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[Chapter Thirty-Four: Wristbands]

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The ball was going amazingly for Aspen, she was like she were high on serendipity. Sirius was that serendipity, and she was happy he was. She was a bit tipsy—haven drunk a glass or two of the fire whiskey-downed fruit punch. Though, luckily, she could hold her alcohol down, allowing her to continue the night without a problem from her slightly fuzzy mind.

      Peter, on the other hand, wasn't doing so good. He only had about two drinks and he couldn't stand straight anymore. His date, who always ran away from them whenever they got near, had to hold him up most of the night. She didn't look sad about it, although, she hadn't looked delighted either.

"Maybe we should help him back to your dorm," Aspen suggested to Sirius, watching Peter puke into a decorative plant. They were all sitting at a table, all including Sirius, Aspen, James, Lily, Remus, Wendy, and Marlene. Marlene's date was talking to Peters date as the poor girl rubbed Peters back during his jousts of puke.

Marlene was late to the ball, about an hour had already passed before she and her date arrived with happy grins on their faces. Marlene's date wore a white tuxedo, black bow in the middle—Marlene wore Peters black tuxedo with a white bow in the middle. Most people found it cute, but, of course, there were the ones who couldn't help but stare at it with scared looks on their faces. Disgusted by women wearing mans clothing.

       "He did that to himself," Sirius said, leaning back into his chair. "he knows he can't hold his liquor, I don't understand why he even tried."

      "I think he wanted to impress his date," Lily said, James was playing with her arm that was laid on his lap. He was also slightly drunk, but at the same time he was perfectly sober. It confused Aspen because she could never tell with the boy. "I overheard him and her fighting earlier over how many drinks they could drink before getting pissed drunk."

      "Poor Wormtail," Remus said as Peter then fell into the plant, covering his face in his own vomit. "Nothing ever goes right for that kid."

      "Rem, he's older than you," Wendy reminded with an amused smirk, and Remus' face went from pity to annoyance. "He's like a dad to you Rem-Rem, or should I say— grandpa Rem-Rem, you little infant."

      "Wendy, Remus is older than you by two months," Aspen reminded and Wendy's face scowled. Remus' face morphed into what hers previously was. "So . . Remus would be the grandpa for you—how does it feel dating your grandpa? Incest-y?"

       "Fun fact," James slurred, looking up from Lily's arm. "Sirius was conceived yhrouth incest. His dads his cousin and his dad, same with his mum."

       "Wait, so Sirius' mum is his dad?" Wendy asked in a hushed tone, everyone ignored her except Remus who explained it in her ear.

       "You didn't have to announce that for everyone to hear, Prongs," Sirius grumbled, blushing. Aspen looked at him funnily, observing his face.

       James smirked. "His brother is also his cousin."

        ""What?" Sirius asked, growing uncomfortable after a little bit of time passing with Aspen still staring at him. Please don't say that being a creation of incest is a turn-off for Aspen.

        "Nothing." Aspen blushed, turning back to the table where everyone was now looking at her with the same expression Sirius had. "I was just told by someone that children born by incest are normally incredibly ugly looking. You're not ugly at all."

       "Thanks," Sirius smirked, Aspen nodded calmly. She should not have said that. She should not have said that. She should not have said that—

       "You two make me wanna barf!" James slurred, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

      Lily looked down at her boyfriend's rosy cheeks, "No, I think it's the fire whiskey that wants to make you barf."

       "If you got to barf, you'll need to find a new plant." Remus said. He then turned and pointed to the plant behind him where a passed out Peter laid in. Students were crowding around him and poking him with things which made Aspen cringe. His date, Marlene's date, and Marlene herself were all trying to hold people back. How have they not noticed this happening behind them? How did they not notice Marlene leave? She was sitting in the middle of them, in order for her to leave she'd had to climb over someone. "Because that one over there is taken."

      "Can we help him now?" Aspen asked, her foot tapping on the ground as she anxiously waited for a reply. As much as she hated it, she needed the help of Sirius to scare away people. Aaaaand to help Peter back to his dorm. James was too intoxicated, making him and Lily unavailable. Remus and Wendy were too nice to scare people away . . . Wendy was turned soft after gaining a significant other. And then there was Marlene and her date who couldn't get anyone away as much as they threatened hexes.

        Sirius looked at his friend and then at Aspen, he groaned making Aspen smile victoriously. He stood up and grabbed his wand out of thin air, spinning it in between his fingers. No one noticed him as he approached the kids who were too occupied with watching Peter twitch as he was poked with a kids wand. Sirius crouched around them, still going unnoticed. "What are you guys doing?" He asked. Kids jumped and screamed, Aspen held back giggles as they began to freak out. By the end of the year they'd be massacred in Marauder pranks.

       "We were just, er, checking to make sure he was alright." Said a familiar voice, Aspen shook her head when she immediately recognized it. The girl who spoke had long curly black hair and green eyes. It was Emma Stark. The girl who Lily promised to sneak into the dance.

      "Well, he doesn't look too good, does he?" Sirius asked. Peter was covered in his own vomit, unconscious in a plant. Of course he didn't look alright, and of course, Aspen didn't say that aloud.

      "No, not really," Emma said, cringing when she saw Aspen. Aspen stood there with her hand on her hip, a disappointed brow raised on her forehead as she listened to the girl's poor excuses. "You know what, I, er, need to go feed my Nutcracker!" Emma lied, running away from the two.

Sirius looked at Aspen, Aspen merely shrugged in response, acting as if she didn't know the girl—nor did she show any reaction to Emma pretty much exposing the fact that there was a living Nutcracker somewhere in the castle. At least no one pressured anything too much about the girls excuse for leaving. Everyone else still stood around, awaiting orders from Sirius which confused Aspen. They seemed more scared of him than the thought of an upcoming war. Noticing this, Sirius shoed them away and they all scrambled away like rats.

"It's amazing how you can just control everyone like that," Marlene said, admiring the boy rather than insulting him like usual.

Sirius smirked, "Over the years I've grown a reputation, everyone's afraid I'll attack them with pranks. It's quite handy when I'm lazy in the common room, I could just ask a first year to get me something and they'll desperately get it for me. Like how desperate Pete gets for food."

"You guys have to stop teasing Peter about his weight," Aspen said, frowning at Sirius. "He isn't that pudgy."

"You're right," Sirius snickered. "He's not pudgy, he's fat. He's nearly wide as Hagrid, and I swear that guy is a giant—or, at least, half-giant."

Marlene laughed and Sirius smirked, but it quickly diminished when he looked at Aspen. Aspen took a deep breath, closing her eyes hastily as she sighed. "You're a bloody bully, you know that? People have flaws and it's not right to bully someone about them. I could name many flaws about you right here right now, but I won't because unlike you—I actually consider other people's feelings."

After a few moments of silence, Aspen breathing heavily after her long rant, and Marlene looking between the two awkwardly, Sirius looked to his feet—genuinely looking guilty. "Sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Aspen asked him as if she were talking to a small child.

"I'm sorry for bullying Pete about his weight," Sirius said, sounding half embarrassed and half guilty. Marlene had a hand over her mouth as she tried her hardest to hold back the laughs, but even thought her mouth was covered Aspen could hear small squeaks of her laughter sneaking out.

"Good boy," Aspen said whilst patting his head, deciding to defuse the tension she created. She pulled out her wand and used a cleaning spell to clear the vomit off of Peter, he stayed unconscious as she moved back beside Sirius and scratched the back of her neck. "What do we do now?"

       "I guess I could carry him back to the dorm," Sirius said, he raised his eyebrow. "Wheres Wormtails date? Wait, where's your date, McBitch?"

      "I don't know," Marlene shrugged, unphased by her lack of dare. "Peter said something I couldn't hear—his date started crying. Announced a very dramatic; 'Come talk to me when you can think straight, bastard!' and ran out. My date is apparently her best friend and went with her."

      "I wonder what Peter said," Aspen thought aloud.

      "I bet he tried to compliment her by comparing her to his stomach rolls," Sirius said, his face straight. Aspen frowned at him and Sirius raised his hands in defense, "What? He's done it before. Back in second year, that girl hasn't been the same since."

       "You mean Anya Hope?" Marlene asked. Sirius nodded, confused how Marlene knew. "Sirius, she's not a psycho because Peter compared her to her stomach rolls or whatever, she's psycho because her family was massacred by death eaters right in front of her!"

      ". . ."

      "That took a sad turn," Aspen whispered.

     "Let's just get him to the dorm—I want to get back to the group, they look like they're having fun."

        Aspen looked back to see James and Remus arm wrestling. Remus easily beat James each time, most likely in result of his freaky werewolf-heightened strength. Or perhaps it was because James was pissed drunk, practically falling asleep as he spoke. Aspen nodded and she followed Sirius' motions as he grabbed Peter's underarms. Aspen grabbed his leg, and Sirius nodded for Marlene to grab his other one. Marlene raised her hands and began to back away. "You know what? I actually can't help tonight, I hurt my back earlier . . roller skating through the halls. Maybe next time!" She ran away, making Aspen seethe and Sirius to yell an aggravated 'screw you!'

       "I can do it," Aspen said, grabbing his other leg. "He surprisingly isn't that heavy."

"If you say so," Sirius said. They continued to lift an unconscious Peter out of the plant pot, and one of the two carrier-travelers ended up falling. And that person was Sirius. Aspen carefully laid down Peters' legs and walked beside Sirius who was scratching the back of his neck, a butterfly blush covering his face. Way to go Padfoot, you've just embarrassed yourself in front of the most beautiful girl in the world.

"What?" He asked defensively at the amused look on Aspens face. "He was heavy, the side with his head is much heavier than his chicken sticks. Oh, don't give me that look! Try yourself, I bet you five galleons you'll fail."

"Fine, deal." Aspen said, pushing Sirius out of the way as she went to where he previously was. She flattened her dress and leaned down, grabbing Peter by the underarms. She acted as if she was going to fail, but after a second of allowing Sirius to smirk victoriously—she easily lifted him up.

"Are you sure you're not the Incredible Hulk?" Sirius jokingly asked.

"I'm both surprised and impressed you know who that is," Aspen chuckled. "Now, back to this. Let's go ask a chaperone for a spell to use to get Peter to the dorm safely. Then once we're there, you'll lay up five galleons and we'll be on our merry way back here to be with our friends."

Sirius grumbled in response, Aspen grinned sweetly.

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      "I wonder in what point of time Minnie had to use this spell," Sirius said, climbing the stairs as he looked at a floating Peter Pettigrew. After asking many chaperones, they finally resorted to Professor McGonagall who knew the spell they needed.

       Aspen couldn't remember the name seeing as it was very long, it took nearly ten seconds to say the whole thing. Sirius had to recite it with his wand until finally Peter floated off of the ground and to anywhere Sirius pointed the bloody thing. Before officially leaving through the doors, McGonagall used a spell to summon a sharpie. Much to Sirius' amusement, she wrote Peters detention schedule right on the poor kid's forehead. Aspen couldn't help but laugh alongside Sirius.

       "She probably had to use it on Dumbledore," Aspen said as she looked at her feet. She had to make sure she didn't accidentally step on her dress and cause herself to fall off the stairs. If she did, she couldn't be saved by Sirius that time seeing as he was too occupied making sure Peter didn't slam into a wall. "Those two are like best friends, maybe when they were in their younger years Dumbledore got a little crazy and went bonkers on her."

       "Did you just use bonkers in a sentence?" Sirius asked her, turning towards her which made his body turn slightly. His hand too. Aspen cringed when she heard the sound of a body crash against the wall, Sirius quickly moved Peter and that left Peter to hit the other wall. They were already on the top of the stairs, which was good since being slammed into a wall twice woke him up.

      He blinked rapidly, upside down, and slurred. "Why am I floating?"

    Sirius looked at Aspen and then went in front of Peter to explain. "Because you were passed out drunk and we had to use a levitation spell to get you back to our dorm." Peter looked at Sirius with a strange look on his face. His cheeks puffing as he looked like he was going to say something. But he didn't. Instead, vomit flew out of his mouth onto Sirius—covering his tuxedo in Peter Pettigrew vomit.

      "Oh my god!" Aspen shrieked as Sirius fell back, surprised from the projectile vomit. Sirius himself then began vomiting onto the floor beside him, he dropped his wand causing Peter to fall and vomit on himself. Aspen was on the verge of a panic attack as she was surrounded by vomiting boys.

      "Oh god," Aspen said, rubbing her neck. "Merlin's beard, Peter, don't vomit on yourself —vomit on the floor! And Sirius, oh lord, stop looking at Pete's vomit . . maybe you'll stop if you stop looking at his."

Aspen finally took action and ran over to Sirius and helped him take off his vomit covered jacket. She gagged as the smell entered her nostrils, what the bloody hell did Peter eat? She then helped him take off his shirt, and Sirius finally began to calm down as the horrid smell no longer entered directly into his nostrils.

"Oh my god," Sirius croaked, standing up with the help of Aspen. "That was a bloody mess. Did you really have to vomit on me directly Wormtail? Wormtail?"

Aspen looked over to see Peter unconscious once more on the floor. She wiped her hand through her hair and sighed. "We should get you cleaned up, follow me. There's a broom closet down there, maybe there are cleaning supplies."

"Can't we just use magic?"

"I don't think magic could ever get rid of the smell that came out of Peters' intestines." Aspen gagged, they went to the broom closet and entered it—the sweet relieving scent of chemicals filling their noses.

"What do we use first?" Sirius asked, looking around shirtless. Aspen didn't really realize that until now ,and she couldn't help but appreciate her view. Sirius nudged her and smirked at her when she looked up, she blushed and looked around.

"We should use this first," Aspen said, reaching for something that was on the third shelf. She was surprisingly too short for it, which led her into falling back into Sirius' bare chest. He fell back slightly, causing him to stumble into a broom which fell and locked the door shut.

"God damn it, curse you clumsiness!" Aspen yelled in annoyance looking at the ceiling.

"No worries, Sirius Orion Black the third is here to help!" Sirius said, holding his finger up. Aspen rolled her eyes. "I can get us out with a simple swish of my—"

"Wand?" Aspen asked, "The wand you left next to your pool of vomit? Or the wand that I left at the table with our friends? One of who is insanely drunk."

"That's a problem," Sirius croaked, twisting the doorknob repeatedly. Nothing happened. He then began to breathe fast, faster than he should have been doing.

"Are you okay?" Aspen asked, unsure as to what was happening. He looked to be having a panic attack, but that couldn't be possible . . . right? He was Sirius Black, after all, he laughed in the face of fear.

"I'm—fine." He breathed, collapsing against the door as he lost strength to hold himself up. Aspen quickly fell to her knees and placed a hand on his shoulder, wiping his hair out of his face.

"Hey—Hey. It's okay, we'll be alright." Aspen coaxed, trying her hardest to not panic herself. "We're only locked in a broom closet. Someone will find us eventually, especially when they find Peter on the floor with your wand beside him!"

"I-I know," Sirius said through panicked breaths. "I don't know why this is happening. I-I know we'll b-be alright I just—can't breath!"

      "You never necessarily need a reason to have a panic attack." Aspen frowned. "they just happen!"

       As time passed on, his panicking grew worse—she didn't know how to help. She never had to help someone get through those before, she barely even knew how to help herself. Everything she suggested to the boy didn't seem to work. Using her book knowledge of panic attacks, oh please don't let this go wrong, Aspen gulped as she leaned forward, placing her hands on his cheeks. "Sirius—Sirius, look at me." When he did, she did not hesitate as she placed her lips on his, butterflies erupted in her stomach causing her to stumble back a bit.

       Sirius stared at her with wide eyes, no longer hyperventilating which slightly put her to ease. "How did you do that?" He managed to croak.

      lI read once that holding your breath could stop a panic attack," Aspen said with a light blush. Internally, she was on the verge of an attack herself. "So when I kissed you, you held your breath."

     "I did?"

      "Yeah, you did," Aspen breathed.

        He looked her up and down as she sat in front of him. He looked into her eyes and asked, "Will you kiss me again?"

       Aspen opened her mouth and closed it like a gulping fish. However, she managed out a nod as she couldn't believe what was happening was real. He sat up straighter and placed a hand on her cool pale cheek, easing into a kiss. Unfortunately, being the lust-filled teenagers they were, they did not hold back as they were locked in the dark broom closet. They did much more that anyone would frown upon. And no, they didn't play cards the last time they kissed.

      Aspen Lee fell victim to the broom closet curse, hand-in-hand with Sirius Black.

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AUTHORS NOTE:

Nein smut

posted: June 19, 2018
word count: 3,422

seeing as i am fifteen now, and i wrote this during my beginning months of being a fourteen year old — i'm realizing how freaking cringey this all was. i tried fixing it the best i could, hopefully it doesn't make anyone of you want to rip out your hair in anguish.