jawbind potion - @moonchaser-microfic - wc: 1k
Jawbind Potion: a potion that locks your jaw
James Potter hadn't meant to drink the potion. In his defense, it was in a butterbeer bottle. In his stronger defense, someone had labeled it "Liquid Courage," and James had never been one to turn down an opportunity for bravery.
What it actually was, however, was Jawbind. A particularly evil little potion that locked your jaw tight shut for a full day unless you had the antidoteâwhich, according to Professor Slughorn (when Sirius burst dramatically into the Potions classroom with a weeping James in tow), would take about 18 hours to brew.
And so began The Day of Silence.
âI canât believe this is real,â Sirius said for what felt like the tenth time that hour, sprawled on the couch in the Gryffindor common room as James dramatically scribbled Sirius, you are so rude and I hate you. on a notepad. âYouâre suffering, but this is honestly a dream come true for me.â
James gave him the finger.
But Remus Lupin didnât find it funny.
At first, it was peaceful. Quiet. A calm sort of tranquility that descended over breakfast as James couldnât talk with his mouth full (or at all), and instead made sad little whimpering noises every time he couldnât gossip about McGonagallâs new tartan dress robes.
Then it turned tragic.
By mid-morning, James had tried to mouth something that might have been âI miss youâ or âIâm dyingââRemus wasnât sure whichâand tried to kiss his cheek. The problem was that Jamesâ kisses were like punctuation to everything he said. Kiss on the temple: âYouâre brilliant.â Kiss to the knuckles: âI love you.â Long, showy kiss to the lips: âLook how hot I am, and how lucky you are.â
Without them, Remus felt like he was reading a very poorly written letter. One without commas.
âYou havenât kissed me in seven hours,â Remus whispered, standing in the empty corridor beside James between classes. âSeven. Do you even love me anymore?â
James looked offended to the core of his being and attempted to tackle-hug Remus, but it came off a bit desperate and a lot sad.
âRight, sorry,â Remus said, catching him. âYou do. I just... I wasnât prepared for this, you know?â
James sighed and pulled out his ever-shrinking notepad, scribbling: I LOVE YOU. Iâd tattoo it on my tongue if I could.
Remus took the note, kissed it, and dramatically pressed it to his chest. âStill not the same as the real thing.â
James melted, clinging to him like a puppy whoâd been denied pets for a full year.
By hour ten, Remus was unravelling.
âIâve realized something,â he muttered to Sirius and Peter in the common room. âI require physical affection. Like, constantly. I thought it was James being clingy, but no. Itâs me. Iâve gone soft. I miss his mouth.â
Peter looked scandalized. âRemus!â
âOh, please. Not like that. I justââ Remus sighed. âHe kisses my forehead every time I stress about an essay. He does that stupid thing where he brushes his nose against mine and says something cheesy. Sometimes he just kisses my hand for no reason and I pretend itâs annoying but itâs not. I love it. I want it back. I miss his stupid lips.â
James, who had quietly entered behind them, blinked hard and clutched his heart. Remus turned, saw him, and promptly dove into his arms.
âI canât do this, Jamie,â he whispered. âYou havenât even told me you love me today.â
James whipped out the notepad again. I told you in the corridor. In writing. Twice. Then, under it: You are SO dramatic.
Remus nodded. âI learned it from the best.â Then he kissed James. Hard. Fierce. Long enough that Sirius yelled âOi!â and Peter ran away blushing.
James kissed back with all the passion of a Shakespearean ghost returned from the dead to see his beloved. He still couldnât talk, but Remus could feel itâthe frustration, the love, the dramatic flair.
At dinner, James sat beside him and kept scribbling increasingly ridiculous compliments on the parchment in lieu of conversation:
Your eyes are prettier than every star in the sky.
If I die like this, promise to bury me in your jumper.
Do you think Slughorn would let me lick the antidote early? I am wasting away.
Sirius leaned over. âHe wrote âIâd marry Remus with my mouth sewn shut.â Heâs getting worse.â
âI am also getting worse,â Remus groaned. âHe keeps doing that thing where he sighs longingly and rests his head on my shoulder and itâs very distracting.â
âItâs a love language. Just not a verbal one.â Then Sirius smirked. âHonestly, Moony, I think this might be a blessing. Youâve got him completely silent and extra clingy. Youâre basically in paradise.â
Remus opened his mouth to argueâthen considered. James was, in fact, wrapped around his arm like a koala, silently pouting and blinking up at him with the most tragic eyes known to mankind.
âOkay,â Remus said. âYeah. You might be right.â
At exactly 9:00 the next morning, Slughorn arrived in the Gryffindor common room with the antidote. (Sirius had bribed him with cauldron cakes and enchanted wine.)
James downed the potion in one gulp, let out a gasp, and immediately grabbed Remus' face.
âOh my god,â James breathed. âI thought I was gonna die. I missed talking, Moony, but even worseâI missed kissing you. I missed your stupid dimples. Your ridiculous little sighs when I kiss your neck. Yourââ
Remus shut him up with a kiss, finally, finally not one-sided or desperate. Just warm and relieved.
When they pulled back, James was grinning. âI love you so much it physically hurts. I never want to be quiet again.â
Remus narrowed his eyes. âI want you to kiss me every five minutes from now until the end of time to make up for lost affection.â
âDone.â James kissed his nose. âI was already planning on it.â
From across the room, Sirius sighed loudly. âYouâre both unbearable. I liked him better when he was mute.â
James cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, âI LOVE YOU, REMUS LUPIN!â for the entire tower to hear.
Remus, predictably, beamed. âGod, I missed your stupid voice.â













