The first detention
The sorting ceremony was always fun. Someone would think that after the first few years it would be a dull process, but the marauders always managed to make things entertaining.
“Antony Green.” called Professor McGonagall.
A small, lanky boy with dark hair stepped in front of everyone. He was fidgeting as Professor McGonagall presented the sorting hat to the boy.
“He looks kind of like Moony back then.” assessed Peter.
“But with darker hair.” agreed James. “Gryffindor!” shouted James.
“Ravenclaw!” shouted Sirius.
“You think he´ll be in Ravenclaw?” asked Peter.
“Well, I think Moony should have been in Ravenclaw and he looks like Moony. So... It´s logic.” explained Sirius.
“Oh, so I shouldn´t be in Gryffindor.” asked Remus faking offence.
Sirius tilted his head. He knew exactly what Moony was doing. This bickering, sarcastic Moony was something Sirius could deal with. A gentle, goofy Moony, not so much. He had already proved that on the platform.
“I didn´t say you shouldn´t be in Gryffindor because if you weren´t the marauders would have never been formed.” said Sirius, he was about to continue when the sorting hat interrupted him.
“Hufflepuff.” announced the old hat.
“Called it.” smiled Peter with satisfaction.
“If you don´t scream it, it doesn´t count.” said James smugly.
Peter shot him an unimpressed look.
“Boo! He is clearly a Ravenclaw!” Sirius shouted.
“Rubish!” encourage James.
Remus turned around to search at the slythering table, where Regulus was already looking in their direction. Remus exchange an exasperated look with his best friend as if saying “that is your boyfriend” and Regulus just shrugged.
“Black! Potter! Silence!” scolded Professor McGonagall.
“Sorry Minnie! Anyway.... Could you imagine being in other house Moons of mine?” asked Sirius again. “Then there would be no Cassanova of Gryffindor tower.” he teased.
“Please stop calling me that.” said Remus ducking his head.
“Cassanova of the barrels.” laughed James.
“Cassanova of the dungeons.” chimed in Peter.
“Please stop.” begged Remus hiding an amused smile.
“See Moons, it just doesn't work. You were meant to be with me.”
Peter choked on his apple juice and James covered his mouth to hold in the laughter as Sirius turned redder than the Gryffindor's banners. “Meant to be with us. I mean.” he tried correcting. Remus was just gaping at Sirius not really sure what to say.
Thankfully McGonagall called someone else, and the boys resumed their sorting game they had invented back in third year.
When the ceremony finished, Dumbledore gave his usual speech. And after dinner the prefects were asked to lead the first years to their dorms. Remus and Lily slipped away to gather all the awe-look child and guide them through the “complicated” halls.
“Prongs, can we talk?” whispered Sirius, although with all the students getting back to their dorm the noise in the great hall was enough to have a private conversation at a normal voice range.
“Sure, what´s up?” asked the bespectacled young man.
“Is this about your crush on Remus?” said another voice
“Merlin's balls! Regulus! For the third time, don´t sneak up to people like that.” said Sirius clutching his chest.
Regulus laughed.
“Did you sneak out of your line?” asked James throwing an arm around Reggie´s shoulders. Regulus always sneaked into the Gryffindor common room to sleep with James. Sirius never knew who his little brother did it. James always swore he didn´t gave Reggie the password to the common room, still, at nighttime, Reggie could almost always be found near James.
“Maybe.” said Regulus kind of sly.
“You are such a bad influence on my brother, Potter.” complained Sirius.
“Yeah, yeah, I was holier than Helga Hufflepuff.” dismissed Regulus. “So Moony?”
“I´m not talking with you about Remus.” said Sirius scandalized.
“Why not?” asked Regulus. He ducked a little pass by professor Slughorn without being caught. “If you tell James, he´ll tell me and if it´s about Remus I can help, he is my best mate.”
“You tell Reggie what we talk about?” asked Sirius frowning at James.
“I tell you all I talk about with Reggie. Even the things you don’t want to know.” defended himself, James.
“Fair.” said Sirius.
They continued to walk to the staircase. When there were far few less students and the prefects were far away showing the first´s years what to do if the staircase changed while they were on them, Sirius gather the courage to say out loud:
“I think I fancy Moony.”
“You think?” snickered Regulus.
Sirius smacked his little brother in the head.
“Don´t be mean, darling.” chastised James, half-heartedly. “Thanks for telling us Pads.” “So, what´s the issue?” pressed on his little brother.
“Well, is not an issue per se. I just... I have always thought he was handsome and of course he is an amazing person. I had a little crush on him back on fourth year but today on the platform... I dunno he was just so kind and gentle. And don´t get me wrong Moony is kind but seeing him with his little cousin... I guess I never thought of Remus in that seriousness before. He is just so caring.”
“Awww Padfoot, that is really sweet, actually.” cooed James. “He did seem all soft and cute with his cousin.”
“Still no issue.” added Regulus.
“Oh.” said Sirius. “I guess... Should I tell him?”
“Sure, why not?” said Regulus; surprising both, James and Sirius.
“I don´t think you should tell him yet.” said James.
“What?” asked the black brothers at unison.
“I just have this feeling you should wait.” said James.
“But why?” asked Sirius looking kind of defeated.
“Just a hunch.” said James looking around distractedly.
He exchanged a meaningful look with Regulus when Sirius wasn´t looking and that was the end of the conversation.
.0.
The next weeks were pure torture. The serious boy façade Remus had always got started crumbling in front of Sirius eyes. Had Remus always been this kind? Or was this a new development? Was it because of his little cousin?
“I remember my first detention.” Sirius heard someone whispered as he returned from Quidditch practice. It was a voice he would recognize everywhere, a voice that naturally pulled him in. So, Sirius did the natural thing to do and started walking towards the voice.
“Filtch made me scrub every single trophy and I didn´t even do it.” complained a weak voice between sobs.
“Yeah, he is a pain in the arse, isn´t he? Oh, don´t tell Slughorn I told you that.” Remus asked lowly. Sirius stopped at the beginning of the hallway. Remus was crouched down in front of a first year slythering, the poor little boy was crying, but let out a chuckle in response to Remus cheeky comment. Remus smiled fondly. “You know, my first detention was also for something I didn´t even do.”
“It was?” asked the boy with teary but hopefull eyes.
“Yeah, I was really scared because I thought they were going to expelled me.”
“They didn´t?” asked the naïve boy.
Now this question would have deserved a sarcastic comeback, but Remus only shook his head with an indulgent smile. “Nah. A very arrogant boy, that sat next to me in charms, cursed all the feathers with a rictumsempra charm. You know that spell?”
“No.”
“He charmed the feathers to tickle everyone. His idiot best friend taught it was hilarious. Unfortunately for me, that boy had the audacity to pull me by the arm, as if he knew me and we were sharing a secret. Flitwick thought we both did it and gave us two days detention. I was fumming.”
“It is kind of funny.” added the boy whiping his runny nose with the back of his robe.
Remus congured a tissue.
“It didn´t seemed funny at the time.”
“So, what happened to the boy who actually did it?” asked the little slythering pal.
“He is now my best friend.” whispered Remus, looking over at where Sirius was standing and bekoning over with his hand.
Of course, Moony had heard Padfoot arrived. He could always find Sirius.
Remus tilted his head towards Sirius. The little boy followed the motion.
“That boy was Sirius Black!” he said surprised. Sirius smiled shyly as Remus stood up. “Indeed, it was.” said Remus as he pushed a strand of hair behind Sirius´s ear. “And let me tell you something, it was just the first of many many detentions I served with this idiot.”
Sirius knees felt weak. He couldn´t manage gentle Remus; but what was even more torturing was that gentleness being directed towards with and with such a bluntness and honesty. Sirius could just smile.
“But you are a prefect.” stated the boy.
“Yes, he is.” said Sirius “And he also holds the third record for most detentions.”
“Who has the first two?”
“Well James Potter and I, of course.” said Sirius proudly.
The boy beamed at Sirius. Remus could only smile. Sirius had always had a special way with kids. They always seemed impressed by him, and just a mere minute into the conversation Remus was sure they looked at Sirius as if he was a superhero. At least that is how Remus had felt the first time Sirius asked if he could sit with him at lunch back at first year. It was such a shame Sirius couldn´t chat a bit with Clara, thought Remus. Sirius was truly lovely. And Remus thought the world of him.