Emma

Logan squinted at Leo, wondering if he was seeing things.

“Leo, why do you have lion face paint on?” Leo’s face was fully painted, as though he had been to Katie’s birthday party and had been forced to sit down and have his face painted during it.

“Why do you look like a zebra?” Leo asked, just as confused as Logan.

Logan grabbed his phone off of the nightstand and opened up his camera. Sure enough, an intricately painted zebra looked back at him.

He messaged Finn, asking if he woke up the same.

All that was sent back was a smile emoji sent by Siri.

-

“You’re going to walk into the rink like that?” Nat asked Kasey, who was sporting a dolphin and a rainbow across the side of his face.

“I need to find Finn before Finn finds me.” Kasey called back. “I know Alex didn’t do this on his own. He has about as much artistic talent as I do in my little toe.”

Kasey and Nat never did find Finn before practice. They did, however, find a Lion stood dead centre of the locker room looking at the Goalies TPed stalls.

“If this was you, you need to do better next year.” Kasey laughed, clapping Leo on the shoulder. Leo laughed.

“No no no. This was Cole and Layla. They were round the corner watching me come in here thinking I didn’t see them.

“Time to recruit Nat, I think,” Kasey whispered to Leo and pulled out his phone.

-

“Layla I have no clue what to do. I can’t go out on the ice like this. I thought I was being nice by just TPing Kasey’s stall!”

Layla only covered her mouth to suppress a chuckle, watching Cole panic over his now upside down name and number on his jersey.

“All is fair in love and war, Rookie!” Kasey howled through the door, Nat howling after him.

-

Pascal let out a frustrated groan. Some the start of practice, not a single one of his shot found the back of the net. Timmy let out a similar sigh, taking his helmet off and wiping the perspiration off his head.

“It’s playoff season! We can’t be doing this,” he gridded out. He watched Finn line up a perfect shot, only to miss as well. Looking over to Coach Weasley, he wondered why he wasn’t angrier. He looked amused, even.

Pascal looked down at his hockey stick. Something felt… off. He held it out in front of him, Timmy and Kuny doing the same.

“It feels small.” Evgeni stated.

Pascal looked up at the rest of the team to find the Triple Threat of April Fools, Remus, Sirius and James, grinning back at them.

“You know, when I locked Remus and Sirius in my basement, I did not expect to be paid back like this.”

-

“Luke! Luke!”

Luke ran into the bathroom, only to burst out laughing upon finding Saint with bright red hair.

“Was this you?” Saint’s face like thunder, he pointed to his bright red hair. Luke fought to keep a straight face and shook his head.

“I promise it wasn’t. Now hurry up, I need to shower as well.”

Two hours later, Saint and Luke rocked up to practice, looking like Rangers biggest fans sporting bright red and bright blue hair. Logan was unable to make a shot that practice, for he was laughing so hard at the coloured sweat dripping down both their necks. He snapped a pic for Leo, his only partner in fools it would seem…

-

Remus and Sirius made a habit of turning up to practice early. Maybe it was the quiet before the storm, maybe it was the control of having the rink to themselves. One thing they did know, however, was that they liked the rink before anyone started playing the practice session joint playlist. ‘Game Day Vibes’ they called it. A playlist comprising of songs from everyone’s repertoire.

Once the rink was full, Coach allowed the playlist to be put on. Except all that rang through the rink was… a nursery rhyme?

Remus looked over at Finn who was in charge of the playlist. He pressed skip. Finn looked up in confusion as a musical rendition of ‘incy wincy spider’ played out.

“Who, in the ever loving fuck put this in the playlist?” Jackson called out, skating round next to Finn as he frantically scrolled through the playlist. “It’s just nursery rhymes…”

James was doubled over in the far corner, something akin to ‘don’t diss my son’s music taste’ coming out in amongst gasps of laughter.

James had his playlist privileges revoked for 6 weeks.

-

“So we did the ducks last year, what are we doing to Remus and Sirius this year, Dumo?” Julian asked, placing his cereal bowl in the dishwasher.

Pascal thought on it, scratching his head.

Katie bounded in with multiple chain links in Rangers colours.

“Look what I made for Logan, Papa!” She held them up with a big toothy smile. Well, almost toothy. She had a visit from the tooth fairy the previous night.

Jules’ eyes widened and looked over at Pascal, who responded with his own fully toothy grin.

“Go get your brothers and sister, Katie. We have work to do.”

Remus and Sirius returned from practice to find their entire front room decked out in Rangers merch, chain links hanging from each light and across the ceiling.

“I swear as soon as Logan and I meet on the ice again…” Sirius looked over at Remus, “it’s war.”

Remus chuckled and pulled out his phone to find a message from Dumo.

‘Thanks for the key, it’s under the flower pot’

-

Everyone was gathered in Sid’s for their monthly get together. Some of the Rangers had made the trip down as well. Thomas was sat at the bar, his arm hooked loosely around Noelle’s waist.

“So no one managed to get either of the brothers?” She whispered in his ear.

Thomas smiled back at her, eyes softened as he moved a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Not yet. Did you manage to get the video?”

Noelle pulled her phone out of her bag and showed it to Thomas.

“It’s hilarious, T. Me and Nat were in stitches.” Thomas smiled slyly, placed a kiss on Noelle’s forehead, and walked up the the little make shift entertainment stage.

“Can I please have everyone’s attention!” He called out, arms wide. Mutters of ‘speech!’ were called out across the bar, paired with smattering’s of applause.

“Now with the close of another successful year of April Fools, we have this years standings. At the bottom, with the most unoriginal prank I think any of us have ever seen, we have Cole and Layla, who took it upon themselves to TP Knutty and Blizz’s goals.”

A round of ‘boo’s’ swept across the bar.

“Yes, yes, thank you. Do better next year” Cole and Layla had their heads in their hands looking mortified.

“Before I reveal the winner, I have one last thing I would like to do. Who here has been personally victimised by a certain pair of red-headed brothers this year?” Hands went up, Logan the Zebra’s face like thunder as people turned around to chuckle at him.

“Yes, now. I set Christmas on a task a week ago. Big love, Noelle,” he held a glass up to her and winked. “A little birdy once told us that our very own Alexander and Finnigan have their own pregame ritual they started when they were kids. Their mom and dad were more than happy to share this video with us-“

“No no no- please Walker I’m begging you,” Finn called out, laughter clinging onto his every word. Alex’s jaw was on the floor.

“If you’d please turn your attention to the screen.”

An old video played. A young Alex was instructing their parent to sit on the couch whilst Finn was in the background rewinding the tv to the perfect moment. The pair did an almost perfect rendition of the handshake from the parent trap.

The first year Remus spent at Hogwarts, she wasn’t sure what to do. Yet, she found herself awake before the Sun graced the skies, humming to herself as she made cakes upon cakes upon cakes. More cakes than her and her husband could possibly eat within the week before they started to go stale. As the morning fog cleared, she took in the mess she had made and smiled. She couldn’t possibly send these all to him, the poor boy would likely be embarrassed beyond belief at the sight of twenty-something cake boxes turning up at breakfast.

She would carry on this tradition for the years her son spent away, dialling down the sheer volume of baking as the years went on. It brought her peace, though. More so when Remus would send her letters detailing all the things his friends did and bought him every year. She was endlessly proud of him. She always would be.

When Remus turned up at her doorstep on the morning of his 22nd birthday, asking if she wouldn’t mind some company as she baked, who was she to turn him away?

They made tea and laughed, baked, and laughed some more. Hope would have been happy to trade those countless nights he spent away from her in exchange for this. He was happy. He was healthy. He was… free.

The year after, Remus asked if he could bring someone to join them in the tradition. Hope obliged, of course, because she would do anything to see her son happy.

Sirius Black was a whirlwind- knocking over the mixing bowl of dry ingredients only minutes after entering the kitchen. Hope had never seen Remus laugh and smile so much, even if poor Sirius was redder in the face than the tomatoes that were growing in her garden. She assured him it was no big deal and started cleaning up, despite Sirius’ protests to do it himself. Remus muttered something about how he would only make more mess, and he reluctantly gave in, continually muttering apologies at the mess he had created. Hope didn’t mind, though. She would take the chaos of Sirius everyday, if she could.

Every year after that, both Remus and Sirius returned- with wild stories about their jobs. Although Remus assured his mother his job as a Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor was anything but exciting. It was all textbooks and basic magic according to him. But Hope was immensely proud of him nonetheless. He would forever go on about how it was, in fact, Sirius with the most exciting job- promotion after promotion in the Auror department. Hope thought they balanced each other out wonderfully.

On the night before Remus’ 26th birthday, a knock at the door interrupted Hope’s book. She settled it down and opened the door to find Sirius stood in front of her, a nervous sheen of sweat gracing his forehead. She let him inside, immediately offering him tea to calm him. He told her about the plan to propose to Remus the day after his birthday, and asked if she gave him his blessing. Hope cried, placing her hands over Sirius’ own, ensuring him that she would let him have her blessing in every lifetime. He made her Remus happy. Immeasurably happy. Sirius left with the promise to return in a few hours with Remus. Hope could hardly contain her excitement as the night wore on, a smile plastered to her face as she listened to them gush about each other. She couldn’t imagine anyone more perfect for him.

Two days after Remus’ 26th birthday, Hope opened the door to her very tearful son. She let him in with a warm smile as he talked her ear off about the perfect proposal that Sirius had pulled off. He showed her the ring, even though Sirius had shown it to her three nights previous, though it looked even more magnificent on her son's hand.

Three months and five days after Remus’ 27th birthday, Hope found herself awake at a god awful hour once again, mixing cake batter together, humming a song she had heard on the radio the day before that distinctly reminded her of her son and soon-to-be son in law. She smiled fondly at her work, setting it in a box to get ready for the day ahead.

Hope had never smiled and cried so much. Her heart burst with pride as she walked her son down the aisle to his forever and evermore. She placed a motherly kiss on Sirius’ cheek as she handed Remus away to him, proud of them both for coming so far.

On the night of Remus’ 28th birthday, they turned up with a present in their hands. Hope looked at them, confused, because it was Remus’ birthday- not hers. They urged her to open it, both practically sat on top of each other across the table, giddy with excitement. She realised then that the following years she would have to make more cake, for their family was growing.

Remus and Sirius returned the year after, their son, Teddy, curled up in bundles of blankets in Sirius’ arms. Hope moved around the kitchen quieter than she ever had before, mixing the cake slowly, allowing Remus and Sirius to doze on the couch while their son lay sleeping in the cot she had bought for these exact moments. Hope looked over at them with all the love in the world. She left them sleeping, fussing over Teddy when he awoke for his feed.

On the night of Remus’ 30th birthday, only Remus appeared at her door, letting her know that poor Teddy had an awful cold so Sirius opted to stay behind. He sat at the table with a mug of tea in his hand, exhausted, but happy. So happy. He let her know in quiet words that they were expecting another addition to the family. And just like before, tears brimmed Hope’s eyes. She placed the cake in the oven and hugged Remus, telling him how proud she was of everything she had done and would continue to do.

On Remus’ 40th birthday, Hope had to let them know they would have to come a bit later, her energy had started depleting with old age and she could only do so much now. Remus and Sirius would make her sit in the chair that Remus usually would, a mug of tea in her hands instead as she watched her son and his husband work their way around the kitchen, children running riot around the adjoining living area. Hope placed a hand over her heart as she watched her grandsons playing with the countless toys she insisted on buying, much to Remus and Sirius’ protests.

On Remus’ 50th birthday, he unlocked the door himself, setting about making a cake. The memories of Hope danced around the room as he followed her practised instructions. He sipped his tea as the cake baked in the oven, allowing for tears to spill. Only a few, though. A few happy tears at the memories of each and every birthday they spent running around this kitchen. He brought the cake to Hope’s grave, with his tea in a flask, eating it as he told Hope about everything that had happened since he was last there.

There would come a time on Remus’ birthday that Teddy would do the same thing, spilling fond stories of his own children to the sky as he munched on cake and sipped his own tea. Teddy wouldn’t trade these talks for the world.