Hogwarts School - Assignment 11 - Culinary Arts: Herbs and Spices - Task #9: Mace - Write about someone/something serving as a substitute.

Challenges and Chill - All I Want For Christmas - Prompt: My heart skipped and I reacted


Don't you blame it

When Remus doesn't get to meet a live unicorn, Sirius improvises.


"It's beautiful." Sirius moves forward slowly, hand outstretched and the unicorn moves a little closer, nervously.

Remus is impressed. Sirius is actually slow and calm which is generally not in his nature - he's surprised that Sirius hasn't just rushed forward and scared the unicorn away.

Finally Sirius' fingers touch the unicorn's muzzle. They just brush softly, and Sirius stays still as the unicorn jerks its head away for a moment, before turning back to Sirius. It allows Sirius to try again, and when Sirius strokes a hand over the muzzle, he gives the other three a pleased grin as he runs his fingers over the unicorn's forehead, carefully avoiding the horn - and starts to stroke over its crest and down its back.

It's James next, and the unicorn is a little more willing now that Sirius is paying it some attention. James follows the exact same technique as Sirius, with Peter trying once the unicorn has accepted James.

Remus just watches. He doesn't move forward at all because he knows what'll happen if he does. It always happens. It happened during lessons, and it was one of the reasons the unicorn was so skittish when they approached. It only calmed when Remus moved away. He plays with the sleeve of his coat, content to even be this close. The others are enjoying themselves at least.

"Come on, Moony," Sirius says. "He's all calm now. Come and say 'hi'."

"Okay, but why?" Remus asks.

Sirius grins and gestures to him. "Because you want to meet one," he says. "Come on. You've got this."

Remus shuffles forward, and suddenly the unicorn is watching him, and he can only shrug and shake his head. "I don't think this'll work," he admits.

"It's fine. You're fine, Rainbow here is fine," Sirius assures him.

"Did you name it?" James mutters.

"Yeah. Course I did. It'd be weird not to," Sirius insists, reaching up with his free hand to push away a stray curl. "Remus. Slowly like I did."

Remus tries to push down his nerves and he shuffles a little bit closer. The unicorn is watching as he does, and Remus starts to hold out his hand.

The moment his hand moves, however, the unicorn rears back onto its hind legs, knocking Sirius onto his arse, before turning and running off.

Remus stares after it mournfully. He regrets ever telling Sirius that he loves unicorns. It's a stupid thing to say, and it just made Sirius intent on helping Remus meet one.

"Right. Same time tomorrow," Sirius says, getting up and dusting himself off. James nods, whilst there's trepidation in Peter's smile like he knows full well this will never happen. At least one of his friends is being realistic.

"Come on, it's almost dinner-time," Remus says, sighing softly as he shoves his hands into his pockets and starts back to the castle.


"You've been upset for weeks."

Remus turns his head as Sirius drops down on the bed next to him. Of course Sirius notices. Sirius always notices when there's something wrong. Even though Remus is pretty good at faking when things are fine. But Remus knows it's because Sirius has to pretend so much too, that he can see it on others.

"The unicorn?" Sirius asks, when Remus says nothing.

Remus shrugs and nods his head. "I knew the outcome," he mutters. "We've tried five times now, they can sense what I am - and they're scared of the wolf. I'm not going to take it personally, but I want to stop going out there and trying, because…" he trails off. "I'm fine though."

"With all due respect, that's a load of crap," Sirius says. "You're not. But for what it's worth, I'm sorry."

Remus tries to smile at him, because Sirius rarely apologises for his behaviour. He's getting better at it since the Snape and Willow incident, but still, getting an apology is rare.

"It's fine. You're just trying to help and I appreciate that. I don't blame you."

Silence follows and Remus can tell that Sirius isn't done. He tries to think of what else could be going on. Maybe Sirius snuck a unicorn upstairs? He wouldn't put it past him. Sirius isn't always the most sensible.

"What did you do?" Remus asks.

Sirius grins. "Why are you assuming I did something?" he asks. "Nope. Well, not on the scale you're imagining. I got you a present. To make up for it, I mean. I feel bad, getting your hopes up. I just wanted you to… to be happy. To have something to smile about." He reaches next to him and lifts up a squishy soft unicorn with a crimson ribbon tied around its neck.

"It's far from the real thing, but… I just wanted to cheer you up and see you smile again, yeah?"

Remus stares at the unicorn. He tries to picture Sirius Black walking into a shop and buying something like this and that's what makes him smile. Sirius who acts all tough - Sirius who wouldn't buy a single girl a valentines card because he didn't want people to think he was soft, went into a shop and bought a unicorn for him.

"There, much better," Sirius says softly. "We can give up on the real unicorn, yeah? Or I had another idea. We… we find a baby one. Less fear in those, and we let it get used to you. It'll learn not to be scared, and then when it's older the other unicorns might see it being fine with you and—"

"Let's give it some time," Remus replies, with a smile. He reaches out for the unicorn. It's so soft under his fingers. "You really got it for me? Yourself?"

Sirius nods. "I wanted to pick it myself, and I couldn't trust James. I mean, he's been pining over Lily for four years. His judgement is flawed."

"Does this mean I'm special?" Remus asks, his fingers clenching tightly around the soft toy. He's not really one for soft toys, but for Sirius he'll make an exception. This is the best present ever.

"Course you are," Sirius says. "I've never met anyone as special as you." And as if to confirm his point, he leans in, his lips brushing the corner of Remus' mouth.

Sirius pulls back, eyes wide.

"What on Earth are you doing?" Remus asks, feeling as shocked as Sirius looks. "Did you… did you mean to do that?"

Sirius slowly shakes his head and Remus' smile falls. Of course not. Why would Sirius kiss him of all people? Marlene fancies Sirius, Gideon Prewett too. Sirius has his pick really.

"Don't be sad again. Believe me, I didn't mean to kiss you there. I was going for your mouth and… I panicked." Sirius bites his lip after his explanation, his gaze darting down to Remus' lips.

"Oh," Remus whispers. "Well… you could always give it another shot?"

Sirius smiles again, slowly now, more sure about himself.

"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" he murmurs. Instead of leaning in, Sirius sits up and twists around and suddenly he lifts his leg over Remus' lap, straddling him. "Because I've wanted to do this for so long."

"You could have just done this to start with," Remus points out, his hands coming up to rest on Sirius' thighs, as Sirius shuffles around to get closer to Remus, his long fingers coming to wind in the hair on the back of Remus' neck. "This more than makes up for the unicorn incident."

"And I'll get you a real unicorn, if it takes me the rest of my life," Sirius promises him.

Remus laughs softly. "You're an idiot," he murmurs, fondly, "but you're my idiot."

Sirius smirks and he leans in, his lips catching Remus' for the first time.


Seasonal

Days of the Year - 2nd October - Name Your Car Day: Write about naming an inanimate object.

Sarcastic Month - 7. (dialogue) "With all due respect, that's a load of crap."

Jewellery Month - 37. Ribbon: (object) Ribbon

Colours - 6. Crimson

Flowers - 9. Helenium: (dialogue) "What did you do?" / "Why are you assuming I did something?"

Seasonal Ravenclaw Challenge - 6. (setting) Hogwarts' Boys Dormitory

Moony's Neon Cafe - 3. Romance

Writing Month - 7. Vulpix (Alolan) - (appearance) curly hair

Written in the Stars - 7. (word) upset

This or That - (Dialogue) "You're an idiot, but you're my idiot."

Showtime - Sally's Song - (trope) Friends to Lovers

Film Festival - 28. (emotion) awkward

Lizzy's Loft - 20. Don't Make Me - I know what happens next

Elizabeth's Empire - 10. (plot point) giving a gift

Angel's Archive - 7. Jack Frost (Rise of the Guardians) - (trait) cheeky

Amber's Anime Adventure - 1. Face to Face (Another)

Lyric Alley - 15. But when I have him next to me

Throwback - 13. Marshmallow World - (feeling) soft

Hobby Hole - 14. Genre: Hurt/Comfort

Artist Appreciation - 10. Blame It On The Boogie: Prompt - (word) blame - BONUS

Buttons: Character: Sirius Black / Action: Giving Gift / Emotion: Grateful / Word: explanation

Christmas Fight Club - (character) Sirius black

Funfair:

Naughty or Nice List - Nice: (word) believe

Guess the Name - 7. Blizzard - (Trope) Roommates

Decorate the Christmas Tree - Tree: 10. Pre-lit tree - (Item) Coat

Snowman Dressing - Eyes - 9. Sleep Mask - Crimson

Postal Panic - Sirius Black / 18. Home - Write about roommates

Hot Chocolate - Section 1: 1. Milk - (dialogue) "What on Earth are you doing?"

Filling a Christmas Stocking - Sirius Black

Shoebox to Charity - 1. Doll: (genre) romance

Advent Calendar - Day 18: Pairing: Wolfstar

12 Days of Shipmas - On the 1st Day of Christmas my 1st ship gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree: (Dialogue: "Okay, but why?")

Magical Mistletoe - 19. The Three Broomsticks - (word) cheer

Paper Chains - Remus/Sirius

Ice-Fishing - Unicorn