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whatstruthgottodowithit · 23 days

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The Dating Game [Part One]

Fandom: Harry Potter [Marauders Era]

Pairing: Sirius Black x Original Female Character, James Potter x Original Female Character, James Potter x Lily Evans

Characters: James Potter, Sirius Black, Lily Evans, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Dorcas Meadow, Original Female Character, Marlene McKinnon, Mary MacDonald, Sabrina Lovegood

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 3991

Summary: James and Sabrina decide to play the dating game.

Tags/Warnings: Fake Dating, Fake Couple, Kissing, Jealousy, Quidditch, Arguing, Angst, Fluff, MASTERLISTS // TAG LIST Notes: Sabrina face claim Sabrina Carpenter <3

PART ONE // PART TWO // PART THREE

Sabrina was trying to focus on her charms essay, it was due in less than an hour but she’d fallen asleep in the common room last night and failed to finish which left forced to do it over breakfast, one hand furiously working her quill whilst the other helped her nibble on a piece of perfectly browned toast. The only problem was the noise. After months of being stuck inside the castle the sun had finally started shining which had revved up the excitement amongst the students who had arrived down at breakfast to find glorious rays streaming in through the high windows. To her right the marauders [a nickname of their own choosing] were discussing how they, mainly James and Sirius, could get in a couple of hours of quidditch practice after lessons if the weather conditions held up. To her left the girls [Marlene, Mary, Lily and Dorcas] were going over how Gary Nelson had invited Marlene to Hogsmeade this weekend and how she was debating whether to go considering they’d had an uneasy romantic history.

Sabrina was trying to tune them out the best that she could. It was easier to do when she stationed herself in the middle of both groups and next to Remus who wasn’t really participating in the quidditch talk and instead reading his book whilst trying to shovel cornflakes into his mouth though his focus was so intense it was proving a struggle. Still there was a lot of noise around her which made it hard to focus and even harder for her to be able to distinguish her name from the chatter which is why she didn’t notice Gabriel Prewett was standing on the opposite side of the table waiting to catch her attention which came as Remus nudged her with his elbow.

‘Hey,’ he said, offering her a small smile when she finally looked up.

‘Hey Gabriel,’ Sabrina said, covering her mouth as she swallowed down a piece of toast, ‘everything alright?’

‘Yeah just got those potion notes I borrowed from you,’ he said, placing a couple pieces of parchment on the cluttered table in front of her.

‘Aw thanks,’ she said, ‘hope they helped.’

‘They did, really concise,’ Gabriel said with a smile. Sabrina liked Gabriel. They didn’t hang out a lot given that she mostly spent time with her house mates but they had a few lessons together and they had found themselves often in the library going over the same things and therefore ended up revising together. But other than that they weren’t the chit-chatting type which was why she was surprised when he lingered clearing his throat awkwardly as he said, ‘I was going to give you them back tomorrow but I didn’t know if you’d be headed to the village or not.’

‘I am but there was no rush,’ Sabrina said.

‘In that case maybe we could go to the three broomsticks? Go over that care of magical creatures essay, I’m a bit lost truth be told,’ Gabriel said. Sabrina sighed.

‘I don’t think I’ll have time,’ she replied, ‘Flitwicks moved choir practice so I was only nipping down there for some new quills.’

‘Oh,’ Gabriel said crestfallen, ‘okay, no bother. Another time?’

‘Sure,’ Sabrina said with a smile, grabbing her notes and putting them in her bag. Gabriel watched her duck under the table to reach, her ponytail bobbing just over the table line, and feeling embarrassed he muttered goodbye and headed back to the Hufflepuff table.

Sabrina’s bag was chalked full of papers and textbooks but she found a nook for her notes and tucked them in neatly before reemerging from under the table ready to carry on tackling her essay. However as she settled back in she found the girls' conversation had halted and they were now watching her agog.

‘What?’ Sabrina asked self-consciously.

‘Did I just hear right?’ Mary asked, her dark brown eyes wide.

‘What?’ Sabrina asked again.

‘Did you just turn down a date with Gabriel Prewett?’ Marlene replied from beside her. Sabrina looked at her and scoffed, ‘it wasn’t a date.’

‘That’s a date if ever I’ve heard one,’ Mary protested. Sabrina felt her cheeks warm up, turning her skin to the colour of a grapefruit rather than the fetching coral blush she’d dusted across her cheeks this morning. Had it been a date? She liked Gabriel. He was nice, sweet even, and very handsome but she didn’t like him, like that. Did he like her like that? Had he been hinting throughout their study sessions and she’d been too oblivious to notice.

‘He just wants help with his care of magical creatures essay,’ she said indignantly.

‘In the pub,’ Sirius reasoned from across the table, making her groan internally. It was one thing for the girls to interrogate her but for the boys to join in was so much worse.

‘Yeah Sirius is right,’ Dorcas continued, ‘no boy suggests a study session in the pub!’

‘Why did you say no?’ James said, adding on to Sabrina’s despair. All eyes were on her now, scrutinising every move she made.

‘It wasn’t a date!’ Sabrina whined.

‘Do you not fancy him?’ Mary asked.

‘He’s the fittest lad in our year,’ Marlene added.

‘That hurts,’ James quipped, earning a grin from his friends.

‘Oh shut up Potter,’ Lily said, rolling her eyes. Sabrina shrank back, knowing that once these two got into it the conversation would soon be dominated by their squabbling and would maybe give her a chance to flee. Her bag was under the desk but if she did make a break for it Remus would probably bring it for her, the only one not joining in with this lunacy.

As predicted James was refusing to look anywhere but at Lily who was staring back at him not willing to back down as he said, ‘are you saying you’d go out with him if he asked Evans?’

‘Maybe,’ Lily challenged, smirking as James’ face fell for a second, ‘besides this isn’t about me this is about Sabs.’

‘Can you just drop it! Gabes is just a friend,’ Sabrina said.

‘Oh Gabe is it now?’ James teased, making her blush deepen.

‘Oh Merlin,’ Sabrina said. The conversation lulled and Sabrina heaved an internal sigh of relief hoping that they’d just let it go but it was unfortunately not to be as across from her Sirius, who’d been watching her closely sniffed and said, ‘nah Bri’s right.’

‘I am?’ she asked, watching him closely, her eyes narrowed.

‘Yeah,’ he shrugged, ‘besides not everyones ready for that stuff.’

‘Yeah,’ Sabrina started before she noticed his choice of words, her face falling into a frown as she looked at him and said, ‘what’s that supposed to mean?’

‘Nothing but well, you’ve turned down every date you’ve been offered this year,’ Sirius shrugged. Sabrina’s mouth fell open, confusion plaguing her as it did everyone else who appeared to be trying to recall when and who had been asking her out. Was Sirius right? Had she been asked out and turned them down? She didn’t even know at this point though she did notice the looks of sheepish pity on her friends faces as his words started to cloud their judgment.

‘I have, I do not,’ was all she could make come out of her mouth as a reply.

‘Yes you do,’ Sirius said firmly.

‘No one’s asked me out,’ Sabrina refuted.

‘Bollocks,’ Sirius snorted, ‘I’ve seen at least three lads try and you’ve rebuked every one of them. That doesn’t even include Gabe.’

‘Ooh who?’ Dorcas asked eagerly, ignoring the way Sirius sneered Gabriel’s nickname.

‘Blake Jones, Frank Longbottom, Yousif Shafique,’ Sirius rhymed them off so quickly Sabrina was scrambling to recall having interactions with these boys let alone being asked out. How did he recall them if she couldn’t? Surely he was winding her up.

‘What’s wrong with them?’ Mary asked.

‘Yeah Frank’s lovely,’ Lily agreed.

'As lovely as me Evans,' James quipped, earning a roll of the eyes from Lily.

‘I never said there was anything wrong with any of them!’ Sabrina said exasperatedly, glaring at Sirius as she added, ‘they haven’t asked me out!’

‘Yes they have,’ Sirius said firmly.

‘Why don’t you want to go out with them?’ Lily probed curiously.

‘You go out with them if you’re so bothered,’ Sabrina snapped, not taking her eyes off of Sirius, scowling at him.

‘No thanks,’ Lily said, scowling herself after being snapped at. When no one spoke Sabrina felt her irritation rev and said, ‘hang on why doesn’t Lily get stick for that!’

‘Wouldn’t want Potter to combust would we,’ Sirius quipped, earning a dig in the ribs from James though he kept his eyes on Sabrina, leaning forward until his elbows were resting on the mahogany so he could ask, ‘so go on, what is it?’

‘None of your business that’s what,’ Sabrina snapped, ‘any of you.’

‘Oooh,’ came several replies, only infuriating her further.

‘Oh piss off,’ she snapped and with that she grabbed her bag from under the table and stood up, swinging it over her shoulder which made Lily have to duck in order not to be clunked in the head. Remus sighed, ‘Sabs sit down.’

‘No,’ Sabrina said, clambering over the back of the bench. She could see Remus was watching her worriedly which made her feel bad for a second, after all had elected not to participate in this haranguing of her character but still she needed to get out of there.

‘Where are you going?’ James asked, watching her just as worriedly. Of course he was the first to see the error of his tormenting. He was always like this when he and Sirius got going. It had been the thing that had initially put her off being friends with them before her friendship with Remus had made her see that they weren’t that bad. But Sirius, oh he was never one to realise when he was going too far. Even when he knew he was being an outright dick if there was a sniff of him being right he’d carry on no matter what the damage.

That was why he was looking at her, challenging him to prove him wrong with evidence that she hadn’t refuted these boys even though she still couldn’t recall it enough to prove him right or wrong. And so she grumbled, ‘somewhere where people don’t try and marry me off every five minutes.’

✵✵✵

Even with the balmy spring day outside the castle wasn’t exactly warm, well not in the areas that weren’t lit by firelight which unfortunately for Sabrina meant the girls second floor bathroom. It wasn’t the optimal study area; the sinks and toilets were grimy from being forgotten most of the time and Moaning Myrtle had talked her ear off about a cruel third year boy who’d called her various unsavoury names for accidentally getting in his way. But it was empty and more importantly out of the way of all her friends. She hadn’t spoken to them throughout any lessons and had scrounged her lunch and dinner from the kitchens rather than join them in the hall. Not to mention there was a slight nook in the wall which if she laid her cloak out made it slightly more comfortable to sit and study.

Her studying however was suspended when she heard the door open. She remained stock still, clutching the care of magical creatures essay she’d decided to get a jump on, wondering if she didn’t make a noise whoever it was would use the loo and get out. That was not the case though as from behind the sinks a flop of messy hair followed by the tentative smile of James Potter. Sabrina sighed and dropped her gaze back to her homework. She shouldn’t have been surprised he managed to find her, not once she remembered that damned map.

‘Hey,’ James said tentatively, moving closer towards her and leaning back on the sinks, ‘you okay?’

‘Fine,’ Sabrina said curtly.

‘He didn’t mean it you know. You know what he’s like when he gets an idea in his head,’ James said. It was true that James Potter was always the first to realise when he and his friends had gone too far. It was also true that he was his friends', more accurately Sirius Black’s, greatest defender. Sabrina sighed, finally looking up at him as she replied, ‘yeah but I don’t know where he gets off acting like I’m,’ she paused, she thought about what Sirius had made her seem like but she didn’t feel like saying the words ‘pathetic’ or ‘stuck up’ because they hurt far too much so instead she navigated away from what she was like and continued, ‘well he has girls fawning over him day in and day out and no one bats an eye! And I don’t care what he says, boys don’t hang around me like that.’

‘They do,’ James said, startling himself at how quickly it rolled off his tongue. Sabrina too was surprised, her face becoming shocked before she managed to compose herself and say, ‘no they don’t!’

‘They really do Sabs,’ James said, somewhat apologetically, like it didn’t feel right to call her out even if he was right, ‘Pads was right. You’ve been asked out at least three times this year and you’ve always said no.’

‘They weren’t. No one’s asked. I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ Sabrina muttered, looking down at her papers. James sighed and took a seat in the nook beside her, trying to ignore how awkward her scrunched up cloak felt nestled under his thigh. He figured now was not the time to talk about his comfort. They were quiet now, James watching her though her blonde locks fell like curtain and blocked most of her face from view.

He didn’t know how she hadn’t figured it out yet. She was one of the prettiest girls in their year. Soft golden locks, complimenting sun kissed skin and bright blue eyes. She was like a doll, pretty and perfect, and completely oblivious to how boys saw her. Mary knew what allure she had. Marlene was pretty but one of the boys. Dorcas hopped from boy to boy with no qualms about what people thought of her. Lily was, well, Lily was all he thought about and to him the prettiest girl ever but he couldn’t deny Sabrina had something, even if she hadn’t realised it yet which he couldn’t believe was true.

After a moment he murmured, ‘you really didn’t notice?’

‘I guess not,’ Sabrina lied. Of course she knew boys liked her. She wasn’t completely oblivious to what she looked like; she just hadn’t wanted to pay them any attention. Not the ones that liked her anyway.

‘Do you just not want to date anyone?’ James asked.

‘Of course I do!’ she protested, looking at him.

‘Then why not?’ he said. His glasses had slid down the end of his nose and his brow was furrowed trying to figure out why she had such an aversion to what seemed to dominate every conversation he and his friends had these days. Sabrina closed her eyes and sighed as she saw it finally dawn on him, ‘you like someone don’t you?’

‘James,’ she sighed.

‘Oh go on, you do don’t you?’ James said, earning a small smile which made everything seem more clear and not just because he’d pushed his glasses into place, ‘who is it?’

‘Let’s just say if I have been asked out I haven’t noticed because I was probably distracted at the time,’ she explained.

Again James’ brow furrowed as he tried to deduct her logic and suddenly it was like the stars aligning. How he hadn’t realised it before he didn’t know. Probably too focused on Lily to notice how her eyes flitted to Sirius any time a boy approached, trying to gauge his reaction, ‘it’s Pads innit?’

‘He kind of eclipses the attention of any boy who looks my way,’ she admitted bashfully.

‘Since when?’ James probed, wondering how long he’d been in the dark.

‘I don’t know,’ she shrugged, ‘start of this year? I guess he just seems different, acts differently somehow.’

‘Why not ask him out?’ James asked, unaccustomed to how someone could keep their feelings in for so long.

‘Like I said he has a million girls hanging off him,’ she grumbled.

‘Yeah and he’s been busy watching who's asking you out.

It had been an odd thing to start liking Sirius. At first she had firmly been in Lily’s camp – that the marauders were nothing but a nuisance. And then she and Remus had been paired together, their names next to each other in the register and well he was lovely. That had made her curious because how could someone as patient and nice be friends with such arrogant oiks? After spending more time with them she realised they weren’t all that bad. Arrogant, sure. Loud and bolshie, absolutely. Slightly snobbish, perhaps. But they were also sweet, funny, kind and caring. They looked after their friends, were fiercely loyal and well a whole lot of fun.

When she had returned after the summer she hadn’t expected her feelings towards them to change and for the other boys they hadn’t. Except she started to get this funny feeling in her stomach when Sirius looked at her. He seemed to be more caring, funnier, brighter. It was only when she’d seen him flirting with Lavinia Porthrop she had realised why it felt like that. She liked him and sure enough everything had soon become him. He dominated her thoughts, when they talked it was him she kept glancing at, and when boys approached her she was watching him, wondering if he’d feel irked like she had. She didn’t think he had but James’ words sparked hope inside her. Hope she had to snuff out because Sirius was well, Sirius. He wasn’t coy. He didn’t shy away from his feelings like she did, if he liked her he would have told her.

‘You’re just saying that,’ she said, feeling her stomach knot.

‘No I’m not,’ James said, nudging her thigh so she’d look up at him. She smiled at him sadly.

‘If he liked me he’d just ask me out,’ she countered, her logic sound and reasoned.

‘I don’t know,’ James replied, ‘he’s different when it comes to people he cares about. The girls know what he’s like and they’re not really bothered but we’ve been friends forever. That means something to him, to all of us, he wouldn’t be willing to throw it away in case he fucked it up. And especially if he wasn’t sure if you were ready or not.’

‘Can you blame me?’ she sighed, ‘it’s not exactly easy to navigate is it?’

‘No, no I guess you’re right,’ James sighed, as she put her head on his shoulder.

‘The dating game is awful,’ Sabrina murmured. James breathed a laugh.

‘Try being in love with a girl who won’t give you the time of day.’

‘That’s the problem!’ Sabrina cried, lifting her head and jumping up from the nook until she was looking at him and looking at him, ‘Lily’s bloody nuts about you and it’s no easier to navigate!’

‘Sure she is,’ James said, rolling his eyes.

‘She is,’ Sabrina said firmly, still slightly irked at her friends and their teasing to restrain herself from spilling something she was sure was true, ‘that’s the problem! She just loves teasing you and making you work for it. Honestly I don’t know how you put up with it.’

‘I really like her,’ James mumbled sadly as the energy left her, forcing her to nestle in back beside him as she grumbled, ‘yeah and I like him. I just wish it wasn’t so bloody complicated.’

‘I get what you mean. Why can't you just say you like someone and see where it goes y’know,’ James agreed.

‘Too busy playing daft games or dancing around the subject,’ Sabrina huffed.

They were quiet for a moment, the pair of them staring at the grubby old sinks opposite as they thought about everything. She hated it being so complicated. She hated that she was too nervous to just tell Sirius she liked him if anything she still wasn’t convinced he’d like her back. Maybe he did and James was right, he was just nervous to ruin their friendship. It was hard to tell because he wasn’t as obvious as James was or Lily for that matter. But to be honest she was grateful for that because it was one thing holding your feelings in and it was another flaunting them at every given moment of the day and not acting on them. She glanced at James, finding him staring glumly at his shoes and was overcome with pity. Thinking of Sirius she felt pity for herself.

To be honest she just wished it was out in the open. Cards on the table so they could all move on. She knew that wasn’t going to happen though; James was an open book and that was still getting him nowhere.

‘Maybe you ought to play it their way,’ a voice inside her head whispered, ‘play the game.’

‘What if we played them too?’ she asked, causing his hazel gaze to fall on her.

‘What do you mean?’ he asked, pushing his glasses up from the end of his nose.

‘What if we messed with them?’ she asked. The idea made nerves flutter in her stomach.

‘How?’ James asked, narrowing his eyes.

‘Well Lily only keeps you hanging on because she thinks you’re gonna hang on forever,’ she said.

‘Right,’ he said dubiously.

‘And you say Pads likes me,’ she said.

‘He does,’ James said, sitting up a tad straighter, his interest piqued.

‘But he won’t tell me or maybe he would if he saw I was open to dating,’ she said, ‘or that a relationship between friends could work.’

‘What are you on about?’ James said, still lost.

‘Me and you start dating,’ Sabrina said firmly, shocked to see James’ eyes widen in surprise. The marauders were some of the least flappable she’d ever met and yet he was staring at her as if she had three heads, an expression she tried to rectify as she said, ‘think about it. If they want us, as theorised, they’d be bothered by it, right?’

‘Right,’ James said unsurely. Trust Sabrina to come up with a logical, measured test. She should’ve been a Ravenclaw but luncacy and bravery of the idea lended itself to Gryffindor and more accurately, the marauders.

‘Maybe enough to admit how they really feel,’ she said, ‘and if not we give it a couple of weeks and pretend the romance fizzled out, tell them it wasn’t for us but we’re still pals.’

‘You think they’d fall for it?’ James asked sceptically.

‘Worth a shot,’ she shrugged, ‘besides you could always think of it as a prank.’

‘You hate being involved in pranks,’ James countered, raising an eyebrow.

‘Because they’re pointless but this has a purpose, you might even bag Lily,’ she said, a radiant smile dancing across her face. James allowed that to tug at his heart strings. She had a point. He wa2s sure Lily liked him, he could feel it, but what would it take for her to admit that? Maybe this was the way. And Sabrina was right, if they had a couple of weeks with no luck they’d know for sure and could both move on with their lives, not to mention people would probably treat their failed relationship as just one of the casualties of the Hogwarts social scene. James nibbled on the inside of his lip nervously, wondering what to say. Sabrina merely whispered, ‘so, you in?’

‘Go on then,’ James smiled.

Sirius Black Tags

@caitlin1996 @imthebadguyyy

#my writing #sirius black #sirius black fic #james potter #james potter fic #marauders #marauders fic #marauders era #sirius black x ofc #james potter x ofc #james potter x lily evans #the dating game

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whatstruthgottodowithit · 13 days

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The Dating Game [Part Three]

Fandom: Harry Potter [Marauders Era]

Pairing: Sirius Black x Original Female Character, James Potter x Original Female Character, James Potter x Lily Evans

Characters: James Potter, Sirius Black, Lily Evans, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Dorcas Meadow, Original Female Character, Marlene McKinnon, Mary MacDonald, Sabrina Lovegood

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 3461

Summary: James and Sabrina decide to play the dating game.

Tags/Warnings: Fake Dating, Fake Couple, Kissing, Jealousy, Quidditch, Arguing, Angst, Fluff, Sabrina's outfit inspo

Notes: finally done!

PART ONE // PART TWO // PART THREE

Though James had assured Sabrina not to worry about Sirius he couldn’t help but fret as time drew on without an appearance from his best mate. He didn’t return to the dormitory until well after curfew and when he did he rushed in, climbing into his bed without a word or chance for James to bob his head out of the curtains to check on him.

Not that he knew what he was going to say. So far his and Sabrina’s little ploy had not garnered the attention either of them wanted but now it was as if they were all playing a game of chicken, the train speeding towards them until one of them gave up the ghost and jumped out the way. That was why James made a resolution, if neither Sirius nor Lily had admitted anything by the end of the week he and Sabrina would have to knock this whole debacle on the head. Not that he got a chance to lay this decision on her though as he had to spend the following morning preparing for the Gryffindor vs Ravenclaw match. As he walked into the great hall he was met with a sea of red and gold from banners and flags to each house member's jumpers and scarves. Even Sabrina had opted to adorn her house colours, though he doubted she’d be watching most of the game.

She offered him a smile as he sat down, and a cheery ‘good luck’ though she looked about as happy as he felt, the worry from last night still on his mind. Sirius didn’t appear until the end of breakfast, only scarfing down a piece of toast before he rose, already in his quidditch uniform, and headed to the door forcing James to finish up quickly so that they could walk down together. And despite neither of them speaking, other than to Peter who had hurried along to head down to the pitch with them though he’d be in the spectator stands, they managed to cinch a win. It was a tough game, with the Ravenclaw beaters intent on scuppering James solely though that was no surprise given how spectacularly he’d played. And he wasn’t too proud to admit that without his best friend he might not have been on such good form because even though he was barely speaking to him Sirius was still there blocking every player and bludger that came for his best pal.

Sabrina had watched the entire thing, nerves bubbling in her stomach as she watched the boys fly about like ants far above them. She’d fretted all night about Sirius, about the look on his face when he’d seen her kissing James. It looked wounded.

She hadn’t been sure about the reciprocation of his feelings before which was why she’d thought simply baiting him would work. But she should’ve known. Outside of the suave, debonair, painstakingly handsome teen was a sweet, sensitive man who cared deeply even if he pretended he didn’t. That was one of the things she adored in the first place. She’d bashed him for not being honest when she was just as guilty. So as Gryffindor claimed victory over the Ravenclaw she decided she’d end it, once the celebrations were done.

And of course Gryffindor went all out on the celebrations. After an outpouring of cheering and merriment on the pitch the students had been shepherded back to their common room, the Gryffindor’s wild with excitement, which was only amped as they found the common room now transformed for a party. Gold and red banners hung from the ceiling, music blared from a record player and food and drink gathered on every free table. There was a lot of recapping, a lot of congratulating from various students who came up to James beaming with house pride, and a lot of drinking which had Sabrina feeling merry even if she was thankful not to be noticed, the attention on her ‘beau’. Even Sirius had consented to cheering up, unable to shake the infectious joy of his team mates, though he stayed by the record player, using the role of DJ as means of avoiding his friends. That being said he had hugged James fiercely as they hit the ground of the pitch, congratulating one another before they were swept up in the crowd.

He was standing there now, beer in hand, chatting to Remus though admittedly he wasn’t paying much attention to the conversation, offering indifferent words or grunts where needed. Instead his eyes kept flicking to where James was sitting on the sofa, his mop of dark hair visible above the back of the couch where he was relaxed, a blonde sitting to his left, her head dangerously close to his friend as she kept leaning in to speak. With every glance his smile chipped away. Fortunately his attention was diverted as a very merry seventh year drifted over to him, throwing his arms around his shoulders as he said, ‘you’re on the music right?’

‘Yeah,’ Sirius said, fighting the urge to shrug him off.

‘Taking requests?’ he asked, ‘it’s gettin’ a bit morbid in here.’

‘Go on then,’ Sirius said, hoping that would shirk him off.

‘Whack on We Are The Champions,’ he said, before strutting off back to his friends gathered in the corner watching them with anticipation. Sirius rolled his eyes but moved to flick through his stack of LPs anyway until he found the one he wanted, waving off the grumble of the crowd as the music died before being reignited again.

It was a slow melodic build that was harshened by the seventh year and his friends who immediately jumped in on the chorus as they realised their request had been heard. Soon enough every student in the room was joining in, revelling in their victory as they called out.

We are the champions We are the champions No time for losers 'Cause we are the champions of the World.

James was singing from his seat, his hand in Sabrina’s as the whole couch swayed to the music until they were suddenly pulled up by Marlene and Mary to dance beside the fireplace, huddled in a group of people. James was smiling so hard his cheeks were hurting until Mary smacked him on the arm and said, ‘you should make a speech!’

He glanced at her, finding her brown eyes wide and glinting as the idea set in. He knew it was just a drunken idea but that meant it was something she wouldn't let go of and apparently neither would others as Marlene said, ‘yeah go on Potter!’

‘Nah,’ James laughed, ‘I’m too sozzled for that.’

‘C’mon James,’ Peter encouraged from his other side.

‘Honestly I don’t know what to say,’ James said.

‘Since when do you opt out of a chance to gloat?’ Lily said scathingly from where she was still sitting, legs crossed over one another as she held her glass in hand, staring at it intently as an excuse not to look up.

James swallowed thickly and didn’t reply, his usual repertoire with her feeling empty and awkward now instead of the natural quipping it normally was.

‘Oh go on mate!’ Peter said, nudging his arm, ‘you’re the bloody reason we won.’

‘Yeah Potter!’ Mary said before calling the crowd to attention as she yelled, ‘speech!’

‘Guys,’ Sabrina said, seeing the discomfort in his eyes as all eyes turned to him, some muttering to others to get them to be quiet. James shook his head, waving her off as he knew there was no point fighting his friends.

‘Alright then,’ he said, clearing his throat and grabbing his half-empty bottle as he thought about what to say.

‘Shut it everyone!’ Mary decreed before gesturing that he had the floor. Sabrina slipped her hand into his free one and squoze it reassuringly, receiving a smile in return.

‘Well first I wanna congratulate the whole team for being on top form today,’ James said, looking around at the sea of happy faces. Sirius was standing at the back, watching him with a stony expression that separated him from the pack. Again James’ excitement dimmed but nevertheless he pressed on, unable to keep his adoring fans waiting, ‘without you lot we wouldn’t have won.’

‘Well you helped a bit,’ Peter mused, earning a laugh from everyone that made him beam with pride.

‘Yeah but it’s a team effort,’ James replied, gesturing to the wider crowd with his drink as he added, ‘same with you lot in the stands. Without you there wouldn’t be a reason to try as hard as we do.’

‘Not even to make sure Slytherin doesn’t win the cup?’ someone heckled from somewhere in the room.

‘Well I suppose that’s incentive in itself. Either way we still managed it so thanks and lets have some fun eh? Cheers,’ James said, raising his bottle as a chorus of replies rang out.

‘And let's get thoroughly rat-arsed,’ Mary shouted, earning a louder cheer as she pushed into the room, Marlene trailing behind her as they went for more drinks.

It was a move that knocked Sabrina into James, forcing him to grab onto her so that she wasn’t pulled along or spilled her own drink. She could feel his own bottle in his hand, nestled by her waist, her arm on his bicep as he’d steadied her. She smiled at him and to his disappointment he felt nothing. Nothing more than platonic happiness and looking at him Sabrina felt the same.

‘Well done,’ she said.

‘Thanks,’ James said, leaning further in so that she could hear him over the din of the next song on the record, ‘can’t believe they made me make a speech.’

‘Well at least if this quidditch thing doesn’t work out we know a public speaking career could be on the cards,’ she teased.

‘Oh yeah, next minister for magic I am,’ James grinned. Sabrina smiled back before she sighed. They were having fun but there was no point putting off the inevitable and so she said, ‘James look-’

But James wasn’t listening, he was too busy looking over her shoulder at where Lily had just slammed her drink down onto the coffee table and strode off, shoving through throngs of disgruntled students as she headed for the door. Sabrina whipped her head around and watched her go and before James could stop her she was heading out the portrait hole too, not slowing down as he called her name.

Sabrina had to give it to the girl she was fast. So quick that had she not followed her when she did she wouldn’t have seen the way she turned heading towards the courtyard. Given it was still spring and the night had drawn ever so close the air outside was cold and Lily’s shirt did nothing to protect her from the chill of it. She didn’t even know why she was out here; it wasn’t as if there was anywhere to sit down and she was liable to get cold quickly if she didn’t go back inside. All she knew was that she could no longer sit there watching Sabrina and James cosy up to one another. It made her insides spin and the room much to hot for her liking. That was why she had headed in the direction of a breeze, hoping the cool would clear her head. And it was working well until she heard her name called and turned to find Sabrina standing on the steps of the courtyard, Jamse a few steps behind him and Sirius coming into view just behind him. James glanced at his friend as he appeared but said nothing watching Sabrina and Lily instead.

‘What do you want?’ Lily said, folding her arms across her chest and holding her head high. Sabrina came a touch closer. In her Mary Janes they were almost the same height, looking at each other eye to eye as she stepped onto the cobbled stone of the courtyard.

‘Are you okay?’ Sabrina asked softly.

‘Fine,’ Lily said, glancing at James and tightening her jaw as she felt the sharp sting of tears in her eyes.

‘Are you sure? You run off pretty quickly,’ Sabrina reasoned.

‘Well sorry if I don’t want to watch you snog Potter’s face off,’ Lily said snarkily. At that Sabrina bristled, the original purpose of the prank blaring loud and clear. She had the floor now to just tell the truth and she couldn’t do it, more to the point she was angry at her because of it which was starting to get under her skin as she said, ‘well you were asking me to the other day. Why’s today any different?’

‘Why him?’ Lily shot back, taking Sabrina off guard.

‘What?’ she asked.

‘Out of all the people you could’ve picked to date you picked him,’ Lily said, sounding more upset than she intended, ‘why?’

‘Why not?’ Sabrina replied, ‘James is a good guy.’

‘Did you only just realise that? Because you could have anyone in the school and you picked him after years of being friends with him and no attraction and then boom one day you picked him!’ Lily said angrily.

‘So?’ Sabrina said.

‘It’s weird!’ Lily shouted. James and Sirius were watching on awkwardly now. It was getting more heated and though he couldn’t see Sabrina’s face he could see Lily's and she was getting more upset by the second. He was going to intervene, try and distract some attention to help them both calm down but Sirius put his hand on his arm, stopping him from moving forward. He wanted to hear this explanation.

‘Why do you care?’ Sabrina said, feeling the acceptance coming if she could just push that bit more, ‘I thought you didn't like him.’

‘Of course I bloody do!’ Lily shouted, ‘why do you think-‘

‘I know,’ Sabrina said, cutting her ranting short as her mouth fell agape though she recovered quick enough to say, ‘what?’

‘I know you like him,’ Sabrina said offering her a sympathetic smile, ‘I’ve known all along I was just hoping this would make you realise you did too. Instead of leading him on for the sake of it.’

‘I wasn’t leading him on!’ Lily protested, blushing as Sabrina raised an eyebrow, ‘besides how could you mess with me like that!’

‘It got you to admit the truth didn’t it,’ Sabrina reasoned. Lily sighed.

‘That’s not the…you shouldn’t have done that,’ Lily said sadly.

‘If it makes you feel any better it wasn’t meant to be like this. It was supposed to be a laugh,’ Sabrina said, moving forward to hug her friend loosely, ‘you were just a little more stubborn than planned. I’m sorry.’

‘It’s okay,’ Lily said, smiling sadly though she found her eyes trailing over to James who was far enough away he could no longer hear what either of them were saying as evidenced by the panicked look on his face.

‘Maybe now you can stop dancing around the fact that you actually like one another,’ Sabrina said softly, ‘he really likes you Lily.’

‘I really like him too,’ she said, gnawing on her lip nervously.

‘If it makes you feel any better he’s not as big of a prat as he makes out,’ Sabrina quipped.

‘I heard that,’ James said from somewhere close behind them. She didn’t turn but pulled her hand away from Lily to offer him the finger, giggling with Lily before she said, ‘maybe you two should go and talk about it somewhere?’

‘Good idea,’ Lily said, hugging her friend tightly before letting her go and heading up the steps into the castle before they disappeared from view.

Sirius had been watching the whole thing, trying to wrap his head around the entire charade. He barely paid attention to his friends as they left, James offering him an apologetic smile before he disappeared. He was too focused on Sabrina, on the feelings that churned in his stomach at the sight of her. Before this whole thing had started he hadn't been sure he liked her. She was a friend, a good one and considering he and the opposite sex were rarely just friends he wasn’t sure he wanted to meander into that territory and risk mucking things up for something that might be nothing. But seeing her with James had ruined him, sent him almost as mad as it had Lily though he couldn’t quite bring himself to have the same outburst.

If he was a different man, one not raised in expectation and propriety he would’ve rushed to her, told her how relieved he was that she wasn’t dating James and how it was him he wanted her to be with if she would Just let him. If he rid himself of all modesty and decorum he would’ve hit James the moment he saw them together just as he had wanted to. But no, he couldn’t do that.

In fact as she turned round, her face growing surprised as she realised he was there, he couldn’t find anything more to say than, ‘you two aren’t dating.’

‘Nope,’ Sabrina said, coming closer to him.

‘Why lie?’ he asked.

‘It made Lily see sense didn’t it?’ she shrugged. Sirius stood up off the wall he’d been leaning against and advanced towards her until they were feet apart. He wanted to believe that it was just a prank, a joke and nothing more, but he was scared. Scared that in his failure to pursue her properly he'd lost her to someone even if it was supposed to be a sham.

‘Yeah but what if she hadn't got upset. You would've been hurting her and not even know,’ Sirius said, hoping she’d say something that would make him feel better about the hurt in his own chest.

‘I wasn’t going to marry him,’ Sabrina said aggravatedly, ‘we would've fake split up.’

‘And if you fell for each other,’ he challenged, moving closer as if he could spot the lies in her gorgeous blue eyes.

‘Not a chance,’ she said.

‘That kiss looked pretty real to me,’ he challenged.

‘That was only because you were teasing us,’ Sabrina said.

‘Yeah right,’ Sirius scoffed.

‘It’s true,’ she said, earnestly placing her hand on his bicep. Even through his jumper her touch felt like lava, igniting his body on fire in a way that terrified him so he pulled away, trying to push his feelings down or find a way that he wouldn’t have to be honest with her, ‘yeah, I guess. I mean you don’t want to date anyone right? Should've known it was fake.’

‘I do want to date. I thought me going out with James would prove that,’ she said, stopping him in his tracks and making him look back at her. His grey gaze was heavy on her face now, making her shift awkwardly as she held her elbow, as if her arm across he could hold her together. That was like music to his ears and yet he was reluctant.

‘Why do you say no to everyone who asks you then?’ he asked puzzled, though her words were music to his ears.

‘Because I don’t want to date them,’ she said, she could feel him being reeled in now, dancing around the topic like James and Lily would. So she needed to be brave. If he couldn’t be honest she’d have to be.

‘But you want to date someone?’ he asked.

‘Yeah,’ she said, moving towards him so that there was barely a foot between them, her big blue eyes staring at him as she said, ‘someone who gets very irritable about me dating his best friend. Someone who was very intent on watching everyone who asks me out. Someone who doesn’t realise the reason I’m oblivious to that is because I’m too busy ogling him.’

‘What if you and this person don’t work out?’ Sirius asked quietly, his heart singing but his head very much worrying, ‘I mean what if he’s never dated a friend before.’

‘Well then if it doesn’t work out we go back to being friends,’ Sabrina said, moving to wrap her arms around his waist. Sirius sighed, ‘you make it sound so easy.’

‘Oh it's not. I'm no fan of the dating game, believe me,’ she said, leaning in, ‘but sometimes it's worth it for the right person.’

‘Yeah?’ he asked, his hand brushing past her cheek as he moved a lock of golden hair over her shoulder.

‘Yeah,’ she said, ‘so c’mon.’

‘What?’ Sirius asked.

‘Are you going to show if you’re a better kisser than Potter or not?’ she smiled.

And with that Sirius black made the final move of the game.

Sirius Black Tags

@caitlin1996 @imthebadguyyy

#my writing #sirius black #marauders fic #sirius black fic #Sirius black x ofc #Sirius black x original female character #James potter x ofc #the dating game #fake dating

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