Disco- Surf Curse
Regulus found himself leaning against the wall opposite the Slytherin common room with Dorcas that night, waiting for Barty and Evan to get their tongues out of each other’s throats and their asses into gear. The two denied any romantic feelings for each other, claiming they were just fuck buddies but even a blind man could see that was a blatant lie. Dorcas sat in an alcove in the wall beside him, filing her nails.
“So Reg, what’s going on with you and Potter?” She asked, holding up her nails to admire her handiwork.
“What on earth are you talking about? Potter is smitten for Evans, and I have better things to be doing.”
“Ah, so you admit you want to do him.” She smirked and Regulus spluttered, face flushing bright pink,
“You know that’s not how I meant that!”
“Anyways Reggie, he’s been over Evans since fourth grade. Apparently, he swings either way now.”
Before Regulus could reply, Barty and Evan came tumbling out the door to the dungeons, laughing. Love bites marring their necks and a few literal bite marks cut into Evan’s collarbones. Regulus winced at the painful looking marks, but Barty reached up to press his thumb into one and Evan’s eyes fluttered in pleasure.
“Okay!! Let’s not fuck in the hallway Barty.” Dorcas said with a laugh, “Plus we were just busy talking about Regulus love life. He thinks Potter is still hung up on Evans.”
Barty’s laugh was violent, “Hold up, Potter like James Potter? Potter is pan as fuck, speaking from experience. Plus, Evans is too busy making heart eyes at Macdonald to bother with him.”
Regulus head spun nearly a full one eighty degrees to stare at Barty, “Speaking from experience?” His voice was deathly quiet, but Barty didn’t seem to notice.
“Yeah, we fucked a couple times last year. He is one hell of a lay, but we cut it off because he catches feelings too easily and didn’t want to complicate things between Evan and I. Cause that makes any sense.” Barty scoffed and Dorcas and Regulus shared a look, noticing the tight-lipped look on Evan’s now sombre face.
“We’ve gotta hurry, Pandora is waiting for us outside the Great Hall because some of the Slytherins get pushy when she’s there by herself.”
“Panda’s back?” Dorcas asked, the blonde girl had been missing for the last few days. The four Slytherins had placed bets on where she’d been. Barty thought the Forbidden Forest, Evan had taken a guess at one of the greenhouses, Regulus said the observatory and Dorcas just bet she was wondering the school aimlessly and the castle had hidden her. The four had learned a long time ago that there was no point finding her until she wanted to be found.
“Yeah, she sent a parchment owl with a note.”
“I literally can’t wait to see her, spending all my time with you emotionally repressed boys has been rather suffocating.” They’d reached the entrance to the great hall and Pandora made her presence known at that moment,
“I hardly think you’re one to talk about emotional repression Cas. I spoke to Marlene the other day; I can see why you’re so fond of her. Quite pretty, isn’t she?”
“Panda, I swear to Salazar do not try me.” Dorcas ground out but Pandora just flashed her a wink and skipped off into the Great Hall. The boys all laughed, clapping Dorcas on the back and Regulus grasped her hand to drag her with.
They were a chaotic group, four Slytherins and a seer Ravenclaw. Barty was a psychopath, Evan was French, Regulus was gay… well they all were but that was beside the point. They were family.
…
When the dinner appeared before them everyone began to dig in, but Regulus was too busy staring across the hall at the red and gold of Gryffindor table.
“I reckon we’d look stunning in red,” Evan nudged him with a grin and Barty slung his arms over both their shoulders, shoving his head between them,
“If by ‘in red’ you mean in Potter.” Regulus shot Barty a glare, but he just laughed, “I’m just saying Reg, if you really loved us you’d share.”
“Come on Reg you should eat, you can stare later.” Pandora said, pushing a full plate in front of him. It was meticulously picked and sorted so it only contained foods Regulus would eat, and nothing touched. Even his gravy was in a separate dish. Regulus smiled. It was things like this that reminded him that he was loved.
He dug into the meal before him, but he wasn’t tasting it. He saw James wrap up a serving of dinner in a napkin and knew it was for Remus who hadn’t been present at meals the last few days. Regulus knew there was something wrong between him and Sirius – the two boys were usually all over each other – but when Remus wasn’t in the mood to talk, he was impossible to find, much like Pandora. Remus wondered if it was just a skill of magically contrary people, seers, werewolves, the like. Maybe not, considering Regulus had always had much the same skill. Remus would reappear if he wanted to talk though.
Nothing of much interest occurred throughout dinner aside from the full platter of garlic bread Dorcas sent flying at Pandora and Barty after they wouldn’t shut up about Marlene McKinnon. It caused quite the ruckus, leading the entire hall to look over at the Slytherin table. This caused Dorcas to thank whatever gods were responsible for her darker skin that made her blush unnoticeable and Regulus to curse those very same gods for his delicate, pale complexion that turned scarlet under the attention. He snatched a fallen roll of garlic bread and walked out of the hall without a word, seeking some peace and quiet before curfew.
…
The rest of the castle was silent with everyone at dinner, he could still hear the comforting sound of chatter from the hall, but the air was cool and empty. Regulus wandered the halls, pulling chunks from his bread roll and eating it. He turned a corner into a path that opened out to a circle of large runestones. At the entrance, a figure stood in the pale moonlight. Remus appeared taller, thinner in this light. Almost ethereal, like he was actually made of moonbeams, and they shone through his scars.
Regulus walked forwards quietly but Remus twitched and he knew that somehow, despite his feet being completely silent, Remus had heard him.
“Fuck off Sirius.” Remus muttered and Regulus paused.
“It’s uh… it’s me, Regulus.”
“Oh. You… you have the same footsteps.” Something in Regulus chest stuttered at that, but he didn’t know if it was fear or something else, something like relief. Something about Remus made Regulus feel he could trust him. He’d always watched the older boy with a sort of admiration. He summoned all of his bravery in that moment,
“Yeah,” he laughed nervously, “That uh- that tends to happen when you grow up in the same gods awful house.”
Remus turned at that. “
“You grew up together?”
“Yeah. I don’t know if Sirius has ever talked about his little sister but…”
Remus’ eyes widened just slightly,
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh.”
This was utterly nerve wracking. What if Regulus had just fucked everything up? Shit this could have been an awful idea.
“That’s- well- that’s certainly something. What was he like when he was younger?”
All the tension in Regulus’ body leached out and he found himself smiling softly. Remus didn’t care, he wasn’t acting differently. It was okay.
“Sirius was as he’s always been, I think. Not even the cruelty of our parents or the darkness of Grimmauld Place could suffocate his spark. Where I learned to dim myself, so I didn’t draw attention, Sirius just shone bright enough to blind people. He was my big brother. My protector.”
Remus smiled at that like he could picture it as he turned back to look up at the stars. He lowered himself to the stone steps and patted the spot beside him. Regulus moved forwards to sit beside him.
“Please don’t tell Sirius about me. I’m not ready yet.”
“Okay,” Remus agreed softly, “If it helps, I can tell you a secret of my own?”
Regulus could hear the tension in his voice,
“You don’t have to.”
“No. I know that. But I think I want to.” Regulus nodded and Remus took a deep breath, “I’m a werewolf.”
Regulus glanced down at the scars that littered his arms,
“So the scars?”
“Yes.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, how long?”
“Since I was four. It was a random attack but it makes life hell. If anyone were to find out- well I’m sure you can imagine.”
“I’m sorry.” Usually those words pissed Remus off but there was no pity in regulus voice just empathy, “I may not be a werewolf but I know what it’s like to fear for your life just by being yourself.”
The two boys shared a look of understanding.
“Can you show me Sirius’s constellation? I’ve been really mad at him lately cause he did something awful but I miss him now.”
Regulus pointed up at the blanket of stars,
“It’s that one right there, the brightest one.” Remus laughed. Regulus continued, “Sirius will not forgive himself, it’s not in his nature to forgive.”
“I don’t want him to hate himself Regulus. I don’t hate him.” Remus replied, strain in his voice. Regulus recognised it from all the times he’d heard Evan and Barty when they were in a spat. Sirius meant a lot to Remus.
“Then you have to show him that, Lupin.” Regulus stood, patting him on the shoulder. “Think about it. Talk to him.”
He headed back down the hall into the twisting maze of Hogwarts.
“Have a good night, Lupin. Don’t get caught by a prefect on your way back in.”
Regulus disappeared into the castle and Remus was left sitting, looking up at the stars and the moon that smiled down on him with a taunting smile.