Written for:
Marauder's Map Event - Time Travel / Getting Lost
Pinata - Setting: Hogsmeade
Hogwarts Zoo - Write about a character having either a patronus or animagus form of your favourite animal
Fantastic Beasts 23 - (word) seduce / 49 - Hungary - Write about someone with an unusual name
Fortnightly - Princess - 5: Rebellious
Fortnightly - Around the Board - 3 - 12 Grimmauld Place - Write about a member of the Black Family
Seasonal - Days of the Year - 10th November - Write about seeing seeing someone after a long time apart
Seasonal - Autumn - (object) boots
Seasonal - Flowers - (Creature) Rabbit
Seasonal - Air - (word) Bliss
Seasonal - Ravenclaw Event - Sugar: "Don't you dare!"
Seasonal - Character - Trait: Logical
Seasonal - Star Chart - (object) diamond ring
Writing Club - Character Appreciation - 31 - Sirius/Bill *BONUS 5 POINTS* - *ALSO BONUS FOR USING SIRIUS OR BILL*
Writing Club - Disney Challenge - Songs 1 - How Far I'll Go - Write about someone who wants to do something, but can't.
Writing Club - Lizzy's Loft - 2 - "Speed is key." *Bonus 10 points*
Writing Club - Book Club - Hailey: (trait) bossy / (Dialogue) "You hurt her, and I'll kill you." / (word) protest / (colour) gold
Writing Club - Showtime - 10 - (dialogue) "I must go."
Writing Club - Amber's Attic - 8 - Write about time travel *5 point bonus*
Writing Club - Lyric Alley - 16 - To live my life the way I want
Writing Club - AAA - 11 - (colour) black
Writing Club - Emy's Emporium - 11: (colour) gold
Writing Club - Angel's Arcade - 10: Tawna - (word) experience / (dialogue) "I want you." / (colour) Cream
Writing Club - Lo's Lowdown - Quote 2: "Do I look capable of making healthy life choices?"
Writing Club - Bex's Basement - 17 - "It's not possible." / "Darling, you have no idea what's possible."
Writing Club - Film Festival - dialogue 13: "I don't know why we hang out with you anymore."
Writing Month - 3,839
Assignment 9 - Potions Task 1 - Write about someone who thought to be dead turning out to still be alive.
Everything He Wanted
Sirius/Bill
Remus/Charlie
It was Charlie who passed on the news. Bill had been out of the loop with the Order for a couple of days because of work and Charlie had been the one to turn up at the bank looking for him.
When Charlie had walked into his small office, Bill had known something was wrong. After all, Charlie had been in Romania working and doing things for the Order on the side. Leaving that in such a spur of the moment meant something was wrong.
It made sense, really. There were very few people who knew of his feelings for Sirius Black. When Sirius had opened the doors to Grimmauld Place to the Order, Bill had been certain that there was a spark between them. But Sirius barely looked at him, his time in Azkaban being something that wasn't quick or easy to recover from, but Bill tried to bring light to his life. There wasn't a lot of options in the house since Sirius was basically a prisoner once again, but Bill often made cups of tea, bringing one to Sirius when he had emerged from his room, and taking the time to talk to Sirius even when Sirius was in a sullen mood and everyone (with the exception of Remus) avoided him.
The memorial didn't happen at Grimmauld Place. That was somewhere that Sirius despised with every inch of his being - instead, they held the event in Hogsmeade, heading into the Shrieking Shack. Harry had tried to insist on them going to the castle, but that would have raised too many questions. Going to the shack however, was different.
The shack was important to Sirius for so many different reasons. It was a new level of freedom, a place where he could be Padfoot. It was somewhere where he was loyal to his friend, looking after Remus during the full moon, and also it played to his love of sneaking out of the castle. Finally, it was the place where they had gotten Peter, helping Harry learn the truth, and a spot that was given even more meaning when Harry and Sirius had briefly thought they'd get their own place once Sirius' name was cleared.
It had its downsides too, like any broken-down shack that had been inhabited by a werewolf for years did, but there wasn't anywhere else suitable. So most of the Order plus those too young to join all attended the small ceremony, listening to Harry and Remus' words - the pair that knew him best.
Bill didn't step forward to say anything. What use was it now? He didn't want everyone's pity if he told them he had fallen in love with Sirius. It wasn't like Sirius had even loved him back.
But Remus had shot him sympathetic looks and Charlie had been at his side, offering silent support. Two people did know and if Remus knew, maybe Sirius had known too? Maybe it made the last few months that little bit easier, knowing that that he meant something to someone else.
When the memorial finished, Bill snuck away before anyone could come and talk to him. Charlie and Remus were deep in conversation in the corner which Bill suspected was a conversation about him. Remus' hand rested on Charlie's shoulder and they were distracted enough for him to get away.
He headed through Hogsmeade, not allowing the tears to fall. They were at war now and this was one loss of what he knew would be many. He could lose his friends, his family, or perhaps even die himself. There would be many more deaths and he needed to accept that and deal with this.
People walked around Hogsmeade, going about their day, unaware of the loss the world had suffered. They whispered about Voldemort's return and about Harry Potter, but he didn't hear anything about Sirius. He didn't know if this was worse than people knowing, because Sirius' name still wasn't cleared. If people had spoken about him, it wouldn't be anything good. Maybe silence was the best.
He glanced back to the shack before shoving his hand into his pocket and drawing out his wand. He regretted not bringing Charlie with him because he felt even more alone in the midst of the crowd. He slipped off the main road, down a small alley that was conveniently there when he needed an escape.
He needed Sirius. He needed to get away from the crowds. He needed Charlie because he didn't want to be alone.
He walked further down the alley, following the twisting path a short way until the noise of Hogsmeade was quiet. "Expecto Patronum," he said, pulling up a memory of Sirius. It took three tries to make the bunny appear, but Sirius smiled when seeing it.
He had learnt the patronus spell when he was in Grimmauld Place. Sirius' fear of Dementors had gotten under all of their skin and Bill had practiced with Remus to ensure he could fight them off if he needed - if Sirius needed. Sirius had laughed when the small bunny had appeared, a beautiful, joyful laugh that, for a moment, had stripped him of everything he had suffered. For a brief moment, Sirius seemed like another person that wasn't burdened.
The smile faded quickly as he remembered the way Sirius had laughed and thrown an arm around his shoulders so casually, deciding that the rabbit would be known as Dexter no matter how much Bill argued that it really didn't suit the small creature. "You'll understand one day," Sirius had insisted. "Tell me when you do." No matter how much Bill pushed for an explanation, Sirius offered none.
The bunny waited for Bill to speak. "I need… I need someone. Charlie. Bring him here." He sighed. "Who am I kidding? Charlie won't make this better. I need Sirius."
The bunny ran down a path behind Bill and Bill frowned, watching it. He had walked in almost a straight line and knew that the Shack was in the opposite direction - Charlie was back the other way. He began to follow it, wondering it he had somehow taken a path that looped back around without realising.
He began to run as the patronus sped up, darting around the corners it led him through until a quick turn had him running straight at a brick wall. He couldn't stop himself in time - he stumbled, throwing his arms up to brace himself.
He hit the wall, feeling nothing, and suddenly came through the other side.
A man in a leather jacket eyed him suspiciously, a can of spray-paint in one hand and a cigarette in the other. "Where did you come from?"
"Uh, the wall?" Bill replied, confused. He turned back to look at it. "I was chasing my patronus and—"
"This little fella?" The man leaned down to examine the bunny that was loitering by his feet. "You know, I'm somewhat of an expert on Patronus'. Did you know that rabbits are a symbol of fertility?"
Bill snorted. He was a Weasley so that didn't surprise him in the slightest.
The man's eyes narrowed. "Okay, that was an easy call," he said. "What's your name?"
"Bill," Bill offered.
The man nodded, bringing his cigarette to his lips for a moment before taking a drag. The butt was dropped to the ground and a boot came down on it, stamping it out. With his free hand, the guy reached up, his fingers examining the bun on the back of his head, before he leaned against the wall where a gold coloured 'S' had recently been drawn on a faded cream wall.
"Rabbits are good luck," the stranger continued. "Symbolic for desire…" his voice took on a suggestive tone at the words. "New life, new beginnings, love, family…" he trailed off. "So, want to do something crazy? We should go and get married."
"I… we should what?" Bill asked, as the stranger turned around, giving the can a shake before starting to draw a bunny on the wall.
"Get married," the stranger repeated, the spray-paint changing colour as he sprayed eyes onto the bunny. "Love, family. Wild rabbit sex. Sounds like fun. I only have a couple of hours before I have to get back to Hogwarts, so we need to be quick about it." The rabbit was finished and he shook the can once more. This time the colour came out black.
"There isn't a Hogsmeade visit today," Bill said suspiciously.
"There is," came the reply.
"You're too young to get married."
"Turned eighteen the other day. It's fate." His hand moved quickly, the black shape beginning to look like a large, familiar dog. Bill stared at it and something felt off. The dog was too much like Padfoot. Did this stranger know Sirius? "I'll give you a couple of minutes to think about the marriage - Speed is key."
He watched in silence as the picture was finished. There was no doubt that he had drawn the little bunny and the dog. The man withdrew his wand and Bill's own fingers twitched in case there was there was any trouble, but the stranger wasn't paying him attention anymore.
The can shook once more and a big red heart was drawn around the animals before he shoved the can into one of the pockets of his leather jacket and flicked his wand.
The animals began to move and Bill couldn't help but be impressed at the spell. He hadn't known that spray-painted things could be charmed that way. When he looked back at the stranger, the guy was placing a new, lit cigarette between his lips, his eyes on Bill.
"You look sad. Is that why you won't dedicate the rest of your life to me?"
"I lost someone," Bill murmured.
"And found someone," the stranger insisted. "It's definitely a win."
Bill sighed. "You haven't even told me your name," he said to the student.
"Sirius, there you are!" came a shout. "What have we told you about talking to strangers in alleys?" A bespeckled student ran over with a taller boy on his heels.
"Sirius, are you okay?" the second student asked, his eyes warily moving to Bill.
"James, Remus, meet my fiance, Bill," Sirius said, rushing to Bill's side and grabbing his hand. "Fate brought us together."
"Wait. Sirius? James and… and Remus?" Bill tried to pull his hand free of Sirius' but the man seemed to be stuck tight. "No, this isn't right. You're… too young."
"I'm eighteen. I've been old enough to marry you for a year now," Sirius snapped. "You just took your time finding me, that's all. Why did you wait so long?"
"You look familiar," James said, frowning slightly. "Any relation to Gideon and Fabian?"
Bill stepped back again, Sirius clinging to his arm lovingly, refusing to let go. "Gideon and Fabian are… here?"
Remus nodded. "Well, they used to be students. A couple of years older than us though. So… do you make a habit of hanging around with students in alleyways?"
Bill could see how it looked bad. He shook his head. "I was just passing through and your friend just… attached himself to me."
"Sounds about right," James sighed.
"He came through the wall," Sirius said.
James glanced at Remus and Sirius let out a huff as they shared /that/ look they always shared. "Sure he did," James said, somewhat patronisingly. "People come through walls all of the time."
"Of course they do. King's Cross for example," Sirius insisted. "Bill wouldn't lie to us."
"You met him ten minutes ago."
"But look at that beautiful, trustworthy, sexy face. How can you not trust him?" Sirius countered. "Plus, I saw it happen. One minute he wasn't there and the next, he was."
"He could have apparated," Remus pointed out.
"I would have heard."
"Okay, those temporary invisibility cloaks that some of the shops sell," James tried.
"I did come through the wall," Bill confirmed, his eyes moving from face to face trying to find something /wrong/ with one of them. But they looked how the younger Marauders should, down to the scars covering Remus' face. "I shouldn't be here. I should go."
"Where should you be?" Sirius asked. "Your place? We should go there right now, consummate this marriage before I have to get back to school."
"I'm going to make Mum withdraw your permission forms," James snapped. "Sirius, behave."
"You're not married though…" Remus began, "are you?" Bill almost laughed at the concern in his voice, as though he expected Sirius to have done it already.
"Sirius, should I take you back to the castle?" Remus said, watching Bill with suspicion as he quickly shook his head. "You can stare at Lucius' arse. I know how that—"
"Remus, how could you stand in the way of true love?" Sirius asked, clutching Bill's arm tighter and staring at him adoringly. Bill gave up trying to free himself. "Lucius just doesn't compare. Look how tight Will's—"
"Bill," Bill quickly interrupted.
"—Bill's trousers are! His arse is almost as perfect as mine."
"Arse shape doesn't determine true love," James pointed out. "Sirius, you fancy this guy but that doesn't mean that this is true love or anything. Just… maybe you could just write to each other for a while instead?"
"That's not going to work," Bill said, realising once and for all that these were the real Marauders and his mind wasn't playing some sort of trick on him. "I'm not from around here and I have to get home."
"Are you already married?" Sirius demanded angrily, grabbing Bill's hand to check.
"No. I… I have to go away for… for a few years."
"That's what they all say," Sirius said accusingly.
"No-one has ever said that to you," James pointed out, cutting Sirius off quickly. "I don't know why we even hang out with you anymore."
"Now, Sirius, we should get going. We have… things to do… pranks," Remus tried. "If it's true love, you'll find each other again."
James quickly nodded in agreement and Bill wondered how often his friends had to talk him out of his insane or impulsive choices.
"Sirius, you've only just met. You've seen the Muggle movies - you'll find each other in a few years and it'll be fate pushing you back together. You love those movies, don't you?" James asked.
"It could be like Grease. I have a leather jacket," Sirius tried. "I could be the Danny to his Sandy. He's Sandy of course because of the rabbit patronus."
Bill sighed and wondered if he could walk back through the wall or if he needed to see Dumbledore at the castle. He needed to get away before he said something that'd change the future.
But… what if that was for the best?
"Give us an hour and then I'll come with you," Sirius stated. "Will… William? Yes, I like that - William was just about to take me to his house. His patronus is a /bunny/ after all. You know what they say about bunnies."
"I don't want to know what—"
"They have wild sex," Sirius finished. "And we all know that redheads are wild in bed. Probably. William clearly is." He glanced at Bill and Bill stared back. This Sirius actually wanted him. He could stay and experience what it would be like to have true love - to have a life with Sirius Black.
Bill pulled his hand away and somehow managed to dislodge Sirius Black. He could marry him and give him the family that Sirius so desperately craved. He could tell everyone the truth about Peter in advance, give them information on Death Eaters. He could save his uncles' lives. He could live a bliss-filled life here.
He looked around and the wall shimmered. Bill knew he could do none of those things. Upsetting the timeline could stop the births of Harry, Ron or Ginny. Time-travel was tricky. He could be thrown back at any moment, only to find the world destroyed. He had been given so many warnings when having a time-turner in his school days. He couldn't be selfish, could he?
Finally the logical side of his brain won. He'd have to put his heart second because there were rules and as desperate as he was to save them all, he couldn't.
It hurt as he stepped away from Sirius. As much as he wanted to stay, he knew he couldn't. It would be harder to lose Sirius a second time. "I must go."
"Don't you dare," Sirius insisted. "I thought we were going to get married!"
Bill smiled sadly, inches from the wall. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "Eighteenth of June, 1996 - stay safe." It was the most he could change because there wasn't anything set in stone after Sirius' death. It wasn't like warning about Peter or giving details about the war. Maybe this was one thing he /could/ change.
"And after that, we get married?" Sirius demanded.
"Sirius, that's nineteen years away," Remus pointed out.
"Are you going to promise to marry me or not?" Sirius demanded loudly, already marching towards Bill.
"Next time I see you," Bill agreed. "Goodbye, Sirius."
"No, wait," came a voice from behind him as he stepped into the wall. "Remus, James - let go of me! I can't let him and Dexter leave, I /love/—"
Sirius didn't hear the end of the sentence, the words suddenly cutting off, leaving silence in their wake. He stepped out into the same alley. It was the one he had run down initially chasing his patronus. Sirius had said /Dexter/. That proved something—that adult Sirius had remembered him. Because post-Azkaban Sirius had named the rabbit /Dexter/ too. He hadn't told younger Sirius the name of the rabbit after all.
Three men sat against the dark wall, one was asleep on the other man's shoulder and Bill began to withdraw his wand. "Charlie, Remus?" he said, realising his brother was cuddled up to the werewolf. His gaze moved to the third person and he felt like he couldn't breathe. "Sirius."
Sirius rose to his feet, his eyes moving over Bill's body as though he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "It's not possible," Bill whispered.
"Darling, anything is possible," came the reply as Sirius stared at him as though he had never seen him before. "The question is are you Bill, or are you /my Bill/ yet?"
"You mean - did I…" he gestured to the wall behind him. "I saw you, James and Remus. But how are you… why is it night?"
"The bunny brought me here, and… I sent a message to Remus to let him know I was back. We've been waiting here for two days. Remus had a theory that because you travelled back so far, it took a day or two to do so."
"Back? Alive?" Bill stood frozen, his eyes locked with the same grey ones he had seen only moments ago.
Sirius nodded, gesturing to the wall. Bill followed his gaze, spotting the faded spray-paint. The dog and the bunny were curled up together and a date sat at the bottom. "I added it after you left, but James and Remus thought I was crazy. They thought the wall was like the platform, but I knew there was something more."
"The bunny led me through," he admitted.
"I remember," Sirius said softly. "I didn't realise until… I mean, the last time I saw you before Azkaban, you were about nine or ten. But when I saw you after that… the first time I saw you again, I had to stop myself from rushing to you. Remus had to keep reminding me that the event hadn't happened yet."
"How did you know it would be today?" Bill asked, taking a step towards Sirius.
Remus smiled sadly. "I remembered what you were wearing and the look of sadness in your eyes, even if the younger Sirius was doing a good job of distracting you. I recognised the outfit when we were in the Shack and… I already knew how you felt about Sirius. Shortly after, Sirius appeared in the shack. He apparated there even though the wards—"
"I didn't apparate, not knowingly. I was in… somewhere. Dark. It felt like Azkaban but worse because at least I knew what was happening there. Then your bunny appeared and I grabbed it and we just… appeared in the shack," Sirius explained. "I don't know what happened, but Pomfrey checked me over and I came straight here to wait for you."
"Why are you waiting?" Bill asked.
Sirius grinned, approaching Bill and reaching for his hand. He held tightly. "Because it's been killing me since we met after Azkaban and I had to keep my distance until I knew the time was right. But you made me a promise." He withdrew a small box and opened it. A silver band with diamonds set into it caused Bill's breath to catch.
"What is this?"
"Well, you made a promise to marry me," Sirius reminded him. "We could have done this years ago, but you made me wait. So, how about it, Bill? Wanna do something crazy like get married?"
Bill stared at Sirius.
"Before your mum finds out we've been engaged since I was eighteen and you were twenty-five," Sirius added. "Let's elope. We could be married within the hour. Then maybe you'll let me seduce you. You resisted my charms once, but not this time."
"But… you've not seen me for years. You don't have to feel like you need to stick to your word." Bill felt the need to protest, though his hand was up for Sirius to slip the ring on.
"Sirius hasn't been the best at life choices, but I find that this is one of the few I approve of," Remus said.
"I want you," Sirius insisted softly. "I have since the moment I laid eyes on you. I've waited for this day since the first time I laid eyes on you again."
"We're going to head back to Grimmauld Place. We'll see you there," Charlie said. "You two have catching up to do."
Bill watched the way Charlie's gaze moved to Remus and the fond gaze that Charlie received in return. He had noticed them standing close together earlier, and they had been waiting, no space between them only minutes ago. Suddenly it clicked.
"If you hurt him, I'll kill you," he said to Remus. "Make my brother happy."
Remus' eyes widened. "We aren't—"
"But you both want to," Sirius murmured. "Take a chance. Go and get married and—"
"Marriage isn't the solution to everything," Remus replied.
Sirius smiled at Bill. "I beg to differ," he said. "Both of you get out of here. I've waited too long for this day." He pushed Bill up against the wall. "Now, let's make up for lost time."
Bill clung to Sirius as their lips finally met. He had everything he wanted and didn't have to stay in the past to get it.