Chapter 3
Hitting the snooze button turns out to be a bad idea. Regulus realizes this when he’s woken up by a knock that sounds more like someone banging on the door. He rubs his face and glances at his phone, realizing it’s already twenty minutes past the time his first alarm was set. In a hurry, he throws on the t-shirt he finds on the floor and rushes to the door. Of course, it’s James on the other side, all set for the trip, with a suitcase next to him. The guy smiles at him, but it quickly fades when he sees Regulus’ state.
It’s not his fault he overslept. He couldn’t fall asleep last night because he was stressed about the flight, the upcoming meeting with his whole family, and the friends he’s still at odds with. Plus, there’s this whole fake relationship thing hanging over him, knowing they have to be really convincing for some people. They already have pictures, a whole timeline of their relationship, dates they’ve been on, favorite spots. James even insisted on picking a song they’d call ‘their song.’ And yet, he fears it all looks too perfect, and they won’t be able to pretend they have real feelings.
Regulus opens the door wider, letting James in. He tries to shake off the rush and the chaos swirling in his head. A few days ago, all this seemed kind of funny to him, but now, the weight of their plan feels like it’s settling on his shoulders. It’s like the most difficult role he’s ever had to take on.
James studies him carefully, and there’s something in his eyes that Regulus can’t quite place. Maybe concern?
“You look bad,” James comments, and Regulus wants to shoot back with some sarcastic remark. “You sure you’re okay?” he asks, placing his hands on Regulus’ shoulders and inspecting him, as if trying to make sure he’s really ready. Regulus swallows, and a thought flashes through his mind that this question might be about more than just the trip.
“I’m fine,” he says, but his voice sounds weaker than he intended. “It’s just… I’ve been thinking about it a lot, you know?” James smiles gently, then unexpectedly squeezes his arm.
“I’ll be with you the whole time. We’ve got this, Reg. It’s just two weeks. We just need to stick to the plan.” The tension in Regulus’ chest slowly eases, and he finally returns the smile.
“Wait for me in the living room?” James nods, and Regulus heads to the bathroom to get ready.
Thankfully, he had the foresight to pick out his clothes the night before. He swaps his pajama pants for black sweatpants and changes his worn-out t-shirt for a green hoodie. He quickly splashes water on his face, not wanting James to wait too long. Time is already against them; they should have been on their way to the airport by now.
When he returns to the living room, James is standing by the window, watching the sunrise over the rooftops. Upon hearing Regulus’ steps, he turns around and gives him a brief glance.
“Ready?” he asks, though he knows the answer is more complicated than just a simple “yes” or “no.”
Regulus nods, and the tension from earlier transforms into something oddly soothing. The realization that he won’t be alone, that James will be there for him through these two difficult weeks, gives him strength. He never would have thought it would be like this, but facing his friends seems so tough that even having James by his side feels calming.
“Yeah, let’s go,” he says finally, and they grab their bags, heading for the door.
On the way to the airport, Regulus listens to James talking with the taxi driver. He’s surprised at how easily James engages in conversations with complete strangers, and he feels a little jealous of it. Regulus mostly stays quiet, though sometimes, encouraged by James, he offers his opinion. Every now and then, James shoots him a reassuring look, as if to remind him that he’s on his side. Finally, they arrive, and the hustle and bustle of the crowd pulls them out of their peaceful bubble.
“We’ve got this,” James whispers before they head for security. Regulus takes a deep breath, trying to pull himself together for the challenge ahead, and forces a pale smile, grateful that James is right there. What he doesn’t expect is that beyond the security gates, Syrius Black will be waiting for them.
Both his and Remus’s expressions reveal surprise. Of course, Regulus had told his brother that he wouldn’t be arriving alone at the wedding, but he had firmly refused to say with whom. That was pure torture for Sirius, who always needs to know everything, so he tried to guess, but even when questioning Regulus’ Instagram followers, he never mentioned his best friend.
Regulus glances at James out of the corner of his eye. While Regulus is stressed about pretending to be in a relationship in front of everyone except Sirius, James is only terrified of his best friend. James gives one of those slightly awkward smiles of his and simply waves at the men sitting on a bench.
Remus is the first to snap out of it and nods at them, awkward but visibly relieved to finally know who Regulus’ mysterious companion is. They approach, and Sirius, clearly surprised, shifts his gaze from Regulus to James, trying to piece together the missing pieces of the puzzle.
“Seriously, Reg?” Sirius says, raising an eyebrow in his typical style. “You kept me in suspense this long just to bring… Prongs?” James tries to play it cool, but the twitch at the corner of his mouth betrays his nervousness.
“Good to see you, Padfoot. Something tells me you’re going to spend the whole weekend grilling me for details,” James says, with a touch of amusement but also a hint of fear, knowing how persistent Sirius can be. Sirius smiles smugly, but underneath, there’s something warmer.
“You’re gonna get the whole lecture. I promise you, I know how to commit a murder and make it look like an accident,” Sirius says seriously, and it’s hard to tell whether he’s joking or not. “But you know what? I’m glad it’s you,” his voice softens unexpectedly.
Meanwhile, Regulus sighs quietly, wondering what this weekend will be like with his brother closely monitoring their every move. If that wasn’t enough, he feels a slight knot in his stomach because Sirius actually likes the idea of James dating his brother. James gently squeezes his hand, and Regulus realizes they’ve just begun the act.
“Well, boys, shall we go?” Remus interrupts. “I think we have a plane to catch.”
“Let’s go,” Regulus replies, shooting James a look full of gratitude, though his smile is still a little forced.
xxx
On the plane, they have a brief moment of peace from pretending, since Remus and Sirius are sitting several rows behind them. Regulus puts on his headphones and closes his eyes to catch up on some sleep from the early wake-up, but when the stewardess starts her usual pre-flight announcements, he feels James, sitting next to him, begin to squirm. Regulus opens his eyes, removes the headphones, and for a moment watches James, who clearly feels uncomfortable. His hand is tightly gripping the armrest, and his eyes nervously dart around the cabin, as if looking for some escape route.
“Potter, everything okay?” Regulus whispers, trying not to sound too amused, though seeing the frightened James is something new and unexpected. The other boy inhales deeply, trying to put on a more composed expression, but his trembling voice gives him away.
“I’m not… a fan of flying,” he mutters, as though admitting it physically pains him. “Everything’s shaking, and that stewardess just talked about emergencies.” Regulus thinks for a moment, then almost instinctively places his hand over James’s, still firmly gripping the armrest.
“You know what? Since we’re pretending, let’s at least make it a bit helpful for you,” he murmurs, giving him a gentle smile. James glances at their intertwined hands and then at Regulus. He seems to relax a little.
“Thanks, Reg,” he says quietly, barely audible, but there’s sincerity in his voice. Regulus turns back and closes his eyes again, his hand still resting on James’s.
He falls asleep during takeoff, so he doesn’t even notice that he’s been holding James’s hand the entire flight. He’s woken by a woman’s voice asking passengers to fasten their seatbelts as they’re about to land. He awkwardly separates their fingers, and James realizes at that moment that his companion has just woken up.
“You could’ve let go of my hand and pushed it off,” Regulus informs him, and James shrugs.
“I didn’t want to wake you. You should’ve slept before we get there,” he replies with a sincere smile. There’s something caring about it that surprises Regulus because, truthfully, James isn’t even his friend. Sure, that could change, but for now, the only thing connecting them is Sirius and the arrangement of pretending to be a couple. He hadn’t planned on getting closer to Potter, at least not right now. Regulus looks at James briefly, then turns his gaze away, pretending it doesn’t matter.
“Thanks,” he mutters curtly, adjusting his clothes and glancing at the city view through the window. When the plane touches down, both of them slowly gather their things. Regulus straightens up and tries to hide his own embarrassment.
At the airport, they meet up with Sirius and Remus. The atmosphere is still a bit awkward, and Regulus frequently feels his older brother’s gaze on him. Remus seems to react to everything in the most normal way, and Reg truly appreciates that. Lupin makes the whole situation feel less strange.
When they leave the airport and head toward the rental car, Sirius can’t resist asking more questions.
“So… James?” he begins, throwing them a meaningful look as they load their suitcases into the trunk. “How did it happen that you’re taking my best friend to our cousin’s wedding?” Regulus rolls his eyes as he shuts the trunk.
“Do we really have to discuss this here?” he responds evasively, trying to stay composed. Remus gives Sirius a warning glance, trying to manage his curiosity.
“Give them a moment, Sirius. Besides, we won’t have any other topic for the whole weekend,” Lupin jokes. James, who has been trying to stay out of the conversation between the brothers, smiles nervously.
“We just figured this might be a good opportunity to… you know, officially show up as a couple,” he says, trying to sound casual. Sirius raises an eyebrow, clearly trying to figure out if there’s more to it, but eventually sighs and throws his hands up in defeat.
“Alright, alright. Just the last thing I’d expect,” he announces with a smile before getting into the car.
Once they’re inside and Remus is driving, the atmosphere starts to relax a bit. Sirius falls into his typical joking tone, telling stories about eccentric relatives they’ll have to endure for the next little while, how excited he is to see his uncle, and how their cousin has always been a perfectionist, so the ceremony will probably be beautiful.
“It’ll be perfect, or not at all,” Sirius says, waving his hand.
Regulus feels that they’re in for a tough weekend full of pretending and avoiding, but looking at Remus, who’s chatting with Sirius, he can’t help but think maybe they’ll make it through. After all, his older brother’s reaction could have been the most tumultuous, and to his surprise, Sirius is actually handling it pretty well. He honestly feels for James, though, since he’ll likely be interrogated.
They reach the small castle after three hours of listening to Sirius’s chatter and Remus throwing insults at all the drivers. Regulus is immediately struck by a wave of memories tied to the place. He really loved going to Italy in the summer and spending whole days playing with his brother and cousins under the watchful eye of uncle Alphard. The place has changed a bit since then, with many more colorful flowers, a hotel sign on the building, and part of the garden turned into a parking lot, but it doesn’t diminish Regulus’s fondness for it. He sees that his brother is also looking nostalgically at the main building, and when they get out of the car, he falls silent for a moment, his usually amused expression softening.
“Not much has changed, huh?” Regulus mutters finally, more to himself than anyone else. Sirius gives him a quick glance, as if wanting to share the sentiment, but then his gaze shifts to the entrance, where someone from the family seems to have spotted them. Several figures appear in the doorway, and Reg recognizes one of them as aunt Vinda Rosier, still energetic and elegant despite the years. She approaches them with a wide smile, arms open for a hug. Regulus likes Vinda the most of all his uncles and aunts because she always says what she thinks, is brutally honest, and loves scandals.
“Sirius, Regulus! My favorite boys!” she exclaims, hugging them warmly. Then her gaze falls on James and Remus, and her eyes light up with curiosity. “And you must be Remus and…” James extends his hand, slightly flustered, but smiles politely.
“James Potter, nice to meet you. Thank you for the invitation.” Vinda looks at him thoughtfully.
“Ah, James? Young Potter! I’ve heard about you,” she says. Her gaze shifts to Regulus, and with a smile, she adds, “I’m sure everyone will be delighted to see you came with… someone special, Regulus,” but instead of pressing, she winks at him. Regulus tries to stay calm, but he feels a light blush creep onto his face. Seeing this, Sirius can’t help but chuckle softly.
“Come on, come on, I’ll show you the rooms,” the woman says, leading them toward the main building. “Reg, you’ve got to tell me about Lily Evans. Pandora is as secretive as ever,” she starts complaining about her granddaughter, and Black laughs because, of course, that’s the kind of behavior he’d expect from her.
Walking next to the woman, Regulus feels James’s gaze on him and can’t help but think this weekend will be full of similar situations, with hidden hints and meaningful looks, since James is someone new to them, while Remus is already known to most of the family.
Vinda leads them into the castle, where the corridor is already decorated. Every now and then, they bump into someone from the staff or distant relatives. Sirius’s eyes sparkle, clearly excited to be the center of attention again. Remus follows him with a patient smile, while Regulus tries to keep a neutral expression, knowing that every movement of his will be closely observed. James walks beside him, seeming more confident than Regulus would have expected.
“These might turn out to be more interesting two weeks than I thought,” he leans toward Regulus and whispers softly. The younger boy glances at him quickly, almost amused.
“Hang in there, Potter. It’s just getting started.”
“Can you believe old Marius proposed? Who would’ve thought something like that at sixty! I’ve gotten rid of all my four husbands, and I know something about that. But whatever, he doesn’t listen to me! At his age, his mind has gone funny,” she continues telling stories about her friend. Actually, this duo started the friendship between Regulus’s family and the twins’ family.
“Aunt, let’s not gossip,” Sirius responds jokingly.
Vinda, continuing her tale about Marius, sighs theatrically, then gives Regulus a meaningful look.
“And you, young ones, aren’t planning to wait until you’re sixty to start dealing with love affairs, are you?” she adds with a slight smile, pointing at Regulus and James. “Not that I’m pushing you… but I want to see all your weddings,” James bursts out laughing, choking on the air.
“We… don’t like to rush,” Regulus replies evasively, trying to sound natural, though he feels the gaze of both James and Sirius on him. Vinda sighs, feigning resignation.
“So much wisdom. You’re more sensible than I was at your age. But maybe that’s a good thing. You won’t have to deal with rumors about poisoning husbands later,” she says, then suddenly changes the subject. “There will be a dinner for all the guests in the garden tonight. You should rest a bit in the meantime,” she hands them two keys and walks away.
Regulus opens one door, and hands the other key to Remus. Behind the door, he can finally breathe and not pretend for a moment. James gives him a smile, and Regulus admires how well he’s handling all of this. The atmosphere in the room is calm, though still oddly tense.
James turns to him with a slight smile, as if sensing that Regulus isn’t entirely sure what to do with himself.
“Are you okay?” he asks, sitting on the edge of the bed, but his voice carries no urgency, only quiet understanding. Everything seems so easy for him. Regulus sighs and approaches the window.
“Yeah, it’s just…” he starts, then stops. He pulls back the curtain and looks out the window. “Do you think they’ll believe us?” he finally asks, without looking away. James stands up and walks over to him, standing beside him.
“We’ll manage. Just remember, if anything goes wrong, I’m here for you first and foremost,” he adds after a moment of silence, offering him a faint smile. “We’ve got two weeks, then we go back to normal.” Regulus glances at him again, seeing that James is just there, by his side, ready to face the next two weeks as if it were just another challenge. Regulus turns his gaze back to the view outside. Thoughts swirl in his mind, but suddenly, the whole situation feels more bearable.
“Thanks for being… here.”
James doesn’t respond immediately, only smiles softly and sits on the bed as if it were the most natural thing in the world. When silence falls, Regulus allows himself a moment of forgetfulness. Maybe everything isn’t clear yet, but for now, he doesn’t have to pretend.
xxx
Regulus is panicking. He knew that meeting Evan and Barty would be stressful for him, but he didn’t expect it to be this bad. He thought he would walk in and face them with his head held high, showing them that none of it affected him, but that’s not the case. No matter what happened a few days ago, and despite feeling betrayed by them, they are still his best friends.
He sits on the edge of the bed, staring at a stain on the carpet, trying to calm his thoughts. Despite the momentary sense of relief he felt when he closed the door behind him, everything is starting to come back. The tightness in his stomach grows, and his thoughts begin to swirl in his head like a storm.
He rests his head in his hands, feeling the air in the room grow heavy. Instead of feeling better, his body begins to react to the upcoming meeting with anxiety, which quickly turns into something more intense. His heart starts to race, as if it wants to leap out of his chest, and his palms are sweaty.
He realizes he feels like he’s standing in front of Evan and Barty again, with the same feeling of being deceived. It was hard, harder than he anticipated. He thought he would show them that it didn’t bother him, but now… now everything that happened a few days ago overwhelms him.
He pulls his knees to his chest, holding them with his arms, trying to control what’s happening inside him. Every breath feels harder to catch. Suddenly, he feels like the room is shrinking, and the world around him is becoming less real. He needed… he needed help.
James comes out of the bathroom and immediately notices, without waiting for further signs, he approaches him.
“Reg?” he says quietly, placing his hand on his shoulder. “Hey, are you okay?”
Regulus can’t respond. He feels trapped, unable to catch his breath, and his heart is pounding so hard that it feels like it’s going to explode. His fingers start to tremble, and his whole body is tense. James doesn’t waste any time and immediately starts to act.
“Wait, we’ll help you,” he says, quickly heading for the phone on the nightstand. “Hello, could I please have a jug of water brought to room 72?”
Regulus has no idea what’s going on. He feels like the panic attack has completely consumed him. It seems like there’s no way out, like nothing will help him. He only sees James’ face, sitting in front of him, telling him to breathe. A few moments later, the maid enters the room with a glass of water.
“Oh my god!” the young girl rushes over to them in panic, almost spilling the water as she pours it into the glass.
“Take this, Reg,” James looks at him with such calmness that Regulus finally lifts his hand and takes the water from him.
After a few sips, he feels the tension in his body slowly begin to subside. James stays next to him, not pushing, just sitting quietly. Regulus breathes deeply, then leans back against the headboard, not looking at anything, just at his hands, which are still slightly trembling.
“I knew that meeting with them would be hard,” he finally admits, his voice shaking. “But I didn’t think it would affect me this much. They were my best friends, James. And now I feel like I don’t know what to do… how to deal with it.”
James stays silent for a moment, but then simply nods.
“It’s normal to feel the way you do. You’ll get through this, Regulus, and you don’t have to do it alone,” his voice is soft but firm.
“I feel bad interrupting… but do you need anything else?” the girl suddenly interrupts. Regulus jumps, not expecting her to still be here. “Damn, that sounded really rude. I’m asking because it seemed serious. I’ve only been working here for a month, and I’m not sure how to act. You won’t tell anyone I acted incompetently, right? I just want to earn money for a trip to Greece,” Regulus furrows his brow and looks at her. The whole situation is a bit absurd, but the girl somehow lightens the mood in the room. She smiles slightly, trying to calm the blonde girl, as she seems a little embarrassed herself.
“No, no, we definitely won’t report anything…” Regulus suddenly realizes he doesn’t know her name.
“Marlene. Marlene McKinnon,” she answers, understanding what the boy means.
“So, Greece, huh?” James, who had been silent before, now speaks, trying to ease the tension. It works quickly, as the girl seems to be around their age. Marlene looks at them with a slight smile, as if feeling relief.
“Well, I should go now. I get called to the office at least twice a day, and I don’t want to get in trouble with the boss,” she gestures to the door and backs away, tripping over a suitcase on the way. “You know, Greece and all that…” Regulus chuckles quietly, watching Marlene. She’s definitely not your typical maid. She’s different, a little… informal. The girl grins widely before leaving the room, leaving behind a light atmosphere.
“She’s incredible,” he comments to James, who is still shaking his head in amusement.