Written for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry
Assignment #8 - Criminology (Innocent Until Proven Guilty)
Task #3 - Prosecution: Write about accusing someone of something (with or without proof)
Warnings: discussed/attempted assisted suicide
Further prompts are at the end.
Word Count: 3,163
Sirius is glad Lily Evans is here, because if she falls in love with Remus then the curse will be broken and they'll all be human again. He's not jealous. At all. Really.
Molly's giving him a pitying look as they watch Lily dress the wound on Remus's arm, so he forces a playful grin… but they've not known each other for more than a decade for nothing, and her frown only deepens. "Oh, Sirius-"
"Hey Bill! Wanna learn a new prank?"
The little teacup looks up from the tall stack of books on which he's perched, but before he can reply-
Success. Molly turns to look at Bill, then back at Sirius as she shrieks, "Sirius Orion Black, don't you dare-!"
"Sorry, Sirius," Bill interrupts quickly, an adorable, apologetic smile on his face. "But I just found this book under one of the shelves, and it took forever for Dorcas to help me get it out, so maybe later?"
Sirius pouts. "Aw, come on, Bill-y, don't you want to take a break? You're a kid! You should be having fun, not studying all day. You should-"
"If he wants to study, then he will!" Molly says loudly. "Bill, dear, don't listen to Sirius, you know he's a bad influence…" Sirius tunes out the rest of what she says as he sneaks away quietly. He hesitates at the door, though - what if Remus needs him? But Lily has finished wrapping a piece of cloth around Remus' arm, and now they're talking, Lily gesturing animatedly and Remus' amber eyes alight. They obviously don't want him here. Or at least, wouldn't miss him if he went.
He finds himself in the dusty ballroom when he hears the faint ticking sound that's Regulus' approach. That's the only thing he'd miss if they become human again, that warning of his brother's arrival, because Regulus was so stealthy it was scary, back when they were human.
His frown deepens. Well, not the only thing.
"Don't," Sirius says, before Regulus can speak, waving a candle behind him, where he knows his brother is. "Whatever it is, I don't want to hear it."
Of course, Regulus doesn't listen. "I'm rooting for Lily, by the way."
Sirius turns to glare at his unreasonably smug expression. "It's not a competition! It's perfectly fine if he falls in love with her. It makes more sense, too, since the curse hasn't broken yet, which probably means he has to fall in love with an outsider, because he doesn't love anyone who would hypothetically love him back! And they make sense together, because they both love books and reading, and now that she's starting to see him not as a monster it's all coming together! But then there's only one petal left, which means that we have less than a month, so can they really fall in love in that time? But we don't have any other options, and they're already starting to like each other, so it'll probably be her. Right?"
No response. Sirius glances back at his brother, who adopts a dramatically pensive expression. "Right?"
"Oh, what was that?" Regulus asks, pretending to jar out of his thoughts. "I'm sorry, while you were talking I was trying to figure out why you think I care."
"You started it!"
"Because it was clear, from the way you came here to sulk, that you weren't thinking about Master Remus," Regulus drawls.
"I-" he splutters, before settling on, "Then why'd you come? If you knew I was- I wasn't sulking!"
"Of course you weren't. Anyway," Regulus adds quickly, "they're trying again. For dinner. But if you're sulking again, I'll just tell them that you won't be there-"
"No, don't!" Sirius blurts, dashing to his feet. "I'll come! You know I won't miss a dinner! Oh, have any of the others gotten anything prepared? Tell Gilderoy no, we're not letting him choreograph, and have Bertha make sure everyone's-"
"Tell them yourself," Regulus returns, making his way out the door, before pausing. "Oh, and, the phrase was 'learn to love.' So people he loved before don't count."
Sirius freezes mid-step, head whirling towards Regulus, though his brother is already gone. That- Could Remus-
No. That's not possible, and he won't ruin everything by talking to Remus. Remus will fall in love with Lily, and then they'll all be free. He won't let himself hope that-
No.
His performance might be a little stiff and lifeless at dinner, but that's easily passed off as the curse deadline, upon which they'll all turn inanimate forever, approaching, and no one confronts him (again) about it. Nor do they in the following days, as they watch Lily and Remus spend more and more time together, in the library, outside, during meals.
But then, barely a week later-
"She's gone?!" Molly's shriek can be heard throughout the entire mansion, and possibly in the next town over, and yet, like all the other servants, Sirius follows the sound of her voice, upstairs… into the open door of the West Wing.
And she… she as in Lily?
"Remus John Lupin, you will explain yourself right this moment! What do you mean, she's gone?"
Molly's temper is terrifying, something they all strive not to be the recipient of, but Remus doesn't even flinch, as he gazes out the large window that faces the forest.
"I mean, she left," Remus says quietly. "For her sister."
"But-" Molly sputters, her words failing as she, no doubt, remembers her own siblings. Sirius spots Regulus, out of the corner of his eye, and is suddenly incredibly grateful that his brother is here, alive, as well as they all can be. "But what about the curse?"
This time, Remus does flinch. "I- I'm so sorry, Molly, everyone, I know you hoped-"
"That's not important, you idiot!" Molly interrupts. "At least if we go solid- No, what about you? It will take over your mind forever if you don't…"
"I know," Remus whispers, his voice so heartbroken Sirius almost breaks the bounds of the wide circle around him to hug him. Almost, because then Molly asks-
Do you- Do you love her?"
The room seems to hold its breath collectively as Remus finally turns away from the window, towards Molly, and Sirius waits, waits for the axe to fall. He doesn't know whether he wants it to be true or not, but suddenly, he has to know. Does Remus…?
"I-"
And then Remus gives a small, almost imperceptible, nod of his head, a sort of half-blink, half-bob. But it is… a yes.
Molly seems to notice only then that they're all gathered around, gawking at the scene, though Sirius can tell she's really trying to give Remus space, and with a few orders to get back to work if they've all decided not to sleep tonight, the room clears. Sirius is one of the first out the door, though for once not because of his boundless energy.
He knew it. He told them so.
Not even two hours later, there are invaders marching across the drawbridge to the front doors.
"Was it… Lily?" Sirius asks, as they stand there, frozen for a moment. No one has an answer, as they dash down the stairs, calling out to warn everyone, and he wonders if he's just jumping to conclusions. But no one else knows that the castle even exists, right? Or-
"Sirius, what are you doing? Go warn the master!" Molly exclaims.
"Me? Why me? Why- why not you?"
"He'll listen to you, more than the rest of us!" Molly says quickly, glancing around as the other servants emerge. "Go, Sirius- Oh! Where's Bill?" And then she's dashing off, leaving Sirius standing alone in the middle of chaos.
Remus… will listen to him? Is that true? But Sirius doesn't know if he can act normal around- Oh, screw it, they're under attack, he wouldn't have acted normal anyway!
"Siri-" Remus begins, turning as Sirius dashes in and interrupts-
"We're under attack!"
"What?"
"By humans," Sirius explains. "We saw them coming up the drawbridge and-" A booming thud shakes the entire castle. "That must be them! They're trying to break down the doors!"
"Humans?" Remus repeats. "Then- Lily?"
Sirius hesitates. On the one hand, if he says yes… But on the other, they didn't know for sure… But on the third, if he reassures that it isn't… "We don't know," he admits. "But-" you have to admit the timing is suspicious, he stops himself from saying. No. They don't know for certain, and Remus never was his, to begin with.
But it's on Remus' mind, anyway, as he sighs and turns his gaze back to that single petal left on the rose. "If it is her… Maybe we should let them come."
What? "Are you crazy?" Sirius shouts. "You-"
"You," Remus gestures at Sirius, and out the door at the others, "can hide, pretend you're inanimate. But me… maybe it'll be better if they kill me-"
"You can't be serious!"
"No, you-"
"Not now," Sirius hisses at the attempted joke. "But you can't just let them kill you!"
"Why not?" Remus says quietly, nodding to the rose. "We're at the last petal, and it doesn't matter if Lily's why they came or not - she's not coming back. And you know what will happen next - it'll only be a matter of time, then. And maybe, if I'm gone, then the curse will break for the rest of you."
Sirius hates it when Remus is so reasonable. Well, he doesn't normally, because Remus is a genius, but not when they're talking about his death!
"And that makes it okay- No, don't answer that. Do you think we'll just let them kill you?" The loud clamor from downstairs makes it obvious that they're fighting. "You are not dying now, Remus, so-!"
A quiet squeak, from the one door they were forbidden to oil, sounds, and as Sirius whirls towards the sound, he sees a tall man with messy black hair standing in the opening.
Aiming an arrow straight at Remus' chest.
"Where is Lily?" the man says quietly, before Sirius or Remus can react.
Sirius frowns - definitely from Lily's village, but what does he mean, where is she? And how can he- "You mean she's not with-"
"Where is she?" the man interrupts angrily. "I know you have her! Tell me, now, or so help me I'll-"
"She left!" Sirius says, hopping onto the rose table to try and shield Remus with himself, then cursing internally at the fact that he's so tiny. "A few hours ago! She's not here anymore."
"Don't. Lie. To. Me," the man snarls. "I know you were keeping her prisoner here, I know that she almost escaped, for long enough to send a message, before she was captured again, I know that you-" he points the arrow at Sirius "-are unnatural witchcraft and that you-" he directs the arrow at Remus again "-are a monster. So tell me where she is, and I might let you live."
"She's not here!" Sirius repeats, glancing at the silent figure besides him. Why won't Remus say anything? "Really! I don't know where you got your information from, but-"
"Oh, we have her, all right," Remus interrupts quietly, gaze still out the window. What is Remus doing? "You're completely right. We- I, captured her, after she tried to escape and punished her-"
"No-" Sirius tries to say.
"I knew it!" the man half-growls, as, faster than Sirius would have thought possible, he draws the string back and shoots. No! Sirius thinks, as he tries to leap in front of Remus to block the arrow, but falls too quickly. Remus howls in pain, and Sirius charges towards the man, who sidesteps him easily. Remus-
And then they - Remus and that monster of a man - are falling out the window, onto the roof of the nearby towers. It's all Sirius can do to follow them, though their steps are much larger and the man is half-tossing Remus forward in his attacks, before he pulls out a wicked-looking dagger and-
"NO!" Sirius screams, but it's too late, and Remus howls in pain again, the dagger stabbed into his chest, before the man pulls the knife back out to stab again and-
"STOP! James!"
They all - Remus included - spin towards the sound, peering down to the ground, to the path, where-
Lily? What-
"Lily, how- What- I thought-"
"Oh yes, tell me what you thought!" she shouts angrily. "Why on Earth- What could have possessed you to- You- He's my friend, you idiot!"
"I thought-" the man, James, says again, swallowing before continuing. "I thought he'd hurt you."
"What?" Lily shrieks. "Why- Without any evidence-"
"That's what Peter said!" James exclaims. "That he saw you, in the woods, that you told him about how you were a prisoner, before you were dragged away by a monster, pleading for him to save you!"
"You trusted Peter?"
"I know you don't like him, but he's my-"
"Friend?" Lily spits. "Some friend. Well then, you should've asked-"
"I did!" James insists, nodding to Remus. "I asked, and the little candelabra said you weren't here, but then he said that it was true!"
"Remus!" Lily shouts, her fury changing targets. "You- You're hurt!"
And it's true, and Sirius curses himself for being distracted, for not noticing earlier, because Remus' eyelids are flickering shut, and blood is gushing out from that knife wound and-
"Take him inside!" Sirius shouts at James. "Take him inside the castle, right now, so we can heal him!"
James hesitates, glancing at Lily, who glares venomously. "Do it."
"Alright, alright," James murmurs, no doubt too quiet for Lily to hear, raising his hands in surrender for a moment before bending to pick Remus up. And he must be stronger than he looks, because he carries Remus to a nearby window without too much struggle, shattering the glass to enter and laying Remus down on the ground before standing quickly and hesitating again.
"What are you-" Sirius begins.
"I- I don't know what to do," the man admits. "I've never had to- I-"
And Sirius has never learned first-aid either…
"Remus!" Lily cries as she bolts into the room, kneeling besides Remus to tear "Quick, we've got to put pressure on it, we-"
A low growl cuts her off, and Sirius watches in horror as Remus's pupils begin to contract, as he begins to shake. He moves his arms quickly, and finds to his horror that the joints are stiffer than they've ever been-
"We're out of time," he says quietly. "Lily, er, James, you've got to get out of here, before he-" But the tremors subside again, Remus falling still, as the skin around the wound fails to knit back together. Sirius glances to James as he asks, "Silver?"
"On the knife? Er, yes-"
"His accelerated healing won't work for that, then," Sirius murmurs. "I- I'm sorry-"
"No!" Lily snarls. "Then we'll heal him the normal way! Give me the-"
She must say more, but the world is fading around Sirius, his thoughts slowing until…
The next thing he knows is chaos, which slowly subsides as his senses adapt to their new function, and-
He's human again.
He's human again.
He-
Glancing around tells him that not much time has passed - the room looks just like it did when he last saw it, with the exception of-
Remus.
Sirius' memories didn't do the man justice, because somehow, Remus is even more radiant than he remembered. They're human again. The curse is broken. Remus-
Remus is Lily's.
The rest of what must have happened comes flooding into Sirius. If the curse is broken, then that must mean… that Lily loves him back. And now that she's returned…
They love each other. So there's no place for Sirius, then, is there.
"Sirius," Remus calls, just as Sirius turns to leave.
He forces himself to turn slowly, to keep his expression nonchalant as he asks, "Yes, Master Remus?"
Remus frowns at the formal address, but doesn't otherwise comment as he says, "Where are you going?"
He doesn't want to say, doesn't want to admit the truth and hope, only to have Remus reject him kindly, but… he does owe Remus this. An explanation.
"I love you," Sirius says quietly, holding his hand - and it's an actual hand, not a candle! - as Remus tries to speak. "Like, romantically. For years now. But since you're happy together - congrats, by the way - I won't get in the way of that. So I'll go." He turns away again, the freezes as someone - not Lily because it's a male voice, not Remus because Sirius knows his laugh, so James? - starts laughing.
Why-?
"They aren't together," James chortles. Sirius frowns as he turns to face them again, because what-? "Lily and Remus," he explains, seeing Sirius's confusion.
"It's true," Lily adds. "James is my fiancé."
"But then- the curse-"
"I do love Lily," Remus says, "but like a sister. Not romantically."
That- What? The facts don't seem to add up, for a moment, in Sirius's mind, before it finally comes together. There are many kinds of love. Remus and Lily love each other like he loves Molly, and Dorcas, and Bertha, and…
Then…
Sirius' face must be beet-red by now, as he stares at them all. He told Remus… But Remus doesn't love Lily like that…
Remus probably doesn't feel the same, so he should leave before this gets too awkward. He turns again, before-
"Sirius," Remus calls, his voice approaching behind him now. "You… You said that you feel-"
"I'll go," Sirius says quickly. "I'm sorry-"
"No, don't apologize," Remus interrupts. "Because I- I feel the same. I was afraid to tell you, because… but…"
What?
"Sirius, I love you."
-oOo-
"So what now?" a small, pudgy man grumbles, hidden in the shadows of the forest just outside a picturesque village.
"Patience."
"Patience!" the man repeats incredulously. "Patience? I- You had me betray my closest friends- Had me lie to them-"
"Yes, and you did very well on that-"
"You had me betray them! James and Lily, and now- now you want me to just wait?"
"I told you. Things have to come together a certain way. Imagine what would have happened, had we not acted."
"James and Lily would still be fine!"
"Would they? With Remus Lupin permanently transformed, with his servants inanimate forever, for how much longer do you think they would be 'fine'?"
"I-"
"Things have to come together a certain way. Dismissed."
"Dismissed?" the small man exclaims. "I-"
"Leave." With a squeak, the man obeys. Several moments after he disappears into the distance, another man, with dark hair and eerie crimson eyes, steps out of the shadows, gazing still at the village, at a certain couple that walks along the main street.
"Harry Potter," the man murmurs. "You're welcome."
Autumn Seasonal Challenges
Days of the Year & Religious Events: 24th November - Evolution Day: Write about a relationship evolving into something new
National Pizza Month: Corn: Mutual Pining
Sarcasm Month: (dialogue) "I'm sorry, while you were talking I was trying to figure out why you think I care."
Get Organized Month: Plot Point: Tidying up
Pet Peeves Week: People who scuff their feet whilst walking - Write about someone falling over
Chemistry Week: Holmium: Heartbroken
United Nations Day: Democratic Republic of the Congo - (plot point) Trying to charm someone
Princess Day: Princess Elena - Write about being betrayed by someone close
Tarot Reading: Page of Wands, upright: Write about someone finding a way to express their individuality.
Writing Club: November
Character Appreciation: Second Doctor - Write about a punishment
Record Collection: I'd Hate to Be You When People Find Out What This Song Is About: (prompt) Write about someone losing hope
Time Machine: Sexual orientation: Non-heterosexual (Bonus)
Book Club: Lucrezia Warren Smith: (character) Molly Weasley, (emotion) anger, (plot point) an argument
Showtime: Finale: (plot point) a reunion
Amber's Attic: Possums are precious little babies, and I love them so much, and I'm so glad they exist: (trait) misunderstood
Elizabeth's Empire: Brownies: (character) Remus Lupin
Liza's Loves: Primal Strike - Write about a magical creature or being
Bex's Basement: Tidal Wave: Write about being hit by something unexpected.
Lizzy's Loft: (scenario) Someone dies/is dying
Angel's Archive: (character) Luna Lovegood alt. (au) creature (vampire/werewolf/phoenix/etc.)
Scamander's Case: (plot point) an argument
Film Festival: (plot point) breaking a curse
Lyric Alley: I'll get what I can take
TV Spree: Write about a relationship or affair being revealed
The Forecast Says… 28th. Rain: Saving someone
Honeydukes Hoard: Hard Candy - Protective
All Aboard: Blue Train - Jealous
Folding Fun: Fold - Shark: (word) misunderstood
Scorpios Appreciation: Prompt: Write about feeling jealous of someone.
Talent Show: Dungeon Mastering - Dialogue: "And that makes it okay?", Character: Sirius Black, Word: Freedom