James had requested to complete the bogart assignment on his own. No one was supposed to be there to see it. There was a panic button if he needed the teacher but otherwise the room was supposed to be empty.
Of course Sirius, Remus, and Peter didn’t listen though.
No, instead they stole James’ invisibility cloak and stood at the back of the room to watch. At worst they would see Lily and Snape snogging and be slightly traumatized. What’s the worst that could happen?
They didn’t expect the three of them to walk out alongside Regulus though.
“Ah, should’ve expected this. Go on then? What’s my greatest fear.”
‘Sirius’ wrinkled his nose and scoffed lightly, “Merlin you haven’t figured it out? Always knew you were a bloody idiot.”
James swallowed, “This isn’t real.”
“Isn’t it?” ‘Remus’ spoke up, “Maybe these are just our real thoughts, you know it’s true.”
James wand began to lower, “Peter?”
“Don’t look at me, you think I really would’ve hung out with you if my mom didn’t make me?”
Peter let out a little squeak.
‘Regulus,’ who had wandered over to the window, looked back and laughed, low and cruel, “Oh look at him, he’s about to start crying,” He pitched up his voice like he was speaking to a child, “Are we making you sad? Do you want a hug and a kiss,” He made his way over and shoved James, fixing his voice, “Pathetic.”
‘Remus,’ ‘Sirius,’ and ‘Peter’ all laughed.
James quickly swiped at his eyes, “Why’d you say that? You don’t actually mean that.”
“And why not?”
“Because just a few hours ago you held my hand and kissed my neck and told me you loved me.”
“And you believed me?! Please, it’s not like I actually like you. It’s just fun to make you believe it.”
James choked, “No, no. You said you’d run away with me. You said we’d start a family. You said we’d be happy.”
Regulus grinned and glanced over to the others, “Should I show him?”
‘Sirius’ clasped his hands together and bounced on his toes, “Oh yes! Maybe then he’ll finally get the message and kill himself!”
The real Sirius gritted his teeth.
‘Remus’ and ‘Peter’ just laughed and nodded their encouragement.
‘Regulus’ rolled up his sleeve.
And James collapsed to the ground, freely sobbing now, “No, no, no, no! This isn’t real. You’re just a stupid bogart. I’m going to save him. He wouldn’t get the mark. I’m going to get him out in time.”
‘Regulus’ leaned down, almost sympathetically, “Oh James. We might be ’just a bogart’ but we have to find our fears from somewhere. And be honest. Would you really fear your little boyfriend getting the mark if you didn’t know deep down that he already had it?”
James continued to cry, shaking his head and chanting ‘Riddikulus’ over and over under his breath.
‘Remus’ rolled his eyes, “Please. You’re such a fucking downer these days, all depressed and shit, to actually be able to think of something funny.”
“I want my mum and dad!” James shouted desperately.
“They’re dead. We killed them. And it’s not like they cared enough to save you anyway” ‘Peter’ said.
The bogart descended on James, taunting him and taking him apart piece by piece. By the time the real Remus, Sirius, and Peter got back from getting the teacher, James was merely a shell of his fears, eyes glazed and shirt stained red, spreading from his heart, from where he had broken a piece of glass and let the fears win.