Marauders-The Night Sirius Broke C14
Getting the Veritaserum would have proved difficult to anyone else, but to the two pranksters, it was almost too easy.
Under the Invisibility Cloak, they stole out of the dormitory that night.
Security around the Gryffindor Common Room had become somewhat lax, thanks to the argument between the two Marauders that had effectively halted all pranks on the castle and the students. Prefects had become lazy, and the two fully intended to put them on edge again, but right now, they had bigger priorities.
They snuck across the corridor and carried on walking, James holding the Marauders Map in front of him to ensure they could avoid anyone who happened to be out at this time. Thankfully, nobody showed, and they continued to the Potions closet unhindered.
Once inside, James cast a quick Silencing charm and the boys were free to talk again.
They dropped the cloak next to the map and Sirius climbed up the ladder to scan the top shelves whilst James looked nearer to the bottom.
"Here." Sirius muttered, pulling down a small flask of colourless liquid.
James held up a small vial and Sirius poured three drops into it, James corking it and stashing it in his pocket.
James undid the Silencing Charm and the two boys crept back to their common room.
By the next morning, word had quickly spread about Sirius' revenge. People were gathered around him in swarms, eagerly awaiting the moment Sirius would drink the coffee James was spiking with a single drop of Veritaserum.
Sirius was right in the middle of it, relishing everyone's excited scares and grinning cheekily. Remus was seated next to him, a slightly worried expression painted on his face. He had expressed his reservations about this when the two told him about their plan this morning, and was currently chewing his lip, lost in possible worst scenarios.
Finally, the moment came.
An eerie calm settled as the crowd parted to allow a grinning James through, who winked at Lily as he walked past. Even she couldn't miss this, regardless of the huge infraction of the rules it had taken to pull this off.
Sirius downed the steaming coffee in one, and everyone was deadly silent for the next five minutes, waiting for the potion to take effect.
"Are you gay with Potter?"
The yell broke the silence, and James and Sirius exploded into laughter with one glance at each other.
"No." Sirius called back, but winked at James as he did so, causing the bespectacled boy to laugh even harder.
"Are you gay in general?" came a female voice. The crowd held their breath.
"I'm bi." Sirius answered smoothly, and his admission was met with gasps of shock and jeers from the boys.
"How many girls have you actually slept with?"
This shout started up a huge clamour, people were shouting questions at Sirius, none of which he caught, except "Were there any Slytherins?"
Sirius held up his hand for silence, the cheeky and unabashed grin back on his face.
"Thirty-eight, whilst sober. I can't remember when I was drunk. And four of them were Slytherins." Sirius admitted, his ears going slightly red.
More shock rippled through the group. James was grinning proudly, and ruffled Sirius' hair, wiping away an imaginary tear, whilst Remus stared at Sirius with his mouth hanging open. Girls were screeching at him and a couple called him a man-whore. One girl was crying, her friend trying to comfort her, and the guys were whistling, one even high-fiving him.
"How many guys?"
The room fell silent again. Sirius' cheeks flushed.
"Six." he answered smoothy, but no one missed the redness in his face.
"Top or bottom?" one guy shouted.
Sirius tried to bite back his response, but the power of the potion made the word "bottom" erupt from his lips. Most of the guys sniggered, a few called him names, and James rolled his eyes, tossing a Galleon to Peter, who took it smugly.
"How many of those people have you had actual feelings for?"
Lily's gentle voice shut everyone up, and everyone stared at Sirius expectantly.
"Three." he murmured softly, and watched her green eyes go sad.
The room went quiet again, even though no one had asked anything.
"Does this include your shag with Peter?" James asked loudly, effectively breaking the tension and causing a riot.
"I didn't sleep with Peter!" Sirius roared, flipping James off.
"What's your kink?" came a squeal, and this time, Sirius visibly went scarlet, closing his eyes so he didn't see any reactions.
"Bites." he said.
The room was filled with laughter and a few cat calls.
"Calm down everyone, he means love bites.' James said, attempting to salvage the situation.
"No, I don't." Sirius admitted, furiously biting his lip to stop the admissions tumbling out. Remus was doubled over with silent laughter.
"Who do you fancy?"
And there it was. The question of the century, the one that everyone wanted the answer to.
Sirius shot James a 'help me' look, and James, being a fast thinker, did indeed help, just before Sirius spilled.
"Yeah Sirius, which unlucky girl have you got your eye on?" he chuckled. Sirius visibly relaxed.
"Marlene McKinnon." he answered truthfully, because he did fancy her, he just wasn't that interested in her anymore.
A few girls rolled their eyes, one yawned, but the majority of girls were fawning over the blonde girl, who was smirking and winked at Sirius.
"What guy?" Marlene called, and Sirius' blood ran cold.
He kept his face impassive, hoping to preserve at least an ounce of his dignity, glared at Marlene, and made direct eye contact with her.
"Remus Lupin." he stated calmly, and enjoyed the look of hope in her eyes die.
"Did he just say Lupin?!"
"Remus Lupin?!"
"As in him?!"
"What?!"
Sirius felt eyes on him, and he could see that Remus was staring at him, gobsmacked.
He turned to look at the honey-haired boy, mostly to avoid the hollers and outrage in everyone's eyes. Sirius shot him a sad smile, watching the shock ripple through his eyes.
"How long?" Remus quietly murmured.
"Half a year.' Sirius answered, in the same tone of voice, and Remus gazed at him in bewilderment.
"Why?" Remus asked, in genuine confusion, and Sirius grabbed his wrist, biting back his words and dragging Remus upstairs, ignoring the catcalls behind them amongst the chaos, because this really wasn't a speech he wanted everyone in Gryffindor to witness.
They had barely crashed through the door when words began to spill from Sirius' aching jaw.
"Because you're the most handsome person I've ever set eyes on. Your eyes are the colour of Honeydukes fudge and you're ridiculously sexy and you always smell like chocolate and books and honestly I can't imagine a better smell, the time we brewed Amortentia it smelled exactly like you. I love your jumpers and your crooked smile and the way your eyes change colour nearer to the full moon. I want to lie you on the bed and fuck you senseless but at the same time I just want to lie with you and make stupid jokes and it's all so unbelievably gay, and I can't believe I'm spewing all of this out but I honestly can't stop..." Sirius gabbled.
Remus silenced him with one finger and a sparkle in his eyes, pulling out a tiny bottle and adding it to a glass of water sat on his bedside table.
"I stole this before your show. It's the antidote, it was in Slughorn's closet. I knew something was bound to happen." he grinned.
Sirius reached for the water desperately, but Remus held it out of his reach.
"Not just yet, Sirius. I wanna know a few things first." Remus grinned.
"Oh God.' Sirius groaned, collapsing back on the pillows. "Dammit James, why'd I let you goddamn drug me, why..."
"So. Let me think. Ah, I know! Did you ever have a crush on James?" Remus asked, a mischievous light gleaming in his eyes.
"Yes. For three weeks, in second year." Sirius answered immediately.
"Does James know that?" Remus asked.
Sirius shook his head no, staring right at Remus, who's mouth was twitching.
"Did you ever have dirty dreams about him?" Remus questioned.
"No. I have them about you though. A lot." Sirius' words were like a potion gone wrong, because he couldn't stop them from spilling from his damn mouth. Remus' eyes were wide.
"Do you only want me for sex?" he murmured, and this time it was Sirius' turn to be appalled.
"No! Of course not! You're my Moony, I would never use you like that!"
The last part turned into a growl. Remus grinned, just a little, and leant forward, his expression softening.
"Why do you cut, Sirius?"
"Because I hate myself." Sirius replied straight away. "I'm a self-loathing narcissist with more mental disorders than fingers and most days it stops me from lobbing myself off a bridge."
Tears formed in Remus' eyes, and Sirius' forehead crinkled in concern and regret.
"What about me?" he whispered.
Sirius shook his head.
"Knowing that I'll never be good enough for you tends to make it worse. It's like a daffodil and a weed. Weeds are worthless." Sirius let out a dry chuckle. "And daffodils, well, they're goddamn beautiful."
"I love you, Sirius Black."
Sirius stiffened in shock at the admission.
Remus was leant in front of him, tears clinging to his ridiculously long eyelashes and misting over his golden irises. His lips were parted slightly, his expression one of extreme sadness, but love radiated from every inch of his being.
"I'm not sure I know what love means.' Sirius admitted in a whisper, and Remus let the tears spill down his face.
"You will." Remus promised, and handed Sirius the cup of water.
"Thank God." he half-screamed, collapsing on his bed. Five seconds later he passed out thanks to the Sleeping Draught Remus had mixed in, who'd assumed he'd need some rest after he completely and utterly mortified himself in front of the entire house.