It was Valentine's Day. Finally.
Regulus had nothing against Valentine's Day. However, his boyfriend, James, was a prankster whose love language was giving gifts and embarrassing him. The two of them had bet that if James could embarrass Regulus into staying in his dorm by the the end of the week, James would win and choose where they were going for summer holidays. Otherwise, Regulus would win. Throughout the Valentine's week, James had done a spectacle every day. Regulus should have probably stayed in his dorm but he would be damned before he went to Japan of all places.
As he sat down with Barty at the Slytherin Table for breakfast, he couldn't help but notice that the gryffindors of his and James' year were grinning at him while James himself was looking firmly at his plate. Had Regulus been less of a pureblood and had their tables not been on opposite ends of the Great Hall, he would have gone there to demand an explanation.
Just as everyone finished their breakfast, the owls entered the Great Hall and delivered post to the students. What was unusual, though, was that James had not sent him anything. This seemed very unlike him. After sending him a ridiculous amount of gifts everyday for the past week, he had decided to comply with his requests of not making such a show in front of their peers on the main day? Had he finally admitted defeat? Suspicious.
As he surveyed the Gryffindors, he felt as if they were waiting for something. Very Suspicious. Instead of his boyfriend 's eye though, he caught his brother's. Sirius gave him a big grin and a thumbs-up.
Danger detected.
"Get up!" Regulus grabbed Barty's arm and got up himself. "We need to leave. Now."
Barty just blinked at him and said,"We can waste a few more moments here. I am in no hurry to meet McGonagall so early in the morning."
Regulus narrowed his eyes. So whatever it was Barty was in it as well. That was very, very bad. No time to waste then.
Regulus started walking towards the exit as fast as he could without it seeming as if he was running form danger. Which he wasn't. Not at all.
'Almost there' He thought. 'Danger averted' He thought.
He thought too early. Just as he opened the gates of the Great Hall, a gob of goblins ran inside singing 'Lover' by Taylor Swift and threw him back. Just as he landed flat on his butt somewhere in front of the Ravenclaws, a plethora of owls entered. They each carried a gift. Chocolates, teddy bears, cakes, dress robes, jewelley, flowers, cards, whatever came to mind when one thought of Valentine's Day, they had it all. And do you know where they deposited it? On. Him.
Just as he got up from the floor with a tiara on his head, the students started clapping. He was pretty sure he heard one of the Patil boys yell "Jiju!"
He looked at James whose grin faltered at his glare and he visibly gulped. Good. He knew the consequences of this prank.
Although, as he walked around the school with the goblins(who were now singing 'A Thousand Years'), perhaps he should just stay in his dorm next year.