Chapter 6
James leaned back, his arm casually around Harry’s shoulders as he observed Teddy in Harry's arms. "Teddy’s got a lot of hair for being just five months old," James remarked with a smile, his voice warm with affection as he watched the baby. "Do you remember how bald Harry was until he hit his first year? The kid couldn’t grow a proper hairline to save his life."
Remus chuckled, shaking his head. "It’s almost unbelievable how much hair Teddy has.And he’s been sleeping through the night, too," Remus added, sharing a knowing look with Sirius. "He barely makes a sound."
Sirius nodded enthusiastically. "He’s been a dream sleeper. You know, the kind of baby you only hear about in stories." His voice held a mix of pride and awe.
Harry, who had been quietly watching Teddy, suddenly seemed very aware of being the subject of conversation. His small face twisted with determination as he turned to Regulus, a little smile tugging at his lips. “Well, I’ve got a lot of hair now,” Harry said, proudly running his fingers through his own messy curls, clearly trying to outdo the baby. "And I’m all grown up. I sleep in my own bedroom now, with no lights on!" He looked at Regulus with a sense of triumph, as if he had just achieved the highest milestone of maturity.
Regulus, caught off guard by the boy’s sudden attention, blinked at him. “Uh, yeah, that's great, Harry," he said, smiling awkwardly. He didn’t quite know what do say.
But Harry seemed proud of himself, continuing to hold Regulus’s gaze a bit longer before turning back to the baby. It was clear Harry was keen on impressing him, but Regulus didn't know how to respond to that attention.
Just as the moment lingered, the doorbell rang again, this time interrupting the conversation. Sirius jumped to his feet, eager to answer it, leaving James, Remus, and Regulus alone to continue chatting.
Soon, Sirius returned to the living room with Peter Pettigrew, his round figure awkwardly squeezing through the doorframe while juggling an oversized box in his hands. Regulus stiffened at the sight of Peter, the memory of their past instantly flooding back. It had been years since they’d last crossed paths, but Regulus couldn't shake the recollection of Peter’s obsessive crush from when they were younger. Regulus had been a scrawny 13-year-old, focused solely on ballet, while Peter, a year older, had spent the entire summer trailing him around like an eager puppy. Regulus had always found it unsettling, even if he tried to ignore it. They had never really connected, not then and certainly not now.
“Peter, mate!” Remus greeted warmly, patting him on the back, but it was clear Peter’s attention was entirely on the package he was carrying. "What’ve you got there?"
Peter grinned widely, his excitement almost palpable. "A gift for Teddy!" he announced, his voice booming. "Every little boy’s dream!" He struggled to hold the box upright, but it was so big that it nearly toppled over him.
James arched an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. “A gift? What kind of gift?”
Peter, with childlike enthusiasm, opened the box just a bit, revealing... a massive tricycle.
"Uh, Peter?" Remus asked, staring at the tricycle in disbelief. "He’s only five months old, mate. What’s he going to do with that?"
Sirius chuckled, wrapping an arm around Peter’s shoulders. "He can barely sit up on his own, and you’re giving him a tricycle? What, is he going to ride it out of the crib next week?"
Peter wasn’t bothered in the slightest by their skepticism. "Don’t worry, he’ll grow into it! Every baby learns to ride a tricycle by six months, right?" He patted Sirius’s chest reassuringly, as though explaining it all made perfect sense.
Regulus watched the exchange with a mix of amusement and disbelief, letting out a small laugh. At least Peter was entertaining, and absurdly optimistic in the most ridiculous way. He was probably the only person who would think a tricycle was an appropriate gift for a baby who couldn’t even crawl.
Meanwhile, Peter’s boyfriend, a tall, perfectly polished man with platinum blonde hair, approached Harry and gently asked, "Mind if I hold the baby a little Harry?"
Harry, still perched on the couch and looking at the man with suspicion, furrowed his brows. "I dunno," he said slowly, eyeing the stranger. "Teddy doesn’t like strangers."
James laughed, clearly entertained. "It’s okay, Harry. Gilderoy’s not a stranger. He was at your birthday party, remember?"
Harry’s gaze lingered on Gilderoy for another beat before he reluctantly agreed, shifting so the man could pick up the baby. Gilderoy smiled, offering the baby a too-wide grin, but Harry wasn’t having any of it, his face still set in a skeptical expression as the baby was passed to Gilderoy’s arms.
Regulus watched the scene unfold, shaking his head with a smile. The whole situation felt like something straight out of a 90s sitcom, but he couldn’t deny he was enjoying it.
Regulus was watching the chaos unfold when Gilderoy suddenly turned his attention to him. The man squinted as if trying to place him, before breaking into a bright, overly confident smile. "I don’t believe we’ve met," he said, his voice oozing charm. "I’m Gilderoy Lockhart, by the way. Nice to meet you."
Regulus blinked, a bit thrown off by Gilderoy's sudden focus. He extended a hand and gave a polite smile. "Regulus, Black." he replied.
As soon as Regulus fingers brushed Gikderoy's hand, the man’s expression changed. He paused, eyes narrowing slightly as he seemed to process the name, and Regulus couldn’t help but notice the slight puff of his chest and the flicker of something possessive in his eyes.
"Ah, Regulus," Gilderoy murmured, dragging out the name as if savoring it. "I’ve heard about you," he added with a self-satisfied tilt of his head. Regulus felt his stomach drop slightly, a feeling of unease creeping up his spine. "From Peter, of course."
Regulus stiffened, the awkwardness crawling over him like a cold wave. He knew exactly what Gilderoy was implying. He could feel his face flush, his fingers tightening instinctively around Gilderoy’s hand as if trying to shake the tension off. He wanted nothing more than to find the nearest hole and crawl into it.
"Right," Regulus muttered, wanting to pull his hand back, but not quite sure how to do it without making things more awkward. He just wished this moment could end.
Sirius, noticing the lingering awkwardness, clapped his hands together with a grin that was equal parts enthusiastic and mischievous. "Well, since we’re all here, why don’t we get dinner started?" he suggested, hoping to cut through the tension.
Remus, always the calm and collected one, smiled in agreement. "Sounds like a great idea," he said, then walked over to Gilderoy, gently taking Teddy from his arms. "I’ll put him to bed, before he wakes up." Remus explained before heading upstairs with the baby.
The dining room was already set, the table neat and welcomin. Regulus couldn’t help but admire the neatly set table. The food was arranged perfectly, and the room had a quiet, welcoming ambiance. He knew instantly it had been Remus’s doing. If it had been up to Sirius, there would have been a haphazard mess of takeout containers and paper plates. But Remus had effortlessly brought order to the chaos, and Regulus found himself appreciating it more than he expected.
Gilderoy, clearly eager to establish himself, swiftly sat next to Peter, practically staking his claim. Regulus couldn’t help but feel a slight eye-roll at the display. He wasn’t sure how to react. Gilderoy’s body language screamed that he was making sure Regulus knew his place: far from Peter’s, that was for sure. Regulus let out a quiet sigh, not sure how to navigate this. It wasn’t his problem, but he couldn’t deny that Gilderoy’s possessiveness made him uncomfortable.
Not wanting to dwell on the situation, Regulus glanced around for a place to sit. He hesitated, unsure of where to go. Eventually, he chose the middle seat on the left side of the table, realizing just too late that it placed him directly across from Peter.
Before he could even consider moving, Harry bounced into the seat next to him, all bright eyes and eager energy. "Hi, Regulus!" Harry chirped, settling in next to him and wrapping his small hand around Regulus’s in a spontaneous gesture.
Regulus blinked at the boy, momentarily thrown off. "You sure you don’t want to sit next to your dad?" he asked, trying to keep his voice light, though his confusion was clear.
Harry shook his head with absolute certainty. "I want to sit with you," he said, clutching Regulus’s hand a little tighter. "I like you, Regulus."
Regulus froze for a second, unsure of how to react. Harry was just a child, and Regulus had never been around children long enough to know what was considered normal behavior. Still, the way Harry held his hand so confidently struck him as very odd. Before he could gather his thoughts, James sat beside him, giving a small smile as he settled in.
Just as the moment lingered, Remus returned, this time without Teddy, and took his seat at the other head of the table. His calm presence seemed to fill the space, and the conversation began to flow once more.
The room buzzed with conversation as everyone helped themselves to food, filling their plates while chatting about everything and nothing at once. Laughter mixed with the clinking of utensils as the warm scent of the meal surrounded them.
James, served his son first, carefully placing food on the boy’s plate. Meanwhile, Regulus hesitated, eyeing the dishes in front of him with sharp calculation. He silently tallied the calories he had already consumed that day, mentally dissecting each dish before him. He didn’t want to eat a single calorie more than necessary. His fingers hovered over the serving spoon for the vegetables, low-calorie, safe, but before he could even begin, James’s hand was already moving, effortlessly serving him instead.
Regulus tensed, blinking at James in question. What was he doing?
James caught his gaze and, without missing a beat, smiled warmly. "Reggie, you’re overthinking again," he said gently. "You don’t need to worry so much about the food."
How had James known?
Regulus stiffened further. For a second, a ridiculous thought crossed his mind, could James read his mind? No, of course not. That was impossible. But the ease with which James spoke, the casual certainty in his voice, unsettled him. It was as if James knew exactly what was going through his head.
Before Regulus could fully process that, his eyes flickered toward Sirius. His brother was watching the exchange with a knowing smirk, amusement practically radiating off him. Regulus felt his stomach twist. He suddenly had the irrational urge to explain himself, not out loud, but at least to himself. James was his personal trainer, after all. That’s all this was. He just wanted to make sure he had a balanced meal, nothing more.
James finished serving Regulus and set the plate down in front of him with an easy confidence, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Eat up," James said, his voice softer now, reassuring. "You need the strength."
Regulus meant to protest. He should protest. The amount of food on his plate was more than he had planned for. He should refuse, push it away, insist he wasn’t that hungry. But then James smiled, lips tugging at the corners in that effortlessly charming way, hazel eyes warm and steady, and something inside Regulus wavered.
Before he even realized what he was doing, he nodded. "Alright."
Even though his mind screamed at him that it was too much, that he’d regret it later, some other part of him, quieter but persistent, wanted to trust James.
Regulus ate in measured bites, counting each chew with precision, fully aware of James’s occasional glances in his direction. Under his watchful eye, refusing the meal didn’t feel like an option. He still paced himself, careful not to eat too quickly. He didn’t pick at his food or push things around his plate just to make it look like he had eaten more than he had. James didn’t rush him, didn’t pressure him, he simply expected him to eat, and somehow, that expectation alone was enough to keep Regulus from hesitating too much.
When dessert was served, though, Regulus shook his head.
"Not for me," he said, ignoring the way James raised an eyebrow.
"It wouldn’t hurt to have a little," James said casually, as if it was a simple fact rather than an argument.
Regulus forced a small smile. "I’ve had enough."
More than enough, actually. He didn’t even want to dwell on the number of calories he’d already consumed. The only thing keeping him from spiraling was the quiet relief of having skipped his afternoon snack. He wasn’t about to undo that by adding chocolate mousse on top of it.
Instead, he settled for watching Harry, who had no such worries as he happily dug into his dessert. The boy was completely absorbed, managing to smear some mousse across his nose in the process. Regulus huffed a small, amused breath, shaking his head.
After dessert, everyone moved back into the living room, conversation picking up again as they settled in. James drifted toward Regulus, engaging in some light small talk, nothing heavy, just easy conversation about nothing in particular. Regulus found himself oddly at ease, even if part of him was still hyper-aware of James’s presence.
They didn’t remain alone for long.
Peter sidled up to where James and Regulus stood with his usual eager energy, his face lighting up as he struck up a conversation. "So, Regulus," he said, eyes wide with interest. "How’s your career going?"
Regulus took a sip of water before replying. "It’s going well. I’m with the Royal Academy of Ballet now. I’ve moved back to London. I have a performance at the end of next month..." he said casually, not anticipating much more to come of it.
Peter clapped his hands together, grinning. "Oh! I’d love to come watch!" he said enthusiastically. "Gilderoy loves dance, too!"
Regulus’s expression froze for a fraction of a second before he quickly schooled his features. His eyes widened slightly, just enough to betray his immediate reaction. He wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about the thought of Peter and an already-jealous Gilderoy sitting in the audience, watching him dance in tight tights under the stage lights. He could already feel the weight of Gilderoy’s judgment.
Before he could formulate a response, James intruded smoothly, grinning. "That’s a great idea, Wormtail. We should all go."
Regulus shot him a quick look, but James just smiled innocently, as if he hadn’t just sealed Regulus’s fate.
Gilderoy, who had been lingering nearby, suddenly touched his temple with a dramatic wince. "Oh, dear," he sighed, his voice filled with exaggerated distress. "I think I feel a headache coming on."
Peter turned to him immediately, concern flickering across his face. "Are you alright?"
Gilderoy pressed a hand to his forehead, sighing even louder. "It’s best if we head out. I simply must lie down."
Without waiting for further discussion, he grabbed Peter’s arm and started steering him toward the door with suspicious urgency. Peter barely had time to wave as he was all but dragged out of the house. "Bye, everyone! See you soon!" he called over his shoulder.
Regulus blinked, exhaling slowly once the door closed behind them. "Subtle," he muttered under his breath.
James chuckled. "Think he’ll recover from that headache in time for your performance?"
Regulus shot him a dry look. "Barely. I imagine he’ll need at least a month to recover."
James smirked, leaning in slightly. "Well, lucky for him, he’s got time."
Regulus rolled his eyes but didn’t bother arguing. The room felt lighter without Gilderoy’s piercing gaze.
James crossed his arms, amusement flickering in his hazel eyes as he glanced at Regulus. "You know, you really are some sort of magnet for men."
Regulus, in the middle of taking a sip of water, nearly choked. He swallowed quickly, suppressing a cough, and shot James a skeptical look. A magnet for men? If only James knew how laughable that was. Relationships had never been a priority for him. He barely had time for them, and in twenty-five years, he had only ever been with three men.
He set his glass down and turned to James. "I’m far from being a Casanova," he said flatly.
James laughed. "Oh, come on. It’s not exactly a secret that Peter had a crush on you."
Regulus blinked at him, unimpressed. "That was when I was thirteen," he pointed out. "And, for the record, I had a face full of acne." He gestured vaguely at his face.
"I can’t imagine what he saw in a lanky, brace-faced kid with a face full of pimples that looked like a bad patchwork quilt."
James tilted his head, considering him with an easy grin. "Bet you were cute, though."
Regulus tried, really tried, not to let that get to him, but he could feel the heat creeping up his neck. Before he could formulate a response, small footsteps came running toward him.
"Regulus!" Harry’s voice was bright with excitement as he held up a piece of paper, his tiny hands gripping it tightly. "I made you a picture!"
Regulus took the paper, tilting his head as he studied the mess of colorful lines. If he squinted hard enough, it almost resembled a person.
"I drew me and Teddy for you," Harry announced proudly. "So you can put it in your wallet!"
Regulus blinked, angling the paper again to make sense of the shapes. "Oh?"
James huffed a laugh. "Here, let me help you," he said, plucking the drawing from Regulus’s hands. He flipped it the other way, then pointed at a round shape with what could be glasses. "This one’s Harry." Then, he gestured to the smaller round shape beside it. "And that’s Teddy, with... blue hair, obviously?"
Regulus smiled, warmth blooming in his chest. "That’s adorable," he told Harry.
Harry beamed before running back toward Remus, eager to keep drawing.
James turned back to Regulus, a teasing glint in his eyes. "See, Casanova?"
Regulus rolled his eyes. "That doesn’t prove anything."
James shrugged, smug. "He did make you a 'picture for your wallet.' That’s some high honor right there."
Regulus exhaled, shaking his head. "Harry is four. He probably does that for everyone he admires."
"That’s true," James conceded, grinning. "He picks flowers for every single teacher he has, too."
"You see?" Regulus said, feeling triumphant, until he realized James was looking at him differently now. The playful ease in his expression had softened into something else entirely. His hazel eyes held steady, his gaze dipping just slightly, lingering, and suddenly, the space between them felt charged.
Regulus swallowed. His grip tightened slightly around his glass.
James shook his head, his lips tugging into a lazy smirk. "Must be the silver eyes," he murmured. "Makes men fall all over you."
Regulus quickly took a sip of his water, trying to ignore the way his pulse jumped.
Regulus shifted uncomfortably, feeling the conversation was veering into unfamiliar territory. To steer it in a different direction, he casually asked, "So, why didn’t your wife come to meet Teddy?"
James burst out laughing. "I’m not married, Regulus."
Regulus blinked, thrown off for a moment. "What about Harry’s mom, then?" he asked, confused.
James chuckled softly. "Lily and I divorced over a year ago," he explained. "She’s got a fiancée now, Mary. They’re off in Paris this week celebrating their engagement."
Regulus raised an eyebrow. "That’s fancy."
James scratched the back of his neck, looking somewhat sheepish. "Yeah, well... Mary’s a bit more romantic than I am. Honestly, I didn’t even have an engagement trip planned out. Maybe that’s why Lily preferred her."
Regulus nodded thoughtfully, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Fair enough."
James’s face softened, and with a wry grin, he added, "Or maybe it’s just that Mary’s better in bed than I’ll ever be."
Regulus couldn’t help but make a face, half-amused, half-disgusted. "Please, don’t ever tell me that again."
James raised an eyebrow, laughing. "I’ll ask Sirius sometime, I’m sure he knows."
Regulus froze, his mind catching up with the conversation. "Sirius?" he echoed, his voice laced with disbelief.
James nodded casually. "Oh yeah, Sirius and Mary dated back in school. Bit of a thing, apparently.
"No way," Regulus said, staring at him. "Sirius doesn’t like... Girls."
James chuckled. "You’d be surprised. Remus had a girlfriend too, you know."
Regulus looked over at Remus, still engaged in conversation with Harry, then turned back to James. "I could see Remus being bi, but Sirius? Not so much."
James smirked. "What about me, then? What do you think I am?"
Regulus glanced at James, caught off guard by the question. For a split second, he wanted to make a comment that felt far too hot for the moment. But he managed to shake it off and instead grinned mischievously. "Well, you're like a Matryoshka doll... Completely full of yourself."
James chuckled at Regulus’s response, shaking his head with amusement. "I think you're straight," he said, teasing but with a hint of curiosity in his voice.
Regulus laughed, his mind immediately going to places it probably shouldn’t. It wasn’t that he disliked women, but the idea of touching a woman’s body, her breasts, her curves, left him cold. He could never understand the appeal. The thought of intimacy with a woman felt foreign, almost repulsive, like a piece of music out of tune. He respected women, but his desires were elsewhere, focused on something far more natural to him. The idea of physical connection with a woman was simply incompatible with his true nature, which had always been drawn to men.
Regulus flashed James a smirk, keeping his voice casual. "Well, you're right," he said, his eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief.
"I’m about as straight as a circle.