August
Baristas and best friends
Prompt: Bronze
No warnings
Major tags: Coffee shop AU, Prongsfoot best friends
James entered the staffroom and threw his apron over the back of a chair. "Call me vain, but I'm not used to people getting disappointed when they see me."
"What?" Sirius looked up.
"There was a bloke here earlier. I saw him stopping outside and fixing his clothes. Then he got in and saw me. Pang. Disappointment all over his face."
Sirius wetted his lips. "He wasn't perhaps a gangly type with a scar on his face?"
"He was." James folded his arms and arched an eyebrow.
"He came looking for me", Sirius gasped and smiled distantly. He had regretted not asking for his number all week as he without luck tried to get those stunning bronze eyes off his mind. The way his beautiful long fingers had brushed his when he took his coffee, the cute blush on his cheeks and the way his gaze lingered had made Sirius feel it was meant to be.
"Did you just giggle?"
"No." Sirius was drawn back to reality. "What did he say? What did he do?"
"Well, he ordered a coffee and left."
Sirius felt his face drop. Nothing more?
James chuckled "He stuttered for a while without getting anywhere. I showed some mercy and told him my handsome colleague starts at 14. He thanked me deeply."
Sirius jumped up and looked at the time. "So, what are we waiting for?" He dragged a hand through his hair. "How do I look?"
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You’re invited
Prompt: Defeat
No warnings
Major tags: Adults, pining Remus, additional Jily
Remus is just finishing up his last tasks for the week when Lily walks into his cubicle with her jacket over her shoulder.
“We’re having a little house party tomorrow. You should come.”
“I think I’ll pass this time. Sorry.”
Instead of accepting defeat, Lily leans both elbows on the desk and looks at him. “Sirius will be there.”
Remus laughs a laugh he hopes is hiding how that thought makes his stomach flip.
“I saw you looking at him last time.” Lily coos.
Remus rolls his eyes. “Everyone is always looking at him. He’s stunning.”
Lily flips her palm up in an innocent gesture. “There you have it.”
Remus sighs.
Lily arches her eyebrows.
He gives her a wry smile. “Okay. I’m coming.”
“See you!” She turns around and waves over her shoulder. “Oh! And no jumpers. Wear your green shirt, you look good in that.”
Sometimes he wonders if getting her as a colleague was a blessing or a curse.
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Loony Lupin
Prompt: Stronger
Warnings: Bullying
Major tags: Professor Lupin, grief, bullying
"Hey Loony?"
The words echo through the corridors. Professor Lupin stops dead in his tracks and looks around. His first thought is that he is alone: No Sirius, James or Peter to protect him - or to be tough in front of. His second thought is that he is a Professor now and it's not he who is being called. Of course not.
"Loony, come here!"
"No. Stop."
"Hold still."
It's coming from around the corner. The same as the foul smell he went to investigate in the first place.
He steps around the corner and the smell gets stronger. Surrounded by three laughing boys stands Luna, Pandora's girl, with her arms vainly shielding her head against whatever they are pouring over her.
"I thought you said you like mimbletonia sap?"
Sirius would have hexed them into the next day.
The grief comes crashing down upon him like a wave. There is no Sirius anymore. He is alone.
But she doesn't have to be. He can stand up for her. That doesn't bring them back, but it somehow makes the pain more bearable.
With a swing of his wand, he vanishes the reeking mimbletonia sap from Luna's hair and clothes, as well as the container from the tallest boy's hands. They turn around in surprise, eyes widening when they see him.
"Detention, all of you." He has to take a deep breath to keep the tremble out of his voice. "You'll be cleaning the animal cages tonight, no magic."
Who is going to smell after that, huh?
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Let him find out
Prompt: Determination
No warnings
Major tags: Secret relationship, Hogwarts
James paces back and forth in the dorm.
"I don't know", Sirius objects, "maybe he's just happy?"
That just makes the determination clearer on James' face. "I caught him humming in the bathroom. He never hums. I'm telling you - he's seeing someone! He just won't tell me who it is."
Sirius bites his tongue not to laugh. "Maybe that Ravenclaw girl that goes to his study grope?"
James makes a sceptic face. "Do you think so?"
"I don't know. It could be anyone."
When James leaves, and Remus reappears from under Sirius' blanket, Sirius bursts out laughing.
Remus smiles guiltily. "Don't you think we should just tell him?"
"And ruin all the fun? No! Let him find out."
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Implications
Prompt: Silver
No warnings
Major tags: Remus secretly a werewolf, Hogwarts, before they get together
Remus was acting weird. He had not been in the dorm all night and had missed both morning classes. When they entered the great hall for lunch, Sirius immediately spotted him in the first year's usual place at the far end of the Gryffindor table. He was leaning heavily on one elbow, and the dark circles under his eyes were prominent.
It was not the first time he had gone missing without a word. Come to think of it, it had happened roughly once a month. When asked, he usually shrugged and said something vague about having suddenly become ill. Sirius was versed enough in deception to know that it was a lie. Yet, the shy boy didn't seem the type for mischief. The reason for his disappearances remained a mystery.
Remus waved awkwardly at them when they got close and his gaze flicked around guiltily.
Sirius decided to not even ask.
"Hi. Good to have you back."
He was rewarded with a surprised but grateful smile, crinkling the corners of his eyes cutely despite his worn look.
"Thanks. What did I miss?"
When they had finished, Remus rose stiffly as if his entire body hurt. Sirius imagined him biting back a groan as he lifted his book bag onto his shoulder.
"Should I take that?" Sirius asked and put a hand on Remus'.
Remus snatched his hand back and hissed as if he'd been burned. Sirius furrowed his brows and looked down at his own hand, flipping it over, not seeing anything else than his usual silver rings.
In the back of his mind, Sirius felt two and two being put together. He pushed the thought away. He could ponder the implications later. For now, he quietly removed his rings, putting them in his school bag. He reached out, took Remus' bag and carried them both to the next class. Remus walked quietly beside him, gnawing his lip and looking stubbornly away every time Sirius glanced at him.
They arrived a few minutes early. Sirius, for once not being in the mood for either gossip or clownery, sat down beside Remus.
"Want to copy my notes from potions?"
Remus let out a sigh of relief and finally met his eyes. "Yes, please."
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Driving lessons
Prompt: Coach
No warnings
Major tags: Driving school worker Remus, meet cute
“Hello! How can I help you?” Remus looks up from the counter and greets the man walking into the driving school.
He tosses his head, making long black hair dance out of his face in an elegant movement and reveal the most stunning features Remus ever had the fortune to lay eyes on. Remus is glad he already said hello because right now he has forgotten how to speak.
“Motorcycle riding lesson, first time. Booked in the name Sirius Black.”
Remus nods. Then he remembers he is supposed to do something with that information, not just enjoy the voice.
“Right… Eh… Do you have a permit?”
“Well… it’s not for me. I booked for my friend. James Potter. He will be here in a sec.”
“Okay. Does he have a permit?”
“I think so. He’s supposed to have sent it in?”
“Let me go check.”
Remus dives behind the curtain to the cramped office and starts shuffling through the permits on P. Halfway through he realises his mind is too occupied with Sirius Black waiting at the counter to register what he’s looking at and has to start over.
He can hear the door open again.
“You’re off the bet.” Sirius Black says in a low voice.
“Come again?” says someone who is probably the Potter whose papers he just found. But Remus stands still, just to hear where this goes. “The bet, that being married had suddenly made me so dull that I wouldn’t do anything like getting a motorcycle license? It’s off? Why? You already paid.”
“I figured I’ll use the lessons for myself.”
“You already have a motorcycle licence?!”
“Shh!”
“Oh, I see.” Potter chuckles.
”Shut up.” Sirius responds, still in a hushed voice. “He’s hot, okay?”
Remus can’t help the smile that fills his face when he steps back out with the papers in hand. Sirius inhales sharply, probably just then realising what bad soundproofing a thin curtain is, and looks mortified.
Remus smiles even wider. “I’m not the instructor.” As on cue, Emma steps out from the staffroom. “Ah, here she is.”
Remus locks eyes with Sirius and leans forward over the counter in what he hopes is an inviting pose, “But if you want me to coach you in anything else, give me a call.” Sirius grins widely as he takes the driving school's business card with Remus’ number scribbled on the back and follows his friend out the door.
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Medals for everyone
Prompt: Gold
Warnings: Mention of child abuse
Major tags: Teacher AU, teacher Remus, parent Sirius, meet cute
With Professor Lupin’s usual luck, he had got this temp just in time for the class to present their science projects. Grading a class you didn’t know was always hard, even more so when you hadn’t given the assignment yourself.
An after-hours exhibition for the parents was planned beforehand and the teacher he took over for had let him know they’d be expecting a winner to be announced. After seeing the projects at least choosing one wasn’t hard.
“First prize goes to Hermione Granger for her detailed moving model of the solar system. Please go have a look, everyone, it is truly amazing.”
The girl in question blushed deeply and he gave her a pat on the shoulder. A man he assumed was her dad rushed forward and hugged her, then placed a big gold medal around her neck.
Professor Lupin resisted the urge to roll his eyes. The man must have sensed his disapproval anyway because he brushed aside his long black hair and shot him a dazzling smile.
“Don’t worry, there are medals for everyone.”
Oh, he was one of those.
“Here is one for you Luna, first prize in most glitter.”
“Here is one for you Draco, first prize in… eh… most expensive-looking design.”
“And here is one for you champ, for the most fun idea.” He ruffled the hair of the boy named Harry, who answered with “Thanks, Dad.”
Huh, he wasn’t even the girl’s father then. Goldstars for everything and everyone had never been Remus style. But this was actually adorable. He seemed to have a good relationship with all the kids and paid special attention to the ones whose parents hadn’t shown up.
Professor Lupin was so caught up in admiring his ability to make the kids laugh that he missed that he was done and suddenly looked right at him. There was the dazzling smile again. Professor Lupin quickly looked away. It didn’t do to be caught staring at a parent, however charismatic.
He came right up to him and smiled.
“You don’t approve of my methods?”
Professor Lupin shrugged. It was not really his class anyway. “I was just wondering if you were the kid who won all the prizes or the one who got without.”
“Oh, I was the one who got beat up at home if I didn’t come home with all the prizes.”
His voice was so flippant that Professor Lupin was about to ask him not to joke about such things. Then he took one look at his eyes and shut his mouth again.
Oh. He was serious.
“Don’t worry though, I’m in therapy now. And now I’m rambling. Don’t know why I had to say that. You just seemed so nice. Sorry, I’m still rambling. I’ll leave now. Bye.”
He quickly made his way out of the classroom. Professor Lupin found himself gaping after him, suddenly hoping this school would get a long-term vacancy.