Unnecessary Distractions
“You and Sirius Black are getting close, no?” Igor said rather seriously at lunch a few days after the moon.
Him being a werewolf had in fact not been a toll on his relationships with anyone. Marlene had apologised for letting them interrogate him and even bought him Honeydukes finest chocolate. His friendship with his fellow Champion and new friend, James, hadn’t differed at all. They still worked on quidditch and explored the castle together, stole food from the kitchens and gushed about certain Beauxbaton students.
And Sirius, he was more than perfect. He didn’t treat Remus like a mutt and all his families views on dark creatures didn’t seem to effect him at all. Remus had thought the boys would spill his secret at every meal but they didn’t, they acted like nothing had changed. And this made their friendship stronger, as Remus found them in the library memorising the full moons for the next decade with dedicated eyes.
Remus guessed this meant they wanted to stay friends with him even after the Tournament which filled him with such happiness and hope he almost cries at the thought.
“Yeah you could say that. Why?”
Igor smirked and leaned closer. “You know he’s a fag right?”
Remus’s eyes widened and he tried to even out is heartbeat. Is Igor homophobic or something to have used the f slur?
“Why does that matter?” He asked defensively, not knowing if it’s more for himself or Sirius.
“You could use it to your advantage, he looks like a perv around you.”
A Slytherin named Severus Snape who was rude to James before the Goblet of Fire spat out his drink.
“He is? The Black heir is gay?” Severus said with a sneer that seemed to be his facial expression 99% of the time.
“Apparently so.”
Remus couldn’t focus, this didn’t seem like the sort of news that needed to be out in the school.
“Maybe you should talk about something thats actually your business.” Remus said with an eye roll.
“This is your business! Black wants to put his dick in you and you don’t even know it.” Severus laughed at Igor before looking at Remus with fake pity.
“Me and my friends could beat him up for you if you get uncomfortable.”
Igor chuckled and patted Remus hard on the back, “or, you could use this to your advantage.”
“How could I use my friends sexuality to my advantage? All I want is to pass these tasks and get the prize money and buy a library.”
“Oh Remus, you sarcastic molerat. You seduce him of course.” Igor said with a grin. “I’ve already talked to Headmaster Arnoldi about it, he said its a good distraction tactic that could get us to the cup! Do it for Durmstrang, do it for the money if you need a motive.”
Remus kind of wanted to throw up. “That is disgusting! Sirius is my friend and I’d rather loose the tournament than use him.”
Igor turned grim looking and Snape rolled his eyes, sticking his nose up in distain. “Headmaster Arnoldi wants to speak with you, he asked me to tell you.”
Remus swallowed and wished he hadn’t sat at the Slytherin table.
“Ahh, Remus Lupin. My favourite student! Come sit, sit.” Arnoldi said happily, pointed to a chair across from his desk.
Remus sat down and played with his staff. Arnoldi made them carry it when they walked around the school as the third task drew nearer.
“Has Igor told you of our plan to seduce Mr Black?”
Remus nodded, “And I told him I’m not going to do that.”
Arnoldi face moulded into the same grim expression his dorm mate had before. “This is a smart tactic Remus, get rid of one of the contestants and the cup is practically ours.”
“I’m not using my friend.”
“You aren’t going to use him, we need a different word. I hate English.” His headmaster muttered, clicking his fingers like he does when he needs an English word.
“Ahh yes, you’re going to benefit from him.”
“Benefit?” Remus asked.
“Gain his trust, you’ve already done that if your peers haven’t been telling me lies. You make him fall for you, which seems to have happened already as no one has that expression when they look at a friend. Then you break his heart. Black is strong, yes? He shouldn’t expect a werewolf to be capable of love.” Arnoldi grinned as Remus’s blood ran cold.
“Wh-what are you saying, sir?”
“If you don’t do this for me, I just might slip some veritaserum into your pumpkin juice and we’ll both see if you’ll be alive by morning.” Remus had never stood up faster. His headmaster wouldn’t do this to him, he gave him a chance to learn as a werewolf and made him feel at home among wizards. He let him join gymnastics and share a room with other boys his age. He was the father he never had!
“How dare you use that against me.” Remus whispered, tears were started to spill.
Arnoldi shrugged with a convincing smile. “It’s your call. The press will be all so sad to hear that sweet James Potter was taken over by jealousy that he used the killing curse on you. His smirk wouldn’t look too proud in Azkaban.”
“You wouldn’t. He would never!” Remus screamed. He hated his headmaster, this was torture worse than his transformations. He’d rather turn into a werewolf every night than do this.
“I’m merely suggesting you do what is told of you than let an innocent man rot in jail.”
Remus put his head in his hands to stifle his crying. He couldn’t do this to Sirius or himself. He was already in love with the short French boy that let him twirl him around at the Yule Ball and kissed him with such passion after finding out about his lyncanthropy. With Sirius’s shiny hair and perfect face. Eyes filled with such trust when they looked at Remus. And all Remus could think about was that trust replaced with repulse and hurt and anger, and Remus hated it so much he felt his heart tear and he hadn’t even agreed.
But he had to agree. He could be killed and the blame would be on an innocent boy who had a heart bigger than Gringotts. James and Sirius would make the same sacrifice. Remus thought. They would understand.
“Fine, I’ll do it. But if I win, I’m giving every penny to my mother and you and I will not get a cent!” Remus said as deadly as he could.
“That’s fine. I don’t need your money, all I need is the thought that I helped you get there. You’ll be thanking me later Remus Lupin.”
Remus wanted to scream at Arnoldi but instead he went with a deadly glare and slamming the office door extremely hard. He leaned against it and slid down to floor, his knees against his nose.
“I’m so sorry Sirius, I’m so sorry.”
——
Remus had come down to dinner looking exhausted and depressingly upset. He couldn’t even look at Sirius without tearing up.
Sirius was confused. They were doing so well and all of a sudden he couldn’t even look at him! Sirius glared at his lasagna and poked at it angrily with his fork.
“You alright Pads?” James asked, Remus finally looked at him with a distressed expression.
“Oh I’m fine, just that one particular person won’t look or talk to me!” Sirius said angrily too James. James looked at Remus with raised eyebrows.
“All good on your end Moony?”
Remus smiled unconvincingly, “of course, just a bit distracted with the third task coming up and all that…”
“You can always talk to us you know. We are you friends.” Sirius said softly, putting his hand over Remus.
Remus was seriously about to cry. “I know. But maybe I’ll sit at the Slytherin table today. Talk to you guys later.”
Sirius looked longingly as Remus hurried away with his plate to sit next to Igor and August. They looked at their friend with big smiles and Igor and August exchanged fist pumps.
“What is up with him?” James said with a grimace.
“I wish I knew Prongs.”
The students of Hogwarts ran off to their classes and Sirius was left to himself. He’d normally be with Remus right now inside a cupboard snogging the brains out of each other or giving him a broom ride as they explore the Forbidden Forest. But Remus ran off with his Durmstrang friends with their annoying staffs that Remus doesn’t even like!
Sirius sulked around the empty compass with his hands deep in his blue blazer and his pencil skirt hugging his legs.
He was about to go back to the common room when he noticed an open door he hadn’t seen before. It didn’t look like the mysterious door him and Remus found on the night of the Yule Ball and loud noises were coming from inside.
He heard jazz music that Remus and his friend August listened too in the common room. It echoed through the castle and Sirius’s curiosity got the better of him.
He looked through the door with as little sound he could make and what he saw inside made him stop dead in his tracks.
Remus was stretching in the tiniest, thinnest shorts he could own. His back was to Sirius and they really didn’t leave much to the imagination. His shirt was tight and brown with red strips. His legs were so long and never ending as they went above his head with pointed toes. Remus’s arms stretched and his muscles flexed, his shirt rided up and showed a slither of skin- it was as if he knew Sirius was watching.
Sirius stayed where he was at the door when the song changed into a more upbeat sound. Remus shook his body and grabbed his large staff that was leaning against the wall. And like at the entrance introduction, his large hands climbed up the stick bringing his body with them.
Then he was fucking pole dancing. With every item of clothing tight to his thin body and his curls glistening with sweat. Sirius was going to black out.
“Oh Sirius, what are you doing here?”
Sirius was brought out of daze as he saw Remus slide down the stick, his annoying shirt scrunching up to show his annoyingly toned stomach.
“I uh- heard the jazz music you and your mates listen too, and I didn’t know you were in here- I can leave.” Sirius stammered, his face burning.
Remus smiled, “Please stay, I love it when you watch me.”
Sirius grinned and stalked over to give Remus a snog when a hand intervened.
“I said, I love it when you watch me. So you’re going to watch.” Remus grinned wickedly as he pushed Sirius into a chair he hadn’t seen before walking away, his hips exaggerating movements.
“Firstly, I need to stretch my lower back. You know how tight my back muscles get, Sirius.”
Sirius didn’t, in fact, know. But he tried to even his breathing as Remus put his hands on his knees and extended his back. His shorts riding up his arse as his back muscles made a satisfying click.
“Secondly, I need to make sure my staff is well suited to carry my weight. You never know when it might break in half with too much pressure.”
Remus resumed what he was doing before Sirius came in and carried himself up his stick. He got to the top, winked at Sirius, and balanced with one hand as his legs straightened in front of him. The staff wobbled a bit but Remus maintained focus and balance. It was inthralling as he flipped off and landed on one knee, his staff making a loud bang in front of him.
Sirius clapped and Remus bowed.
“Thirdly, I need to make sure I can bend into small spaces. It’s no use being a gymnast without any fragility.”
Remus walked over to Sirius with a sad twinkle in his eyes before smirking and sitting on his lap. His thighs on either side. The chair Sirius was in had arm rests and a straight back which Sirius thought was what Remus meant by ‘small spaces’. Remus looked Sirius in the eyes and put his forehead to meet the other boys. They sat like that for a moment before Remus put his hands on either side of his face and kissed him. Sirius grinned into the kiss and brought Remus’s hips closer to his.
“Is this how all you gymnasts train?” He joked, kissing the boys lips again and again.
“It’s recommended for those who have someone to assist.”
Sirius smirked, “well I’d be truly disappointed if you found someone else to help you train.”
“Then I’d better stick with you then.” Remus said with a big toothy grin that made Sirius kiss him again.
Oh, how much of an unnecessary distraction this is.