“I don’t like it.”
Typically, Regulus was more likely to make this comment, but in this case, James was the one to say it. With a pout that Regulus wanted desperately to take away, merlin he was whipped. Missions were always such an emotional ordeal for whichever was left behind. One missed check in or late return would send the one remaining into a tailspin of worry that could only be fixed by being in each other’s arms again.
James argued that Regulus going on missions was far worse, for multiple reasons. For one, he rarely (if ever) had back-up. He didn’t exactly have a band of former Voldemort supporters that were known traitors to the group but not to wizarding society as a whole that defected to the Light and were going on missions outside of the general area the war was raging in. James typically had others with him on Order missions, which was a comfort to Regulus. Especially since his brother was often with him, and Regulus knew he would protect James (he never told Sirius he was just as worried for him). Regulus’s missions were typically more dangerous, where one missed social cue could spell capture or death for him.
It was a kind of penance for Regulus. He had desperately fled his family home a year after Sirius did. His family had made it clear that as the remaining Heir Black, he was going to receive the Dark Mark before he turned 17 and be a good follower. Marry a pureblood girl (probably a cousin) and produce more. Become as bitter and miserable as they were. Thank the stars he defied almost every expectation from them.
Being able to do good in the world was never something he thought he was capable of, even though James insisted otherwise. Thankfully, he chose to trust James’s judgement over his own that time. Even though some of his missions made him wonder how he could be creating a better world, he knew that he was. He was claiming the name of Black as his own, but making it better than what his family made it.
One of the worst aspects of these missions according to James was the lack of information. Regulus often was going into uncertain situations. Ever since he outed Peter as a spy, Dumbledore was incredibly tight lipped right up until his debrief before leaving. For this one, he knew that he was going to a group of people to convince them to join the Light, or at the least not follow Voldemort. He knew this mission was in Romania in a secluded area of deep forest, but that was all.
At the moment, his mission was to reassure his boyfriend. He stepped closer to James and pulled his arms from his chest, and the other boy automatically held Regulus in his arms. “I know, chéri, but I’ll be home as soon as I can. I’ll bring you a present.”
The pout remained, but at least it became playful. “What are you going to bring back from there? A bat?”
“Don’t tempt me,” Regulus smirked.
His boyfriend shook his head, smile blooming on his face. Much better. He gently grabbed Regulus’s hand and raised it to his lips, lips lightly kissing the ring he wore.
It was one of the genius ideas that occurred to Regulus. He would never admit that it occurred when James was on a mission that took longer than expected and was unable to notify Regulus. He had been out of his mind with worry, convinced his lover was hurt and unable to help him. He had paced until the early hours of the morning with his cruel imagination supplying him unending scenarios. James bleeding out, James’s eyes illuminated by the green of the killing curse, James chained and tortured. One after the other. He had thought how desperately he just wanted to know the other was okay. Although his boyfriend tumbled out of the fireplace with apologies and reassuring kisses, the moment stayed with Regulus.
Eventually he decided to make a pair of rings for that purpose. They were small, unobtrusive. James’s ring had a small emerald stone on silver, while Regulus had a ruby on gold. He had spelled them to high heavens with Pandora’s assistance. They were unable to be removed unless the wearer wished it, as well as being practically indestructible. Upon multiple insistent taps or a spoken code word, the paired ring would become hot. Not enough to burn, but enough that it was impossible to ignore. The final enchantment he had asked Pandora to do, as he wasn’t strong enough.
“There you go, Reg. I think they’re ready,” Pandora smiled at him. They were in her lab/craft/spell room. Books were spread around them with pages of research beside her. Regulus had brought his brilliant friend in on his project due to her knowledge and aptitude with spells and charms. And moral support, a fact both knew but neither mentioned.
Regulus studied them, and a feeling of satisfaction and pride welled up in him. He couldn’t wait to surprise James with them. They weren’t perfect, but at least they would be some reassurance. His final need was for the worst possibility. One what if had plagued his mind. What if a sudden battle erupted and the wearer couldn’t activate it? The other would be at home comforted by the fact the ring hadn’t become hot, even if the worst happened.
“I have one more enchantment I need.”
“Another? I think we have all our bases covered.”
“Just one more. I have to- I have to know if he’s… if he’s de-… if he’s gone.”
“Regulus…”
“I can’t- I can’t be waiting at home for him, thinking everything is okay, if he’s- if he isn’t. Please, Pandora.”
…
“Okay. I can just adjust the same spell we used. I’ll just connect it to- to a heartbeat, and if there isn’t one… they’ll become ice cold. That way you’ll know. But I hope it never happens, to either of you.”
“Thank you.”
Regulus closed his eyes for a moment, drinking in the smell of James’s earthy shampoo and the detergent they used on his sweater. When they opened again, he carefully cradled James’s face in his hands, staring deep into his eyes. “I’ll come back. I promise.”
James gave him a pained smile. Regulus finally couldn’t contain himself, and got on his tip toes to kiss the other. He intended it to be an innocent promise, but as usual, the fire that blazed between them couldn’t be contained. As James’s tongue demanded entrance in his mouth, he pliantly allowed it, reaching his hand up to cradle the back of James’s head. The taller boy walked them backwards until Regulus had his back against the wall and James was using a hand on his waist to hold him in place. It was a reassurance – that Regulus would come back, that everything would be okay.
It was Regulus that finally had the willpower to break it. “James, if you keep this up, I’m going to show up to Dumbledore’s meeting very late and very ruffled.”
James smirked and pushed an errant curl back behind Regulus’s ear. “Would that be so bad?” But at the same time, he backed away, allowing Regulus access to the floo. The smaller boy took in the sight of James for a moment, remembering why he was doing this, before he finally disappeared and James was feeling completely and utterly alone.
“You’re cheating, Moony!”
“What a shocking accusation from the one losing, Padfoot.”
“I can see you looking at my cards through the mirror, you asshole!”
“Then do a better job hiding your cards.”
A crash sounded out in the other room, and James shook his head as he poured out some cocoa. As far as distractions go, it was hard to get much more distracting than Sirius. It was easier to concentrate on his inherent talent for drama and allow himself to focus only on the chaos in his house rather than think of Regulus. Was he hurt? Cold? Lonely? No, it was best to focus on how sore of a loser Sirus was around his boyfriend.
A warm sensation was on his middle finger, but he ignored it. He always was clumsy pouring cocoa, especially since he jumped when the crash sounded.
But then it became warmer. I must have heated this too much.
And warmer. Merlin, is our kettle broken?
And hot. Uncomfortably hot.
James stared at his ring in horror and shock. It was a great idea, and when Regulus had presented the rings, he was grateful and honored. He sometimes wondered what Regulus was doing with him, when he deserved so much better. His lover deserved the whole world and the stars. This was proof that Regulus thought of him when he wasn’t there, that he worried enough to create this for him, that he loved him. He was fascinated by the ring and its spells, but they were fortunate enough to never see them.
Until now.
The mug shattered on the floor.
The other room became quiet, although he didn’t realize it. “Prongs?”
“He’s really focused on that cocoa.” But whoever said it clearly was worried/confused.
“Prongs?!” More insistent, and close. He robotically turned his head to see Sirius in the doorway, face twisted in concern.
“It’s burning, Sirius. Sirius, it’s burning!” He said frantically, showing his ring.
It took Sirius a few moments to understand. James had bragged to everyone in the friend group of how creative Regulus was, how he spelled their rings. When the implications finally hit, he felt his own eyes grow wide and his heart skipped a beat. “T-the ring?”
“He activated it! Merlin, he’s hurt. I have- I have to go to him, I need my wand,” James murmured, making a mess as he tore open drawers and frantically pulled on his shoes. He only stopped when a hand was on his shoulder. He looked up to see Remus’s eyes, alert but focused.
“James, your wand is behind your ear. You don’t know where exactly he is. We need to find that out first and then we’ll go to him.”
The cold wood of his wand brought him back to the present, and determination began to take over the panic. “Right, yes. The only one that would know the location is Dumbledore, I’ll get that from him and then we’ll go. Get ready.” He ran to the fireplace, ignoring the other two getting their shoes and jackets ready.
Dropping to his knees painfully hard, he immediately flung some floo powder in the fireplace and called for Dumbledore before sticking his head in. “Dumbledore!” He yelled. “I need you, it’s Regulus, Dumbledore! Please answer, oh merlin-”
After what felt like an eternity but was only a few seconds, Dumbledore hurried into view. Before he could even speak, James interrupted, “It’s Regulus, he’s in trouble. I have to go help, I need his location, now!”
The older man blinked, processing the news. It was testament to how much he trusted James that he didn’t even ask how James knew Regulus was in trouble. “James, my boy, I’m sorry. You won’t make it in time.”
“Give me his location! I’m going to make it, I’m ready to leave now but I need to know where to apparate to.”
The older man’s face dropped even more, and he sighed. It was hopeless and forlorn in the way only a leader who has lost soldiers and seen horror could be. “He’s in Romania, but James you need to be prepared. It’s vampires.”
James’s stomach dropped even as he carefully listened to the older man describe where to apparate to. He had never fought a vampire, as they were rarely involved in the wizarding world. They kept to themselves in small clusters, appearing only to hunt or turn another. They were a dark creature similar to inferni. Strong, fast, dangerous, and Regulus had likely been ill prepared by Dumbledore. He was walking into a lion’s den without any weapon but his wand. Merlin knows he knew how to use it and could cast curses and jinxes as easily as breathing, but he would be walking into a group of these creatures alone. A small part of his brain noted that he and Dumbledore were going to have a talk about the missions he sends Regulus on.
As soon as he had enough information, he pulled his head from the fireplace and relayed the information to the others. As the three stood together before apparating, James had a brief thought of how grateful he was for these two. He had been shaken after finding out that Peter had betrayed them in the worst way, but now the trio was closer than ever. He trusted them as he trusted the sun to rise again and the stars to shine. There was no one else he would want to accompany him in the most important mission of his life thus far. With that thought ringing, they disappeared one by one until the roaring fireplace was the only activity in the house.
As the discomfort of apparating dissipated, he observed his surroundings. Tall, gnarled trees stretched up seemingly endlessly. The ground was heavy with old foliage, leaves, and twigs. Overhead was a gloomy sky, and the breeze held a cool bite. The forest was unnervingly silent. It felt ancient and sacred – a piece of land hidden from humanity and left wild. James thought it would be kind of peaceful if it wasn’t so silent, as if no life could survive here except these trees. Ollivander would probably love this, he thought.
But he was on a mission, not here to admire or contemplate the forest. Dumbledore has said that the settlement would be within view, but there wasn’t enough room between the trees for even a couple of homes, much less enough to support a population worth sending Regulus to meet.
His heartbeat quickened as he whirled around and cast his eyes everywhere, looking for a single sign of life. I’m at the wrong place, he thought. His hope of staging a rescue dwindled as he couldn’t imagine Regulus being here.
It was when he turned to speak to his friends that he finally saw it. In front of them, probably thirty feet away, was a rocky hill that he imagined was connected to the nearby mountains. It was almost hidden behind the thick mist and dense trees. There were buildings underneath a rocky outcropping. It wasn’t nearly as many as James thought there would be, but it was a lead to pursue.
“There,” he said, pointing the spot out to Sirius and Remus. The trio began running, carefully navigating the thick roots and thorns threatening to catch them. As they approached, they slowed down in caution, but James realized they didn’t need to as they arrived. There wasn’t a single guard or person or animal here. It was eerily silent as the forest, reminding him of the ghost ships Regulus once told him about.
It seemed to be another empty lead. Clearly people were here, as the buildings showed recent repairs and footprints were in the dirt, but no one was present. Hope rose again, as stubborn as his lover. Surely Regulus had escaped and was hiding in one of these buildings, or perhaps he was restrained and left here. They could easily grab him and go home, where James could wrap him up and spoil him for the evening at their home, somewhere safe and hidden from the ravages of the war.
Again that hope was destroyed as he looked inside building after building. No doors were locked; clearly, the inhabits felt secure here. Reasonable really, considering how hidden this place was from the outside worlds, both muggle and wizard.
He was about to start calling out for Regulus, but luckily Remus began waving urgently from further in the village. Sirius and James both hurried over to him. He held a finger over his lips to shush them from speaking and gestured below. There was a hole behind the final building, looking as though the vampires dug it out themselves. Stairs were carved out of the stone, winding down along the edge of the hole. More buildings were down there, and there were clearly people gathered at the bottom. James hated to admit it, but it was brilliant. Whoever this group was, they certainly didn’t wish to be found. They managed to dig their home into the earth at the base of a rocky outcrop in the middle of the unusual forest. Not only were they hidden, but sunlight also wouldn’t be able to reach them except for a few hours in the day. Even the structures built at the top were misleading, as they seemed unoccupied unless viewed more closely.
James was jolted out of his thoughts when Sirius suddenly reached over and grabbed his shoulder, his grip painful. He used his other hand to point insistently. “Reggie,” he breathed. Knowing his lover was there and alive due to the ring still being warm gave James the courage to look.
And Sirius was right, there he was. Fury coursed through James with startling intensity. Of course relief was there, upon finding his lover and him being alive, but the mission had clearly gone wrong. Regulus was sat against the building closest to the fire, where the vampires were gathered. His hands were chained above him. When James thought of his lover restrained, he pictured him beneath him, delicate wrists held above him in one of James’s hands. Regulus was relaxed and unafraid, hunger and satisfaction in his eyes. Now, cold and unforgiving metal was cuffed around each wrist and hung to a ledge above him. It was evident that he had put up a fight, because his pale skin was covered in bruises and cuts and his clothing was disturbed. Instead of his usual poise and calculating expression, he seemed confused and weak. James couldn’t even imagine what had happened to him to leave him in this state.
“I count about twenty vamps,” Remus whispered. “They’re listening to whatever the one standing there is saying.”
One vampire was closer to Regulus than the others and seemed to be giving a speech. His clothing was more refined and elaborate than the rest; James could just imagine Regulus’s scathing comments about it if they saw him at Hogwarts. He whispered back, “Let’s get down there. They’re distracted listening to that tosser.”
He cursed himself for leaving his invisibility cloak at home, but he did the next best thing by casting disillusionment charms on himself and the others. They weren’t quite invisible, but they were definitely less likely to be noticed until they got close. It looked like all of the vampires were completely focused on their leader and so assured of their privacy that no guards were visible, giving the Marauders an advantage.
James led the way down the steps at a brisk pace, occasionally checking to make sure they were still occupied. It was as they descended that they began to be able to pick up what the man was saying.
“-we are outcast. The world was not accepting of us or our needs, so we found our sanctuary here. We have not been attacked in decades by the feeble minded prey around us. Now, it seems a war is breaking out among the wizarding world; the very ones that murder and abuse us beg for our help. Why would we sacrifice ourselves for them? Why should we protect them from themselves, when our kind is discriminated against and demonized? And for what? Daring to feed?”
“Merlin, he isn’t going to shut up, is he?” Sirius muttered, glaring at the man. Now James could make out more details about him. He was unusually pale in the way his kind were, with aristocratic features and ashy brown hair slicked back. His clothing resembled that seen in portraits at Hogwarts, but it was darker in color. Or really, it had a lack of color, as it was such a deep blue that it seemed black. He was tall, and his sneer was almost better than Snape’s. He certainly liked to hear himself talk. James was certain of two things: he was an absolute git and James was going to kick his ass for hurting Regulus.
They were quickly closing in, only another story down whenever everything changed.
“We will supply no aid. We care not for any leader, inferior as they are. However, we certainly appreciate a gift when it supplies itself.” That being said, the man turned and began stalking towards Regulus. He knelt down beside him and grabbed the boy by the chin, forcing him to look into his eyes. A small amount of alertness came back to the wizard’s eyes as he began trying to pull away, but a normal wizard was physically weaker than a vampire, much less one stunned and injured. “You are a pretty one, aren’t you?”
James sped up his pace, halfway down the last set of steps. Still too late.
“If I wasn’t so hungry, I might keep you for myself.” A bony finger stroked his lover’s cheek in a mockery of affection before he slammed his head against the wall and forced him to bare his neck. “I can hear the blood rushing through your veins. I only hope there is enough left to feed us all,” he said, voice dark with anticipation and lust. James could only hope he meant for blood, but it seemed likely it was more.
He almost couldn’t blame them. With such pale skin that marked so easily and high cheekbones, Regulus could have been a model. Shorter than James but with such easy confidence and wit, he seemed taller. Almost couldn’t blame him.
Because it was exquisite to see Regulus give up his control and fall apart, or to just to see him curl up in a cozy sweater with a book. The light from the fireplace always caught on his features just perfectly; James had a mental picture of it at all times along with a billion others. From when he made him actually laugh out loud and he would turn his head and try to hide it with his hand, or when James booped his nose while baking and he stared in bewilderment at his own nose covered in flour, or when he flew past him in quidditch with a cocky look.
Almost. Because those sharp grey eyes, usually the most beautiful thing James could imagine, were wide with fear and panic in a way James had never seen. He thought he was intimately familiar with every single one of Regulus’s expressions, but this one was different. He realized that the previous times, he saw anger, annoyance, unease, or calculation, but never pure, instinctual fear. For that, he absolutely would blame them and hold them accountable.
It only got worse as the man leaned forward and deeply inhaled, running his nose along Regulus’s neck. “Mmm, your blood is pure, isn’t it? Such a rare treat.” There was a split second where the man stayed there and savored it, and Regulus froze. The sound of rattling chains cut across the quiet as Regulus finally responded by desperately yanking at the chains, but he wasn’t able to go anywhere. It only seemed to amuse the vampires. The crowd stood waiting with smug glee, and some were almost completely expressionless, except for hungry gazes. Subconsciously they had stepped closer to the duo like a pack of ravenous scavengers.
Two more steps down. The man kissed Regulus’s neck.
Finally on the ground, thirty feet away. The man’s fangs dropped down, but Regulus couldn’t escape.
Twenty. The vampire sunk his teeth into Regulus’s delicate neck.
James would never be able to unsee this scene for the rest of his life. His lover began struggling even more, twisting his body and trying to squirm away. He couldn’t imagine how painful it must be. Regulus grew up in a house where crucio was a normal punishment, yet his face was contorted in agony now like James had never seen. Blood flowed from his neck and his shirt began to turn crimson as it flowed too quickly for the vampire to drink. The wizard’s hands dug into anything he could reach; his nails raked down the man’s arms and neck. He was howling in pain, but it only excited the crowd.
Fuck it. He decided. There was no more time for stealth, not when Regulus was suffering. Trusting his friends to follow his lead, he began slinging curses. The brief advantage the ambush gave them allowed the trio to quickly reduce the number of vampires to around a dozen. Vampires were weak to sunlight or magical fire, and so the battle became a blur of flames and supernatural speed. Throughout it all, James continued moving closer to Regulus at every opportunity given, even suffering some blows just to stay on course.
The adrenaline of the battle almost made him miss it, but James realized that his ring was no longer warm. It was cool despite the fiery battle; the sensation would have been a welcome one if not for what it meant. After blasting one more vampire with fire, he desperately sought out his lover. He was still chained to the wall with the man attached to his neck, but he was no longer fighting. His hands laid limp on the ground and his head tilted sideways. Regulus had always been pale (even more so than Sirius), but now, he looked absolutely drained. If they didn’t get to him soon, he wouldn’t have a chance of making it.
“JAMES!”
Sirius sounded like a military commander in battle, and he looked it too. Stood back to back, Remus and Sirius were operating with the ease of fighting with your best friend, able to anticipate each other’s moves and cover for each other. He pointed to Regulus, hand shaking, and yelled, “Go to him! Remus and I can hold off the rest!”
James’s body responded before his mind even caught up, and he sprinted toward the leader. He didn’t seem to even notice James approach as he kept drinking. In that moment, James forgot he was a wizard. He forgot all of the spells he had been using. All he knew was that the creep needed to be separated from Regulus as soon as possible. He used his momentum and speed to tackle the man off of him, and the impact was worse than he thought it would be. With supernatural senses and strength, the leader should have been able to take the hit without being moved. James realized that he had another advantage that he hadn’t thought of.
Vampires tended to drain some blood from their victim but rarely all of it. There were multiple possible reasons for this, such as wanting to leave the person alive to feed from in the future or (much more rare) experiencing a moral dilemma. A big one is that they were vulnerable after a large feeding, referred to as being blood-drunk. They still had more speed and strength than a human, but their reflexes were much slower and the high affected their balance and thought process. It was essentially like being regular drunk, but few vampires experienced it because they couldn’t trust others to watch their back. James supposed that was the crowd’s job, but they were so assured of their privacy that they didn’t even bother.
It really didn’t matter now, as he was determined to kill every single one of them. Regulus hanging limp from his chains only motivated James more, especially after how the man took such interest in him. The two rolled along the ground before stopping, with James on top. He immediately began punching, but each blow dealt almost no damage. The vampire was quickly coming out of his intoxicated state, and he was able to defend himself better every time.
The vampire bucked hard, and James lost his balance. Before he could right himself, pain suddenly exploded across his cheek and threw him back. For a moment, the two stared at each other, sizing their opponent. James knew he needed to end this battle quickly, before he lost the advantage and the vampire returned to his normal state.
Diving again, a brutal showdown began. It seemed like nothing really phased the man, and his eyes got clearer and clearer. He was obviously experienced in combat and used blocks and throws James had trouble avoiding. As James acquired more and more bruises and lost his breath, his opponent only grew stronger.
Hands bunched in the fabric of his cloak, and he was thrown a few feet away. For a brief second, James was in the air long enough for his stomach to drop. The next second was his impact against something wood. Whatever it had been, it was now scraps of wood, metal, and other debris. The hit almost knocked him unconscious, and he was left lying on the ground breathless. He watched as the vampire took this in, and he turned with a smirk back towards Regulus. The boy was too exhausted to even try to move.
Those grey eyes met James’s own. Time stopped; without a word, it was as if he had made a speech. James could feel what it meant in his bones. The boy was in pain and barely holding on, but he still managed to tell James that he loved him. That it was okay. That he had tried, and that he was sorry.
That resignation lit a new fire in James. There was another disadvantage that the vampire wasn’t aware of, and even James didn’t realize how remarkable it was. Potter men loved with their every cell, breath, atom. For their lover, they would drag themselves through broken glass. They had a quiet ferocity and determination; as long as they were alive, they would fight for the ones they loved. This devotion sparked an idea in James.
Finally remembering that he had his wand, he pulled it from his boot. To truly kill a vampire, they must be staked in the heart and their bodies burnt after. What the vampire didn’t realize was that his last move, the one he thought ended any chance James had of winning, was the very one that awarded him the best opportunity. Grabbing one of the planks, James cast a quick spell to sharpen the tip.
Regulus’s eyes widened and he could see hope bloom, although his expression otherwise remained the same. They needed to end this with one move as soon as possible. James pushed himself up to his feet, and mouthed, “Distract him.”
The boy gave the smallest nod and looked at the approaching threat. “Please! No, please don’t – it hurts, please just let me and my friends go. We won’t say anything – I just want to go home!” He wished he could say that this was a brilliant acting performance, but really he was just allowing himself to loosen his usual control over himself. Pride is a dangerous thing, and Regulus had plenty of it. Normally he would say he would rather die dignified than live humiliated. For James, he would drag himself along the ground begging if it meant he might get out alive.
The vampire was entirely focused on Regulus now. He gently grasped his chin again and looked into his eyes. “You were the ones who walked into our camp. I only wish we had more time together.”
As he leaned in to continue drinking, James rushed forward. With every bit of strength that he had left in his body, he slammed the make-shift stake into the vampire’s back where he thought the heart might be.
The vampire reared back in pain with a loud cry. Startled, James stepped closer to Regulus and held his wand ready. Staggering backwards, the vampire’s shaky hands grasped the stake. Now they could see that it had impaled the vampire all the way through. He looked up to see James in front of Regulus, eyes wide with disbelief, before he fell forward as though his strings were suddenly cut.
Ignoring the body for the moment, James turned to face his lover, who was gazing at him in awe. He muttered “diffindo” and sliced the chains apart. Without being restrained, Regulus fell forward bonelessly into James’s waiting arms. He carefully lowered them to the ground, laying Regus between his legs with his head resting on James’s thigh.
Carefully cupping his cheek, James ran a thumb over Regulus’s skin. “Just hold on for a moment, love. Once Sirius and Remus finish up I’ll take you back home.”
Regulus looked at him as though in a dream. “You came for me,” he whispered, like he couldn’t believe it was reality. He brought his hand up and weakly placed it over James’s.
Looking at Regulus’s stunned expression, James felt as though his heart was breaking and growing all at once. He knew that the other’s childhood was awful. He lived in a place where torture was more common than a hug, raised as a spare. Somehow, he still became someone who was strong and willing to sacrifice for those he loved. Seeing his face, James knew that Regulus was only somewhat mentally present, yet his potential hallucination was to see James. “I will always come for you, love.”
A tear streaked down his cheek even as Regulus smiled. Looking up, James saw that there were only two vampires left, and that each of his friends were battling one. As furiously as they were fighting, he knew it wouldn’t be long before they could go back home. James could already imagine wrapping up Regulus’s wounds before James gently bathed him and brought him to bed to rest. He wasn’t going to leave that bed for at least three days if James had any say in it.
Satisfied, he focused on his lover again. In that brief time that he had looked up, Regulus had closed his eyes. James’s heart missed a beat seeing Regulus so still. He tapped his face insistently until Regulus groaned. “Come on, you’ve got to stay awake. Just hold on a little longer, it’s almost over now.”
Regulus slowly opened his eyes again, hazy. Everything sounded as if he was underwater, and he could barely remember to open his eyes again after blinking. He tried to focus on what James was saying, but he couldn’t comprehend what he was talking about. He instead just stared at the man who was his anchor in this confusion, reminding him why he was fighting his body’s urge to give in.
James looked up when he heard footsteps nearing them, instantly alert. It was only Sirius rushing to his brother. He crashed to his knees beside them and reached to hold Regulus’s face between his hands. “Reg! Fuck, talk to me, Reg. You’re okay, you’re okay,” he said, tears brimming in his eyes. The brothers had never got around to actually speaking about their issues. After Regulus ran away and a brief period of Sirius adjusting, they just began acting like nothing was wrong. Each still felt betrayed by the other, occasionally resulting in harsh words or looks, but they always pretended it didn’t happen. Sirius realized that they hadn’t even hugged other than a couple times the night Regulus wound up hurt on James’s doorstep. Looking at his brother, so pale and covered in blood, unable to lift his own head, it felt like his own emotions were ripping him to shreds, too big for his body. His brother was an adult, but he could still see that young boy who looked up to Sirius like he hung the moon and stars.
Even as Sirius kept talking, he only saw Regulus twitch his lips in a smile when he saw him but clearly didn’t hear him. Each blink seemed to last longer, resulting in Sirius lightly shaking him when his eyes didn’t look like they would open again. He looked up at James with blurry vision, “the ring?”
James’s expression faltered as he shook his head. “It-it’s still cold. We need to get him out of here, now.”
Sirius finally lost the battle of keeping his tears back as a sob escaped. Holding his hand over his mouth, he drew all of the courage and bravery in himself and prayed it was enough to get through this. He could bear the beatings and being disowned like a Gryffindor, but he didn’t think he had enough to watch his little brother die. Standing, he looked over to see Remus going around and burning the bodies. “I- I can’t do this, Jamie. I’ll help Remus finish dealing with bodies so we can bring him home.”
Alone again, James pulled Regulus up so he could hold him against his chest, rocking him as he sobbed. “R-Reg, please, please, I can’t live without you. Please stay, just hold on, please don’t leave me. I – I love you. Merlin, I love you so much. I can’t do this by myself.” The cool air stung against the tear tracks on his cheeks, and he couldn’t even catch his breath between sobs, feeling like he was going to throw up. He hated himself for waiting to be with Regulus, promising Sirius that he would leave his baby brother alone. He hated that he could have had more time with him; if only he realized how short that time would be. He wanted to marry this boy, maybe have a family, to grow old with him. To wake up to him every morning and be the last thing he saw when he fell asleep. He deserved the world, not to die young and in pain. But James would not leave him alone. He was going to be there, and he hoped Regulus would feel safe and loved in these final moments.
He was crying so hard, hunched over, that he barely even felt the hand gripping his shirt. Blinking the tears away, he saw Regulus staring at him softly. The boy licked his dry lips and croaked, “I love you too, Jamie.”
James’s heart ripped itself in two pieces, one flying to the heavens in elation at hearing it back, the other breaking as his lover struggled to stay awake. For Regulus though, he smiled through the tears and kissed his forehead, clinging to him.
Suddenly Regulus was pulled away from him, and he held tighter and struggled. A hand on his shoulder stopped him, and Remus’s urgent tone caught his attention. “Come on, Prongs,” he said. “We’re done here, I’m going to make a bandage and you need to put pressure on his throat. Once he’s secure, we’ll take him back home and work on him.” As Remus said it, he ripped off a piece of his shirt, wadding it against the bite on Regulus’s neck and conjuring a scarf to try to hold it still. James kicked himself mentally. He was a soldier in an endless war, how had he not thought to put pressure on the wound?
With a final jerk to tighten the makeshift bandage, Remus nodded and stood. “You apparate first, back to your house. Get him on the couch and grab some blood replenishing potions. I’ll follow with Sirius, he isn’t in a state to apparate by himself.”
From behind him, Sirius wrapped his arms around James’s middle and helped get him to his feet, but he didn’t let go of Regulus. The other two helped situate the pair and prepare him for the journey. Once Remus deemed them stable enough, he stepped back with a nod, holding a hand out for Sirius to join him. The other boy quickly gave Regulus a quick kiss on the forehead, before taking it.
James closed his eyes and thought of home. He pictured dancing in the kitchen to make Regulus laugh, Regulus tending his garden with a look of contentment, Regulus falling asleep with his head on James’s chest the first time they made love in that house. The odd feeling of being pulled apart began as a crack signaled he had left to Sirius and Remus. He clung to Regulus and guided his head to rest in the crook of his neck.
In what felt like a couple seconds, James was standing in his living room, with the fireplace still lit. He walked over to the burgundy couch and gently deposited Regulus there, giving him a gentle peck on the lips as he ran a hand through his curls. But Regulus’s eyes were closed now and he seemed to be in a deep sleep, and he wouldn’t respond at all to James no matter what he did. The quiet moment ended with a loud crack and suddenly Remus was there, pushing James out of the way. He immediately put pressure on his neck. “James, grab those potions!” he barked. “Sirius, grab me a bowl of warm water and some washcloths. Go!”
Both immediately sprinted to finish their tasks. Remus knelt beside the couch and unbuttoned Regulus’s shirt to expose whatever wounds needed treatment. Deciding he didn’t have enough time to deal with the pants, he simply used a cutting spell to remove them. The poor boy had multiple bites on his arms and legs, previously covered by his clothes. These weren’t as deep and just bled sluggishly. The bite on his throat was the most dangerous wound he seemed to have. His skin was marred with bruises all over and some smaller cuts and scrapes. Remus couldn’t help but feel a small sense of pride. Regulus had certainly put up a fight.
Remus had never really trained in healing magic, but his ample time spent in the hospital wing with Madam Pompfrey and mending his own injuries made him the best one present to take over as a healer. He was also currently the most calm, although he was certainly shaken. Taking a deep breath, he knew he had to remain strong for James and Sirius, who were both falling apart at the seams.
He began with episkey just to heal some of the minor wounds, deciding that he needed to control the bleeding as much as possible before giving Regulus the blood replenishing potions. It wouldn’t do to simply give him more blood only to lose it all. Glancing at the smaller bites, he decided to let Sirius or James bandage those after cleaning more of the blood and grime off. He moved onto the throat, vanishing the scarf and lifting the bandage to observe the wound. It wasn’t bleeding as quickly as it was before, but it was still too much.
Footsteps distracted him as James appeared in the doorway, clutching the potions. He set them down on the coffee table and then pulled it closer to the couch for easier access. Sirius came immediately after, moving only a little bit slower to try to keep the water from spilling. “What next, Moony?” James asked.
“I need you two to begin cleaning and bandaging the other bites on his arms and legs. Clean them well, and then use the bandaging charm to get them taken care of. They’ve almost stopped bleeding. I’m going to work on this bite. I’ll let you know when to begin trying to get him to take the potion,” Remus said.
They all jumped into action. Sirius began bandaging Regulus’s right side while James took the left. Fury and fear made his hands shake. Fear because Regulus was not responding to any of this, although that might be a blessing for him. Fury because those vampires had used him like a snack, draining his very life force and not caring that they were killing this beautiful boy. He couldn’t help but imagine the worst scenario, seeing how the leader openly admired the boy and they would have to had removed his clothing and put it back on to bite him. Taking a second to hold Regulus’s hand, he thought, just pull through this, Reg. We’ll deal with whatever comes after together. Just please stay here with us.
In a stroke of good timing, they had all finished at the same time. Regulus was looking almost like a mummy with bandages all over, but at least now he was treated and cleaner. James could see that the one on his neck was much thicker and Remus was still holding pressure on it. The werewolf nodded towards the potions, and James grabbed one and moved up towards Regulus’s head.
He carefully opened Regulus’s mouth and poured a spoonful into it, rubbing his throat to try and trigger his swallowing reflex. It worked, albeit very slowly, and James was careful to make sure he didn’t choke. It took some time, but they managed to get Regulus to drink two of the potions. “Sirius,” Remus said, seeing the man looking lost and helpless. “I need you to go grab a pain relief potion. He may not be awake, but he’ll rest better with that in him.”
Sirius nodded and headed back towards the kitchen. James just continued to stare into Regulus’s face, gently running his fingers through the curls and detangling some.
“Prongs,” Remus said, with no response. “James,” he repeated, more insistently. The man finally looked up. “He’s okay. He’ll need to be taken care of and recover, but he’ll make it. He’s okay. You’re okay.”
Finally James’s strong façade dropped, and he immediately began sobbing again, tipping forward until his head rested on Remus’s shoulder. The other man rubbed his back. “Moony, I- I was so scared. I thought we were too late. I can’t lose him, merlin, I can’t.”
“You didn’t. You made it in time. You saved him,” Remus assured him, as steady as ever.
James pulled himself back upright and nodded. Sirius burst back into the room with the last potion, and James used his same trick to get Regulus to drink it all. Finally, their patient seemed to relax, face smoothing out. Now he looked like he was simply sleeping peacefully rather than dying. Remus stood, stretching to work out some of the pain in his back. “He’ll probably sleep for a long time. I would take him to bed, get him comfortable. He’ll pull through.”
James again picked the boy up and headed towards their room. Behind him, he could hear Sirius finally break into loud sobs and Remus comforting him. Once in the bedroom, he laid Regulus on their bed. Knowing that the boy would be more happy in comfortable clothes, James picked out one of his own sweaters, a roomy black one that was soft to the touch that Regulus often stole, and paired it with a pair of sweatpants. Ever so carefully, he dressed the boy before pulling the blankets over him.
It hurt him to leave him again for even a moment, but James needed to do something. He walked back into the living room to see Sirius sobbing into Remus’s chest still, and the werewolf was cradling the back of his head and holding him close. Clearing his throat to announce his presence, he joined them in a hug. “Thank you both. For coming with me, for helping save him. Thank you.”
Sirius and Remus both gave him tearful smiles. “Of course, Prongs.”
“If you want to stay here, you can. You can use the guest bedroom as long as you want to be here. I’m sure Regulus would be happy to see you when he wakes up.” They both nod, with Remus telling Sirius that he would make a trip to get their things and then be back. Once he’s gone, Sirius reached out and pulled James into a tight hug.
“I was so scared, James. I couldn’t even stay with him, I- I was so sure he was dying,” he cried. “What kind of brother am I?”
James just pulled him closer. “He’s okay, Sirius. He’s going to be just fine.” The two stood there for awhile before James left to go join Regulus again. He would be there however long it would take.
As Regulus stayed asleep, James rarely left his side. The morning came and he had hoped the sun’s gentle rays would stir Regulus out of sleep, but he remained the same. Finally Remus brought him some toast and coffee, and he continued to keep watch. He spent the day either lying beside Regulus or reading one of his favorite books aloud. By nighttime, Sirius took over for awhile so James could take a shower, as well as give Sirius some time with his brother. Eventually, James fell asleep, still holding Regulus’s hand.
The next morning, Regulus remained the same. Remus changed the bandages, remarking that they were healing well and assuring the other two that Regulus was okay and his body just needed the rest to recover. James spent the morning reading to him again. By lunch, Remus was cooking something and sent Sirius to get James to come eat. It took convincing, but Sirius finally told him he needed to move around and Sirius wanted to spend time with Regulus.
At first, he sat silently, but that was never Sirius’s forte. Reading also wasn’t something he was interested in. Instead, he dug out some of Regulus’s nail polish. He made a mental note to tease Regulus about it later, since it was mostly black with very few other shades, and they were all dark. As boring as it was, Sirius decided to be kind and just use black, since that was usually what Regulus wore when he felt like painting his nails.
Entirely focused on giving the best manicure he had ever done, Sirius didn’t notice Regulus’s breath speed up or see his eyes blink open.
Regulus came to slowly. The first thing he noticed was that he was warm and that he was on his back. For a moment he thought that he had died, and heaven was going to be just a cozy, warm nonexistence. As more of senses woke up, he heard the familiar noises of people in the kitchen and the scent of Sirius’s cologne. A lump caught in his throat as he realized that he was alive, that these people came for him.
It took a few attempts to blink his eyes open enough to see, but he only saw the black ceiling (he had insisted on a black ceiling, much more interesting; James just liked seeing him happy). Someone was holding one of his hands, but he could tell they weren’t just holding it. They were messing with his fingers, one by one. He finally realized the cool sensation on his nails was polish.
Barely turning his head to the side, he saw Sirius with a bottle of black nail polish. It was kind of amusing that this was the most focused he saw Sirius in ages, he didn’t even look like this during exams. First he wet his lips, noting that he needed to ask for water, before whispering, “I’m surprised it isn’t Gryffindor colors.”
Sirius’s head immediately snapped up, stunned. At first, he only blinked a few times with his mouth open, before he dropped the bottle (thankfully capped) and leapt forward. He pulled Regulus up into a hug, cradling the back of his head like he did when Regulus was little. “Reg,” he whispered as he began to cry. Regulus himself closed his eyes and drank in the moment, unable to remember the last time Sirius’s first reaction when seeing him was to give him a hug.
After a few moments of this, Sirius pulled back and held Regulus’s head between his hands, rubbing his thumbs over his cheeks. He rested his forehead against Regulus’s and stared into his eyes intently. “You idiot, going alone into a vampire camp! We thought you were – you were dead!” He closed his eyes for just a second as his chin quivered, as though steeling himself. Determined, he opened his eyes and met Regulus’s. “Reg, I… I love you.”
Now Regulus was the one crying. He couldn’t remember the last time Sirius told him that he loved him. Maybe it was that last time he left to go to Hogwarts before he ran away, or maybe it was before Regulus was sorted into Slytherin. Regulus had just resigned himself and accepted that after all of his mistakes, he was never going to hear that again from Sirius. And now, he said it. He said it while staring into his eyes, meaning every single word. Sirius was his first person really. The first one who loved him, who protected him. He was Regulus’s first safety, his first home. Feeling like a child again, he fell into his big brother’s chest, sobbing. And then he felt arms wrap around him and a head rest on his own, and it was like he was suddenly able to let go of a weight in his heart.
The two brothers stayed like that for awhile. Sirius eventually began rocking him while humming one of his muggle rock songs, making Regulus giggle. “I love you too.”
“I thought…” Sirius croaked, voice husky with tears. “You were lying there, covered in blood, and I just kept seeing you like you were when you were little. You weren’t answering and James’s ring was cold, and I thought, merlin, I’m never going to get to tell him that again. All of these stupid grudges I had, and I realized that they could be the reason you died without me telling you that. So I want you to know. I’m sorry for how I hurt you. I’m sorry I blamed you when I left. I’m sorry that I was so stubborn. And no matter what happens, I love you. And I’m so proud of you.”
Tears streamed freely down Regulus’s cheeks again. He almost pinched himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming, but the pains of his body reassured him it was real. “I’m sorry too. I hated you for leaving, for leaving me, but I knew that you had to. And then I didn’t know what to say or how to make it up to you, so I just didn’t say anything at all. I was so scared when I ran away, but I kept thinking that you had done it, so I could too.”
Sirius leaned down and kissed the top of his head, gently combing through his hair. The gentle ambiance of the room and being rocked almost lulled Regulus back asleep, but then Sirius suddenly stopped, muscles stiff. “Oh fuck, I was supposed to tell Prongs you were awake.”
Regulus giggled again as Sirius yelled out for James to get up there. He heard a plate shatter and then footsteps bounding towards them, and he couldn’t help but perk up and watch the doorway, just waiting on his love to come through.
And suddenly he was stood there. He was in pajamas and looked like he needed sleep, but he was the most beautiful thing Regulus had ever seen. His hazel eyes widened behind his glasses as he stood still in surprise, and then he crashed into Regulus. He couldn’t even be upset, because although his wounds hurt and his joints ached, he wanted nothing more than to hold and be held by James, who was babbling in excitement and kissing every piece of Regulus’s face he could get to.
It was if James realized that Regulus was still hurt and he pulled back, gently maneuvering them into a more comfortable embrace. Regulus closed his eyes and breathed deeply, smelling James’s sandalwood shampoo and their laundry detergent, home. “I love you,” James murmured.
Smiling into James’s neck, Regulus whispered, “I love you too.”
The two hadn’t even noticed Sirius leave, as they were in their own world together again. James adjusted again, so he could sit against the headboard while Regulus curled into his side.
“How bad is it?” Regulus finally asked.
James took a steadying breath, rubbing circles into Regulus’s waist. “Some bruises and scrapes, but Moony took care of those. The smaller bites are almost healed. The worst one was your neck. I’m sorry, baby, but it’s going to scar.”
Regulus took a moment to absorb the information. It wasn’t too surprising, really. The vampires of lower rank were allowed to drink very little so more could be left for the master. Other than the bites and the initial struggle, they hadn’t really hurt him. The one on his neck was aching. He could remember the fear, the feeling of unforgiving metal around his wrists and the man holding his cheek before the sudden burst of agony. It was even worse than his mother’s crucio, and there wasn’t a thing he could do about it. He could feel the blood streaming down his neck, as well as the man’s fangs digging deeper. He remembered his ears ringing and becoming lightheaded before the sudden burst of action distracted him.
Seeing James so enraged, Regulus thought for a moment his mind had kindly given him a delusion to comfort him before he died. James, the love of his life, throwing out spells and jinxes, deftly weaving through the enemies to get to Regulus. His brother behind him, even more outwardly furious, snarling as he cursed every vampire he could get to. And behind them, Remus, both fighting himself and then taking care of the bodies. He thought of the feeling of James ripping the vampire away, and his terror when it seemed James had lost.
And then their eyes met, and although Regulus just wanted him to know that he loved him more than anything, it seemed to set something alight in James. He was even able to play a small role in his rescue, distracting the vampire long enough for James to sneak up on him. And then the feeling of James holding him protectively. Of being told that he was loved, and how his heart sang. If it wasn’t real, it was the best thing he could dream of, and so of course he said it back and meant it. And then his brother was there, and Regulus could no longer hear what they were saying, but he would staring at him so desperately with love in his eyes. He remembered soft kisses on his forehead and being carried as though he was precious.
The thought of having a scar on such a visible area was going to be hard. He didn’t want that man’s actions to leave a permanent reminder on his body. He knew there was going to be hard days ahead. But although at first he thought of that man’s wandering hands and sharp teeth, he also thought of the love he was shown afterwards. Maybe that would be enough.
Even though he had just woke up, he was already having a hard time holding his eyes open. His body ached fiercely, and he winced. James picked up on it. “We can get you a pain relief potion, I’m sure that your wounds are hurting and it’s time to give you another anyway.”
With a nod from Regulus, James yelled for Sirius to bring them one. Regulus closed his eyes and laid his head on James’s chest, happy to wait. He must have drifted for a moment, because a second later James was gently shaking his shoulder. “Come on, love. Just get this down and then you can rest.”
This time Sirius was the one who helped him take his potion, holding the vial since Regulus was still so weak. Once it was drained and he was already feeling fuzzy, Sirius squeezed his hand before taking his leave. Looking up at James, Regulus noticed the bags under his bloodshot eyes. He reached up to move some of James’s hair out of his face. “Sleep with me?”
It was a sign of how sleepy Regulus was that he didn’t think of his wording until James waggled his eyebrows at him with a smirk. With a fond smile, Regulus rolled his eyes. “You look horrible and if I’m going to sleep, you can sleep too.”
“You always give me the most lovely compliments, Reg,” James joked, but he carefully moved Regulus off of him before crawling underneath the covers and pulling them up so they were both covered. Regulus wiggled his way back over until he was curled into James’s side with his head again on James’s chest. As James quietly spelled the lights off, Regulus allowed his eyes to fall closed.
Sleep was already pulling him in, but right before he gave in, he took a moment to appreciate where he was. He was home again, and the most important people in his life were here with him. His wounds were taken care of by them, after they staged a daring rescue just for him. His life was something he could only dream of when he was younger, and yet he was living it. The man he loved lay beside him, breath evening out yet still holding Regulus. He finally exhaled and gave into sleep, while James’s heartbeat beat steadily in his ear.