Chapter 5
24TH APRIL 2007
Barty didn’t go to school for a week. He didn’t even set foot near the place. He knew Evan wouldn’t want to see him, not after that shit show, not after everything. And if Evan didn’t, Pandora might wring his neck for getting her brother hurt.
But alas, his own desperation for human contact and constant self-destruction led him to the school gates - right as school was supposed to be finishing.
If he bumped into a school teacher? He didn’t really care. He wouldn’t go to detention or anything like that, so he wasn’t fussed. If he bumped into Evan? Pandora? He’d lose his shit, and he would completely care. Not that he’d let that show, of course.
However, the gods favoured Barty today. Instead of either of the twins he’d come to be slightly attached to, he bumped into Regulus. He wasn’t too sure where he was going, dressed in his usual black attire, his usual black leather jacket.
“Reg!” Barty called, running up to his side and skidding to a stop. “The fuck are you doing here?” He laughed, happy to see him more than anything, but Regulus’ face faltered.
“What are you doing here?”
The two were stopped on the street just by the gates, and suddenly Barty realised that Regulus was heading in the direction of the school, not away from it.
“Woah, woah, woah. I asked first, Sunshine.” Barty raised an eyebrow, watching Regulus’ expression twist and contort beneath that thick layer of ice. Barty knew him well enough to know when he was thinking, thinking of an excuse, thinking of a way out of the conversation he was having. It might look like nothing to someone else, maybe a few eyebrow twitches; but to Barty, he could see almost every thought pass through Regulus’ brain. “No excuses, no lies, tell me what’s happening.”
Through an uncomfortable silence, Barty followed Regulus’ eyeline, before finally seeing what he was looking at.
“Holy shitting balls that’s fucking James fucking Potter!” Barty yelled, before being immediately hushed and silenced by Regulus, who went as far to grab Barty’s wrist to stop him from causing a scene.
“Yes. It is. Wonderful observation, Barty. Now, what the fuck are you doing here? Finally picking your jeans off the floor and talking to Evan?” Though Barty recognised the teasing tone in Regulus’ voice, he felt his whole body tense, untense, and tense, rhythmically, in time with his heartbeat.
Despite all of that, he furrowed his eyebrows, keeping his eyes focused on the pavement. “How do you know about that?”
“You’ve been miserable for like, a week, Barty. Whilst I have enjoyed the silence, I do get concerned for you after a certain point.” Out of his pocket, Regulus pulled his phone, a tiny brick of a thing, and gestured it towards Barty. He’d caught him there - Barty knew that. Fuck.
He folded his arms, and laughed. Classic ‘getting out of it’ technique from Barty. “I’m always miserable, actually.” He pointed a finger at Regulus’ chest, gently prodding him and rolling his eyes. “Now, are you here to see James Potter or not? Looks like he’s looking for you.” Barty’s tone teased Regulus, dancing around his head like the last petals of a rose falling to the ground, caught by the wind.
Regulus was caught. Entirely. He kept his mouth trapped shut, in order to keep Barty from realising he’d caught Regulus entirely red-handed. Unfortunately for him, Barty read him like an open set list.
“You are!” Barty yelled, far too loud for Regulus’ comfort, who kicked him in the shin and began to walk away.
“I haven’t seen Pandora in a week. Maybe start there.” He told Barty, who decided it was best not to follow him as he ‘bumped into’ an unassuming James Potter, stood furiously typing on his phone just outside of the school gates.
Barty stood still, chewing on the metal of snake bites, spinning it in circles with his tongue.
Of course, Barty brushed it off. Text Regulus to meet up with him after he was done with PotterPants (as Barty had called him for years at this point). And he went home. It wasn’t going to be a warm welcome, and he definitely didn’t really want to, but the three hours he spent doing the twenty minute walk let him mentally prepare himself to do so. Feeling shittier than he had in the last two weeks put together, just from being alone by coincidence and not on purpose, Barty, in the end, decided sleeping was the best option - after a drink or two.