A nice cup of tea would forever serve as a strong draw for Lily, who only wanted to be left to sit quietly with one while reading a good book - no matter how firmly life insisted on throwing a steady stream of obstacles in her path that kept that idea closer to fiction than to reality. Tonight there was no pretending she had any hope of such an idyllic future. It was far too late for reading, and while the only appropriate course of action was sleeping she was instead doing anything but.
As though to prove she didn't care Lily hadn't bothered to brush her long hair, instead fighting it back into a bun that sat on top of her head messily, like an afterthought. She threw her robe over her pajamas and left the bedroom she had been given when she had been named Head Girl at the beginning of the year. She found it an interesting adjustment, having been in the same dorm room since First Year, and all the quiet was probably at fault for why on nights like this one, sleep was a bit hard to find.
Shuffling into the Gryffindor Common Room she was already frowning obstinately, though there could be no doubt the expression deepened when she laid eyes on Sirius, already waiting. "This is mental," she objected quietly, and she had to wonder if it sounded as half-hearted as she meant it. She preferred to play things by the book and shied away from sneaking around and breaking the rules despite the interesting puzzle getting around those rules presented.
He'd been down in the commons for a bit now, waiting for his adventure party guest to come down out of her tower and join him. Honestly, he's half expecting to get stood up. After all, you don't get the Head girl to come out of hiding so easy, right?
Standing there, he sent his last note off to her, waiting to hear back or not. He took a nip off his flask, capping it and hiding it in the hooded sweater under his robes. A sweater he had stolen from James at some point. Half his clothing had been barrowed from James since he and the other had lived together for a bit there.
He made sure the flask was out of sight, a bottomless spell cast on it, so it never ran out. NO sense getting that taken away by the Head Girl. Sure, she might join him, but she might night as well.
His rumbled hair was clearly uncombed, stringy in his face, and his sneakers were red, like their house. A muggle brand that would have pissed his mother off if she knew he had them at all. Not that, that mattered anymore.
When Lily showed up at the foot of the stairs of the dorms, Sirius' Heart skipped a beat.
She did it. She bloody well did it. The mile on his face was lopsided and firm. "This is what people our age do when they can't sleep." He whispered back, moving to push off a couch back to greet her. He can't believe she showed up. James is going to be SO pissed with him in the morning when he boasts about this. IF he boasts about it at all.
( He's trying not to think of a lot of things right now.
missing class yesterday
the amount of pain he's in
how the infirmary smells of awful herbs
that he's a terrifying monster creature who would definitely eat all his friends
that he's in love with a very pretty girl
It isn't exactly working and the ache of being has left him feeling needy and off. He keeps telling himself he shouldn't message Lily, he shouldn't draw attention to anything, but another wave of sickness has him doing so with shaking hands regardless. )
did you hex potter? he won't tell me why his hair is green.
[ She has, of course, been waiting to hear from him while trying not to worry too terribly much (which isn't working). Once he does reach out, she has to write and delete at least four messages, some rather demanding about where he is and what's happening, before finally settling on: ]
I hexed his hair banana yellow. His messing with it has turned it green.
[ Then, immediately after: ]
Are you alright Remus? Do you want me to come visit and bring you anything?
The Great Hall is loud, but then it always is at lunch with all the various conversations going on between the students. Not just at their tables but at all of the House tables. That's what you get when it's finally break time between classes. Jon's bag itself is missing, already in his room because he has a light afternoon, as he slides into the seat next to Lily. There's already a please, I need your help, look to his gray eyes as he loads up some food onto his plate.
Though, he's kind enough to let her finish what she's saying to another student and actually turn her attention to him before he speaks. Because he can be nice. Sometimes. When he might be looking to ask for a favor from her. Normally dealing with her perchance for being really good with their studies and all. "Hey Lils, how's your day going so far?"
Look, even some nice talk before he asks anything of her.
Everyone wanted to be clever enough to be given the honor of Head Girl until, of course, you had to cross paths with people who had no choice but to realize you were completely able to help them with their homework. Not that she minded. Lily's compassionate streak ran for miles, and when anyone, regardless of House approached her, she would do what she could for them.
So when Jon sat beside her in the Great Hall Lily looked up at him from her soup with a smile. "Alright Jon," she tilted her head from side to side as if weighing an answer.
"Double Runes this afternoon, so as well as anyone can be with that on the horizon." Lily adored Runes, but her need to take concise notes could be exhausting in a class that long. "How about you? Going to the Quidditch match tomorrow?"
One of the biggest boons that came with living in Hogsmeade village was that Harry wasn't far away. Lily knew that her son was brilliant and very capable of taking care of himself, but old fears never vanished completely, and having him close by helped her sleep better at night. Beyond those worries however, Lily was quite proud of her son and how well he was doing in school and she understood fully that no teenage boy wanted their mum badgering them, so beyond the occasional note and the Quidditch matches she made a point to never miss saw him about as often as any other parent of a Hogwarts student.
The obvious exception was, of course, the best part about life in Hogsmeade. When Harry and his classmates visited town he almost always popped 'round to say hello. Most of the time she tried not to badger him into coming by (Lily could just imagine how flustered that would make him should he have a date), but when he did she was delighted to see him.
Beyond the business of raising her son, Lily had sunk her time since James' passing into a series of apprenticeships that were conducted by Owl Post, which had metamorphosed over time into large research projects. It was Horace, of course, who had gotten her onto the idea of finding work that could be done while still raising a son, and since Lily didn't have a clue how to actually stop working it suited her quite nicely. Slughorn had been Lily's mentor in school and as adults they had collaborated frequently, sharing their research – which was what she was presently involved in when she heard the sound of footsteps on the walkway through the open window.
Tilting her head she listened for a moment, confirming her suspicions before tossing the parchment she'd been writing on aside and rising to her feet. In the short walk between her desk and the front door a wide grin had spread across Lily's face, obviously overjoyed by the time she threw open the door. "Teenage hoodlums skulking about in my begonas again?" She asked, leveling her playfully narrowed eyes in Harry's direction.
Harry knew that many of his peers would balk at the thought of their parents, let alone their mum, living so close to Hogwarts. He'd seen Ron Weasley's attitude to his mum and knew if the Weasley's lived closer, the boy would likely go insane!
Truth be told, if they hadn't gone through everything they'd gone through (or more specifically, if Lily hadn't gone through everything she had) and he wasn't the Boy Who Lived, he could see where he might agree with that. But that wasn't the case and he was glad that she was close enough that he could visit on Hogsmeade weekends.
It also helped that she wasn't the type of mum who hovered!
Harry grinned when she threw open the door and shot a look at Blaise, Neville and Hermione. "I told you she'd hear us," he said before he quickly walked up the path and gave her a hug. "Hi mum," he said with a grin as the others chorused their hellos. His friends equally enjoyed coming with him to visit. Hermione simply thought his mother was brilliant and honestly, he couldn't disagree!
I made myself very clear, don't worry. If it happens again I'll use a sticking charm on their shoes and make sure someone sorts them out. Really Remus, don't worry.
In all honesty, Sirius should have known from the start that Remus was right. Remus is usually right, whether Sirius likes it or not.
"You're in way over your head," he said on the third day, when he found Sirius poking at the locket on their kitchen table at two in the morning. "You don't want to tell me what this thing is or how you got it, fine. But you'll have to tell someone."
"Bite me," spat out Sirius, more tired than angry.
"It's not that time of the month, Padfoot."
"Period joke. Wow. Groundbreaking."
They had a few more toothless fights like that over the next two weeks, until Sirius was forced to admit defeat. He had no fucking clue why Regulus decided to send him this locket with the most infuriatingly vague note instructing him to destroy it. For all he knew, it was all an elaborate prank. Someone faking his brother's handwriting perfectly, getting the tone exactly right, sending him on a wild goose chase. He hoped it was all fake, really, because the alternative was that he was keeping Lord Voldemort's priceless artefact in his jacket pocket, he had no clue what it was, exactly, and also his brother was dead.
That couldn't be true. Right?
Maybe that's why today, two days after a funeral he didn't go to, because his parents were there, and it was pointless anyway, and it's not like they even found a body to bury - Sirius finds himself knocking on the door of Lily's tiny flat. He has no idea if she can help, and it's not like he even told her he was coming, but his head is tangled up in endless knots, and this sounded like the only sensible thing to do. It probaly isn't, because he rarely has sensible ideas, but he's here now, and he's not about to go back.
"My dead brother sent me a dark artifact with a cryptic message, and I have no fucking clue how to destroy it," he will say as soon as she opens the door.
She knew she was safer in London than anywhere else. Close enough to Saint Mungo's that the area was usually peaceful, at least for now. Voldemort was gathering momentum, no matter how nobody liked to talk about it.
It was something she and Horace exchanged coded messages on, meeting for tea to discuss the real news of the matter once a week if not more. Lily was certain that things were turning bad though Horace tried to downplay it as pleasantly as he could. She didn't know if he wanted to make her feel better or preserve his own sense of security, either way, she decided to let him for now. She had a terrible feeling that soon her mentor wouldn't have that luxury.
That terrible feeling was what bubbled up instantly at the frantic knocking at her door. Neighbors who just needed sugar didn't knock like that, and she didn't have many callers who wouldn't let her know they were swinging by first, and regardless of all of that, there was an urgency to that knock that struck a foul chord with her.
She didn't want it to be Sirius when she pulled open the door after peering through the peephole to confirm it wasn't something even worse than him, and what he had to tell her was definitely not what she wanted to hear. Her eyes went wide as she stood there, gaping in astonishment.
"Oh Sirius, your brother, I'm so sorry," the dark artifact was second to that. She knew he wasn't on anything resembling good terms with his family, and with a very difficult sister, she empathized with that considerably.
Lily stepped aside to let him into her tiny flat, the whole space very visible right from the door, full of books and tidy in the way that someone who works a lot tidies. It'll do unless the Queen decides to swing by, anyway.
"I'll put on some tea," she said quietly as she closed and locked her door, her mind still reeling from that highly impactful statement he had decided to open with. "Do you want to start explaining what you mean by dark artifact with a cryptic message before or after it's brewed?"
She had given him space to rest, appearing for meals and a brief chat if he wished it, or bringing him books to pass the time while they waited for news from the outside world. Lily hoped that news would come in the form of a visit from Dumbledore, though she realized the man was very important and had several irons in the fire, and as the days wore on she found her hopes dimming.
While keeping to herself in the lower half of the little cottage it was Lily who'd ended up reading 'The Three Musketeers' cover-to-cover (again). She took walks on the grounds surrounding their refuge, enjoying the sharp edge of the sea air as it whipped across the sparse island and the caw of the birds. It was isolating, and a crummy assignment to be on without any word about what was happening outside of this place, but at least she was somewhere new and beautiful, with all its little unique aspects to learn.
Lily had come back inside from one of those walks and glanced towards the staircase, listening for a moment before she decided to ascend. "Are you awake Regulus?" She had been mulling over the idea of asking him if he thought he was well enough to get some air outside, and decided to see how he was before she determined whether or not she ought to ask.
Regulus hasn't ventured into the non-magical books yet, partly because enough concentration for reading has been slow to come back. (The other part: He knows he's going to be lucky to make it five pages at a time without loads of context questions.) Still, the runes reading is interesting enough to keep him occupied, when he's awake enough to need the distraction.
"I am. Is someone here?" It's the most logical reason she'd be asking out of the blue, though he's not expecting the answer to be yes. It hasn't been so far; why would anyone else turn up now?
Thank you, I promise to hurry! And, given the nature of his stature nearly everything serves as his home. Right now the donuts should suffice for a good while until he finishes them, of course.
When he had laid out the parameters of her mission to protect Regulus here and bring him back to good health under the cover of secrecy, Dumbledore had given Lily enough information about the owners of the house they’d been tucked away into cobble together a decent enough alias, should anyone get chatty.
Apparition was out of the question, given the small, remote Muggle village they meant to approach, but the walk wasn’t long, and on the way, she took the chance to go over their story, walking close enough to him to keep her voice quiet - not that there was anyone, apart from the occasional sheep to hear it.
“We’re Bernard and Mary, I’m Flora, the owner of the house’s granddaughter, and we’re observing the crabs on the beach and working on a project for university.” They were both young enough that it would suit as a story. “Flora’s a squib,” she added in an even softer tone of voice. “We’re just going to do the shopping and go, and say as little as we can, without being impolite. Places like these are particularly observant of outsiders, so we have to be kind and gracious.
Lily looked around at their surroundings, watching the village come into view just ahead on the road. “Crabs are nocturnal, so that’s why they don’t see us out and about, we work at night.” She looked rather proud of having thought of that little detail. “Have you ever been to a Muggle grocery shop before?”
Now he has a new puzzle to turn over - who 'Flora' is in the grander scheme of things. For better or worse, he has most of the pureblood family trees memorised, and while families don't tend to advertise their squibs, some of them have reliable enough naming conventions that he can probably guess.
Not that it matters, but Regulus isn't going to shut down his curiosity, to the extent that he can figure it out on his own. Prying would be rude.
"Kind and gracious I can do. I come from social circles where it's a survival tactic." And expected behavior, but it's also kept him from being hexed within an inch of his life more than once.
"I haven't. Mother didn't even want to walk through our own neighborhood if she could help it - I'd do that much, but entering a shop wasn't a line I thought I could cross."
The trouble with thinking about life outside the temple was that once you started doing it, it was kind of difficult to stop.
Marlene didn't really use to entertain those thoughts before, not at lenght. Not the way she started doing it since they returned from their task in the port. She knew it was stupid, of course, with more than a decade of service still left, but once she heard Lily speak wistfully about faraway lands, it was really hard to not engage in some daydreaming. Hard to not start looking for opportunities.
Despite all that, Marlene wasn't stupid. She knew that leaving the temple - now or in twelve years' time - would require a massive amount of preparation. Not to mention money. Connections. Clothing. Some other stuff she couldn't really think of, because Lily made a face during the morning rites, and it was such a pretty face, and it was so easy for Marlene to get distracted these days.
Okay, so maybe leaving forever would require a lot, but... What if they disappeared for just a day? It was theoretically very forbidden, but then, a lot of things were, and people got away with them all the time if they got lucky. They'd have to leave a note so that the older priestesses wouldn't start a search party, because that would make everything very public and worse. So yes, note was definitely a yes. For money, Marlene could manage. She was pretty sure she didn't have enough to build a new life, but an outing should be fine. How much could a theater ticket be, Caius? Ten silver?
Granted, she still had to convince Lily, but... It wasn't usually so hard to convince Lily to do fun things.
And this is how they found themselves here. In a theater, waiting for a riveting day of scandalous Greek plays. Marlene was sure the tragedies were especially tragic, all three of them, the comedy at the end especially rowdy, and the whole thing all around delightful. Their common people clothes might be a bit rough and chafing, and food from one of the theater vendors smelled a bit suspicious, but it didn't matter. They did it. They snuck out. They were having an adventure.
"Oooh, look there," she whispered, pointing out to something by the door on the other end of their row of seats. "I think they're about to get into a fight! Do you think they'll just go ahead with the play if there is a fight in the audience?"
crawls to this a thousand years later, my head hung in shame
That stolen afternoon at the portside market had taken up a good deal more of her thoughts than Lily would have admitted to anyone but Marlene - though she was rather glad her friend hadn’t asked. Naturally, she would have been honest if pressed, but Lily wasn’t certain she was quite ready to confess how many hours she had spent dwelling on the day they had shared.
It wasn’t just getting to see what life was like outside of the temples and away from their holy routines - though that had certainly been a part of it. For years now she had been captivated by the thought of life beyond the temple, and getting to see it firsthand - people living their lives, bustling around without being burdened by the divine - it had changed things The world just wasn’t the same size anymore, and instead of an unapproachable mystery beyond the temple gates all Lily had begun to see was potential.
Above it all, there was Marlene - with her pale hair in the bright afternoon sun, silhouetted against the rich blue sky, watching the ships pull into the harbor with as much enjoyment on her face as Lily had felt in that moment. Marlene was without a doubt the only part of the life she had here that she would want to bring with her anywhere.
Whenever she thought about life beyond the temple, Marlene tied so heavily into those daydreams that it was impossible to untangle one concept from the other. There were complications, namely that they would be living without a means, and these were problems that had unclear solutions.
Dreaming was free even though living was far from it, and when Marlene presented the chance to get away again it did not take much more than a moment to process the invitation for Lily to agree. While leaving the temple forever was a complicated issue, a day away with Marlene sounded like something close to paradise.
The theater was something Lily had theoretical knowledge of, but within a minute of the first play that begun the retinue, she was captivated by it. The pageantry and the drama were so far removed from the way things were it was difficult to not be enthralled, and she remained still in her seat until Marlene spoke.
Lily turned in the direction her friend had gestured, her arm unconsciously reaching across Marlene’s lap almost protectively as she studied the pair that her friend had pointed out.
“Goodness, I hope so. Wouldn’t that be dramatic?” Lily looked back to Marlene with wide eyes and grinned before realizing herself and sheepishly pulling her arm back.
[ She was certain she could hear him dozing slightly in the sitting room of their little hotel suite, but Lily took absolutely no heed.
After waiting for them for what felt like an age at the first sight of those ethereal ribbons of colored light streaking the sky she bolted inside from the balcony, careening towards his chair, half climbing onto his lap as she tried to rouse him. ]
Sev! Wake up you're missing them!
[ Her desire to see the Northern Lights was what had brought them up this close to the arctic, it would be a shame if he missed them too. ]
Dearest...? [It had been a long trip, and keeping up with Lily's energy isn't a small task. Severus thought he was only resting his sight but was almost asleep until he felt that familiar warmth against him.]
And missing exactly what--[A firm hand found her back and with that he woke up, remembering why they were there. Their little mission. Lily's voice echoing inside his chest] Well, well... Let's see what it's so incredible about this phenomenon you seem to like so much.
well, never mind about that. remus had largely put the conversation from his mind ever since it'd been had. when it occupied his thoughts, he was forced to contend with a strange cocktail of embarrassment, shame, worry, hope, and all sort of other emotions that were more suited to a bodice ripper than his life.
he had other things to worry about. until came time for his standing meeting with lily, study sessions he'd called dates casually until the fateful message that lily evans would like to spend time with him whether or not he was wearing a jumper, and merlin, how was he supposed to do this.
when the time comes, he shows up at their common room table by the window, because the one thing james potter and sirius black haven't beaten out of him is punctuality. showing up is easy. speaking, for the first time, isn't.
this is lily, he tells himself. lily evans, his friend, someone he can trust. but he knows his ears are red even before he sits across from her, plucking self-consciously at the jumper he's wearing. it's not the infamous jumper. he's not sure whether that's a good thing or not. )
So. Had a good weekend? ( what a casual, distant, absolutely uncharacteristic thing to ask. lily might catch him wince as soon as the words come out of his mouth.)
[ The only thing keeping Lily Evans from withdrawing into a life of academic solitude, free of the indignities that come when fit blokes make one act utterly stupid, was the need to apologize. Had it not been for that she would have carried on as she had in the days immediately following their exchange - acting like an avoidant (and cowardly) ghost while slipping through the castle with her head down and her book clutched firmly in front of her face.
It was what brought her there that afternoon when every last iota of sense still left in her harried mind told her in no uncertain terms to give it a miss. She could avoid him forever after she said sorry, or her sense of right and wrong would never give her a moment's peace again.
That Remus shows up as well is a surprise, and though she's hidden behind a thick book on the history of wand cores, her eyebrows shoot upward as her mouth goes dry, her heartbeat picking up speed while she desperately wishes it wouldn't.
It takes a moment to lower the book enough so that she can regard him from over the top of it, her cheeks flaming red but blessedly still hidden. For all her conviction that she's done something wrong, unwelcome, and very stupid, words fail her. She's gone so far as to rehearse what it is she means to say to him but all those eloquent heartfelt lines she had hammered out to speak before making a hasty and embarrassed escape evaporate the moment he asks after her weekend.
Her reply comes first in a noise that might be an 'oh' if it didn't have quite so much to it and drag on as it did. A second to long. ]
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🖋️ agrimadventure
As though to prove she didn't care Lily hadn't bothered to brush her long hair, instead fighting it back into a bun that sat on top of her head messily, like an afterthought. She threw her robe over her pajamas and left the bedroom she had been given when she had been named Head Girl at the beginning of the year. She found it an interesting adjustment, having been in the same dorm room since First Year, and all the quiet was probably at fault for why on nights like this one, sleep was a bit hard to find.
Shuffling into the Gryffindor Common Room she was already frowning obstinately, though there could be no doubt the expression deepened when she laid eyes on Sirius, already waiting. "This is mental," she objected quietly, and she had to wonder if it sounded as half-hearted as she meant it. She preferred to play things by the book and shied away from sneaking around and breaking the rules despite the interesting puzzle getting around those rules presented.
Damn it all, she really wanted a cup of tea.
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Standing there, he sent his last note off to her, waiting to hear back or not. He took a nip off his flask, capping it and hiding it in the hooded sweater under his robes. A sweater he had stolen from James at some point. Half his clothing had been barrowed from James since he and the other had lived together for a bit there.
He made sure the flask was out of sight, a bottomless spell cast on it, so it never ran out. NO sense getting that taken away by the Head Girl. Sure, she might join him, but she might night as well.
His rumbled hair was clearly uncombed, stringy in his face, and his sneakers were red, like their house. A muggle brand that would have pissed his mother off if she knew he had them at all. Not that, that mattered anymore.
When Lily showed up at the foot of the stairs of the dorms, Sirius' Heart skipped a beat.
She did it. She bloody well did it. The mile on his face was lopsided and firm. "This is what people our age do when they can't sleep." He whispered back, moving to push off a couch back to greet her. He can't believe she showed up. James is going to be SO pissed with him in the morning when he boasts about this. IF he boasts about it at all.
"Ready for some tea?"
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nice work on that hex. james still hasn't noticed the glitter he's shedding.
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I'd like to think maybe he'll think twice before trying to inch into my space next time but we all know better than that.
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It isn't exactly working and the ache of being has left him feeling needy and off. He keeps telling himself he shouldn't message Lily, he shouldn't draw attention to anything, but another wave of sickness has him doing so with shaking hands regardless. )
did you hex potter? he won't tell me why his hair is green.
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I hexed his hair banana yellow. His messing with it has turned it green.
[ Then, immediately after: ]
Are you alright Remus? Do you want me to come visit and bring you anything?
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heck how did i fuck up codes so bad last tag sorry!
it's okay!!!
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Though, he's kind enough to let her finish what she's saying to another student and actually turn her attention to him before he speaks. Because he can be nice. Sometimes. When he might be looking to ask for a favor from her. Normally dealing with her perchance for being really good with their studies and all. "Hey Lils, how's your day going so far?"
Look, even some nice talk before he asks anything of her.
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So when Jon sat beside her in the Great Hall Lily looked up at him from her soup with a smile. "Alright Jon," she tilted her head from side to side as if weighing an answer.
"Double Runes this afternoon, so as well as anyone can be with that on the horizon." Lily adored Runes, but her need to take concise notes could be exhausting in a class that long. "How about you? Going to the Quidditch match tomorrow?"
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🖋️ coreofaphoenix
The obvious exception was, of course, the best part about life in Hogsmeade. When Harry and his classmates visited town he almost always popped 'round to say hello. Most of the time she tried not to badger him into coming by (Lily could just imagine how flustered that would make him should he have a date), but when he did she was delighted to see him.
Beyond the business of raising her son, Lily had sunk her time since James' passing into a series of apprenticeships that were conducted by Owl Post, which had metamorphosed over time into large research projects. It was Horace, of course, who had gotten her onto the idea of finding work that could be done while still raising a son, and since Lily didn't have a clue how to actually stop working it suited her quite nicely. Slughorn had been Lily's mentor in school and as adults they had collaborated frequently, sharing their research – which was what she was presently involved in when she heard the sound of footsteps on the walkway through the open window.
Tilting her head she listened for a moment, confirming her suspicions before tossing the parchment she'd been writing on aside and rising to her feet. In the short walk between her desk and the front door a wide grin had spread across Lily's face, obviously overjoyed by the time she threw open the door. "Teenage hoodlums skulking about in my begonas again?" She asked, leveling her playfully narrowed eyes in Harry's direction.
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Truth be told, if they hadn't gone through everything they'd gone through (or more specifically, if Lily hadn't gone through everything she had) and he wasn't the Boy Who Lived, he could see where he might agree with that. But that wasn't the case and he was glad that she was close enough that he could visit on Hogsmeade weekends.
It also helped that she wasn't the type of mum who hovered!
Harry grinned when she threw open the door and shot a look at Blaise, Neville and Hermione. "I told you she'd hear us," he said before he quickly walked up the path and gave her a hug. "Hi mum," he said with a grin as the others chorused their hellos. His friends equally enjoyed coming with him to visit. Hermione simply thought his mother was brilliant and honestly, he couldn't disagree!
"Did we catch you in the middle of anything?"
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And if you want to play any of his friends, please feel free to! Not sure why I chose so many. Hah!
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i forgot we said the others were heading out!
ahhh! I totally forgot that!
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sirius has to live in this universe ok? LOL!
MAKE IT SO. harry needs these influences in his life
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~bitterasphodels
You know me so well. It'll be your name I wail in the toilet.
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sorry I accidentally quoted Janet Jackson at you
never be sorry
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~riseheliacal
I wish you wouldn't. It's been the highlight of our years of interaction.
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/sorry for delay: writer too busy cheering to figure out how character will react/
lolol amazing
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~primevenison
You've cast a wanton patina over everything James.
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~timenssecundus
I made myself very clear, don't worry. If it happens again I'll use a sticking charm on their shoes and make sure someone sorts them out. Really Remus, don't worry.
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"You're in way over your head," he said on the third day, when he found Sirius poking at the locket on their kitchen table at two in the morning. "You don't want to tell me what this thing is or how you got it, fine. But you'll have to tell someone."
"Bite me," spat out Sirius, more tired than angry.
"It's not that time of the month, Padfoot."
"Period joke. Wow. Groundbreaking."
They had a few more toothless fights like that over the next two weeks, until Sirius was forced to admit defeat. He had no fucking clue why Regulus decided to send him this locket with the most infuriatingly vague note instructing him to destroy it. For all he knew, it was all an elaborate prank. Someone faking his brother's handwriting perfectly, getting the tone exactly right, sending him on a wild goose chase. He hoped it was all fake, really, because the alternative was that he was keeping Lord Voldemort's priceless artefact in his jacket pocket, he had no clue what it was, exactly, and also his brother was dead.
That couldn't be true. Right?
Maybe that's why today, two days after a funeral he didn't go to, because his parents were there, and it was pointless anyway, and it's not like they even found a body to bury - Sirius finds himself knocking on the door of Lily's tiny flat. He has no idea if she can help, and it's not like he even told her he was coming, but his head is tangled up in endless knots, and this sounded like the only sensible thing to do. It probaly isn't, because he rarely has sensible ideas, but he's here now, and he's not about to go back.
"My dead brother sent me a dark artifact with a cryptic message, and I have no fucking clue how to destroy it," he will say as soon as she opens the door.
That should break the ice.
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It was something she and Horace exchanged coded messages on, meeting for tea to discuss the real news of the matter once a week if not more. Lily was certain that things were turning bad though Horace tried to downplay it as pleasantly as he could. She didn't know if he wanted to make her feel better or preserve his own sense of security, either way, she decided to let him for now. She had a terrible feeling that soon her mentor wouldn't have that luxury.
That terrible feeling was what bubbled up instantly at the frantic knocking at her door. Neighbors who just needed sugar didn't knock like that, and she didn't have many callers who wouldn't let her know they were swinging by first, and regardless of all of that, there was an urgency to that knock that struck a foul chord with her.
She didn't want it to be Sirius when she pulled open the door after peering through the peephole to confirm it wasn't something even worse than him, and what he had to tell her was definitely not what she wanted to hear. Her eyes went wide as she stood there, gaping in astonishment.
"Oh Sirius, your brother, I'm so sorry," the dark artifact was second to that. She knew he wasn't on anything resembling good terms with his family, and with a very difficult sister, she empathized with that considerably.
Lily stepped aside to let him into her tiny flat, the whole space very visible right from the door, full of books and tidy in the way that someone who works a lot tidies. It'll do unless the Queen decides to swing by, anyway.
"I'll put on some tea," she said quietly as she closed and locked her door, her mind still reeling from that highly impactful statement he had decided to open with. "Do you want to start explaining what you mean by dark artifact with a cryptic message before or after it's brewed?"
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🖋️ no_martyr
She had given him space to rest, appearing for meals and a brief chat if he wished it, or bringing him books to pass the time while they waited for news from the outside world. Lily hoped that news would come in the form of a visit from Dumbledore, though she realized the man was very important and had several irons in the fire, and as the days wore on she found her hopes dimming.
While keeping to herself in the lower half of the little cottage it was Lily who'd ended up reading 'The Three Musketeers' cover-to-cover (again). She took walks on the grounds surrounding their refuge, enjoying the sharp edge of the sea air as it whipped across the sparse island and the caw of the birds. It was isolating, and a crummy assignment to be on without any word about what was happening outside of this place, but at least she was somewhere new and beautiful, with all its little unique aspects to learn.
Lily had come back inside from one of those walks and glanced towards the staircase, listening for a moment before she decided to ascend. "Are you awake Regulus?" She had been mulling over the idea of asking him if he thought he was well enough to get some air outside, and decided to see how he was before she determined whether or not she ought to ask.
Re: 🖋️ no_martyr
"I am. Is someone here?" It's the most logical reason she'd be asking out of the blue, though he's not expecting the answer to be yes. It hasn't been so far; why would anyone else turn up now?
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~canemstellam
Must be quite the pair of pants.
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~mutanten
Thank you, I promise to hurry! And, given the nature of his stature nearly everything serves as his home. Right now the donuts should suffice for a good while until he finishes them, of course.
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[Because oh boy, Phillip is going to town on some pink frosting right now.]
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It is much easier, you are not wrong. But, I can do better than that!
Besides, I need to keep you on your toes.
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~scaledwolf
You sufficiently swept me a long time ago, but I do appreciate the continued efforts towards ensuring I remain swept.
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action?
yisss
prose ok?
always <3
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~no_martyr
Apparition was out of the question, given the small, remote Muggle village they meant to approach, but the walk wasn’t long, and on the way, she took the chance to go over their story, walking close enough to him to keep her voice quiet - not that there was anyone, apart from the occasional sheep to hear it.
“We’re Bernard and Mary, I’m Flora, the owner of the house’s granddaughter, and we’re observing the crabs on the beach and working on a project for university.” They were both young enough that it would suit as a story. “Flora’s a squib,” she added in an even softer tone of voice. “We’re just going to do the shopping and go, and say as little as we can, without being impolite. Places like these are particularly observant of outsiders, so we have to be kind and gracious.
Lily looked around at their surroundings, watching the village come into view just ahead on the road. “Crabs are nocturnal, so that’s why they don’t see us out and about, we work at night.” She looked rather proud of having thought of that little detail. “Have you ever been to a Muggle grocery shop before?”
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Not that it matters, but Regulus isn't going to shut down his curiosity, to the extent that he can figure it out on his own. Prying would be rude.
"Kind and gracious I can do. I come from social circles where it's a survival tactic." And expected behavior, but it's also kept him from being hexed within an inch of his life more than once.
"I haven't. Mother didn't even want to walk through our own neighborhood if she could help it - I'd do that much, but entering a shop wasn't a line I thought I could cross."
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Vestal virgins continued!
Marlene didn't really use to entertain those thoughts before, not at lenght. Not the way she started doing it since they returned from their task in the port. She knew it was stupid, of course, with more than a decade of service still left, but once she heard Lily speak wistfully about faraway lands, it was really hard to not engage in some daydreaming. Hard to not start looking for opportunities.
Despite all that, Marlene wasn't stupid. She knew that leaving the temple - now or in twelve years' time - would require a massive amount of preparation. Not to mention money. Connections. Clothing. Some other stuff she couldn't really think of, because Lily made a face during the morning rites, and it was such a pretty face, and it was so easy for Marlene to get distracted these days.
Okay, so maybe leaving forever would require a lot, but... What if they disappeared for just a day? It was theoretically very forbidden, but then, a lot of things were, and people got away with them all the time if they got lucky. They'd have to leave a note so that the older priestesses wouldn't start a search party, because that would make everything very public and worse. So yes, note was definitely a yes. For money, Marlene could manage. She was pretty sure she didn't have enough to build a new life, but an outing should be fine. How much could a theater ticket be, Caius? Ten silver?
Granted, she still had to convince Lily, but... It wasn't usually so hard to convince Lily to do fun things.
And this is how they found themselves here. In a theater, waiting for a riveting day of scandalous Greek plays. Marlene was sure the tragedies were especially tragic, all three of them, the comedy at the end especially rowdy, and the whole thing all around delightful. Their common people clothes might be a bit rough and chafing, and food from one of the theater vendors smelled a bit suspicious, but it didn't matter. They did it. They snuck out. They were having an adventure.
"Oooh, look there," she whispered, pointing out to something by the door on the other end of their row of seats. "I think they're about to get into a fight! Do you think they'll just go ahead with the play if there is a fight in the audience?"
crawls to this a thousand years later, my head hung in shame
It wasn’t just getting to see what life was like outside of the temples and away from their holy routines - though that had certainly been a part of it. For years now she had been captivated by the thought of life beyond the temple, and getting to see it firsthand - people living their lives, bustling around without being burdened by the divine - it had changed things The world just wasn’t the same size anymore, and instead of an unapproachable mystery beyond the temple gates all Lily had begun to see was potential.
Above it all, there was Marlene - with her pale hair in the bright afternoon sun, silhouetted against the rich blue sky, watching the ships pull into the harbor with as much enjoyment on her face as Lily had felt in that moment. Marlene was without a doubt the only part of the life she had here that she would want to bring with her anywhere.
Whenever she thought about life beyond the temple, Marlene tied so heavily into those daydreams that it was impossible to untangle one concept from the other. There were complications, namely that they would be living without a means, and these were problems that had unclear solutions.
Dreaming was free even though living was far from it, and when Marlene presented the chance to get away again it did not take much more than a moment to process the invitation for Lily to agree. While leaving the temple forever was a complicated issue, a day away with Marlene sounded like something close to paradise.
The theater was something Lily had theoretical knowledge of, but within a minute of the first play that begun the retinue, she was captivated by it. The pageantry and the drama were so far removed from the way things were it was difficult to not be enthralled, and she remained still in her seat until Marlene spoke.
Lily turned in the direction her friend had gestured, her arm unconsciously reaching across Marlene’s lap almost protectively as she studied the pair that her friend had pointed out.
“Goodness, I hope so. Wouldn’t that be dramatic?” Lily looked back to Marlene with wide eyes and grinned before realizing herself and sheepishly pulling her arm back.
~princenevermore
After waiting for them for what felt like an age at the first sight of those ethereal ribbons of colored light streaking the sky she bolted inside from the balcony, careening towards his chair, half climbing onto his lap as she tried to rouse him. ]
Sev! Wake up you're missing them!
[ Her desire to see the Northern Lights was what had brought them up this close to the arctic, it would be a shame if he missed them too. ]
<3 <3 <3
And missing exactly what--[A firm hand found her back and with that he woke up, remembering why they were there. Their little mission. Lily's voice echoing inside his chest] Well, well... Let's see what it's so incredible about this phenomenon you seem to like so much.
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well, never mind about that. remus had largely put the conversation from his mind ever since it'd been had. when it occupied his thoughts, he was forced to contend with a strange cocktail of embarrassment, shame, worry, hope, and all sort of other emotions that were more suited to a bodice ripper than his life.
he had other things to worry about. until came time for his standing meeting with lily, study sessions he'd called dates casually until the fateful message that lily evans would like to spend time with him whether or not he was wearing a jumper, and merlin, how was he supposed to do this.
when the time comes, he shows up at their common room table by the window, because the one thing james potter and sirius black haven't beaten out of him is punctuality. showing up is easy. speaking, for the first time, isn't.
this is lily, he tells himself. lily evans, his friend, someone he can trust. but he knows his ears are red even before he sits across from her, plucking self-consciously at the jumper he's wearing. it's not the infamous jumper. he's not sure whether that's a good thing or not. )
So. Had a good weekend? ( what a casual, distant, absolutely uncharacteristic thing to ask. lily might catch him wince as soon as the words come out of his mouth.)
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It was what brought her there that afternoon when every last iota of sense still left in her harried mind told her in no uncertain terms to give it a miss. She could avoid him forever after she said sorry, or her sense of right and wrong would never give her a moment's peace again.
That Remus shows up as well is a surprise, and though she's hidden behind a thick book on the history of wand cores, her eyebrows shoot upward as her mouth goes dry, her heartbeat picking up speed while she desperately wishes it wouldn't.
It takes a moment to lower the book enough so that she can regard him from over the top of it, her cheeks flaming red but blessedly still hidden. For all her conviction that she's done something wrong, unwelcome, and very stupid, words fail her. She's gone so far as to rehearse what it is she means to say to him but all those eloquent heartfelt lines she had hammered out to speak before making a hasty and embarrassed escape evaporate the moment he asks after her weekend.
Her reply comes first in a noise that might be an 'oh' if it didn't have quite so much to it and drag on as it did. A second to long. ]
I read.
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