get him back!
Regulus sat in the great hall gazing across the room at the boy he once called his boyfriend. Over the past few weeks Regulus had kept a watchful eye on him against his own will. It seemed every time he looked away from James he would find himself staring again a few moments later. Over the last few weeks he watched as James and Lily’s ‘friendship’ grew more and more until they finally began publicly dating in early february.
“Earth to Reggie!” Barty said, snapping his fingers in Regulus’s face. Regulus was broken from his trance by Barty’s sudden interruption. Barty looked behind himself at the Gryffindor table to see what Regulus was looking at. Barty turned back to Regulus with a disappointed look on his face as soon as his eyes met James. “Seriously you need to get over him already.” Barty said pleadingly. “He can’t just ‘get over’ him so easily. Regulus thought he was going to spend the rest of his life with James and now suddenly his whole world has come crashing down around him.” Dorcas said in an empathetic voice. “Thanks, Dora. You know pointing out just how MISERABLE my life is is really helping to cheer me up right now.” Regulus said sarcastically as he turned to look at Dorcas. “Ok, smart ass I’m just trying to help.” Dorcas said sharply. “So, what do you wanna do? Do you want to scream about it in the dorm for a few hours? Do you wanna light him on fire? Say the word and I’ll buy the matches, Reggie.” Barty said. “No! We’re not lighting him on fire! Merlin, why is your first solution always arson!?” Regulus shouted a little too loudly.
“I know what you need to do.” Evan said as a wave of realization washed over his face. “What?” Reggie asked with a concerned look on his face. “You need to give him a taste of his own medicine.” Evan said. “You should pretend to date someone to make him jealous.” Evan said as if it was the best idea in the world. “First of all, that is the stupidest plan I’ve ever fucking heard in my life; and second of all, who could I even pretend to date in the first place?” Regulus asked. “Hmm, well it should be someone who you already know pretty well so it’s believable, obviously it has to be a dude because you could never date a woman even if it wasn’t real, and it should be someone dumb enough to agree to it.” Barty said. “Just have Barty do it.” Evan said a little too quickly. “Evan, I think we all know why that wouldn’t work.” Regulus said with a look of concern painted across his face. “Why?” Evan asked without pausing to think about what he was saying. “Evan! You and Barty are dating.” Regulus said, surprised, Evan had somehow forgotten that he and Barty were dating. “It’s fine, you can borrow him. Our relationship isn’t public so he won’t know that me and Barty ever dated” Evan said nonchalantly.
“Good enough for me.” Regulus said, shrugging his shoulders. “Excuse me, I did not consent to being whored out like this.” Barty said. Evan simply looked at Barty with a face that said ‘you’re doing this’. “Fine.” Barty said. “You know Evan, I think this is one of your best ideas.” Regulus said. “That’s the dumbest fucking idea I’ve ever heard in my life. You’re all idiots.” Dorcas said before dramatically getting up and walking to the Gryffindor table to sit by Marlene.
-later that week-
Regulus felt a million eyes on him as he walked down the hallway holding Barty’s hand. Regulus scanned the hallway to see if James was there. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted James, Sirius and Remus. Regulus closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before leaning his head on Barty’s shoulder and graplinging onto his arm. He figured if he was going to make James truly angry he had to lay it on a little thick. Regulus could feel James’s eyes digging into him and a small smile crept across his face, Evan was right making James jealous did feel really good.
-meanwhile-
James spotted Regulus out of the corner of his eye and couldn’t help but double back and look at him again. James felt the anger inside of him bubble up as he saw Regulus wrap himself around Barty's arm. James had previously thought he was over what happened between him and Regulus but watching Regulus date someone else felt like he was being forced to bathe in acid.
Remus looked up from the book he was reading with a look of concern painted across his face. “Prongs, are you ok?” Remus asked, laying his hand on James’s shoulder. “I’m fine.” James said sharply, brushing Remus’s hand off his shoulder.
-later, in the marauder’s dorm room-
“Why does he even like Barty in the first place!?” James yelled as he paced back and forth in the dorm room. Peter sighed and put his knitting needles to the side. “Why do you always come to me about this stuff?” Peter asked. “Because, Pete, I can’t talk to Sirius about stuff his brother does and Moony refuses to listen to me.” James explained. “What about your girlfriend?” Peter asked. “Huh? Oh, her. Well I can’t talk to her, she wouldn’t get it.” James said frantically. Peter raised his eyebrow at how quickly James forgot about his girlfriend when he was talking about Regulus. “Why do you even care anyways? You broke up with him and you have a girlfriend now who, might I add, isn’t a death eater!” Peter exclaimed. “Well, ya but… I can’t explain it! It’s just driving me mad!” James yelled. “He didn’t do anything wrong, I mean other than being a death eater but you can’t be mad at him for moving on.” Peter pointed out. “I’m gonna confront him. I have to.” James said. “Wow! That is not what I just said. You absolutely SHOULD NOT go confront him about this.” Peter said. “Ya, I should go talk to him, thanks for your help pete.” James said before leaving the dorm room quickly. “What?! I didn’t tell you to do that! I claim no responsibility for this when it goes badly!” Peter yelled after James before picking up his knitting needles again and going back to his project.