“your friends seem like fun, remus,” you smiled at the brunette boy, looking over from where you two stood talking to see sirius and james entertaining a group of students in the courtyard with a series of flashy spells and tricks.
“they’re not,” he sighed sarcastically but cracked a smile when you laughed. “i’ll see you later, y/n. thanks for the notes.”
“anytime!” you chuckled as you headed to where your friends awaited you by the lake.
by the time remus reached his own people, the small crowd had dispersed and james was flipping his wand in his hand. “what business d’you have with y/n l/n, moony?”
“why do you ask?” remus coughed, ducking his head as he took his usual spot against the beech tree trunk.
sirius slid next to him, laying out with his head propped in his hand and staring at remus. “because she’s the hottest girl in the castle.” remus rolled his eyes. “oh, come on, you know it! she’s bloody stunning! think you can set me up?”
remus finally turned his gaze to sirius’s hopeful one. “no.”
the boy’s jaw dropped. “what! why?”
“has she got a boyfriend?” james inquired as he popped a chocolate frog into his mouth, sitting on remus’s other side. remus shrugged. “then what’s the problem?”
remus sighed, feeling as though his friends weren’t going to give up easily. he turned a serious gaze to sirius. “she doesn’t deserve to be just another one of your flings.”
as sirius stuttered to find a response, james nodded, “cool. can you send her my way, then?”
remus turned his glare to him. “same goes for you. y/n is much more than just her looks—she deserves someone who recognizes that.” he took out a piece of parchment and his quill. “you two are only looking for a laugh and a shag.”
james held out his hands as sirius continued to sputter for a response. “what if that wasn’t the goal? what if i see that y/n has a right sense of humor and confidence?”
“or that she’s smart beyond any of our class!” sirius finally managed to get out. “and bloody passionate about the things she likes..”
remus spared a glance up after scratching down the start to his potions essay. the two boys were still staring at him expectantly. “i’m sorry, but if you really want a chance with y/n, talk to her yourself.”
james huffed, falling back against the cool spring grass. “you just want her for yourself, moons. you can’t fool me.” remus said nothing, but the two watched a blush creeped up the neck he was determinedly keeping hunched.
“right,” sirius sighed, seeming to resign something internally. “good luck getting her before me, boys.”
“good luck getting her alone at all,” remus snorted. the two relaxed boys snapped their gazes back. “i know that you two struggle to be attentive, so i’m sure you haven’t noticed, but you’re not the only ones pining after y/n.”
sirius propped himself onto his elbows and looked around until he caught sight of you h/c hair shining in the spring sun across the lake. you were laughing, and if he strained he could almost hear that heavenly sound drifting toward him, but unfortunately it was caused by a group of slytherins that had walked up to her and her friends.
“is that snivellus?” james sneered with disgust. “i don’t know this was the new inter-house competition!”
request: not really a request acutally, just something i wrote at litteramly 3am
Summary: Remus Lupin asked Y/N to the Yule Ball with the help of his friends, but his night took a sour turn when he turned to alcohol to mask his nerves, leading to a misunderstanding with Y/N.
Warning: Alcohol, a bit of angst, happy ending, marauders era
Word Count: 1390
Masterlist
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Hogwarts Castle was alive with anticipation as the Yule Ball approached. Snowflakes danced outside the tall, arched windows, blanketing the grounds in pristine white. Inside, students buzzed with excitement, discussing dresses, dates, and the music that would soon fill the Great Hall. Remus Lupin, however, found himself lost in thought, his gaze drifting to a girl across the room.
“Oi, Moony!” Sirius’s voice broke through his reverie. “Stop daydreaming and join us! We’ve got a plan!”
Remus blinked, pulled from his thoughts of Y/N—the girl who had captivated his attention for months. He turned to see Sirius, James, and Peter huddled together, their faces alight with mischief. “What plan?” he asked hesitantly, a knot of anxiety tightening in his stomach.
“Simple! You need to ask her to the Ball!” James exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “We’ll help you out.”
Remus’s heart raced at the thought. “What if she says no?” he murmured, his voice barely audible.
“Don’t be a prat,” Sirius chided, slapping him on the back. “You won’t know until you try. Besides, you’ve got us.”
With a deep breath, Remus nodded. “Alright. I’ll do it.”
“Good! We’ll be right here, cheering you on,” Peter piped up, a nervous grin spreading across his face.
The four of them made their way to the common room, where Y/N sat, her laughter ringing out as she chatted with her friends. Remus’s palms grew sweaty, and his heart pounded in his chest.
“Just go for it!” James whispered, nudging him forward.
With a final nod of encouragement from his friends, Remus approached Y/N, trying to ignore the fluttering in his stomach. “Um, hey, Y/N?”
She looked up, her smile brightening the dimly lit room. “Hey, Remus! What’s up?”
“Would you, um, would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me?” he blurted, his cheeks flushing.
For a moment, time seemed to stretch. Y/N’s eyes widened, and then she broke into a grin. “I’d love to!”
Relief washed over him, followed by a wave of excitement. “Great! I mean, awesome!”
As the evening of the Ball approached, Remus’s excitement began to wane, replaced by nerves. His friends had concocted a plan to help him “relax” before the big night.
“Just one drink, Moony,” Sirius insisted, pouring a golden liquid into a glass. “It’ll loosen you up. You can’t go in all shy and awkward.”
“Yeah, it’s just a little fun,” Peter added, his eyes hopeful.
Remus hesitated, glancing at the glass. “I don’t know, guys. I’m not sure…”
“Just trust us. We want you to have a good time,” James urged, nudging the glass closer.
With a resigned sigh, Remus took the glass and downed it in one gulp. The warmth spread through him, igniting an unexpected confidence. “Okay, maybe just one more.”
Hours later, the Great Hall was transformed into a winter wonderland, sparkling with twinkling lights and shimmering decorations. Remus entered with his friends, feeling a bit unsteady but exhilarated. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on Y/N, who looked breathtaking in a deep blue gown that flowed around her like liquid silk.
“Hey, Y/N!” he called out, striding over with an exaggerated swagger that felt foreign to him.
“Remus!” she greeted, her face lighting up. “You look… different.”
“Different good, I hope?” he shot back, grinning widely.
“Definitely,” she laughed, though her eyes narrowed slightly, as if sensing something was off.
The music began to play, and Remus took her hand, leading her to the dance floor. As they began to sway together, he felt a rush of energy coursing through him, emboldened by the alcohol. He spun her around, his laughter echoing around them.
“Wow, you’re really getting into it,” Y/N said, her smile bright but her expression shifting to confusion.
“Yeah, just letting loose!” he said with a wink, channeling his inner Sirius.
But as the night wore on, Remus’s bravado started to falter. He could feel Y/N’s energy diminish, her laughter softening, as if she were withdrawing.
“Remus…” she began, her brow furrowing slightly. “Are you alright? You seem a bit… off.”
“I’m great!” he exclaimed, perhaps a little too loudly. “Just having a blast!”
She raised an eyebrow, her expression shifting from amusement to concern. “Are you sure? You smell like—”
“Like what?” he interrupted, laughing too hard to be convincing.
“Like alcohol,” she finished, her tone now serious.
His laughter faded, replaced by a creeping sense of dread. “Oh, uh… maybe just a bit?” He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to regain his composure.
Y/N’s smile faltered, and in that moment, Remus saw the truth in her eyes: she was disappointed. “You didn’t drink to get through the night, did you?”
“No! I mean, yes, but…” He struggled for words, the reality of the situation crashing down on him. “I just wanted to enjoy the night, Y/N. I thought it’d help.”
Her expression hardened, and she took a step back. “I thought you wanted to be here with me, not as someone else.”
Remus felt a pang of regret, realizing how his friends’ well-meaning intentions had backfired. “I do want to be here with you! I just… I didn’t want to mess up.”
“Then why not just be yourself?” she asked, her voice softening but still laced with disappointment.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his heart racing. “I thought if I was more confident—”
“More like Sirius?” she interjected, crossing her arms. “That’s not you, Remus.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat. She was right; he’d let the alcohol transform him into someone he wasn’t. “Can we just—”
“I think I need to go,” she interrupted, her voice steady yet strained.
“Y/N, wait—” he called after her, but she was already weaving through the crowd, her figure disappearing into the throng of students.
Frustration bubbled inside him as he turned to find his friends, who were still reveling in the dance. “What were you thinking?” he shouted, his voice rising above the music.
“Hey, Moony! You were fantastic!” Sirius cheered, oblivious to the storm brewing in his friend’s heart.
“Fantastic? I just ruined everything!” Remus snapped, his fists clenching at his sides. “She thinks I used alcohol to get through the night!”
“Wait, you did?” James asked, genuine confusion in his eyes. “I thought you were just having fun.”
“Fun? I was trying to impress her, not be a drunken fool!” Remus shot back, pushing through the crowd toward the exit.
“Moony, wait! We were just trying to help!” Peter called after him, but Remus didn’t stop. He stormed back to the Gryffindor common room, his emotions swirling like the snow outside.
Inside the cozy space, he paced, anger and regret twisting in his gut. How could he have let himself be swayed by his friends? The night he had looked forward to for weeks had turned into a disaster.
The door creaked open, and a moment later, Y/N stepped inside, her eyes searching the room. Relief and dread washed over him simultaneously.
“Y/N…” he began, but she held up a hand to stop him.
“I just wanted to say… I’m sorry for leaving like that. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just—” She took a breath, her voice steadying. “I wanted to enjoy the night with you, not this… version of you.”
“I know,” he admitted, feeling the weight of her disappointment. “I messed up. I thought maybe if I was more confident, I could be someone you’d like.”
Y/N stepped closer, her expression softening. “I like you, Remus. But I like the real you, not this… flirty facade.”
“I’m sorry,” he repeated, his voice earnest. “I promise, I’ll be myself next time.”
She smiled, the tension in her shoulders easing. “Next time?”
“Definitely. If you’ll still have me,” he said, hope creeping into his voice.
“Of course,” she said, her smile widening. “But just be you, alright?”
“Deal,” he replied, relief flooding through him.
As they stood together in the warm glow of the common room, Remus felt the connection between them grow stronger. The Yule Ball hadn’t gone as planned, but it had led him to something better: a chance to truly be himself with her.
Outside, the snow continued to fall, blanketing the ground in silence, as if in agreement with the promise of a new beginning.
Sirius was glad to have never had a sister. Not because anything against females or his fathers pride in only thing sons fit to carry the Black name for generations to come. Rather he couldn't ignore that through any situation with his mother that a sister would suffer his mothers narcissism more than he ever would. Sirius’s mother demanded attention during her presence. Demanded to be heard and obeyed. However, she remembered her boys would one day be men and molded them as such. Had fate been cruel enough to bestow a daughter to Walburga Black, there was no doubt that girl would have suffered their mothers manipulation ten fold as it would be her sole purpose and duty to raise that girl to be subservient.
Which is why Sirius was relieved to be back in Hogwarts. The further away from his parents he could be, the better. The scraping of chalk and the Professor's voice that had previously once lulled him into his thoughts jerked him back into the present. The chalk made a faint yet still teeth grinding screech against the board. In large letters to overhead the next part of the lesson. ‘The Unforgivable Curses’. This was a lesson he learned early. Well…one of them anyway.
Professor Speckspen was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. The one prior, like all before, only lasted a year. The record has been two years. She was a shrill-looking older woman, like someone had pulled her out of retirement for this job. Or as Lupin had said “someone definitely dug that lady out of the coffin for this job.” She had a nasty scar on her neck that branched up to her jaw. Her sandy blonde hair tied into an overly tight bun that made anyone wince just to look at. She had a slight tremor in her hands but the stern look in her eyes cancelled out any possibility of anxiety.
Sirius's gaze shifted to James who looked like he was itching to irritate the Professor up in some way. In the corner of his eyes was Peter Pettigrew eyeing James with an eager admiration, eager to learn from a mentor. It was a rather pathetic expression…for a rather pathetic person. Yet Peter meant well and for Sirius and the others, that was enough.
“There are three unforgivable curses in total.” Professor Speckspen said. “All are named as such for obvious reasoning. They are unforgivable when used. So no, the person you ever were to use such spells on- will not overlook it or let it go. Hence, unforgivable. When used, the victim of these curses are never the same. Emotionally, psychologically…physically…these are how you truly break a person or even kill them.” Her delivery was cold and clinical, like she expected no one in the room would use them or even like the curses were a myth themselves. Yet they were very real. Sirius knew that all too well. “Such curses are not recommended whether of age or not, it leads to only one outcome. A life sentence in Azkaban. Do not be surprised. It is unforgivable for a reason. Therefore there shall be no demonstrations.” She turned, eyeing every student with a cold glare. “The first…the imperius curse. Otherwise known by its command ‘imperio’. The imperius curse makes puppets out of its victims, the master is the caster.”
“Heh, a poet.” Barty Crouch Junior murmured under his breath, tongue darting out and swiping his lips. Evan Rosier smirking beside him and keeping his head down. The two having little interest or respect for the professor.
Professor Speckspen, like many times before, didn't hear the petty jabs. Paying notice to them meant acknowledging them. Something she wasn't prepared to do.
“Imperio is cast stripping away a witch or wizards free will. Abolishing their nature meaning what Mr Malfoy?” Her tone upturned with a sneer. Lucius sighed silently like he had better things to do. “They don't have a choice.”
“Pay attention, boy. We gathered that!” She snapped. “Meaning regardless of if the victim wouldn't be capable of something by nature, they will be forced to do so without hesitation or suffering. Therefore, as I just said, abolishing their nature. Their moral compass!” With a swish of her wand the chalk scored a line underneath the words ‘no free will’. The chalk then started writing again. “It is described to be under this curse as a dream like state- a lack of concern and complete elation. Despite the spells ability to weigh on the person like a blanket, the victim will feel completely free. Hence a lack of moral compass to influence one's behaviour. Susceptibility at an all time high to the caster.”
As Professor Specken continued her lesson she started to walk slow curses around the room eyeing every student to ensure they were taking notes and listening. She reached out with a boney hand gripping the back of Goyle's head in the back row and forcing it down, noticing his notes were non-existent.
“Breaking this curse is not as easy as to just lift it. There are three ways: the victims' mental strength to resist. The Ministry often gives the victim a devastating shock to disrupt the flow of the curse and allow the victim to break free. This shock can be devastating or life changing news. Often a large falsehood. Or they'll use a traumatic life event. Research is being conducted as to the efficiency of casting for example a protective charm which is ultimately positive in intention and cast a curse at the same time to the victim. That positive and negative energy battling it out and ultimately causing this disruptive shock that if successful, would break the curse quickly. The alternatives are if the caster dies or is incapacitated enough that their magic shifts. Such a curse is too much to maintain so whether the caster desires it or not, the curse will break. Let it be known that some are more resistant to others and it is possible to build resistance to this curse if one is constantly subjected to it.”
Professor Specken got to the front of the class again. “We'll get this next one over quickly as there's not much to say as there is with the other two. So, the last curse is the Killing curse cast with Avada Kedavra. It is instant. So instant that the expression on the victims face remains after death. It leaves no mark upon the victims body. There is no counter spell to this curse. The only way to survive it is to get out of the way. The best protection you will ever have from such a curse is a physical barrier or protection magic by sacrifice. Though such magic is not considered…unreliable.” She finished clenching her jaw, another look of disdain for the students. Then she began again. “It causes irreparable damage upon the casters soul. It stains the soul in such a way that it's a darkness that will never leave the caster. This damage is irreparable and such is deemed only the truly evil will cast it. The disregard for life, to completely eradicate someone of this mortal realm and the stain upon the casters soul is what defines it as unforgivable.”
Sirius found that part intriguing. No one ever really talked about its effect on the caster. It seemed like in one way or another these curses are an infliction upon the caster and the victim. It was an alluring little detail. Dark wizards cast those curses like they were basic charms, without hesitation and ease. Yet they were impacted all the same. It felt fitting and in some ways a comfort. That no matter how isolating, the victim wasn't alone in the damage.
Professor Speckspen saved the hardest to stomach for last. Or at least in Sirius’s eyes. It felt like an attack but he tried to settle himself. “The curse that is considered the middle ground of unforgivable curses is that of the Cruciatus curse.” Sirius flinched just at the name. A heavy unsettling dread in his gut. The classroom suddenly feeling massive. James and his friends a million miles away. He felt his heart clench a flutter of anxiety as he exhaled slowly. He could do this. He was in class. He was far away from it all. Sirius's struggle went unnoticed by the rest as Professor Speckspen spoke.
“Casted with the phrase ‘Crucio’, this curse causes great pain, pushing the human body past the limit of pain thresholds. It is agonising torture. Other than being unforgivable for blatant torture. It is unforgivable as it can only be cast with an unclouded desire to cause the person pain. In other words, the witch or wizard must want to cause this hurt.”
He felt a cold wave of shock. Crucio was a discipline tool in his house. Yet on the outside of his house, it was unforgivable torture. Sirius had never heard of Crucio in such a manner. His mother and father had never explained it. It was a punishment. Spare the rod and spoil the child. The ancient house of Black did not stand for or raise delinquents with soft natures. They raised powerful witches and wizards. The pain was a learning curve. He knew his parents were stricter than most. Down right cruel sometimes but it was for the best…wasn't it?
Professor Specken's following words cut him to the core like she had taken a bony fist and drove it into his stomach. “Anger, even if justified or righteous, is not enough to cast this curse. There is no hiding behind emotions like anger to justify the use because it isn't possible under the scale of emotions. Not without that true desire to hurt.” The curse hurt. Without a shadow of a doubt Sirius had never felt pain like he felt it under crucio. However this was a whole other kind of pain. Nausea bubbling in his gut as he could have sworn he felt his heart crack. Terror filled his lungs as his hand gripped the edge of the table so hard his knuckles turned white. It was true that he couldn't forgive his parents when they cast that curse. It wasn't discipline, not in its entirety. His own mother wanted to hurt him. He was so overcome with the realisation that he barely caught the last of Professor Speckspen’s words. “Typically only those who have been touched by the darkness in life can cast this spell.”
That sounded about right. Sirius felt his entire family had been submerged in the dark for generations. The expelled nobility, high status and reputation. The Black family could make the world stop spinning as easy as they made the world go around. Although being a part of it was different. The family, in Sirius’ eyes, was haunted or plagued by expectation that was slowly strangling the family. It snuffed out any joy a Black has once born. Encouraging traits is not the way, it is to reshape and redefine each into their own image. The Black family bred misery and it was suffocating.
Yet Sirius, despite their strained relationship, loved his mother. He wished she wouldn't drink so much that every inner thought and feeling bubbled to the surface. That his father didn't antagonise her to feel condescended and demeaned in such a state. Sirius associated that love and wish with what he thought must have been a subconscious perception of weakness on his mothers part. Which was far from the truth. His mother was a formidable, strong woman in her own right. She did not take pity as anything but an insult. She'd spit on anyone who dared try to pity her.
Sirius was reminded about all the times Sirius tried to be there for her. To be the good son she demanded. All of those memories were tainted because in those moments she lay eyes on him, her own son, and sometimes she was hateful enough that the sentiment meant nothing. All she saw was him and she wanted to hurt him. To give him the most excruciating pain. Not because of the alcohol. Not because of the fits of rage. There was no excuse. She hurt him because she wanted to and his mind couldn't comprehend that. He couldn't comprehend in entirety that she was so rotten to the core that she could have a true to desire to torture her own child.
He wanted her to hurt just for that. That she could want his suffering so in return, he wanted hers. Just once, just once he wanted to even the score. She deserved that much. Soon that fire in his chest settled. No. She was his mother. He'd never bring himself to that level. Being his mother wasn't enough for him to forgive, but it was enough to stop retaliation. Instead she'd lose what she cherished the most. Power.
At that moment, she was a mother only by biology. He would give her nothing more. He always thought that he couldn't be what she wanted. Now the sentiment had changed. He wouldn't be what she wanted. He didn't even feel guilt like he had always thought he would. Perhaps his mother had always bargained on that. That thought made the sensation freeing. She could do anything and it'd mean nothing. Every choice was hers, her own fault and that was all. She could blame him but she'd know. If she loved him at all, she wouldn't know the pain of losing a son to death. She'd know something much more maddening. The pain of losing a son who was still alive. Out in the world, maybe even sometimes in arms length but by bond, a million miles away. Untouchable.
He remembered her cold glare. How her lip faintly curled and it'd become more prominent as the minutes of interaction continued. It wasn't the face of a mother anymore. It was a lie. It was false, like a cruel trick of the universe to call such a woman ‘mother’ and believe it. He couldn't deny what he had always thought. It was like she was disgusted by her sons or hated them. Though the reason wasn't clear in specifics- just that they were not what she wanted them to be. Or at least that was the case with Sirius. Regulus got that curse nowhere near as much as Sirius did. He was the perfect son. The golden boy. What Sirius couldn't stomach, Regulus could. Yet what Sirius got was torture.
Sirius knew this wasn't nearly over. This was life changing. For once he didn't hold back the bubbling resentment and attempt to dissuade it. For the first time he let himself feel it. He had always thought a monster wore his mothers face. Yet the truth revealed that it wasn't wearing his mothers skin. His mother in body and soul was a monster. A monster he could acknowledge…but he could not forgive.
Professor Speckspen’s words interrupted him once more. "I want an essay from each of you on why the Unforgivable curses are unforgivable and no, it won't be enough to relay what I've said. I want creativity. I want to see you're all capable of thinking and not just parroting me. Give it real thought, and if you don't, then it'll be handed back, and you'll be rewriting it until you show a level of individual thinking." Figures. Sirius has lost the image of a unified family in class and now he has to write about the reasons why.
can you write reader confessing her admiration towards lupin and being rejected and as a result, she focuses on other boys and it enrages remus?
The Art of Understanding
A/N: Okay so I didn't know if you wanted a young!Remus Lupin or an Older!Remus Lupin, so I wrote them both! (They'll be on separate posts) I love this prompt and how angsty it can get. Thank you for the request!
Find the Older!Remus Lupin story here: Jealousy
Pairings: Young!Remus Lupin x Fem!Reader
Warnings: angst, unrequited love (not really), fluff
The halls of Hogwarts were quiet as the seventh years prepared for their upcoming exams. In the middle of academic chaos, Remus Lupin found himself in the library, surrounded by towering shelves of books and the hushed whispers of students engrossed in their studies. He had been helping Y/N with Transfiguration for weeks, patiently explaining complex spells and theories, and he couldn't deny that he found a sense of peace in her company.
Y/N, with her determined eyes and infectious laughter, had grown fond of Remus over the weeks. She found comfort in his presence and couldn't help but notice the subtle ways he made her feel special – a lingering touch on her hand, a genuine smile that reached his tired eyes. She believed there was something more between them, something that transcended the realm of friendship.
As they closed their Transfiguration books one evening, Y/N gathered her courage and decided it was time to share her feelings. The library was quiet, the air thick with anticipation. Clutching a book to her chest, nervously watching Remus as he flipped through the pages of another worn tome. The dim light cast a warm glow, emphasizing the shadows playing on Remus's face. She took a deep breath.
"Hey, Remus," she began, her voice a touch uncertain but determined.
Remus looked up, offering a small smile. "Yes, Y/N? What's on your mind?"
"Well," she hesitated, her cheeks flushing slightly, "there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."
Remus closed the book in his hands, giving her his full attention. "Go on."
She took another deep breath, gathering her thoughts. "I've enjoyed our time together, studying and all. You've been such a great help, and I really appreciate it. But... it's more than that for me."
Remus furrowed his brow, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "More than that?"
"Yeah," she admitted, her gaze meeting his. "Remus, I really like you. Not just as a study partner, but, you know, in a different way."
Remus's expression shifted from curiosity to surprise. "Oh."
Y/N nervously fiddled with the edge of her book. "I wanted to be honest with you, and I thought you should know. I've been trying to give you hints, but I guess I'm not very good at it. A-and as cocky as it might sound, I thought that maybe we could go to H-Hogsmeade this weekend?"
Remus, however, looked pained as he gently declined, expressing his apologies. "I'm sorry," he said, "I just don't feel the same way."
Y/N felt the crushing weight of disappointment settle in her chest, but she put on a brave face. "It's okay," she replied, managing a small smile. "I understand."
As soon as she left the library, however, her composure crumbled. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, and the pain of rejection cut deeper than she expected. Unbeknownst to her, Remus, with his heightened senses just days before the full moon, felt a pang of regret. He wanted to explain, to tell her the truth, but he couldn't bear to burden her with the knowledge of his lycanthropy.
The days that followed Y/N's confession were filled with a peculiar tension. Remus couldn't shake the image of her revelation – her candid admission that she liked him despite the challenges he faced. Yet, as much as he appreciated her honesty, the shadow of his own insecurities lingered.
Meanwhile, Y/N navigated the awkwardness with a newfound determination. A month had passed since her confession and heartbreak and she still avoided Remus at all costs. She chose to spend her time with other boys, not out of spite but as a way to cope with the lingering disappointment from the rejection. Remus, however, couldn't help but notice her newfound companions, and the bitterness within him began to fester.
The Great Hall became a silent battleground of unspoken emotions. Remus watched from afar as Y/N sat with different boys, sharing laughter and engaging in conversations that felt like needles piercing through his already wounded heart. Each friendly interaction felt like a dagger, stirring a mix of jealousy, regret, and an inexplicable rage within him.
The days leading up to this confrontation had not been easy for Remus. James, Sirius, and Peter had noticed his increasingly moody demeanor. They cornered him one evening in the Gryffindor common room.
"Moony, mate, what's got you so broody?" Sirius asked with a mischievous grin, attempting to lighten the atmosphere.
Remus sighed, his eyes flickering towards the direction where Y/N was sitting with a couple of boys, laughing. "It's nothing. Just tired from all the studying."
James raised an eyebrow, exchanging a knowing glance with Sirius. "Come on, Remus. We know you better than that. Spill."
Remus hesitated, glancing back at Y/N. "It's personal. Let's leave it at that."
Sirius nudged him playfully. "Come on, Remus, we're your mates. You can talk to us about anything."
But Remus remained tight-lipped, keeping the true reason for his turmoil locked away. As they left him to his thoughts, he couldn't help but feel a sense of isolation, knowing that his friends were unaware of the storm raging within him.
The next day at dinner, Remus found it particularly difficult to concentrate on his food. His eyes kept drifting toward Y/N, who was engaged in animated conversation with a couple of boys from their year. The laughter that echoed in the Great Hall felt like a sharp contrast to the heaviness he carried. Remus's fingers tightened around his fork, and he couldn't bring himself to eat.
James leaned in, nudging Remus with a smirk. "Jealous, are we, Moody Moony?"
Remus shot him a glare. "I'm not jealous. Just preoccupied."
But the Marauders weren't convinced. They exchanged glances, whispering among themselves about Remus's strange behavior.
The sight of Y/N with different boys became a recurring theme. Remus couldn't escape the nagging feeling that he was losing her--not to someone else but to the walls he had built around himself.
One night, fueled by a mix of frustration and desperation, Remus caught up with Y/N in the hallway. His steps quickened until he cornered her, and his words spilled out like a torrent.
"What's going on, Y/N?" he demanded, his voice laced with frustration and a tinge of hurt.
She met his gaze, her eyes flashing with a mix of anger and hurt. "What are you on about?"
Remus couldn't contain himself any longer. "I can't stand seeing you with those other guys. It's driving me mad."
"Why?" she snapped, her tone sharp. "You made it clear you're not interested."
"There's a reason I said no," Remus admitted, his guard slowly breaking down.
"Is it because you're a werewolf?" she blurted out, the words hanging in the air.
Remus was taken aback but nodded reluctantly. "How did you know?" he asked softly.
Y/N scoffed. "I might be complete and utter arse at Transfiguration, but I'm not a daft git. You would go missing once a month and came back looking like you went off to war."
Remus stayed silent, letting her words digest.
"Is that all?" she fired back, surprising him. "Remus, I wouldn't care about that! I care about you."
Remus couldn't believe what he was hearing. Y/N's blunt response left him speechless. He searched her eyes for any sign of deception, but all he found was a genuine concern and care that he hadn't expected.
"You really mean that?" he asked, his voice a mixture of surprise and hope.
She nodded, her expression softening. "Yes, Remus. I mean it. I care about you."
A weight lifted from Remus's shoulders, replaced by an overwhelming sense of relief. "I never thought… I didn't want to burden you. I thought it was better if you didn't get involved."
Y/N stepped closer, her eyes locked onto his. "Remus, let me decide what's better for me. Don't shut me out because of assumptions."
He took a deep breath, the truth hanging heavy in the air. "I appreciate your honesty, Y/N. I've been a fool."
She smiled gently. "We all make mistakes. The important thing is learning from them."
Remus nodded, gratitude filling his eyes. "I promise, I'll be more open with you. No more hiding."
She reached out, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. "That's all I ask, Remus. I want to get to know all of you."
He chuckled softly, a warmth spreading through him. "And I want to get to know all of you too, Y/N. I've been a sorry sod for pushing you away."
The tension that had gripped them began to dissolve, replaced by a newfound understanding. Remus's gaze softened as he looked at her, a mixture of regret and gratitude in his eyes.
Y/N smiled, breaking the silence. "So, are you free this weekend? How about we go to Hogsmeade together?"
Remus's eyes lit up with surprise and delight. "I'd like that, Y/N. Let's start over, shall we?"
She nodded, a playful glint in her eyes. "Fresh start it is, Remus. And this time, no more assumptions."
They walked down the corridor together, the weight of the past lifting off their shoulders. The prospect of a new beginning, filled with honesty and understanding, stretched out before them. Remus couldn't help but feel grateful for Y/N's straightforwardness, and he silently promised himself to make it up to her. Until then, squeezing her hand in his would have to do.
summary: You're James' little sister, so when you and Remus want some alone time at a party, you have to sneak away...
word count: 1.7k
warnings: SMUT, oral (f!receiving), p in v, fluff, drunkenness, best friend's little sister (?)
Remus brings the beer bottle to his lips to take a swig as he stands at the edge of the common room, leaning against the wall. Gryffindor was throwing one of their frequent post-Quidditch match parties, but Remus was content just people watching. And by people, he meant you.
He had seen you down a drink or two, so you were in just the right mood to be dancing in the center of the room with your friends on either side of you. You looked beautiful with your robes discarded and only your white button down and skirt on, the top few buttons getting undone as the night went on. You were practically incandescent with the moonlight shining on you through the small windows, and for a moment, Remus nearly forgot why he hated the moon so much.
Remus loved observing you at parties, where there were enough people that he wouldn't be caught watching you. You were James' little sister, and he had made it extremely clear that none of the marauders were to even think about looking at you ('especially you, Padfoot').
He didn't even know how he had caught your attention. You were easily the most beautiful girl in your year and you were one of the smartest on top of that. He would have expected you to go after someone like Sirius, who was known for his looks and his charm, but you had approached him. Remus still couldn't believe you had fallen for him, but now that he had you, he had no plans of ever letting you go.
Your suggestive dancing jolts him from his thoughts and he takes another swig of his beer in an effort to hide his smirk. If he had it his way, he would walk into the center of the common room and kiss you in front of everybody, but he couldn't do that to James.
~~~
You finally start to feel the shots you and your friends had taken earlier as you dance with them in the Gryffindor common room. The sheer number of bodies in the room brought the temperature up and you undo another button on your blouse as sweat collects on your chest.
Out of the corner of your eye, you see Remus sipping his beer and you smile to yourself as you imagine what could be going through his mind right now. He wasn't much for parties, but his friends loved them, and he liked spending time with his friends.
"Are you ever gonna tell your brother about him?" Marlene whispers from next to you, giving you a pointed look.
Pursing your lips, you shrug. "I've been ready to tell James for a bit now, but Remus is his best friend and I know he would go bloody mad if he found out."
You're dancing again when Marlene widens her eyes in warning and makes a turn around motion with her head. Confused, you spin around to see Sirius approaching. He gives you a sultry smirk, which makes you internally roll your eyes, and stops in front of you.
"Hey, Potter," he grins, his hands stuck lazily in his pockets, "wanna dance?"
Sirius had been casually flirting with you for months, but you had always been able to derail him in one way or another.
You bite your lip, taking a step away from him, "I was actually just about to get a drink, but I know Marlene would love to dance with you."
Shooting her a half-serious apologetic look, you slip away and walk over to Remus.
He looks surprised to see you approach, but you just lean in and whisper, "This party is getting a bit stuffy, don't you think?"
Then, before he can respond, you grab his hand and lead him into the stairwell that connect to the boys' dormitories.
"What's going o-" he begins before you pull him forward by the collar and press your lips to his.
He reciprocates immediately, his hands gripping your waist and leaning you against the wall of the stairway.
"I missed you today," Remus groans as you run your fingers through his unruly hair. A slight tug of his hair makes him bite your lip and you let him swallow your moan.
"I missed you too, Moony," you sigh, dragging your tongue along the seam of his lips. He parts them and you immediately deepen the kiss, tasting spearmint and beer.
Remus can feel your heart beating rapidly against his chest and he loves that he has that effect on you. He squeezes your waist before sliding a hand up your back until he's gripping the back of your head, your hair tangled around his fingers. Before he can take control of the kiss, you spin the two of you around and push Remus against the wall. His lips curve into a small smile against your own and he lets you take control.
But the taste of his mouth isn't enough and you claw at the hem of his shirt to pull it off of him, when he pulls back.
"We can't do this here," Remus says pointedly, "James could see."
You scrunch your lips, crossing your arms. "What if I want him to see? I'm getting really tired of hiding from everyone, Remus."
He runs a hand through his messed-up hair, letting out a deep breath. "I know, darling, but he's my best friend and I really don't want him to find out like this."
You pout, knowing he's right, but then he grins, "But I can make it up to you upstairs."
The corner of your lips curves up slightly and before you know what he's doing, he lifts you up, tossing you over his shoulder as you squeal with surprise. Remus' tall frame carries you up the stairs and into the boys' dormitories, where he throws you onto his bed.
You grin as he crawls on top of you, his hands settling on the pillow on either side of your head. When he's directly above you, you give him a coy smile that he immediately covers with a searing kiss. His mouth burns against yours and you can't help but moan as he parts your lips with his tongue.
To the public eye, Remus Lupin was an innocent and studious seventh year who was only mentioned in the context of exams or the other marauders. But you got to see the side of him that no one else did. The loving and funny and sexy side of him.
You're so focused on his kisses that you don't notice when his hand slips down your body. The first brush of his fingertips against your clothed core makes you gasp, spurring him into action. He pushes your skirt up around your waist and brings his lithe fingers down to touch you.
When he makes contact, you're practically dripping and he groans audibly, looking up to meet your eyes. "Baby, you're so wet."
Anticipation courses through your veins and you don't have a chance to respond before Remus starts kissing his way down your body. When his tongue dips into your slick heat, you moan loud enough that Remus actually laughs.
"Might wanna keep it down, darling," he whispers diplomatically, his eyes glinting with laughter. "Don't want the whole party to hear you."
Rolling your eyes, you push his head back down. "Shut up, Moony."
He chuckles before diving back in, his lips latching onto your clit and sucking, making your toes curl. Remus can feel your arousal dripping down his chin and he laps it up with his tongue, trying to taste every inch of you that he can.
His tongue thrusts into you and your back flies off the bed, an anguished moan leaving your mouth, as you grasp onto his hair to keep him right where he is. "Oh, god, keep doing that."
A smirk ghosts across his face as he feels you fluttering against his mouth. When he wraps his lips around your clit one more time and sucks, you come undone below him.
Heat zings up your spine and you swear you can see stars as Remus works you through your orgasm.
"Holy shit, Moony," you huff, your chest still heaving as he climbs back up over you. "You weren't kidding about making it up to me."
A wicked smile crosses his face and he presses a chaste kiss to your lips. "Oh, we're not done yet."
Remus quickly sheds his trousers and boxers off, leaving him bare before you. You find yourself staring in awe at his sizeable length, when he reaches up to yank your blouse open. He places a small kiss on your exposed nipple, before swirling his tongue around it and sucking.
You sigh, wanting to let him take his time with each bud, but you can't ignore the feeling of his hard cock prodding your thigh.
"Enough teasing," you gasp, "please, just fuck me."
He doesn't need to be told twice.
Within moments, he has himself lined up with your entrance and begins pushing in slowly. The stretch is a sweet sting that devolves into a cascade of warm pleasure.
"Fuck," Remus groans, gripping your hips so tight he's sure to leave bruises. "You feel so good, baby."
His hands glide up to your breasts, and he tweaks your nipples, making you moan loudly. When he ramps up the pace of his thrusts, you cry out, your nails raking down his back.
The sharp sensation of your nails digging into him excites him further and soon your cries are loud enough to alert the whole of Gryffindor tower. You grip the sheets below you in an effort to anchor yourself, but when he angles his hips to hit that sweet spot inside of you, you can't hold back your moans.
Remus slams a hand over your mouth without stopping his movements, drilling you closer and closer to your release.
Soon he can feel you squeezing around him, and he screws his eyes shut to keep from coming on the spot.
"C'mon, darling," he whispers, his mouth pressed against the shell of your ear. "Come for me."
With another thud, your head falls back and you cry out silently, your hand covering his. The pressure of your release brings Remus to his, and he groans behind gritted teeth.
He falls onto the bed beside you, pulling you into his arms, your head below his chin.
You press a kiss to his neck, smiling, "Remus, that was-"
"Aye, Moony, you up there?" James' voice calls from the bottom of the stairs.
summary: Y/N Y/L/N has everything: a wealthy family, a famous last name, and the most eligible bachelor in the wizarding community as her soon to be husband. What happens when she’s reunited with a forbidden friend from the past?
tw: angst if you squint??
word count: 5,015
The next few weeks passed by dreadfully slowly, but eventually, September 1st rolled around and it was finally time for Y/N to go back to school. She was excited for the school year, but she had a lot on her mind. Once she boarded the train, Y/N passed compartment after compartment, waving hello to friends, but deciding to keep going until she found one that was empty. She shared a dorm with three other girls, this was going to be the last alone-time she got until Christmas. Her alone-time was short lived, however, when a knock came on the door to her cart and a familiar face showed itself through the window. Y/N smiled as Sirius opened the compartment door. “Need some company?” he he asked with a smirk. “I suppose I could handle that,” Y/N smiled and motioned for him to sit down.
“Don’t you have a group of friends to sit with?” Y/N asked as Sirius made himself comfortable. “Don’t you?” he quipped, raising and eyebrow. “I suppose. But I don’t always sit with the same group of people on every trip, either,” Y/N shrugged. “And here I thought you stopped paying attention to me in first year,” Sirius waggled his eyebrows playfully. “Trust me,” Y/N laughed, “I did. But your group has quite the reputation.” “Anyway, I dunno. I didn’t see any of them. Either I’m the first one on, or they’re farther down the line and if that’s the case, I’ll see them when we get to school,” Sirius shrugged. “How was the rest of your summer?” he asked. “Boring. Stressful. Otherwise, uneventful. How was yours?” she answered honestly. “It was pretty good, actually. I third-wheeled with Lily and James a lot, but we saw some really cool films, took a trip out to the beach, and then Mr. and Mrs. Potter went out of town so we had the whole house to ourselves, it was cool,” Sirius smiled fondly as he described the adventures he shared with his friends, and for a moment, Y/N wished she could have been there, too.
“Oi! There you are! We’ve been looking for you for-oh, hello,” James exclaimed as he and Lily barged into the compartment. “Um, hi,” Y/N smiled politely. “Y/N, right?” James asked. “Yeah. You’re James, and I’m guessing you’re Lily?” Y/N replied. “That’s us,” Lily smiled. “Pardon my boyfriend being rude, but do you mind if we sit with you?” Lily asked, nudging James who had already taken a seat. “Oh, shit, sorry,” James replied quickly. “Oh! Of course, please,” Y/N motioned to the seats and Sirius hopped up from his spot across from Y/N and moved over so he was sitting next to her. Lily took the window seat opposite Y/N and James sat next to her, slinging his arm around her shoulders. An awkward silence settled over the four teens for a few minutes. “So, Y/N, how do you know Sirius?” Lily spoke up. “Oh, we grew up together. Our parents are close,” Y/N answered. “Oh,” Lily tried to hide her confusion. “We sort of fell out during first year because of.. um... I don’t know, my parents stopped liking him,” Y/N explained. “Hey, don’t feel too bad,” Sirius nudged her, “My parents stopped liking me around first year, too,” he joked, easing the tension and getting everyone to laugh.
“Bloody hell, you guys! I’ve been looking for you all morning!” A short boy with poorly styled hair opened the door to the compartment. “Wormtail! Nice of you to join us, mate!” James exclaimed, patting the open seat next to him. “I’m sorry, did you just call him a worm?” Y/N asked incredulously. “It’s an inside joke. That’s Peter. Pete, this is Y/N,” Sirius introduced them, and Peter seemed to see Y/N for the first time. “Oh!” he exclaimed, “Hello!” “Nice to meet you,” Y/N smiled at him and then glanced out the window. Definitely no alone time on this train ride. But it could be fun. Sirius has just been telling her about all the good times he had with these people, maybe Y/N would have a good time with them as well. Just a few minutes later, the whistle blew and the train was on its way to Hogwarts.
The train rolled on, and the teens chatted amongst themselves, catching up on what they had done over the summer. Y/N remained quiet, unless to answer a question. She felt nervous, for some reason, to be around Sirius’s friends. They were nice, and even funny, but Y/N couldn’t help but feel out of place. After about an hour and a half, the compartment door opened. “These prefect meetings get more and more boring every-oh, hello, Y/N,” Remus said as he plopped down in the seat next to Sirius. “Hi, Remus,” Y/N smiles politely. “You two know each other?” Sirius asked incredulously. “Yeah, we’ve had classes together. Last year we were paired together in advanced potion making,” Remus shrugged. “Well I’ll be damned,” James laughed. “I do talk to other people outside of you lot, you know,” Remus taunted. “You’re kidding! Since when are we allowed to have other friends?” James asked dramatically, earning laughs from all of the teens. And so they joked, and laughed the whole way to the school; and while Y/N felt like she was intruding on their time together, the marauders had already begun accepting her as one of their own.
-
After the sorting ceremony, Y/N went straight to her dorm- the first feast of the year always left her exhausted, she suspected it was all the rich food in her belly. She planned to change into her most comfortable pajamas and curl up with Desdemona before drifting off into a much needed sleep. Y/N was almost able to go through with her plan, too, but what she hadn’t accounted for was that her roommates would also skip the festivities and come straight to the dorm as well, eager to hear all about Y/N’s engagement party. “Y/N, Y/N!” they exclaimed. “We looked for you at dinner but we couldn’t find you, you have to tell us all about the engagement party!” her roommate, Ellie, exclaimed. “Did Amelia Rosehart really design your dress?” Dawn asked. “Let us see the ring!” Cynthia squealed. “It was very nice,” Y/N started. “Amelia did design my dress, and styled my hair and makeup. I looked like a completely different person. We just answered a lot of questions about the wedding plans and had dinner, and then everyone left and Peter and I had a good talk,” she explained.
“I can’t believe you’re marrying Peter Williams, you’re living my dream,” Dawn declared as she plopped into her bed. “Isn’t he so wonderful? Is he funny? I always imagined him being funny,” she gushed. “He’s nice, yeah. And I dunno, I suppose he’s moderately funny. I’ve met funnier people,” Y/N shrugged, “But then again we didn’t talk that much.” “What about the ring? The ring!” Ellie reminded her. “Oh, right. Here you go,” Y/N held her left hand out for the girls to inspect, and Dawn nearly fell out of her bed trying to leap over to see the ring. It was massive, honestly. In the center, there was a large, oval shaped diamond. Around that, there was a small band of emeralds outlining the diamond, and then smaller circular diamonds around the gold band. Y/N felt ridiculous wearing it at school, but her parents insisted she wear it. They believed it would show everyone how well off the family was going to be.
“Was it his grandmothers?” Cynthia asked excitedly. “His great-grandmother’s, and then his grandmother’s, and then his mother’s,” Y/N told them. “Merlin’s beard, it must go back to the 1800s!” Dawn cried. “1897, yeah. His great-grandfather had it custom made for his great-grandmother, and then they passed it down the line of the oldest siblings in the family,” Y/N confirmed. “Godric, it’s nearly a hundred years old and it looks brand new!” Ellie’s exclaimed. “Every time it got passed down it was repaired, plus they expect me to have it cleaned every eight weeks,” Y/N couldn’t help but laugh a bit. “And the party, was it extravagant?” Cynthia asked. “It was.. tasteful. The whole mansion was decorated, and we had a team of chefs come in from France, the food was magnificent, by the way, and yeah.. It was good,” Y/N nodded. “Godric, Y/N, you are so lucky!” Ellie yawned as she climbed into her bed. “I suppose I am,” Y/N agreed as she picked up Desdemona and snuggled up in her blankets. Desdemona’s purrs soon lulled Y/N into a much needed sleep.
The next day, Y/N woke up before her dorm mates to have a shower before the day officially started. She liked the girls, she really did, but she was in no mood to talk more about the Williamses or the party. She returned to her dorm and got ready as quietly as possible before slipping out at heading down to the great hall for breakfast. She passed Sirius and James as she walked in, and she and Sirius exchanged smiles and small waves before she found an empty table to sit at to have a quiet breakfast. Thoughts of her future tangled with thoughts of her upcoming classes, and as Y/N looked down at her empty bowl, she realized that she had forgotten to even taste her oatmeal. She supposed it didn’t matter, it was time to head to her first lesson anyway. She grabbed an apple to snack on later, and made her way to the Transfigurations classroom.
Y/N took a seat in the middle of the classroom and let her thoughts consume her while she had a little while before the lesson started. She was ripped away from her thoughts when the chair next to her scraped across the floor. “This seat taken?” Y/N was surprised to find Sirius holding onto the chair next to hers. “Uh, it is now. Please, sit,” Y/N answered with a smile. Y/N hadn’t had a class with Sirius in a few years, she suspected because he tended to slack off whereas she was one of the top students of their year. “Well imagine that, I put in a little extra effort last year and got moved up into the class with the smart people,” Sirius laughed as he set his belongings down. “Yeah, see what happens when you actually put that brain in there to use,” Y/N teased, lightly tapping on his forehead. At the table behind them, Lily raised an eyebrow and looked to James questioningly. James just shrugged in response.
-
Y/N’s next class was charms, where she took a seat next to Dawn, and was saved by professor Flitwick’s speech cutting off any questions Dawn could have asked. The class itself was pretty uneventful, as Flitwick somehow got distracted and ended up telling the class about his entire summer, instead of starting an actual lesson. When the class ended, Y/N elected to wander the halls for a little bit instead of going straight to her next lesson. She had learned last year that if she was the first to arrive to class, Professor Binns would trap her in a horrendously boring story that conveniently would not end until it was time for class to start. So, she took her time, strolling into the History of Magic classroom just before the door shut signaling for class to begin. Her eyes scanned the room for a place to sit, and she was pleasantly surprised to see Sirius seated in the back of the classroom with an open seat next to him.
“Mind if I sit here?” She whispered as she set her bag down. “Course not, take a seat, friend,” Sirius smiled. “We’re friends again?” Y/N asked him with a slight tilt of her head. “Well, we sit together in two classes and I enjoy the conversations we share, so yeah I suppose we are,” Sirius shrugged. “Is that okay?” he asked. Y/N grinned, “Yeah, that’s okay.” Sirius smiled in return before turning his attention to the front of the room where Binns had started his lesson. Professor Binns was extremely passionate about his job, and Y/N knew that. She tried to listen closely and give him her full attention, more so because she didn’t want to hurt his feelings than actually caring about what he had to say, but he had the most monotonous voice she had ever heard, and the lesson was just so bloody boring. It didn’t help either that James and Sirius were using a golden snitch to pass notes back and forth, either. Finally, Y/N caved in and turned to Sirius.
“Please tell me you’re exchanging cheesy jokes, I’m so bored I’m going to lose my mind,” she whispered. “Almost. James and I are trying to find an animal that best describes Binns. James thinks he’s most like a tortoise but I think that’s too obvious,” Sirius leaned in to tell her, sliding the wrinkled parchment to her. An idea popped into Y/N’s head and with a smirk, she lifted her quill. I think he’s most like a naked mole-rat. He’s wrinkly as hell and is so engrossed in his job that he kept doing it after he died, she wrote. Sirius leaned over her should to read what she was writing and laughed out loud, quickly covering it with an obnoxiously loud cough. He folded the parchment up and stuffed it inside the snitch before sending it back over to James. When James read the parchment, he let out one loud laugh but quickly composed himself before sliding it over to Remus who’s shoulders shook as he chuckled silently. James took the paper down and scribbled another note to pass back to Sirius. She’s in. See if she wants to come to Hogsmeade with us on Saturday.
-
The week sped by as Y/N nervously awaited the weekend. She really liked Sirius’s friends, but her family had a long history and a bad reputation, and they all had every right to despise her for that. Y/N held completely different beliefs than even her own parents, but the legacy her family name held still filled her with guilt. She almost felt like she was holding her breath, waiting for them to realize that they didn’t actually want her around. Y/N elected to wake up early and go to the great hall as soon as Saturday breakfast began. The hall was nearly empty, as most of the students preferred to sleep in on the weekends.
She sat alone and piled her plate with fruit, but instead of eating, she just sat there, trying to calm her nerves and prepare for the day. By the time the rest of the students began showing up for breakfast, Y/N realized that she wasn’t hungry, and she decided to take her uneaten food out to the forbidden forrest. She wasn’t expected to meet Sirius and his friends in Hogsmeade until 10:30, she had plenty of time. On her way out of the great hall, Y/N passed Sirius and Remus, giving them a quick smile before ducking her head and slightly speeding up her pace. Sirius and Remus looked at one another, and Sirius opened his mouth to speak, but Remus beat him to it. “Go on. We’ll see you in Hogsmeade,” he told Sirius. Sirius grinned before turning to follow after Y/N.
When he finally caught up with her, Y/N had just found a place that she decided was deep enough into the Forbidden Forest. “You know, I’m pretty sure Hagrid comes out here to feed the creatures every night,” Sirius spoke up, “You don’t have to sacrifice your breakfast to them.” “I already had it on my plate, and I decided I wasn’t hungry. Didn’t want it to go to waste,” Y/N shrugged. “Plus, I like the animals,” she said, as a little rabbit hopped up and ate one of the berries she had tossed on the ground. Sirius chuckled at the bunny as he stepped closer to Y/N to see the little animals scurrying around the fruit. “What are you doing out here?” Y/N smiled as she turned to him. Y/N was terrified that Sirius was going to snap out of it and realize that she came from everything he hated, but at the same time his presence always made her feel so comfortable. “Wanted to come check on you. You seemed a little off leaving the great hall,” He answered honestly.
“Oh, I’m okay. Just wanted to spend a little time outdoors,” Y/N flashed him a positive smile. Sirius didn’t respond for a minute. “Did you know that your voice changes when you’re trying to be pleasant?” He finally asked her. “What do you mean?” Y/N raised an eyebrow. “Your voice gets higher and you nearly over-annunciate your words so that you sound more confident than you’re necessarily feeling,” he shrugged. “I noticed it at the engagement party, and most of the time when you talk to James, and Lily, and Peter.” “Oh.. I, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-“ Y/N started. “Y/N you’re not obligated to tell me anything you don’t want to tell me, and you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, either. I just want you to know that you don’t have to put on a front for any of us. And I don’t want to you to feel like you have to, either,” he assured her. “You don’t have to be ‘The Daughter of the Y/L/N Family, you can just be Y/N with us.”
“Sirius, I’m so nervous around your friends. I’ve been playing the role of Y/N Y/L/N for so long that I don’t think I even know who ‘just Y/N’ is. And everyone else is fine with the front, but your friends are all so true to themselves, and what they believe in. I just feel like they’re bound to realize that I don’t deserve the kind of friendship they give. I don’t know how to be around people and be relaxed and just roll with the punches,” Y/N admitted. “Hey. We all know that you are nothing like your parents. And they already like you, I can guarantee they aren’t going to change their minds. Plus, I like to think that you’ve been pretty relaxed and honest with me these last few weeks,” Sirius offered.
“I’ve known you my whole life, of course I’m comfortable around you. I don’t think that counts,” Y/N counted. “Oh, it counts,” Sirius decided, earning a laugh from Y/N. “Really though, don’t get so into your head, you’re great, just being yourself,” he assured her. Y/N gnawed on the inside of a cheek for a moment before lurching to the side in order to squeeze Sirius in a quick hug. “Thanks,” she told him, avoiding his gaze. Sirius grinned and nudged her with his shoulder, “Any time.” “Oh, Merlin! We’ve got to be late going to Hogsmeade! I had only planned on being out here for a few minutes,” Y/N scrunched up her face. “That’s alright,” Sirius assured her, “I know a shortcut, come with me.”
Sirius led Y/N back to the castle, up to the third floor, to the statue of Gunhilda of Gorsemoor. “Dissendium,” he said softly, and the statue opened up to reveal a tunnel. “What in the-“ Y/N blurted, but Sirius gave her an exasperated look and she cut herself off. “What in Merlin’s beard is this?” she whispered aggressively. Sirius motioned for her to go down the stairs and she reluctantly began making her way down, Sirius following and immediately falling into step next to her. Once they were a few steps down, the statue closed back up, Y/N stopped to look back but Sirius kept walking and Y/N determined that it did what it was supposed to do and caught back up with him. “It’s a secret passageway,” Sirius told her. “There are loads of them around the castle. This one leads to Honeydukes’s cellar, where I figure everyone will be because Remus likes to stock up on chocolate on the first trip of the term,” He said. “How do you know where they are?” Y/N asked him in amazement. “We... do a lot of things that aren’t homework,” Sirius shrugged. “I’m gonna let it go for now, but I definitely want to see some of the other passageways,” Y/N told him. Sirius grinned and agreed before picking up his pace a little bit.
By the time Sirius and Y/N climbed up the stairs from the cellar into Honeydukes shop, the marauders were still browsing the selections of sweets. “Hello all, we made it!” Sirius announced as he approached James and slung his arm around him. “Wow, Sirius is late, who would have expected this to happen?” Remus commented in a monotonous tone, earning laughter from James, Lily, and Peter. “Would have been on time but I got distracted by Y/N out in the forbidden forest trying to sneak a bowtruckle into her pocket!” Sirius grinned. “You know, I’m not sure that’s exactly how it went,” Y/N quipped. “I think the most important question here is: do you actually have a bowtruckle in your pocket?” James asked her. “Unfortunately, I do not. I actually was wanting to get a few to live in my garden at home but my mother thinks they’re vermin and forbade it,” Y/N admitted.
“No problem, here’s the plan: We find a bowtruckle for you. We spend the entire year training it to play camouflage and be still when other humans come in the garden, and boom-your parents will never even notice it,” James proposed. Y/N was taken aback at his willingness to help her at the drop of a hat, but she tried not to show it. “Do you really think that will work?” she asked him. “Of course! Bowtruckles are very intelligent,” James shrugged. “Plus, your mother doesn’t pay much attention to things that she deems unnecessary,” Sirius added. “Sirius!” Lily scolded. “Oh, no, it’s okay! He’s totally right,” Y/N assured Lily with a laugh. “She’s been in my conservatory maybe three times, and all she ever does is glance around and say ‘it looks nice, dear,’” Y/N over-corrected her posture and did an exaggerated impression of her mother. “As long as it didn’t move around, she would probably just see green and think it belongs there,” Y/N added.
“Sounds doable,” Remus shrugged, “When do we want to start?” he asked. “Do you all really want to do this?” Y/N asked, looking to each of them. “It does sound fun,” Lily nodded. “Plus, I love any excuse to piss off parents,” Sirius smirked. “I think we’re all in,” Peter added. “Alright,” Y/N smiled. “Maybe we can skip lunch in the great hall tomorrow and bring our food out to the forbidden forest instead?” Y/N suggested. “It could be like a picnic and a mission all in one.” “Oh, I think lunch in the forest would be lovely!” Lily exclaimed. “Lunch tomorrow, then. Operation Bowtruckle is a-go!” James declared. Y/N grinned as the group split up to finish picking out their sweets.
“I can’t believe they just decided to up and help me like that,” Y/N told Sirius as she picked up a tin of lemon-sherbets. “I told you, they like you already. Plus, we all love a good mission,” Sirius smiled and nudged her shoulder with his. “I’m really excited, it sounds fun. Plus, I think it’ll be a nice way to stick it to my family once the school year ends,” Y/N admitted, “It’s not harmful in any way, but it’s slightly petty and I think it’ll make me feel a little better.” “I personally don’t think it’s enough to make up for them selling your freedom, but if it makes you feel better about it than it’s a start,” Sirius shrugged. Y/N froze at his words but quickly snapped herself out of it, hoping that Sirius wouldn’t notice, but he did.
“I... I didn’t mean it like that,” Sirius told her softly. “It’s okay, really-“ Y/N tried to stop him but he cut her off. “I just mean that they’re asking a lot of you, and sneaking in a two-inch leaf creature isn’t nearly on the same scale of sacrifice,” He told her. “No, you’re right. I just don’t really have any other way to rebel so I’m doing what I can,” Y/N shrugged and gave a light laugh, and Sirius could tell she didn’t want to pursue the topic any further. “Maybe we can train it to be very stealthy and sneak around your house making noises to mess with your mum?” Sirius joked, slinging an arm around Y/N’s shoulder. “What,” Y/N laughed, “You want to use a bowtruckle to gaslight my parents into thinking the manor is haunted?” Sirius joined in her laughter for a moment before shaking his head. “I was thinking more along the lines of rodents in the walls but I like where your mind is,” Sirius told her, and they both burst into laughter again. “You’re crazy, Sirius Black,” Y/N laughed as she shook her head.
The teenagers finished picking out their sweets and the group reconvened outside of Honeydukes. “Anyone fancy a trip to Zonko’s?” Remus offered. “I actually need to go to Scrivenshaft's for a new quill,” Lily replied. “Oh, I wanted to get some parchment and quills for journaling!” Y/N agreed. “The boys always lose their heads in Zonko’s anyway. Y/N, why don’t you and I go get our supplies and leave them to their toys,” Lily flashed Y/N a wink as all of the marauders began to protest. “They aren’t toys!” Peter cried. “We’re planning chaos!” Sirius protested. “Yes, I can see what you mean. They’re obviously very passionate about the pranks,” Y/N laughed, “I’d love to join you, Lily.” And with that, the group split into two.
“So you said that you and Sirius grew up together?” Lily asked as the girls made their way through Hogsmeade. “Yeah, our parents are good friends so we spent a lot of time together as children. Shortly after the start of first year my parents wrote me a letter saying that Sirius was becoming too much of a troublemaker and that I wasn’t to see him anymore,” Y/N admitted. “And that was just… it?” Lily asked. There was no judgment in her question, just complete surprise. “That was it. The society we grew up in, what Sirius did is almost unheard of. We’re trained from birth to listen to our parents and be upstanding members of the community. If our parents tell us that we aren’t to associate with someone, we never see them again. Image and status are everything to them,” Y/N told her.
“So what changed?” Lily asked, opening the door to Scrivenshaft's and holding it for Y/N to enter. “I don’t know, I ran into Sirius at my engagement party over the summer and I was a little bit miserable. Sirius was the only one who noticed, and we talked and, I don’t know, it was nice to have a genuine conversation with someone. It was like no time had passed and I realized that I missed him. That’s sort of crazy, isn’t it?” Y/N laughed nervously. “That’s not crazy at all, everyone needs friends that they can depend on, and Sirius is a good one,” Lily smiled. “But let’s back up just a tad… You’re engaged?” Lily asked incredulously. “Yes. Well, sort of. I mean… Yes. My parents promised me to the son of another family when we were children. Now we’re to be married when the school year ends,” Y/N explained. “Y/N that’s… heavy,” Lily stopped rummaging through shelves to look at Y/N. “Oh, it’s alright. Peter seems nice, and financially well off, and I’ve been prepared for this for years so it’s okay,” Y/N nodded and Lily didn’t want to press on.
“But you and Sirius seem to have reconnected without a hitch,” Lily offered. “Oh, yeah absolutely. It’s weird how we’ve only just picked up again and he already seems to know me better than my family and my other friends,” Y/N pondered. A knowing glimmer shone in Lily’s eyes and she just nodded as Y/N began looking for the parchment she needed. Lily stood pondering for a moment before catching up with Y/N. She decided it was best to not press on and changed the subject. “That’s the best parchment for personal writing, I think. Do you write?” Lily asked her. “I like to write out my feelings, mostly. Sometimes I write poetry, but that’s pretty much the same thing only in a stuck-up way,” Y/N laughed, “What about you?” “I don’t think poetry is stuck up at all, I think it’s beautiful! And I like to journal, write about my day, things to preserve memories, you know?” Lily replied. Y/N smiled, “I think that’s brilliant. I’ll have to try that-writing down my favorite memories from the day.”
“I’d love to read more poetry,” Lily pondered aloud. “Oh, I could recommend you some books! My parents had me reading poetry my whole life to improve my prose, that’s how I got into writing it,” Y/N offered. “I would love that! What else do you like to read?” Lily asked. “Old stuff, mostly,” Y/N admitted with a laugh, “Shakespeare, Dickens, Brontë, Wilde, stuff like that.” “All good, yes, but hear me out: modern sci-fi, or if that’s a little too much for you, some romance?” Lily suggested. “I’d be open to both, honestly,” Y/N nodded. “How about we do a book swap? Every Sunday we meet in the library and pick out a book for the other to read-You pick out a poetry book for me, I pick something modern and muggle for you, and then the following Saturday we can talk about the books!” Lily exclaimed. “Lily Evans, I think we’re going to be very good friends,” Y/N grinned as she tossed her arm around Lily’s shoulders and the girls made their way to the counter.
