#Prongsfoot microfic

[jamesunderwater]

james' fingers knew the softness of lily's hair sliding between them. they knew how lightly to swipe a tear from harry's round face. they knew where to squeeze around sirius' middle so as not to fall off the back of the motorbike. james potter had long, dancing fingers, deft at toying with snitches and grasping large quaffles and creating the biggest snowballs.

when he yelled, 'lily, take harry and go! it's him! go! run! i'll hold him off!' james' fingers twitched for the wand across the room, too far away to matter. in another world, he held it with skill as he dueled voldemort, not for the first time. in another world the three potters made it to november 1st.

and baby harry got to grasp his father's slender fingers, gnaw on them through his teething phase. and james got to trace his thumb across lily's jaw before kissing her. and sirius slipped his fingers between james' and held their hands against his chest, muttering about how this was too close of a call. and james huddled on his couch with these three people who made up the whole of himself and he gripped them close with his fingers until they ached and burned and hardened with his desperation to keep them all safe.

if that wand had just been within reach.

[isabel-lillah]

Ever since July 1976, James and Sirius have always disappeared for the entirety of the second weekend in July.

Every year, without fail, they pack their stuff in the morning of the second Friday of July and they don't come back until Monday morning.

No one knows what they do or where they are during this time. They refuse to talk about it.

What no one knows is that James and Sirius lied about Sirius's escape from home. They told everyone Sirius ran away in late August and got to the Potters without much harm.

The truth is, however, that Sirius got kicked out with several hexes being done on him the second week of July. Even though he tried, he didn't make it to the Potters. He collapsed on the edge of a forest, several kilometres away from their house. It was a mere coincidence (or fate) James chose to change his usual running route that day and found Sirius just an hour later.

Ever since July 1976, James and Sirius use the second weekend of the month to go camping and get drunk in a certain forest.

[forestdeath1]

I loved you as Icarus loved the sun — too close, too much // or “poor James”

@prongsfoot-microfic

***

“Dance with me,” James feels Sirius's warm breath on his ear.

Amidst the Christmas dinner now turned dance, couples whirl around the Great Hall, their hair and robes catching enchanted snowflakes to the tune of lively music.

“What, did everyone turn you down?” James asks, not lifting his gaze from his pumpkin juice, spiked with firewhisky.

The heat in the hall seems to intensify, the candles burning brighter. Isn't anyone supposed to control the temperature here?

Sirius flops down beside James, propping his face in his hand, an air of casual elegance about him.

“Just thought it might liven up the place. Imagine the professors' faces,” he suggests with a nod towards the teachers' table.

“Actually, I was about to get some fresh air,” James replies, and it's true; he plans to, just after finishing his drink. “It's hot in here, isn't it?”

No, James isn't running away from Sirius's odd suggestions.

And really, there's nothing odd about them.

Boys dance with each other all the time. Well, at least in theory, it's not forbidden, right?

“Very hot,” Sirius remarks with a cheeky smile. He reaches for James's glass of pumpkin whisky and takes a sip, gazing intently at his friend.

James grabs his drink back, downs it in one go, then immediately gets up and heads towards the hall's exit, leaving Sirius chatting with Moony and an exasperated Marlene, lamenting the perils of dancing in heels.

The cold air outside is a relief, the crunch of snow underfoot a stark contrast to the warmth inside. He walks a bit away from the castle's exit, standing under a winter-bare birch, and leans back against the stone wall. He breathes heavily, trying to calm his heart so it wouldn't pound so loudly in his temples.

James closes his eyes, trying not to think about why Sirius's breath on his neck felt so charged and tense all of a sudden.

“You'll freeze here, fall ill, and die,” suddenly, James hears Sirius's voice. “And what would we do without you then?”

James opens his eyes. Sirius is standing right in front of him, illuminated by the moon's silver light. The night suits Sirius; he's woven from the night, and even that detestable Slytherin-coloured robe doesn't spoil him.

James feels like hitting him.

“Can you give me a moment's peace?” he says, voice tinged with annoyance.

“I gave you five,” Sirius smirks, stepping closer. “Actually, I've come to give you your present.”

The four friends had exchanged Christmas presents in the morning, but Sirius said he'd give James his later. Not that James was waiting, he'd nearly forgotten about it – one more present or one less didn't matter. What mattered was that they all had each other.

“A collector's set of Christmas dung bombs?” James tries to deflect with humor. “Could've given it in front of everyone. I'm sure Pete would've died of jealousy.”

Sirius merely shakes his head.

“Got a belt on you?”

“What?” James asks, bewildered.

“A belt. Take it off.”

James blinks.

“Are you out of your mind?”

With a sigh and an eye roll, Sirius retrieves a red box from his robe pocket and opens it to reveal a belt.

“Remember, you liked my belt?”

Indeed, James remembers one evening when Sirius, out of boredom, had devised a transfiguration spell to weave silver threads into his belt, creating an intricate design of a man with large wings soaring towards the sun.

“Beautiful,” James had said then, watching Sirius work over his shoulder.

“You like it?”

“Very much,” James had smiled, giving Sirius a friendly pat. “You're quite the craftsman.”

“Yes,” James answers.

“I made one for you. Even better. More detailed,” Sirius looks intently, raising an eyebrow questioningly. “May I?”

“What?”

“Unbutton your robe.”

James sighs heavily, but can't refuse Sirius, especially when Sirius has gone to the trouble of making him such a gift.

After all, it's just a gift. James will now remove his belt, put on Sirius's gift, and they'll head back to the Great Hall together. Calmly. As if nothing happened.

As James starts to unbutton his robe and reaches for his belt, Sirius's hand covers his, a gesture so deliberate that James finds himself yielding without protest.

“Allow me,” says Sirius.

Suddenly, he kneels before James, a move that steals James's breath. He feels Sirius unfastening his belt, and tries not to look down at him now at James's feet. The touch of Sirius's fingers seems accidental as they brush against James's waist, and his hand lightly grazes the center of his trousers while threading the belt. James suddenly realizes the heat has intensified. He hopes Sirius didn't notice.

James catches Sirius's glance — wicked and innocent at the same time — and he swiftly diverts his attention to the night sky, seeking distraction in the celestial bodies above, in an effort to clear his mind of the vivid image.

Sirius stands, his hand seemingly brushing unintentionally along James's body from the belt to the collar of his robe.

“Breathe, Jamie. Otherwise, you'll suffocate,” Sirius whispers into James's ear, fastening his robe. “Merry Christmas.”

James meets Sirius's gaze, taking a deep breath to calm the sharp and overwhelming tension that's gripping him.

“Hey, what are you two doing? Everyone's looking for you!” Marlene's voice cuts through, offering a moment of relief and drawing them away from the peculiar tension that had enveloped them. “We're about to start hide and seek. Come on!”

“On our way!” Sirius cheerfully responds, tossing a wink at James before darting off towards Marlene. He swiftly reaches her, playfully scoops her up, and twirls her in the air, her laughter mingling with the night air.

Bloody Black.

[myprongsfootera]

Prongsfoot Microfic: Kindred

@prongsfoot-microfic - 2/28 - 237 words

-

“That’s not fair, they can read each other’s minds!” Peter complained when Sirius figured out James’ pictionary clue from nothing more than a circle with an arrow pointing into it. “They shouldn’t be allowed to be on a team together. How could anyone get ‘Captain’ from that?”

“I can’t read his mind, I’m just better than you are at this game” Sirius said, cocky from their seventh consecutive victory.

“We are simply kindred spirits,” James agreed, a wide grin across his face, “who know each other very well.”

“Bloody cheaters is what you are,” Peter muttered, still sounding irritated. Remus, his partner, was just sitting next to him on the couch looking entertained. He, at least, had gotten used to losing ages ago. From the first evenings they’d started playing, really. 

“We simply work well together,” James said. He didn’t sound like he was taunting - his tone was friendly - but Peter still took offense to it.

“Then partner with me next time and Padfoot can go with Moony. It’ll be a more even match up.”

Remus laughed, which brought all of their attention to him.

“Oh come on, Pete, that’s never going to happen,” Remus said, “They’re going to be a team in every game we play them. You simply have to get used to it.”

James and Sirius grinned at each other madly because Remus was right. They were a team until the end of time.

[mycupofrum]

"Cubitum Eamus?"

Theme prompt moodboard for @prongsfoot-microfic (February 2024)

Source: Pinterest (x)

[in-flvx]

Warming my hands on the bridges I've burned

My first entry into these new @prongsfoot-microfic prompts, with a little moodboard. I took all pictures from Pinterest (Sirius' board and James' board).

[dakogutin]

invisible

nsfw warning

Choosing a seat at the very back of the class wasn't new for James. What was a bit unusual was the absence of Sirius next to such a strategic location, perfect for scheming and surveying opportunities for mischief.

Because the thing is, Sirius is here, and mischief is happening... 

Under James' invisibility cloak...

Between James' legs.

"How rare a sight it is for you to be without Black," the DADA Professor says, startling James into the present.

Sirius, upon hearing his name, had paused his movements.

"Oh, yeah, he's… er... feeling unwell at the moment, Professor. Stayed... in bed." James hopes he hadn't sounded too breathless just now.

Their Professor considers this briefly. "Alright. But just because it's the final classes before your graduation, that doesn't mean these lessons aren't important."

He feels Sirius chuckle, and it sends shivers all over. "Yes, sir." A tongue swirls around the cockhead and James squirms on his seat. "I'll let him know." And thank Merlin he rushed to finish that sentence because from the way Sirius closed his mouth over James' cock, the bastard may have planned to disrupt James talking.

The remainder of the class passes by in a blur with James putting all his focus into controlling his breathing and staying still. All while the invisible force under his desk continues to run his sinful tongue up and down the shaft, dipping into the slit, and swirling around James' balls.

@prongsfoot-microfic

[roalinda]

another very late entry for @prongsfoot-microfic 💀 but it's better late than never. 😭

☆☆☆☆

March 14 + May 27

Study + Hedonism

☆☆☆☆

"Tell her that your lap is mine." 

Sirius looked up from his Herbology book as a childish whine echoed through the common room. Accompanied with the saddest doe eyes, James sounded like either Sirius had just committed some absurd crime against humanity or had murdered all the strays in the neighbourhood. Either way, this fake pity fest of his was not going to work because James' acting skills were as poor as his eyesight. Right now, he was just jealous, not sad.

"My lap is his," said Sirius with such a poker face that could have put the most professional gamblers into eternal shame to Lily who was unabashedly lounging on the said lap and went back to reading or at least tried to.

"Tell him that sharing is caring," hummed Lily lazily before rolling her eyes, because in all honesty dating James meant dating Sirius as well. Obviously, James disagreed, unamused by her playful approaches towards his best friend.

"Sharing is caring," said Sirius monotonously, already resigned to his fate of being two overgrown children's favourite toy and being fought over and put his book aside. Not that he could read with those two bickering anyway.

"Tell her that I don't care! Your lap is off limits." James stomped his feet and Sirius snickered. "How old are you again?" 

His reply was a cushion in the face which only made Sirius laugh harder as he turned to Lily.

"He doesn't care, my lap is off limits," he parroted.

"Tell him not any more."

"Not any more," this time Sirius' eye twitched as he repeated Lily's words. 

"Tell her…"

"Can you guys just bloody admit that you want to shag Sirius and be done with it? Some of us here want to study." A frustrated voice cut in and everyone gasped.

'Great job Lupin.' 

Sirius thought sarcastically as he glared at Remus who had just presented Lily and James with unnecessary sexual fantasies as if he was shoving a handful of candies down a pair of annoying kids' throats to shut them up. 

James gaped like a fish out of water and Lily's eyes went wide. Well, at least they both had the decency to blush and while Sirius found it amusing he couldn't help but to plan Remus' penile amputation. 

"You want to shag Sirius?" James asked carefully, staring at Lily with wide hazel eyes.

"Who doesn't?" answered Lily casually, voice steady despite her flaming cheeks.

The radio silence would have been funny to Sirius if he was not the main subject of this preposterous erotica.  

"Don't tell me you have not shagged him because I won't believe it, James." 

It went without saying that Sirius was already developing a migraine.

"Actually Sirius shags James. James prefers to bottom," said Remus - the ever helpful - Lupin and James turned the same shade as Lily's hair, hiding his face into his hands. 

'Wanker.'

"Shut up. How do you even know that?" snapped Sirius.

"You guys usually forget the silencing charm and James is loud," Remus raised an eyebrow as if he was talking about tomorrow's weather.

James looked pathetically embarrassed at this point and Lily's amused gaze was making it worse. Sirius sighed in defeat at last. He should have stayed in the library today.

"I'm going to the dorm to cast silencing charms. You two come up whenever James is done with strangling Remus," he told Lily and smirked in satisfaction as James cursed Remus with a stinging hex. 

"Will the show be hot enough to compensate for my boyfriend cheating on me with his handsome best friend?" asked Lily shrewdly, green eyes shining with mischief.

"You have no idea how hot your boyfriend is when he is prettily begging for it. People would pay Galleons to see," Sirius winked cheekily.

"Black, you slut," smirked Lily suggestively. 

"So is your boyfriend. Now, go grab him. My N.E.W.T.s schedule is tight and there are two of you," Sirius laughed merrily in response, persuasive and warm.

[jollyrolls]

@prongsfoot-microfic day 3 - Piano

This took me forever to finish!! I wanted to draw Sirius playing the piano like the Iconic scene from Queen where Freddie plays it upside down. Sirius learned classical Piano and violin from a young age as it was the "proper" music in his household. He saw James performing with his mandolin and singing his heart out. And he broke all the "rules" of music and it was chaotic and beautiful and melodious and Sirius fell in love.

[prongsfoot-microfic]

List of Prompt Words for February 2024 Microfics

Old months' prompts Masterpost

Prongsfoot Microfics is a no-pressure, zero-commitment, daily challenge for short drabbles and ficlets featuring James and Sirius. Choose a word that inspires you, write a micro-fic about it, and tag us in it.

Introducing a new monthly category: 5 Bonus Theme Prompts!

You can use any of the theme prompts to create different types of media - pick a line or theme that inspires you, and create a playlist, moodboard, collage, edit or anything else prongsfoot-related and share it with us!"

We are excited to see your works for this month!

See the FAQ for more info or shoot us an ask

[strwbi-laces]

Prompt: pretend - @prongsfoot-microfic

Look what i found in the drafts

“James?”

“What’s up, Pads?”

“Mind hiding my wand from me?” Sirius holds it out in one shaking palm. “And uh- broom too. It’s just, I can’t go back there without them so…”

James grabs the wand before Sirius has a chance to pull away, his arms dropping like a stone when it is taken.

“Course, yeah.” He pockets it to hide it in his parents’ bedroom later. “Do you want me to sleep in your room tonight?”

“No,” he hums, exhausted. “I’ll probably sneak into yours to find them.”

“Ah, right. But uh-” James breaks off awkwardly. There’s not a lot he could say that Sirius would actually hear right now and the longer he waits, the more suffocating the silence gets. “-You’re doing good, Pads. I’m proud of you.”

The smile that pulls across his face is enough to break James’ heart, like a joke he’s playing along with.

“Yeah, I know Prongs. This is for the best.”

[eastwindmlk]

Written for prompt 4: Equipment (433 words) - @prongsfoot-microfic

“She likes you.”

Peter commented when Sirius fell back onto the couch next to the fire. His eyes were glancing at the brunette. Third year. The moment his eyes lifted in her direction, she looked away, caught. He had not even noticed her looking at him.

“Right.” 

He sighed, giving his head a little disappointed shake. So, that was why she had asked him to help with her Charms’ homework then. Clearly, his friend did not catch onto his mood and grinned in his direction.

“Maybe you should ask her out. Get a little action. It’s been ages since you snogged a bird.

The comment irked Sirius for several reasons, but it was simply easier to shut him down with a quick quip back.

“I could say the same for you.”

Everyone laughed, and Peter clutched a hand to his chest in a dramatic display of mock hurt.

“Wow, thank you for the reminder.”

The blonde muttered, stifling a chuckle as he reached for his flask. Chugging the hot chocolate they’d sneaked from the kitchen earlier that evening.

There was a moment of silence before James leaned forward and looked curiously at him, his golden eyes sparkling in the firelight.

“Pete makes a point, though. Why aren’t you going for it? She’s pretty.”

There was an extended silence where Sirius considered not saying anything, blowing off the question, and waiting for a better time. But James was looking at him with that look, and he could not resist. The look had got them into trouble multiple times.

“Not the right equipment, I 'spose.”

He looked around, a little apprehensive. The remark would likely go over Peter’s head, but both Remus and James were sharp enough to catch his drift. It was not the way he intended to come out to his friends. Not that he had something better planned.

“So, why aren’t you snogging some bloke, then?”

James asked casually, completely unbothered by the revelation. A confession he had dreaded for days. Spending countless hours of his sleep wondering what his friends might think. What James might think, only for him to accept it so readily.

Sirius felt his heart swell with hope, his lips spreading into a genuine smile, and his eyes pricked with tears of joy. But he was Sirius Black, and he was going to do what he did best.

“Are you offering?”

His tone was joking, wriggling his eyebrows at them, and he nearly doubled over in laughter, watching Peter cringe. The sound ended abruptly when James replied with shock. A one-two combo of surprises.

“Sure, pucker up, buttercup.”

[jamesunderwater]

Prongsfoot Microfic: Where You Belong

@prongsfoot-microfic - january theme prompt: new beginnings - words: 1,207 - AO3 link Summary: Sirius is finally moving into the boys' dorm room, where he belongs. Written in celebration of Trans Day of Visibility <3

Sirius stood outside the door to the boys’ dorm, his body warm with uncertainty and ever-present shame.

He wondered if he ought to knock. He still felt as though he were intruding upon their space, even after all the boys had reassured him of their excitement to have him there. 

All the boys. All the other boys. He toyed with the shift in language, a noticeable thrill spasming through him at the subtle suggestion: other boys, because there was another boy in their group now. He knew it was more accurate to say that they had always been a group of boys, but that felt like pushing the limit. The limits of what, he never really knew.

The door swung open before he could make up his mind about knocking.

“What’re you doing?” James asked, his confusion muffled beneath a wide grin. “Get in here, you knob.”

Cool relief sprinkled across his burning skin as Sirius smiled back at the boy – the other boy. “Well, move out’ve my way, then.”

James snorted and rolled his eyes, turning to make his way back into the room and leaving the threshold wide open for Sirius’s entrance. Sirius got the sense that James was being intentionally nonchalant about the whole thing and felt a surge of gratitude toward him for it.

At this point, Sirius knew he was being ridiculous. If the situation was awkward, it was only because he’d made it so. Shaking his head as imperceptibly as he could, he moved through the doorway, dragging his trunk behind him. 

“Your bed’s over there, next to mine,” James told him, though this was already obvious. Remus sat on the bed to the far right, Peter in the next bed over, and the bed in the center of the room was clearly James’s. His trunk sat open before it, contents spilling out and littering the floor. And besides these obvious indicators, Sirius had been in the dorm many times before – though he supposed this was the first time he’d seen it with four beds instead of three. He wondered if James had requested Sirius’s bed be placed next to his, or if it had happened by coincidence. Whatever the reason, Sirius’s shoulders relaxed at the reveal. 

James – his best friend, only true confidante, the safest person in the world to him. James, who knew exactly what Sirius was going through, having done it himself only one year before. Sirius still wished he could go back and muster the courage to come out alongside James, saving the other boy from having to do it alone. But it was in James’s nature to lead, to be the pioneer, and Sirius might never have truly understood his own identity if he hadn’t first watched James explore his. 

“Brilliant,” Sirius said casually, as though his cheeks weren’t burning. Out of the corner of his eye he glanced at Remus and Peter, expecting them to be staring. But both boys were engrossed in their own pastime – Remus reading and Peter practicing Wizard’s Chess. 

James followed his glance and gave him a knowing smile before picking up the other end of Sirius’s trunk. “C’mon, then, let’s get you settled.”

---

Sirius knew it was late because he could no longer see the moon through his window, the illuminated crescent now ascended over the castle as it made its way across the starlit sky. 

He heard the sound of sheets shuffling before a soft, “Hey,” caught his ears. Sirius pulled his curtain aside to see James’s head poking out from behind his own curtains. He hadn’t seen James without his glasses on since last year, when they both still lived in the girls’ dorms. He’d forgotten how sweet the other boy looked without them on, how vulnerable. It drew a smile to his lips. 

“What?” he whispered back.

“Knew you were up.”

Sirius scoffed at James’s arrogance. “How?”

“You toss around more heavily when you’re awake than when you’re asleep.” He said it like a teacher’s pet might offer the answer to a difficult question, and for some reason this made Sirius blush. Though it was impossible to actually see a blush beneath his olive complexion, he was still grateful for the darkness and James’s poor eyesight. The other boy was too familiar with his facial expressions – and his signs of sleeping, evidently. 

“Have you just been listening to me toss and turn all night?”

James’s covers shifted as he shrugged. “More or less.”

“Why? Go to bed.”

“No,” James replied plainly. “Not when you’re clearly in need of a pep talk.”

“A pep talk?” Sirius groaned and rolled his eyes. James and his pep talks. Last year Sirius had threatened to quit the quidditch team if James didn’t start limiting his bloody pep talks to one per match – including all practices leading up to said match. 

James did not limit his pep talks. 

Sirius did not quit the team.

“Yes, a pep talk. C’mere, before we wake the others.”

Of course, a few moments later Sirius was quietly climbing into James’s bed. The other boy cast a silencing charm once Sirius closed the curtains, and Sirius crossed his legs to stare at his friend. 

“Alright, let’s get this over with.”

James took a deep breath and placed his hands on either side of Sirius’s head, gripping his shoulders firmly. The two boys locked eyes and, as much as Sirius dreaded the positive affirmations he was about to receive, he was mesmerized by his friend’s assertive stare. “Alright, Black,” James started. “What do you need to hear to convince you that you belong here?”

Sirius sighed and tried to push one of James’s arms away, but the other boy held firm. “Ugh, Prongs, what kind of pep talk is this? I’m fine.”

James squeezed Sirius’s shoulders almost to the point of pain. “Padfoot,” he said sternly. “You. Are. A boy.” Sirius huffed and rolled his eyes, but James just shook him and repeated with comedic adamancy, “You’re a boy!”  

Sirius let out an exasperated laugh and said, “Merlin’s tits, I know I’m a boy!” 

“Right, and where do boys belong?”

“I’m not doing this,” Sirius responded with a flat, stubborn tone.

“Where do boys belong?” James repeated, raising both his eyebrows as though asking a very exciting question to a five-year-old.

“You are so annoying, Potter.”

“Where do boys belooong? ” James asked in a voice threateningly close to a sing-song.

“Flaming dragon balls, Prongs, we belong in the boys’ dorm!”

James laughed merrily at his victory, pulling Sirius into an unexpected hug that was far too brief. When he pulled away his hands moved to grip Sirius’s biceps, and Sirius found himself wondering if his muscles could be felt without flexing. “C’mon, mate, this is exciting,” James grinned so joyously, Sirius couldn’t help but mirror him. “We’re fucking boys.”

His stomach flipped at the sentence. They were boys. Sirius was a boy. A boy who lived in a boys’ dorm with other boys. He’d been dreaming of this day for longer than he’d ever realized, and it was finally here. And because he was somehow the world’s luckiest person, his best friend was right there with him.

“We’re fucking boys,” he echoed, with a grin all his own.

A/N: and one day…they’ll be fucking boys fucking boys ;) Happy Trans Day of Visibility to all my fellow mystical magic wonderful trans beans!! ✨😘

[forestdeath1]

Sour

@prongsfoot-microfic

James is sitting on the sofa opposite Remus, completely engrossed in a book. Sirius is propped against his shoulder, idly twirling a lock of his hair and fidgeting with his right foot. Remus is doing his best not to glance at Sirius. It's challenging because Sirius always seems to be the centre of attention in this bloody castle. And that's normal. Perfectly normal.

"Enough with the reading, is there anything you don't already know?" Sirius's tired voice reaches Remus, directed at James.

"I'm trying to find a way to...," James abruptly stops, catching sight of Marlene sitting next to Remus. He clears his throat and continues, "Figure out how to ace the Transfiguration test better than anyone."

"Oh, spare us," Marlene mutters, not bothering to remove the quill from her mouth or look up. "Everyone knows if you lot are hitting the books, it's only to concoct some scheme," she then turns to Remus. "Remus, have you finished? Could you take a look at mine?"

Remus takes her parchment with the Transfiguration essay on it and hands her his. They've got into the habit of helping each other with their essays this year, since Sirius and James have been too wrapped up in their own brilliance and often disregarded his requests.

"What's got you so engrossed?" Sirius leans over to James, flipping the book cover. "Ah. Well, carry on then," he says with a slight smile and lets go of the book, then gives James an approving pat on the chest and suddenly halts, scrutinizing James as if he's a dog that's caught a scent.

Remus looks away, trying to focus on Marlene's essay.

"Where were you today?" Sirius inquires.

Even Marlene looks up at that question.

"What?" James appears puzzled as he looks at Sirius.

"You smell like something sour, lemony. As if you've been swimming in lemons."

"Lemons? What lemons?" James is clearly bewildered.

Ever since he became an animagus, Sirius has had an acute sense of smell. Suddenly, he can detect the scent of perfume of someone who was in the room ten minutes ago, or identify what Peter has brought back to the dorm from the kitchen before even opening it.

"Sour ones, obviously," Sirius leans in closer to James's cheek, sniffing. Then he quickly licks it from bottom to top and immediately claims, "Lemons. Your cheek tastes of lemons. Have you been out with Katie, you muppet?"

Remus blinks in surprise. James laughs, throwing his head back.

"Why Katie?" he asks amidst his laughter, with Sirius still intently looking at him for an answer.

"She's got that lemon-flavoured lip balm."

"What a nightmare."

"Indeed," Sirius concurs.

"Probably just the potion fumes. Lime juice was in today's brew," James shrugs.

"Okay," Sirius immediately loses interest and turns away. James puts the book aside and grabs Sirius by the neck, pulling him close while he tries to squirm free.

"Not a fan of lemons then?" James teases, pulling Sirius's head towards him and leaning in, attempting to press his cheek against Sirius's lips and nose.

"Get off, James, have a wash first," Sirius breaks free, trying to push James's face away with his left hand while attempting to escape his grip with his right. "You smell like Dumbledore."

"That didn't stop you from licking me," James chuckles, keeping a firm hold on Sirius.

"It was a scientific experiment, you idiot! You're going to strangle me!"

Marlene looks at Remus, raising an eyebrow, and whispers:

"What's with them?"

Remus just shrugs and says, "It's normal."

Lately, this has become the new normal, and it looks like the whole school will have to get used to James and Sirius showing affection in new ways, including Sirius casually licking James's cheek as part of a "scientific experiment".

[myprongsfootera]

Prongsfoot Microfic: Speculate

@prongsfoot-microfic 2/24 - 364 words

It probably wasn’t kind to speculate on other people’s love lives, but Lily couldn’t help it. 

Sirius had unceremoniously dumped Emmaline and rumors had been running rampant that he was already dating someone else. Sirius had heard Emmaline’s friends swear that he had told her that himself. Some kind of “it’s not you, it’s me - I’m already in love with someone else” type of line. Lily would believe it of him. 

But in the two weeks since their big breakup, she hadn’t so much as seen Sirius talk to any other girls. She’d been watching so carefully, trying to see if she could pick up on anything, but she hadn’t spotted one single noteworthy interaction. 

And she hadn’t meant to gossip, but she’d confided in Mary and Marlene and they’d said the same. 

Sirius had just been spending a ton of time with James. More than usual, even, now that he was single. 

Lily hadn’t thought anything of it at first, but it had been going on for a long time. She just kept waiting for Sirius to make a big announcement and start walking hand in hand with some new girl any day. 

And yet he didn’t. 

She started to wonder if he was only getting together with his mystery girl under cover of darkness.

And then Lily spotted something that she wasn’t meant to. 

She crept down the stairs into the common room at 2:00 in the morning one night when she couldn’t sleep and she saw James and Sirius dozing curled up together on the couch in front of the dying embers of the fire. Even as they snoozed, their fingers were linked on James’ chest like they’d fallen asleep holding hands. 

All of a sudden Lily understood. 

She’d been waiting for the wrong thing. 

Even as they’d all been speculating and guessing and waiting, the truth had been right in front of them. Sirius hadn’t been hiding a connection at all, he’d been spending every second of the day with the person he was in love with. It was just that that person was James. 

Lily’s face split into a grin. 

Mary and Marlene weren’t going to believe this.

[mycupofrum]

Written for @prongsfoot-microfic for 5 Jan 2024 (darkness). Rating: T. Angst, first wizarding war. James battles with his dark side. Read here or on AO3.

**

Darkness 

He was shaking violently, unable to process what had happened. 

"James!" someone cried out. "Prongs." 

James blinked, looking up. When had he sat down on the floor? His hands were curled into tight fists, and his wand was somewhere out of sight. 

"James, you're in shock. Come on, we need to go." 

When nothing made sense, his voice was the only thing that made him move. 

James stood up, barely noticing hands supporting him, pulling him up. 

"You're alive?" 

"Of course I'm alive, you great berk," Sirius huffed in exasperation. "Come on, we need to leave now." 

** 

James Potter despised the Dark Arts, he had for his whole life. The practice of something so vile was nothing but a mad attempt to taint what should be kept pure, light, good. Energy existed in everyone and everything, but only some possessed it in such quantities that it manifested as magic. 

The war was ruthless, affecting everyone's lives. Who could tell what was good anymore? What was the point, when it could be taken away? 

The thoughts raced through his mind as he pointed his wand at the woman.  

"I'll kill you for what you did to him." 

She lay defenceless on the floor, thanks to a well-aimed Jelly-Legs Curse, leering at him, her dark eyes blazing. "You don't have it in you, itty-bitty Potter." 

James's wand shook, but having witnessed his best friend lying behind him, broken and lifeless, made him tighten his grip on his wand. 

Darkness welled up inside him, engulfing him, and where he would normally push it aside, he did the unthinkable.  

He welcomed it. 

"Crucio." 

** 

James was nestled up on the sofa against the warm, alive body. 

He felt wrong. Stained. Ruined. 

"Fuck, Pads, I…" His words trailed off. 

All he knew were those hands gripping him tightly, hands that had held on to him during a side-along Apparition, guided him to one of the Order's safehouses. Hands that had healed his cuts, wiped away the excess blood. 

"You're here. You're not dead. You're really –" James rasped. 

"I'm here, Prongs. You think it's that easy to get rid of me?" Sirius's voice vibrated in his chest beneath James's fingertips. 

James looked up from the warmth of Sirius's neck. The grey eyes met his, understanding, a storm raging beneath the calm exterior. 

"It was a trick. I was never hurt." 

"I…" James heaved a breath, disgusted with himself. "I used the Crucio on her. Bellatrix." 

"She deserved it." Sirius's voice was devoid of regret. 

"D'you think I –" 

"Killed her? I don't know, didn't exactly stick around to find out. More likely you hurt her so thoroughly she'll think twice about messing with anyone's mind again. " 

James tried not to think about the revolting image of Bellatrix lying on the floor with her eyes open, bleeding from her nose and ears. She'd looked on the brink of death, and James hadn't halted the curse until his hand shook so badly that he dropped his wand. 

He'd thought Sirius was dead, that the centre of his universe, the only thing that made sense to him in the world, was gone. She'd made it happen, using Legilimency, persuading James to come out of hiding to save Sirius in a shack where he was supposed to be held for torture. 

James had gotten there, seen a body he thought was Sirius, dead on the floor. Before he'd had time to process what he saw, he'd been greeted by her. The cousin. 

Their duel had almost destroyed the building, but she'd underestimated him, arrogant enough to believe James was easy to beat after thinking he'd suffered a great loss. 

She hadn't realised that James refused to accept living in a world where Sirius didn't exist. 

"I know a lot of ways to hurt the enemy, and I don't mind doing it to Death Eaters. But I performed an Unforgivable. That only works when…" James closed his eyes. "When you mean it." 

Sirius's hand moved to his hair, stroking it gently. "I'm sorry you were put in that position, James."  

They hadn't been able to communicate as much as usual. Lily was pregnant, and it hadn't been without its complications, so James needed to take care of her. Neither of them had envisioned having a baby in the middle of the war, but it had forced them to try to make the shambles of their relationship work. 

James drew a long breath, his trembling body eventually settling against Sirius's warmth. 

"This war fucks with all of us," Sirius added. "We all resolve to do things we wouldn't normally do." 

"The thing is," James said, shame weighing heavy on him, "I don't really find it in myself to regret it." 

He locked his eyes with Sirius, whose gaze betrayed no hint of judgement. 

"I'd do it again. For you." 

Sirius's eyes flashed with something unspoken as he wrapped his arms around James even tighter.  

After a few minutes, James fell asleep with a feeling of warm lips pressing a light kiss on his temple and barely a whisper saying something he would forget when he woke up in a few hours. 

"I'd do far worse for you, Prongs."

**