autumn days and butterbeer nights
“Finally Hogsmeade!” Sirius says, excitedly from behind Remus, startling him. Remus, Sirius, James, regulus, lily and Mary are standing in a circle waiting for professor Mcgonagall to escort them to Hogsmeade.
“Alright students!” McGonagall calls out, causing Regulus and Sirius to jump. Together, they make their way down. Remus can't help but be excited.
As usual, Remus was doing his best to rein in Sirius, who seemed to have an endless reserve of energy that evening. Despite Remus’s efforts, Sirius was practically buzzing with excitement, his energy radiating like a live wire, making it impossible for Remus to keep him in check.
Behind the boisterous pair, Mary trailed along at a leisurely pace, her steps unhurried as she chatted quietly with Lily. The tension between them had eased significantly since the awkward incident in the common room.
By the time they finally reached Hogsmeade, the group was buzzing with excitement. The crisp air carried the sweet scent of Honeydukes and fresh bread from the bakery, while the cheerful chatter of students filled the cobblestone streets. It was the kind of day that felt full of possibilities, the small village practically glowing under the autumn sunlight.
As they stood at the crossroads of Hogsmeade, James, Peter, and Regulus had already bolted ahead, their hurried steps echoing on the stones. James tossed a half-hearted wave over his shoulder as Peter struggled to keep up, clutching a list of “must-try” sweets. Regulus, looking like he wanted to maintain an air of cool detachment, had no choice but to follow, though there was a faint grin tugging at his lips.
Lily and Mary lingered a moment longer, debating where to go first. “We’re heading to Scrivenshaft’s,” Lily announced, looping her arm through Mary’s. “Mary’s got to replace her quill after she stabbed it through her essay last week.”
“It was a moment of passion!” Mary defended, though her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
With that, they strolled off, leaving Sirius and Remus standing in the middle of the street. Sirius stuffed his hands in his pockets and glanced at Remus with a crooked grin. “Looks like it’s just you and me, Moony. Come on—I need Fizzing Whizzbees. The stash is running dangerously low.”
They made their way to Honeydukes, navigating the growing crowd of students eager to stock up on sweets. The shop was packed, the shelves stacked high with colourful jars of treats, and the air was heavy with the smell of sugar and excitement. Remus followed Sirius as he expertly wove through the chaos, but it wasn’t long before the crowd became overwhelming.
Remus noticed Sirius stiffening, his movements more hurried as his eyes darted around the room. He looked fidgety, his fingers tugging at the hem of his jacket, and a faint line creased his forehead.
Without thinking, Remus reached out and grabbed Sirius’s hand, his touch firm but gentle. Sirius froze for a second, then glanced at Remus, his gray eyes wide. Remus gave him a small, reassuring smile. “Breathe, Padfoot. It’s just a crowd. You’re fine.”
Sirius exhaled slowly, his shoulders relaxing as he squeezed Remus’s hand. “Thanks, Moony,” he muttered, his voice barely audible over the noise. He didn’t pull his hand away, though, letting Remus guide him through the throng of students.
Once they’d managed to grab a bag of Fizzing Whizzbees and escape the shop, Sirius leaned against the wall outside, his free hand rubbing at his temples. “Merlin’s beard, that place gets worse every time.”
“I told you to stock up last trip,” Remus said, his tone teasing but soft. He still hadn’t let go of Sirius’s hand, and Sirius didn’t seem to mind.
“Well, if someone hadn’t eaten half my stash—” Sirius began, but he was cut off by Remus’s raised eyebrow. “Okay, maybe it was me,” he admitted with a sheepish grin.
Remus chuckled and tugged on his hand. “Come on, let’s walk it off. Where to next?”
Sirius straightened up, his grin returning. “Zonko’s, obviously. I’ve got some pranks in mind, and James is going to owe me big for these ideas.”
As they walked off, their pace slower and more relaxed now, Sirius glanced at their still-joined hands. He didn’t say anything, but the warmth of Remus’s touch grounded him in a way he wasn’t sure he’d ever admit aloud.
Meanwhile, in another part of the village, James was gleefully dragging Regulus into a disastrous attempt at trying on joke glasses, and Lily was pretending not to notice Mary stealing glances at her reflection in the shop windows.
Later that afternoon, the seven of them crammed into a corner booth at the Three Broomsticks, mugs of butterbeer clinking together as they talked over one another. The pub was lively, filled with the warmth of laughter and the low hum of conversations from other Hogwarts students scattered about.
James and Peter were in the middle of a heated exchange. James was dramatically recounting the tale of his stolen chocolate frog stash, gesturing wildly while Peter fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable. “I swear, I don’t know where they went!” Peter stammered, his eyes darting around the room like he was searching for an escape route.
“Oh, sure,” James said, raising an eyebrow. “They just vanished into thin air, did they? Or maybe into someone’s mouth, Wormtail?” James leaned forward, staring Peter down with mock seriousness, making Sirius snort into his butterbeer.
On the other side of the table, Lily and Mary were huddled together, giggling over some new crush Lily had apparently developed. “I mean, his hair is so... windswept!” Lily whispered, her cheeks pink.
“Windswept?” Mary repeated, laughing so hard she almost spilled her drink. “That’s your bar now? Slightly untidy hair?”
“You wouldn’t understand, Mary. It’s romantic,” Lily said, flicking a sugar packet at her in mock indignation.
Meanwhile, Sirius and Regulus sat side by side, quietly sipping their butterbeer. They exchanged occasional glances, a comfortable silence between them. For once, Sirius wasn’t cracking jokes or drawing attention to himself. Regulus, usually more reserved, looked relaxed.
“It’s been a successful day, I reckon,” James announced suddenly, cutting through the chaos at the table.
“Why’s that, Prongs?” Sirius asked, practically slamming his butterbeer down with a dramatic flair.
“I got my chocolate frogs back,” James said triumphantly, staring pointedly at Peter, who immediately began looking around the room like the walls had suddenly become very interesting.
“You’re unbelievable,” Remus said, rolling his eyes but smiling all the same.
“Don’t look so smug, Moony,” Sirius chimed in. “We all know you’re secretly plotting to raid Honeydukes for more chocolate.”
Remus raised his butterbeer in mock salute. “Guilty as charged.”
The table burst into laughter, and even Peter cracked a sheepish grin. The pub seemed to glow around them, the golden light of the lanterns reflecting off their mugs and the sound of their joy cutting through the din of the crowd.
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a warm orange glow through the windows, they leaned into the comfort of each other’s company. Arguments over chocolate, crushes, and stolen sweets melted into shared smiles and teasing jabs.
By the time they drained their mugs and reluctantly stood to leave, the group felt lighter—closer, even.