Chapter 3
Regulus Black is drowning.
Not literally, of course. That would be preferable, actually. At least then he wouldn’t have to sit here, across from James Potter, as the other boy does… whatever it is he’s doing. Which, at the moment, seems to be playing with his quill and not-so-subtly staring at Regulus like he has something important to say but no actual idea how to say it.
Regulus clenches his jaw and focuses on his Arithmancy notes. He doesn’t have time for this. He has things to do, essays to write, and an entire reputation of cold indifference to maintain. What he does not have time for is whatever nonsense James is trying to pull.
James clears his throat. Regulus ignores him.
James taps his fingers against the table. Regulus ignores him harder.
James exhales heavily, leans forward, and—
“Regulus,” he says, with all the determination of a man about to do something stupid. “I need to tell you something.”
Regulus sighs through his nose and finally looks up. “If it’s about your quill technique, I’ve already told you—”
James waves him off. “No, it’s—it’s not that.” He hesitates, then gives Regulus a grin that is, frankly, a little terrifying. “Though I do appreciate your ongoing concern for my academic well-being.”
Regulus rolls his eyes. “Right. What is it, then?”
James opens his mouth. Closes it. Opens it again. He looks like a fish, which is fitting, because Regulus still feels like he’s drowning. He waits, unimpressed, as James struggles to form a coherent sentence.
And then, before James can say anything, the chair next to Regulus scrapes against the floor, and Barty Crouch Jr. flops down beside him, grinning far too widely. “What’s going on here, then?”
Regulus exhales sharply and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Barty.”
“Reggie.”
James scowls. “Crouch.”
“Oh, I see,” Barty says, eyes flickering between them with obvious amusement. “Interrupting something, was I?”
James looks murderous. Regulus contemplates whether he can get away with vanishing Barty’s chair from underneath him.
“Not at all,” Regulus says smoothly. “James was just—”
“Leaving,” James finishes quickly, standing so fast his chair nearly topples over. “I just remembered—I, uh, left something in the dorm.”
Barty raises an eyebrow. “You’re not even holding your bag.”
James freezes. Then looks down at his empty hands like he’s just realizing this for the first time. He stares at them for a long moment before looking back up, visibly resigned. “Right. Well. Good talk, Black.”
Regulus doesn’t even get a chance to respond before James spins on his heel and practically sprints out of the library.
Barty watches him go and then slowly turns back to Regulus, smirking. “Fascinating.”
Regulus groans and drops his head onto the table.
Back at the Marauders’ table, James drops into his seat with all the grace of a dead fish. Peter glances up from his chessboard, where he is currently destroying Remus, and frowns. “That bad?”
“I didn’t even get to say it,” James mutters, slumping against the back of his chair. “Barty showed up, and I panicked, and then I left like a complete idiot.”
Sirius, who has been lounging in his seat looking far too entertained by the whole situation, hums thoughtfully. “To be fair, you are a complete idiot.”
James glares at him. “Not helpful.”
Peter moves his knight, trapping Remus’ king, and grins. “Checkmate.”
Remus blinks down at the board and then groans. “Betrayed. By my own friend.”
Sirius gasps, all mock horror. “Say it isn’t so, Wormtail! Betrayal within our very ranks?”
Peter shrugs. “It’s chess.”
Remus scowls. “It’s treason.”
“Alright, back to the matter at hand,” James says, dragging the conversation back to his very real and immediate suffering. “I need a new plan.”
Sirius leans forward, grinning. “Step one: grow a spine.”
“Step two,” Remus adds, “say actual words to Regulus instead of staring at him like a love-struck kneazle.”
James groans, dragging a hand down his face. “I hate both of you.”
Remus pats his arm sympathetically. “We know.”
Sirius snickers. “Would it help if I told you that you’re being painfully obvious?”
James groans louder. “I don’t want to be obvious. I want to be suave. I want to be charming.”
Peter snorts. “Well, you’re definitely something.”
Sirius smirks. “Serious?”
James narrows his eyes. “No, he’s Sirius.”
Sirius beams. “Finally, someone gets it.”
Remus looks like he wants to fling himself into the Black Lake.
James sighs and stares up at the ceiling. He has no idea how to fix this. He just knows that he has to. Because Regulus is still drowning, and for some reason, James really, really wants to be the one to pull him out.