Winter Shorts 2008 Round Two: Fic - The Responsible Gift - PG-13
Mod Note: Here's the first of three posts for today! Enjoy!
Title: The Responsible Gift
Author: snarkyscorp
Prompt: #091 - Head boy, invisibility cloak, nightly rounds
Prompt Given by: Anonymous
Word Count: 1197
Rating: PG-13
Betas: nolagal
Author’s Notes: James POV ahoy! ;D
Summary: James passes on his responsibility.
The Invisibility Cloak was good for lots of things - sneaking into the kitchens to torment the house elves, tugging on first years’ robes and whispering things in their ears, and even getting out of the castle. Honestly, James Potter was lucky his father had entrusted him with such a dangerous piece of magical equipment. Of course, his father had also told him not to abuse its power or use it to get into trouble. So mostly, James just used the Cloak to spy.
It also came in handy when he had to do his nightly rounds as Head Boy. It was much easier to catch students out of bed beyond curfew if they didn’t see or hear you coming first. It also helped that he had the Marauder’s Map, so if students were out of bed, he knew exactly where they were. This had helped him many times in scoring a date with devious girls who would rather go out with him than get detentions or points taken from their houses.
But James took the luck these things afforded to him, as he wasn’t above abusing his power for such matters.
Whistling as he sauntered invisibly down the hallways towards the Great Hall, James tapped the Marauder’s Map and murmured the incantation I solemnly swear that I am up to no good, watching the pages unfurl.
All the usual suspects were there - the rather large Hufflepuff, Matilda Beanthorpe, was sneaking food from the kitchens for the third time that week; the Slytherin twins, Eleanor and Eileen Elroy, were tiptoeing towards the Forbidden Forest; and several young first year Gryffindors were making their second appearance this month in the library.
But two names flashed on the map that James wasn’t altogether prepared for - Albus P. and Scorpius M. were currently stilled in an empty classroom in the dungeons. James groaned. It couldn’t be good if the two of them were alone somewhere, as when such things happened both boys came out of it with boils, bruises, and blood loss. Though James wasn’t exactly against the house rivalry between Albus in Slytherin and Scorpius in Ravenclaw, he was against prudish little prats like Malfoy picking on his brother!
So James veered off course. Matilda, the twins, and the firsties were just going to have to get away with their shenanigans for one night - it wouldn’t be the first time James had looked the other way, after all, and finding his brother before he got his hair hexed off by Malfoy was much more urgent a matter.
When he arrived to the dungeons, he could hear his brother and Malfoy in a heated argument some ten feet away in a classroom.
"It’s not my fault," Albus was saying.
"You started it though," Malfoy snapped, voice strained.
"But you finished."
"But then you owled me again today to tell me to meet you here - alone. What the bloody hell am I supposed to make of that except that it’s an invitation for more?"
"The only thing I’m inviting you to do is to leave me alone."
James crept further into the room and stilled at what he saw, heart pounding. His brother was standing with his back to the wall and Malfoy was…hovering. Malfoy’s body language was unmistakable; James recognized the way his head cocked, hips angled, and muscles twitched. It was the same kind of pose James struck when he was into a girl he liked. From there, it was easy to just slide against them, hold their waist, and make the first move.
But…Malfoy couldn’t possibly want -
"I don’t think that’s the kind of message you’re sending at all," Malfoy said. James was horrified to note that the tone in Malfoy’s voice was sensual, dangerous, and enticing.
Further to his horror, Albus was grinning. "Yeah? What sort of message am I sending then?"
Albus cocked his head, leaning fully against the wall, and spread his legs a little. He raised his hands in a stretch, and James had to look away when Malfoy approached.
"You’re sending a message that says you like blokes," Malfoy snapped.
Albus looked affronted. "But…you like blokes, don’t you?" The silence between them was thick. "Everyone says you do. Everyone says you’re feminine, that you’ve never dated a girl, that you’ve messed about with other blokes before."
"I don’t…care," Malfoy bit out, but his trembling voice made it obvious he did care, and James felt a bit ill sympathizing with him. "Other people say lots of things about you, too."
"Yeah? Like what?"
"About how selfish you are. How egotistical, how you can’t walk ten feet without hearing someone praise your bloody father’s name first."
"That’s not true!" Al shouted.
"Well maybe the ones about me aren’t true either."
Albus’ eyes flashed. "So…you’ve never…with a bloke?"
"No," Malfoy said. "Never."
To James’ horror, Albus looked disappointed. James nearly vomited when he heard his brother say, under his breath and so quiet James had to lean in to hear it, "I have."
James swallowed and his fingers trembled on the Cloak, a breath away from tossing it off his body and revealing himself so he’d stop whatever Albus had been planning by inviting Malfoy alone to the dungeons. It was clear that he really didn’t know much about his brother at all, and suddenly he really didn’t want to know any more at all, so he simply pulled himself off the wall and began to retreat. As he exited, he heard the last remnants of their conversation drifting into echoes.
"I liked it."
"…Is that why you invited me here, so you could see if the rumors were true?"
"I sort of fancy you is all, since last time…"
When James was far enough away that he couldn’t hear anymore, he tapped the Marauder’s Map with his wand and murmured Mischief Managed so it would close up. Abandoning his Invisibility Cloak, he fell into a deep but troubled sleep the moment his head hit the Gryffindor pillow atop his bed.
The next morning at breakfast, James pulled Albus aside from the Slytherin table.
"You’re not going to dock points from Slytherin again just for my breathing the wrong way, are you?" Albus asked.
"Not today, no," James said, his tone so subdued it made Albus’ eyes widen.
"Everything alright?"
"Yeah I just…look, I have something for you that dad told me to give you when you were ready, and I think now is the best time, and I, um, hope it will do you some good and… well, here." James shoved a large box into Albus’ hands. "Open it in private. I cannot stress the importance of that part of the deal. And the instructions for both, er, gifts are inside too. So um…be careful." James patted Albus awkwardly on his back and left, pleased to note at least that Albus looked puzzled but excited.
James was sure his father meant that Albus would be ready when he was responsible enough to understand the two objects, but he also knew that when his dad had given him the Cloak and map his first year, he hadn’t had an ounce of responsibility in him. It was time Al got some privacy out of the deal.
Merlin knew he’d need it.
Disclaimer: This piece of fiction is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros. Inc. No money is being made, no copyright or trademark infringement, or offence is intended. All characters depicted in sexual situations are above the age of consent.
Title: The Responsible Gift
Author: snarkyscorp
Prompt: #091 - Head boy, invisibility cloak, nightly rounds
Prompt Given by: Anonymous
Word Count: 1197
Rating: PG-13
Betas: nolagal
Author’s Notes: James POV ahoy! ;D
Summary: James passes on his responsibility.
The Invisibility Cloak was good for lots of things - sneaking into the kitchens to torment the house elves, tugging on first years’ robes and whispering things in their ears, and even getting out of the castle. Honestly, James Potter was lucky his father had entrusted him with such a dangerous piece of magical equipment. Of course, his father had also told him not to abuse its power or use it to get into trouble. So mostly, James just used the Cloak to spy.
It also came in handy when he had to do his nightly rounds as Head Boy. It was much easier to catch students out of bed beyond curfew if they didn’t see or hear you coming first. It also helped that he had the Marauder’s Map, so if students were out of bed, he knew exactly where they were. This had helped him many times in scoring a date with devious girls who would rather go out with him than get detentions or points taken from their houses.
But James took the luck these things afforded to him, as he wasn’t above abusing his power for such matters.
Whistling as he sauntered invisibly down the hallways towards the Great Hall, James tapped the Marauder’s Map and murmured the incantation I solemnly swear that I am up to no good, watching the pages unfurl.
All the usual suspects were there - the rather large Hufflepuff, Matilda Beanthorpe, was sneaking food from the kitchens for the third time that week; the Slytherin twins, Eleanor and Eileen Elroy, were tiptoeing towards the Forbidden Forest; and several young first year Gryffindors were making their second appearance this month in the library.
But two names flashed on the map that James wasn’t altogether prepared for - Albus P. and Scorpius M. were currently stilled in an empty classroom in the dungeons. James groaned. It couldn’t be good if the two of them were alone somewhere, as when such things happened both boys came out of it with boils, bruises, and blood loss. Though James wasn’t exactly against the house rivalry between Albus in Slytherin and Scorpius in Ravenclaw, he was against prudish little prats like Malfoy picking on his brother!
So James veered off course. Matilda, the twins, and the firsties were just going to have to get away with their shenanigans for one night - it wouldn’t be the first time James had looked the other way, after all, and finding his brother before he got his hair hexed off by Malfoy was much more urgent a matter.
When he arrived to the dungeons, he could hear his brother and Malfoy in a heated argument some ten feet away in a classroom.
"It’s not my fault," Albus was saying.
"You started it though," Malfoy snapped, voice strained.
"But you finished."
"But then you owled me again today to tell me to meet you here - alone. What the bloody hell am I supposed to make of that except that it’s an invitation for more?"
"The only thing I’m inviting you to do is to leave me alone."
James crept further into the room and stilled at what he saw, heart pounding. His brother was standing with his back to the wall and Malfoy was…hovering. Malfoy’s body language was unmistakable; James recognized the way his head cocked, hips angled, and muscles twitched. It was the same kind of pose James struck when he was into a girl he liked. From there, it was easy to just slide against them, hold their waist, and make the first move.
But…Malfoy couldn’t possibly want -
"I don’t think that’s the kind of message you’re sending at all," Malfoy said. James was horrified to note that the tone in Malfoy’s voice was sensual, dangerous, and enticing.
Further to his horror, Albus was grinning. "Yeah? What sort of message am I sending then?"
Albus cocked his head, leaning fully against the wall, and spread his legs a little. He raised his hands in a stretch, and James had to look away when Malfoy approached.
"You’re sending a message that says you like blokes," Malfoy snapped.
Albus looked affronted. "But…you like blokes, don’t you?" The silence between them was thick. "Everyone says you do. Everyone says you’re feminine, that you’ve never dated a girl, that you’ve messed about with other blokes before."
"I don’t…care," Malfoy bit out, but his trembling voice made it obvious he did care, and James felt a bit ill sympathizing with him. "Other people say lots of things about you, too."
"Yeah? Like what?"
"About how selfish you are. How egotistical, how you can’t walk ten feet without hearing someone praise your bloody father’s name first."
"That’s not true!" Al shouted.
"Well maybe the ones about me aren’t true either."
Albus’ eyes flashed. "So…you’ve never…with a bloke?"
"No," Malfoy said. "Never."
To James’ horror, Albus looked disappointed. James nearly vomited when he heard his brother say, under his breath and so quiet James had to lean in to hear it, "I have."
James swallowed and his fingers trembled on the Cloak, a breath away from tossing it off his body and revealing himself so he’d stop whatever Albus had been planning by inviting Malfoy alone to the dungeons. It was clear that he really didn’t know much about his brother at all, and suddenly he really didn’t want to know any more at all, so he simply pulled himself off the wall and began to retreat. As he exited, he heard the last remnants of their conversation drifting into echoes.
"I liked it."
"…Is that why you invited me here, so you could see if the rumors were true?"
"I sort of fancy you is all, since last time…"
When James was far enough away that he couldn’t hear anymore, he tapped the Marauder’s Map with his wand and murmured Mischief Managed so it would close up. Abandoning his Invisibility Cloak, he fell into a deep but troubled sleep the moment his head hit the Gryffindor pillow atop his bed.
The next morning at breakfast, James pulled Albus aside from the Slytherin table.
"You’re not going to dock points from Slytherin again just for my breathing the wrong way, are you?" Albus asked.
"Not today, no," James said, his tone so subdued it made Albus’ eyes widen.
"Everything alright?"
"Yeah I just…look, I have something for you that dad told me to give you when you were ready, and I think now is the best time, and I, um, hope it will do you some good and… well, here." James shoved a large box into Albus’ hands. "Open it in private. I cannot stress the importance of that part of the deal. And the instructions for both, er, gifts are inside too. So um…be careful." James patted Albus awkwardly on his back and left, pleased to note at least that Albus looked puzzled but excited.
James was sure his father meant that Albus would be ready when he was responsible enough to understand the two objects, but he also knew that when his dad had given him the Cloak and map his first year, he hadn’t had an ounce of responsibility in him. It was time Al got some privacy out of the deal.
Merlin knew he’d need it.
Disclaimer: This piece of fiction is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros. Inc. No money is being made, no copyright or trademark infringement, or offence is intended. All characters depicted in sexual situations are above the age of consent.