Chapter 6
SATURDAY 28TH JANUARY - James
[Reg]
(01:35) NickNelson: I just finished it :D
(01:38) Reg: Oh?
(01:38) Reg: What did you think…?
(01:38) NickNelson: It’s absolutely amazing
(01:38) NickNelson: I loved it
(01:38) NickNelson: I want to rewatch it for the first time
(01:38) Reg: No way did I see that coming.
(01:39) NickNelson: Question mark
(01:39) Reg: James - middle name - Potter loves Heartstopper.
(01:39) Reg: Should I alert the police? I think someone has altered your brain.
(01:39) NickNelson: You’re not far off
(01:39) Reg: Favourite character. Go.
(01:39) NickNelson: Oh Nellie 100%
(01:40) Reg: Should’ve seen that coming.
(01:40) NickNelson: Wbu
(01:40) Reg: I like Aled.
(01:40) NickNelson: I don’t know who that is
(01:41) NickNelson: He’s not in the show
(01:41) Reg: Heartstopper we’re books first.
(01:41) Reg: They’re not in the school library though, I think Dumbledore is homophobic.
(01:41) NickNelson: Isn’t he gay?
(01:41) Reg: Maybe. I’m not really getting straight vibes from him.
(01:42) Reg: You can borrow my books though if you want to read them.
(01:42) NickNelson: I’d actually really like that cheers
(01:42) Reg: You should probably go to sleep, Potter.
(01:42) Reg: Don’t want to be tired for tomorrow.
(01:43) NickNelson: Maybe
(01:43) NickNelson: Good night Regulus Arcturus :)
(01:43) Reg: Good night James Potter.
————
[The IT Girls Of Gryffindor Tower]
(09:56) Siriusly: I heard music coming from James’ bed last night and I don’t know what song it is. Someone identify.
*Siriusly sent a recording*
(09:56) Siriusly: I took this last night at like midnight
(09:57) Pussyeater: I’m actually gonna cry this is so funny
(09:57) Maccies: You guys hearing what I’m hearing
(09:57) Loops: Sirius was he watching Netflix?
(09:57) Siriusly: Yeah there was talking so probably
(09:58) Lily: Hmm it’s a true mystery what he was watching
(09:58) Lily: And I’m slightly confused
(09:58) Siriusly: What is everyone talking about
(09:58) Pussyeater: @Wanker should tell us what he was watching
(09:59) Loops: @Wanker
(09:59) Wanker: You woke me up
(09:59) Loops: Late night last night?
(09:59) Wanker: Lupin
(09:59) Loops: Potter
(09:59) Wanker: Lupin
(09:59) Loops: Potter
(09:59) Wanker: Don’t
(09:59) Loops: You know my rules
(09:59) Siriusly: Please what help tell me
(10:00) Loops: I am all knowing
(10:00) Siriusly: I don’t doubt that
(10:00) Siriusly: James what were you watching
(10:00) Wanker: Criminal Minds
(10:00) Pussyeater: HELP
(10:00) Maccies: My favourite song in Criminal Minds: Why am I like this
(10:01) Pussyeater: Oh yes and my favourite character Darcy Olssen
(10:01) Lily: Tell me James, what sadistic psychopath did Tao Xu and his team catch in that episode?
(10:01) Wanker: They we’re catching a sadist who did a crime
(10:01) Maccies: Was his name Ben Hope?
(10:02) Lily: Oh perhaps Harry Greene
(10:02) PettigrEW: Will someone explain what the actually holy Jesus is going on
(10:02) Lily: James wasn’t watching Criminal Minds
(10:02) Wanker: Uh huh I was
(10:02) PettigrEW: But the characters were from Heartstopper
(10:03) Loops: Wow a Pete say it like it is
(10:03) Siriusly: What is that
(10:03) Lily: I’m ashamed
(10:04) Pussyeater: I’m embarrassed for you
(10:04) Wanker: It’s a show from the 40s about a group of friends
(10:04) Lily: What an accurate definition
(10:05) Loops: Basically
(10:05) Siriusly: Well is it any good?
(10:05) Wanker: Yeah but you probably wouldn’t like it
(10:05) Wanker: And you physically can’t watch it without committing fraud
(10:06) Siriusly: Is it a 12
(10:06) Wanker: Yeah
(10:06) Wanker: And I can’t figure out how to change the Netflix profiles back sorry
(10:07) Wanker: The police might come down and arrest you if you watch it on one of our accounts sorry
(10:07) Siriusly: I understand completely don’t worry
(10:07) Siriusly: Don’t want to end up in a cell :\
(10:07) Lily: I’m sobbing
(10:08) PettigrEW: Don’t cry Lils, Sirius will end up in jail anyways. I’ll make sure of it :)
(10:08) Siriusly: Thanks Pete
(10:08) PettigrEW: You’re welcome :D
————
[Operation Wolfstar]
(10:10) AgentPettigrew: Wanna explain why your were watching Heartstopper last night
(10:10) AgentPotter: Someone told me to watch it
(10:10) AgentPettigrew: Oh your Roblox girlfriend
(10:10) AgentLupin: Did you meet them on Roblox James?
(10:10) AgentPotter: No, I met them through a wrong number!
(10:10) AgentPettigrew: Sure you did
(10:11) AgentPettigrew: Why’d she get to you to watch Heartstopper
(10:11) AgentPettigrew: Is she gay
(10:11) AgentPotter: You know what I actually haven’t asked
(10:11) AgentPettigrew: Well ask and report back to us
————
[Reg]
(10:11) NickNelson: So, Reginald
(10:12) Reg: Oh Jesus Christ our saviour.
(10:12) Reg: Yes, Jimminny?
(10:12) NickNelson: Like the cricket?
(10:12) NickNelson: Anyways I have a question
(10:12) Reg: Fire away, Potter.
(10:13) NickNelson: Are you a homosexual
(10:13) Reg: How straightforward. Yes I am a homosexual.
(10:14) NickNelson: Okay
(10:14) NickNelson: Thank you
————
[Operation Wolfstar]
(10:14) AgentPotter: They are romantically attracted to men
(10:15) AgentPettigrew: And they watched Heartstopper?
(10:15) AgentLupin: Straight people can watch Heartstopper too Peter Pettigrew
(10:15) AgentPettigrew: Of course but like it’s mostly that community that watch it yk
(10:15) AgentLupin: Pete are you part of ‘that community’ because uve either offended urself or contradicted urself
(10:16) AgentPettigrew: Your bro is asexual and aromantic so I don’t understand why tf you guys focus on crushes and partners all the fucking time that’s why I kinda make jokes and shit because I sorta feel kinda uncomfortable? Idk sorry
(10:17) AgentPotter: Deep
(10:17) AgentPettigrew: That’s all you’re gonna say to me coming out?
(10:17) AgentPotter: I’ve never met a homophobic asexual before woah
(10:17) AgentPettigrew: Piss off?
(10:20) AgentLupin: We accept you broskii
(10:20) AgentPotter: Why are you sounding like a ned
(10:20) AgentLupin: Just took a gummie and it’s hitting the damn spot
(10:20) AgentPettigrew: Help now Lupin is becoming a drug addict
(10:21) AgentLupin: Rude of you to think that it only just happened
(10:21) AgentPotter: What does that mean
(10:21) AgentLupin: I’ll save that secret for truth or dare in a few years
(10:22) AgentPotter: Making a mental note to bring that up next time you’re super duper trouper pissed
(10:22) AgentLupin: You do you wagwan
(10:22) AgentPettigrew: @AgentPotter are you ever gonna leave your bed today
(10:23) AgentPotter: Nope I am dead on my feet
(10:23) AgentLupin: Seems abt right after all that sexting
(10:23) AgentPettigrew: Ew didn’t need to know abt that
(10:24) AgentPotter: Weren’t sexting
(10:24) AgentPotter: Are we ever gonna address the reason this gc was made?
(10:24) AgentLupin: Not today my dear young man for that dream is over since the star called himself a token straight ally friend
(10:24) AgentLupin: Or whatever he said
(10:24) AgentPotter: I see
————
[Operation Make Remus Like Me]
(10:25) Jamsie: @LupinFangirl u sure u don’t want to dig up some confidence and ask Moony out
(10:25) LupinFangirl: No
(10:25) LupinFangirl: This conversation is ended
(10:25) LupinFangirl: Because he literally will never like me back
(10:25) Worm: Okay then
————
[Reg]
(11:15) NickNelson: Is it too soon to ask to borrow your books?
(11:16) Reg: No, I’ll get them from my trunk. Give me a sec.
(11:16) NickNelson: Cool
(11:16) NickNelson: Theres no rush dw
(11:16) NickNelson: Where do you wanna meet
(11:17) Reg: I can’t tell if you wanna find out who I am or you just want to read the books
(11:17) NickNelson: Both
(11:17) Reg: Ok
(11:17) NickNelson: You’re agreeing to let me know who you are?
(11:18) Reg: You already know me, Potter.
(11:18) NickNelson: does that mean we’re friends?
(11:18) Reg: Not in real life.
(11:18) NickNelson: Would you say we’re friends online?
(11:18) Reg: Nous verrons, James, mais j'espère que nous pourrons être plus.
(11:19) NickNelson: You speak French?
(11:19) NickNelson: Yk I can just Google translate?
(11:19) Reg: No you can’t.
*Reg deleted a chat*
(11:19) NickNelson: Alright then Reginald
————
[Daddies]
(11:20) Daddy: French translation needed please
(11:20) Daddyer: Always here to help my lovely Prongs
(11:20) Daddy: I haven’t got the exact thing but it was like ‘nous verros mas jesqere nous pourrons ete plus’
(11:21) Daddyer: James that isn’t French
(11:21) Daddy: I KNOW I COULDNT COPY IT QUICKLY BEFORE THEY DELETED IT
(11:22) Daddyer: Take a chill pill
(11:22) Roughly translates to like ‘We shall see ____ I hope ___ could be more’
(11:23) Daddy: SIRIUS I LOVE YOU SMMM <3333
(11:23) Daddyer: You too my pookie wookiee bear
(11:23) Daddyer: So who u snogging?
(11:23) Daddy: No clue
————
[Reg]
(11:23) NickNelson: Same
(11:23) Reg: ?
(11:23) NickNelson: Literally nothing
(11:23) NickNelson: Where do you want to meet so I can borrow your books?
(11:24) Reg: I’m in the library right now?
(11:24) NickNelson: Coming downstairs
————
[The IT Girls Of Gryffindor Tower]
(11:26) Pussyeater: Help why did James just sprint out of the common room
(11:26) Maccies: I wanna follow him
(11:27) Loops: No you don’t
(11:27) Loops: Secrets will be spilled othrws and we don’t want that
(11:27) Maccies: Oh we defo do
(11:28) Wanker: Lupin
(11:28) Loops: Potter
(11:28) Loops: Marls and Mary did you know that @Siriusly is his own cousin?
(11:29) Loops: He’s in the dorm room if you want to torment him
(11:29) Maccies: ANAHAHAHBAHAHBAHBAHBAHBAJISJKAN
————
James saw the message and grabbed his jacket immediately, running from where he was sitting on the sofa next to Marlene in the common room. He ran down all the stairs - cosplaying Remus and swearing loudly when he took the wrong one - and finally taking a breath when he stood at the entrance to the infamous Hogwarts Library.
He walks in, looking around at all of the tables, trying to figure out who could be Regulus. Obviously it would be a Slytherin, fourth year, but James couldn’t decide what he would look like.
Would he be presenting feminine or masculine? Reg had said he was closeted, so is he out to his friends and dressing masculine. Or is he still super closeted and dressing feminine.
There are six fourth years on the Slytherin football team; Crouch, Rosier, Meadowes, Black, Mulciber (James always finds it funny how Mulciber was held back a year because he failed P.E. and is somehow still on the team) and Jackson.
James rules out Crouch because Reg had mentioned him in a text a few days ago. He also rules out Mulciber because he’s is an arsehole who definitely isn’t trans - because he’s made several cunty comments about Remus and Sirius over the years.
That leaves Rosier, Meadowes, Black and Jackson. Jackson, James knows, is in the hospital wing at the moment - guinea pig incident - , so James decides that Reg isn’t her.
He searches the part of the room he’s in, not noticing any of them, so he moves deeper into the library. At the very back, sitting on a table which is almost hidden by the bookshelves, are Regina Black, Evan Rosier, Rosier’s sister that James can’t quite remember the name of, Barty Crouch Jr, and Dorcas Meadowes.
They’re studying, James thinks, but looking closer; Crouch and Black are arguing over something, the Rosier sister is braiding with Meadowes’ braids, and Rosier is playing a game on his phone.
He walks over to them, taking a bet on who is Reg out of Black and Meadowes - which is the option which James thinks is the most sensible. “Hi, Reg,” James smiles.
Crouch and the Rosier brother both snort. Meadowes looks up from her art course-work, confused, “wannan sakariya,” she mutters, before tapping Black on the shoulder and gesturing her head to James.
Black puts her head in her hands, “James, did you just call Cas, Reg?” Crouch wide-eyes Black.
“Yeah…?” Shit, James thinks, are they not out to their friends? Did James just out them? “Sorry. I’ll leave.”
Crouch and the Rosier brother are dying of laughter, not paying attention to how red James has become. “James, I’m Reg,” Black throws his pencil case at Crouch, hitting him on the head. “Oh, hi. I’m James.”
“I know.”
“Right. Hi,” James feels his neck and face go hotter - somehow more than it was already. “I, um, got a rough translation to the French that you um sent me and, um, yeah, same.”
This time it’s Reg’s time to go red, and Crouch’s time to throw a pencil case case at his head. “Qu'est-ce que tu lui as dit?” Rosier questions, Reg rolls his eyes and reluctantly says, “Nous verrons, mais j'espère que nous pourrons être plus,” making Rosier start crying with laughter and whispering - something that James assumes is the translation - which makes Crouch dissolve in laughter.
Reg smack them both on the heads with a philosophy textbook which was on the table, making them both groan in annoyance. The Rosier sister pulls out the chair next to her, ushering James to sit down, which James politely accepts. Reg looks over at her, “vraiment, Dora ? Il est là seulement pour que je puisse lui prêter quelques livres. En réalité, il ne veut pas être autre chose que des amis.”
The Rosier sister ignores Reg, “tu es absolument inconscient parfois, je t'aime, mais tu l'es. Il veut vraiment être plus que des amis,” she turns back to James. “So, James. We’ve heard that you hadn’t heard of Heartstopper until yesterday.”
James swallows, “um, yeah. But I binged it last night at it’s really good.” The Rosier sister nods, turning back to Reg, “je l'invite à notre soirée pyjama de la saison trois.”
“James, would you like to watch season three with us when it comes out?” He breathes a sigh of relief, thankful that he’s being invited somewhere and not interrogated. “Yeah, um, that would be great, thanks.”
The Rosier sister smiles contently, “of course you can always bring your friends as well. Lupin, Pettigrew, McKinnon for Cas, oh and Lily Evans!” James looks around the table, where Crouch is still dying of laughter only silently because it appears that Rosier has stuck a piece of sellotape over his mouth, Reg is shaking his head in his hands, and Meadowes is looking extremely embarrassed.
“You won’t tell McKinnon that she said that, will you?” Meadowes glares at James, “I don’t like her like that, and even if I did, she isn’t being told.” He pretends to zip his lips and smiles at her, “consider it not-told.”
Reg reaches into his bag and pulls out four books, each with skinny post-it’s sticking out of the pages, “they’re annotated, sorry. Just ignore them.” James takes them gratefully, “cheers, Reg. I’ll give them back to you when I’m done.”
As he stands up to leave, Crouch grabs the sleeve of his blazer, “don’t go yet, we have more to find out so we can bully this twat.,” pointing to Reg. James is pulled back to the seat by him.
“What did you mean by same, Potter?” If looks could kill, James would have been murdered by both Crouch and Rosier a hundred times over. James opens his mouth to reply, no sound coming out. He tries again, this time he manages to string a sentence together, only in the wrong language, “Me gusta mucho Reg, me gusta mucho. Sólo lo conozco bien desde hace una semana y ya creo que me estoy enamorando de él.”
His improv speech happens so fast that James doesn’t even realise half of what he’s said. Shit, James thinks, Sirius is absolutely going to murder him.
“Uhh, translation?” James turns to see Mary and Marlene standing behind him, hands on their hips. James stumbles over his words, “um, I was telling them our, um, how they suck at football, and, um, we’re going to win?”
Mary obviously doesn’t take this a a good enough answer, lifting her eyebrows at him. Marlene, however, is currently twirling her ring - which James knows has a rose quartz as the centre, the love crystal, and looking up at Meadowes then back at her ring repeatedly. “You think I believe that, Wanker?”
The nickname makes Crouch and Rosier snort again, which Mary takes as an opportunity to embarrass James, “that’s not an insult. Wear it like a goddamn prefect badge, you said?”
James goes red, his face expressionless apart from pure embarrassment. “That’s exactly what I was saying to them, Mar. Our team is better.”
She rolls her eyes, “I don’t even know why I bother, sometimes,” before dragging Marlene - who is clearly focussed on her ring and Meadowes - away by her hoodie.
There’s silence at their table.
Crouch interrupts it.
“So you’re falling for him, that’s exciting.”
James swears time slows down and he freezes, “um, wow, ¿hablas español?” Barty chuckles, “no, Italian. Pretty close to Spanish, though. Also most of the school literally takes Spanish for GCSE so it wasn’t completely unrecognisable. No clue how Macdonald didn’t understand.”
“Um, uh, she takes German, uh-“
“Idiot, German is like the least attractive language. Apart from Swedish. So aggressive.” Rosier cuts in, before turning to Reg, “Lui demander de sortir. Maintenant. Il dira oui.”
Reg shakes his head, turning to Meadowes, “what period is the economics homework due tomorrow?”
“Um, third I think. Also, stop avoiding the question, twat.”
James laughs to himself, endorse realising that he did it out loud. “What’s funny, Potter?”
“Nothing, Meadowes. Just thought that Reg was joking when he said that you guys call him ‘Twat’,”
“Aww, he mentioned us? That’s our ittle wittle Twat,” Crouch ruffles Reg’s hair, before Reg takes a pair of scissors out of Meadowes’ pencil case, and chopping off a medium-sized chunk of hair from Crouch’s head. “Ahh! You prick!”
Reg shrugs, “what a shame.”
The situation amused James, their friend-group has a perfect harmony, he thinks. “Thanks, for the books, Reg,” he smiles at him, “Crouch, Rosier, other Rosier, Meadowes.”
“Please, just call me Pandora,” the Rosier sister cuts in. “Okay, Pandora. See you guys, soon, maybe? I don’t know. Bye. Thank you, again, for the books. Okay,” James walks away backwards, almost crashing onto someone crouched down near a shelf, stumbling into them. Muttering apologies, he walks back to the Gryffindor common room.
There, he sits on the sofa opposite the fireplace - which The Marauders have practically claimed as theirs now, specifically the left corner which has the comfiest cushions and least amount of stains on.
He puts the books by his feet, taking number one and opening it to the first page.
————
[Reg]
(20:56) NickNelson: Finished book one
(20:56) NickNelson: Current status - Feeling silly (and sad that I’m 1/4 through it)
(20:56) Reg: Ooh, opinions on Tao x Elle?
(20:56) Reg: Also they’re comics, how long did that take you to read..?
(20:56) NickNelson: I started reading it about 45 mins ago
(20:56) NickNelson: Also I love Towel
(20:56) Reg: Good.
(20:56) Reg: I might have to kill you otherwise.
(20:57) NickNelson: Big mood
(20:57) Reg: Let me ask you something.
(20:57) NickNelson: Fire away
(20:57) Reg: How did you say same, knowing that I’m me?
(20:58) NickNelson: I’m not one to lie Reginald
(20:58) Reg: Please don’t call me that.
(20:58) Reg: And I meant that I’m Sirius’ brother.
(20:58) NickNelson: Believe it or not I actually don’t tell Sirius everything
(14:58) NickNelson: I am an excellent secret keeper
(20:58) Reg: That I find hard to believe
(20:59) Reg: Pettigrew always seemed the best secret keeper
(20:59) NickNelson: Ur probably right
(20:59) NickNelson: If I ever need to go into hiding then Pete will be the only one I tell
(20:59) NickNelson: So?
(20:59) Reg: So what?
(20:59) NickNelson: Are we doing this?
(20:59) Reg: ???
(20:59) NickNelson: Hang on give me a sec
————
“Anyone know the password to Slytherin?” James shouts across the common room, followed by a few scattered ‘I don’t know’s and ‘Nah, sorry’s. Okay, James thinks, I can get down there without a password, undetected, sure.
So he casually walks out of the common room, down the stairs, to the dungeons - which James often thought was a really weird place for their common room and dormitories to be - and stood outside the door.
Right, James thinks, how am I going to get in? He doesn’t think of a plausible answer fast enough, so James decides to just knock on the door.
Severus goddamn Snape answers the door.
“Hiya, Snivellus! Is, um, Black in there by any chance…?” He mumbles slightly towards the end. “Even if she was, you’re not allowed in.”
“Okay, I know that, could you tell her I’m here?” The pronouns make James internally flinch, even though he’s used them for so long, it just feels wrong. Snape shuts the door.
A few minutes later, Reg comes out, “yeah, Potter?”
“It’s Potter now?”
“There are people around us.”
“Right, sorry. To the football pitch we go?”
“Alright, weirdo.”
————
They sit down on the field, although it being late January, the pitch isn’t damp at all. Regulus looks up at the sky, then points to a bright star above them, “that one’s Sirius.”
“Where are you?”
Regulus moves his hand further to the left, “there. Heart of the lion constellation.”
“Why’d you pick it? The name- I mean.”
Regulus doesn’t look down from the sky, “because I felt that it was a way to be closer to Sirius. I know it sounds silly, but when he left for Hogwarts and came back a new person who had met new people who showed him who friendship was, I felt that I maybe wasn’t needed anymore. So, yeah, um, Gryffindor house spirit, I guess.”
“You know he’d never not need you, Reg,” James places his hand on Regulus’, “thank you for telling me that.”
Regulus chuckles to himself, “yeah, Pandora has been trying to teach me how to express my feelings more. Sorry if I just took up all the air space.”
“No, I’m glad you told me.”
They stay quiet, looking up at the stars for about a minute. “Oh, I have food by the way.” James pulls a bag from the side of them, taking out several plastic tubs - the kind you get an Indian takeaway in - an two bottles of Radnor Fizz. Inside one of the tubs, he reveals four lumpy looking pastry balls, each with dark chocolate drizzled on.
“I tried to make profiteroles, because Pinterest said that’s a good date food, but I don’t think they’ve risen at all. Choux pastry is literally impossible, I don’t know how Professor Sprout makes them in food-tech so easily. Anyway, you don’t have to eat them if you don’t want.”
Regulus quickly grabs one, shoving it into his mouth, before… moaning? “What? Are they bad?” James responds.
Regulus, finishing up his mouthful, says, “no, that was fucking delicious. What do you mean ‘were they bad?’ They were incredible. You don’t even take food-tech?” James opens his mouth to respond, but shuts it again quickly.
Has Reg been looking what classes he takes? Observing him, if you will? Did Reg pretend to like his food, but they’re actually rancid and poisonous? Or did he actually like James’ food?
Lord knows what’s going on in Regulus Arcturus Black’s mind.
And Regulus. Regulus probably knows what he’s thinking about too.
James realises slightly too late, that he’s been staring at Reg while thinking about all of this. “What? James?”
James’ response to this, is rather logical, he thinks. Because he grabs Regulus’ tie, pulling him in closer, and moving his mouth towards Regulus’.
He feels teeth on his nose.
What the fuck in holy fuck land?
“Shit, I am so sorry. Old habits.”
“Why is that an old habit? Never mind, I don’t want to know.”
“Sorry. Redo?” Regulus grabs James’ jaw at rapid speed, concatenating their lips, then their tongues. It’s one of those kisses that makes the world feel like it’s slowing down, like time has frozen.
He feels his whole body tingling, like he was floating. It’s a kiss that James wishes never would never end.
James can’t open his eyes for a few seconds afterwards, still thinking of the feeling of having just devoured Regulus Arcturus Black’s face. “We just did that,” Regulus whispers.
“Yeah, we did.”
James looks up Reg. “Wanna do it again?”
“Okay.”
So they kiss again. Wow, James thinks, Sirius is going to actually murder him. The other half of his body responds, but it’s worth it.