James really really doesn’t want to leave the house today.
It’s warm and sticky outside and his parents are forcing him to put on a suit.
Stupid gatherings.. he doesn’t even understand why he has to go, nevermind why his parents want to.
The venue will be full of rich snobs and everyone James has been taught to hate.
“JAMES. HOW MANY TIMES?” Sirius - his best friend - yells, barging into the room.
James groans into his pillow and wiped a bead of sweat off of his forehead with his spare hand he wasn’t using to cling onto the duvet covers Sirius was trying to drag off of him.
“I’m up! I’m up!” He cries, now fully awake.
“Get dressed James! Effie has been calling on you for ages.”
It’s not like Sirius has to go. Then again, it’s probably good that he doesn’t.. his brother and parents will be there.
Sirius had to run away when he was fifteen.He showed up in terrible shape on James’ doorstep. James knew sirius’ parents weren’t nice, but he had never thought they would do something like this, and it’s turns out it wasn’t the first time. Long story short, Sirius lives with the Potters and is now trying to open James’ curtain.
“PADS. IM BLIND.”
“Stop being such a baby and face the day!” Sirius retaliates.
James huffs and sits up as dramatically as possible.<
br />
His friend just rolls his eyes and throws a cushion at him.
______________________________________
The car is cooler with the air conditioning on, but James still has to tug on his overly tight collar to stop himself from overheating.
The journey is fairly short, just half an hour or so, but it feels like much longer as he watches the trees fly past.
He hasn’t seen the Blacks -Sirius’ family- since what happened, and has no desire to, but in a gathering like this it’s inevitable.
As the car pulls up to the venue James recognises many of the people walking inside.
The Pettigrews, for one, the Malfoys, Lestranges, and of course, the Blacks.
James stifles a glare.
“Don’t be like that.” His mother hisses to him,”yes, I dislike them too, but this is a formal gathering. Just don’t speak to them unless they speak to you.”
James nods.
As he steps out of the car he is greeted by a familiar face walking towards him.
“James! It’s been a while!” The boy cries, with a large grin on his face.
“Peter Pettigrew, as I live and breathe!” James replies, sticking his hand out towards peters. “It’s been what?…a year? Two?”
The boy nods and smiles largely, “there’s a massive buffet table if you’d like to join me?” Leading James away from his parents.
It wasn’t long standing with him beside the buffet before peters mother dragged him away to meet another female “suitor”, leaving James by himself to stare at the wide array of cakes.
Next to him, a black haired boy cleared his throat.
James ignored him and continued to gaze absentmindedly in the opposite direction.
The boy cleared his throat again. Louder.
This caused James to turn slightly, still not facing him, almost offended in the rude manner of trying to get his attention.
“You are… in front of the cutlery.”
Oh, James thought, feeling a bit foolish, and shifted slightly. He turned fully to face the boy and was greeted by none other than Regulus Black.
His face went slack from a mixture of surprise, and undoubtedly, awe. Regulus looked very similar to Sirius, yet… prettier. His hair was shorter for a start, and his body was slim and narrow, in comparison to Sirius’ muscles. His eyes were stormy grey and didn’t hold the same spark in them as his brother. They were empty, almost. James didn’t know how long he stood there, or even that he was still standing there, until Regulus cleared his throat again.
“Cutlery?” He said, his French accent caught James off guard. It was a lot stronger than Sirius’, and the sound felt like hot syrup oozing through his joints.
“Sorry! Sorry.” He muttered, somehow unable to make eye contact.
Regulus just brushed past him, his hand making contact with James’ wrist. Only for a second, yet James could feel the icy coldness of his skin.
Regulus walked away briskly, beelining towards two other boys that James recognised as Barty Crouch jr and Evan Rosier, both children of wealthy families that are always at gatherings like this.
Instead of staring at the cake, now James can’t tear his eyes away from Regulus.
____
Since that brief greeting, James cannot stop thinking of regulus.