Chapter Text
“Oh my Godric we should all become Hogwarts professors when we finish school!” James had said once in third year. Remus knew he wasn’t being serious about it, so all four of the marauders were extremely shocked when they later received letters inviting them back to the school as teachers.
Now they were stood on the platform, 21 years of age, waiting to board the Hogwarts Express, but not as students anymore.
“It feels ironic,” Sirius nudges Remus with his elbow.
“What does?”
“That after seven years of trying to get rid of us, Minnie goes and invites us back,” he smirks to himself.
“I suppose so- its gonna be really fucking weird though,” Remus says.
“I’m not sure,” Peter says, having overheard the conversation, “I used to spend most of my time in the greenhouse anyway, and since we left school I even started my own. I think herbology teacher suits me rather well.”
“You’re gonna be best mates with Shouty Sprout now though aren’t you?” James teases.
“Oh, shut your trap Prongs, I always got on with Professor Sprout anyway, so I think I’ve got it quite well thank you very much.” Pete folds his arms and pretends to sulk, which results in Sirius barking out a laugh and slapping him on the back.
The train doors fly open, and the four slip into their usual carriage. Remus smiles inwardly, glad to be going back home finally, and takes his seat by the window. Sirius sits next to him and kicks his feet up onto Remus’ lap.
James takes out his wand and mutters a charm, making it ring like a telephone. Someone picks up on the other end, and a howl of a baby is projected from the wand.
“James this really is not a good time-“ Lily says down the line.
“Okay okay, I’m sorry, I was just letting you know we are on the train now,” James replies to his wife, “Are you absolutely positive you’ll be okay with Harry on your own?”
“Yes darling,” Lily affirms.
“Ooh put Harry on,” Sirius says excitedly, and Remus can practically sense Lily’s eye roll through the wand. The crying baby gets louder, and Sirius snatches the wand from James.
“Hiya harry! Its your uncle Padfoot!” his voice goes up an octave like it does every time he talks to the child, and Harry’s wailing ceases immediately, “Are you gonna be a good boy for mummy while we are gone?” Sirius continues, and Harry giggles.
“Pa-foo!” Harry exclaims into the phone, and Sirius grins that smug little grin he gets every time he knows he’s done something right.
“That’s right Harry! Now Padfoot has to go so Mummy can get her jobs done, but be a good little pronglet and we’ll call you soon, yeah?” Harry giggles again, and theres a muffled sort of sound before Lily comes back on the line.
“Thanks Sirius you’re a star,” she says, letting out a long sigh of relief.
“Anything for our Mrs. Prongs,” Sirius smirks, and Lily chuckles.
“Right, well I must go I’ve got things to do so I’ll let you boys be on your way,” Lily says and all four of the men in the carriage bid her adieu before hanging up.
“How are you so bloody good with children?” Remus asks, astounded.
“It’s part of the charm,” Sirius says smugly, and leans over to kiss Remus on the cheek. Remus flushes pink.
“Moony how do you still blush every time he does that? You’ve been going out since you were fifteen!” Peter pipes up from across the compartment.
“Shut up I can’t help it.” Remus snaps, turning even pinker and placing his hand on the spot where Sirius had kissed.
“It’s because he just loves me so much,” Sirius declares, intertwining his fingers in Remus’, “That he can’t even stop his stomach giving a little flip whenever I’m around,” He finishes, nudging his boyfriend teasingly, even though they both know it’s true.
The train conductor blows his whistle and the doors slam shut. The train slowly starts to move and the four of them watch out of the window at the teary-eyed parents waving off their children.
Remus remembers what it was like on his first day at Hogwarts- he didn’t have any friends so when a confident messy haired boy with glasses marched into his empty compartment, followed by a smaller, much more nervous boy, he didn’t know what to do with himself. When another boy ran into the compartment and slammed the door shut, panting, and claiming he’d ‘just escaped the clutches of his evil cousins’, Remus would have never guessed they would be his best friends for the rest of his life, but here they all are.
The train leaves the station, and the marauders engage in all sorts of conversation- eagerly gossiping about the lessons they’re going to teach and Peter buying them all three rounds of sweets from the trolley. It feels like no time before they finally approach the castle and the Hogwarts Express rolls to a halt. Remus and James unload all of their luggage from the overhead lockers, (Mainly because Sirius and Peter are still way too short to reach) and they make their way to the boats to get to the castle.
They board the teachers boat, excited to be back at the place they called home for so many years, until none other than Severus Snape also gets on the boat. He sits at the opposite end to the four of them, but they all groan quietly, nonetheless.
“Did Professor McGonagall happen to forget to tell us that slimy git is a teacher now aswell or did she leave it out on purpose?” James hisses.
“Hey now, lets try be civil, yeah? We are matured adults now and we need to make an effort.” Remus whispers back, attempting to be responsible.
“Are you out of your bloody mind?!” Sirius says, probably a bit too loudly which Remus cringes at, checking to see snape isn’t listening in on them.
“No, I think Remus is right,” Peter says, and both James and Sirius’ jaws drop, staring at him as though he’s insane, “No, hear me out- we don’t need to like him, but he is a colleague now, we can’t be setting a bad example for the students aswell”
Sirius and James share a glance, as though theyre deciding between themselves whether or not it’s a good enough point.
“Alright fine,” Sirius says finally.
“We will try to be okay to him, but the moment he so much as rolls his eyes at any of us we are bat bogey hexing him, agreed?” James finishes the sentence for him. The other three men murmur their agreement, and they sit in silence the rest of the trip.
When they reach the castle, their luggage is taken away by some house elves and they are sent to the great hall to watch the sorting. They take their seats next to each other at the teachers table, watching as the older students who remember the marauders mutter to each other.
The sorting is rather boring, nobody too notable, and it feels like years before Dumbledore makes his way to the golden pedestal and begins his speech. He repeats his normal talk about the forbidden forest being forbidden for a reason etcetera, etcetera.
“..And on that note, I will introduce our new teachers. Some of you may remember these intelligent young men from their years at Hogwarts, so please give a warm welcome back to our new potions master; Professor S. Snape,” Dumbledore pauses as some students give a slow clap; “Our quidditch coach Professor J.F. Potter,” this is met by a roar of applause from the hall; “Our second herbology teacher, Professor P. Pettigrew,” another loud applause; “Our defence against the dark arts instructor, Professor R.J. Lupin,” the applause continues and a couple of older students in the back of the room whistle loudly; “And our head of Divination, Professor S.O. Black!” Almost all of Gryffindor table is stood up clapping, as well as most of the other tables. The marauders stand up aswell, Sirius cheering along with the crowd of students before Dumbledore signals them to stop and the room settles down again. The headmaster calls for the feast to begin and everyone excitedly tucks into their food.
Later, the hall begins to filter out into their common rooms. A few of sixth year Gryffindors stay behind, waiting eagerly for the marauders to stand up.
“Oh my god Remus! We missed you!” one of them says excitedly as the men make their way towards them.
“Hey that’s Professor Lupin to you now, Eddie, and we were only gone three years” Remus teases.
“Three of the most boring years in Hogwarts history,” Eddie announces.
“Siri- uhm- Professor Black you’ve grown a beard!” another one says.
“Nah, still Sirius for me thanks Olivia, and I have, well observed,” Sirius grins.
Eddie looks at his other two teachers, confused whether or not to call them professor or by their actual names.
“Mate, you can call all of us whatever you like you’ve known us for years anyway,” Remus clarifies.
“Oh okay,” Eddie starts, “and James? A quidditch professor?! That’s so fucking cool!”
“Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?” Peter chuckles.
“Sorry about him Professor Pettigrew,” The other girl with them, Amelie says.
“Anyway, we’d better be off we need to figure out where the staff chambers are. See you around yeah?” James says.
The four of them start to walk away to find their new sleeping quarters.
“Professor Pettigrew? I could get used to that.” Peter decides.
They eventually give up their search and find McGonagall to help them, not knowing their beloved castle as well as they thought they did.
“MINNIEEEE!” Sirius exclaims when they enter her office, “merlin you have no clue how much I’ve missed you.”
“Good to see you Sirius,” She begins.
“Oh my god you just called me Sirius- you guys heard that too right? Not Mr. black- Sirius?? I’ve never been this happy in my life!” Sirius interrupts.
“Hi Professor- apologies about my boyfriend, he’s very excited.” Remus sighs.
“Professor we were wondering if you could point us in the direction of our dorm- assuming its in the staff chambers. We have no clue where we are going.” James admits.
“Ah, yes. Well, you aren’t students anymore you wont be sharing a dorm you each have your own rooms,” McGonagall explains.
“YES I DON’T NEED TO PUT UP WITH PRONGSIES SNORING! Oh- sorry that was a little loud,” Peter flushes pink out of embarrassment.
“Oh Minnie- you don’t think me and moons could share a room do you? We’ve been going out since we were in like fourth year I don’t see why we should be separated-“ Sirius says.
“If you’re both happy with that then it can be arranged, yes.”
“Cheers Professor,” Remus thanks her.
“Boys, you don’t need to call me Professor anymore. We’re colleagues- Minerva will do.”
“You have no clue how much I absolutely can not do that, Professor,” James says. Minerva lets out a small laugh and points them in the direction of the staff chambers.
They eventually find their rooms, and it already being quite late, Remus undresses and gets ready for bed. He flicks his wand at his trunk and all of his clothes start to neatly unfold themselves and float away into the wardrobe. He takes a book out and sits on the bed, starting to read. Their room as teachers is a lot bigger than their student dorm, with a larger window letting in light from the stars and the crescent moon. The bed is king sized, and Remus decides to take in the luxuries of having the whole duvet before his boyfriend comes to hog it all.
Sirius had gone to shower as soon as he got the chance to, so after about half an hour of reading, Remus hears the water switch off and his boyfriend comes out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.
“Hi Moons,” Sirius says as he makes his way to his side of the bed, gets dressed and starts to dry his hair with a wind charm.
“Padfoot,” Remus nods to acknowledge the man sat next to him.
“Merlin you should try that shower,” Sirius starts, shouting over the volume of his wand-dryer, “It’s even nicer than the ones in the prefect bathroom- and my experience with those ones I thought was unbeatable..” He winks at Remus, who slams his book shut and rolls his eyes at him.
“We agreed we wouldn’t talk about that, and it was a onetime thing- you weren’t even a prefect you shouldn’t have been in there!”
“Yeahhhh but it was amazing wasn’t it?” Sirius puts down his wand and it stops blowing air at him.
“Oh shut up.”
“You love me,”
“I do.” Remus sighs in defeat and catches Sirius’ waist, pulling him closer to sit next to him. His boyfriend lets himself be moved and rests his head on Remus’ shoulder.
They sit like that for a while, breathing in time with each other and Remus slowly strokes Sirius, hair with his hand, drawing circles on the top of his head with his finger. Eventually Sirius’ breathing slows and he falls asleep. Remus smiles softly and kisses his forehead, before slipping into sleep himself, feeling safe and at home for the first time since he left Hogwarts three years ago.