Do you remember…
The next morning dawned bright and clear. Regulus had been awake for most of the night trying to plot what to do next. And avoid the nightmares which had come back in force. A knock on the door pulled him out of his musings.
“Come in.” He said, looking up from the notebook in his lap.
“Morning. Brought coffee.” Said Pandora as she handed him a mug. “Sleep?”
“Not really. You?”
“I think so. Kept finding myself on a sandy beach basking in the warmth of a Mediterranean sun which was lovely.”
“Planning a holiday?”
“Don’t think so. But it may be where we need to go at some point.” Pandora paused “Which one kept you awake?”
“Nothing specific. More a jumble of what I saw in Voldemort's head and reliving my childhood. Both extremely unpleasant.”
“We’re supposed to be heading up to the house later today. Apparently there’s a Halloween party happening. We can miss it if you like.”
Regulus gave Pandora a grateful smile. “Thank you. But you really want to go so we will.”
Impulsively Pandora threw herself onto Regulus and hugged him. Regulus let out a snort of laughter as coffee went everywhere, and hugged her back. “Watch the coffee Pan. It’s my life’s blood after all.”
Pandora sat back, waved a hand and cleaned up the mess. They sat in companionable silence for several minutes as Regulus finished his drink.
“What are you working on?” Pandora asked when the mug made its way over to the small table by the window.
“A list of things I need to do before the Order throws me in Azkaban.”
Pandora frowned at the detached note in Regulus’s voice. She hadn’t heard him like this since before France, even when he had talked about his mother selecting him a wife. She tilted her head and held his stare. “Extrapolate.” She said.
“Death. Destruction. Murder. Mayhem. You know. The usual.”
“You’re not going to tell me are you?”
“I need to find and kill the person who continually betrayed Sirius. From there I can move on to the list I’ve had since I was eleven.”
“You’re not going to tell me are you?” Pandora said, hurt coming into her voice.
Regulus reached out and squeezed her hand. “sorry Pan. I can’t. I’m being selfish, I know, but I need you to be safe. To be free. To write your books for Willow to read.” Regulus said.
With a start Pandora sat up straight. “Regulus. You’re a genius.”
“Yes. We know that already.”
“Willow reads my books. That means that even though they’ve never heard of the wizarding world they’re still in our universe.” Pandora said excitedly.
“Which means?”
“Which means getting them home again just got that much easier..” Pandora bounced on the bed for a few minutes. Regulus laughed. “You remember the summer in France?” Pandora asked when she settled down again.
“Certainly. Being a muggle turned out to be far harder than I thought it would be.” Regulus said.
“Well. I was studying muggle witchcraft which is what I believe Willow and Tara use. They have more than enough talent to be witches like us but s completely different training, self taught and books, so I think we need to find a path which incorporates both types.”
“What about the magic that brought them here?” Regulus added, having reached a similar conclusion several hours ago.
“Tara said something about a demon. Yig seemed to know who Willow is and claimed she followed him. And she said she heard sibilant voices in her house.” Pandora mused aloud. “Which means if we can reverse what we know about Yig, Nagini and the spell Willow was casting we'll have a fantastic starting point.” Pandora smiled, her dark skin and eyes filling the room with sunshine and the scents of summer.
She was on a mission. Head brimming with ideas, Pandora clambered off the bed, kissed Regulus on the cheek and headed for the door.
“Party starts at 7. Meet you here at 6.” She said and left without waiting for an answer.
Regulus sank back into the pillows. Pandora with a mystery to solve was a happy but absent Pandora. But what was he going to do with himself for the next eight hours. He hadn’t bothered bringing much as he’d expected two maybe three days of fruitless searching, a battle or two if they got lucky and found whatever it was Pandora had seen, then home again to smile at whoever was to be his bride. He shuddered at the thought. Maybe boredom in a touristy seaside town and one of his brother's parties was indeed the lesser of two evils.
—
James was oscillating between brain-numbing boredom and excessive excitement. It has been driving Lily mad so she’s banished him outside.
“Go for a run James.” she said exasperated “And don’t come back until you’re ready to be useful.”
Several hours later, he had run through every street he could find, along a variety of walking tracks, and was now at the edge of the woods looking at the old fort.
“Is there any particular reason why you’re perched in a tree like a dysfunctional squirrel?” A voice asked
“Fuck!” James replied as he landed with a thump at the base of said tree.
“Interesting choice of partner. Surely you could have found something a little more comfortable.”
James bristled. “Who are you? Where are you?” He said sharply.
“Behind you.”
Regulus watched as James whirled around.
“Over here.”
James whirled again.
“Did you look up?”
James whipped his head up and cracked it on a low hanging branch. Regulus bit down on his cheek to stop himself from laughing.
“Or maybe down”
“Fuck you. Show yourself.” James was properly annoyed now. His knees and head were both sore, and the voice irrationally familiar.
“Only in your dreams.” Regulus said, infusing his voice with as much seductive imagery as he could.
“Ohhhh …. Grrrr… “ James collapsed to the ground, his mind a whirl of dark hair, pale skin, and long elegant fingers. “Seriously. This is not fair. Who are you? Where are you? Is this Nagini playing mind tricks again?”
Regulus let a soft laugh flitter through the trees as he approached James from behind, and stepped into the shadow of the tree. “Not Nagini Sweeting. Woodland sprites call these trees home.” Giving into the urge, Regulus brushed his hand across the back of James’s neck and silently walked away.
James felt the lightest touch and it sent a shiver of fear mixed with delight down his spine. “Woodland Sprite?” he whispered “Are you still there? here? with me?” No answer. James wasn’t surprised. He grinned ruefully. Disappointed. But not surprised. Sprites came and went as they pleased and were well known for messing with mere mortals. He sat for a while leaning against the tree. The woods were peaceful. The old fort, still sat squat and disregarded at the edge of the cliff. A lonely forgotten relic of its muggle past, which had hidden a millennia old portal to another realm where gods lived and fought for dominance over a human world. James sighed. That was going to be an interesting tale to tell when Dumbledore sought them out.
Laughing James stood and brushed himself down.
Sprites and headmasters could wait awhile. He had a party to prepare. Okay, the others were preparing, but he still needed to go get the final supplies and surprises if tonight was to off with a proper marauder bang.
—-
Regulus was pacing his room when Pandora entered. He had returned from his encounter with James a mess of emotions. He’d tried writing to sort out his feelings then burnt all the pages annoyed with how trite the words had sounded when he’d read them. ‘Why was the man-child so infuriating?’ He thought angrily. How could someone be so so so …. Regulus swallowed a scream of frustration.
“You okay?” Pandora asked from the doorway.
“No.” Regulus replied, instantly regretting it when he saw Pandora’s concern. “Don’t worry Pan. I will be.”
“New nightmares?”
Regulus barked out a laugh. “Of a completely different kind. This is one I’d thought I’d buried years ago.”
“Want to tell me about it?”
Regulus shook his head. “Not yet.” He paused “hmmm …. That could work. Or at least be fun.” He mused aloud.
Pandora raised a brow. Regulus grinned. “I’ve decided to have some fun tonight.” He said, a wicked glint in his eye.
Pandora grinned back. “Oh goody. Will I need to bring bandages?”
“Possibly.” Regulus replied. “Shall we walk or apparate?”
Twenty minutes later, still laughing, Pandora knocked on the front door of the marauders house.
——
James was in his element. The party was going splendidly. Several hours in, Willow, Pandora and Sirius were dancing and laughing as Remus acted as DJ while Lily and Tara were taking a well earned rest, sitting on the coach chatting with Regulus who was perched on an armchair. James had struggled to stop himself from gawping when he saw Regulus standing arm in arm with Pandora at the front door looking like he had just come from a gothic movie set. Black hair framing a pale face, silver eyes glittering in the moonlight. Black shirt open at the throat exposing a flash of pale chest, and tight black jeans. Everything emphasising a shadowy lean and lethal grace. The opposite to Pandora's vivid glowing strength.
Now staring at Regulus, whose face was starting to flush ever so slightly from the drink in his hand, it was taking everything James had not to throw himself on the younger man’s lap. Instead he sauntered over with a bottle of fire whisky.
“Top up anyone?” He asked, waving the bottle.
“Don’t mind if I do.” Tara said, a slight slur creeping into her voice. “What is this stuff?” She asked, taking a sip.
“Fire whisky.” Grinned James pouring a measure into Tara’s glass. “Lily?”
“Dare I ask where you found this?” Lily said, holding out her empty glass.
“Popped home for it this afternoon.” James said “Don’t worry, nobody saw me. Not even Sprites.”
Regulus hid his laugh behind his glass.
“How far away is home?”Tara “And what do Sprites have to do with whiskey?”
Without thinking, James plonked himself down on the ground beside Regulus and waved the bottle up at him.
“Don’t mind if I do.” Regulus said softly ignoring the inner voice who told him not to run his fingers lightly across James’s fingers as he took the bottle.
James felt the touch pulse through him. “Merlin.” He whispered.
“Home?” Tara prompted
“Oh yeah. Don’t really know. I apparate or fly whenever I need to go further than a couple of miles so don’t keep track of distances.” James answered, refocusing on the people in front of him.
“Apparate?”
“Teleport.” Regulus answered, voice steady and without its customary chill.
“That’s cool. Is it something you can learn?”
“If you have enough magical ability and training. But first dancing.” Lily said jumping up as her favourite song began to play.
Tara grinned and followed suit. James leant back against the chair and watched as Sirius spun Lily around causing the others to shriek in protest.
“Any particular reason you’re sitting at my feet?”
James started. How had he forgotten who was in the chair? “It’s where I landed.” He said flirtatiously. ‘Bugger it. What have I got to loose?’ he thought as he felt his comment falling flat only to be greeted by a small light laugh.
“Do you have a thing for falling, or is it landing you enjoy?” Regulus asked in a voice James had never heard him use before.
“Depends on who is involved.” James laughed. “Do you have a preference?”
“I like to land on top.” Regulus said and laughed as James, who had turned to take back the bottle, turned a dark dusky rose. “Here, let me pour. You look a little shaken.”
Nodding mutely, James held up his glass, all to aware how close he and Regulus were now. “Do you dance?” James managed after a restorative gulp, and waved his hand towards the others.
“Of course. We learnt to dance as soon as I could walk.” Regulus replied, distracted by the way Sirius managed to make dancing to pop music look more graceful than the famous waltz.
James followed his gaze. “That explains it then.” he laughed.
“Explains what?” Regulus asked more sharply than he intended.
“Why he always has so much poise when the rest of us are bumbling around and falling over our own feet.”
“Speak for yourself.” came a familiar voice. “I have all the grace and poise of a brilliant predator.” Remus grinned down at James and held out his hand “Now, if you’re handing out bottles and not measly glasses, where pray tell is mine?”
James grasped his hand, unaccountably grateful for the interruption, and pulled himself to his feet, only touching Regulus once which he thought was a bloody miracle given how unstable he was feeling. “Come with me my furry friend and let’s see what we can find.”
Regulus kept his head facing the dancing as he watched James sashay away. ‘That outfit should be illegal.’ He thought savouring the moment.
“He is very cute. You could do worse.”
“He’s also very off limits. And you know it.”
“Hmmmm” came the reply as Pandora settled herself on Regulus’s lap.
“Shouldn’t you be sitting somewhere else?”
“Nope. Not time yet?”
“Vision or excuse?”
Pandora laughed softly. “Bit of both.” She replied honestly as they lapsed into a comfortable silence.
Without Remus to keep an eye on the music, it wasn’t long before the others descended. Willow and Tara collapsing on to each other, with Lily landing at foot of the couch and Sirius sprawling over all of them.
“Oof. Get off.” Tara said giving a mighty push which caused Sirius to fall over the arm of the couch laughing as he landed staring up at Regulus.
“Hello Brother.” Sirius said “How they hanging?”
“To the left I believe.” Regulus said, not missing a beat and looking straight at James who had returned with more firewhisky and some very dusty bottles of cider floating in front of him.
James felt himself flush hotter than he had ever done before. ‘Oh Merlin. Help me.’ He begged silently as he got lost in the wicked promise in Regulus’s eyes.
“Fuck! James! Watch where you're going mate,” Sirius said as James slammed into the couch.
Lily reached up and grabbed s couple of the bottles. “Wise words from the man on the floor.”
“Makes a change.” Quipped Regulus.
Remus snorted. “Why are you on the floor? And at your brother's feet?”
“The ladies didn’t appreciate my attention.”
“You sprawled on us like an uncoordinated puppy.” Tara said drily.
“Are you saying I’m a dog?” Sirius pouted
“You’re certainly uncoordinated.” Lily said, pouring a slug of fire whisky into Pandora’s glass with a shy smile.
Regulus caught the unspoken exchange and gave an inward smile before returning his gaze to James who had squeezed in between Lily and Tara, and lifted Willow's legs onto his own as she snuggled into her lover.
“I’d like to propose a toast,” James announced. Lily groaned. Sirius kicked her ankle as Remus sank down beside him and filled both their glasses.
“To old friends and new.”
“To old friends and new.” They all responded
“And a fabulous future for all.” James continued
“And a fabulous future for all.” Came the response.
“To …”
“Nope. Enough.” Said Remus as James stuttered a halt. “Drinking and possibly dancing.”
“Well in that case. Let’s dance.” Said James moving Willow and pulling her up with him.
“..Mmmmmm…”
Tara laughed and stood up as well, swaying somewhat. “Not without me.”
It didn’t take long before Lily had dragged Pandora, and Sirius back to their impromptu dance floor. Regulus sat back and rearranged himself so he could watch. Remus did the same. “You don’t dance?” Regulus asked after a while.
“Have you ever seen a werewolf dance?” Remus responded.
A pause. “No. Howl. Hunt. Maim. Kill. Not dance.”
Remus gave Regulus a sharp look. Regulus shrugged. “I wasn’t exactly on the ‘nice’ side of the war either.” He said.
Remus inclined his head slightly. Unbeknownst to his friends Remus had also been involved in many of the darker battles as he worked to persuade the various packs to join the order or at the very least remain neutral in the war against Voldemort. That Regulus knew this was both disturbing and a relief. They lapsed into an unexpectedly comfortable silence that lasted less than five minutes before James and Sirius came bounding over.
“No sitting. You said drinking and dancing.” said James as he reached for Regulus.
“You’re dancing, we're drinking.” Remus laughed, waving his empty glass as he took Sirius's proffered hand and allowed himself to be dragged into the fray.
Regulus tugged and grinned as James overbalanced and landed in the chair. “I’m not sure I can dance if you’re on top of me. Unless … .” He said slyly.
James screamed into the bony shoulder he’d landed on and pushed himself up so he was mere inches away from the pale angular face. “For fucks sake Regulus. What is your problem?” He glared, anger finally replacing embarrassment.
Without thinking Regulus moved so that their lips were almost touching and his eyes bored into the honey coloured ones which had haunted his dreams for a decade. “You James. Always. You.” he whispered viciously.
James paled, his anger evaporating as quickly as it had arisen. Impulsively he closed the gap and kissed Regulus pouring all the pent up confusion, fear, and lust he had felt over the past few days into the action. And Regulus responded in kind. It was messy. It was furious. It was over in seconds.
“Oi. James. Stop flirting with my brother. He isn’t interested. Come dance instead.” Sirius shouted over the music oblivious to the tension radiating off the two of them.
Stunned James pushed himself to standing, pulled Regulus up and stumbled over the others. “Okay. Who stole my drink?” He asked before he yelled “Screwed down hairdo like some cat from Japan” out of time to the song