#moonie-love puts on their thinking cap | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

literallywhyistaken · 3 years

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When Remus Lupin walked into his classroom, he immediately knew that they would not get that much work done today.

How?

Well first of the entire class had broken up into friendship groups and were all talking around a phone, and, Remus knew exactly why.

Dammit, Sirus.

He had specifically told him to wait until the year 10s hade done their exam. Though to be fair he had been waiting to release that video for a while now.

Given the fact that there was still 5 minutes until the start of class, Remus walked over to his desk and started to prepare his lesson for the day. He was just about done when his phone buzzed.

Pads💗💗💗 - heeey babe sorry about releasing the video early. I just felt like I couldn't wait any more u know?

- how are the students?

- are you mad?

- oh god you haven't replied you are so mad at me

- I'm sorryyyy

Remus silently chuckled at the sight of his clingy overthinking adorable boyfriend freaking out even though he sent all of those texts in a span of 10 seconds.

Sirius had released a video 5 hours earlier, titled coming out. In just 1 hour it had gotten over 5 thousand views. When Remus had woken up, (obviously since Padfoot was not next to him,) he had come out and seen him pacing around nervously in the lounge room. Sirius had been worried that everything was going to backfire, and as soon as he had seen Remus he immediately burst into a rather large and repetitive rant, that was only silenced when Remus had wrapped his arms around him.

After he had calmed down, Remus told him off for posting it earlier than they agreed, as multiple students in his history class he knew were definitely in love with his boyfriend. At times it was really disturbing, (like when Sirius posts a shirtless pic on Instagram, and they are usually taken by Remus.) but most of the girls, have learnt to keep it on the down-low. And he had not wanted Sirius to post before the test in one of his classes.

Remus took his phone in two hands and replied,

Moony💗🌑💗 - don't worry I'm not mad.

- maybe a little grumpy but not mad.

Pads💗💗💗 - got it I will have chocolate when you get home.

- how are the kids?

Moony💗🌑💗 - distracted. I think I'm going to have to postpone the test.

Just as Remus press send, a shrill bell ripped through the air, making everyone jump out of their skins. Whereas Remus just stayed still and texted goodbye to Sirius. After both going to school and teaching here, you get used to it.

"Ok class, I want phones away and everything off your desks except for a pen or pencil." Remus walked up and down the rows, handing out test sheets.

When he got to the back of the last row, he stood behind one specific student. Mindy Mor. She was currently giggling at her phone like a lovesick teenage girl. When Remus looked over her shoulder to see what she was looking at, he inwardly cringed. Mindy had screenshotted all of the shirtless pictures from Sirius Instagram and was currently zooming in on Remus's boyfriend's abs. Even though he would never admit it, he didn't blame her. He was very lucky.

"Phone Mindy," Remus demanded. He took her phone, and ignoring her grumbling, and placed a test in front of her.

"You can have this back at the end of the day."

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For the rest of the week, Remus kept hearing ridiculous rumours about the one and only, Sirus Black.

The day of the test Remus had come home to a ridiculously happy Sirius, as the majority of his subscribers had accepted him and even asked if he was dating anyone. And of course, he slipped up and said that yes indeed he dating someone, but did not give way who.

Since then Remus has heard nothing but rumours about who he could be dating. Some of them were quite funny actually. Such as Sirus dating fellow marauder, James Potter. (Remus had almost snorted at that one.)

When he informed James and Sirius about it, it sparked a long debate between the two on whether James could indeed 'score' Sirius. (Remus had to eventually drag Sirius out so that Harry could be put to bed and everyone could have dinner.)

However, it did have some downsides. Somehow, someone had found out that Sirius used to go to this school and that one of the teachers, Minerva McGonagall had taught him. Then that leads to them finding out that James, Sirus, Remus and Peter had all been best friends when they were at school. However, Remus managed to dodge the questions, by insisting that they were no longer in contact.

("no Mindy I cannot give you Sirus Blacks number so you can confess your undying love. I said no Mindy.")

Then Sirus released a new video titled: MARAUDERS BACK TOGETHER AGAIN

In it, it just had Sirius, James, and Peter catching and pretending that they hadn't seen each other since high school.

"Hey Moony why arent you going to be in the video again?" James questioned as Sirius set up the camera. James and Peter had gotten here an hour early accidentally. Now while Sirius was setting up, they were all sitting in the lounge room and the kitchen talking. Remus was sitting on the counter facing James, who was on the floor playing with Harry and Peter who was curled up in an armchair.

"If I'm in the video then I will get pestered with questions from my students," Remus answered. "And like half of the girls in 3 of my classes are absolutely in love with my boyfriend!" he said gesturing to Sirius.

James smirked, as Sirius turned around and walked into the kitchen.

"You jealous Moony?" James teased, resulting in a very colourful hand gesture thrown his way.

"Aww don't worry Re. I'm not going anywhere." Sirius said from behind Remus, pecking him on his temple.

"Oh come on guys get a room. Harry's here for god's sake!"

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The next day, Remus woke up with Sirius's arms wrapped around his waist. It appeared that they had both slept through the alarm due to them.........not getting much sleep.

In result to the extra sleep the couple had earned, Remus missed the first 5 minutes of his first lesson. And so he had to be dropped off, by Sirius.

Now it is a well-known fact that Sirius Black drives a Porsche 550 Spyder. Whatever that is. And of course all the students in the school new that Sirius rode that exact car, so that was a little bit of a problem when they rode up into the car park, and there were still kids in the playground.

Sirius, knowing his boyfriends need for privacy, was wearing a cap to cover his head.

However, being a Black comes with a flair for the dramatic. So before Remus had the chance to jump out of the car, Sirius grabbed his shoulder and pulled him in for a kiss. It was short but sweet.

When Sirius pulled away, he nodded towards the school building and said,

"You'd better get going. Love you!"

Remus smiled as he climbed out of the car.

"Love you too."

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Remus thought everything was ok. He had listened to all the conversations shooting around his classroom before the first break, and there was nothing about him.

When he went to enter the teacher's lounge, he was suddenly stopped right outside the door by two girls from the school newspaper.

"Hello, ladies... can I help you with something?" Remus asked hesitantly.

"Sir, you were late for school, yes?" One of them asked, who Remus remembered as Evie.

"Only five minutes," Remus replied.

"And you were dropped off by your boyfriend, right?" Evie pressed

"May I ask where this is going?" Remus said tying to cover up the fact that his heart had started to beat faster and his palms had started to sweat.

"Well the car that you drove here in is a Porsche 550 Spyder, and it is a well-known fact that you both knew Sirius Black and that Sirius Black drives a Porsche 550 Spyder. So I just wanted to ask Mr Lupin, are you dating Sirius Black?"

Remus hesitated.

"No. And I would appreciate it if you didn't ask me again."

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For the next two weeks, Remus kept getting asked question after question after question.

"Are you dating Sirius Black?"

"Do you still talk to Sirius Black?"

"Can you help me meet Sirius Black?"

And to make matters worse, one specifically creepy student had made an announcement at the start of one of his classes saying that even though their teacher had denied that he was dating Sirius, he had made a fanfiction about the two of them and posted it on Wattpad.

Remus had looked at it, and it already had 100K views.

Remus was tired. He was getting questioned every day at work, and all over social media. Everyone had noticed, and he knew that Sirius was worried, but he hadn't said anything yet.

It was Friday, two days before Sirus and Remus's 6th anniversary. Every year they do something big, whether it is with other people or together. Normally, Remus gets more excited as the day gets closer. However, now he was either stressing out about going back to school or staring into space. And Sirius was getting really worried.

Remus was sitting on the dining room table with both hands wrapped around a mug. Its winter at the moment so Remus has his usual. Earl Grey.

When Sirius gets home from James and Lily's house it Godric Hollow, he walks inside the apartment and sees him sitting there staring off into space. He immediately knows what he has to do. (Well not immediately, but if you ask he will just deny it.) Sirius dumps his bag on the kitchen counter and walks over and sits next to him.

"Re."

Remus's head shoots up and he blinks a couple of times like he's coming out of a daze.

"Hmmm"

"Ok, what's wrong. And don't say nothing, you know that I know when your lying.

Remus sighed and looked back down at the table.

"It's just that I'm getting constantly questioned at work, I mean even my colleagues, other teachers are asking me now!! Its just....a lot."

Sirius sighed. He hated seeing the love of his life so upset and being helpless.

He opened his mouth as so try and say something comforting when Remus blurted out,

"I want to tell people. And no not our friends, I am aware that they already know, I meant all your subscribes."

Sirius's mouth fell open. He had approached Remus on the topic of telling people multiple times both before and after he had come out to people on youtube. And every time Remus had turned him down.

A huge grin spread over Sirius's face and he slipped down on to the floor and crouched in front of Remus's chair.

"Really? You actually want your students to know? Are you sure?"

"I mean I think so. I don't think I could hold it any much longer anyway." Remus replied a sheepish grin growing on his face.

Sirius couldn't stop the smile growing bigger on his face matching Remus.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Then Sirius closed the gap between them and the world around them fell quiet.

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Sirius placed the camera on the cupboard in front of their bed and turned the camera on. He then turned around and moved all the photos of him and Remus out of the way.

"Hey Siri, you want some coffee?" Remus yelled from the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'd love some thanks, babe!" Sirius replied.

Sirius finished setting up the room and then started to walk out into the lounge room. After Remus had agreed to tell Sirius's fans that they were dating, they had both stayed up half the night trying to plan the perfect revel video. And then when they were getting ready for bed, Sirius had thought of the perfect idea.

Sirius was going to do a live QandA session. Even though Remus was convinced, that someone would ask whether they were dating, Sirius had insisted on a backup plan. So if no one asked 2 minutes into the live, then James, who would also be there, ("Why would you want to be there James??" "Because of the drama Moony. Why else??") would create a fake fan account and ask the question.

Sirius had thought about doing it the day after their anniversary, (as he knows how much of a romantic his boyfriend is.) but Remus wanted to do it on their anniversary.

I mean what would be more romantic than confessing your love for each other in front of thousands of people? And while most likely being recorded?

Sirius walked into the kitchen just as Remus was putting their tea and coffee down on the bench.

Sirius smiled as Remus put both milk and sugar into his coffee, (because you cannot convince me that no matter how hard he tries to be a badass that he is really a softie) and slid the mug across the bench.

Remus then turned back around smirking at him, walking towards the fridge for the milk."What's the time? When do you have to start the live?" Remus asked innocently pouring milk into his mug.

"Ummm" Sirius replied quickly checking his watch for the time." it's 3:28. I need to start the live at 3:30 and I should be out here at least by 4:00." He said as he glanced up at his boyfriend raising his coffee to his mouth to take a sip.

Remus stared at him blankly while Sirius glanced around the room wondering why Remus was looking at him like that. (he usually looked at him another way)

"It's 3:30!!! Get in there!! I'll start cooking and, I promise to attempt to not burn the kitchen down. I remember what happened last time." He added as Sirius opened his mouth to interject.

Sirius closed his mouth and smiled, nodding and turning back around to run into the pair's bedroom.

"Hey! I think you forgot something!" Remus cried out as soon he had left the room.

At the sound of his voice, Sirius poked his head back into the doorway with a curious expression on his face.

Keeping that expression on his face, he crept forward towards a visibly confused Remus. Then, he crept up next to him and pecked a kiss on his temple. And then, promptly, ran away.

Remus stood frozen for about 2 seconds before yelling back,

"No! Your coffee!"

"Merlin. No respect." He muttered.

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Sirius plunked himself down on the end of the couple's bed, leaning forward and switching the camera on.

He waited for a few seconds, letting people on first before saying,

"Hey, guys welcome to my live QandA and before anyone asks, no Prongs is not here today. He has decided to be a little shit and hang out with his kid. You guys remember Harry."

Sirius smiled at the thought of Harry, (and of course, insulting James.

He peered at the screen and smirked when he saw a comment from the man in question expressing his outrage for the name-calling.

Smiling he sat back again and spoke,

"Ok so I'm going to let you guys into the live one at a time to ask one question, (it's on Instagram) so start requesting!"

Sirius had had about 25 questions before he got to the one he was looking for. And he had been asked some odd questions to. One girl who came on the live was wearing such revelling clothes that she basically had a bikini on. And it gets worse.

Her question was whether or not he could take his shirt off. As soon as she had finished speaking, Padfoot heard a loud indignant and outraged cry coming from the kitchen. He turned his head towards the sound chuckling at Moonys antics.

"GOD FUCKING DAMMIT MINDY! KICK HER OF THE DAMM LIVE SIRIUS!!"

He was still smiling as he turned back around, but it vanished as soon as he saw the screen again. Immediately, like a reflex, he leaned forward and kicked her off the live. He could sense Remus's sigh of relief.

He then proceeded to make a speech about not doing that. Around 10 minutes after that a girl with glasses and a notepad came on who Sirius vaguely recognised as Evie from Hogwarts.

"Hi there kiddo, what's your question," Sirius asked almost dreading what was coming up.

"Hi Mr Black I was just wondering-"

"Oh no. No Mr, please. Makes me feel old. Just call me Sirius." He insisted holding a hand up to the camera.

"Oh ok." She replied looking a little bit surprised.

"Well my name is Evie Johnson, and I go to Hogwarts Secondary School. I believe that you went there as well. Oh no that's not my question"

She added as Sirius opened his mouth.

"And when you were there, according to my research, your group of friends was James Potter, Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin. Now as I'm sure you know Mr Lupin is a teacher at Hogwarts, a history teacher and rumours have been flowing around the school-"

"You want to know if Remus and I are dating," Sirius smirked.

"Well yes," Evie said looking a bit disgruntled at being interrupted. A giddy feeling erupted in Sirius's stomach as he answered,

"Well how about I show you. Then you can decide for yourself."

Sirius got up and walked out to the kitchen grabbing the camera as he went.

"Ok, Evie I'm going to disconnect you from the live that was a lovely question, I was honestly hoping for it. Ok! guys, my boyfriend is in the kitchen attempting to make dinner, ("last time he tried he almost burned down the kitchen and he definitely destroyed his eyebrows.") and I or we, I guess, are going to surprise him."

This next bit is from a viewers perspective.

Sirius placed the camera in front of the T.V and stuck his thumbs up at the camera before standing up and rubbing his hands together.

Behind him was the kitchen where a man in his early 30s was cooking with his back to the camera.

Oliver looked at the screen, and read the comments as Sirius prepared to walk over to the mystery man who was supposedly his idols boyfriend.

- oh my god i'm so jealous I wonder who it is

- I bet 50 pounds that its Mr Lupin

- OH MY GOD IM ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT JUST TELL US

Oliver of course had no idea who this Mr lupin was. He didn't go to Hogmarts Secondary School or whatever it was called. But he was still extremely curious to know.

The man turned around and walked to the front of the counter and turned to face the camera side-on, continuing to cook, seemingly not noticing Sirius and the camera.

As soon as the mystery man's face was revealed to the camera the live was flooded with comments such as:

- HOLY SHIT ITS MR LUPIN

- THAT'S MY HISTORY TEACHER IDIOTS

-OMG CALLED IT!

They were basically all along those lines. The man continued to cook, somehow oblivious to the chaotic live over here.

Sirius walked up behind the man and wrapped his arms around his waist. Immediately the man smiled and leaned back into Sirius.

Oliver had to admit they were quite cute.

Then Sirius leaned forward a little bit more and whispered something in his ear. The man, (supposedly Remus Lupin,) smiled and leaned into him more.

To Oliver, it looked like they were really in love, and if that really is Remus Lupin, then they would have been in love for a long time.

He glanced back down at the comments and saw that the theme of them hadn't changed. People were still expressing their shock.

Somehow.

When he looked back up at the couple he saw Sirius laughed at something that his boyfriend had said.

Remus then turned around and wrapped his arms around Sirius's neck, and Sirius wrapped his arms around his waist.

Sirius closed the distance between them and kissed him softly as Remus melted into the kiss. Remus arms tightened around Padfoots neck, and Sirius smiled into the kiss.

The theme of the comments had changed into both awwwww and ewwwww apparently some of Mr Lupins students don't really want to see him making out with his boyfriend.

Suddenly the screen went black and the live ended.

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Remus went back to work the next day feeling both nervous and excited. Excited, because for the first time since Sirius started his YouTube channel, he didn't have to hide who he was dating. (I mean he didn't usually tell them, but we all know Remus. He doesn't like lying.)

And nervous because, well I think that's obvious. He had gotten several emails from his students in multiple classes, plus they had also posted something to Google Classroom.

Remus had made sure to get to the school early to avoid any unwanted attention from students in the schoolyard. He walked straight through the school, into the classroom, only pausing to wave or say hello to specific teachers.

When he reached his room, he finished setting up the lesson and was writing the date on the board when a student came into the classroom. He didn't see who it was, they disappeared out of his view before he had a chance to see their face. He finished writing the date up and turned around saying

"Hello, welcome back. If you just take a seat the bell will be going soon-"

In front of his desk stood a stony-faced Mindy, with her posse behind her.

"Can I help you with something Ms More?"

"Yes, I believe you can sir." She replied. "Why didn't you tell us that you are dating Sirius Black??" She demanded, leaning slightly towards him accusatorially.

Remus raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Well given the fact that is my personal business I really didn't see the need," Remus replied calmly as he sat down on his desk.

"But sir that's not fair. I mean we have a right to know and not find out on some live video-"

"And why is my life and who I'm dating any concern of yours?" Remus said fiercely, cutting her off and standing back up and placing his hands on the desk looking down at the teen.

Mindy immediately backed of a flash of regret shooting across her face.

"Oh no sir I didn't mean it like that-"

"Really Mindy. Then I wonder how you meant because I don't see how else that could be taken."

Before Mindy could open her mouth to defend her self, Remus snapped out:

"Enough. Thats detention. Go sit down."

When Mindy opened her mouth to complain, Remus held up his finger as if saying wait for it, then suddenly the ear-splitting bell reverberated through the walls and Mindy shut her mouth and sat down.

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When he finally got his class to sit down and shut up, he started his lesson on the suffragette movement. (Because we all know that Remus is a massive feminist,) However halfway through, he noticed that the entire class was either talking or giggling at their computer screens. So, continuing to talk about the suffragettes, he walked up the side row, and stood behind one student who was staring at their laptop. Except they weren't staring at their laptop. they had their phone out, and were re-watching Sirius's live from Saturday.

Sighing, Remus leaned forward and snatched the phone out of the kids hands, saying on the way back to the front of the class,

"You can have this back later."

"Now," Remus announced as he leaned on the back of his desk facing the front of the class, "As it is very clear that none of you are focusing, you can all ask 15 questions."

No one moved, they just all stared at him blankly.

Remus sighed and then added, "personal questions allowed."

Exactly 15 hands shot up.

Surprised, Remus hesitated before choosing a girl in the second row named Jessie.

"Jessie." Remus said pointing at her to continue.

Putting her hand down she asked, "Sir, are you really dating Sirius Black?"

Remus breathed out a laugh, and replied with the words he never thought that he would say.

"Yes. I am."

#wolfstar #remus lupin #james & peter & remus & sirius #siriusxremus #sirius black

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maraudersftw · 4 years

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Here’s my little contribution to the Fem!Jily February fest being hosted by the marvelous @thejilyship this month! This one-shot revolves around the fairy tale theme. Enjoy!

First Light

“I can’t believe you brought her here, Prongs.”

“Shh, you’ll wake her.”

“Why don’t we take this outside? Let her rest for a bit.”

“Yes, thank you, Moony. She looks exhausted.”

There was half a beat of silence, and she sensed several sets of stares directed at her unmoving form even through her closed eyelids. She felt strangely exposed, knowing that the owners of the voices—two male, one female—were likely observing her ‘exhaustion’.

“I don’t care if she was dead on her feet! You should’ve been more careful. You see a pretty face and suddenly you’re thinking out of your arse. This is dangerous,” the first voice seethed, sounding thoroughly put out.

“Don’t be ridiculous; she’s just a girl.”

“She’s the princess!” a fourth voice squeaked—male again—and she forced herself to not twitch in alarm. Wherever she was, and she hadn’t a clue as to where, she was still known, still unable to escape her identity.

“Exactly! Wormtail’s right. If a princess is here, soon the entire royal army will follow.”

“So, what do you suggest then?” The female voice again—melodic, strong, annoyed. “I should’ve just left her to die in the middle of the forest? That we drop her back there right this instant?”

Silence fell again, deeper and longer. It seemed no one had an argument to counter the point.

She figured this was not the worst sort of group to have landed herself in. If they were hesitant to throw her to the wolves, they were at least a sight better than her sister. It didn’t matter that the wolves in the latter case had been metaphorical.

“Look, I think she’s waking,” said the fourth voice excitedly, and she realized she’d foolishly let a frown crease her forehead at the thought of Petunia. Even inside her head, her sister caused her trouble.

But there was nothing to it anymore; she pretended to blink her eyes open slowly, a dim glow from lit candles presenting to her a low wooden roof and old walls filled to the crevice with beautiful artwork—plants, ferns, flowers, patterns, and colors of every sort brightening up the space directly across from her.

Her fingers brushed over cool sheets as she sat up, the bed frame whining underneath her in protest. She noticed now that the drawings filled the entire room—save the roof and the floor—and was certain that she’d never seen such talent extracted from the tip of a paintbrush before.

Finally, unable to ignore the curious gazes directed at her any longer, she turned to the occupants in the small room.

There were indeed four of them as she’d guessed—three male and one female. They stood in pairs on either side of the bed. The one with the hardest stare had grey eyes and a mane of silky black hair. He was a handsome creature with a pale face and sharp features. But what really caught her eye was a familiar but rare band of glimmering black that twisted around his right forearm and disappeared under his clothing only to then peek out again over the skin of his neck.

Immediately, she rushed to examine the arms of the others—and sure enough, they each had a band of their own ingrained into their skin.

Her breath hitched in her throat. “You’re shapeshifters.”

If possible, the air in the room became thicker with tension at those words, uttered in the raspy, unused voice. A soft inhale from her left drew her attention to the female, and she blinked slowly, lips parting as she beheld the most entrancing creature she’d ever laid her eyes upon.

Her hair was a mass of dark, unruly strands that fell over her shoulders in thick waves. She knew Petunia would take to the tresses with a brush in hand as soon as she saw them. This meant that Lily inevitably found it wonderful. Large hazel eyes framed by thick lashes blinked at her, her own awe-struck expression mirrored back. The band on her arm was a blazing golden color.

“Your Highness,” said another voice, and she recognized it to belong to the one named ‘Moony’. He was thin—weakly, so—but his face was kind and smile gentle as he bowed his head slightly. Blue twirled around his arm elegantly. “We’re honored to have you here.”

At this, the grey-eyed one snorted in derision.

Blushing, she cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, but who are you? And—where am I?”

“I’m Remus Lupin,” he smiled at her, unbothered by the bitterness of one of his companions. “This is Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and Jamie Potter,” he introduced, pointing to each one in turn.

Her eyes stayed on the last person for a second too long before she turned back to Remus. “It’s good to meet you. I’m Lily Evans.”

A small smile. “We know.”

“And—are you—?”

“Yes.”

“But your kind—we were told you became extinct decades ago!”

“Evidently not,” grumbled Sirius. Then, without preamble, “what are you doing here?”

She bristled at the tone but held the bite in her voice. “Where is here exactly?”

“Just beyond the forests of Gryffindale,” answered Jamie, and Lily was glad to have an excuse to turn to her again. A quick smirk appeared on the woman’s face—the expression so well-suited it was almost alarming—while her elbow swiftly dug into Sirius’s side. “I found you there in the woods. Unconscious.”

A brief scuffle ensued between Potter and Black, but she let her mind wander, dragging up the memories that had been eluding her for the past few minutes. It all came back in vivid clarity: Petunia’s mandate as the Queen of Gryffindale that she be married to Prince Severus. Her vehement refusal. The banishment from the castle for disgracing the family name when she’d confessed that she couldn’t marry a man, any man.

And then the terror that had led her to the forest in the first place—Severus had taken the rejection a little too hard, firmly pressing his belief upon her that she could come to love him if she just tried, and until then his love would be enough for them both, and why wouldn’t she just listen? He’d make her see the truth even if it meant making her stay with him until she ‘came to her senses’.

That was precisely when she’d fled.

Unfortunately, she’d underestimated the dangers that had lurked within the forest—finally coming to understand why humans were forbidden to enter it. She remembered crossing paths with creatures of all sorts: an Acromantula twice her size that had put the pictures she’d seen of the monster to shame, Kappas lurking in small clearings of weed-riddled swamps, and then she’d finally been chased to exhaustion by a pair of Red Caps who’d wanted to beat her to death.

She didn’t remember having collapsed, but if Jamie was to be believed, she was glad to still have breath in her lungs.

“How did you find me?”

Jamie paused in her attempts of trying to pull Sirius into a headlock and turned to her again. Instantly, a practiced grin graced her lips, one hand raising to mess with her hair. “I was strolling around. You seemed like you needed help.”

“Strolling?” she raised her brows, unimpressed, “in the forbidden forest?”

“We do that sometimes,” Peter said, reminding her that there was a fourth person in the room.

Eyes trained on the brown imprinted on his arm, she shook her head. “I can’t believe you’re actually—are there more of you?”

“Not that we’re aware of,” Jamie said. A smirk again, “neither in kind nor in nature.”

“Why do you live here? Hidden beyond the woods?”

“Why shouldn’t we?” Sirius snapped, “our kind is considered ‘unnatural’ in your world. We step out there and we’ll be hunted immediately.”

She looked down, upset. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“Never mind that,” he waved her off, and she had the feeling that his anger was a fickle thing. “What I’m more interested in is what you’re doing here. And whether that spells danger for us.”

“I—I don’t know,” she sighed truthfully, “I was on the run from—someone, and the forest was the only place they wouldn’t follow me into. I didn’t even know creatures lived on the other side.”

“So…what?” Sirius gaped, “you just ran into that bloody forest knowing that you were probably going to end up dead anyway?”

“I didn’t have time to think at all if I’m being honest.”

The strangest thing happened then. At this careless narration of the most reckless thing she’d ever done in her entire life, Sirius Black grinned at her. Wide and bright and utterly mad. “Brilliant,” he said.

She wanted to roll her eyes, but fear was slowly creeping into her chest and burrowing comfortably again. “You don’t suppose they can cross the forest to come looking for me here, do you?”

A movement to her left. Jamie had moved closer to her side, hazel eyes boring into her with an inscrutable expression. “Not unless they want to die painfully. But the question is, do you want to go back?”

She exhaled, head pounding. Did she want to go back? Well, the answer to that was fairly simple. But she couldn’t see herself moving on with her life on this side of the forest without a care. Everything she’d ever known—everything she ever was—would be lost for all of eternity.

“I need to think.”

“Right, of course,” A nod from Remus. “You must be exhausted. We’ll leave you to rest for a bit.”

“You can freshen up if you want,” said Jamie, and she noticed how the woman’s fingers twitched as if to reach out. “I could lend you something clean to wear.”

Warmth bloomed in her chest, eyes falling to the shredded skirts of her dress, the dark stains. “I would be grateful, thank you.”

They filed out of the room then, Jamie almost knocking into Sirius in her haste to push past him.

She chuckled at the affronted ‘watch it, Prongs!’ and rose from the bed, meandering over to a bathroom across the narrow hall after asking for direction from Remus.

It was small, with little room to move around, but it was clean and smelled faintly of some plant—eucalyptus, perhaps. But it was the art—more of that beautiful, breathtaking art—that made her stare at the walls with her mouth agape. There were four animals that were recurrent throughout: A great black dog, a huge furry wolf, a large stag with antlers that touched the sky, and a nimble rat that she often found hidden in places least expected.

She had a fairly good idea of what—or who—they were meant to represent.

Feeling a little overwhelmed with the reality of her situation, she turned to the modest, round mirror above the sink.

Her thick red hair was matted over her head, limp-looking and crusted with dirt. There were smudges all over her face and a cut marred the skin near her right temple. There was no recollection as to how she’d gotten it. She grimaced at her reflection, hating the dryness of her lips, the sallowness of her skin.

Unbidden, the horrifying knowledge entered her mind that that was how she’d looked the first time Jamie had found her.

She groaned, embarrassed at the direction her thoughts were taking.

“Now, now, it’s not all that bad, dear.”

A scream was wrenched from her mouth—louder and more surprised than she would’ve expected. But Lily didn’t think she could be blamed. Because—because—had the mirror just tried to console her?!

Before she’d had a chance to gather her bearings or figure out whether she’d hallucinated the voice, there was a thundering sound from outside the bathroom. “Princess Lily?!” a panicked voice: Jamie's. “Are you okay?! I’m coming in!”

But she didn’t have to unlock the door. It was tugged open so effortlessly that she had to wonder whether she had locked it, to begin with. The thought was pushed from her head, however, when frazzled hazel eyes came into view. She noticed—at a rather inopportune moment—that Jamie stood a good few inches taller than her.

“What’s wrong? What happened?” And then light, gentle fingers were upon her person, turning her around, “are you hurt? I heard you scream.”

“I—”

“What an overreaction, young lady,” the mirror said again, and then proceeded to click its tongue, “screaming at another being is not good manners, you know.”

She sucked in a huge breath, wide green eyes swiveling to Jamie again. She reached out and gripped the woman’s arm in a deathly hold. “Did you hear that? Did you hear the mirror talking? Am I losing my mind?”

But she didn’t get an answer. Instead, Jamie’s entire face was swept over with relief, the stiffness of her limbs deflating into casualness under her very fingers. “Oh. The mirror. Bloody hell, you gave me a right scare.”

She couldn’t help her incredulity. “There is…a talking mirror in your bathroom and I gave you a right scare?”

“I would appreciate not being spoken about as if I’m not able to hear every word,” said the mirror disdainfully.

“Not now, Bertha,” Jamie scolded, as if there was ever a good time for such a complaint from an inanimate object—or what was supposed to be inanimate, at least. Lily suddenly found a simple green cotton dress being closed around her fingers. She looked up to find that Jamie’s stare had softened somewhat, an amused smile on her lips. “Here. Freshen up, and I’ll answer your questions honestly.”

She could hardly do anything but nod.

Right before Jamie stepped outside and closed the door behind her, she heard Sirius’s voice bark down the hall. “What the hell was that noise? Did someone die?!”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When she returned back to the room, decidedly cleaner and refreshed, Jamie was waiting for her, knee jostling violently with nervous energy. She seemed to have been muttering something under her breath, pulling on her chaotic strands and shaking her head quickly as if to clear it.

She all but sprang up from the bed when her eyes landed on Lily. “Hello.”

“Hello.”

“That dress suits you much better than it ever did me.”

She looked down at the fabric, fingers trailing softly over the cloth. It was a little loose around the shoulders and slightly tighter near the hips, but was more comfortable than anything she’d ever owned. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

Jamie shrugged, casually pulling her hair over her left shoulder in an attempt to seem unaffected. But Lily caught the pleased glow that had taken over her face. Hazel met green across the room. “Have you decided if you’re staying?”

“I haven’t,” she replied, “there are things I must know.”

“Then sit, and I will give you all the answers that I can.”

She moved towards the bed, walking around it so that she was closer to where Jamie stood. Behind the woman, a window revealed the first rays of the sun peeking over the forest canopy. She averted her eyes—fear from her recent adventures not erased yet—and found herself looking at a lily in full bloom.

“Who painted these walls?” she asked, “the art is all over the house, as far as I’ve seen.”

Jamie’s dark eyebrows raised, a smirk on her face. “That’s your first question?”

“It’s one I’m most curious about.”

“Do you like them?”

It was the opposite of an answer, but she hummed, stepping closer to the woman so that she’d see the sincerity in her eyes. “They’re the second most magnificent thing I’ve seen in my life.”

A sharp intake of breath. “What’s the first?”

“I was promised the truth,” she replied, feeling strangely clever as she sat down on the bed, heart fluttering madly, “I don’t remember offering any in return.”

Jamie grinned, quick and impressed. “Fair enough. What do you want to know?”

“I think I’ll start with the most obvious—why do you have a magic mirror in your house?”

“That mirror is not the only thing that’s magical here.”

She felt her mouth go dry. “But—but that’s impossible. Magic was wiped out centuries ago. It couldn’t possibly—”

“Couldn’t it?” Jamie interrupted, excitement buzzing around her very being. “You know what we are. You saw that mirror. Do you really still believe everything in the world is what you’ve been taught, princess?”

“Just call me Lily,” she said quickly, and Jamie smiled, “but then how does no one else know? Why is everyone on the other side of the forbidden forest ignorant to such breathtaking possibilities?”

“Not everyone,” Jamie answered slowly, lowering herself onto the bed so that she was facing Lily properly. Her eyes were depths of molten gold and held the promise of everything beautiful in the world. “There are some on the other side who—who know about us, whom we’ve placed our trust in. We get our news about Gryffindale, about the royal family, from them. It’s how we recognized you. Magic has existed in your world always, Lily, and will continue to do so even if it remains hidden behind closed doors.”

“Have you—did you ever live there? Before?”

“Yes. As did Sirius. He’s my brother, in all the ways that matter. After my parents passed, we decided it wouldn’t do to hide our identities anymore. These marks on our bodies—we didn’t want to be ashamed of them anymore.”

Almost instinctively, Lily’s fingers reached out to trace over the glowing print on her arm. Jamie tensed underneath the gentle touch but did not make to pull away. She looked up and found a whirlwind of emotions blazing in her eyes. “And so you escaped.”

“And so we escaped,” Jamie confirmed, voice barely more than a whisper.

“That was very brave of you.”

“I suppose you can understand the feeling—pretending to be someone you’re not—and how it can slowly kill you.”

Lily nodded, tearing her gaze away when the intensity of her words, her eyes, grew too much. Her forefinger continued to trail down the band until faded into the skin of Jamie’s palm. Something caught her notice, and Lily smiled, eyes flashing up again. “It’s you.”

“Pardon?” Jamie’s pulse skittered erratically against her touch.

“You’re the one who made these paintings,” she clarified, smile widening. A drag of her hand, until she could tap meaningfully on Jamie’s fingertips. “There are smudges of fading colors and dried paint all over your fingers and nails.”

“Oh that,” a mumbled response, and she was surprised to see the flush that had stolen over Jamie’s cheeks. For someone who exuded so much confidence and smugness with every toss of the hair, the sudden modesty was exhilarating to watch. “Well. Yes. I just make them when I’m bored.”

“If this is the result of your boredom, I’d like to see you actually try, Prongs.”

She looked pleased at that, shifting slightly closer so that her knee bumped against Lily’s. “Caught that, did you?”

“It suits you,” she nodded, trying to count the number of shades in hazel, “being a stag, I mean.”

“Well, you did say I was magnificent.”

It was her turn to flush; heat shooting up her face in a heartbeat. “I never actually said—”

“Lily,” Jamie interrupted, and the way her name sounded in that moment—gentle, caring, precious, revered—was enough to make the protests die down in her throat. Jamie shifted her hand so that she could slowly interlace their fingers together. She looked up, eyes beautiful and bright and entirely too hopeful. “Will you stay?”

Lily looked down into her lap when she felt tingling warmth run through her veins. Her breath got lost somewhere inside her when she noticed the pattern of delicate vines blooming on her skin from the places Jamie’s fingertips touched her hand. They were ephemeral—greens and blues of buds and stems dissolving into the paleness quickly—but glorious. And she knew, in that moment—she knew she could spend all her life watching Jamie cast more magic over her.

“I will stay.”

#claudia writes #claudiawrites #jily #jily fic #james x lily #fem!jily #jamie potter #fem!jily february #fairy tales #princess!lily #marauders #jily au #sirius black #remus lupin #shapeshifters #ao3

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marauders-venting · 4 years

Text

Happy Birthday Moony

pairing: wolfstar (remus x sirius)

genre: fluff

warning: i don’t think there are any but if anybody sees something i should add please let me know

words: 2288

summary: it’s Remus’ birthday and his friends throw him a party. it’s not big or chaotic, just his close friends. Remus prefers it that way. but despite how much he has been enjoying this day, he can’t stop thinking about Sirius, pining for him. but Remus is determined not to let those feelings get in the way.

a/n: this is the first oneshot i’ve written. it’s definitely not my best piece of work and i’m not sure how much i like it. but i was determined to post something for remus’ birthday so here it is. i hope some people enjoy it (although i don’t really have any followers so i don’t know who i expect to see this but if you do read it, i’m open to any comments/tips/criticism from anybody but please be nice)(also i hope i did the tags right)

Remus was watching Sirius. He couldn’t help it. It was his birthday after all. He should be allowed to watch whomever he wanted to. He stared at the line of Sirius’ jaw, the curve of his lips, the sparkle in his blue-grey eyes, the flush in his cheeks as he took another sip of alcohol. Remus watched Sirius, he noticed these things, but he was constantly reminding himself that Sirius was not his to watch.

He had had a good day, really he had. His friends had decorated their dorm with balloons and banners for his birthday, they had showered him with birthday wishes and gifts, they threw him a party but not something big and loud; it was just Remus’ friends, the other three marauders and Lily, Mary, Marlene, Dorcas and Alice. Remus preferred it that way, smaller, fewer people. But the size didn’t make the celebration any less of a party. There was music being played, dances being dances, songs being sung, games being played, alcohol being drunk. Remus was happy. But if he was happy, why couldn’t he stop thinking about his unrequited crush for one second?

Peter had brought a cake from the kitchens. Nobody knew how he managed to get it but nobody was questioning or complaining about his methods. There were sixteen candles on the cake.

“Don’t forget to make a wish!” Alice said as Remus blew out the candles. Remus didn’t make a wish. He didn’t believe in making wishes. When he was younger, he used to wish for the same thing every birthday: that his lycanthropy would go away. But the years passed and Remus’ wish never came true, so Remus stopped making wishes altogether. It was easier to just not hope for anything. But if Remus was given a single wish right now, he’d wish for Sirius, that Sirius would love him in the same way that he loved Sirius. And every moment that Remus spent staring at Sirius made it more and more difficult to accept that he’d never get his wish.

So Remus tries to refocus his attention on the conversation.

“James, pass me a beer,” Marlene said, holding out her hand. James tosses her a beer and she tries to catch it but doesn’t even come close. She picks it up off the floor, magicks the cap off and takes a sip.

“Marlene, did you just miss a catch?” Lily asks, her shock dramatically exaggerated.

“I did not,” Marlene insists, her arms crossed.

“How drunk are you, Marlene?” Remus asks, smirking.

“Better be careful, Marly,” Dorcas says. “If you drop the Quaffle like that at next week's match, James will kick you off the team.”

“Hey, I am not that mean,” James protests. “I wouldn’t kick her off the team.” Dorcas snorts.

“No, no he’s right,” Peter says, seriously. “He wouldn’t kick Marlene off the team, he’d have her head. And then he wouldn’t need to kick her off the team because headless people can’t play Quidditch.”

“You guys are being ridiculous; I’m not that bad,” James says defensively. “I just… really like winning. So I get a little bit strict.”

“Yeah, ok,” Sirius snorts. Then he goes into full story-telling mode. “It was our third year. We lost the match to Ravenclaw because that one kid, Dawson, tried to hit the Bludger at Ravenclaw’s seeker but missed and they caught the snitch. Afterwards, James, you come up to me and say, and I quote, ‘Dawson should be kicked off the team.’ And I was like, ‘ok mate, don’t you think that’s kind of harsh?’ And you just shrugged and said, ‘it’s what I would do if I were the captain’. Just cause he messed up! One time! So yeah, you are that bad, Prongsie.”

“Wha— how do you even remember— oh you know what, fuck all of you,” James grumbles.

“Don’t worry, we all still love you,” Sirius adds, reaching out his hand to ruffle James' hair. He stands up to get another slice of cake and Remus’ eyes linger on him until continuing to stare at Sirius would have meant having to turn his head 180 degrees.

“I’m bored,” Mary says. “Let’s play a game.”

“Truth or Dare,” Lily pipes up. Peter groans.

“That is literally the worst game on the planet,” he says. “And we always play it.”

“Do you have any better ideas?” Lily says, glaring at him. Peter says nothing. “Didn’t think so. Truth or Dare it is. Remus, it’s your birthday so you can ask first.”

“Ok,” Remus says. “Alice, truth or dare?”

“Truth.”

“Fuck, I thought you’d say Dare. Damn it, I don’t have any good Truths for you.”

“Oh, oh, I have one,” Dorcas says. She leans towards Remus and whispers the Truth in his ear.

“Fine,” Remus says. “But only because I couldn’t think of anything better. How long have you liked Frank and when exactly do you plan on asking him out?” Alice turns red and slaps Dorcas on the arm. Dorcas cackles.

“Oh come on, it was so obvious,” she says. “Now answer the question.”

“Fine. I’ve liked him for… I don’t know. A couple of weeks maybe? I’m not keeping track. And I plan on asking him out never,” Alice says. “My turn.”

“Wait, what? Why won’t you ask him out?” Sirius’ voice comes from right behind Remus, making him jump. “Sorry Moony,” Sirius adds, putting his hand on Remus’ shoulder, steadying him. Remus still feels the touch even after Sirius removes his hand. He tries to shake it off.

“Pads, have you ever met Alice?” Remus says, turning around to face him. “When was the last time she asked out a guy?” Alice was pointing at Remus, indicating that he was exactly right.

“But why not?” Sirius asked.

“Because,” Alice said. “I don’t know. It’s too nerve-wracking. If he likes me, then he’ll ask me out. And if not then I’ll just move on, I guess?”

“Or you could just ask him out yourself,” Mary chimed in.

“Or not,” Alice says. “It’s my turn now, so shush. Dorcas—” Alice turns to face her, “Truth or Dare?”

“Dare,” Dorcas says.

“I dare you to stand up on the bench at breakfast tomorrow, cast Sonorus on yourself and start singing a Muggle song.”

“Challenge accepted,” Dorcas says. “But I don’t know any Muggle songs so one of you is going to have to find me one.”

“I have one for you,” Mary says. “Dancing Queen by ABBA.”

“Oooooo yes,” Lily says, nodding in agreement.

“Teach it to me then,” Dorcas says.

“I can play it now.” Mary taps the record player sitting in the corner of the common room with her wand and the song starts playing. The girls stand up and start dancing and James joins in before long. Remus waits for Sirius to do the same, given that Sirius never misses the opportunity to show off his dancing skills. But he doesn’t.

“Remus,” Sirius’ voice whispers from behind him. “Can I talk to you for a moment?” he asks, still keeping his voice down

“Sure.” Sirius takes Remus by the arm and pulls him towards the stairs of the dormitories. The others are too caught up in the singing and the dancing to notice them leaving. The touch of Sirius’ hand on Remus’ bare arm is enough to make Remus dizzy. It burns and Remus craves more. He wants more than arms touching, more than accidental bumps of the hand.

“I wanted to give you your birthday present,” Sirius says, after closing the dormitory door. He hands Remus a beautifully wrapped package. Remus slowly opens the wrapping paper, careful not to tear any of it. Inside is a book. A book that Remus had been talking about non-stop for the past five months. It was by his favourite Muggle author and had been published just two days ago.

“Sirius,” Remus says, turning over the book in his hand, “how did you even get this?” Sirius shrugs.

“On Wednesday I snuck into Hogsmeade, took that Muggle thing that you taught me how to ride—”

“A bus?”

“Yes, that thing. I found the nearest bookshop and waited with a crowd of people until they finally opened and, y’know, shoved people out of the way so I could get a copy before they ran out. Mind you, I’m pretty sure I nearly broke the Statute of Secrecy when I paid for it. I've got no clue how to use Muggle money. I’m pretty sure the guy at the cash register thought I was insane.”

“Sirius,” Remus says again, “this is just… incredible. Absolutely incredible. You are incredible. You didn’t have to do this.”

“I know,” Sirius says shrugging. “But I wanted to. You deserve it, Remus. Also, this was the only way to get you to shut up about that goddamn book.” Remus laughs.

“If you think that I’m going to shut up about it now that I actually have it you are sorely mistaken,” Remus says and now it’s Sirius’ turn to laugh. Remus catches himself staring at the way Sirius’ mouth looks when he laughs. The way the edges of his lips curve up into a smile before they part, revealing white teeth; the way Sirius’ grey eyes light up, the smile in his eyes just as telling as the smile in his mouth; the way the happy, bubbly sound of Sirius’ laughter makes Remus’ glow inside.

Remus looks away, his face flushed. He shouldn’t be thinking like this.

“I have one more present for you,” Sirius starts, and Remus can hear his voice shake ever so slightly, “But only if… only if you want it.” Remus is facing Sirius but his head is tilted towards the ground. He can’t quite meet Sirius’ eye.

“Pads, you’ve given me more than enough…”

“Shhh,” Sirius says, and he places a finger on Remus’ lips to silence him. It works. Remus has been effectively shocked into silence. He feels frozen like he couldn’t say another word even if he wanted to.

“Remus,” Sirius whispers. “Look at me.” He tilts Remus’ chin so Remus has no chance but to look Sirius in the eyes. “Look at me.” And then, without warning, without a second’s hesitation, Sirius kisses him. And Remus freezes on the spot. For a moment, Sirius has very literally taken his breath away. But as soon as Sirius’ thumb brushes his cheek, Remus feels himself relaxing. And it feels familiar even though it’s new. It feels so right. But just as Remus’ is getting used to the feeling of Sirius’ lips on his, Sirius pulls away almost as quickly as he came in. Remus feels frozen again. Like he can’t move a single muscle in his body. But inside this frosty exterior, a fire is raging, wanting more. More of Sirius’ burning touch that fuels the flames, more of his lips that melt the world as they connect with Remus’. More of Sirius. His disappointment at the abrupt end of the kiss must show on his face. But Sirius completely misinterprets it.

“I’m sorry,” Sirius says, backing away from Remus and shaking his head. “I shouldn’t have done that. I don’t know why… I’m sorry Remus. Just forget about it.” This snaps Remus out of his frozen state.

“No, no, no please don’t be sorry,” he says, begging Sirius to have meant the kiss. “Please, please don’t be sorry, Sirius.” And Remus feels like words are failing him because he can’t express how much he needs Sirius to have wanted that kiss, how much he needs the wanting that he felt in that kiss to be real for Sirius too. He can’t express it in words, but Sirius is looking at him with his penetrating grey eyes and he’s still so close. Close enough to kiss.

“Can I kiss you?” Remus asks. Sirius’ eyes meet his. He nods. So Remus does. He gives in to the fire, he gives the fire exactly what it wants. And Sirius gives him more this time too. Sirius’ hands find Remus’ neck. They travel down to his back, slowly making their way to Remus’ waist. So Remus’ hands, seemingly of their own accord, slide up into Sirius’ hair, pulling Sirius in, taking more and more. And all the while, their lips are pressed together and when Remus’ lips part in a sigh he feels his face heat but Remus barely has time for self-conscious thoughts before Sirius is slipping his tongue into Remus’ mouth, making all of the thoughts slip out of Remus’ brain; Sirius is all that remains. Sirius is all that there ever was, all that there is and all that there ever will be. And Remus is perfectly fine with that. And when they finally break apart, they’re both breathless.

“I love you, Remus,” Sirius says, his fingers grazing Remus’ cheek. “I’m in love with you.” Remus feels his breath catch (yet again) because no, this is too good to be true.

“Are you drunk?” Remus asks.

“I’m drunk enough that I had the guts to do this,” Sirius says, shrugging, “but not so drunk that you should have any reason not to believe me when I tell you that I’ve wanted this for so long. That I’ve wanted you for so long.”

“Are you sure?” Remus asks and his voice comes as a whisper because that’s all he can muster.

“Positive.”

“I love you too,” Remus says. He takes Sirius’ hand, letting their fingers lace together and feeling a warmth spread from the tips of his fingers to the rest of his body.

“Happy birthday, Moony,” Sirius says, leaning in to kiss Remus again, granting the birthday wish that Remus had been too afraid to make.

#remus lupin #remus lupin fluff #wolfstar #wolfstar fluff #wolfstar fanfic #sirius black #moony #padfoot #remus x sirius #marauders #james potter #lily evans #mary macdonald #marlene mckinnon #dorcas meadowes #alice longbottom

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moonscarsandstars · 4 years

Text

reference for welsh

here you go @sirrriusblack (it was way too long at this point, don’t ask me why), but I finished it! also idea credits go to her too.

~~~

"What the hell?!"

The heavy sound of rain that came from outside the door- where James was standing- almost muffled his voice. Sirius blinked, his expression blank, and his bright, beaming smile faltered in confusion.

"You heard me, didn't you? I'm going to learn Welsh," he said, as if it was the most normal thing.

"I'm really not sure if I heard you well," deadpanned James, brushing a hand through his soaking wet hair. He rubbed his shoes on the welcome mat of Sirius and Remus’s flat, and leaned a little closer as the thunderstorm outside raged heavily.

"Oh shut up," quipped Sirius, propping his elbow up onto the door frame next to him. "I'm going to do it."

"First of all, this was your midnight emergency?! I came all this way to help you learn Welsh?!"

“How was I supposed to learn it without you? I wouldn’t last five minutes, now, would I?”

James seemed to ponder that for a moment. Then shook his head in agreement. “Good point. Can I come in now?”

“Oh, right,” said Sirius bemusedly, moving out the way as James shuffled inside hastily. He flicked his wand, and his raincoat was off him in a second and on the hanger at the side. He shook his head quickly, letting water splatter all over Sirius, who yelped loudly.

“Shit- he’s upstairs,” whispered Sirius, almost dramatically. “He’s not allowed to know.”

“Why?”

“Whisper!”

“Why?” Whispered James, a small, familiar grin on his face. “A prank?”

“You wish,” quirked Sirius. “It’s going to be a surprise.”

“Moony’d be darn surprised that you managed to learn anything,” said James with a chuckle.

“Oh shut up,” retorted Sirius, a feign frown on his face as his voice returned to normal. “You and McGonagall both know that I am a star pupil.”

“The only thing star about you is your name, Pads, shut up.”

“How dare-”

But James cut him off before he could finish his sentence. ”Why are you learning Welsh? Really?”

Sirius gave a defensive look, before sighing. “Y’know how we’re meeting his parents tomorrow? Well, I wanted to impress them, ‘nd...”

“That’s adorable, Pads, gee, I didn’t think you had it in you,” cooed James, though a certain part of it was genuine. “You really have it bad for him, huh?”

“Oh, do I,” mumbled Sirius, his voice heavier than he wanted it to be.

~~~

An hour, four cups of hot chocolate, almost waking Remus up and lot of procrastination later, the two of them got to work at around three thirty in the morning.

“So I bought this book to help-”

“You can read?”

Sirius shot a glare at James before continuing. “It’s supposed to teach me the basic phrases and daily communes.”

“Daily whats?”

“Uh- um- that’s not the point! The point is, I should be able to frame at least one sentence to impress them.”

“Padfoot, mate, you can’t even phrase a proper sentence in English. How d’you suppose you’re going to do this?”

“Effort, Prongsie, not that you’d know.”

James opened his mouth, but Sirius continued with a smirk on his face.

“So the first phrase is- uh- um- Prongs, how d’you pronounce this?”

Lifting the book, Sirius pointed his finger at the words on the page.

SU’MAE

“Uh, you’re on your own there, Pads, I have no idea.”

“Soo- may? That- I- what?”

“Isn’t it soo-mye?”

“But-” started Sirius, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “Actually- is it?”

“Ask Moony, he’d know.”

“The reason I called you at this ungodly hour is to make sure Moony doesn’t find out!”

James smirked. “You won’t last without him.”

Ignoring James, and trying to fight back James’s contagious smile, Sirius continued. “It means ’hello’.”

“Mkay, what’s next?”

“I- I think the next one is- uh-” Sirius pointed at the page again, and James tilted his head over to read it.

SUT DACH CHI?

“It means ‘how are you’, and it’s the formal version. I use the formal version with his parents, right?

“Yeah,” responded James, looking back to the word. “How d’you pronounce it though?”

“Is it soot or sut?”

“Soot, I think. Right?”

“I don’t know...?”

“Let’s make it sut, how ‘bout that?”

“That works,” said Sirius, studying the paper hard. “S- sut duk chee?”

“That’s way too British. It has one of those-” he made a throaty, hoarse noise- “-for that part, don’t they?”

“What?”

Sirius blinked, his expression extremely confused. James laughed loudly, making the corners of Sirius’s lips twitch up.

“Oh come on, we have to be serious- no don’t you da-”

“YOU’RE ALWAYS SIRIUS!”

Cringing, as James burst into a fit of giggles, Sirius gently slammed his head against the book on the table.

“Prongs, is that you?”

The familiar voice from the other room scared Sirius. Hastily, he threw the book halfway across the room, and got it to rush under the sofa with a flick of his wand. He stuffed his wand into his hair, only to realise it was out, and threw it away from him.

Just in time, as Remus appeared tiredly in front of them.

“What’s happening?” Mumbled Remus, rubbing his eyes.

The suspicious glint- the one he’d used as a prefect in Hogwarts- was still sharp in his voice.

“I- nothing- I- James came to drop this-” Sirius hastily picked up a pen “- this off, he- I left it at his,” stuttered out Sirius, trying to put on a smile.

Remus didn’t look the least convinced. “I’m not thick. What’s he really doing here?”

“I- um-”

“I came to help Sirius-”

“He came to help me-”

“We- we were-”

“Practicing!”

“Yeah! Practicing- uh- practicing-”

“The salsa?”

“What the-”

Eyes wide and lips tight, Remus’s eyes darted between the two of them, before he burst out in laughter, louder than Sirius expected. But he couldn’t help the smile that came with watching Remus chortle, and before he knew it, he was laughing along too.

“Honestly, I don’t find that hard to believe,” he said, bemusedly with a grin on his face.

“Heh, yeah,” trailed off James with a smile and a chuckle that was oh-so-obviously fake. Sirius pursed his lips at him.

“I’m turning in. You two-” he waved his hand vaguely “-carry on whatever it was you were doing.”

~~~

Rubbing his eyes, Sirius tiredly propped himself up on his elbows, squinting as the light in the room blinded him. For a split second, last night was merely a haze, before it all came back to him.

As well as the inevitable meeting of Remus’s parents.

Fear and some form of dread hit Sirius like a brick. His chest seemed to tighten, and any knowledge of Welsh that’d been drilled into his head by a bemusedly irritated James seemed blurry. What if it didn’t go as planned? What if it was too much? What if-

“Hey Pads? You awake already?”

Meeting Remus’s gaze, Sirius’s nerves settled. It was going to be okay. That was, until they raised at Remus’s shirtless torso.

“Yeah,” he mumbled, smiling as he stretched his arms away from him, yawning slightly.

“You ready?”

That smile. The way the corners of Remus’s lips tugged up to the left, and wrinkled just a little. Sirius could spend years staring at it.

“Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess,” replied Sirius sleepily.

“What were you doing with Prongs? Last night?” Remus slumped down onto the bed next to Sirius, pulling his jumper on.

“Nothing, Moons,” drawled Sirius lazily, pulling Remus into a long, deep kiss. His hands travelled up Remus’s jumped, and his hazy mind focused on Remus’s smooth skin.

“As much as I love this,” started Remus, breaking away. “And trust me I do,” he added hastily. “We need to get ready. My dad’s setting up the portkey for nine.”

“Nine?”

“Yeah. He was always an early bird,” said Remus with a small chuckle.

“Too early,” whined Sirius. “Even for me.”

“Don’t you want to impress him?” Asked Remus bemusedly, with a small, almost challenging smirk.

“Maybe I have some other tricks up my sleeve,” quipped Sirius, staring Remus in the eyes with an equally challenging smirk.

Remus raised an eyebrow, before getting up and heading towards the bathroom. “’M taking a quick shower, yeah?”

“M’kay,” mumbled Sirius, dozing back off into his pillow.

The next time Sirius woke up, it was to Remus frantically shouting at him. At first, the words made no sense, until they did.

“Are you seriously not awake yet? Oh come on! At least put something decent on if you aren’t going to- are you awake?! Oh come on, you’re supposed to be the early bird here, aren’t you?!”

“SHIT! ‘M awake! I’m awake, sorry Moons,” mumbled Sirius, eyes growing wide and trying to pull off his shirt. He attempted to grab something from the closet nearest. Pulling the shirt he’d planned to wear, Sirius rushed to the bathroom.

Ten messy minutes later, Sirius was sitting with a frown, as Remus smiled sadistically.

“You could’ve told me he’d postponed it.”

“Watching you panic was so much more fun,” said Remus with an infuriating grin, chuckles bubbling in his voice.

“Oh come on!”

“You forget who really planned the banana cups prank, don’t you?”

“Moons, we’ll forever be in your debt,” said Sirius solemnly, though the small grin tugged at his lips as his mind swept back to the memory.

“Wait,” started Remus, his eyebrows creasing as he picked up the tattered cap from the seat next to them. “I think it’s now.”

Sirius felt his stomach clutch. It was really happening. Now.

“I- I-” started Sirius, unable to get words out. Some sort of nervousness travelled through his veins. But a giddy type of nervousness; the type people got before roller coasters and quidditch matches.

“It’s going to be okay,” said Remus with that smile of his.

And before he knew it, a pull behind his bellybutton twisted through his body, giving him a sick feeling as he was being pulled through the air. With a large thud, he landed on the paved driveway of the Lupin residence.

This was it he thought with a small, less mischievous grin.

Intertwining his fingers between Remus’s, Sirius squeezed his hand softly, and nervously tapped his fingers against the other’s knuckles.

They walked up the path, both nervous, even if in different ways.

A soft knock on the doors revealed Hope Lupin. Her brown hair fell in soft, straight bangs falling above her eyes, and fell down past her shoulders. A kind smile occupied her face, and soft, blushed skin wrinkled at the corners of her eyes.

“Welcome home, cariad! Collais i chi gymaint, sut wyt ti?” She turned to Sirius before continuing. “Sirius! You must be his boyfriend,” she said with a wink. “I’ve heard a lot about you!

“Ma!”

“Come in, come in,” she said, lovingly.

The two of them shuffled in, Remus red in the face and Sirius smiling shyly.

“Hello boys!” Came a gruff, warm voice. Lyall embraced Sirius in a small hug, and engulfed Remus in a bigger one, ruffling his curly hair. “You’re his- his partner, huh?”

Sirius could hear the way Lyall’s voice faltered just a little, but decided to stay calm. After all, they were all trying.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” said Remus, his voice calm.

“Neither would we, cyw, we love you,” said his mother, in a loving voice that seemed far from fake, settling Sirius’s nerves.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Exclaimed Sirius, almost forgetting last night. “Soo ’may! Sut dach chi?”

Hope’s confused expression melted into an endearing smile as she responded with a small chuckle. “Rwy'n gwneud yn dda iawn, diolch, beth amdanoch chi?”

“Uhh...” trailed off Sirius, meeting Remus’s amused gaze- though the love in his eyes was something Sirius would learn the entire language to see. “E-wawn, dioh-l-k yn fawr e-wan!”

Hope burst into warm-hearted chuckles, and trailed a finger over Sirius’s cheek lovingly. “You’ve really hit a jackpot, huh cariad?”

“Ma!”

But both their eyes looked at Sirius with the same love and affection Sirius had craved all these years. He couldn’t help his cheeks growing red, and the smile that grew on his lips.

“I didn’t actually know about this,” admitted Remus, sneaking a little kiss on his cheek. “He surprised the both of us, didn’t he?”

“I promise you, Prongs and I weren’t learning the salsa last night,” drawled Sirius, unable to keep the happiness out of his voice.

“You- I-” stuttered Remus, eyes growing wide. He kissed Sirius passionately for a second, and both of them forgot where they were, before hastily breaking apart and blushing profusely under Hope and Lyall’s gaze.

“Oh cariad...”

“He really loves you, son, doesn’t he?”

Lyall’s voice was thick, and something about him was less stiff.

“I love him too,” said Remus, snatching a quick look that lasted forever at Sirius, who was smiling, eyes glassy.

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halothenthehorns · 3 years

Text

All in the Family

Chapter 121: Seen and Unforeseen

The house was dimly lit, very old, and had seen better days before the eight of them crash landed in here.

Sirius was thrown so bodily into an old couch he felt something snap inside of it.

James crashed upon a bed that spit up on an unseemly amount of dust.

Remus slammed against a bookshelf so hard, it wobbled dangerously, like it was all going to crash down right on top of him.

Peter landed alone, in a dingy room that had the nearest excuse for a bed in a corner, the book on top, and that was it.

Alice was in some sort of wine cellar that clearly had the most use, judging by all the missing bottles on the rack.

Frank was thrown so hard against a door his nose busted.

Regulus found himself in a barren backyard, in an unfamiliar neighborhood, spotting a dirty river that wound between overgrown, rubbish-strewn banks. An immense chimney, relic of a disused mill, reared up, shadowy and ominous. There was no sound apart from the whisper of the black water.

Lily landed on the roof, and was not inclined to come down when she recognized a horribly familiar house in the distance with a cat weather-vane, that patch of trees behind the park just across the street, or the sign at the end declaring this is as Spinners End.

Frank blinked the spots out of his eyes as he realized he was in the room with Remus, and made a valiant effort not to flinch and run from the room as he fumbled for his wand in the semi-darkness and pointed it at his own streaming nose silently casting the spell, still trying to blink the stars away.

He wasn't entirely convinced he'd managed to hide it all, but it was still better than screaming. At least they were both saved from any stilted conversation by a shouting from behind the bookcase he'd landed in, Peter demanding if anyone could hear him.

Frank and Remus moved in tandem without even looking at each other, both tapping the bookshelf first, but whatever spell they'd tired had no affect, so giving it a shove, and still it didn't seem to want to move.

Sirius roused himself from the couch, shaking his hair out of his face as he went over and called, "stand back Pete!"

Frank looked at him in confusion. "What are you-"

Remus grabbed the back of his robes and pulled, pushing Prongs back into the room he'd just tired to leave from and slamming the door behind the three of them.

There was a soft, muffled exploding noise that seemed to shake the whole house, but at least when five of them converged back in the living room, it was to see the two of them waving smoke out of their face and bickering.

"Could have killed me you arse!" Peter was huffing as he brushed dust from his long ruined clothes.

"What, I got you out didn't I?" Sirius pointed out in exasperation. The bookshelf lay in a scattered mess around them like a war map.

"Remind me never to get rescued by him again," Frank muttered quietly to Alice, who snorted in surprise at him making such a dark joke.

"Where are we?" James interrupted the two, circling curiously on the spot.

Remus went over to a mounted wall light and flipped it on, but the bare bulb only cast the corners of the room into heavier shadows and illuminated their destruction upon arriving. There was an empty mantle, and Regulus knew there to be a very tiny kitchen he'd passed through to get in here, with a few muggle contraptions he couldn't recall what they were called, but he'd seen back in the Dursleys house, if lesser models in here.

"Hey, where's Lily?" Alice asked in concern.

Regulus had spotted a hint of her flashing red hair on the roof, but she'd sat herself down, and he figured she'd be in here by now if she wanted to be so obviously didn't want to be disturbed. "Well, I don't hear anyone else screaming for help, so let's get on with this." He summoned the book to him, which came shooting out of the room that had been behind the bookcase.

Frank thought him a bit more of an arse than usual, he'd thought they'd almost been getting along back in the Weasley's kitchen, and he really didn't care? The end of the last chapter wasn't that pressing of an issue to keep going! The chapter title illuminated no explanation. Seen and Unforeseen? That could mean almost anything!

He and Alice went in search of the house one more time with a thorough inspection but only found more dust and disuse, and then went out back just to make sure, but finally spotted her on the roof, just sitting up there and gazing into the distance.

The two exchanged an uneasy look, feeling almost bad now they'd forced their company on her back in the last place, but they also didn't want her to have to go through this alone. Snape was still being more of an arse than ever in those Occlumency lessons, and it was clearly getting to her. They didn't know what else to say though, they'd made it as clear to her as they could they still wanted to be friends to her whatever her decision regarding him, and if she didn't want to talk about it in the meantime they could hardly force her.

They went back inside, holding hands and hoping their friend knew she could join them when she was ready.

The chapter itself wasn't offering much in the meantime, Hermione was patiently explaining exactly how Harry's date was a disaster with Cho in almost painful detail. Alice watched James in particular during this to see if he was bothering to take notes, and to her unbelievable surprise he seemed to be.

Remus and Sirius were behind him, whispering and snickering more bad advice they hadn't managed to say during the last bits, but Potter was ignoring them and watching Regulus with an intent expression and still looking around hopefully like he wanted to catch a glimpse of somebody else's red hair besides the arriving Ginny and Ron.

Frank had the vague impression he'd pay Hermione to invent said book, 'Translating Mad Things Girls Do So Boys Can Understand Them.' "Have I ever mentioned how much I love you," he told his girlfriend seriously. His nerves had been a havoc convincing himself to ask her out, but it had practically been smooth sailing from there.

"I certainly never grow tired of hearing it," she giggled.

"Well Ginny at least gets better with every mentioning," Sirius perked up in delight at hearing the news she stole her brothers brooms for practice. He had no idea what Prongs saw in Evans, the girl was a nut not even liking the sport. "Don't be getting ideas though you little shit," he added quickly when Regulus gave him a curious look.

Regulus huffed and muttered something about having his own broom thank you as he kept going.

Another game came and went, this time with Harry completely in the stands having to watch as his replacement Seeker spotted the Snitch slower than he would have, the whole miserable experience capped with the score and they were all wondering now if Ron would ever manage to save a goal.

"Honestly, I think I'd just let him quit out of pity after that," Peter winced, he'd take giving up with dignity instead of another fiasco.

"Oh come on, he's got it in him," James bolstered at once, his eyes lighting in excitement. "There's totally a way to fix this problem! First you put one person in the stands until Ron could easily ignore that person no matter what they said or did, and then keep adding people until Ron could block them all out. I don't care how long it took, I'd find a way so that Ron would never let someone get the better of him like this."

"Cheers Prongs," Sirius mock raised a glass at him to everyone's stunned silence except Sirius it seemed. "You're a shoe in for captain next year."

"I'd better be," he nodded, and they couldn't even blame him for the pig-headed tone.

Peter sighed and took an uneasy step back as Remus just laughed in agreement. He swore they'd only liked him before because they'd shared a dorm with him so long, it's not like he was anything like them. He'd made a fool of himself in Keeper tryouts at the beginning of the year trying to get onto the team, and he certainly hadn't blamed the current captain for picking the younger player who saved all of her goals rather than his measly three. Both James and Sirius had promised at the time they'd come out and practice with him for next year even as a reserve player, but of course nobody had seemed to have time for that.

Regulus had watched the entire thing, debating whether he should say something, but Peter just shook his head and waved him on.

Sirius had watched the exchange, and had to bother his mind for several moments as talk left Quidditch and Harry was assaulted by owls for his article in the Quibbler getting released earlier than usual before finally remembering and guessing what must be bothering Peter now.

He winced, just a bit. It's not like they'd done it on purpose, he could have come down to Quidditch practice any time with them but usually stayed up in the dorms with Remus, it's not like Peter had ever brought it up himself again.

He still wanted a way to talk to both of them, but was drawing a blank as to how. Percy wrote the most obnoxious letter possible, he accused himself, you can just go over there! It was easier said than done though, some part of him was still afraid they'd just turn on him again, what the hell was he supposed to do to convince himself otherwise, let alone them.

"I guess that explains the seen part of the title," Remus interrupted his grumbling thoughts with an uneasy smile. "Now what do you suppose the unforeseen bit will be?"

"Some more madness to do with Trelawney I'm sure, that old bat can't foresee the weather," Sirius shrugged without care. He was getting vaguely annoyed watching Peter and Regulus take a few more steps back and start whispering about all the reactions to that article being mailed to Harry, but again he couldn't find any good reason to snap at the two for a moment. He wished he could drag Moony off for a snog, just for something to entertain them, but even if he was trying to consciously stop doing that for now so Prongs wouldn't think he was being ignored, he didn't trust this place enough anyways.

The two of them stopped in outrage as much as anyone though when Harry was banned from Hogsmeade by Umbridge because of this.

"That rotten creampuff needs to have her tounge cut off!" James spluttered in disgust.

"At least Harry doesn't have to follow that decree," Peter reminded grimly, "but I'll get the knife."

Frank and Alice watched as this was clearly the most insulting thing she could do to the Marauders, even if they would have ignored this and every other rule from her as thoroughly as they already did to every other in the castle.

It was of some comfort to Regulus at least that Umbridge's plan to ban the article at least backfired and the whole school found themselves reading it, he certainly enjoyed that part.

Things just continued to spiral downwards from there, as Harry had yet another vision of You-Know-Who torturing someone, though at least this time it was another Death Eater rather than someone they had to care about. Regulus was shivering in revulsion by the end, almost in tears as he kept picturing himself in that future still rather than Rookwood if he didn't find some way to talk his parents out of this when he got back. He wasn't like Sirius, he couldn't just run off to someone's house and expect to be taken in if his parents kicked him out for it!

Sirius nearly went to him then, his feet even began moving unconsciously to do it, Regulus looked miserable and wretched as he read that and clearly his worry about Regulus thinking this would never happen to him was wrong, but then Peter put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and whispered something just for the two of them. Sirius stopped cold and leaned back on his heels instead, they really didn't need him to make it worse if he tried to help.

James listened to it all while having to fight off a scream, he couldn't just come up with a plan for his son on how to casually combat this madness continuing to happen to him! He was nearly screaming and jumping on the spot in outrage as Snape still managed to make the whole experience worse during that next Occlumency class, all but confirming his job as a spy Death Eater, but for whose side he still couldn't trust.

He wished Evans was back down here more than ever, he'd love to watch her in particular to see how she took to him still insulting Harry every other breath after torturing his mind like this!

Something new happened on the next round though to break him out of his revere, and none of them were sure what would happen when Harry cast some kind of retaliation back from Snape's curse, in the form of Protego.

A girl was laughing as a scrawny boy tried to mount a bucking broomstick, and the Marauders felt a thrill of laughter at remembering this as their first flying lesson, and the idiot had done all that to himself, the girl had been Mary Macdonald, but everyone present had been laughing, even Evans would swear she hadn't been despite her twitching lips as she'd pulled him away back to the castle while Hooch had gone after the wayward broom when he landed.

A greasy-haired teenager sat alone in a dark bedroom, pointing his wand at the ceiling, shooting down flies, and Sirius sneered at Snape being such an awful person. He clearly knew the feelings of being alone then, but the idiot wasn't any good at making friends to fix the problem. He didn't even like Evans and he still pitied her having to deal with Snape.

*And then suddenly the last memory was being described, and they all felt a shot of horror as this very room was described, and a hook-nosed man was shouting at a cowering woman, while a small dark-haired boy cried in a corner...

"Oh shit," James muttered, turning crazily on the spot for who knew what, before bursting out of the back door so loud he almost startled Lily off the roof.

She'd been listening with a tightly knit stomach that ached so bad during the whole chapter she wished she could expel all of her intestines with a very particular potion in mind even before it had gotten to Snape's memories, then she'd contemplated jumping from the roof and barging in to stop all this before it went past that first memory.

She had no choice though, she knew that she couldn't save Sev from them hearing about this anymore than she could rescue Harry from the way he was treated. She still hadn't been expecting Potter to come thundering from the house and looking around wildly before spotting her up here.

She didn't know what he meant by it either when he gave her a long, beseeching look, before just sitting down in the grass and waiting out here patiently with her. He didn't apologize, try to get up there with her, or do much of anything besides that.

Her arms finally loosened their tight grip around her knees just a smidge, even she wouldn't deny to herself she felt just a tad bit less alone now just for his presence. She couldn't hear what the others had to say about this, still honestly didn't want to know what that explosion and all the general shouting that had been going on inside was.

She'd never have shared all she knew of Sev's home life with them if given the chance, he'd never even really told her, but she'd suspected it was something like this with the crude comments he made, particularly about his dad.

He'd sneak over to her window when it was a bad night, just like she would go to his when Petunia said something particularly vile, and they'd go hide out in their spot until they'd talked and laughed and it was bearable enough to go back.

Didn't he remember all that when he was being the same abusive arse to Harry? Did he care at all for how it would make Neville feel to be reduced to tears when he nearly had so many times? Did he find more comfort with those cruel friends who offered to torture muggles instead of her commiserating, was that why he wouldn't stop talking to them?

Regulus Black finally kept going, and she knew nor cared what their resolution to this revelation had been, she just wanted to shake Severus and demand answers why he was like this as he just vindictively ignored the whole instance like his past meant nothing to him and turned his wand on Harry again.

Her son found himself in You-Know-Who's mind once more, longing to break past that locked door, and for once managing such a thing and finding himself in the circular room of doors they'd already seen once before. Hot tears spilled out of her cheeks as he just insulted him again for not trying hard enough, as if it weren't her eyes in Harry's face that was begging for help to make this stop. Harry hadn't asked this happening to him anymore than Severus had ever purposely induced Tobias' anger.

Then a scream interrupted before the torturer could go any farther, and the two left it for the night to see what other catastrophe had befallen the castle. Lily bit down hard on her lip to stop a sob of relief escaping it was over again, for now.

The distressed person turned out to be Trelawney screaming over the fact she was finally being given her pink slip by a woman who needed to be buried alive in the color.

Umbridge was somehow even more revolting than usual as she glorified in the Divination teachers dismissal, while a crowd of students could only stand there and watch the poor woman's life get thrown down the stairs.

Lily glanced down and saw Potter's look of disdain for the very same, and she wanted to scoff he thought himself better when he had an audience to most of his shows. He embarrassed and tormented others for his own amusement just like Umbridge. She stopped the thoughts cold though as she imagined what Harry would think of this, and forced herself to really hear her own mental tirade, she knew she was still angry at Severus and lashing out.

James Potter was an arrogant toerag who did whatever for his own amusement, but he'd never driven anyone to tears, let alone stand proudly above the scene of his crime. If the person their prank was used on didn't laugh along, he usually just took the detention with grace and didn't target the same person again. If the curse he'd sent left someone unable to get to the hospital wing, he'd almost inevitably do it himself, if not one of his friends slinking off to go find somebody who would while he took the detention with a smile.

He was an arse, but he wasn't curel, not like Umbridge was until Dumbledore stepped in and stopped the show.

She sighed one last time as she kept looking back on the past five years of her school life with a giant question mark plastered over everything, one she wasn't convinced even a centaur for a teacher could help unravel.

HPHPHPHPHP

*Just so you all know I'm acknowledging it and it's not a mistake, I did do the memories in reverse order that they actually appeared in the story for my own benefit.

#Harry Potter #fanfiction #reading the books #hp #OotP #Marauders #wolfstar #Jilly #James Potter #Remus Lupin #Sirius Black #Regulus Black #Peter Pettigrew #Alice Smith #Frank Longbottom #Lily evans

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weloveharrypotter · 4 years

Text

Rebellion Pt. 7

Pairing: Molly Weasley ii x Percy Weasley

Summary: Molly had hit her rebellious years. But Percy is noticing how much different her rebellion is compared to what he read about. He’s trying to figure out what’s wrong with his daughter, whilst also trying to handle her acting out. (Molly is 15 and Lucy is 11. There mother left when they were young.)

!!Warning!!: s*icide attempt, depressive thoughts, s*icidal thoughts, mental health

It had been many more months since then. Percy had tried to come to the school, owl her, any form of communication but Molly found a way out of them all.

He just wanted to tell her he was proud of her, that he loves her, that she’s more than enough.

It was now Christmas Eve, and he expected to be able to do that when she come home for Christmas, but Molly had other plans.

Molly sat in her room drawing. Nothing was packed because she had planned on not going home.

There was a knock on her door, and she got up to answer. When she did she saw her little sister standing with her luggage.

“James said it’s time to leave.” Lucy informed.

“I’m not going home.” Molly replied before closing the door.

————————

The kids arrived at the burrow, and they were nervous to how the family would react to Molly’s absence.

Despite all of them trying to get her to come they had failed.

Percy stood nervously waiting for Molly but he was soon shocked at not seeing her.

“Wheres Molly?” Percy asked.

“We tried to get her to come but she wanted to stay at Hogwarts.” Lucy informed.

“That’s not happening!” Percy said grabbing his coat and rushing out.

James shot up after that, and put his coat on.

“James no.” Harry said.

“Something bad is going to happen, I can feel it.” He said before running out.

James knew Molly more than anyone. He knew it was a bad idea to leave her, and he was angry at himself for doing so.

Harry got up, and so did Ron. They threw their coats on and chased after James and Percy.

——————————

Molly was bored on her bed, and was alone with her thoughts. None of which were good, so she needed something to numb them.

She than remembered the alcohol bottle her roommate hides under her mattress. She went over to her bed and pulled it out.

Molly popped the cap off and started drinking.

It worked at first but soon the alcohol only made it worse.

It opened her mind up to more thoughts.

She couldn’t help but let them rush through.

She started to think about if anyone would care if she died. Who would show up to her funeral, who would cry. She thought about how she felt everyone would be better off without her.

‘Maybe it would be better for everyone if I was gone?’ Molly thought.

She could help thinking about how everyone would be so much happier. How her dad wouldn’t have to deal with her everyonce and a while, and just focus on Lucy.

How James wouldn’t have to pretend to like her, or how Victore wouldn’t have to act like she liked helping her.

How Grandmum would need to watch her when she acted out, and could focus on the important grandkids.

She took the last swig of the bottle. She needed something else. The bottle was only half full when she started, and she needed that extra bit to try and pull her from reality.

Molly pushed herself up and walked over to her dresser and pulled out some painkillers. She dumped it out in her hand.

Her crying worsened when only two fell out. The only thing that would do is relive some pain in her head.

She decided to take them anyway. Molly looked around the room and saw that, of course, there were no cups, drinks, or bottles.

She stumbled her way to the bathroom and turned the shower on. She stepped in clothed, and with the painkillers in hand.

She opened her mouth and filled it with the water before putting the painkillers in and swallowing. Molly than sat down in the shower and let the freezing cold water fall into her.

She held her arms around her legs that were pressed to her chest.

The thoughts than found there way back.

‘Maybe I should just end it.’ She thought.

She considered it for a minute before pushing herself up. She quickly changed so no one would ask or stop her for her clothes being wet.

After she finished she started to make her way to the astronomy tower.

—————————

Percy finally got to the school and after explaining why he was there, the teacher told him where her dorm was.

He ran up and knocked. There was no response. He checked the door, it was unlocked. He didn’t see anyone.

He heard the shower and rushed over but was confused and disappointed when he saw it open, and with no one in it.

“Molly!” Percy heard James call as he ran in.

Percy poked his head out and saw James very concerned.

“Is she in there?” He asked worried.

“No.” Percy sighed.

That’s when Harry and Ron stumbled.

“James, why would you run like that!?” His father scolded.

“We can’t find Molly.” James replied.

“Percy.” Ron said.

“What!?” Percy asked.

Ron nodded in the direction of the bedroom. He looked and saw a bottle of empty alcohol and empty bottle of painkillers.

He covered his moth and held back his tears. His daughter was somewhere in this massive castle while drunk and drugged.

It was an incredibly dangerous situation for her to be in.

“God, where could she be?” Percy asked.

That’s when it hit James.

“She’s in the astronomy tower.” He said letting a tear slip.

“We need to get there now!” James said before running out. The three men followed behind.

Percy was running to the tower thinking about why she might be there. Why would that be a special spot, and what if she wasn’t there?

That’s when it clicked.

His daughter was drunk and took god knows how many pills, and thinks she isn’t good enough.

More panic set in than before as he ran faster.

——————

Molly walked up to the open part of the astronomy tower. She walked over and stood on the ledge and looked down.

She stood there hesitating. Thinking about if it would hurt or not.

She put her hands on the pillars next to her for balance and scooted closer to the edge.

Suddenly the doors burst open and she turned to see who it was. She saw James and her father and rolled her eyes.

“Please just go away!” She begged.

“You know I can’t do that” Percy said as him and James walked closer.

“Stay away!” She yelled as she got closer.

“Ok, ok! Well stay back.” James said stopping. Percy hesitantly stopped too.

“Molly, please don’t step off the ledge.” Percy beggged.

“Why!? It’s not like it would do anyone good!” Molly argued.

“Yes, it would!” Percy replied.

“How?” She asked.

That’s when Ron and Harry arrived and stopped by the door shocked by what was happening.

“Beacuse I need you. You are the best cousin, and your practically my sister. Ok? I need you.” James said.

Percy went to say something but James gave him a face telling him to stay quiet.

“No, no you’ll all be better off without me.” Molly insisted.

“No I won’t. I need you, Molly. You’re so much stronger than you think. I may not know what your feeling, but I promise I will be there through all of it.” James said.

Molly was quiet.

“I love you Molly. Your not just my cousin your my sister. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you.” James admitted as he stepped forward a bit.

“Who would I tease? Who would make fun of me? Most of all who would be my partner in crime?” James asked.

“No one can replace you. There’s only one of you, and I need that one. You are so much more important than you give yourself credit for.” James continued as advanced a bit more.

Molly stepped back a bit on the ledge.

“I’m not, James. I need to go, and you’ll be ok.” She said.

“No I won’t. I can tell you that right now, I’ll never be the same. And it sucks that you don’t see yourself the way I do.” James replied again, making his way closer.

“How’s that?” Molly scoffed.

“Amazing, mischievous, funny, smart, talented.” James listed making his way closer to her.

After a moment molly scooted back a bit more.

Percy was happy she was started to get pulled back to them but, he felt horrible this happened in the first place.

“Molly, your apart of this family and every last one of us needs and loves you. You’re not alone and I swear on everything you never will be. You will always have me.” James said as he finally stocked her.

James slowed grabbed her wrist gently and lead her off the ledge.

Molly stepped down, she didn’t know how to feel. Most of her was empty.

James, Percy, Harry, and Ron however, were very relived.

James pulled Molly into a tight and loving hug. Molly returned it.

James knew she needed this but... not from him. He pulled away and lead her over to her father.

They stood in front of each other for a moment.

It didn’t take too long for Percy to swoop her into a big hug.

Molly was stiff for a second before hugging back.

She broke down in her fathers arms, and Percy did too.

The pair dropped to the floor and held each other tightly, not wanting to let the other go any time soon.

They both knew that this was just the beginning of a very long battle.

But they both knew that they were ready to take on anything as long as they had each other.

———————

Thanks for reading y’all. Hope you enjoyed this story. This is the end, so no more parts, unless you guys like really want it. ❤️❤️ (I will be continuing ‘She chose you, Moony’ I just need to think of an idea). Also sorry for not posting, I’m at a super fucking low point, so I haven’t been motivated.

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sincerlypadfoot · 4 years

Text

The Fifth Marauder (3)

Word Count - 2051

“This is the dumbest shit you guys have ever come up with,” Remus said to Sirius and I as we sat in the common room high fiving.

“I don’t know what your talking about, we are a genius, putting soap in the fountains in every bathroom sounds like the best thing ever,” I said as Sirius nodded his head.

“Could you imagine how funny the aftermath is would be, watching bubble flow out of the bathroom and people tripping and following and the teaching having the get around and try fixing it,” Sirius said nodded his head.

“Take my cloke, you guys better be back here before morning, with my cloak and with the bubbles down, because I think this is just awesome,” James said tossing his cloak at me and Sirius.

“If you don’t get caught i’ll do your homework for a week, if you get caught you both due my homework for a month,” Remus said smirking and tilting his head.

“Deal!” Sirius screamed shaking his head then looking back at wideyed me “Don’t worry, we won't get caught,” Sirius reassured me.

“Go on then, I wanna see how this one ends,” Peter said leaning against the top of the stairs with a smile on his stupid blond headed face.

“We’ll get it done and outdo you guys on all the pranks,” I said cockingly picking up the soap we bought today and looked at everyone. “Lets go Sirus,” I mumbled angrily grabbing his hand and James cloak he let us borrow.

“We’re gonna pull this off you know, and I have the map so we know if anyone is coming for us, we have four bathrooms to hit then the prank is on,” He whispered showing me the map. Flich and Miss Norish were nowhere near us so we were good.

“First bathroom, come on,” I said to Sirius pulling him in. “You can do the honors,” I suggested handing him the first bottle of soap. “Moaning Myrtles gonna totally be a problem huh?” I asked watching Sirius dump the whole bottle of soap in the fountain, instantly retaining bubbles and growing.

“We just won't let her see our faces, only put your hand out of the cloak if you see her,” Sirius said throwing the cloak back over us and looking at the map. “See she's in the last bathroom, we don’t have to worry about anything,” He said as we walked into the bathroom across the hall.

“How much trouble do you think we could get in from this?” I asked placing the second bottle of soap into the bathroom fountain.

“A lot of trouble, which is why we aren’t getting caught and not letting the boys know we got caught if we do,” Sirius said watching the bubble fill up the whole fountain in a blink of an eye. “Third one, then we just you know become ghosts like myrtle in the last bathroom,” He joked toasting the cloak on top of us.

“Yeah just don’t her see your face whatever you do,” I whispered as we entered the third bathroom. “Someone's in here,” I said moving us the farthest away from the bathroom stalls and into the wall bumping into Sirius who chuckled.

“Hey your pretty close to me,” He whispered in my ear making shivers go down my spine. “Hey,” He said spinning me around.

“What are you pulling at Sirius?” I ask looking up at him, he had his stupid little grin on his face, the grin he pulls when flirty, the annoying stupid one I just wanted to wipe off his face.

“Nothing, you just look beautiful,” He said just looking at me with a smile. “Look he’s leaving come on,” Sirius said pulling the cloak off and walking to the fountain with the last two bottles of soap. “Moaning Myrtle here we come,” He said tossing the empty bottle into the trash. I followed Sirius into the cloak as we walked to the entrance of the last bathroom.

“She’s sleeping, didn't know ghosts could sleep,” I nudged Sirius looking at Myrtle who was laying in the water with her eyes closed. “Come with me, i’ll just do it quick,” I whispered taking the bottle from Sirius hand and unscrewing it.

“Whos there?” Myrtle shouted opening her eyes as we got to the edge of the fountain. “Oh my mind playing tricks on me again huh,” She said floating up into the air and laying on her back. “Little old Myrtle going crazy, just like everyone says, Myrtle is just a crazy bat,” She shouted flying into a stall and crying.

“Does she ever think she is crazy?” I whispered sticking my hand out and pouring the soap. “Sirius your so close to me,” I whispered to him looking behind, he was leaning against the shoulder.

“I heard you!” Myrtle shouted making Sirius jump and fall ahead knocking both of us into the fountain filled with soap. “I knew I wasn't crazy, a pair of lovers hiding in the bathroom,” She screeched coming up to us. “You’re trying to pull a prank huh?” She shouted loudly.

“Get up, come on, we gotta go,” I said to Sirius helping him up from the water and pulling the cap over us. “We’re sorry,” I whispered pulling Sirius under the cloak and grabbing him so we could rac out of the bathroom where Myrtle was screeching her head off.

“That was awesome,” Sirius said taking off the cloak once we got into the clear. “Did you see the soap in the hallways, we really pulled it off,” Sirius said out of breath from running out the hallway. “I’ll get you new shoes since their wet and anything else I ruined,” He laughed as I leaned against the wall.

“What's your problem huh?” I asked getting angry and putting my fists onto his chests catching him by surprise. “Why do you do that, you flirt and flirt and it’s just ahh,” I said taking my hands off his chest and leaning back against the wall.

“What?” Sirius asked looking at me. “I’m sorry that your just, you,” He shouted but looked around. “Can we talk about this somewhere else?” He asked taking ahold of my hand gently but I tugged it back.

“I can’t handle these Sirius, with all the mixed feelings,” I said back pulling my hand and leaning my head against the wall. “I think you should go back to the common room, i’ll see you in the morning okay,” I said but was retained by Sirius holding me back.

“I love you,” He said leaning against me in the wall. “Why do you think I ask you to do everything with me, ask you to go to hogsmeade with me every weekend, because I love spending time with you,” Sirius said putting his hand on my face.

“This will ruin things Sirius,” I cried out putting my head against the wall. ‘I don’t want this to ruin things,” I said not able to look at him.

“I promise, through whatever we go through, this wont ruin things and i’ll be by your side until the day you die,” Sirius said putting his hand under my chin. “Until the day you die,” He whispered making me put my head down and smile at him.

“Students out of, what the?” Flitch said around the corner, Sirius and I both looked at each other, not a second later the cloak was over our heads and we walked back to the common room soaking wet, dripping a trail of water behind us.

“Did you do it, I told you they would do it,” James said fist bumping Peter. “You got their homework to do for a week,” He said laughing at Remus.

“You two are soaking wet, what happened?” Remus asked as we took of the cloak, everything about my was soaking wet.

“We did it, we didn't get caught, have fun with my homework Moony,” I said smirking and dragging my wet self up to my room. “And just you wait until you see the aftermath,” I whispered before getting to the top of the stairs, I smiled at the four boys then opened my door and closed it once I was in. I stripped down to nothing and tossed on a baggy sweater and sweatpants, landing onto my bed and looking up to my roof.

“Can we talk?” Without looking I knew it was Sirius, I waited a couple seconds and looked up, he was dressed in black sweatpants and a white shirt. “Please,” He asked.

“I’m really tired but I can spare a bit of sleep for you,” I muttered laying back down and watching my room, reminiscing what I wish my reality was. “Shoot,” I said to Sirius as I heard my door shut.

“You know, if it was between me getting caught tonight and you, I would have gotten caught for you to have a head start to the common room,” He said moving my chair to sit on it. “I don’t think I could live without you,” He said making my heart skip a beat.

“We would have never been in that situation, we had the cloak, and don’t use the word what if, because what if I never came to Hogwarts, you would have never thought of saying that to me,” I said sitting up and looking at him.

“Why do you do that, shut everyone out, your only happy when in a group, what are you thinking in that head of yours?” He asked tapping his own head.

“You really wanna know?” I asked taking a deep breath in closing my eyes and opening them back up releasing my breath. “I’m in love with you, but I can’t let this ruin the thing I have with the rest of the boys, when i’m with all of you I feel at home, when i’m with you I feel complete but I don’t wanna be broken again,” I cried out covering my eyes.

The wheels of my chair moving echos my room and Sirius soft hands lached onto mine. “I love you too,” He whispered making me look up. “I promise that I will never hurt you,” He said sitting down infornt of me.

“Sirius Black kiss me,” I said lifting my head up as Sirius attacked my face landing me back first onto my bed laying on top of me, his hands crawling into my shirt, I copied his action rubbing my hands along his spine and wrapping my feet around his.

“Kinky,” Sirius whispered taking his shirt off making me curl a smile and take mine off too and crawl under the blankets. Sirius smirked putting the blanket over his, leaning down to kiss my neck making my hands dig a bit into his back turning the both of us on.

“God Sirius,” I moaned as he continued to kiss my neck making my head go back and my stomach feeling tingly. “Sirius,” I moaned turning a gidget in his head.

“Take of your pants,” He whispered into my ear, I didn't hesitate sliding my sweatpants down, feeling SIrius do the same with him, the my underwear being slid down my him. Sirius caressing his hand along my v line up to my stomach then my naked chest, inserting in me making my hands attract to his back and claw at him....

“So, your staying here tonight?” I asked Sirius as he laid on my chest and I ran my hands through his hair. “Because i’m okay with that,” I said to him.

“I wasn’t planning on leaving this bed,” Sirius chuckled running his hand on my thigh. “I didn't picture this the ending of my night today,” he laughed making me laugh.

“I can picture us going to sleep right now you know, we’ve got a prank to react to in the morning,” I whispered kissing the top of his head, he moved up beside me, his chest bare.

“Goodnight love,” Sirius said kissing my forehead and turning me around so he could wrap his arms around me. “See you in the morning,” He whispered in my ear as his hands rested on my chest, I smiled to myself then shut my eyes to go to sleep.

#sirius black #sirius x y/n #sirius imagine #siriusblack x reader #Siriusblack #Siriusblackxreader #sirius black x y/n #siriusblackxyou #sirius black x you #JamesPotter #James potter #RemusLupin #remus lupin #peter pettigrew #peterpettigrew

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prettyboyreid · 3 years

Text

the story (iv)

(a girl and a boy) (a boy and a boy) (me and my friend)

OC!Potter x Marauders, OC!Potter x Nephew!Harry

As Harry Potter gets older, his aunt makes sure he never forgets about his parents or his uncles.

Based on the song The Story by Conan Gray

Warnings: Mentions of death and violence

Word Count: 7186

When Lucy Potter saw the tawny owl perched on the open kitchen window promptly at noon on July thirty-first, 1991, she felt a pit in her stomach growing bigger and bigger. She obviously knew this time would come, but the thought of her nephew leaving and going off to school scared her.

It scared her that she wouldn’t be able to protect him from whatever could come after him, wouldn’t be there to console him when he came face-to-face with his first bully, and wouldn’t be there for him to help him whenever he needed any advice.

But she knew that she had to send him to Hogwarts eventually.

It was the safest option for him.

Maybe even for both of them.

“Is that for me, Aunt Lucy?” Harry asked excitedly, pulling Lucy out from any of the thoughts she had. She looked down at him with a small smile, nodding before handing him the thick, parchment envelope with his name written in loopy handwriting that she could never forget.

He ripped it open immediately, not bothering to even look at the warm, crimson wax seal or the school crest printed on the back in dark black ink before he pulled out what would be one of the most important letters he had ever received.

Lucy couldn’t help but smile as she watched his face light up as he read the letter silently to himself, leaning against the kitchen counter as she looked down at him. “What does it say, bug?” she asked, despite still having the exact words her letter said engraved in her brain.

Harry looked up at her with a wide, toothy grin, before he looked down at his paper to read her what the letter said.

“Dear Mr. Harry Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1st.

Yours Sincerely, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress.”

Lucy smiled down at him and pushed some of his dark brown hair out of his face, watching as he looked up at her with wide, animated eyes. “I’m gonna go to Hogwarts, Aunt Lucy!” he exclaimed, which only made her chuckle softly.

“You are! And you know what I think?” she asked, lifting up her nephew and setting him down on the countertop next to her.

He giggled a bit as he looked up at her, shaking his head a bit. “What?”

“Well, I think that you’re gonna be a Gryffindor, just like your mom and dad,” she said, tapping his nose with a small smile

This comment made him light up like a Christmas tree. “You really think so?” he asked, looking down at the letter before beginning to read over the books and supplies he would need before the first of September.

“Oh, I know so. You’re just like your parents, I don’t see why you’d be anything other than Gryffindor,” she explained to him, glancing over his shoulder to look down at the list so she could get an idea of where they would need to go on their next shopping trip in the Wizard World.

Harry just smiled, completely full of bliss at the whole situation, before he leapt off the counter. “Can we go shopping for everything today?” he asked hopefully, giving his aunt pleading eyes as he looked up at her with a smile.

She grinned but eventually nodded, kissing the top of his head gently. “You’ll have to get ready quickly then, bubba; there’s a lot we’re gonna have to get and it’s already noon,” she told him, but that was all the confirmation he needed - he practically bolted up the stairs to get to his room and get dressed to leave.

-x-x-x-

The shopping trip didn’t take as long as they had expected, especially considering all of the different supplies that they needed and how picky Harry was with getting his quills (“You don’t get it, Aunt Lucy. I have to have a quill in every color!”) and how many wands Harry had to try out before he finally found the one that chose him, as Mr. Ollivander had put it.

He even had the pleasure of meeting Rubeus Hagrid for the first time, who was absolutely delighted to see him for the first time since he delivered Harry to Lucy’s doorstep ten years ago. He was so delighted, in fact, that he insisted on buying Harry an eleventh birthday present, which happened to be a beautiful snowy owl that he saw in the window of the wizard pet shop. After glancing through Hogwarts: A History, Harry quickly landed on the name Hedwig for his new pet.

Once they had everything that the young boy needed for his first semester, they made their way back into London and decided to take the train home instead of the Floo Network. Now, they were sat on said train, with bags and boxes carrying every possible thing Harry could need surrounding them and the seats beside them. Luckily, they were the only one’s on at this hour.

Harry looked fairly tuckered out from his long day of shopping, resting his head against his aunt’s shoulder and keeping his eyes closed. His breathing became so slow and steady, Lucy almost thought he was asleep, until he piped up after a long while of silence.

“Do you remember going shopping with my mom and dad for school?” he asked curiously, his eyes still closed as he awaited an answer from his aunt.

Lucy smiled gently at the thought and nodded, leaning her head back against the window of the train. “Yeah, I do. Mostly your dad, though,” she answered aloud finally, sighing gently as she looked up at the ceiling. “His favorite place to go was Gringotts Bank, because he liked the ride down to our vault,” she told him with a weak chuckle, running a hand back through her hair.

“What about my mom?”

She smiled softly and looked down at him, now noticing he was looking up at her with his usual curious gaze. “She loved going to Flourish and Blotts. She would always grab books that she didn’t even need, just in case she got bored and wanted to learn more about anything,” she told him, pushing some of his brown, curly hair out of the way of his glasses so she could see his sage colored eyes.

She didn’t think she could ever put into words how much she loved and hated that he was a perfect mix of his parents.

“Harry, I need to tell you about something,” she said after a few moments of silence. His gaze never left his aunt’s anxious face, though for a bit she couldn’t look at him without second-guessing her next few words. “About your mom and dad.”

Harry tilted his head slightly as he listened to her, but didn’t interrupt her despite his blossoming curiosity at her comment. He just looked up at her, his full attention on her as her focus was on the poster on the other side of the train that suddenly seemed more interesting than explaining what had happened to his parents.

But she still knew she had to be the one to explain it to him. The last thing she wanted, and that he needed, was to have some third year telling him what happened to his parents on his first day of classes and traumatizing him for the rest of the year.

“On Halloween night, just after you turned one, your parents…” she started, swallowing thickly as she looked down at him. “Your parents didn’t just die, Harry. They were killed.”

Harry’s eyebrows furrowed a bit as he listened to his aunt, frowning as he listened to her. “Who killed them?” he asked her after a few moments of a somewhat uncomfortable silence, his eyes meeting hers timidly.

“Well, uh, he’s a very powerful wizard, and in the wizarding world, we don’t want to say it, so we call him You-Know-Who,” she explained, pushing some hair out of her nephew’s face a bit as they spoke.

“Do you know what happened, Aunt Lucy?” he asked, chewing on the inside of his cheek as he kept his gaze on his aunt.

“I, uh…” she started, not sure how exactly to explain everything to him, until all she could think of was the only way she ever told him anything about his parents - a story.

“Let me tell you a story, bubs,” she said, giving him a small smile and kissing him on the top of his head. He just nodded softly in response, leaning against his aunt once again as she spoke.

“On October 31st, I was actually with Uncle Padfoot at my house. Uncle Moony was off doing work for a group they were a part of, called the Order of the Phoenix, and Uncle Peter said he was going to his mom’s house for Halloween to help her hand out candy to the muggle children.”

-x-x-x-

“Luce, you can’t just expect me to watch these muggle movies with you all night! They’re all about killing people!” Sirius exclaimed, getting some more popcorn from the kitchen as they finished up their most recent movie, Halloween.

“Just two more, Pads; Friday the 13th and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. They’re good movies, I promise,” she told her friend with a smile, getting up and beginning to clean up a little bit since Sirius had to be holding the popcorn during every single jump scare that movie had.

“My birthday’s in four days. Little Prongs. You should at least let me pick the movie,” he protested, turning on the stove as he put the popcorn overtop of the flame on a burner.

Lucy just rolled her eyes, getting another bottle of butterbeer from the fridge for her and one for Sirius as well. “No way, Sirius. You’d pick a stupid movie like… Sleeping Beauty, or something. Halloween is for horror movies. You can watch your drawing movies any other day of the year,” she said, tossing a bottle to Sirius as she twisted off the cap of her own with a grin.

“Okay, first of all, they’re called animations, not drawings. Have you learned nothing from Lily’s rants about these things? Secondly, Sleeping Beauty can be scary. Maleficent is pretty scary when she turns into a giant dragon and tries to kill everybody,” Sirius corrected her, continually mixing the popcorn up so it didn’t burn as he opened his bottle of butterbeer.

“Shut up, Sirius,” she said with an eye roll, before she raised an eyebrow as she noticed a snowy owl sitting on the windowsill of the kitchen, just above the sink. She slowly moved towards it, taking the letter from its beak and thanking it before seeing it was addressed to her and Sirius, with the Hogwarts crest stamped on the back of the envelope.

“It’s not a terrible movie, anyway, it has a good story-”

“Sirius, shut up,” she repeated, holding the letter up to show him. He turned around to look at her and his eyes widened a bit, flicking off the burner and setting his drink down before practically rushing over to her.

“Open it,” he said, shoving his hands into his front pockets as he looked at the cream colored envelope anxiously. Lucy just nodded, pulling the flap up from the wax seal and pulling out the thick parchment. She read over the loopy, thick letters quickly as her eyebrows furrowed together, reading the letter again once she finished.

“What? What is it?” Sirius asked almost impatiently, taking the letter from her when she didn’t reply to him. He read over the letter quickly and his face matched hers, chewing on the inside of his cheek. “What does this mean? ‘We’ve received intelligence that James and Lily might have been attacked’? How would they not know?” he asked, running one of his hands back through his hair as he looked over to his honorary younger sister.

“It means we have to go see for ourselves, since Dumbledore obviously won’t,” she answered, setting her drink down on the counter and heading towards the front door. “Did you ever figure out how to make your motorcycle fly?” she asked, shoving on a random pair of shoes on her feet as she got to the door.

He just nodded softly, grabbing the keys quickly from their hook and going to grab his shoes too. “Yeah, I can get us to a straight shot in like, ten minutes, at the most?” he told her, shoving the letter into his pocket before Lucy led the two of them outside.

The motorcycle was parked in the driveway behind Lucy’s car, and Sirius had two helmets resting on each handle bar - one for him and one for any passenger he might have. He handed one to Lucy as he put his own on, getting on the front seat as she climbed on behind him and tightly wrapped her arms around Sirius, her eyes squeezing shut as they quickly ascended into the air, smiling ever-so-slightly as her mind wandered back to the time in their sixth year when the boys forced her onto the back of her brother’s broom.

Sirius would have broken multiple speeding laws if they had been on the road instead of in the sky, as they made the trip in barely eight minutes. Once he parked the car in the driveway, they saw a large flash of green bursting through the top floor, a scream that made every hair on their bodies stand up straight, before it was dead silent.

Both Sirius and Lucy knew what that meant, and it made both of them stand still for many minutes. You wouldn’t even know if they were breathing, until the quiet, barely audible sounds of a young child crying hit them all of a sudden. They both threw their helmets off and ran inside, the door nearly off its hinges when they arrived.

They were about to run upstairs to find where their nephew was, but the body of their brother, the one person that they both trusted and loved most in the entire world, was flung onto the staircase, like he was just a ragdoll at the disposal of his killer. Sirius, to Lucy’s surprise, was the first to break over this sight. She gave a few sniffles at first, tears beginning to stream down her face as her brother’s face lolled back onto one of the steps beside one of the many toys she had spoiled her nephew with, but Sirius fell down to his knees in front of him, shaking his shoulders a bit as he cried.

“It’s not funny, Prongs,” she heard him mutter out between choked sobs, fixing his glasses that had gone askew during his fall. “Come on, it’s not funny, James, wake up,” he muttered, looking around him a bit before he slumped back against the banister, letting another cry leave his body before he looked back to Lucy, his cheeks stained red with streaks of hot tears running across them.

“He doesn’t have his wand,” he said to her quietly, running his hands across his face to wipe away the tears. When he noticed the confused expression on her face, he sniffled and looked back down at James’ pale face. “H-he didn’t have his wand. He went up against him with nothing,” he told her with a frown, shaking his head a bit. “How could he be so stupid?”

“He was probably trying to protect them,” Lucy tried to assure him, resting a careful hand on his shoulder before he shook it off.

“Can you… can you go find them?” he asked her quietly. She just gave him a silent nod and carefully moved around him and James, being extra careful not to step on either of them, before she slowly ascended the rest of the stairs.

She peeked into every room, every closet, just to make sure there was no one hiding anywhere, and to make sure Lily didn’t put Harry somewhere safe where You-Know-Who couldn’t find him.

All that was left for her to check now was the nursery. The nursery she and Sirius had just finished up a few months before for Harry’s first birthday. She knew they had to be in there, but that didn’t mean it was any easier to go into that room.

Especially when she saw a hand with the all-too-familiar engagement and wedding rings she helped her brother pick out for her.

She pushed the door open a bit farther, swallowing thickly as she saw her sister-in-law, one of her best friends, sprawled out on the floor. She knelt down next to her as she let out her own grieving sobs, sniffling a bit as she looked down at Lily’s face. She almost looked like she was at peace, like she had lived the life she was supposed to and it was fulfilling, like she was ready for what had come to her.

She looked up after a moment to see Harry peering down at her from his crib, tears streaking his cheeks as neither of his parents had answered his cries. She stood up and wiped her own tears away, letting out one last sob as she picked up Harry from the crib. She frowned a bit as she noticed a lightning bolt-shaped cut in his forehead, though it didn’t look as it had ever bled. She ran her thumb across it gently, and it didn’t seem to hurt him at all. She kissed his forehead gently, moving to head downstairs with him when he heard a shout coming from the street.

“Peter! Peter Pettigrew!” she heard Sirius’ voice yell, along with a crack of a spell being cast. Lucy ran to the window to look out at him, frowning a bit as she saw him running into the street, where Peter was standing, while other different neighbors began to pour out of their houses, curious as to why there was so much noise. She genuinely had no idea why Peter was there, but the fact that Sirius was upset with him didn’t make her feel any better. She moved away from the window and began to head downstairs, though she froze in front of her twin brother's body as there was another flash of light, much bigger than the one she had seen earlier with Sirius from the driveway.

She carefully made her way out to the front door, moving past it slowly before she saw Sirius slowly standing up from a crouching position. He was looking around and looked rather confused, holding tightly onto his wand as he looked around to see twelve people surrounding him, and what looked to be a large finger by his food.

“Sirius, what the hell have you done?” she asked him slowly, looking around with wide, scared eyes as she held Harry close to her chest, who had slightly calmed down by now.

“I don’t- I didn’t do this, Luce,” he said, looking around before looking back at her. “I swear to Merlin, I didn’t do anything. I-I tried to hex Peter, that’s all, I swear, then he just… he just made a blast and everyone went down,” he tried to explain, his hands shaking slightly as he did his best to tell her everything that had happened.

Lucy chewed on the inside of her cheek and swallowed again, instinctively turning Harry away from him. “I can’t… I can’t have Harry around this, you know that, right?” she told him quietly, shaking her head a bit again. “I’ll find Dumbledore and talk to him. Just… you just stay here,” she said, holding tightly onto her nephew as she quickly apparated to the village of Hogsmeade, though she could have sworn she saw an auror arrive in Godric’s Hollow seconds before she had.

The second she arrived on the famous cobblestone streets, she found herself face-to-face with the headmaster himself. He had his hands folded together in front of himself, giving her a sad smile as he stood eerily still.

“Lucy. I’m sorry to hear about Lily and James. It’s terribly awful,” he told her, shaking his head gently. “However, on the plus side, however it may have happened, Voldemort was defeated when he went to the Potter’s house in Godric’s Hollow. Everyone can sleep a little more peacefully now,” he told her.

“That doesn’t change the fact I don’t have a brother now, Dumbledore,” she told him with a frown. “Or that my nephew doesn’t have any parents. Or that he lost one of his uncle’s tonight, too. A-and that there’s twelve dead muggles outside my brother’s house!”

“Oh, yes,” he said, clicking his tongue a bit and shaking his head softly. “One of the portraits in my office told me. Terrible news. The report came in just before I arrived to meet you,” he told her. “Sirius Black always seemed much more promising than that.”

“I thought so too,” she told him quietly, looking down at her nephew before kissing the top of his head gently as his head was curled up into her shoulder. “What do we… What can we do now?” she asked him, still looking down at her nephew, as if he was the only good thing left in her life, like he was the light at the end of a dark, gloomy tunnel.

“Well, it’s best that Harry’s put in with his Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, as for you, since you were always so gifted in your studies here at Hogwarts, we’re prepared to offer you any position you’d seek; Potions, Astronomy, Ancient Runes-”

“I’m sorry, what did you just say?” Lucy asked, her eyebrows furrowing as she frowned at Dumbledore’s comments.

“Oh, you could have any position on our staff you’d like, as a sign of our condolences. I remember you always said you wanted to be the youngest professor at Hogwarts,” he said with a soft chuckle, before Lucy put her hand up as if to silence the headmaster.

“No. About Harry,” she said firmly, standing up a bit more straight. “You’re not taking my nephew from me. I’m not letting him go stay with a family who wants nothing to do with him or has never even met him. The last time James and Lily even saw either of them was when they invited Petunia and Vernon to their wedding, and they practically spat in their faces. They loathe anything that has to do with magic. He’ll be suppressed from this life for his entire life. They probably won’t even let him go to Hogwarts when he’s old enough,” she defended him, holding the boy close to her chest with a frown.

“Lucy, there is magic beyond your control that is protecting him now that his parents are gone, and Petunia has the blood of his mother -”

“I don’t care if she has the blood of Merlin himself, I’m not letting you take him away from the only family that loves and cares for him,” she interrupted him, taking a step back from Dumbledore again. “And I won’t fall for your bribes to keep me occupied from him either. I’d rather be a damn waitress at the Hog’s Head Inn before I’ll give up Harry and work at Hogwarts,” she told him, switching the toddler onto her other hip as she spoke.

Dumbledore stood silently for a few moments, just looking at Lucy as if she hadn’t said anything, with his hands folded neatly in front of himself.

“You’ll be putting him at a great risk, Lucy,” he finally said slowly, letting his hands release from each other and letting them fall down at his sides.

“I’ll protect him better than I was able to protect my brother,” she told him without hesitation, resting her hand on Harry’s head as she continued her little stare-down with Albus Dumbledore, not wanting to show any possible sign of weakness.

After a few more moments, he simply nodded and gave her a small smile, one that almost looked like he pitied her. “I suppose I can’t stop you, in that case,” he said slowly, looking down at the one-year-old she held tightly to her chest. “For my own curiosity, will you be able to live off of your parent’s and James’ will?” he asked, his head tilting to the side, his long, white beard following suit.

“If not, I’m sure I could get a job at the Ministry. They always need people to do paperwork,” she answered with a shrug, gently patting her nephew’s back as he stirred slightly. Dumbledore only nodded once again, his mouth still playing host to the crudely sympathetic smile.

“Very well. Remember, you’ll always have a home at Hogwarts if you need it, Miss Potter,” he added before turning on his heels and beginning the slow walk back to the castle. He only made it a couple feet, maybe passed by a single building, before there was a large crack that rang through the air, and within a moment, he was gone.

Lucy just let out a soft sigh and kissed the top of her nephew’s head, shaking her head a bit before deciding it was time to take him back to her house so he could get a proper sleep, one where he wasn’t interrupted by someone trying to kill him or people trying to take him away from his family.

So, she apparated back to her little cottage house in Torpoint, which she soon after figured that she would need to give up in order to have more room for Harry as he got older, though it wasn’t a concern for her at the moment. She just knew he needed rest.

Once she was inside her small house, she looked at the time on a grandfather clock that was pushed into the corner of her living room, which read 2:26. Lucy just sighed and looked around her living room, trying to figure out where she should put Harry for the night. She didn’t want to put him on the couch, because he could easily roll off. She didn’t have his cot set up for when he would usually spend the night, and she didn’t want to risk waking him after the long night he had already had. So, she settled on carrying him up to her bedroom and letting him take her bed for the night.

She wasn’t going to get much sleep, anyway.

She set the toddler down on her bed so his head was rested on a pillow, setting one pillow on either side of him so he didn’t turn too far one way or another. He seemed to settle down almost immediately and fall right to sleep again, like nothing had ever happened.

Lucy grabbed a picture frame off of her bedside dresser and sat on the edge of her bed, looking down at the photograph with a frown. It was a picture of her, the Marauders, and Lily on their last day of Hogwarts. They were all smiling and they looked so happy, like nothing bad was going on around like them. Like nothing bad could ever happen to them.

She looked at the photograph for a while, even after the glass covering was stained with her tears, and long after she knew she should have tried to get some sleep. It wasn’t until she heard her nephew babbling from behind her that she wiped her cheeks and set the picture frame on the bed beside her, looking around and giving Harry a small smile. “What’s up, bug?”

“Pong?”

Lucy raised an eyebrow at the odd word he had spoken to her, wiping her eyes with her sleeves before moving up to the head of the bed where he was laying. She pushed some of his growing hair out of his face, her stomach sinking as she saw the scar on his forehead again; she knew she’d never get used to seeing that mark on his innocent face.

“What’s pong, bubba?” she asked softly, picking him up and setting him in her lap.

“Pong,” he repeated, frowning up at his aunt as she didn’t understand him.

She just shook her head a bit, chewing on the inside of his cheek as she tried to comprehend what he was asking of her. “I-I don’t know-”

“Where Pong?” he asked her with a huff, folding his small arms across his chest.

“What do you mean Po-... oh,” she said, giving him a bit of a frown as she silently tried to figure out what to say to him. He obviously wouldn’t understand what had actually happened, though she knew he probably wouldn’t remember what she even told him, and she’d have to re-explain everything all over to him every few days. She just gave him another sad smile, letting her hand fall into his lap.

“Pong and Mama had to go away, bub. But you’ll get to hang out with me for a little while,” she told him softly, hoping it was a good enough explanation for the young boy.

Harry frowned for a moment before nodding, then standing up and leaning against his aunt. “Play now?” he asked her, to which she just smiled and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“Sure, we can go play.”

-x-x-x-

Harry was silent for a few moments as he listened to her, chewing on the inside of his cheek as he looked down at his lap.

“I almost didn’t live with you?” he asked, looking up at her finally after a few more moments of silence.

Rather surprised at his choice of question after what she had just unpacked onto him, Lucy simply nodded. “Yeah. Dumbledore really wanted you to live with your mom’s sister and her family, but you hadn’t even met them yet, and I wasn’t about to let my favorite nephew go and live with some random people,” she told him, kissing the top of his head softly as the train came to a halt outside the Kingston upon Thames stop.

They gathered up their bags and everything they had bought down in Diagon Alley, scuffling out of the empty train car and onto the platform. Harry looked down at his feet as he walked out of the train station with his aunt, and down the street a few blocks to their house. He did his best to just to stay silent - whether it was only because he didn’t know what to say or if he didn’t want to say anything about wizardry in public, Lucy didn’t know.

When they finally reached their little house in the far corner of a far street, Lucy unlocked the door and led him inside, closing the door and locking it behind the two of them. After he set his bags down in the middle of the living room, he turned around to face his aunt again. “Why did he have to kill them?” he suddenly asked.

Lucy was unsure of how to even respond to the question, sitting down on the couch and looking over at him as she gave him a sad smile. “Well, the Order heard about the possibility of a prophecy about a boy born at the end of July, one who could be his equal,” she explained to him. She didn’t entirely know what the prophecy was about, in all honesty; she just knew it was possibly about her nephew.

“Then why did he kill them? They didn’t do anything wrong, Aunt Lucy,” he said firmly, frowning a bit as he hadn’t gotten the answer he was looking for.

She nodded softly, letting out a soft sigh before tapping the space on the couch next to her. “I hate to say it, bug, but I’m afraid that’s just the way the world works sometimes. It’s not all funny, pretty, and sweet like I make it out to be in your little stories. There’s a lot of bad things that happen - which I tried my best to keep you from growing up - and that’s one of the bad things. Your mom and dad tried to protect you, and that meant they were in his way, and he was willing to do anything to get to you,” she explained to him, kissing the top of his head again.

He just leaned his head against her shoulder as she finished, frowning for a moment before wrapping his arms around her as tight as he could. She rested her hand on his back and patted it gently, silently wishing she could do more for him than just comfort him.

“Is it possible to miss people you don’t even remember?” he asked quietly, looking up at his aunt with glass, red-tinted eyes, which seemed magnified by his little round glasses.

Lucy nodded softly, pushing some hair out of his face a bit as she looked down at him lovingly. “Of course it is,” she assured him, kissing his forehead gently before he snuggled up to his aunt again. “I miss them too, you know.”

He nodded gently as he rested his head against her side, sniffling a little bit as he listened to his aunt. He stayed in that same spot for what felt like hours to her, but she wasn’t complaining; she just combed her fingers through her hair to try to keep him calm. After a little while, though, he sat up and sniffled a bit, wiping at his eyes with the sleeves of his shirt before he looked up to his aunt again.

“Thank you, Aunt Lucy.”

“For what, bubba?”

“For telling me, I guess,” he shrugged, standing up and grabbing his bags. “I’m glad you told me what happened now so I didn’t have to find out on my own.”

She just gave him a small smile and nodded, ruffling his hair up a little bit. “No problem,” she said, grinning a bit as he bound up the stairs with all of his bags. “Don’t try to use your wand, though! I’m not gonna deal with you getting expelled before you’ve even gotten to school!” she called up after him with a small grin.

She knew it was gonna be hell once he got to school.

She wasn’t entirely wrong, though. On September 1st, she and Remus packed nearly all of Harry’s belongings into her car, since she didn’t want Harry to feel awkward with everyone else being dropped off with their big families and Harry only having his aunt. The entire drive to King’s Cross Station, Harry wouldn’t stop asking either of them questions about what Hogwarts and everything associated with it was like.

“Is the food good?”

“It’s really good, bubs; you’ll love the desserts.”

“How long is the train ride?”

“I think about nine hours, right, Luce?”

“If they haven’t changed anything, yeah.”

“Are the professors nice?”

“Most of them.”

“Who was your favorite professor, Uncle Moony?”

“Harry, if you ask him any more questions, there won’t even be a need for you to go; you’ll know everything about the school already.”

“Sorry Aunt Lucy.”

“...My favorite professor was Professor McGonagall.”

“Remus!”

“Sorry, Luce!”

They arrived at the train station at precisely 10:45 A.M. Harry practically jumped out of the car, quickly grabbing the cage his pet owl was in and waiting for his aunt and uncle to grab his trunk, which was a little too heavy for him to drag himself.

“Careful, Harry. You don’t want to hurt her wings before you get the chance to send letters,” Remus warned him, getting out of the passenger seat and going round to grab Harry’s trunk from the back seat. Harry just gave an apologetic smile, but still was practically jumping up and down as he waited for his aunt to come with them.

Lucy grinned a little bit and grabbed his train ticket, finally getting out of the car and locking it behind her. She ruffled up her nephew’s hair a bit as she finally began to lead him and Remus inside, smiling down at him as she watched him.

“Are you excited?” she asked, looking up at the different signs posted up so they were headed in the right direction; contrary to popular belief, it wasn’t too difficult to forget where to go, especially when the train station is filled to the brim and it had been nearly fifteen years since she had been to the station.

Harry nodded quickly, looking around at everything like he already was at his new school. “I can’t wait,” he told his aunt with a bright smile, squeezing her hand a bit as they walked through the station.

After a few more moments of walking, Lucy was able to pick out a large group of fiery red-headed kids, two of which quickly disappeared into a brick wall.

“Weasley’s,” Lucy muttered to herself, to which Remus nodded gently in agreement, leading Harry over towards where they had seen the group. The second the three of them got to the brick wall, the only two girls in the family were remaining.

“Molly!” Lucy called out, giving her a bit of a wave as they got closer.

“Lucy Potter! Remus Lupin!” she exclaimed with a bright smile, making her way over to the two of them before kissing each of them on the cheek. “How are you two? It’s been so long! Do you still have that part time job at the Ministry, dear?” she rushed out quickly, resting her hand on her daughter’s shoulder.

“We’re good, Molly. I’ve still got the job down in the Department of International Magical Cooperation, but I’ll probably pick up a few extra hours now that Harry’s headed off to school,” she said, grinning down at her nephew with a proud smile. Harry, however, just looked up at the new woman somewhat warily, despite how warm she appeared to be.

“Oh, goodness! Is it time already? We’re sending Ron off today. He just went through with the twins,” she told her with a smile, looking down at Harry, who now looked rather confused.

“Sent through? How do you get to the platform?” he asked, looking between the two of them.

“Oh, it’s nothing, dear, you just go right through that wall. It’s best if you do it with a little run,” Molly explained to him with a smile.

He just nodded up at her before looking at his aunt. “You’ll go through with me, Aunt Lucy?” he asked softly, to which she just nodded gently.

“Good luck,” the youngest Weasley told him with a small smile. Harry gave her a small nod and looked to his aunt again. She counted down with him slowly, before they both made their way through the brick wall quickly, and it, quite literally, opened up a new world to the young boy.

There were clusters of family’s bunched around the bustling platform, with handfuls of owls flying around overhead before they’d be cooped up on a train for the rest of the day. Harry could’ve sworn he even saw a toad hopping past his feet at one point.

As he looked around in wonder, he heard Remus bidding his goodbye to Molly and her daughter from behind him, before resting his hand on his shoulder as Harry admired the scarlet and black train in front of him.

“It’s almost eleven, bug, you’ll have to get on the train soon,” Lucy said softly to him, before he looked up at her almost nervously. She raised an eyebrow and knelt down to his height, to which Remus backed away for a moment to let them say their own goodbyes.

“Are you sure I’ll like it there?” he asked his aunt quietly. She smiled softly and nodded, pushing some hair out of his face. She was a little relieved that was his only concern at the time.

“Of course. You’re gonna meet a lot of great people that you’ll love. You’ll feel right at home, I promise,” she told him, holding her pinky out to him with a grin.

He smiled softly and wrapped his much smaller pinky around hers. “Can you write to me if I miss you?” he asked her quietly, like he was almost worried someone would overhear.

She chuckled softly but nodded nonetheless. “I’ll write to you every day if you want me to,” she promised. He laughed quietly at this, before wrapping his arms around his aunt’s neck. She hugged him back without hesitation, kissing the side of his head gently.

“I love you, Aunt Lucy.”

“I love you too, bubs.”

After a few moments of them standing there like that, she stood up, glancing over to Remus and giving him a soft nod. Remus took his time giving Harry his goodbye, and Lucy was almost positive she heard him telling Harry to say something to Professor McGonagall for him. Harry just laughed and nodded, hugging his uncle tightly. Remus hugged him back, sighing a bit before his nephew pulled away.

Harry turned back to his aunt and took his ticket from his aunt, giving her one last hug. “I’ll miss you, Little Prongs,” he told her with a smile.

She chuckled weakly and nodded, pushing some hair out of his face to get one last look at her nephew, her brother, and her sister-in-law for a few months. She gave him a weak smile and kissed his head. “I’ll miss you too, Baby Prongs,” she replied, leading him over to the train and helping him on.

“You’ll do great, I promise,” she called after him as he got on, smiling at her through the open window of the train as it slowly began to pull away. He waved at her dramatically until he couldn’t see her anymore, before shuffling into an empty car and quietly hoping someone would sit with him.

Lucy backed away from the platform, standing beside Remus for a moment as she just lingered on the spot where the train was only moments before. Remus rested her hand on her shoulder gently, giving her a silent, reassuring smile.

“He’s going to be just fine. You don’t have to worry about him,” he promised her, squeezing her shoulder gently.

And he was right. Despite missing her nephew, who felt like her own son at this point, she managed on when he wasn’t there. She wrote to him every day as she had promised, sending him a bag of sweets every few days along with a letter. He wrote back as frequently as he could, and every time she saw an owl on her kitchen window holding an envelope with her name written in blotchy chicken scratch that she would know anywhere, it never failed to make her smile. Even though she let go of a big part of herself on September first, she knew it was for his own benefit, and he’d be better off for it.

And because of that, all was well.

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greyeyedmonster-18 · 3 years

Text

when i grow up

(an "unintentional" prompt by @impishtubist that involved tiny Harry helping Sirius in the garage which evolved into this lil drabble... and also just a love letter to stay at home parents.)

"Padfoot, I'm you!" Harry had taken off his shirt like Sirius, his hat now turned backward in the spitting image of how Sirius was wearing his that day.

"This is the best day of my life, I think, second, to the day I married you, and when Harry was born, obviously," Sirius told Remus, grinning widely, as he walked towards Harry "Travel-Size me."

"Can I help you? I'm good at helping!"

July 1984

Despite the summer heat, and the warnings the weathermen had said over the muggle-radio Remus liked to play in the mornings, Sirius was outside working on his bike. Remus was also ignoring the heat warnings as he sat in the grass of their front yard, in a white t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up onto his shoulders, their toddler running around. Harry had on a pair of sunglasses, oscillating between drawing with chalk on the sidewalk, chasing birds that landed in the grass and playing his new favorite game of jump on Moony (one that was played whenever Remus sat on the ground).

"Oof," Remus groaned with a little extra force and Sirius looked over his shoulder from where he was crouched by his bike, Remus on his back and Harry very proud of having knocked him over.

"You alright, babe?" Sirius asked, his eyebrow raising in amusement.

"Oh, I'm just fine. Nothing a whole jar of healing paste wont fix later."

"Harry be gentle with Moony, he's fragile," Sirius put down his tool and stood up to walk over to the grass, not bothering to put his shirt back on

"What's fragile?" asked Harry squinting up at him, his sunglasses knocked off in the collision, but still happily Remus' stomach.

"I'm not--"

"It means he's like one of our dishes. Remember when we broke one?

"Crash!" Harry exclaimed

"Exactly." Sirius bent down to grab Harry's sunglasses, putting them back on his face, his toddler finally getting off Remus causing more sound effects from his husband that Harry found hilarious.

"Silly, Moony," Harry told him before running off again to grab a piece of chalk he left on the walkway.

"That's what they call me," Remus laughed softly

"Need a hand?"

"No, I'm just going to enjoy the view from down here," he said eyeing Sirius' bare torso with appreciation. Whenever Sirius worked on his bike, at some point his shirt came off. Sirius had barely stood up again when Harry collided with his legs, arms wrapping around his knee caps.

"Got you!"

"OH NO!" Sirius gasped, "Too bad you're no match for the tickle monster!" Sirius reached down, fingers wiggling against Harry's sides for a few moments before picking him up entirely and throwing him into the air. Sirius always caught him, but it didn't make it less amusing to watch Remus have mild-heart attacks.

"You know who else is fragile..." Remus told him below Harry's laughter as Sirius held him under one arm.

"I'm not, Moony! I'm big! I'm strong!" Harry told him, despite the blood rushing to his head from the position Sirius had him in. "Padfoot, what are you doing? Can I play?"

"Oh, just stuff on my bike, I can come play with you," Sirius said, Harry now back on the ground and rushing towards Sirius' bike to examine whatever was so interesting that it was keeping his godfather's attention

"Did we accidentally put a pepper-up potion in his lunch?" Remus asked, "Who's going to tell him that hot days are for sleeping the grass?"

"Probably you. Did you forget this is James-Never Sat Still Ever-Potter's kid?"

"Fair point. I--" but Remus stopped his sentence, and started to laugh, Sirius following his gaze towards Harry who was by Sirius' bike.

"Padfoot, I'm you!" Harry had taken off his shirt like Sirius, his hat now turned backward in the spitting image of how Sirius was wearing his that day.

"This is the best day of my life, I think, second, to the day I married you, and when Harry was born, obviously," Sirius told Remus, grinning widely, as he walked towards Harry "Travel-Size me."

"Can I help you? I'm good at helping!"

Sirius laughed, picking up a spare wrench that was lying by his bike and transfiguring it slightly smaller and lighter, before handing it to Harry, "For you, my love."

September 1990

"Hey, Moony?" Harry asked from the kitchen table where he was doing his homework. Remus was sat there with him as Sirius started cooking dinner, one of them better at keeping their 9-year-old on task and one of them better at not burning the house down. "What did you want to be when you grew up? When you were my age?"

"Oh, I...always wanted to be a teacher," Remus told him, leaning forward and putting his chin into the palm of his hands, "Sirius and your Dad even got me a briefcase when we graduated school with Professor RJ Lupin on it because they knew I'd be a teacher some day."

"No offense, but that's boring." Sirius laughed from his spot at the stove, turning to catch Remus' expression that had gone from whimsical to deadpan in a second, "I don't want to be a teacher. I'm supposed to think about what I want to be when I grow up and write a paragraph on it. But I only want to be a Quidditch player. Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"Seems like a lot of work."

"Most jobs are going to be work, Harry, hate to break it to you"

"Sirius, what's your job?"

"Oh, yeah, Sirius please explain to us your job," Remus teased and Sirius turned around fully crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, I stay at home."

"That's a job?" asked Harry, "But what do you do all day?"

"I...clean," Sirius offered, leaving out the part that he probably cleaned more than most other stay-at-home parents, "You know, take care of laundry and dishes and all that. I...make sure the yard is good, I send post and check in about money things. Pick you up from school, buy the groceries, that kind of stuff."

"All the time?" Harry looked at him in disbelief through round glasses

"Sometimes I'll work on my bike outside, or go for a drive. I'll go to the shops...you know when some days we have pastries here? It just kind of depends."

"So you get to do whatever you want all day?"

Sirius caught Remus' gaze that was boring holes into him, Sirius unsure of how to navigate this with their child who clearly was looking for a career he didn't have to do anything in.

"Sort of, but...I take care of things to."

"Do you get paid?"

"Well...no."

"So how do we have any money? I know it's not from teaching."

"Oh merlin help us..." muttered Remus, and looked at Sirius, "This one is all you."

Sirius laughed stepping closer to the table and wrapping his arms around Remus' shoulders, pulling his husband closer to him, "I won't bore you with money stuff, love but...my family had a lot of money and when they passed, it all became mine. So we're very lucky that I can stay home and--"

"Do what you want? That sounds brilliant," Harry nodded, "Do you have to wear pants?"

Remus laughed, "Sirius still wears pants," he told him, and Harry made a face. Parenting books forgot to mention that ten-year old boys preferred to have one item of clothing off at all times and Harry had taken to walking around in his boxers on the weekends.

"I wear pants, sorry. Non-negotiable."

"Still sounds better than anything else I've heard. You think I can do that when I grow up?"

December 1995

"Stop asking me about it!" Harry huffed in annoyance, not looking up from the magazine he was looking through, "I already told you I didn't know and you asking me questions isn't going to help me magically know."

"Oh, but that attitude will get you magically sent to your room," Remus told him firmly, "It was just a question, and one that it wouldn't hurt you to think about seriously."

Harry sighed and put his magazine down, "I don't want to think about it on school holiday. If I wanted to do that, I would've stayed at school."

"Harry..." Sirius said lightly, "We're just making conversation. I didn't know what I wanted to do when I was fifteen either. But it's kind of unfortunate that these exam scores are what matter."

"If you didn't know, why do I have to know? My marks are fine and I'll study for the OWL's and...I don't know, figure it out some other time."

"You're not interested in anything?" asked Remus, "You're top of your class in Defense."

"Yeah, I guess," Harry shrugged, "I'm interested in...Quidditch games. Oh, and sleeping, love that. And...I snogged a girl, that was pretty cool. I'm definitely interested in that... is there a snogging OWL?"

"No, but I would've been top of the--" started Sirius and Remus elbowed him, laughing slightly.

"Don't encourage this. There's no snogging OWL."

"I think the examiner board should reconsider. I think a lot of my year would be way more interested in that then History of Magic."

"I'll bring it up at the next staff meeting," Remus replied dryly.

"Thank you, that's all I ask." Harry told him, "Are we done now?"

"We're just asking you to think about...some options," Sirius finished, "That's it."

"I think I still like the idea of staying home and doing nothing all day. Except for...painting the kitchen and folding towels. Sounds nice." Harry said and looked at Sirius, "Can't I just hang out at home with you the rest of my life?"

"No." They said at the same time, Harry gasping in mock-offense.

"I am your child! I am hurt you don't want me here forever!" He put his hand to his chest, clutching invisible pearls, the icy teenage exterior finally softening.

"Harry, I love you, so very much," Sirius said, "And you are the messiest person I know. Get that together and we'll talk about you staying here forever."

"I can clean. Maybe."

"Think about it."

April 2004

"Good as new," Sirius said, coming from the back of Number 12 holding a baby blanket that Harry had accidentally used to much bleach on, the fabric turning hard and discolored.

"Thanks. That's the only one he likes and naptime would've been disastrous," Harry said, taking the blanket watching as his 8 month old crawled around on the floor of the sitting room. "You'll have to teach me that one. And also all your dish washing charms...I didn't know a family of three could make so many dishes all the time..."

"It's a learning curve. Anytime you want, kid. I'm here," Sirius said and bent down to pick up James raising him high in the air a few times, the tiny boy giggling. "Happy to have you anytime."

"Did you ever feel like you didn't know what the hell you were doing?"

Sirius laughed, "Harry, I still don't know what the hell I'm doing. Even less back then. Remember that stuffed dragon you had? We lost it so many times, I just ended up buying 10 for back-ups."

Harry grinned, "That's actually smart."

"You learn."

"I know I gave you a lot of shit about being able to do whatever you wanted...but it's not like I expected. The staying home thing."

"It get's easier..."

"I'm not sure that's true. I was a much easier baby than I was a 13 year old I think."

"I heard it come out of my mouth and immediately regretted it," Sirius grinned, holding James against his chest, "I think I meant to say that I wouldn't have wanted to do anything else, and...staying home with you was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Second to marrying Remus. And sitting next to your Dad on the train." Sirius said, "Take care of my grandbaby, let me know if you need anything."

Harry took James into his arms, handing his baby the blanket to hold, the little boy waving it briefly accompanied by squeals, "Did...you think I meant it? All those times I said I wanted to stay home with you?"

Sirius reached his hand out, palming the back of his godsons head gently. He looked older these days, and he could spot the tell-tale signs of lack of sleep on Harry's face. "I always hoped you did."

"Padfoot, I'm you!"

#wolfstar #raising harry #sirius black #remus lupin #harry potter #au #drabble #imp prompts #you're welcome

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