#muggle au
oh my god this was rly long but I did it! idk maybe less happened than I thought it would but! oh and I made Mary and Hope asians, deal with it, tho I’m sorry if there’s been inconsistent hc oops it’s been so long since I read through the tumblr version fully anyway I’ll stop now & as always ty for reading ily <3<3<3
It was bound to be a long and raucous evening. With the speaker turned up to full, and boxes of reheated pizza piled on the coffee table surrounded by bottles of wine and beer, they filled the room full to the brim. Those who didn’t fit on the couches and armchairs spilled onto the floor, making a circle between them.
No one and everyone was holding court, the way they sprawled across the room. Remus curled up on the couch with Lily and Mary, who was telling all sorts of stories about James from before, making Lily laugh till her eyes watered. Where James and Sirius sat on the carpet in front of the sofa, Sirius was gleefully adding to the mix, head leaning back just enough to rest on Remus’ knee. Peter, the lucky bastard, bagged the comfortable armchair before anyone noticed, and Dorcas and Marlene were snuggled into a beanbag by its side.
“Marlene darling—” Mary stretched an arm to pass a fresh can of beer, “how’s the hockey been?”
“Please, you wouldn’t understand if I told you.”
“What! It’s not like we know nothing!”
“Look, I’d grab Pete if I wanted to talk hockey. Cheers—” She saluted at Peter’s laugh, “The rest of you are all clueless.”
“How’d you know I haven’t become a hockey player! I could have just secretly changed careers overnight. Heard it was the fad ‘round here.” She turned to wink at Lily and Remus.
“Oh yeah, wasn’t that a surprise.” Dorcas said, “you all need to stop keeping things from us. Can’t believe I hadn’t heard a word of it till I showed up myself.”
“Well I’m not complaining,” Sirius grinned, and James hummed in acquiesce. Remus couldn’t tell if it was about him, or Lily and James.
Lily was blushing nonetheless. “Oh enough about us. How’s the States been, Mary?”
“Yeah, how are the people of the New World? Are they really all obsessed with money and guns?”
“No but hear me out, they’re still all so weird.” Mary laughed easily, “And also, apparently I sound too Chinese for the white people and too British for the Asians. Nevermind they all grew up with American accents anyway.”
-
“Remus Lupin,” Mary leaned across the space Lily left empty as she stood, “how’s my favourite fake asian doing these days, hmm?”
Remus groaned, and jostled her head on his shoulders. “Not bad, I suppose.” he said simply, not knowing how to elaborate.
Mary stared at him a bit, then snorted. “See, there’s why you’re a fake asian.”
“So was I supposed to tell you about the new bubble tea store in town?”
“Exactly. You don’t even need a ‘how are you’ to start ranting about your parents and shitty new Chinese restaurants.” Mary waved a hand, hiding a forlorn smile that showed up every time she started to ‘talk asian’, “And obviously I want a nuanced analysis of that new bubble tea shop.”
Remus smiled back. He never expected to have real opinions about something like this, but at some point, between him and Mary, it became a coded dialogue about missing home. “They’re quite good. And not too obsessed with tea leaves to be crazy expensive. You should try the ice matcha.”
“Do they have good pearls?”
“Pretty good actually. Perfect texture, and melts just a bit on the outside—”
“Ugh,” Mary groaned, then started to giggle. “Yeah, I do like bubble tea. Oh Rem, how’s aunty Hope been doing?”
“Yeah, she’s good. Well, physically she’s the best she’s been since before, but there’s been other things bogging her down.”
“You know,” Mary looked up, matching his frown, “she could ask my parents anything, even though they’re not in the country, right?”
“Oh Mary. Thank you. But you know she’d never ask.”
“I’ll get my parents to call then.”
“Even then she won’t tell. Or say yes.”
Mary sighed, “you two. You’re the exact same. But anyhow it’ll be nice for them to catch up.”
‘Yeah… You should come ‘round some day.”
“Yea!” Mary breathed eagerly, “I really missed those massive veggie buns she used to make.”
“Yeah.” Remus said quietly.
For the next few moments, Mary watched him. Remus barely realised, he was looking ahead and unconsciously gnawing his lips again.
“Whatever it is, stop worrying.” Mary slapped him lightly on the arm.
“What—”
“Just enjoy the evening, yeah? And stop worrying so much about everything, you sooty stick.”
He replied with a light chuckle, “I’ll try,” and raised his beer in salute.
-
It would be very welcoming indeed, Remus thought, if his brain was just wired to let go. Which it should, tonight of all nights. It would be ideal indeed, if noise and friendship was just enough.
But there was no way to explain the nameless agitation that started and didn’t go away. Soon it manifested physically as a headache rising from behind his eyes, an audible static that came in waves and settled as a buzz between his ears. It wasn’t the beer, he barely had any, and he was nowhere as drunk as the rest of his friends. But he found that their conversation started to race ahead that he could barely follow. They flitted in and out, never too far from skating, of course. He felt strangely unsteady, floating as though in a dream, and all that noise. Remus was hearing himself being drowned out.
-
They started talking about program music at some point. Sirius was proudly showing some moves from the Bohemian Rhapsody remix he’d put together for the free skate, even pulling Remus up with him at some point. Dorcas jumped up, matching move for move with her jazz tracks. Then Lily and James would start arguing among the two of them again.
“Just choose something you both like and be done with it! What’s so complicated?”
“Oh no Marls, that was the wrong thing to say.”
“It’s got to make sense, you know?” Lily said urgently, “It can’t just be a random track out of your workout playlist, or whatever your coach chooses—”
“You two are just obsessing at this point—”
“Itneeds to resonate. I need to feel it in my soul.”
Marlene laughed.
“She’s right though.” James added, “And it needs to be right for the both of us, which you know, is easy if you’ve paired for years but we’ve just started, and—”
“And we’re fighting about everything, it’s so frustrating, neither of us were like this before!”
Mary and Remus, ‘the ones before’, shared a grin and a smirk.
“So is it a romance you want to tell?” Dorcas suggested.
“Obviously it’s a romance!” Lily gestured, “And an intense one at that. ‘Cause you know, with Remus, all our narratives have been mostly— platonic, and even if it’s a love story it’d be some innocent and pretty fairytale, because it’s, it’s Remus—”
Remus scoffed, “what’s that supposed to mean?”
“She says you’re cute!” Marlene called from across the floor.
“Yeah,” Sirius breathed into his shoulder, “and I’d agree.”
Remus whipped his head around, “how drunk are you?”
But Sirius’ eyes were stone cold sober, startlingly clear in the light and edges crinkled with a smile.
Remus felt something jump in his chest. He hurriedly looked back towards Lily.
“And there’s nothing wrong with that at all, Remus, I love you, and you know that. But I just— it’s been two years and I feel different. I want to show something different now, you know? James doesn’t get it—”
“What do you mean I don’t get it? I totally get it!”
“Then why has everything you’ve suggested been, oh I don’t know, playboy pretty girl—”
“That’s not— I mean, that’s not what I—”
“Playboy, Prongs?” Sirius had burst out laughing, “you? Really?”
James’ drink-flushed cheeks coloured even more, despite his dark skin, “That’s not what I was going for! I’ll have you know—”
“Then who did you want to be?” Peter snorted, “some loverboy Romeo?”
“Yes, exactly!”
The room burst into laughter. James frowned.
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Oh James,” Dorcas wiped her eyes, “I knew we should have gotten you into acting with us.”
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing,” Remus nudged James with his elbow, “you would have made a nice Romeo, that’s all.”
“If he could have taken it seriously for more than a second.” Peter said.
“I’m not Romeo,” James blurted. “I don’t want it to be Romeo, but you know, I don’t really want it to be me either—”
“But James it’s meant to be you, how else do you tell the story?”
“Just that! Tell a story. I mean, it would be a bit creepy to imagine myself in the story with— you know…” James trailed off.
Remus heard Sirius’ quiet laugh, and dared to look over.
“I think he wants to not-himself,” Sirius whispered with a smile in his voice, “so he can unabashedly obsess over Lily.”
“Yeah.” Remus smiled a little, “That’s the impression I got as well.”
-
“What about you, Remus?” Mary finally asked.
“Huh?”
“You. Your music?”
“Oh, I— don’t know yet.”
“Oh.” She said, looking at him curiously. She saw Remus squirm uncomfortably, and quickly added with a smile, “not that far behind these two, then. Have you got any ideas?”
“Yeah I’m,” Remus grimaced to himself, “mostly not sure.”
“Wait, you’ve chosen our waltz for the short right?” Lily turned to beamed at him, “Chopin’s 19?”
‘Our waltz’, Lily called it, because it had been the track for their senior debut, a couple of years ago now. The posh kids from Slytherin scoffed and laughed at how it’s “one of Chopin’s easiest waltz”, but the two of them had always been ridiculously proud of it.
“Yeah.” Remus squeezed a smile, “that’s what I told McGonagall. But I don’t know, I could still change it, if I’m not sure. And the free skate—” he exhaled frustratedly, “I— don’t even know what I want it to be. I just know what I don’t want it to be— sometimes.”
“And what’s that?”
“What everyone else is doing?” Remus said, with half a frown, half a pout.
His friends burst out laughing, though Remus didn’t feel the humour.
-
“Oh my god!” Dorcas clanked her bottle down, “Are we here for another round of complaining about the scoring system?”
“Yes! I swear—”
“The very idea of a panel for subjectively judging components and interpretation—”
“Like sure, it’s not the 6.0 system anymore, with anonymity and everything, but I swear to god sometimes it just feels like they can now cheat you and have nothing traced back to them—”
“I did a degree on this, if you suggest a human panel for judging anything in computer science they’ll just straight up laugh at you, but not here it seems!”
“At least we used to be able to tell straight away if a score is off. But now we have to just guess, meticulously compare every person’s jumps and scores to call them out.”
“And what the hell do you do with the ‘presentation mark’?”
“Exactly!”
“It’s so easily manipulated it’s crazy.”
“And honestly, sometimes I feel bad for the judges, everyone is always taking a shot at them”, Dorcas said, ever-so-compassionate, “but it amazes me how they’d came up with a system so easily questioned.”
“Oh no, not just questioned, their reputation is getting destroyed in all circles of sensible people. Honestly, how many scandals does it take for them to start fixing things?”
-
Marlene was at the stage of drunk where she looked ready to climb on the coffee table, and start an impromptu impassioned speech against capitalism. Mary was trying to get the troupe to start singing show tunes together, old-time-theatre-kids-style.
“Comeon,” she intoned, “We’ve got the wines and beers, and all the loud obnoxious young queers”
“Mary, you’re speaking in rhyme.”
“La vie boheme!!” She shouted as the only reply, raising her glass to the ceiling.
“Oh is that Rent? I loved that show!”
“Hell yea Jamesy! And oh my god look, it’s like us now! A bunch of young drunk bohemians in a room—”
“Yeah, not quite sure we’re there yet.”
“We are drunk, though. And we love that show. I love living queer hippie anti-establishment. I love theatre,” Mary mumbled, smiling dazedly and one arm around each of James and Lily, pulling them around with her words, “Oh you know what— this is exactly what you two should do for your skate! Dig out your theatre roots and go for one of the musicals—”
Lily chuckled noncommittally, “yeah sure.”
“No, I’m being serious! Oh shut up Sirius—” she immediately said, with a huff from Sirius, “god. A couple of months away and I’m already forgetting. How could I. Anyway, James, Lily, you listen— you know what I think? I think you should properly look at all the theatre classics, romantic, and as intense as you want them—”
“Hmm,” James turned his head to the ceiling, snorting a laugh.
“Listen up! This could be your Eureka moment.”
“Alright, yes! Listening!”
“I could help you fix up a medley. No, really, I was going to do some work with Hogwarts’ orchestra anyway.”
“That— would be wonderful.”
“Wouldn’t it?” Mary grinned, “so what do you think? The Phantom, Les Mis— though James I don’t really think you could pull a Marius— Christian from Moulin Rouge— maybe. Or some Sondheim? A Little—”
“Wait no—” Lily started, at the same time as James:
“No stop a second—”
They paused, surprised, and slowly turned to look at each other. They became even more astonished to find the same shade of epiphany in each other’s look.
“Blimey,” James breathed, “this is it, isn’t it?”
Lily said nothing in response. She looked back at Mary.
“You said— Moulin Rouge, right?”
“Yeah…” Mary thought again, “Oh. Oh— oh my god! Satine and Christian!”
“I don’t get it.”
“Shut up Pete!”
“That movie was so cheesy!”
“Shut up! This makes so much sense!” Mary was grinning like mad, “Oh god this is wonderful. I could— we could start tonight—” she made to stand up, only to stumble.
“Hey it’s fine, it’s fine!” James pulled her back down. He and Lily were staring at each other with such a look in their eyes. “Oh Mary! Thank you, I— can’t believe we just—”
“I told you,” Mary said happily, “your Eureka moment! And Lily— come on, Satine is so hot—”
-
No matter how much Remus wanted to knock his own brains out, he couldn’t concentrate at all after that. On anything. He suspected something ugly in him was envious of his friends, and the thought sent through him shocks of guilt and disgust at himself. The buzz between his ears was becoming a swirl, pounding under his skull as though almost starting to block his vision.
He screwed his eyes shut. Surely, he could slip away without them noticing? The way they were so wrapped up in their rapture.
He felt Sirius place a concerned hand on his knee, but he lightly pushed it off. “Sorry Pads I— I’ve got a headache. Might just go outside for a while.”
Carefully, he stood and made his way to the door. Mary stopped him with a questioning look.
“Headache. Will probably turn in early tonight.” He said apologetically. And Mary put her drink down to envelop him in a hug.
“Go on you. I’ll explain to everyone.”
“It’s so good to see you.” Remus said sincerely. Having gotten Mary’s answering smile, he picked up his rucksack, “come for lunch on Sunday, yeah?” He said, and slipped out the room to the front door.
-
Out in the cool night air, Remus looked up and tried to breathe deeply. Above him, a blanket of bright stars were silently moving through another night, along their assigned tracks, in perfectly coordinated harmony. He wondered why everything else must seem so ordered, so peaceful.
Lily and James would really make an insane pair as Satine and Christian, he thought, despite how his brain might refuse to process it.
He sighed, feeling too tired to stay and too restless to go home. So he headed to the rink.
-
ok look I’ll break my rule and put my ramble here instead of in the tags because my dudes please watch Tessa and Scott’s Moulin Rouge free skate because it’s maybe *the* most iconic program in recent history?? it’s unironically almost a religious experience. if I remember right that was the reason this monster was started, like one time I watched (and look I’m not lying when I say I literally watched this daily recently while writing this) and my brain just went ‘wait… jily?’ and yeah anyway have a good day <3
When I said plot I actually meant plot not just new old characters but here they are anyway happy monday ty for reading xx
“Remus Lupin!” bellowed a voice Remus hadn’t heard in two years.
He was just about to demonstrate the double axle to one of his older students. But he winced and stumbled on take-off, and landed with his arse on the ice.
And the boy had the audacity to laugh at him.
Remus groaned, “What do you want, you lunatic!” He shouted back, and looked towards the source of the voice. Sure enough, one Marlene Mckinnon, crop top, leather jacket, ripped jeans and all, was perched at the rails sporting an almost-amused smirk.
“Get your arse over here!”
The boy looked at Remus amusedly. “I guess that’s that for the day?”
“Yeah, I suppose so.” he muttered, shaking his head, “Sorry, Andrew. We’ll try that again next Tuesday, yeah?”
Marlene’s eyes followed him all the way as Remus made his way over. “You’ve got to stop letting those kids bribe you into unpaid overtime.”
“Well,” Remus shrugged, “how’d you think I started skating.”
“What’s it they say? Fight the system, not acquiesce to it?”
Remus laughed breathily, “good to see you too, Marls.”
Marlene was possibly the only one out of their friends to appear even less impressed to see Remus than he was to see them. But the fierce hug they shared betrayed them both.
“Marlene,” Remus drew back with a smile, arms still on her shoulders, “How did it take you so fucking long to show up?”
She lightly punched him in the side, “I’m here now, aren’t I?”
“How’ve you been?”
“Oh you know,” She grinned, running a hand through her messy blond locks, “a bit bored. But that’s life.”
“Oh my god,” Remus chuckled. They’ve come a long way from binge-reading Nietzsche and Dostoyevsky together at 3am, but— “you’re still exactly the same.”
“Surely nothing and no one ever really changes.” She deadpanned.
“None at all?”
“Well. Nothing that really matters.”
“Alright you.” Remus snorted fondly. “Then what’s this I hear about you falling in love?”
Marlene’s lips twitched, “Oh yeah?”
“So what. Have you gone crazy about someone and finally figured out what the fuss is all about now?”
“Oh no.” She laughed, “Didn’t you hear? Nothing changed. The world doesn’t turn over on its belly. You just don’t realise it isn’t really different. Sure, I’m crazy about her but. Always been, haven’t I?”
“Hmm.” Remus considered her with a small smile. “I quite like that. Good for you, Marls.”
-
It wasn’t long before the rest of everyone bundled in. They were impossibly loud as they poured down the sidewalk that led from Hogwarts into the village. Everyone was laughing, trying to have five different conversations with everyone else. Remus flitted between walking besides each of his friends, not a couple of words exchanged before one of them was pulled into another conversation. But it was the pleasant kind of exasperated buzz in his head. It’s been so long since they were like this. For perhaps the first time since they’ve graduated, all of them were gathered together in one spot. Well, almost everyone.
“Oh by the way!” James suddenly called out over all of them, “Did you all know that Mary is flying in tonight?”
“What?!”
“Who fucking what?”
“You’ve got to be kidding—”
“Why didn’t I know—”
James laughed as he was drowned out with a bout of surprised, indignant exclamations, and looked around delightedly at them all. “Well yeah! She told me her flight’s today, asked me to pick her up and everything!”
“No, no, no, James Potter—” Lily looked ready to pull out her hair, “did you just— forget to mention— how long have you known?”
“A couple of days.” The way James was grinning, one would think he’d won a million-pound prize. “Dance partner loyalty, and all that.”
“Not jealous, are you Lils?” Sirius nudged her with an elbow.
“Fuck you, Black.” Lily whipped her head around, her ponytail almost slapping James in the face as Sirius laughed.
“Mary that traitor,” Dorcas said disbelievingly, “How come she didn’t tell any of us! I knew she was coming back soon but not— James, when exactly is she arriving?”
“Oh, she’ll probably be landing soon, I was gonna get home and get the car straight away.”
“Bloody fuck,” Remus breathed. “Glasgow? Godspeed with the traffic, Prongs.” James responded with a two-finger salute.
“Yeah, want us to pack you something to eat on the way?” Peter added.
“Nah, it’s all good! Just make it good for when we get back.” James winked.
“You bastard,” Marlene said, “guess we’re at yours tonight then? Bloody hell, give some warning for this sort of shit next time.”
“Where’s all the fun to that!”
Marlene rolled her eyes. “We’ll go grab some beers then, shall we?”
“And pizza. Literally nothing else would do.”
“Good call, Pete!”
Remus shook his head to himself. This was bound to be a long and raucous night. As everyone else prattled on excitedly about their plans, Sirius sidled up to him.
“Remus—” he smiled a little nervously, and said under his breath, “I know we said we’d go somewhere just the two of us tonight, but—”
“Shut up.” Remus grabbed Sirius’ hand with both of his, “of course we’ll bunk in with everyone. What were you thinking?”
“Know you must be tired. Had a long day, wanting a quiet night, that’s all.”
“No, it’s fine.” Remus shook his head, “I can’t wait to see Mary. Fuck, I can’t believe we’re all here.”
“Crazy, ‘innit?” Sirius chuckled breathily.
“You didn’t know either, did you?”
“No.” Sirius gave him a lopsided little smile. “Not a clue.”
They shared a quiet smile, the lamplights’ shadow gliding across their faces as they continued walking forwards.
“We’ll do this again another day, won’t we?” Sirius asked.
“For sure. Any day you want, really. We don’t even need to set a date, most of the time you end up grabbing me for the evening anyway.”
“Alright, well. What about tomorrow?”
“A saturday? We won’t be at the rink though.”
“Yeah, but we could just go for dinner anyway.” Sirius shrugged, looking ahead.
Remus smirked a little. “Won’t miss me so much after one weekend, will you?”
Sirius huffed, “will you come with me or not?”
“Yeah, of course.” Remus said quietly, after a short moment.
Sirius turned to him then with a soft smile. “It’s set, then.”
-
Sirius’ phone buzzed— it’s a message from James. Remus leaned in to read over Sirius’ shoulder. They’ve piled into Sirius and James’ house, with enough food and drink to feed a zoo. Though Remus supposed they weren’t all that different from a zoo. The message read:
Pronks: were just outside town now!!!xxxx
“Ahoy mates!” Sirius exclaimed and jumped off the sofa, “they’ll be here soon!”
Remus picked up the phone that kept buzzing:
gon make it a surprise kay?
turn the lights off and everything
With some sort of telepathic understanding, Sirius was already running up and down closing curtains and turning off lights.
“Right, Pete, you’re on window duty. Signal the moment you see Prongs’ car rolling in.” He flew around the room, so fully in his element, “someone go get the upstairs light, I’ll stand by for hall and kitchen— Lily, can you find the stairs?”
“I don’t know where your lights are—”
“Ow Lils that was my foot—”
“Oh I’m so sorry—”
“Can you turn the fucking lights back on?” Marlene waved an arm around, hitting Remus in the chest, “oh for fucks— can y’all calm down?”
“Calm down, Marls? We’re about to see Mary!”
“Can someone please go upstairs those lights on the stairs are our fanciest!”
“Alright I’ll go!” Remus relented, getting up and started to feel his way through the dark.
“Love you Moons! Okay, do you think we’ve got any streamers?”
“Oh my god can we not—”
“Code red!” Peter suddenly shouted, turning from the crack in the curtain, “targets approaching— everyone get to station, wherever we didn’t even agree to!”
“Jesus mother, all of you are mad.”
“Shh!” Sirius whispered aggressively. “Everybody down— hide behind something. Now!”
“Alright, alright!”
-
After a couple minutes of waiting interrupted with occasional whispers and stifled giggles, they heard muffled talking through the doorway. Laughter— James’ booming bellows and Mary’s high pitched giggles— a jangling of keys, then the key was turning in the hole, and the door cracked open. The shadow of a shaggy head was seen in the doorway before James flicked a light on. With it, the entire house burst alight.
“Surprise!!” Everyone shouted, jumping from behind walls and furniture. Remus poked his head down the top of the stairs.
“Welcome home, Mary!” James grinned, stepping aside to let Mary take in the room and everyone around. She stood wide-eyed and still for long moments, jean jacket awry and high ponytail messy from travel, both hands full with travel sacks. Everyone held their breath.
“Oh my god.” Mary dropped the bags and covered her mouth with her hands. Her eyes were shiny, “of fucking course all of you are fucking here!”
In unison, the entire room flooded forwards, and crowded the tiny hallway in the loudest, grandest group hug they’ve had in two years.
What? You’re still writing this? The hell I am! This is a short-ish revival montage, then plot will be coming, I promise!!
“Hello there, Remus,” Lily said sweetly.
“Mmh. I’ve missed you. Where the hell have you been?”
“What, I thought I was giving you and Sirius some space.”
Remus’ head snapped to her, looking scandalised, “excuse me? That’s what you’re call gallivanting around with James?”
“What was I supposed to do when you were off with Sirius all the time?”
“Well what if I thought I was ‘giving you and James some space’?”
They narrowed their eyes at one another.
“Let’s drop it.”
“Hm.” Remus hummed sceptically.
“Alright! I’m sorry!” Lily said, “Your love life is not my excuse! Neither is mine yours. Happy?”
“Fine.” Remus crossed his arms, “so it’s a ‘love life’ you’ve got now?”
“Oh you know,” Lily looked on the verge of blushing.
“What have you gotten up to?”
“We— ended up going on a few dates. And umm, went back to his, when Sirius was out,” she was undeniably red now. Remus smirked and punched her arm. “Hey! Not so fast. When Sirius was out— with you, I presume?”
Remus thought about it. “I think that’s when he came to have dinner with me and mum.”
“Getting cosy, are we?”
“Well. Then there’s that time we biked to the regional park? That wasn’t cosy at all, that was quite cold. And he had the bright idea of hitchhiking to Glasgow to go to an arcade. That one didn’t really work out, obviously, we ended up on the train. Got back in the middle of the night.”
Lily looked at him in wonder.
“He did get to go to the arcade, though. I quite enjoyed watching him go berserk alongside a bunch of children.”
“Have you—” Lily asked curiously, “talked with him about it?”
Remus took a long moment to sigh, then looked back at Lily. There was no question what ‘it’ was. The ‘it’ between two people that sometimes had a name but Remus simply didn’t yet want to name.
“Maybe. No. Not exactly.” Remus said, “We did decide to just be comfortable around one another. Physically too, to some extent. Doesn’t mean it has to be a— thing.”
The look Lily was giving him resembled how one might look at a cute little puppy about to make a fool of itself, brows drawn and holding in a laugh.
“Oh shut up.”
She continued to regard him with a tilt of the head, “but do you want it to be ‘a thing’? Have you really thought about it?”
“I— don’t know.” Remus muttered, and shrugged. “I sort of have a lot on my mind.”
-
“Do bandaids work on lips? Bandaids don’t work on lips.”
“Huh?” Remus looked up at James, who stood looming over Remus as he sat in the stands hunched over a pile of files “what in hell are you on about?”
“Can’t put a bandaid on your lips, so you should stop biting them, before they start bleeding.”
“Oh.” Remus poked at his bottom lip with his tongue. It did feel rather tender, “I didn’t even realise.”
“Stressed?”
“A bit, I guess.”
“What are those?” James sat down next to him and gestured at the pile.
“Oh. Just trying to figure out my jumps. Key word trying. And not getting very far.” He flicked through the top few sheets to display pages full of component score calculations.
“Blimey. All this for that? Sure you aren’t overthinking it?”
“Course not. And no, most of the pile is just class schedules for McGonagall, which I also still need to figure out, shit—”
“Oh. Chill, Remus, it’s fine—”
“—Oh and she’ll be hounding me about the free skate music again.” Remus didn’t like the way his head was almost going dizzy, “James—”
“C’mon Remus.” James wrapped an arm around his shoulder, “take it easy, yeah? It’s really all fine. Lord knows me and Lils are nowhere near the end of bickering about it too.”
Remus huffed through his nose but said nothing.
“You’ve got no need to be so wrung out about the jumps at all, either.” James declared, ever the pep-talker, “It’ll all make sense the moment you got your music sorted.”
“Yeah. Yeah, I suppose.” Remus sighed, and ran both hands over his face, “thank you, James.”
“No problem. And hit me up if you want me to take over a couple of classes, yeah?”
Remus knew that James knew he’d never actually accept the offer, but it was nice to hear, regardless.
“Sure.” he said with a little smile.
“Alrighty.” James nodded satisfiedly, and moved to stand up, “See you around, Moony.”
“Hmm.” Remus replied distractedly, before a thought occurred to him. “Wait— you wait just the moment.” he started, pulling James by his sleeve, “I’ve got a couple of questions about you and ‘Lils’, Mr Potter.”
James smiled sheepishly. Remus smirked.
-
“Oh my god, what are you doing here now?”
Remus sighed at another interruption. Though it was probably a good thing. He might be doing his head in at this rate.
It was Dorcas this time. She breathed heavily and her face flushed olive— most likely due to having run across campus from her dance session.
“Oh I, have a class to take in—” Remus said distractedly, checking his watch, “an hour.”
“Again, why the fuck are you here? Where’s Sirius?”
“He’s visiting Benjy’s studio in town for choreo.”
“Of course.” Dorcas muttered, “so what, you’re just going to coop in here all day because no one’s dragging you out?”
“It hasn’t been all day— and wasn’t going to be all day!”
“Yeah, ‘cause you’ve got dinner plans with Sirius?”
“No!”
“I know you do, love, he told me himself.”
Remus groaned. “What, you think that’s something you’ve got over me?”
“Why were you so quick to deny it then?”
“Well you made it sound like— something it’s not!”
“I said nothing of the sort. Have you considered this concept called projecting?”
“This is ridiculous.”
“Yeah, I agree.”
“So can you leave me alone to my brooding now?”
Dorcas rolled her eyes. “See you in a bit, nerd.”
I’m excited to share a new Dramione short story with you all!
Pas de Deux (rated M): Hermione Granger finally has her chance to prove herself as a principal dancer for the Royal Ballet. The problem is that her path to stardom leads right through the ballet’s biggest prat, Draco Malfoy.
So I wrote the first chapter for my reborn!Grindeldore AU
It’s a bit short and probably chaotic but here it is
https://archiveofourown.org/works/38446903/chapters/96087220
Empty portraits - Chapter 1 - william_trasheater - Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling [Archive of Our Own]
Feel free to check it our ;-] even though you may have to bleach your eyes after witnessing my grammar
Modern!Albus being a fashion disaster and a cause of other’s eye bleeding
His wprost enemy in this au are formal clothes
Random modern au designs for Albus and Gellert
Albus is a fashion disaster, hes a magpie for colourful clothes and has no limita when it comes to patterns. He cries to love me like there’s no tomorrow
Gellert is goth and dramatic and he paints his hair with cheap black paint. He wakes up 2 hours to do his makeup and signs creep by Radiohead in the shower
The second image is their concept art I did in notes
Ruse
Last Chapter! FFNandAO3
This is the end, friends. I hope you had fun this month! Blackinnon Fest is something I’ll be back for next year, and I’m sure there will be other stories before then. Have an amazing day!
Ruse
Chapter 4 - When You Know, You Know
Marlene waited with Sirius near the door. If there was something Sirius was good at, it was backing his prey into a corner. He’d even managed it with Riddle despite her usurping that plan from him.
But Sirius had managed to outdo himself this time. She’d seen more sides of him in the last week than she’d seen in the little more than a year they’d been together. And through a great deal of scheming, they were now standing in the British Embassy in America’s capital.
Eloping.
“Everything’s ready. We just need them to show.” Sirius wrapped his arm around her waist and leant down to kiss her neck. “You look beautiful.”
“A bride is meant to wear a dress, love. I decided I should play the part.” She smoothed her hands down the cream colored lace that covered the ivory satin underdress. Its capped sleeves and knee-length design made it easier for her to secure the various weapons she preferred to always have on her person.
“You’re the perfect bride.” Sirius kissed the shell of her ear and Marlene spun to bring their lips together, gripping the lapels of his suit jacket.
“You’re not so bad yourself.” She resisted the urge to move this snogging session to more than kissing.
“Marlene,” he rested his forehead against hers, his steel gray eyes holding hers with an earnestness that made her heart stutter. “Marlene, you are everything. You’ve been everything from the moment I met you. Marlene, marry me? Marry me for real?”
“Yes!” The word was meant to come out in a shout, but Marlene was shocked that her voice was nothing more than a whisper. “Yes!” She said it again, stronger this time, surer. “Yes!” Her third yes was cut off in his kiss as he pulled him against her. His hands gripped the back of her dress as his lips claimed her in that way that always made her knees go weak.
“I love you.” The feeling of his lips speaking against hers was so familiar, so right, and Marlene had a moment of knowing exactly what she wanted.
Then they heard a car pull through the gates.
“Show time.” Sirius pulled her close for one more kiss before taking her hand and moving to the door.
They greeted Fletcher, Piquery, and Shaw, acting under the names of Finnegan, Patterson, and Smith.
“Yay! You found it!” Marlene squealed and ran to take Shaw’s arm. “I’m so happy you’re here for this!”
“I couldn’t let you get married on your own! And especially not someplace as beautiful as here!”
“We can’t tell you what it means to have you all here.” Sirius gripped Fletcher’s shoulder.
“What are friends for?” Fletcher patted his chest. “Especially friends that are bringing the ring.”
“I’m so excited to see it!” Marlene bounced in her heels.
“Let’s not keep my gorgeous girl waiting then. It’s time to make her mine before she has the sense to run away.”
“Oh Al, baby, you’re never getting rid of me.” Marlene moved from Shaw’s side to Sirius’ and took his arm.
“Good, I’d be lost without you, Ella.” He kissed her noisily. “To the wedding!” He shouted as he pulled back.
Marlene let him lead their little group back and casually glanced around as the embassy security moved into position.
One of the rooms had been set up for the purpose, and Marlene smiled at how the staff had taken to their task. It was beautifully decorated with flowers and a small cake even sat on a table to one side.
The officiator, a member of security who was also certified to marry, smiled as they walked in. “Alphard, Cedrella, so good to see you. Shall we begin?”
“We’re ready when you are.” Sirius shook his hand.
And the plan moved to phase two. As the officiator went through a relatively standard marriage ceremony, the rest of security moved to block all exits, and six of them moved to stand outside the door to the room. Marlene was impressed that she heard nothing; either this security team was very skilled, or this room was soundproof.
“Do you, Alphard Coal, take Cedrella, to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
Sirius looked deeply into her eyes, his smile playing softly on his lips. “I do.”
“Do you, Cedrella McLaughlin, take Alphard to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
Marlene felt her smile grow wider across her face as she made up her mind. “I do.”
“Do you have a ring?”
Sirius winked at her before turning to Fletcher. “You didn’t let me down, did you, Finnegan?”
“I’ve got you Coal.” Fletcher pulled the ring out of his coat. “Highest quality diamond I’ve seen in decades, I assure you.”
Sirius took the ring and held it up to the light as he pulled a jeweler’s loupe from his suit. He was quiet for several moments before giving Fletcher a charming grin. “It’s perfect.” Then he turned back to Marlene. “Just like you.” And he slid their evidence on her finger.
“By the power vested in me I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Sirius kissed her and allowed their guests to clap for a few moments before squeezing her waist.
Three.
Two.
One.
They spun, Marlene ducking behind the table that held the cake to fall down the trap door and be caught by a security member waiting to catch her.
“Well done, Miss McKinnon.” He set her down.
“Thank you,” she looked down at the ring. “I suppose it won’t bother anyone if I wear this until Agent Black is ready for it?”
He laughed. “You keep that safe, Miss. Agent Black is right to trust you. I’ve not known many citizens that can manage to do exactly what they’re told in situations like this.”
“Well, thank you.” She looked around the little office they were in and saw a marriage license on a desk. “Did the staff think we were really getting married?”
Her companion nodded. “We didn’t tell anyone this was a sting operation.”
Marlene picked up the license. It was still blank, waiting to be filled in. She smiled and picked up a pen.
“Playing a joke on Agent Black?”
“I like to keep him on his toes.” Marlene winked at him.
She’d just signed her name at the bottom when Sirius walked in. “Well done! They’re contained and ready for transport and Picquery has been handed off to the FBI.”
“I’ll leave you to it then, Agent Black.” The security member smirked and walked out the door.
“What’s that?” Sirius came to stand behind her chair.
“The marriage license the staff left out for us.”
Sirius was silent for several moments. “You filled in our real names.”
“Hmm.”
“And you signed it.”
She bit her lip.
“Are, are you absolutely certain, love?”
“I meant it when I said ‘I do,’ Sirius.”
Sirius took the pen from her hand and signed his name next to hers. “So did I.”
And he kissed her.
Ruse
Chapter Update! FFNandAO3
Last chapter goes up tomorrow!
Ruse
Chapter 3 - The Best Plans Have Benefits
Sirius watched Fletcher on the other side of the bar and rolled his eyes. The man was disgusting, Sirius was pretty sure he could smell him from here, his hair was greased down and globs of hair product were evident even from this distance.
“I told you he was worse in person.” Marlene whispered next to him as they leant against the table in the bar they’d followed him to. “Andromeda had one of her American agents pull information for me and he’s currently trying to get into the diamond ring.”
Sirius looked back at Marlene. “If Andy has agents here, why did she send you?”
“Because she knew Minnie was sending you.” Marlene smirked. “She’s a romantic and you’re family, so she does these little things.”
“Remind me to thank her when we get home.” Sirius brought his lips to hers for a brief kiss.
“We’re working, love.” She smiled as he pulled back.
“That was part of our cover. Alphard Coal and Cedrella McLaughlin are madly in love after all. Meeting last year and bonding over their parents abandoning England for the fast pace of the States is the best thing that ever happened to them.”
She pulled him in for another kiss. “You know you’re ridiculous, right?”
“And you love it,” he nipped her lip before looking back at Fletcher. “Who is he with?”
“Johnathan Picquery, he and Patricia Shaw, the woman we saw on the security footage breaking into my room, are his two contacts into the diamond ring right now.”
“Did I mention Patricia is on our flag list for entrance into the UK for that smuggling ring as well?” Sirius grinned as his mind began formulating a plan. “Maybe we can get more than I planned on.”
“Two birds, one stone?”
“Potentially.” Sirius took her hand. “Let’s join the dance floor until a table closer to them opens up.”
She bit her lip as she looked up at him. “I think you just want an excuse to dance with me.”
“If the shoe fits, love.” Sirius pulled her close and kissed her. “Come on.”
He took his time moving them to where Fletcher and Picquery sat. Sirius was still feeling the adrenaline of the attempt on Marlene and that dart was the only reason he was actually considering bringing Patricia Shaw in as well.
He took it personally when someone went after his girlfriend.
As he shifted them closer to the tables an idea began forming in his mind.
“Darling,” he leant closer to whisper against her ear. “I think I have a plan.”
“Do tell,” her lips rubbed against his cheek and he nearly forgot the plan altogether.
“What are your thoughts on posing as an outrageously rich engaged couple in need of a suitable ring?”
“My word Alphard, are you proposing to me in this place?” She gave a theatrical gasp.
“Cedrella, we’re terribly drunk,” he placed a sloppy kiss on her neck. “For all we know I’ve proposed on the subway.”
He felt Marlene chuckled against him. “Are you certain, Sirius?”
“In the words of Minnie herself, ‘Stop playing games you know you can win and start taking chances.’ It’s a risk, but I’m good at taking risks. After all, a risk got me you.”
“Minnie said that?”
“When I told her I wasn’t interested in joining her team.”
Marlene held on to him a little tighter. “Alright. Just remember if we get caught, you’re deaf and I don’t speak English.”
Sirius chuckled at her joke, “Relax, sweetheart,” he shifted into his American accent. “This one’s in the bag.”
Ruse
Chapter Update! FFNandAO3
I’ll post again tomorrow and then the last chapter goes up on Friday! Enjoy, my friends!
Ruse
Chapter 2 - Actions, Then Words
Marlene was fuming.
The only thing that was keeping her from coming completely unhinged was Sirius going through her room as she tried to be meticulous in making sure all of her effects were back in her bags.
“I’m going to make them pay.” She gritted her teeth, trying to let some of the anger seep out with the declaration.
“I’m going to kill them once they tell me why they were in your room.” Sirius’ answer was quiet but sharp. “Do you have everything?”
“Yes.” She slung her purse over her shoulder and picked up her suitcase.
“Then let’s get out of here.” He pulled on the suitcase.
“I’ve got it,” she huffed and pulled back.
“Marlene, I love you, but right now you need to shut up and take my hand. Someone just tried to either drug or kill you, and I take personal offense to both options. So let me hold the damned suitcase so I can also hold your hand and reassure my brain that you’re fine.”
Marlene let go of the suitcase. When he said it like that, what else was she supposed to do?
He took her hand in a death grip. “Thank you. Let’s go.”
Marlene looked at the hole where the dart had been as they moved to a side door. That hole was meant to be in her and it made her blood boil.
“How’s your American accent?” Sirius asked as he pulled them down a side street.
“It’s awesome, Alphard,” she shifted into her American accent. “Though I don’t believe that I’ve ever met an American with the name Alphard.”
“Alphard has English parents. He’s an American because he grew up here, but he was born in London and moved here when he was five.” Sirius answered in his American accent. “And speaking of who we are, we’re going to set you up with a completely new identity, not one of the ones you’ve used before.”
“Sirius-”
“Humor me, Marlene.” He turned again and then headed for a back door to a tall building. “Someone has figured out who you are, and they aren’t happy about what you’re here for. If everything goes wrong I want to give you the best chance to get out of here and get home.”
“We’re not here for someone on Riddle’s level.” Marlene followed him through the door and realized they were in his hotel. “Mundungus Fletcher is a petty thief that I’m here to scare away from the big guns.”
“Minnie wants me to bring him back for his involvement in a smuggling ring, but we’ll plan that out later. The big guns obviously don’t like that you’re working on this.” Sirius took her up the stairs. “Until we know who they are, I want them to think you’ve left. I’m going to make sure everything on the digital side looks like their dart failed and then Catherine McClane high tailed it home to England.”
Marlene hated it when he had good points. “I’m not a coward, Sirius.”
He stopped them at the top of one of the flights of stairs and dropped both her suitcase and her hand to take her face in his hands. “You absolutely are not a coward, Marls. You are the bravest person I know. I didn’t say you were running, your alias is. We’re going to create you a new alias and then we’re going to battle with whoever thought they could attack you.” Then he crashed his lips into hers.
Marlene threw herself into the kiss. This she knew how to handle, his lips on hers, his hands caressing her skin, her fingers gripping his shirt, pulling him closer. This she could do better than the feelings she felt after that dart came flying at them and Sirius shifted to his I can’t lose you mode. Those feelings were confusing, they twisted in her chest, but having Sirius’ lips pressed against her unwound all those feelings. She pulled back just enough to murmur against him.
“Men go into battle, love. Women wage war.“
He smirked against her lips, “Then I await the orders of my commanding officer.”
Vignette
Story Update! FFNandAO3
The last chapter will go up tomorrow and then I’ll start the last story of Blackinnon Fest on Monday! Remember that next week’s story is a sequel to Reconnaissance (you won’t need to read it to understand the story, but it’s such a fun story and I think you’ll like this story better if you’ve read the first story). See you tomorrow!
Vignette
Chapter 3 - Picture It
Marlene was almost scared to look up. The seconds that Sirius had been silent were dragging though and she couldn’t stand it.
She looked up to find Sirius gripping the table with white knuckles. “Are you alright?”
“Are you?” His face was sharp with anger but his voice was concerned, boarding on panicked.
His concern nearly brought her to tears again. “I’m alright. I ended up telling him off, in front of the entire party. So definitely not going to be modeling now.”
“Why modeling?” Sirius’ knuckles were still white and Marlene resisted the urge to intertwine her fingers with his and pry his hands from the table. “I always thought you lived for taking the photograph, not being in it.”
She wrapped her arms around herself. “I stopped taking pictures when Mum got sick. I haven’t taken any since. I was at a coffee shop and an agent started talking to me and gave me her card and an invite. I didn’t think I had anything to lose showing up.”
“Marls,” his hands loosened their grip a fraction. “Why did you stop? I thought photography was your everything.”
“I don’t know.” And she didn’t know. At first she thought it was because her time had been completely devoted to helping her mum. But even since her mum had been fine, Marlene had yet to pick up her cameras. “And it’s been years now, I’ve probably lost the skills I had.”
Sirius scoffed, “Impossible.”
She couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face. Sirius had always been her biggest supporter among her friends. Marlene realized how much she’d missed it.
“What are you smiling about?” He knocked her hand with his knuckle.
“You.” She looked back at him. “I forgot how you always thought I was some sort of photographer genius.”
“You are,” he shrugged, but she didn’t miss the smirk playing on his lips. “Honestly, Marls, you have a gift, don’t throw it away because life tossed a wrench in your plans.”
“Sirius-”
“Give me your number.” He interrupted her. “Where are you living?”
“What?” She blinked.
“I’m going to get you an Uber home and then I’m picking you up tomorrow morning and we’re getting you and your camera on the road like we used to do.”
“Like, on your bike?” Marlene would be lying if she didn’t admit to the spark of excitement that lit in her chest.
“I said just like old times, Marls. Now,” he slid his phone across the table, “I need your number and your address.”
Vignette
Story Update! FFNandAO3
Chapter 2 - Changed Plans
It had to be a dream.
Sirius sat across from Marlene McKinnon in a dingy café that was still open at this late hour.
She was a sight to be sure, her golden curls soaking wet and plastered to her head, her dress was probably a deep blue when dry but currently it looked as though it’d been drug through a lake and the color was nearly black. Her makeup must have been waterproof though because her ice blue eyes still popped with the golden shimmer surrounding them and her lips still pulled him in with their blood red color.
Then she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and Sirius’ brain jumped back to memories from so long ago he’d nearly forgotten them.
“So, how was uni in Germany?”
“Alright, I managed to do well enough.” Sirius toyed with his mug. “How was uni in Ireland?”
Marlene stiffened and looked away.
“Not good?”
She didn’t answer and Sirius hated how he couldn’t read her as easily as he had before they both left the country.
“Marls, I have no clue what’s bothering you, so can you at least give me a hint?”
Marlene blinked, and the rigidness in her posture melted for a moment. Sirius capitalized on that moment of softness.
“Come on, Marls, it’s me.”
Her eyes returned to his and he was shocked at the pain he saw there. “I never went.”
“What?” That didn’t make sense. They’d both been wanting to get out of dreary old England and both came from families that had the funds to get them out, granted his family would have preferred him dead but they weren’t the family that paid for him to go to school, Uncle Alphard had seen to that.
“I never went.”
“But, James never said anything-”
“I threatened him not to.” Marlene sighed and looked down at her mug. “No one but James and Lily knew.”
Sirius couldn’t help staring. His mind had gone blank. “Why?”
“Mum got sick,” she shrugged. “I couldn’t leave Dad and Catherine to look after her on their own.”
“Is she alright?” Sirius felt his blood run cold.
“Yeah, the cancer is in remission, has been for two years, and the doctors think she’ll be fine.”
Sirius let out a long, shaky breath. “I’m really, really glad to hear that.”
Finally she smiled at him. “I’m really, really glad to be able to say that.”
He chuckled and resisted the urge to reach out and take her hand. “So what had you in the streets of London without an umbrella this evening?”
Her face fell.
Sirius briefly wondered if it was a date gone wrong. The thought soured his stomach.
“You might call it a business opportunity gone wrong.” Her shoulders slumped and she stared back down at her drink.
Sirius tried to stamp down his relief at it not being a date. “What kind of business?"
"I was at a party where agencies look for potential new models.”
Sirius opened his mouth but no sound came out. What happened in the six years he’d been gone? The Marlene he thought he’d sent to Ireland would have never pursued modeling. She wanted to be behind the camera, finding the perfect lighting, making him pull over on the side of the road because she had to get the perfect shot, obsessed with this lense and that film type. She was never interested in being the subject of a photograph.
“Yeah,” she shook her head. “I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. I was wrong.”
Sirius’ brain finally started turning gears again. “Wait, how did that lead to you on the pavement in the pouring rain?”
“I made a scene and ran.”
“Why did you make a scene?”
“Because one of the agents decided he didn’t need to keep his hands to himself.”
Marlene had said it so easily, almost flippantly, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Sirius, however, saw red.
Vignette
New Story! FFNandAO3
Being caught in the rain is bad enough, but a friend from the past might be the means to the fresh start Marlene is hoping for.
I hope you all had a wonderful week last week! We’re back with Blackinnon Fest and this little Muggle AU! This story will post all this week, and then next week there will be one more story to wrap up the month! Next week’s story is a short sequel to my Blackinnon Spies story, Reconnaissance. If you haven’t read it jump over and read that in between these chapter updates!
Vignette
Chapter 1 - Expect the Unexpected
Her dress was sticking to her skin and not in a good way.
Marlene wiped her hair from her face and cursed. It wasn’t enough that she was running from a party that had the potential to make a new career, a new start. It wasn’t enough that she’d caused a scene, screeching at the cretin who thought he could touch whoever he wanted. It wasn’t enough that she’d probably just ruined any chance she had at breaking into the London modeling scene. No, none of that was enough. There needed to be one more thing to make her night miserable, and the fates decided it had to be rain. And not some light drizzle, oh no, it had to be pouring, a torrential flooding of cats and dogs, the kind of rain that cascaded from the heavens like an angry waterfall out for revenge.
Her phone buzzed in her clutch tucked under her arm and in her attempt to retrieve it she lost her balance in her sky high heels and crashed down on the pavement. Marlene swore as she rubbed at the pain in her hip and wrist.
“Marlene?”
She tried to pretend she hadn’t heard that voice. She tried to convince her brain that she was hallucinating under the stress. She told herself that the rain was so loud she was hearing things that weren’t there, couldn’t be there.
And she would have succeeded if a strong hand hadn’t wrapped around her shoulder and an umbrella came to cover her.
“Marlene, it’s me.”
“Do I want to know how long you’ve been standing there?” She didn’t look up at him, focusing instead on the umbrella in his hand.
It felt so good not to have the rain pelting her face.
“Longer than you’d like.” His voice was warm and so familiar that if she were any other woman she would have cried. “Your fall was graceful if that’s any consolation.”
“Of course it was.” Marlene grimaced against the pain as she moved to stand. He immediately pushed his hand under her arm, helping to lift her from the pavement. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but how did you get here? You were in Germany.”
“I moved back to London a few weeks ago.” He pulled her a step closer. “And don’t take this the wrong way, but are you actually going to look at me or is my umbrella the only thing you’re tolerating my presence for.”
Marlene closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then she looked up at him, his black hair slightly damp as it hung around his ears and neck, his gray eyes danced with mischief like they always had so many years ago, and his lips quirked up to the left with the same smirk that had ensnared her when she’d first seen him.
She couldn’t stop the smile that pulled on her lips. “Hello Sirius.”
Penumbra
New Story! FFNandAO3
Marlene and Sirius are working to get James and Lily together, but there might be some other benefits waiting in the shadows. Blackinnon Muggle AU.
For the amazing HazzaP! I hope you enjoy this little story! Love you, darling!
(This is 1970s muggle au mostly because I wanted Marlene to have a fringed leather jacket, and I was feeling self-serving.)
Penumbra
Marlene slid into the booth and frowned when Lily sat across from her.
“What are you doing?”
Lily looked toward the restaurant door before looking down at the table. “Trying to take your advice?”
“Oh my gosh, really?” Marlene almost bounced in her seat.
“Well don’t make it weird!” Lily hissed. “For all you know one of our other friends might end up sitting next to me.”
“It’s just us tonight, remember? Everyone bailed except you, me, James and Sirius. And don’t worry, I’ll make sure Sirius gives the two of you plenty of space.”
“Please don’t be obvious about it!” Lily looked back at the door as James and Sirius walked in.
“Trust me, Lils.”
“What’s Lily trusting you with?” James laughed as he and Sirius approached their booth.
“The pizza order,” Marlene stood up. “Black, help a girl out and carry drinks?”
Sirius gave her an amused smile. “Always a pleasure to help a lady, McKinnon.”
“Brilliant,” she snagged his leather jacket by the arm and tugged him away.
“To give you the heads up,” Sirius’ hand slid across her waist, his fingers dipping just beneath her leather jacket. “I’m going to make James sit next to Lily.”
“Great minds, Black,” Marlene let him think her smile was only for his plan lining up with hers and not for the way his fingers lit her up like a Christmas tree. She definitely needed to find someone to keep touching her like that at some point, but tonight was about Lily and James. Then she could look into finding Mr. Right, or even just Mr. Right Now. Why should Lily be the only one enjoying herself? “I will be pulling us away for the same reason.”
“No one I’d rather work with.” They came to the queue to order and Sirius looped one of her loose curls around his finger. “Are you opposed to leaving early if the occasion arises?”
Marlene smirked up at him. “If it gets Lily and James together then I’ll leave with you right now.”
“Patience, Marls,” he dropped the curl and stepped back. “Keep your wits about you, yeah? They might need an extra push here or there.”
“Same to you,” she pulled her wallet from the pocket in her jacket.
“I’ve got this one,” Sirius pushed her hand into her chest. “In celebration of James and Lily figuring themselves out.”
“Let me pitch in,” Marlene opened her wallet and handed him two tenners. “They haven’t figured themselves out yet.”
“Are you a betting woman?” He swatted her bills away, snagging the fringe of her leather jacket in the process.
“Are you really this juvenile?”
“If James and Lily aren’t cozying up and wishing for us to bail in the next hour then I’ll take your twenty quid.”
“Betting means that you would give me twenty quid if it takes more than one hour.” She bit her lip and grinned at him.
“I believe it does.” He stepped closer, linking their pinkies together. “So, Marls, do we have a bet?”
“Is it really a bet if I want you to win?” She curled her fingers so the backs of their hands were pressed against each other.
“You were going to pitch in for the food and drinks anyway.” He leant closer and Marlene had to focus on breathing. It had definitely been too long. She needed to get out and have a good snog as soon as Lily and James were safely off on the road to happily ever after. Her body was suggesting dangerous things with someone she was friends with first and foremost.
“You have yourself a deal.”
Sirius’ smirk went softer as he smiled down at her and she felt her breathing grow shallow.
“Are you two ready to order?”
Sirius turned from her, breaking the contact of their hands, and Marlene barely managed to keep from gasping as he moved to the cashier. “Alright McKinnon, what’re we ordering?”
Marlene forced herself to laugh and join him at the counter. They placed their order and took their drinks and a stack of plates back to their booth.
Where both Marlene and Sirius nearly murdered their best friends.
“James, you are in my seat.” She glared at him.
“What?” James’ hand went straight for his hair. “I thought you’d like to sit next to Lily.”
“Come on, James, don’t rile McKinnon up. Just move so I can set these drinks down.” Sirius gave an annoyed huff and Marlene bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.
“Er, right,” James stood and looked at Lily. “I guess we’re sharing this side of the booth tonight.”
Lily gave him a soft smile. “I don’t mind.”
Marlene helped Sirius set down the drinks and shared an eye roll with him. She really didn’t want to win their bet. She wanted to stop hearing Lily pine for a man that obviously wanted her.
“What pizza did you order?” Lily asked once everyone was settled.
“Anchovies and pineapple,” Marlene teased.
“And don’t forget the green olives,” Sirius smirked.
“Why do we put up with these two?” James looked at Lily.
She laughed and leant closer to him. “I don’t know but we should definitely unionize and go on strike.”
“I completely agree,” James slung his arm around Lily’s shoulders and Lily wasted no time in scooting closer to him. “We are on strike as best friends until you get us good pizza toppings.”
Marlene could hardly keep from bouncing. “I guess we’ll have to make due.” She smirked at Sirius.
He winked at her. “If they’re unionizing aren’t we supposed to come down hard? Fire them for lack of work or something like that?”
“That sounds like effort,” Marlene pouted. “Can’t we just let them strike until they’re bored of it?”
Sirius’ hand bumped the side of her thigh and he leant close again. “Brilliant. We’ll just wait them out.”
He was so close. Marlene could see the different shades of gray in his eyes, the way his midnight hair fell perfectly around his face, and smell the leather of his jacket mixing with her own. She wanted to be closer. She wanted to see what would happen. She was never good at thinking before acting. And before she had really processed it, she was sliding her hand against his.
Sirius’ eyes darkened, the gray fading away to black. His hand shifted to hers, fingers intertwining and grasping hers in an almost possessive way. Marlene felt her breath leave her entirely.
“We can wait.” James brought her attention back from the feeling of Sirius’ hand wrapped around hers and the way it made her want to feel his hand against more of her skin. “Pizza toppings are no light matter.”
Sirius didn’t let go of her hand as he turned back to James. “I think we could come to agreeable terms, but it might cut into your benefits.”
“What does that even mean?” Lily laughed.
“He’s trying to use his posh vocabulary to confuse us.” James faux whispered. “Don’t worry, I speak BS as well as he does.” He turned back to Sirius. “You know that cutting benefits will only turn us to explore other options. You could lose everything because you weren’t willing to work together on this.”
Marlene scoffed and Sirius squeezed her hand.
“But you’re assuming that we don’t have other options lined up. Marlene and I are desirable people. There are always openings.”
Marlene’s heart skipped a beat at him calling her desirable.
“You wouldn’t make it two weeks without us.” Lily laughed.
“Yes,” James nodded, “Lily’s right. You rely on us too much to lose us. We demand fair pizza toppings.”
Marlene leant closer to Sirius and faux whispered. “Is this the part where we laugh at them and tell them we’re teasing?”
“Don’t ruin the fun, Marls.” He squeezed her hand. “Jamesie and I are enjoying making fun of our upbringings.”
“Have fun then,” Marlene grinned and looked back at Lily. “So how was your day?”
Lily bit her lip and glanced at James who was now pressed completely against her side. “It’s going pretty good. What about you?”
Marlene forced her eyes to stay on her friend and not mimic the glance at the man sitting next to her. “Good, I snuck out of work early.”
“I think the girls are tired of the game.” James sighed.
“Eh, I get bored when you’re not in top form anyway.” Sirius shrugged and sat back.
James sputtered but Marlene didn’t give it much notice. She was too focused on Sirius’ thumb as it slid against hers.
She looked up at him, hoping to decipher what was happening between them. Sirius winked at her but his attention focused on their friends.
“What’s on the pizza then?” Lily asked. “And please don’t tease this time.”
Marlene chuckled and tried to keep her mind on the conversation and less on what was or wasn’t happening between her and Sirius. “The one the four of us like, but everyone else has something against it; pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, and black olives.”
“That’s the only benefit of everyone bailing tonight.” James chuckled. “We get the pizza we like.”
As if summoned by magic, their number was called and Sirius let go of her hand. “I shall return with food.”
Marlene watched him go, knowing that there was no reason she should follow him. They’d only ordered one pizza, she had brought the plates with their drinks, and so Sirius needed no help. But for a reason Marlene wasn’t ready to think about, she wanted to follow him.
And when he returned with pizza and sat back down, he didn’t grab her hand again. That brought up more feelings that Marlene really didn’t want to try and think about. Sirius was her friend. And while she was very capable of looking at him and pointing out all the reasons girls fell at his feet, she didn’t know if she wanted to give into her body and be one of them.
The conversation continued though as if Marlene wasn’t struggling to decide if these feelings surrounding Sirius were worth pursuing. So she did her best to keep pushing James and Lily together while trying to enjoy her dinner. They’d been at the restaurant forty-five minutes when Sirius tapped her knee with his.
“I’m grabbing a refill,” Sirius lifted his cup. “Hand them over.”
“I’ll help you.” Marlene didn’t miss a beat as she picked up hers and Lily’s cups.
“You got them last time.” Lily protested.
“Did you hear something?” Sirius grinned at Marlene as she scooted out of the booth.
“Not a thing,” Marlene laughed and followed him as Lily shouted after them. Something about being obnoxious.
Sirius moved to rest against the wall as they waited and jerked his head, beckoning her to join him.
“I think it’s going well.”
“Me too,” Marlene smiled up at him, “James hasn’t let her out from under his arm for most of the evening.”
“Ready to bail after we finish the pizza?”
“Really?”
“Did you bring Lily?”
“No, she drove this time.”
“Perfect, because James rode the tube and I came on my bike. He and Lily can go home together and I’ll drive you home.”
“Lily and I live together.” Marlene pointed out. “It doesn’t make sense for me to go home with you. How are we going to pull this off?”
“Marls, you’re brilliant!” Sirius grinned.
“What?”
“You said it didn’t make sense for you to come home with me, instead of me to take you home. That’s the answer! You come home with me.” His eyes were bright and his grin filled his face.
“Wait,” Marlene shook her head while pushing away the pesky feelings that there might be something there between her and Sirius if he wanted to take her home. “Are we going to make it look like we’re hooking up?”
He stopped looking at her as he stepped up to the counter and set down the drinks. “Exactly. It’s the perfect reason for them to be left on their own.”
“We’d have to sell them pretty hard on it.” Marlene set down her and Lily’s drinks and glanced back at where James and Lily were cozying up on the booth.
“Not that hard.”
Marlene gasped as Sirius stepped up against her, one hand coming to rest on her hip, the other gently tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. His gray eyes were nearly black as he looked down at her, and Marlene felt herself instinctively step into him, bringing her hand up to his chest to steady herself. He smirked and bent down to whisper in her ear.
“See? We’ve got this, Marls.”
She couldn’t think. He was too close. She was enveloped by Sirius, his touch, his scent, the way his breath wafted down her neck from her ear. “And what do we tell them tomorrow?”
“We’ll talk about that after we’re sure James and Lily are stuck going home together.” His lips brushed against the shell of her ear and Marlene felt the sensation from her ear all the way down her spine.
“Are you sure you’re just not trying to get out of our bet?”
He chuckled, his breath tickling her neck. “You know I never would have taken your money.”
She did. She wouldn’t have taken his either. Probably.
“So we’re making James and Lily think we’re hooking up?”
“And we’ll go from there,” the hand that had brushed away her hair ran the length of her arm, slipping along her hand before he intertwined their fingers.
Marlene would be lying if she didn’t admit she liked the possibilities that existed in the phrase ‘go from there.’
“Let’s get these drinks and then get out of here.” His fingers squeezed her waist, and Marlene gripped his leather jacket in her hand.
“Sirius-”
“Come on,” he cut her off, pulling away and picking up their drinks. “We’ve got this, Marls.”
So she followed him. What else was she going to do? Marlene tried to reason with her warring emotions. Pointing out that Sirius could very well be Mr. Right Now. It would be fun, and if it didn’t go anywhere, then they’d laugh about it and just be friends. After all, it wasn’t until he’d run his hand along her waist that she’d actually thought that way about him. She pushed away the voice that told her she’d more than once admitted that if she were going to hook up with any of their friends she would choose Sirius, including when he’d been within earshot.
Whatever. They’d be fine. She’d be fine. It was going to be fine.
Then they sat down and Sirius slung his arm casually over her shoulders. Marlene looked up at him and he winked as he smirked down at her.
“Hey.”
Well, if they were putting on a show for James and Lily, Marlene figured she might as well make it a good one.
“Hey.” She pushed up against him, bringing her back flush with his chest.
Then she turned back to the budding couple across the table.
James’ eyebrows were creased down towards his nose while Lily’s mouth was slightly agape.
Marlene gave them a pleasant smile and picked up her drink.
“Lily, did you drive?” Sirius shifted his arm around her shoulders to be able to slide his finger under Marlene’s necklace, the choker sliding up with the action.
Marlene made a point of breathing out slowly.
“Er, yes.” Lily managed to pick her jaw up from the table. Marlene bit her lip. She was sure that Lily thought this all her doing, that she was leading Sirius along with no intention of following through.
But Marlene was quickly realizing as Sirius wound her up that she had every intent of following through.
“You two alright?” James’ brow furrowed further.
Marlene smirked. “Smashing, James.”
Sirius bent low to whisper against her ear. “Are you ready to bail?”
She turned, her lips so close to his cheek she could feel his five o'clock shadow against her face. “I am if you are.”
“More than.” He pulled her closer and looked over at James and Lily. “Have fun you two. We’ll see you later.”
“Seriously?” James sputtered again.
“It’s just Sirius, mate.” Sirius laughed. “Make sure he gets home, Lily. I don’t want to hear he took the tube home.”
Marlene winked at Lily, who was gaping at her again, and let Sirius pull them away and out the door.
Sirius kept her pressed against him as they approached his bike.
“Now,” he stopped them to lean back against his bike and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into him so that she stood between his legs. “I’m going to tell you to call the next shot.”
Marlene let her arms come to rest around his neck, loosely linking her fingers under his hair. Her heart was hammering but she was relishing the feel of being this close to him. “The next shot for what?”
“You and me.” He leant in and Marlene thought he was going to kiss her but instead he rested his forehead against hers.
“So this is what you meant by we’ll go from there?” She gave into desire and leant closer, bringing her nose to nuzzle along his, their lips now mere centimeters apart.
His grip on her waist tightened and she had to take a half a step forward, leaving absolutely no space between her hips and his. “What do you say, Marls?”
“Are you willing to let this be something?” She shifted to let her lips brush his as she spoke.
“I’m planning on it, McKinnon.”
She could feel his smirk against her and deliberately licked her lips, the barest taste of pizza still there as her tongue brushed him. The sound that he responded with was guttural, primal, and she bit her lip as her stomach tightened.
“Me too,” Marlene murmured before finally, deliberately, bringing her lips to his.
Sirius wasted no time in deepening the kiss, sliding his tongue against hers while pushing his hands under her leather jacket. Marlene matched him, pushing her hands into his hair, sighing at its softness, pressing more of her against him, savoring this moment where she and Sirius crossed the line from friends to something different, something more, something decidedly better.
“Come on,” Sirius slowed their pace, “My flat is far more comfortable than balancing against my bike.”
“The bike is sexy, Black.” Marlene pulled his bottom lip between her teeth. “Don’t underestimate her.”
She felt Sirius’ chuckle against her chest more than she heard it. “Not to worry, love, I’ll make sure you don’t miss her too much.” He pulled away and climbed on, jerking his head for Marlene to follow suit.
Marlene pulled herself flush against him once she was on, and smiled when she felt Sirius’ hand wrap around hers over his middle and give it a firm squeeze.
She hasn’t realized how good it could feel, moving a friendship forward like this, but as Sirius pushed off and they started down the road toward his flat, Marlene didn’t regret any of the evening.
And she didn’t regret it in the morning either when Sirius woke her with soft kisses against her neck and shoulders. She didn’t regret it when Lily was shocked that her going home with Sirius ended up not just being a plot to get Lily and James alone. She didn’t regret it when they realized they’d been together for a year. And she didn’t regret it while sitting next to Sirius at James and Lily’s wedding as the maid of honor and Sirius the best man.
“Ready for your big speech?” Marlene slid her fingers against his palm before interlacing their fingers as they waited for the plates to be cleared.
“Of course, I’ve been ready since the first day James met Lils.” He let go of her hand to trace her shoulder along the off the shoulder sleeve of her dress. “And I should tell you before I give it, I’d been planning to try and sweep you off your feet the night they figured themselves out.”
Marlene blinked. “What?”
Sirius kissed her. “You’d been driving me mad. It just worked out that James and Lily could be pushed in the same night. But I was bloody determined, love.”
Marlene kissed him, pulling her fingers through his hair as she laughed. “I’m glad you did. I love you.”
“I love you too.” Sirius ran a hand along her knee, his fingers caressing the skin exposed by the cut off her dress. Marlene caught his hand and interlaced their fingers. They had the entire night ahead of them.
“Why are you telling me this now?”
Sirius’ smirk hit his lips with lightning speed. “Couldn’t have you finding out in my speech could I?”
He kissed her cheek and then stood and held up his glass as he started his toast to James and Lily. He followed that immediately with his proposal to her.
Marlene didn’t think she could be any happier as he slid the ring on her finger and kissed her with abandon.
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‘Captain Black?’
‘Yes?’
‘The Lieutenant Colonel would like you to report to him immediately.’
‘Now?’
‘Yes Captain.’
‘He didn’t appear to mention what this is about, did he?’
‘No, Captain. They appeared to be discussing some form of classified information.’
‘Alright, thank you, Private. I shall be along in a moment,’ Captain Sirius Black sighed as he placed down the tin bowl containing his supper. He made a face at the jeers from his unit.
I’m so excited! This story is going to be amazing! And I am the biggest sucker for WWII AUs!
PAS DE DEUX - A DRARRY BALLET AU
About three and a half years ago, I promised my dear friend Gabby (aka @sprout2012) a Drarry ballet AU, inspired by one of our favourite DIY Draco’s, Jeppe Hansen. I never wrote it, though, as I got hung up on a plot issue. When my Wattpad followers reached 6K, however, I wanted to write a new fic to celebrate. When given the choice of what fic, they unanimously voted for a ballet story. I realised I could simplify the plot problem, and FINALLY sat down to write this story! I hope it was worth the wait ;)
“Harry has a show to put on and the last thing he needs is prima ballerina Draco Malfoy messing things up. But when Draco is injured, the two end up spending more time together and Harry wonders if maybe there’s something between them after all?”
Muggle AU. Smut.
Aesthetic by me, featuring Daniel Radcliffe as Harry, and Tom Felton/Jeppe Hansen as Draco. Click the links below to read!
Post link
Fic Rec #745
Hermione x Remus Lupin
Hermione sends a drunken email to her very hot professor; expecting nothing to come of it, she has a drunken tryst with an ex that same night. A reply was all she thought she’d recieve; she gets much more than that.
COMPLETE: Chapters: 3 - Words: 14,359
Fic Rec #757
something about a failurebysadie18
Hermione x Ron Weasley x Viktor Krum
ron feels like a bit of a single loser
the couple that visits often doesn’t feel that way
at all.
COMPLETE: Chapters: 1 - Words: 1,758
Fic Rec #752
Teaching AssistantbyWildKitsune
Hermione x Tom Riddle (some Hermione x Bellatrix Lestrange)
Hermione suddenly finds herself at the center of attention by not one but two tenured professors.
COMPLETE: Chapters: 1 - Words: 10,032
The Olympic couple everyone cheers about.
So Evil Author Day inspired me to post, but I was going to post this one soon anyway. I’m in a total writing slump, sooo no update schedule and I don’t even have a pretty made for this, lol
***New Story Alert***
Title:Rugby Star
Summary:Hermione needs a date to Ron’s wedding. Ginny dared her to ask one of Charlie’s friends. Flirty, sexy, chaos ensues.
Pairing:Hermione Granger/Thorfinn Rowle
Rating:M/E
Warnings:Smut
Links:https://archiveofourown.org/works/29472138/chapters/72395598
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13820276/1/Rugby-Star
