This was something I had come up with a few years ago, and a friend of mine had helped me plan it out a bit. Originally, she had said that I shouldn't do a romantic connection between them, but when I found this and started working on it again, it just... Happened. I couldn't keep them from drawing together... *insert kitten eyed face* So... Here you go! It was supposed to just be a one shot, but now that there's love brewing, I can't leave them like that! So I guess, follow this story and you'll get that fun little notification for when I finally figure out how to continue this. (: (p.s. Remus is in sixth year, and Penelope is in fifth year.)
"Omigosh, could I draw you?"
Remus blinked and stopped talking mid-sentence, turning in his seat to look at who had walked over.
A short Slytherin girl- maybe fourth or fifth year?- stood behind him, her arms wrapped tightly around a precarious stack of books and a wide grin on her face.
"It's just, you have the best shade of blonde for painting, and everyone always says no- Wow! Has anyone ever told you before that you have a perfect nose?"
Before anyone could respond, she dropped her books- sketchbooks- onto the table and clumsily slipped into the last open chair. She propped her chin in her palms and swung her legs back and forth.
"Uhm… No?" Remus replied awkwardly, reaching up to touch his nose. His fingers brushed over the scar crisscrossing it and he frowned. "I don't think-"
"Please? Oh, you just have to let me! Is it because I'm a Slytherin? I tried to get the hat to put me in, oh, I don't know- Ravenclaw, or something! But it just laughed at me. Can you believe that? A hat. Laughed at me. Crazy." She shook her head, sighing. "I could just do like, a quick sketch! Right here! You can keep your little posse and then I wouldn't be able to do anything, even if I wanted to. Which I don't. I just- I really want to draw you!"
James and Sirius were practically giggling behind their hands when Remus looked to them for help. Shooting his "friends" a glare, he turned back to the younger girl.
"Look, it's not because of your house. I just- I don't think you want to draw me."
The girl raised an eyebrow and dropped her arms to the table. "I- I literally just said I wanted to draw you." She flicked her dark hair over a shoulder and motioned aimlessly with her other hand. "If you don't want me to, then just say it, jeez. I just think- artistically- that you're bloody gorgeous, and I would kill to have a model with that sharp of a jawline."
Remus blinked a few times. "But… What about the, uh- the scars?"
"Oh, they're wonderful. I-! I didn't mean, like- like that well, uh-! Sorry! That wasn't very sensitive, was it? What I meant was I think they add so much to your whole look, you know? And I'm sure they weren't nice to get, but I would love to draw them."
"Mate," Sirius said, leaning across the table with a grin. "The girl's practically drooling over your physique. Just say yes."
James coughed into his hand which sounded an awful lot like 'I ship it.'
Deciding to ignore the latter comment, Remus turned back to her with a sigh. "Alright. You ca-"
An excited squeal cut him off, causing him to jump harshly in surprise. The librarian gave them an irritated 'Shh!'
"Thank you, thank you! Ok, so, let me just-" She started muttering to herself about pencils and paper as she dug through her bag and pulled out a pencil pouch, and started sorting through her books. She flipped one open and looked back up to him before frowning.
"Oh, but the lighting is so awful in here." She worried her lip before grinning sheepishly. "Would… Would you mind if we went somewhere else with better lighting?"
Remus cast an exasperated look to the other Marauders before agreeing.
"We're coming too!" James said, shooting out of his chair.
"I gotta see this!" Sirius snickered, shoulder bumping Remus as they helped gather up the girl's sketchbooks.
"Say, what's your name, little Miss Artist?" Sirius asked, giving her a sly grin.
"Sirius." Remus warned, giving him a scowl.
"Oh, I'm Penelope Vaughn. And you're Remus Lupin, James Potter, and Sirius Black! Great pranking work, by the way, I'm a big fan!"
James and Sirius grinned broadly, puffing out their chests as they flanked Penelope, leading the group out of the library.
"Really? Well, who better to do the portrait of our dear Moony, then, than a big fan?"
"Exactly!" She chirped, skipping a step. "Oh I just can't wait! It's going to be so much fun!"
Remus shook his head, slipping his hands in his pockets. He just couldn't wrap his mind around this girl being so excited to draw him. He wasn't anything special, and he definitely wasn't as… As 'bloody gorgeous' as she was claiming he was.
"Alright, Penny, where do you want to go?" Sirius asked.
'Penny'? Remus wondered, lifting an eyebrow. That's awfully familiar of him. It's only been… Ten minutes.
Penelope looked around, adjusted her messenger bag, and decided. "I know just the place. Follow me." With that, she took a sharp right turn and led the way down a seemingly random path of hallways.
"Ok, stop right here, and watch this." Penelope pushed up the sleeves of her robe before pacing back and forth.
"What is she doing?" James whispered. Sirius shrugged, watching her with worried eyes.
"Maybe she's… Lost?"
Remus opened his mouth to say something, when the sound of grinding rocks broke the relative silence of the hall.
The three boys watched in astonishment as a wide set of double doors appeared before them. Penelope turned and faced them, planting her hands on her hips and sporting a proud grin.
"The Room of Requirement! You pass in front of this part of the wall, thinking of where you want to go, three times. It's very useful!"
"H-How did you find this before we did?!" James spluttered, arms waving at the doors.
Penelope's porcelain face flared red as she clasped her hands behind her back.
"Well, uhm. You see- ehe, I was trying to find a spot to, uh. I was looking for a hiding spot for my portraits, and somewhere to work on them, ok? The girls in my dorm are very nosy, and they already think I'm a loony bin."
"So… That's it? You just, randomly paced in front of this while thinking about a hiding spot and it appeared?" Sirius asked, dumbfounded.
"Yes. Honestly, this castle is something else. Anyways!" She clapped her hands together and spun towards the doors, pushing them open with great effort. "Let's go!"
Remus followed behind the other three and took in the spacious room.
On both sides the walls were lined with thick, black curtains, light creeping out underneath them across the stone floor. In between the four curtains to his left and all across the far wall were lances that burned brightly, but not nearly as brightly as the massive chandelier that hung from the ceiling. It must have been at least twelve meters above his head, and he was the tallest in the room.
Penelope hurried over to the large table next to an easel where she placed all her books down, but the boys paid her no attention.
"Did- Did you paint all of these?" James asked, awe lacing his voice as they studied the far wall.
"Hm? Oh!" Penelope walked around the table and over to the boys who were studying the paintings hanging on the wall. "Painting pretty people is my thing," she said smugly, crossing her arms. "Most people say no, though. So a lot of these I have to do from memory, or the quick sketches I can pen down in classrooms or the dining hall."
Sirius gawked at her, then Remus and the other paintings, and back to her. "Where's my portrait?" He whined.
Penelope giggled. "Sure, you're pretty, but I like the people that don't know they're pretty. Like Lupin!"
Remus guffawed and shook his head. "I guess that explains why neither of these two are up there, but not why you want to paint me."
Penelope sighed and threw her hands up. "Some people just truly don't know pure perfection when they see it. Anyways, we're wasting time! Come on, sit over here."
Remus turned and followed her to the comfortable looking sitting chair.
"Here, sit down. Now cross your left leg over your right. Perfect! Now, if you want to you can ask the room for a few books to read, because this will probably be pretty boring and take a long while. Just- try not to move too much?"
Penelope scurried over to her table and started setting out pencils and whispering to herself, paints and brushes appearing at will.
Remus watched with wide eyes. He looked to his left and tried to think of a few books to read while he waited. Hopefully she'd grow bored and change her mind, and-
He startled as a side table appeared with three thick volumes.
"This room is wicked!" Sirius exclaimed, sitting down with James on a comfy sofa.
"We should come here all the time!"
Penelope frowned at them. "Not when I'm here. Where else will I paint people without getting reported for being a stalker?"
Remus picked up the first book on the pile, an old text on the theory of squibs and muggleborns, and how the magic disappears and appears at will. He balanced the tome on his knee and flipped open to the first page.
"Oh! Lupin, if you could, try and keep your face as relaxed as you can. It's easiest if you stick to one expression, and if you try frowning or smiling the whole time your face will hurt."
Remus sighed. "Noted."
"Good luck, mate!" James laughed. "Remember, you're getting your portrait done. Try and look nice or the world will remember you as a grouch."
Sirius snorted. "Or a grumpy professor."
Penelope laughed as she shrugged out of her robes and picked up a long, tan, smock covered in paint splotches. She tied the blue ribbon behind her and loaded the pocket with pencils and brushes before stepping up to the easel.
Remus gave the book his full attention as Penelope started laying down a rough sketch.
"Ok!" Remus lurched, the book snapping shut. "We should stop for lunch."
"To the kitchens we go!" James and Sirius cried in tandem, their prank planning forgotten immediately at the mention of food.
Remus once again took up the rear as they ventured out of the room and towards the Hufflepuff area of the castle.
"Everything will still be there when we come back?" Sirius asked.
"Mhm. Just gotta ask for the room we were in before, and it'll come back with no changes."
"Wicked," the two chorused.
"Isn't the dining hall that way?" Penelope asked, pointing in the opposite direction of where they had just turned.
Sirius draped an arm around her shoulders. "Yes, it is, little Penny. But we're gonna show you something cooler."
"In exchange for showing us the Room of Requirement." James added happily.
"Oh, cool! Where are we going?"
"Patience, small one. You shall see." Sirius said, turning them down another hall and heading for the stairs.
Remus wondered at the fact that James and Sirius had taken a liking to her so fast, letting her in on trade secrets like this. Usually they were very tight-lipped, and with a Slytherin no less. He was just… surprised.
It had been an odd day, for sure.
Looking down at his hands he traced a single finger over his scars, remembering how she had called them 'nice.' In his opinion, there wasn't anything nice about how he looked. He frowned at the thought of her hanging up a painting of him next to all the other portraits of gorgeous people. He couldn't imagine fitting in there. A surge of anxiety ate its way up his stomach just at the thought. Maybe this had been a terrible idea. Was it too late to say no?
But… She had looked so excited when he said yes. And from the look of all the other portraits she had done previously, she knew what she was doing. He hadn't seen a single person who stuck out as inferior.
There's always a first for everything, though, he thought morosely.
"A… Pear?" Remus snapped out of his musings to see that they had already made it to the kitchens. Whether that was because it actually was a short trip, or because he had been thinking too hard once again, he wasn't sure.
"Yup. And if you tickle it, like so…" James stepped forward and demonstrated. The pear jumped and let out a giggle before the painting swung forward, revealing the dozens of house elves working in the kitchen.
"What!" Penelope exclaimed, rushing inside. "Wow! This is so awesome!"
A few house elves squeaked as they noticed them and rushed over to ask what they wanted.
"Oh! Could I get a glass of pumpkin juice, a bowl of tomato bisque, and a few cucumber sandwiches, please?" Penelope asked, hands clasped together.
"Right away, miss!" The elf said, bowing low and hurrying off. Another two elves came over.
"What can we get for Masters Black, Potter, and Lupin?"
Penelope gawked. "They know you lot by name?"
"They come here a lot," Remus said, throwing a thumb in the direction of his mates.
"Apparently so!" She looked around and watched the elves work in slight awe. "We don't have house elves at home, this is the first time I've seen one!"
"Really?" Sirius asked. "I thought all Slytherin families had house elves?"
Penelope shook her head. "My mum thinks it's inhumane. She made my dad set all his free when they got married."
"Huh," James said as he turned to the house elf. "The usual, please!"
The house elf bowed low. "Right away, sirs!"
Penelope walked around the kitchen, watching the elves as they worked.
"How fascinating…" She murmured to herself.
Remus watched her take it all in, wondering at the strangeness of this girl. He hadn't ever seen another Slytherin quite like her before. He was still slightly worried of how this could turn badly, but couldn't seem to think of a way this seemingly gentle and kind hearted girl could really do the four of them any harm. Plus, his gut- or the wolf, as his friends called it- was never wrong, and it seemed perfectly content with the way things were going right now.
Perhaps a little too content, if he was being honest. But no matter, worst comes to worst, he'll figure it out like he always does.
The house elves set up a little table for the four of them and they settled down to eat.
"Mm!" Penelope hummed. "This is the best soup I've ever eaten!"
James laughed at her. "But it's the same tomato bisque you eat every time they serve it!"
Penelope smiled and shook her head. "It's odd to eat food made by someone you've never seen before. Makes me feel a little uneasy, you know?"
Sirius raised an eyebrow at her. "Nah. Not at all. I don't care as long as it's edible." To prove his point he shovelled a large forkful of mixed up food into his mouth. Penelope and Remus pulled matching faces of disgust as he chewed loudly. "What?"
Penelope shook her head with a quiet laugh and went back to eating. She was silent for a while as James and Sirius pestered each other and jostled the table, but eventually she spoke up again.
"I, uh- I just wanted to say thanks. For, uhm, agreeing. I didn't mean to spring it on you like that, I just couldn't help it any longer."
Remus cleared his throat awkwardly. "It's no problem, really."
"Yeah, that room was pretty great! I still can't believe you found it before us, though!" James said, leaning around Sirius to speak more directly to her.
Penelope gave him a coy smile. "A woman has her ways."
Sirius snorted and shot juice out his nose as James snickered and handed him a napkin. She scowled at Sirius, flipping him off.
"Anyways…" She looked down at her almost empty bowl of soup, swirling her spoon around in the dregs. A light blush coated her cheeks and Remus was surprised when he noticed how nicely it complimented her complexion. "I don't usually have people to hang out with, seeing as the people in my house think I'm kinda loony, and everyone else can't see past the tie. So… Thanks."
The boys settled down at this, giving her soft looks. "It really is no problem, Penny," James said. "We've had a great time, haven't we, Moony?" He turned to Remus with a sly grin and elbowed him in the ribs.
Remus spluttered and felt his face heat up. "Ah, well. Yes, I-I suppose it has been better than I… Expected."
Penelope smiled at them. "Perhaps I will just have to do a portrait for you and Sirius, James." She sat back with a wise grin and lifted a single finger as she said, "Beauty isn't only found on the outside, you know."
Sirius gave a fake, high pitched giggle as he pretended to faint into James. "Did you hear that, Prongs? She thinks I'm beautiful!"
Penelope laughed and finished off her pumpkin juice. "Alright, are you girls ready now? I've still got a portrait to finish!"
"Hey, who are you calling 'girls'?" James said as he stood up.
She raised an eyebrow at him with a smirk. "Are you telling me you don't spend an hour every morning styling your hair?"
James guffawed. "Well at least I don't take an hour and a half, like some people."
Sirius looked up at them. "Huh? Oh no, I wake up like this, darling."
Penelope rolled her eyes as they started walking towards the portrait door. "Sure you do."
"No, maybe not. But Remus sure does, and you said he's, what was it, James?"
James pretended to think for a moment, fingers on his chin before snapping them and saying, " I believe it was 'bloody gorgeous.' Or was it 'pure perfection'? I simply can't remember."
Penelope's eyes blew wide as her entire face blushed deep red. "I said artistically speaking!"
"Uhuh, sure. Padfoot, do you remember her making that distinction?"
"No, Prongs, I can't say I do. How about you, Moony?"
The three of them turned around to face Remus; James and Sirius sporting shit eating grins while Penelope looked as if her head would explode from embarrassment.
"Uhm… I think you both should shut your traps so we can get going."
Penelope's shoulders seemed to relax in relief as she turned on her heel and once again led the way to the Room.
Upon their return, Remus took up his spot in his chair, following Penelope's directions to resume his exact previous pose with his book. But as he sat there, staring at the page, he couldn't seem to pay any attention to it.
James had been right. While at first he had felt kind of uncomfortable, he couldn't say it hadn't been a pleasant day since then. Penelope had a way of blending comfortably into the background and becoming nothing more than a soothing presence one only noticed in the back of their mind. Plus, the magical room had distracted James and Sirius enough that he'd had a nice, quiet time to sit back and enjoy a good book. Maybe she could do their portraits together, so he could have another quiet day or two. That wasn't such a bad idea, actually, and then he would have more freedom to move or look about, perhaps admire Penelope-
Remus stiffened, using every ounce of control he had to keep his face in the same neutral expression. Where had that come from? He chanced a look over in Penelope's direction before quickly returning his attention to the book resting on his knee. Sure, she was probably only a year younger than him- he thinks he recalls hearing her name in the first sorting after his, now that he's thought about it- so technically speaking it wasn't anything outrageous for him to notice her perfect dark hair, or the way her hips filled out her skirt a little more than some of the other girls… He mentally shook his head, trying to think of something else. He was an honest to Merlin monster. He wasn't allowed to think about poor girls like this. Ones who had a future and could very easily catch the attention of a nice man who could give them anything and everything they wanted.
Remus smoothed out his expression at Penelope's tut. He hadn't even realized his brows creasing. He was surprised with himself, honestly. Yes he's thought about this depressing thought before, but… For some reason it hadn't been the same.
He felt his chest tighten at the thought of this girl with such a big heart falling in love with another man, and then realized what the sick feeling in his stomach was.
It was the same type of feeling he knew was caused by the wolf buried in his bones and under his skin, but this time he refused to look further into it.
He had a bad feeling of what he might find.
"Ok."
Remus startled as her soft voice broke the silence. He had finally forced his attention back to the book and, blessedly, had not lost focus since. He looked around and noticed James started towards the easel, and suddenly couldn't help the dread that overcame him at having to look. Did he really want to see this?
Sirius decided for him as he grabbed his arm and dragged him along with them as Penelope took hold of her easel and swung it around.
The air he didn't know he had been holding left him in a whoosh as he looked at what she had done to him.
She had cast him in deep browns, soft golds, and the creamy tones in between. She had somehow captured the light perfectly in his eyes and on his hair in a way he didn't even know possible. And he wasn't sure if the slight lift to the corner of his lips had been his doing or hers, but it made him look warm and welcoming. But what truly caught his attention, was the way she had carefully created his scars. They looked so incredibly soft that he yearned to reach out and see if they felt as real as they looked. They looked as if the light from the chandelier danced along them, as if they weren't something horrid to be hidden. Somehow, for the first time in his life, they didn't look out of place. They looked like if you connected them all, you'd somehow end up with an even more beautiful picture than Penelope had created. Not only that, but everything else was so carefully filled in, and he swore his clothes had never fit him as well as what he was looking at right now.
Penelope had painted someone strong and beautiful, and it made something deep within his soul stir in recognition.
Before he knew it, a tear prickled at the corner of his eye, and then one in the other, and all of a sudden he was crying because of some portrait a random girl from Slytherin had done in only a day.
"I-Is it bad? I won't put it up if you don't want; please don't cry, Remus," Penelope stuttered, her voice sounding pitchy and small.
He shook his head and sniffed, willing the tears to go back into his eyes. "No, it's just… I wasn't expecting something so… pulchritudinous."
Penelope stared at him for a second longer before she snorted, raising a hand to cover her mouth. "Only you would use a word like that to describe your portrait," she giggled, shaking her head. "So… Do you really like it, then?"
Remus noticed then that the boys had vanished, nowhere to be found within the room. When he looked to Penelope she was staring up at him with wide, hopeful eyes that twisted his stomach up in all kinds of knots.
"I... Is this really how you see me?" He asked, barely above a whisper.
She wet her lips, a light blush dusting her face. "Y-Yeah, I wasn't lying when I said that you were gorgeous. I- I would be surprised if more people didn't see you like this, honestly. There's just…" She tilted her head and stepped closer to him almost unconsciously, "something about you, Remus Lupin, that I can't get out of my head."
His lips parted in shock, not used to being, well, fawned over. He expected girls to do that to James and Sirius, but never him. That same thing deep inside him that had been causing issues all evening rumbled pleasantly, making Remus' shoulders loosen.
"Penelope, I…" He sighed, looking down at his shoes. He wanted, so bad, to close the distance between them. To revel in the obvious adoration she was exuding, but he couldn't. He had banned himself from ever getting close to anyone, especially romantically, and now was the time to stick to that decision. Even if his Gryffindor roommates ruined part of that plan, he couldn't just give up on it.
He couldn't drag Penelope down this dangerous, lonely road with him.
He met her eyes again, seeing the understanding there and knowing she already knew what he was going to say.
"We can't do this, Penelope. I'm sorry, but I'm just not… Not good for you. You deserve someone who can give you everything you've wanted, and who can see you as beautifully as you see the rest of the world."
She smiled up at him and nodded. "That's alright, Remus. I hadn't asked you to do this in hopes you'd suddenly fall head over heels for me." She laughed, light and carefree. "But I do think you're wrong about one thing. I think any girl would be incredibly lucky to have someone as soft, and gentle, and kind as you to love them. Don't forget that, alright? Everyone deserves someone special in their lives. You'll find them."
Remus watched as she turned away and walked silently to the door, turning one last time to look at him and wave goodbye before walking out and closing the door behind her.
A sigh stuttered out of him as he fell into a chair that appeared a split second before he would have hit the ground, and rubbed a hand over his face. This wasn't how he had expected this to go, and he knew the second he got back to his dorm the boys would be hounding him about what happened. He didn't want to talk about it; he barely wanted to even think about it. He hardly even knew the girl, why was this turning out to be so hard?
The answer was inside him the whole time, screaming for his attention, but he had refused to acknowledge it. But now, sitting here alone in the very large room, missing Penelope's calm presence, he knew he had already figured it out hours ago.
The little Slytherin girl who had seen him like nobody had ever seen him before… Was his mate.
Thank you to everyone who read this! And if anyone has any thoughts on how she should find out about Remus's furry little friend, or any help for how to bring this two idjits together, pls drop a review! Also, pulchritudinous means- physically beautiful; comely. And comely means- pleasing in appearance; attractive; fair/ a comely face. Proper; seemly; becoming.
Happy 2021 everyone!
