The Ice Queen [s.b.]

The Wedding Binder and Love Potions - 62

Ginger nods curtly and walks away.

Sirius pushes the door open.

Anna is sitting uncomfortably close to Regulus, playing with a strand of his hair, and giggling like a schoolgirl.

"Sirius!" Regulus exclaims in relief, any ounce of who he was just a few weeks ago disappearing. To be fair, he still is that person with everyone else, but the act is dropped.

Anna wrinkles her nose, something weird in her eyes, "What's he doing here, Reggie?"

Sirius looks to his brother with frustration, "What is happening?"

"Love potion, I believe," Regulus explains. "Look, I know I was being a bit of an arse-"

"-A bit?" he hisses.

"Fine. A lot of an arse a couple weeks ago, and this is technically what I wanted, but I can't do this. One of my friends did this and I-I-I can't do it. The Dark Lord wanted me to drive a wedge between the two of you, but I can't do this. Not to Dorothy. Never," Regulus confesses, seeming truly genuine. "So just please, get the remedy or something because I can't. I just can't."

"Alright," Sirius agrees. "That's fair. One last thing. You owe both me and her an apology."

"When she's righted. And I am sorry, Sirius."

Anna pouts, "I don't know what you guys are saying. Will you kiss me now, Reg?"

Sirius actually starts laughing.

"I forgive you, Reg. I'm sure it'll happen again, but I expect you to keep your hands off my girlfriend. You're the potions genius, so do you know if she'll remember this?"

"She won't. And I'll make the antidote, you get the ingredients. Here's the list."

Sirius mumbles something like wouldn't wanna ruin the perfect record, but continues, "Guess what?"

"What?" Regulus asks, a genuine smile on his face.

"I'm going to ask her to move in with me. After Hogwarts," Sirius confesses, scanning the list. "I'm so excited. I really love her, Reg. More than anything."

Regulus nods, "I know. I understand. It's how I feel about Dorothy. She always loved the two of you together, even when she was convinced you hated her. I guess that's why I can't do this. But go on and get the stuff. I don't want her to pin me down and kiss me, honestly. Make sure to lock the door behind you."

September 21st.

"You're telling me I tried to kiss Regulus? Black? Regulus Black? Your little brother?" Anna asks hoarsely, her eyes wide. "He's like my brother, Siri. That's ridiculous. I would never."

Sirius laughs, kissing her lips chastely.

"And I had to see it, Love," Sirius teases sweetly, hugging her because when she wakes up in his arms looking so beautiful with her hair all messy and her eyelashes fluttering and her voice still scratchy from just waking up, he just can't even help himself.

And she can't help herself from sighing, nuzzling into his arms.

Lily walks in, then covers her eyes, "Oh, Merlin, you two. Morning, Lee, by the way."

"Morning, Lils," Anna replies, though her voice is muffled what with her face still mushed into his arms, making him chuckles.

"Honestly," Lily mutters, "the amount of cuddling the two of you do should be illegal."

Sirius visibly considers this, earning him a light smack on the stomach.

"You can't even see me," Sirius hisses.

"I know you."

He rolls his eyes. She smacks him softly again, though it's more of a tap.

"You couldn't see me again," he points out.

Lily shakes her head with a laugh, "But she knows you. Lee, I have something to discuss with you at your earliest convenience."

"Finally realize your feelings for Prongsy?" Anna asks hopefully, now leaning against Sirius to twist her head to see Lily.

"I was going to talk to you and Ginger about that later. Wait, fuck, dammit, forget I said that. Nothing, it's something else. Don't tell James," Lily spits out quickly, then runs away.

Sirius and Anna exchange wide-eyed glances.

"Did she just..."

"I think she did..."

"I was just teasing..."

"Oh, bloody hell, James..."

"He'll be out of his bloody mind..."

October 5th.

"Holy fucking shit!" Anna exclaims upon opening the broom cupboard for her prefect duties and seeing a certain Head Boy and Girl locked in a heated embrace.

They break apart quickly. On their face are guilty but happy smiles, flushed cheeks, and swollen lips.

"Hey, Anna," James says nervously. "Surprise?"

Anna squeals and hugs Lily, "I knew it! I knew it! I knew it! I expect your first kid to be named after me. If you don't want to have kids, no pressure. Oh, lordy, I should get the wedding binder. Me, Ali, Dorcas, Marlene, and Ginge made it. Yay! I can't wait for the wedding! Remember our promise from fourth year, Lils? I'm maid of honor! Yay!"

James chuckles, peeling Anna away from a speechless Lily.

"I think, maybe, we're not ready to tell people yet," James says cautiously.

Anna hugs Lily again, "There's a we?"

"Anna," James prods.

"Right. On it. All over it. Excitedly. Happily. Yay!"

"Anne?" Regulus's voice calls. "I thought we were doing rounds together?"

Anna breathes in and out shakily. "Right. That. Ms. Evans, I expect you in the Come and Go room at eight o'clock exactly and not a minute later. Bye!"

E I G H T  O ' C L O C K  E X A C T L Y  A N D  N O T  A  M I N U T E  L A T E R

"I don't want you to freak out about this," Lily warns. "But we are dating. James and I."

Anna bites her lip to try to keep from squealing again, "Oh, I love it so much. When do you think you'll tell everyone?"

"About a week or so. We don't want it to crash and burn before it even started," Lily explains.

The smile Anna gives is purely glitter. "I'm so happy for you, Lils. Truly. You deserve this. I love you so much."

"Thanks, Lee. I love you, too."

"You're going to live a good life with him. You're going to get old, live next to Sirius and I in Godric's Hollow, and, if you'd like, have little James and little Lilys that will get married to my kids because that's just the way it worked out," Anna says, getting a little teary.

"Oh, bloody hell, Lee, don't get sappy on me. Where'd the Ice Queen go?"

Here, Annalee says, "She died last year."

Here, she lied. The thing about this alternate persona of sorts is that it's always lurking under the surface. This alternate persona is the persona that her parents built that repeats the words, You are steel in a world of glass. Don't let them break you, constantly. No matter what. The Ice Queen never died. She's just dormant, waiting for her time to dominate. For the record, it's a true shame that Lily even mentions her. It sullies an incredible moment.

Obviously not knowing all of that, Lily sympathizes, "Maybe that's for the best. Talk later, yeah?"

"Of course. Then let's talk about the big reveal and plan our first double date!"