#wishing for remus to have the best christmas

[d3adgayw1zardwr1t3r]

A very Potter Christmas

Word count: 560 , Marauders, platonic prongsfoot, Christmas

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It's Sirius's first Christmas at the Potter's, and he's been nothing but welcomed and adored by Mr. And Mrs. Potter, so much so, that he tries to keep up, but what's an unloved child to do with so much sudden care?

He makes cookies, went sledding, and had a snow ball fight (you can throw things at people, not with the intent of harm? That was a new lesson.)

He was given hot chocolate, dry clothes, next to a warm fire, and this beautiful muggle creation called a movie!

He was so happy, but at the same time, it hurt so bad.

It hurt because he'd never been able to be loved back before. Not before James, then Peter and Remus.

It hurt because he'd never had a Christmas without screaming, curses, and beatings as a 'gift'; all that mixed with the annual family portrait he and Regulus hated oh so much. Regulus.

It hurt because, through this few days of receiving this love, he wondered if he and Reg wouldn't be so turned against each other of they new how to act with love.

It hurt because every new, happy thing made him realize how bad it had been before, and how much more he dreaded ever returning.

He was mad that it hurt. He wished he could just have some stupid fun without looking outside of the moment so much, just stop it, stop it!

But he couldn't stop it. He tried.

So one night, when he was in dry clothes, in his bed in the guest room, having casual pre-sleep conversation with the Potter's (James randomly burst in excited to tell him something, and then the Potter parents followed a bit later to tell the boys it was bedtime, they got wrapped in the conversation too)

Sirius feels his eyes tear up. Shit. This has never happened before, not in front of other people, never, no, no, no. He looks at the ceiling, willing the tears away, but James is excitedly sitting at the foot of his bed with a twinkle in his eyes, Monty has his arm around Euphemia as they stand in the doorway, listening, paying attention to their son. Sirius tries to pay attention to, but it happens before he can help it.

His lips curl, and one tear falls, then another, then another.

"...Mate?" James asks, looking over at him "Pads, what's wrong, was it something I've said"

Sirius shakes his head, and wills away the tears again, fuck, this is embarrassing.

Mrs. Potter starts walking towards Sirius, and he fucking flinches. Why? Why did he flinch? Stupid, stupid

"Sirius, you're okay love, you're safe, let it out" she says, gently, sitting beside the 13 year old, allowing him to come closer if he chooses.

He doesn't know why, but he rolls over, resting his face against Mrs. Potter's shoulder, and he balls his eyes out. He'd never done that before.

James was worried, he looked to his dad for some direction, I mean, his best friend was sobbing into his mother's shoulder, how could he help? Mr. Potter just shook his head, as if to say 'this one isn't on you, kid' and walked closer to sit between Sirius's feet, and James, who he put an arm around in comfort.

No one spoke for a while.

He was safe.

He was loved.

[lulublack90]

Prompt 2 - Father Christmas

@wolfstarmicrofic December 2, word count 610

“Getting a bit bored here, Potter. Can’t we go out and do something?” Sirius asked. It was still early and not totally freezing yet, and he wanted to get out of the house. He loved Potter Manor with all his heart, but even he drew the line of being stuck inside it for going on 24 hours. 

“I was going to go practice with Peter in a bit. Wanna come as well?” James said, throwing one of his mum's ornaments into the air before he caught it again. 

“James Fleamont Potter, if you drop that again, so help me. There is only so much magic can do to ceramics after it's been cracked ten times,” Effie walked into the living room carrying a huge tray filled with tea and mince pies. 

“Sorry Mum,” James said sheepishly as he carefully put the little figurine back on its shelf. 

“If you’re looking for something to do, Sirius darling, Father Christmas will be riding around the village in his sleigh,” Sirius jumped up from the floor and ran into the hallway. He stuffed his feet into his boots and began wrapping the long scarf Monty had knitted him two Christmases ago around his neck. He pulled on his coat and plonked his favourite knitted hat on his head and he was ready to go. 

“See you later!” He called as he opened the door. He stopped, coming face to face with a bundled-up Remus Lupin. 

“Excellent timing, Moony, come on,” Sirius beamed as he grabbed Remus’s gloved hand and spun him around, leading him back the way he had just come. 

“Where are we going?” Remus mumbled around a mouthful of wool scarf. 

“Santa’s coming to town!” Sirius grinned mischievously and could hear the eye roll behind him. 

It was wonderful. The old man dressed as Father Christmas rode around the village, booming, “Ho, ho, ho!” With the delicate sounds of jingle bells. All the children were offered rides and a chance to sit on Santa’s lap, and, of course, Sirius refused to miss out on the fun. 

Santa laughed at his hopeful look before patting the seat beside him. 

“Come on lad, you too,” He waved Remus on as well. Remus hesitated but Sirius used his best puppy dog eyes on him and Remus gave in. 

The ride was short but enjoyable and at the end, Sirius hopped onto the guy's lap before he could say anything and whispered in his ear, so Remus couldn’t hear. 

“I want my best friend to have the best Christmas,” He said before pulling back. He could have sworn that Santa’s eyes were a little damp, but the man nodded and gave him a wink. 

“I’ll see what Father Christmas can do,” Santa told him before shooing them off his sleigh, so the next child could jump on.  

“What did you ask for?” Remus asked him as they made their way back to the house. 

“Can’t tell you that Remus or I won’t get what I asked for,” Sirius said, mock horrified. He grabbed Remus’s hand and gave it a quick squeeze. 

Remus looked around to see if they were alone and dipped his head to press a kiss on Sirius’s cold, pink cheek. Sirius’s mouth dropped open. “You heard what I said, didn’t you?” Remus shrugged. 

“Werewolf,” They both laughed and continued on to Potter Manor. 

“Well, I meant it, Moony. I do hope you have the best Christmas,”  

“I already am. I’m spending it with you, aren’t I?”

“Sap.”

“You love it,” And he really did. He pulled Remus into his arms just as they made it to the front door and kissed him.

[inkdrinkerworld]

Could we get a follow up to Dealer!Remus and Shy!reader where we get a glimps into their book date? Absolutely loved what you did with their first interaction ✨

Part one wc: 792

You’ve changed outfits at least three times already and you’re not sure if what you’ve got on now will be your last outfit.

Remus texted you half an hour ago to let you know he was on his way for you with a well worn copy of ‘You’ve Reached Sam’ and directions to a cafe that served the best hot chocolate and sticky buns.

You’re pinning your hair down when there’s a rap at your door. “Fuck,” you mutter as you shove your socked feet into your shoes and grab your book off your vanity before rushing down the stairs.

You take a couple seconds to catch your breath before opening the door.

Remus stands before you in a burnt orange sweater that features a black cat on its back kicking up a purple ball of yarn, and dark brown corduroys.

He’s also got a small bouquet of flowers in his hands- baby breaths, pink roses and a couple peonies.

“Hi,” you hope you don’t sound as awkward as you feel. Sure Remus is nice and he’s possibly the most attractive man you’ve ever laid eyes upon, but it makes him a little more intimidating.

“Hi,” his smile is slow and easily given. “You look lovely.”

He means it too. You’re wearing a red Christmas sweater over a white collared shirt that's got little pink stars on it, a black skirt and ruby red Mary Jane’s with hot pink socks with a star rainbow on the ankle.

In your hands is your prized possession; the last book you’d read that you’d gone home and annotated after you left Remus’ dispensary.

“Thank you,” you motion him inside. “Thank you for the flowers, they’re beautiful.” You manage the words without tripping over them and for that you’re grateful.

Remus hands them over as you fill a vase, watch as you carefully take them out of the cellophane and snip the ends.

“Ready?” You ask as you look up, finding Remus’ gaze laser focused on you. Dear god, you hope your nose isn’t sweating.

“Yeah,” Remus smiles when you pull the door shut behind you, your perfume floats behind you and he gets a good bit of the cappuccino, whipped cream and caramel scent and decides it’s the only thing he wishes to smell for the rest of his life.

“Do you know which hot chocolate you’re getting?”

You bite your lips as Remus opens the passenger side door for you and shake your head.

You deliberate your words carefully, you fight the urge to nibble on the side of your nails- Mary had just painted them a pretty red for the season.

Your voice is soft and a little quiet, but Remus hears you just fine as he buckles himself into the car.

“I usually get a peppermint one, but I like the classic one to form an opinion.”

Remus nods, a smile on his face as he starts the car.

“That’s a good plan, dove.” The pet name slips out like it’s the most normal thing, and Remus doesn’t miss the way you flip the book over in your lap nervously.

“Did you know there was controversy about the story?” You ask quickly, tucking a bit of hair behind your ear as you hazard a glance at Remus.

“I did not. Can you tell me or will it cloud my judgement?” He catches the barest of smiles on your face and wants to keep it there.

“It might, maybe when you’re finished I’ll tell you and you can let me know if you agree with it or not?”

It comes across flirty and it wasn’t your intention but Remus chuckles softly and nods so you don’t rush to take it back.

“I would love that,” he parks and turns to you as he unbuckles his seatbelt. “I have to forewarn you,”

Your breath hitches, your hands gripping the book in your lap as you stare at him with wide eyes.

“The book does make you cry.”

You breathe out harshly, your eyebrows smoothing out as he smiles at you- all mischief and a little bit of teasing.

“You’re mean, Remus.” He chuckles with a tiny shrug.

“C’mon, let’s go get our treats.”

You spend nearly two hours in the cafe, talking with Remus over a sticky bun and a hot chai instead of chocolate because it went better- per Remus’ suggestion.

In turn he’d taken your suggestion of a hot chocolate and a slice of orange cinnamon coffee cake which he loved.

The date was wonderful, Remus got you an extra sticky bun to go and you’d smiled when he kissed your cheek at your doorstep.

You smiled even more when he didn’t drive off till you shut your front door behind you.

[jallerentrags]

Better than him.

James Potter x Reader, based on 'Boyfriend' by Dove Cameron.

James Potter thought of himself as a lucky man.

He had everything he wanted: Good grades, good friends, a good life. The only thing he wanted, which he worried he might never have, was you.

Y/n Cassiopeia Black, twin sister to the elusive and handsome Regulus Black. But despite being at the same school, and being best mates with your older brother, the space between the both of you was almost impossible to cross. You were cold and indifferent - sticking with your friends and Regulus - and avoided James like the plague. You rarely spoke, supposedly scorned by his theft of your older brother, and when you did converse, it was usually under the watchful eyes of Charles Nott, your betrothed.

At the age of 16, you had been auctioned and sold to the highest bidder, wrapped in his vice like grip. James watched from the side-lines as the eyes that used to shine like her brother's name-sake, faded.

He had tried to become besotted with Lily, a beautiful and intelligent girl, but it was futile. Your power over him was strong, his urge to move on with Lily too weak. But a strong friendship between the Head Boy and Girl did blossom, so James ended up ranting to Lily about his situation.

“James I don’t know what to say. Y/n is one of the most prized girls in school and her circle is small. Your best bet to get her attention is to ask Sirius to introduce you,” Lily paused to brush her long hair out of her eyes and behind her shoulder with a thoughtful look, “Of course, that’s if she’s willing to speak to Sirius, I don’t think I’ve seen them together since last year.”

James sighed. He already knew that you had closed yourself off after losing your brother, and he grimaced thinking about how hurt you must feel. He knew that Sirius was still mourning his loss as heir to the House of Black, and heard him crying at night when his ache for his little siblings grew too heavy.

“I know,” James fiddled with his glasses, face heating up. “Maybe it’s best if I just leave it. It’s a pipe dream that a girl like that would ever go for a guy like me.” James moved to pick up his books from the library table and head to his dorm, mood low. Lily gasped and slapped his hand away.

“Definitely not! I remember Remus telling me that you two were completely smitten and oblivious to it despite belonging to rival houses. The James Potter should definitely not give up this easily,” Lily’s brows were lowered in an expression of seriousness, her lips thin, “I’ve got an idea. You know the Christmas Ball is this weekend?”

Of course James knew the Christmas Ball was this weekend. The whole school had been preparing for it since it was announced early November, a night of bliss and relaxation to temporarily ignore the deteriorating state of the outside World. James’ parents had already sent him his dress robes, and he saw that last Tuesday you had received a large parcel in the mail which he guessed must of been your dress.

“Yes, but I don’t see why that matters? She’ll be going with Charles. He proposed in August.” James spat, anger lacing into his words. Lily merely rolled her eyes and huffed.

“So? Steal her away! Ask her to dance and charm her! I’m sure it won’t be that difficult, it’s not as if she’s in love with Nott,” Lily placed her hands on the table and leaned towards him, “She’ll definitely leave him for you, she’s always been sympathetic towards muggle-born’s and I heard her talking about how she wishes she didn’t have to marry Nott. Give her a reason, Be her reason, and she’ll leave her supremacist family and be with you.” James scoffed and leaned back in his chair, watching as Lily reclined also.

“I don’t think it’ll be that easy. She loves Regulus and she fits the role as ‘Slytherin’s Princess’ perfectly. I don’t want to put myself out there for her if she’s already too far gone.”

“Believe me. She’s not. People don’t look at each other like you two do.” Lily smiled at him, certainty blazing in her emerald eyes, “You could be her new beginning, and I really think she wants that. She loves Regulus and she always will, but I know that he would value her happiness and I doubt that she wouldn’t love to have a reason to escape,” Lily’s hand reached over to James’ and clasped it, “I really believe that you two would work. I want to see you happy James, please trust me.”

James’ lips formed a smile, and he felt hope blare in his chest. If Lily, the smartest girl he knew, believed that he stood a chance, then he had faith. He squeezed her hand and stood up, collecting his books and shoving them into his bag.

“I trust you, now watch me get my girl.”

————————————————————————-

The Great Hall looked beautiful, you thought, as you entered. The ceiling showcased a clear starry sky, and the decorations shone and sparkled in the candle light. Ice sculptures decorated the corners, and 12 great circle tables surrounded a square dance floor and far off, adjacent the teachers table, was a long buffet and drinks table laden with Honeydukes delights and crisp pumpkin juice. Charles, your financeé, gripped your hand tighter and dragged you to a table with his friends, only slightly admitting how beautiful you looked in your F/c gown. Charles' friends briefly acknowledged you (with a few appreciative eyebrow raises) before ignoring your presence entirely. Across the room, you spotted your older brother and his friends, who hadn't seemed to notice your entrance just yet. Sirius looked remarkable like always, a classic example of the Black families striking looks. Even Remus looked quite handsome in his robes, and Peter had cleaned up nicely. Admittedly, you thought, James looked incredibly good in his robes and had caught your eye as soon as you entered the Great Hall. His robes were tailored to his fit physique perfectly, and his hazel eyes shone with excitement. Although he hadn't managed to tame his hair, you secretly appreciated how well it framed his face.

"Admiring the blood traitor, Y/n?" Rosier, one of Charles' close friends, scoffed. You turned back to the table, missing James' look your way, and shot a smile in Rosier's direction.

"Of course not," you replied, entangling your arm from Charles' grip, "But you have to admit that he does look very enjoyable in his robes." you smirked, watching as Charles' face contorted into a sneer. He made to grab for you, already muttering about your incompetence with an extremely angry look on his face. He wrapped his hand around your arm hard, pulling you close enough to whisper in your ear. Despite being pulled into his side, his body still angled away from you, like you didn't matter at all. From across the hall, you wondered whether it looked like it was a lover's embrace. It was anything but. You spared no love for Charles, and it was no secret. Rosier and the others all sniggered, slurs tumbling from their lips and their faces a mixture of disgust and outrage.

"Y/n, you should watch your mouth. You don't want people thinking that you agree with your mutt of a brother, do you?" Charles asked, his face settling into a blank stare. Your brows lowered and your lips curled, before quickly schooling features once more. You simply hummed, avoiding Charles' eyes. "Now run along to Regulus. I'll come to you when I need you." He unwrapped his hand from your arm and pushed you away, before turning back to his group. You wondered through Hall, greeting friends, before making a bee-line for your twin. The dancing had begun, a light tempo that sent couples soaring over the floor. You watched in admiration, the way they held each other, looking into each others eyes like no one else existed, souls mingling and stretching across the floor. You wished you could be swept along the floor, lost in the steps and the feel of your partners hands. The partner you imagined never had the Nott green eyes and cigar scented yellowed palms, he always had the face of your older brother's best friend.

From behind you, you heard somebody cough to catch your attention, and you turned on your heel to come face to face with James Potter, watching his already huge smile grow wider. His hands were in his trouser pockets, his body angled towards you so completely that you couldn't even acknowledge other's brushing up against you.

"I can't believe we're finally alone, I've been trying to catch you since you arrived, you look so beautiful," James revealed, blush drifting across his cheeks, "I almost went back up to the dorm."

"Well that would've been a shame, Potter" you smiled back, easing towards him, "I was hoping to see you on the dance floor."

James laughed, a sound that sent shudders down your spine and took his hand out of his pocket to push up his glasses that had fallen down his nose. "What are the chances? I wanted to see you on the dance floor too," James squared his shoulders and cleared his throat "Everyone's dancing, yet you aren't, somebody that I know is stuck by dance fever frequently, and he's not with you," James leaned forward and smirked, "the Universe must of divined us, little Black, it looks like we're destined to dance together tonight."

You could almost see the thoughts fly across his face as he grabbed your wrist before you could even object, pulling you towards the dance floor. The music had changed to a sweet, mouldable beat, sweeping partners across the floor in unique waltzes and dips. James positioned you on the floor, a large hand leaving a burning touch on you waist and the other slipping into you awaiting hand as you breathlessly laughed. Your hands fit together perfectly, just like his hand rested so perfectly on the curve of your waist. He started leading, smiling down at you as though you placed the stars in the sky, a twinkle in his bespectacled eyes. You followed readily, returning his smile and placing you hand on his shoulder, heat building and spreading under your dress at your close contact.

You were flying, soaring, just two people in a sea of revellers. You didn't slip from his gaze, totally unfettered, lost in him. You never stumbled, never faltered, you recalled every conversation, every lingering glance, every lasting touch, knowing you were utterly enthralled. James looked the same, captivated by your presence, stuck in your energy. You saw the words bubble in him, and your heart soared when he stopped biting his tongue.

"Y/n," he whispered, drawing you closer, his face a picture intimacy, "I could be a better boyfriend than him," you sucked in air, but didn't draw from his arms. James tightened his grip on your hip as you looked deeply into his eyes, "I could do all the shit that he never does," he flared his fingers against your waist, "I'll stay up all night for you, I won't quit. I'm thinking that I'm going to steal you from him," he dropped his head to press against your forehead, your joined hands tight as you still manoeuvred around the floor, "I could be such a gentleman, plus all my clothes would look so good on you." You slowed to a stop, dancers fluttering around you as you ended up at a loss for words, mouth agape and your heart singing. "I could be so much better for you than him."

"James..." you unlaced your joined hands, already missing his touch, as he stared at you desperately. You knew that everything he said was true, and James was nothing if not an honest man. He made you smile, kept you safe, always thought of you as the prettiest girl in the room. You were in love with James Potter, but it wasn't as easy as that. You had to worry about your brother, Regulus, and the future of your family. While your parents were definitely not kind and nurturing, they were all you had. You didn't have James Potter to whisk you away if Sirius didn't allow him too. You wanted James, more than you'd ever want Charles and his prejudice. Your eyes watered, and you suddenly felt lost.

"I don't need to tell you twice all the ways he can't suffice, he wouldn't care about your happiness, or your dancing or your smile," James' unwavering hope warmed you, cocooning you in a safety net when you felt like you were falling from the Astronomy Tower. James wanted to be your new beginning, your second chance. He wanted to cuddle you on cold nights and to show you the beauty of the muggle world and all its secrets, "If I could give you some advice, baby, I'd leave with me tonight." His desperation slipped from his face, replaced with a confident smirk, as if he saw your facade melting, as if he could see you melting in his arms, as if he knew that you were going to choose him, just like you would every single time.

"You'll help me get through it?" you asked, and James immediately knew that you meant the sparking fall out between you and your parents, and the Nott family. James took your face in his hands, love shining in his eyes, before placing a chaste kiss on your forehead.

"I'd give you my heart if you asked, darling, of course I'll help. Besides, what's another Black sibling in my house? if your brother comes I'll have the full set." you shared a laugh, biting back the tears that threatened to spill.

"You'd like that." you said between laughs.

"I'd love it." he answered, leaning back and taking your hand in his once again. He led you back off the dance floor, both of you blushing madly and smiling merrily. Towards the left of the hall, you spotted James' friends watching you both intently, glasses raised. Lily Evans seemed particularly excited, emerald eyes aglow with excitement as she waved enthusiastically and gave James a thumbs up. Sirius and Regulus stood further away, small smiles on their faces as they watched their little sister walk out of the hall with the resident trouble maker. No complaints rose up their throats, just unbridled joy for their sister who finally looked happy. James and Y/n didn't look at anyone else as they left hand in hand, not even at a furious Charles Nott, hands balled in tight fists. They ignored the open mouthed stares and muttered remarks, completely absorbed in each other.

The next day, Charles would arrive at his dorm to an owl waiting by the open window. Tied to his leg was a envelope, and Charles reached for it immediately. Ripping it open, he tore the piece of paper out and dumped its contents on his bed. Gleaming back at his sneering face was the ring he gave Y/n when he proposed, and scribbled on the letter was one sentence:

'I suppose you were right Charles, I do have a taste for blood-traitors.’

- Y/n Black and James Potter

[engie-ivy]

884 words

If high-profile power couple Remus Lupin and Sirius Black will spend the holidays apart from each other, the tabloids are going to be filled with stories of their Christmas break-up. But Remus can't take Sirius home for Christmas if they're not real.

Can We Make It To Christmas?

Make It To Christmas - Alessia Cara

“We had a deal.”

It's hard to say which is more intimidating, Regulus’ icy stare or Lily's fiery gaze.

“We did have a deal,” Lily replies. “And Sirius’ new album has gotten quite some extra publicity due to his supposed involvement with Remus.”

“And so has Remus’ new play,” Regulus replies cooly. “I'm not denying that so far they've both been profiting off of their highly publicized ‘relationship’. But all the positive publicity will certainly be overshadowed by a break-up right before Christmas.”

Lily crosses her arms over her chest. “The deal also included that in case one of the parties so wished, a break-up would be staged.”

“A clean, mutual break-up with as little publicity as possible,” Regulus says. “If they suddenly spend Christmas apart, all the tabloids will be filled with speculations, insinuations and fabrications!”

Remus is sitting quietly on his chair as Lily argues on his behalf with Sirius’ brother and manager. Sirius himself is sitting across from him, also not saying much, but staring at Remus intently, trying to catch his eye, with that intense, bright-eyed gaze.

But Remus can't look at him. He's afraid that the look in his eyes will betray too much of his emotions.

“Remus,” Lily interrupts his thoughts.

Remus looks up at his best friend and manager.

“I hate to admit it,” Lily says. “But Regulus has a point. If you and Sirius don't spend Christmas together, the tabloids will have a field day making up stories of how you broke up just before Christmas. A messy Christmas break-up is the last thing that we need right now.” She looks at Remus pleadingly. “Can you really not take Sirius home for Christmas?”

“I would take you home to my family,” Sirius speaks up with a wry smile. “But I'm not even welcome there myself.”

Remus shakes his head. “I can't. I'm sorry. I can't.”

“Do your parents dislike my music?” Sirius asks. “Even if I'm usually always singing or playing my guitar, I can go without for a week. I won't sing a single song or play a single note.”

“Sirius, they don't…”

“Is it me then?” Sirius presses. “Do you think your parents won't like me?”

“That's not…”

“Because I know I can be a lot! But I don't have to be. I can be more quiet, more reserved. I can be anything you want me to-”

“You're perfect!” Remus blurts out.

Sirius closes his mouth and blinks.

“Please, Sirius, don't ever think you need to change anything about yourself for anyone. My parents would absolutely love you. But I can't. I can't take you home for Christmas.”

“Why not?” Sirius asks softly.

Remus shakes his head. “I just can't do it. I can't bring someone home, introduce them to my mum and dad, spend the holidays all together. Not if it's not…” Remus swallows. “If it's not real.” He looks at Regulus and Lily, still unable to look Sirius in the eye. “I'm sorry.” He gets up and leaves the room.

Remus saw the paparazzi at his home, he knows they tracked his car, and he's wholly unsurprised to see a swarm of reporters already waiting at the train station.

“Remus Lupin! Why are you and Sirius Black not spending the holidays together?”

“Mr Lupin, does this mean you and Mr Black are officially over?”

“Remus, why did you dump Sirius right before Christmas?”

“Lupin, how does it feel to spend the holidays newly single?”

“Remus, Remus! Is it true you are now involved with someone from your hometown?”

“Remus Lupin, what's it like to be alone for the most romantic time of the year?”

“Remus!”

Remus freezes. Because he knows that voice, and that's neither a reporter nor one of his fans calling his name. He turns around. “Sirius?”

Sirius stops in front of him, out of breath like he ran a long way.

The people around them buzz with excitement as they recognize the person stopping in front of Remus and cameras flash, but Remus hardly notices. “What are you doing here?”

“You…” Sirius has to catch his breath for a moment. “You said I was perfect.”

Remus can't help but laugh. “That can't be the first time you've heard that. There are whole communities online dedicated solely to how perfect people think you are.”

Sirius shakes his head. “You've seen me, seen every part of me, and you still think I'm perfect.”

Remus looks away, because what is he even supposed to say to that?

“Take me home for Christmas,” Sirius suddenly says.

Remus’ eyes snap back to Sirius’ face. “Sirius, I already told you. I can't. Not of it's not-”

“We're real,” Sirius interrupts. “Remus, why don't we stop pretending we're only pretending? We're real. I know it and you know it too.”

Remus' breath halts as he stares at Sirius.

Sirius takes a few steps forward and places a hand on Remus’ cheek. He slowly moves forward and presses their lips together in a kiss. Not one of the fake kisses they've staged for the tabloids, but a real kiss.

Sirius pulls back slightly, but he stays close as he searches Remus’ face.

This time, Remus doesn't look away, and the emotions he was so afraid Sirius would see are reflected back to him.

“We're real,” Remus whispers.

[moonheavens]

moonheavens' (wolfstar) fic recs, Nov 24

hello! since my last list of fic recs is now over a year old (Aug 23), I figured it's about time for a new one, especially on the back of the recent discourse about shouting about work you love, which I'm always happy to do.

so without further ado, here are some fics I have "recently" read and loved and whose praises I'd like to sing, very loudly. please do note this only includes wolfstar or multi-ship Marauders fics.

authors, if you want to be untagged, have your fic removed or have the one line summary changed, just message me.

all recs with ao3 links below the break <3

WIPs

All's Fair in Love and Trivia, by @cancerravenclaw ~75k, Explicit, Muggle. exes to lovers years after a huge, painful break-up. I've been eating this up with a spoon and re-read multiple times so far, it's soooo good. really hot ex-sex, yet also handles the complex emotions beautifully, and I love the group dynamics.

The Labyrinth, by QuillNib ~45k, Explicit (check tags), AU. Sirius is forced to sign a contract with an A/B/O breeding facility. really interesting take on omegaverse dynamics, very handmaid's tale vibes. great writing and plot, and keeps you on your toes constantly.

How To Jeopardise Your Friendship With Remus Lupin, by @amberlink ~200k, Teen, Hogwarts. everything you could ever want from a Hogwarts-era best friends to lovers fic. beautifully written, amazing characterisations and also just super funny and sweet. I love this Remus dearly, and this is one of those fics where you drop everything else when the update email comes in.

A Song for the End of the World, by @wannabelilybriscoe ~200k, Mature (check tags), AU. zombie apocalypse wolfstar!! amazing plot so far that really keeps you guessing, with great links to canon yet entirely fresh and inventive. wonderful friendship dynamics and writing, and I would die for this Sirius (but also lowkey steal his man).

Shorter finished works (<30k)

back to the old house, by @saintlupin 20k, Explicit, First War. Sirius, Regulus and Remus get stuck in grimmauld place and have to deal with the tension between them. absolutely beautiful, and painful in all the best ways like only saintlupin can achieve.

Sirius Black and the "mystery girl", by Anonymous 30k, Teen, Hogwarts. the marauders try to guess who Sirius is mysteriously dating. this one is so much fun, really light-hearted and joyful and a great twist with the Lily POV.

What I Heard, by fishcommuter / @fishpilgrim 28k, Explicit, Hogwarts. definition of idiots to lovers; wolfstar acting like a couple and having to be told they're basically dating. light-hearted, sweet, and a lot of fun.

The Barista, the Burglar, and the Sofa, by orphan_account 21k, Explicit, Muggle. summary reads "the story of how Sirius tries to seduce a man by slowly furnishing his flat" and.. that totally checks out. absolutely hilarious and very sweet, and I too would fold if Sirius Black bought me a bookshelf.

Wishes on Stars, by Quietlemonhush and @theresthesnitch 19k, Explicit, AU. Remus makes a wish upon a star and gains a friend. without spoiling too much, this one is a wonderful journey - so sweet, so beautiful, so poetic, so heart-warming.

A Good League Hence, by @eyra 15k, Teen, Muggle. a country hotel in the wintertime. I could put eyra's entire bibliography here as they're incredible, but this is one of my favs. sweet christmas fluff with animals and eyra's ever-incredible writing, just perfect.

June: or how Sirius finally figured himself out, by MarigoldWritesThings / @marigold-hills 15k, Explicit, Hogwarts. does what the title suggests, and wonderfully so. I adore this version of pining yet oblivious Sirius, and the writing here is stunning. tender and heart-warming.

Just a Little Bit of Magic, by @cancerravenclaw 25k, Explicit, Muggle. music journalist Remus falls in love at first sight with model Sirius at a club. flirting ensues. one of my favourites ever - sensual, delicious, beautifully written. the kind of fic I'm grateful exists, and secretly wish I could write.

Tear My Chest Open, by @puuvillaa 22k, Explicit (check tags), Post-Hogwarts. Remus never goes to Hogwarts and meets Sirius, who is taken, in a writing class. complicated feelings ensue. this one was painful, but beautiful. a beautiful expression of care and tenderness.

nothing sweeter than my baby, by damagecontrol 7k, Explicit, Muggle. wolfstar dads on a date night at a Hozier concert, except it's mostly sex. ridiculously hot and sexy, yet sweet and fun. one of my favs if I want something nsfw.

Match Point, by @billspaid 14k, General, Muggle. wolfstar as husbands who are both tennis players, inspired by Challengers. exactly what you want from it; ridiculously fun. competitive yet sweet as they go head-to-head. a blast.

lunch poems, by aeridi0nis / @steelycunt 5k, General, Muggle. tourist Sirius bothers bookstore employee Remus into adoration. aeridi0nis and their gorgeous gorgeous writing never disappoints and this was so much fun. swotty Remus my beloved.

Three Card Monte, by @enjambament 14k, Teen, Muggle. I love heist AU's and this is one of the best ones out there. tensive and exciting the whole way through, and this wolfstar... I want what those bitches have.

The Right Reason, by softsilkentofu 11k, Explicit, Post-Hogwarts. wolfstar get married (as friends) to evade anti-werewolf laws. incredibly funny and heart-warming, with great writing, and a fun twist on fake dating.

Longer finished works (30k+)

Dunes and Waters, by MarigoldWritesThings / @marigold-hills 36k, Explicit, AU. curse breaker/convict Sirius is forced to work with ancient Egypt researcher Remus on a riddle. I loved the mythology aspects of this and the twist on canon, and it was beautifully written.

The Road to Sweetwater, by @euripidestrousers 57k, Explicit, AU. Wild West AU, with outlaw Sirius and bounty hunter Remus. I've been yelling about this one a lot recently - one of my all time favs, beautifully written and so brilliant. I'll be coming back to it for a long time.

The Spy Who Loved Him, by OptimisticDinosaur / @mostlyoptimisticdinosaur 35k, Explicit, AU. James Bond AU, with spy Sirius and 'man in the chair' Remus. intensely exciting and tensive, and so much fun. I really had a great time with this one.

an endless sky of honey, by @colgatebluemintygel 35k, Mature, AU. Greek mythology inspired; Sirius is a God, Remus is a mortal. that's all I'll say, you gotta go into this pretty blind, but it's just. incredible. toothpaste never misses and this one is really special.

through the gaps of sunlight, by grumposaur / @pancakehouse 48k, Explicit, AU. victorian era exes to lovers wolfstar with aristocrat Sirius... this one was so much fun, the yearning! the pining! the longing glances! I ate that shit up with a spoon.

The Waste Land, by afieryfox / @a-fiery-fox 51k, Mature, AU. Remus is a resistance fighter for the Order; Sirius joins the fight. brilliant wartime-wolfstar characterisation and a really tense and engaging plot, plus amazing writing. one of my favs of 2024.

love finds a way, by @littleoldrachel 60k, Mature, AU. Jurassic Park exes to lovers... who doesn't love dinos? Rachel always delivers with her writing and characterisations, and I'm obsessed with these nerdy, mopey versions of R & S.

Lie to Me (Another Secret), by Whoops_e 151k, Explicit, Hogwarts. Sirius is expelled from Beauxbatons and joins Hogwarts late. beautiful fic with a focus on mental health, with amazing dialogue and super tender wolfstar (one of my favs). the bathroom scene in ch40 is everything to me.

back when we were dinosaurs, by epicblueblanket / @kaaaaaaarf 37k, Explicit, Muggle. Remus and Sirius meet at their workplace, a museum in Toronto. paleontology!!! nerd Remus!!! sexy Sirius!! this has everything you want, just a perfect fic in every way.

Bonus recs that you've probably already read, and if you haven't you absolutely 100% should

Harry Potter and the Dog and the Wolf (series), by thewholeofthemoon ~605k overall, Mature. a retelling of canon (starting from POA) but with Peter captured and Wolfstar taking care of Harry, aka how we all wish canon had been. beautifully written and super original take on the story. it's long, but it's worth it for the wolfstar alone.

Hey, Sharpshooter, by @tortoisebore 200k, Explicit, Muggle. college, basketball player Remus meets figure skater Sirius. recently finished, and I couldn't not include it as this is in my top 5 most re-read and loved fics ever. it makes me want to pull out my teeth one by one (affectionately). they're engraved in my memory at this point.

on another ocean, by @colgatebluemintygel (WIP) ~133k, Explicit, Muggle. recently dumped Sirius drags Remus on a holiday across through Europe. if you haven't read this, please, please do. it's literally my favourite thing in the entire world. like, no competition. I would sacrifice my firstborn for this fic, and like, raze the city of Troy for this fic (my Helen).

Chimaera & The Wolf (series), by lostmy_keys / @lostmykeysie 337k, Mature, First War. Regulus and Remus work together to find the horcruxes. this one is popular, and for good reason; I devoured this, one of my favourite things I've ever read in my life. so exciting and tense, and the wolfstar is everything to me.

that's all, folks. this is just a small selection, I have read dozens more so if you want more you know where to find me. love always, Ames <3

[remuslupinslittleslut]

Amy's Kinkmas Day Six

Thigh Riding - Santa!Remus Lupin x Reader (CW: Kinda public, kinda out there, read at your own discretion)

Kinkmas Masterlist.

Christmas shopping was something you looked forward to, every year. You had made it a yearly tradition to shop for presents with your best friend, before going back home to bake Christmas cookies. This year, you were struggling through a recent breakup, and really needed the pick me up that was Christmas shopping.

“Damn, Santa’s kinda hot”, your friend says, gesturing to the man, volunteering as the mall Santa, “maybe you should go ask him for a new boyfriend”, she laughs, pushing you in the direction of Santa.

“Do you want a picture?” A husky voice asks you from behind a fake, white beard. You look down, flustered, but not wanting to take up the line, you sit down in Santa’s lap, straddling one of his thighs, listing off your wishes.

“... and a pony, and Malibu Barb–” you’re listing the most silly things you can come up with, truly just taking the piss, though, it doesn’t seem as if though Santa appreciates that, as he interrupts you by bouncing his leg, making your bare cunt drag against the fabric of your pants, oh god, why didn’t I put on undies today.

“Keep going, little girl”, Santa says, continuing to carefully bounce his leg, hands holding onto your hips, pushing you back and forth, allowing your juices to dampen the leg of his trouser.

“... and a new car…” you can’t help but moan at the feeling of a muscular leg beneath your sensitive cunt, “... and a…”

“Keep listing, pretty one”, Santa tells you, “otherwise you have to leave, but a pretty little slut like you want this, huh?”

His leg keeps bouncing, and after your post-break up dry spell, it doesn’t take much for you to feel your orgasm building up.

“... and a new couch, and Barbie’s Beach house…” Your pussy is throbbing, being pushed against this anonymous Santa, knowing there’s a line of children waiting to get up on this same lap feels wrong, but the sensation against your clit feels so good.

“Now come for me”, Santa murmurs, and you do. You let go, letting yourself come all over Santa’s lap, in the middle of a mall. You bite your lip, not allowing yourself to make a single sound, and you try your hardest not to make a face, not wanting to give your shameful act away. He doesn’t let you come down from your high, only taps your leg, indicating for you to get up and leave. Before you can walk away, though, he grabs your arm, pulling you close again, “Name’s Remus, love. Find me.”

Kinkmas taglist: @alexander-arcturus-black-lupin @hearts4court @delul4marauders

[g1rld1ary]

masterlist 🦢🎀 𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ 🎀🦢

anthony lockwood ✩

➻ sharing's caring

you meet lockwood at arif's and bond over your love of scones

➻ come home with me

your bus breaks down in the middle of the night and lockwood might just be your knight in shining armour

➻ bloody genius

after a long night of researching cases with lockwood, you do something you don't quite mean to

➻ jealousy jealousy (part two)

you and lockwood bond when you're his favourite waitress at arif's. maybe all that's needed to prompt a confession is good old-fashioned jealousy

➻ secret admirer

you've got a secret admirer ahead of valentine's day who seems intent on spoiling you

➻ to build a home

you're the only employee at lockwood & co who doesn't live at portland row, but you're beginning to think you should

➻ just blurry

lockwood rambles a lot when he's drunk and you fall victim to it

➻ what once was

you and lockwood hate each other -- you have since you were young. but when your teams have to work together, deeper feelings come to light

➻ ode to my family

(relicman!reader) lockwood tries to stop you from stealing sources for your family's business, he's quite persuasive

➻ opening doors

you're lockwood's secret girlfriend, but when he hasn't called you after a case, you have to go find him and reveal your private relationship

➻ miscommunications

you think lockwood likes lucy, he thinks you like george. neither of those facts are true.

➻ nice towel

the deleted scene if it was you and you were dating lockwood

➻ reaching out

l+co encounter a case a little too close to home for lockwood. luckily you're always there for him

➻ comforting him after a panic attack

remus lupin ✩

➻ kiss me on the dance floor

you and remus keep meeting in the bathroom at parties whilst holding your friend's hair back

➻ the way i see you

you're an artist and you wish your best friend could see himself the way you see him, but you endeavour to try

sirius black ✩

➻ tell me when you're sober

sirius calls you drunk at a house party and confesses something he probably shouldn't

➻ red carpets

both actors in different projects, you see sirius on the red carpet of an awards show and think he's gorgeous

➻ christmas eve

you finally meet your boyfriend's friends at Christmas eve dinner

james potter ✩

➻ 5 people james potter didn't mean to kiss (and one he did)

title says it all -- james potter is a very affectionate person

➻ lifeguard!james 2 3 4 5

➻ a little man power

neighbour!james meets you as you're moving into the building

➻ overheard that she was nineteen

you're sad on your 19th birthday but james is there to make you feel better

➻ summer friends 2

you and james both get made head counselors at your summer camp but bump heads a few times in the process

➻ our names in the paper

footballer!james x sports journalist!reader enemies to lovers, 11k

➻ wrapping paper

you and james wrap presents together but he's not very skilled at it

➻ snowball fights

it's christmas lunch at the lupins and james is the only one willing to play in the snow with you

luke castellan ✩

➻ you never disappointed me

two three four five

10 things i hate about you!AU, luke gets paid to take you out so beckendorf can have his chance with silena

➻ unlucky

when clarisse can't drive you to your exam anymore, luke steps in as a favour and happens to be able to help your anxiety

percy jackson ✩

➻ pumpkin head

you and percy try the pumpkin head trend

luke patterson ✩

➻ new release

you find out luke is your neighbour only after blasting his new album all day, but he doesn't seem to mind

➻ sick days

you're not feeling well, but luke is here to look after you

spencer reid ✩

➻ sex on the beach

chilli margaritas

you're a bartender at the bar the bau frequent and you can tell spencer doesn't like his beer.

elle greenaway ✩

➻ do i make you nervous?

the woman taking your witness statement is stunning and it makes you nervous

monty the crow ✩

➻ boys r dumb

you find monty after edwin rejects him (platonic)

trevor spengler ✩

➻ lamest place in the world

you meet trevor and have a fun night together in an otherwise boring small town

neil perry ✩

➻ love's light wings

you meet neil at a party and accidentally recreate romeo and juliet's balcony scene

[hyacintheros]

Hii! Can you write headcanons for what it would be like for a female reader to share a dorm with marauders?(since first year) Maybe like girls dorms were full?? I know it makes no sense but I couldn't come up with anything else. Thanks in advance 🎀

This is such a thought though, you're cooking with this one, never done headcanons before, but I hope I can deliver your vision dovey!🥰🫡

Maybe there were too many first year females in Gryffindor, I mean record breaking and they weren't expecting it, so some girls had to be accommodated with the boys

Each dorm had 5 beds anyways, so the marauders were happy to host another person c:

First year would be a little awkward, not used to being co-ed, reader would definitely have her curtains drawn 85% of the time, made her own friends outside of the marauders treating them as roommates rather than friends

Second year is a little better, being now more used to the presence of the boys, maybe warming up to Peter's quiet personality, Remus’ bookworm behaviour, then to James’ happy go lucky attitude, then finally Sirius’ flirting. Being more adventurous and actually hanging out with them outside of their dorm, pulling little pranks here and there

By third year, she'd finally been let in on Remus’ Moony escapades, now an honorary member of the Marauders. This is also when everyone pledges to become animagi for Remus’ sake, telling the reader that she doesn't have to do this with them. She relents, wanting to do her best for Moony! When they all finally complete the animation process, reader finds out hers is a raccoon, earning the name ‘Bandit’, now attracted to anything shiny, like a niffler!

Fourth year is when she starts to realise that maybe there's more to her friendship with the marauders. Keeping her curtains open most nights, reading books with Remus on his bed, often falling asleep there. Listening to Jamie talk about quidditch while she does homework, picking flowers and leaves with Peter, and gossiping with Sirius about McGonagall. Though, she doesn't want to ruin the current dynamic they've got going on, instead, resigning to keeping her feelings bottled

Fifth year has reader in a twist, trying to balance a social life while studying for her O.W.Ls, while also trying to keep her feelings afloat. She spends most time hidden in a corner in the library, a spot none of the marauders are privy to. By Christmas, the boys feel as if they've done something wrong, their best friend and partner in crime won't hang out with them anymore. Before the break, they confront Bandit, needing to repair their friendship before any more damage is done. Confessing her feelings to them in the astronomy tower, she's ready to bolt. Before she can, James pulls her in, expressing that she's not alone in her feelings. Promising to work through a 5 person relationship, they are officially together by the end of the year.

Sixth year comes along, and so do rumours. Hogwarts had never seen a relationship like theirs, confused and oddly weirded out by its nature, turned to bullying the poor girl. She'd often hide out in the dorm after class and before meals, the pressure getting too much at times. Sirius is the one to bash the rumours, standing on the Gryffindor table before Easter break, shouting his undying love for Bandit and the other marauders! The rumours die down after that, and Bandit can finally walk the halls without being ridiculed again.

Last year, seventh year comes, a melancholic air around them, wishing they could spend more and more years at Hogwarts. What will they do after? James wants to be an Auror, Sirius a Quidditch star, Remus an Author, Peter a Herbologist. And reader? She's still trying to figure that out, thus taking all possible courses to help her out later. Most days are filled with endless studying, wishing she knew how to plan her life, yet she still finds time to pull some senior pranks on the younger kids, all harmless and joyful. Graduation comes sooner than expected, eager to see what life will bring across her path.

They all find an apartment in muggle London with the help of Bandit's parents. They had to custom make a bed that would accommodate all 5 of them with much room to cuddle with. James does end up being and Auror, Sirius following suit. Peter is furthering his studies on Herbology and Caring for Magical Creatures, while Remus attends a muggle University for an English degree. Bandit ended up for applying as a Potions teaching assistant back at Hogwarts, her love brewing at the cauldron ♡

I feel like headcanons are supposed to be short, maybe I'm silly *insert that cat voices gif* 

[mybutcheredtongue]

I'll Love You 'til the Grass Around My Gravestone is Deceased

harry potter timeline sirius black x fem!reader

CHAPTER ELEVEN (see full series list here)

1993

You find yourself sitting in the Tower again. You dangle a string of wool in front of Dubh and she joyfully bats at it with her front paws. You smile lovingly at her, chuckling when she misses the wool and lands on your knee instead. The sky above you has darkened, and you look out over the grounds.

It's the best view in the castle, of course. You get to see the near-entirety of the grounds in all its glory. The Black Lake is still and calm; the tree' leaves are swaying lazily in the light evening breeze; the dark, scruffy dog is pattering across the grass...

You blink, and the dog is gone. You sigh, falling back to the floor and lying down, staring up at the sky above you.

Twinkling lights dot the sky above you, winking at you. Part of you likes to think that those stars have souls. That they can see you right now, and are wondering why you're admiring them so much. To them, they're just balls of gas. To you, they're the most beautiful thing in the world.

You think on the day, remembering your visit to Hagrid early this morning. The poor man was in bits, all torn up over Buckbeak. Hagrid doesn't deserve such stress and worry, and neither does Buckbeak.

A few clouds are scattered around, passing over the bright, full moon. Your mind turns to Remus: he is no doubt sitting in his office right now, all wolfish, probably having a hankering for red meat. You offered to stay with him on full moons, but he refused. Despite the Wolfsbane potion allowing him to keep his mind during the transformation, rendering him harmless, he stipulated that he wanted to be alone, just in case something went wrong.

You don't want him to be alone, but you respect his wishes anyway.

You've known Remus is a werewolf for a very long time. You weren't even meant to find out about Remus' lycanthropy, but you used to get so worried about him at school. He was always exhausted, always disappearing on full moons, not eating well...it had gotten to the point where you cornered him in the library and expressed your concerns for him. You asked him to tell you what was wrong because you couldn't watch any longer, worried that something bad was keeping him up at night.

And, well, you weren't wrong. But he confided in you, just like he had his other friends, and from then on you did everything you could to help him. While the boys spent full moons with him, you ensured he got enough rest during the remainder of the month, made him his favourite teas, helped with keeping his secret secure...he became like a brother to you.

Your school days are something you treasure immensely. Everything was just so right. When you and Sirius starting dating Christmas of your sixth year, everything clicked into place. It felt like you had another family at Hogwarts.

You and Sirius whispered to each other during late nights in the common room, and you would trace the outlines of his tattoos as you listened to him talk.

You, Lily, and Alice shared things together that you never could share with anyone else.

You and Remus played chess with each other and always forgot about using strategy, instead choosing to just try and annihilate as many of the other's pieces as possible.

You and James played Exploding Snap, which always ended with the ends of his hair singed and him sulking when he lost.

You helped Peter prepare himself for his first date, making sure he was mentally ready and feeling confident.

Life was much simpler.

The clouds part and the moon reveals itself, casting a glow around it. In the distance, you hear a wolf howling, and for a moment you think it's Remus, before you shake your head. He's in his office, probably sleeping it off right now.

Speaking of sleep, you feel extremely comfortable where you are right now. You let your eyelids drift shut and fall into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

⁠✧⁠*⁠。✧⁠*⁠。

You wake some time later, the cold air nipping at your arms. You sit up groggily, yawning. You nudge Dubh and she wakes, getting up to follow you out of the Tower. As you're opening the door to your room, you realise you left your wand up there and quickly run back up the stairs to grab it.

You locate the item on your desk, stuffing it into your pocket, momentarily getting distracted by a scuff mark on the desk, wondering how that got there.

There's a heavy thud from the other side of the room.

You look up.

Your heart stops.

There, at the railing, is Buckbeak, Hagrid's giant Hippogriff. And on his back is Harry, Hermione, and...Sirius. He hops down, facing you.

You lock eyes and your name rolls off his tongue softly, and never has it sounded so perfect.

He's wearing shabby Azkaban clothes, which are ripped and tattered everywhere. His skin is dirty and his face is sunken with dark bags under his eyes. He's grown a beard and his hair has gotten even longer, but has become matted.

"Sirius?" you choke, frozen in place. "Are you really there?"

He nods, a small smile on his face. "Yes, my love. I'm here."

You take a tentative step forward, unsure really whether you are dreaming or not. The rational part of your brain is telling you to stop, to run in the other direction — this is a convict in front of you, after all!

But your heart makes all the decisions for you. It reaches out, desperately trying to get to its other half because truly, you were half a heart without him.

Your steps are slow and it feels like hours have passed before you finally stop in front of him. You hesitantly reach out, placing your hand against his chest.

"Please, tell me I'm not dreaming," you whisper shakily.

Sirius brings his hand up to cover yours, moving it to press over where his heart is, where you can feel his racing heart beat. You can see a scar on his pinky finger, one he told you he got during a game of 'Pin the Tail on Kreacher' with Regulus when he was eight.

You feel tears prick your eyes, looking back into the face of the man you love more than anything in the world. You bring shaky hands up to his face, holding it delicately, like you're afraid he's going to break.

"I missed you," you say softly. "I missed you so much, Sirius."

"I missed you too," he replies. He gazes at you like he can't believe you're really in front of him, like you're some sort of a mirage. "How...how is it that you look just as beautiful today as you looked on our wedding day?"

You give a watery chuckle, sniffling. "Sirius Black, forever the flirt."

You lean forward and press your lips against his. This, this feeling. The overwhelming sense of feeling right where you belong, in the arms of the man you love. His lips are chapped but you don't care. His skin is rough but you don't care. His beard scratches against you but you don't care. You don't care about anything other than the fact that he's here with you. He's finally here.

"Please, darling..." he starts, taking a deep breath and gazing at you. "It wasn't me. I promise you with everything I have to give that I didn't kill those people, I was never a Death Eater — "

"I know."

" — I would never do that to James and Lily — "

"I know."

He pauses, looking at you in surprise. "You know?"

"I know, Sirius," you say gently. "I believe you, I trust you. I know you. I've spent the last twelve years of my life believing you're innocent. I know you would never do that."

He opens his mouth to say something but can't seem to find the words. "You — you smart girl. My smart girl. My perfect, smart, beautiful girl..."

His eyes are brimming with tears as he keeps them fixed on you, before he pulls you into his chest and holds you tightly, burying his face in your hair.

"I love you. I love you. I love you so much," he says, kissing your cheek. "Going so long without you has been torture."

"It's been torture for me too," you reply. "I love you. I love you more than anything, Sirius." You smile at him before adding, "And you have seriously got to take a shower. Why don't you come down to my room and get all cleaned up?"

Sirius pulls away, giving you an uncertain look and you sigh. He glances back at Harry and Hermione, who you've pretty much forgotten are even there.

"We...don't have a lot of time left," Hermione says apologetically.

"I'm sorry, my love," Sirius says, pressing his forehead against yours. "I have to go."

You clutch onto his arms desperately, shaking your head. "No, no. You — you can't go. You can't leave me again, Sirius. No, please. Please. Please don't do this to me again. Why leave when I've just found you again?"

Tears stream down your face and Sirius reaches out to brush them away with his thumb. "I have to, darling. The Ministry'll be here any moment now, looking for me. I can't put you in danger like that."

"I'll come with you!" You try. "Please, we can go away together — we'll figure something out, just please, don't leave me again. I've been without you for too long, please — "

"I can't do that to you," he says weakly. "You have to stay."

"Sirius, please — "

"Stay," he says, kissing your forehead. "I'll find you again. I will always find my way back to you, no matter how far."

You let out a quiet sob and kiss him again, desperate for even the slightest bit of contact with him to remind you that you actually have him here with you.

"Please, darling. Stay here," he tells you firmly. "You'll be okay."

"I just — I've been waiting for this for too long," you say weakly. "I hoped I'd have you for longer."

He brings you hand to his lips, kissing your fingers lovingly. "I know, I know. We'll meet again and then — it'll be like I never left."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

He lets go of you, and it takes all of your willpower not to grab ahold of him again and never let go. Harry and Hermione jump off of Buckbeak, looking at each other awkwardly.

Sirius pulls Harry in for a hug, smiling proudly at him. "You are — truly your father's son, Harry."

Hermione looks at her watch nervously. "Quick, quick, you don't have time!"

Sirius takes one last glance back at you as he climbs up onto Buckbeak's back. He sends a wink your way and you shake your head amusedly, sighing.

He squeezes Buckbeak's sides with his heels. The enormous wings of the Hippogriff rise and you step back slightly, watching as it takes off into the air. Sirius and Buckbeak steadily become smaller and smaller until a cloud drifts past and...they're gone.

You swallow hard, sniffling as you brush tears off your cheeks. Before they can leave, you grab Harry and Hermione and pull them both in for a tight hug.

"Thank you, thank you both so much," you say. "You — you are the most wonderful children I have ever met — you brought him back to me, how did you ever do it? How can I ever thank you?"

"It's nothing, really — " Harry says sheepishly.

"Nothing? You have both just given me the best gift in the world," you say with a smile. Hermione is looking at her watch again and you let go. "Go, go on. You look like you have somewhere to be."

Hermione nods, grabbing Harry's arm and they turn to run down the stairs.

"Oh, and Harry!" You call after him. He stops for a second and you give him a smile. "Come find me when you have some free time. I'm sure you have a few questions to ask."

He nods affirmatively and they run off again.

⁠✧⁠*⁠。✧⁠*⁠。

"YOU!" Snape bursts into the Astronomy Tower, looking outraged. "You — what did you do?!"

You look up innocently from your desk, watching as Snape climbs to the top of the stairs, red-faced and angry. He's out of breath — you don't know if it's because he's angry or because walking up those stairs is about the most exercise he's gotten in a decade.

Behind him, comes Fudge and Dumbledore. Fudge is huffing and puffing, and when he reaches the top he lays a hand against the wall as he breathes in and out.

"You — you did something!" Snape snaps. "How else could he have escaped?"

"How else could who have escaped?"

"BLACK!"

"Well, I'd have a hard time getting him out of Azkaban, wouldn't I?"

Snape looks like he's about to burst. A vein is popping out in his neck and his eyes are bulging.

"HE — WAS — CAUGHT — AND — NOW — HE'S — GONE — "

"Wait, he was caught?" You ask, feigning oblivion.

Fudge nods. "Yes, we had caught him perfectly well...the Dementors were going to perform the Kiss — "

You slam your book down on the table, standing up from your chair, staring Fudge down. "Do you mean to say that the Dementors' Kiss was going to performed on my husband without my knowledge?"

Fudge visibly swallows, glancing at Dumbledore helplessly, who chooses to become fixated on one of the constellations on the wall.

"Well, er...we reviewed our options and seen that — um — we didn't have the time to inform you — "

"Bullshit," you spit. "You could have easily told me, you just weren't bothered, were you? Some Minister you are."

Fudge splutters, face going red.

Snape is still shaking with fury beside him. He jabs his finger in your direction. "YOU DID IT, I KNOW YOU DID — "

"That is enough, Severus. Why, the portrait of Eloria Floria in the corridor told us that she had not left the Tower since she first entered it three hours ago," Dumbledore says calmly.

Fudge glances at his watch. "Well, I suppose there is nothing more to it than that. I'd better go and notify the Ministry of this..."

Snape is seething. Absolutely seething. He gives one fuming look in your direction, before storming down the stairs once more. It's nearly comical because it's purely silent in the Tower but for the clunking of Snape's footfalls against the stairs, his anger evident in his heavy stomps.

It reminds you of a young child throwing a tantrum.

⁠✧⁠*⁠。✧⁠*⁠。

->-> read chapter twelve here!

→ all kinds of interaction are appreciated ♡

sorry for the shortish chapter but I just really wanted to get this one out. They've finally reunited!!!

+ a big thank you to my taglist loves for all their support and kindness:

@wholelottalove05 @izuoyarmin @carpe000diem @hyperspeedo

[bibbityboppitybillyharvgrove]

The First Christmas - S.Black

Summary - It’s the first Christmas without the Potters, Y/N and Sirius Black struggling with the very recent loss of their family. Sirius drowning himself in alcohol and Y/N laying in bed, unmoving for days. It takes a certain friend to knock some sense into the couple, to make them realize that they need each other before their marriage falls apart.

Word Count - 1292

Warnings - Female Reader, use of Y/N, Potter!Reader(no physical description given), mentions of not eating, drinking, death of loved ones, grieving, angry Remus, angst, not getting out of bed for days, loneliness, sadness, arguing, crying, not proofread

Author’s Note - Welcome to day 17!! We’re nearly to the end! This one is a bit sad, I don’t know where this came from but as soon as I started writing I couldn’t really stop. I hope you enjoy and please read with caution if anything in the warnings could trigger you.

my masterlist

25 days of fics masterlist

Feedback is welcomed and encouraged!

Enjoy and please read with caution, this is not a very happy or uplifting fic!

not my gif

not my gif

The first thing without a loved one was alway the hardest, it was the first Christmas without her brother for a certain witch. For Y/N Potter, it was unbearable, she had lost her brother and her sister-in-law and her nephew was taken from her to go live with Lily’s muggle sister, Petunia. She was alone for the first time in a long time, always having her brother by her side. One of her brother’s ‘best friends’ had sold them out to Voldemort, Peter Pettigrew was a rat through and through. What had hurt her the most though, was the fact that Remus had practically disappeared and Sirius had been on a bender. 

She understood that her own husband was going through the same thing as her, processing his grief and betrayal differently. However, all she wished was that he was home with her, that they would face this together instead of apart. But that wasn’t the case, so instead of even trying to get out of bed, she stayed there. She had lost her blood relatives in one fell swoop, she was glad that baby Harry had survived but she wished that he could be with her. He wished that Dumbledore hadn’t insisted on taking him away from her for his ‘safety’.

She was in bed for nearly 2 days at that point, not wanting to move or talk or eat. She had only gotten up to go to the bathroom and even then that wasn’t very frequent. She felt useless without her brother, without Lily, without her husband present and home. She hadn’t even reacted when she heard the front door open and close, a voice calling her name and Sirius’ name. She hadn’t moved as she heard footsteps get closer to the bedroom door, she knew who it was but she couldn’t find it in herself to move. She hadn’t even looked when the door creaked open, light spilling into the dark room for the first time in over 40 hours.

“Y/N, how are you doing, darling?” She heard him ask, but she didn’t respond. Instead, she threw the blanket over her head to avoid the light hitting her eyes and also seeing someone who she thought she’d never see. “Where’s Padfoot?”

“Out,” She answered shortly, her voice hoarse from lack of use.

“Out where? Has he been drinking?”

“Get out Remus.”

“Not until you answer my question.”

“Get out,” She was defiant, not wanting to be interrogated about the whereabouts of her husband.

“No. Answer my question, has he been drinking?” Remus asked once again.

“Get the fuck out! Just leave me alone! Go find him yourself!” She shouted at him, using all of her energy just to get the words to come out. As if on cue, the front door opened and slammed shut. Sloppy footsteps rang through the house until they reached the bedroom.

“Remus! How have you been my old friend!?” Sirius asked drunkenly, “Hi my love! I’ve missed you, I’ve been out for too long!”

“How long have you been out?” Remus asked, his voice concerned because he knew whatever the answer was, that meant she had been laying in bed for that long.

“Like 2 days I think. I was catching up with some people from Hogwarts and lost track of time,” The drunk man replied, his speech slurring together more and more. Remus’ eyes widened at the statement before dragging his drunk friend out of the room and into the hallway, the bedroom door being closed behind them. Muttering the muffliato spell so she couldn’t hear what he was about to say.

“You need to stop drowning yourself in alcohol and realize that your wife needs you! She probably hasn’t left that bed since you’ve been on your bender! You need to grow up Sirius! The both of you are struggling and you need each other! All I have left is you two so you better grow the fuck up soon!” Remus shouted at his friend.

On the other side of the wall, Y/N was still unmoving from the bed, just staring at the ceiling since pulling the covers off of her head. She felt tears starting to well up, her eyes stinging and her throat hurting. She didn’t want to cry anymore but her body needed her to cry, her body needed her to release whatever grief it could so she could get out of bed. So she cried, and she cried hard. Sobbing hysterically, gasping for breath as she struggled to breathe behind her tears. She was able to spit out her husband’s name between sobs which he had heard. 

Hearing his voice fall from her lips in such desperation had sobered him up quicker than anything ever had. He rushed into the room to find his wife sitting up in the bed, knees pulled to her chest and her chest heaving as she tried to breathe. He was at her side in a second, pulling her shaking frame into his arms and holding onto her tightly trying to guide her breathing. “Let it out baby, just let it all out,” Sirius whispered to her, stroking her tangled and greasy hair as she cried.

Remus had entered the room, his heart breaking at the sight of the woman he considered a sister so broken. “Can you go get some water for her? Like a big glass?” Sirius turned to his friend and asked. Remus had nodded and headed towards the kitchen, tears of his own falling with every step he took. He broke down in the kitchen, giving himself a few minutes before calming himself enough to fetch the water he went to the kitchen for.

He had filled a large glass that James had gotten her as a joke, he used to call her camel because of how much water she would drink in a day. Remus let out a watery chuckle at the memory before making his way back to the room. Y/N was still crying but not as hard as she was before, hiccupping as she tried to catch her breath. He had pulled some chocolate out of his pocket, breaking off a piece to hand to her. She let out a laugh as she took the piece of chocolate, popping it into her mouth and chewing. He then handed her the water which she downed in one go.

“Thank you Moony,” She panted as she caught her breath from chugging a huge glass of water. He just shot her a wink and sat at the edge of the bed with the couple. They sat there, soaking in the company in silence for a while. Y/N was feeling a little bit less heavy with two of her favorite people with her, hoping that they felt the same, which they did. 

“I miss them,” Sirius broke the silence that had fallen over them, “It’s gonna be hard to get back to semi-normal but we’ll get there. I’m gonna stop drinking so much, it’s not fair to you to be here all by yourself when you’re going through the same thing I am, baby. And Remus, you’re more than welcome to stay here with us, I know it’s not easy for you either.”

“Thanks pads, I think I will. It’ll be better for us to stick together rather than try to do all of our grieving alone,” Remus replied. She had opened her arm that wasn’t trapped against Sirius for Remus to join in. The lycanthrope accepted, scooting himself to her until he felt her arm around his back, throwing his own over her shoulder. It was down to the three of them but together, they would get through anything they put their minds to.

[comically-callous]

Can you do a story were you date Sirius so he can actually Date Remus and reg don't know and likes you and gets jealous

If you can thx you <3

I didn't think I'd like writing this as much as I did lol.

Regulus Black x Fem!Reader

Some Warnings: Technically a modern AU, a bit of cursing, mentions of a bad home life, jealous Reg, sort of angsty???

A/n: I made this new Year's themed even though new years has passed 🤗 Cause y'all can't stop me 🤬🤬🤬 This is DEFINITELY my longest fic yet. PLEASE DON'T LET IT FLOP GUYS.... My requests are open btw

Ah, winter break. It was something everyone at Hogwarts looked forward to. Well, almost everyone. There were those who didn't get to go home to their families and some who wished they didn't have to go home to their families.

One of those people was a friend of yours, Sirius Black. He often avoided talking about his home life, but you knew it wasn't good. And you knew going home for the holidays could be hard for him. So, when it was the day before winter break and the two of you had a moment alone, you asked if there was anything you could do to make the break easier for him.

"I need you to be my girlfriend."

Seven words you'd never expected to hear from your best friend. Your best friend who was in a gay relationship, nonetheless.

"What?" You asked in bewilderment. "No!"

"Wait, wait, wait. It's not what you think." Sirius put his hands up as if to show his innocence. "I don't really want you to be my girlfriend. I just need you to pretend. Please."

"Why?!"

"Because," he explained. "My parents have started to get... Suspicious about my total lack of any girlfriend. And I may have told them that I was dating you.... Y'know, to throw them off my track..."

You stared at him. "You told your parents we were dating?!" You repeated, clearly upset at him.

"I know, I know. It was a shitty thing to do, and I'm sorry." He says. "But, if I didn't give them some sort of excuse, they might've found out about me and Remus!"

You were still upset, but you could understand why he did what he did. "So..." You crossed your arms. "You said I need to pretend to date you. What is it exactly that you need me to do?"

"Over the break, I need you to come over for a couple days. My parents will meet you, get to know you, blah, blah, blah. And then, you'll never have to speak with them again. If they ask about you after that, I'll say we broke up."

You really weren't a fan of having to fake date your best friend. You also weren't a fan of having to meet his parents who you'd only heard negative things about. But... You knew how happy he was with Remus and you would hate for his parents to find out about the two. You sighed. "You're lucky we're friends."

"Is that an agreement?" He asked, a grateful smile on his face.

"Yes. But, you'll be forever in debt to me."

"Fine by me."

The next day, while on the train to 9 3/4, you and Sirius mostly just planned for you having to meet his parents. You decided that you'd arrive the day after Christmas, stay for news years eve, and leave new Year's Day.

A lot of the train ride was spent establishing some basic facts about your "relationship". How you'd met, your first date, what your wedding would be like (which was strange, but Sirius assured you that his parents would ask about marriage), and some other details.

Soon enough, the train ride was over. Your winter break was fine. You enjoyed getting to see your family, but you were quite stressed about seeing Sirius' family. Part of you wanted to call the whole thing off, but you knew that was out of the question. You had to do this. For Sirius.

The morning of December 26th was a cold one. You wished you'd had more protection against the cold, but the formal attire you were wearing could only do so much. Sirius had told you to bring nice, formal clothing for the few days you'd be there. You were a bit worried you'd still be underdressed, though.

You took a deep breath and knocked on the door to the literal mansion that Sirius lived in.

After a few moments, the door opened. Regulus black stood on the other side.

Oh.

"Hi." You greeted, trying to politely smile at him. He didn't return the gesture. He did the opposite he gave you a look of... Annoyance?

"You're here for Sirius."

You couldn't tell if it was a question or a statement, so you just gave a nod.

He stepped aside to let you in, his eyes trailing over your attire, making you feel nervous. "He's in the living room with mother and father." Regulus said before walking off.

What a strange interaction. You and Regulus weren't close, by any means. But, you never thought he disliked you. You thought the opposite was true. Whenever the two of you did interact, he was always quite nice.

You tried to shrug off the interaction, but you just couldn't. Even when you were next to Sirius, meeting his parents for the first time, the way he'd acted toward you was on your mind.

The worst part of your day was dinner. You were worried about everything. How you were eating, how you were sitting, the way everyone was looking at you, the way Regulus was looking at you.

"Y/n," You were broken out of your thoughts by Walburga's authoritative voice. "I want to know how you and Sirius began seeing each other."

You nervously glanced over to Sirius who gave you a forced looking smile. You looked back to Walburga. Gods, she scared you. "Well, it wasn't too long ago." You said, trying your hardest not to break eye contact with her. "It was late September. He told me since we'd known each other for so long, he thought we'd be a good match."

Sirius nodded along. "We went on a couple dates, turns out we really like each other." He said.

You glanced over to Regulus. He was glaring at you. You didn't break eye contact and after a moment something else flashed through his eyes. Something softer. Sadness?

"So," Walburga broke your attention away from Regulus as you looked back to her. "Are you serious about your relationship with my son?"

"Very." You replied.

"Do the two of you plan on marrying?"

You swallowed. "As soon as possible."

You heard silverware clatter as Regulus abruptly stood up. "I need to be excused." He said lowly.

Walburga raised an eyebrow. "You've hardly eaten." She stated. There wasn't any concern in her voice like you'd expect. It was a blatant statement.

"I know." He says. "I'm done."

His mother gave him a disapproving look, but didn't object.

Regulus stormed out of the room. You couldn't help but frown as you watched him leave.

The next few days were a bit uneventful. Most of your time was either spent in the guest bedroom you were staying in, or talking with Sirius. You were still confused by Regulus' attitude toward you. You knew his and Sirius' relationship was a rocky one. But, you didn't think that affected what he thought of you. He'd known you and Sirius were friends, and he still treated you kindly. But, now that the two of you were pretending to date, he had a problem with it? It didn't make any sense!

It was December 31st now. You and Sirius were sitting in his room, eating lunch while sitting on the floor.

"I was thinking-"

"Oh, God."

"Shut up, let me finish." Sirius chuckled, playfully hitting your arm. "I was thinking about going to a party tonight."

You furrowed your brows. "Where?"

"James and his family have a new years party every year. I'm sure they wouldn't mind some extra company."

You thought about it. Honestly, you weren't really in the mood for a party. Plus, if his parents caught you sneaking out, your heart would probably stop. "I think I'll sit this one out." You said after a moment.

"You sure?"

You gave a nod. "Yeah, I'd rather stay in. I'm sure you'll have plenty of fun without me."

"Oh, I will."

You smacked his arm.

The clock read 11:39. You were alone in your guest room sitting in your bed. You had your laptop open in front of you as you watched a broadcasting of one of the many new Year's events that were going on tonight. You were absentmindedly looking at the crowded city streets displayed on your screen when-

"I wouldn't be using that while having the door open." Regulus said. He stood in the doorway, arms crossed, looking from you, to the laptop, and then back to you.

"Why not?" You asked.

"My mother doesn't approve of us using muggle technology." He said. "And I doubt she'd be okay with her son's girlfriend using it."

You sighed. "Right... Girlfriend."

Regulus raised a brow at how you'd said that. "What are you watching, anyway?" He stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.

"A new Year's parade."

"... Could I join you?"

You were surprised at that. After how cold he'd been acting toward you over the past few days, you'd assumed the last thing he'd want to do tonight is spend time with you. But, you weren't against the idea of not being alone when the new Year started.

"Sure." You replied as you moved over on the bed to make room for him to sit.

The two of you watched the parade in silence for a few minutes until Regulus spoke. "How come I had no idea you and Sirius were dating?" He asked.

You glanced over at him. "What do you mean?"

"You said the two of you had been together since late September." He said. "How come nobody knew about it?"

You subconsciously began to fiddle with the fabric of your shirt. "I don't know." You shrugged. "Guess we weren't shouting about it from the rooftops."

Regulus didn't break his gaze away from you. After a pause, he spoke. "I never would've guessed you liked him in that way."

You didn't know how to reply to that, so you just shrugged again.

Regulus was still looking at you, even though your gaze was focused on the screen in front of you.

He paused. "What made you fall for him?" He asked.

You thought it was an odd question. When you turned to look at him, he looked sort of sad. "He..." You trailed off.

Regulus looked at you expectantly. You were trying to come up with something, but your mind was blank.

"You do like him don't you?"

You looked away nervously. You began to wonder whether or not he'd even care that your relationship with Sirius was fake. If he really was upset about you dating Sirius, then wouldn't he like to know that it was all just pretend?

"Y/n." He said your name and you were pulled away from your thoughts.

"He's not actually my boyfriend." You blurted out.

Regulus paused. "What?"

"He asked me to pretend to be his girlfriend. He didn't want Walburga finding out about his actual relationship, so-"

"It's all fake?" He asked.

"All of it."

"You don't like him?"

"Not like that."

You swore you saw a sliver of a smile creep on to his face. "That's... Good."

You tilted your head. "Is it?"

"I mean..." He shrugged. "I just... I guess thinking you'd gotten with my brother was making me upset." He said.

"Why?"

"Because..." He hesitated. "I like you, Y/n."

You felt your heart skip a beat. Fuck, that actually explained a lot. You couldn't believe you hadn't realized sooner. You felt your face heat up. "Seriously?"

"Yeah." He sighed. "I was jealous. That's why I was acting so... Weird. Sorry for being such an asshole to you."

"That's alright." You paused. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? About your feelings, I mean."

He shrugged. "I didn't think you'd feel the same."

Honestly, you'd always found Regulus quite attractive. But, you figured there was no way he'd ever like you back, so you let go of that silly crush a while ago. But, this? This was making all of those feelings wash over you again.

It was 11:59 now. You could hear the commentators of the parade excitedly get ready for the countdown.

"I feel the same." You said, watching as a blush creeped on to his cheeks.

"Really?"

"Really."

His eyes seemed to sparkle at your admission. "I..."

You heard the countdown to the new Year begin.

"Can I kiss you?" Regulus asked softly. You nodded.

"Five!"

He leaned closer.

"Four!"

Your tongue darted out to wet your lips.

"Three!"

His hands came up to cup your cheeks.

"Two!"

He closed his eyes. You closed yours.

"One!"

Your lips met in a soft, romantic kiss. He brushed some hair out of your face and Gods, his hands were soft. You couldn't believe you'd ever managed to stop liking him.

When you pulled away he sighed contently as if that kiss was all he'd been needing his entire life.

You whispered something to him before pulling him in for another kiss.

"Happy new year."

[14thgalerie]

25

• pairing: james potter x reader

• now playing: the most beautiful thing by bruno major / yellow by coldplay

• word count: 2k. 

• genre: fluff, slight angst

  — hi! this should be my second fic posted here in tumblr and it's a marauders fic because i've been going into my hp phase again. Anyways, I might have a part 2 for this, it depends.

part 2 part 3/alt. ending

James was 9 when he realised how deeply in love his parents were with one another. He saw how his father would look at his mother with the same fondness as a child would when presented with a bowl of candy and how she would gaze at him just the same, maybe even more. 

James was 11 when he first stepped onto the floors of the Great Hall with Sirius, Remus, and Peter, whom he had just met on the train on his way to Hogwarts and knew that the next 7 years of his life would be the best of his life. 

James was 12 when he first saw you by the Whomping Willow, scared out of his guts that he might see you flying through the air. A gruesome sight that he would rather not see. So he ran for his life, completely forgoing the fact that he may be next to you up in the air. All he knew was that he had to save you from your demise.

He was screamed at by you to stop, causing him to stumble in his place as he confusedly, albeit hesitant, forced his feet to do so. He couldn’t understand why you were still standing there in front of him, in no way in any harm, as he expected you to be, with the tree gently swaying.

He was 12 when you gently took his hands in yours and slowly led him to your spot below the tree, he could still feel the gentleness of yours against his rough hands littered by tiny scars from his escapades with the boys. He would be lying if he said that he wasn’t about to shit his pants as the both of you got nearer to the tree. The stories that he has heard from his seniors and peers weren't really all that nice.

Cringing at one that he remembers so clearly. 

He remembered being perplexed as to why he hadn't been flung through the sky right then and there. And why were you so composed about it?

“Are you some sort of immortal witch that’s stuck in a child’s body or something?” He asked, no longer able to help himself, eager to get answers. “What?” You laughed, both amazed and confused at how the boy came to that conclusion.

“I mean, how in the world did you manage to tame this thing unless you’re some kind of genius witch?”

“What would you do if I was?” She played into his theory. “I- I don’t know actually, but that would be super cool?” 

“I’m not, but that indeed does look cool, I wish it’s true.” She replies.

“I’m James, by the way, James Potter.” He quickly introduces himself at the realisation that he has yet to do so. “I’m well aware of who you are, you have quite a reputation with Black and the others.” 

“I hope it’s all good then…”

“Y/N. It’s Y/N Y/LN.”

“Y/N…that sounds pretty.”

He was 14 when he first realised that the fluttering feeling in his stomach was there. The one that he frustratingly tried to get rid of, even though he had no idea how it came about. It stopped when they went home for Christmas, so imagine his confusion when it came back the moment that the both of you made eye contact. 

He remembered turning back in panic when he saw you step forward, running as fast as he could to their room, locking himself in hiding. The two boys who were sorting through their bags were startled at his entrance, “Prongs?” He hears a voice which makes him look up from his dazed state.

“You alright there?” Remus asks him, worried at the frenzied James.

“I don’t know.” He answered.

“What?”

“I just-”

“Well spit it out! Stop making us wait!” The long-haired boy rushed forward with his arms stretched outwards to grab James’ shoulders and shake him. “Moony, you’re smart, aren’t you? Please tell me why the hell is my stomach doing flips right now.”

Remus chuckles, “Did you see Y/N before you came rushing here?”

His forehead scrunches in confusion and his glasses move down his nose at the action. “How’d you know? Have you got some tracker on me?” He finds himself even more confused when the two only laugh harder at his question. He continued to wait with his hands propped up on his waist until he finally couldn’t stand the sound of their laughter anymore. “Well, have the both of you got any plans to answer me anytime today?”

“It really is true, huh?” Sirius asks Remus, ignoring the pouting boy who is still sitting by the door. “Remus’ the only one with a brain here.”

“Hello?” James quickly stands and stomps towards his friends, “I’m genuinely asking here?”

Sirius and Remus share a quick laugh before they answer and put their friend out of his misery, “You have a crush on your best friend, mate” 

Something about hearing that statement out loud made him stutter. 

You had been a lot of things for him ever since that day. A friend, a confidant, a tutor, a partner in crime and so much more. But it had never dawned on him just how attached he had been to you. You were his and he was yours but not in the way that others may think. There was no way you would even think of him in that way.

Right?

He denies this, “That’s foolish, Moony. I’ll just ask the others.” The lanky boy’s voice however pulls him to a stop, “And what? Risk the chance that this reaches Y/N?”

Sirius butts in before he could, “Well that would be great, ain’t it? The both of them could finally release that pent-up love they have for each other”

But when he continued to leave through the door, he couldn’t stop the image of you and him in the likeness of his parents from popping up in his mind.

The two boys smirked from where they sat, knowing that James would deny this at first. Deny himself of the idea but would never let himself be denied of the possibility even if it may have been a false thought that his friends put him up to.

He was the same age when he found himself sticking close to you at every waking moment, purposely or not. James would make an effort to wake up early even if it was still dark out and wait for you by the Gryffindor common room. He remembers the look of surprise on your face when you bumped into his chest, looking up to apologise and seeing a beaming James staring down at you. Before you could even pull your lips apart, he was already grabbing your bag and taking the heavy books from your arms.

He would continue this for weeks, making sure to end the day by taking you to the place where you first met and taking a nap on your lap as you study. 

James was 15 when he finally got the courage to ask you on a date in Hogsmeade. A day that made him happier than he ever thought possible.

There wasn’t anything different that day compared to the ones before. The two of you went out and about, hopping from one store to another. The nerves that wove through him the night before had washed out as if it weren’t even there.

You had spent the last two hours in some ice cream parlour that you had found before you were set to go back to Hogwarts, comfortably conversing with one another about all sorts of things. In the short moment where silence befalls you, he takes a chance to really look at you, not that he hadn’t already all day. The way you sat so relaxed in your seat and hummed along to the songs he can’t even recall the names of made him feel warm. 

He feels the corner of his lips twitch when you catch him staring unabashedly.

Gradually you became a pivotal part of his day, every millisecond he spends apart from you since then is spent replaying an image of you. Of the person he only saw as his friend, had made her home in every corner of his mind and his heart. 

James was 18 when he knew that you were the one. Staring at your face as the both of you lay with your legs draped over his on the living room couch, sitting in comfortable silence, he felt that this kind of love was right because it was easy.

3 years may not be enough to reach this conclusion if you ask me, but when you’ve finally got the love that feels as natural as breathing, then you’ve got the love that is worth holding onto. 

And loving you had been so simple and effortless. Although conflict may arise and bad days may come between you two, you make it work, and the both of you make it work. Which made trying hours seem like one in a million compared to the easy days.

He wants to build the future that the both of you had dreamed of, to set in stone and paper that you would be there in his dream. He wouldn’t let anything come in the way of it, even if you may choose to live off in solitude in the muggle world, away from the mess that is yours.

James was 21 when he tried to keep his hands from shaking, breathing heavily in and out in a pattern. When he finally hears the groan of the creaky old doors of the tiny farmhouse open, he turns and immediately feels tears well up in the corner of his eyes. it will be the first time he saw you again before the ceremony, the both of you choosing to keep this moment private between you.

“Are you real?” He asks as he delicately wraps his fingers around your waist, pulling you in ever so slightly to him. You feel the subtle movement of his thumb as it caresses the fabric it sits on. “I would like to believe so.” You laugh and a laugh is shared between the two of you at his cheesy question.

“Thank you, darling.” He continues.

“For what? Gracing your presence with my ever-so-amazing self?” She teases him, even if she already knows the answer. “Yes.”

She laughs out loud, placing her arms on his arms to hold herself up. “I am actually eternally grateful for how you appeared in my life that day in the Whomping Willow. You-”

He pauses and takes a look at her eyes as he tries to find the right words. “You gave me the love that I’ve always dreamt of as a child, of the love that I was envious of my parents of, of the love that no other could give me. You are my best friend— please don’t mention this to Padfoot and Moony, they would probably throw me in the river and replace me with you”

“That sounds nice actually,” She brings her hands up in exaggerated wonder, “Chimmy, the monkey and third member of the Marauders. It has a nice ring to it actually.”

James dramatically gasps, pulling his left hand to his chest in fake hurt. “I can’t believe I’m marrying you!”

“Me too. I was kind of rooting for Marlene to speak up later at the ceremony so I could run away with her.”

James sniffs and scoffs, “I might just join Peter then and join Voldy’s band for you have just crushed my heart, woman.”

“I can’t.” You feel the oxygen leaving your body, draining you as you uncontrollably laugh at your cheesy (and dark) jokes. James waits for you to settle down, smiling down at you with sheer adoration before he continues his spontaneous vow to you, “But seriously dear, thank you. I am eternally grateful to whatever god may be listening to us right now for letting me have you as my other half for the next 100 years— well maybe less but let’s keep it at a 100 to make this speech sound more loving. I promise to love you and only you till the end of our days and if ever there comes a time that may seem untrue, please know it’s not.”

“If there’s anything I am more sure of than anything, it’s that you are the one for me no matter what.”

And James was 25 when that time came.

masterlist

[nocturnal-phantoms-fandoms]

best Christmas gift

first @wolfstarmicrofic prompt 5. Whisper, prompt 27. Gift. 556 words.

A soft whisper in the dark: “Merry Christmas, love.”

“Mhm,” replies Remus groggily. “Merry Christmas.”

“Wanted to be the first one today,” Sirius says and kisses his forehead.

“Congratulations, then.” Remus tries to hide his smile and pretend to be annoyed, but Sirius sees right through him – he chuckles, his eyes sparkling with mirth. 

Sirius knows him so well; that Remus doesn't believe in one-day-Christmas – that he thinks he should be allowed to wish everyone Merry Christmas for the whole week. Or two. 

And he is willing to indulge Remus and pretend like he has to beat anyone up to be the first one that day. As if there was a competition going on. 

God, Remus loves him so much. 

“Alright, get up, sleepyhead.” Sirius kisses him again. “Presents are waiting.” 

They are spending the holidays with the Potters, again; for the past two years Remus and his parents have been invited as well, despite not being part of the family – but only technically, according to Mrs Potter. 

Remus pulls on a jumper his mum gifted him last year; Sirius is already wearing a matching one when he comes back from the bathroom. 

They’re about to leave the room when Sirius gently grabs his arm. 

“I also wanted to be the first one to give you your gift. Before anyone else,” he says softly, his expression open and hopeful. Vulnerable and almost nervous.  

Remus bites his lip trying to contain his smile. “That's not fair.” 

“Who says I'm playing fair?” The mirth in his sparkling eyes is back. 

He hands him a small red box with a bow.

“Thanks,” he says, still smiling, as he starts unwrapping the gift. “You know you could have just put it under the tree and waited patiently?”

“Yes, I’m well known for my unwavering patience.” 

Remus lifts the lid only to find a smaller box inside. He looks up at a grinning Sirius.

“Very funny. Clever, even,” he comments, not unkindly.

Remus unwraps another layer of ribbons and paper – and another – and finally fishes out an even smaller box, black this time. 

There is a ring nested inside. 

Remus looks up; Sirius is down on one knee in front of him. 

“Oh my God,” he gasps.

“Yeah,” Sirius takes in a shaky breath, smiling nervously. “Remus. Moony, I-”

Remus feels choked up. He is sure there are tears streaming down his face. 

Next thing he knows he’s wrapped around Sirius, like a koala, who is still kneeling on the floor. 

“Oh my God,” Remus whispers into his shoulder. “I love you so much.” 

“Remus-”, Sirius wheezes faintly. 

“I love you, I love you, I love you!”

“You didn't even let me ask the question,” Sirius laughs incredulously. “I had a whole speech prepared. I rehearsed it!”

He pulls back, wiping at his eyes. They had talked about it. More than once, actually. Remus knew it was coming, and Sirius still managed to surprise him; catch him completely off guard. 

“I love you so much.”

Sirius smiles at him, open and honest. His bright grey eyes are filled with fondness, tenderness and affection. One of his hands comes up to gently caress his cheek. Remus doesn’t remember how to breathe. 

“Remus?” he whispers. 

“Yeah?”

“Marry–”

Remus bites his lip. He can’t help himself. “Merry Christmas?” 

Sirius laughs. And then whispers: “Marry me?”

[silentsneezes]

HC that Remus is allergic to peppermint (smelling it makes him sneeze all day and eating it gives him hives) and super embarrassed about it bc he doesn't want to be seen as “weak” but Sirius didn't know and made their shared flat smell like peppermint for the Christmas holiday

thank you for the prompt anon! i’ll (hopefully) write another fic eventually that’s more specific to your request, but for now i hope you enjoy 2.1k of a very sneezy R/emus L/upin at the P/otter’s Christmas party

The Potter’s have always been known to throw extraordinary parties. Between James’s charisma as a host and Lily’s beautifully charmed decorations, every ‘Potter Party’- as Sirius calls them- is extravagant. Their Christmas party this year is no different, despite the ongoing wizarding war.

Their house is filled with enchanted garlands that drift through the air, shifting colors through a spectrum of festive hues. A few paintings have been charmed to sing carols when people pass by, whereas others wish people ‘A Very Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year.’ There are candles suspended mid-air, casting a warm, flickering glow in every room. The candle’s soft, elegant glow is accompanied with the scent of peppermint. A sweet, sharp aroma with a hint of menthol.

The guests- who are mostly members of the Order- have forgotten about the chaos existing outside of the Potter’s household. Tonight is a night for celebration, nothing else. They’ve all lost so much to the war, and refused to lose Christmas to it too.

Which is why Remus Lupin is walking hand in hand with his boyfriend Sirius, approaching the Potter’s home with an expensive bottle of wine. He’d thought about bringing a different gift, but he and Sirius had both been too busy with missions to get something in time. So he supposes a bottle of Chardonnay will suffice.

Remus lets Sirius knock, watching his boyfriend’s excitement with a little grin. He isn’t necessarily looking forward to spending the night at a party only a few days after the full moon, but he rarely gets to see his friends anymore. Besides, seeing Sirius so happy is reason enough.

As soon as James opens the door, Sirius pulls him into a hug, smiling ear to ear, “Prongs! It’s been too long.”

Remus can’t help but grin, especially when James drunkenly exclaims, “Pads! Moony! My old friends, oh I’m so glad you could make it,” keeping an arm slung around Sirius’s neck.

“Well, I guess you won’t be needing this,” Remus jokes, holding up the bottle of white. James guffaws at the joke, proving Remus’s point as he hiccups after laughing.

Remus steps into the bustling home, smiling as he looks around. It’s relieving, seeing all his friends celebrating and happy; he’d become accustomed to only seeing people at meetings for the Order of the Phoenix, and those were downright depressing.

Tonight, however, is quite the opposite. James pulls Sirius away to get a drink, leaving Remus by the entryway. Remus walks to the kitchen, setting the bottle of wine on the countertop and admiring the decorations.

As a candle floats by, Remus is greeted with an overwhelming scent of peppermint, mingling with the warmth of the festive atmosphere. His eyes immediately start to water, and he can’t help but cough lightly, a telltale tickle forming in his throat.

“Remus! It’s good to see you,” Lily exclaims as she makes her way through the crowded room, “How’ve you been?”

Remus smiles, his discomfort temporarily forgotten as he sees Lily. He accepts her hug, replying, “I’ve been well, all things considered. How are you?”

“I’ve been good, honestly,” Lily says with a smile, a hand placed habitually on her stomach, “We’ve almost finished the nursery, and…”

Remus tries his best to listen as Lily keeps talking, but his body has other ideas. He ducks against his shoulder slightly as he stifles two quick sneezes, “ngt! ngk!”

“Oh, bless you!” Lily says before continuing on, “It really is lovely seeing everyone again.”

Unfortunately, the stifles did nothing to relieve the itch in his nose- an irritating, persistent buzzing. Still, Remus tries to reply, “It is, it’s not often we- hh.. hHngk! ngxt! Excuse me. It’s not often we get together anymore.”

“Bless you Remus,” Lily says with a hint of concern. Sure, Remus sneezing isn’t uncommon, but Lily’s well aware of the full moon cycle and how frequently he falls ill after his transformations, “You’re not sick, are you?”

Remus offers Lily a wry smile, “No, not sick. Just a little sensitive after the full moon, I suppose.”

Lily nods, seemingly buying Remus’s quick dismissal. “So, what’ve-,” she starts, but then Marlene McKinnon spots Lily and shrieks happily.

“Lils!” Marlene exclaims, and a moment later Lily is frisked away into an embrace.

Remus doesn’t mind. In fact, he’s rather grateful for the opportunity to slip away into an unoccupied hallway. His nose has already started twitching again, and he can feel the sharp scent of the peppermint coating his throat.

Remus pinches his nose between his thumb and forefinger, his head bobbing towards his chest as he stifles a series of sneezes in quick succession, “hhnGxt! hd’gsh! ngxk!”

He waits a moment, releasing his nose and taking an experimental breath. Wrong choice.

“hgXxt! hngt! nkXT! hh…. hhGDsxh!”

Remus lets out a little sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose before searching through his pockets for a handkerchief. He almost always carries one, especially leading up to or following the full moon, when his nose is particularly sensitive.

“Hey love. You hiding out over here?” Sirius teases with a smirk, “Or is this just an especially interesting hallway?”

Remus turns around to see Sirius leaning against the wall, a drink in hand. He looks undeniably beautiful, his hair pulled back in a bun and his shirt partially unbuttoned.

Remus rolls his eyes, “Why, are you trying to escape the spotlight Pads?”

Sirius grins, about to quip back when Remus cups a hand over his nose, his shoulders shuddering as he stifles another little fit of sneezes, “hhNGxt! hnxt! hhN’gxt!”

“Bless you, bless you, bless you baby,” Sirius says in a slightly sing-song tone.

“Thanks,” Remus mumbles, but he’s more preoccupied with holding back. His nose is twitching, and he turns away from Sirius slightly as his breath hitches.

Sirius’s smile fades a little, replaced with concern, “You alright Moons?”

“Yeah just- hngt! j-heh-hgt! hxkch! Snf, just a little itch,” he dismisses. Admittedly, it’s much more than that. There’s a constant tickle in his nose and throat, his eyes are itchy and watery, and he can’t keep his nose from twitching.

Sirius raises an eyebrow at his boyfriend, his expression making it evident that he doesn’t believe Remus’s dismissal, “C’mon love, what’s up?”

Sirius moves closer, resting a gentle hand on Remus’s back, “You feeling okay?” He murmurs.

Remus bites his tongue for a moment, debating between admitting his allergy and potentially ruining Sirius’s Christmas, or powering through. Unfortunately for him, his nose chooses something else entirely.

“tschHh!-kKTSch! hh-hNgxt! hhN’Kgtsch!”

“Bless you,” Sirius murmurs as he rubs Remus’s back, “Something setting you off?” He asks, knowing Remus well enough to recognize an allergic reaction.

Remus just nods, knowing he won’t be able to deny it. He keeps a finger curled under his nose, hoping to dissuade the itch.

“How bad is it?” Sirius asks, his worry evident.

“I’m okay, just… c’mon, not agaihhhnGXt! nnG’DSch!”

“Bless you, bless you,” Sirius blesses each stifle as he wraps an arm around Remus’s waist, guiding him towards the backyard to get some fresh air.

Unfortunately for Remus, they pass by not one but two of the floating candles on their way out, and the finger curled under his nose becomes useless in preventing another fit.

“hh- hDtsch! hn’Gxt! hhHGDsch!”

Remus stifles against his finger, letting out a little cough after the triple. On top of the persistent itch in his nose and throat, his eyes are starting to become increasingly irritated and watery. He resists the urge to rub them, knowing it’ll only worsen his discomfort.

“Bless you love,” Sirius says as he opens the back door, keeping his other hand on the small of Remus’s back.

Remus feels a little relief as he steps into the brisk air, a flurry of snowflakes drifting downwards, but he knows the damage has already been done. He’s had a few encounters with peppermint in the past, and he has no doubt he’ll be sneezing all night.

“Better?” Sirius hums, wrapping an arm around Remus’s waist. The werewolf nods, pressing his handkerchief to the base of his nose and sniffling.

“So, are you going to tell me what’s setting you off?” Sirius asks, smirking at his boyfriend, “or are we going to have to play Guess That Allergen.”

Remus rolls his eyes, but he can’t help but grin a little, “You’re an ass.”

“Now now, Moony, we were talking about your sneezy predicament, not my ass,” Sirius teases, “So, what’s-”

“n’Gck! hngXt! hhHDTsch!”

“Bless you, bless you, bless you. What’s setting you off?” Sirius asks, not minding the interruption.

Remus hesitates before letting out a little sigh, realizing there’s no use in trying to dismiss the reaction or imagine an excuse, “The peppermint,” he answers simply. His nose twitches, as if his body is even sensitive to him saying the word, “hhHGXt! hNG’tsch!”

“Bless,” Sirius says with a little frown, suddenly remembering Remus’s last run in with the scent of peppermint at a potions store- it’s safe to say Remus doesn’t go to that store anymore, “Baby why didn’t you say something when we got here? You must’ve realized right away you were allergic.”

Remus lets out a defeated sigh, shrugging and answering, “It’s Christmas, and you’ve been looking forwards to seeing everyone for ages. I figured I… hh… could dhhdeal with-hhGNSxch! hhHtschew! ktsChh! with a little allergic reaction.” Remus lets the last two sneezes out unstifled now that he’s only in Sirius’s company, catching them in the folds of his handkerchief.

“Bless you love,” Sirius murmurs, gently rubbing circles on his boyfriend’s back, “You do realize this is more than a little allergic reaction, right? You look downright miserable.”

Remus doesn’t have the energy to argue with that, and he’d only be lying. The effects of being in the peppermint filled house have already set in, despite him only being inside for eight minutes.

“Let me guess: itchy eyes, itchy throat, and incessant sneezing?” Sirius asks, grinning at the way Remus’s eyes narrow in annoyance, “I’ll take that as a yes. Any rashes?”

Remus shakes his head, holding the handkerchief over his nose again as he feels the itch return with a vengeance, “Not y- hhKTsch! hhtxchew-tscCHh-kkDSch!” The last triple comes too rapidly for him to draw a breath between each of the sneezes, leaving him slightly breathless, “Not yet,” he finishes lamely.

“Bless you,” Sirius says as he presses a kiss to Remus’s cheek, “Why don’t you wait here, I’ll let Lily know we’re heading home,” he suggests gently.

Remus frowns, looking at his boyfriend with a guilty expression, “You don’t have to, I’ll just stay out here for a while. Go enjoy yourself.” He insists, gesturing to the festivities inside.

Sirius grins, rolling his eyes playfully, “Remus Lupin, if you think I’m going to leave you sneezing outside in the cold on Christmas, then you’re poorly mistaken.”

When Remus’s guilty expression doesn’t change, Sirius softens a little, “C’mon, we’ll pick up some food on the way home and we can watch a movie. I’ll even let you pick which one.”

“Sirius-” Remus starts to protest, but Sirius is already opening the door to go back inside, “Don’t move. I’ll be back in a few minutes and then we can head home.”

As guilty as Remus feels, it’s hard to ignore the flush of affection he feels towards his boyfriend. He knows Sirius has been looking forward to this party for ages, but here he is, ready to leave in an instant all because of Remus’s discomfort. Sure, it’s not an ideal situation, but to be loved so unconditionally is something Remus can’t help but cherish.

Before Remus can even reply, Sirius slips back into the bustling house, on a mission to find the hostess. The door remains open for a moment, and Remus is hit with a waft of the intense, biting scent of peppermint. To anyone else, it might be perfectly sweet, but to Remus, it means a night of incessant fits.

“hhTSxchew!-ktsxch! tsxg’t! Ktsch-etschiew!”

Remus’s shoulders shudder as he lets out a series of rapid sneezes into the handkerchief, grateful he’d remembered to bring one with him. Each sneeze is itchy and desperate, tumbling out after one another with no hesitation.

Remus spends the next few minutes caught in a cycle of hitching breaths and little fits, his nose becoming increasingly pinker as he waits for them to subside- though he knows they won’t, not yet, at least.

Luckily for him, Sirius returns before long, leading Remus around to the front of the house and apparating the two of them home.

They spend the rest of the evening curled on the old sofa in their living room, watching Christmas classics and sharing a bottle of wine- Sirius insists that it wasn’t really Christmas if he doesn’t at least get tipsy. Remus keeps a handkerchief in hand the entire time, sneezing every few minutes in quick, rapid fits until they finally start to die down. Sirius, of course, blesses him each time.

All in all, it’s not a terrible Christmas for the couple. After all, they have each other.

The End

i hope someone enjoys this, sorry for the rushed ending and any grammatical/spelling errors!

[georgie-weasley]

Grinch Young R.L. x GN!Reader

Warnings: swearing, mentions of depression, mentions of poverty, and just disliking Christmas

Word Count: 2.8k

Pairing: Young!Remus Lupin x Gender Neutral Gryffindor!Reader

Summary: Christmas was quickly approaching and everyone was excited but you. As the residential Grinch you were not looking forward to the holiday but turns out Remus Lupin is a Grinch as well.

A/N: Hello all! This is my first fic back after a break and I'm really glad to be back. Thank you to everyone who is still reading my stories and I love you all. Also this was inspired by my disliking of Christmas so I projected on the reader and Remus a smidge.

Masterlist Taglist

Christmas had exploded around Hogwarts. Pine trees were set up in just about every corner in every single room in the castle. Trees were taller than most of the students and covered in brightly colored baubles and tinsel and magic balls of light that changed color every minute. Garlands and wreaths covered the stone walls and the smell of gingerbread followed the students everywhere they went. The suits of armor broke out into Christmas songs and danced anytime someone passed by. The Great Hall was by far the most decorated part of Hogwarts with festive table runners, stockings hung on the fireplace, large real snowflakes on every surface enchanted to never melt, and the magical ceiling was snowing. It was horrible.

You had never been one to get into the Christmas spirit. The songs were annoying and wormed their way into your brain and never left. The decorations were everywhere and followed you around, literally while at Hogwarts. People were just insanely obsessed with Christmas and overly happy. They were happy to the point of it being creepy and fake and weird.

Possibly the worst was just how excited all of your friends seemed to be. James Potter, sunshine incarnate and your best friend, loved Christmas. He loved everything you hated about it. In fact, James had been talking about Christmas since the beginning of November and he never let you escape it.

“Happy 10th day of Christmas Y/N!” James’s bright and cheerful smile popped up between you and your book. The sudden appearance of his face made you jump, smacking him a little with your book.

“James! You absolute asshole! I’m trying to read.” You huffed and shoved him away as you tried to turn back to your book. The common room was quiet and the perfect place to read until now.

James only rolled his eyes and wedged himself into the miniscule space between you and the arm of the couch. “You know there is an entire couch open? Actually the whole common room is open but you had to sit practically on my lap?”

“Well yeah,” James chuckled as he tore the book out of your grasp and fully moved himself onto your lap. “I have to tell you what I want for Christmas! This year I want Lily Evans to date me.”

“Fat chance buddy. You’ve been wishing for that since you were 13. Give it a rest.” With one hard push, James fell off of your lap and onto the rug with a loud thud. “Besides, don’t you know you don’t get your Christmas wish if you tell it to the Grinch.”

James just looked at you with a wild smirk. “Then I suppose I’ll have to sing a song to reverse the curse!” He then burst into song, singing the Twelve Days of Christmas at the top of his lungs. You clamped your hands over your ears but nothing managed to block out the horrible sounds coming from James until the portrait opened and a figure sped by and body slammed James.

Sirius pulled James into a headlock while Peter quickly sprinted over and sat on James’s chest. “Please Prongs, we’ve talked about this. You can’t sing. Don’t ever try to do it again.” While James struggled to break free from Sirius and Peter, the fourth marauder sat in the open space next to you, his eyes already on his book.

You knew Sirius, Peter, and Remus but not like you knew James. Yes they were friends with your best friend but you never spoke to them unless it was for class or James made you. There was nothing wrong with the three of them. Actually, quite the opposite. You loved them and loved hearing stories about them but you never ran in the same circles. In fact, you didn’t see James as much as you used to either. You had grown up next door to him and as kids you two were always together. It’s not that you two aren’t friends anymore because clearly you are, you just don’t see him around as much.

James found Sirius, Remus, and Peter and never left them. You found your own friends and spent more time on your studies than James ever could. Sirius was fine and you waved to him in the halls. Peter would wave if he was with James or Sirius but not on his own. Remus never really acknowledged you. However, that never stopped you from looking at him. Since James had become friends with Remus Lupin, you were drawn to him. He was quiet just about all of the time but that didn’t mean he wasn’t sassy. You heard the way he would call out James and it was cutthroat. He was tall and handsome and rather mysterious in a way. Not to mention he was smart and was always seen with a book.

“Hey Grinch!” James's voice came from somewhere on the floor.

“What?” You and Remus both said. At the same time, you looked away from Remus as he looked away from his book to find James. Hearing Remus, you then looked at him while he looked at you.

For only a second, no one moved or spoke until James broke the silence. “Right, sorry. Forgot there’s two of ya. Moony?” Remus slowly tore his gaze away from yours to look at his friend who had continued speaking but you could hear none of it.

That was an interesting development. You had assumed James was talking to you since not only does he know about your distaste for Christmas but you called yourself Grinch not very long ago. But Remus also responded so Remus must also not be the biggest fan of Christmas. Otherwise, there would have been no reason for James to call him that or for him to respond.

The night slowly grew darker and while more and more students arrived in the common room, Remus never left the spot next to you. James, Sirius, and Peter eventually left to find some poor soul to bother but Remus remained, his nose still in his book. Honestly, it was making you a little nervous at this point. The man has hardly ever spoken to you since you were introduced back in third year. It's been three years since then and it wasn’t like you were much closer than before.

“You don’t like Christmas?” Remus mumbled, glancing at you out of the corner of his eye. He sounded almost disinterested.

“Yeah, I think it’s quite dumb to be honest.” You expected him to respond, like people usually do when having a conversation but he didn’t. He just hummed a little and went back to his book. “You don’t like it either?” If he wasn’t going to continue then maybe you would just have to make him. It brought almost a sense of hope thinking about the fact that maybe someone else wasn’t enjoying the season. You didn’t want someone to wallow around with but to have someone that wasn’t going to complain about your less than thrilled outlook would be really nice.

“I don’t. Never have.” Remus didn’t even bother taking his eyes off of his book as he answered. It could have been just your imagination but you thought you could just hardly see him smile. He suddenly closed his book and stood, his arm brushing yours in the process. Remus made it to the base of the stairs before he turned back around to look at you. “Hey Grinch.” As soon as you turned and he could see your face, he smiled. “See you later.”

---

At the Gryffindor table later that week, you had once again been minding your own business when James interrupted you. He sat across from you and smirked, reaching over to poke your arm. “Happy 14th day of Christmas, Grinch Number Two.”

“How come I’m the second?” You said with a roll of your eyes before you continued eating your breakfast.

“Because Remus is number one.” He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Well, I disagree. I knew you first.”

James hummed and shrugged. “I’ll take that into consideration. Did you talk to him after we all left?”

“Did you set that up James?” You asked with narrow eyes.

“No, I just simply called him the nickname I always give him this time of year which just so happens to be the same as yours and I assumed he would mention something about it to you after. Did he?” He leaned forward, eagerly awaiting your answer.

“Yes.” James let out a cheer at your answer, getting him some weird looks from the whole room since he was so loud. Before you could chastise him for being so loud and obnoxious, Remus sat next to you. Which was very odd since before last night, he’s never sat next to you.

Immediately, James got up and moved further down the table to bother Lily. “Are you going home for Christmas?” Remus asked as soon as James was out of earshot. “The final day to sign up to stay here is Saturday.”

“Will you be staying?” You asked.

Remus nodded. “I stay every year.” He opened his mouth and closed it a few times before he evidently decided he didn’t want to say anything and kept it shut.

You could have gone home and while it would have been nice to be with family, you never actually stayed at the castle for Christmas. Now might be a good chance to do it. “I think I’ll stay. I go home every year; my family can survive without me for one year.”

He smiled and started adding food to his plate. “I’m glad you’ll be staying.” You were too busy trying to hide the blush on your cheeks to notice the blush on his.

---

As the holiday neared closer and closer, everyone got happier and happier. Well, everyone but you and Remus. While James and Sirius, who were also staying at Hogwarts, were planning a Christmas party and singing songs, you and Remus bonded over the opposite.

His least favorite song was We Wish You a Merry Christmas, he thought Santa was beyond creepy, and he found the smell of pine to be overpowering. You sat together at meals and laughed at people who were wearing festive outfits. He made you smile as he made faces behind peoples’ backs as they gushed over holiday traditions. On more than one occasion, he shoved James into a pile of snow when he was being too cheery. Remus Lupin was bringing you a lot of joy this season and you were not the only one to notice it.

James made it a point to tell you that this was the happiest he had ever seen both of you around this time of year. In fact, it almost looked like you were enjoying Christmas. You had scoffed at that and then proceeded to shove him into some snow but he did have a point. Remus was making you really happy and it's hard to be a grinch when you’re happy.

But it was nice being happy around the holiday and it was even nicer that Remus was the one making you so happy. You always found him attractive and you knew he was smart and funny but now you got to know just how sweet he was. Yes, he was poking fun at other people but he was doing it purely for your entertainment. He admitted one night after you two had made fun of a particularly ugly Christmas sweater that he never does this; he just liked hearing you laugh. Which made your insides turn into jelly and you couldn’t stop smiling. You also learned that he liked the same books as you and he was so passionate about reading.

He was extremely loyal to his friends and would do anything for them. He wasn’t great at expressing his feelings but he tried his best to let the people close to him know they were loved. He was brutally honest especially when it came to James and Sirius; he was always telling them how stupid they looked or when they were acting like idiots. You felt like a cliche Christmas romance movie but you were falling in love.

---

It was Christmas Eve and James had insisted all seven of the Gryffindors who had stayed needed to sleep in the common room. It was a tradition you two used to have as kids. The night before Christmas you two would sleep on the floor in the living room in front of the tree; you kept up with that tradition until you went to Hogwarts.

Of course before that, there was a party. It was nothing insane like the parties Sirius and James threw after winning a Quidditch game but it was still a party. There were snacks, drinks, games, and Christmas music, much to yours and Remus’s disappointment. You mingled for a while, which is more than Remus could say. He sat on one of the loveseats and only moved to grab more snacks. James tried to get him to play pin the nose on Rudolph but it was easy to guess how that went. While you also didn’t join in on the festive games, you stayed to watch. Sirius managed to get the nose perfectly on Rudolph which made James accuse him of cheating to which Sirius tackled him for ‘insulting his honor’. He confessed to cheating ten minutes later.

Many more games went on like that and after the fifth one, you found Remus still on the loveseat. As you approached, he moved so there would be more space for you. You sat in silence for a while before he spoke up. “Why do you hate Christmas, really?”

You had told him once you didn’t like the music and yes that’s true but it's not the only reason. “I guess I just don’t like how happy people pretend to be. There’s real genuine happiness like James but so many people aren’t happy. Life is horrible and nothing is going right but as soon as it's December, they pretend. It's ok to be unhappy during the holidays; you don’t have to pretend life is perfect just because it's Christmas.” You looked at Remus only to find him watching you. “Can I ask why you don’t like Christmas?”

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I never really had a good Christmas. My mom really struggled to be happy around this time of year, especially after…”

“After you became a werewolf?” His eyes grew wide and he started to shake. “No one told me,” you whispered and put a hand on his arm to calm him. “You just were always missing on the full moon and sometimes the day after. I figured it out. I don’t think of you differently.”

Remus took a minute to process the fact that you knew his deepest secret before he continued his story. “Yes, after I was bitten my mother was horribly depressed around Christmas. I think it made her remember everything and she couldn’t be happy. It also was harder for my parents to get money after since no one really wanted to be around us. I saw my parents struggle all month to save money to get me a gift. My mother especially would go without dinner just to waste money on some stupid toy. After seeing that, well it makes it hard to like Christmas.”

Your hand found his and you intertwined your fingers with his. “I’m sorry Remus.”

He shrugged a little and watched your hand as his thumb stroked yours. “It isn’t your fault. Actually, you’ve made this the best Christmas I’ve ever had.” He smiled and looked up at you, his cheeks a dusty rose.

“You’ve made this my best Christmas as well.” It was then something bumped your head, causing you to look up. Behind the loveseat was James who had tied some mistletoe to a stick and was holding it over your head. Remus followed your gaze and sighed, rolling his eyes. “We don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“Do you want to?” Remus whispered. You knew James could hear every word you were saying despite him pretending not to listen but you didn’t really care.

“Yes.” You hardly finished the word before Remus leaned down and brought his lips to yours. Immediately your arms wrapped around his neck and brought him closer if it was even possible. His hands found your waist, lips moving against yours in perfect sync. Unfortunately, the kiss had to end so you could breathe.

Remus nudged your nose with his. “Now it’s the best Christmas ever.”

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