12 T W E L V E
It took three days for the final competitor to return. Remus and his mother gave his father's ashes to the sea on a cold, snowy day that seemed far too bleak and depressing for a last farewell, even to a man he'd never liked. His father had left behind few belongings, mostly tattered pieces of clothing and a locked journal Remus had yet to open. He wasn't sure he wanted to. His mother told him to keep it, but he didn't, instead he hid it in the floorboards of his mothers new house in one of the back closets. It wasn't that he didn't want to know what was inside, but rather he just didn't have the energy to sort through whatever his father had thought relevant enough to record over his life. Remus was sure whatever it was, he would most likely not like it.
After they finished by the seaside, he'd attended the victory ceremonies for the other competitors, got to cheer and scream alongside Frank and the others as Arthur was engaged to the second-eldest wife of the Earl of Bartholome, and Finley was engaged to the youngest son of the Baron of Diara.
Now, only his portion of the Tournament remained, driving him mad with anxiety as he sat at a table in the room Minerva had insisted he keep until the Tournament was over. He turned his Tournament ring over and over in his hands, occasionally pausing to run his thumb over his name inscribed inside.
He should give the ring to Lady Minerva as he'd originally planned. But every time he tried to walk to the castle to do precisely that, he found something else he needed to do. His mother's words, Minerva's words, clamored in his head, running around and around.
And of course there was Ori, who told him he should keep trying, that he would be a credit to the royal family…
Why couldn't he be a credit to Ori's family? But that wasn't fair. Ori still had to follow the law, whatever he said about not marrying someone unsuitable. Remus just wished he didn't seem so eager about the fact they would eventually be parting.
Sulking and sighing over the matter would accomplish nothing, but no matter how many times he reminded himself to simply enjoy the time they had together, his gloom persisted.
Normally, he would have busied himself with work or spent more time with his friends, but his friends were all busy working, and there'd been little time to work while handling the burning of his father's body, filing the death, dealing with his father's belongings, and then being summoned to the castle to be told what he'd already surmised: his father had slipped away from the guards, and that was all the opportunity the people responsible had needed. When exactly he'd been taken, no one knew, but his guards had been searching for him half a day when he was killed in front of the sausage shop. No one else had known because the guards hadn't reported the problem like they should have.
Remus didn't envy the guards and the punishment they were facing for what Minerva had called dereliction of duty. Summoning more help in the end wouldn't have mattered; his father had probably been grabbed too quickly for it to make a difference.
He was grateful it wan't his mother they'd gone after first, no matter how terrible that made him.
As to who was behind the murder, Minerva had said she had her suspicions, but so far no hard evidence. If Greyback knew, and they'd pressed him hard, he wasn't saying. According to him, he wasn't part of it, just kept his ears to the wind like any half-sensible person would.
Shortly after the briefing at the castle, Caradoc pulled Remus aside and had shared with him that he suspected High Consort Dumbledore knew more than he was letting on, but choosing to keep things hush, hush. Also, that when Caradoc told Dumbledore of his suspicions that the previously threatening organization, the Death Eaters— Remus was later informed without clearance to do so by Benjy— the elderly Consort seemed hardly surprised and simply excused himself from the room.
Remus just wanted the whole matter to go away.
When he wasn't dealing with all of that, he spent time with his mother at her beautiful new house, right in the propers district, close to the shops where she could buy food without traveling far and taxing herself, close enough to the common bridge that she didn't have to travel too far to get to work. There had been a few repairs that needed to be done to the house and Remus gladly set to work alongside his mother to make the house as accommodating as possible for her. Caradoc and Benjy has even stopped in and joined, offering to re-paint the kitchen where needed. His mother seemed more than happy to have the help, not to mention to keep Remus close. Not that she would ever tell him so, but she was still shaken by the thought of him being a target.
And when he ran out of distractions, he sat in his room and brooded— over Ori, over the Tournament, over what he was supposed to do.
His mind retreated to the most recent set of happy memories he had: traveling the Realm. He'd enjoyed that challenge once the homesickness had eased. He'd liked seeing the rest of the Realm, talking to people from variety paths of lives, the ale tasting and the pie contest and officiating at the Frost Fair. If that was what he was supposed to do if he married Prince Sirius, would it be so bad? It beat whoring and laboring by far.
He missed his friends and the easy security of routine. He had no idea how to be a hoity-toity. But…
It was that damned but that was driving him to stupid choices, stupid actions. But and if.
How had the need for fifteen slick wound up stirring hopes and dreams long dead? He let out a bark of a laugh, startling himself, at the thought that his father had gotten him into this delusional mess. He was a fucking idiot, exactly the kind of loser he mocked for joining the Tournament.
But he couldn't make himself return the ring either.
And he was due to the fairgrounds in a little under two hours, so it was time he headed out. Hopefully nobody else would die or get hurt because he was too weak and pathetic to walk away.
Gathering up the cloak Ori had bought him, despite Remus' protestations that the one he'd bought while traveling was just fine, he swung it over his shoulders and pinned it closed with a plain pin he'd bought himself, despite Ori's protestations.
The guard in the hallway pushed away from the wall, smiling in greeting before stepping in front of Remus and leading the way downstairs and out to the stables.
Snow and begun to fall again, muting the noise of the city and making everything feel soft and lazy. It was an improvement over the dreariness of the morning, at least.
A stable boy approached with their horses, one of them Thief, who had replaced the other horse Remus had initially been given. Apparetnly, she had grown accustomed to Remus' more gentle and cautious way of riding and preferred him to the other guards— or so said Caradoc, who most likely was just taking the piss. The stable boy smiled shyly when Remus gave him a farthing. Swinging into the saddle, giving Thief a pat on the neck that granted him a grateful huff from the beast, Remus led the way through the city.
He dismounted once they reached the fairgrounds, handing his horse off to the guard. He felt a nudge to the back of his shoulders and turned to pat Thief in parting. "I won't be long. Try not to steal any low hanging fruit why you wait." He turned to the guard who was watching him with an amused smile. Remus returned it, hoping it didn't look as anxious as he felt and sad as he felt. "Thank you."
"My pleasure, Master Remus. Good luck. Hoping for your victory."
Remus nodded a thanks and headed through the open walkways that framed the fairgrounds, strode past the blue tent already filled with people— and yelped when they all cheered and called his name. That set off more cheering and screaming as the people in the stands took it up.
For fuck's sake, what in the world was going on?
Remus almost turned around and fled, but that wouldn't make him feel less like an idiot, so he continued on across the field and onto the stage, where the other three remaining competitors already waited. Lucius, Sarie, and Evelyn. Remus had really hoped Lucius would get lost in the forest somewhere, or eaten by a griffon, but he hadn't put much faith in the possibility. Especially when somebody had resorted to murder to give Lucius more of an edge.
He didn't care if there was no hard evidence, who else would it be? More often than not, the obvious answer was the right one. The buggering bastard was lucky Remus wasn't willing to risk his standing in the Tournament to beat the shit out of him. But one the Tournament was over, Lucius had better hope he found a good hiding place.
As the cheering died down, Minerva stepped forward. "Congratulations, competitors! You have done exceedingly well to make it this far. Your Majesties! I present to you the four strongest competitors fighting for the chance to join your esteemed families!" The crowds cheered raucously again, and it was several minutes before Minerva got them calmed once more. "Competitors, be proud of yourselves. Out of the thousands who arrived, and whatever happens the rest of the Tournament, you four are the only ones to make it this far and that is not small feat." Minerva clapped her hands for silence.
"Unfortunately, before we move on to the next challenge, there is something that must be addressed. Cheating is not tolerated, and violence is most certainly not tolerated. A terrible act was committed against one of our noble competitors, and a life was lost. When the parties responsible for that crime are found, they will be severely punished, very likely with their lives. If you have knowledge pertaining to this matter, you would be wise to share it with me, because if is found later that you knew something, but withheld it, you will be punished alongside those who committed the act."
Silence fell, and Minerva let it linger for several minutes. Finally, with a minute nod toward something or someone in the stands, she clapped her hands and continued. "Once more, competitors, I congratulate you. Now onward with the Tournament, which I return to the capable hands of the most esteemed High Consort Dumbledore."
Dumbledore stepped forward as Minerva stepped back, and clapped his hands for silence. "Competitors, as your last challenge was a task most arduous, the forth challenge will be something more relaxing. Your challenge, to take place this evening, beginning at the closing bell, is the Feast of Kings Challenge. And all you must do it come to the royal castle to enjoy your dinner with members of the royal families."
That was a terrible challenge. Remus would quite literally prefer to walk around the entire Realm twice and explore the Beyond Realm— twice. Dinner with the royal families was the worst challenge he'd heard of. Obviously dinning with them was inevitable for the winner, but he didn't see why it had to be inflicted on people before they had no choice in the matter. What was the point? It wasn't like they were allowed to say 'this one is our favorite, they should win'.
Which, all right, allowed didn't have much to do with anything. But still. What was the point?
"Show up half an hour before the closing bell," Dumbledore said, and Remus really hoped he hadn't missed something else important. "If you have no suitable clothes, show up a few hours early, and they will be provided, but feel no obligation. Whatever you choose to wear it suitable, I promise."
It had damn well better be. But Remus couldn't put much heat behind the thought, not after all he kindness Lady Minerva and the others had shown him. Maybe the lords felt comfortable cheating, but so far as he could tell, Ori had been correct about the royal family being quite serious about the Tournament and having no tolerance for cheaters, well, perhaps some members.
He fled as soon as they were dismissed, eager to go and hide— somewhere Ori wouldn't find him, preferably, since Remus didn't doubt for a moment that Ori had already selected his outfit and had it tailored, somehow.
Instead, he went in search of food and settled at a pub at the end of Raven Row that often had passable food and ale for cheap.
He and his guard had only just started eating when someone sat down beside him, and his heart warmed at the familiar scent of perfume and soap Andromeda used to give the brothel a more alluring aroma. But the warm feeling instantly faded as he took in the worried expression over her sharp features.
"Andy, what are you doing here?" He asked and leaned across the table to get a better look at her, as he face was half hidden by the black cloak and emerald green scarf wrapped snugly around her long dark hair.
"Remus." She said in what sounded much more like a relived breath. She reached for both of his hands and clasped them tightly in her slender ones. Her hands were as cold as ice, and her eyes were darting around the pub anxiously before settling on him once more.
"Andy—"
"I haven't much time. I just needed to be sure to see you before your next challenge. Feasting with the royals, isn't it?"
Remus frowned, clutching her hands tighter and nodded. "Yes, but why—"
"Listen to me." She cut in and lowered her voice. "What happened to your father will only be the beginning if you continue on and Fates forbid actually win. I feel like fool for suggesting you get involved with this mess, but at the time I had thought you would be abandoning the Tournament after second round."
"It isn't your fault, Andy. I—"
"Remus, I can't explain fully, but I need you to do something for me."
Remus felt himself nodding instantly, "Of course, anything."
"The royal family, some of them, I just—" she broke off and placed one hand to her throat before adding, "I don't want what happened to me to happen to you."
Remus had never seen Andromeda look so terrified in all his time knowing her. Her eyes looked on the verge of tears, her voice cracking by the end of her sentence. "What do you mean 'what happened to you', Andy?"
"A story for another time perhaps, but I just didn't feel right letting you carry on after everything that has happened. My cousin tried to tell me things were different now with the Potters holding favor, but I fear it's only an illusion. It won't last. I made the mistake of being naive before and it cost me my husband." She took a deep breath as one tear did roll down her cheek. Before Remus could get in a word she steadied herself, her steely eyes focusing on him. "Look, there are things happening within the castle walls that the Realm doesn't know about. There are horrible people who will do terrible, terrible things to have ensure the outcome they want is the only outcome that will come to be. This is bigger than some Tournament and who gets some ridiculous crown." Her eyes glanced at the door as the front of the pub opened and she instantly covered more of her face with her scarf and leaned forward. "I can't stay or tell you more than just to be careful, Remus, please, and be cautious of who you trust."
"Andy, wait—" Remus said as she stood to go.
"I'm sorry, love. I really shouldn't be seen here. I must go. Good luck."
Remus felt the briefest of kisses land on his cheek before she was gone with a whirl of her heavy cloak out the back of the pub. He blinked after her for several moments, feeling the tug on his chest telling him to run after her. He glanced over at the guard standing near the entrance who was mean to watch him. If he ran out after her, he would surely follow and if Andy didn't want to be seen here Remus worried the consequences if he blew her cover. He shut his eyes firmly trying to make sense of anything she had just said. Then, a thought sunk in. Her husband was murdered? Was he murdered by the same people who killed his father?
"You look more miserable that when you started." The voice of the guard startled him, making him jump slightly where he sat with his eyes now completely open.
"Just nervous," Remus replied, reaching to take a long sip of his ale to help calm his nerves. He stood, nodding at the guard to motion he was ready to leave. The guard returned the nod and led the way back to their horses.
When Remus returned to his room, Ori wasn't there, which surprised him, but there was a handsome new set of clothes on the bed, which didn't surprise him at all. Ori was simply being nice, but Remus was fairly certain it was cheating, or close enough it may as well have been. His own clothes might not compare, but even if wearing the fancy ones hadn't been borderline cheating, he refused to show up as anyone other than himself.
All that aside, he needed to start pulling away from Ori. Once the Tournament was over, Ori would have to focus on his new spouse. If Remus won, he'd have to focus on learning a whole new way of life— a life that Andy was terrified of him entering.
Either way, whichever outcome cam to pass, neither would include Ori.
He swallowed the ever present lump in his throat focused inside on getting undressed to prepare for the night ahead. A washtub sat by the fire, complete with fancy soaps and both soft and rough cleaning rags. Remus was uncomfortable with most of the things Ori took for granted, but he would never turn down the chance for a proper bath.
Once he was clean, he pulled on his clothes and the boots he'd gotten repaired and polished the day before. Hopefully, he wouldn't completely humiliate himself at dinner. His dark breeches fit slightly loose, but he tied a thick belt around his waist to keep them from looking too much like he couldn't afford new ones.
Maybe he'd get to see Caradoc and Benjy. They were so busy supervising and guarding of his friends and family the past two days that he hardly go to see them.
Outside, he once more swung up onto the patiently-waiting Thief and rode through the city with the guard by his side. His gut tightening with every step closer. What if Andy's warning was exactly what he needed to finally convince him of bowing out of the Tournament? Just as the thought occurred, the guard had stopped and had begun dismounting inside the castle gate. Remus did the same and left Thief to the girl who came rushing up to take her. Guards pulled open the immaculate front doors, and Remus forced his feet to move. He'd much preferred when Caradoc and Benjy had taken him through a side door the other night.
Sarie and Evelyn were there, but Lucius was missing, which seemed odd. He seemed the sort to make certain he got all the attention he could, which meant not showing up late. Then again, what did Remus know about fancy dinners?
"Welcome, welcome." Dumbledore said, turning from the other two to smile at Remus. "I hope you're looking forward to dinner. Their Majesties certainly are."
"Of course," Remus replied with a smile that he fervently hoped did not show all the panic that he was feeling.
From the way the Dumbledore chuckled, he'd failed miserably. Dumbledore motioned to a servant, who came bearing a tray full of cups of wine. Dumbledore picked one out and offered it to Remus. "A little bird told me you'd be partial to this one."
"I— a little bird?" Remus asked as he accepted the wine. He knew it instantly just by the smell. His heart clenched. "What bird?"
Dumbledore's eyes gleamed innocently as he gave Remus a knowing grin, "Lady Minerva, actually, though she didn't inform me how she knew. Enjoy."
"Thank you." Remus said to Dumbledore's now retreating back. How had Minerva known what win he liked? Unless. Oh— oh. She's said she knew Ori; that must be where she'd learned it. But if Minerva knew Ori, then she must know Remus and Ori had been breaking the rules. Why hadn't Remus been disqualified for cheating?
Well, if no one else was going to say anything, neither was Remus. Maybe it didn't matter because he wasn't competing for Ori.
It was a pity Ori couldn't be at the dinner. Remus would have liked to see him all dressed up in his finery. On the other hand, being that close, but unable to touch or even act like they knew each other…
He took another swallow of wine, as warmed by the memories it dredged up as by the wine itself. Taking a few more sips, he went to join the others and chat while they waited for dinner.
Lucius showed up just as the closing bells finished tolling, trying very hard to look and act like he was already a noble. Unfortunately, he did it will. He wore clothes as fine as Dumbledore's, rich greens and blues trimmed in gold, his hair braided and twisted into elegant knots that had certainly been done by a servant or someone equally as skilled.
"Good evening, Master Lucius." Dumbledore announced and motioned to the servant with the wine tray. "Good of you to join us. Now that all of you are here, I will inform their Majesties and then call you to dinner shortly."
Once he'd gone, and the servants had faded off, silence fell among the little group. Lucius glanced at Remus and the others, then turned pointedly away from them to go examine one of the many paintings decorating the hall.
"You'd think he'd at least try to be polite," Evelyn muttered.
Sarie snorted softly. "Has he bothered since we started? Don't expect it now. He's certain he'll win, even though so far I would swear his performance has been amongst the worst, except for maybe the first challenge where he finished right after you. How he's made it this far is a mystery."
"No, it's not," Evelyn replied. "I'd bet my place in the Tournament right now that he's cheating, and that he had something to do with the reprimand we all got. If he hasn't bribed or threatened his way through this whole thing, I'll eat my shoes. Wouldn't surprise me in the least that he paid to have someone killed."
Remus winced, but the others seemed to hardly notice. He let the conversation wash over him, focused on the flavor of his wine, the memory of being pressed so close to Ori as they danced and raced down alleyways back to their room, tumbling into sheets with him later, having the most unexpectedly, vulnerable and captivating love-making he's ever experienced—
"—house, Remus? Remus?"
He startled, staring blankly at Evelyn. "I'm sorry, my mind drifted. What did you ask?"
She grinned at him, and the thought occurred to him that she did look fit to marry a prince. They both did. "Nervous a bit? Glad I'm not the only one. I asked if your mother is enjoying her new house." She nudged him playfully. "She must be beyond excited. That was a smart request."
"Money would have been smarter," Lucius said, turning away from the painting. "You could have bought a house and plenty more besides."
Sarie shook her head. "I'd rather have security, and money is hardly secure, especially when you suddenly have a great deal of it. The house is certainty, and no one can steal it."
Lucius' lips curled in a sneer. "Spoken like a true—" He broke off as a door opened and Dumbledore swept in.
"Competitors, dinner is served."
Remus finished his wine and handed the cup off to a patiently-waiting servant, murmuring a thank you before he followed the others down the hall and into a dining room that made him want to turn and flee. He hadn't realized his feet stopped working until he felt Sarie bump into the back of him. She laughed softly and gently nudged him forward. His experience with eating was pubs, his own room, and feeding customers when asked. None of those were adequate preparation for dinning with royalty, no matter what manners the brothel had drilled into him.
He and the others knelt as they entered the dinning room, heads bowed as formal introductions were made. As names were rattled off, Remus kept his gaze on the table before him, far too uncomfortable with the many set of eyes on him and the others. He had guessed about twenty or so sat at the long table, all dressed in absurd jewels and impressive robes. From his initial glance he hadn't noticed much else of the crowd of royals and nobles. After being introduced to the four competitors they were guided to sit down. The others moved first, and Remus happily let them take the seats nearer to the King and Queen on either side of the long table. It was only when he finally allowed himself to look at the occupants of the table that he felt his heart stop in his chest. Across from him was the healer— or not-healer, with the ridiculous name, Prongs? hadn't it been?— from the fairgrounds. Remus frowned as the messy haired man with spectacles grinned back at him and gave him a slight nod towards the seat beside Remus.
"Hello." He said brightly, and Remus all but tumbled into his seat as a servant held out his chair. Before Remus could respond the man was already whispering with the boy next to him, the boy who—
Remus could feel his veins burning with every passing second that seemed to stretch into an eternity. The boy next to Prongs was stunning, and faintly familiar. As if the boy could feel Remus staring at him, he raised his piercing grey eyes to bore into his own and Remus couldn't breathe.
"Master Romtayen," King Potter's voice raised above the others from one end of the table, forcing him to look away from the boy, jumping only slightly in his seat. He heard a soft chuckle come from the not-so-much-a-healer-Prongs. "I hope you're doing well." King Potter smiled at him, his warm honey brown eyes so similar to the man across from him. Remus pieced it together instantly, he must be Prince James. But why had he been pretending to be a healer during the Tournament?
Remus inwardly cleared his mind and forced himself to hold the King's gaze. "I am, Your Majesty. Thank you."
"Good. How did you enjoy your visits to the villages assigned for your quest challenge?"
Remus brightened slightly. "I enjoyed my time traveling and meeting the people of surrounding villages. I'm afraid I hadn't expected to have as much drink as I did on my first stop, but I hope Cartina does well at the market competition. I'd feel bad if I chose poorly."
That got a few of the other occupants of the table to chuckle before Sarie spoke up from beside him. "That sounds like the wine tasting I had to do in Hatfield. Were you as hungover as me for the three days following?"
"I certainly felt like it," Remus replied, not wanting to dampen the conversation by saying he'd been too worried about Benjy and further attacks to care about his hangover. "Was that required of all of us, then? I had pie, ale, and got to oversee a village Frost Fair and judge all sorts of things."
Evelyn gave a bittersweet smile. "I am sad I'm missing the Frost Fair in my home village. Favorite part of the year."
"Yes, there was a beautiful Frost Fair where I grew up," Queen Euphemia said wistfully, her brilliant crimson hair beautifully bound atop her head, a subtle crown strategically placed to not fall upon it. "We were thinking of reinstating the Frost Fair here, to take place at the conclusion of the Tournament."
Remus brightened. "Really? That would be wonderful— assuming people could get the time to go."
From somewhere down the table, Remus heard someone scoff. A rather regal looking woman, though her demeanor was far from warm like the other Queen was now glaring in Remus' direction, sending a cold shiver through his veins. "The common people are already given plenty of time off for festivals and other nonsense we've allowed to commence during this affair."
Queen Walburga Black was everything that Queen Euphemia Potter was not. Where Euphemia wore bright, warm yellows and reds, the other Queen wore dark greens and cool blues. Her husband sat next to her, stoically eyeing each of them, looking far to put out to be bothered with mindless chatter around him. Remus felt another shiver go down his spine, wondering how he had just now noticed the jarring atmosphere that seemed to be in the air. Tension, more like. Remus felt his chest tighten again as he studied the King Black. He glanced back at the boy sitting at Prince James side. He was clearly missing something because both looked so familiar. His gaze darted to the empty chair next to the boy, and then back at Walburga as she began speaking to the table at large. Her voice low, almost like a hiss. Walburga's gaze settled on the other end of the table where Queen Euphemia was now attempting to hide her scowl. "Besides the discussion on whether or not the Frost Fair will be reinstated or not is still in discussion amongst the Court. We mustn't go spreading false information to those who are prone to gossip. You know that better than anyone, Euphey darling."
Remus glanced between the opposite ends of the table as the entire room fell silent.
"Yes, well, until we have come to a final decision, it is a fond possibility to consider." Dumbledore said, speaking up to clear the air as if it wasn't heavy to begin with.
"Yes, of course, " another man said without missing a beat where he sat on King Blacks left, as if the tension between the two royal families was commonplace and not entirely awkward. The man, Remus hadn't caught his name, but he looked far too similar to the other members of the House of Black to belong to any other family. Walberga's brother, perhaps? "—and speaking of fairs, reminds me of one of my favorite stories about Sirius. You remember, don't you James?"
Across from Remus, Prince James gave the man a charming grin. "How could I forget, Uncle Alphard. You remind Sirius and I every June when the Summer Fair is approaching."
The man's grin only grew, Alphard Black, Remus surmised as he continued with his story, speaking to the table then, turning slightly away from the frowning King and Queen beside him.
"Sirius was left to me while my dear sister and the king travelled the Realm one summer once the curse was finally fading out. He'd wanted to go to the Summer Fair with Prince James, here, but young Regulus was far too young to be joining in on the type of mischief I know those two are capable of together, so of course I couldn't let one go without the other, wouldn't be fair, so I forbade it. So what does the young Prince do? He declared he was going to go anyway, and I told him he wouldn't get very far without coin. So later, he snuck into my office when he thought it was empty, never noticing my secretary tucked back in the bookshelves that wrap around most of it, and stole two marks from a purse I'd left in my desk." The handsome man chuckled, the sound so familiar that Remus could feel his throat tightening as pieces of his story suddenly became familiar too. "Of course, he felt so bad about stealing the marks, he didn't get any further in his scheming, and the next day he snuck back into my office to return them. Left them right in the middle of the desk, as though I or any of my servants would leave money out like that."
It could have been a coincidence. Any number of boys probably stole marks' from their uncles' desk. It seemed the harmless, defiant sort of thing that children would do. But the story was exactly the same in all the key points… Remus' gaze drifted to James and then Regulus— And how had it taken this long to realize why the boy looked so familiar? Ori had his nose and dark silken hair, that intense color of grey pooling beneath deliciously long lashes, and lips that curled in a way that Remus surrendered to every single fucking time. That also explained Minerva's strange behavior, and about five hundred other things that Remus really should have noticed sooner.
Ori wasn't the son of a noble. He was Prince Sirius Orion Black.
Remus' hand shook as he reached for his wine. He took a deep swallow, because there was no other way he was going to avoid screaming or cursing or jumping his seat to go find the bastard and break his damned nose.
"Perhaps if you would have taken the necessary measures to reprimand him, he would have turned out less of an unsuitable heir." King Black said stoically, taking his own sip of wine.
"Now, now, my dear," Queen Walberga said through a tight smile, placing her long fingers over her husbands, "We must let the champions make their own impressions of our son for themselves. Musn't taint their excitement to marry a prince." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.
"Should the Prince not be here tonight, Sire? Has something kept him?" Lucius asked King Black directly, with such familiarity that more and more was becoming obvious to Remus, only adding to his unabridged anger.
Remus stiffened as he felt Queen Walburga's dark eyes flicker to his own. He immediately dropped his gaze and chanced a glance at Prince James who looked the opposite of how he had upon his arrival. The Prince's mouth was set in a firm line, his fingers tightly clasped around his glass. He looked directly at Remus and gave one subtle shake of his head that Remus had no clue what to make of.
"The Prince requested to meet the victor only once they have won." King Potter answered when the King Black did not. "Our Sirius is rather a romantic that way. We respected his wishes to have the initial meeting take place more privately."
"An excessive and inconvenient request, but as are most things my son deems important to burden with asking for." Queen Walberga muttered, loud enough for the entire table to hear.
Remus barely remembered the rest of the dinner, though he did his best to talk and smile and act like he wanted to be there, even if it felt like the King and Queen of the House of Black highly disapproved of his entire existence. Though, to be fair they seemed to regard most everyone else the same way. Whatever his murderous intentions toward their eldest son, he managed not to take it out on them or anyone else at the table, well, besides Prince James, who seemed to pick up on his sudden change in demeanor.
It was a relief when he could finally leave. Every glance at Prince Regulus only spurred the heat of anger and betrayal in his stomach.
"Remus!"
Remus groaned, but came to a stop as he reached his horse and turned back to face Prince James, who was out of breath and leaning down on his knees when he realized Remus had finally slowed to a stop.
"Wait."
"Yes, Prince James?" Remus deadpanned, not caring one single ounce that he was disrespecting a prince.
"You seemed troubled throughout dinner. I wanted to ensure all was well."
Remus' frown deepened as he glared at the Prince who seemed to fear the worst as he slowly approached him.
"You can tell Lord Ori that he is fortunate our paths did not cross at that dinner."
"Oh, shit," James said quietly. "Look, just don't be upset with him. Please-- let me grab a horse and I can take you to him and he can--"
Remus bit back a hundred questions and accusations, turned and swung up onto his horse. "My thanks to Their Royal Majesties, and everyone else, for a wonderful supper. Goodnight, Prince James." He rode off before James could reply, barely noticing that the guard who usually shadowed him did not follow— probably startled that the Prince was calling after a commoner escaping the castle.
Leaving his horse at the inn's stable, he went quickly to his room and changed out of his good clothes. He packed up all his scattered belongings and set them by the door, then sat on the bed to pul on his boots—
And stayed there, head braced in his palms as he went over every single moment he'd spent with Ori. With Sirius. Every idiotic thing he'd said, the way Ori had gotten mad and defended the royal family.
He couldn't— he was going to kill that lying bastard. Why? Why had he lied? Why hadn't he just told Remus who he was? Why keep interacting with him at all when it was against the damned rules?
Remus swallowed, face flushing hot. He must have sounded so stupid, must have looked ridiculous, discussing the royal families, his disinterest, everything else that had tumbled out of his mouth because he'd thought he was talking to a noble. Ori had never said a word, just gone blithely along lying and evading like it was nothing.
The door creaked, loud as a clanging bell in the silence, and Remus looked up as Ori stepped into the room. His hair windblown and clothes twisted this way and that as if he rushed there.
Remus let him step into the room and close the door, then surged from the bed and stormed across the space between them, grabbing Ori up and slamming him against the door. "You lying bastard! You fucking— you— tell me why I shouldn't break your fucking jaw! I trusted you, I cared about you, and this whole fucking time you've lied to my face over and over—"
"It wasn't like that!" Ori said. "Please, Remus. I never intended to lie; it wasn't like that! Please."
Remus threw him to the floor and went to retrieve his bags. "Then what the fuck was it?" Oh, fuck. He'd just slammed and thrown around and yelled at a fucking prince. His knees nearly gave out, and he had to grab the bed briefly until the urge to laugh hysterically had subsided.
"Remus, please—" Ori stepped in close. "You look afraid of me, and that was exactly what I didn't want."
Remus gave an unsteady laugh. "I just threw you around like I would a dock worker doing something stupid and dangerous. You could literally—"
"Do a million things that you know damn good and well I won't do!" Ori shouted. "Have I not made it clear after all this time that I care for you?"
"Care so much you've lied to me this whole fucking time," Remus snarled, anger once more taking him over. "You lied to me about who you were, what you were. I told you exactly who and what I was when I—" Remus swallowed, forcing his anger to hold instead of the growing misery tearing to overtake him. "—when I've never trusted anyone with that. You let me wonder and worry why you were so excited that I might be marrying the prince and didn't seem to care at all that I meant I couldn't be with you. I've been a fucking miserable, heartbroken idiot for weeks, and you've just been lying and evading and probably having a fucking laugh over it with James, Lily and Minerva and whoever the fuck else knows—" He took a deep breath and jerked away when Ori reached out for him. "Don't fucking touch me. I was worried sick about you when my father was murdered, and now I have to wonder: did someone who knew you see us together? Did they put it together that you and I were already close? Is that why they jumped so quickly to murder instead of just beating me again?"
Ori's eyes filled with tears. "I didn't—"
"Didn't think of anyone but yourself and how fucking clever you are for getting away with your lies and evasions, with keeping your bloody torrid affair with a whore a damned-secret!"
"It wasn't like that," Tress said through a shaky breath. "It got complicated. Please, Remus. Don't— Don't leave. Give me a chance to ex—"
"I'm tired." Remus cut in. "I'm tired of my life being a fucking miserable shit show, of never having any control over a damned thing that happens to me. My life might have been boring before, but I worked hard for it. Since this fucking Tournament, I've had no control over anything. I've just been rushed along and run over and struggling not to drown. And the worst part—" Remus shook his head, swallowing back tears, "—the fucking worst part is that I wanted you. But now… now it feels like I don't even know you, and why should I keep fighting in this stupid Tournament for someone who couldn't even be honest with me?"
Tears fell down Ori's cheeks. "It wasn't like that. We had fun that first night and I thought that was all it would be, but Remus—" Ori lifted a shaky hand and immediately dropped it in defeat, "I couldn't forget you. My every thought kept coming back to you. I thought I'd find you and have a bit more fun, but you just sunk deeper and deeper into me. And then it was impossible for me to feel happy unless I knew you were too. And that's never happened to me before. I needed to know you had everything you ever wanted, but I couldn't tell you who I was because then they'd punish you if we got caught. It all got out of control and into a tangled mess, and I was hoping I could explain everything when it was over." He fell silent a moment, then in a barely audible voice added, "I want you, Remus. I've never wanted anything so badly."
Remus grabbed up his bags and left, slamming the door shut behind him, flinching at the broken way Ori called his name but resisting the urge to return. He needed to calm down and think, and he couldn't do either of those things while Ori was nearby.
Sirius. He needed to think of Ori as Sirius.
No wonder he'd never really known anything about Ori. Even without the Tournament, it would have been the height of foolishness for Ori to let anyone know he was really a prince.
Remus lingered in the street, trying to decide where to go. His mother? Frank? No, he didn't feel like listening to other people right then, even people he loved and trusted. He sat on a nearby abandoned part of wall outside of a shop and leaned his head against it. Breathing slowly in and out before reaching into his jacket to retrieve some leftover bread and raisins snitched from the last meal he'd had with Ori. His stomach clenched as he remembered Ori throwing them at him, catching at least half in his mouth, teasing Ori for being such a spoiled brat that he'd waste food.
The way that had somehow turned into Ori feeding him as he straddled him in bed, ensuring anything that missed his mouth landed on his skin, and therefore able to be salvaged by Ori's tongue.
He shoved a piece of bread into his mouth, but it stuck there, his mouth too dry to chew. He forced it down, then put the food back in his bag, leaned further into the cold wall, and stared at the statues of the Founders looming over the City sanctuary across the road. He shifted to find a more comfortable position and shut his eyes—
Suddenly, he was no longer sitting uncomfortably against the wall but being yanked from the ground. There was a sharp crack as his head hit the wall followed by an equally as painful fist directly to the side of his jaw. He barely managed to open his eyes when another blow came, causing him to fall to his knees when the attackers tossed him aside.
"Get up!" One demanded, and yanked him up again. Remus tried to clear his clouded brain enough to focus on running away, but managed to only get his arms clasped behind his back and his ankles bound. "Toss him in! Hurry! Before the guards come round!"
Remus had the brilliant thought to scream for help just as something was shoved into his mouth. He tried spitting out the awful tasting cloth but it was no use. His eyes darted around, trying to identify his attackers, and that's when everything went black.
