Frozen devotion (on hiatus😔)

Evan Rosier was not a sailor.

Sure he could make his way on the sea, but the boat James had hired for the four of them was huge. ‘Forget it James, I’m not taking that. And seeing as I’m the only one competent enough to sail you can get another boat,’ Evan said, tugging at the collar of his dark grey blouse and glancing at Peter.

Peter looked a bit dazed and still half asleep. He was either very high or he just didn’t sleep at all last night. It was most likely the first option.

‘Evan this is the only one I could get,’ James said as Evan raised his eyebrows and shook his head. He started scanning the other boats on the dock and found a reasonably smaller one. It wasn’t small, but big enough for the four of them. ‘Ah, I found one,’ Evan said as he walked up to the boat and saw one man standing on the dock beside it.

He grinned cheekily at the man and looked at the boat. ‘Hello sir. What’s your name?’ Evan asked softly, his mind forming a plan to get the boat. ‘My name? You don’t know my name?’ The man asked. Evan looked at him confused.

The man had blonde hair like his, but it was neatly combed and a bit darker. He looked very smug and Evan already didn’t like him. ‘No. I don’t know your name. Care to tell me?’ he asked as the man smiled, his off white teeth showing. ‘My name is Gilderoy Lockhart. And yours?’ Evan raised his eyebrow and stepped closer to Gilderoy. ‘Why do you want to know my name darling?’ He blinked twice at Gilderoy who started blushing and stepped back. Evan mirrored him and stepped closer again.

‘Tell me Gilderoy. Why do you want to know my name?’ Evan smiled innocently and carefully reached up to touch Gilderoys arm. ‘I- uh, because I- uh. I just want to know,’ he stuttered. Evan stepped closer again, but Gilderoy didn’t step back. He glanced up into Evans hazel-green eyes. ‘I’m Evan Rosier. Nice to meet you darling,’ he said, stepping closer again to Lockhart.

Lockhart leaned in to presumably kiss Evan. Evan tried to stop himself from laughing at his ridiculous face with closed eyes. He held up one finger to Lockharts lips. Lockhart opened his eyes and looked at Evan, looking dumbfounded. ‘You, you didn’t want to kiss me?’ Lockhart asked as Evan smiled and leaned closer to whisper in Gilderoys ear.

‘I would love to kiss you. But me and my friends need a boat to get to sea and we don’t have one. Do you have one we could borrow? I’ll kiss you endlessly when I get back, I promise,’ Evan whispered to him as Gilderoy tried to kiss Evan's neck. Evan moved a bit so that he could look at Gilderoy. ‘I- I really can’t give you my boat,’ Lockhart muttered softly. ‘Please? I’ll return it in good shape,’ Evan said, looking at Lockhart with pleading eyes and a small pout. ‘If- if I can come along you’ll get my boat. Is that okay?’ Lockhart asked as Evan nodded. ‘Yes that’s perfect. Thank you darling, I’ll get my friends,’ Evan said before he walked back over the docks towards Peter, Lily and James. Lily looked at him disgusted, James dumbfounded and Peter was laughing their ass off.

‘That was brilliant Evan! Did you get his boat?’ Peter asked as Evan nodded smugly. ‘He’ll have to come along, but I doubt he’ll be much work,’ he said, looking back at Gilderoy and winking at him.

‘Poor guy,’ James said as he started walking towards the boat, followed by Peter and Evan. Lily muttered something about Evan being a terrible person and a heartbreaker, but the three guys ignored her and walked up to Lockhart.

†

‘So you decided to come back? I thought you died out there or something,’ Sirius said as Remus came back into his room and glared at Sirius. Sirius had gotten quite fond of pestering Remus these past few days. It turned out they had a talent for it.

‘I need you out of here Black. I have to get some private shit done,’ Remus said, walking up to Sirius and glancing warily at his tied up hands before starting to cut through the ropes with his knife. ‘Private shit? That sounds sketchy, Moony.’ That was another thing Sirius had started doing. He rarely called Remus ‘Remus’ anymore. It was always Lupin, Moony, Moons, or something else similar. Remus hated it. Or rather, Sirius thought Remus hated it. He surely looked like he hated it.

Remus was caught off guard by the door slamming open and he accidentally cut the back of Sirius’ hand. He ignored it though, and Sirius looked at the unknown pirate who was staring at Remus and Sirius. ‘That’s the crown prince, Sirius Black,’ the pirate said as Remus rolled his eyes. ‘Yeah no shit. Sit down Avery, I’m busy,’ Remus said to the man as he sat down grumpily and Sirius took him in.

He was heavily built, not tall but taller than Sirius was. He had messy, brown hair that looked like it could use a good wash. His dark brown, almost black, beady eyes were on Sirius. Sirius raised their eyebrows and Avery grinned at him.

‘How’d you get him to be so calm here Loony? I thought he was wild and rogue,’ Avery teased as Sirius frowned. Loony. He hasn’t heard that nickname before. Remus had heard it before though. Sirius could see it in his eyes just before Remus raised the knife and threw it at Avery, missing his neck by an inch and scraping the skin of his shoulder. Sirius blinked surprised as Avery clamped one of his thick hands over his shoulder and glared at Remus.

‘What was that for?’ he asked. Remus motioned for Sirius to stand up, but Sirius sat still. ‘You don’t call me Loony on my ship. Try it again and I’ll aim for your neck,’ Remus said dangerously as Sirius swallowed and Avery laughed loudly. Too loud. Too boisterous. Too full of himself. ‘We both know you won’t hit me,’ Avery teased him as Remus gave him a look void of emotion. ‘We both know that’s a lie,’ Remus reacted, his gaze falling on Sirius. ‘Stand up Black. Now,’ he said dangerously close to anger as Sirius sat still, frozen in his spot.

Avery laughed again. Remus ignored him. ‘I said stand up,’ Remus said, his voice cold and on the verge of screaming. Sirius listened to him and stood up, looking at the floor. His entire body was aching from sitting down for so long. ‘Go to the main dock. You’ll find Dorcas and Mary there and you’ll stay with them. Understood?’ Remus instructed them, turning away from him before Sirius gave an answer. Sirius was out of the door before Avery and Remus started talking.

Sirius roamed around on the ship for a bit, looking around for different faces. He found Dorcas, the pretty girl who kidnapped him, talking with another pirate whose hair was in two long braids. Her hair was a pale shade of blonde and littered with flowers. Their ears were littered with different coloured earrings and their sword hilt was shining in the sunlight from the amount of glittering diamonds on it.

Sirius lazily walked up to them and the other person turned around and smiled at them. ‘Hello. I’m Pandora, nice to meet you,’ he said as she stuck out his hand and Sirius glanced at it warily. He nodded softly, but didn’t take her hand. Pandora didn’t seem to mind. He shrugged and nodded at Dorcas before walking off. Dorcas turned towards Sirius. Dorcas truly was beautiful. Their dark brown eyes glared at Sirius with an intensity they hadn’t seen in many people. His mother maybe, but Dorcas’ didn’t have the coldness that Walburga Black always wore.

‘What do you want Black?’ Dorcas asked him in a bored voice. ‘Lupin sent me to fetch you. Said I have to stay with you and Macdonald,’ they explained. Sirius had made it his mission to figure out where everyone had their Marauders tattoo, but the only one he found was Mary’s in her neck.

‘Go stay with MacDonald then. I’m busy,’ they answered, turning away and walking towards another girl Sirius didn’t know. She was also blonde, but her hair was shaggy and heavily layered. The roots of her hair gave away that she was actually a brunette with bottle blonde hair and her face was littered with freckles. She had dark blue eyes and had a pirate hat stuck on her head, though they took it off the moment she saw Dorcas.

‘Oi little Black!’ Sirius turned around by hearing his last name, frowning at MacDonald, who he knows, calling out to him. MacDonald didn’t look at them though, instead she looked at another boy who was lazily steering the ship, glaring at her coldly.

‘What did I tell you about calling me that? If you do it again I swear I’m throwing you from the ship,’ the boy said as Sirius frowned. He recognised the voice from somewhere. Sirius couldn’t see his face, but he did see that he had black curls, looking a bit brownish in the bright sunlight. He also wore a pirate hat, but his was dark grey with black stars on the rim. Sirius’ eyes were caught on his own constellation, Canis Major which was at the left side of the rim.

Sirius found this weird and out of place though, because Canis Major was more so found on the southeast side of the sky at night.

They were so busy staring at the boy’s hat that he didn’t notice someone throwing an arm over his shoulder until it happened. ‘He’s pretty huh?’ Sirius wanted to hit Crouch. He had the type of face that Sirius could hit every day and not get tired of. Or maybe that was just because Sirius hated him.

‘What’s his name?’ Sirius asked, referring to the pirate. ‘That’s a secret Black. Not one for me to tell at least,’ Barty grinned. His eyes had a glint of madness and drunkenness. Sirius questioned if he ever didn’t have that glint in his eyes.

‘You’re an absolute dickhead you know that?’ Sirius said in a low voice. ‘That’s one of the nicer things people said to me today Black,’ Barty said, grinning as he walked off and towards the pirate.

Sirius wanted to follow him, but decided it was better if he didn’t.

Especially because Remus and Avery just came out of Remus’ study, yelling loudly. Remus had his swords drawn and Avery had two small knives in his hands.

‘Come on now Loony, you can’t take a joke?’ Avery taunted, Remus’ eyes darkening dangerously. Everyone turned around to face the pair, Remus walking forwards and Avery retreating. ‘I thought I made it clear you weren’t allowed to call me that.’ Sirius followed the line Avery was walking towards the end of the boat and noticed him walking straight towards the plank. Everyone seemed to know exactly what was happening except for Avery and Sirius.

‘I call everyone what I want to call them,’ Avery said, grinning with all of his teeth showing. They were yellowed and crooked.

Remus advanced at him and stepped forwards too quickly for Avery to attack again, he was now on the plank, two steps away from a certain death. Avery looked behind him and Sirius saw his trembling legs. Stupid.

Sirius expected a pirate like Avery to know better than to show that he’s scared. He didn’t though, his legs were trembling and he dropped his sword on the plank in front of him, throwing his hands up in surrender.

Remus cocked an eyebrow at him. ‘Surrendering? That’s weak,’ Remus said, taking a quick step towards him and thrusting his sword towards Avery who stepped back quickly. His balance failed him and he tried to steady himself. ‘Please, I beg of you Remus. I want to live longer, I’ll give you anything. Anything you want, please,’ Avery begged. Sirius thought he looked quite pathetic beside Remus.

‘Show captain Moony some respect then. Kneel for him, kiss the tops of his shoes like you mean it,’ Barty sneered, a nasty smirk on his face. Avery looked at him and back at Remus. ‘Yeah, show him some respect,’ Dorcas echoed.

Avery scrambled to move closer to Remus, actually kneeling down and kissing his shoes. Sirius gaped at him horrified as Remus raised his eyebrow unimpressed and kicked him. ‘Now like you really mean it,’ he said, his voice dark and dangerous.

Avery looked up at him, but did as Remus said. He lingered for longer now, hoping to satisfy Remus’ wishes. He didn’t though. Remus kicked him again, but this time in his ribs, hard enough to make him lose his balance. Avery fell sideways off the plank and it didn’t take long for him to start screaming for help.

Barty cackled and grabbed the two shoulders of the mysterious pirate, shaking him. The pirate turned around with his eyes on Barty. They were dark and grey, almost matching to the silvery grey on his hat.

Almost matching to Sirius’ eyes.

No. No. She was dead, Sirius was sure of it. They were just seeing things because he missed her. But he was standing right there. Steering the ship and giving Crouch a bored look, like it happened daily that Remus threw people off board.

No one was looking at Sirius. No one saw them slowly walking closer to the boy to get a closer look. No one saw his shock when he realised that she must be, he must be Sirius’ sister. No, Sirius’ sibling. Not sister. He wasn’t princess Regina who drowned three years ago. He was a pirate.

‘Reggie?’ The boy’s spine straightened and his head snapped around so fast that he could’ve very well broken his own neck. ‘Crouch take the wheel. Now,’ he ordered, Barty surprisingly doing what he said without any hesitation. Sirius walked towards his sibling, more sure now, but Reggie walked away at a quick tempo, almost running and disappearing below deck. Sirius wanted to follow, but someone tugged on his arm.

‘No. You’re staying here your royal Tinyness.’ An unfamiliar voice. Sirius turned, ready to strike back with an insult. But when they turned around to face the girl. The one with the shaggy blonde hair and brown roots, her pirate hat was now on her head. Dark blue, but almost dark enough to pass as black. ‘Listen here you little fucker. I’m not tiny. Don’t get around to calling me that, because I’ll make sure you’ll regret it,’ Sirius threatened, but the girl just raised their eyebrow. ‘Oh dear. I’m so scared now. You’re really scary, your royal Tinyness,’ she said, faking a scared look and snickering after.

Sirius glared at them. ‘Let me go. I need to talk to her-him,’ they said, pulling their arm free from the girl's grasp. ‘We both know that won’t end well. He needs to come to you,’ they said, emphasising the word he. He. He was a boy. Sirius deflated a little and nodded, giving up. She was right after all. ‘What’s his name?’ they asked, but the girl didn’t answer. ‘Let’s just get you back to your babysitters, yeah?’ The girl softly nudged Sirius in the direction of MacDonald. ‘What’s your name? I don’t think I’ve caught that one yet,’ Sirius asked softly. He was done fighting. Getting out wasn’t going to happen anyways.

‘It’s McKinnon. Marlene,’ she said. Her eyes lingered on Dorcas for a bit before turning towards Sirius. ‘Come on, go. I have stuff to do,’ she said, leaving Sirius alone and walking towards Pandora who was standing on the edge of the ship, looking at the sharks lingering around the boat in hopes of another human being thrown overboard.

Sirius found it weird that there wasn’t another boat following the Marauders. Avery must’ve gotten here somehow. He must’ve been part of another crew. But that crew was nowhere to be seen. Guess they knew he wouldn’t make it out alive one way or another.

Sirius wasn’t alone in his thoughts for long though. ‘It’s a shame huh, that his own crew hated him so much that they sent him here to be killed. I’m lucky that Moony would never do that to me,’ Crouch drawled as he slung his arm around Sirius’ shoulder. ‘Oh fuck off. Since when can you mindread?’ they said, which produced a giggle out of Barty’s mouth. ‘I’m just cool like that.’

‘Barty stop that. Go dunk your face in water.’ Remus’ voice carried over the open deck. He was on the other side still, but Barty’s head snapped to meet his eyes immediately. ‘And if I catch you drinking anything more today, you’ll be the one cleaning the blood from the plank. Got it?’ he added, before Barty nodded twice and also disappeared below deck.

‘Okay pretty boy, you got enough sunlight for today, don’t you think?’ Mary was walking towards Sirius with a small smile. Sirius felt the urge to smile back, but he didn’t. They still kidnapped him to use them as leverage. ‘Pretty boy?’ they asked as Mary nodded. ‘There’s no denying the truth. Though you’re also incredibly tiny, even tinier than little Black. Maybe I should call you little Black.’ Mary pulled a face as if she was thinking really hard, but she shook it away. ‘Nah, it gets a rise out of him more than out of you,’ she said before tugging on Sirius' arm and leading him below deck, another route than Barty and Reggie took.

When the time came, Sirius would hug him until he couldn’t breathe anymore.

†