Popular
The party lasted well into the early hours of the morning. When the boats had docked once more at Shiz, the students ran as quietly as possible towards their dorm rooms. Sirius led Regulus, Remus, and James back towards their dormitory wing. All of them were laughing and shushing each other furiously. “Come on! Come on-before the professors see us!” Sirius hissed, lifting his skirt as he climbed the stairs. Dragged behind him was Regulus, whose wrist Sirius had a firm grip on. Remus and James followed behind them, slightly out of breath when they reached the top. “Dear Oz-how do you still have so much energy?!” James huffed, leaning against the doorway to the dormitory hall. “How can you not?! That was the greatest night of my life!” Sirius squealed, jumping up and down happily.
“Alright-okay, darling, you’ll have us spotted-!” Remus mustered, laughing as he caught his breath. Sirius shrugged helplessly before grabbing Regulus’s hand again. “Come on Regulus! We have much to talk about! Come on!” Sirius cheered happily. Regulus laughed as Sirius pulled him closer to their dorm room. “Uhm, hello?! How about a goodbye first?!” James called back at the two boys. Regulus rolled his eyes before facing James yet again, while Sirius whipped around fiercely. “Oh boys, of course! My apologies for forgetting about you!” Sirius apologized, skipping back over to the two boys.
He pressed a sweet kiss to James’s cheek, hugging him goodnight. He then turned to Remus, freezing up in embarrassment. “What? Don’t want to kiss me?” Remus flirted, making Regulus huff in amusement. James rolled his eyes as well, going over to Regulus to say goodnight. “Well…maybe I want you…to kiss me…” Sirius whispered, twisting his fingers nervously. Remus simply smiled down at the shorter boy, lifting his hands to his face. And pulling him into a gentle kiss. “Oh!” Regulus gasped, making James chuckle softly. When Remus pulled back, Sirius’s face had gone as fluorescent as his dress. “Woah…uh…yes, that was uh-yes, very well-uhm, goodnight!” Sirius stammered, turning around quickly.
Remus waved sarcastically as Sirius ran towards his room, laughing proudly to himself. Regulus sighed, patting James’s shoulder gently. “I’d better go calm him before he has an aneurysm!” Regulus joked, pulling away from James slowly. From behind the dorm room door, Sirius’s squealing could be heard. Followed by loud tapping, as if he were kicking his feet against the wall furiously. “Too late! Goodnight, boys!” Regulus chuckled. “Goodnight, thanks for the dance!” James waved. Regulus waved back as he pulled open the dorm room door. Biting back his blushing smile as he shut the door on the two boys.
When Regulus entered the room, he spotted Sirius lying face first on his bed, his head buried into a pillow. “Sirius?! What are you doing?!” Regulus laughed, taking off his hat. He hung it up by the door, shredding his coat as he went over to Sirius’s bed. “Oh! Reggie!” Sirius creed, turning over dramatically. He sat up slightly, glancing at Regulus as he sat down beside him. “Can I call you Reggie?” Sirius asked. “Well, I guess-” Regulus began. But Sirius cut him off by squealing as he fell back on his bed again. “Oh my Oz, Sirius relax! He’s just a boy!” Regulus laughed, lying down beside Sirius as well.
“He’s the prettiest boy I’ve ever seen! Oh Oz, I want to explore him like a treasure map-not even the Wizard of Oz could be grander to view than him!” Sirius gushed, clutching the pillow against his chest. “Oh, okay-that’s graphic” Regulus grimaced. Sirius sat up swiftly once again, tossing the pillow he was clutching across the room. Almost knocking out Regulus’s bedside lamp. “You must know where I’m coming from! I saw the way you were dancing with James!” Sirius scoffed. “What?! Oh-Oh no no-I was simply being nice! I wasn’t going to just ditch him, it’s not like that-!” Regulus objected, holding his hands up in defense. “Oh Reggie, stop it! You’re not very good at lying, you know?” Sirius muttered teasingly. Regulus should only roll his eyes as Sirius leaped off his bed.
“And I seriously cannot believe that was your first-ever party! And you didn’t tell me?!” Sirius snapped, placing his hands on his hips sarcastically. “It wasn’t that big of a deal” Regulus insisted, tucking his legs underneath him. “Not a-what?! It is a huge deal!” Sirius corrected firmly, stomping his foot persistently. Regulus laughed as he watched Sirius run about the room, his energy making him zoom about like a wild rabbit. “Oh, I know!” Sirius gasped, turning back to Regulus again. He sprinted across the floor and jumped back onto his bed, making Regulus sway from the force of the impact. “Let's tell each other something we've never told anyone... I'll go first!” Sirius exclaimed, placing his hand on Regulus’s thigh. He took one deep breath before smiling brighter than he had previously been. “Remus and I are going to be married! AH!” Sirius cheered, tossing his hands triumphantly into the air.
“Oh dear” Regulus mumbled, rolling his eyes in reply. “It’s true! Did you see the way he kissed me?! I couldn’t really see since I was the one he was kissing-and good oz do I get lost in those amber eyes-but you had to see the way he looked at me?!” Sirius begged, grabbing Regulus’s arm tightly. “Yes-Yes, I saw, it was just a simple kiss! Does Remus know about this proposal?!” Regulus teased, pulling his arm away from Sirius. “No! But, one day, he will!” Sirius answered confidently. Regulus nodded his head softly, chuckling under his breath. “Okay-now it's your turn!” Sirius cheered, leaping from the bed and over to his wardrobe. He tucked himself behind the wardrobe door and stripped himself of his party dress. Instead wrapping his sleep robe around him before rejoining Regulus on the bed.
“Okay…like what?” Regulus wondered, shrugging helplessly. Sirius hummed softly, thinking to himself. “Oh! How about…” Sirius gasped, a bright idea coming to his head. He ran across the room to Regulus' side, ripping his pillow off his bed and grabbing the small green bottle underneath it. “Hey!” Regulus called suddenly, racing after Sirius. “Why do you always sleep with this funny, little, green bottle under your pillow?! Huh?!” Sirius pestered, holding the bottle to his chest. “Give that back-!” Regulus tried, reaching for the bottle. But Sirius hoisted it above his head, running away from Regulus. “C'mon, tell me. Tell me tell me!” Sirius insisted, watching Regulus chase after him.
“It was my mother's! Alright?!” Regulus shouted, frowning at Sirius sadly. Silence fell over the two boys as Sirius dropped his hand. He held out the tiny bottle once more and Regulus ripped it back from him. Quickly tucking it back under his pillow. “That’s not fair…I told you a really good one!” Sirius whimpered. He tossed his hand to his forehead dramatically, running back over to toss himself back down on his bed. Regulus could only scoff and smile at his roommate and his dramatics. Slowly, Regulus approached Sirius’s side once more…taking a seat beside him on the bed once again. Sirius remained face down on his mattress, pretending to sniffle and whimper sadly.
Regulus sighed, frowning slightly to himself. “My father hates me…” he admitted, shrugging sadly. Sirius let out a loud gasp, his face leaving the mattress once more. “What?!” he breathed, taking Regulus’s hands as he sat across from him. “No that-that’s not my secret…it’s that…he has a good reason-” Regulus began. “I highly doubt that!” Sirius huffed, making Regulus smile. “Thanks…but…he does because…well, it's my fault…” Regulus explained. Sirius’s eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. “What…What is?” he whispered. Regulus frowned even deeper, looking down at his lap. “That my sister is the way she is…” Regulus muttered, not looking up.
Sirius frowned as well, gripping Regulus’s hands comfortingly. “How so?” he wondered. “Well, when my mother was pregnant with Cissa…my father had her chew milk flowers, day and night!” Regulus explained, looking back up at Sirius again. Sirius nodded, listening intently as he followed along. “But that made Cissa come too soon, with her little legs all tangled…and my mother never woke up…none of which ever would have happened if not for me!” Regulus added, sniffling heartbrokenly. “What?! No No-that was the milk flower’s fault! Not yours!” Sirius corrected, shifting onto his knees. He placed his hands on Regulus' face, lifting his head higher and smiling at him. “That may be your secret, Reggie…but that doesn't make it true…” Sirius comforted, making Regulus smile.
Through the balcony doors, the sun began to shine. Cracking their rays into the dimly lit bedroom. “Oh! Look, it's tomorrow!” Sirius cheered, leaping from his bed once more. He clasped his hands together softly, turning to face Regulus slowly. “You know…Reggie…now that we’re friends-I’m going to make you my new project!” Sirius gasped happily. “You-You’re new what?!” Regulus spat out in shock. “Project! I’m going to make you popular! Like me!” Sirius announced, holding open his arms. “Oh, no-no no you really don’t have to do that!” Regulus objected, standing up as well. Sirius huffed in response, placing his hands to his heart sweetly. “I know…but that’s what makes me so nice!” Sirius recounted.
Sirius flipped his hair proudly off his shoulders, making Regulus chuckle. “Ever since I was young, I’ve always had the kind of heart to sense when someone is less fortunate than I! And my mother would always say it made me so sad to see!” Sirius explained. “Oh yeah, I bet” Regulus huffed in reply. “So when someone needs a makeover I just simply have to take over because I know exactly what a person needs!” Sirius cheered, holding out his hands confidently. Regulus just stared tiredly at his overly excited roommate.
“I even know what to do for you, Reggie! Even if you’re my most challenging case yet to date!” Sirius laughed nervously. Regulus rolled his eyes as he turned towards his bed. But Sirius was quick to pull him back, sitting the slightly smaller boy in Sirius’s vanity chair. “Okay-!” Regulus snapped in shock. “Don’t worry Reggie! If you just trust me…oh you’ll be popular in no time!” Sirius squealed, clapping his hands together happily. “I’ll be what?!” Regulus spluttered, his eyes widening as he leaned closer to hear Sirius again.
“Popular! Oh! It fits you perfectly! I’m going to turn your shy, concealing, and self-conscious mind into a confident, sexy, and beautifully wonderful human being!” Sirius cheered, twirling around dramatically. “That doesn’t really sound like me though-!” Regulus worried. Sirius huffed in annoyance, tossing his hands into the air boredly. “Oh Reggie, stop fussing! You’ll love it I promise!” Sirius swore, standing behind Regulus. He placed his hands on Regulus’s shoulders and turned the boy to face the large mirror. “I am determined to help you succeed! And if you follow my lead…oh Reggie, you’ll be popular in no time! AH!” Sirius squealed.
He leaped across the room, smacking the top of one of his many trunks. An arrangement of clothes on the inside bursting out at his sudden touch. Regulus jumped at the sudden onslaught of pink and white shoved into his face. “I’m going to teach you everything you need to know! The proper poise when you talk to the boys, the ways to flirt and flounce-OH! And what shoes to wear!” Sirius cheered, grabbing a pair of sparkling ruby slippers from her wardrobe. Regulus simply groaned as he faced his reflection in Sirius’s vanity yet again. Watching his overly excited roommate rummage about their dorm room.
“I’m definitely going to fix that mop on top of your head!” Sirius huffed, digging through another trunk mindlessly. “Wh-Hey?!” Regulus snapped, turning around once more as he gripped his dark black curls in his hands. Sirius stood up once more, his hair flying back behind him as he pulled another pink dress from his trunk. “Oh hush that’s not what I meant! I just know I can make it better!” Sirius giggled, tossing the shoes and dress onto his bed swiftly. He turned Regulus back to the vanity mirror as he grabbed his glittery hairbrush. “You’ll hang with the right people-be good at sports, know all the slang you’ve got to know! Lucky for you I’m available to start because we’ve got quite a way to go!” Sirius explained, brushing through Regulus’s neat curls. Messing them up and letting them fall downward a bit.
Regulus’s hair wasn’t nearly as long as Sirius’s was, but with the curls brushed downward, they rested around the tips of his ears. “See?! How much better that looks?! Less stuffy and enclosed and more like ‘I’m nice and fun! Come talk to me!’!” Sirius gushed happily. He turned the chair around to face him once more, stepping back to admire Regulus fully. “Right…now this is very important! I am now going to teach you the perfect way to toss your hair!” Sirius muttered dramatically. Regulus rolled his eyes boredly before forcing himself to watch Sirius. “We simply move our heads back and forth-now you can use your hands if you want or you can just-toss toss!” Sirius explained, flicking his hair about once more.
Regulus tried next, his shorter hair just slapping at his face. “Oh uh…almost! Try again-ready?! Just like me, toss toss!” Sirius demonstrated, using his hands that time. Regulus mimicked him almost identically, only his hair flip was less graceful. “Well, you know what? We’ll come back to it!” Sirius mustered, turning Regulus around once more. Sirius then skipped over to Regulus’s bookcase, pulling one of his schoolbooks from it quickly. “Another piece of advice I tend to give is that we must look to our celebrated heads of state-or even the greatest communicators! Did they have brains or knowledge?!” Sirius huffed, flicking through the textbook pages. “Well actually-!” Regulus began, reaching for his book awkwardly. But Sirius snapped the book shut, looking at Regulus intently.
“Don’t make me laugh!” Sirius huffed, smirking playfully at Regulus. He opened the book once more, flicking for an image to show Regulus. “They were simply-!” “Popular?!”. Sirius gasped, slamming the book down aggressively onto the vanity top, making Regulus jump. “RIGHT! They were popular! Please?!” Sirius laughed, tossing the book backward over his head. Regulus winced as his textbook hit the floor harshly. “It’s all about popularity! And with an assist from me to be who you’ll be! Instead of this dreary who you were-well are!” Sirius shrugged, placing his hands on Regulus' shoulders once again. But Regulus finally shrugged Sirius off, standing from the chair quickly. “This is ridiculous-this will not work!” Regulus objected, facing Sirius fully once more.
“What?! Oh, Reggie-no-you mustn't think that way!” Sirius huffed, shaking his head confidently. He forced Regulus back into the vanity chair, turning him back to the vanity mirror. “Your whole life is about to change! And all because of me!” Sirius cheered, hugging Regulus for a quick moment before standing up once more. Sirius then began to dance and twirl excitedly around the room, making Regulus laugh as he sang meaningless words. Sirius even jumped up on his bed, gripping the chandelier above him and spinning himself around. “Wh-Sirius careful?!” Regulus shouted, watching Sirius kick his feet around as he spun in the air. When Sirius finally returned in front of Regulus, he held his brand-new wand in his hands.
“Right! Now I shall turn this hideous frock into a lovely ball gown!” Sirius sighed, standing Regulus up once more. “A what-oh no, I don’t do dresses-!” Regulus objected. “You can’t knock it till you try it!” Sirius sang, waving his wand around happily. Regulus simply sighed, giving up on trying to object to Sirius's manic ideas. “Alrighty…ball gown!” Sirius chanted, flicking his wand at Regulus. They wait for a moment and…nothing. “Hmph-okay, ball gown!” Sirius repeated, whacking the wand a bit harder. Still nothing.
“Wh-Hey?! Not cool!” she grumbled at the glass wand, making Regulus chuckle. “Ball gown!” Sirius shouted again, brandishing the wand even harder. Yet again nothing. “Okay-Okay uhm…uhmmmmmmmmmmhmhmhhhhmmmmhmhmmhmmnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnmmmmmmm…” Sirius hummed, waving the wand around lazily as he bent forward. Regulus could only roll his eyes as Sirius tried to cast a spell that he clearly couldn’t cast. “BALL GOWN!” Sirius screeched once more, pointing his wand at Regulus once more. And yet again, nothing happened. Sirius groaned in frustration, stomping his foot like a little girl. “Do you need my help-?” Regulus offered, reaching for the wand. “NO! Just wear your frock-it’s pretty!” Sirius snapped, tossing the wand onto his bed before returning to his vanity.
Regulus laughed under his breath as he followed his frustrated roommate. “It’s alright Sirius…I can’t pull off what you can anyways!” Regulus shrugged, collapsing into the vanity chair yet again. Sirius turned around again, looking back at Regulus who smiled sweetly back at him. “Oh Reggie of course you can…we just have to start…smaller!” Sirius corrected. Sirius then plucked a small pink flower from the bouquet by his bedside and returned to Regulus. He tilted the smaller boy's head upwards and slid the flower into his hair. Right behind his ear. Sirius gasped, smiling happily at his roommate. Regulus smiled right back, both giggling happily to each other. “Pink goes good with green” Sirius remarked. Regulus rolled his eyes, his smarts overtaking him for a moment. “Goes well with green!” “It so does!”.
Sirius giggled once again as he turned Regulus to face the mirror. Placing their heads together as they both admired Regulus’s reflection. Only Sirius seemed to find it beautiful, however. “Oh Reggie…look at you…you're beautiful…” Sirius whispered, placing a gentle kiss on Regulus’s shoulder. The touch makes Regulus flinch before he stands quickly from the chair. “I-I should go-check on Cissa!” Regulus stumbled, running out of the dormitory. Sirius chased behind him quickly, stopping in the hallway as he watched Regulus run from the room. “Wh-YOU’RE WELCOME!” he called after him. Regulus didn’t reply before vanishing down the steps.
Sirius frowned slightly as he turned back to the dorm door, but before he could enter, caught a glimpse of himself in a trophy case across the hall. “Oh! Hello there, beautiful…wow…” he whispered, admiring his gaze in the glass. Once again before leaving, he glanced in the direction Regulus had fled from, frowning slightly. “And though he protests…I know indefinitely…he’s going to grin and bear it-his newfound popularity! AH!” Sirius squealed, twirling about the hallway happily. Jumping on the benches and leaping around the small corridor before twirling back into his dorm room happily.
The following afternoon, the Shiz corridor
Regulus walked across a small bridge on his way to class, the students passing by him waving and smiling at him. Regulus waved and smiled back but couldn’t help finding it all a bit strange. Never once in his life had he received such admiration and acknowledgment from his peers. Either they straight up ignored him or mocked him as he shuffled past. As he continued on his path to class, more students called out to him. Greeting him and smiling friendly at him. Regulus didn’t know if he’d be able to adjust to this newfound ‘popularity’. Maybe Sirius was right in trying to teach him how to handle it all.
Once Regulus noticed all fellow students disperse from his view, he ducked himself into an alcove behind some pillars. He took a deep breath, resting his books against his chest tiredly. This was going to be a whole lot harder to follow along than he thought. He scanned the corridors once more, biting his lip self-consciously as he searched for any strangling students. When they had all gone, Regulus chuckled dryly to himself. He then started pretending to flip his hair like Sirius does. Giggling and mocking him as he did so, flipping his hair back and forth sloppily.
“You’ve been Sirius-ified!” someone suddenly called out. Regulus let out a short shriek at the sudden voice, whipping around anxiously. “Woah! Relax, jumpy! Just me!” James added, holding his hands up defensively. Regulus huffed, rolling his eyes as he stiffened up once more. James walked over to him, chuckling fondly as he tousled his already messy hair. “Has Remus run off with my roommate leaving you with nobody else to bother?” Regulus teased, smirking up at James. James hummed, shrugging slightly as he leaned against the pillar Regulus was pressed against. “Guess I just wanted to see you…check up on you after last night? Dealing with your energetic roomie!” James admitted.
Regulus laughed, tucking back his slightly longer curls behind his ear. “It was a long conversation indeed! But I ended up bunking with my sister…” Regulus explained. James sighed, nodding softly in reply. The two boys stared at each other for a long moment…just standing there in front of each other in silence. Regulus couldn’t stop his eyes from wandering all over James’s face, his slight freckles and bright hazel eyes. The dimples and smile lines around his lips. Soft, full, rosy lips…
“Shall we go to class?” James suddenly asked, standing straight once more. Regulus’s eyes snapped back into reality, his eyelashes fluttering slightly. “Oh-Oh uh, yeah-yeah! Let’s go!” Regulus stammered, taking off first. James blushed and smirked confidently to himself as he followed.
Over the next few weeks, the four teens grew closer. Sirius and Remus began dating officially, spending every waking moment attached at the hip. James and Regulus trailed behind them lazily as the two love birds ran ahead. Sirius was bubblier and more charismatic than ever before. Leaping and skipping and twirling around everywhere he went. Journaling his daydreams and tooth-achingly sweet remarks about Remus in his diary every night.
Regulus loved seeing his roommate happy, finally feeling anything but hatred towards him. The two began sitting at lunch together, not with a crowd of Sirius’s followers, but just them. Sometimes the other two boys would join, but the two loved having time to talk. And they talked a lot. About school, home, and their childhoods. Their dreams for the future and their regrets from the past. They’d talk during lunch, during passing periods, before bed, before breakfast, and even pass notes during class.
After school, the four began to spend time in the woods behind campus. Where the trees grew tall, and the grass was warm in the afternoon sun. Where James and Regulus had first met. They’d run out there before the gates closed for the night, attempting to not get caught. Although Sirius and his heels got them close to detentions a couple of times. Out in the fields, they’d talk, laugh, or study. Regulus would help James with homework or Sirius with his magic training. Remus and James would wrestle or try to show off on each other by using large rocks as weights or using tree branches to do pull-ups.
Of course, Sirius would melt into Remus’s muscular gaze…but Regulus…well he didn’t know what he would do. He’d pretend to be bothered by the boys, rolling his eyes as he tries to fixate on his work…but he always finds himself looking back up at James. His golden tan skin and his perfect muscles. The way the sun caught in his eyes and glasses, made him glow. His laugh was infectious, roping all four of them into hysterics more often than not. It kept Regulus up at night, James. What he was feeling about James, what James was making him feel. Not once has anyone alone some schoolboy, made Regulus so flustered and confused before. Most boys brush right past him…but not James.
And Regulus could not figure out why…