Harry Potter Stories

Guess We're Coming Out (M/E)

(M/E) = Marauders Era

(GT/E) = Golden Trio Era

Summary:

Sirius dares James to start a duel with a Slytherin of his choice or kiss his secret partner in the middle of the Great Hall. James only does what he was told to do. 

Ships:

Jegulus 

WolfStar

_____

"Come on, Prongs. You have to do it!" Sirius says passionately.

"No," James hisses.

"Why not? You've never backed down from a dare before. Is it because you're too afraid to start a duel in front of the professors?"

At the mention of a duel, Remus' head snaps up. He drops his fork onto the table. "What's this I'm hearing about a fight?"

"Last night James and I played truth or dare, and I dared him to either start a duel with a Slytherin of his choice or he has to kiss his secret partner on the lips in front of everybody at breakfast in the Great Hall."

"Sirius, James doesn't have to tell you who he's dating if he doesn't want to," Peter protests.

James gestures grandly in Peter's direction. "Thank you, Wormtail! At least someone is on my side. Your turn, Remus. Tell Sirius this is a stupid idea!"

Remus takes a deep breath. "I can't. We're Marauders. As much as I disagree with this dare, it's the rules. We will suspend you from the Mauraders for a week if you break any of our rules and will target you with all pranks planned before we welcome you back with open arms.

James visibly grimaces. Considering they have a nasty prank that causes your bum hair to bite in the works, James is not keen to be the recipient of their pranks for a week. Nor can he argue about the punishment because he and Sirius made the rules in their first year.

Only once has it been put into practice, and that was the year before when Sirius pulled his "prank" on Snape.

Sirius slaps James on the back. "Hah! Moony is on my side. You have no choice. Go pick your Slytherin to duel!"

"What makes you so sure I'll choose to duel?"

"You're too much of a pussy to kiss your partner in front of everybody," Sirius snorts.

James narrows his eyes. "Fine," he stands to his feet. "Hey! Everyone shut the Hell up!" He turns towards the Slytherin table. "Regulus Arcturus Black!"

He almost grins when he sees Regulus jump at the shout. James slips his wand into his hand and points it at Regulus. "Square up," he dares.

Regulus stares James down for a few seconds before he takes smooth strides around his table, wand in hand.

Sirius' mouth drops open. He grabs at James' robes, panicked. "James, you are not dueling, my baby brother!"

James brushes Sirius' hands off. "Shut up. Sirius. I'm doing what you told me."

Regulus stops a few feet away from James. "What is the point of this, Potter?"

James shifts his weight onto one foot, popping one hip out, arms crossed. "Sirius, your darling brother, has given me a dare."

Regulus' lip curls upward in a terrifying snarl. "Don't bring me into your stupid bets, Potter!"

"Oh, but dear Reggie, you're a vital part of my dare," James coos.

Regulus' eyes shift around the Great Hall. He's unused to James acting so familiar with him in a public setting. "Whatever, I'm done with this insanity, Potter."

James casts a wandless, unspoken spell when Regulus turns his back to him. Regulus lets out a yelp that he will forever deny as he is tugged backward and dumped into James' arms. Once Regulus is safely in James' possession, he doesn't waste a second, dipping Regulus in a deep bow and pressing their lips together.

Regulus stiffens in surprise before he melts into James' hold. Regulus' arms wind around James' neck as he kisses the Gryffindor back.

James is suddenly yanked away, accidentally dropping Regulus to the floor. Regulus rubs his elbow as he glares at Sirius. Sirius glares back with one arm wrapped around James' neck.

"What the hell, Sirius?" Regulus snarls.

"James, I know you aren't secretly shagging my brother," Sirius seethes.

"Trust me, I'm not the one doing the shagging," James smirks.

"I fucking knew it," the shout comes from the Slytherin table. Evan Rosier stands to his feet in triumph. "You owe me thirty galleons, Barty!"

Barty's fist comes down on the table with a harsh crack. "Dammit, Regulus! For your entire life, you've been fine with being a submissive bitch and doing as you're told, but as soon as I have money riding it, you switch it up?" He scowls as he digs the money out of his pocket and hands it to a smirking Evan.

Most of Barty's ire is lost when he remembers Evan will likely use the money to buy something for him anyway.

Regulus blushes to the tips of his ears. "I take it you're finally ready for us to come out?" He says as he stands and brushes off his uniform.

James shrugs in Sirius' hold. "Thought I might as well do it true Marauder style."

"Big, flashy, messy, and as dramatic as possible?" Regulus asks deadpan.

James winks at him. "Exactly."

Sirius tightens his arm, biceps making most of the people nearby swoon. "How long has this been going on?" He hisses in James' ear.

"Ehh, a little over a year since we started shagging. Nine months since we officially got together."

"What the hell, James? Why didn't you tell me?" Sirius asks.

"I wasn't ready for anyone outside of our group to know about my sexuality or that I have a partner. I knew if we told you guys, it'd get out somehow. Nobody knew."

"I knew," Remus says as he takes a bite of his breakfast.

"H-how?" James splutters.

Remus makes eye contact with James. "Next time you stumble into the dorm room under the invisibility cloak with your best friend's little brother to fuck, make sure you cast a silencing charm."

It's James' turn to blush. Sirius shoves James away from him harshly. "Prongs?"

"Yeah?"

"You have five seconds to run before I fucking kill you," Sirius says in a low voice.

James snatches Regulus' hand, and they race out of the Great Hall.

_____

Words: 998

Published: 9/6/23

Also posted on AO3 (Jasper_Raid)