“Alright, boys!” James yelled. “Alright, alright, here we go!”

Not single goal had yet to be scored and the crowd was anxious for one, shouting at every moment a Lion was close to Riddle’s net.

Sirius, seemingly giving up on the referee, set up across center ice from Snape. He spat something that made Severus sneer and Remus—Remus couldn’t deny that it sent a new wave of heat through him. Sirius was all hockey now, and his eyes were on the Cup. The Stanley Cup wasn’t in the building yet, it was too soon, but it would be. Remus’ throat got tight when he thought about it. He’d never been this close. He never thought he’d ever be this close.

The puck dropped. Sirius scooped it back to Finn and darted into the Snakes’ zone, wrestling against Malfoy still. He shouted for James but Snape intercepted the pass, sudden and sloppy in his strokes, and carried it back to the center zone. Malfoy, though, was too busy with Sirius. The puck went careening towards the boards, momentarily alone, before Finn was there, catching it and carrying it towards Riddle. He faked once, weight on his toes, twice, and then shot it above Riddle’s left shoulder. The goal horn blared in red lights. His hands went up and so did Sirius’. Logan shouted from beside Remus on the bench.

“Fuck, Harzy,” he said, and Leo and him shared a smile.

Remus clapped with Hogwarts, glancing up at the jumbotron to see the score change from 0-0 to 1-0. Finn jumped the boards and Logan pressed their helmets together in the split moment that they met while leaving and getting onto the ice. Finn was sweaty and grinning.

“That’s what we’re doing,” Thomas shouted. “That’s what we’re doing.”

Sirius stayed out and Remus smiled. He wanted a goal, Remus could tell. He and James circled each other as they talked, heads close together so the others couldn’t hear or read their lips.

Remus patted Finn’s shoulder. “Good getting us going, Harz.”

“I’m good at getting boys going, Loops.”

Remus snorted and Leo shoved him.

Riddle was making a slow lap around the crease, eyes on Finn on their bench, then moving over, all the way across the ice, to Kasey, re-setting, too.

Remus looked between them, and when he returned to Riddle, he saw that he was spitting words at Snape and pointing to Kasey.

The lights changed, calling a TV break.

“Mon loup, c’est bon?” Sirius said. He put a foot up on the boards, stretching.

Remus hesitated, then nodded. “I—yeah. Your ankle? Is it stiff?”

“Non, just stretching,” Sirius smiled. “Worrier.”

“Hey,” Remus tried to smile back, but he was watching Kasey approach the bench. “Hey, Kase—”

“I saw it, too, Loops,” Kasey said, squirting some water into his mouth and glancing over at Riddle. “Believe me. That guy’s eyes practically glow like the ones on his mask.”

“Just watch out for any bad plays,” Coach said. “That goes for everyone.”

“I mean,” Kasey shrugged. “If he tries to get a goal by ramming into me, it’ll be no goal.”

“I’m not worried about the goal, Bliz,” Coach said. “I’m worried about you.”

One corner of Kasey’s mouth lifted in a smile. “Well, shucks, Coach.”

“Alright,” Coach nodded. “Let’s be careful and play hard.”

There was a chorus of yes, coach, and Pascal’s line went out for the face-off.

“What exactly did you see Snape and Riddle do?” Sirius asked, back in the locker room. He was smiling and wearing the Lions hat token that Logan had given to him after Sirius scored two goals in the third. They had won game two 4-2. The series was tied for now.

“Nothing really,” Remus was bent beside him by James, taping up a sore calf. “It was a look but…”

“But that’s all it really takes with Riddle,” James said. “Thanks Loops, that feels better.”

“Go easy on it, no running on the plane.”

“I don’t do that!”

“Yes, you really do.”

“Well, I am a responsible father now.”

“I didn’t see them try anything,” Sirius said, glancing over at Kasey. “But I’m not sure that makes me feel better.”

Remus sighed, running a hand over Sirius’ knee and using it to push himself up. “Me neither. But, hey.”

Sirius looked up at him, and Remus tilted the brim of the hat back so he could lean down for a quick kiss. “We won.”

“Lupin love,” Thomas shouted.

Remus laughed. “Do you need something, Walker?”

“Sirius!”

Remus didn’t have time to look behind him before Julian was barreling into his back, arms around his waist and gazing at Sirius.

“Those goals were so good.”

Sirius smiled. “Thanks, Jules. Wanna wear the hat?”

“Really?”

James leaned in. “Be warned of the countless sweaty heads that has adorned. We can’t wash it.”

“I wanna wear it!”

Sirius placed the hat on Julian’s head while the other families filed in. Remus saw Alex give his brother a tight hug, Leo’s dad going up to clap Logan on the back. Kris’ daughter went running to him, and he scooped her up with kisses. Julian had become fast friends with Regulus and was running to show him his hat where he was standing with Leo.

Sirius rose, locking his hands around Remus’ lower back. “Want to come cool down with me?”

Remus smiled, palms on his chest. “Oh, we’ll cool down, will we?”

“Yeah,” Sirius pressed a kiss to Remus’ cheek, beard dragging against his skin. “You know. Relax all of our tense muscles.”

Remus wound his fingers in Sirius’ sweaty hair. “I love you. Go shower.”

Sirius pressed a last, soft kiss to Remus’ mouth. “Don’t leave without me.”

“Never.”

Sirius’ house was warm and quiet when Hope unlocked the door.

Hope turned to Sirius once they were inside. “I made some spaghetti for you, Sirius, I thought you might be hungry.”

Sirius laughed. “Hope, tu es un ange.”

“He said you’re an angel,” Remus smiled. “And he’s right.”

“Remus makes the best post-game sandwiches,” Sirius pulled him close. “I guess I have you to thank for that.”

“Oh, no, that’d be Lyall,” Hope smiled, pulling a covered dish out of the refrigerator and turning to the microwave. “Lyall and Remus always made sandwiches together after his games.”

“And me,” Julian said, sliding into a chair at the kitchen table. “Right dad?”

“Every game,” Lyall smiled. “Best part of my day, bud.”

“Can I go skate, mom?”

“Julian Lupin, you are going right to bed. Do you know what time it is? I’ll let you miss school for this, and your bedtime, but there is a line, darling.”

“But we’re having spaghetti.”

Hope raised an eyebrow. “Did you just play a full game of hockey?”

Julian sighed. “No.”

“Okay then,” Hope stroked Julian’s hair. “Go get ready for bed, okay? Take dad with you.”

“C’mon, J, we’ll watch some of the post-game.”

Remus watched Julian and his dad trudge upstairs then turned to Hope. “Mom, let me do that. We have a long flight tomorrow again. Why don’t you go rest up, too?”

Hope looked between them and laughed, understanding. “Well, if you insist. I’ll just leave you two alone then. My son the chef, that’s new!”

Remus snorted. “It was new, like, four years ago!”

Hope smiled and kissed Remus on the cheek, then Sirius. “See you two tomorrow.”

When the microwave beeped, they shared the bowl with two forks, ankles tangled below the table.

“Are you really worried?” Sirius said after a few beats of silence. He twirled his fork in the noodles and held it out to Remus. “About Kasey. About Snape.”

Remus took Sirius’ fork gently into his mouth. “I don’t know. I know he’s worried. He’s nervous about his thigh. I can tell. It’s like you, early on with your ankle. Timid.”

Sirius nodded slowly. “Do you think I should talk to him?”

Remus shrugged. “It couldn’t hurt. Kasey’s strong, but it’s always good to hear you’re good.”

Sirius’ smile was sly, if not a little sleepy. “So I learned today.”

Remus smiled. “Eat so we can sleep. You frickin sweetheart.”

Sirius laughed and pulled the bowl towards him to scrape the last of the noodles towards him and into his mouth. After putting it in the sink, he bent over the back of Remus’ chair, arms across Remus’ chest.

“Bed?”

Remus tilted his head back for a kiss. “Bed.”

~

Slytherin was cold and the Snakes were vicious. Remus looked up at the second period clock running down as he prodded at Sirius’ left shoulder. Sirius was breathing heavily, Moody holding cotton to his bleeding nose.

Malfoy was in a similar state, being led to the the penalty box.

“Finally got tired of him being all over you, eh?” Remus said, then, more firmly, and loudly to be heard over the Slytherin crowd, “Do you have to go back to the locker room with me?”

“Non,” Sirius yelled, batting Moody’s hand away and swiping his own across his nose. The bleeding had stopped. “I’m good, allez.”

Remus nodded, replacing Sirius’ shoulder pad and pulling his jersey back down over his shoulder and arm. “All right, go.”

“Love you,” Sirius breathed, and then hopped the boards to go to the penalty box. Remus couldn’t help but smile a little as he watched him and Malfoy spit words at each other through the glass.

Coach leaned in. “He okay?”

Remus nodded. “He’s fine.” He looked back over at the penalty box, at Malfoy inside. “Blondie’s really not gonna leave him alone this whole series, huh?”

“That’s their way,” Coach grumbled. “Stick on you like leeches. Sirius knows how to handle it.”

Evgeni and Jackson made their way back onto the bench.

“Just take your time, the word will come to you,” Jackson was saying. “Kuns, you can’t get frustrated like that.”

Evgeni grumbled something in Russian and Jackson just nodded along.

“Nado, score goal,” he ended with.

“I’m trying.”

They were down three nothing, and Remus looked back at Kasey. He was tense, in his own head. Remus would give anything to be able to talk to him.

The puck dropped, Logan on the face-off. They were four-on-four, Sirius leaning forward in the box, probably hoping for a jack-in-the-box goal. Snape carried the puck in easily, past Olli, deking around Pascal only to be crushed to the boards by Timmy. He lost it for a second, but Logan flubbed a pass and then it was on Carrow’s stick.

“Shit,” Remus swore under his breath.

Carrow was a ruthless, fast skater. He pushed towards Kasey, closer and closer.

Despite everything, Remus wasn’t expecting him to ram into Kasey, disregarding the puck entirely, and knocking them both into the net.

The goal horn blared and Carrow didn’t even look up as he skated off the ice and down the tunnel. He knew he was too dirty to be allowed back in the game. Some of his team members patted him on the back. Remus felt sick.

Remus leaped up—and Kasey stayed down. The ref was blowing the whistle hard.

“Fucking interference!” James shouted, voice breaking with how much he had been at it. “Fuck!”

Kasey hit the ice with his stick as he rose, slowly. So slowly.

Sure enough, the referee skated out, hands in a cross, signaling that there was no goal.

Just as suddenly, the crowd started to sing. At least, at first Remus thought it was singing. Then, he recognized the sound.

“Winter,” the crowd was saying in a long, drawn out drone. It was haunting. It was over and over again.

Winter, Winter.

They were taunting him. Kasey was lapping his goal. He was favoring one leg. He was keeping his head down.

“Coach,” Remus said quietly. “Coach, he’s hurt.”

“Let’s see what he does,” Coach said. “Let’s see, Kasey’s not reckless.”

“He might be if the entire crowd is taunting him into it.”

“We have ten seconds left. He can last ten seconds.”

“We’ll keep it away from him,” Thomas said. His eyes were dark. “Jesus, Kase.”

The ten seconds went, and the end of the second period rang out.

Kasey was down on one knee in his crease, head bowed. Then, he lifted his gaze and looked right at Remus. Remus could only just make out his brown eyes through his mask. Kasey gave a slight shake of his head.

Walking back down the tunnel was a blur. Sirius was holding his hand until they had to part ways. Remus looked up at a TV as he passed and stopped when he saw himself. It was the moment from earlier. He had his hands up Sirius’ jersey, checking his shoulder, while Sirius had his head turned close to him, mid-sentence, blood dripping down his face.

“Black and Lupin, close on the bench this game,” the show host was saying and Remus scoffed. “And what looked like a bad hit on Lions starting goalie, Kasey Winter, by the Snakes tonight. Lucky for the Lions, they don’t have too bad a rookie. Nineteen year old Leo Knut, Louisiana born…”

Remus kept walking, pushing open the door to the quiet room where Kasey was waiting for him on his back on the exam table. He had his bad leg stretched out.

“Hi Kase,” Remus said softly.

Kasey had an arm over his eyes, and he pulled it away slowly. “Hi, Loops.”

“You okay? Can I get you some water or a bar or something?”

Kasey shook his head. “No. Let’s just—let’s get this over with. Just tell me.”

Remus bit his lip, but nodded. “Okay. I’m gonna take your shorts off, alright?”

Kasey nodded, and Remus worked quietly until he was stripped to his underarmour and Remus could feel his strong muscles and tendons. Remus was gentle and quick. Kasey wasn’t a player who liked things sugar coated.

“Well?” Kasey asked in a rough voice.

“It—it has a light tear, I think,” Remus said softly, and Kasey closed his eyes. “I need you to rest Kase. Don’t think I haven’t seen you pushing yourself. I know it’s frustrating.”

“Barely,” Kasey grit out. “I’ve been barely pushing myself. It’s—it’s just not—”

There was a knock at the door, making them both look up.

Natalie poked her head in, and the moment Kasey saw her he pressed a palm over his eyes and sucked in a sharp breath of tears.

“Kase,” Natalie was rushing forward, the door falling shut behind her. She rubbed a palm over his chest, the other in his hair. “Hey, baby, you’re all right.” She kissed his forehead. “You’re all right.”

“I’ll give you two a second,” Remus said quietly, and she nodded.

“Thanks, Re.”

Remus felt overly hot and heavy when the door closed behind him. The hallway looked busy and loud with staff members.

“Remus.”

Remus turned at Arthur’s voice, meeting worried, stern eyes.

“Tell me,” Arthur said.

“These injuries are tricky,” Remus managed. “They’re easily aggravated and…”

“And I should get Knut warmed up?”

“Yes,” Remus said, even though it hurt. “Yes.”

Arthur pressed his lips together and they stood there for a moment, the chaos around them.

“I’m going to go see Bliz,” Arthur said. “Tell him he’s good.”

“Natalie’s in there. I think you should give him a minute.”

Arthur nodded. “Okay. Go see the boys. I’m coming back in five to go over strategy.”

“Okay,” Remus managed a tight smile, and headed for the locker room.

Sirius was on him in a moment, sweaty and stripped down to his pads and socks.

“No, it isn’t good,” Remus said before he could ask. “Where is Leo?”

“Warming up,” Sirius said. “Fuck. Re—”

“Loops?”

It was Evgeni.

“Blizzard is okay?” he asked. The rest of the locker room quieted to listen.

Remus shook his head. “He’s okay but he’s done for the season.”

Remus turned to Sirius and took his hand. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” Sirius said. “Are you?”

“I feel horrible,” Remus said. “I should have watched him closer, I should have—I knew how hard he was being on himself, I’ve been there.”

“Re, this isn’t your fault. Did you see that hit? Carrow’s out of the game and he’s gonna get a suspension for that. It was completely insane.”

“They’ll just replace him with Bones. You know they will, that’s their whole strategy. They don’t care how hard the hit is—”

“They don’t care about their players,” Regulus cut in. He was standing with Pascal and offered a humorless smile. “Whatever makes the game easier.”

“And yet their motto is always pure hockey,” Pascal shook his head.

“I need to find Leo.”

“He’s with Finn and Logan by the bikes,” Regulus said.

Remus nodded, pressed a palm to Sirius’ cheek, and then turned away.

Leo was stretched out on the floor in his spandex, Logan and Finn talking with him as they kept their muscles warm on the bikes. They looked up when Remus entered.

“Is Nut in?” Finn asked.

“Yes.”

Leo sat up. “Is Kasey…” but he trailed off at Remus’ expression. “Fuck.”

“Bliz,” Logan sighed, raking his fingers through his sweaty hair before hanging his head, elbows on the bike handlebars and feet slow. It had been Logan’s missed pass.

“It isn’t your fault, Tremz. We just have to hope for the best. But get warm, Leo, okay? You can see him after.”

Leo nodded. “Okay. Not my first play off game or anything. No pressure. At least my family is here.” Leo let out a long breath and touched his forehead to his knees. “My mama would cry if she missed this.”

Remus looked to Finn and Logan. “You guys good?”

Finn nodded. “Yeah, Loops, we’re good.”

Remus pushed back into the hallway, hoping to go back to Kasey, only to be met by Alice. He tried to duck out, but she walked with him.

“Coach says he’s in,” she said, gesturing to the door closing on the cubs. “He told me to come to you for news on Kasey.”

“Slight tear in the adductor longus,” Remus said as they walked down the hall. When Alice just gave him a look, Remus sighed. “Inner thigh.”

“So, his repeating injury.”

“Yes, but,” Remus stopped, hand on her shoulder. They were at the locker room. “Do me a favor, and don’t put that in the press statement. I don’t want him hearing that right now.”

Alice’s expression softened. “You’re good to them, Lupin.”

Remus was already pushing open the door. “They’re good to me.”

Out on the ice, Leo was met by hisses and jeering. Finn and Logan kept close to his side while he marked him his crease, circling and tapping his posts.

Moody chuckled from beside Remus. “Not superstitious, eh?”

Remus patted Sirius’ shoulder. “That can only last so long when you’re around this one twenty-four seven.”

Sirius turned. “Quoi?”

“Nothing,” Remus said, and shared a knowing look with Moody.

“Where’s Bliz?” James asked.

“Watching with Natalie and his family in the recovery room,” Remus said. “He’ll be okay, you guys focus. Win this game for him.”

Remus looked out at Leo, at Pascal on the face-off.

The referee dropped the puck, and the third period of game three began.

[efkgirldetective]

~part IV~ of this little prompt series { part I & part II & part III }

much love&thanks to @shaniso90 for this adjusted prompt !!! your noun/color/place worked so so well with my imposed emotion ✨

(ps highly recommend listening to tell me you love me by sufjan stevens—irrefutably/canonically jily—whilst reading)

sweater + lavender+ library + apprehension

Lily pauses, lazy with sleep, in the cusp of the hall—glimpsing round the corner James and Sirius stood in the kitchen, bent together, talking in quiet tones. She leans her head to the wall, watches James smile and laugh. He looks well-rested. He’s wearing the sweater she gave him for Christmas, lavender and woolen. One elbow already rethreaded with magic.

She presses a hand to her ribs. Afraid if she doesn’t hold her heart inside, it will spill out. Sirius leans back against the counter and flicks his wand at a simmering pan, at the toaster; she can smell eggs and nearly-burnt bread; the lingering scent of James, head heavy on his morning pillow. His fluttering lashes as he woke, slowly, culled his fingers to her neck, kissed her through halfsleep; whispered I’m here, sweetheart. I’m here.

Lily lets the fingers shift down; rest on her belly. Tender and soft. She steps into the kitchen.

“Morning, sleepy,” James murmurs when she tucks herself into his side, feeling the sweater between her fingers, feeling his warmth and his being here, being alive. Gripping at the loops of his jeans. Unwilling to let go.

“Toast, Evans?” Sirius asks, slipping past them. “Eggs?”

They share slow breakfast. Peter joins not long after and steeps tea just the way they all like. They laugh when Remus finally emerges, disgruntled and bedheaded, shoving at Sirius lightheartedly as he’s pulled in for a kiss; hands touching necks. Lily keeps herself connected to James; hand on his leg as it bounces under the table; mouth pressed into his shoulder when he refills her juice; fingers moving up through his hair, still damp from a shower. As if he’ll stay, just here, if she can keep him steady. As if touch could save him—any of them.

“Come with me to the library?” Lily wonders as the table breaks up— Remus fully awake and talking aloud through his list of Saturday chores, Sirius groaning that they ought to just go back to bed and loiter, Peter insisting on clearing the dishes, jostling a kind and gentle hand at James’ shoulder—“I’ve got books to return.”

They pile on their corduroy coats and cast warming charms and walk down the street through late November leaves, sunlight yellow and cold. Lily concentrates on the feeling of their hands, entwined. Hefts her tote of books higher on her shoulder. Feels his thumb rubbing her thumb.

“Okay?” he asks and in response, she brings the thumb up to her lips.

The Muggle library is scarce with patrons. Lily returns her books and chats for a moment with sweet, silver-haired Fran. “You’re quite glowing, love,” the librarian says as Lily shuffles a stack of new books into the tote. “Has that tall handsome mister gone and given you a ring?”

Lily smiles—and it bursts in jest as much in sadness. “Not yet, Fran, no ring.”

“He’s a right plonker should he not be ring shopping, at least. Tell him I said that, would you now?”

Lily finds James in the back of the library, flipping through a book on car mechanics, muttering on about how bloody impossible it all is, sans spellwork. The glass-ceilinged atrium above scatters gold light over the floor, over the stacks; catches in his dark hair. Lily feels the heart-spill, tenfold. Fits herself to his back and wraps her arms around his body; buries her face in his coat.

“Lils?” he asks, spreading his hands over hers.

“I love you,” she tells his coat.

He twists around fully and cradles her jaw and the library feels immense—but, still, too small. She chokes on the weight of her nerves, on the weight of the future. “You’re pale,” he murmurs, and she shuts her eyes. “Really, is everything okay?”

“Let’s walk,” she diverts, eager for someplace else to breathe.

They walk to a nearby park. The sun has dimmed behind clouds. Lily feels her footsteps very intentionally. Tucked into the crook of his body, she knows this is before. The after, unknowable. They will never be the same.

They meander to a bench with a nice view of a small pond, catered in late autumn by dreary clouded algae, birds splashing their wings in the water.

James doesn’t push—knowing, perhaps, that the words are glomming in her throat, that her fear and panic and wrong time wrong time wrong time are fraught enough to bury any thrill; affection; growth.

She asks, to stall, “your leg?”

He gives her a small smile. “Aches, just a little.”

“Good,” she nods, breathing out, running her hand down his arm; feeling his eyes on her. She looks out over the water. “Good.”

A family teeters down the path behind them. The babbling child throws the skin of an orange into the grass. Lily concentrates, very hard, on the way an orange smells when its skin is peeled off; the pleasant, stinging sweet. She remembers like her own breath the day she and James shared an orange under summer sun, eighteen years old, besotted; juice dripping between fingers. I love you shimmering between them for the very first time. “Can you feel it?” he wondered, hair moved through with wind. She held his eyes and cupped his hand in hers; gave over the last slice of fruit. “I’m full of it.” She tasted the orange on his lips. Amended, “overflowing.”

“I don’t know," she whispers, now, on the cold bench, "how you’ll react.”

James squeezes her hand. “It’s okay,” he says gently. “Anything, Lils. I’m here.”

“It’s...” she smooths a hand down her wool skirt, the thick stockings beneath. Looking for something to ground. “These last weeks have been—tumultuous,” she begins, “with the Order, and the moon, and the—with you, your—”

Out in the pond, a pair of ducks submerge their heads underwater. Lily reels in the tight knot of breath in her throat; tries to swallow past.

“Love,” James says, eyebrows pressed together, shifting himself sideways, arm reaching out under her back, round her waist. “What’s happened?”

Her lips quiver. How stupid it is—how reckless. “I missed my period, fully, last month,” she whispers, toying compulsively with the hem of her skirt. “And...I’m late on my charm, I missed the appointment. In the middle of—” she cuts her head away from him; can’t bear to see his face, falling. “I didn’t go. I forgot.”

There are birds in distant trees, calling out; anxious. The memory of the child, the orange peel, and the summer sun are blurring, too much the same thing. A love without home.

A sprawl of fingers on her cheek; she lets her face turn. His eyes gone soft. “You’re—” he clears his throat and runs a thumb over her chin. “Are you—?”

No chance of swallowing this lump, now. She lets it lump. Lets herself nod, slowly.

James goes still, save the stroke of his thumb. She feels frantic to move—to gasp—to scream. But she stays in his stillness and watches for signs of life. For signs of annoyance, of anger, of this is not our time.

None of it comes.

“I know,” she says, to fill the quiet, without much of a voice, “we’re too young, and there’s—so much wrong with it, and no time for—I know I’ve fucked up, I know there’s no place for such—such irresponsible—”

“Lily,” James chokes, flattening any further defense. “Lily,” he repeats, and his eyes are wet and his hand on her chin is shaking, shaking entirely.

“Are you...upset?”

“Upset? How could I—” James searches her eyes, frantically. “Are you upset?”

She bites her lips. Finds a swell of heat, in the space of their bodies—shakes her head, suddenly certain. “No. Scared, yes, but....no,” she breathes in. “I’m not upset.”

His breath seems to rush out all at once. He hiccups on a laugh, and pulls her in desperately, arms wrapping around; she lets herself burrow. Safe and warm. His lips press into her neck without aim. His smile presses, too. “Lily,” he whispers, and even her name is safe, tucked under his tongue. “When did you—” he pulls back, wet-cheeked. She scatters it away with her thumbs. “How long have you known?”

“Only yesterday. St. Mungos sent an owl and...” she feels herself blushing. “When Mags was in, wrapping up your spells...I went to the corner shop for a Muggle test and took it in their loo.”

James blows air out through his lips. “The Muggle tests...they’re accurate?...I mean,” he restarts, deliberately, brow knit in careful concentration. “You’re—you’re absolutely sure?”

“A Healer will be able to confirm, but...” Lily extracts one of his hands and folds it over her stomach; hears his quick inhaling breath. She covers the hand with her own. “I feel...full.”

“Oh my god, Evans,” he laughs, looking up at her; voice faltering, split in two; eyes overfull with wonder. “We’re having a baby?”

To be growing something that belongs to them both; to watch him transform with the knowledge, blinking, and teary, and happy. Lily’s heart pushes hard at her ribs. The birds are calling out in the trees. In among the this is not our time: something flowering, something organic—we will make this our time.

“Yes, Potter,” she smiles, chasing his sparkling laugh; her body a home to such love. “We’re having a baby.”

[isolemnlyswear]

hey! i just read one of your sirius fics and it was so adorable- like- super cute-

newayz! if you’re willing to take a request for sirius that’d be pretty cool-

i was just picturing a relatively new girl catching the marauders’ attention. she grows close to remus and they become best friends, but sirius catches her eye— thing is, he’s a fuckboy. due to his “title” , remus wants him far away from her because he doesn’t want her heart broken. obviously sirius can’t respect remus’ wishes for long..

reputation

young!Sirius Black x fem!reader

warnings : none

taglist : @oldschoolkiddo @amourtentiaa @anchoeritic @faeinorbit @tomriddleswifey @inks-and-jinx @blacksbooksx @punkrific @truly-insatiable @cedricsbrowncurls

---

You sighed, setting your books down on the desk as you slumped into your seat, adjusting your rather uncomfortable robes. They aren't as comfortable as the Ilvermorny ones, and the Gryffindor - at least you think that what your house is called - red is terribly garish. You’d get used to it, supposedly.

You surveyed the classroom, careful y/e/c eyes observing the nature of your classmates. One, in particular, caught your eye. A strikingly handsome boy, with longer raven-colored hair and silver eyes with a mischievous glint in them, leaning back in his chair nonchalantly.

You made a mental note to ask around about him; you saw his red tie, so you assumed he's in the same house as you, too. Not that you knew who exactly you'd ask - this was your first class, of your first day, of your first semester ever after transferring from Ilvermorny to Hogwarts.

The class period mulled on, with nothing particularly interesting happening, so your eyes were glued on the dark-haired boy, who was now talking wildly to a friend with light brown hair, who looked incredibly friendly as he smiled with a laugh at the boy. You'd have to ask about him, too.

Then, you had a free period. The bell rang, and you meandered out the door, slinging your bag over your shoulder.

The funny thing was, you had precisely no clue where you were going. Where did people go in their free periods here? You'd heard about a common room, even though you’d floo’d here and gotten sorted privately early this morning, you still had no clue how to get there. The password was Shrew, you knew that much, but how to get in was another question.

So you simply made your way around the school, hoping someone would see your lost expression, and someone did.

“Are you lost?” a voice asked, and you turned around to see the boy with light brown hair that you'd noticed in class.

“Yeah,” you breathed a sigh of relief. “I am, I'm looking for the- the Gryffindor common room? I don't-”

“Ah, you're the new girl?” he said, and in most circumstances, the words would've felt condescending, but his were genuine, kind.

“Unfortunately.”

“C’mon, I'll show you. I'm Remus, by the way, Remus Lupin.” he said, smiling at you.

“Well, Remus, it's lovely to meet you. I'm Y/N L/N.”

---

A week later, you'd spent most - if not all - of your time with Remus, but he’d been yet to introduce you to the rest of his friends, including the dark-haired one you couldn't keep your eyes off of.

“Remus?” you inquired, bathing in the (albeit small amount of) sun near the black lake, where Remus sat beside you, reading a book. You turned onto your side, looking up at him. “What’s with your friends?” you said bluntly, figuring it was better to be straight-forward than avoid it for too long.

“What about them?” he replied, putting down his book.

“Why can't I meet them?”

“I never said you couldn't meet them,” he replied with a chuckle. “I just didn't want you to meet them.”

“W-what? But- I swear I'll be nice, I don't have to if you're ashamed of me or something but-”

“No, no, s’definitely not a you problem.”

“Them?”

“Him.” he replied, scowling.

“Which one?”

“The one you stare at all the time. Sirius,” Remus said, causing a fierce blush to bleed across the apples of your cheeks.

“Y-you see that?” you said quietly, wincing. “Don't answer that. Why?”

“Because he's a - mind my language - a fuckboy. He toys with girls like they mean nothing, and then leaves them with a broken heart. I see the way you look at him. He’ll do exactly the same to you, if you let him, and I know you would - and I don't blame you - unless I step in. So I told him to steer clear of you, alright?”

By the time he finished speaking, you were scowling, and an internal battle raged in your mind and in your heart. You wanted Remus to let you at least speak to the boy, but you also didn't want to be toyed with. Eventually, you came to the conclusion that Sirius couldn't be as bad as Remus said, but still obeyed his wishes.

That is, until one day, about a month later, as you walked through the halls in yet another free period.

You were looking down at your notebook, and in your concentration, you ran smack into a wall.

“Shit,” you muttered, stumbling back a bit.

“Are you...?” the wall - not a wall, you realized - said.

Not a wall, no. But you wished it would've been something as innocent as some bricks, alas, you’d ran into the chest of Sirius Black.

“Am I?” you questioned, internally cringing at your idiotic response, but Sirius didn't even laugh.

“You're Y/N.” he said simply, and it looked as if he was biting back a smile.

“I am,” you replied, smiling at him. “And you're Sirius. The one I'm supposed to avoid.” you added, wanting your body to move, to push past him and leave, but you were rooted in place.

“How mysterious,” the boy said with a smirk, running a hand through his ebony hair.

“Is that so?”

“Mhm. Adds a little... Intrigue,”

“Does it, now?” you said, cursing yourself for your flirtatious replies when you should be running away, back to Remus, to respect his concerns. But you couldn't stop; they just came out.

“Well, Y/N, you are a Gryffindor. And I’d say an honorary marauder,” he paused, “What do you say to a little... rule-breaking?”

“I like rule-breaking,” you breathed, enraptured by the glint in the boy’s silver eyes. Sirius seemed satisfied with that response, and your breath hitched in your throat as he leaned in to your ear.

“So it's settled, then,” he whispered, voice low and husky. You could feel his breath on your neck, and it sent shivers down your spine.

[malfoymanortings]

lavender and velvet //part one

SUMMARY: she had her fathers eyes, his aristocratic looks, her grandmothers spite, her mothers heart, but the one thing she didn't have was the love of her father that her god brother received. juliet black finally meets her father who has already decided who his child is.

PAIRINGS: to be decided.

quite frankly, this idea will not leave my head. juliet has begged me to write her story, so here we are. now, sirius is slightly out of character for this, as if he really did have a child i would like to think he would want to do better than the parents he had. but, thats just not what this imagining will look like. hopefully you guys like it! if, by chance, you would like to be added to a taglist for this story, let me know xx

“I want to meet him,” Juliet said quietly, looking down at her hands. “I deserve as much, don’t I?”

Remus paused. “Of course. I just… love, he isn’t-”

“I don’t have very high hopes for him,” interjected Juliet, scoffing slightly. “He’s been out for two years now. He hasn’t attempted to see me once.”

“Jules, you have to understand,” Remus placed a hand on her shoulder, his face seeming to age years within that moment. “It hasn’t been easy for him.”

“Right, ‘cause it’s been so easy for me.” she said the words under her breath, not wanting to fight with Remus again. 

They had been fighting far too much lately. The cause of it was her father. The man who had fathered her years ago before being locked up for a crime he didn’t commit. When he finally did get out, it took two years before he thought of seeing his daughter.

“It hasn’t been safe enough for him to see you,” Remus pressed on, crossing his arms behind his back. “With the ministry still believing he was responsible-”

“For the Potter’s murders, it was too risky for him to come see me until everything was settled with the order,” Juliet recited, rolling her eyes. “Yet he saw Harry third year, didn’t he?”

Remus sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. “Juliet. We are not having this discussion again.”

“Perfect, that means I can have it with him.” Juliet said decisively, walking over to the fireplace. “Let’s go.”

“Now?” Remus asked, pausing in his pacing. 

“What better time than the present?” 

“Well, Harry just got there-” Remus cut himself off, wincing as Juliet’s temper flared.

“Harry’s there, yet I can’t go meet my own fucking father?!” she yelled, fists clenched at her side. “Fuck this.”

Juliet turned, grabbing a fistfull of floo powder. She tossed it in, ignoring Remu’s protests, and spoke clearly.

“Grimmauld Place!”

She arrived in a flurry of green flames, with no one around. She could hear voices down the hall of the unfamiliar place, and she faltered in her step slightly. She felt out of place, although she shouldn’t. Her father lived here. This was her father’s house. 

It should have been her home.

A door opened somewhere, and footsteps sounded loudly through the hallway. Remus poked his head into the sitting room, where Juliet stood in front of the fireplace feeling rather out of place.

“Come on, then,” Remus motioned for her to follow, his tone kinder than it had been before.

“Professor Lupin!” Hermione came out of nowhere, Ginny following close behind. “It’s good to see you.”

“Hello, Miss Granger,” Remus grinned, and Juliet was the only one to notice it was off. “Lovely to see you again.”

“Jules!” Ginny shouted, running towards her friend. Juliet opened her arms, engulfing the beautiful redhead in a hug.

“Hi love,” said Juliet into her hair, pulling back to examine her friend. “You’ve grown, haven’t you?”

Ginny gave her a funny look, laughing. “Juliet. It’s been a month since I saw you last. I doubt it’s possible I’ve grown since then.”

Juliet shrugged, looking past her to where she could hear more voices grow louder. Fred and George appeared then, twin grins on their faces as they hurried over to greet Juliet.

“There’s our favorite serpentine girl,” Fred grinned, ruffling her hair. “Good to see you.”

George slung an arm around her shoulder, pressing a kiss to her temple. Before pulling away, he put his lips near her ear. “Calm down darling, it’ll be fine. He’s in the kitchen with Harry and mum.”

Juliet nodded, giving him a quick squeeze back. George and Fred were well aware of Sirius being her father. She had confided in them on more occasions than one. Those two and Ginny were her closest friends out of the Weasley family. 

Ron appeared next, Harry beside him. From behind the pair, came a man with her eyes and her smile.

Juliet took in a sharp breath as she examined the man she had hurt over all these years. He had shoulder length brown hair, wavy and streaked grey with age, and a neatly trimmed moustache. His cheeks were hollow, his features aristocratic like her own. He had tattoos peeking out from the edges of his buttoned shirt, and walked with a slight limp.

He was Sirius Black, the man who had only existed for her in photographs.

“Dad,” Juliet breathed, walking towards him. 

Sirius looked as though he had seen a ghost. He looked to Remus, and back to Juliet. He watched her as she walked forward until she stood in front of him, and he hadn’t moved. 

“That’s Juliet, pads,” Remus said from behind them. “Your daughter.”

“My daughter,” Sirius said, the words sounding foreign in his mouth. “Of course. You take after your mother in looks.”

“I’ve been told I’m a Black through and through.” replied Juliet, feeling a little awkward standing in front of him. She was waiting for a hug, for something, but nothing happened. He just stood there, staring at her.

“Well, hopefully not,” Sirius cleared his throat, forcing a chuckle. “The lot of them were dark wizards, straight from Slytherin house to the Death Eaters.”

Juliet felt her cheeks flame, and she felt deflated. “I’m in Slytherin.”

Sirius paused, clearing his throat again. “Erm, right. Harry mentioned that.”

She felt her anger grow again. She tried to fight it, but it bubbled over the lid she kept concealed in. “Of course you did. Instead of meeting me for yourself, you would rather hear second hand from Harry. God forbid you put effort into meeting your daughter.”

“Now, that’s not fair,” Sirius raised his hands, backing away from her. “It wasn’t safe for me to be out in the public yet- it still isn’t.”

“That didn’t stop you from sending letters to Harry though, did it?” Juliet bit out, balling her fists up and digging her nails into her palms. She was dimly aware of the others leaving the room, Remus and Harry the only two left behind.

“He needed me,” Sirius defended. “He had no one but those muggles, I’m his godfather-”

“You’re quite literally my father,” shouted Juliet, shaking her head. “I needed you too, and you were never there.”

“Juliet, that’s not fair,” Remus interjected, placing a hand on her shoulder. “He was in Azkaban, he wasn’t able to be there due to no fault of his own-”

“I know the story, Remus,” snapped Juliet, glaring at the man. “But when did he break out? When Harry’s safety was at risk. Not for me, not for you. Only for Harry. I apparently wasn’t worth the risk or the attempt.”

“Juliet, I-” Harry began, but she quickly cut him off. 

“Harry, stay out of this,” chastised Juliet, holding out a hand. “For once, this isn’t about you. This is about me.” she looked at Sirius, who merely looked back at her with a heavy look. “This is about what I did. What Molly did. What Remus did. What you didn’t.”

“Juliet, I’m sorry,” Sirius tried again, running a hand through his hair. “But Harry needs me now. You have all those people behind you, and he only has me. He’s got to deal with Voldemort. He needs someone to confide in.”

“Like a father,” scoffed Juliet, turning away from him. “Even though you’re supposed to be mine.”

“Juliet-” Remus was quickly cut off by Juliet.

“I want to go home.”

“Well, that’s the thing,” Remus looked uncomfortable now, and gave her an apologetic glance. “You’ll be staying here for the remainder of summer. I have things to do for the Order, and it’s not safe for you to be unprotected at home any longer.”

“You’re fucking joking.”

“Language,” reprimanded Remus, once again looking older than his years. “I’ll pack your things and bring them here. Please… try to get along.”

Juliet raised her middle finger to Remus, turning back to Sirius. “So, do I get a room? Or are they all reserved for Harry?”

Sirius narrowed his eyes. “That’s no way to act. Of course you get a room.”

Juliet laughed at his words. She thought it was funny, how he had so easily cast her aside for Harry, and yet now seemed to be attempting to parent her. She refused to let him do so. It was all or nothing, and he had clearly chosen nothing.

“Kreacher,” Sirius called behind him, and with a crack a scraggly looking house elf appeared. “Show Juliet to her room.”

Kreacher gave Sirius a dirty look, glancing over at Juliet appraisingly. He grumbled to himself, only a few words audible.

“Kreacher will show master’s brat to her room… blood traitor… Gryffindor… filthy… mistresses house..”

“Without the commentary, you dirty thing.” Sirius rolled his eyes, turning away from the house elf. 

Kreacher glared at Sirius, before walking up the staircase. Juliet followed, not bothering to cast a backwards glance towards her father. It was obvious he had no interest in her. Why should she care, anyways? She had gone by fifteen years without him just fine. She would be just fine.

“Dirty Gryffindor..” Kreacher muttered, pointing a crooked finger towards an open door. “Sharing with the other dirty blood traitors, nasty Gryffindors.”

Juliet scoffed, crossing her arms. “Kreacher, is it? My name is Juliet. And, I’ll have you know I’m not a Gryffindor, I’m a Slytherin. The superior house, if you ask me.”

Kreacher paused at that, his mumbling ceasing. He once again eyed her appraisingly, this time without dislike. “Kreacher apologizes to Miss Juliet. She is not a dirty filthy Gryffindor like the rest of the brats..” again, the decrepit looking house elf trailed off in his thoughts, wandering down the hallway wringing his hands.

Juliet sighed, and stepped inside the room. She could tell from the items inside, that Hermione and Ginny already had claimed the two beds. 

“Kreacher?” Juliet called, poking her head out of the room. 

Kreacher turned, eyeing her again. “What does young mistress want?”

“Is there another room,” she paused. “Or another bed?” 

“Kreacher can make another bed for mistress,” Kreacher hobbled back over, stepping into the room. With a snap of his fingers, another bed appeared, identical to the others in the room. 

“Thank you.” 

Kreacher looked shocked at her words, and he nodded to her before wandering back down the hall. 

Juliet sighed, sitting gingerly on the bed. She plopped backwards, staring at the ceiling. She expected to feel mad, or sad, but instead… she felt nothing.

“How are you holding up, love?”

She turned her attention to the doorway, where George stood leaning against the doorframe. She shrugged, and the ginger haired boy came into the room, sitting on the bed next to where she lay.

“I think you two have just got to get used to each other,” he said quietly, taking her hand in his. “It’ll all work itself out, in the end.”

“Ever the optimistic, huh Georgie?” noted Juliet, moving so that her head rested in George’s lap. “Tell me about your summer so far.”

As George launched into an explanation of the different joke shop items he and Fred had been experimenting with, Juliet listened intently. He wove her fingers through her hair as he spoke, and Juliet found it was easy to let of her tension as they conversed.

Fred slipped in the room at some point, and began explaining their plans with George. Their voices calmed her, and she felt more at peace with the two of them in her presence.

Even if her father didn’t want her, she had her boys. They wanted her.

two

three

four

five

six

seven

eight

nine

[ilovefandoms102]

Part 3-Where Loyalties Lie

Pairing: Draco Malfoy x Potter!Reader

Summary: A forbidden romance is betrayed when the very dark wizard who is out to kill you is your lovers master...

Taglist:

@jeyramarie​​​ @drewswannabegirl​​ @teamnick​​ @jiaraendgame​​ @agirlwholovescoffee​​​ @outerbongs​​ @jaxxandcomet​​ @velyssaraptor​​ @baby-pogue​​ @they-write-once-in-a-blue-moon​​ @must-be-a-weasley-92​​ @kaitieskidmore1​​ @ma10427​​ @ifilwtmfc​​ @lasnaro​​ @justcallmesams​​ @judayyyw​​ @lonely-kermit​​ @gviosca​​ @iamaunicorn4704​​ @jellyfishbeansontoast​​ @fernweh-fangirl​​ @runway-to-my-aid​​ @eb15​​ @hurricane-abigail​​ @tangledinsparkles​​ @amanda-rotigliano​​ @hxfflxpxffs​​ @bannerbubble​​ @hybridfamily​​ @coldlilheart​​  @fandom-phaser​​ @sunwardsss​​ @http-cherries​​ @bibliophilewednesday​​ @evaporatedrosepetals​​ @thetomatosaucee​​ @tomatosauceagent​​ @redosmo​​ @ilikealotofpeople-younotsomuch​​ @susceptible-but-siriusexual​​ @kindahavefeelingskindaheartless​​ @obx-direction-sos​​ @they-reblog-once-in-a-blue-moon​​ @iraniq​​ @nekee-lilac02​​ @gracielou0518​​​ @aplaintart​​​ @wollymalfoy​ @thefandomplace​ @poguestyleskye​ @butterflydior​​ 

Part 2

Note: I’m so happy for the love and support you all have given me! Thank you for 500 new friends, I am grateful for each and every one of you! I can’t wait to put out more stuff for you guys! 

Would anyone like for me to continue the series for how Draco and y/n raise Scorpius and go through the trials of parenthood? Maybe even include their wedding and wedding night😛...let me know in the comments or message me!

================================

Draco pushed me into the main room, his family eyeing me now. I spotted Hermione on the ground, I went to move towards her. I was stopped by an unspeakable pain, a screech left my throat as I fell just feet from her.

“Crucio!” Bellatrix shouted, waving her wand at me again.

I convulsed on the floor, screaming as the pain shot from my head to my feet. I rolled to my side, heavily breathing. I scooted to Hermione, her hand barely mustering the energy to hold mine. 

“Since this filthy Mudblood won’t talk, perhaps you will Potter. Where did you get the sword?” she seethed.

“Even if I did know, I wouldn’t tell you!” I panted.

“Draco! Your wand at the ready, torture this disgusting Halfblood until she admits her faults.” Bellatrix commanded.

“She said she doesn’t know, maybe they’re telling the truth for once.” Draco answered, trying to hide his fear.

“Either you do it, or your father kills them.” Bellatrix hissed, Draco’s face going pale. 

They cleared to the other side of the room, leaving just Draco and I with Hermione limp on the floor. Tears started to leak from his eyes, my heart shattered. His hand shook that held his wand, bending his head to let out a sob.

“It’s ok, do what they say.” I spoke, Draco shaking his head.

“I can’t, I can’t do it.” he sobbed, fervently shaking his head.

“Draco please! It’s the only way we’re getting out of here!” I pleaded.

“What is the meaning of this Draco!? Do it!” Lucius boomed, Draco still sobbing.

“I can’t hurt the girl I love!” Draco shouted, his family gasping. 

“You cannot be serious!” Lucius shouted, Hermione’s grip on my hand tightened.

“Fine, if you cannot man up to the task...CRUCIO!” Bellatrix shouted, repeating the spell over and over.

Draco tried to come to my aid, but his father fought to hold him back. He cried as he watched me suffer one of the three Unforgivable Curses, shouting my name as I screamed in pain. I couldn’t even put into words what the pain felt like, an excruciating void of unending beats was the best way to put it. 

I tried to reach out for Draco as blood started to fall from my ears and mouth, him trying to do the same with the restriction of his father.

“Please Bella! Stop, please!” Draco yelled, falling to his knees as Lucius scrapped to get a hold of him. 

“That’s enough Bella,” Narcissa spoke, pulling on her sister’s arm.

“Consider yourself lucky you belong to the Dark Lord Potter. For your friend, I can’t say the same.” Bellatrix sighed.

There was a sudden commotion as Harry and Ron burst into the room, firing off spells. Draco pretended to drop one of ours, rolling it my way. I fired one at Lucius, knocking him several feet away. It was a struggle trying to get up, only to be snatched by Narcissa, my muscles too weak to fight back. Bellatrix held a knife to Hermione’s throat, Harry and Ron dropping their wands at her command. 

I looked at Draco, his eyes wide with worry. There was a squeaking sound from above us, looking to see Dobby unhinging the chandelier. It came crashing down, giving enough distraction for Hermione and I to break free. I launched myself at Harry, he held me close as we all huddled to apparate out. I took one last look at Draco, he mouthed those three little words. I mouthed them back, tears shining as we apparated away.

===============================

Harry was headed to the Ravenclaw common room to find the Grey Lady, while I tried to make the Room of Requirement pop up. Just when I was about to give up, I heard creaking behind me, turning to find the Room of Requirement. Harry appeared next to me, dragging me with him. 

We looked around the disastrous area for what felt like hours, clapping my hands over my ears when I heard the telling sound of the Horcrux’s. I whipped around to find Harry holding the tiara that belonged to the Helena. Just as I reached him, a voice I knew all too well sounded in the room.

“Well, well, well, look what we have here. What brings you two here?” Draco taunted, Crab and Goyle holding their wands at us as Draco did. 

“I could ask you the same,” Harry answered, tugging on my wrist so that I was behind him.

“You have something of mine,” Draco spat, eyeing me before looking back to my brother.

“Why didn’t you tell her? Bellatrix? You knew it was me, and you didn’t say anything.” Harry asked, tilting his head.

“I would never hurt her,” Draco whispered, the other two Slytherin’s giving him a confused look.

“If you truly loved her-” Harry hissed, now my turn to grab his arm to pull him back.

“Harry!” I exclaimed as they all held their wands higher, at the ready to fire at us.

“Don’t be a prat Draco, do it!” Goyle seethed, Draco gulped before moving his eyes to meet mine.

In a split second, I whipped my wand out. Firing at Draco, disarming him. He turned and ran as his friends continued their assault, Hermione coming to aid. I shouted for Draco, watching as Ron ran after the Slytherin’s. 

After some digging, Harry and Hermione plopped back to the ground. Ron came out of nowhere, snatching Hermione’s hand as he claimed that Goyle set the place on fire. Indeed he did as a giant fire in the shape of a snake came bounding after us. 

I grabbed Harry’s hand as we weaved through the stacks of rubbish, not finding a way out. I whipped my head in search of Draco, wondering if he made it out alive. My chest burned from the fire, and the thought of the love of my life being dead in the very same room. 

We bumped into some brooms, taking off to find the exit. I looked all over for Draco, not spotting him. Harry then caught my attention, whisking around to go back from where we just were. I sobbed in relief when I saw Draco, his eyes lighting up when he caught sight of me. I grabbed his arm, tugging him so he could jump on the back of the broom. He held tightly to my waist, his lips moving to kiss my cheek. 

The blast from the fire knocked us off the broom once we reached outside of the Room of Requirement, Draco kissed me before taking off. Harry stabbed the tiara with the Basilisk fang, knocking both of us back. 

==================================

My heart crumbled after Harry and I took Snape’s tears to watch his memories. Not only did both of us have to die to completely destroy Voldemort, but that we might not come back. I thought of Draco, that we would never get married, have children, and grow old together. Neither would Harry, but this had to be done. 

We found Hermione and Ron at the bottom of the stairs just in front of the castle. huddled together. They stood once they saw us, knowing what Harry and I were about to do. Hermione crushed Harry into a hug, Ron leaning down to hug me tight. 

“We all had a feeling this is how it would have to end, no one just wanted to accept it.” I spoke, pulling back to smile sadly at Ron.

“After us, it’s just the snake. Kill it, and you’ll kill him.” Harry said.

Hermione tugged me to her, crying into my shoulder. I rubbed her back, sniffling to hold in my tears. Once I pulled back, I took Harry’s hand as we made our way to the Forbidden Forest. Harry found the Resurrection Stone in the snitch, holding my hand tightly. We looked around to see our parents, Remus, and Sirius. Our mother held her hand out, I instantly went to her. My hand went through her’s, my heart clenching when I couldn’t feel her.

“You’ve been so brave my babies.” she spoke, her voice melodic as it rang in my ears. How I wished I could have heard her voice my whole life.

“You’re nearly there,” our father said, his features resembling Harry so much they almost looked like the same person. 

“Does it hurt? To die?” Harry asked Sirius, my eyes leaving my mother’s to look at my Godfather.

“Quicker than falling asleep.” Sirius quipped, a small smile gracing his lips.

“I wish more than ever that none of you had to die, not like this.” I croaked, Harry nodding in agreement.

“I never wanted any of you to die for me,” Harry spoke, looking around at our lost loved ones. 

“Remus, Teddy he-” I started.

“Others will tell him what his parents died for, and one day, he’ll understand.” Remus smiled, his eyes looking between Harry and I. 

“You’ll be with us?” I asked.

“Until the very end.” our father answered.

“Stay close to us.” Harry said, grabbing my hand again.

“Always,” our mother replied, my eyes tearing up as they disappeared. 

===========================

Voldemort had been defeated, finally freeing Harry and I from our life long torture. No more looking over our shoulders constantly, no more people that we loved would have to die for us. I could be with Draco...if I ever saw him again. He fled with his parents after Harry and I revealed to everyone that we were in fact still alive. 

“We did it,” I gasped, laughing as Harry and I embraced one another.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and I were walking across the bridge that separated the castle from the outside world, mindlessly kicking the cement that littered from the battle. 

“So what will you do with the most powerful wand in the world Harry?” I asked my brother, turning to face him.

I watched in horror as he broke the wand, throwing the pieces over the edge. He did the right thing though...

“Y/n...” Hermione mumbled, pointing at something behind us.

I turned around hesitantly, my heart soaring at the sight in front of me. Draco stood at the other end of the bridge, once he saw me turn he began walking. I took off in a sprint, tears rolling down my cheeks. He jogged the rest of the way, meeting me in the middle as I crashed into his arms. He spun me around, both of us laughing joyously. I pulled back to look into his eyes, a second later his lips were on mine. 

Draco held tight with his arms around my lower back, my feet still off the ground. I licked my way into his mouth, challenging his tongue into a dance of passion. I moved one hand to fist it in his hair, tugging it slightly to hear him moan into my mouth. He sat me down gently, pulling away to lean his forehead to mine.

“You came back,” I sniffled, intertwining our hands.

“I’ll always come back for you my love,” he whispered.

“I love you Draco,” I smiled.

“I love you more y/n,” he sighed, pulling me into his embrace once more.

[peanut-in-the-goal]

7 or 34 for some good ol’ angst

tw for child abuse and flashbacks (kinda)

also no i did not proofread who do you think I am?

this isn’t goodbye; It’s just you and me

Sirius turned away from the door, his door. Just on the other side lay his bedroom. The one that was painted an ugly green, with posters upon posters up on the wall. Stick charms in place, keeping them there. He had pictures of his friends hanging there too. James, Peter, Remus, all of them laughing, arms slung over each other’s shoulders. 

He hated leaving it, but it had to say. He never thought he’d leave this place, as much as he hated it, it was his home. At least somewhat a home. 

Not like Hogwarts, where people loved him, they laughed with him, celebrated after quidditch games together. They grew up together, they’re growing up together.  And it hits him that he’s just a kid, because it’s so easy to forget that sometimes. He’s sixteen, and he’s leaving this home for good. He hated it here, since he was 8 and understood what the word family meant he hated it.

Home has always meant a person for Sirius, not a place. Home used to be Grimmauld Place, here with his parents and his little brother, they were their own little family. And it had worked, for a while. But the illusion of safety and love had quickly faded into something else entirely.

The next time he picked a home, it was at Hogwarts. As soon as he got on the train with that messy-haired boy who had glasses that magnified his eyes, he knew this was where he wanted to be. There wasn’t the need to prove himself to his parents, he didn’t have to sit up straight at the table or isolate himself in his room. 

He was at Hogwarts with his friends and his found family. That was the best feeling in the world. 

He shouldered his bag, his trunk was shrunk and safely stored inside. He was finally getting out, the thought brought a smile to his face. He started down the stairs, the last time he’d be walking these steps, last time he’d be in this miserable hell of a house. 

House, not home.

His footsteps sounded louder as he padded down the steps, reaching the landing. His wrist still throbbed from his run in with his father earlier that day. His ribs were sore too, and he could feel his ankle swelling under his sock. But that wasn’t going to stop him. 

His vision blurred and unfocused as he reached the landing, moving as quietly as he could from then on as to not wake Kreature. He almost made it to the door, hand outstretched, but he paused. Did he really want to do this? Did he want to leave his baby brother here?

He curses himself for stopping, because he knows how hard it was going to be to get going again.

He couldn’t leave without saying goodbye, but he also knows he won’t leave if he sees his brother’s face again. He doesn’t really have a choice, does he? Sirius’ head snaps around when he hears a creek at the top of the stairs.

He panics, ready to fling himself out the door and run if it’s his parents. But when he turns to look, he sees a pair of the same eyes looking back at him. 

“Regulus…” He whispers his name, and he hopes it’s not going to be the last time he says it. That this isn’t going to be the last time they see each other, looking at each other, or even talking. He doesn’t want it to be the last time before staring his brother down on the war field.

He’s not going to hurt him then either, he can’t. He still sees his baby brother, the one that promised to follow him anywhere, the one who said he wanted to be a Gryffindor. Just like his big brother.

And now, looking him up and down, he’s grown up. The kid who used to be afraid of the monsters under his bed now sneers at him across the hall, the one who keeps his head down while his “friends” curse the mudbloods.

He sees the kid who wants to rebel but won’t because he’s too afraid to face the consequences.

But then again, he sees the scared grey eyes of his little brother who would come to him when he was afraid of the monsters under his bed.

“You’re leaving, aren’t you?” Regulus is walking down the stairs, slowly with one hand sliding against the railing. “You’re finally getting out.” 

Sirius didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t place Regulus’s tone, whether it was defiance, or bitterness, or even sadness. 

“I’m sorry.” He faced Regulus fully now. “I just… I can’t stay.” He looked down and to the side, ashamed. He didn’t want to see the disappointment on his brother’s face, not that he’s never seen it before. But something in this moment felt different. 

“Leave.” 

“W-what?” Sirius snapped his eyes back up to his brothers. “You want me to go?”

Regulus stepped off the landing, “I want you to live, you idiot.” He walked towards Sirius, with a sad smile on his face. Sirius had to swallow a lump growing in his throat.

“Come with me.” The words surprised both of them.

“I can’t, you know this,” Regulus shook his head, pushing lightly at Sirius’ shoulder.

“Why, Reg, come on. We can get out, the both of us.” 

“Sirius, look… You got to rebel in your own way, let me rebel in mine.” 

“Quoi?” Sirius was affronted, not expecting that answer. “What do you mean, how are you rebelling.”

“You daft idiot. You rebelled by, let’s say showing your displeasure—”

“Their ideas and viewpoints are stupid.”

“Not the point. You rebelled out loud, showing your displeasure, and spoke. Sometimes yelled—”

“—yea, sometimes.”

“Can you just let me talk? We don’t have much time you prat.” Regulus sighed, running his hand through his hair. A habit he picked up from Sirius.

“Okay, okay, fine, speak.” Sirius held his hands up in surrender.

“Thank you. You rebelled in your own way, out loud and in front. I want to rebel in my way, from the inside. Let me do this.” Regulus pushed.

Sirius sighed, there was never talking Regulus out of something he set his mind to.

“Be safe? Promise me you’ll be safe.” Regulus shoved Sirius again, towards the door.

“I’ll be safe. Now go, Mother and Father should be up soon.” Sirius nodded, hating the tears that were welling up.

“This-This isn’t goodbye Reggie.” Regulus’s smile shrunk a little at that.

“It never is.”

That was the last thing Sirius heard as the door swung shut behind him. The journey ahead was still so far. He let the tears fall, slipping down his face. But he wouldn’t give up yet, not when he had the chance of starting over.

He starts towards one of the few places he wants to call home. James.  And he runs, he runs as fast as he can before remembering something. James isn’t home. He won’t be home for another 4 days. 

He goes to the next logical choice. Remus, or course Remus. The two had started dating last year. He doesn’t know if the thought of Remus makes him more upset or relieved, but the tears are still spilling down his face, and he wants to know how he even fit that much saltiness in his tear ducts. 

It takes him longer than he’d like to reach the young werewolf’s house, but he’s so tired, and his backpack feels like it’s weighing him down. It’s so dark out and he just wants to sleep. Just a few more steps… Just a few.. more… steps... 

He wants to collapse, to just lay there in the fluffy grass of the lawn, but he figures his moony’s arms are much more comfortable. His limbs ache, a mixture of all the adrenaline that’s wearing off and the wounds that are starting to present themselves. He can still feel the harsh tingle in his spine from the aftershocks of the cruciatus curse. The wounds that have long scabbed over on his back and stomach are reopening every time he shifts.

Finally, he drags his feet up to the door. The tears that are dried on his face came flooding back, prickling at his eyes. 

It’s around 4 in the morning when Sirius finally gets there. He’s cradling his right arm to his chest, shaking like a leaf from the cold. Sirius hesitates yet again at another turn. Should he knock, and disturb one of the only people who’s ever loved him. Did Remus love him?

He almost walks away, but he doesn’t. He’s come far too far to give up. 

He knocks on the door softly at first, before a little louder. He still isn’t sure if he should do it. But lucky for him, Remus was awake. He still has no idea what the button on the right does, he doesn’t push it even though he wants to.

He had gone to bed hours ago, and he meant to sleep, really he did. He just got so invested in his book that by the time he checked the clock it was half-past 3 in the morning. He was in the kitchen, filling a glass of water before going back upstairs.  He was startled by a quiet yet insistent knock on his door.

He jumped, almost dropping the cup. The knock was so quiet, he thought he imagined it in his sleep-deprived state.

Then, it came again, followed by a barely-there whimper.

His heart pounding, racing in his chest. He could hear his pulse in his head. Who would be knocking at this hour? Was it safe? Should he get his parents? Should he-

“Re?” The voice was weak, followed by almost silent sobs that he wouldn’t have heard if it weren’t for his advanced hearing.

His heart raced for a different reason this time, he knew that voice.

Sirius

He rushed towards the sound, not even thinking this could be a trap. He threw the door open and revealed a tear-stained Sirius.

“Moons?” His voice cracked, and his eyes flitted around widely like he couldn’t believe Remus was really there, standing in front of him. Like he was still trapped in that house, and he never made it out.

Remis stared at him with wide eyes, Sirius’ hair had been cut uneven and choppy. His pale skin was looming with bruises.

“Sirius,” he whispered, not having meant to have said anything at all. But he can’t believe that this is the same boy he fell in love with. He doesn’t want to believe that his boyfriend, the boy that was brighter than life, brighter than his star in the sky, was reduced to-to this. After only a few days over the holiday at that. 

What kind of monsters would do this?

The Blacks apparently.

It takes Remus a moment to react before pulling the probably disowned heir into him. Sirius goes willingly, melting into the embrace. He feels comfort, cared for, safe. He feels like he’s finally home.

He lets out a small cry as Remus squeezes him tightly, the painful wounds making themself known to Remus.

The pain in his arms, his ribs, the pain of leaving Regulus. The pain where the mark would have been burned into his arm, The pain of showing up on Remus’ doorstep in the early hours of the morning. The pain of forcing himself to stay living there, under those conditions, for so long.

All he knows is pain and part of him wishes he were numb.

He’s apologizing, a mantra of “Please, I’m sorry,” spilling from his lips. He’s not sure who he’s apologizing to. Whether it be to his parents for failing them, to Regulus for leaving him, his friends for not being good enough, or Remus for coming. He doesn’t even know if he’s apologizing to himself, but that’s not likely.

His knees give out, and his hands are shaking from where they’re gripped onto Remus’ nightshirt. He registers the flashes of pain shooting up his arm from how hard he’s gripping, but he’s not ready to let go yet.

He’s reliving it, all of the abuse, and the spoken words. All those years he felt abandoned inside those walls. And he feels like he’s back there again. He doesn’t know how to make it stop. He wants it to stop.

He feels a hand on his chin and he flinches. Please, don’t hurt me, he thinks. But his eyes meet honey brown ones, his parents don’t have honey brown eyes. They have grey and terrifying ones, not the comforting ones he’s seeing right now.

It’s moony, I made it to moony. It’s okay, I got out.

“It’s just you and me,” He hears the whispered words, the lips saying them being pressed against his forehead in a soft kiss. He finally feels safe when his eyes involuntarily close and he falls into a deep sleep. His wounds can wait until tomorrow. Because nothing else matters when he’s wrapped in his moony’s arms.

[writingmanaged]

Fluff Alphabet (Sirius Black)

Ship: Sirius Black x Reader

Triggers: Just mentions of alcohol and sex.

A/N: This is my first post and I hope you all enjoy it! I saw these abcs a lot on tumblr and I thought, why not! I decided to make a new alphabet instead of copying one because I thought it would be much more fair. Without further adu, let's go to the fic!

Α - Activities (Hobbies and things you like to do together)

It is no surprise to anyone that Sirius adores his motorcycle. He simply adores the feeling of the air on his face, pulling his hair back while he looks down at the sight of London. It would only make it better for him, if you were with him too admiring the view and wrapping your arms around him. Perhaps you'd be frightened at first, but he'd make sure to make you understand you are in no danger while he is around. Well, almost.

B - Baby (do they want to have a baby with you?)

Not really. Don't get him wrong, he simply wants his freedom. He thinks you are too young and you should enjoy your independence as much as you can. However, (if you are a fem!reader), as long as you tell him you are pregnant he changes his mind about that completely. Suddenly, he wants to protect that little human and make sure his or her childhood is much better than his own. (That makes him father material)

C - Comfort (how to they comfort you after a bad day?)

If there is one person who knows what it's like to have a bad day, that's Sirius Orion Black. Personally, he usually lets it out on alcohol or sex. But he would never let you do that. Instead he'd pour you just one light drink and let you tell him all about it while you rest in his arms. He'll try to be of help in every way possible. No one has the right to hurt his baby.

D - Dancing (do they like to dance with you?)

Oh yes! Sirius is an amazing dancer of all types. He will always drag you to the dance floor with him. If you like dancing, then prepare yourself for the best time of your life. If you don't, he'll still try to dance with you. Maybe by putting on some music in the dorm when it is empty and dancing in the dark.

E - Eating (meals together)

Sirius will make sure you always have 3 meals a day. During your Hogwarts days, he'll always check on you on all three meals. Both because he loves to stare at you, and to make sure you are eating properly. If you two live together, he will still do so. Do not expect him to cook. This boy barely even had to pour water himself. If you can't cook, however, he'll probably learn. Maybe you could have cooking lessons together.

F - Favourite (their favourite part on you)

Although everyone would expect him to be obsessed over your body (and don't get me wrong, he did love every aspect of it), his favourite part on you is actually your eyes. He just loves to stare inside of them and seeing your love for him reflect inside. They always give him a warm feel which must be what home is supposed to feel like.

G - Gifts (what it says)

It's no secret that this boy is rich. He would love to spend loads of money on you. He'd buy you the most expensive things. Everything you ever need is yours. You look at something in the store? He instantly buys it. If you feel uncomfortable with all this, he will try to restrain himself. You should still expect great gifts on birthdays, holidays and anniversaries whatsoever.

H - Hair (how you treat each other's hair)

Sirius is very fond of his hair. He takes extra care of them. He adores when you run your fingers through them or brush them for you. At times he may even allow you to braid them. At first he was a bit annoyed by it but seeing how it helped you relax it helped him relax as well. He may or may not go to classes looking like that-

I - Ironing (who does the chores?)

I know I've said this a lot, but Sirius was brought up in a rich household. Which means he never got to do chores. However, unlike common belief, he is above all a gentleman and would never let you do all the chores by yourself. He'd make sure you shared an equal amount of chores.

J - Jokes (would you pull jokes on each other)

You bet! Jokes are part of your daily life so you better get used to it. He would also adore to prank you. Your reactions are always so adorable to him. He can't help but life while you are scolding him for ruining your hair. But his laugh is so attractive that you sigh and start laughing along.

K - Kissing (how are their kisses?)

Deep, rough and passionate. He wants to show you how strong his feelings are through the kiss. He is also very demanding and wants to show off dominance. French kisses are his favourite. However, when times require it his kisses can be softer.

L - Lies (would you lie to each other?)

No. Sirius is a very honest person. He would feel most betrayed if you ever lied to him even about the slightest thing. He would also always tell you the truth. "Did you just eat the last piece of cake!?" ".....yes?"

M - Money (how do you handle money?)

Seeing as it is not an issue, he just spends it in all the ways possible. Perhaps he wanted to get rid of it for the shake of his parents. However, you (as the brains of the relationship) would make sure there are always some money aside in times of need.

N - No (things they are not okay with)

Sharing. Not with you, of course. He'd always share everything with you. His house, his clothes, his friends, his heart, they are all yours. However, you only belong to him. This is not an open relationship and if anyone stands too close to you well... They are on for a lifetime of hexing.

O - Outdoors (do you spend more time outdoors or indoors?)

Sirius is a very outgoing person. However, if you are introverted he would stay inside. He is into anything as long as you are there. Still, you should forget about quiet reading nights. Even if you stay in, time with Sirius is very active and loud.

P - Partying (do they like partying with you?)

He is the party animal. More specifically the party dog. This means you will get dragged along into parties a lot. If you like partying, then awesome! If you don't, he'll try to change your mind at first. If he can't, then he'll go without you only to grow tired of it eventually and stay inside with you.

Q - Question (marriage and how they feel about it)

He dreams of it actually. Only the thought of you being a Black, is enough to make him bear a huge grin on his face. Nevertheless, that is the case only after he met you. Beforehand, he wasn't so supportive about it. He was actually certain he would die single.

R - Right (do you argue a lot? Who usually wins?)

This depends on your personality of course. But you should know, this boy is very stubborn. With the correct arguements, you are the one who wins. But he is too stubborn to ever actually admit defeat.

S - Sick (taking care of each other when sick)

He barely ever gets sick, which means he is usually the one taking care of you. He doesn't care if he gets infected. Really, he just wants to take care of you and make sure you get better soon. He'll stay with you while you're sleeping and always race to bring you everything you need. Painkillers? The best in the market. Pillows? The softest. Soup? The tastiest. Hotel? Trivago.

T - Tears (do they cry a lot? Do they do it in front of you?)

Due to his background, he actually cries a lot. Especially when he finds out news about his family. But he would never do it in front of you. He isn't afraid of being seen as weak or anything like that, but he just doesn't want to make you sad.

U - Until death tears us apart (does your relationship last long? Do you ever get apart)

He wanted to stay with you forever. Unfortunately, we all know he has to spend 13 years in Azkaban prison. If you still love him, he would be very happy to get back with you when he comes out. If not, he would be heartbroken but understanding.

V - Victim (what do they do if someone blames you for something you didn't do?)

Oh boi. He would never let that go. He hates when things like this happened. When someone who is innocent gets punished (rings a bell?). He would do his best to get proof regarding your innocent and whoever blamed you... Let's just say they woke up in the infirmary the next day.

W - Working out (what it says)

Sirius likes to work out a lot. That's why his body is the way it is. He'd be delighted if you wanted to join me. He had always wished to do all these couple training.

X - Xoxo (how do they text?)

If phones existed in his era, he'd text you 24/7. Really all the time he wasn't with you, he'd text you. He would send a lot of memes that's for sure. He would also send you a lot of selfies and use emojis all the times. 💕

Y - Yours (Are they possesive? Do they get jealous a lot?

A lot! They would be jealous the second a guy is more than friendly. Don't get him wrong, he trusts you. It is the others he doesn't trust. He'd always rush to your side and wrap his arm around you, claiming you as his own.

Z - Zzzz... (How you sleep together)

He loves cuddling, especially if it is after making love. He'd like to hold you in his arms until morning. He hates to depart from you when you wake up so he'd pull you back down for some more cuddling and maybe even more if you are in the mood.

[velvetthunder1999]

All the time on Earth

Part 23 - Free

Summary: George and Fred welcomes you home for the summer, but when you return to your house with the twins something horrifying is waiting for you

Warnings: Death

Word count: 3.3K

George Weasley x Reader

Masterlist

Great anticipation took over you as you walked back to the muggle word at King’s Cross station. You haven’t seen George in ages. Even if the crystal had been glowing on your neck from time to time, the last couple of weeks were just horrible without him. To be honest, you missed Fred, too. You missed them both so much.

Ginny pointed and a sudden wave caught your eye a bit further away. You grinned like a maniac and fastened your steps, pulling your trunk behind you. When you were just a few meters away you broke into a run and soon abandoned your trunk completely to jump into George’s welcoming arms.

“I can’t believe I’m finally here!” you shrieked happily as he lifted you from your feet and spun you around.

“How was the journey?” he said, putting you down and kissing you on the cheek.

“Long,” you said. “Hey, Fred.”

You let go of George and hugged his twin, who looked just as happy to see you.

“Y/N, how’s everything?”

“Great. Why… Why are all these people there?”

“We were just having a word with Harry’s aunt and uncle,” said Mrs Weasley as she hugged you as well. Mr Weasley smiled at your from next to his wife.

“Y/N, always good to see you.”

“You too, Mr Weasley.”

“All right, Fred, George, don’t forget next Sunday, we’re expecting you for dinner.”

“Sure, mum,” said Fred, ready to leave. “Y/N, you fancy a coffee?”

“Of course,” you said. “But I thought…”

“Come now, we’ll explain everything,” said George, taking your trunk from your hand. “Bye mum!” he shouted back over his shoulder.

“Careful boys… and don’t forget Sunday!”

“Sure!” shouted back Fred, making a few muggles jump and turn towards him in suprise. Then he grinned at you and winked.

You hugged Ginny, waved goodbye to Mr and Mrs Weasley and hurried after the twins. George casually put an arm around your shoulder while Fred lead the three of you towards an exit on the left.

“So where are we going?” you asked suspiciously when you stepped into the night.

“For a coffee,” said Fred, grinning. You raised an eyebrow.

“Coffee? At night?”

“Sure, why not?” asked George with a cheeky smile.

The three of you headed down the street, away from the loud cars on the main road. Your trunk rattled extremely loudly on the empty streets. You had to be quick to keep up with the twins’ long steps.

“Sure, a coffee…” you said, continuing the conversation. “But I still need to get home in time you know.”

“Home?” said Fred, frowning. “I tought you didn’t wanna go back.”

“No, but…”

“You’re going back, after what happened last time?” said George quietly.

“I need to. If I want to move out properly I want my clothes… my stuff. I want to pack. I want to sell everything I can, and I also need to sleep somewhere until I find a place to live.”

Fred and George exchanged looks, smirking.

“Well, well, would you look at that.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” you asked.

“Let’s go in here,” said George suddenly, opening a door to a very old, very empty café. You sighed.

“One coffee?”

“One coffee,” they said reassuringly.

After managing to fit your trunk through the door, you sat down to the closest table next to the window. George sat next to you, and Fred opposite, ordering three coffees from the waitress who came to your table within seconds of your arrival. You were drumming with your fingers on the table, looking out at the dark street through the wet windows.

Even if you had no feelings left towards your parents, even if they meant nothing to you after the incident last summer, you couldn’t help but feel nervous. Why wouldn’t you be nervous? It wasn’t a nice, idillic thing you were about to do… Facing them was always a great difficulty… but how will they react tonight when you appear on their doorstep, asking for one last week to stay?

These thoughts were giving you anxiety. You shivered.

“Are you cold?” asked George, putting an arm around you.

“A little,” you lied.

“So,” said Fred, rubbing his hands together. “Let’s get down to business, I say!”

“Business?” you asked, more suspicious by the second. You chuckled. “What do you want from me, Fred?”

“Wait a minute,” said George, placing his hand on top of yours on the table. “First of all — How was the apparition exam, love?”

“Oh… Oh! I completely forgot about that!” it was true. There was just so many things happening in the last couple of weeks. “Yes, yes, I passed! It wasn’t that hard, really. Only two people failed, a Ravenclaw boy and a Slytherin girl who lied about her age and tried to do the test early. Shame they caught her, it was a clever move.”

“So, you have your license and everything?” asked Fred.

“Absolutely,” you said. George kissed you on the cheek proudly. Fred rolled his eyes.

“Can we have a conversation without you bothering her?” he said to George in mock offence. George grinned.

“Shut up, Fred.”

“Anyway,” continued Fred, looking at you, “did Ginny tell you what happened to Sirius?”

“Yeah…” you said, sadness in your heart. “I guess the Order told you?”

“They did,” nodded George. “And the paper was all about You-Know-You as well. After his appearance at the Ministry…”

“Which reminds me of our conversation,” interrupted Fred. “Y/N, you know we care about you dearly, right?”

You snorted.

“Yeah, I guess I’ve figured that out by now.”

“Great. So you know that now that the big evil guy is back…” started Fred.

“We cannot let you run around on your own…” continued George.

“— which is why we’ve decided —”

“— to move you in to our place.”

You looked at them, confused. They were surely joking.

“What?”

“How about that, eh? Move in with us for the summer, you can go back to Hogwarts the next term, come home for the holidays, anything you want.”

“But… What?”

The waitress appeared out of nowhere and placed three coffees on the table, then left. You were staring at yours and grabbed it rather hastily, drinking half the cup at once. You only spoke again when you finally put the cup back down onto the table with a soft clink.

“Are you… taking the piss right now?”

George chuckled and Fred shook his head with a laugh.

“That wouldn’t be nice, would it, eh?”

“I guess…” you said slowly. “But… move in… with you?”

“Of course!”

“W — why?”

Fred snorted.

“Is that a question? Look at my brother.”

You turned and just saw George admiringly gazing at you before he rearranged his face to be a bit more casual. His ears turned red, you chuckled and Fred continued.

“And, you know about me, I love having you with us… sis, ” he finished with another wink. You gave him a weak smile but were still uncertain.

“Are you telling me you have a house somewhere?”

“It’s more like a flat,” shrugged George. “Not too big but should be enough for the three of us.”

“Where?”

“Diagon Alley, of course!” he said, beaming.

“Just above the shop,” said Fred.

“So, what d’you say?” said George. You were eyeing your coffee.

“Yeah, I don’t know…”

“Why? said George. “What’s stopping you?”

“I just… I really don’t wanna live with you like some kind of… refugee.”

“We’re not fancying the idea of you going back home, either,” said Fred sternly.

“But… I’d leave after a week anyway… Find some place on my own…”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to live with us?”

“I… Still, I’d have to pay you for letting me do that!”

Fred and George locked eyes knowingly.

“We knew you’d said that,” said George, hiding his smile behind his cup and taking a sip of coffee.

“Yeah, and we’ve decided that you’d never give in. So, if you want, you can help out in the shop. That’s fun work, we’re having a laugh, everyone’s happy, end of story.”

You were staring at the two of them, the idea growing in your mind like a seed after being planted. First you thought it was ridiculous… How could you live there… But as the seconds passed, you had to admit… you liked the idea more and more.

“Even if I said yes,” you started and raised your voice immediately when Fred and George grinned happily. “I said ‘if’. I’d still need to go home, to pack at least. All I have with me are my Hogwarts robes.”

“That’s manageable,” said George.

“You think?” you said.

“Oh, everything’s manageable for my brother if it’s about you,” said Fred, teasing. George shot a sharp look at him.

“Come off it.”

You chuckled.

“All right… Then yes.”

George jerked his head back to you.

“Yes, as in…?”

“Yes, I move in with you.”

“Ha!”

George exclaimed with joy and immediately pressed his soft lips on yours. You smiled into the kiss. Fred drank his coffee pompously.

“Oh, young lovers… Maybe I’m regretting this already.”

“Shut up, Fred,” said George again, grinning.

“So, how’s it gonna go down?” you asked, holding back your excitement without much success. Fred shrugged.

“Let’s say we go there, you pack and we leave.”

“All right. When?”

“When you finish your coffee,” said Fred conversationally while looking at his watch. You nodded nervously.

“That’s all right. But I wanna be quick. I don’t want to spend more time there than is necessarry.”

“Don’t worry love,” said George with an evil grin. “We can keep your parents company while you pack.”

“Mm, maybe I should stun them while I pack…” you muttered under your breath, wondering. George snorted.

When you all finished your coffee, the twins transported your clothes to their flat so you’d have an empty trunk to pack into. Then Fred took your luggage, George took your hand and you apparated to your family home.

The house in which you grew up in stood just outside of London but still pretty close to the city. After a ten minute drive you’d reach a nice little forest and a narrow road that lead straight into a village. At the further end of the village stood the church, higher than all buildings. You lived close to the curch: just on the other side of the treeline; from the living room window you could always see the tower with the cross.

After apparating next to the church a sudden lurch of your stomach made you stumble. You felt nervous, slightly sick, and — you didn’t want to admit it, but — also scared. Last time you had been here your mother had hit you, and the memory was suddenly more painful as you were standing here, returning to the village. For the second time tonight you shuddered, but not from the cold.

“All you all right?” asked George. His low voice seemed like shouting in the quiet night.

“Yeah,” you said, not very convincingly.

“We don’t have to go in there,” he said.

“I know. Let’s go.”

You started walking, noticing that Fred was checking his wand in his pocket. You did the same. Being seventeen, you could do magic outside school now, but you were not sure wether you wanted to or not.

“Why is it so quiet?” asked George as you turned onto the dirt road between the trees.

“It’s getting late,” you said. “I don’t think there’s much of a nightlife around here.”

“Let’s hurry up,” said Fred, letting you go in front of him at the turn. Just a few steps and you would be able to see your house.

“I agree. I hope they’re asleep. Would be nice to just —”

The sentence died in your throat and you stopped in your tracks. You looked at the house, the first second wondering why was the door open in the middle of the night…? Then your glance fell on the walls and you didn’t understand why did they have a weird, strange green light on them… Then you automatically raised your head higher and higher, your eyes searching the sky above the roof… And then you saw it. Floating in the air, a skull, with a snake moving out of its mouth. The… the…

“Oh, my God,” you whispered, slowly putting one foot in front of the other.

“Y/N, wait!” George held onto your arm, wand in hand. His voice was tense and shaky. “Fred, bring dad. Now.”

“I don’t wanna leave y —”

“Go!”

“Don’t go in there…”

“We’re not, we’re walking back — Y/N, come on!”

Fred disapparted. You felt a strong hand on your arm, pulling you away, but you couldn’t move. You were staring at the Dark Mark, You-Know-Who’s mark floating above the house… your house. Your parents’ house! If it was still there that meant it had happened not a long time ago… If you hadn’t gone for that coffee…

You pulled away from George and walked steadily towards the house, wand in hand, mind clear. George ran after you, grabbing you desperately.

“No, Y/N, you can’t go in there.”

“I wanna see,” you said, but it was as though someone else was using your voice.

“No, that’s not a good idea, dad’ll be here soon, come, we need to leave — Y/N!”

You broke free and ran into the house through the open front door.

The kitchen was a mess. Broken plates, slivered shelves and cupboards… Silverware lying all over the floor, the tap torn from the fall, water leaking. You ran into the dining room, garbage and broken glass crunching under your shoes. In there, everything looked similar to the kitchen; the table split in half, pictures and photographs lying on the floor around the broken glass chandelier. The piano was thrown against the wall, its legs lying next to the door. You looked towards the living room and saw a foot on the floor.

“Y/N!” George reached the house as well and was now standing behind you. He gasped as he saw the leg of your father on the floor in the next room. He spoke hoarsly, pleading. “Don’t… don’t go.”

But you had already went. You stepped over the threshold, your eyes fixed on the dead body of your father… the dead body of the man who made your life a living hell for so many years. He was lying on his stomach, arms in weird angles, eyes glass-like, staring into nothing. In his hands he was holding a pamphlet.

Turning your head you saw your mother, too. She was fallen over an armchair, legs in the air, lying on her back. Eyes just as empty as your father’s. In her hand she was also holding a pamphlet, and now that you looked around you saw many many purple pamphlets all over the floor. You reached for one and read the title.

‘Witches are among us. We have to fight them together!’

Below that was a picture of a green skinned witch, riding a broom. To the broom a net was tied, in the net several babies and children were carried, all crying. The line read:

‘Don’t let them steal your children! We have to end their sin once and for all!’

And on the very bottom of the page you saw your parents’ names and address, encouriging anyone to come to them with trust. You felt nauseous.

“Y/N!” George stood next to you, his face paler as ever. You showed him the pamphlet with shaking hands.

“They wanted to fight us…” you said quietly. “They wanted a witch hunt… they recruited members… Death Eaters probably heard about it… Showed them some real magic…”

“GEORGE!” Mr Weasley appeared in the door with Fred. He seemed extremely disturbed. He hurried to his son and hugged him tight. “George, I told you never to go into a house that — Y/N! I… Merlin!”

He saw the bodies on the floor and stumbled. Fred was looking sick, staring at the pamphlets queasily. Mr Weasley’s voice was shaking.

“Kids… Out. Yes, go out, the Ministry is … George! Fred! Go out. All of you.”

The boys turned but you didn’t move. Mr Weasley stepped closer, his face frightened.

“Y/N… go — go with them. Please. This is not…”

“Come — Come, please!”

You felt someone pulling your arm and you started walking, glass and dried flowers crunching under your shoes on the way out as well. But this time, you didn’t see the house; you didn’t see anything at all. All that was floating in your mind was the violent purple color and the empty eyes of your parents.

You didn’t know how you felt. Shocked? Of course. Sad? You weren’t sure. They were your parents after all… But nothing more than that, really. Did they mean something to you after years and years of neglect? You didn’t know. You didn’t know anything.

A bunch of ministry workers ran past you, stepping into the house, heading towards the living room. You let them pass, stopping at the threshold. George was still pulling you by the arm, and when the ministry workers started shouting and giving orders from the living room, he lead you out into the night.

It was now completely dark outside. The absence of the green light was explained as you looked above the house and saw that the Dark Mark was already gone. As you breathed in the fresh night air, your mind seemed to clear a bit. Now you were able to think. Weirdly, the first thing you realized was that you were quite hungry.

“Come, come over here.”

A bench appeared not far from the house; how, you didn’t know. It was not there before. You sat down, George on one side, Fred on the other. You didn’t know what to say. You didn’t know if you wanted to say anything at all.

“Y/N?” said George while placing a lock of hair behind your ears. “Y/N, I’m so —”

“It’s okay,” you said, your voice surprisingly normal. “I’m good.”

You knew the twins exchanged looks, cause they didn’t answer for at least five seconds.

“Y/N…” started Fred. “You sure, that —”

“Yeah,” you nodded, staring at the ground but thinking clearly. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Baby, I —”

“They didn’t love me after all,” you said. “I thought maybe… they were just angry and desperate… But turns out the moment they realised what I was, everything they had ever felt was gone. Remember what my mum said?”

“I…”

“She said they were no longer parents. And that I stopped existing to them the moment I embraced my… abnormality.”

You looked at the pamphlet that you were still holding. You felt disgusted.

“They wanted to punish not just me but everyone who’s like us. How could anyone hate their own child this much?”

Neither of the twins answered. You clenched your jaw.

“They were not my parents. They got what they deserved.”

You crumpled the pamphlet and threw it aside. You didn’t care what the twins thought. In this moment you didn’t care less. You looked at the house in which ministry officials were running up and down, and a tiny flicker of relief came over you. Those two lying inside were people who had always told you that you were abnormal. That you were less of a human being just because you were a witch. That you were violent and fearsome. They were people who didn’t realize that with some kindness they could’ve achieved more. They were people who were excrutiatingly evil to you.

And now those people were dead. And you were free.

And on the night your parents died, a small, tortured smile appeared on your lips.