Two Sirius ficlets
Hope everyone had a fun Hallowe'en. In honor of the day, here are two ficlets (well, more like drabbles) -- featuring Sirius! Cross-posted from Day of the Black Dog 2014 at sirius_black.
Title: Vol de nuit (136 words, G | Marauder-era)
Characters: Sirius, the motorbike
Summary: The bike was pure power-almost as though the Muggles who made her had kept some distant memory of dragons.
A/N: Thanks to huldrejenta for letting me know about this event, and thanks to the mods who made it happen!
Vol de nuit
(with apologies to Saint-Exupéry)
The motor turned over and began to purr, sleek and muscular. Sirius leaned, hard, as the bike slid around a corner and out onto a deserted country lane. He gunned the engine, smearing the dark shapes of the trees into one long blur. The bike was pure power-almost as though the Muggles who made her had kept some distant memory of dragons.
“Yeah, well.” He smirked at his own flight of fancy. “I’ll show ‘em dragons.” He tapped the clutch lever with his wand, and the bike seemed to gather herself, coiling. The purr sank to a feral roar. The night stood still under the roar of the engine.
Then came a surge, and a leap. The wind in his hair. Stars all around.
No broom had ever even dreamed of this raw, wild freedom.
Title: Hallowe’en, 1980 (340 words, G | Marauder-era)
Characters: Lily, Harry, the Marauders
Summary: Lily hadn’t been sure, not at first.
Hallowe’en, 1980
Lily heard the bike grumble to a stop in the back garden.
“We’re all here, then!” she called, and pulled a pan of pumpkin-shaped biscuits out of the oven. James dealt out a round of butterbeers, handing the last bottle to Sirius as he shouldered in through the door.
“Cheers,” Sirius grinned, folding his long legs and settling on the floor next to where Harry was working at pushing himself up on his sturdy little arms. “Hey, kiddo,” he said, his sharp voice suddenly soft. “Brought you some pranks for Hallowe’en.”
Lily’s head swung round at that, thinking of the explosions and cyclones-and, one memorable year, a rampaging slime mold-with which the Marauders had improved the Hallowe’en feast at Hogwarts.
But all that emerged from Sirius’s wand was a tiny flock of glowing ghosts, chasing each other in loops and spirals. Harry watched, wide-eyed, and reached out with a clumsy swipe. A smile-not a smirk, not a leer, but a true smile-spread across Sirius’s face, and he gently waved the ghosts down to where Harry, giggling now, could grab at them.
Lily gazed around the room. Her glance passed quickly over Peter, nursing his butterbeer in a corner of the sofa. She lingered longer over Remus, who was looking ever more tired and frayed at the edges, even with his face alight with laughter over Sirius and his antics. Remus had been her first choice, but even she had to admit that might not work out.
James had wanted Sirius. Lily hadn’t been sure.
“See, kiddo?” Sirius gave the baby a little tickle, and Harry giggled again. “Hallowe’en is a very important day for a Marauder.” He raised his butterbeer in salute. “May this be the first of many memorable Hallowe’ens for you.”
She hadn’t been sure, not at first. But after watching Sirius fall utterly in love with Harry over the past three months-
She caught James’s eye and nodded, firmly.
Sirius would do as well as anyone.
He might even be a magnificent godfather.
.
Title: Vol de nuit (136 words, G | Marauder-era)
Characters: Sirius, the motorbike
Summary: The bike was pure power-almost as though the Muggles who made her had kept some distant memory of dragons.
A/N: Thanks to huldrejenta for letting me know about this event, and thanks to the mods who made it happen!
Vol de nuit
(with apologies to Saint-Exupéry)
The motor turned over and began to purr, sleek and muscular. Sirius leaned, hard, as the bike slid around a corner and out onto a deserted country lane. He gunned the engine, smearing the dark shapes of the trees into one long blur. The bike was pure power-almost as though the Muggles who made her had kept some distant memory of dragons.
“Yeah, well.” He smirked at his own flight of fancy. “I’ll show ‘em dragons.” He tapped the clutch lever with his wand, and the bike seemed to gather herself, coiling. The purr sank to a feral roar. The night stood still under the roar of the engine.
Then came a surge, and a leap. The wind in his hair. Stars all around.
No broom had ever even dreamed of this raw, wild freedom.
Title: Hallowe’en, 1980 (340 words, G | Marauder-era)
Characters: Lily, Harry, the Marauders
Summary: Lily hadn’t been sure, not at first.
Hallowe’en, 1980
Lily heard the bike grumble to a stop in the back garden.
“We’re all here, then!” she called, and pulled a pan of pumpkin-shaped biscuits out of the oven. James dealt out a round of butterbeers, handing the last bottle to Sirius as he shouldered in through the door.
“Cheers,” Sirius grinned, folding his long legs and settling on the floor next to where Harry was working at pushing himself up on his sturdy little arms. “Hey, kiddo,” he said, his sharp voice suddenly soft. “Brought you some pranks for Hallowe’en.”
Lily’s head swung round at that, thinking of the explosions and cyclones-and, one memorable year, a rampaging slime mold-with which the Marauders had improved the Hallowe’en feast at Hogwarts.
But all that emerged from Sirius’s wand was a tiny flock of glowing ghosts, chasing each other in loops and spirals. Harry watched, wide-eyed, and reached out with a clumsy swipe. A smile-not a smirk, not a leer, but a true smile-spread across Sirius’s face, and he gently waved the ghosts down to where Harry, giggling now, could grab at them.
Lily gazed around the room. Her glance passed quickly over Peter, nursing his butterbeer in a corner of the sofa. She lingered longer over Remus, who was looking ever more tired and frayed at the edges, even with his face alight with laughter over Sirius and his antics. Remus had been her first choice, but even she had to admit that might not work out.
James had wanted Sirius. Lily hadn’t been sure.
“See, kiddo?” Sirius gave the baby a little tickle, and Harry giggled again. “Hallowe’en is a very important day for a Marauder.” He raised his butterbeer in salute. “May this be the first of many memorable Hallowe’ens for you.”
She hadn’t been sure, not at first. But after watching Sirius fall utterly in love with Harry over the past three months-
She caught James’s eye and nodded, firmly.
Sirius would do as well as anyone.
He might even be a magnificent godfather.
.