A/N: Hey y'all! This was written for the QLFC and Hogwarts. Other prompts are listed below. :)
QLFC:
Chaser 2: Grimm (In the show, fairytale characters are in the modern world as villians, and only the Grimm can see them for what they truly are. So, I took the fairytale element and turned it into an AU)
Optional Prompts:
(object) broken mirror
(word) fatal
(emotion) ashamed
Hogwarts:
Media Studies Task 3: Write a fairytale!AU
Word Count: 3029
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Those rights go to JK Rowling.
Enjoy!
Queen Walburga Black gazed into the mirror in front of her. Its shiny black surface and ornate frame showed no sign of the hidden evils within. It had been the last gift her late husband Orion had given her before his death.
Her grey eyes glittered madly as her dark red lips curled into a smile. "Mirror, mirror, in my hand," she whispered into it, "who's the greatest in the land?"
White mist flooded the surface of the mirror, twisting and condensing until it took the form of a pale face with dark, dead eyes. It opened its jaw to answer, and she expected the usual response.
"You, my queen, are greatest of all."
The queen smiled, satisfied. She was the one who'd be praised above all others; her name would forever be remembered.
Sirius Black took a large bite of the apple in his hand, its sweet juice burst against his tongue, leaving his taste buds dancing. He chewed absentmindedly, not understanding what a precious thing he held in his hand; he was the prince, and he'd never known anything but the pleasures of the wealthy.
Sirius sighed, pulling his cloak more tightly around himself. The sun was setting; he knew that he should be getting back home, but it was the last thing he wanted to do. His mother, though she'd always been distant, was acting mad lately, always muttering into the hand mirror his father left her. Sirius hadn't shed any tears over his father's demise, but the passing of his younger brother still haunted him; he'd always hoped that they'd mend their splintering relationship. It was too late for that now.
Sirius' grey eyes surveyed the dark forest in front of him, a short ways past the wall surrounding the castle. Within the shadows, a slight movement caught his attention. His curiosity spiked; it was too large to be any of the wildlife he normally saw in the woods. He glanced over his shoulder, deciding against heading inside—this could be the first exciting thing that'd happened to him in a while.
Sirius made his way forward, his expensive boots digging into the soft earth. He wandered far into the forest, unconcerned about losing his way; he'd be fine, as long as there was sunlight. Some time later, he pushed his dark hair from his face, frustrated that his search had proven fruitless. He turned around to head back home.
His shoulder was suddenly slammed into a tree, and he gasped in pain. He looked into the amber eyes of the man before him, trying to calm his panicked heart. Defenseless, all Sirius could do was stare as his attacker raised a long knife, which glinted in the fading light.
"Who are you? Sirius demanded, sounding braver than he felt. "Why are you doing this?"
The man's gaze hardened. "You tell me that."
Sirius scowled. "I don't know you. Why are you here?"
The man rolled his eyes, inches away from Sirius and holding that treacherous knife. "You're not supposed to be an idiot. I was hired, obviously."
"Obviously," Sirius echoed. "But who hired you?"
The man paused, brown hair falling into his eyes. "I was hired because my methods are efficient. That's all you need to know."
"...My death will weigh heavily on your conscience."
The man snorted. "I'm not that easy, mate. I'm doing this for a bit of gold, and your chatter is getting in the way of my payment."
The dagger came closer to his throat, and Sirius leaned away from the cold metal. "I can give you double what you're getting now," he offered a little desperately. He didn't want to die—there was too much he hadn't done. "No price is too high."
The other man scoffed. "Money can't save you now."
Sirius grew angry. "Oh, but you'd kill a stranger for it?"
Outraged, the man held the dagger against Sirius' throat, effectively silencing him. "My family," he hissed into the prince's ear, "will starve if they don't get something to eat soon. My mother is sick, and we have no means to get her help. That's the problem with you nobles—while the kingdom starves, you gorge yourselves on expensive foods and surround yourselves with things you don't need. I have no pity… no remorse for the likes of you."
Sirius froze, the knife fatally close to his neck. He'd never gone outside of the castle grounds, so he was painfully ignorant of the happenings of the kingdom; he regretted never questioning his mother's methods. He really looked at the man holding a knife to him; his clothes were threadbare and faded, his hands covered in calluses and grime, and he was very thin, as though he hadn't eaten in a while.
Sirius lifted a hand and placed it on the other man's, ignoring the blade as it slid closer in warning. "I'll get you what you need," he said quietly. "I wasn't aware how dire things were, but I can change them if you let me go."
"Sorry, but the queen wants you dead—at least I'm quick."
Sirius' head snapped up, his eyes wide. "The queen? What's Mother want me dead for?"
The man recoiled slightly, surprised. "You're the—"
"Unfortunately," Sirius confirmed. "Why'd she send you here?"
"I—I don't—"
Sirius didn't understand this man. First, he'd been cool and calculating, ready to spill a stranger's blood; once he'd found out Sirius' identity, his confidence had vanished. "Well, if you don't know, then leave me be. I'll pay you, and we don't ever have to see each other again."
"Why would your mother want you dead?" whispered the man, sounding like he was trying to solve a particularly difficult puzzle.
Sirius shrugged, no longer concerned for his life; he had a feeling that this man would have trouble killing anyone he thought to be innocent. "We don't get on. Hate each other, really. Though this has gone a bit far." He looked at the man curiously. "Why would you do that? Spare me? It's not like you owe me anything—or like me."
"I serve justice," the man defended, sheathing his knife. Sirius sighed in relief. "I avenge the wrongs that have been done to others. I don't hurt the innocent." A sneer suddenly blossomed on his face, his confidence returning. "Unlike you."
Sirius' eyes widened. "You can't just say those things to me. I'm the prince."
The man laughed, and Sirius huffed in annoyance. "Sorry, but you're not anymore. If I were you, I'd get out of here, lest your mother try to kill you again." His face turned serious. "Stay alert. These woods are dangerous. I can fool the queen into thinking you're dead, but only if you play this smart."
Sirius' shoulders stiffened; he didn't have anywhere to go, but the stranger's words made sense. A thrill of excitement coursed through him—this could be his chance at freedom. His chance to leave all his responsibilities behind and actually be himself.
"At least let me know your name," Sirius called.
The man looked hesitant. "It's Remus Lupin," he revealed. "And Prince Sirius? Don't make me regret sparing you."
Walburga smiled down at the heart in the chest she was holding. This was proof that her son—her usurper—was finally dead. With him out of the way, it would be her name alone that was admired and remembered; she had achieved immortality at last.
"Mirror, mirror, in my hand," she murmured, "who's the greatest in the land?"
"My queen, though great, it is your son who has that fate."
Horror filled her, and she brandished the chest at the mirror, shaking with rage. "But I have his heart here! It was cut from his body mere hours ago; the huntsman's hands were bloody with it."
The mirror replied tonelessly, "It is the heart of a pig."
Walburga stood up straight, eyes furious. "Bring me the huntsman."
Sirius stumbled through the forest, cursing himself for not insisting Remus accompany him. He didn't know where to go, and having servants do everything for him hadn't left him with many skill sets.
The night was growing colder, and Sirius wrapped his thick cloak more tightly around himself. He wondered what Remus had seen in him that was worth saving; all he felt like was an idiot.
A loud cry sounded from above him, and Sirius jumped, looking around wildly. There was an eagle sitting in a tree, its yellow eyes watching him unblinkingly. The prince shuddered, wary of the predatory bird; it seemed like a terrible omen.
A while later, while he was struggling through a clump of bushes, he heard voices.
"Lily, wait. Did you hear that?"
"Hear what? That rustling? Probably just an animal."
"No, it was something else. It was too… clumsy to be an animal."
"Clum—" Sirius clapped a hand over his own mouth, praying to the heavens that his ego hadn't just condemned him to a painful death.
"Look at that, James," came a voice to his right. "You weren't wrong."
Sirius turned to see a woman with red hair and a man with hazel eyes and spectacles looking at him curiously.
The man frowned. "Always the tone of surprise. We've been married for how long, and you still don't have faith in me?"
The woman laughed. "Hush, you." She turned to Sirius, her brilliant green eyes sparkling in the moonlight. "Who are you?"
"Nobody," Sirius answered curtly. He was wary of these strangers, and he didn't like the scorn that was being aimed his way. "Tell me which way leads out of these woods, and I'll be on my way."
The woman frowned. "I don't know who you think you are, but you're certainly not getting any help from us if you carry on like that."
Sirius blinked. He wasn't used to be refused. "If I've offended you, why are you still here?"
The man came forwards and clapped him on the shoulder. "We're good people, mate! We're not the queen and her son." Both man and woman laughed at that, and Sirius felt terribly uncomfortable—he'd never thought that his name would be used with such contempt.
"I'm James," the man introduced, holding out a hand. "James Potter. And this lovely woman is my wife, Lily."
Lily didn't seem convinced of his good intentions, and Sirius silently chastised himself. He was alone out here; if he didn't find food or shelter soon, he'd be in trouble. He took a deep breath and tried to smile. "It's nice to meet you. I'm sorry for before. Today hasn't exactly been… ideal."
James, who was clearly more amiable than his wife, nodded in sympathy. "Completely understandable. We might be able to offer…?" He trailed off, looking to Lily for confirmation.
"Oh, no," she said. "I'm not inviting anyone into our home before I know their name and background."
Sirius peered a little more closely at her, then realized with a start that she was with child. He immediately felt guilty for putting this family in danger; after all, who knew what his mother could be planning? She'd already tried to assassinate him once. Still, he needed help. Maybe they knew of someone who could?
"I'm Sirius," he murmured. "And, er… honestly, I'm in a bit of trouble."
Walburga paced back and forth impatiently. Her dark eyes glittered with rage; somehow, the traitorous huntsman had eluded capture, and now her son was hiding somewhere, aware of her plans and ready to ruin years of hard work. It hadn't been easy, getting rid of her husband and youngest son while avoiding suspicion; if only the mirror had warned her about Sirius then…
Enough was enough. She had to take matters into her own hands. She walked swiftly into her chambers, plucking an apple from a nearby plate. She'd have to use her special talents to locate the boy, and when she did… there would be no one to halt her reign.
"You want him to come back."
Sirius turned to find James, dark hair wild in the wind, approaching.
Sirius sighed and continued sweeping the floor; he'd taken to helping Lily around the house while James worked during the day. He'd been staying with the Potters for a few months now, and had come clean about the events that led him there—including his encounter with Remus Lupin.
"There was something about him," Sirius murmured, frustrated. "I don't know what it was."
James put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Sometimes, you just know. Lily hated me when we first met—rightfully so, I was a prat—then I grew up a bit and… the rest's history."
Sirius ran a hand through his long hair. "This isn't a fairytale."
James laughed. "I dunno, mate. Love at first sight? Seems pretty magical to me."
Before Sirius could protest that it was absolutely not love at first sight, James told him that he had to take Lily to the Healer's to check on the baby. Sirius said goodbye, mostly content. His fear of his mother had nearly disappeared; whatever ruse Remus used must have succeeded.
He worked, lost in thought, until he heard a knock on the door. He opened it to find an old woman smiling toothlessly up at him; her face was weighed down by wrinkles, and her frizzy grey hair was mostly hidden beneath a black hood.
"Hello, dear," she croaked. "I have apples for sale, if the handsome young lad wants one?"
Sirius took in her tattered clothes and bony hands. Shame overwhelmed him, like it had when Remus had mentioned his starving family in the woods; it was his family's fault that this woman had to resort to selling fruit for money. Sometimes he regretted leaving, if only because he could have done something had he stayed. Still, he reasoned that the least he could do was buy an apple.
"Sure," he answered. "Hang on." He fished around in his pockets until he had enough money in his hand. He handed it over, and took the delicious-looking apple from her. She thanked him and hobbled away.
Sirius took a bite.
"I don't know, James," Remus sighed, looking at his old friend. "I mean, how eager could he be to see me again? I did try to stab him."
James sniggered. "How romantic."
Remus glared at the hazel-eyed man, then took a sip of his drink. They'd run into each other on the street and decided to catch up over a beer. "Besides that, he's the prince."
James shrugged. "Not so princely anymore; he's got working hands now."
Remus frowned sharply. "How would you know that?"
It was one of the things that had haunted him since their meeting; he couldn't believe he had just left the prince in unfamiliar woods after an assassination attempt. Remus was a survivor—he'd been through countless hardships, and he'd closed himself off because of them. But that day in the woods—that had been the first time he had truly felt something in a long time. He wondered if the prince had felt that connection, too.
James sheepishly admitted, "I know where he's staying. Just... think about it."
Remus frowned, slung his bow off his shoulders, and stared at the flexible wood. It was flecked with blood, and he felt, not for the first time, ashamed of what he'd done with his life. He didn't want to be the huntsman anymore; he wanted to be someone better.
He turned to James. "Take me to him."
Remus couldn't believe it.
There he was, regally beautiful, lying dead on the floor.
The funeral passed by in a blur. Remus couldn't remember much of it; he'd been focused on finding the queen and making her pay. There was no doubt in his mind that she was responsible.
He gazed down the body, placed inside a glass coffin. His dark hair was spread out around his head; he could have been sleeping. Remus was suddenly filled with a sorrow he'd never felt before; he leaned down to Sirius' face.
"I just want to do this once," he whispered. "I'm sorry."
He leaned down and brushed his lips against the other man's.
"It's the mirror," Lily whispered to the three boys. They were all hidden in the castle, and had been watching the queen to see how she had known about Sirius' whereabouts. Lily, though pregnant, had insisted she come along. "It's enchanted."
"So we break the mirror," Sirius said, his hand wrapped around Remus'.
After Remus' kiss had broken Walburga's curse, the four had immediately set off to the castle. They were all determined to put an end to Walburga's reign—to free the kingdom of her tyranny.
Remus took out his bow. "I'll cover you."
Sirius didn't need any more prompting. He walked confidently into the room, stopping directly behind the woman.
"Hello, Mother."
Walburga whipped around in disbelief, and Sirius took that moment to wrestle the mirror from her hands and smash it against the ground with all his might. The glass shattered into a thousand pieces, slicing into Sirius' skin. The queen screamed with rage, and her claw-like hand gripped his throat.
He couldn't breathe, and distantly he heard Remus shout in alarm.
"You fool," Walburga hissed, leaning towards his face and pulling out a knife from within her gown. "Your name will never be uttered again. It is my name that is destined to be remembered—mine!"
"You're mad," croaked Sirius. "But I'm no fool." His hand closed around a large shard of glass, his grey eyes fiery. "Your reign is over."
He brought his hand forward, and Walburga was no more.
"So," Remus began, walking into Sirius' chambers. "The coronation's today."
The king laughed, turning towards his lover. "Are you really that nervous?"
Remus pouted as Sirius came forward to kiss him gently. "It's a rather big jump, isn't it? Assassin to king consort."
It'd been a year since Remus had awoken Sirius with a kiss—the best of Sirius' life. He didn't want his lover to be nervous on the greatest day of their lives.
"They'll love you," he assured. "And I'll be here with you."
Remus relaxed at his touch. "I know you will."
Their happy ending had begun.
A/N: Prompts:
Writing Club:
Character Appreciation: 5. (word) wealthy
Disney Challenge: Characters: 3. Oogie Boogie — Alt. Write about someone truy evil in nature.
Cookie's Crafty Corner: 9. Alt. (word set) flexible, gold, metal
Book Club: Stan — (word) survivor, (dialogue) "You want him to come back.", (word) outrage
Showtime: 2. The Devil's Carnival — (dialogue) "Stay alert."
Amber's Attic: 4. Misery — (emotion) obsession
Count Your Buttons: (object) knife, (dialogue) "Did you hear that?", (character) Walburga Black
Lyric Alley: 13. I don't care if it hurts
Ami's Audio Admirations: 1. Thriller - Michael Jackson — Alt. Write a fanon pairing
Sophie's Shelf: 4. (word) precious
Emy's Emporium: 3. Alt. (word) connection
Liza's Loves: 4. (dialogue) "Why would you do that?"
Angel's Arcade: 9. Fulgore — (animal) eagle, (word) efficient, (dialogue) "I have no pity… no remorse for the likes of you."
Lo's Lowdown: Characters: 5. Gabriel — Write about someone in disguise.
Bex's Basement: 6. Hungry Like the Wolf by Duran Duran — Alt. Write about someone being stalked
Film Festival: 15. (object) knife
Autumn Funfair:
Bingo: 42. Blood (1)
Gris-Gris Bag:
(character) Remus Lupin