#like berty bott's every flavor beans

[nelfs]

nicotine based products are so evil really. everyone already knows this but think about it... vapes and cigs vastly increase your risk of suffering from terminal diseases but they're also massively wantable. and they make them as tasty and appealing as possible. theyre like Yeah we'll sell you the lung disease magic and you're really really gonna want it if you try it :P i know this is not news to anyone but im a very VERY light smoker who's trying to quit and i can't believe theyre allowed to sell us Evil Death Products That Make You Want Them (But They Also Make You Anxious) lol

[oxyvouge]

ੈ never have i ever kissed you. ✩‧₊˚

summary: wherein you, the marauders, lily, marlene and regulus played the muggle game "Never Have I Ever."

━━ ✦ pairing(s): marauders, lily, marlene and regulus x fem! reader

━━ ✦ warning: kissing

━━ ✦ word count: 1.3k

author's note: lets just pretend they have a high tolerance or theyre a lil affected by it cuz i forgot to write it down there 😭. btw sirius and reggie r on good terms here and also — ITS DANE DEEHAN'S PETER AND I CANNOT NOT ADD HIM WHEN HE'S HOT 😭😭😭😭

THE MARAUDERS, a few other friends, and you gathered in the common room, forming a circle for a muggle game Lily called "Never Have I Ever." The concept piqued your interest; it was something entirely new to you and sounded like you would have a good time especially when you heard how the game works.

But before that you, Sirius, Peter, and Lily went to the kitchens to take some snacks, glasses, and a few bottles of firewhisky for this and went back to the common room where the others were waiting and circled.

Lily initiated the round, her eyes scanning each person in the circle. "Never have I ever," she began, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "tasted the poop flavor in Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans." Laughter erupted as James, Remus, and a few others reached for the firewhisky and took a drink. Sirius and you couldn't help but burst into laughter too, sympathizing with their unfortunate experiences.

"It was bloody awful! Feels like I was gobbling up Pads' poop by mistake." James wrinkled his nose, wincing as the firewhisky blazed its way down his throat. Sirius burst into laughter, but his chuckles abruptly halted as James' comment hit his ears and you choked on your saliva. With a flushed face, Sirius playfully smacked James on the back, eliciting a groan from him. "Fuck."

The empty glasses clinked as they were refilled, the game continuing with fervor. Seated next to Lily, Marlene was thinking of what to ask. "Never have I ever lost my chocolate frog and found it in front of a teacher." Peter drank his firewhisky.

"I remember this!" You exclaimed with a chuckle, clutching a treacle tart. "Peter lost his chocolate frog while going inside the castle from Hogsmeade and tried to go after it only for it to end up in Professor McGonagall's palms. Then, she gave it to Peter and Peter ate it after brushing the dirt away."

Remus took his turn, a playful glint in his eyes. "Never have I ever been caught by Filch while out of bed after curfew." The Marauders, excluding Remus and including you, raised their glasses to their lips, taking hearty swigs of firewhisky.

Lily's eyebrows arched curiously, her gaze shifting toward you. "Even you, Y/N?" You shrugged with a sheepish grin, caught in the act. "What were you up to?"

You intended to avoid the question, but Marlene piped up, unable to resist the urge to share, "Oh, it's either she's setting up pranks with them," She gestured towards the infamous Black and Potter duo, who responded with knowing smirks, "Or she's engaged in some secret snogging rendezvous with Black."

"Which Black are we talking about here?" You countered mischievously, casting an amused glance at both brothers.

"Both," Marlene replied with an air of nonchalance, earning a round of chuckles from the group, a coughing Regulus, and a shock i-don't-know-what-to-say-i-feel-betrayed Sirius.

The blonde female had frequently stumbled upon them in rather compromising situations. On various occasions, it happened to be you and Regulus emerging from a cupboard, catching Marlene on her way to class. The sight of you and the younger boy with tousled hair, swollen lips, and flushed cheeks was hard to miss. Marlene also vividly remembered the time she stumbled upon you and Sirius, who were well on their way to shagging, both only partially clothed and entangled on the bed. Fortunately — for Marlene's case — she barged in before all the rest of their garments were thrown on the floor and preventing further embarrassment.

Honestly, who could really blame her? It wasn't her decision to conduct such activities within a shared dorm room, where other roommates also resided.

Marlene's cheeks heated as memories replayed in her mind. She shook her head, murmuring, "It's a traumatic experience."

Seated between you and Remus, Sirius wore a knowing smirk, mischief glinting in his eyes. Your heart fluttered as you felt a tinge of nervousness, his transparent mischievousness making you uneasy. "Never…" He began, his words causing a slight stumble in your breath as he continued, "have I ever kissed Y/N." Once more, you found yourself momentarily taken aback, a surprised reaction escaping you.

Sirius' gaze swept across the group, his smirk growing as he met each person's eyes, enjoying their reactions. With a feeling of delightfulness, he snatched the bottle of firewhisky and took a victorious swig. Nearby, Regulus raised an eyebrow, his amusement detached yet evident, as he took a casual sip of his own firewhisky. "Just u—" He began, his sentence left hanging in the air, a smirk curving his lips.

Lily roll her eyes and playfully retort, "Trying to embarrass everyone now, are we? Well, I can't say I'm surprised. Cheers to your boldness, I suppose." She then took a sip of her firewhisky, shaking her head with a mix of amusement and annoyance at Sirius' antics.

"Wait a second — everyone?" Sirius exclaimed, his tone a mix of disbelief and amusement. Marlene couldn't contain herself and erupted into laughter, finding the situation utterly comical. With a gleeful grin, she grabbed the firewhisky and took a big gulp. "Even McKinnon? Seriously, Y/N, how did you do it?" Sirius continued, his smirk growing wider.

Observing the scene, Remus couldn't help but roll his eyes playfully, his expression a blend of exasperation and fondness. He reached for his firewhisky and took a measured sip, his gaze briefly locking with yours.

You nonchalantly replied. "She was asking me to teach her how to kiss — who am I to refuse?" Peter let out a nervous chuckle and take a small sip of firewhisky.

As Sirius noticed the sip Peter took, his eyebrows arched mischievously. He glanced at you and exchanged an amused look with Lily. Lily, her curiosity piqued, raised an eyebrow and inquired, "Even Peter?" Her surprise was evident, the corners of her lips twitching in a mixture of astonishment and amusement.

All eyes turned to James, who met their gaze with an intrigued quirk of his eyebrow. His gaze then shifted to you, his lips curling into a mischievous grin as he leaned back in his chair. "Looks like I've fallen a bit behind, haven't I?" he mused, a glint of determination lighting up his eyes.

In a flash, he rose from his seat, a confident swagger in his step as he dropped down to one knee in front of you. His presence felt magnetic as he leaned closer, his hand gently cupping your cheek, and before you could fully process the moment, his lips met yours in a quick, playful kiss.

The room was filled with a collective gasp as all eyes turned to both of you as James pulled back, a triumphant smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. James then took the bottle of firewhisky from Sirius and chugged the remaining liquid down.

A mixture of shock, amusement, and admiration swept across their faces. Lily's jaw dropped slightly and twitching into an amused smile. Remus's eyebrows shot up, his usual composed demeanor momentarily replaced by astonishment. Sirius's playful grin widened into genuine surprise, and even Peter seemed momentarily stunned, his mouth hanging open. Marlene let out an excited whoop, her surprise quickly turning into enthusiastic cheers. Regulus raised an eyebrow, a subtle flicker of being taken aback swept across his features.

James' smirk softened into a warm grin as he glanced at you, his eyes locking onto yours for a heartbeat before he turned back to the others. "Honestly, Prongs." You stated recovering from your surprised state with a fond smile tugging on your lips.

A mischievous glint danced in Marlene's eyes as she playfully nudged Sirius with her elbow. "Seems like you're not the only one stealing the show tonight, Black."

A warm chuckle rumbled from Remus as he shook his head, a genuine fondness reflecting in his gaze. "You've outdone yourself, Prongs."

Even Regulus's typically stoic expression softened, a subtle twitch at the corner of his mouth betraying his amusement. "Quite the move," he conceded.

you can make a request here where you'll be guided by the guidelines and check out the masterlist.

[itisme-rosie]

-- displays of affection; james potter, sirius black, remus lupin x reader (separately) wherein they are affectionate in the most irritating (lovingly said) ways possible.

cw: fluff!! cursing (the colorful language kind)

[ review for the math exam? no, fluff >>. ]

masterlist | rules

[ james potter ]

"you, sir, are staring" i muse, not bothering to lift my head to meet james' stare that burned holes into the side of my head, "any reason in particular as to why?"

"i don't know what you're talking about," he murmurs back, and from the corner of my eye, i see that he didn't shift away from me in his seat. james remained leaning on his folded arms against the table, not turning his eyes away from me, leaning even closer if that was possible.

i reach out one hand, the other flipping through the tome in search of the chapter we had to read for our history class to pat the top of his head, even lightly pinching his cheek, much to his chagrin.

"there, there, you big baby," i laugh quietly, thumbing over his cheek in an attempt to soothe him but he only pouts frowns even more.

"remus was right," i hum and he perks up a little at that, only for his face to scrunch up a little.

"our moony's always right," he huffs, "it's just a matter of what he's right about,"

"i don't know, you might not like what he's right about this time, and i am not about to be in the middle of a debate between you two,"

"it can't be that bad,"

"- is exactly what you said when he warned you about the bertie bott's every flavor bean, you know, the spinach flavored one, and you were so insistent that it was mint just because it was green, and he said spinach and mint were 2 different shades of green and you still ate it and you wouldn't talk to him until -"

"alright! alright!" james waves his hands around, hurriedly rushing to my side to clamp a hand over my mouth, "i got your point," he drops his hand with a sigh - albeit a very dramatic one, "perhaps it is better if i never know,"

and down back on the table his head goes, and my hand shoots out to run my fingers through his hair, smoothing it out a little.

"there, there, jamesie," i laugh as quietly as i could in the middle of the library, "all remus was right about is how pouty and clingy you get when you're tired,"

[ sirius black ]

"i despise you,"

"really? can't tell from that - ow - gorilla grip you have on my arm,"

"this is the last date i am ever letting you take me on - you know i despise mazes almost as much as i despise you - you, i despise most of all, top 1 on the list of things i despise,"

"don't worry darling," he muses, the circulation in his arm slowly getting cut off from how tightly you were clinging to him, "i won't let anyone get ya,"

"and also," he moves his head so he could whisper in your ear, "kinda nice that i'm number 1 at something in your life,"

"you're hopeless,"

"hopelessly in love -"

"now you just sound like james, cut it out, black,"

"that's my best mate you're insulting," sirius gasps with false offense, his hand on his chest, "besides, where do you think he learned it from?"

"birds of a feather indeed," i manange to half joke before one of the maze actors pop out, prompting a scream that dies out quickly upon realizing that sirius had begun laughing.

"i hate, hate, hate you," you grumble once more, detaching from his arm so you could swat at him. multiple times. multiple enough times that the actor that had been standing awkwardly beside you both after scaring you had coughed and retreated back behind a particularly tall haystack.

"you scared the poor man away, love," sirius barely mananges to speak through his wheezing laughter.

"it's only right, he scared the shit out of me,"

"oh i'm sorry my love," your boyfriend notices how you tremble a little, a small smile cracking his lips when he notices your ever so nonthreatening and adorable demeanor with the matching clenched fists at your sides and he embraces you tightly, rocking you both back and forth, "let's look for the guide and get you out of here, yeah?"

"you are never planning our dates again," you sniffle, from the cold or otherwise, it didn't quite matter so much anymore.

sirius tilts his head so you two were face to face, lightly bumping his nose with yours as a silent apology, "you're in charge, boss," he quips, kissing the tip of your nose and grinning when you start to smile.

[ remus lupin ]

remus never understood the appeal of beanbag chairs.

he sits on them, of course, and he finds them rather comfortable, but the problem lies upon when you're sitting on them.

you sit on them religiously, on one in particular - it had been a gift from your family over the holidays and it's been permanently attached to your behind. remus finds the attachment endearing, of couse. moreso the strange positions he finds you in when he stumbles across you sprawled on it and asleep, but he'd never admit to that.

if there was one thing he enjoyed more than that was cuddling close to you while he read and contemplated life and right now, all he got was patting your head while he laid on a couch in the empty common room, staring up at the ceiling and the details painted onto it while you stayed seated on the beanbag chair on the floor, head bowed while you went over your essay for the hundredth time.

your neck cramps a little, so you adjust how you sat, moving your neck a little and remus - dear, sweet, perceptive remus - gently runs his thumb over the back of your neck, right where the cramp was, and you groan.

"oh, that's the stuff,"

moony chuckles, concern veiled behind his casual tone, "you're awfully tense darling,"

"nonsense," you murmur, head and neck going limp as you ease into his gentle movements, "i'm quite alright, just...need a break,"

"well, if you didn't slouch -" he begins playfully.

"you, remus john lupin, are the last person that should be lecturing me on my posture," you huff, eyes fluttering open to glare at him with no heat in my eyes.

he raises his hands in surrender and you frown at the loss of contact on the achy spot on your nape, turning to face him but remus simply sits up, gesturing for you to turn around before he starts to massage the knots and cramps up your neck and down your shoulders.

"merlin darling, is your neck not aching?"

"feels numb mostly,"

"and you didn't think it was concerning?"

"well, it doesn't really bother me because i can't exactly feel it,"

"well, that's the problem sweetheart," remus says placatingly, and he chuckles, "you're supposed to be able to feel the back of your neck,"

"i've been using the beanbag chairs too much," you admit, "the back of them aren't really sturdy, so i don't lean and i end up slouching,"

bingo, remus lets a mischievous smirk you thankfully can't see grace his lips, "so it was your slouching? and i was right?"

"never said that," you answer abruptly, stretching when his hands leave the area it was massaging, "but if there is one thing i will be doing, it's sitting with you on the couch, scoot over,"

and he does, tugging you into his open arms and hugging you tightly, pressing kisses on your cheek while his hands rub your back comfortingly, "tell me where it aches darling, i'll help you feel better,"

[i-dream-of-libraries]

"Harry Potter..." Lord Voldemort appeared in the space the Death Eaters had made, smirking coldly at him, hardly seeming to notice his friends on either side of him. Good. "Foolish boy, to come here where you could be so easily seen by one of my Marked." Fucking Malfoy, Harry thought passionately. Well, he might as well piss off the Dark Lord with glib comments and keep his attention away from others. "A boy needs school supplies, doesn't he, daddy?" Oh, for fuck's sake Harry - how did THAT slip out?

Voldemort's face froze before going oddly blank. His wand hand drooped in shock, and from his scar Harry felt the first burning tingles that preceded the Dark Lord's epic fits of anger.

The rest of the Weasley family came up behind them and grabbed Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They were all touching a large bag of Bertie Botts every flavor beans Mr. Weasley had in his hand as he shouted "hopscotch!" just before they were yanked through the air with the familiar but sickening sensation of portkey travel. Harry had one last glimpse of Voldemort's face twisting in fury as they were whisked away to safety.

They landed outside the gates of Hogwarts, sporting nothing more than a few cuts and scorched bits of clothing to show for the attack. Even through the searing headache Voldemort was now gifting him, Harry was incredibly relieved. Until Ron turned to him and blurted out "blimey Harry, what did you say to You-Know-Who to make him turn to stone like that?" Hermione was also giving him an intensely curious look, but he'd rather kiss one of Hagrid's blast-ended skrewts than admit what he'd accidentally said to Voldemort.

He Will Slay You with His Tongue

[dracoxsworld]

What it Would Be Like To Date George Weasley

summary: I love George so here’s what it’s like to be his partner (: gender-neutral and no warnings <3

a/n: You guys I am so sorry I’ve been SO busy. I have a new puppy, and i’m almost finished with my dental assisting certification, and I’ve been sick of the flu on top of that (,: But I’m working really hard so hopefully I can make good money 🤪 I’m also planning to move across the country by the end of this year because the state i’m in atm is just not cutting it 😃

He messes with you A LOT

The man always finds a way to prank you or tease you

But Fred always helps you get back at him LOL.

For example, replacing every. single. one of his Bertie Bott’s Jelly beans with horrid flavors.

He’s the type of guy to always carry your bag, jacket, even if it’s in a feminine style he’d werk it.

You’re always on his lap, ALWAYS.

In the common room, door room, when you guys are home for the holidays, etc.

You can always count on him to sneak you out of detention

Mostly because he’s the reason you’re in detention, mostly because he convinces you to sneak out with him at night when you’re supposed to be in bed

Adores you, of course. Always reminds you of how beautiful you are.

He spoils you in every way he can, especially after graduation.

gets you a job at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, it takes a lot on convincing because you’ll now be dealing with two weasley’s, that are twins, constantly.

But you end up loving the job, you two get to always be together after all.

He’s the protective type surprisingly. He tries to make himself look all confident and such, but he tends to be insecure which turns into jealousy/overprotectiveness.

Bro is the biggest simp ever

You know the classic thing where the guy throws his super nice suit jacket over a puddle so his partner can walk across? yeah that’s George.

He’s super clingy, I mean, you are too but he’s a whole different level.

His family LOVES you of course. every holiday Mr. & Mrs. Weasley always ask about a wedding or kids. Which makes you and George get flustered of course.

You both love to travel after you graduate, to visit Billy, explore other lands, etc.

[sallowsdiary]

You won’t believe the latest episode in what I’m starting to think is an elaborate prank by the universe to ruin my life. This time, it involved—who else?—the new girl and an incident that will likely go down in Hogwarts history as the Great Chocolate Frog Fiasc.

It all started innocently enough. I was in Honeydukes, browsing for some sweets to lift my spirits after the broom closet disaster (which, I should note, people are still talking about—can you believe it?). I spotted the new girl across the shop, looking at a display of Chocolate Frogs, and I thought to myself, “This is my chance to prove I’m not a total buffoon.”

So, with the kind of confidence only a desperate Slytherin can muster, I sauntered over to her and casually asked if she needed any recommendations. She smiled (which should have been my first warning sign), and said she hadn’t tried Chocolate Frogs yet. Perfect! I’d buy her one, show her how they work, and we’d laugh over some witty banter—classic Sebastian charm in action.

I picked out a particularly lively-looking Chocolate Frog and handed it to her, explaining how they’re enchanted to jump. But, in an effort to seem extra impressive, I added, “Of course, it’s all about timing. You just have to be quick, or it’ll hop away. Here, let me show you.”

I should have known better. The moment I unwrapped the frog, it shot out of my hand like a Bludger on a mission. It bounced off the counter, ricocheted off a shelf, and then launched itself directly at the new girl’s face. I lunged to grab it, but instead of catching the frog, I knocked over a massive display of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans.

The next thing I knew, she was ducking as hundreds of beans cascaded down around us, while the Chocolate Frog continued its rampage through the shop. I tried to play it cool, but it’s hard to look suave when you’re being pelted by candy and desperately chasing a rogue frog around.

Just when I thought it couldn’t get worse, the Chocolate Frog made one final leap—right into her hair. I froze, staring in horror as the enchanted treat tangled itself in her curls. She let out a squeak, and I, in a moment of sheer panic, reached out to… help.

Bad idea. The frog wriggled out of her hair, leaving behind a sticky trail of chocolate and bits of wrapper. It then leapt onto a nearby customer (who was not pleased, to say the least) before finally making its escape out the door.

And there I was, standing in the middle of Honeydukes, covered in Every Flavor Beans, with the new girl looking at me like I was some sort of Chocolate Frog-wielding lunatic.

To her credit, she didn’t hex me on the spot, which I think shows remarkable restraint. Instead, she just laughed—a genuine, amused laugh, not the pitying kind—and said, “Well, I guess I’ll have to be quicker next time.”

I mumbled something incoherent, blushing furiously, and offered to buy her another Chocolate Frog, which she politely declined. Probably for the best, really.

After she left, I spent the next half hour helping the shopkeeper clean up the mess I’d made, all while swearing to myself that I’d never try to impress anyone ever again. Not with Chocolate Frogs, at least.

So, here I am, trying to figure out how on earth I’m ever going to live this down. I’m beginning to think that every time I’m within five feet of that girl, something catastrophic is bound to happen. Maybe I should just avoid her altogether—though who am I kidding? Fate seems determined to throw us together in the most ridiculous ways possible.

—Sebastian

[lorrainmorgan]

Chapter 17 - Serpent's Condemn

Expand and enjoy or visit my AO3

She devoured the pudding on her plate, desperate to drown out the overwhelming flood of thoughts and emotions consuming her. But the sweet flavor stood no chance against her thoughts, and didn’t prevent the tears from keep rolling down her cheeks in an endless cascade.

As the clock struck an hour before midnight, the two Slytherins stealthily made their way through the dimly lit hallways back to their common room. The faint sounds of laughing and chatting echoed off through the whole castle, and the faint scent of firewhiskey lingered in every corner of it, evidence of a recent celebration. Some students stumbled past them in a drunken haze, while others laid passed out in various corners around the school. The duo had no need to hide or be extra careful amidst the chaos. They were like shadows, blending seamlessly into the night as they snuck towards their destination.

Ominis's voice rose above the noise from their footsteps, lamenting Anne Sallow's recent situation, his face etched with concern as he recounted the events that led to Sebastian's sudden departure for Feltcroft.

“I’m sorry that happened to her. Poor Sebastian, spending Christmas like this…” Lorra regretted not having the chance to get to know Sebastian’s twin sister, but from what Ominis had told her, she was sure Anne was just as kind and caring as her brother… and as stubborn and wicked.. 

Memories flooded back as the young Gaunt reminisced about their earlier days, where they used to tease first years by telling them they could spot mermaids if they stood at the Common Room’s window long enough. It seemed silly now, but it was one of the first memories they’d together. 

Lorrain couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness at the thought of Anne missing out fourth year with her brother and Ominis. "I'm sure she'll be back soon," she reassured him, hoping it would bring some comfort. 

"I hope so; Hogwarts just doesn't feel the same without her…" the blonde added with a wistful sigh.  

As they made their way to the Slytherin room entrance, a girl with short hair greeted them before they could enter. 

"There you are!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine excitement. "I'm sorry if I caught you off guard...but Penny told me I could find you here… Of course it’s your Common Room…er. Anyway - this is for you.” The girl then handed out a small present. 

Ominis didn't recognize the girl's voice or silhouette, so he decided to let the girls have some privacy and started walking away, but before he could leave, Lorra grabbed his arm. "Ominis, she's talking to you," she whispered urgently, gesturing towards the girl who held out a small striped box with a bow on top, filled with colorful candies - Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. 

“Oh! My apologies- er-…”

“I’m Poppy, Poppy Sweeting. We’re in Beasts Class together.” But Ominis couldn't place her face or name, and it was clear that she didn't expect him to. "I just wanted to thank you for treating Gerald so kindly," she said. "Especially after Garreth Weasley practically slammed food on his face. So I just wanted to wish you a Happy Christmas, Ominis."

Ominis took the present shyly, he didn’t expect any gifts from his classmates, especially not from someone he barely knew. But as he traced down the familiar form of his favorite candy from HoneyDukes, he couldn't help but feel touched by Poppy's thoughtfulness. 

"Thank you, Poppy," he said sincerely "Merry Christmas to you too. Would you like one?" He rapidly opened the box and offered her some but she kindly denied it. 

“They are for you after all, but thank you! I’ll see you guys around!” Poppy walked away waving goodbye at them with a wide smile on her face.

“Gerald…?” Ominis asked confused, popping a green bean into his mouth while descending into their common room.

"Her favorite puffskein...you know, the one you fed a while back?" Lorra replied before stealing some of his candy. 

“Oh…right…” That Poppy must be a Hufflepuff…

As they made their way towards their usual spot by the crackling fire, they noticed a group of first years already gathered there. In the midst of the young students stood Penny Backster, holding a large basket between her hands. Her bright blue eyes lit up as she recognized them and she eagerly approached with a welcoming smile.

"Hello again, Lorrain and Ominis," she greeted, her voice full of warmth. "I brought you guys sandwiches like I promised! And there's even some turkey legs, mashed potatoes, and other tasty treats. The house elves really outdid themselves this year." She gestured to the basket overflowing with delicious food.

Lorra graciously accepted the basket from her classmate and pulled her into a warm embrace, expressing her gratitude. 

Well I guess it’s my turn now… Ominis extended his hand with the candy box to the girl. “Would you like a Bertie Bott, Penny?” he offered. 

Penny's brows furrowed in surprise at this unexpected act of kindness from the usually aloof Gaunt boy. Hesitantly, she reached out and plucked a yellow candy from the box, popping it into her mouth and relishing in the sharp burst of sourness on her tongue. "Thank you!" she managed to say before hurrying back to her friends. 

“I poisoned that Bertie Bott you know” He whispered to Lorra sarcastically.

“Oh yeah, I bet you did…”

***

They finally addressed the elephant in the room, secluded in Gaunt's bed like a bunker, their only refuge. The topic surrounding the upcoming New Year's party caused their stomachs to coil into tight knots, making it nearly impossible to swallow down their meal. After what felt like an eternity, they finally reached a decision, a desperate plan born out of necessity. Ominis couldn't shake the nagging sense of danger that lurked around Lorra.As for her, the fear of one of their own getting hurt weighed heavily on her mind, making her anxious with each passing second.

"So it is decided then," he concluded with a heavy sigh. 

"Yes..." Lorra answered, her gaze fixed on her plate.

 "Are you certain I cannot change your mind?" Ominis pressed, hoping for a different answer. But her reply remained firm, a hint of anxiety underlying her words. 

"No, Oms...I'm sorry."

“I’ll start working on the arrangements right away then,” he said, his voice trembling with nerves. 

The girl grasped his hand and squeezed it tightly. "We'll take care of it tomorrow,"she reassured him before getting up from the bed to collect their plates. 

He hovered his wand over her and sensed her calm attitude. “How can you be so composed?” he asked, his voice cracking with emotion. 

“Someone has to be,” she replied, hiding her own terror. 

“Sorry, I’m just-” he started to say before she cut him off. “-Nervous, terrified…just like me,” she admitted as she clutched the plates a little too tightly. 

After placing everything back in the basket, she sat back down with her favorite dessert, trying to calm herself but failing miserably.

As Ominis let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumped and he ran his fingers through his blonde hair in frustration. "Sebastian would probably come up with some ridiculous excuse to calm us down," he muttered. 

"And he'd likely throw in a few jokes about how we're overthinking everything." Lorra added with a hint of sarcasm. Despite the seriousness of their current predicament, both Ominis and her chuckled at the thought of their usually carefree friend being the voice of reason for once. It was a strange yet comforting notion to imagine Sebastian steering them back onto a steady course in the midst of chaos. 

“He’s such a good duelist, I can’t seem to beat him just yet at CrossWands” She trailed off, trying to distract herself. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he became an auror…or a professional Quidditch player-” Her voice wavered as the tears started to spill down her cheeks. 

"Why does this have to be so difficult?" She muttered under her breath, the weight of it all was finally crushing her. The murder accusations, Arthur's cruel methods of interrogation and his sudden apology, the shocking revelation about her beloved aunt… It was all becoming too much, threatening to swallow her whole. Her world was crumbling under her fingertips and she was struggling to hold on.

She devoured the pudding on her plate, desperate to drown out the overwhelming flood of thoughts and emotions consuming her. But the sweet flavor stood no chance against her thoughts, and didn’t prevent the tears from keep rolling down her cheeks in an endless cascade. 

Ominis put her plate aside and threw his arms around her, squeezing her with a force that threatened to crush her bones. She was torn between gratitude for his unwavering presence, combined with an overwhelming sense of guilt for the mess they were in, all because of her.

On top of that, the timing could not be worse, as their entire plan depended on Sebastian's involvement, but Anne's fragile state added yet another layer of uncertainty to their already precarious situation.

“We’ll figure it out, together…” Ominis comforted her. “...but wherever this path leads us, I want you to know that I-I-”

“Don’t you dare” -she interrupted sharply. "We can save our words for later, after we've dealt with this” - and regretted it immediately-.

I’d love to say how much I love you too, Oms. I wish I could say it so easily. Every fiber of my being loves you and until this day, I don’t understand why. No words could ever fully express the depth and magnitude of what you mean to me, who you truly are in my eyes…But-

“You’re right, there’s no need for those things right now. I apologize, Meva… ”

“I didn’t mean to sound harsh, Oms,” She said, gently cupping his face between her hands. “It feels like you’re saying your goodbyes, preparing for the worst, and I’ll not have it.” She tried to wash away his worries by kissing him on the corner of his lips, her own lips tingling in consequence.

He responded eagerly, capturing her mouth and pulling her closer, his hands gripping her swollen cheeks. She felt both loved and owned by his possessive touch. Yet, beneath the sweet taste of her lips was a hint of longing, begging for more exploration. 

But… what if there’s no “later”…? What if I don’t get to tell you how much you mean to my soul, Oms. What if I don’t ever get to kiss you after New Year. What if this IS my final goodbye?

A final tear rolled down her cheek, but was gently wiped away by Ominis’ thumb. She couldn’t be the one to be thinking that, she had to be strong. She had to. If not her, then who? It was her burden to bear. Not Ominis’, not Sebastian’s. It was hers and hers alone. 

“I don’t want you to get hurt, Lorrain,” he pleaded, breaking the kiss and grabbing her by the wrists, his unseeing eyes filled with worry. “This is madness”. 

“I believe so too. But, there’s no greater pain than living a life that isn’t truly yours. If there’s any chance for me to actually be free of whatever my family arranged me to, I’ll take it”. Her heart raced so fast it felt like it might burst from her chest. She refused to let her life be controlled by the actions of her ancestors, no matter who they were or what promises they’ve made.

After a few gentle kisses to her hands, the blonde stood up from the bed and made his way to his nightstand, reaching for something inside the top drawer. "Do you want your rings back?" He held out a small box in his hands, the rings still nestled inside. 

Lorra's heart skipped a beat as she remembered his Christmas gift. Heat crept up her neck and into her cheeks. “Yes, please. Thank you." she finally spoke, her fingers trembling slightly as she reached for the box. "Now that I don't have a wand, I'll-"

Shit. 

Her sentence was cut off by a sudden realization. Panic set in as she remembered an important detail - she didn't have a wand of her own. Using Geneva's wand was out of the question; the thought of it made her cringe, it was like using a stranger's toothbrush. 

Ominis threw his head back in frustration, coming to the same realization. "Mr Ollivander won't be back until January, as he does every year," he pointed out with an exasperated tone. The renowned wandmaker's shop was open every day of the year except for that exact period of time. With slow and heavy steps, Ominis handed the box to Lorra, their options dwindling with each passing second. "I suppose there may be other shops out there," he muttered with forced optimism.

"But we don't have time to search for a new one! And even if we did, I highly doubt they'd be open..." Lorra exclaimed, frustration evident in her voice as she placed the rings on their designated fingers in a desperate attempt to calm herself.  They walked in anxious circles, racking their brains for another solution but coming up empty-handed.

“We could still try and-” 

“Try and get us all three killed? No thank you,” she hissed, her frustration boiling over. “Dammit! How could I be so careless and stupid?!” Her voice echoed with fury as she cursed herself for not realizing the situation sooner. “If only I had known…we could have made it to Ollivander's and procured a wand before it was too late. But no, I let myself get distracted and now we're-”

“Lorrain!” Ominis shouted in alarm, his wand pointed directly at her hands. She snapped open her eyes and gasped in shock. Her hands were engulfed in a violent purple flame that crackled and danced, but strangely didn't burn her skin. With each passing moment, the fire grew heavier and more unstable, fueled by her inner rage. 

The silver rings adorning her fingers glowed with a blinding light, proudly displaying the words GAUNT and LORRA engravings etched into their surface. 

The flames disappeared after she lost focus on her anger and frustration. But Ominis’ wand captured something that it was not supposed to be there. “Wait…” he pointed his wand to the rings on her left hand, his face contorted with curiosity. He reached them with his fingers and traced over the engraved letters of his last name. "I never asked for my name to be added…”

"I thought it was a nice gesture that you've asked Mr. Flammel to-"

"Do you think I'm that vain?” he scoffed and Lorra rolled her eyes at the question. Yes darling, you are…just a little bit.

“Do you really believe I would want my cursed family name etched onto anything?"  Ominis’ tone laced with disgust at the suggestion. 

But the sudden realization slapped them across the face. Ominis had never instructed the creator of those rings, the legendary Nicolás Flammel, to include his last name, and with a reputation like his, there was no way the renowned alchemist would make such a mistake in his work.

“Ominis,” her eyes darted between each of the rings.“You said Arthur saw your father talking to Professor Black about me, right after I left the Ministry…”

“Yes” 

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. The weight of Mr Gaunt’s ownership over her felt suffocating, making her feel caught between fear and anger. How did he know about Ominis’ present? How much control did he really have over her? 

“He knew you were going to give this to me… He knows who I am…He knows he… owns me.”

👉It's been a while since I last posted an entire chapter here, sorry about that

👉The friend that helps me edit my drafts told me she wanted to see more of how Lorrain feels, what she thinks, what's on her mind... sooo this is me trying.

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

The problems I have with HP's world building and the Wizarding World as a whole can be summed up perfectly with Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans. Sounds like a appropriately whimsical treat for a secret magical society. But, they beans flavoured like bodily fluids. We know there's ear wax and vomit flavoured beans, but I bet there are... other flavours.

And the question is, why? Why do that? Why sell something to children where there's a chance they might end up eating a bean that tastes and smells exactly like human shit.

Like, obviously, Rowling wrote it as a funny bit in a children's book that I doubt she expected people to dissect and nitpick over twenty years after she wrote it. But, in-universe, it shows that wizards just lack basic common sense. it's a wonder they made it to the 21st century without going extinct.

As weird as it sounds, I actually find the wizarding world fascinating in that it makes an eerie amount of sense: it's just not what JKR nor anyone else thinks it is/what it's supposed to be.

There's a larger post to be made but to me the wizarding world reeks of an extremely isolated and inbred society, complacent in their use of a technology they no longer understand and slowly forgetting aspects of that technology including the underlying fundamentals, neighbors to very different societies they feel threatened by for all they won't admit as much, and a society that has roots in western traditions but missed out on much of the Enlightenment/Post Enlightenment British history.

So, we see a world that's like Britain but... not...

The professors are there to teach, not go provide emotional guidance or emotional intervention of any kind with the students (read anti-bullying measures). There doesn't seem to be a child welfare or any kind of welfare system in place (orphans get a stipend to attend Hogwarts, but we see no mention of a wizarding orphanage/foster care system or money allotted to those like Ron Weasley who are poor but not Muggleborn). There are two historians ever mentioned and from what we see of Hogwarts a History it is not a modern western historical approach that's covered there. Everyone's extremely closely related and there are no actual positions beyond those a) made for yourself through entrepreneurship b) the ever bloated Ministry. They have no understanding of Muggles at all and those who claim to or wish to tend to be... grossly offensive is the only word I can think of.

It's a great satirical world of a decaying society and, most important, not quite one we'd be familiar with.

But this has nothing to do with your actual question (well, it does, but it's tangential).

To get back to the damned beans, from what we see, the wizarding world loves practical jokes and slapstick humor. Given they're wizards, serious injuries seem relatively easy to repair. If you start vomiting slugs all day, there's a potion for that. If you lose your bones, there's a potion for that. Blow off your hands, there's probably a potion for that.

What that means is that physical injuries in the wizarding world tend not to really matter. Unless you're using dark curses (see Bill's torn up face in HBP), you can probably get whatever it is fixed quickly. Which means that wizards find slapstick style practical jokes very funny.

Which gets us back to the candy.

The beans aren't alone, there are also the acid pops that actually burn through your tongue, blood pops that taste like blood, chocolate frogs which will jump away from you, ice mice that do... something I forget, but point being that we see wizards get very excited about the prospect of not only magic in their candies but some element of danger/just awfulness with it.

That's the exciting gamble of the beans. Sure, you might end up with a nice flavor, you might, but then you could end up with vomit or diarrhea flavored. When the latter happens, you can make a big show to your friends, "OH NO, I GOT THE VOMIT BEAN! OH HELLS, I GOT THE VOMIT BEAN! THIS IS THE WORST! I GOT THE VOMIT BEAN!" and everyone laughs at and with you over your terrible rotten luck over getting the vomit bean while Jimmy over there got strawberry.

It's kind of like a demented version of playing one of the first few editions of Mario Party: someone's going to be fucked over, that's just how the game goes, the delightful enjoyment of it is seeing who the loser is and lording it over them when you steal all their stars they eat the vomit bean.

Basically, you're kind of right about Bertie Botts Every Flavor Bean. They exist because it's funny, I just think the wizards find it funny too.

[elliebyrrdwrites]

The Heist pt. 8.5

After this, the job at the museum will take place! I'm so excited for that one because it helps the team learn how to work together before they move onto the big job. The night at the museum could possibly be more than one chapter's worth of a scene.

A Conversation Between Friends

“Theo,” Draco began as he settled into his favorite, comfortable chair.

“Yes, Draco?” Theo asked in a despondent kind of voice. He had laid himself out onto the sofa of Draco’s study with a hearty sigh and a glass of Fire Whiskey.

Draco crossed an ankle over his knee and began to pick through a bowl of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans.

“It’s come to my attention, that you may be in love with Hermione Granger.”

Theo spilled his drink as he sat bolt upright on the couch and looked at Draco with shock. “Me?”

Draco grinned as his best friend ran a hand over his now wet shirt with a scowl.

“You’re much too out of sorts over this date with Zabini.”

“Aren’t you? You practically made out with her hand today.” He shook his head, wild brown hair bouncing around.

Draco picked out, what appeared to be a roasted marshmallow flavored bean and popped it into his mouth. He grimaced. It was fried egg. “I think it’s obvious to a blind man that I find Granger incredibly attractive.”

“Yes, but—” Theo began, but Draco cut him off.

“As do you.”

Theo leaned back in the couch, completely disregarding the puddle of liquor, he leaned back and propped his elbow on the armrest of the leather sofa. “I don’t just find her moronically attractive.” Theo bit the tip of his thumb.

“Scourgify that, will you?” Draco frowned at his friend. “Moronically?”

“I have a tendency to act like a complete moron for her.” He pulled his thumb away and sneered over at Draco, but he pulled his wand out and quickly cleaned up the mess on the couch and himself.

“This complicates things.” Draco admitted.

“How so?”

“We can’t both pursue her.”

“Pursue her?” Theo asked a bit vehemently. “I’ve been her constant companion for over a year. If I pursue her again, she’ll be livid with me.”

Draco eyed him and plucked out another bean, chancing a bright yellow one, he was pleasantly surprised to find that it was lemon tart. “What happened in Amsterdam?”

Theo dropped his thumb and slumped into the couch. “I can’t tell you and you know that.”

“Yes, but why?”

“We made a pact.”

Draco watched as his friend began to fidget in his seat, occasionally eyeing the old clock over the fireplace. He ate a cherry-chocolate bean, a boogie flavored one and a simple chocolate bean before he spoke again.

“When did you sleep with her, then?”

Theo laughed. “There is no proof of us ever having sex.”

Draco nodded, thoughtfully. There seemed to be some debate over a kiss, as well.

“Do you love her?” He finally asked Theo.

Theo sighed and ran a hand over his face before digging his fingers into his hair. “I don’t know. I wish I had asked Granger out on that date before I dated Pansy.” He said it in a voice that neared a whisper.

“But you didn’t.”

Theo shook his head, his red-rimmed eyes staring into the fire. “But I didn’t.” He looked over at Draco and sniffed. “Granger is the perfect woman and I’ll be jealous of anyone who manages to get her to settle down.”

“What do you mean?”

“Granger doesn’t do serious.”

“She doesn’t?” Draco frowned at this.

Theo shook his head. “I think it’s one of the reasons we didn’t attempt anything after the first date. I’m a serious kind of guy, as you know. She seems to despise men who want to tie her down. She is too committed to this,” He waved his hand between the two of them. “Whatever we’re doing.”

“But you’re doing it with her. You literally took her on a job for your first date.” Draco chuckled when Theo grinned.

“I know. And it was lovely. Watching her work is...” he shook his head, wiping the doe-eyed look off his face. “Pansy left me because of this.” He reminds Draco with a wave between the two of them again.

“We haven’t worked together in over a year.” Draco points out as he finds a bright orange bean. Tangerine.

“That’s because I found Granger.” Theo shrugged and refilled his glass with more whiskey.

“You left me for Granger, you mean.” Which wasn’t entirely true.

When Theo had been dumped over the last job they did together, Draco retreated back into the proper societal life that was expected of him. Auditing those who also played into societies' designated roles.

But Theo was correct when he approached him with his offer last week. Draco was bored. He hated the constraints of a life that society dictated. It was the same as being under the rule of his parents all over again.

And Draco decided, that day at the Italian café with Theo, that he was much too old and tired for all of that.

“I was wooed away from you. There is a difference.” Theo took a sip and sighed loudly. “She fancies you, by the way.”

Draco nodded. “I think so.” He looked at his best friend and smirked. He hadn’t expected to ever see Granger again and he certainly didn’t expect to become so charmed by her. “But she’s quite smitten with you, isn’t she?”

“You know, I wouldn’t have thought so but after today...” Theo trailed off and took a long drink.

“She nearly hexed Tori.” Draco laughed with a shake of his head.

“For us.”

The two men chuckled and sat in relative silence for a few moments.

Draco continued to pick through the beans and looked over at the old grandfather clock. It was nearly ten at night. Granger would be done with her date by now.

Theo tossed the remaining drops of whiskey and coughed as it burned the back of his throat.

“How do you think everything will go tomorrow night?” Theo asked, dully.

Draco shrugged. “I think it will go well.” He shuffled through the mix until he found another bright orange bean and began to collect them all into the palm of his hand.

“You don’t think she fancies Zabini, do you?”

“Do you think she fancies McLaggen?”

Theo gagged, causing Draco to laugh.

“No, she just works with him from time to time. Zabini?”

“No,” Draco sat back and shook his hand around, watching the orange beans bounce about. “I think she is just that committed to taking down Flamel.”

Theo smirked at that, the idea causing him joy. “She is a wicked little thing, isn’t she?”

“She’s lovely.” Draco agreed and tossed the mouthful of Tangerine flavored beans into his mouth.

[jupiterpp]

CHAPTER SIX: ESURIENT| 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐄𝐝𝐠𝐞. -𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

important note; This is the first time I'm posting my stories on Tumblr. My mother tongue is not English so expect grammatical errors ahead.

word count: 1.3k words

MASTERLIST | CHAPTERS

FIRST-PERSON POV

Hogsmeade was buzzing today, with Christmas lights flashing all around as Elara and I took a stroll. The guys were off doing their thing, except for Augustus so and decided to join Elara and I. Christmas break was just around the corner and I couldn't wait to go back home for Christmas.

We headed inside Honeydukes, the air was filled with the sweet aroma of candy and chocolate. We browsed through shelves stacked with all sorts of magical treats, from Chocolate Frogs to Exploding Bonbons.

Elara's eyes lit up as she spotted her favorite flavor of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. "I dare you to try the black pepper one," she teased, holding out a handful.

"Do you now? No, I don't think so," I chuckled, rolling my eyes at Elara's mischievous grin. Instead of risking a potentially spicy disaster, I opted for a safer choice and grabbed a chocolate frog, placing it on the counter with a satisfied grin.

As the cashier rang up our purchases, the cheerful jingle of the register provided a comforting background noise, momentarily distracting me from the tension that seemed to linger in the air. But just as I reached for my purse to pay, a sudden familiar voice of Lestrange fell over the bustling shop. 

I peered over my shoulder and saw Riddle's group of friends. But their leader wasn't with them this time. As I stood at the counter, trying to maintain an air of nonchalance despite the presence of Riddle's group, I couldn't help but feel a knot of tension tightening in my stomach. Elara's gasp beside me only served to heighten my unease, her reaction mirroring my own apprehension. 

I focused my attention on the cashier, determined to complete my purchase as quickly as possible and escape the uncomfortable atmosphere that seemed to permeate the shop. Elara and Augustus completed their transactions, their expressions tight with unease as they too tried to ignore the presence of Riddle's group.

I offered them a reassuring smile, silently urging them to stay calm as we made our way out of the store.

I could hear Lestrange's faint whisper, sharp and menacing, as he leaned in close to a guy who looked scared shitless. The poor fellow was nodding rapidly in response to whatever threat or command Lestrange was issuing.

With an arm draped around the guy's shoulder and a forced smile plastered on his face, Lestrange was clearly trying to act cool, blending into the bustling shop without drawing unwanted attention.

Elara noticed my diverted attention and followed my gaze. She frowned, her eyes narrowing in concern. "Let's get out of here," she murmured, nudging me gently. As we stepped out of Honeydukes and back onto the festive streets of Hogsmeade, the cold air hit my face as I turned to Elara and Augustus, their concerned expressions mirroring my own thoughts.

"Merlin, the air inside when they arrived was suffocating," said Augustus, his voice low but tense. "What are they even doing in there?"

"I don't know," I said, glancing back at the shop. "But it looked like Lestrange was threatening that boy. Did you see how frightened he was?"

"He looks like he was about to piss his pants." Said Augustus, shaking his head.

I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the unease. "I'm going to head over to Tomes and Scrolls. I've been meaning to pick up a few new books."

"Okay," said Elara, giving me a pat on the shoulder. "We'll catch up with you later."

Tomes and Scrolls was just around the corner, a quaint little bookstore that always felt like a sanctuary. I pushed open the heavy wooden door, a small bell tinkling to announce my arrival. The warmth inside was inviting, but the air was thick with the scent of old paper and leather, a comforting blend that immediately began to soothe my nerves.

I wandered through the narrow aisles, running my fingers along the spines of the books. Ancient texts on magical theory, potions, and spells lined the shelves. I grabbed the book that caught my interest only to be held by a force on the other side. 

I narrowed my eyes and tried to pull the book away but the other did the same. The other person eventually gave up and released the hold of the book causing me to stumble back lightly. My eyes caught his brown familiar ones who looked like he was about to rip off my soul from my body. 

 "I got the book first. Give it back, Delacroix." said Riddle with a sneer. For a moment, I felt frozen in place, his intense stare holding me captive. But the fire of defiance began to burn within me, fueled by a stubborn determination to stand my ground.

"I'm sorry, but I don't see your name on it," I retorted, trying to keep my voice steady despite the unease that coiled in the pit of my stomach.

Riddle's sneer deepened, his brown eyes narrowing with barely concealed contempt. "Do you really want to play this game, Delacroix? Trust me, you won't win."

I squared my shoulders, refusing to back down in the face of his intimidation tactics. "Why are you so mad? The book is mine fair and square." I shrugged, the previous feeling disappearing and I couldn't help but tease him.

Riddle's sneer deepened into a scowl, his expression darkening with anger. "You insolent little—"

"Is there a problem here?" The shopkeeper's voice cut through the tension, his presence commanding attention as he approached us. Crossing his arms over his chest, he glared at both me and Riddle, clearly unimpressed.

I offered the shopkeeper a nervous smile, feeling a wave of relief wash over me at his intervention. Quickly, I held out the book in my hands, hoping to diffuse the situation before it escalated further. "No problem at all," I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the unease that still lingered in the air. "I was just about to purchase this book."

The shopkeeper's eyes flicked to the book I was holding, and his eyebrows raised in recognition. He reached out to take it from me, his expression softening slightly as he examined the cover. But as he scanned the price tag, his demeanor shifted, his eyebrows furrowing in surprise.

"Are you sure you wish to purchase this? It's expensive because it's a rare first edition of Advanced Charms and Their Practical Applications. This particular copy is priced at 50 galleons," he explained his tone a mix of caution and concern.

"Fifty?" My eyes widened in shock. Even Riddle was shocked about it. I swallowed nervously, feeling the weight of Riddle's intense gaze on me. But I squared my shoulders, determined not to back down. "Yes, I'm sure," I replied, mustering up as much confidence as I could manage. "I'll take it."

Riddle's scowl deepened, his eyes flashing with irritation. "That's a ludicrous amount to spend on a book," he sneered, his voice dripping with disdain as I walked to follow the shopkeeper, Riddle stopping me.

"You're just envious," I shot back, my tone light and mocking. "Or perhaps you're just upset that someone else might actually outshine you in Charms."

"I was about to buy it." He glared at me but I remained unfazed. "And for your information, Delacroix," he continued, his voice dripping with contempt, "I have more important things to spend my money on than a showy book."

"Or perhaps you're just a bit short on galleons?"

"I—"

"Ahem." The shopkeeper cleared his throat, interrupting us. His expression was stern as he addressed us both. "If you both could please keep your voices down. We do have other customers." He pushed the now-wrapped book in front of me. I glanced at Riddle, whose eyes were blazing with rage. Savoring the moment, I took out my purse and handed the shopkeeper the required galleons. 

"Thank you," I said, my voice deliberately sweet before taking the book in my arms and looking at him who gave me a side glance. "Cheer up," I said with a smirk, enjoying the rare moment of having the upper hand. With that, I left the store, the bell above the door chiming softly as I stepped back into the bustling streets of Hogsmeade.

[nitewrighter]

While we're on the subject of Harry Potter fuckery, there's a memory that recently popped up for me.

So like... in 2001 the first Harry Potter movie was coming out, and like, even before the movie was in production there was actually a lot of Harry Potter merchandise--a lot more than pretty much any other kid's fiction you might find-- but the movie allowed the merch market to really explode with all of these promotional materials. Among them was Jelly Belly releasing Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. And like, you know anyone who read the book or saw the movies can tell you there was this running gag about "They mean every flavor! Some flavors are earwax or vomit or boogers!" And like, in the book, those flavors were supposed to be very rare and you had to be incredibly unlucky to get one--this was not the approach Jelly Belly took. Jelly Belly made a point of including earwax, vomit, grass, skunk spray, and booger flavors among the butterscotch and strawberry and green apple. Like any Jelly Belly box, they had the little flavor guide for the different beans, so you would actually know full well when you were biting into a nasty one. So being kids, and being as obsessed with Harry Potter as a 90's kid might be in 2001, we got our hands on a box.

So like, normally when you eat a jelly bean that's a flavor you don't like, you just go "Ugh, buttered popcorn" or "ugh, black licorice" and move on. This was not the case with Bertie Botts. After eliminating all of the reasonable flavors the consumption of the candy soon turned to a morbid ritual where we would dare each other to eat the nasty flavors. Grass wasn't so bad, but vomit and earwax would literally have you running to the bathroom to spit them out into the toilet.

I just remember my dad looking on with disturbance edging into mild horror as my brothers and cousins and I dared each other to eat the terrible beans and would promptly sprint to the bathroom to spit them out in the toilet and desperately try to wash the flavors from our mouths from the sink faucet. Despite being a teacher, and very passionate about kids reading, my dad never got into the Harry Potter craze ("He doesn't do anything, he just reacts to things happening to him" my dad would always say) and like, it got to the point where he said, "Why would they even put those flavors in there?"

And we were like "Dad, it's Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans."

And he's like, "Okay, but don't have to eat them if they're that bad."

And we were like "Ugh, Dad, you don't get it, it's Bertie Bott's Every Flavour beans and we're wizards."

I wrote recently on re-watching The Chamber of Secrets and being surprised at all the "sucks to your ass-mar" casual cruelty of the kids in that movie. And like looking back, it is crazy to see a younger version of yourself eating this nasty thing, and inflicting the nasty thing on your siblings and cousins just for the sake of feeling closer to a fictional world. I dunno, watching all the Kotaku article writers and streamers try to justify themselves for playing a game that has a super antisemitic plot and actively lines the pockets of a hateful transphobe, on some level I kind of feel what my dad felt... watching his kids eat vomit-flavored beans.

[wooahaeproductions]

A Matter of Taste

Chwe Vernon x Gender Neutral Reader

Genre: Fluff

Word count: 524

Warnings: mentions food, teasing, maybe a little suggestive?

Rating: PG-13

A/N: This one is for you Z! @kmgkmg I loved the concept you asked me to do and had fun coming up with this. Hope you enjoy! Also thanks Sammie @wonwooslibrary for making sure this didn’t suck 💕 ~Bee

-Part of The Kissing Booth drabbles

Vernon had a habit of trying unusual ice cream flavors. He also had a habit of kissing you right after, making you taste whatever odd flavor he’d had. It had been an ongoing thing for him to torture you, something he started doing a few months after your started dating.

Which is how you ended up being chased around the kitchen island after Vernon had eaten the ice cream he brought home from the store today. It was almost like doing a Bertie Botts Every Flavor jelly bean challenge. Did he eat something strange or a normal flavor?

You dashed around the island one way and Vernon was at a standstill on the other side with a toothy grin on his face, ready to run after you. The afternoon sun shone in the kitchen, making the room pleasantly warm after a long day and the shadows that were cast on Vernon’s face enhanced how handsome he was.

You stared at him almost in a standoff, trying to judge which way he was going to go next and you ran again. He followed after you and you let out a squeal as he nearly caught you. Round and round the kitchen island the two of you went, Vernon laughing the entire time and you squealing the whole way.

Starting to get tired and losing your breath after multiple loops around the large counter, he finally caught you in a back hug.“Hansol Vernon Chwe!” you whined and you could feel the rumble of Vernon chuckling at you once again against the small of your back. He pulled you around to face him, a look of amusement on his face. You would never admit it, but you went along with his antics just to see that exact look.

You cringed as he leaned forward to capture your lips in a kiss, expecting to taste something awful like Black Licorice. As he moved his mouth against yours, you realized he had eaten a more pleasant ice cream flavor: chocolate. You let him kiss you harder, this time enjoying the taste of him and what was left of the cold treat.

He broke away with a victorious grin and you couldn’t help but give his arm a light smack. “Vernon! Why did you let me think you ate a yucky flavor?” you chided.

“Because it’s much more fun to tease you,” Vernon responded, smiling broad enough that it made the corners of his eyes crinkle. You shook your head and your eyes met his, which were ironically colored the very same chocolate. It was your turn to kiss him now. You enjoyed the warmth of him, which was almost like a melted chocolate bar now.

You thought back to what people had said about him being a bit boring. Vernon wasn’t boring at all, it was more than he was a calm person. However with you he was sweet and a bit mischievous. “I love you,” you said, feeling the need to tell him at that particular moment. It was all a matter of taste and despite his affinity for weird ice cream choices, Vernon was certainly your taste.

©️wooahaeproductions

All works on this blog are protected under copyright. Do not repost, continue, or translate my works.

[rudnitskaia]

Hi, Heldig!

Can you please tell me what's popular at Mau's and her father's cafe? What's on the menu at their place? There's a cute chubby accountant there who really likes donuts :)

*blinks in puzzlement, being suddenly summoned to tumblr with a loud POOF* Huh? Someone rolled a natural 20?

Oh, hi, pumpkin! Tysm for the question (OMG you made a LackaOC??? Can’t wait to see them! ✨)

I don't want to make you sad, but Maura’s and Augusto’s eatery is small and their menu doesn’t have a huge range of positions. I can almost bet there were no donuts on the menu when they’ve just opened the eatery.

All due to the fact that there are only two workers: Augusto as the cook, and Mau as the waitress. All the other responsibilities, as cleaning, dishwashing, accounting and so forth, they share equally.

The menu, actually, is not a constant. The only thing that is always there is coffee and some basic chocolate bars that they just buy. Everything else varies depending on the seasonal supplies and Augusto’s mood & enthusiasm for the day. There can be some variations of fruitcakes, pies, sandwiches, pizza and salads, pasta of the week (they make it themselves) and soup of the day, ice cream (also handmade). Not all at once, just mainly you can see something like that on the menu for the day. The most popular thing is definitely their pasta in all its variations. Augusto is just too good at making it, so it is almost a crime not to order it.

And speaking of menus and crimes; God forbid a visitor asks Mau to cook them “something special”. She cooks well, but… it is always equal to picking a jelly bean from the Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans box. There’s always a chance to get something like infamous sugary pizza or salty coffee with basil. She likes… ugh… strange experiments sometimes. So even I can’t tell you what’ll be on the menu at the days when Augusto is under the weather or has some other business outside the eatery and Mau gets responsible for cookery.

Though after a while Mau can persuade her father to add donuts (and pancakes) to the menu or start to make them herself for some “special guests”. Especially if “the cute accountant” can help her to keep the books in order. She usually does the accounts herself, but hates it as such, so she would try her best to arrange that accounting-for-donuts barter. 😁

[captain-lessship]

Toffee Pt. 1: Hogwarts

Synopsis:

What goes best with Toffee?" "Chocolate." 

You had always been taught that sharing made people like you. That's why you shared the toffee your mother had made with the four boys that sat with you on the train to your future school. Little did you know that those boys would change your life: For better and worse.

You ran to the wall, Eyes closed tightly. You wondered if the man in the funny hat and odd scarf had told you the truth. You didn't crash. Wait! You didn't crash into the substantial brick wall. You flung open your eyes to see trolleys with luggage, cages with owls, kids running up and down the platform, and most importantly: The most majestic train you'd ever seen. In flaked gold letters it read 'Hogwarts Express', the man hadn't lied to you. You hurried up to the train and then to the tall, lanky brunette boy who was helping children about your age heave their trunks into the luggage car. You smiled at him. 

"Are you a Hogwarts student?" you asked.

"Yes, I'm a sixth year. You are a first year?" 

"Yeah!" 

"Well," he picked up your tunk and stacked it on the growing pile, "I would go find an empty place to sit before they all fill up."

He helped you up and you walked through the train cars looking for an empty or mostly empty car; You saw one and dove in. You put your stuff up into the overhead hanger when you heard a small voice, almost mouse-like. You turned to see a blonde boy, nervously rubbing his hands. 

"Oh, I'm sorry. Are you saving this space for someone?" 

"No." he shyly answered. You smiled. 

"What's your name?" 

"Peter. Peter Pettigrew."

"That's a nice name!" you told him yours and you slowly began talking when you heard a thud. Two boys slammed into the car. They were laughing and being rather rude not acknowledging you and Peter. You scowled lightly but you promised your mother you would have manners. 

"Ugh I hate that guy already! and the girl was kind of annoying too-Oh!" the slightly taller one said when he turned to see you and the nervous boy. 

"Sorry." The one with glasses said. 

They shared an awkward look so you decided to speak up. 

' You can sit here if you'd like, we don't care, do we, Peter?" He shook his head yes. The two boys finished stuffing their stuff and sat down.

"What're your names?" 

"James Potter." the one with glasses said.

"Sirius Black." the other followed. 

You were surprised, "You two almost seem like brothers, are you related? Cousins maybe?"

"I don't think so." 

You were about to speak up when the train jerked forward and the whistle blew. 

"Off to Hogwarts!" Sirius yelled, making Peter slightly jump. 

"Well esteemed wizards and witch, I think we should celebrate!" James pulled an odd box from his jacket, he opened it, and pulled a few jelly beans out. 

"Ooh!" Peter said, reaching for the caramel-y color one. He popped it in his mouth and began chewing; the other two boys looked at him with expecting looks. Peter softly smiled. "Creampuff." You noticed the look of relief on Sirius's and James's faces. You were confused. 

"What flavors are there?"

The three boys looked at you with equal looks of confusion. "Have you never had Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans?" 

You froze, "Yeah no." 

"Have you been living under a rock?!" Sirius said, flinging his hands up. 

"No, I just."

Peter, with a much softer voice, spoke "Muggle-born?" 

"Yea." 

The boys looked at each other and left out an 'Ah' in unison. You frowned slightly, "Does this mean we can't be friends."

"No no!" James started, "It just means that we get to witness your first taste of wizard candy! Which is exciting!" He dug in the box and pulled out a red jelly bean and handed it to you. You, not wanting to seem like a loser, put it in your mouth and started chewing as Peter did. You gagged and began fanning your mouth.

"I think it's hot sauce!" you screeched. It wasn't that you disliked hot sauce but by itself? It was foul and it burned. 

Sirius handed you a bottle of pink liquid, and you hesitated, "Is it going to turn me into a... flamingo?"

"No, it's just strawberry soda." he said, giggling at you. You chugged it, the burn in your mouth slowly going away. 

You handed him the empty bottle and began laughing along. It must've been kinda funny to see you act like that. You heard a voice from the doorway, you looked to see another boy, You stood up and opened the door. 

"Hey, Um, Can I sit with you guys? I was sitting alone and I heard you all laughing and it sounded... fun?" He shyly said. You looked at him, he had a few scars on his face but he had really kind eyes that looked sort of like honeyed tea. You liked honey tea and that's why you let him in the compartment. You scooted over to the window so he could sit between you and James.

It was an hour or so later and the compartment had calmed down. Peter was reading a book, Sirius had his legs propped up on Peter's lap and James was playing with his wand.

You quietly looked at the boy who was picking at the skin on his fingernails. You couldn't stop looking at him, he just looked so cool. You jumped when his eyes met yours. He opened his mouth to say something but you interrupted. 

"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to stare." you said quietly as if that would make it better. He smiled.

"No, I was just going to say thank you."

Somehow that made it worse, you felt your cheeks turning red out of embarrassment. "O-oh. You're welcome! I never asked your name?"

"Remus." He said you told him yours in response and he reached into his pocket, he pulled out a single chocolate bar. 

"That isn't going to explode or anything? Right?"

He grinned, "Not all sweets are dangerous. It's just chocolate." he broke you off a piece and handed it to you 

You smiled back and dug in your pocket and pulled out a small bag, you opened it and handed him a small square of yours. He looked at it, confusion growing. 

"It's toffee."

"Oh!"

"What goes best with toffee?" 

"Chocolate."

You were spriting it through the hall, blowing by so many students and ghosts as you took a hard left and ran to the library. Only once you got to the door did you stop to breathe. You had requested a book and you had received an owl that it was returned to the library; You walked to the front desk and calmly asked where you could find it. After the librarian told you what section it was in you quickly walked to it, just as you lifted your hand to grab the book, another and lifted. You looked at who it was and you saw a shorter, red-haired girl. 

She looked back at you, looking you up and down. "I know you." 

"You do?" You've never seen this girl, at least you thought you didn't but she looked kinda...

"You hang out with James Potter and his friends that bully Severus." 

Oh shit. 

"Oh, yea... You're Lilian, right?"

"Lily." 

"Oh sorry. Well, do you need that book?"

"No, I was just going to pick it up for some reading. Do you need it?" 

"Yeah, I wanted to add some more notes to my transfiguration notes. You know, can't be too prepared." 

She smiled at you, "You're a lot nicer than your friends." 

"Oh I have my moments but thank you."

"Could you ask them to lay off Severus? They think they are funny but they are just being mean."

"I make no promises but I will try my best." 

"Thank you and here's your book." 

You smiled as she walked away. She was kind of right. 

You were walking back to your common room when you bumped into someone. You dropped your book and yelped slightly. 

"Oh I am so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going!" You stammered as you stooped down to pick up your book. You stood back up to see the boy you'd just been talking about: Severus Snape. You smiled at him.

"I wasn't watching where I was going either." He said, looking down. 

You softly sighed, "Well, I will be heading off. Oh! and remember, we got potions homework." you said as you walked down the hall. 

Before you knew it, you were already packing up to return home. It was bittersweet. Your parents hadn't written you a lot of letters since they were mildly scared of the owls as your mother had read somewhere that they rip their prey apart with their claws and she had a thing about dead animals. You flicked your wand and your books began to float into the last trunk, you then swiped it and saw as your luggage and loose books shrunk. You scooped them up and put them in your tote you had gotten from Sirius during Christmas. You smiled as you thought back to opening gifts with them in the Great Hall: Peter and James were having a pumpkin juice chugging contest, Sirius was trying to unwrap the gits perfectly and you and Remus were playing a calm game of wizards chess.

"That was a dick move." he said as your bishop swiped his last knight off the board. 

"That's wizards chess," you said smugly.

You smiled, even more, when you picked up the picture from your nightstand; it was from that Christmas and it was moving, you loved magic. James and Sirius were lifting Peter, you lifted your leg up as Remus crouched to the ground and threw up a peace sign; you all were laughing and you could watch the image twirl and move for hours but you didn't have them. You put it in the tote bag and walked out of your dorm, taking one last look at the dorm. You all had promised to write to each other and you had invited them to come to visit you after you made sure it was okay with your parents. You sighed as you closed the door. Til next year.

You smiled as you walked calmly through the brick wall this time. You sighed happily as you felt the steam of the train fill the area, you looked at it, still amazed by it. You heaved your trunk into the luggage car, helping a few other kids do theirs. Suddenly you felt an arm loop around your waist, lift you up, and spin you. You laughed as you knew who it exactly was: Sirius Black.

"Sirius!" you laughed as you flung your arms around him and hugged him. "You look great! Did the flea and tick shampoo help?"

"Surprisingly, yes. And you look absolutely lovely." Anyone else would have thought you two were lovers but you would literally throw up if he asked you out and he would rather swan dive off the Astronomy tower. You loved each other, but exclusively platonically. You had eyes elsewhere. You walked with him til you saw a familiar pair of socks.

"Lookie Lookie, James and...Lily! Oh my god!" you ran to her and she stood up and grabbed your hands. You two started rambling about Elton John and the Revlon magazine you'd sent her last week. You and her had become best friends and you would stay up on the phone until there were marks on your fingers from twirling the phone chord. As you and Lily talked each other's ears off, Sirius had put your bag up for you and sat on the opposite bench opposite of James and Peter had found his way to the car from yours and Lily's high-pitched squeals. You stopped when you heard a voice. You whirled around and there he was! Remus Lupin! You jerked him in the car and you let him have it.

“You literally didn't write me back and I was tempted to track you down and throw rocks through your damn window," you said, making swift motions with your hands. “I will do it!”

"I missed you too." He said, making you stop in your tracks.

"I missed you and next summer, write me back or I will be under your bed when you go to sleep and that is a damn threat."

Your friends were chuckling; you and Remus playfully argued like this all the time. You pulled him down to sit with you and Sirius, who was digging in his bag. "I brought a little deja vu with me." The black haired boy pulled out a box of these infamous Jelly Beans. You could almost feel your mouth tingle.

"Who wants one?" he asked. Of course, Peter reached for some. He, Remus and Lily always had the better luck out of the six of you. The worst flavour Peter had gotten was raw flour, Remus hated liquorice and Lily's worst flavour was cheese which wouldn't have been the worst but she is lactose intolerant and even the taste of dairy products makes her gag. Yours was shoe polish, James ate a spoiled milk-flavoured one and turned an odd shade of green, Sirius had once gotten shampoo and you all made jokes about how his mouth needed it.

You shook your head no as you reached into your pocket and pulled out toffee pieces and handed them to Remus. '"Don't think I've forgotten."

He took them and handed you a small box of chocolate. Every year, you exchanged toffee and chocolate in memory of the first time you met. This time, it was Remus that was staring at you. You had such a pretty smile, a beautiful laugh and enchanting eyes that seemed to sparkle when you started talking about what you did over the summer. You grabbed your wand from your pocket and took out a lipstick. "Lily, Check this out. I may have doomed the lipstick economy. Colorvaria" You lifted your wand and flicked it. The red colour changed to pale pink, you said it again and it turned a plum shade. 

Everyone was pleasantly surprised at this, lily reached for the lipstick and pulled out a compact mirror and put it on. “Is it my color?” 

“Yeah!” You started rambling about how with Lily’s complexion it was perfect. Remus continued to stare at you, James, Sirius and Peter noticed. 

“Hey Remus, what’s got you all smiley?” 

Remus looked at his friends with a shocked look, “Just excited for Hogwarts.” He stammered out. They picked up on it. They knew. He knew that they knew. God damnit.

Pretty soon the compartment had fallen quiet. Peter was gently snoring as he laid head up against the window, James and Lily were holding hands as Lily was using her free one to do a crossword, making her requests for words the only peaceful noise besides the train clanging and whispers of other people in other carts. Sirius had put his legs, that were too long for the rest of his body over you and he was making an god awful choking sound as he slept.

Despite this, sleep was clouding your eyes. You were side eyeing the book Remus was reading, it wasn’t a text book, it was poetry. 

“Rem, could you read one out loud?” You softly asked, not trying to disturb the others, like Sirius wasn’t. He looked at you, he hadn’t noticed you reading along.

He cleared his throat as he tired the page, slowly and softly began reading “When your kiss hovers on my lips, and each of my nerves trembles, when your cheek lies hot on my cheek, and your breast clings to mine,” He stopped when he realized the subject matter. He looked to you and saw your head bobbing in sleep. He looked to James, who gave him a thumbs up and made a motion for him to move your head. Remus, although terribly confused, gently pushed your head to his shoulder. 

James looked at Lily and smiled. They had a new job; getting the two of you together and they were already making progress. Remus looked out the window before shutting his book and gently plopping it down in his bag, he laid his head back against the wall and began trying to fall asleep.

You were walking through the hall, re-reading the chapter you had just gone over in Advanced Charms. Your N.E.W.T classes were a lot harder than you’d expected. You knew you could do it though because the more you read it, the more it began to click. You heard two familiar laughs which made you look up and you were not disappointed. James Potter was walking down the hall and Cousin It was right beside him, holding on to his arm. You stifled a laugh and asked what had happened.

“Well now we know that if we ever need help with potions, Sirius could help.” James said, trying to push some hair out of Sirius’s face.

“I bet it was Snivilius. It wasn’t my fault I got shoved in that class with him.”

You scoffed, “Maybe it wasn’t him and what were you trying to brew anyways?”

“Alihosty something.”

James shook his head, “It was supposed to cause spontaneous laughter, but it gave him spontaneous hair extensions.”

Sirius flung his head back, “How am I supposed to impress the cuties when I look like a fuzzy Christmas tree? It’s a crime against humanity… those poor lads and ladies. They will go through Sirius withdrawal!”

“Okay Okay, Drama King.” You pulled out your wand, “If you end up totally bald, my bad. Calvirio.” You said swishing your wand in a zigzag. The hair seemed to retract back into his face and body til he had slightly shorter hair than before, no stubble that he had been trying to grow out and part of right his eye brow was rather thin but it was a definite improvement. You put your wand back in your pocket as Sirius as he ran to a mirror.

“No! Dave!” Sirius yelled as he slumped down the wall, fake crying.

“Dave?”

“He named his ‘beard’” James said, doing air quotes. 

“Ah…” You sighed.

“Where were you going?” James asked, “Me, Sirius, Peter and Remus got a free period though, it isn’t really free.” 

You laughed, any spare time was spent studying and practicing for your classes. “Well, Remus had promised to study with me in the library. So that’s where I was heading until I ran into you and swamp thing.” You smiled pointing at Sirius, who was really try to see if one eye brow was thinner.

“Oh? Well, I guess we’ll let you head on.” He said, walking to Sirius and grabbing him by the cloak hood. You playfully rolled your eyes and sighed as you walked off to the library.

After you were out of sight, James shoved Sirius in a closet and turned to him.

“Alright, we all know Remus has a thing for her, right?”

“Right?”

“So…” James started hoping Sirius would catch on. Sirius looked at him, few thoughts being thinked behind his eyes. “Oh my god… is there a word for a male bimbo?” James sighed. “We, Me, Peter and you, help them to get together.”

“Why does Peter come before me?”

“What?”

“In the order you listed, Peter came before me. “

“You’re the most jealous man I know.”

“Other men?! James Potter!” Sirius joked. At that moment they heard their short blonde friend, whistling down the hall. They threw out their arms and jerked him into the small closet.

“Bloody hell! What is wrong with you two?” He shouted, grasping at his chest as if he had a heart attack.

“We need you in on this plan, Peter. So we all know who Remus likes and I am eighty percent sure she likes him too. They are perfect for each other and they need our help realizing it.” James stated.

“I mean yeah they obviously like each other but I really don’t know… shouldn’t we wait for them to come together on their own?”

Sirius scoffed, “James and Lily would have great-grand children by then. Somethings just need a shove in motion like that muggle science guy says about like gravy.”

“Gravity.” Peter corrected.

“Of this situation? Astronomical.” 

Peter opened his mouth to correct him again but James just held up his hand and shook his head, making Peter close his mouth.

“Well, first things first, we need out of here.” Sirius said, flinging open the door and promptly hitting someone in the face.

“Damn!” Remus yelped, grabbing his face, he looked up to yell at who ever came out of the but was very confused when he saw his friends. “Uh, hi guys.”

“Remi-Semi-Demi-Fi-Fo Fimmy! We got some ideas!” Sirius said, walking and looping his arm around Remus

“What are they and what happened to your eye brow?” 

Sirius whimpered and turned to James, “You said it wasn’t that bad.”

“Remus! You didn’t tell us you had a study date!”

He looked confused then he remembered, “Oh, well it is not a date. She and I are just studying and working on a… special assignment.”

“Kissing isn’t a special assignment.”

Remus whacked James across the head with a book, making him recoil, “We are not, have not and will not be kissing in the library.”

Peter piped up, “So you’ve done it other places.” Awarding himself a hit with the book as well.

Remus huffed, “Even if we did, it is not your all business!”

“She’s our friend and so are you. So it kind of is.” Sirius pointed out.

Remus scowled at Sirius, “What makes you all think I like her like that anyway?”

James threw up his hands, “I don’t know man. You carry her books, walk her to the Hufflepuff common room door, you always sit beside her and you always come so close to holding her hand. “

Sirius joined in, “Then there’s the matching necklaces, Honey Duke's outings, staring holes through her and you look so pissed when anyone that’s attractive talks to her.”

Peter was the last, “You only share food with her, you sometimes blow us off to go sit near her but not talk to her and you pretty much stalk her.”

They all had points, Remus sighed. He looked at his friends, “Listen, I like her, I like her a lot but we all know it won’t work.”

“Remus, she wouldn’t judge you. She’s very sweet and good-natured. If anything, she’ll find it unfair and she’d be sad for you.” Sirius said, rubbing Remus’s shoulder as the group began walking.

“I just- What if she doesn’t? What if she’s scared of me after?” 

“I don’t think that would happen.” Peter said, trying to comfort him.

“Do you all really think that?”

“Have we ever lied to you about something like this?” James asked.

“No. No, you all haven’t.”

James turned to walk backwards as he looked at his friend, “She’s your friend too. There’s nothing she won’t understand if you sit down and explain it to her.” 

Remus smiled, he was lucky to have such good friends but unlucky that they were so pushy he thought about you and he couldn’t help but smile. He really liked you and he couldn’t deny that you made him so happy. He often sang softer songs with you, he and you made a secret code, you had been in each other’s common rooms and you often took late-night walks up to the Astronomy Tower and stayed there for hours.

"Alright, what is the plan?" he asked, accepting defeat. 

James clapped his hands together, "Okay, so you and her are going to be in the library. We are going to be far enough away to where she can't see us, we will cast Muffilato so no one besides us can hear, in case it goes south. Then you are going to finesse her, get her to be your girlfriend and then Bam! Wedding bells in the future!"

Remus didn't think it was a good plan but it was better than what he could come up with in five minutes.

Sirius asked a question, "So what is the special assignment you and her are working on?" 

Remus grinned a mischievous grin, "Well, we all know the fear of being caught when we pull a prank, right? We have figured out a way to prevent that." 

The boys were intrigued, "What is it?" 

Remus looked around before speaking, "A map. It will tell us where everyone is, every minute of every day."

They smiled, "So it's like a prize for when we get the two of you together?" Peter said. 

"In a way." 

Remus rolled his eyes, "It isn't a carnival game."

Your quill was working away as you quietly read off some notes and ideas you were gathering from a book you had picked up on Transfiguration. You flipped the pages when you heard the door to your far left open, you hoped it was Remus as he was ten minutes late. You were right as you saw the boy look for you. You gently whistled to catch his attention. He saw you and rushed over and sat down. You smiled. 

"So what was keeping you?" 

"Oh just the boys." 

You snickered, "Did you see Sirius earlier?" 

"No? Why?" he asked, wondering why you were laughing. You went on to tell him about a muggle TV show you watched with your mother during October called the Addams Family and how Sisirus was giving a character called Cousin It a run for his money.

"It's a very interesting show because it is a sort of reversal of the Nuclear Family."

"The what?" 

"Oh, it's an idea from the fifties that was really solidified during The Cold War between Russia and The United States. It consists of a mother, a father, and two children. the mother stays a housewife and the father is the sole provider and income for the family. It isn't a bad thing but the obsession they had and still kinda have with it was weird."

"So you don't want a family?" Remus asked.

"Oh no, I want a family but I've always thought about a bigger one and two incomes will always be better than one." You said, changing the piece of parchment from under the quill, and you handed it to Remus. He wasn't paying attention as he thought about it.

"What is the ideal number? For you personally?" 

"Three. Three is the best number out there. Beginning, Middle, End. Everything has three parts to it." then you remembered the previous conversation and turned slightly red, "Well, even numbers are... Good." you internally cursed yourself for being this damn awkward.

He has started copying your notes, "Well... Have you thought about what you want to do in the future?"

You thought for a moment, "I would love to open a store in Diagon Alley." 

"What kind of store?" 

You grinned, "The Store Of Muggle Wonders." 

You talked about your time back at home as if it was a dream which is why Remus thought of the next question; "Do you get homesick?" 

You were slightly stunned, "I guess... I really miss my Mom. She's alone when I'm not there. Like she has friends and everything but she writes me and she tells me she misses me. She isn't trying to make me feel guilty but I end up feeling like it. Especially during fall, she would make apple cider and I could smell it from my bedroom and we'd have cider and scones." you went on a little longer talking about your life and Remus just listened. He was very good at that. 

"Well, It is almost Christmas, you'll get to see her." He comforted.

You smiled, "She is asking if... My friends would like to come and visit her. She's very curious about everything." 

Remus couldn't help a huge grin that spread across his face, you told your mother about him? Well him and the rest of the boys. "I would love to." 

You smiled as you lifted up the book and showed it to him, you began pointing out the incantations to Remus. You were a great study partner: You not only focused on what you struggled with but you made sure to point out and help the people you were studying with. You once had pestered the daylight out of Slugghorn for extra potions notes when you heard peter groan slightly at his homework. 

Speaking of Peter, He was currently peering out from behind a bookshelf as James lifted Sirius up onto the top of the bookshelf. Sirius, under the Invisibility cloak, slowly pulled out his wand to dim the exact light you two were under and get down, he then handed the cloak to James, who was finishing writing the guide for Remus. He slipped it on and gently walked to the table, put down the letter, and tapped Remus's foot to get him to notice it. Remus looked at you, you were ranting about how unclear the book was and how on earth did they expect you to understand this. He quicked reached to pick it up and open it. 

"One: Gently get her attention. Two: Compliment (Must Be genuine, girls know, man, they know.) Three: Look at her and smile. Four: Genuine compliment on something she has input in (i;e her nail polish (Have ever really seen her without it?) grades, specific interest or family) Five: As If single. Six: Ask if you can hold her hand or go for it. Seven: talk more while holding hands. Eight: When you get up to leave, offer to carry her things. Nine: Open the door for her. Ten: Gently lean in to kiss her."

It was a lot simpler in theory. There was still something eating at his mind. He interrupted you, "Do you know about werewolves?" 

"Yes?" 

"What you would do, if like, one of us was a werewolf?" 

You thought for a moment, "Well, I would be... I would feel scared for them. From what I've read and been told, almost all of them don't want to be werewolves. Werewolves are very discriminated against and the discrimination has put them in positions that make it harder for them to help their condition. It's a vicious cycle. Why do you ask?"

He felt his throat begin to close up around his words, he just looked at you until he saw it click behind your eyes. He waited for you to start screaming but that never happened. Instead, your hand went over to his and gently laid on top of his. He took your hand in his as he felt like he was about to cry. You were so kindhearted: he would have gotten it if you had accepted just him but you denounced the treatment of all. 

"Hey... There is something else. I get it if you don't feel the same way but I really lik-"

"I like you too!" you practically yelled. You slapped your hand over your mouth before turning a violent red. He started to chuckle, which made you playfully huff. "You are so so mean to me." 

"Only you."

You squeezed his hand tighter before checking your watch, "One last class. Are you ready?" You said, briefly. He shook his head before collecting his things.

"They are getting up! Do you think they are gonna do it?" Peter asked the two boys. They had made a piggyback tower to observe the two of you.

"I hope so, I wanna know what the geniuses have been cooking up." Sirius said.

James shushed them.

You walked to the door and you turned to tell him something when he put his hand on your face and gently pulled your face to his, planting a soft but long-awaited kiss. You smiled as he pulled back but were shocked when you heard three loud cheers. You jerked your head to see your three idiots beside a bookshelf. You turned to Remus, who was looking down, slightly ashamed. You grinned to yourself as you, grabbed him by the waist, spun him, and dramatically kissed him. You gently dropped him as you opened the door and walked out. Remus was laying on the floor, surprised and very happy. He sat up and looked to his friends. Your lipstick had smudged onto the side of his mouth and on his face.

You were now his only study buddy and the only person he'd accept notes from.

You felt a few tears roll down your cheeks as you sat in the great hall in your fancy robes. You looked to the far left and saw the entire student body of Gryffindor House to your left, you scanned for them, only seeing Sirius as you we supposed to stand by the last name and alphabetically. He was smiling so brightly, white teeth glowing almost. You sighed as you looked forward. Each house had chosen a person to speak as a representative and for Hufflepuff, it was you.

You clapped as the Ravenclaw boy finished his and turned to return to his seat. You heard your name called so you stood up as the applause came from the houses, more so Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. You smiled as you walked up to the podium.   "Today, we are leaving these halls as students. It's bittersweet since we are all excited and happy to have made it but sad to leave the place that has become our home. Home is where your heart is and my heart has never found a better place. I plan on being back as a Professor and I hope to see a few of you do the same." you looked and eventually saw James who gave you a thumbs up.

"Now, I know we all want to cheer and say our last goodbyes but I have a few people I would like to thank. First, I would like to thank my best friend, Lily Evans." She looked up and smiled as you looked at her. "She has been the dearest friend anyone could ask for. Gryffindor's house stands for several things and I see now why the Sorting Hat chose her: Her nerve. She will never let you down, she finds her purpose and she finds good in all she does and all she befriends.”

You smiled as a small round of applause rang for Lily. “Second, I would like to talk about a significant friend group who we all know. James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin. We have all had an encounter with them…”

You were outside, watching the snow when you heard a whoosh and felt a strong breeze that blew your hair and pages of your book. You huffed as you looked up to see James flying off in his broom. He looped around the tower and came back. He landed beside you, “Whatcha reading?” 

“It’s a book on herbology.”

He raised his eyebrow, “Didn’t you already pass that class like years ago?”

“I did."

His eye glowed under his snowflaked eyelashes, "Do you wanna take a spin?" he asked, hand extended. You sighed as you closed your book and put it in your tote bag. You knew he wasn't going to let it go if you didn't. He grabbed your hand, dragged you to his still-hovering broom, and helped you onto it. He sat in front of you and pushed off a little too fast for your liking. You let out a loud screech as he blew through the sky, quickly making the courtyard where you reading shrink in size. You began to laugh as he weaved in and out of the bridge columns and did terrifying tricks. James Potter was very wild but he was the purest embodiment of fun. 

You wiped off the flour from your face as you coughed. You looked down at the rat that had run into your apron pocket and grinned, "Well Pete... Now we know not to do that." you started laughing as you pulled him out and dusted him off before sitting him on the ground. Slowly he changed back into the short man you were used to.

"That was a fail," he said as he pulled out his wand to clean the mess. "You just had to use that muggle contraption." 

"You mean a hand mixer?" you said, looking at the turquoise mixer that was covered in flour and cocoa. You started laughing.

He looked at you, confused til he saw what you were laughing at. Tiny footprints in the flour were made before he ducked for cover. 

You pulled a bin to the counter before sweeping the flour into it. You and Peter were the most trusting, which led you both to some pain but when it was with each other, you both knew you'd be safe.

You held on to Sirius’s shirt with a shaky hand, you jumped at every noise, making you tighten your grip. You looked at Sirius, he didn’t seem scared as he held his lantern. You were completely terrified of the dark but you would never admit it but Sirius was clued in from how violently you were clutching to his sleeve. He stopped and looked at you. "Nothing in the dark isn't in there in the light." 

"It isn't about that."

You scowled at the boy who had gotten you dentition. He smiled as he looked around.

"It's rather peaceful if you just g-" he opened the lantern and blew out the light, making you yelp.

"Sirius-" he put his hand over your mouth

"Shh, just listen."

You pulled his hand off your face and looked around. Slowly you heard soft twinkling and buzzing. You saw dainty pink sparkles swirl around as Sirius grabbed your hand, leading you closer, quietly stepping. Eventually, the two of you came to what appeared to be a fairy dance party. You both gently sat down and watched them.

He looked at you, "I take back what I said, some things are not there in the light. But that doesn't mean they're bad." 

You were wadding in the cold water, focused on the plants when you heard your name, You looked at saw Remus waving and walking at you. You smiled and waved back. Remus came to find you to ask you a very important question.

"Hey Rem, what's up?" you asked as you bent to pick up a purplish plat that smelled awful. You walked to the edge where you had put your jars and grabbed one to put it in.

He just watched you for a minute before asking the question, "We... We've been together for two years."

"Yes, best two years ever... Why?" 

He walked closer to the bank and sat down, slowly taking off his shoes. "I just, I am wondering if you still... like me?" 

You sighed lightly, "Remus, If I didn't like you, I wouldn't have put up with you for two years." 

"Am I that bad?" he asked, lighter in his voice. He put his feet into the cold water before jerking them back lightly, the water was freezing, it felt as if the ice had barely thawed. "Damn, that's cold, how are you not frozen?"

"I got used to it and no, no you're not." you said dipping your hand back down into the water. 

He watched you feel around blindly for a moment til he asked another question, "What are we going to do after graduation?" 

"Well, I am going to study to be a professor like you said I should." 

"What are you going to teach? Herbology?" 

"No, No. This is a hobby. I was going to go for potion but the potions classroom gives me the creeps. Maybe I could do Muggle Studies." 

"You'd be perfect."

You laughed, "Pretty much an expert on it! What are you going to do?" 

He looked down, "I don't know... Options are limited for people like me." 

You frowned lightly, "Rem, I think you'd be a good professor. You said a few months ago that you would love to teach Defense Against The Dark Arts." 

"But-"

"There are few people good enough to teach and you are one. Please, at least try."

He looked up at you, "Fine. Though, way back when, you said something about opening a shop and that sounded lovely." 

You opened another jar to scoop up some mud, "Yeah. I thought about that too. A book store. We could sell books and coffees for the people that stayed to read their books."

"A Cafe Bookstore," he said looking out across the lake at the sun slowly dipping down over the mountains. "Together." 

"Forever." You stepped out of the lake and grabbed your shoes, you put them on. They were your lake shoes anyway. 

You looked down at him, "I love you." you said, without thinking.

He looked up at you, eyes glowing. "I love you more." he stood up and grabbed your jar-filled bag. 

"I love you most."

"Oh, I love you so much more than most."

It was a playful contest all the way up to the castle.

You were now walking in the train compartment, tears in your eyes. You and your friends talking in hushed whispers. It was supposed to be a happy day but there had been a terrible accident in James's hometown. You all knew there was a war, it weighed heavily on your minds but never had it been so close to one of your front doors.

"What should we do?" Lily asked, hand on James's shoulder.

"Obviously we join the fight," Sirius said, matter-of-factly.

"Are you sure it's a good idea? Aren't they close to stopping it anyway?" Peter said.

Sirius rolled his eyes, "How do you know that? Besides, we can't just... Ignore it."

Remus shook his head, "We should at least try to help. In any way that we can. We may not have to actually fight."

"I am not going to be a pathetic cowardly spy!" Sirius snapped. 

"It isn't about you!" Remus snapped back.

"Stop fighting the both of you," James said sternly. He looked at all his friends. "I say we join," he looked around and shut the door, "Think for a minute, they are expecting older wizards. We go and fight and they'll never suspect us."

"What about our families?" you said. You looked at them, "Don't they need us?" 

Sirius scoffed, "No."

James shook his head.

Peter just looked at the ground and fidgeted.

Remus looked at you, he knew what you really meant: You were scared of bringing your mother into this.

Lily had a similar fear. "She has a point. Though, I think it would be best to prevent it from getting to them by fighting."

Remus slipped his hand into yours. "Lily is right. Peter?"

Everyone looked at the short blonde, he sighed, "Alright."

Sirius slapped his hands together, "Let's go kick some ass!" 

[cosmic-occurrences]

The Halloween Prank

You've been so excited about being in the wizarding world that you barely noticed the month change and you only really processed that it was mid October when Crabbe and Goyle, who are usually at Malfoy's side, come up to you.

"You probably wouldn't know this..." Crabbe started, "Because you're... not from a wizarding family.."

"But Hogwarts students take Halloween very seriously, so you should probably wear a costume if you don't want to get laughed at." Goyle finished.

You thought it was quite kind of them to give you this heads up, maybe their quickly spread reputation wasn't all truth. You thanked them and started thinking of a costume immediately.

Days before Halloween, you still hadn't heard anyone discussing their costumes so you didn't mention anything either, everyone must want to surprise all their friends.

When it was finally Halloween, you had slept in too long and had to skip breakfast, but you didn't let that bother you until you walked into Professor Snape's classroom to see everyone dressed in their uniform robes.

"What is this, Mx. y/l/n? Do you find the uniform above you?" Snape said as you entered.

"No, sir. I just thought-"

"Clearly you didn't think hard enough. You will be missing the feast tonight, attending detention instead." Snape spat, "Now take your seat, and 10 points from y/h"

Through the whole class you could hear people snickering and whispering about you. Almost all but one person, Malfoy. Crabbe and Goyle were not looking as smug by the end of class.

You ran to change into your uniform for your next class, not wanting any more trouble.

After your worst Halloween possibly ever, you wake up the next morning hoping to pretend it never happened.

At breakfast, your owl comes flying through the window with a package attached. You open it curiously, having not been expecting anything. Inside you find a pumpkin basket filled with treats you've never heard of, most likely from the wizarding world. You read the note attached,

"I saw what happened yesterday and felt bad, so knowing you are muggle-born, I found out you do a thing called 'trick or treating'. I couldn't get my hands on any muggle sweets but trust me, these ones are really good (be careful with bertie botts every flavor beans, they do mean every flavour). Maybe next Halloween we can have a costume party in the Slytherin common room? - D.L.M "

You immediately look at Malfoy, who smiles at you, and you notice Crabbe and Goyle are not by his sides. You shake it off and give Malfoy a thankful smile before continuing your day.

Crabbe and Goyle had missed every class you were meant to have with Slytherin, did something happen to them?

[sallowsdiary]

So, here’s the latest on Leander Prewett: I’m starting to suspect he might be a bit fruity. And no, I don’t mean he’s fond of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans—although, let’s be honest, he did look quite pleased when he got the mango flavor. It’s more than that. Who even eats mango? It’s like he’s trying to win some kind of "Most Exotic Fruit" award. Which he definitely is.

The fellow is an enigma wrapped in a mystery and sprinkled with a hint of lavender, which, if you ask me, is a very specific choice of scent for a bloke whose idea of a good time is losing every game of Summoner's Court he plays.

I also overheard him talking about the new spring line of Quidditch robes he’s apparently obsessed with. I swear, he mentioned something about “chic” dragonhide boots. Chic? Dragonhide boots? This isn’t exactly the usual Gryffindor lingo.

And don’t get me started on the way he blushes every time he talks about his “muggle hobbies.” According to Ominis, he’s really into knitting. Knitting! I mean, I’m all for breaking stereotypes, but this is like a Hufflepuff’s wet dream.

It’s worth noting that I haven’t even mentioned the rather elaborate way he decorates his side of his dormitory. I had a peek when I snuck in to study with Garreth, and let me tell you, if his bed was any more floral, it would come with a “Do Not Disturb” sign for bees.

Finally, there was the incident in the library. I was perusing the latest issue of The Quibbler—a fine publication, if I do say so myself—when I overheard Leander in a hushed, enthusiastic conversation with a fourth-year about the “subtle nuances of wizarding fashion.” I’m still recovering from the shock of hearing “pearl-encrusted wand handles” mentioned with the same gravity as an Unforgivable.

Stay tuned for further developments. Or, better yet, if I see him around, perhaps I'll suggest an impromptu tea party. If he brings out the cucumber sandwiches, I think we’ll have our answer.

—S.S