Chapter 9
Regulus was leaving in a few days. James started at the picture of him and Regulus on his wall. One of Regulus, James, and Pandora in the library had joined it on the wall. James smiled. It was odd having pictures of Regulus in his room, but he loved it. There was a knock on the door.
James opened it slowly, “Reggie.”
“I’m not dating Pandora and I smelled you in the amortentia,” Regulus blurted out.
James pulled Regulus into the room, “What are you saying?”
“The spices I smelled, I taste them every single meal I have here, the broomstick polish, you always smell like it, and I haven’t figured out the animal musk, but I’m sure there’s a reason for it-”
“I’m an animagus,” James responded, dumbfounded.
Regulus froze, “You’re a what?”
“A stag. An unregistered animagus, so don’t tell anyone.”
“Well, that explains that.”
“You leave in a few days,” James whispered.
Regulus took a step towards James, “So?”
James put his hands on either side of Regulus’s face, “Nobody but Pandora is ever going to know you were here.”
Regulus’s face was crimson, “Pandora is good at keeping secrets, Potter.”
“There you go again, calling me ‘Potter’ when you’re flustered.”
“Oh, shut up.”
And then James kissed Regulus.
Regulus gripped James’s shirt in his hands and kissed him back eagerly. One of James’s hands was in Regulus’s hair. Regulus moved his hands to James’s waist as James back Regulus up to the wall.
Regulus froze and then James froze. They had both realized exactly what was happening at the same time.
James pulled away from Regulus gently, tracing Regulus’s cheekbone as he did so, “You’re only here for a couple more days, and then you can go back to hating me.”
“I’ve never hated you, James. But you’re dating Lily, and you’ve always loved her.”
James glanced away and then leaned his forehead against Regulus’s, “I know.”
“We can’t do this.”
“Since when did you have morals?”
Regulus chuckled, “Where did yours go?”
“I won’t kiss you again, at least not until I talk to Lily.”
“Why would you talk to Lily?” Regulus was holding his breath.
James didn’t answer the question, he just clipped a necklace around Regulus’s neck. It was something Treacle had helped him with. A silver chain with a small sun pendant. James was wearing a matching gold chain with a star pendant.
“We can pretend like this never happened if you want, Reggie.”
Regulus shook his head, “I don’t want to do that, but James, we can’t do this while you’re dating Lily.”
James closed his eyes and took a deep breath, “I know. Just let me spend your last few days here with you. I won’t kiss you again.”
Regulus nodded and they didn’t move for a long while. Their breath mingled together, Regulus still had his hands on James’s waist, and James still had his hands cupping Regulus’s face. Neither one seemed to want to be the first one to move.
James still went to the quidditch pitch like normal, but Regulus went with him. He didn’t change into his kit, just laid down on the field with a book. James smiled and went about his day like normal and it was a normal day, but there was one important difference, James and Regulus were inseparable.
After lunch, Regulus brought James to the library and pulled out two journals, “These are two way communication journals. I made these two for us.”
“These are amazing,” James whispered as he took one from Regulus.
“Whatever you write in yours will appear in mine. I wrote out the instructions on the first page,” Regulus explained softly.
James smiled at him, “Now we can keep in contact after you leave.”
“That’s why I made them. I’ve really loved being here,” Regulus whispered.
“You could stay.”
Regulus shook his head, “It isn’t that simple, James. My parents need either me or Sirius. They won’t give up both of us.”
“I’ll figure out a way. Aunt Dorea might be able to help.”
“I wish it was that easy, but it’s me or Sirius. One of us has to be the Black heir.”
James paused, “Is that why you never sought Sirius out?”
“I let him go so that he could be happy, James. Please don’t judge me for that.”
“I won’t. I just think there are solutions to all of this.”
Regulus laughed mirthfully, “The only solution is Walburga and Orion being buried six feet under.”
James left Regulus in the library and went to find Dorea. She was in the kitchen getting lunch ready with Treacle.
“Aunt Dorea? Is there a way to keep both Regulus and Sirius from having to be heir?”
Dorea Black turned to look at James, “The only way would be if Bellatrix or Narcissa had a son. Other than that, one of those poor boys will always be trapped in that forsaken family.
James frowned, “Really? There’s no other option?”
“No, James, there’s not. The Black family is ancient and strict. There will always need to be an heir.”
James went silent. There really was no hope. He had Sirius, but that meant that Regulus was trapped as heir. James sighed, he would have to talk to Remus about everything. Effie walked into the room and kissed James on the top of the head.
“Where are Flea and Regulus?” Effie asked.
“Regulus is in the library,” James answered with no hesitation.
Dorea smiled, “And Flea is in his lab.”
“Treacle, please go collect them for lunch,” Effie instructed the elf. Treacle disappeared with a crack.
James was silent all through lunch. He kept replaying his conversations with Dorea and Regulus. He would find a way to get Regulus out of that family.