Chapter 1
A sigh escapes Regulus’ lips as he stands in front of his house, the sky still shades of orange and pink from the rising sun. It’s fucking cold for a September morning, but he’d much rather freeze and wait to be driven to school than have to take the public bus ever again. At this time of morning, it’s either filled with people around his age or drunken low-life’s who don’t really know where they’re going. Still, it wouldn’t hurt for Remus to hurry up the slightest bit.
Regulus is not looking forward to this year of school at all. His parents forced him to join some sort of extracurricular for the sake of university applications, unaware of the fact that he doesn’t plan on going to university at all. If he does, it most definitely won’t be for something his parents would approve of. Escaping the grasp of politics is first on his list after he turns eighteen.
He’s quite grateful to have a friend who can drive this year because that means that all summer he was able to be out of the house without even needing to say a word. He didn't mention who he was going out with more often than not, knowing his parents really didn’t like his choice of friends. They were constantly afraid that if Regulus made too many he would run off and disappear like his brother. They should know he’s not that stupid.
That’s another big reason Regulus is not excited for the school year, a reason that had been plaguing his mind for nearly three years now. He doesn’t want to see his brother being happy with everyone except him. He doesn’t want to have to endure the nasty looks sent his way from his older brother who ran out on him, not vice versa. Unbelievable, really. He truly was a giant prick all his life, but it’s only gotten worse since he met James Potter.
James Potter. Where does he even get started on James Potter? The first and only person Regulus ever had a crush on. Ironic that he’s the same person who stole his brother from him. He’s the most arrogant person Regulus had ever had the displeasure of meeting, and this year he’s captain of the football team, so there’s no saying how cocky he’ll be this year. Stupid attractive people. The audacity.
“Regulus, if you don’t get in, I will leave you here,” Remus’ voice cuts into Regulus’ mind, snapping him out of his thoughts instantly. He hadn’t even heard the car approach, which is weird considering music is blasting rather loudly from the stereo system. Taylor Swift. Fair enough.
Regulus grunts in a quick response, gripping his bag on his shoulder before getting into the passenger seat of his best friend’s car. Remus is possibly the only person keeping Regulus sane in these trying times, and he has been for four years. They weren’t really friends during his seventh year, only slipping into small conversations. It wasn’t until Remus asked Regulus about the book he was reading in his eighth year that they truly connected.
“What had you so distracted? Is your mum being civil?” Remus asks, waiting until Regulus buckles his seatbelt to start driving. Regulus rolls his eyes at this.
“Is she ever?” Regulus huffs out, leaning back in the seat comfortably. “I have to find some sort of club to join for the sake of scholarships.”
“They still think you want to go to university?” Remus lets out a small laugh, beginning the drive to their school and turning the radio down very slightly.
“They don’t pay attention to much of anything involving me,” Regulus reminds him, pulling his phone out to see a text from Barty, asking him if he’ll be eating breakfast in the cafeteria. He responds with a quick no. “Unless it makes me miserable, of course.”
“Oh, well obviously,” Remus jokes, nodding his head. Regulus lets out a small huff of laughter through his nose. “What are you thinking of joining?”
“Not debate club,” Regulus glances at his friend, who responds with an eye roll. “Maybe something to do with the arts. Writing and photography are at the top of my list.”
“You cannot be a photographer,” Remus shakes his head without taking his eyes off of the road. Regulus kneads his eyebrows together in a confused look. “Have you forgotten that your brother dearest is practically a model now? Do you want to be forced to take pictures of him for the school website?”
Oh yeah. That.
“Fuck,” Refulus groans, banging his head against the headrest. “I hate him, truly. He ruins everything.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Remus sighs. “You can join that club next year, though. All of us will be gone.”
“Don’t remind me,” Regulus mumbles, opening his bank account to see how much of his allowance he has left. More than enough. “Do you want to get some coffee? I’ll pay.”
“Obviously I want to get coffee,” Remus opens his phone when they reach a stop sign and puts in the directions for the nearest shop.
***
James does not feel like waking up for the next few hours, which makes his situation difficult because today is the first day of school. Usually, he’s very excited for September 1st, but he’s finding it impossible to move the covers off of his body. His body that hurts very badly, bruised and beaten only hours before by some scum of the Earth gang that was attempting to jump an old lady. Fortunately, he was able to beat all of them and leave them for the police. Still hurts, though.
Knowing he can’t skip his first day back at school without raising suspicion, he rolls out of bed and slides his slippers onto his feet. Placing his glasses on the bridge of his nose and looking at the time, he’s suddenly thankful that he decided to shower when he got home last night. All he needed to do was put his clothes on and eat breakfast. And wake Sirius. Ugh.
James makes his way to his best friend’s room with his shoulders sagged, running a tired hand through his hair a few times in an attempt to make it look a little less messy. This doesn’t work, though, loose curls still flying around his head like a permanent case of bed head. He likes to think he makes it work.
He brings a hand up to knock on the door, earning a loud groan in response. With a sigh, he opens the door and immediately sees Sirius as a scrunched-up lump under his covers. He can’t help but laugh a little when the boy shifts, looking a bit like a grumpy caterpillar. Slowly, he makes his way over to the bed and sits next to the lump.
“Padfoot, wake up,” James whispers, shaking Sirius the slightest bit. “It’s the first day of school.”
“I don’t care, I’ll drop out,” Sirius groans out, his voice muffled by the mass of blankets covering his face. James laughs at this.
“During our last year? That’s not very smart,” James pushes Sirius with one arm, rolling him onto his back. Black hair coils out of an opening in the sheets like spilled ink.
“I never claimed to be smart,” Sirius responds, freeing his face from the bundle to look over at James, his eyes squinted. “I’ll sell my body on the streets of London for a living.”
“Whatever, you harlot,” James hits Sirius on his chest. “I don’t think Remus would appreciate having a whore for a boyfriend.”
Sirius gasps, moving his hand to cover the space above his heart. “Well, how else am I expected to pay for our wedding?”
James laughs again, shaking his head. “You’re ridiculous. Get up and you’ll get to see him today. You might even have some of the same classes.”
“You think Minnie would do that for me?” Sirius asks, his eyes wide with excitement. James shrugs with a large smile.
Sirius has had a hopeless crush on his little brother’s best friend for two years now. James thinks that Remus might’ve even been Sirius’ awakening, but who can truly tell? It’s ridiculous, though, because Sirius avoids all things Regulus; classes, articles, colors, drinks, etc. James doesn’t voice how stupid this is because he will always support Sirius above anything else, but it’s stupid.
From what James could tell, Regulus practically idolized Sirius up until he left. He wanted to be around him and his friends always, but Sirius always seemed to be a dick about it. James would kill for a little brother, but apparently, this is normal. According to Sirius, anyway. His best friend claims that his little brother has shown his true colors over the past few years, and James felt obliged to agree. He has no idea what a brotherly relationship should be like.
Regulus’ best friend, Remus, caught Sirius’ eye one night at a party two years ago. He wasn’t dressed any particular way, just a baggy sweater and a pair of jeans with some Doc Martens. It was enough for Sirius to feel something, though, and he had achieved his goal of getting a good snog in before the end of the party. That’s as far as their relationship ever went, though. Drunken exchanges at parties and nothing more. Ridiculous.
“How scuffed up did you get last night?” Sirius asks as he scarfs down a croissant in the passenger seat of James’ car. “I read about it while on the toilet this morning.”
“Good to know you’re thinking of me during such important times,” James smiles as Sirius barks out a laugh. “It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t treat.”
“Well, the old lady says thank you, Spider-Man,” Sirius salutes, causing James to let out a small laugh.
“I still can’t believe those pricks went after an old lady,” James shakes his head in disbelief. “Five of them, Pads!”
“What a bunch of pussies,” Sirius sighs out, pressing his lips into a thin line. “Anyone we know?”
“No, a bunch of middle-aged weirdos,” James pulls into his parking space and then looks over at Sirius. “Didn’t seem like some evil rich person gang, just a bunch of guys who didn’t have anything better to do.”
“That’s good, then,” Sirius nods quaintly, not looking up from his phone. “I don’t need anyone I know getting caught up with Spider-Man.”
James knows who he’s talking about, but refuses to say a word. Sirius is quietly concerned that Regulus will get caught up in some sort of family ordeal and get sucked into a life of crime. From the few conversations he had with Regulus, James could tell that it wasn’t in his intentions to become a criminal. Call it Spidey Senses. He just knows.
“Okay, let’s go in there and sign up for a club or two before everyone beats us to it,” James turns his car off and grabs the large cup of tea he had made in a rush before leaving home. He was happy to have it in a cup with a lid so he could take it to school.
“Also see the love of my life,” Sirius unbuckles and grabs his bag. James laughs.
“Yes, also see the love of your life,” James nods, getting out of the car and entering the school with a wide grin on his face.
***
Regulus has always hated the idea of being in a club. The thought of being in a social setting for an extra two hours after the school day was over made his skin crawl. Is it not enough for his parents that he’s at the top of all his classes? If that’s not enough for some lousy university then he’s better off without it, anyway. What could a sport or activity possibly have to do with how well he’s doing in school? He can speak three languages fluently, which is, in his opinion, much more useful in a career than kicking a ball around a field.
Fortunately, Hogwarts is known for its vast spread of sports and clubs, which means there are a lot of things for Regulus to choose from. On the first day of school, the presidents of these clubs set up booths in the courtyard, most of which have the basic information on their club. It’s a lot for such an early time in the morning, but almost everyone in the school goes, most desperate to find a group to fit into. Regulus is just desperate to get in and out of the crowded yard.
Remus had to leave as soon as they reached the entrance of the building since he runs the debate team with a red-head girl named Lily Evans. Regulus only knows about her because James had a flaming crush on her for two years straight, which meant Regulus had to ask his older brother every little detail about the girl. It was one of his weaker moments, he’ll admit, but he was only twelve.
Now, Regulus is standing in front of a booth that has the words Writing Club across a banner in fancy, cursive letters, reading the posterboard that provides what all he’ll have to do in this club. He’s always liked writing, often using it as a pastime while locked in his room for days on end, or when he just didn’t know how else to express how he was feeling to his cousins or brother. He would never tell a single soul that he wrote songs and poetry for fun, especially his musically inclined brother. That would be the death of him, he thinks.
Just as he was writing down his name on the sign-up sheet, an unfortunately familiar figure slid in front of the booth, now standing next to him. Regulus freezes for a second, clenching his jaw before finishing signing the last few letters of his name. When he stands, he looks over and makes eye contact with none other than James Potter, who, un-shockingly, only got more attractive over the summer.
The smile on his face is bright, a dimple sprouting on his left cheek and his eyes crinkling the slightest bit. It was clear he hadn’t shaved that morning, a slight stubble framing his jawline. A small bruise traces his right cheekbone, right under his golden-framed glasses, and Regulus has to think for a second. Have football practices already started? Or did James and Regulus’ brother roughhouse a little too hard? Either way, James very clearly got hurt.
“You write?” Regulus speaks first after realizing he has been staring. James’ eyes are slightly more dazed than when he had initially made eye contact.
“Huh?” James tilts his head slightly before looking at the banner above their heads, his eyes widening slightly. “Oh! Uh, yeah, I guess.”
Regulus lifts one eyebrow, curious and confused, but nods anyway. “Funny, I didn’t even know you could read.”
James laughs at this and Regulus suddenly feels light-headed. Hadn’t it been cold earlier? Where did the sudden heat come from?
“I’m actually here to learn how. Think you could help?” James plays along, nudging his shoulder against Regulus’. An eye roll is what he gets back.
“Shouldn’t you be at the football booth?” Regulus asks, watching as James squints to read the sign in front of him. Not even glasses could help this man’s eyesight.
“I had Sirius take over for me,” James shrugs, grabbing the pen and signing his name on the sheet, right under Regulus’. “You should join this year.”
“I think I’d rather drive off of a bridge,” Regulus scoffs, crossing his arms. “One club is enough for me.”
“Oh yeah, I meant to ask,” James underlines his name, standing straight and looking back over at Regulus, “why are you joining a club? Never seemed to be your thing before.”
“It still isn’t,” Regulus moves out of the way of the people behind them, James following. “The evil bitch I live with is making me sign up for a club so that I can apply for more scholarships.”
James’ eyes soften at this, which didn’t even seem possible, and his smile turns slightly sad. Regulus sighs, hating the pity that’s radiating off of James in waves. It has the same effect as radioactive waste: incredibly sickening. If only it made his bones glow in the dark, then it would be worth it.
“You know that my house is always open, Regulus,” James’ voice is low and Regulus can feel his muscles tense. If he had a dime for every time he got this speech, he’d be richer than his entire family.
“No thanks,” Regulus looks down at his shoes, gripping the strap of his bag. When he feels a pair of eyes burning into the back of his head, he turns and makes eye contact with his brother. He’s almost thankful to have a reason to escape this conversation. Turning his head back to the boy in front of him, he says, “You shouldn’t be talking to me. Your dog is protective.”
James gives him a confused look before looking past him and instantly seeing what he means. His face drops, and before he can say a word, Regulus shoves past him, accidentally knocking their shoulders together. Without a second thought, he lets his feet drag him to Remus’ booth, deciding to sit in the back instead of continuing to walk around a lawn full of students mindlessly.
Even while walking away, he can still feel his brother’s glare on the back of his neck.