Week Seven Drabbles
It's Week Seven and we have five players remaining. Unfortunately, gorthead has had to withdraw from the challenge. Thank you for participating, hon, and for the wonderful drabbles!
So, this means our readers have a slightly simpler task this week. Everyone will get a pass into next round so you will only have to choose one fic as your favourite. I say slightly easier because the drabbles are fantastic and I wouldn't like to have to narrow it down to one favourite.
The prompt this week was 'Meet the Parents' with a word prompt of 'broomstick'. So, in no particular order...
1.
Title:The Stars Are Projectors
Author: escribo
Summary:A chance meeting at the end of everything
Contains:
It's been three years since the world came to an end, though only Remus seems to have noticed. It sometimes catches him unawares--whilst in the shower or over his tea--normal things, ordinary moments in his life suddenly tipped sideways when he remembers his friends are dead and his lover is to blame.
He’s having a moment just like that outside the apothecary in Diagon Alley. Across the way is a face as familiar as his own, though they’ve never met. Remus stops in the middle of the crowded street, too stunned to move--to breathe--as Sirius’ mother moves toward him. He expected something different, had pictured her, when he thought of her at all, as younger, more beautiful.
"You knew my son,” she says without preamble. “I recognize you from the pictures in his room."
Remus says nothing.
"Yes, you knew my eldest,” she says again. “He was fascinated by you though I can scarcely understand why."
"I knew him in school," he finally stammers. They’re the only words that feel safe.
"He's a hero, my son. They both are but Sirius is different. He always has been.” She straightens her back and shoulders, lifting her chin in a way he can remember Sirius doing a million times over. “Always my brightest star," she says proudly, rewriting her own history.
It’s chilling, the madness that clouds her gray eyes, and Remus looks past her to the other shoppers--parents rushing to buy their children new robes and books for the start of term, boys eyeing the latest broomstick at Quality Quidditch Supplies. He’s analyzed every word spoken, every moment spent together. He can't imagine having been so wrong but knows he must have been.
“I’m sorry,” he finally says. “I really didn’t know your son at all."
2.
Title: A Fine Romance
Author: chlare
Summary: Sirius meets some interesting strangers in Quality Quidditch Supplies.
Contains: A bit of overdone flirting?
"...Yeah, looking for a new broomstick." Sirius was saying until a voice behind him cut in.
"Oh, you don't want that one, mate." A silver-haired man pointed to the model Sirius had up on the counter. "Lurches to the right when it gets too cold." The shopkeeper frowned at the man, but Sirius left the broom on the counter and came over to the Cirrus78.
"What about-" The bell to the shop clanged.
"Honestly, John I said I was only going to be a minute-"
"As if you were only going to be a minute with those romance novels, Maggie-"
"Who's your gorgeous friend?" she said over the man and Sirius found some very long eyelashes being batted his way; he couldn't help smiling at the older woman's panache. Remus struggled in after her.
"Ah. Pads, I see you've met my parents without me. Mum, this handsome friend of dad's is actually Sirius Black. My handsome friend. More than friend..." Remus managed to say in the middle of Quality Quidditch Supplies with only minor clearing of his throat. His eyes also met Sirius' with a smile that said everything. "And Sirius this is John and Margaret Lupin. My forebears."
"Remus," Maggie chided her son while taking her time shaking Sirius' hand.
"Sirius," John said with a nod when it was their turn to shake. "Maggie's the one you have to bear, really." He gave his wife a wink though as she batted at his arm.
Sirius couldn't help but grin. He had a sudden image of an aging Remus going around calling young blokes gorgeous and absolutely getting away with it. Merlin, that would be priceless. If he and Remus were anything like Remus' parents in 30-odd years, Sirius was pretty sure he'd be okay with that.
3.
Title: Hark! the Herald Snorkacks Bray
Author: whitmans_kiss
Summary: It was this thing Sirius did, where no matter how guilty he looked, he could charm even the most stone-hearted of statues into believing his innocence. And on Christmas, half-drunk and with his mother at the door, Remus is going to have none of it.
Contains: implications of debauchery
A ham, Remus thought through his heady buzz of too many gingerbread cookies dunked into single-malt scotch, she’s brought a bloody Christmas ham.
“Remus!” His mother cooed, thrusting the roasting pan forward as her bosom heaved, stepping uninvited over the threshold into her son’s flat.
The strangled noise that clawed its way forth from Remus’ throat choked itself into an attempt at “Mum! How good- what a- surprise- ” as his stomach dropped like he’d fallen fifty feet from a broomstick.
“Whossat the door, Moony?” Sirius’ voice wafted in like a languid purr from the kitchen, cigarette smoke close behind. Remus didn’t answer, wishing instead that spontaneous combustion would stop being so bloody spontaneous and happen rightnow, helpless to stop the force that was Jeanette Lupin from unleashing herself upon the tiny apartment.
Sirius was lounging in one of the wooden chairs, head tipped back, humming, sock-clad feet propped on the table, collar open and neck red enough from Remus’ mouth to match the tinsel above the sink.
Sirius’ fingers stopped conducting the opening bars of ‘Hark! the Herald Snorkacks Bray’ with the smoldering fag held loosely between them, immediately twisting upright.
“My mum,” Remus said, discreetly checking that his flies were done up right, “has brought a Christmas ham.”
“Why, so she has,” said Sirius, collecting himself, smoothly reaching forward to take the pan from her with a murmured “enchantée; won’t you remove your coat, sit down?”
“Actually, mum, snow’s supposed to get heavy, but ta for the food- ”
“Why, Remus,” Sirius sounded affronted, raising a slick eyebrow that would later lose him oral sex through Twelfth Night, “all these years and your mum and I have never had a proper meal together, can you think? And it’s Christmas.”
Mrs. Lupin beamed, and Remus thought he'd die.
4.
Title: A Proper Introduction
Author: anothersaturday
Summary: Returning to 12 Grimmauld Place in the summer of 1995, Sirius takes the opportunity to introduce Remus to his mother.
Contains: a bit of angst
The others will join him soon enough, but that first day, Sirius paces his childhood home alone. He presses his hand to the peeling silk on the walls; allows himself one glance into his old bedroom, where, once, he was someone else. His gaze flickers coldly across the Gryffindor banners, his old broomstick poised against the windowsill, and then he shuts the door. He tries to take his mother’s portrait down, but like all his battles against her, it turns out to be a losing one.
***
When Remus arrives, he glances about the foyer, wordlessly taking in the ripe aura of decay, and then-sod it all, Moony!-drops his bag onto the floor, where it lands with a heavy thud.
Immediately, a howling rings out, the curtains over the portrait fly open. Sirius doesn’t spare it a glance; instead, he watches Remus, his widening eyes, throat working in alarm.
“Fillllth.” The portrait’s ghost-voice is muted to a furious hiss. “Intruder, a jumped-up beggar dressed in rags-“
“Moony.” Sirius pushes down the sick bitter feeling in his chest. “Meet my mum. I don’t believe you ever had the pleasure, before.”
“I-um. No.”
Forcing a cheery smile, Sirius faces the portrait. “Mum, meet Remus. He’s a half-blood. Also a werewolf. We’ve been secretly having it off for years.” Remus gestures, frantic and indistinct, but Sirius understands: stop talking. Sirius complies only because the damage is done-his mother’s painted image is flushed almost purple, wailing with horrified rage.
“Come on, then,” Sirius says to Remus, “help me close the curtains.” Sirius is smiling still, but he doesn’t breathe again until the portrait is quieted; till the only place he can hear his mother’s voice is in his own head. There, he supposes, it will never quite fall silent.
5.
Title: Pure Intentions
Author: eprime
Summary: Sirius learns where Remus gets his sneaky streak.
Contains: acid reflux, dubious mothering techniques
"You're late!"
"Sorry!" Sirius stood on the Lupin's welcome mat clutching a bouquet of mixed flowers in one white-knuckled fist, and a broomstick in the other. "Does my hair look okay?"
Remus didn't answer, only grabbed his arm and pulled him inside the house. "It's almost three, you were supposed to be here at two!"
"I'm really sorry!" Sirius' stomach gave a sickening lurch. "Was so nervous I splinched myself trying to apparate."
"What?" Remus gasped.
"'S'okay. Just an ear. Got it reattached, but I ended up flying because I didn't want to risk another accident."
"You were that nervous?" Remus looked thoughtful. "It's not like you've never spoken to them before."
"Well, but that was just at the station and holidays and such, and just as your mate. I wasn't meeting them like this."
A brow arched in such a typical Remus way that Sirius wanted to kiss it. "Like this?"
"You know what I mean." The prat really must be enjoying seeing him suffer. "Don't take the piss at a time like this."
A smirk was all the response his heartfelt plea got. "Tell me what you mean, Sirius."
"Bastard. It's the first time meeting them as your boyfriend, all right? If they don't like me, I'll..."
"Hm. You'll what? Will you break up with me?"
"What?! No! I'd never!"
"So, you'll defy my parents wishes, then, if they don't approve of you?"
"I love you, Moony, and I won't let anyone take you away from me, not even your mum and dad!"
"So passionate." Remus was staring at him intently.
Something weird was going on. In fact, Remus was looking quite strange. "Your face...it's--Mrs. Lupin?!"
"Bugger. You should've been on time."
Sirius gaped.
"Evie!"
"Mum!"
Mrs. Lupin smiled.
"I suppose the body binds wore off."
Comments are screened. Please include both the number and title of your favourite drabble only in your vote. Participants, you are encouraged to vote, but please don't vote for your own drabble.
Happy Reading! :)
So, this means our readers have a slightly simpler task this week. Everyone will get a pass into next round so you will only have to choose one fic as your favourite. I say slightly easier because the drabbles are fantastic and I wouldn't like to have to narrow it down to one favourite.
The prompt this week was 'Meet the Parents' with a word prompt of 'broomstick'. So, in no particular order...
1.
Title:The Stars Are Projectors
Author: escribo
Summary:A chance meeting at the end of everything
Contains:
It's been three years since the world came to an end, though only Remus seems to have noticed. It sometimes catches him unawares--whilst in the shower or over his tea--normal things, ordinary moments in his life suddenly tipped sideways when he remembers his friends are dead and his lover is to blame.
He’s having a moment just like that outside the apothecary in Diagon Alley. Across the way is a face as familiar as his own, though they’ve never met. Remus stops in the middle of the crowded street, too stunned to move--to breathe--as Sirius’ mother moves toward him. He expected something different, had pictured her, when he thought of her at all, as younger, more beautiful.
"You knew my son,” she says without preamble. “I recognize you from the pictures in his room."
Remus says nothing.
"Yes, you knew my eldest,” she says again. “He was fascinated by you though I can scarcely understand why."
"I knew him in school," he finally stammers. They’re the only words that feel safe.
"He's a hero, my son. They both are but Sirius is different. He always has been.” She straightens her back and shoulders, lifting her chin in a way he can remember Sirius doing a million times over. “Always my brightest star," she says proudly, rewriting her own history.
It’s chilling, the madness that clouds her gray eyes, and Remus looks past her to the other shoppers--parents rushing to buy their children new robes and books for the start of term, boys eyeing the latest broomstick at Quality Quidditch Supplies. He’s analyzed every word spoken, every moment spent together. He can't imagine having been so wrong but knows he must have been.
“I’m sorry,” he finally says. “I really didn’t know your son at all."
2.
Title: A Fine Romance
Author: chlare
Summary: Sirius meets some interesting strangers in Quality Quidditch Supplies.
Contains: A bit of overdone flirting?
"...Yeah, looking for a new broomstick." Sirius was saying until a voice behind him cut in.
"Oh, you don't want that one, mate." A silver-haired man pointed to the model Sirius had up on the counter. "Lurches to the right when it gets too cold." The shopkeeper frowned at the man, but Sirius left the broom on the counter and came over to the Cirrus78.
"What about-" The bell to the shop clanged.
"Honestly, John I said I was only going to be a minute-"
"As if you were only going to be a minute with those romance novels, Maggie-"
"Who's your gorgeous friend?" she said over the man and Sirius found some very long eyelashes being batted his way; he couldn't help smiling at the older woman's panache. Remus struggled in after her.
"Ah. Pads, I see you've met my parents without me. Mum, this handsome friend of dad's is actually Sirius Black. My handsome friend. More than friend..." Remus managed to say in the middle of Quality Quidditch Supplies with only minor clearing of his throat. His eyes also met Sirius' with a smile that said everything. "And Sirius this is John and Margaret Lupin. My forebears."
"Remus," Maggie chided her son while taking her time shaking Sirius' hand.
"Sirius," John said with a nod when it was their turn to shake. "Maggie's the one you have to bear, really." He gave his wife a wink though as she batted at his arm.
Sirius couldn't help but grin. He had a sudden image of an aging Remus going around calling young blokes gorgeous and absolutely getting away with it. Merlin, that would be priceless. If he and Remus were anything like Remus' parents in 30-odd years, Sirius was pretty sure he'd be okay with that.
3.
Title: Hark! the Herald Snorkacks Bray
Author: whitmans_kiss
Summary: It was this thing Sirius did, where no matter how guilty he looked, he could charm even the most stone-hearted of statues into believing his innocence. And on Christmas, half-drunk and with his mother at the door, Remus is going to have none of it.
Contains: implications of debauchery
A ham, Remus thought through his heady buzz of too many gingerbread cookies dunked into single-malt scotch, she’s brought a bloody Christmas ham.
“Remus!” His mother cooed, thrusting the roasting pan forward as her bosom heaved, stepping uninvited over the threshold into her son’s flat.
The strangled noise that clawed its way forth from Remus’ throat choked itself into an attempt at “Mum! How good- what a- surprise- ” as his stomach dropped like he’d fallen fifty feet from a broomstick.
“Whossat the door, Moony?” Sirius’ voice wafted in like a languid purr from the kitchen, cigarette smoke close behind. Remus didn’t answer, wishing instead that spontaneous combustion would stop being so bloody spontaneous and happen rightnow, helpless to stop the force that was Jeanette Lupin from unleashing herself upon the tiny apartment.
Sirius was lounging in one of the wooden chairs, head tipped back, humming, sock-clad feet propped on the table, collar open and neck red enough from Remus’ mouth to match the tinsel above the sink.
Sirius’ fingers stopped conducting the opening bars of ‘Hark! the Herald Snorkacks Bray’ with the smoldering fag held loosely between them, immediately twisting upright.
“My mum,” Remus said, discreetly checking that his flies were done up right, “has brought a Christmas ham.”
“Why, so she has,” said Sirius, collecting himself, smoothly reaching forward to take the pan from her with a murmured “enchantée; won’t you remove your coat, sit down?”
“Actually, mum, snow’s supposed to get heavy, but ta for the food- ”
“Why, Remus,” Sirius sounded affronted, raising a slick eyebrow that would later lose him oral sex through Twelfth Night, “all these years and your mum and I have never had a proper meal together, can you think? And it’s Christmas.”
Mrs. Lupin beamed, and Remus thought he'd die.
4.
Title: A Proper Introduction
Author: anothersaturday
Summary: Returning to 12 Grimmauld Place in the summer of 1995, Sirius takes the opportunity to introduce Remus to his mother.
Contains: a bit of angst
The others will join him soon enough, but that first day, Sirius paces his childhood home alone. He presses his hand to the peeling silk on the walls; allows himself one glance into his old bedroom, where, once, he was someone else. His gaze flickers coldly across the Gryffindor banners, his old broomstick poised against the windowsill, and then he shuts the door. He tries to take his mother’s portrait down, but like all his battles against her, it turns out to be a losing one.
***
When Remus arrives, he glances about the foyer, wordlessly taking in the ripe aura of decay, and then-sod it all, Moony!-drops his bag onto the floor, where it lands with a heavy thud.
Immediately, a howling rings out, the curtains over the portrait fly open. Sirius doesn’t spare it a glance; instead, he watches Remus, his widening eyes, throat working in alarm.
“Fillllth.” The portrait’s ghost-voice is muted to a furious hiss. “Intruder, a jumped-up beggar dressed in rags-“
“Moony.” Sirius pushes down the sick bitter feeling in his chest. “Meet my mum. I don’t believe you ever had the pleasure, before.”
“I-um. No.”
Forcing a cheery smile, Sirius faces the portrait. “Mum, meet Remus. He’s a half-blood. Also a werewolf. We’ve been secretly having it off for years.” Remus gestures, frantic and indistinct, but Sirius understands: stop talking. Sirius complies only because the damage is done-his mother’s painted image is flushed almost purple, wailing with horrified rage.
“Come on, then,” Sirius says to Remus, “help me close the curtains.” Sirius is smiling still, but he doesn’t breathe again until the portrait is quieted; till the only place he can hear his mother’s voice is in his own head. There, he supposes, it will never quite fall silent.
5.
Title: Pure Intentions
Author: eprime
Summary: Sirius learns where Remus gets his sneaky streak.
Contains: acid reflux, dubious mothering techniques
"You're late!"
"Sorry!" Sirius stood on the Lupin's welcome mat clutching a bouquet of mixed flowers in one white-knuckled fist, and a broomstick in the other. "Does my hair look okay?"
Remus didn't answer, only grabbed his arm and pulled him inside the house. "It's almost three, you were supposed to be here at two!"
"I'm really sorry!" Sirius' stomach gave a sickening lurch. "Was so nervous I splinched myself trying to apparate."
"What?" Remus gasped.
"'S'okay. Just an ear. Got it reattached, but I ended up flying because I didn't want to risk another accident."
"You were that nervous?" Remus looked thoughtful. "It's not like you've never spoken to them before."
"Well, but that was just at the station and holidays and such, and just as your mate. I wasn't meeting them like this."
A brow arched in such a typical Remus way that Sirius wanted to kiss it. "Like this?"
"You know what I mean." The prat really must be enjoying seeing him suffer. "Don't take the piss at a time like this."
A smirk was all the response his heartfelt plea got. "Tell me what you mean, Sirius."
"Bastard. It's the first time meeting them as your boyfriend, all right? If they don't like me, I'll..."
"Hm. You'll what? Will you break up with me?"
"What?! No! I'd never!"
"So, you'll defy my parents wishes, then, if they don't approve of you?"
"I love you, Moony, and I won't let anyone take you away from me, not even your mum and dad!"
"So passionate." Remus was staring at him intently.
Something weird was going on. In fact, Remus was looking quite strange. "Your face...it's--Mrs. Lupin?!"
"Bugger. You should've been on time."
Sirius gaped.
"Evie!"
"Mum!"
Mrs. Lupin smiled.
"I suppose the body binds wore off."
Comments are screened. Please include both the number and title of your favourite drabble only in your vote. Participants, you are encouraged to vote, but please don't vote for your own drabble.
Happy Reading! :)