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Sirius had stumbled upon Remus rifling through books in the library. With an intrigued grin, Sirius leaned against a bookshelf, watching his boyfriend’s focused expression as he flipped through the pages.
“You? The number one fan of chocolate? You never had an advent calendar?” Sirius’s incredulous voice echoed through the usually quiet room, earning a curious glance from nearby students.
Remus paused, his brow furrowing in mild confusion. “Like you ever had one,” he retorted, genuinely puzzled by Sirius’s apparent shock.
“Yeah, but in The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, all joy was banned, so I have an excuse, you don’t,” Sirius chuckled.
“I suppose you have a point,” Remus conceded, closing the book gently and turning to face Sirius.
Sirius stepped closer, reaching out to take Remus’s hand. “We have to fix this. You’ve been missing out on the joy of counting down to Christmas with a daily dose of chocolate!”
“Pads, I have a whole stack of chocolate under my bed. I’m not gonna spend my money on something I already have, besides 1st of December is tomorrow. Even if i wanted it’s too late”
Sirius raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk gracing his lips. “Under your bed? Merlin, Moony, that’s the place you decided to move it to? But it’s not just about the chocolate; it’s about the countdown, the anticipation.”
Remus chuckled softly, shaking his head at Sirius’s dramatic explanation. “Alright, alright, I see your point. But really, it’s a bit too late to buy an advent calendar now, isn’t it?”
Sirius’s grin widened mischievously. “Who said anything about buying one?”
With a flick of his wand and a whispered incantation, Sirius conjured a blank canvas, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He tapped the canvas with his wand, intricate lines forming a grid of small squares.
Remus’s eyes widened in surprise. “You’re making an advent calendar?”
“Moony! Don’t peek; you’ll ruin the surprise,” Sirius exclaimed, attempting to cover up what he was doing.
Remus laughed at his boyfriend’s antics. “You’re doing it right in front of me. How was I supposed to know I shouldn’t look?” he teased, a playful glint in his eyes.
Sirius dramatically clutched his chest, feigning shock. “Fine, fine! I’ll finish this in our dorm. But don’t you dare come in until I give you the signal. Go find Lily or something. I’m recruiting Prongs and Wormy for help,” he declared with a grin.
Remus raised an eyebrow but nodded. “Alright, I’ll see what Lily’s up to then.”
He gave his boyfriend a kiss on a cheek, Sirius giggled and run out of the library.
Rolling his eyes, but amused Remus took out the Marauders Map to check for Lily.
“Hey, Lily,” Remus greeted a girl sitting in the Astronomy Tower, a warm smile playing on his lips.
Lily glanced up, returning the smile. “Remus! Look how beautiful the snow looks. I wanted to take a quick look but I think I’m sitting here for 10 minutes already. What’s up?”
“Sirius is being all secretive in our dorm,” Remus chuckled, shaking his head. “He’s making something and kicked me out. Thought I’d come find you for a distraction.”
Lily chuckled. “Ah, the enigma that is Sirius Black. Must be up to something interesting. Well, I’m glad to be your distraction. Let’s take a stroll.”
They wandered through the courtyard, the crisp winter air swirling around them. Remus found comfort in the simplicity of their conversation, discussing everything from classes to the peculiar habits of their friends.
“So, have you finished that Defense Against the Dark Arts essay yet?” Lily asked, a knowing twinkle in her eyes.
Remus sighed dramatically. “Not even close. But I did manage to get through a couple of chapters in ‘The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection.’ So, progress, I suppose.”
Lily laughed. “At least you’re trying. James, on the other hand—Merlin, he’s convinced Quidditch practice is a valid excuse for late essays. I couldn’t get a worse parter.”
Remus chuckled. “Well, you know James and Quidditch. It’s practically in his blood.”
Their banter flowed effortlessly as they meandered through the snow, enjoying each other’s company and momentarily forgetting about the mysteries back in Remus’s dorm.
They turned a corner, and suddenly, a wolf-shaped Patronus materialized before them. Its ethereal form glowed brightly, radiating an aura of warmth and urgency.
The wolf Patronus opened its luminous mouth, and Sirius's voice echoed from within. "My dearest love, please return to our dorm."
A tender smile curved Remus's lips at the endearment. The familiarity of Sirius's Patronus was always a comforting sight to him, a symbol of their unspoken connection.
Lily observed the scene, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "You know, it's the cutest thing that Sirius's Patronus takes the form of a wolf," she remarked, a fondness evident in her tone.
Remus chuckled softly, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, he's always had a way of being... well, Sirius."
The Patronus lingered for a moment longer, its translucent form pulsating with Sirius's message before fading away into the air. Remus and Lily shared a knowing look before they both headed back towards the Gryffindor common room.
Remus approached the dormitory door, considering the courtesy of knocking but then realizing it was, after all, his own dorm. Without hesitation, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.
In the center of the room stood Sirius, a mischievous grin playing on his lips as he concealed something behind his back. James and Peter were seated on their respective beds, wearing matching smiles that hinted at their complicity in whatever Sirius was planning.
"Alright, what's going on here?" Remus asked, a curious yet amused expression on his face as he surveyed the scene.
Sirius's grin widened as he revealed the hidden canvas adorned with intricately drawn squares. "Welcome back, Moony! We've been waiting for you."
James nudged Peter with a knowing look, both clearly excited about the surprise. "We will leave you two alone, but prepare yourself to be amazed, Moony." James chimed in, unable to contain his enthusiasm.
Peter nodded eagerly, bouncing slightly on his bed. "It's going to be fantastic!"
Remus raised an eyebrow, intrigued by their excitement. "Alright, Pads, what's going on?"
As he approached Sirius, the beautifully crafted advent calendar came into full view, each square brimming with hidden surprises, magic, and the touch of Sirius's thoughtful creativity.
Sirius glanced at Remus with a satisfied grin. “Your very own homemade advent calendar. Now, every day until Christmas, you get to pick a square and experience a bit of surprise and magic.”
Remus felt a warmth in his chest, overwhelmed by Sirius’s thoughtful gesture. “Thank you, baby. This is… incredible. You always manage to make everything special.”
Sirius wrapped his arms around Remus, pulling him close. “Anything for you, Moony. You deserve to count down to Christmas in style!”
“Go on, open the first window,” Sirius urged, his excitement palpable as he gestured toward the carefully crafted advent calendar.
With a smile, Remus reached out, fingers grazing the surface of the canvas until he found the first square.
As he lifted the flap, a small, intricately folded parchment greeted him. Unfolding it, Remus’s eyes widened in surprise and warmth. It was a tiny origami wolf, crafted with remarkable detail. Tucked inside the paper wolf was a message written in Sirius’s handwriting:
“To my Moony, the light of my life,
I know my origami skills are nowhere near perfect, but I thought I’d give it a go.
Love always,
Your Padfoot”
Remus couldn’t help the soft smile that spread across his face. His heart swelled with affection at Sirius’s gesture. The small wolf, imperfectly crafted yet filled with sentiment, spoke volumes about Sirius’s love.
A lone tear escaped, tracing a path down Remus’s cheek. He tried to hide his emotions with a playful quip. “So, no chocolate hidden in there?”
This boyfriend noticed the tear and leaned in, gently kissing it away.
Sirius chuckled warmly. “I was sure you had a treasure trove hidden under your bed,” he teased, a playful glint in his eyes. “But hey, if you ever need a sweet fix, you know where to find me,” he added with a cheeky wink.
“This is incredible,” Remus whispered, his voice filled with genuine awe as he traced the edges of the canvas with his fingertips. He looked up at Sirius, his eyes shimmering with gratitude and affection. “I don’t know what I did to deserve this.”
Sirius’s expression softened, his eyes reflecting the depth of his feelings. “You don’t need to do anything, Moony,” he replied earnestly, stepping closer to his boyfriend. “You deserve all the joy and love in the world, and I just wanted to make this Christmas season a little more special for you.”
Remus’s heart swelled with warmth at Sirius’s words. He felt a lump forming in his throat, overwhelmed by the depth of Sirius’s care and the tenderness. He reached out, pulling Sirius into a heartfelt embrace. He gently tilted his head, closing the small distance between them, and pressed his lips against Sirius’s.
The touch of their lips conveyed more than words ever could.
As the days drifted by, each morning became a cherished ritual for Remus and Sirius.
Each square held a new surprise, handwritten notes, jokes that ranged from cheesy to very inappropriate, small reminders of their shared memories, and even a few spellcasting challenges that piqued Remus’s interest.
Remus found joy in the daily surprises, chuckling at Sirius’s playful doodles that adorned some squares and feeling a rush of warmth at the heartfelt messages hidden within others. Each note, every doodle, held snippets of Sirius’s affection and love for him.
And in those moments, Remus felt a happiness that surpassed words.