What are days for?
28th June 1978
Regulus and James find each other under the same moon the night before the last day of school.
“What are you doing here?”
“You sound like you’re accusing me of doing something wrong”
“I am. What are you doing here?”
“Last I checked, this space didn’t belong to anyone in particular- Regulus?”
James turns around completely, abandoning the railing he was leaning on, to find none other than Regulus Black. Arms crossed in front of his chest, face lit up by the nights’ moonlight, revealing his stoic expression and deep green eyes. His curls fall ever so gently above his brows, gorgeous black hair that makes his pale skin look like expensive, yet beautiful, marble. That makes sense, James thinks, he’s always thought that Regulus looked like a statue, making him seem devine and untouchable. But tonight, James feels like he’s actually seeing him for the first time.
“You’re staring.”
“Oh.” Is all James manages to say.
If he’s being honest, James isn’t able to control his actions, or words, at the moment; he blames the butterbeers he gulped down earlier that evening.
“Sorry.”
“Whatever, just leave. I want to be alone”
“Why would you want that?” James asks, almost accusingly.
“I have my reasons and frankly, it is none of your business Potter.”
“You’re mean” James frowns.
“So I’ve been told. Now leave.”
James is just looking at him, his whole body is now facing Regulus's way; he's always been a bit curious about him, if he's being honest. He finds himself wanting to talk to Regulus, to understand him, he wants to know what the person Sirius loves, and supposedly hates, most in the world is truly like. James is almost completely sure that this whole ‘cold brick wall’ personality is simply a defense mechanism. Or a challenge, as James would rather think of it. He finds himself enjoying this train of thought and before he can stop himself, his mouth opens,
“Why don’t you join me?”
Regulus stands there like he’s just been told the most disgusting thing ever. It's kind of funny actually.
“Excuse me?” he replies, with the most aristocratic tone James has ever heard in his life,
“Sure,” James replies, purposefully trying to tease Regulus. And it works.
Regulus releases a very louds sigh while rolling his eyes.
"You're childish."
“So I've been told" James smiles, "Now tell me where to find you.”
“What?”
James does his absolute best to keep his laugh deep down in his chest. Regulus looks so confused, his brows furrowing and his lips pouting a bit more than before, and James thinks it’s the cutest thing he’s seen all day.
“In the sky, your star. Where can I find you.” It comes out more as a demand rather than a question.
He’s half expecting Regulus to just turn around and leave or, hex James, enjoy the scenery, turn around and then leave. Or something like that.
So when Regulus actually starts walking towards him, he’s wondering if his head is clear enough to conjure a shield, just in case, to then realize he doesn’t have his wand with him. Godric save him. Honestly he deserves whatever Regulus does to-
“There.”
Regulus is pointing to a specific spot in the night sky. With James’s pointer finger. Regulus is holding James’s finger. Regulus is holding James’s hand.
Regulusis-
“Beautiful” James blurts out. He's really starting to regret all thos drinks he had before.
"The- the sky, I mean." He stutters, trying to compose himself.
Suddenly he feels his arm drop again and James thinks he’s not too happy about it.
He looks for the dark haired boy to find him… blushing..?
Regulus is blushing.
James thinks his heart just did something but he’s going to ignore it because Regulus Black is blushing. Or he was, at least.
Regulus is now looking away from him, and this, James knows he’s not happy about.
Look at me again, like you did just now.
“I’m leaving.” The younger boy states as he starts walking away.
No, stay.
Before James even realizes, his body is moving forward and he grabs Regulus’s arm, gently.
“Stay?” It's embarrasing how pathetic James sounds right now.
James isn’t stupid. Him and Regulus have never really spent time together or even talked, they acknowledged each other as being an important person to Sirius, that was until Sirius left. After that, Regulus stopped looking their way and vice versa.
He’s always been distant and cold, maybe a bit socially awkward, but it didn’t matter, not if Sirius was there.
Sirius who would give him the world if he asked.
Sirius who never speaks about him.
James isn’t stupid. So he doesn’t know why every sentence he’s said till now has come out as such. He knows Regulus hates them, he knows Sirius wouldn’t be happy about this, he knows.
and yet.
“Please?”
Regulus has an unreadable expression on his face right now but James can see in his eyes that he’s thinking, deciding. He finds himself hoping, which is a losing game when it comes to the younger Black. But then again, what’s James without his optimism? Still he’s surprised when he realizes that Regulus has just been standing there, staring at him.
All of a sudden James finds himself extremely self conscious, and uses the hand that was holding Regulus to scratch the back of his neck.
“Why are you here?” Regulus asks.
James didn’t expect him to break the silence first, but he’s glad he did.
“I needed to get away” James sighs.
“Away?” Regulus asks, “away from what?”
“It was all too much. As you know, Griffyndor tower is currently full of people and music and joy and for some reason, that’s too much for me tonight.” James doesn’t know why he’s sharing all of this, especially with Regulus Black of all people, but he can’t find it in him to stop.
“I’m scared, if I’m being honest” James is staring at the railing where he was before, too embarrassed to look Regulus in the eyes, “I know I sound ridiculous, since I already know what I’ll do once I leave Hogwarts. I know I'll be surrounded by people I love and that love me… but I feel like I’m missing something, something important, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to find it.”
Regulus is just staring at him, a bit dumbfounded James' guesses. I mean who wouldn't be? He just shared a deeply personal statement with a complete stranger. James is convinced he's done it now, he's made a fool of himself and he'll never be able to forget just how humiliating tonight has been.
“I don’t think it’s ridiculous” Regulus shrugs.
James turns his head to look at him.
He didn’t know he’d meet softness in the face staring back at him. It’s very faint, so much so that you could miss it if you didn’t look carefully. It’s around the eyes. Those beautiful emerald eyes that kind of remind James of Lily, but Regulus’s are a bit darker, they have a little gray in them.
James finds himself liking them very much. He's always been attracted to pretty things.
“What?” he finds himself asking Regulus, partly as a reply to what Regulus said, but also for the thought he just had.
“I don’t think being scared of what you don’t know is ridiculous. Even if you’ve chosen a path for yourself, we have only so much control in our lives. We don’t choose the bad things that happen to us, nor the good things. We can try, we can succeed even, but ultimately it’s our fate that decides. At least that’s how I see it.”
Now it’s Regulus that’s looking away at the starry sky. He walks towards the railing and rests his elbows on it, shifting his bodyweight. James follows him and does the same. They stand there, in silence.
For the first time, James thinks, he doesn't feel the need to fill that silence, because it’s not awkward. It’s...comfortable.
They just exist there for a while. James likes this.
###
Regulus thinks he’s losing his mind.
He came to the astronomy tower as he usually does, to smoke his usual cigarettes and be his usual sad self. Alone.
Salazar forbid he could even have that. No, of course not.
Instead he finds James Potter. Probably drunk, Regulus thinks, by the state of him. Not that James Potter is ever not in a state. But tonight is different.
There something…sad? about him. Which Regulus finds terribly confusing. He may not be Potters’ best friend, but it doesn’t take a genius to know that sadness isn’t something that would ever be related to one James Potter.
Right now, they’re both hunched over the railing staring up at the stars.
And Regulus thinks he’s losing his mind.
Regulus has always disliked James Potter, from the moment Sirius wrote about him in his first letter from Hogwarts his first year. And with time that feeling grew more and more.
James is basically everything that Regulus is not.
He’s good with people, he’s a fucking magnet, if Regulus had to describe him. He doesn’t know how someone could deal with being surrounded by so many people, all the time. He’s funny and generous and the brother Sirius wished Regulus was. Regulus really hates James Potter.
Regulus also happens to have a slight, tiny crush on him.
Which doesn’t help James’s case.
Regulus is still trying to wrap his head around what James said just a moment ago.
Beautiful.
James called him beautiful.
Regulus hates him so much.
“So you believe in fate?”
That startles Regulus. James decided to break the silence they were sharing, great.
“I suppose so.” he answers.
He can feel James staring, examining him. His stare is so warm, he wonders if his skin is actually melting off.
“So it’s fate that we’re here together tonight?”
Regulus turns around to find James smiling softly.
He’s never seen that smile before. Not that Regulus knows James Potter's smiles, but usually James is everything but soft. He’s loud and obnoxious.
He’s a force to be reckoned with. So why is he smiling like that…
“I suppose so.”
“You do a lot of supposing.”
“I-...” Regulus looks down, not really knowing what to say. “shut up.”
And this, for some otherworldly reason, makes James laugh. Regulus is just staring at him. What did he say that was so funny? James Potter confuses him so much.
Finally he stops and says “Ah sorry, I’m not laughing at you, you’re just very cute.”
Regulus thinks his brain short circuits.
“Fuck off” he manages to say.
And James Potter is laughing, again.
What is going on? He must be pissed because Regulus is still not understanding how he came to be in this situation. And Regulus likes to think that he’s pretty smart. Then again, maybe not so much when it comes to people.
“What’s so funny?” he decides to ask.
James quiets down and says “ I don’t know either to be honest, I just find you funny I think.”
“Right.”
After another beat of silence, then James looks him in the eye.
“You know, You’re nothing like what I was expecting you to be:”
“Sorry to disappoint.” He answers.
“Oh no,no not like that. I’m glad:” James smiles.
“How did you expect me to be?”
“ehm.. I don’t know..bit more of an asshole? I guess?”
“Is that what Sirius told you?” Regulus says, scoffing.
“Actually he.. he doesn’t really talk about you” James says apologetically.
“mhm” Regulus hums.
“He misses you, you know” James says.
Oh hell no. They are not doing this.
“We are not going to bond over my brother” He replies, his voice coming out cold.
“okay! okay! Sorry..” James says, throwing his hands up in surrender.
Regulus releases a deep sigh and goes back to look in front of him.
“I’m going to say something. Something I’ll probably regret saying, that’ll make you hate me even more, but I have to say it. I have to.” James says suddenly, turning his whole body to face Regulus.
“The world’s your oyster.” Regulus replies, nonchalantly.
James breathes in and breathes out. Regulus notices the way his lips move, forming an ‘o’ to let the air go through. James’s face in this light should be criminal. It’s unfair how good he looks all the time, Regulus thinks. Regulus hates him.
Then James looks like he’s mustered enough courage and says
“I meant what I said earlier” He says looking so confident that Regulus finds it hard to disagree with him, even though he has no idea what he’s talking about.
“...okay..?” Regulus replies, not really knowing what to say.
“You truly are beautiful Regulus”
And this. This, Regulus was not expecting.
What is going on? What is going on? What is going on?
“What?”
“It’s an injustice to the world, to me.” James huffs.
He looks a bit..angry? What the fuck does he have to be angry about?
“To you?” Regulus says, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, to me”
“How so?”
“It’s distracting.”
“...my beauty?”
“Yes”
huh. Regulus rarely finds himself speechless, he always has a comeback, he just prefers not saying anything. Except with James Potter, who is very obviously tipsy.
From the moment Regulus has stepped in the Astronomy tower, James has been able to take the words away from him.
What is he supposed to say to that?
“Why?” He asks, because he’s genuinely curious.
“Because you go around the school pretending it doesn’t have an effect on people.” James says, still frowning and Regulus isn’t sure but he thinks James is..blushing? No, he must be imagining things.
“An effect on people.” Regulus says.
“Right.” James replies.
“On you too?” He asks, giving James a small grin.
James pauses, like physically stops. Stops blinking, stops breathing.
Now Regulus is sure James is blushing and if he’s being honest, he finds he wants to see it more, claw out this side of James that he’s never seen before.
Regulus takes a step towards him and James is just looking at him, still blushing with this surprised look on his face. He takes another one and they’re so close right now. Regulus could reach up and kiss him if he wanted to, and he does want to.
Of course he would rather die than actually do it because of a myriad of reasons. A few being:
-he’s James Potter
-he’s Sirius’s best friend
-he’s definitely, not gay
Even alone, those reasons are enough to know that kissing James right now would be a very, very bad idea.
But then the strangest thing happens.
This is the last thing Regulus thought would happen.
Scratch that, Regulus would have never thought something like this could happen, ever.
But it is.
Because James just cupped his face and is kissing him.
James is kissing him.
James is kissing him.
James is kissing him. James is kissing him. James is kissing him. .
James is-
backing away.
Wait,
"I am so sorry"
No,
"I shouln'd have done that"
Come back,
"Please forgive me"
Kiss me again.
"I'll leave you alone forever, I am so so sorry, I don't know what came over me. You were just so- No, I'm sorry. This is all my fault, I'm sorry" James says, covering his face with his trembling hands.
He turns around to leave.
But not fast enough.
Regulus grabs his arm to turn him around and kisses him again. And it feels like the only right thing he's ever done in his life. It feels like his life isn't just the shadows and cold he grew up in. It feels like he could move mountains and skies. He feels perfect.
James wastes no time in wrapping his arms around him. One hand on his waist, while the other goes to intertwine its finger in the softest of black hair. And for a moment, or more, it’s just them and the stars. Just them, kissing and holding each other. Just them. Them and no one else.
——————
29th june 1978
James fucked up.
So, James Fleamont Potter, Captain and Chaser of the Gryffindor quidditch team, Head Boy of his house and one of the smartest students of his year, may have done the stupidest thing he ever could’ve done, in his life. Last night he kissed Regulus Black.
He kissed Regulus Black, multiple times.
He kissed Sirius’s little brother, multiple times.
James wants to bury himself.
To be honest he doesn’t even remember how it happened, he was just there at the tower, with his worries. Then Regulus came and… Merlin, how could he let this happen? After they finally managed to distance themselves from one another, they just stared at each other briefly before Regulus basically ran away. He turned around and left before James could even get a word out.
And now here he is, in the Great Hall. He’s thankful nobody notices he’s not his usual chipper self. Luckily, everyone is too busy having a hangover from the night before.
Peter is sitting next to him and is resting his face on the table, James would think he was dead if not for the fact that his back is moving from breathing in and out. Remus looks a little worse for wear but that doesn’t stop him from being a human pillow for one Sirius Black. Honestly it’s criminal how he can look good while James knows he feels like shit. If Remus so much as moves a muscle, Sirius might throw up right here and now. Fortunately, Remus is used to this so he doesn’t worry too much about it.
The Great Hall is a bit more chaotic than it usually is, today being the second-to-last day. Tomorrow morning they will have their last breakfast in this hall before leaving and starting their first summer as adults and graduated wizards.
James still finds it hard to believe how it’s all crashing to an end after everything they’ve been through. He grew up in this castle. He has some of his best memories imprinted on these old walls, in the classroom, the Common room, his dorm… Oh his dorm. He never thought about how much he’s going to miss living with his best friends.
When will he be able to do all the things he’s done with them until now? Forcing themselves to wake up for class, walking around together, scheming and pranking other students, fighting and laughing and crying and talking together.
He doesn’t worry about Sirius because they live together. Peter lives just a few blocks from him, but still, it’s not the same. And Remus… He's convinced his father to let him stay with James for the summer, but James knows this isn’t a permanent solution. Remus plans to get a job as soon as possible and buy a small place for himself in the neighborhood.
It’s all too much. He’s not ready to grow up. He’s not ready to become a responsible adult and all the expectations that come with it. He knows he has no choice, that everyone is going through it and that he’s supposed to man up and do his part.
But is it so bad to want to remain a kid forever?
He looks up from the spot on the table that he’d been staring at for the past ten minutes and his gaze, for no reason at all, wanders to the Slytherin table.
His breath hitches when he sees him. Regulus Black, in all his glory. As if James didn’t have enough on his mind, Regulus had to add himself to the list of James’s worries.
Ok so it’s not completely Regulus’s fault. But it kind of is. James is sure that the effects of the Butterbeer took control over his body and did what it did. Sure Regulus is attractive and what not, but James has never thought of him that way, like ever.
Everybody, himself included, knows that he has eyes for one person and one person only.
Lily Evans.
How could he not be head over heels for the most perfect girl this world has ever seen? James is ready to bet his life that Lily is a gift from the universe. From the first moment he saw her on the train seven years ago, he knew that he would love her till the end of his days.
Ok so maybe he didn’t realize that at 11 years old, but he’s grown enough now to know that Lily is the one he wants.
Though she clearly does not want him.
Which is how he found himself in the Astronomy tower last night drowning in self-pity, before he showed up.
James has lost count of his (failed) attempts in wooing Lily. Last night wasn’t an exception. He was on the Common room table, singing along to ‘Burning Love' by Elvis Presley, one thing they both enjoyed. James thought serenading her in front of everyone would prove to her that his feelings were true and she would finally see him. But instead, James only managed to embarrass her and make a fool of himself.
He doesn’t know what else to do, how to prove to her that he’s worthy of her. Maybe he isn’t and that’s that. But James refuses to accept that, he’ll just have to keep trying. He just doesn’t understand how he was able to get more than one make-out session with Regulus Black for Merlin’s sake, but he can’t even get a smile out of the girl he’s loved for years.
This matter with the slytherin boy is driving James insane and he knows that they need to talk about it. But see, Regulus isn’t the easiest person to get along with,.. usually.
James keeps thinking back at their conversation and is trying to remember anything about Regulus to dislike him more, make him the villain.
But he can’t.
Sure he wasn’t the friendliest, but honestly James can’t blame him. He just doesn’t understand how last night happened. Never in a thousand years would James have expected this.
Regulus looks the same as ever, better even. Like last night meant nothing, like he doesn’t even remember, or if he does, it’s not bothering him at all. He’s reading the newspaper, holding a coffee cup with the other hand; his annoyingly delicate fingers holding it with the grace of an aristocrat. His hair is sitting perfectly around his head, making his pale skin stand out. James doesn't know how to feel about the fact that he knows what holding Regulus feels like, his soft hair and his softer skin. And his lips –
Nope, James is not going to think about that.
He focuses instead with the two boys Regulus is speaking to with an annoyed expression. One he knows is Barty Crouch Jr., Barty Crouch Sr.’s son. Then there's Dorcas Meadowes, Marlene's friend who she talks about all the time. The other one though, he has no clue, doesn't care. He just needs to find a way to speak with Regulus.
“Don’t you guys look dashing!” someone says, taking James out of his trance.
“Just for you, my dear!” James replies with a grin.
“If the day comes when you think of me otherwise, just stab me in the heart. It would hurt less” Sirius says, dramatically holding his chest with one hand. His head is still resting on Remus’ shoulder.
“Oh come off it!” she says laughingly while sitting next to Peter.
“Mary, I have a question,” he says.
“Pete, you’re alive after all” Mary says with a smile.
“Don’t feel like it though. About that, if I remember correctly you drank as much as I did, if not more.” Peter says with a scowl.
“That I did Pete, but I think you’re forgetting that my best friend is a great potioneer” she replies smiling.
And as if on cue, Lily and Marlene reach them at the table greeting everyone.
“Ah Evans! Our angel on earth. Would you be so kind as to-” Peter starts but gets interrupted by Lily throwing him a small vial.
“That should help you out Peter” says Lily, passing another three to the other boys.
“Have I ever told you how much I worship you Evans?” Peter says on the verge of tears.
Everyone starts laughing, and James forgets about everything else. This is his last day here, he should spend it enjoying himself with his friends. And that’s exactly what he plans to do.
###
Regulus could practically feel James burning holes on his face by how much he was staring, talk about subtlety.
It takes a great lot of effort not to look back, but he does it anyway because he cannot look James in the eyes right now, not after what happened last night. Regulus was stupid, he acted on a whim and did something stupid, and now he doesn’t want to deal with the consequences. They’re both better off pretending it never happened and go back to ignoring each other.
Regulus is fine with pretending that kissing James Potter had no effect on him.
He’s fine with pretending it didn’t make him feel the way it made him feel, like he was perfect.
He’s fine with pretending he doesn’t want it to happen again. It’s not as if Regulus has been feeling colder ever since. The winds have been a bit harsh this spring anyway. He’s sure that the warmth he felt while kissing James, he would’ve felt with anybody.
That warmth that made him feel as if he was being embraced by the arms of the sun, that made him feel safe and protected.
Regulus is fine.
“Are you even listening?”
Regulus looks up to the blonde boy in front of him.
“No.” he replies.
"Seriously Reg, where is your head this morning?” asks Barty.
“Are you both blind? I’m reading the Daily Prophet.” Regulus knows this is a shit excuse as he reads it every morning, and his friends know he’s not incapable of multitasking, but he says it anyways.
“Right… anything we should know?” asks Evan.
“Not anything that would interest you.”
“This conversation is taking a boring turn” Barty says as he snatches the newspaper out of Regulus’ hands. “This is our last day here Reg! You won’t see me again until september. Doesn’t that make you sad? You should pay more attention to me.” Barty says while putting an arm around his shoulders.
“You’re insufferable, you know that? You’ve been acting like a child this whole week.” Regulus says unfazed.
“More like his whole life” Evan scoffs.
“Oi what is this? You guys love me, your life would be so dull without me, admit it.”
“Keep telling yourself that Crouch”
“Whatever helps you sleep at night”
After that they start talking about their plans for this summer. Barty’s father is making him intern at the Ministry of Magic in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
“More like he’s trying to find a ‘respectable’ place to put me in so he doesn’t have to look at me, the bastard. I'll be following old men around while my father does his business somewhere in Norway.”
“It can’t be all bad, I’m sure you’ll find a way to make sure you have fun”
“Evan, the only way I will even manage to survive without a few of my brain cells dying, is if one of you was going with me.”
“Good luck with that, besides we have our own hell to go back to” Evan points to Regulus with his head.
“Speak for yourself Rosier, my parents have decided that I’ll spend my summer in France with my father. He has business there and I convinced mother that it would be a good opportunity for me to "learn" from him, as if, the man's a moron.”
"Aren't they all?" Barty grins.
For once in his life, Regulus is grateful for his mother’s decision. Him and his father haven’t had an actual conversation in years. Orion will be out during the day and will probably eat in his office most nights anyway. So he gets a summer away from his mother and the lot of them, while enjoying the peace of the french countryside for six weeks, what more could he want?
“Hello lovelies, am I interrupting?”
“Dorcas! Yours is an interruption I’ll always greet with a smile” Barty winks at her.
“Good.” She says, sitting down next to Evan.
“So what are we talking about?” she asks, throwing her braids behind her shoulders.
“The tortuous summer we’ll have to endure this year” Evan says, resting his head in his hand.
“Ah, I suppose then that I won’t be able to meet up with any of you during the hols?”
“Not unless you go to France”
“Or work in the Ministry”
“We might be able to, if you're planning to attend one of those dreary pureblood-only parties, with all their nonsense and aristocratic shit"”
“Yeah, no." Dorcas scoffs, "This blows. What am I supposed to do then? I’ll be occupied with a job, or better, looking for one, but what will I do with my free time?”
“You’re acting as if you won’t be spending all your waking moments with a certain blonde gryff” Barty teases her.
“The misery of love! poor you” Evan mocks.
“alright, alright, I get it. You’re jealous. Marlene may have my heart but you guys will always be my best friends, which unfortunately means that I like hanging out with you too.” Dorcas smiles.
Dorcas Meadowes was the first friend Regulus had made when he came to Hogwarts. He was already friends with Evan since they’re distant cousins; they sometimes saw each other at family events. Barty barged his way into Regulus’s life shortly after the sorting ceremony. But Dorcas was the first friend he ever made. She was a year older than Regulus but she had offered him the seat next to her after being sorted into Slytherin. Even then he was a quiet little thing, but Dorcas didn’t care. She offered him the biggest smile and made Regulus forget about the fear he was feeling just a moment before.
The fear of being sorted into the wrong house.
The fear of disappointing his parents, of disappointing his brother.
All gone thanks to the young girl smiling at him. Nobody had ever smiled at him that way. Maybe his brother, once, but he doesn’t remember anymore.
Dorcas has been through thick and thin with Regulus. She had been the one to recruit him for the Slytherin quidditch team and the only one with whom he had ever let his guard down. It's the same with Barty and Evan, but she was there first. She knows about Sirius and their relationship. Knows about what happened that night. Held him as he cried about his brother. Regulus doesn’t trust anyone like he trusts Dorcas, and to see her leave Hogwarts without him… Regulus didn’t think he’d ever have to miss someone like he used to miss his brother again. But he does. She’s still here and he misses her already. He’s never known Hogwarts without her. It won’t be the same.
“We’re going to miss you, you know” Evan says quietly.
A beat of silence passes through them. They haven’t really talked about it. They’ve never been without her. Sure they don’t have classes together, but that’s just a small fraction of time if you think about it.
“Rosier if you’re trying to make me cry just to mock me I will punch you” Dorcas says, holding back tears.
“If we ever saw you cry, to mock you wouldn’t even be a passing thought. We care about you too much.” Regulus says without realizing.
A few tears run down quietly across Dorcas’s cheeks.
Nobody says anything, nobody even breathes.
“Eh.. what I mean is-”
“I know.” Dorcas cuts him off.
Another beat of silence passes through when,
“Who knew our little Reggie was so sentimental?” Barty starts.
“Piss off” Regulus scoffs.
“No Reg, truly, that was so touching!” Evan continues, sharing a grin and a look with Barty.
They appear to be on a roll so Regulus knows it’s his cue to leave before he kills them.
“Oh don’t leave, we're just so proud of you for this showcase of emotions!” Barty is now laughing.
He flips them off as he walks away and is outside the Great Hall before they can say anything else.