Sunshine and the Stars

James is off with Phillipe to the village. He has never moved so fast in his life. He has also never been so worried. 

He doesn’t know what’s going on. His father may be seen as odd to some people, but he is harmless. He wouldn’t touch a fly. James has no clue on what is going on and it worries him. 

He can tell that he’s getting closer to the village because of the change of atmosphere. The village is noisy whereas Regulus’ castle is one of the most calming places he’s ever been.

It’s dark, nightfall hitting the village, but the street lights give it a yellow glow. He passes Dorcas and Marlene’s library, and he smiles, thinking of Regulus. 

Regulus. Gosh Regulus. James has never felt this kind of way about someone. He knows he fancies him, and is most likely on his way to falling in love with him. 

Regulus is just so unique. It makes James’ heart flutter. And the fact Regulus thinks James could forget him is baffling. 

He gets closer to the centre of the village, where he saw his father was in the mirror. He sees the carriage that he’s locked in, when he’s stopped by Glinda. 

“James, you’ve been gone for so long. You are so lucky your father has gotten arrested, or else you’d still be kidnapped.” Glinda explains. 

And James is speechless. Kidnapped? Gone? 

James laughs in disbelief. “Kidnap- I wasn’t kidnapped. And especially not by my father.”

Glinda smiles a sick smile. “Come off it James. We all know how odd your father is.” 

Now James knows this is a massive lie. His father is the kindest soul and he loves him dearly. Monty wouldn't hurt anyone.

“My father would not hurt anyone, especially me.” James spits. 

Glinda looks around confused. A small crowd has formed around them. “Then where have you been, James?” Glinda asks, confused, then proceeds to lie right through her teeth. “We’ve been in love for years, James. You tell me everything.”

James is beside himself with anger, in disbelief. “Glinda, we have never been in love.” 

“Oh no. No James we have. In fact, Monty must have brainwashed you.” 

“No, Glinda. I wasn’t even with my father, I was with Regulus.”

“Regulus?” Someone from the crowd asks. “That name sounds awfully familiar. Where does he live?” 

James smiles at the thought of him. “He lives in the middle of the forest, he’s a prince. He is one of the most beautiful people I’ve seen.” 

Glinda looks around confused. “Show us him,” She challenges. 

James takes the mirror out and asks “Show me Regulus.” and it transforms into a portrait of Regulus. He is on the floor, crying. It breaks James’ heart.

The crowd breaks out into murmurs. Ones of disgust. It breaks James’ heart. They are being nasty about the person he loves.

He loves? 

He loves Regulus.

“He doesn’t belong!” He hears someone cheer.

“Lock James away!” Another says. 

Before he knows it, James is locked away in a cell with his father.

He has tears in his eyes and feels like he’s about to burst - worried for Regulus’ safety.

He has curled in on himself when he feels someone's hand on his shoulder and his name being muttered. “James, James?” It’s his fathers voice.

His dads voice makes him look up. He spots his father, looking like a mess. Tear stains down his cheeks, crumpled clothes. 

“Dad?” James asks, not believing his eyes. 

“James.” He reaches out and pulls James to his chest, holding him in a warm embrace that James needs at that moment. 

They sit there for a couple minutes just hugging, when everything comes back to James and he begins getting frantic. 

Monty starts to look concerned. “James, what's going on?” He asks slowly. 

James doesn’t answer straight away, still frantically thinking about how to get out of where they are trapped. 

“James!” Monty says, a bit harsher. 

That catches James' attention.

“What is going on?” He asks, sincerity coating his voice. 

“They are after him.” James mutters. “They are after him, they might hurt him and we are trapped here, and I love him.” James blurts out fast.

Monty, obviously confused, catches James' eye. “Who?” 

“Regulus, obviously.” James says.

Monty hasn't yet connected the dots. “Whose Regulu-The beast?” Monty bites out.

“He’s not a beast!” James cries. “I love him, and I need to save him, please just help.” James pleads, his legs giving out, falling to the floor.

Monty seems to consider this for a second. “Ok, I will help. But how do we get out?” 

James has been stumped. He needs something thin to pick the lock. “Do we have something very thin?” He asks.

“Thin?” Monty asks and then pats down his pockets. “I don’t, no.” 

But James ignores him, his eye catching on his fathers watch. “Can I borrow your watch?” He asks. 

Monty looks very confused for a second. “My watch? Sure.” He asks, confused as he unhooks the watch from his wrist. 

James snatches it out of his grip, and smashes the watch on the floor, the glass shattering everywhere, Monty makes a noise of distress. He takes the long hand out of where it sits and walks over to the door. 

“James, you just smashed my watch.” Monty states the obvious.

“I know, and I can buy you a new one.” He twists his wrist around until he hears a click. “Got it.” Then the door swings open. 

By the time they get out, the village looks like no one has lived there for years. James feels worried as he jumps up on Philippe. “Dad, come on.”

“Coming.” Monty calls, jumping onto the horse. “Why are you wearing a suit?” Monty asks randomly, making James burst out laughing.

***

Regulus has been locked in the West Wing for the past few hours. 

It's a stormy night, and Remus, Barty and Evan are sitting in front of the fireplace, warming up. A forgotten chessboard sitting on the coffee table. 

Barty really did think James would be the one to break the curse, but there is only one petal left, and James has to admit his love to Regulus in order for the spell to be broken. No matter if he feels it, he needs to admit it and mean it. 

He really was hoping James would break the spell, he hoped to see Evan in human form again. 

But anyways, they are soaking this last night up, the last night as items with brains. 

A ruckus from outside the castle doors draws all three of their attention. It has obviously caught the attention of other from the castle, as a herd of people come out of the kitchen, Lily leading them with Harry right behind her. 

“What's that sound, is he back?” She asks, frantic. They are all in a state of distress tonight.

“Don’t know,” Remus responds, waddling over to the window. “Sounds too loud to be just one pers-” He’s cut off by a concerned sound that rises up his throat as he opens the curtain to look out. 

Barty and Evan lean over in sync to see what Remus is seeing, but they are both startled realising it's not James. No. It’s a group of people carrying pitchforks and sticks of fire. Determination in their eyes.

Remus jumps straight into action, not caring about his safety, but the safety of Regulus, and really everyone else in the castle. 

He starts spitting out instructions to everyone, “Frank! Block the doors the best you can, get people to help.” Barty is zoned out a little bit, everything around him muffled. “And Barty!” That grabs his attention. “Find weapons.” 

That makes Barty smirk. 

—

The door is blocked, not letting anyone in, but the rattle of people ramming into it is what makes a sound. 

Everyone in the castle, minus Regulus, are gathered near the door ready for attack. 

The door is rammed into three more times before it swings open and many dangerous people run into the castle. 

Everyone prepares for attack. 

***

Lily is nervous. 

Harry is helping fight and that scares her. 

But it also scares her that people are here to fight. 

But she’s got a spout and hot water. 

As people run up the stairs, she pours water on them. Piping hot water. She’s hanging from the chandelier which gives her better access. 

Barty is with Evan and Harry. Harry is safe. Barty is crazy but safe and would do absolutely anything to protect the people he cares about. 

Many people are down that aren't on their side, but there's a girl trying to barge through and get up the stairs. She sports a hot pink shirt and black pants, and she just looks egotistic. Lily is about to pour water on her when a woman catches her eye. A woman way too familiar. 

“Mary?” She asks breathless, letting the other woman get away, up the stairs.

***

Sirius has fought many people in his life. A lot of them being his family. Never Regulus though, always keep Regulus safe. 

However, this time, fighting people is not his biggest priority, it is keeping Remus safe. 

But Remus wants to fight. 

Just a couple minutes ago, Remus was scratched, creating lines over the glass that covers his face. It nearly made Sirius cry. 

Of course it didn't hurt Remus. Remus is a clock, and at this rate, will be for the rest of his life.

Sirius and Remus’ story ends here.

In a fight.

***

Regulus knows that there are people who are intruding on his castle. 

He just can’t bring himself to care. 

All he can care about is James. 

And in an hour, the last petal will fall, and Regulus will forever be a Beast, never being able to admit to James that he loves him.

He hopes James isn’t the one who brought these people here. Because he knows he’d forgive him in an instant. 

He soon hears a loud banging on the door to his room. His mind takes control. He hopes it’s James, and before he can think, he opens the door.

It’s not James. 

In fact, it is a nasty looking girl.

“Well, here he is. The famous Beast.” The girl spits. “You are pathetic, you know that? Making James think he’s gay? No, James is mine. Has always been, always will be.”

And those words hit so very hard. He dealt with a great amount of homophobia growing up, and that hits hard. He didn’t think James had someone. 

Well it seems he does.

The girl is sporting a pink shirt with black pants and blonde hair tied in a bun. She is holding a knife. A small one, but it still could do damage. 

She starts walking into the room, making Regulus step back. They walk further into the room until his back hits the edge of the balcony that hangs off the West Wing. 

“You could never take James from me. Who do you think you are?” She has been saying all kinds of stuff like that the whole time. 

“I-” Regulus speaks when he starts to howl out in pain. Looking down he sees the knife in his stomach with the girl's hand wrapped around the handle. She then drags her hand, making the cut deeper. 

“Pathetic.” She hisses. 

Regulus has very little time to think before he grabs her hand and yanks the knife out of him. It hurts, but not like anything he hasn’t felt before. Out of startle, the girl drops the knife to the floor and Regulus launches for it. 

“You really think you can get away from that?” Regulus asks. “Stabbing the Prince?” 

“Prince, you aren’t a Prince, you’re a Beast.”

Regulus tries to not feel hurt by the words that have been spat out. Instead he grabs a hold of the girl's shoulders and flips her around until her back is on the concrete railing. He holds the knife to her neck, not hard enough to hurt, but enough to intimidate her. 

Regulus hears a gasp behind them.

It's James.

He quickly lowers the knife from the girl's neck, dropping it on the floor and turns around. “-I.”

“You’re bleeding.” James says. Regulus comes back to himself and notices that he’s bleeding. It hurts, and he’s feeling light headed. 

“He did it to himself, baby.” The girl says behind him. The words cutting deeper than a knife ever could.

“Glinda.” James grits his teeth.

The girl, Glinda, steps forward. “He was trying to kill me, so I stabbed him.”

James looks confused. “Given that you are manipulative and a liar, I don’t believe you.”

Glinda gets a glint in her eyes before grabbing James by his shoulders, twists him so he leans on the railing and punches him hard, over and over. The impact makes the railing start to crumble. 

“Stop it,” Regulus begs, nearly crying. “Please stop it.” 

Glinda punches him again, but the railing is not high enough to protect James from falling, so James nearly falls. But Regulus launches forward and grabs him before he could ever fall to his death. 

“He deserved to die.” Glinda says as Regulus holds James close to his chest. “It’s inevitable. He didn’t love me so he dies.”

Regulus laughs bitterly. “Your logic is fucked.” Regulus spits out to her. 

He lets James down carefully and walks over to her, standing way too close to the broken balcony. “You hurt the man I love? Saying you loved him? That’s not love.” Regulus steps forward and leans down into her ear. “That's manipulation.”

He then feels a hard pain right where his heart is, spotting the knife from before lodged there. He gasps at the feel.

Then Glinda falls back, falling down far, far. In the way James would have if he didn’t stop it. 

And then, Regulus collapses backwards.

***

James’ face is in so much pain, his heart is too. 

Regulus has just collapsed on the floor with blood pooling around him. Hurt beyond repair.

The sun is slowly starting to rise, and James scrambles down beside Regulus, eyes only just open. 

“Hey love.” James whispers a mere breath. 

“I’m sorry we couldn’t be more.” Regulus whispers back.

“No, no we will, we can. You just need to hold on.” James persuades. He isn’t sure who he is trying to convince. 

“Just promise me something, mon amour.” Regulus whispers. His breathing becoming slower. 

“Always.” 

“In every lifetime, in every universe, promise to find me?” 

James’ breath gets lost in his throat. “I promise,” He nods. “But just hold on and this will be the one more we are together in.”

“I love you James.” and he takes his last breath. 

James screams and cries and shakes as he repeats over and over. “Please don’t leave, I love you too much.”

He presses a soft kiss to Regulus’ cold lips. “I love you.” 

The rising sun makes everything around them orange, but a strong yellow light glows over them.

Then Regulus begins floating, transforming into the beautiful man in the painting. Sharp cheekbones, pretty eyes and dark curls. 

When he lands on his two feet, he is significantly shorter than James. Not like he once was. Much taller. 

He looks down at his hands like he can’t believe he’s real. And then he looks up at James. 

A large smile breaks out on his face as he runs to James giving him a tight hug. They fit together like puzzle pieces. They hold each other for a while before Regulus pulls back ever so slightly, smashing his lips into James’. Smiling into the kiss. 

“I love you James Potter.” He says. “I love you so very much.”

James smiles down at him, his chest feeling warm after the brief heartbreak it just endured. “I love you more Regulus Black.” He smiles while kissing his temple. “Way more than you could ever imagine.”