Big Fun
“Sirius!” Pete hissed. “Quiet down or we’re gonna get caught!”
Sirius rolled his eyes. “We’ll be fineeee. No one even comes down here during lunch.”
“People are going to come down here because you’re being loud enough to attract attention,” Remus said with a scowl. “God you’re like a fucking dog.”
“Haven’t we already established this?” James asked over his shoulder, carefully unscrewing one of the shower heads in the boys locker room showers. “After they buried the first Christmas gifts we ever gave them?”
Sirius bristled. “I did that so my mother wouldn’t find them and destroy them, thank you very much.”
Pete grinned, gently handing James a dye pack. “Nice sentiment, terrible circumstances, but still like a dog.”
“And you follow me around like a lost puppy.” Remus said, working on a different shower head.
Sirius glared at him. “I do not.”
“You do.” The other three said simultaneously.
“Honestly, Padfoot,” Pete teased, emphasizing her nickname, which had been decided after the Christmas present incident. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you randomly started barking.”
James smirked. "I bet Moony would know."
"James!" Sirius sputtered, face heating up as Peter cackled. He lobbed a dye pack at his head put James saw it coming and ducked. The dye pack soared over his head and landed on the tile floor in an explosion of blue.
"Great. Now we're down a dye pack and some bastard is going to get lucky," Remus muttered. "Thanks, James."
James gasped in offence. "How is this my fault? Sirius threw it!"
"You started it!" Sirius cried.
"I don't control your actions! You could've chose not to throw it."
"And you could've chose to keep your mouth shut!"
"Whether or not I kept my mouth shut wouldn't determine the outcome of the dye pack! You, on the other hand-"
"Children, children," Pete said patronizingly and Sirius scowled at him. "Let's use our inside voices lest we get detention before the prank even gets set off, yeah?"
"Sorry Pete." James mumbled.
Sirius remained stubbornly silent, glaring at Pete with their arms crossed. Remus nudged their shoulder and Sirius glanced over, only to be met with a stern stare.
Sirius sighed dramatically. "Sorry Pete."
Pete smirked. "It's alright, Pads."
Sirius threw her hands up, nearly smacking Remus in the face. "Oh come on! At least I wasn't fooled into believing I was a deer!"
"Oi!" James called across the change room from where he was gathering paper towels for the spilt dye. "Leave me out of this!"
Remus snorted at the memory. "I still can't believe you fell for that, Prongs."
"I was high off my ass, you can't blame me," James said with a frown.
"I can 100% blame you."
"Well, at least my name isn't Wolf John Wolf."
"Leave Moony alone." Sirius said fiercely.
Pete glanced between them all, amused. "I don't know why you're all fussing over this."
Remus rolled his eyes. "Says the guy who got his nickname by being a chess genius."
Pete shrugged with a smirk. "I think you're all just being babies."
Outside the change rooms, the telltale sound of laughter and the slamming of a door could be heard. The four of them fell quiet and sped up the process, Sirius helping Remus with the last shower head while James and Peter worked on removing the evidence from the floor.
Just as James and Peter were dumping the paper towel in the trash, the door swung open and another group sauntered in. Sirius scowled upon realizing just who they were.
Mulciber grinned when he noticed him and his gang - Avery, Yaxley, Dolohov and Snivellus - weren’t alone. Mulciber threw his head back and laughed, his buddies chuckling along with him. Sirius smirked as he noted the small, rectangular bruises down Mulciber's cheek. Someone got him good.
"What's that look for Black?" Mulciber spat out the name, tone laced with venom and Sirius wasn't about to tell him that they took it as a compliment.
Sirius nodded at the bruises. "Just wondering who gave you those so I could personally thank them."
Mulciber scowled. "That'd be your insolent little sister."
"Brother," Sirius corrected sharply. "Little brother."
Mulciber scoffed. "I should've guessed she'd pull some shit like this. First you prancing around claiming to be - what was it? Gender liquid or some shit-"
"Genderfluid." Remus interrupted coolly.
"-and now she does this." He continued, unperturbed.
"Must be something in the family genes," Avery sneered. Agreed hums traversed through the group.
Sirius clenched her fists. "There are far worse things wrong with my family."
"Y'know, I feel bad for Walburga. Two disgusting fuck ups for children and a dead husband," Mulciber clicked his tongue. "What a way to tarnish the Black empire."
"Neither of them are disgusting," James growled. "If there's anyone even remotely disgusting here, it's you. So afraid of change that you dedicate your pathetic life to making those brave enough to be themselves feel like shit."
"They aren't fuck ups either," said Pete. "I bet Sirius had more things accomplished in life by the time he was five then you ever will."
"Sure. That's why there's a resentment so thick between Blacks that it suffocates everyone else," Snape pinned his cruel glare on Sirius. "Because they aren't fuck ups."
I would've taken Reggie with me,whispered some part of Sirius, so desperate to defend himself. I would've taken him with, if only he showed any interest. If only he wasn't like them.
But he's not though, isn't he? hissed a voice that sounded suspiciously like the brother in question. He isn't like them. He's himself and you were too blind to see it. He's Regulus and you mistook him for a carbon copy of Mother. He's your brother and you abandoned him.
Mulciber laughed. "Sounds like something fucked up happened there, doesn't it."
"You don't know what you're talking about." Sirius snapped.
Somehow, this makes Mulciber laugh even more. "Ferocity must run through the family, too."
It definitely does, Sirius thought.
"Why do you say that?" They say instead.
Mulciber grinned, wicked. "You're sister has quite the temper, Black. Slapped me after I suggested we go somewhere."
"Brother," Sirius corrected again. "And, understandable. Anyone sane would have at such a vile proposition."
Remus made a face. "Who would want to go anywhere with you?"
James snorted. "No one, I'd imagine."
Peter hummed in agreement. "Rightfully so. Whoever does should raise their standards. Probably to someone who can take a fucking hint."
"It's not like any of you could do any better." Avery snarled with a glare.
Sirius could feel Remus' gaze on the back of her head as his hand came to rest on her waist. "I think I could."
James smirked and met Snape's gaze as he said, "I know I could. I have."
Snape let out a sharp breath.
Mulciber stepped forward, using the two inches of height he has on Sirius to gaze down at him. "Doesn't matter. I'm not interested anymore. I could do with a woman who knows her place, one who doesn't believe she's something she's not. One who isn't bitchy, one who isn't disgusting. One who isn't a fucking freak-"
Sirius doesn't think, they just- react. One moment, Mulciber was sneering and spouting absolute bullshit. The next, he was cradling his nose, stepping back from the force in which Sirius had decked him.
The tension was stifling, an elastic band pulled taught, waiting to snap. Mulciber lowered his hand, blood coating his palm and slipping down his fingers, gleaming crimson. Near bright enough to match the anger engulfing his gaze. But, surprisingly, it wasn't Mulciber who retaliated first.
“You fucking bitch!” Avery cried, a borderline shriek, before he surged forward, fists flying.
The band was let go and Sirius felt the lash burn against his skin.
Things got out of hand after that. Remus and James had quickly come to Sirius’ aid(but not quick enough to avoid a split lip and a bruised cheek) and Mulciber himself dove into the fray.
Peter kept trying to break things up, saying “they’re not worth it,” and “do you want to get suspended?”. Surprisingly, Snape seemed to be doing the same for Mulciber’s gang but with more success, managing to talk Dolohov and Yaxley out of getting involved.
“Boys!” Came the shout of Coach Moody - nicknamed Mad-Eye, considering nothing, absolutely nothing, escaped his notice -, now standing at the doorway. The fight ceased almost instantly and Sirius panted, rubbing at his scalp. He winced. Mulciber pulled hard. “What is going on here?”
It was terribly obvious. On top of Sirius and Mulciber’s injuries, James was bleeding from his eyebrow, Remus’ eye was swelling up and Avery probably had a few broken fingers. Though, no one spoke up.
"Come with me," Coach Moody barked. "All of you!"
No one tried to argue as Mad-Eye led them up the stairs to Hogwarts' main level. Sirius held their head high as students stared. They weren't ashamed, they weren't sorry. Mulciber didn't know when to shut up and Sirius gladly beat the shit out of him for it. No remorse.
The group was brought down to the office as Minerva McGonagall - Head of Discipline along with Drama - was paged. Mulciber, Avery and Yaxley had quickly claimed the chairs, leaving the rest of them to stand. Sirius didn't mind, scowling in their direction as she leaned up against the reception desk, ignoring the pointed look of the receptionist. Pete, James and Remus joined her.
Warm, calloused but gentle hands cupped his cheeks. Sirius smiled instinctively, meeting his boyfriend's concerned gaze. Remus' thumb softly swept over his split lip, muttering quiet apologies as Sirius hissed.
"Are you alright?" Remus whispered.
Sirius nodded in his grasp. "Head hurts a little but I've felt worse. You?"
Remus hummed lowly in agreement, dropping a featherlight kiss to Sirius' forehead, one that had them sighing and closing their eyes, letting themselves bask in the small pocket of comfort, entirely detached from the environment surrounding them.
The door swung open, breaking them apart as they glanced over. Minerva strolled in, expression indecipherable, with Poppy - who was a medic alongside a guidance counselor- on her heels. Minerva's gaze flickered between each student present, resting long enough on each of them to make them squirm. Well, everyone except Sirius.
She hated it. She really, really hated it. Hated the way that, despite knowing the two were severely different, Minerva's blank, calculated gaze reminded her so much of Mother. So much so that her instincts kicked in. Shoulders pushed back, chin held high, spine tight as a rod. Her fingers clasped tightly behind her back, cinder blocks slamming over all emotion. Every other student had shifted and fidgeted but Sirius did not, survival skills keeping her still, but not too rigid. Minerva stared at her a little longer than most before moving on.
"What happened?" McGonagall demanded and Poppy spurred into motion, starting with Avery.
"Well?" Mad-Eye prompted when McGonagall was met with silence.
"He punched me." Mulciber said finally, nodding at Sirius.
"You were being an asshole." Sirius retorted.
"Language, Mr. Black." Coach Moody growled.
"Mr. Mulciber," said Minerva. "Did you do or say anything to provoke Sirius?"
Mulciber shook his head. "No, Mrs. McGonagall."
“Liar.” James hissed.
“Where did you find them, Alastor?” Minerva asked.
“Boys change room.” Moody responded gruffly.
“Out of sight of surveillance, then,” Minerva frowned. “Sirius, what did Mr. Mulciber do to prompt such violence?”
“I didn’t do anything!” Mulciber cried.
“Hush.” Mad-Eye snapped.
Sirius mumbled a response.
“What was that?”
“He was being transphobic towards my brother.” Sirius repeated, louder.
Minerva rounded on Mulciber sharply. “Were you?”
Mulciber blinked at the fierce edge to her voice and, honestly, Sirius did too. “No, of course not. I have nothing against Regin-" he was cut off by Snape jabbing him in the kidney with his elbow. His eyes widened as he realized his mistake.
Minerva’s eyes narrowed. “We do not tolerate such discrimination at Hogwarts, Mr. Mulciber. It’s a two-day suspension on the first offence, a week on the second and expulsion on the third, so best not let it happen again.”
Mulciber went a bit pale but nodded.
“We also do not tolerate violence of any kind,” McGonagall continued. “That is an extra week suspension for you, Mr. Mulciber. And Mr. Lupin, Mr. Avery, Mr. Potter, and Sirius,” she turned to Mad-Eye. “Am I missing anyone?”
Moody shook his head.
Minerva nodded and Poppy moved from Avery to Mulciber. “I believe I have some phone calls to make. Mr. Pettigrew, Mr. Snape, Mr. Yaxley and Mr. Dolohov, you’re excused.”
Peter glanced hesitantly over his shoulder, clearly wanting to stay to support his friends but at James reassuring nod and promise to text him(if he could), he left.
Minerva swept past and around the desk, picking up the phone. It was awkward but also amusing, listening to McGonagall inform their parents of what had occurred. Sirius grinned at Avery’s bouncing leg and Mulciber’s pale face as McGonagall chatted idly with their fathers.
It was, however, much less fun when she moved on to their friends. Sirius watched with growing anxiety as McGonagall punched in a number. Would she call Effie, the person who’s been their mother for the past year(though it feels like it’s been much longer) or would she call Walburga? Oh god, that would end horribly. Sirius hasn’t so much as heard that name in a year - aside from the nightmares that plague their sleep. If she called Walburga, one of four things could happen. One, she wouldn't answer. Two, she would and then immediately hang up at the mention of Sirius. Three, she would and absolutely rip Minerva to shreds for daring to call her about anything relating to the child she practically disowned. Four - and perhaps the most terrifying -, she would answer, act like a civil human being, come pick them up and destroy Sirius when they got home.
Sirius placed a hand on her abdomen, right over the scar she'd gained the night she left. It might've been done by Orion's hand but Walburga was to blame all the same.
McGonagall tapped her fingers on her crossed arm as the phone kept ringing, far longer than Avery or Mulciber's fathers had let it. Sirius felt the urge to be sick, a disgusting bile building at the back of his throat, threatening to spill at any given moment.
"Hello, Mr. Lupin, this is Minerva McGonagall of Hogwarts Secondary School speaking," Minerva said as the call went to voicemail and Sirius' shoulders sagged in momentary relief. They instantly felt terrible, feeling Moony tense at their back. Sirius tilted their head up and took one of Remus' large, scarred hands in their own. Keeping eye contact with Remus, Sirius lifted the hand to their mouth and began pressing soft, barely there kisses along his knuckles. Remus sighed softly, tension bleeding from his shoulders with each kiss. He smiled down fondly and Sirius grinned against his flesh.
Unfortunately, the moment was short lived as Minerva began dialing another number. Sirius held her breath as the phone rang, thinking, please don't be her, please don't be her, please don't be her-
"Hello, Mrs. Potter," said Minerva, then she sighed. "No, I'm afraid not. Your sons James Potter and Sirius Black have gotten themselves a week suspension for violence."
McGonagall continued to chat with Effie for a bit but Sirius tuned her out, closing his eyes and resting his head back on Remus' shoulder, at least until Poppy came over to clean up his lip. It was fine. It was going to be fine. Everything was going to be fine.
The wait wasn't long but it was tense. James kept biting at his fingernails, glancing at the clock at least twice a minute until Euphemia Potter showed up at the door. And Sirius understood. They've yet to experience something worse then Effie's disappointment, which is surprising, considering everything.
"Sorry, Minerva, for this inconvenience," Effie said the minute she swept through the door. She stopped and stared both James and Sirius down, almost like Minerva had but instead of being blank, her eyes were sad, her lips tugged into a frown and the smallest of furrows in her brows. James winced and Sirius didn't snap into propper, hauty posture. No, instead she shrunk into herself, ducking her head and staring at the floor. Effie sighed and with a small shake of her head, gestured for them to follow her out the door. "C'mon, you two."
James winced again but both of them obeyed without complaint, only stopping to say goodbye to Remus.
The first portion of the drive home was stifling, silence so thick it was suffocating. Both James and Sirius sat in the back, looking out their respective windows and trying to avoid the inevitable.
Sure enough, Effie sighed. "What were you thinking? Hitting another kid? I've raised you both better than that."
Sirius was tempted to remind Effie that she hadn't, really. He was a Black through and through, raised by his god-awful parents. Though, he was smart enough to note that this was not the time.
“Mom, they were hitting Sirius,” James whispered. “I couldn’t do nothing.”
“I understand that, love,” Effie said. “And I love that you’re a loyal person but it still wasn’t okay.”
James nodded and pressed his head further against the glass. “Sorry, Mom.”
“I’m not.” Sirius announced, and they weren’t. As much as they despised Effie’s disappointment, they were not sorry. Mulciber deserved it.
Effie met her gaze through the overhead mirror. Sirius didn’t waver. “Why is that?”
“Did I tell you about my little brother?”
Effie blinked, clearly not anticipating the change in subject. “No. A little brother?”
Sirius hummed. “Little Reggie.”
Effie’s brows furrowed for a moment before realization struck. “I see.”
“Yeah. Everyone sees now, but not everyone accepts it. Mulciber is one of those people and wasn’t afraid to shout about it. I wasn’t going to let it slide.”
Effie nodded and, in a move that Sirius did not see coming, made an abrupt U-turn and started driving right back where they came from.
"Uh, Mom?" James called, staring out the back window. "You're going the wrong way."
"No, I'm not."
"Home's that way, though."
"We're not going home, love."
Sirius narrowed her gaze through the mirror as Effie looked back at them. "Where are we going?"
"How do you boys feel about ice cream?" Effie asked innocently, despite the smirk on her face.
Sirius broke out into surprised laughter and James sputtered. "What about 'violence is never the answer'?"
"I never said that. If anything, violence is the question." Effie said.
"And the answer is yes." Sirius said between cackles.
"Incorrect," she said, sending an unimpressed look back at them. "The answer is no, most times."
"And this time?" James prompted .
"This time, I'm saying lets get ice cream."
"But-"
"James, I love you, but shut up," Sirius said, slipping a hand over his mouth before he could continue. James gave a muffled gasp and proceeded to like Sirius' hand. Sirius snatched his hand away with a long dramatic 'ewwwwwwww', wiping his hand down James' shirt as he went. "Yes, Mom, we'll take the ice cream."
Effie smiled. "That's what I thought."