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Logically James knew that this was impossible. He was probably having a sleep paralysis or he was hallucinating. It was just that this was nothing how Sirius described them to him. He had had many sleep paralysis due to his trauma and he explained to James that he couldn‘t move in them and just generally couldn‘t make his body do anything and James obviously can move right now. That‘s not it then.
James rubbed his eyes to become more awake. When he opened them again Regulus was still standing there looking expectantly at him. „Are you done with whatever this is?“, he or it asked impatiently. „How- I mean -why are you here?“, James managed to stammer out. „The hell do I know.“, the Regulus like thing grunted. James just frowned. „What are you?“, he interrogated. „A ghost? A non dead corpse?“ „As I said the hell do I know.“, Regulus‘ ghost(?) spat at him. „Okay, no need to be so rude.“, James felt the need to defend himself, „how would you react when your best friends alienated brother who should be dead is standing in your new appartment?“ That seemed to startle Regulus speechless. „I don‘t know“, he replied really slowly. „I should call Sirius“, James muttered more to himself“ he started to reach for his phone when- „No, stop that“, not Regulus Regulus shrieked. „What? Why? Sirius would be so happy to know that he can talk to you“, James asked him confused. „Oh, he would wouldn‘t he“, Regulus replied sarcastically.
James frowned confused by this statement. “Anyways you’re not telling anyone anything. Let’s first figure out why I’m here so I can leave”, Regulus stated. “Leave? Why?”, James asked dumbfounded. Regulus just looked at him unimpressed.
“Ok, ok let’s see…”, James trailed off, trying to somehow make sense of it all, “Can I touch you?” James reached out and Regulus flinched, but when James hand should hit Regulus arm it just reached through it like Regulus was just some Holograph. Both man seemed to be shocked by that. James was the first to find his voice again:”So you really are a ghost, but why are you here?” “I think I’m bound to this apartment or maybe to…,”Regulus voice got smaller at that and if James wasn’t hallucinating a small blush formed at his cheeks, “Maybe I’m bound to you” “To me? Why would you be bound to me? What is bounding you to me?”, James stuttered completely lost to what is going on right now. “I don’t know otherwise I would’ve tried to break it already”, Regulus groaned annoyed. „You said maybe you‘re bound to this appartment have you tried leaving it?“, James tried to reason. „I mean no I haven‘t, but I somehow still do. I kind of disappear at the contact of daylight. At least I think so because I can only remember being here at night“, Regulus explained. James furrowed his brow. It was the middle of the night. He had definitely not slept enough for this.
“Ok… let’s just all calm down and sleep a night over it”, James mumbled not sure himself if he was trying to calm himself or Regulus down. „Sleep over it? Did you not listen to me at all, Potter? I won‘t be there once you wake up. The only time we can talk is at night.“, Regulus argued. He did have a point. James probably would be just as exhausted next night, so it would make no difference if they just discussed it tonight. „Ok, Reg. Let‘s see if you can leave this appartment.“, James sighed. „Don‘t call me that“
„What?“, James asked confused.
Regulus just shook his head and began walking towards the appartment door.
They both stood in front of the door looking expectantly at it, as if it held all the answers. „Ok, I‘m just going to open it and try to go through it“, Regulus braced himself. Then he opened the door and took a step forward. Instead of leaving the appartment he just disappeared for a second, to then appear right next to James. „Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck“ Regulus let out. James just looked at him confused. Regulus took a deep breath, then he spoke as if it pained him to say what he was going to say: „This confirms my fear, that I‘m maybe bound to you. Somehow. For some reason. Let‘s try and leave this appartment together. No need to panic just now.“ James didn‘t really know what to say to that, so he just nodded. „On the count of three alright“, Regulus counted them to down. James took a step forward through the door, followed by Regulus and this time nothing happened. They took another hesitant step forward and again nothing happened.
At first the just walked around the staircase of the appartmemt complex in silence, until James couldn‘t keep it in anymore. His head was a goddamn bee stock from how many questions bussed through his mind right now. „Soooo, what- what does this mean?“, he chose to ask. Regulus who had been just as quiet and thoughtful this whole time, now turned to him with big eyes, as if surprised that he wasn‘t alone. „I guess I really am somehow tied to you.“, he stated sounding unsure of his statement. „Seems like it, but why? And more importantly what are we going to do about it?“, James pressed. „I don‘t know, Pottet. It‘s not like I chose this“, Regulus retorted.
They silently wandered back to the appartment. James was just very tired and confused and even Regulus seemed to not have a smart explanation for this situation. After a few more minutes spent in awkward silence, Regulus sighed in defeat. „Maybe you were right and we should call it a night. We‘re not getting anywhere right now and I obviously don‘t need sleep, but you obviously do.“, he decided. James just nodded his mind feeling pretty foggy. „Sure, Reg. I‘ll see you tomorrow night, right?“, James accepted the offer. „With a very high possibility. See you then, I suppose. Good night, Potter.“ Regulus quipped back.
James had a hard time falling asleep that night, not there was much time left anyway. His overflowing mind kept him awake. He couldn‘t comprehend the nights events at all. It all felt like a strange messed up dream, but he knew it couldn‘t be. He pinched himself severel times, he checked the time and saw an actual real time and he could still remember the way it felt reaching through a non dead Regulus.