A Suspicious Game of Go Fish
“Finally! It took you long enough,” Regulus said, his tone sharp with impatience. He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, and raised an eyebrow as James entered the dimly lit room.
“Shhh,” James hissed, closing the door behind him with care and glancing over his shoulder nervously. “I had to get away from my friends without making them suspicious.”
Regulus tilted his head, his expression somewhere between curiosity and irritation. “Wait… so they don’t know you’re here?” he asked, shrugging off his jumper and draping it casually over the back of the chair.
“Nope. Would you rather they did?” James teased, trying to sound lighthearted, though there was an edge to his voice.
Regulus let out a quiet chuckle, the corner of his mouth twitching upward in a sly smile. “Nope, definitely not.”
Meanwhile, back at The Three Broomsticks, the bustling chatter of patrons and clinking of mugs filled the air, but Sirius couldn’t focus on any of it. His fingers twitched against the edge of the table as he slid the Marauder’s Map out of his pocket. Whispering the familiar incantation, “I solemnly swear I’m up to no good,” the blank parchment came alive, unfurling its secrets before his eyes.
He traced the corridors and rooms with his finger, scanning every corner and crevice of the castle. It took a moment, but then he froze. His gaze landed on two tiny dots, side by side in the same room: James Potter and Regulus Black.
His chest tightened, a knot of confusion and unease forming in his stomach. Why would James be with Regulus? And why had James been so secretive about skipping Hogsmeade? Sirius’s mind raced with possibilities, each more unsettling than the last.
Without a second thought, he pushed his chair back abruptly, the wooden legs scraping against the floor.
“I’m going to get a new quill,” Sirius announced, his voice hurried and loud enough to catch Remus and Peter’s attention. He didn’t wait for their reply or ask if they wanted to come along. Not looking back, he grabbed his cloak and stormed out of the pub, determination etched on his face.
Remus raised an eyebrow as Peter shrugged, the two exchanging puzzled looks. “What’s gotten into him?” Peter asked, taking another sip of his butterbeer.
“Who knows?” Remus muttered, his gaze lingering on the door Sirius had just walked through.
Sirius made his way through the village and back toward the castle at a brisk pace, his thoughts racing faster than his feet. The cold wind bit at his face, but he barely noticed. All he could think about was getting to James and figuring out what was going on.
When he reached the castle, Sirius didn’t waste time sneaking around. His footsteps echoed against the stone floor as he navigated the familiar halls, the Marauder’s Map clutched tightly in his hand.
As he neared the room where the map had shown James and Regulus, Sirius slowed down, his heart pounding in his chest. The door was slightly ajar, and he could hear faint murmurs from inside.
Taking a steadying breath, Sirius pushed the door open with more force than he intended. The sudden movement startled the two figures inside, and James practically leapt out of his chair.
“Oh, Merlin!” James exclaimed, clutching his chest as though Sirius had just cursed him.
Sirius stepped inside, his gaze darting between James and Regulus, suspicion etched on his face. “What are you two doing here… together?” His voice wavered slightly, caught somewhere between anger and uncertainty.
“Sirius, it’s not—” Regulus started, his tone surprisingly calm, as if he could somehow talk his way out of this.
“No! Don’t ‘Sirius’ me!” Sirius snapped, cutting him off. His voice rose, sharp and accusing, bouncing off the walls of the small room. “What the hell is going on? James, you’ve been sneaking around all day, and now I find you here… with him?” He jabbed a finger in Regulus’s direction, his emotions spiraling out of control.
“Sirius, it’s nothing!” James said hurriedly, his hands raised in a placating gesture. “We’re just—”
“Don’t lie to me, James!” Sirius shouted, his frustration bubbling over. “You’ve been acting weird, and now this?”
James exchanged a quick, desperate glance with Regulus, who gave him a barely perceptible nod. “We’re… we’re playing Go Fish!” James blurted out, his voice cracking slightly under the pressure.
Sirius blinked, his tirade grinding to an abrupt halt. “...What?” he asked, his voice suddenly quieter, his earlier rage evaporating into confusion.
“Go Fish,” James repeated, gesturing to the small, slightly crumpled deck of wizarding playing cards on the table between them. “See?”
Regulus, looking utterly unbothered, leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. “It’s a card game, Sirius. Very innocent. No dark conspiracies here,” he said dryly, though his tone carried a hint of amusement at Sirius’s outburst.
Sirius stared at the table, his face a mixture of disbelief and embarrassment. “You’re… playing Go Fish?” he echoed, his voice almost a whisper now.
“Yes, Sirius,” James said, clearly trying not to sound exasperated. “Go Fish.”
For a moment, the room was silent except for the faint crackle of the fireplace in the corner. Sirius’s face softened, the tension in his shoulders easing. “Oh…” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
“Well, now that you’ve ruined the game,” Regulus said with mock indignation, “are you going to join us, or are you just here to yell and make dramatic accusations?”
James let out a nervous laugh, but there was an underlying fondness in it as he looked at Sirius. “We’ve got extra cards if you want to stay,” he offered, holding them up in an olive-branch gesture.
Sirius hesitated, his pride warring with his guilt. After a beat, he finally huffed, “Fine. But if you two were doing anything else, I’d know.”
Regulus smirked. “We’d hardly choose Go Fish as a cover story, Sirius.”
James grinned and pulled out a chair for Sirius, the tension in the room dissipating as they shuffled the deck and began a new round. Still, Sirius couldn’t quite shake the nagging feeling that there was more to this meeting than either of them was letting on.