A new stage
Regulus sat by his bedroom window, watching the city lights blur and flicker in the distance. He couldn’t stop thinking about last night. He’d gone to Sirius’s concert expecting to be mildly entertained at best—and at worst, annoyed by the loud music. Yet here he was, feeling something strange, something… electric. His mind kept drifting back to James, to the way he’d looked on stage, the confidence in his movements as he played, the way he leaned into the mic, speaking to the crowd like he’d known them all his life.
It had been so natural, so unlike how Regulus felt most of the time. Something in him had shifted that night, like he’d been caught in a new rhythm he couldn’t quite shake. He leaned back, closing his eyes, half-wondering if the memory would fade if he gave it time. But when he did, all he could see was James—the way he’d smiled, that easy grin lighting up his face.
Regulus huffed and shook his head, trying to brush it off. This was ridiculous. He barely knew James; he’d only caught a few glimpses from the crowd. Yet something about the way James held the room, the easy way he joked with the band, felt magnetic. Maybe he just admired the confidence, the way James seemed at ease with himself in a way Regulus hadn’t felt in ages. He told himself that was all it was.
The next morning, Regulus found himself in the dining room, his brother across from him, still half-asleep and lazily picking at his toast.
“So,” Sirius said, eyes glinting as he looked up. “Didn’t think I’d see you at a concert of mine. What happened—get lost and wander in?”
Regulus scoffed, rolling his eyes. “You invited me, remember?”
“Did I? Guess I thought you’d turn it down.” Sirius raised an eyebrow, looking amused.
Regulus shrugged, picking at his breakfast, trying to look uninterested. “Well, it was… something. Loud. Flashy. Not my type.”
Sirius snickered. “Yeah, doesn’t seem like your vibe. I’m surprised you didn’t bring earplugs.” He grinned, taking another bite of his toast. “You’re more into the indie stuff, aren’t you? The gloomy, quiet music.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Regulus gave him a pointed look.
“Just not sure you’re ready for something a bit… grittier.” Sirius’s grin widened. “I saw you at the front, though. You didn’t leave, which is saying something.”
“I stayed to be polite,” Regulus said with a shrug, but his brother’s grin told him he wasn’t buying it. He hesitated, then said as casually as he could manage, “Your bassist, though… Potter, right?”
“James?” Sirius said, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah, he’s decent. A good guy. Why do you ask?”
“No reason.” Regulus felt his cheeks grow warm but forced himself to stay cool, indifferent. “He’s just… an interesting performer.”
“Interesting, huh?” Sirius’s grin turned teasing. “Wouldn’t say I expected you to notice him of all people. He’s a bit… bright, isn’t he? For your taste, I mean.”
“Not everything has to be about ‘taste.’ I was just making an observation.”
Sirius raised his hands in surrender, but he looked pleased. “Right, well, James is good. Knows his stuff. We all sort of fell into our roles, you know? I think he just likes performing.”
Regulus found himself nodding along, but his mind was somewhere else. The memory of James on stage was still clear—too clear. He wanted to shake it off, convince himself it didn’t mean anything, but he knew he’d need a bit more than that. He needed to know more about James.
A few days later, Regulus found himself in a small coffee shop on the edge of town. He’d been wandering, trying to clear his head, and the place had drawn him in with its quiet atmosphere. He ordered a drink and was heading to a corner when he saw a familiar face.
James was sitting near the window, a notebook open in front of him, his attention completely absorbed in whatever he was writing. He looked different here, out of the loud concert lights, wearing a soft sweater and jeans, his hair slightly disheveled as he tapped his pen thoughtfully. Regulus felt a strange, uncomfortable flutter in his chest.
Before he could think twice, he cleared his throat. “Potter?”
James looked up, blinking in surprise, then broke into a smile. “Regulus, right? Didn’t expect to see you here.”
Regulus nodded, feeling slightly out of place but forcing himself to stay. “I, uh… didn’t expect to see you either. You’re not… working, are you?”
James laughed. “Nah, just writing. Some lyrics, maybe, if anything decent comes out of it.” He gestured to the seat across from him. “Want to sit?”
Regulus hesitated, then sat down. “I didn’t know you wrote lyrics.”
James shrugged. “Sometimes. Most of them end up in the trash, but it’s fun.” He studied Regulus, looking genuinely interested. “So, you came to the concert the other night. What did you think?”
Regulus shifted, feeling self-conscious. “It was… loud. Different than what I usually listen to.”
James chuckled. “I figured. Sirius mentioned you’re more into the mellow stuff.”
“Not all of it’s mellow,” Regulus said, a bit defensively. “Just… different.”
“Fair enough.” James grinned, tapping his pen thoughtfully. “I guess it’s not for everyone. But I’m glad you came, even if it wasn’t your scene.”
Regulus shrugged, but he couldn’t help feeling a bit pleased. “Maybe I was curious.”
James raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Curious, huh? Well, if you ever feel like giving it another chance, we’re playing again next week.”
Regulus’s heart skipped a beat, but he kept his expression neutral. “Maybe.”
After that encounter, Regulus couldn’t stop thinking about James. He’d told himself it was just a passing interest, something that would fade if he ignored it. But the memory of James’s smile, his easy laughter, stuck with him.
Days passed, and Regulus found himself drifting through them, distracted. He wasn’t used to feeling like this—off-balance, uncertain. He’d spent years building up walls, keeping his life controlled and predictable. But something about James was unraveling all of that.
Finally, unable to resist, he decided he’d go to the next concert. He told himself it was just curiosity, that he was just interested in seeing how the band performed again. But deep down, he knew there was more to it than that.
The night of the concert, he stood near the back, watching as the crowd filled in around him. He kept telling himself he could leave at any time, that he didn’t have to stay. But when the lights dimmed and the band stepped on stage, he found himself rooted to the spot.
James looked even more magnetic this time, his presence filling the room as he played. Regulus couldn’t take his eyes off him, captivated by the way he moved, the confidence that seemed so natural. For a moment, he felt like the rest of the world had fallen away, leaving only him and James.
After the show, he stayed back, waiting until the crowd had mostly cleared out. Part of him wanted to leave, to avoid the possibility of Sirius teasing him again, but he couldn’t resist. He wanted to talk to James.
He found him backstage, chatting with Marlene and Remus. They looked up as he approached, and Sirius immediately grinned.
“Well, well. Back again?” Sirius said, smirking. “Didn’t expect to see you here twice.”
Regulus ignored him, focusing on James, who looked pleasantly surprised. “I… thought I’d give it another chance.”
James chuckled. “Glad to hear it. What did you think?”
Regulus shrugged, but there was a spark in his eyes. “It was… intense. Still not my usual, but… I’m starting to see the appeal.”
Marlene laughed. “You’ve got taste, Black. Just needed to loosen up a bit.”
Sirius rolled his eyes, but there was a warmth in his gaze as he looked at Regulus. “Glad you’re getting to know my friends. They’re good people.”
Regulus glanced at James, feeling his pulse quicken. He hesitated a moment, then said, “You know… I actually have a show with my band in a couple of weeks. You lot should come—if you can handle something a little quieter.”
James’s eyes lit up. “We’d love to. Right, everyone?”
Remus and Marlene nodded, exchanging excited looks, and Sirius threw an arm around his brother’s shoulder, beaming. “Look at you, Reg. Letting us into your world. We wouldn’t miss it.”
As they talked, Regulus felt something warm settle in his chest—a strange comfort he wasn’t used to. Maybe, he thought, this was just the beginning.