Ice

“So then I looked up from my phone, right? And Mary was literally right next to me.”

Lily had been rambling on to Remus for the past hour about what happened with Mary the previous night.

They were both leaning up against a tree in the little green area outside of the hockey rink the Marauders used for practice, sharing a smoke.

“And I swear we were about to kiss again. Seriously, Remus. We were so close.”

“Did you kiss?”

“No. We didn’t”

If Remus didn’t know any better he would think Lily sounded disappointed at that fact. Maybe Remus didn’t know better.

“And?”

“And… I don't know.”

Lily threw her hands up in despair.

“Did you want to kiss her?” Remus asked lightly. This could be a very touchy subject for some people.

“I- I think so.” Lily looked down at her hands and started fidgeting. “Is that alright?”

“Jesus, Lily. Of course it’s alright. Kiss whoever you want. It’s not like I care.”

“I thought you would care though.”

“Why would I?” Remus raises his eyebrows.

“Because we’re dating and in love.” Lily collapses into him.

“Aww in your dreams, Evans.” Remus cooed down to her.

“More like my nightmares,” She scoffed.

“Oi!” Remus gives her a light shove.

“But actually Remus, what am I to do?”

“Well you said you wanted to kiss her right?”

“Mhm”

“And you said Mary wants to kiss you.”

“She has for a while, yeah.”

“So the solution seems pretty obvious.”

“No, I am not going to kiss her!”

“Why not, Lily? Why not?”

“Because I don’t like her. I mean, I do, obviously, she’s my best mate. But not… like that.” Lily mumbled.

“Lily, don't tell me you’re still hung up on Dorcas, are you?”

She just looked down at the ground, but her silence was all Remus needed to confirm.

“Lily,” There was a pang of pity that went through him for Lily.

“Well, I don’t wanna lie to you, Remus.”

“Since when?”

“Oh, shove off.”

“Dorcas went on a date with Marlene.”

“I know that,” Lily snapped. The full anger of Lily Evans was to be reckoned with. Luckily, Remus has never found himself on that side of her and never intends to.

“I’m sorry, Lily.”

“Can’t we just sit in silence?” Lily groans, bringing the cigarette back to her lips.

“Sure.”

That’s the thing about Lily and Remus’ friendship. They can do absolutely nothing together and still be perfectly content, just with each other’s presence.

Lily dropped her head into Remus’ lap and stared up at the sky.

“Remus?”

“Hmm?”

“Is it okay?”

“Is what okay?”

“That I might like Mary.”

“Of course it’s okay, Lily. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.” He reassured her. Lily looked like a weight had just been lifted off her shoulders.

“Do you wanna hear a secret?”

Lily nodded the best she could.

“I think I like boys.”

“That’s no secret Remus. You’re gayer than King James.” She laughed.

“Am not!” He protested, strongly debating shoving Lily off his lap and onto the ground.

“Are too! And don’t even think about shoving me onto the ground.”

“You’re a witch.”

“And you’re a bitch.”

“I agree with that.” A voice suddenly appeared above them.

“Sirius! Why don’t you come down and join us?” Lily patted the ground next to them in offering.

“Nah, I don’t think I will, Evans.” Sirius spoke to her rather coldly, which surprised Remus because they usually got on quite well.

It obviously surprised Lily too because she cleared her throat and sat up, dusting off her skirt.

“Right, well, I’ll be off then.”

“No, Lily, It’s okay, you can stay.” Remus tried to get her to sit back down. “Right, Sirius, she can stay?”

Sirius said nothing.

“Nah, It’s okay. I should go find Mary. Plus I wouldn’t want to interrupt anything.”

As Lily walked off, she made a crude hand gesture behind Sirius’ back, proceeding in Remus flipping her off.

Lily was the first and only person to know about Remus’ feelings toward Sirius. Not even Peter or James knew, in fear it would make things awkward. Lily understood and made it feel like Remus didn’t have a constant struggle every time he saw Sirius. Plus, she only teased him about it constantly.

Remus isn’t in love with Sirius or anything. He doesn’t even believe in love. He just has a certain admiration for how he looks when getting out of the shower, or the look on his face after winning a game. He only maybe wants to snog him every time he sees him or has an unearned sense of jealousy and possessiveness whenever he sees Sirius with anyone else who isn’t him. Sometimes even James and Peter. Which is stupid, because he doesn’t even know if Sirius likes boys.

Except that sometimes Sirius’ looks linger or his touches last too long to be strictly platonic.

But, whatever, right? It’s nothing.

—

Sirius is watching Remus and Lily from a little bit behind a tree.

He’s not spying on them, alright? He was walking out of the stadium when he saw them together. He was gonna go over there and say hi, but then he saw Lily practically collapse into Remus’ lap, and now he’s here. Not spying on them.

A hot prickly feeling went down him. Sure, usually he really liked Lily as well as respected her for her playing, which was rather spectacular, but now all he felt like was ripping her hair out of her head.

Now they were laughing. Laughing! Even worse, it seemed like Lily was the one who made Remus laugh!

That was enough, he’s going over there.

As he was walking up, he heard Lily call Remus a bitch. How dare she?

“I agree with her,” He heard himself say.

“Sirius, why don’t you come join us?” He had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. This was really rather strange because he really did like Lily.

“No, Lily, It’s okay, you can stay. Right, Sirius, she can stay?”

Sirius’ brain barely registered that Remus was talking to him, as he was currently trying to explode Lily’s head with his mind.

“Nah, It’s okay. I should go find Mary. Plus I wouldn’t want to interrupt anything.”

Why’d she say that like she was in on some secret joke or something? The only people who are allowed to have inside jokes with Remus are him. And Peter. And James.

Lily stands up and leaves, and as she’s leaving, Remus flips her off.

Remus looks back up at Sirius.

“You just gonna stand there, or do you wanna sit?”

Sirius sat.

“You and Lily seem close.”

“Yep. Super close. We’re in love, didn’t you hear?” Remus said dryly.

Sirius didn’t like how much rage he felt after hearing that again. It was probably just directed at Rita Skeeter for making up all those lies.

He grunted in acknowledgment.

“Oh, don’t tell me you’re jealous, Sirius? I promise I still love you the same.” Sirius rolled his eyes and Remus pinched his cheek mockingly.

“I’m not a child.” He huffed.

“You’re certainly acting like one.” Remus put the cigarette to his lips and took a long drag.

Sirius found his gaze lingering on Remus’ lips. He wondered if they tasted like a cigarette, too. Now he really was curious.

“Sorry I can’t be like Lily.”

“Sirius, Lils is just a friend, you know that right?”

“Oh and she gets a nickname and I don’t?”

“I call you Padfoot. Is that not a nickname?”

“That’s different.”

“Is it?”

“Yes. Now can we just stop talking about this?”

“Sure, Pads.”

Sirius huffed and stayed silent next to Remus. Thinking about Lily Evans. Lily Evans and her red hair and green eyes and beautiful freckles and kind personality that can turn volatile if you upset her. Lily Evans who, Sirius knows, is just Remus’ friend, but irrationally he still felt almost jealous. Lily Evans who’s also one of Sirius’ closest friends. Lily Evans who Sirius has no right being mad at. What was he thinking?

Sirius was never one for being quiet, but he also didn’t want to go back on his word of being silent, so instead he just shifted around a lot where he was sitting and breathing really loudly.

Obviously, Remus noticed. Remus always noticed these things about him.

“Pads?”

“Yeah, Moons?”

“All jokes aside, you know I love you right?”

“Yeah, I know. It’s just nice to have a reminder sometimes, you know?”

“Yeah I get that. So here’s me reminding you.”

“I love you too, Remus. You’re my best friend.”

A sad smile formed on Remus’ face with those words, though Sirius couldn’t really comprehend why.

For a moment, they were just looking into each other’s eyes. Remus had such pretty eyes. Sure, everything about him was pretty, but his eyes especially.They were the colour of honey, and sometimes Sirius got lost looking in his eyes. Like he could just swim in them for days.

Sirius’ phone buzzed and he had to tear his eyes away, no matter how much he didn’t want to.

____________________________________________________________________________
Messages: 1

Albus Dumbledore: PR Meeting in 15 in my office.

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“Fucking Dumbledore.” Sirius muttered.

“What happened?” Remus asked, his concern obvious on his face.

“PR meeting in 15 in my office” Sirius mocked with annoyance in his voice. “What does he think? We’re in some spy movie or something?”

“Obviously. We’re in the CIA and Dumbledore’s a secret double agent planning on picking us off one by one.” Remus played along.

Sirius absolutely loved it when Remus played along with all his little jokes. He was so witty and clever that it added a whole other level.

“You should probably get going, Sirius. You don’t want to be late.”

“Don’t I?”

“Come on. Up you get.” Remus bumped Sirius’ shoulder with his own in encouragement. “If you just make fun of everything he says in your mind, it helps a lot. And it’s easy.”

“Thanks, Moons.”

“Anytime, Sirius.”

Maybe, just maybe, those words made Sirius feel like he had butterflies in his stomach.

—

Mary stood in Dumbledore’s office, taking it all in. There were some very… interesting design choices. Maybe he was a hoarder. Or a kleptomaniac. Also, what was with that hat? There is no way anyone in their right mind would be wearing that in public.

Her own team's PR manager, Pomona Sprout, stood beside her, waiting for Sirius Black to show up.

Mary liked Sirius. Despite being on separate teams, they really were good friends. She thinks that they like each other just because of how similar they are to one another, although sometimes their own stubbornness can get in the way of them sometimes.

The Media (cough, cough, Rita Skeeter) thinks that there’s much more of a divide between teams than there really is. Well, in some cases, there are, but that’s not necessarily because they’re competing, but more because the people are assholes. Mary’s own team (the Valkyries) gets on well with most other teams, especially the Marauders. The only wedge between the teams are the ones the Media drives through them.

“Don’t worry, everyone. I have arrived.” Sirius Black struts through the doorway. Literally, he saunters into the room like he’s on the goddamn red carpet.

The biggest similarity between Mary and Sirius is that they’re both performers. They would both rather put on a show for everyone, rather than let them in. That’s the main reason they enjoy each other’s presence so much. When they’re together, they don’t need to perform for anybody.

“You’re late.” Mary calls out, because, he was. She may as well point it out. Sirius, being as immature as he is, stuck his tongue out at Mary. And Mary, being as mature as she is, stuck made a face back at him.

“Wonderful. Now that everyone is here, we may begin.” Dumbledore, clapped his hands together.

God, he was so posh.

Mary threw a look over to Sirius that said “Can you believe this guy” and he sent a matching one back.

“I’m not sure if you are both aware,” Dumbledore started, nodding at both of the players. “But both of our teams' interest has been rapidly decreasing, only with a slight spike after Mr. Lupin's interview with the Daily Print.”

“Surprisingly, I’m not aware, considering that all I do in my free time.” Sirius quipped with an incredibly impressive straight face. It took everything in Mary not to laugh, but it seemed the joke went entirely over Dumbledore’s head.

“So, Pomona and I have come up with a plan to generate more interest in both of our teams.”

“It was mainly Albus’ idea, I just signed off on it.” Pomona added. For the first time, Mary noticed that Pomona looked a little nervous. Did she not think this was a good idea? Or was it something else?

“Yes, well. We’ve decided the best plan for both of our teams would be for you two to be seen out and about on a few dates. Maybe even make a relationship announcement if Pomona and I have seen enough success.”

“So you want us to fake date.” Mary bluntly said.

“That’s one way of putting it, yes.” Dumbledore nodded.

That’s the only way to put it, but whatever. Mary thought. What did she know, anyways?

“Of course, you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to,” Pomona jumped in. “We won’t force you into anything.”

“But we do want you to consider it as the best way for both of your teams to generate interest.”

“Albus.” Pomona said sternly.

“Pomona.” He said back with the same tone.

Mary looked over to Sirius, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, to see what he was thinking, but she found his face blank.

“Why us?” Mary wanted to know. Why her and Sirius?

“What do you mean, Ms. MacDonald?”

“I mean why me and Sirius? Why not Remus and Lily or Peter and Cerci? Why us?”

“Well you and Sirius already seem to have your own rapport, which should hopefully make it easier to pretend. And you both are naturally charismatic and get on well with everyone, as well as you’re both fan favourites.” Dumbledore explained.

“I’ll do it if MacDonald does.” Sirius said.

“Great. We’re just waiting on you, Ms. MacDonald.”

“What? Don’t you wanna be my fake girlfriend?” Sirius asked with a wink, which Mary rolled her eyes at.

It was a challenge, concealed or not, and not matter her personal issues, Mary was never one to turn down a challenge.

“I’m in.”

“Aww, you sound so upset. I would almost think you don’t want to do this at all.” Sirius teased.

“I’m glad to hear that. Here’s our plan moving forward. We want you two to be seen around together a lot. We’ve already made a reservation for you two at the restaurant ‘La Devant’ for seven o’clock tonight. And we’ve tipped off the paparazzi about your presence there. After that, if you two could be seen shopping, swimming, really anything, as well as posting each other on all your socials, it should really sell it and raise our interest.”

Both Mary and Sirius nodded.

“Anything you’d like to add, Pomona?”

“It would work best for you two to not tell anyone about the… nature of this ‘relationship’, including your closest friends and/or teammates. But that should cover everything”

“Then that concludes our meeting. Have a good night, both of you.”

As they walked out of the building, Sirius had a large grin on his face. Performance.

“So, you’re taking me out to dinner tonight, huh MacDonald?” He slipped his arm around her waist.

“Watch it, Black.” She practically growled.

Mary went out on a (fake) date with Sirius, and really did have a lovely time, but the entire time she couldn’t get rid of an undercutting feeling of guilt.

____________________________________________________________________________

The Daily Print @TheDailyPrint: Marauders’ Star Player Sirius Black spotted at romantic restaurant ‘La Devant’ with Valkyries Player Mary MacDonald last Friday night. New hottest couple alert?

Replies: 68.3K

Sirius Black @thestarman Replying to @TheDailyPrint: Aww babe look! We made the news already! @Mary_Mac
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Mary MacDonald @Mary_Mac Replying to @thestarman: Yay

Marauders @MaraudersOfficial Replying to @TheDailyPrint: So happy for you both

Valkyries @ValkryiesOfficial Replying to @TheDailyPrint: Congrats to you both!!!

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Messages:

Lily: What. The. Fuck.

Remus: My thoughts exactly.

____________________________________________________________________________

Messages:

James: Congrats, Pads.
Mary, huh?

Sirius: Yeppppp

James: Good on you

Sirius: Okay you can't tell anyone this but we’re not actually dating. It’s just a pr thing dumbledore set up
But you can’t tell anyone
I’m not even supposed to be telling you

James: Does Remus know? (Not Delivered)