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Remus had quickly learnt not to have big dreams. He quickly learnt for them to be realistic. And not to wish on them too much. In case they didn’t come true.
One of his dreams was a window with a big sill. One he could sit on, perhaps with a blanket and a book, or just to simply gaze at the view. He knew he’d spend hours on that thing.
But his house didn’t have windows like those. They were large, stretching on almost the entire height of the walls. And if there were any smaller ones, their sills weren’t big enough for Remus to sit on.
So when at eleven he got to Hogwarts, walked into the Gryffindor Common Room after the welcoming feast and saw the perfect window with the perfect sill he swore he would occupy it whenever he had the chance.
He went down to it on that very same night. All his roommates were asleep as he slipped out of the dormitory, clutching a blanket in his hand.
It was everything Remus had ever wanted, that windowsill. For a moment it even made him forget that there was a full moon in a few days. His first full moon at Hogwarts.
He took in the view - the dark blue sky and the lawn and the Forbidden Forest stretching out under the cover of the night. Remus inhaled, thinking that this was pure bliss.
But then, suddenly, he heard steps on the stairs leading up to his dormitory. He snapped his head around to see someone standing at the bottom of the staircase - a boy from his year, with black wavy hair reaching down to his jawline.
“What are you doing?” the boy slurred.
Remus felt his cheeks flush. “Oh— Nothing, I’m just— Wanted to look at the view.” He gulped. “Sorry, did I wake you?”
The boy was blinking rapidly, taking a few steps closer to Remus. Remus was trying very hard to remember what his name was.
“No, no,” the boy said. “I couldn’t sleep anyway, I just thought something was wrong.”
Remus shook his head. “Everything’s fine. Why couldn’t you sleep? Homesick?”
Remus had no idea why he was making conversation with this boy. He hadn’t intended to make friends at school. He was lucky to be here at all so he should focus on his studies.
The boy scoffed. “ No. Definitely not. Just worried what my family will think about my sorting, I guess.”
Black . This boy was a Black. Remus felt his eyes widen unintentionally.
“You’re— You’re Sirius, right?” he stammered out.
Sirius nodded. “And you’re… Robert?”
A light laugh escaped Remus’ throat. “Remus. You got the first letter right though.”
Sirius shook his head amusedly. “ Remus . What kind of a name is that?”
Remus arched an eyebrow. “Your name is Sirius .”
“Mmm,” Sirius murmured and grinned. “Yeah, that’s fair.”
Silence fell around them and Remus felt himself tensing slightly. He glanced at the windowsill. There was definitely enough space for the both of them.
Remus cleared his throat. “You wanna sit? Since you can’t sleep anyway.”
Sirius’ eyes widened slightly. “Yeah— Yeah, that would be nice.”
Remus smiled and pulled his legs closer to his chest.
Sirius sat opposite him, also leaning on the wall. Remus instinctively lifted the blanket and put it over Sirius’ legs. Their feet tangled together.
Remus sat back and looked at Sirius who was gazing out the window.
Remus cleared his throat again - Sirius snapped his eyes to him.
“I don’t know what your family will think,” Remus said. “But… I’m glad you’re a Gryffindor.”
Sirius smiled.
As years went by, Remus made that windowsill his own. He sat on it every chance he got, to read, do his homework or simply stare out the window.
And, as years went by, Remus and Sirius became friends. Close friends. And more than friends.
Sirius even knew about Remus’ lycanthropy. Which Remus hadn’t thought he’d ever tell anyone. Because he’d expected people to be disgusted or terrified. But that wasn’t how Sirius or his two other friends reacted.
Sirius turned into the most overprotective human being alive for the time around full moons. He wouldn’t leave Remus’ side unless he absolutely had to.
Like, for example, to go to Quidditch practice.
“Are you sure you’re alright?” he fussed, wrapping Remus tighter in a blanket.
Remus was sitting on his windowsill. It was the day before the full moon. Sirius was already in his Quidditch robes and had his broom and Beater’s bat in his hand.
“I could stay if you—”
“I’m fine ,” Remus cut him off, rolling his eyes. “You have to go to practice, Prongs will have your head if you don’t show up.”
Sirius wrinkled his nose but didn’t argue.
“Alright,” he said and leaned down, pressing his lips to Remus’ forehead. “Go to Poppy if anything’s wrong.”
Remus felt a smile pulling on his lips.
“Mhm,” he murmured and pushed Sirius away. “ Go. ”
Sirius opened his mouth in offence and then stuck his tongue out.
Because Sirius Black was a very mature person.
When he returned to the Common Room two hours later, drenched in sweat, his eyes travelled to the windowsill immediately - and Remus was still there. Curled up, clearly asleep. Sirius smiled softly.
He made his way over to him and gently nudged his shoulder.
“Moony,” he said. “Moons, wake up.”
Remus did, but reluctantly, grimacing and keeping his eyes shut.
“No,” he mumbled, turning to his side, away from Sirius.
Sirius was smiling brightly. “Come on, this windowsill can’t be too comfortable. Let’s get you to bed.”
Remus shook his head, his eyes still closed.
Sirius stared at him for a second, deciding.
“Alright then,” he said finally and swiftly slipped one of his hands under Remus’ knees and the other under his back. “I guess I’ll carry you.”
Remus’ eyes fluttered open and he let out a small gasp as Sirius lifted him up.
“Pads—” he spluttered.
“Calm down, Moony,” Sirius said nonchalantly. “I’m strong. And you’re light.”
Remus, still half-asleep, murmured something and nuzzled into Sirius’ neck.
And Sirius smiled.
When they finished Hogwarts in 1978, Remus and Sirius began looking for a flat together. And there was one thing Remus said that had to be in it.
“Sometimes I think you love that windowsill more than me,” Sirius said.
Remus smiled and cracked one eye open. He was sitting on his own - actually his own this time - windowsill, covered with a blanket and leaning on the wall behind him.
Sirius was standing in front of him, two cups in his hands.
Remus hummed. “Well, I can’t really disagree if we value honesty in this relationship.”
Sirius rolled his eyes. “You’re so rude , has anyone ever told you that?”
Remus grinned wider and pulled off his blanket, as if in an invitation. “C’mere.”
Sirius didn’t object, walking up to the window and propping himself up on the sill to eventually settle in between Remus’ legs. Remus covered them both with the blanket and Sirius handed him one of the cups. Then he leaned back, resting against Remus’ chest.
“Thank you,” Remus said and pressed a kiss to Sirius’ hair. Then, he added quietly, “I love you a little bit more. But don’t push your luck.”
And Sirius smiled.