In Your Beat
☼𐂂☼
James
☼𐂂☼
After their first game - and first win - both of Gryffindor’s team coaches decided to let them have a party. The girl’s first game is luckily two days after the boy’s so they don’t have to hold back their celebrations either.
James and Sirius were sitting in their dorm listening to music as Sirius sat doing the makeup they only do for special occasions. James watched as they dragged the blue pencil over their lower lash line - cringing slightly in fear that they’d stab their eye with it but they thankfully didn’t - before they applied some glitter around their eyes.
“How did you get so good at that?” James asks, tilting his head to the side, still watching - mesmerized by - Sirius’ precision.
“Mary taught me when I was figuring everything out with… you know, myself I guess.” They shrug, starting to work on their hair, spraying some glitter thing into it to make it shine in the warm light of their dorm.
“Don’t you worry that people are gonna be assholes?” James asks, feeling suddenly horribly angry at the thought of anyone mocking them for feeling like themself.
“Assholes will be assholes no matter what you do, James. I mean… it’s scary because I’m sure many people on our team are jocks that probably see those videos of people shaving their eyelashes and aspire to be that masculine one day but… I’ll do it anyway.” Sirius smiles, turning to look at him.
“I’m sorry but shaving eyelashes? I think that’s gayer than kissing a guy on the fucking mouth for god’s sake!” James shouts in disbelief.
“You haven’t seen the videos?” They laugh, opening their phone and showing him one.
“Oh my God! That razor is way too close to the eyeball! What the fuck!” James shouts, looking through his fingers.
“I just want to see what they look like after this.” Sirius laughs, scrolling through more videos of men shaving their eyelashes than James wanted to see.
“Uh… can you do mine?” James asks, looking over at Sirius.
“Your makeup?” They ask, a single manicured, black eyebrow raised.
“I mean… it wouldn’t just be you people will look at and you seem good at it so… I don’t know. I mean why can’t I? It’s a bit of fun right?” He grins.
“If I was Lily I would literally fuck you on the spot for that.” Sirius smiles, leaning over to their drawer of makeup that James vaguely remembers Mary coming into their dorm on their first day to drop off.
“I think there’s more to it than just me being nice to people… I mean, maybe I’m not her type? It’s not a problem, I’ll get over her.” James shrugs.
“Red, blue or purple eyeliner?” Sirius asks, holding up three tubes in their hands. “And trust me, you’re someone’s type.” A cheeky grin appears on their face. “I mean… if you ever realise you like men, call me.” They joke.
“Red.” He smiles. “And uh… I mean I don’t know… I think I might be but I don’t know, is that weird… like I know I like women but I think I’ve had crushes on like anyone.” James says slowly, looking up at Sirius who has a huge grin on their face.
“So you’re bi?” They ask, sitting in front of James - quickly removing his glasses - before applying the eyeliner.
“I don’t think so… I kinda looked everything up and I think I don’t have a preference I think… I think I’m pan?” James says as if he’s testing the word on his tongue.
“That’s cool, I’m bi so… one of us.” They softly chant, smiling brightly when James laughs.
“How did you know this red would suit your skin so well?” They ask after a short pause. “I’ve never got it to look normal on me but it fits you…” They lean back quickly, tilting James’ head left and right. “I think I should just give this to you.”
“Should I put my glasses back on over it or my contacts-”
“Let’s see.” Sirius smiles, putting his glasses back on his nose. “Yeah, the gold fits the red too… did you plan this Potter?” They joke.
“No, I just love the colour red.” James smiles.
“I can understand why.” They grin. “Now, let’s go to this party because I need to get drunk.” They shout as they jump to their feet, leading James into the common room.
James is almost immediately pulled away from Sirius and towards Lily who looks breathtakingly beautiful - as always - but she looks more beautiful than she ever has in the past month James has known her.
“Only two goals?” She asks with a teasing eyebrow raise. “When I play on Wednesday I’m going to score three.” She grins.
“I would have scored more but-”
“But you didn’t.” She smiles. “But don’t worry, James, I will. I’ll score all the goals available to me rather than hesitating like you did.” She grins, the lighting making her emerald green eyes shine out to him.
“I didn’t know I was your competition.” James grins, stepping closer to the ginger girl, who’s smile only gets wider as he does.
“Well, think again Potter. You’re all my competition.” She smiles, stepping closer by less than an inch.
“Well I’ll keep that in mind.” He grins before Lily grabs the front of his shirt, tugging him down towards her and crashing her lips against his. It catches him off guard before he quickly reciprocates.
“Fucking finally!” A voice calls while another wolf whistles, forcing them to break apart, James looks up to see Nichole smiling at him, Sirius whistling with the Prewett twins while Marlene was the person to shout at them before whistling with the other three.
“Maybe here was a bad place to do that.” Lily whispers, but the impish smile on her face shows she’s loving this. “I’m gonna go find Remus before he spends the whole night in his dorm, see ya!” She grins, leaving him to go towards the boy’s dorms.
“What did you say to her!” Sirius shouts over the booming sound of In Your Beat by Django Django, clapping James in the chest with a cup full of alcohol.
“What’s in here?” He asks him - knowing everyone here is nice but he needs to be sure.
“Oh… I think it’s that wine over there.” They say, pointing to the bottle of red wine sat on a counter of the mini kitchen the common rooms have.
“Great.” James smiles, taking a sip with a huge grin on his face.
★✫★
Sirius
★✫★
A few hours later, Sirius finally works up the courage - gets drunk - enough to approach one of his teammates. Though Sirius was shocked to hear his last name - and accent - that immediately cemented the belief that he knew this man into his head.
Alexander Tonks.
Theodore Tonks’ half brother, his cousin Andromeda’s brother-in-law - well if they’re married yet but if they haven’t then they’ve been engaged for 4 years and that’s ages in Sirius’ mind.
“Hey, Tonks.” Sirius grins, slotting themself next to Kingsley Thorne - long time friend of Alexander - who had just signed for Liverpool’s academy after this school year ends.
“Black.” He grins, turning around, his dyed pink curls swaying with his movements. “I was wondering when you or the scowly one would approach me.”
“Regulus was never going to… he probably hates her as much as the rest of my family.” Sirius spits bitterly.
“Ah… well that makes sense.” He grins, explaining at Sirius’ confused face: “You’re your part of the family’s Andromeda.”
“I mean I’m not… I don’t have any noble love to run for.” They shrug.
“You’re 15, Andromeda didn’t when she was your age but from what she’s told me she was rebellious in some ways.” He says with a fond smile on his tanned face.
“How… how is she?” They ask.
“Her and Ted married a year after she ran to us. She was drenched in rain from running and using her - horrendously large - bank account to travel on a train with no possessions all the way from London to Newcastle. It was admirable, really.” He smiles. “She helped us out with some financial problems too.”
“The only Black to spend money for something other than themself.” Sirius grumbles.
“From what I’ve gathered, I wouldn’t be shocked if that’s true. Though that Alphard seems nice enough.” He smiles.
“Really? I mean he goes to events and he seems nice but I thought that was a front…” Sirius mumbles.
“Well, he still talks to Andromeda on the phone every week about getting you guys out of there but don’t tell anyone I told you.” He smiles, pressing a finger to his lips with a teasing smile on his face. “And yes, her and Teddy are very happy.”
“That’s lovely to-”
“And their baby girl seems to be too.” He smiles, laughing as Sirius’ jaw drops to the floor.
“Oh my God what?!” They screech.
“Yep. She’s called Nymphadora.” He laughs at the face Sirius makes. “Yeah, trust me I tried to talk them into a more normal name but they - especially Andromeda - were very adamant on her being called that.” He says. “And if you want I could - probably - get you her number so you could talk to her and see Nymphadora. She’s 2” He adds quickly.
“I’d love that.” Sirius smiles, standing and hugging him quickly before remembering themself and quickly untangling them. “Thank you!” They call before they rush over to Remus who finally joined the party.
He looks ethereal in the now red lighting. His tanned and scarred skin glistening, his amber eyes looking as wolfish as they normally do and Sirius feels drawn like a dog to a bone by them.
“Remus, you’re looking very tree-like today.” They smile, having to look up at the boy as he towers over them.
“Ah… I was wondering where you went.” He smiles. “I’m surprised you’re not doing karaoke with the gingers over there.” He says, pointing to the machine that has Lily, Alice, Gideon, Fabian and some other ginger boy Sirius doesn’t remember the name of, in the under 13s team.
“Well my hair is black, Remus. I’m not welcome there by your people.” They grin.
“I am not ginger!” He shouts, seemingly appalled at even the suggestion of being perceived as ginger, grabbing his hair as if he’s shielding it from the knowledge that it’s being perceived as ginger.
“Keep telling yourself that gingie.” They laugh.
“I swear I will shave all your hair off in the middle of the night.” Remus grumbles, crossing his arms over his chest.
“No! It’s my best feature!” Sirius gasps in mock indignation.
“Uh, what about your eyes?” Remus asks genuinely, with a cute little crease between his fair eyebrows before he realises he said that aloud and goes bright red. “I mean… uh.” He coughs awkwardly.
“You’re right, they are my best feature, beau.” They smile.
“What does that mean?” He asks accusingly.
“What, beau? Nothing for you to worry about, tree boy.” They grin, hoping he doesn’t look it up.
“I hate you.” He grumbles but the smile on his face shows his real thoughts.
🕱
Barty
🕱
“Hey, Bee?” Felix calls from his bed.
“Yeah?” Barty asks, turning his face to see the blonde boy across the room from him. From the look on the small boy this is gonna be serious so - unfortunately - Barty has to put his text conversation with Regulus - about the pictures of Mulciber’s tiny dick the entire Slytherin team apparently got sent when he accidentally put them on a group chat - on hold.
“Uh… how did you know you liked Reg?” He asks nervously.
“Why?” Barty asks - too defensively, now Felix looks close to tears and Barty feels incredibly guilty.
“I just… I’m not sure if I’ve felt anything… I mean I know I’m only thirteen but everyone around me has crushes or girlfriends and boyfriends and I just… feel nothing.” He sighs.
“Oh uh… well my experience was he was a bit of an asshole to me, when I only dyed a streak of my hair green he said it was horrible and… fuck.” Barty groans, flopping back onto his bed. “But hey, why are you worrying? You don’t need a partner to have a good life. I mean you haven’t had one before so what will it change for you if you don’t ever have a partner?” He asks, wishing Felix chose either of his siblings to ask but Barty can understand why it may be awkward to talk about to a sibling - well if he can imagine sibling relationships.
“Yeah but… you know my friend Kylie?” He asks, referring to one of the friends he made from being in the under 13s team.
“Yeah, she seems nice, a bit weird but I like her. Weird people are always the best to talk to.” Barty smiles.
“She kinda… asked me out and when I said I didn’t see her that way got… she got mad and said that I shouldn’t have flirted with her if I didn’t like her and-”
“Oh fuck…” Barty hisses. “Well… have you maybe thought you were aro or ace but also… that she’s a total asshole for making you feel… what’s the word…” Barty pauses, clicking and hoping it comes to him. “What’s the English fucking… guilty!” He gasps. “Guilty for not liking her. I mean I don’t know why anyone would want someone to date them just because they feel bad for you. I’d rather die, honestly.” Barty shrugs.
“I might be…” Felix mumbles, staring at his hands. “Is there something wrong with me?”
“No, I mean I think saying there’s anything wrong with aroace people is like saying there’s something wrong with gay people. So do you think there’s something wrong with me and Regulus?” Barty asks.
“Obviously not. I mean you like him and he’s actually happy… he deserves to be happy.” Felix smiles fondly.
“Then there. You’re perfectly normal and you never have to feel a heartbreak. Lucky sod.” Barty smiles. “And hey, your family still loves you, that’s all that matters. Romance is nice but it’s nothing without friends.”