Chapter 5
“Buck!” Barty said as soon as he saw the back of Regulus, who had headphones on his head and was looking at a fixed point at the floor, waiting for the entire team to arrive to warm up.
“I don't think he hears you.” Evan said to his boyfriend as he held out his hand to Luna, who quickly took it.
“He is going to hear me, he has been ignoring me for two days.” Barty responded not jokingly before looking closely at Regulus, as did Evan, and immediately knew something was wrong. And that was not good.
So he walked over to him and sat down next to him, letting a soft tmph fall into his seat. Regulus snapped his head up and when he met Barty's face he grabbed the phone and stopped the song. “This again?” Barty asked seeing the title of the song that his friend was listening to last week too starting the conversation and Regulus nodded absently, taking off his headphones.
“It's a beautiful song.”
“I know.” Barty said waiting for Regulus to look at him, which the man did. “Are you okay? You didn’t respond to my phone calls. I was about to rush to your house but Evan stopped me, I'll be honest. And we even fight.”
“Yeah. Of course. Why shouldn't I be?” replied Regulus while Barty only raised an eyebrow in response. “I'm just tired.”
“Something bad happened? Do I have to kill somebody?” Barty asked seriously and Regulus looked at him for a few seconds too long before shaking his head, “It’s him?” Asked then Barty softly and Regulus shook his head, because no, it was not him that time.
“I'm okay.” He said because it was true. He was feeling okay. Nothing was really wrong, right? He was okay. He was supposed to be okay.
“Buck, I know you. I know you better than anyone else actually, this isn’t you okay.” Barty said in the tone that Regulus knew too well and honestly didn't want to hear at that moment.
“I swear I’m fine. Just—tired.” Said Regulus looking at him in the eyes and the man studying him for a moment too long before saying, giving up,
“You don't want to talk about it?” Barty asked then and Regulus shook his head again, so Barty nodded. “Okay.” With pauses. “Just for today because you have a match.”
“Hi, Ev.” Regulus said after smiling gratefully at Barty and turning to his friend, who smiled at him.
“Regs. Hi.” The man said, releasing Luna's hand, who approached Regulus slowly. “Everything okay?”
“Of course. Just anxious for the match.”
“Oh please. You're gonna win. There's also your lucky charm.” Evan said knowing that his friend was clearly lying but still smiling at Luna, who had two lines on both cheeks, one black and white, like the colors of Regulus' team.
“Good morning, my favorite lucky charm.” Regulus said softly and the little girl smiled instantly, leaning forward to give her uncle a kiss on the cheek.
“Mommy wishes you well and she said she can't wait to see you tonight.”
“Secret party?” Barty asked offended the little girl who shook her head,
“If there was a party I would have invited you, Uncle Barty.” Luna said and Barty smiled at her, walking over to her and then picking her up as she laughed and both Evan and Regulus rolled their eyes, smiling.
“I still don't understand how Bucky can be like this with her and can be like that with us.” Regulus whispered to Evan as he watched the two smile at each other.
“I know, amore. Thank you.” Barty said giving her a kiss on her hair as she smiled turning towards Regulus and Evan,
“Tomorrow you are all invited to my place.” Luna said with a smile and Evan tilted his head,
“Does Pan agree?”
“Certainly. Mommy always agrees with me.”
“What questions are you asking Ev.” Regulus said and Barty added,
“Bad question.”
“Oh, shut up. The both of you.”
“You love us.” The three of them said together and they couldn't help but smile at the perfect timing, before Regulus' smile died on his face when he saw Sirius approaching them, and with him, James.
James who looked flat, who was wearing a wrinkled t-shirt and had two deep dark circles under his face. His head was down and his hair had never looked so…flat. And that anyway, as soon as the two stopped in front of them he smiled. He smiled, but not at Regulus. He smiled, but it was a forced smile. Of course. A smile, just to do something.
“Hey, Reggie! How are you?” asked Sirius but Regulus didn't answer him. Because he couldn't. He couldn't do it. He tried not to think about it. Truly. But seeing James had simply served to bring back to his mind the words that had been spinning in his head all day, not to mention the night, which had been silenced for a moment when Barty, Evan and Luna had arrived.
“Good.” Regulus said, not looking away from James, who however wasn't looking at him.
Look at me. Do it.
And James, as if he had heard him, looked up at him.
He wanted to say something. Regulus could see him.
Regulus knew him.
But he said nothing.
“There are great conditions to play today, I heard.” Sirius continued not noticing that the two were looking at each other in silence, not actually hearing what was being said. James nervously adjusted his glasses on his nose but Regulus couldn't move a muscle. He wanted to talk to him, but his words wouldn't come into his throat.
And he couldn't have talked to him anyway. And even if he could, what would he have said? He wanted to strangle him. Tell him he loved him and then leave him and disappear. He wanted to punch him, he wanted to hug him and leave him breathless. He wanted to kiss him. And he wanted to, he wanted to. But he didn’t. He didn’t because he just couldn't. Do nothing was the issue. So he continued to do nothing. He— “Reggie?”
“Mhm?” Regulus asked quickly looking away to see Sirius looking at him offended and hearing Evan snort a laugh behind him,
“You weren't listening to me.” Sirius said but a quick glance at James was enough, even if the man looked away quickly. He wanted to leave. He needed to leave.
“It’s hard to listen to you all the time.”
“Low blow.”
“I have to go, sorry.” He then said, picking up his bag and actually starting to leave.
“There's no one there yet.” Sirius said confusedly but the boy shook his head,
“Don't worry. They are waiting for me in the locker room.” Said Regulus,
“See you in a bit, Buck. And please, remember—” started Barty with a tone definitely different, but Regulus nodded, interrupting him, knowing already,
“Yeah, I know. I remember. Water and gloves.”
“And the—”
“Who's waiting for you in the locker room?” Evan asked curiously and Regulus sent him a flat look,
“Fabian. We will see each other later.” Regulus said quickly before quickly leaving, no longer meeting the man’s gaze who smiled as if nothing had happened when Sirius turned to him in confusion, ignoring the lump in his throat that prevented him from speaking,
“Did I say something stupid? Because sure I didn't. Right?” Sirius asked and James shook his head,
“You always say something stupid, Black.” Barty said as Evan cracked a smile,
“Wasn't talking to you, Crouch.”
“But you're doing it now.”
“I'll never understand how Regulus likes you. No offense to you, Rosier.”
“No offense taken at all.” Evan said shrugging as Barty smiled,
“You would like to know, huh?” He asked tilting his head and Sirius stared at him for a few seconds before shaking his head,
“Not even dead, if I think about it.”
“It's not that bad. I mean, we—”
“There's a child, Crouch.” James interrupted him, clenching his fist, even if that wasn't actually the only reason,
“Huh, you're right.” Barty said before turning to Luna and winking at her, who smiled amusedly, “Cover your ears, amore.”
“You're disgusting.” James said and Barty smiled widely,
“Or you just think weird things. I know how to make excellent pasta al sugo. That's why Regulus likes me. It's that so hard to believe?” Barty asked before touching the tip of his nose to Luna's hands, which were covering her ears as the man had told her, “Let's go get something to munch on.”
“Peanuts. And chips! Cas said that the chips are a really good.” Luna said and Barty smiled at her again,
“Let peanuts and chips be then. Black. Potter.”
“Bye, Jamie. Bye Sirius!” Luna said back and the two left, before they were also followed by Evan who gave the men a quick nod.
Well. Regulus was playing like shit. He knew it. Fabian knew it. Benjy knew it. Dorcas, who had tried to get his attention more than once through the rings, knew this. And oh, Ziana certainly knew it. It was already the third time that she had looked at him as if she could literally strike him with her gaze.
And she was right. He was slow, he turned badly to the left and he couldn't find the Snitch, which had never happened to him, given that as soon as he entered the field he followed it from the start.
Flying had always been liberating. Easy. Fun. But that day, he couldn't. He couldn't concentrate or make his broom do what he wanted. He had seen the Snitch twice and missed it twice. And Regulus never missed the Snitch.
However, when Regulus accidentally slowed down Gideon, stepping into his path and causing him to miss his shot, Ziana called a time out. And that, wasn't good at all. Because he already knew that before he set foot on the ground, he would have to suffer a huge, honestly well-deserved, lecture.
“What the fuck are you doing Regulus?” Ziana asked in a loud voice as she deftly got off the broom while the whole team did the same.
“Ziana.” Fabian said trying to calm her down but she sent him a look that silenced him instantly. The man turned to Regulus with a sad expression and a look that said he had tried.
She turned then to him, “I don't know what happened to you. Right now, as your captain, I don't care. If something happened you'll keep that out of this and you're gonna play like you always do. No, even better.”
“I'm sorry.”
“I will not lose today because one of our best players is bored or sleepy. That emotions don't count. Put them into the game. Let off steam if you have to, go for a run, drink water. I don't care. But Regulus, you're not going to make us lose today. You have to take that Snitch now. We didn’t lose one game until now, and I don’t intend to lose on tonight against them. Am I clear?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“Yes, captain. You're made yourself clear enough. I know.” Regulus said rolling his eyes and Ziana sighed,
“C'mon Ziana, giving him a lecture won't do much good. Stop it.” Dorcas intervened, positioning herself next to Regulus and making sure their shoulders touched to give him support.
“And then the other Seeker isn't exactly the best. He didn't get close to the Snitch at all.” Fabian added while Gideon, his brother, nodded,
“Fab is right. Their Seeker is just a backup. The other one got sick, from what I heard.”
“Perfect then.” Dorcas said but Ziana gave her a skeptical look,
“We could have already won.” Ziana said ignoring the team members and turning back to Regulus, “You know this game is important, right? You know that we could have already won?”
“As if I could forget. I know Ziana. I apologized to you. What else do you want me to tell you?”
“Don't tell it if you don't mean it. In fact, I don't need your excuses. One apologizes if he made a mistake. You're not wrong. You are sleeping.”
“Ziana, he understood.” Fabian said as Regulus rolled his eyes again, exhausted. “You’re just pissing him off.”
“We have to get back on the field.” Benjy said, running a hand through his curls now wet with sweat, interrupting them and giving a quick look to Regulus while Ziana nodded.
“Everyone up, except Regulus.”
“Ziana—”
“Thank you but just go, Fabian.” Regulus said with a sigh as the man studied him for a few minutes before nodding and coming up into the air.
The only one left was Dorcas who didn't seem to want to move from next to her friend and was daring Ziana to say something with her eyes.
“It's fine, Cas.” Regulus said softly to the girl who shook her head,
“Not really. She is—” the girl whispered in response, protesting,
“Doing her job. You know she is right. All of you know it.”
“I don't care. We—”
Regulus pulled away from her, giving her a light push before he did, “Go block all the shots that come. I can see it from here.”
“I don't mean to kill him, Dorcas.” Ziana said dryly and the girl rolled her eyes,
“Okay. But just because Regs told me to. Not because you told me to.” Dorcas said before picking up the broom and climbing onto it. “Captain.” Added at the end for good measure,
“We found out you're the team's favorite.” Ziana said,
“It's just the twins. And I mean, one is my ex and the other one is one of my best friends. So, it's not a big deal.” He said shrugging,
“And more than half the team is yours.” The girl replied and Regulus formed a straight line with his lips waiting for her to continue, because he knew she wasn't finished. “You know why I'm angry right?”
The man shrugged. “I can imagine.”
“You're the best Seeker we've ever had, Regulus. Without you, we wouldn't be here. I don't mean to see you like this.”
“I know.”
“It's not my business what happened to you in your private life. Unless of course it is something with Rita. I can kick her ass better than you think.”
“Strangely it's not her, but thanks.”
“I'm sorry if someone made you sad.”
“It's complicated. Don't worry about it. I'll go back there and catch that Snitch. I promise.”
“Make me proud as you always do, Regulus.” Ziana said giving him a light tap on the shoulder before rising into the air, followed a few seconds later by the man as well, who got into position waiting for the whistle. He took a quick look at the audience and noticed Sirius talking quickly to James, who wasn't listening to him at the moment, but was looking at Regulus.
When this happened, when their eyes met, James always smiled at him. He winked at him. Or he would touch his nose in their secret gesture. But now he did none of that. The only thing he did was tilt his head. His gaze remained on that expression for a long time until Sirius hit the man on the head, who, taking one last look, turned towards him, rubbing the back of his head that had been hit.
Regulus looked away and then looked at Luna, who was happily waving at him and trying to wink at him, sitting on Barty's lap who as soon as he noticed that they were being watched he mimed with his lips: «what the fuck are you doing Buck?» before saying something to Evan who raised a hand in the air and he grabbed the hat he wasn't wearing to tip it in salute.
And Regulus couldn't help but smile and wink back, before hearing the ringing in his ears. He couldn't lose just because he wasn't feeling the best with his emotions. Even if—even if James had done what he had done he was still there. To see it. To see him. How could he disappoint Barty? Luna was there cheering for him. How could he disappoint her?
He looked up at the field and tightened his fingers around the broomstick, analyzing carefully. And then he saw it. The Snitch. It lasted less than two minutes, but it landed perfectly in the man’s hands and the victory was theirs.
“Oh, thank Merlin!” Ziana shouted, throwing the Quaffle at the referee who caught it, reaching Regulus and then hugging him. “Thank you.” She said and then hit him on the shoulder, “And never do that again.”
“Yeah, sorry about that. And for turning the team slightly against you.”
“No grudge.” The captain answered him, before Fabian and Gideon arrived and hit him on the shoulders laughing.
“This is our Regulus!” Gideon said to the crowd who continued to applaud,
“A real idiot who loves to make us anxious.” added Fabian towards the man smiling at him,
“Stop flirting with him, Fab.” Gideon said rolling his eyes while Fabian blushed slightly turning sharply towards Regulus,
“I wasn't flirting. You know I wasn't flirting, right?” He asked and Regulus tilted his head studying him, which made the boy blush even more,
“I don't know. Are you flirting with me?”
“You know I'm not.” The man said just as Benjy joined them too,
“Am I wrong or our Lus is back?” The boy asked, high-fiving Gideon and turning to the two men, “What am I missing?”
“Fab is needlessly flirting with Regulus. Again.”
“For fuck's sake, I am not.”
“Oh I see.” Benjy said nodding knowingly as Regulus rolled his eyes, “Trust me, I know. He is beautiful, how could you not.”
“I am not.”
“What's going on here?” asked Dorcas finally managing to reach them “They should put the rings closer by the way.”
“Fabian is flirting with Regulus.”
“Still?”
“Okay, you know what? Fuck you. And you. And you. Not you, but all of you.” Fabian said as he stood up in the air while everyone else laughed.
“He is good guy, if you're looking for someone to date, Black.” Gideon said and for a second Regulus didn't know if he was serious or if he was joking but before he could say anything the red haired brother had already left,
Dorcas laughed next to him, “I love them.”
“Who doesn't?” Benjy asked and Regulus turned to him,
“Was he serious?”
“Why? Do you like Fabian? I mean, he is really beautiful now that I think about it. Charming definitely. But weren’t you—”
“No. I just—nothing, forget it.”
“You wouldn't be so bad together, you know? My Lus and Fab. The golden couple.”
“Oh, shut up.” Regulus said hitting him as Benjy laughed.
“Let's go, Cupid.” Dorcas said, laughing as well, while Regulus rolled his eyes, unable to help but look up at the audience and smile at those who were applauding him.
⋆⁺₊⋆ ✩ ☀︎︎☽ ✩ ⋆⁺₊⋆
“I'm so sorry I couldn't come today.” Pandora said as she opened the door to let in her daughter and her best friend.
“Hi to you too, Dora.” Regulus said giving her a quick hug as Luna ran into the house to go watch her favorite show, which had just started.
“Take off your shoes, my love!”
“Yes, Mommy!” answered the little girl from the other room while Pandora shook her head, stepping aside slightly so Regulus could enter.
“I made coffee.” The girl said as they entered the kitchen, and promptly on the table were two cups of coffee, “Decaf.” added Pandora before Regulus could say anything, “And some freshly baked muffins. I had to make muffins for Luna. I promised her.”
“I love your muffins, Dora.” Regulus said, sitting down while his friend did the same.
“So, tell me.”
“Well, it was good.”
“That's all?” He asked her flatly,
“They listened to all the songs and read all the lyrics.”
“And?”
“They said that I changed my way of writing and that the music is definitely different than the last album.”
“Right, and?”
The girl shook her head slowly, “They said that they were sorry.”
“Dora...”
“Because to record all the songs I would have had to spend many nights there again!”
“Oh Merlin! Shut up!” Regulus said as he took her hand as the girl squeezed it just as hard.
“It was great. They said that this album might be the one for me after the last one and all that happened. They really liked sea mint.”
“Of course they liked it, your songs are amazing.”
“Oh, shut it. Tell me about your day.”
“Well. We won.” The man said and Pandora looked at him offended,
“Give me more than that!” The girl said smiling, “How did you celebrate? Did James do something with you? I mean, you always do something. Let me guess, he takes you somewhere private. Or—or maybe he cooked for you. Or maybe—”
“Me and James are not together anymore.” Regulus said interrupting her and Pandora stopped in her tracks, trying to see if it was a joke, which it wasn't.
“What? Why?” And when the man didn't answer she asked confused, “What are you talking about?”
“I don't really want to talk about it. It just happened.”
“You broke up with him?” She asked instead and then continued, “Why did you broke up with him? I thought you were happy. I knew you were happy.”
“He broke up with me. I really, really don't want to talk about this.” Regulus said, leaving the girl's hand, but she took it back in hers the moment after.
“Reggie, what happened? I saw how you two look at each other.”
“Well, apparently isn't so serious. So. We broke up. It's fine. Nobody knows anyway.” The man said now looking at the coffee cup while Pandora studied him carefully,
“Regulus.”
“Mhm.”
“Can you tell what happened?” asked the girl softly, before adding, “And honestly, how did this happen?”
“It was one in the morning. And he came from the event that his team had that evening, remember that Dorcas told us about it?” He asked and when she nodded he continued, “Yeah, well, apparently Rita took pictures of me and Benjy that day and showed them to them and I don't know, maybe he felt betrayed, although honestly nothing happened and everyone knows it, and he came to me.”
“He broke up with you because he was jealous? Because if so I have to give him a talk—”
“No. He—he told that he was sick of this.”
Pandora looked at him confused, “Sick of this?”
“Of us. Of us hiding.” He specified, “He was so sick of it,—you know how many times he told me that he was sick of it? Many times. Too many times.”
“And?”
“And then he—he told me that he didn't want to do it anymore. Being—being together secretly. And I told him that at first he agreed because it was like that.”
“Reggie…”
“And then he told me that he loved me. That he loves me. And that he didn't care about what other people think about us. That he wanted us to be together.”
“Of course he loves you. It could be seen from a mile away. And you love him back, so why did you guys break up?” Pandora asked though when Regulus didn't continue she sighed, “You said you loved him, right?”
A pause. “No.”
“You don't love him?”
“No? Yes? I don't know! He didn't give me the time to think, because he was gone and—and he broke up with me.” concluded the boy with a tremor in his voice,
“But you do? Love him?”
“I don't know. Isn't too sooner?”
“Regulus. You two are together for almost a year. I read that those words should be said three months if you feel like it!”
“You—you read when you have to say it?” Regulus asked confused and the girl shrugged,
“That's not important. What I'm saying is that you love him.”
“Even if I do, what's the point? It's too late now, don't you think?” Regulus said tiredly as Pandora shook her head, taking both of his hands in hers.
“Close your eyes.”
“Dora—”
“Do as I say.”
“Fine. Now?”
“Try to imagine what I'm about to tell you.”
“Seriously?”
“Do you trust me?”
“Of course, but it's not the point.”
“You're on a beach.”
“Tell me I at least have shoes on. I hate sand between my toes.” Regulus said stopping a shiver from coming over him, making Pandora laugh.
“You're wearing shoes.”
“Yeah, but not flippers.”
“You're in your garden.” decided to change the girl and Regulus smiled slightly,
“Are there jasmines too?”
“Yes. Many. Which perfume the air.”
“Rose?”
“All the flowers you want, Reggie.”
“The only thing missing is you.” He said and Pandora hit him on the arm, “What was that for!? I literally compared you to the flower.”
“You are just trying to avoid the vision.”
“But—” Started Regulus starting to open his eyes but Pandora prevented him,
“Why aren't you listening to me, close your eyes! Do not open your eyes.”
“Okay, done. Sorry. I'm in my garden and in the morning it rained lightly. However, in the air there is still the smell of rain mixed with the smell of the flowers which are almost dry, except for a drop of water that falls on a rose petal that I observe falling.”
Another pause. “Now that's what I am talking about! Good job Reggie.”
“Next step?”
“Okay. Now imagine, sunset is coming.”
“Mhm.”
“What color do you see it?”
“What?”
“Sunset. What color do you see it?”
“Orange? Red? The colors of the sunset.”
“You are alone?”
“Dora…”
“Answer the question.”
“Yes. I'm alone.”
“You're hearing a laughter.”
“I don't know?”
“A laugh you know better than any other. A laugh that warms your heart every time you hear it.”
“Are you trying to make me imagine Luna?”
“I—” Pandora paused confusedly before shaking her head, “Obviously. I didn't think I'd ever say this, but here we are. Don't think about my daughter, Reggie.” The girl said and Regulus smiled at her, his eyes still closed.
“I won't.”
“Good. Now, you're old.”
“Why am I old?”
“Because you've gotten older. You are happy as you look at the horizon. You felt a hand on your shoulder, as the laughter continues to ring softly in your ears.”
“Mhm.” Regulus said trying to seriously imagine what the girl was telling him.
“Who is behind you?” Pandora asked and Regulus opened her eyes looking at her carefully,
“Who do you think is there?”
“Regulus.”
“I don't know. Someone that I know for sure.”
“More specific.” She said flatly,
“I don't know if it's James, Dora. I really don't know.”
“You're terrible at this. You know that, right?” asked Pandora fondly as Regulus shrugged his shoulders into the air. “Was he there today?” She asked after a slight deep breath,
“What? Who?”
“James, were you at the game today?”
“He was with Sirius, yes.”
“He broke up with you but he still comes to watch your games? Come on Reggie. It's not late!” The girl said while her friend still looked at her unconvinced, “But it will be if you won't do it.” The girl said and he looked down at his hands.
“What if—what if he doesn't think that I'm the person he wants to spend his life with anymore? What if he doesn't love me anymore?”
“Regulus, you can't stop loving someone overnight.”
“Yeah, but—”
“No. Listen to me.” She interrupted him and he remained silent, looking at her with a resigned look, “I saw how you look at him. You love him. You love him more than you ever loved something in your all life. It's different. I know you can feel it. And he does too. So don't miss the chance just because you're afraid. He said that he wanted to be with you? Then fucking be with him.”
“You said a bad word.” Regulus said stupidly and Pandora smiled at him,
“Say it.”
“Say what?”
“That you love him. You know it. And I know for sure that you wanted to tell him back.”
“Do I really have to say it to you?”
“Yes, of course. If you say it maybe you'll understand that it's true and stop acting like an idiot that doesn't belong to you.”
“I love him. I-i love James.” Regulus said softly after a few seconds of silence and the girl tilted her head, or a request in her eyes. “Fine. I love James Potter. I am in love with James Potter. And I want to be with him.”
“So you are like Mommy and Dad?” asked Luna suddenly appearing on the doorstep and Regulus opened his mouth to say something, closing it the next moment without finding anything to say.
“Something like that, my love. Do you think Reggie should go and tell James that?”
“That he loves him?”
“Dora…”
“Mhm.”
“Yes. It will be romantic. In the middle of the night!” The little girl said, running to give her uncle a hug and then whisper to him, “Good luck.” And then walk away, eyes that were swollen with sleep at the moment.
“What if—”
“You will go now, Reggie. Before you regret it. And then, tomorrow you will tell us everything. James is invited of course.”
The girl put both hands on the boy's back, who had now stood up, and pushed him towards the door. “I don't think it's a really good idea.”
“Trust me.”
“You just want to get rid of me.”
“Never. But now? Yes. Go to him, and kiss him for Merlin's sake.” She said before kissing him on the cheek and closing the front door in his face.
⋆⁺₊⋆ ✩ ☀︎︎☽ ✩ ⋆⁺₊⋆
Regulus was currently in front of James' house, and didn't know whether to knock or not.
He had been there for at least a good five minutes and had even arranged a speech that made sense in his head. But he didn't have the sense to knock or open the door.
He had never realized how close James' parents' house actually was, just a few houses away. Or how flowers grew all around between the cracks, looking for their way out.
Yes, it was probably stupid stuff. But in that moment, what convinced him to knock was a flower that seemed to be observing him carefully. It was disturbing. Cute, but disturbing. Intriguing? He didn't even know anymore. Maybe he was thinking too much.
He was surprised to see that James, who usually opened the door two seconds after someone rang or knocked, had still not made his appearance even after a full minute.
He knocked again. No answer yet. He tried a third time for good measure, but the response was the same, namely nothing. Now that was strange. The boy reached down and took the key that was under the (green) vase on the left and inserted it into the lock. If James wasn't at home, which was highly unlikely given the lights on, he would have waited for him there. Then he could talk to him and tell him what he thought.
Not even the moment he entered the house, the moment his entire life unknowingly changed, and he took off his shoes did he receive an answer to his question if there was anyone in the house. So he proceeded slowly towards the kitchen, even ready to use his wand if what he found in front of him was not what he thought.
But he never thought he would find himself in front of what he found himself in front of.