All Of Us Are Ghosts Here (Jegulus / Wolfstar Fic)

Seventeen ~ The Way We Burn

Sirius~

TW: some negative self-talk, I guess? Don't really know how to describe it. Nothing too bad tho

Life grew into a pattern of sorts, and the group's tentative acceptance of Regulus grew into something like friendship. It was awkward, to be sure. There were plenty of things left unsaid, but it felt right. Like they'd always been meant to include him.

So, the days went on as they always had, with the inclusion of his baby brother. Before Sirius knew it, three weeks had passed.

The marauders were up late that night planning their prank on Slytherin. Regulus had long since gone back to his dorm, which was good because Remus was adamant that he couldn't know about this prank. He'd be included in the next one if he wanted, but Remus was still a little upset over having lost his title as Monopoly Master.

"Wait, wait. Show us the spell again?" Pete scratched his head.

Remus looked around for a second before grabbing one of James' shoes from the floor. He cleared his throat, swishing his wand. "Tuta Bufoneum."

Without a sound, the shoe transformed, and in less than a second, a little brown toad stood where the shoe had been.

Sirius had been raised with magic, he had never really found it that amazing. But watching Remus when he made a new spell, so confident and sure, always made him rethink it. That was the best part of a new prank, he thought. Remus' genius ideas. Remus took the magic they were given and molded it like clay, forced it to do what he willed. He was good at coming up with new, altered spells. He always had been, but he got better at it as they grew.

Sirius had been staring, he realized, as Remus looked over at him and caught his gaze, a grin on his face. He looked proud, and rightfully so. It was... Merlin, it was amazing, the things that boy could come up with.

Sirius had to look away. It was as if, if he held his best friend's gaze for more than a few seconds, he might come apart from the inside.

He'd never felt that way, not with any of the girls he'd dated these past years. It was wholly unique to Remus, and it terrified him.

When he looked back at his friend, his smile had drooped. With a muttered Tuta Viaeras, he turned the toad back into a shoe.

"That's for single objects. For the whole room, use the same motion but say Bufoneum Omnia. Everyone understand?" Remus was going into teacher mode now. Honestly, Sirius was surprised he didn't have a study group or something.

A.N: If you haven't, go read All The Young Dudes. It's heartbreaking in the best way.

"The spell works the same, so if you can do the minor one you'll have the major one down," He continued. "You all need to practice until you can do it, yeah? Let me know if you need help. Pete, make sure you get the note done. James, you figure out the Slytherin password this term. Sirius, get valerian root from the greenhouses. We need to make sure the Slytherins sleep through this."

The boys nodded, and Remus dismissed them.

"Yes, Professor Lupin," James said with a mock salute, to which Remus rolled his eyes and flipped him off.

"If I ever become a teacher, I expect one of you to slap me. Or kill me, I'm really not picky. Fucking children, ugh." Remus gave an overdramatic shiver.

"Weren't you just going on about how adorable the little first years are?" Sirius asked.

"No, I thought it was funny how scared they were of Hogwarts. There's a difference," He said defensively.