Chapter 5
Remus’ heart pounded in his chest as he walked through the corridors of Hogwarts, the weight of his decision pressing heavily on him. He wasn’t sure how he had gotten here—how the simple act of being near Sirius had transformed into this swirling, complicated mess of emotions. The last few weeks had been a blur of stolen glances and quiet conversations, of touches that lingered just a fraction too long. Every time Sirius laughed, every time their eyes met across the room, Remus could feel something deep within him shift. But it was always followed by a pang of fear, the nagging thought that maybe this wasn’t something Sirius wanted, that maybe he had misread the signals entirely.
He had been debating whether or not to take the leap for what felt like an eternity. But today was different.
Lily had noticed. Of course she had. She had noticed everything. In their last study session, while they worked on their essays in the library, she’d casually leaned over, her voice light but sharp, the way it always was when she was about to make a point.
“You two are getting there, aren’t you?”
Remus had frozen, unsure of how to respond. He’d tried to laugh it off, but Lily wasn’t fooled. She’d simply raised an eyebrow, giving him a knowing look.
“You’re not fooling anyone, Remus,” she had said, her tone softening. “He’s terrified. And so are you. But it doesn’t have to be this way.”
Lily had always been perceptive, but Remus hadn’t realized just how much she had been paying attention to him and Sirius. She’d seen through all his careful pretenses, all the walls he had put up to keep his feelings from bubbling to the surface. And now, here he was, standing in the dimly lit hallway, about to confront those feelings head-on.
Sirius was waiting for him by the entrance to the common room. His back was turned, and his posture was casual, but Remus could feel the tension in the air. He could sense that Sirius was just as unsure, just as uncertain about where they stood. And that made Remus’ stomach churn with nerves.
"Hey," Remus said, his voice almost shaking despite his best efforts to keep it steady. "Can we talk?"
Sirius turned, his eyes flashing with curiosity, but also something else—a flicker of hesitation. He nodded, stepping closer. "Of course. What’s up?"
Remus hesitated for a moment, looking around to make sure no one else was nearby. He didn’t want this conversation to be overheard—not yet. He needed to say this in private, with only the two of them.
"I—I need to say something," Remus began, his throat tight. "And I need you to listen."
Sirius’ expression softened, his eyes warm as he stepped closer. "I’m listening, Moony."
Taking a deep breath, Remus pushed forward, feeling his heart beat faster in his chest with every word. "I’m tired of pretending, Sirius... I like you. I have for a long time now."
There was a moment of silence, and Remus immediately regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. He had never been good with vulnerability. But this time, for some reason, it felt different.
Sirius blinked, his lips parting in shock. He took a step back, his face unreadable for the briefest of moments. Then, it happened—the realization that Remus had been waiting for.
Sirius let out a soft laugh, his eyes suddenly bright with a mixture of relief and disbelief. "You—bloody hell, Remus. I thought I was the only one who felt this way."
The tension in Remus’ chest melted away, replaced by a flood of warmth. Sirius stepped forward, closing the space between them, and took Remus’ hand in his.
"Why didn’t you say something sooner?" Sirius asked, a teasing edge to his voice, but his eyes were filled with sincerity.
Remus chuckled nervously, looking away. "I was scared. I didn’t want to ruin things."
"Ruining things?" Sirius asked, his voice a mix of disbelief and fondness. "You’ve got to be joking. We’ve been tiptoeing around each other for months."
"I know. I’m an idiot."
Sirius smiled, his thumb brushing over Remus’ hand in a gentle gesture that made Remus' breath catch in his throat. "We’re both idiots then. But I’m glad we’re idiots together."
Before Remus could respond, Sirius pulled him into a kiss, soft and tentative at first, as if both of them were still waiting for the other to pull back. But neither of them did. It felt right, like the weight of everything they had been holding back had suddenly been lifted.
When they pulled apart, both were breathless, a sense of clarity finally settling between them. Remus smiled, his heart lighter than it had been in months.
"Maybe we can stop pretending now?" Remus suggested softly.
Sirius grinned, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Definitely."
It had been a long day, and Barty Crouch Jr. was more than ready to unwind. The Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry was always intense, but today’s interactions had been particularly heated. It wasn’t just the usual banter; there had been a palpable tension in the air, especially between the Marauders and the Slytherin Skittles.
Barty had just settled into an armchair by the fire when the door to the common room swung open, and the Marauders trooped in, as loud and boisterous as ever. They were up to something—Barty could feel it in the air.
Evan, sitting across from him, raised an eyebrow. "They look like they’ve got something planned."
Barty smirked. "Knowing them, it’s probably another prank."
Sure enough, James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus all exchanged knowing looks before grinning in unison. A quick glance between them, and Barty could tell they were on the verge of setting something up.
"Oi, Barty!" James called, a grin plastered across his face. "You might want to get comfortable. It's about to get a lot more... entertaining."
Barty shot a glance at Evan, who seemed entirely too calm for his liking. "I don’t like the sound of that."
As if on cue, the Marauders launched into action, executing their prank with the same chaotic energy they always brought. It wasn’t just any prank. This time, they’d managed to sneak into the Slytherin dormitories, and Barty’s mattress—along with several others—was unceremoniously dumped into the Black Lake. The cold, watery splash echoed in the halls as the Slytherins scrambled to try to salvage their belongings.
The Marauders burst into laughter as they made their getaway, their footfalls fading into the distance. Barty was left fuming, soaking wet, and thoroughly annoyed.
"That’s it," Barty muttered, shaking water from his hair. "They’re getting the next round of it."
Evan just chuckled, clearly amused by the spectacle. "Looks like your little rivalry just got a lot more interesting."
Remus stood in the doorway of the common room, still grinning, his hand still wrapped around Sirius’. He had never felt so light, so free. The prank the Marauders had just pulled on the Slytherins had only added to the sense of victory in the air, but it was the connection with Sirius that was truly what mattered now.
As he watched the chaos unfold, Remus couldn’t help but feel a sense of peace. For the first time in a long while, he wasn’t holding anything back. He was exactly where he needed to be, with the person he wanted to be with.
Sirius leaned in, his lips brushing against Remus’ ear. "We’ve got a lot more to figure out, but I think we’re on the right track."
Remus nodded, squeezing his hand. "Yeah. We are."
And for the first time in a long while, everything felt like it was finally falling into place.