<\/p>\n
Title<\/b>: People Ought to Know [MWPP]
\nRating\/Warnings<\/b>: PG for dudes kissing.
\nSummary<\/b>: Sirius has a bit of activist in him as well.
\nAN<\/b>: Written for Marriage Protection Week, and also I think some sort of icon challenge was involved, and mine happened to be Kurt and Brian from Velvet Goldmine kissing.<\/p>\n
People Ought To Know<\/b><\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\tIt might not have sounded like much, but that one soft syllable was enough to draw the other three Marauders\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 attention to Remus right away. <\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What is it?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d James asked from across the table. <\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6oh,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Remus said again, tearing his eyes away from the Daily Prophet that had just arrived in the mail and looking blankly up at his friends. He was clutching the paper a little tightly, crinkling the edges.<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let me see,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Sirius coaxed, reaching over to pry Remus\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 fingers off the paper and smoothing it out on the table between himself, James, and Peter. Remus pretended to go back to his cereal, but was really just staring into the bowl and stirring the contents about.<\/p>\n
\tJames saw the article and sucked in a breath, Sirius was silent.<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t see\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Peter began and James impatiently tapped a finger under the article. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh, that one?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\tMinistry of Magic Declares Marriage Protection Week<\/i>, the headline of the article proclaimed. Fudge\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s official quote proclaimed marriage as \u00e2\u20ac\u0153a revered union of a Witch and Wizard dedicated to raising families.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Mercifully, there were no pictures.<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not that bad,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d James ventured finally. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We are having something of a population problem, after all. Maybe they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re just trying to encourage Wizards to settle down.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Maybe,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Remus responded softly.<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Not like it matters to us,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Peter added, still trying to absorb the meaning of most of the article.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re ages too young to worry about getting married and that sort of rubbish.”<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Exactly!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d James agreed heartily. He suddenly noticed that Sirius was not joining in. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Right, Sirius?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\tSirius was still sitting silently, pretending to stare at the paper, but really watching Remus sink lower and lower in his seat out of the corner of his eye.<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s RUBBISH!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Sirius spat suddenly, loud enough to make Remus jump a little. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Use your brain, idiots, they aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t talking about having kids, they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re talking about not letting queers marry!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153But Sirius,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Peter looked perplexed. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Queer people don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get married.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Only cause the ministry won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t let \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcem,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Sirius snorted. He saw Remus sit up a little straighter and give him an odd look. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Why shouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t they?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Why would they?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Peter looked even more confused.<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t matter!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Sirius retorted heatedly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The point is that the Ministry just can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t go about telling us who we can and can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t marry! Next they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be saying Wizards should only marry purebloods, and look where that got my family!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Calm down,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d James said, also giving him a strange look. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not like it matters, since none of us are\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6well, you know.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t matter if we are or aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Sirius\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 face was flushed with anger and he stood up from the bench quickly enough to knock over his pumpkin juice. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t right and somebody ought to do something!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\tJames and Peter exchanged glances as Sirius stormed away.<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What was that about?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Peter asked James.<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I have no idea, Pete,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d James furrowed his brow.<\/p>\n
\tRemus silently mopped up Sirius\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 juice with his napkin.<\/p>\n
\t*\t\t*\t\t*\t\t*\t\t*\t\t*<\/p>\n
\tSirius bore an ominous expression for the rest of the day. From long experience, James knew that the best thing to do was wait until Sirius\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 mood blew over, and immediately after class he led Peter away with talk of Quidditch practicing. He asked Remus too, but Remus refused, mumbling something about homework.<\/p>\n
\tThey stayed out until it was dark, then headed back in for dinner, hoping both of their friends were in better moods by now. On the way up the stairs to the dormitory, Sirius nearly ran them down, clutching a roll of paper in his hand, his scowl replaced by a look of fierce determination.<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s that?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d James asked cautiously.<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll see,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Sirius replied, not even pausing on his way down. James and Peter glanced at each other, then followed Sirius back down the stairs, sighing. <\/p>\n
\tSirius was in the Common Room, putting up something on the announcement board.<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153There,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said with grim satisfaction, stepping back. <\/p>\n
\tThe roll of paper actually turned out to be a poster of the Demon Maxwell tour from last summer. It was the infamous newspaper photo of Curt Wild and Brian Slade\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s open-mouth kiss onstage, blown up to sizable proportions, no pun intended.<\/p>\n
\tSirius had charmed it so that the bottom blinked the words \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Demon Maxwell presents: Marriage Protection Week\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re really riled up about this,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d James said to Sirius, trying for a neutral tone.<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t right,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Sirius repeated stonily. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153People ought to know.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\tJust then the portrait hole swung open and Remus stepped through, carrying several library books. He noticed the others and came to stand beside them, staring at the poster silently. Sirius was staring at Remus, waiting for a reaction.<\/p>\n
\tJames had no idea what was going on with either of them, he only knew that he was uncomfortable.<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Come on, Pete,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said a little too loudly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s go change or we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll miss dinner.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\tSirius flicked a glance at them as they climbed the stairs, but Remus didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t seem to notice. Shoving his hands in his pockets, Sirius finally addressed Remus.<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Well?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Say something.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\tRemus turned his head to look at Sirius, his expression strange and unreadable. <\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Thank you,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he murmured quietly with a tiny grateful smile. Sirius grinned with relief and punched Remus in the arm lightly.<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Is it enough?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Sirius asked. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I could probably charm it so they moved like in Wizard posters\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153No!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Remus interrupted, laughing out loud. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153No, this is fine. Please don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\tSirius struck Remus in the arm again with his knuckles, so light this time that is was more of a caress than a punch. They stared at each other for a long moment.<\/p>\n
\t\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s go to dinner!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Sirius exclaimed suddenly, breaking the moment. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m starved!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\tRemus trailed after Sirius willingly, stealing a last glance at the poster on his way back out the portrait hole.<\/p>\n
\tMarriage Protection Week<\/i>, it blinked.<\/p>\n
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