toujours pur

Regulus clambered into the passage hidden behind the hump of the one-eyed witch statue with ease, appearing entirely composed. James almost asked if he'd known about this tunnel all along, but surely Regulus would have used it himself before now if he had.

They both lit the tips of their wands and ventured into the tunnel's maw.

"Why don't you have a Hogsmeade permission slip?" James asked, the question breaking the silence.

"No one bothered to sign one for me." Regulus stared straight ahead. "Is it a long walk this way?"

"About the same as going above ground."

"Right."

They continued in silence for a while, and James pondered how to phrase his thoughts, until finally he asked, "What are you doing for the Christmas holidays?"

Regulus glanced sideways at him.

"Going home," he replied, then cleared his throat and added, "Maman is sure to be preparing some celebration or another."

"Visiting anywhere? To..."

"...The Lestranges?" Regulus finished, mirroring James' hesitant thought. James nodded. "No. I'll claim ill health. I can't make it that day, alas, how unfortunate, terribly sorry..."

"Aren't you afraid?" 

Regulus slowed his pace, then stopped altogether, turning to face James fully. The tip of his wand flickered, casting a soft, ethereal glow on his face.

"I am. But I have nothing else. Only that house," he offered a weak smile, flashing his teeth.

"Come visit me," James replied quietly.

The smile vanished from Regulus's face. He simply nodded and continued walking.

Soon enough, they reached the end of the tunnel, climbing a worn set of steps. James pulled out the Invisibility Cloak, draping it over himself.

"We'll be invisible," he warned.

Regulus chuckled.

"Which means we shouldn't be heard, either," James added, and Regulus rolled his eyes.

"I gathered that. Where are we coming out?"

"You'll see."

James pushed against the hatch above them. It creaked open, and the scent of nuts and cocoa beans instantly enveloped them in a sweet cloud.

Regulus knew that smell.

"We're in Honeydukes, aren't we?" he asked quietly. James reached down, helping him out of the passage, then threw the Cloak over him as well.

"That's right," James said. "Or rather, its cellar."

Passing stacks of boxes and barrels, they climbed a rickety wooden staircase, and, reaching a door, they Nox'ed their wands. The door swung inwards, and a warm, bright light flooded their eyes. Vanilla snowflakes drifted down from the ceiling, melting before they touched the ground.

"Jenny!" gasped the elderly man behind the counter. "There's a draft again!"

James reached for Regulus' waist, tugging him aside just as a rosy-cheeked girl hurried to close the door.

"Yes, Mr. Munch!" she called out, then muttered under her breath, "Jenny this, Jenny that... I told him, it's time to replace the door…"

Regulus chuckled, covering his mouth with his hand, and James smiled at the sound.

They approached an enormous confectionery display in the shape of a fountain. From its top, handfuls of bonbons, brittle, and caramels were flung into the air, each sweet landing into its own designated sector, kept separate from the others.

James cautiously reached into the sector containing fruit-flavored lollipops and took a few. The rustling of their wrappers went unnoticed in the store teeming with Hogwarts students.

Regulus, scandalised, widened his eyes at first, but James put a finger to his lips and nodded towards the exit. As the door swung open to admit new customers, James and Regulus slipped outside, and the cold air of late November nipped at their cheeks and hands.

“If I’d known it was going to be this cold, I would have worn two sweaters,” James complained, warming his hands in turn with his breath.

Regulus huffed, then flicked his wand, casting a Warming Charm upon James.

"They won't last long."

"It's something."

They ambled down the street, navigating the bustling throng of people. Their shoulders brushed with each step, and somehow, it felt… different. Unfamiliar.

The Zonko's window display beckoned with its usual array of glittering trinkets. Sirius always said that James turned into a Niffler the moment he crossed Zonko's threshold.

"They've repainted the windows," Regulus observed.

"Yeah," James nodded, hugging himself, as if trying to hold onto the fading warmth of the charm for longer. "When was the last time you were here?"

"May. And at the station in October."

James opened his mouth to reply, but all thoughts completely vanished from his head when he spotted Sirius and Remus through the reflections on the glass.

He froze, staring at them. Regulus, following his gaze, looked as well.

Remus said something and offered Sirius a clear orb that looked like a soap bubble. Sirius smiled, raising his eyebrows in surprise, and as soon as he took the orb in his hand, it popped, releasing a puff of smoke. Sirius' hair turned a bright pink, almost red. He winced, and Remus laughed. James could practically hear the sound in his own mind.

"Well, that makes sense," Regulus murmured quietly, as they finally continued walking down the street.

And Merlin knows, James tried to restrain himself, but…

"What do you mean?" He felt something angry simmering inside him and tried to breathe evenly.

"The fellow beside him," Regulus clarified. "Clearly his type."

It wasn't at all what James had expected to hear. He was silent for a few moments, trying to process what had been said.

"But he's never…" he shook his head. "He's never even hinted."

"He's all about wands, Potter," Regulus raised his eyebrows. "Didn't he tell you why he argued so much with maman?"

"Of course he did!" James bristled. "Your mother wanted to sell him into slavery and marry him to-"

"...to a woman," Regulus finished for him, his voice taking on a mocking tone. "Seems that appalls him even more than the potential blood relation of the bride. Eccentric."

James was so lost in thought that he didn't even notice the Warming Charm had worn off. His expression became increasingly complex, which Regulus seemed to find amusing, judging by his self-satisfied smile.

When James, without realizing it, began to shiver from the cold, Regulus cast the charm again. Only then did James jolt and realize he was freezing.

"How do you know, though?" James squinted.

"Oh, you know. He has those Muggle… picture books."

"Magazines," James supplied.

"Yes, those. And he has… magazines with naked men," Regulus awkwardly looked away.

Blast it. It sounded exactly like Sirius. But why hadn't James known about any of this?

"Why did you tell me this?" James complained, raising his glasses a little to rub the bridge of his nose.

"You can't discuss it with him, because it was me who told you. Am I right?" Black smirked smugly.

And James hated to admit it, but it was entirely true.

***

They chatted about nonsense, as if that had been the plan all along, strolling back and forth along the street, gazing into shop windows, but buying nothing. When they reached the square again, the big clock showed four. The streets were gradually becoming less crowded; students were returning to the castle, and the locals could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"So, you're afraid of dogs," James adjusted his glasses, barely suppressing a smile.

"Yes. What's so funny about that?" Black frowned, looking genuinely offended.

James couldn't shake the feeling that Regulus actually cared about his opinion. On the other hand – score one for him! You aren't the only one who knows Sirius's secrets, Regulus Black!

"Nothing," James replied. "I'm afraid of thunderstorms. Well, not really afraid, but... I get uneasy when... Thunder and lightning... Basically, I hate flying in a storm."

"I'll remember that," Regulus nodded. "Next match, I'll be sure to cast a thundercloud to follow you around. That'll guarantee a Slytherin victory."

James chuckled. "What about the honor of a Quidditch player?"

"I don't care about Quidditch," Regulus replied. "I only play because it annoys Sirius."

Well, that explained a lot.

"And what about honor?" James tilted his head questioningly.

Regulus pretended to be thinking it over, looking up at something above, then bit his lip and waved his hand, indicating a fifty-fifty chance. James gasped in mock outrage, and Regulus laughed silently, squinting and covering his mouth. His curls trembled with each exhale, reflecting the light of the street lamps.

"I think we should head back. It's getting dark."

"Yes," Regulus replied. "Time to go."

They snuck back into Honeydukes, bypassed the colorful shelves, and, so as not to excessively annoy Mr. Munch and Jenny, quickly slipped behind the cellar door. James jumped into the tunnel first and helped Regulus down.

"You have cold hands," James noted, and Regulus smiled.

"They're always cold. It's a Slytherin thing, we're like snakes."

"Really?" James raised his eyebrows, and when Regulus laughed his light, bird-like laugh, shook his head. "You're kidding."

"Yes. It's not a Slytherin thing. It's a Black thing, Sirius is the same."

He'd have to touch Sirius's hand sometime.

As they neared the entrance of the tunnel, James stopped Regulus, touching his wrist. Regulus turned, and James placed one apple and two cherry lollipops with their rustling wrappers in his palm.

"In case you feel bitter, you can sweeten things up," he explained, and winked.

Regulus rolled his eyes and tucked the lollipops into the pocket of his robes.

***

When James returned to the common room, he first sat on the loveseat by the fireplace, pretending to be interested in the incredible tea Dorcas Meadowes had bought at Steepley's shop. In reality, he was trying to warm up. But strangely enough, even as he got warmer, the shivering wouldn't stop.

"Are you alright?" Dorcas asked. "You seem to be chilled. Do you have a temperature? I could go to Pomfrey for a Pepper-Up. Marlene's feeling ill too, so I'm going there anyway..."

James felt his heart flood with warmth.

"Thanks, Dorcas, you're a lifesaver," he squeezed her hand as she got up from the loveseat, and a multitude of different bracelets gently tinkled on her wrist.

Remus and Sirius returned half an hour after he'd dozed off on that very loveseat. They didn't disturb him, but James sensed their presence when Dorcas woke him, handing him a vial of Pepper-Up Potion, and he discovered someone had covered him with a blanket.