It was dark when Ilya stepped in through the back door of the Rozanov household. It wasn't all that surprising. He had skated long after practice had ended and waited until the rink owners kicked him out.
Grigori was supposed to pick him up but from the looks of things he hadn't come home yet either. So Ilya had made the walk, muttering the whole hour home about how useless his father was.
When he was rich he was going to buy himself and his Mama a big house with so many windows and sunshine. There wouldn't be any dark wood or velvet curtains and there would be laughter.
Alexei who was probably out drinking with his friends wouldn't be invited. Grigori with his harsh words and harsher fists wouldn't be invited. No. It would just be Ilya and his Mama.
His beautiful Mama who slept all day and haunted the house like a ghost at night. She had been so vibrant once. Ilya had seen the tapes. She had been one of Russia's finest figure skaters.
Until Grigori came along. He snatched up this beautiful young woman from the ice and then never let her near it again. He took everything that gave her joy and poisoned it.
She lived for her boys and already Alexei was no better than Grigori. But Ilya would be. Ilya would be his Mama's best friend. He would care for her and comb her hair when she wasn't able. He would remind her to wash her body and brush her teeth.
He could pay a chef to make them food rather than the measly sandwiches Ilya scrounged up. He hurriedly ate one over the sink and then arranged one with a glass of water on a tray for his Mama.
Ilya ran through his plans for the evening in his mind. It was Tuesday which meant he would have to rouse his Mama from her bed and convince her to shower.
He could fit in his history homework while she did that. When she reappeared from the bathroom he would comb and braid her hair, humming the same lullabies she had once sung to him. Back when she thought her voice was worth using.
He paused at the door to his parents bedroom. Irina only found drive to leave the room in the hours Grigori slept in it. She haunted the rest of the home at night floating through rooms like a ghost or an apparition. Sometimes Ilya woke up to find her sitting in his room, crying quietly.
He shuffled the tray to one hand and used the other to push down the door handle, backing into the room. He took a deep breath and plastered on a smile for his Mama. His angel.
She was laying in bed still. Just as she had been when he left her. He placed the tray on the dresser and reached over to turn on a small lamp. His mother was watching him, eyes open wide. He perched on the edge of the bed and combed his fingers through her hair.
"ĐĐžŃĐ° вŃŃаваŃŃ, ПаПа." (It's time to get up, Mama.) He urged quietly, running a thumb across the delicate skin of her cheek. She had been so very gorgeous once. Before the sadness got her.
She was still beautiful now. But she did not glow with joy anymore. Not like she had in the old tapes Ilya watched of her. Not like she had before Grigori.
Irina rose from the bed and made her way into the bathroom with minimal complaint. Ilya rooted through her closet and organized her clothes, folding them on a stool by the bathroom door for her to retrieve.
He hurried to his room and back to grab his school books and was sprawled across his parents bed when the door reopens. Ilya didn't stupid questions. He didn't ask his mother if she was okay. He didn't ask her how her day was. Instead he tidied up his school work while she settled at her dressing table.
Ilya remembers being very small once. Looking up at his Mama as she did her make up and applied her jewelry. He had begged to go with her that night but she had only laughed him away. She told him to enjoy being young and stop rushing to grow up.
Ilya wished he was a grown up. He would be a famous hockey player and he could spend all his money making his Mama better. They could live somewhere better than Moscow. Like New York or Florida.
Florida would be good. His Mama would like the sun and the fast paced life. It would give her purpose again. He would buy her new skates and new costumes and she would be a famous figure skater again and he would be a famous hockey player and together they would be Irina and her boy.
One day. Hopefully sooner rather than later. Ilya was only twelve now. He would need five more years of hard work before he could get drafted to the NHL.
Ilya could do this for five years more. He would do it for twenty five more years if he needed to. He would do whatever it took to help her and give her back all she gave up so that he would exist.
"ĐŻ СапНоŃŃ Ńойо кОŃŃ?" (Shall I braid your hair?) He asked and she nodded. When he reached for the hair brush she paused him, taking his wrist in her hand and pulling it up to her mouth so she could press a kiss to the palm of his hand.
"Đ˘Ń ŃĐ°Đş ПиН ŃĐž ПнОК, ПОК СОНОŃОК ПаНŃŃик." (You are so sweet to me. My golden boy.) She whispered and he smiled, gathering his mother up in a tight hug before releasing her. She allowed him to comb and dry her hair then. He even twisted it into a delicate plait for her. She ran her hand down the length of it with a ghost of a smile.
When he left her she had been picking at the sandwich and urging him to go do his homework before his father got home. Ilya paused in the doorway as he left and blew his mother a kiss. "ĐŻ ĐťŃĐąĐťŃ ŃойŃ, ПаПа." (I love you, Mama.)
She smiled at him, almost that old smile and caught the kiss. Pressing it over her heart and holding it tight. "ĐŻ ŃĐžŃ ŃĐ°Đ˝Ń ŃŃĐž навŃогда." (I'll keep it forever.)
"ĐĐľ Đ˝ŃМнО. ĐавŃŃĐ° Đ´Đ°Đź ĐľŃŃ ĐžĐ´Đ¸Đ˝." (No need. I'll give you another tomorrow.)
Tomorrow never came for Irina. Deep down Ilya knew she hadn't intended for him to find her. It was supposed to be Grigori. Even in death he couldn't give her what she wanted.
Ilya had finished all his homework late. He hadn't heard either Alexei or Grigori home yet and so he went in search of his sweet Mama.
She had returned to bed, curled up tight in her sleep. Ilya had left the lamp on from earlier and pulled at the blanket to cover up his mother where she had fallen asleep on the covers. "ĐĐžŃ ŃĐ°Đş Đ˛Ń ĐˇĐ°ĐźĐľŃСноŃĐľ." (You will get cold like this.)
Ilya paused when he found his mothers face. Her eyes were open and he was too late. She was already cold. She had one hand clutched to her chest as if she had really been holding on to the kiss.
"Mama?" He whispered carefully. "ĐŃĐžŃниŃŃ, ПаПа. Тойо ŃŃанОвиŃŃŃ Ń ĐžĐťĐžĐ´Đ˝ĐľĐľ. Тойо Đ˝ŃМнО вŃŃĐ°ŃŃ. ĐОМаНŃĐšŃŃĐ°, но ĐžŃŃавНŃĐš ĐźĐľĐ˝Ń Ń Đ˝Đ¸ĐźĐ¸." (Wake up, Mama. You are getting colder. You have to get up. Please, don't leave me with them.)
Irina Rozanov died on a Tuesday night. Grigori found both Irina and Ilya in the room when he retuned. Ilya was keeping a vigil, taking care for his mother as well as he could. He was sobbing and for this he received a slap on the ear.
Grigori Rozanov did not raise a cry baby. Especially not over such an accident. With his large he hands he swept away the pill bottle and his sons accusations. It was an accident, she had gotten confused, took an extra dose.
Ilya didn't speak for several days after his mothers death. He didn't eat unless he was sitting across from his father who wasn't against shoving the food down his throat. He went back to school. He went back to the rink. He went back to hockey.
Ilya would never again give anyone the power to hurt his heart the way his mother had. She didn't do it out of cruelty. Ilya knew that for some people this life was just too hard. There wasn't always an out for them. Irina had tried her very best and she had been so strong.
Ilya would never give his heart to someone for the to do what Grigori did to Irina. He would never give up the things he wanted for something as silly as love.
Marriage was a transaction. Buying and selling. He didn't want that. He didn't want to sacrifice everyone for someone to get nothing in return. He wanted to play hockey.
///
Ilya had a home in Ottawa. A home where his neighbors cheered him on with signs and chants. A home where his dog roamed freely and his friends were welcomed. During the day the light shone in the windows in the living room. Floor to ceiling. No curtains.
Ilya had a lover, yes lover, no not disgusting. He loved Shane Hollander with everything he had. He would give up being part of a dynasty in Boston for Shane. Sell his home. Move away to a new country and start everything all over again.
If Shane asked he would give up hockey.
Ilya didn't know what to think that he was in the living room long after midnight. Shane slept soundly in the room upstairs but Ilya just could not bring himself to go back upstairs.
He felt like a ghost. Or an apparition. Like Irina Rozanov had been.
Ilya could feel it happening. The slip slide into depression. It was a slide. There wasn't no steps back out. He would have to struggle and slip little by little to get out of this pit. And that? That was exhausting.
Ilya remembered promising his twelve year old self that he would never be his mother. Yet here he was, giving up the world for the man he loved.
Like a fool. Like his mother.
Ilya sighed to himself, shifting a little off the sofa so he could scratch behind Anya's ears where she rested on the floor next to him. Anya never left him alone when he was like this, scratching on doors and whining until he got out of bed for her or had eaten something proper, sharing tiny morsels with her.
She was a good puppy. Just as good of a son as he had been. Ilya had been mad once at his mother but as he aged he had learned. She had been so sad.
Ilya was sad too.
"Come back to bed." Ilya started at the sound of his lovers voice. He turned to look at Shane who was on the bottom step, blanket wrapped around his frame and rubbing a closed fist against one eye.
"Soon." Ilya's voice croaked with disuse. He turned back to look out the window and waited for Shane's retreating steps. Instead he found himself leaning back on the sofa, a lap full of Shane Hollander and a blanket wrapped around the both.
Shane pressed his face into the space where Ilya's neck met his shoulder and hummed quietly. "Not the same without you. Wake me when you're ready to go back."
Ilya held Shane tightly as he drifted off again and watched the clouds move over the moon outside. He spent as much of his childhood avoiding his father as he could. He spent a lot of that time trying to spend as much time with his mother as he could.
Grigori had never searched for Irina at night. He had never joined her in her haunting or held her when she was sad. He didn't acknowledge her unless he was playing the part of perfect husband.
No one was watching Shane now. No one was keeping him in check ensuring he was doing what he had to. In fact Shane was currently king of the closet so barely anyone even knew they were together.
He didn't have to do this. He dint need to provide a reminder of the steady love he carried for Ilya. Ilya wouldn't ever leave Shane. Even if he ended up just like Irina had with Grigori, losing everything.
Because Ilya loved Shane how Irina had once loved Grigori. The difference? Shane loved Ilya in a way Grigori had never loved anyone. Not Irina, not Ilya and Alexei. Not even his new wife.
Ilya wasn't going to end up like his mother. He wasn't going to fall down the slide of depression and land at the bottom, alone.
No. Shane, his Shane, would pull him back up. Would help him thread the water when he couldn't swim. Shane loved him more than anything, even hockey. Ilya knew that now. He knew was this quiet moment meant to him now.
He would not end up like his Mama. He opened his phone, careful not to let the light shine on Shane's face. His text thread to Galina was sparse. Usually they called but at 3:47am, he assumed that would be rude.
Emergency session? As early as possible.
Ily hefted his lover up in his arms, carrying him as he mumbled sleepily into Ilya's shoulder. He laid Shane down gently and found a chuckle deep in his chest when Shane held on like a koala. Instead of shuffling around the bed ily allowed himself to collapse on top of Shane. Shuffling them both until they were wrapped up tight.
"Gimme a kiss, Hollander." Ilya muttered and Shane kissed his forehead without opening his eyes. "Just the one?"
"Mm just one. That's all you're getting." Shane replied, adjusting his position so he could hold Ilya tightly.
"I'll keep it forever." Ilya promised. His heart ached with the words and he blinked as tears gathered on his waterline.
"Mm, no need. I'll give you another tomorrow." Ilya could help the wet laugh, burrowing his face into Shane's chest and sniffling. "I'll give you one every tomorrow for the rest of our lives."
Shane kept his promise. Ilya never went a day from the point on without many, many kisses.
Coriolanus Snow is thought to have married Julia Pompey. She is thought to have died from Snow's use of poison. Here is what happened between those two events.
Julia knew her husband had always been a genius in his own way. He had saved his name and regained the honour of his family. But sometimes, just sometimes, she wondered how much of this was owed to others. How many times he heard something and claimed it as his own when a lightbulb went off above his head.
Julia had accidentally provided her husband with some of his worst ideas. She hadn't meant to do it. An errant comment thrown into conversation, late night discussions with a man who could never have truly loved her.
He hadn't always had the power to act on his ideas, his own inflated self of importance years ahead of how others thought of him. But he had saved them somewhere in the recess of his brain for later use.
Watching the young girl face her audience, watching the grim determination overcome her features as she attempted not to cry. Well it was all just a little bit too much for Julia. She excused herself from the viewing room and locked the bathroom door with shaking hands.
She would die, that little girl. She would die and no one would remember her in a year. No one ever remembered the losers. That was the point. She understood it all. Or at least she had once. She had sat at dinner parties and laughed about it all, like it was trivial. But it wasn't. Those children died.
Julia thought of her own children, her grandchildren. Her babies. Grown as they may be, they would always be her babies. She couldn't imagine the pain that went through the mother's hearts as they watched their children reaped, year in and year out.
Her heart weeped while she attempted to her dry her eyes. He would know she had been crying. He always knew. She suspected he probably had cameras here in this very bathroom. In every room. In every house. District and Capitol alike.
By the time Julia had composed herself and taken her seat the readings had moved on and she watched with an aching heart and a disinterested smile on her lips and children sobbed and volunteered and accepted their faith.
But her mind was stuck on young Katniss Everdeen. Of the blonde haired sister, Primrose, who had been reaped. Of how every slip in the glass bowl had held the same name. Hundreds of times over and they didn't even know it.
An offhand comment, a young girl flaunting the rules, hunting in the woods, selling to peacekeepers. Providing for her starving family. She had no idea what she had been risking. She had no idea how heavily watched those woods had been. No idea about how her father had been killed in an accident that had never been an accident and now her sister's reaping, a freak statistic given she had only been entered once.
"She's protecting her family. Her sister." The beginning of a second hand idea. An off hand comment about the girls derision for the rules made by Julia had accidentally ruined that young girls life.
"She'd break the law to protect her sister. I wonder what else she would do?"
///
Julia had met her husband in a hospital. Not very grandeur or romantic. Just a hospital room with beeping machines, weeping cousins and rattled breathing from an old lady. Coriolanus hadn't cried. Tigris had done enough for the both of them.
Julia had been a medic in training. Assigned the slower cases, the elderly and the terminal. She didn't do much besides record heart rates and administer Morphling. Mrs. Snow had been her patient. She had spent her dying days in the hospital and consequently, Julia had met a young Coriolanus Snow.
She almost hadn't realised his attempt to romance her, as subtle as it was. Romance would be the wrong word. He had a perfunctory plans with which she fit into. She was educated, of reasonable old money, and most importantly, she was pretty.
While Julia had never asked Snow of his past, she had known a substantial amount. She had known of Lucy Gray Baird, the disappearing victor. Snow had loved her. In the only way he knew how. He had, in his own head, owned her.
Julia was young enough to believe that Coriolanus' desire to possess her was love. He was a handsome man with prospects that varied as wide as the imagination. His charm led Julia to believe he could do anything. His vanity led him to believe, and achieve, the same.
They had married quickly as Coriolanus rose in the ranks of game makers, his ideas allowing him to stand out. The renovations of the arena, the victor parades, the primping and beautifying of tributes.
Every suggestion he made was received with praise and rejoicing at the new age of the Hunger Games. By the time the last of their three children had been born, Coriolanus was directly involved with the Quarter Quell. His studies were almost completed and his ideas revered. Every year something bigger and better came from him.
For the Quarter Quell it had to be special. It had to be massive. It had to be his very best idea.
"I just don't think the academy mentors can relate to those children." Tigris had said at tea one day.
And thus the Victors were dragged back to the Capitol kicking and screaming to try and keep those children alive. To fail, over and over in the wider districts because any living mentor from those districts were once offs, lucky escapes and the most fortunate of unfortunate circumstances.
///
By the time their first grandchild arrived on the scene Coriolanus was Head Gamemaker. The second ever Quarter Quell was fast approaching and trouble had been rising in the districts again. It had been making those in the Capitol uneasy and it hadn't gone unnoticed that certain things had become limited such as coal and fruit.
"You can't go back and punish them harder. You can't just make it worse. Is losing twenty four children not enough?" Julia had asked.
The announcement that the victors would be doubled should not have surprised her. It should not have made her gasp. Nothing should have after thirty five years of knowing Coriolanus.
She had learned over and over that truly nothing was below him. She hadn't known everything of course. Not from the beginning or else she was sure she would never have married him. She could've been free. She could've gotten away before she had been dragged under.
She had thought about it once. Leaving. Times had been rough, her marriage on tenuous grounds as her husband's evil began to shine through without shame. He had been a servant, the man who had taught her what love actually felt like.
Her second child had been born only weeks before and Julia associated those weeks and months that followed with a deep sadness. Alarbus had taken notice of her, cared for her when he found her crying. He had tasted the salt on her lips the first time he had kissed her.
Avox's had just began to become common punishment in the Capitol, traitors who lost the use of their voice and had their tongues removed.
Alarbus found out the hard way that it was not a painless procedure. His tongue had been presented in a gift box while Julia had been nursing her daughter. She had almost dropped the baby in shock. Alarbus, who had presented his own tongue under his master's orders, had caught her.
He disappeared the next day, something Julia presumed had to do with the bloody razor left in her bathroom. She didn't know which of her lovers had left it to her, which would hurt more.
///
President Coriolanus Snow. It had been terrifying as his enemies dropped in the months following his Inauguration. No one could argue with him now. Least of all his lowly wife who spent hours avoiding her husband and his greed for more power.
His dinner parties with victors whom he had chosen to be his special pet projects. The young boy with the winning smile, the golden haired siblings, the genius engineer, the razor toothed beauty. All his to keep and show off. Rewards and bribes for powerful men and women.
He ruined everyone he touched. His own cousin had cast herself out, ruining her beauty just to remove association to this monster of a man. A monster she had tried to shelter from the darkness, not knowing it lived within him.
He had brought this darkness onto himself. He had followed his ideas to the end, his weapon had become a double edged sword. Punishing Katniss Everdeen for trying to keep her family alive had brought an end to his reign. The Capitol looked just as it had when Julia was eight and bombs and gunfire were the sounds she associated with daily life.
A full circle had been formed. They had returned to the dark days, all because of her husband's obsessive watch of the District 12 fence. Hoping that one day his song bird would climb it and return. Hoping one day he would get his chance to own everything he had ever wanted.
Instead he had taken her free spirit and accidentally set it alight with the districts.
The last straw had been the song.
Something ticked in Coriolanus' jaw. A muscle, a nerve. Julia didn't know. What she did know was that the end was near. The Hanging Tree echoed beautifully around the empty viewing room. A wine glass sat to Julia's left. A glass that was always within reach but she had never drank from.
Her husband had gotten drunk and loose lipped once. He had told her of Lucy Gray Baird and Sejanus Plinth. So now Julia laughed because she knew Lucy Gray Baird would have. She knew Sejanus Plinth would have. She knew the rebels would.
She lifted the glass while she laughed, looked her husband in the eye and drank deeply.
Sirius is nervous to let Remus see them in a skirt.
Sirius knew what they were doing. The second they spotted the skirt they knew they had to have it. It was short. It was leather. And it was red. All of Siriusâ favorite things.
They hadnât worn a skirt in such a long time. The last time had been in Hogwarts, their final year, when they raged a protest on the uniforms. A protest that no one cared about. McGonagall hadnât even mentioned anything about them wearing a skirt. Just that it was too short and they had to let it down a bit. Sirius had been a bit put off that she didnât make a fuss.
But that had been almost three years ago.
Since Sirius started dating Remus, they had toned down the feminine looks. Remus was decidedly gay and very interested in Sirius. He had seen them in a skirt. He had seen them with make up and their hair done in pretty braids. But Sirius couldnât find the courage to dress entirely feminine. Just in case.
But tonight was special. Tonight was their anniversary. A year ago today Remus had kissed them for the first time and changed everything. Sirius loved him with their entire being and they needed to be able to be themself with him.
Neither of them wanted anything too romantic to mark the occasion. It wasnât their style. So they were going clubbing with all of their friends. Something Sirius was using to their advantage. James would protect them. And Reggie would rip anyone to shreds for offending his sibling. So tonight they would wear the skirt.
///
Sirius was hesitating in the bedroom door. Lily was applying lipstick in the mirror of her vanity, one eye on Sirius. She knew they were nervous and had gone as far as to paint little stars on the corner of their eyes.
She too had a skirt on, not all that different from Siriusâ but she wasnât nervous to be seen it. Mary had already told Lily that if she didnât end the night with those mile long legs wrapped around her then it wouldâve been the end of the world.
Sirius wanted Remus to think just like Mary. They wanted Remus to desire them so heavily he had to declare it to the room. They reached up the red ribbon Lily had secured their hair with and sighed again. She said it matched the skirt perfectly and so they listened. Lily was always right.
âCome on. Heâll be barmy not to love it.â Lily left no room for hesitation and dragged Sirius up the hallway with her to where everyone was waiting for them both.
Sirius caught Jamesâs smile first, his silent offer of support. James was the first person Sirius looked for when they entered a room. There was no love like that of Siriusâ love for James Potter. They were two halves of a whole and nothing would ever come between them. So the silent support was a given but also a promise. James had Siriusâ back.
Sirius searched around until they found Remus who was locked in conversation with Marlene. He looked up as if he felt eyes on him and paused with his drink half way to his mouth. Sirius took in the shocked expression Remus wore as his eyes drifted up and down the length of Siriusâ body.
He didnât say anything as he walked towards Sirius, abandoning his conversation with Marlene without warning. Sirius fiddled with their ribbon again. Remus paused just short of them and Sirius inhaled deeply before pasting on his usual smirk.
âIâm hot as fuck, right?â They asked, projecting their confidence as best as they could muster. They werenât prepared for the softening of Remusâ eyes.
âNot what I was going to say.â Remus muttered quietly, hand reaching out to tug gently Siriusâ ribbon. They could feel their heart stop. Remus didnât like it. âYouâre so lovely, Sirius.â
âLovely?â Sirius was blushing. They knew it without even needing a mirror. They could feel the heat of a thousand suns burning their cheeks. They didnât pay it any mind, too entirely focused on Remus.
âSo lovely.â Remus repeated, tugging on the ribbon. âHot as fuck too, donât get me wrong. I donât know if I want to get you out of that skirt or fuck you with it on.â
Who Could Ever Leave Me (who could ever stay) - Wolfstar
The Marauders don't have a bassist. Peter fixes this. It isn't his fault that their new bassist is Sirius' one that got away.
Based on all the Marauder Band Au's on tiktok rn, especially rey_indihope
Warnings; gay, so gay. Minor homophobia, not discussed in depth, shitty families
âI booked us a gig.â Sirius looked up from his phone to Peter who was waving around his own phone like a lunatic. He blinked slowly at James who was sitting across from him before looking at Peter again. When no further comment followed the announcement Sirius sighed.
âYou booked us a gig?â Sirius asked calmly. âWhen?â
âNext month!â Peter enthused. âWeâre playing in the Leaky!â
âNext month?â Sirius asked before pushing himself up from the sofa. Sirius growled and stalked forward. âYou booked us a gig next month in the Leaky?â
âUh yes?â Peter was slowly losing his excitement as Sirius stepped closer. âWhich I know youâre mad about because we donât have a bassist.â
âSo why do it then?â James asked from where he had his legs thrown over the side of the armchair he was sitting in. He had a cigarette dangling from one hand while he flicked through his Instagram feed.
âCause I found us a bassist.â Sirius paused in his prowl, head tilting to the side as Peter hit the garage door switch. His dramatic reveal made James and Sirius laugh, all issues forgotten.
There, in Jamesâ driveway, were two people, one of them with a bass guitar slung around his neck. The other was a tall ginger girl with her arms folded.
Bass guitar had an overlong wool jumper stretched across his broad shoulders. To top it off he was wearing corduroy. If Sirius hadnât known any better heâd thrash Peter for even thinking of bringing him here. But Sirius did know better, he knew exactly how bass guitar looked under dim light with tight black jeans and cropped band shirts. He knew how he looked in eyeliner when it was smudged.
Red was wearing a pair of bell bottoms and a blouse with flared sleeves as if she had slipped right out of the 70s. Sirius kind of fucked with it.
âMeet Remus and Lily. Lily plays keys which is gonna help with a few of the other songs.â Peter introduced the pair as they stepped into the garage.
James hopped up out of the armchair, almost burning himself with his cigarette in his haste to greet the pair. He shook Remusâ hand enthusiastically and then Lilyâs.
âYouâre really very pretty,â James spoke to the pair. âThat will help with our sex appeal. Right now itâs just Sirius.â
At long last Remus took in Sirius who was standing with a smirk, leaning against one of the wooden beams of the garage. He let his eyes travel the length of the overly tall man and winked when he met his eyes.
âFancy seeing you again.â Sirius laughed as Remus blushed. âMust be quite the commute from Cornwall to London just for a band audition.â
âI uh, I moved.â Remus stuttered. Lily nudged him with a raised eyebrow but he didnât lift his eyes from Sirius who was smirking.
âIâm sure. Letâs see what youâve got then.â He gestured to the band set up. âYou able to sing, Red?â
âMy name is Lily.â She scowled before sighing. âBut yeah, I can carry a tune.â
âGood. I got a new song, need decent vocals and Jamesâ voice is too deep.â
///
Sirius sat out in the cool breeze, trying to cool down after the extensive run-through of all the music that they could play. Lilyâs vocals were more than passable and he delighted in having someone who could hit the higher notes with him.
âI really did just move back.â Remus was suddenly there and Sirius looked up from his spot on the ground. He shrugged, holding out his cigarette which Remus took.
âNo worries, it was just one night.â It hadnât just been one night. It had been the night. The night Sirius left his toxic parents behind. The night Sirius realized he wasnât straight by any stretch of the imagination. The night he let the quiet man from the bar take him back to some shitty Air B&B and show him what heâd been missing while flirting half the way through the female population of London.
âJames is the best friend then?â Remus asked, exhaling smoke. âThe one you mentioned.â
âYeah. More like a brother or well, I canât really say that anymore. Makes him feel weird.â Sirius shrugged. He looked up when a car turned onto the drive, approaching so close that the tire ended an inch from Sirius's foot. Remus had begun to back up but Sirius played the game of chicken and won.
"You could've moved," Regulus spoke as he stepped from the car, pushing his sunglasses up into his hair. Sirius only laughed while the others piled from the car. Pandora stepped out of the passenger seat while Evan and Barty shoved each other from the back seat.
"You wouldn't hit me. James would be upset." Sirius said and Pandora laughed in that wonderful way that made the world seem alright, even for just a minute.
"I thought that once, Evan still hit me with his bike." She warned Sirius, approaching him as he pushed himself up to standing. Pandora kissed both his cheeks before turning to Remus who was so busy watching he had let the cigarette go out. "Who's this?
"Our new bassist. We've got a gig." Sirius told her and she blinked at him before he sighed. "Remus, his name is Remus. You'll be happy to know he brought a friend. You're no longer our token female."
"Really? Is she as pretty as me?" Pandora asked Remus who stuttered and flushed before looking to Sirius for help.
"Wouldn't be hard Pands, you're a troll." Evan ruffled her hair before grabbing Sirius by his neck and kissing both his cheeks in the annoying way he imitated his sister. Sirius wiped both cheeks before smacking him.
"We're identical twins, Evan." Pandora reminded him, pushing past him to the garage door. Evan trailed after her complaining and Barty called out how pretty Evan was before waving at Remus and disappearing after them.
Sirius pawed at his pockets before finding his cigarette box and holding it open for Regulus who approached with a smirk. Of course, he'd be smirking. Sirius hadn't told anyone but his brother about Remus.
"Thought you were in Cornwall," Regulus muttered around the cigarette and Remus blanched. He looked to Sirius who only shrugged, lighting his own cigarette.
"My brother, Regulus." Sirius introduced. Remus looked even more confused and Sirius knew why. "A lot has happened in six months."
"Clearly," Remus said and turned back to Regulus. "Moved in with Lily last month. She needed a housemate and I needed more than Cornwall."
"Not many handsome blokes in Cornwall then, not like our Siri I'm guessing?" Regulus asked and Sirius laughed despite himself.
"Uh, I guess?" Remus offered. He was rescued by an overexcited James who barrelled out of the garage. Regulus caught him with one arm, the other holding the cigarette away from where James appeared. There had been one too many burns. Regulus was a quick learner.
"Hello, love," Regulus muttered before kissing James soundly making Sirius cringe. He was sick of them. Lovesick idiots.
"This is why I can't refer to James as my brother anymore," Sirius explained and Remus nodded slowly, averting his eyes from the pair who were whispering to each other lovingly now.
"You may as well come back inside, they'll be like this for a while," Sirius explained, leading Remus away.
"Been a while since they saw each other?" Remus asked.
"Like six hours."
///
Sirius was panting heavily, Lilyâs sweaty body pressed up against him. She circled her hips against his again and he threw his head back with a long groan, the noise around them blocked out.
She had surprised him in all the best ways. While he had initially thought that Sweet Little Lily who looked fresh out of the 70s had been cute, he had never imagined this Lily in a mini skirt and some form of lacy bralette. She was undeniably sexy and he knew the pair of them made for quite the show.
âLeave me in the morning.â Lilyâs voice had the perfect rasp to accentuate Siriusâs voice and she had long since gone from the keys to right next to Sirius up front.
âAlthough, I donât want to be on my own.â Sirius arched against Lily and shared her mic in a move that had the crowd below them screaming.
James and Remus filled in the ending of the song from behind their respective instrument. James on guitar and Remus on bass. Peter was giving it his all on the drums. They made quite the group.
Their first gig had been a raging success and since then the Leaky had made them a repeat show every second Saturday. In between, they ventured to different clubs with more and more offers from clubs and even one minor festival.
With the break of songs, Sirius accepted the water bottle James was drinking out of and shook his hair out like a dog. He talked to James while he tuned his guitar and Lily announced the next song from her spot by Peter who was tapping out the beginnings of a beat.
James asked Sirius a question and he held up a finger to pause James. He sang his opening line before turning around.
âOur secret moments in your crowded room.â He rejoined Lily, slinging an arm around her shoulder. She rested her head back against him. âThey got no idea about me and you.â
Sirius watched Regulus approach the front of the crowd, leaning his elbows on the stage with a wink in Jamesâs direction. Sirius kneeled down and grinned back at his best friend.
Lily took the moment to grab a drink of water again, lifting the bottle to Remusâ mouth when she finished. Leaving James to be the only one singing.
âSay my name and everything just stops.â The music cut as per the song and Sirius moved his mic to Regulusâ lips.
âJames.â Regulus breathed against the mic and the accidental cords James played gave away how he felt about the change.
Regulus offered James a grin before melting back into the crowd.
âI donât want you like a best friend does!â Sirius threw his head back, making eye contact with Remus.
Remus who hadnât so much as unintentionally brushed against Sirius in the six months since theyâd been in the same band. Sirius was sick of dropping hints but also much too proud to let Remus take the back seat. Sirius didnât chase.
///
âYouâre so fucking-â James cut himself off in the green room, shoving Regulus against the wall and kissing him senselessly. Lily laughed in delight knowing her and Regulusâ plan worked.
The two of them had spoken about the break in the song. How it would be perfect if someone chose that moment to do something like Regulusâ had. As the only couple in the group, it seemed obvious who would do it.
âWhat do you say, Red? Wanna buy me a drink?â Sirius asked as they all filed from the room. âI usually get as much from someone who grinds on my dick all night.â
âDonât flatter yourself. Youâre not my type.â Lily laughed, shoving Sirius. He scoffed at her before scooping her up over his shoulder and taking off down the hallway with her thumping his back. âPut me down!â
Lilyâs laughter echoed until they stepped back into the bar and he deposited her in favor of draping himself over three familiar faces.
âMy favorite lesbians!â He cheered, wrapping his arms around all three in a hug which they returned. They were talking a mile a minute about how good the show was and Sirius basked in it.
âMeet my work wife. Lily Evanâs, the hottest lesbian I know. Sorry ladies but itâs true, look at those legs.â All three women looked Lily up and down before nodding in agreement. âLily, this is my favorite gay couple, donât tell Reg, Dorcas and Marlene. And my favorite very single, very hot, lesbian. Mary McDonald.â
âCharmed.â Lily grinned at the group, eyeing up Mary. âWant to buy me a drink?â
Mary, quite shy at the best of times, blushed a brilliant red before nodding. Sirius watched them go, jaw dropped. âYou were supposed to buy my drink, you bint!â
âCâmon, Iâll get you one.â Remus appeared behind Sirius, speaking in a whisper against his ear. Sirius knew he practically melted, Dorcas and Marleneâs giggles didnât help.
He followed Remus to the bar mutely and let the man order his vodka and coke for him. He stood with his straw stirring the drink before looking up at Remus from under his lashes. âSmoke?â
///
The alleyway beside the Leaky was dark and cramped. Sirius lit his cigarette before passing Remus his lighter. He leaned back against the stone wall and exhaled loudly, adrenaline pumping through his body still.
âBringing back memories?â Remus asked and Sirius barked a laugh. The last time heâd been in an alleyway with Remus hadnât exactly been like this.
âSome. Although I donât remember you towering over me.â Because Remus had been on his knees in front of Sirius, pinning his hips to the wall with those big strong hands.
Remus only rolled his eyes, taking a long drag of his cigarette and Sirius grinned at him while leaning further against the wall and angling his hips out. Remus looked him up and down slowly before sighing.
âRelationships ruin bands. And Iâm not looking for another quick fuck.â Remus told him and Sirius only smiled around his cigarette as he inhaled.
âYou must be thinking of someone else,â Sirius told Remus. âI donât remember anything quick about it. I remember it being slow and hard and amazing. But youâre right, I am worth more than being a quick fuck that doesnât even get a text back.â
Sirius let himself back inside and left Remus gaping in the alleyway behind him, cigarette once again forgotten.
///
Sirius was strumming away on an acoustic guitar at the dinner table. His hair fell down over his face as he idly played. Remus found it hard not to notice Sirius these days. Especially when he left his hair loose and wore that black t-shirt that was just a little too tight in the biceps. Remus couldn't be blamed for noticing that.
No one else seemed to find the guitar at the dinner table strange, except Remus. He hadn't even known Sirius could play an instrument. He should've known better. Sirius was always surprising him.
From day one in that packed pub, sweaty bodies pressing close, Sirius's hot breath on his neck, Remus had been surprised. Surprised by how much he wanted. How much he was willing to give just for this one night with this one man.
James set the table as Peter served up dinner. They made sure not to interrupt Sirius or his notebook on the table where he paused intermittently to write something. When Peter plated up Sirius' food he pressed a kiss to the top of his head which Sirius leaned into with a small smile before returning to his strumming.
Remus had seen that content little smile once before and he had ruined it. He'd panicked and kicked Sirius out before his parents woke up in the shitty Air B&B they had rented for their trip to London. He couldn't afford for them to see Sirius, afraid it would've ended badly.
It would have. He learned that much in the last six months.
But The Marauders were the best thing that had ever happened to Remus. He couldn't risk the little family that had welcomed him with open arms. Not just for the sake of the band but for his own sake too. Sirius would understand eventually. Right now he just thought Remus was the cool bassist. Remus wasn't cool. He was fucked up.
"Burning desire," Sirius hummed before crossing words out. After everyone had finished their dinner Sirius was still strumming. Remus hadn't seen him stop to eat but his plate was in fact empty when he and Lily picked up dishes to wash.
Later that night, after all the dishes had been washed and a movie had been watched, Sirius was still there. Remus spotted him on his way upstairs to the unofficial room that he shared with Lily.
The sleeping arrangements changed depending on who was present but most nights he and Lily shared the bedroom next to Peter's. Both of them had sworn they didn't care about sharing.
Peter stopped by the room that night, closing the door firmly behind him and smiling at both Remus and Lily warily. "So tomorrow we're uh, showcasing some new songs."
"Okay?" Lily and Remus intoned, sharing a look between them both before returning to Peter.
"We do it every couple of months. Keeps Sirius and James occupied for the weekend." They didn't have a show this weekend and Remus had presumed it was just for everyone to have a break. The way Peter was speaking made him think it had been planned for a reason.
"Occupied?" Lily asked slowly. Peter sighed heavily and swallowed.
"Reg is going home for the weekend." Oh. Oh. That wasn't a good thing. While Lily knew the bare bones of the Black sibling's history, Remus had been more than privy to it all. Quiet pillow talk of understanding shit parents came back to him and he sighed.
"Why?" Remus found himself asking. "Why would he go back?"
"They don't know. That he lives here with James and Sirius. He hasn't told them yet. They pay for him to live in Uni dorms. They don't even know Sirius is in London." Peter explained in a rush like he was afraid someone would hear him. "So he goes home every few months, as little as possible, to keep up appearances."
"That sucks." Remus sighed and Peter nodded. "Are we supposed to know?"
"Everyone knows but no one talks about it. Evan and Barty come over and we all pretend that nothing is out of the ordinary. Pandora goes home with him. It's not easy on anyone but it helps, knowing he has her." Peter sighed heavily. "His parents think he's dating Pandora and because she's a Rosier they allow it. They'd kill him if he knew otherwise."
Remus understood that much.
///
"Alright, who's got what?" James asks from his armchair. It had never looked so lonely without Reg perched on the side, playing with James' hair.
"I've got two very different vibes going today. Trying to figure out which to show you. Someone else go first." Sirius waved his hand, the little notebook sitting open on his lap.
"I'll go first then. Remus, I need you and Peter for a minute." Lily called them both up. Peter took a seat at his drum set and let Lily give him an idea, setting up a steady rhythm. She looked to Remus as he tried a few different beats to echo with. It took him a few minutes before he got her smile of approval.
"Keep it steady, okay?" She instructed, her hand curling around the mic stand. She hummed to herself for a minute, swaying with Remus and Peter's music before beginning. Remus was so focused on maintaining his rhythm that she was well into the song before he tuned in.
"Saw your face, heard your name. Gotta get with you." Remus idly wondered if Mary had inspired this new song, her name had become more frequent around the house since that gig when they had both met.
"Girls like girls like boys do." Remus listened to Lily, watching her bow to applause and wolf whistles from the others.
"Remus, I need your bass." Sirius huffed, appearing in front of Remus, hands grabbing the instrument and almost choking him in the process. Remus didn't usually let other people touch his baby but he supposed he could allow Sirius to.
"Peter, give me a beat." Remus took Sirius' vacated seat and watched as Peter and Sirius played back in forth before finding a middle ground.
"Now build it steadily. You'll know when." Sirius warned Peter who nodded.
"Combat. I'm ready for combat." Sirius's voice started out haunting, more so than usual. Remus felt enraptured as Sirius sang. He grew with passion as Peter's tempo increased. Sirius' fingers moved across the bass sure and steady.
"Can you see right through me?" Remus didn't know if it was wishful thinking, imagining the song to be about him. It was one night. It couldn't have been enough to invoke a response like that. But Sirius had his eyes locked on Remus as he sang, unwavering.
"You could stay." Sirius was almost whispering. "Combat. I'm ready for combat."
The room was silent before James released a noisy breath. "Every fucking time. You're amazing, Padfoot."
Sirius only ducked his head, placing Remus' bass against its stand and flopping down beside Remus without looking at him. James took to the mic next, his acoustic resting in his lap as he took a seat on a stool.
"We'll have to speed it up at some point but that's not my area of expertise so." James shrugged, tuning the guitar before strumming an idle cord. "Apologies in advance, Pads. It's about Reg."
Sirius groaned but laughed and James took a deep breath before strumming. Remus was too busy paying attention to the heat of Sirius against him to listen to James' beginning.
"Waking up beside you, I'm a loaded gun." Remus understood James' uncharacteristic shyness. It was just blatant sex, that's what he sang about. But something in it was oddly romantic. When James finished he had barely sat before Sirius was back, Remus' bass in hand again.
"Well, if we're gonna sing songs about sex." Remus watched with rapt attention, unable to control his blush as Sirius unleashed what was basically an autobiography of their night.
"I can take it on the ground, if I get too loud you can shut my mouth." Remus had been wary of his parents in the next room and had in fact fucked Sirius on the ground with one hand over his mouth.
"Add that to the setlist right fucking now," Lily instructed when Sirius finished up. Remus was tied between being turned on and mortified at the thought of his sex life being announced to the world.
///
FMRN, as Lily lovingly named it, was in fact added to the setlist. It was added alongside No Control and Come and Go which was Peter's contribution. Tonight was the first time they'd be playing the new songs and the Leaky was packed.
Remus suffered through the first half of the set to Sirius and Lily grinding on each other, sharing sultry glances, and playing with the audience. The last song before they took a five-minute break was Sirius' new song.
Remus expected the usual grinding and sexual tension between Lily and Sirius but instead, they switched it up. Lily sat on the edge of the stage, her legs spread as much as possible with the leather mini-skirt she was wearing.
Mary took her place between Lily's legs and in his distraction, Remus lost Sirius as Lily began singing. Until he felt the presence behind him. Sirius was standing on the edge of the raised portion of the stage that housed Peter and the drum kit.
It left him level with Remus, which he used to his advantage, pulling Remus in with his front pressed along his back. Remus had watched Sirius grinding against Lily all these months and wished loudly for this moment. But he hadn't been prepared to have Sirius whisper Lily's lyrics in his ear as he rolled his hips against Remus' arse.
The only distance Remus got was when it was Sirius' turn to sing but even that didn't give him much room as Sirius kept his arm locked tight across his chest.
By the end of the song, Remus was glad for the break, making excuses to the bathroom. On the way out he bumped into Regulus who only raised an eyebrow at Remus. Remus sighed before an idea entered his mind.
Remus got back on stage with a plan, no matter that Sirius was back in front of the crowd with his hand on Lily's hip as he moved them in a slow sensual roll.
"Our secret moments, in your crowded room." Lily rasped and Sirius pulled her closer. "They got no idea about me and you."
Remus watched, his hands sweating against the bass as Regulus made his customary slow stroll through the crowd and James lit up from behind his guitar. It had become a tradition at this point.
"Say my name and everything just stops." Remus's hands came up to cup the microphone as Regulus covered Sirius' mic with his own hand, pushing it away.
"Sirius." Remus breathed before picking up the song again.
"I don't want you like a best friend." Lily picked up the song as Sirius spun on his knees to face Remus.
"Only bought these clothes so you could take 'em off." Sirius sang from his position on his knees. "Carved your name into my bedpost. I don't want you like a bandmate. Only bought these clothes so you could take 'em off."
A crooked finger from Remus had Sirius raising from his knees and stepping closer, into Remus' space. Lily continued to sing but Remus couldn't hear her. He was holding his breath.
"You made your mark on me," Remus whispered against Sirius as he stepped until he was pressed against Remus and his bass. Remus raised his hand, curling it into the front of his shirt and kissing Sirius desperately.
Harry Prefers to be known for some things more than others.
Warnings - a/b/o dynamics, alpha!harry, omega!draco, pwp, p in a smut, begging, slight d/s dynamics, i'm wary of tagging tbh don't want it taken down
Harry Potter is known for a lot of things. He has been since shortly after his first birthday.
He's known for defeating the Dark Lord twice, for fighting in a Wizarding War, for winning said war, for being the youngest Professor in Hogwarts, and for being Witch Weekly's most eligible bachelor for eighty-three consecutive weeks.
He's also known for being the coolest godfather ever, the best friend a man could have, and for being the most awesome professor ever. All three of these are the accomplishments Harry relishes in having, clinging to those compliments when the others attempt to be too heavy to carry.
He's been accused of many other things.
Never this. Never in his wildest dreams had he hoped or even allowed himself to hope for this.
Draco Malfoy was willingly in his company, willingly stepping between Harry's spread thighs with flushed red cheeks.
Things were tentative, still just new to them both.
"You have to be the most self-restrained Alpha I've ever come across," Draco murmured, lowering himself to his knees.
No one had ever accused Harry of having self-restraint. Especially not Hogwarts' newest Potion Master. The second youngest Professor to ever be employed by Hogwarts.
"Is that so?" Harry's voice had dipped several octaves, coming out closer to a growl as Draco rested his hands on Harry's thighs. He smelled overbearingly sweet, the scent resting on Harry's tongue and reminding him of Honeyduke's most decadent chocolate.
"I've never had the issue of having to beg before, Harry." Draco looked up through his lashes, biting on his bottom lip. "But if that's what it will take then I'm willing to."
Harry freed Draco's lip with his thumb, smoothing the teeth mark gently. Draco's eyes were almost black as he slipped the digit into his mouth, letting his tongue brush the pad of Harry's thumb.
"Isn't there a three-date rule?" Harry chuckled, pressing down on Draco's tongue, trapping it so he couldn't speak, could use the usual Malfoy snark. "I'm trying to be a gentleman, to court you."
In truth, Harry had wanted to bend Draco over the hardwood of his office desk that day he had approached Harry tentatively on his first day in Hogwarts. He had come to make amends as if Harry could hold a grudge against the man.
As if Harry had a choice. As if he hadn't been half in love with him since they were children. The obsessive stalking, the dreams that had plagued him since he had first presented at sixteen.
There was something confusing about wanking yourself raw every time he spotted the man he was supposed to hate so fervently. Especially in the midst of a war where they had fallen on opposites sides.
But this Draco Malfoy, Professor Draco Malfoy, was no angst-ridden teenager. He was for all intents and purposes, the most attractive Omega Harry had ever seen.
Long graceful limbs, hair that had been grown out just long enough for Harry to wrap his fist in, and an arse that Harry had a hard time taking his eye off.
Harry watched saliva pool along the sides of his thumb, dribbling down Draco's chin as Harry kept his thumb in place, keeping the Omega silent.
Draco mewled, his hands sliding further up his thighs to the button of the Alpha's slacks. Harry allowed Draco to undo his button but caught his hands with his free one when they moved to his zipper. He stared Draco down when he swallowed roughly and dipped his head slightly in deference.
"I'm trying to treat you as I should. Trying to be chivalrous, walking you back to your door every night, buying you flowers, and treating you like a proper Omega should be treated." Harry reminded him. He pressed harder down on Draco's tongue when he attempted to speak. Instead, a garbled moan fell from his lips.
Harry arched into Draco's hands, pressing them tighter to his crotch with his own hands. "Coming back to my own chambers and fucking my fist thinking of that tight little hole."
Draco's eyes rolled in his head as he began to suck on Harry's thumb in earnest, flexing his hands. "You don't want to be treated right, do you?"
Draco blinked, attempting to focus on Harry's words but he was too far gone, his arousal permeating the air like a vat of Amortentia. Harry inhaled deeply, his cock throbbing. Draco flexed his hands again.
"You don't want me to buy you flowers or drop you off at your chambers every night, do you? You want me to drag you back to my own chambers and fill that tight little hole, don't you?" Harry released Draco's hands, batting them away to undo his own zipper. He freed his cock with a hiss.
Draco's hands fell down by his side as his breath heaved and his eyes locked on the almost angry-looking tip of Harry's cock like he was a starving man. "So here's what we're going to do. You're going to prep yourself, get that tight little hole all wet and loose for me. I'm going to stroke my cock and if you're ready before I come then you can sit on my cock. If not, well then I guess it's your hard luck."
Harry released Draco's tongue, spreading the saliva on it over his cock and groaning to himself. Draco watched with rapt attention, quivering in place. Harry smirked, stroking himself from root to tip before Draco spurred into action.
He vanished his trousers and pants, rather than move from his kneeled position, and his scent's potency increased tenfold. Harry groaned again, speeding his hand up and twisting his wrist just how he liked it.
He'd had a lot of time to perfect his wanking ability, none more so than in the last three months since Draco had joined the faculty. He was surprised he hadn't given himself carpal tunnel with how often he had found himself thinking of Draco exactly like this.
The man in question was moaning loudly, bouncing on the fingers he had unceremoniously shoved inside himself. He was sweating, a red flush spreading down his chest. Harry had missed him vanishing his shirt.
"That's it, baby. Just like that." Harry grunted, fucking up into his fist. "Show me how you fuck yourself while thinking of me."
Draco's eyes rolled in his head but he focused on Harry's cock again, adding another finger if his moan was anything to go by. Harry pressed his thumb against the gland that ran the length of his cock and bucked up again, clenching his jaw.
Draco appraised him with hooded eyes before deciding he'd had enough and scrambled up to straddle Harry's lap. When Harry attempted to push his trousers down Draco shook his head, one hand replacing Harry's and dropping himself down on Harry's cock.
"Let me get these off." Harry insisted, hand on his trousers again. Draco shook his head, freezing on Harry's cock as he bottomed out. His arse clenched and the tight heat had Harry restraining himself from thrusting up.
"Leave 'em on. It's hotter." Draco insisted. Harry smirked at Draco's very obvious interest in this power play, leaving him at Harry's mercy. before he could tease Draco about it his words were cut off by a loud growl as Draco began to bounce on Harry's cock.
"So good, so fucking good." Draco whimpered, falling forward to press his face against Harry's bonding gland, inhaling deeply.
"So fucking tight, Jesus Draco." Harry couldn't fight the urge, wrapping an arm around Draco's waist and fucking up into him. Draco was babbling incoherently now, every second word was Harry's name.
Slick dripped down Harry's cock, a sticky mess on his balls and thighs and he was sure that he'd smell of Draco for days to come, all of which drove Harry to fuck into Draco harder and faster.
"Please, please," Draco begged against Harry's neck, his hot breath making Harry's hair stand on end. "Knot me, knot me, knot me."
"That what you want, baby? You want to be the perfect little Omega, taking my knot, huh?" Harry growled against Draco's shoulder before biting down on the soft flesh.
Draco howled, babbling incomprehensibly again. Harry could feel the beginning of his knot, that familiar heat that had his eyes clenching shut. "Don't know if it'll fit, if you can handle me."
"Please, I can. It will fit." Draco wailed desperately. "I'll be so good, I promise. Alpha, please."
Harry tilted his head back as he thrust up, pushing the knot into Draco who screamed. Harry thrust shallowly, pulling at Draco's abused rim. "Please, please."
Three more shallow thrusts had Draco clenching down impossibly tight and cumming between their bodies. He sagged against Harry, hitching sobs as Harry continued to fuck into him, chasing his own release.
"Wan' it, Alpha. Please." Draco whimpered, clenching around Harry's knot. Harry gave in, allowing the sensation to pull him under, his hands clenching into Draco's hips as his vision whited out and he came.
When Harry blinked his eyes open again he smiled gently down at the Omega who was purring contentedly in Harry's arms. Hary stroked a hand up and down Draco's sweat-slicked back and the Omega sat up, clenching accidentally around Harry's knot.
He wore a soft smile, bashful after everything. Harry raised a hand to cup his cheek and pulled him into a sweet kiss, more than aware he hadn't kissed Draco since they were leaving the restaurant they had dinner in.
"Sweet boy." Harry hummed when he pulled away. Draco groaned, attempting to hide his smile in Harry's hand. "How do you feel?"
"So good." Draco stretched, clenching down on Harry again. This time it wasn't an accident. "Think you can go again, old man?"
"You're older than me." Harry protested with a laugh. "'sides, maybe we should let this knot go down first."
"Why?" Draco asked, bouncing himself shallowly. His own cock began to stir with interest and Harry felt his breath catch as he looked over his Omega.
His head was thrown back, one hand against Harry's chest for balance and the other on his own cock. "Alpha, my Alpha."
That one might be Harry's favorite thing to be known for these days.
âMum?â Remus didnât get a reply and so he settled in for a wait. His mother said sheâd be right back. He hadnât seen his dad all day, in a lot of days actually. He didnât talk to Remus anymore either.
He wasnât sure what heâd done to deserve that.
He sighed again and stretched his arms as far as they would go when the grew stiff. He didnât feel right. The heavy weight of the chains pulled on his joints. Tender joints that had been sore since he had woken this morning.
âMum, please!â He called when the ache spread throughout his body. His gut twisted, pressure building behind his eyes. He cried out when his gums began to split and bleed. His fingernails extended and his back hunched over. âIâm sorry!â
Why had his mother left him alone? Where was his dad? Why did he have to wear the chains? Something was wrong. It hurt. It hurt so bad.
It felt like that night all over again. The scary man who had scratched his claws along his bedroom window. The man who bit and scratched and hurt.
Remus screamed again the noise elongating into a pitiful howl. The tiny werewolf couldnât fight his restraints but it didnât stop him trying.
///
Shivering. Cold. It was cold. It hurt. Everywhere. Remus woke up in his own bed. But he knew. His mum hadnât come back. His dad never helped.
The monster hadnât come back but Remus knew why. He didnât need to come back because he made Remus a monster.
Monsters didnât have a mum. Or a dad. They were all on their own. Forever. No one loved monsters.
Warnings; canon typical violence, death eaters, death
Masterlist
You wiped down the counter and looked up when the bell chimed from above the doorway. The twinkle made you smile and you went back to setting up for the morning, allowing the customer to get set up before approaching them.
He was a wizard, you could tell by the dark robes he was wearing. You weren't one yourself but your brother had been so it was easy to spot if you knew the signs. You smiled at the sour-looking man and he looked up from the menu.
"You don't have pumpkin juice, do you?" He asked, resigned. He had long hair and was quite handsome, marred only just by his nose being slightly too big for his features.Â
"We do actually." You smiled brighter when he looked up in surprise. "We also have a separate room for wizards if you'd require it."Â
"I didn't realise this was a wizarding cafe." He frowned.Â
"It's not. The owner, she's married to a wizard and since we're so close to Diagon Alley we get the odd witch or wizard." The look that flashed across his face when you mentioned the marriage of her boss had you taking a step back. "I can get you a non-muggle server if you'd like."Â
"What, no. I don't, I'm not like that." He sighed, resting his chin in his hand.
"Your expression tells me differently." You said warily but stepped forward again.
"I'm supposed to be like that. I'm supposed to despise you all just because you can't do magic but you have your own kind of magic. I mean how else did you put a man on the moon or how did you manage to fly without the slightest bit of help?" He asked and you tilted your head with a smile.
"You want anything with that pumpkin juice?"
///
He came back three days later. His hair was shorter, still longer than most but at least two inches was gone from it. He nodded and sat in the same booth as last time. You gave him a second before following with a jug of pumpkin juice.
"Good morning." You smiled and filled his glass. He looked up before returning his glance to the paper. The pictures moved and you read the headline with a sinking feeling in your stomach.
12 Muggles killed and several more seriously injured in Devon attack.
"God help us." You whispered and he sighed, turning the paper over.
"He doesn't seem to be listening these days." The man ran a hand over his face, his eyes tired.
"No." You agreed and pulled a notepad from your apron and a pen from your hair. "What can I get you?"
"How do you know about wizards?" He asked.
"My brother." You said and he nodded.
"Eggs and bacon please."
///
"Would you like me to patch that up for you?" You asked and he looked up from his arm to see your closed expression.
"No, he'd know." He swallowed thickly, lifting his wand to obliviate her.
"He killed my brother. Well not him exactly but one of his followers." Regulus' arm paused and when you looked at his wand you swallowed roughly.
"I have to take your memory." He told you and you nodded.
"Go for it. I don't want to remember seeing it." You sighed and he closed his eyes.
"We lost eight last night, do you know the name of who killed your brother?" He asked.
"He had a silly name, a constellation or something. Black was his surname." You told him, voice shaking.
"Regulus?" The man asked, his mouth dry. He had yet to raise his wand but already rumours whipped around that he was a murderer.
"No, the one with the belt. You all have such difficult names." You waved a hand.
"Orion." The man said and you nodded. "He's dead. Died at the hand of his son's best friend."
"I'll have to thank him if I ever meet him." You said coldly.
"James Potter, not that you'll remember. You also won't remember that I'm his son." Regulus raised his wand and swished it lightly. "Obliviate."
///
You had only finished cleaning when the crack of apparition sounded. You were alone, closed for the day and your heart jumped. He hadn't been by since the attack on Devon but there he was standing in the seating area.
He slid into the booth without seeing you and you frowned, coughing to catch his attention. He spun with his wand out and you held your hands up. "Only me."Â
He had a cut above his eyebrow and you dropped the mop in your hands, leaning over the counter to grab the first aid kit.
"Can't you fix that yourself?" You asked and he sighed, shaking his head.
"Dark magic." You nodded and opened an antiseptic wipe, dabbing at the cut on his forehead. He hissed in pain but sat still.
"Did you get them back?" You asked.
"No, I deserved it." He sighed quietly, almost sadly.
"Oh yeah, what did you do?" You asked. You cleaned the cut and then placed a bandage around his head, holding a lump of cotton wool in place.
"Let him leave. He was my brother and he was disowned when he was sixteen. I took my parent's side." He explained and you nodded.
"Ah, is he one of those guys, the bad ones?" You asked.
"No, he's one of the good ones." The man promised and you sighed.
"What does that make you?" You took a seat on the table of the booth the man usually favored.
"Why are you here so late?" He asked, changing the subject. You let him. You didn't need an answer.
"I always do a big clean once a month. I stay late." You told him and he nodded. He raised his hand to push his hair back and you took hold of it, opening another antiseptic wipe. "Forget you had a wand?"
"No, I did that one to myself." He shrugged and you frowned.
"Because you're a bad guy?" You asked.
"Something like that." He huffed a sigh and stood from the booth.
"I don't know many bad guys that admit to being bad guys or punish themselves for being one," You told him and he grimaced before apparating out of the diner.
///
It was a week before he returned and this time you met him at his booth, filling his glass before he had properly sat down. "I never got your name."Â
"Reg." He told you after a pause. "You?"Â
You gave him your name with a smile, straightening the salt and pepper shakers. "You got a surname?"
"Potter." He looked almost wistful and you smiled. "Reg Potter."
"Well Reg, what can I get you this morning?" You asked and he looked past you to the chalkboard with pursed lips.
"I'm not sure." He sighed and looked back to his glass of juice. "Surprise me?"Â
You smiled widely and tucked your pen back into her hair, spinning on your heel. You almost skipped to the counter, disappearing into the kitchen. The chef called a threat about ruining his organized kitchen and you laughed brightly.
Reg took a sip of juice and felt the pulsing pain in his wrist. He hesitated before apparating from the booth, gone without a trace.
///
"You had somewhere to be?" You asked. He waited for you to finish locking up before offering up his arm like the perfect gentleman, just as his mother thought him.
"There is a war." He reminded you. "Soldiers don't choose their schedules like waitresses can."
"Ah, because we aren't nearly as significant, are we?" You asked.
"Well in the grand scheme of things, no. We could survive without waitresses." His chin jutted out just a little bit and he knew his sense of self-entitlement was his worst trait.
"Then why bother coming back?" You asked, pulling your arm from his and folding them over your chest.
"Because right now I'm not thinking of the grand scheme of things. I'm thinking of a waitress with a pretty smile and a red bow in her hair." You rolled your eyes and Reg smiled genuinely for what felt like the first time in months.
Your arm linked with his and you smiled to yourself as you both walked in silence.
///
You yawned loudly and tugged your t-shirt down over your exposed midriff before running water over your toothbrush and adding toothpaste. You were midway through brushing your teeth when there was a knock on the door.Â
You checked your watch and frowned, heading for the door, toothbrush forgotten between your lips. When you pulled the door open you found Reg standing in the doorway.
You stared at him for several seconds before stepping out of the way and beckoning him inside, with a gesture for him to wait a moment before hurrying back up the stairs to rinse your mouth out. On your way back down you pulled the tie from your hair before tying it up correctly.
Regulus was standing in the hall where you had left him and you waited for him to speak.
"You weren't at work." He said in lieu of an explanation.
"No, today is my day off." You told him.
"I- I'm not quite sure why that didn't occur to me." He sighed and you laughed.
"Well, you're here now. Tea?" You asked and he shook his head at himself before smiling.
"Pumpkin juice?" He asked.Â
"Lucky for you, I have some." You led him in through the living room and he paused at the fireplace where there was a jar of Floo powder waiting to be used.
"You're connected to the Floo?" He asked.
"No, I used to share with Jamie. They disconnected it when he died." You swallowed and continued through to the kitchen. He followed in your footsteps.
"I met your brother once, he was in the year above me." He told you and you tilted your head.
"It probably shouldn't surprise me but you don't seem like Jamie's usual crowd," You said and Reg laughed bitterly.
"No, I wasn't. I never particularly liked Hufflepuff's but this one night Sirius and I had trouble, Sirius is my brother. We said things we shouldn't have said and then I tried to kill him. Actually, kill him and only your brother was there I would've succeeded." Reg told you honestly.
"Sirius? Is that a common name?" You asked.
"No, I only ever knew the one." Regulus was confused by your pause.
"Your surname isn't Potter, is it?" You asked.
"What do you mean?" He feigned confusion.
"I met a Sirius at my brother's funeral. He told me that my brother saved his life and also that his father had been the one to kill my brother." You told him from your place at the sink. The kettle you were filling overflowed and syou flinched when the water sprayed up on your top.
Regulus waved his wand twice. The first time to turn off the tap and the second to dry you off. You flinched both times.
"My name is Regulus Arcturus Black." He said finally. "Sirius is my brother and Orion was my father before James Potter killed him."
"You're one of them, aren't you?" You asked.
"One of who?" He countered.
"Oh don't play daft, show me your arm!" You yelled and he froze in place.
"I didn't have a choice." He whispered, raising his sleeve. Your expression crumpled before falling into unfamiliar neutrality.
"So what are you doing, huh? Playing with the muggle before you kill her? Finish what your dad started?" You asked in anger. "Because I'm all that's left anyway. My mum and dad are gone."Â
"No, it's not-"
"Don't you dare make another excuse!" You pointed your finger at him and he stepped closer. "Get out of my house."
"No, listen I never planned on meeting you and things were shit before some waitress with a bow in her hair came up with the brightest smile I'd seen in months and muggle or not I'm falling in love with you!" He yelled.
"You're a murderer." You swallowed roughly.Â
"I'm not." He promised. "I'm barely a month out of Hogwarts, the first day I met you was the day I had gotten the mark. I haven't killed anyone, I swear to you."
"You will though, that's why you joined." Your voice shook and he took another step closer, holding his hand out.
"No, I won't. I joined because if I didn't my cousin would've killed me and Godric, maybe I should've let her but I'm a coward, I have been my whole life." He promised and you began to cry.
"Please, just leave."
///
June turned into July which slowly faded into August. You quit your job at the cafĂŠ and moved to a smaller apartment, as far from the wizarding community as you could get. You settled in a small cottage in Chelmsford and began working as a librarian.
You forced yourself to forget Regulus Black and you ignored the fact that the wizarding world was at war. You needn't have bothered with the precautions. Regulus never sought you out and stayed far from the cafe.
On the final night of August, you awoke to screams. Bloodcurdling shrieks of pain and torment. You rushed to her window and blanched at the green light that illuminated the night in the shape of a skull and snake.
"Deatheaters." You whispered. More screams sounded and you felt bile rise in her mouth at the sight of the neighbors' children being levitated from the house, screaming in pain. You scrambled for her baseball bat and then returned to the window just as the screams cut off.
You watched your breath fog up the glass just as two Deatheaters pushed into the little garden you had taken great care with. You inhaled deeply and slowly before shuffling under the bed. You gripped the bat in your hands tightly and exhaled silently as the front door burst open.
"Your very first raid and you've barely lifted your wand." A female voice tutted.
"I've been working all day Bella, not everyone can laze about depending on their husband's riches." A dry voice returned and your breath caught. Regulus.
"You take in there, I'll see if there's anything worth taking," Bella instructed and Regulus huffed but did as told, stepping into the bedroom. Regulus shut the door behind him and leaned against it for a second before approaching the window.
He stared out until the sound of Bella breaking glass echoed through the house. He moved towards the bed, pausing at the bedside locker. He lifted something before it slipped from his fingers.
The picture of you and your brother at one of his Quidditch matches fell to the floor. Glass continued to shatter down the hall.Â
Regulus whispered your name. He crouched to pick up the picture and muttered an incantation before setting back.
"Luce, please just give me some sign you're here, that you aren't in danger." You let the bat roll out from under the bed and heard Regulus' breath of relief as he nudged it back under with his foot. "Bella starts fires. Don't wait around after we leave, they don't return. Aurors will come to obliviate you, tell them you're Jamie's sister. They'll leave you with the memories if you want them."
He left the room announcing loudly that whoever lived here obviously had taken off when the attack started.
Less than ten minutes later all the noise stopped both outside and inside the house and you scrambled out of your hiding place and rushed to the window. Every house on the lane was on fire. You could smell the smoke from your own kitchen and grabbed the picture and hurried outside just as the Auror's descended.
///
"Did you kill anyone that night?" You asked.
"No, in fact, I got two families out of their homes without being seen." He wasn't about to let you force more guilt on him than he already had.
"The Hendersons and the Whittakers." You told him and he frowned.
"How'd you know? They were obliviated." He insisted.
"The only other families that escaped with their lives. My God, Reg, what if you'd been caught?" You asked, turning to face where he had apparated in. He stood just inside your living room door. You had been sitting on the sofa with your back to him.
"So what should I have done?" He asked, could he do anything right?
"Fled the country and adopted a new name the second they showed interest in you." You huffed before wiping your eyes.
"Hey, come here." Regulus pulled you against his chest and pressed a kiss to the crown of your head. "Don't cry for me, I'm not worth that."
"I wish we'd never met. I wish there was a way I could not feel like this." You sobbed against his chest and he chuckled darkly.
"I don't. I love you." He sighed. "I've smiled maybe three times since I left Hogwarts and even at that smiles weren't common there either. You're the only person that could make me smile in the midst of all this."
"Don't leave me again." You begged, pulling away from his chest. You pushed herself up on your toes. "Stay."
You pressed your lips to Regulus's slowly and guided him towards the bedroom. There you gave him everything including a reason to stay and fell asleep together. Regulus smiled as he drifted off and imagined a world without war, a world safe for you.
He was going to make it happen.
Dearest,
I wish I could've stayed. I wish we could've had more time and I wish things were simpler. But my one wish is that you'll live in a safer world, one without fear or war. Only one of my wishes could come true so I chose to focus all my energy on that instead. I don't know if I'll return but keep me in your heart and I promise I'll never be far.
The ring was a whim, something I saw in a pawn shop while I was avoiding the cafe. I don't know if you would've said yes but I can only hope. Wear it and I promise I'll come home if I can, if not I'll see you on the other side, hopefully not for many years. I'll find you, I promise.
I've found a way to end the war. If I'm successful then you'll know and if I'm not I guess you'll still know. If I'm not back within a month contact Sirius. He'll know my fate.
Never forget that you were the one lighthouse guiding me in from a sea of darkness. I'll forever be in your debt and if I die then just know that the taste of your kiss will be my last thought.
Yours forever,
Reg.
///
You went in search of Sirius when October tipped into November. Leaves were falling and crunching under your feet and you tightened Regulus' jacket tighter around your frame. He had left it behind, along with a Slytherin Quidditch jersey with his initials on the back.
Tracking Sirius was proving to be a problem as no one really knew where he was. The Potters were also nowhere to be found. The last reliable source you had sent you in the direction of a wizarding village with a pitying smile.
The ruins of a house stood at the address you had been given. You stared at the flowers and stuffed animals that rested against the wall and swallowed roughly. You crouched to read some of the tags but all you got was 'Good luck Harry!" or "Thank you, Harry."
You had been looking for Lily and James Potter. You didn't want a Harry.
"You okay?" A weary voice asked.
"I don't know. Lily and James?" You asked.
"Dead." The man told you slowly. "How could you not have known?"
"I'm a muggle, I was looking for Sirius Black. Someone sent me here." You explained.
"He's dead too." The man spat and you swallowed before nodding. The half-moon shone down on the man, illuminating the scars that ran across the bridge of his nose.
"I'm sorry for bothering you Mr..." You trailed off.
"Lupin, Remus Lupin."
///
To the Dark Lord
I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more.
R.A.B.
"I'm sorry." The child who had saved the world stood in front of you now with a letter in hand and the last note your fiance had ever written.
"Did his brother know?" You asked and Harry Potter shook his head.
"No, Sirius passed before he could find out." He told you solemnly.
"Mum, you okay?" Arcturus looked just as his father had at eighteen. His hair reached his shoulders and his nose was just a little too large for his face but he was the most perfect being you had ever seen. He left the kitchen, placing a plate of food with a customer before approaching.
He was a wizard, a Hufflepuff, which would have driven his father mad had he ever known of his existence.
"Arc, I-" Harry stuttered.
"Harry, blimey, what are you doing here?" Arc asked, shaking his hand.
"You two know each other?" You asked.
"Harry was the Gryffindor Seeker." Arcturus had been Seeker his whole Hogwarts career and he intended to go professional in the coming years.
"He's brought news of your father." You handed Arc the letter and turned to face Harry.
"Father, that's great to hear." Harry sighed.Â
"It is?" Arc asked.
"Regulus has left everything to his next of kin. His wife. But as your marriage was never recorded it isn't legally binding. But a son, that's enough for me and enough for the Ministry." Harry smiled.
///
"It's okay, Mum." Arc sat by his mother's bedside, her hand gripped tightly in his. His wife, Alicia, stood behind him, supporting him. "You can let go, Dad's waiting for you."
Those were the last words she heard as she floated off. When she opened her eyes next she was in the cafe. A group of people were sat at Regulus' booth and she walked towards them, peeking into the kitchen to find it empty.
A laugh sounded from the table and Lucy approached to find Sirius shoving a laughing Regulus playfully. They sat across from another couple, a young ginger woman and a black-haired man.
"Come join us." Regulus held his hand out for her and she glanced down before taking it.
You and Remus try and hide away from your brother at the back of your house
Contentment by @fandom-what-ifs
âDid you say cuddles?â
Cute by @turning-dreams-into-chaos
âYouâre cute when youâre tired.â
Love Woo by @alifeiwishwasreal
When you and Remus decide to miss out on the quidditch celebrations you find it hard to debate whether to go and retrieve your friends or not when youâre so comfortableÂ
Lupins Lady @vivwritesfics
Before Y/N, everybody was scared of the marauders. But the terrorizing stopped and the pranks became harmless. All thanks to Lupins lady.Â
Thursday Petition  by @marauderâharder
Thursdays are Remusâ favorite day.
Twilight and Full Moons by @curseofaphrodite
You accidentally find out that your friend/crush is a werewolf, but he keeps denying your claims.
Unspoken by @mirclealignr
Reader and Remus are both professors at Hogwarts and are very close. The students try to set them up.Â
Sirius Black
A Pretty Boy and His Pretty Girl by @robynlilyblack
Sirius makes a bet he can play Y/N, but she doesnât succumb so easily to his charms, but will he to hers?Â
Borrowed Sweaters, Stolen Kisses by @wizardwritings
In a game of truth or dare, youâre dared to sneak into the marauders dorm and steal one article of clothing to wear the next day. It just so happens that the jacket you snatched was Siriusâ favorite jumper.Â
Class by @futurewriter2000
âI think Iâm already in love with you.â
Have a Biscuit by @robynlilyblack
Sirius had always been a player yet you still said yes when he asked you out, things are going well until he suddenly ignores you. After seeing you hurt he goes to the only person he knows he can open up to.Â
Paper Rings by @starstruckmoony
You make paper rings for yourself and Sirius in potions class.
The Double Date by @robynlilyblack
Sirius is sick of Jamesâ whining about Lily, and Y/Nâs sick of Lily pretending she hates James, so they devise a plan to get them together. Little do they know it works out well for them too.
Young, Dumb, and Hopelessly in Love by @untildawnremus
Basically just the mere perfection of your relationship with Sirius.
James Potter
A Moment in the Library by @heloisedaphnebrightmore
James has been relentlessly chasing you for months now, but you are still doubting his intentions as the boy didnât even attempt to get close to you or ask you out.Â
April Foolâs by @theweasleysredhair
âIf you ever love someone, let them know. If they love you back, perfect! If not, get over them.â In which Y/N confesses her love for James Potter, using April Fools Day as her backup plan.Â
Dad!James by @luveline
James with his little girl.
Featherlight Kisses by @heloisedaphnebrightmore
Spending some alone-time with your boyfriend is rare, so when you finally have the opportunity to enjoy his presence without needing to share it with others, you plan to make it count, regardless of James finding it fun to deny his kisses from you.
Good for Something by @houseofblackbaby
âHave you seen my hoodie?â
Hypothetically by @knittedjumpersandleatherjackets
Misplaced mandrake leaf.
I do by @rosaline-black
Itâs your wedding day. And you look back on all of those moments that led up to you marrying the love of your life.Â
I hate you/ I love you by @frost-queen
James flirts with you during an argument.
I Love You by @theowritesstuff
You told him that you wanted to take your relationship slow, but one morning you say something that makes James speechless.Â
Loose Tooth by @luveline
Reader wonât let James look at her tooth, but she keeps saying itâs loose.
Mrs. Mine by @glasschampagne
Playing Mr. and Mrs. Clause leads to a confession.
Never Just a Friend by @theweasleysredhair
 It takes a little bit of jealousy (and a nudge from Sirius) but James and Y/N finally turn their flirtationship to a relationship.Â
Shades of Violet by @siriusmydeer
James kisses your stretch marks
Shut Up by @wrathspoet
when james accidentally injures you, he canât stop apologizing while heâs treating you. you end up taking the matter into your own hands.
Whatâs My Name? by @mediocre-daydreams
When Lily berates James for bullying Snape by the Black Lake, you call her out on her hypocrisy, forcing James to confront how he feels about the both of you.
We Deserve This Life by @starstruckwillows
Your beautifully regular life with your husband years after the war.
Why Didnât We Work Out? by @astonishment
James Potter had two girlfriends in his seventh year at Hogwarts. Y/N Y/L/N, who he dated for five months; and Lily Evans, who he dated afterwards. When heâs dared to call one of his exes, guess whoâs number he dialsâŚ
Youâre Cheating by @luveline
âYouâre cheating on me, arenât you?â Tik Tok prank on James
Your Prince by @heloisedaphnebrightmore
James Potter just wants to cuddle with his princess
Regulus Black
Big Brother James by @sirisuorionblack
You - the potter girl, a member of the order of the phoenix and a brave Gryffindor - are dating Regulus Black - the perfect Black, a death eater and a quiet Slytherin. Despite having a perfect relationship it was hidden from your brother and when James finds out, you were rather stunned.
He Loves You by @cryonme
The Marauders hold a silent grudge against you for falling in love with the younger Black, until one day everything comes out in an argument, and Sirius has no choice but to find his brother, and see for himself how much he loves you.
Fantastic Beasts
Theseus Scamander
Clumsy Me, Clumsy You by @wizardwritings
reader is a shy new Auror but is very clumsy and Theseus canât help but find her cute
Insufferable by @cheerupbarryâ
Newtâs assistant canât stand Theseus but when they spend time together she starts to like him.
Rule of Thumb by @cilliansgirl
At an event for the ministry, (Y/N) spots an old acquaintance eyeing her boys. Being the overprotective mother she is, (Y/N) once again involves herself with the acquaintance.
âI donât know, mate, seems like a cop out.â Dean shrugged, leaning back in his chair. The Leaky was busy for a Wednesday night but it was no surprise with the Summer weather
Hannah had completely changed the interior and had a charm akin to the one in the Great Hall at Hogwarts so the sun shone down on them all, reflecting the outside sky.
âItâs not a cop out.â Harry insisted, sipping at his pint and looking to Ron for reassurance. His eyes widened when he saw Ron looking sheepish. âYouâve got to be joking!â
âEight weeks youâve been looking at Hannahâs new bar woman. Youâve not said anything to her but âanother round, pleaseâ.â Ron sipped his own pint and avoided Harryâs glare.
âOh cut him some slack. Heâs hung up on his ex.â Ginny clapped him on the shoulder as she returned from the toilet and Harry rolled his eyes at her. While the split had been amicable, it had been Ginnyâs decision to break it off. Something she never let him forget.
âYouâre the bloody Boy Who Lived, grow a pair.â Seamus sighed, tired of the constant circle of conversation. Harry stayed quiet, sipping his pint and hoping the conversation would move on.
âCan I get you guys anything else?â You asked, appearing at Harryâs side so suddenly he almost swore you apparated.
âAnother round, please. Also if youâve found Harryâs courage anywhere, that would be lovely.â Seamus told you and Harry glared at him, kicking him on the table. âWhat the bloody fuck was that?â
âSorry, was searching for my courage under the table.â Harry ground out from between clenched teeth. You laughed at him, gathering the empty glasses and charming them to follow you back to the bar.
When you returned with the fresh round it was to hushed whispers and a bashful Harry who barely looked up when accepting his pint. While you were walking away it was to the muttered conversation rising again. âYouâre a coward, mate.â
Harry watched you go, chin on his hand. Ron rolled his eyes while Ginny pushed his hand and he stopped himself just before he hit his chin off the sticky table top.
âYou know, I saved your lives. You could at least be a little grateful.â
///
âIts okay you know.â Harry looked up from the dregs of his pint and blinked at you. He was well on his way to being drunk, lingering long after all his friends had left.
âWhatâs okay?â He asked, slurring his words only slightly.
âNot wanting to be brave anymore.â You told him, taking a seat on Ronâs vacated stool. âYou were brave for a really long time.â
âToo bloody long.â Harry agreed, nodding hard enough that his glasses slipped down his nose. âItâs exhausting being brave.â
âI can only imagine.â You said softly, brushing his glasses back gently and letting your hand linger on his cheek. âItâs probably time we got you home.â
âHome.â Harry sighed, drafty Grimmauld Place. The least homey place he ever laid his head to rest and he was including both his Cupboard and the Forest of Dean in that. âDonât want to.â
âYou want a room upstairs?â You asked, looking over your shoulder at Hannah that yelled for you to lock up. You waved at her, returning your attention to the sleepy savior.
âYeah. Yeah.â Harry nodded, pushing up from his stool and wobbling. You reached out to steady him, hooking his arm into yours. âThanks.â
âAnytime Harry.â You promised, guiding him to the stairs. You waved your free hand, summoning a key for one of the unoccupied rooms.
When you reached his door you unlocked it and opened the door, handing him the key with a gentle smile. âYou know, if it helps. You donât have to be brave with me.â
âWith you.â Harry repeated and you smiled, leaning up to brush a kiss to his cheek. He smiled dopily at you, hand resting on your hip.
âCome find me in the morning. Requires no bravery because now you know I like you. You can buy me breakfast to thank me.â You told him and he laughed, nodding slowly.
"Alright, Nev?" You asked carefully. You didn't turn to the door to see him come in, you just knew it was him. You busied yourself with the Venomous Tentacula you were pruning, listening as he went about getting his things together to help. He was late but you didn't hold it against him.
"You didn't come to lunch," Neville accused, catching a vine that swiped at him with startling agility, the type that fled his body once he stepped outside the greenhouse.
"I had Herbology just before, figured it was a waste of time to trek all the way up just to come back down right after." You explained, snipping the end of a vine and catching a second that aimed for your face without looking up. "Knew you'd bring me something."
You weren't wrong, even if you hadn't looked up. Neville was sure to have a sandwich laid out somewhere for you once you finished up with this plant. He would refuse to work further until you had eaten.
"What would you do without me?" Neville asked with a sigh, smacking the vine he was holding when it wiggled at him threateningly.
"Starve, probably." You admitted, taking the final snip and then two massive steps back in sync with Neville as the plant swiped once more before settling, realizing it was no longer under attack. You closed the lid of the jar you had put the snippings into and labeled it.
"Most likely." Neville agreed. He popped a pair of earmuffs over your ears as you pulled your gloves off. He added a pair for himself and then headed for the mandrakes while you beelined for the sandwich he had brought, your hunger catching up with you.
You watched him as you ate and smiled slightly between bites. He was repotting the mandrakes efficiently without error. He was confident here behind the glass walls. It was the only time you ever saw him shake the stuttering and the stumbling persona he wore like a cloak.
You loved him. It was a fact you were well aware of. It was a fact that anyone who knew you was aware of. In the beginning, your friends presumed it had been hero worship for the man who had killed Nagini. You knew better.
You loved the tenderness he showed the plants, letting the young mandrakes chew on his finger protected by gloves to stop their screams as he filled the pots with more soil. You loved the way his hair had grown longer but he refused to cut it because it gave him a chance to hide.
You loved the scars on his hands and arms that boasted of his bravery in some of the darkest days. You loved him from the very first moment he stood at the front of your Dark Arts class, volunteering himself for the first years.
The only person who didn't know how you felt was Neville. You knew better than to tell him and chose to be his friend instead. He had been crazy about Luna and now he spent every second with her outside of the greenhouse.
Luna refused to come in because it upset her Wrackspurt balance and she had grown quite fond of the ones she had now. You had asked her about Wrackspurts, missing Neville's look and she had gone into detail for over an hour once.
You found it kind of interesting, much to Neville's shock. He liked how nice you were to Luna, given how others ridiculed her. Your friends thought it was a ploy to get into Neville's good books.
That wasn't true. You found her genuinely interesting and a breath of positivity when so many people were still recovering from the darkness. No one had escaped the battle unscathed and so you allowed yourself to bask in joy.
Even while you were hyperaware of the Thestrals at every turn.
"Mimbletonia next or the Wolfsbane?" You asked, slipping off your earmuffs when he finished potting the last Mandrake. He came to sit on the bench while you unpacked your to-do list, given to you by Professor Sprout.
"I think it's too early for the Wolfsbane. I know Sprout wants it done but if we leave it another two days we'll get better results and so will the Potions Class." Neville told you and you nodded, crossing the word out with your quil, scrawling a reminder for yourself to do it on Friday instead. "You're not even going to ask why?"
"Don't need to. You haven't been wrong yet." You told him, scanning your list before looking up at him. He had grown over the Summer and sitting on the bench only added to his height. "I trust you."
"Some people would tell you that's a silly thing to do." He warned you and you shrugged.
"Some people are stupid." You told him and pulled on your gloves again, making your way towards the Mimbletonia. "I'm not stupid."
///
"I have an update I feel you would quite like." Rolf Scamander took a seat across from you and you looked up from the heavy text you were reading. He pushed his hair back behind his ear as he leaned closer conspiritually.
"Are you gonna tell me or do I have to guess because I have a headache and I'm really not in the mood." You told him quietly and he frowned. You watched as he visibly forgot his conversation opener as he leaned forward further, hand outstretched to check your temperature. "You feel a little warm. Have you done a check?"
"No, I'm waiting on Hannah to come to dinner. She's late." You explained and Rolf sighed. He only stood from the table, gesturing for you to follow him.
You held his arm to keep yourself steady and allowed him to lead you to the only room guaranteed to be empty. Myrtle's bathroom. She observed you both quietly as Rolf pushed the door mostly closed. "Take off your robes."
"Such a romantic, you sighed, shedding your heave robe. You followed with your blouse and held your arms out as he walked around you in a circle. He pressed his hnd to your hip and you craned your neck to look, finding the familiar puncture marks that made you wince.
"Tentacula." You sighed and he nodded, helping you button your blouse shut when your hands shook. The door pushed in and you found Luna smiling brilliantly.
"Myrtle, I'm here to oh-" She paused in place before frowning slightly, the first time you'd ever seen her smile drop. "Sorry."
She fled the bathroom and Rolf swore, looking from the door and back to you. You were beginning to sweat and he knew he couldn't leave you. He sighed and folded your robes over his arm, offering you the other one.
You would have asked what his problem was only you were fighting the urge to be violently sick. He watched as you paled and guided you to the stall rather than the exit, holding your hair back.
âDo me a favor Myrtle?â Rolf ask and Myrtle simpered at her chance to be important for a handsome boy. âGet Pomfrey for me?â
///
Two days later Neville found you in the Greenhouse, glaring at the Venomous Tentacula. He watched the stare down before you turned around and began labeling jars on the desk next to you.
He took his seat next to you and took in your disheveled appearance. You had come straight from the Hospital Wing. Heâd bet every galleon he had on as much.
âSo, you and Rolf, huh?â Neville asked and wished he could suck the words back in. Or maybe the ground would open and swallow him whole. Anything better than the grin you gave him when you turned your head.
âMe and Rolf?â You asked, returning to your labelling, adding them to jars one by one for the potions class. You dated the samples and scrawled your initials alongside them as you worked down the checklist you had.
âYouâre uh, a thing?â He asked and you chuckled before adding the last label to your collection of jars and turned to give him your full attention. He wanted nothing less right now.
âI didnât take Luna to be one for gossip.â You teased and began donning your gloves, prompting Neville to do the same. The Wolfsbane was waiting.
âShe isnât!â Neville insisted, quick to defend her honor. Luna had been terribly upset and she had told Neville what she had seen in confidence. He had probably just ruined that confidence by opening his big mouth. âShe just mentioned it in passing, you know how she is.â
âThis is the third time this year a plant has landed me in the hospital wing. Aconite in September, Bubotuber burns in December and Tentacula two days ago. My friends check me over when I take ill suddenly.â You told Neville, snipping as close to the root of the Wolfsbane as you could get.
âSo Rolf was uh, checking you?â Neville asked, unsure. âBy taking your blouse off?â
âDid Luna mention that in passing too?â You teased and the conversation was dropped as you both began preparing the Wolfsbane for potions ingredients.
You worked well together, getting through your list quickly and the sun was still shining when you both finished. You found yourself trailing down to the lake, enjoying the rare sunshine. Neville trailed after you as you discussed the coming week.
âDoing anything for the weekend?â You asked as you settled down on your robe, legs crossed at the ankles. You picked at dirt on your skirt, looking up when Neville didnât answer. âNev?â
âSorry, uh, the weekend?â He asked distracted and you followed his eyeline to find Rolf talking to Luna the other side of the lake. Rolf was cupping Lunaâs face and your smile dropped when he leaned in and kissed her.
âWhat the fuck?â You asked yourself as you watched. Neville grew steadily red before turning to you. It was something you could never have believed Luna to be capable of.
âAre you okay?â You and Neville spoke at the same time before giving each other questioning looks and drawing back in confusion.
âAm I okay?â You asked, laughing nervously. âIâm not the one who just watched my girlfriend kiss someone else.â
âI didnât- Luna isnât my- arenât you and Rolf?â Neville stuttered over his words and then sighed. âRolf and you are a thing, arenât you?â
âNo. Rolf has literally been in love with Luna as long as Iâve known him.â You laughed and Neville deflated. âHe still shouldnât have done that to you.â
âLuna is my best friend. Nothing more.â Neville told you and you laughed, falling back in the grass and letting the laughter shake you. âWhatâs so funny?â
âIâve been holding back for almost six months because I thought you were dating her.â You told him, still laughing. âJesus, I did not know it was possible to be this stupid.â
âGolding back?â Neville asked in shock and you looked up from your spot on the ground. âYouâre interested in Luna?â
âWhat? No, you! Iâm interested in you Neville.â You laughed again. âYou think Iâd spend every afternoon with just anyone?â
âNo but I thought- you always seem so cool! Why would you be interested in me?â He asked quietly and you stopped laughing.
âBecause youâre you! You talk to the Mandrakes and sooth the Screaming Lilyâs. Youâre amazing, Nev.â You told him, taking his hand in yours. He chewed on his bottom lip while you sat up. âNow is when you kiss me.â
Just a reminder my blog is trans inclusive. Itâs bi inclusive. It is pan inclusive. It is intersex inclusive. It is ace/asexual inclusive. It is aro/aromantic inclusive. It is queer inclusive.
I donât support terfs or exclusionists.
If you came here looking for an ally in your bigotry you came to the wrong blog. Go away. You are not welcome here.
You watch the tired man enter the book shop and disappear down into the aisles a look of determination on his face. You donât follow him, letting him come to you if he needs help.
Instead you return to your orders list, checking off each book and adding them to the trolley of books that need shelving. You get so absorbed in your task that you forget all about him until you start shelving the books and find him slumped tiredly in one of the reading chairs, Great Expectations lying open on his chest.
You donât wake him, taking care to shelve the books quietly, returning to your desk. The rest on your shift is tedious, a few customers coming in and out with happy smiles, sheltered from the pouring rain for a few minutes.
Itâs only when youâve finished all your tasks, the blinds drawn and the sun setting that you go looking for him again. Heâs still fast asleep, snoring lightly and you feel bad when you have to clear your throat. He jumps awake, disorientated.
He locks eyes on you before shock takes over his face. You imagine itâs because he didnât plan on falling asleep but you offer him a gentle smile, your mouth opening to assure him itâs okay. Instead he speaks your sisters name.
You take a step back almost immediately. Itâs been nearly a decade since someone muttered her name in your company and the familiar gaping wound rips open.
âIâm sorry?â You ask, the familiar name taking your words and your breath along with it. The man rights himself, standing quickly and catching the book before it falls.
He repeats the name, eyes taking you in. You hesitate again and take another step back. You werenât sure what to say when he shakes his head. âIâm sorry. You remind me of someone I went to school with.â
His slow words shake you from your grief and you clear your throat again, unsure what to say. Your sister had forgone the school you had gone to for a completely different world. One you had never been part of no matter how much you both wished you had been.
You looked the man over slowly, taking in the details of his ripped jeans and knitted sweater. His almost soft appearance was offset by the scars on his face, one slashing right across his nose, another across his jaw down to his neck.
âYou went to Hogwarts?â You asked quietly, the word feeling unfamiliar on your tongue. You hadnât said it in years, bound by the same secrecy your whole family had been.
âYouâre not Layla.â The name didnât burn as much this time. It sounded soft from his lips. Like he had been fond of your sister. It didnât surprise you. Everyone has loved her and her easy going nature.
âIâm her twin sister.â You muttered helplessly as you appraised the stranger again. He was one of them. A wizard. âIdentical.â
You didnât need to explain yourself. Not much had changed since you were eighteen. Some frown lines, longer hair. It appeared even now you looked like her. Still in her shadow.
âIâm sorry, I shouldnât have fallen asleep.â He muttered, looking to his watch. He winced at the time and looked back to your face where you were still watching him. âIt just shocked me. I havenât seen her in years.â
âEither have I.â The words slipped from your lips without permission and at his questioning head tilt you swallowed. âShe died.â
âOh. Iâm sorry.â The air grew awkward with tension and you shifted from foot to foot. âShe was a truly wonderful person.â
âI know.â You muttered anxiously, chewing on your lip. âYou donât have to be sorry. Unless youâre one of them. The bad ones.â
Understanding dawned on his eyes and he winced when your words took hold. You folded your arms, trying to hold yourself together. âIâm not.â
âThen thereâs nothing to be sorry for. It wonât bring her back.â Your words seemed callous but you had your fill of magic in your life, too many apologies from people who werenât all that sorry.
âNo, Iâm afraid it wonât. Iâm sorry for your loss though. Itâs never easy, loosing someone like that.â He explained and you nodded. The clock by the door chimed and you looked up before returning your gaze to the strage man.
âI just woke you to let you know that weâre closing. Iâm about to lock up.â You explained, dismissing the conversation entirely. He blushed a startling shade of red before nodding and returning his book.
The door opened and closed before you found the energy to lock up the store, trudging up the stairs to the apartment above the shop. It seemed lonelier than ever with the remembrance of your sister weighing you down.
///
The tired man returned three days later, waving awkwardly as he disappeared into the stacks of books. You were with a customer at the time and you stuttered over your words before recovering.
When the customer left you went in search of him and found him sitting in the same armchair, awake this time. He was holding a copy of Wuthering Heights, already absorbed in the pages.
âI didnât get your name.â You told him and he looked up, appraising you much the same as he had last time. He carried grief too, much in the same way as you did.
âRemus Lupin.â He offered quietly. You repeated his words, tasting the words on your tongue and wracking your brain to see if your sister had ever mentioned him. The unusual name stood out with a handful of memories attached. You offered your name to his expectant face.
âShe spoke of you often.â He told you honestly and the grief relieved you of your breath again. You turned on your heel, allowing him his time to read without any further conversation. You didnât want to hear it, you didnât need the reminder.
Remus didnât fall asleep this time. He finished the book as you were putting away new deliveries, delicately placing them all on the shelves with your usual devotion that only books seemed to pull from you these days.
âIâm sorry if Iâve upset you.â He spoke quietly but you still jumped. He moved almost silently and it been so unexpected of a man of his seize that you dropped the book in your hands. âIt wasnât my intention.â
âIt canât be helped.â You told him honestly, bending down to pick up the book with a sigh. It was the truth. You spent so long pushing what happened down into the depths of your mind that any reminder of what you had lost left you bone weary. âIt may have been a decade ago but it feels like just yesterday.â
âI know.â He promised. You could hear that he understood and you took an ounce of comfort in knowing you werenât the only one who hurt. That others bore the same weight you did. âNo one left that war unscathed.â
âDid you win?â You asked carefully, running your fingers over the cover of a book rather than look at him. You traced the details as he inhaled deeply, releasing a heavy sigh. âTell me you did even if you didnât.â
âThey say we did.â Remus told you honestly. âThey celebrated in the street and wrote songs about our victory. It didnât feel like a victory, what we had to give to achieve it.â
âYou lost someone.â It wasnât a question. He knew it wasnât. There was a similarity in how you both acted.
âI lost everyone.â He sighed, shoving his hands in the pockets of his faded jeans. âEveryone I had ever dared to love.â
âI canât imagine it felt much like victory then.â You told him quietly.
âHypothetically-â You winced when McGonagall turned to face you and you smiled at her brightly, ignoring her disappointed frown.
Only six students ever asked her for hypotheticals. And none of them were the kind of students she expected you to be learning from. She knew it couldnât be the Prewetts, given that they were two years older than you.
Which only left the Marauders.
âHypothetically?â McGonagall repeated with narrowed eyes.
âIf you were trying to become an Animagus, right? And you did the whole Mandrake leaf thing, right? But with a day to go you accidentally swapped leaves with someone who had three days to go, right? Would you just have to do your one more day or would you need to do three more?â You asked in a rush and McGonagall inhaled deeply before sighing heavily.
âThe Mandrake leaves that you keep in your mouth, Ms. Y/L/N?â She asked and you flushed red, tongue pressed against the leaf in your cheek. âHypothetically?â
âCompletely hypothetically.â You nodded and she sighed again. âAlso, hypothetically if someone was an Animagus and they were a kitten would you form a pack with them?â
âCats donât have packs. Theyâre quite solitary animals.â McGonagall told you and you deflated. âEven if they did I would not be part of one.â
âBut you could hypothetically help the kitten along and gossip with Mrs. Norris and-â
âI can not commune with actual cats.â She told you and your jaw dropped before you groaned. You spat the leaf out into your hand, crumpling it.
âNever mind the hypotheticals. Iâm no longer interested.â You told her in disappointment before realizing what you had just done, the squashed leaf staring back at you.
âMs Y/L/N, I advise you stay away from Mr Black.â McGonagall was smiling and you looked her over before matching her smile. âAnd Mandrake leaves.â
âI wouldnât dare go near Sirius, you know me better than to get involved in that kind of trouble.â You told her and she narrowed her eyes at you as you smiled.
The door burst open and James Potter rushed in looking panicked. He didnât pause as he came in, didnât take in his sorroundings.
âMinnie, if you swap Mandrake leaves with someone who has longer than you have left would you need to match their time to become an Animagus? Hypothetically?â
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