Ever since James got his first solo mission. It was all he could talk about. The day hadn’t even come, and yet he bragged about it twice, maybe three times a day.
He was the first from his graduating class to have a solo mission. The order was rather stingy about giving the younger members such important tasks as they may not be able to comply properly.
James the Good was his nickname these days. All his good deeds of helping the half-bloods and muggle-borns remain safe in such dark times.
The rise of Voldemort was a tale that would be taught and in the history books. James was quite proud of himself for being on the right side of history. Though it pained him that some did not follow.
Seeing classmates that he grew up with on the other side, or worse, choosing to run from the battle.
“And when I catch my first Death Eater, they will name me hero of our world. Savior of all magic.” James exclaimed as he spun his wand around.
Remus rolled his eyes at the repeated statement, Sirius instigated and fed more into his ego, and Peter fiddled with his hands as usual. James always thought that the war made Peter nervous; he didn’t like the thought of actual wand duels.
“Potter! Are you ready?” Edgar Bones called from the other room.
“And that is my cue! See you guys tomorrow. I am on my way to become the future Minister of Magic.” James rose from his seat and walked out of the kitchen.
“Good luck, James. Please be safe.” Remus called out.
He was calmer than Peter, but he still found it worrying how unaware Sirius and James could be at times.
Sirius’s smile faded as James left. It was nearly a year since he last saw his brother. He wasn’t sure if he was okay, and sometimes when he went out for assignments, he would hope to turn a corner and see him standing there.
Remus had talked to him about his desire before, but it was no use.
Edgar Bones stood in front of the door. “We can’t apparate inside the house, so we have to step outside.”
James nodded and followed and smiled at Amelia, who looked at them both with a worried expression.
“Ready?”
“More than ever!”
With a touch they were gone, a dash of light, and it was as if they never existed.
Regulus’s POV
Regulus knew better than to be snooping around, but it was a rare opportunity he got to be out of headquarters. Strolling through the woods was refreshing; it smelled of wet moss.
His cape, dark as night, dragged along the floor. Regulus had spelled it to not fray at the ends or collect debris. It was rather useful when you enjoyed the outdoors with such dramatic clothing.
Regulus stopped hearing noise. He thought maybe it was a deer; it was, after all, breeding season. Instead he was welcomed by a rather human stag. James Potter.
Drawing his wand, James followed right after.
“Regulus?” James whispered in a yell.
Regulus couldn’t believe his eyes; he didn’t expect to ever see James again, and especially not in the woods.
It was hard to make out his face as the trees mainly covered them in shadows.
James was the first to throw a spell that was quickly blocked by Regulus.
“You’ve gotten faster, Black.” James said, out of breath, as if he had been running.
Regulus scoffed and threw another counterspell. It cut at James’s skin like a sharp knife. His reaction made a smile creep on Regulus’s face.
“See that you haven’t.” Regulus threw another spell before James could say anything.
They both just looked at each other before Regulus opened his mouth once more.
“You and my brother are going to die out here with skills like that. How are you going to protect that precious fiancé of yours, Evans, was it?” Regulus’s words hurt more than they should’ve, but James was used to it.
“Evans? Lily? She isn’t my fiancé; we are hardly what I would call friends.” James said.
Regulus was taken aback by that reveal. “She…I thought you guys were together?”
“I haven’t been with anyone since you! No one!” James didn’t seem to be defensive but more as if he was trying to prove himself.
“No one…” Regulus, he repeated slowly.
“Regulus, I am so sorry about what I said last time. I swear I didn’t mean what I said; I was scared. But none of that matters because I realize that—
A flash of light hit James in the chest; it looked too similar to a flash of green, and Regulus’s heart may just have skipped a beat.
Was it the curse? Did I just get him killed?
“Good job, Regulus!” Barty said sarcastically. “You got Potter, though I wish you would cut the chitchat and kill the next one a bit faster.”
Regulus finally let out a sound, and that sound came out as a scream.
Barty turned to Regulus to see he was crying. “How could you! He wasn’t going to hurt me! I promise, please let him go!”
Regulus ran towards Barty before he was grabbed from behind. He flailed his body around to free himself, but the person only held him tighter. “Regulus, stop! Let him go!”
Bellatrix Black, now Lestrange, held her younger cousin. Evan Rosier stepped into the light and grabbed one of Potter’s arms while Barty grabbed the other. They placed them around their necks like a scarecrow and teleported back to headquarters.
“You must not show that sort of weakness in the presence of the dark lord; do you understand, young one?” Bellatrix turned Regulus around, holding him in place before getting a half sob and half nod.
Regulus shut the door to an empty office room. Turning dramatically as his cape continued to drag along the floors. Sliding slightly as he reached for a floorboard.
Dragging his wand over his finger and slicing carefully over his hand until blood began to flow directly from under his skin. Dripping his own blood into the wood and watching as it opened. Underneath lay a book.
Made of wizard flesh and written in unicorn and dragon blood. Bound with Veela hair, Regulus opened it after laying his fingers over the words.
“Draconis sanguis, capillus decoris, pellis boni.” Regulus mumbled.
With just those words, the book opened. Regulus began to flip through the pages, searching for something. Anything.
Finally he let out a cry, “Potter!” He buried his face in the book. Letting his tears fall in his lap until it finally hit him.
James’s POV
James stared at Regulus, wand raised, and ready to strike. Regulus was more beautiful than ever. Head to toe in black, it really was his color. How it exaggerated his facial features.
He didn’t know what to expect from himself, but striking Regulus was not one of the things he would’ve expected.
Regulus looked rather hurt and shocked but quickly followed. It was so back and forth, but James refused to strike him again.
“And Evans getting ready for your wedding?” Regulus’s voice finally registered in James’s mind.
“What do you know about Lily? If you touch her!”
“Nobody is going to touch your precious fiancé.” Regulus mocked James.
“Fiancé? Lily and I are hardly friends.”
“But I thought…”
“I haven’t been with anyone but you! No one…”
“No one…” Regulus dropped his wand, and tears began to swell in his eyes.
“Regulus, I am so sorry about what I said last time. I swear I didn’t mean what I said; I was scared. But none of that matters because I realize that—
James immediately felt nothing; he couldn’t see anything, hear anything, or think anything.
Maybe it was the sound of Crouch’s annoying whining or the sound of Evan beginning to raise his voice, but whatever it was, it allowed James to finally wake up.
Head hung and arms tied just a bit too tight to the chair he now sat in. His limbs felt like straw, and his head felt light, almost thoughtless.
“We can discuss this later.”
“Well, that is just a sight to see.” Barty tilted his head to match James’s gaze.
Evan stared at Barty; he’d rather watch than participate.
“I’ve always wondered what Regulus saw in you.” Barty said quieter.
Using his wand to hold James’s head up before letting it drop once more.
“Maybe it was his,” Pointing to James’s head, “Maybe it was…this.” Barty pointed just in between James’s legs.
The smile that Crouch held on his face was mad. He was a lunatic, and being in this place might’ve driven him even further.
“Remember when you and your little friends would prance around the school calling yourselves those stupid names?”
James looked him in the eyes, trying to figure out what exactly he was getting at.
“What was your name, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer…Vixen? Come on, Potter. You wouldn’t stop talking in school; why stop now?”
“Prongs…” James said weakly.
“Right…Prongs.”
Barty looked back at Evan, who gave him an approving nod. Crouch looked back at James.
“Let’s make the silly name last…forever.” He dug his wand deep into James’s skin, tracing as he drew beautifully tragic antlers onto his skin. Licking away the blood from his arm as it lined itself in the crevices of his mouth, creating an elongated smile.
James screamed out in pain, the sound echoing throughout the halls. Reaching every corner, you could possibly hear it from Grimmauld Place.
Regulus’s POV
“Potter!”
James's screams flooded the walls. Ringing in Regulus’s ears like church bells.
“Caro eius non scindatur, sanguinem eius ne qua caedes maculatum relinquat, non sentiat dolorem, ossa eius non confringent, quaerunt autem eum perdere, numquam moriatur, numquam moriatur.” Regulus chanted.
Crouched nearly in the corner of the room, mumbling as quietly as possible but trying his best for his words to be heard.
“Let his flesh not be torn, let his blood leave no stain though they beat him, let him feel no pain, let his bones never break, and however they try to destroy him, let him never die, let him never die.” Regulus chanted harder. Demanding for the universe to hear him and his pleas.
Slamming the book shut, Regulus let out a sob.
“Oh James, please let this work.”
How could I have been so stupid with these cursed words, and how would I know what to do with them? What good is this chanting? I don't even know what I'm reading; I don't even know which trick I ought to try.
He stood up and walked over to the window that overlooked the gardens. Regulus spent many days in those gardens and gone through many books. Days and weeks and months of research that felt useless in the moment.
“Damn it, James! Where are you?” He pounded on the glass and laid his head down in defeat.
Regulus didn’t know if the spell was even working, and he didn’t want to admit it, but he didn’t know what he was doing until it finally came to his attention that James’s screams had stopped.
He sighed deeply in relief and sat down at the long table. The marks of Voldemort's snake still rested on the table. It ran a chill down his spine.
What has this gotten me? I am back to square one with him. To think I moved on and got this far. Now it’s gone too far, following in his parent’s footsteps, their beliefs.
Regulus couldn’t stop thinking about how bad he wanted to rip that stupid poster off of his wall. Voldemort, or “Tom,” was wrong. Everyone was wrong. Everything was wrong. He nearly lost James permanently with all of this, and it was sure as hell not worth it.
The magic must’ve taken a toll on him because as Regulus blinked to clear his sight, he could’ve sworn Sirius was sitting across the table from him. Not saying anything, just staring, judging, he was used to that. Then came Professor McGonagall, and finally the worst…James.
“Sirius, Professor McGonagall…James!” Regulus stood up, bracing himself against the table, and they were all gone just as quick as they came.
Am I good? Am I truly doing good if it means I lose Sirius and James? Was it attention that I wanted, or was I truly trying to be good?
Regulus flexed his jaw, and he was set. He had his plan; he knew what was truly right. Voldemort was not right; he was far from it. He was also a fraud with how he preaches for pure blood superiority while not being one himself. It made Regulus’s blood boil.
Grabbing the book and ruffled bag, he made his way out the door and to where they kept James.
James’s POV
“He isn’t screaming...Evan, make him scream for me.”
Barty was confused at why James was now staring at him with a sharp glare.
James didn’t understand why he wasn’t screaming or feeling anything for that matter.
Evan rolled up his sleeves and pointed his wand, slightly like a revolver.
“Crucio!” He shouted.
Nothing.
Evan sighed in disbelief before walking towards the door. “Are you coming?”
Barty looked at him and sighed before following him out the door.
James didn’t know how or why, but he could feel Regulus’s touch. All over him as a cloak, perhaps. Feeling warm and safe, he fell back asleep.
“James!” Regulus slipped through the door not long after.
“James, we must leave now, before they come back.” Regulus began to untie his arms. Holding his head up to try and wake him.
James looked up into Regulus’s eyes, who seemed confused. He wanted nothing more in that moment but to feel Regulus’s lips on his own.
“You have to stand up; we can’t apparate out of here. We need to run to the forest.”
“Kiss me.”
“What?”
“Kiss me.”
Regulus was hesitant, his hands holding James back before leaning in himself.
The kiss seemed to last forever as neither of them wanted to let go just yet.
“James, you must promise me that you try to clear my name. You won’t speak of this one bit.” The sun began to rise and lit both their faces in golden light, and white frost left their breath as they exhaled.
“Regulus…”
“And you must give this to Sirius, and for crying out loud, tell him to stop searching for me!”
“But Regulus…”
“And for you, please don’t keep waiting for me. I will be okay, but I have plenty of business to attend.”
“Do you ever let anyone else speak?” James finally got in.
“I’m sorry…here.” Regulus took off his cape, placing it over James’s shoulders and clipping the front.
“I’m not leaving here without you. I’m done with that. Regulus... I’m so sorry for what I said before. I really wanted to stay, but it was killing me to not follow through on this, and I know it has to be killing you too. I don’t need to worry about my legacy or what my family name carries. I just want you!” James's chest rose and fell as he finally caught his breath.
Regulus looked at James with absolute admiration. He loved the way he had with words; it was perfect, and he knew he meant it this time.
“Let’s finish your business together; I won’t lose you again, Regulus Black.”
“And I won’t lose you, James Potter.”