Wildfire
Thestrals were thought to be bad omens. They were thought to bring misfortune and sorrow to those who could see them…to those who have witnessed death.
That of course was utter shite. While they had peculiar skeletal features and a love of the gloomy Scottish highlands, they were peaceful creatures. Intelligent and calming if one were to truly take their time and understand them.
Regulus felt a whisper of melancholy right then. In the depths of the Forbidden Forest with his little clique. It was a bad day for all of them. Regulus awoke choking on screams from nightmares of the inflictions of his dearest mother. Barty received an unsavoury letter from his father while Dorcas was bombarded by a passive aggressive one from her parents. Pandora began picking at her food again rather than eating it and Evan was retreating into himself. His parents too caught up with his sisters to care yet somehow continuously manages to pressure him to keep up his performance and oh not to socialise with Regulus of course.
So there they were, a late September morning, roaming with the thestrals. Dora and Ev took up feeding them while Cas simply flew on the back of one and Barty paced around with the little foals. Reg watched them from his place in a nearby tree where he lounged.
Some days were good. Other days they couldn’t leave their room and then there were in between days like this. Days where they hurt yet still stood tall, together.
“We should stay together forever.” Barty had grinned back in second year when they first discovered the herd of thestrals that seemed to calm them.
“Oh, we will. Magic wouldn’t separate us.” Dora had smiled with her head cocked to listen to the wind that she claimed sometimes whispered to her, “And you can live with me and my mum! It would be great!”
Regulus had simply nodded along, not truly believing he could leave but planning for it anyway. Ev and Cas had laughed and played along, adding more dreams of life together even if they didn’t truly believe it.
But here they were, making it real even if they gained a few scars in the process.
“I hate them.” Evan suddenly said, “But I shouldn’t. They gave me everything yet I don’t love them like I should. They care more about their image than their heirs and I fucking hate them for it. Is that wrong? They don’t curse me and Father has only disciplined me a few times. I have it better compared to Cas or Barty or you Reg.”
“Is there something wrong with me? Am I not working hard enough? I stick to their diet, I do as told yet they keep asking for more. I can’t. I just can’t. They want me to publicly denounce Reg like we all don’t come as one package. I can’t leave you any of you and Merlin you can’t leave me…please don’t leave me.”
And oh. Regulus was not having that. He moved without thinking and jumped down, grasping the boy’s shirt and pulling him close before any of them could counter the boy’s words. No, Reg was the one he needed to hear it from.
Evan was never the one to really share his feelings. He was a worrier for everyone but himself. Rarely ever vulnerable to them or anyone and that was how he coped, how they all coped really. They were the first to truly ever care about him after all. He was just the sole male heir to his parents and just like the rest of them, never had friends until Hogwarts.
And Reg understood his situation better than anyone else.
“Nothing is wrong with you. Your parents are just as shitty as ours minus Rosie of course. Never fucking doubt your worth. Don’t you know what you mean to us? Who you are to us? We’re all fucking bonded and nothing can change that. If we have to let Barty loose on your parents we will but no one is leaving.” Regulus clenched his jaw as he saw the glassy look in the boy’s eyes, “You, Evan Rosier are ours. Barty’s more than the rest of us but you’re the reason we’re all as sane as we are. Never fucking question if we’ll leave you…if I would leave you. The answer will always be no. You’re stuck with us, am I understood?”
Ev crushed him into a hug at that.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologise.”
Barty pulled his boyfriend into his arms and let him cry and cry and cry until there were no tears left to shed. Dora and Cas had joined Regulus at the base of the tree and watched the two boys reassure each other before Ev pulled the two girls in who whispered curses and threats as pacifiers.
They would never let anyone touch him, even if they had to resort to murder.
Merlin, perhaps they should all see a mind healer.
“You know, we should get binding magical tattoos like starlight’s.” Barty laid an arm on Reg’s shoulders which he immediately zapped off with a jolt of raw magic. “OUCH! Well fuck you too bitch!”
And just like that, they were fine again.
“Children, children. Calm down.” Cas patted them and cooed as if they were mere toddlers, “Don’t you think we’re bound enough B? By blood, magic and then you want even more magic via tattoos?”
“Yes!”
“No.”
“We could always just get the matching tattoos. It would be fun and we can have Garth do it!” Dora interjected and giggled as Barty grabbed her and swung her around.
“You little firefly are amazing.”
Regulus rolled his eyes with fond exasperation and tilted his head to glance at Evan, “We’ll kidnap you for Christmas break then. You have everything in your trunk and Rosie’s been preparing to keep us all or so she says.”
“I couldn’t—” Ev was cut off by Dora nodding vigorously, “Mum will love to have you! Reg and I will write her later and we’ll have all sorts of fun!”
“If you’re sure.” Ev sighed but smirked when Barty snogged him.
“Now onto more fun things.” Cas started as she transfigured one of their robes into a blanket. “Come children, let's discuss.”
“Discuss what?” Reg grumbled as he was yanked down to lay between Dora and Cas.
“Oh you know, the usual, adopting more house elves, cuffing mulciber in the head, James Potter staring at you anytime he sees you and making heart eyes. The usual.” Cas turned slightly to pinch his cheek like the grandmother she was.
“Potter doesn’t make heart eyes at me.”
“Ahah! So you admit he stares at you!” Cas snickers to which Reg pulls on one of her locks.
“Kill yourself.”
“Only if you come to hell with me baby.”
Regulus groaned and buried his head into Dora’s hair.
“He does stare a lot, doesn’t he?” He could hear Ev muse aloud and Cas hum in agreement. Why they were even having this conversation was beyond him but apparently not to Ev who continued his musings, “And he was rather mad on Regulus’ behalf that day in the kitchen. I’ve never actually seen him angry if you dwell on it.”
“How fucking long were you there?” Regulus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He needed the patience of a saint to deal with them.
“Just after Lupin joined I’d say.” Ev singsonged and if Reg wasn’t so comfortable he would have gotten up to hit the boy. Oh well, a stinging hex would do.
“Ouch you little shit.”
Dora patted Reg’s head before he could speak, making him huff an annoyed breath though he resolutely stayed silent as she spoke, “We could always follow them on patrol tomorrow. Lily had the roster changed yesterday didn’t she? Starling’s paired with James every Friday.”
“By Salazar you’re brilliant firefly!” Barty practically squealed and started planning their stalking session with Cas who he could just feel was grinning like the villain of a bad play.
“Did you idiots forget that Sirius is his best friend? He’s most likely watching because I still haven’t talked to him.” Reg mumbled and sighed. James Potter would not be looking at him no matter what the tiny voice at the back of his head thought.
“He said he was worried about you Reg.” Ev carefully refuted.
“But that’s who he is, isn’t he? He tries to save everyone. And even if he was looking at me more than being just Sirius’ brother, I’m not dragging anyone else into my mess. Wally still hasn’t played her hand and I’ll be damned if it damages anyone else.”
Regulus sighed and curled into Pandora even more with Cas reaching to pat his head. “We’ll deal with it together then. If Potter is interested he’ll have to get through us and that is a feat in itself. We have Barty after all. Don’t worry for now. We’ll plot for tomorrow, if he likes you we’ll deal, if he doesn’t we kil him for staring. Simple.”
“Homicide is frowned upon.” Reg hummed sleepily. He really didn’t get much sleep last night.
“Eh, a little blood sacrifice never hurt anyone. Don’t worry Reg we’ll plan.” He could hear the amusement in Dora’s voice as his eyes closed.
“You all hate me don’t you.” Reg grumbled into Dora’s hair and promptly fell asleep to the scheming of his friends. Oh tomorrow would be a blast!
Did you feel the sarcasm?
—
James grinned as he walked alongside Regulus during patrol that night. Much to the amusement of Lily, James bribed asked her to pair them for the remainder of the term. He of course was teased mercilessly about his little crush that she was fully aware of and rather entertained by (thanks to Remus’ inability to keep anything from her)
“You’re good at that.” James noted as he watched flickers of magic dance around Regulus’ fingers, the boy’s wand nowhere in sight. His robes were forgone and his sleeves rolled up. The warmth of the torch light touched his skin with a gentle glow. Regulus’ usual cold edges seemed to smoothen out into something softer, something that could have been if his world wasn’t as cruel or demanding.
And for a moment James saw the Regulus Sirius spouted on about in first year. The Regulus that was never seen outside of his group of five, the one James had never gotten a close up of. He didn’t realise he had stopped to stare until Regulus snapped his flicking fingers in front of him,
“I- Sorry, what were you saying?” James' face grew hot as he grinned a little awkwardly and averted his eyes. He must look like a creep to Reg.
“Mmm, it’s nothing much.” Reg hummed as he curled his fingers to which his magic responded with little flickers of light.
“I’ve only ever seen my mum do that, be so intuned with their magic it responds without a wand. I mean Dumbledore does wandless and some of the professors but not like that. It feels different doesn’t it? Like during the feasts of Samhain. It’s more connected to the person.” James was aware he was rambling but he couldn’t help himself, he was excited and the way Regulus tilted his head towards him as they walked showed that he was listening.
“You’re not wrong…” Regulus paused and simply watched James who gave the boy his full attention. This was the first time they were having a conversation that didn’t revolve around Regulus looking as though he was a word away from strangling James. Not that he’d mind much.
“My magic and I have always come as one. It’s something few of the Blacks inherit and even fewer can master, much less so young. My aunt Cassiopeia had the sight or rather a very limited version of it and showed me how to feel my magic and just let it meld with me instead of breaking every window or setting the curtains on fire anytime I or Sirius cried.”
“Did she…?” James trailed off as he gazed at Regulus’ scar and clenched his jaw.
“Sometimes. Wally, above all, likes control and she didn’t have it with either of us.”
Regulus sighed. This was not the conversation he expected to be having with Potter on patrol. He expected the boy to blabber on about anything under the sun that interests him, not talk about magic and well Regulus.
“Your mother is a fucking bitch.” Potter huffed and Reg couldn’t help himself, he laughed or rather cackled at the disgust on his face.
“Ah, I fully agree Potter.”
“James.”
Regulus rolled his eyes with a huff as they walked through another dim lit hallway, “No.”
It was a moment where neither spoke and continued down the hall and Regulus couldn’t help but look at him from the corner of his eye. He could tell Potter was itching to ask something the way he ran his hand through his hair, further messing with the untameable floof.
“Go on. Ask.”
James startled and glanced at Regulus, an indecipherable look passed through his eyes before it was replaced by the usual mischief. “Do they always follow you around?”
“What?” It was then Reg became aware of the light pairs of footsteps and faint whispers behind them and sighed, “Fucking Merlin above.”
Grabbing Potter by his shirt —because the boy refuses to wear a tie— Regulus pulled them behind a nearby painting and waited. The voices grew louder and louder, passing them by. He waited patiently until the sound of Pandora’s humming turned to silence.
“You didn’t see them by the way.” Reg grumbled as he stepped back into the hall. “That was simply a figment of your imagination.”
“Sure Reggie.” James snickered as they turned to walk down the moving staircase. “How about this? I won’t say anything unless you answer me one question.”
“Didn’t you interrogate me enough last time?” Regulus raised a perfectly sculpted brow but paused to look at Potter who had stopped walking and turned to look at him. “What then?”
“Is she, Walburga I mean, is she the reason you won’t talk to pa-Sirius?” The words practically tumbled out of Potter’s mouth as he ran a hand through his hair, grimacing slightly at the knots.
Regulus couldn’t help himself and let out a bitter laugh, “If I talk to him now Potter, I’ll be much more likely to kill him than actually talk and I’m pretty sure you want him alive.”
“Wha—.”
Regulus cut him off before he could even begin, “No more questions. I won’t answer.”
James sighed, “Must you be so frustrating Reggie?”
“Must you be an idiot Potter?” Regulus sneered with a roll of his eyes making the older boy grin from beside him and poked his cheek which halted any and all of his movements. “I will kill you if you ever do that again Potter.”
Potter simply laughed and looked at him, “You can do anything you want to me Reggie.”
And oh, the slight anger that was starting to creep up on him slithered right back from whence it came. That was not the response he was expecting. Maybe Ev had a point after all, and what would Regulus be without being the opportunist that he was.
“Anything you say?” Reg stepped down a stair to be closer to him and leaned in, their noses mere centimetres apart. He could smell the scent of fresh rain with a hint of mahogany off of the boy, feel the warmth he emanated and Regulus just knew he ran hot. “Even if I tied you up and had my way with you darling? A snap of my fingers and it could happen if you wanted.”
He brought his hand close enough to the boy’s face and let his magic coil golden ropes around his wrist, keeping his eyes on Potter as he did.
James' eyes widened as his lips parted slightly and by Salazar, Regulus could just eat him alive if he could. Alas that was close to impossible for him. It was truly a pity Potter was best friends with his brother. Regulus couldn’t possibly ruin him now. No. That wasn’t in his plans. It wouldn’t be plausible even if he and his brother were on good terms.
It was in the midst of his musings that Potter’s lips twitched into a smirk of his own as he climbed to the same place Regulus stood and towered over him. Even with his growth spurt, Potter still stood almost a head taller which
“STARLIGHT!” Barty screamed ever so dramatically as he skipped towards them, the others in tow. James had spun away from him then, running a hand through his already tousled hair.
“Barty.” Regulus hummed, shoving his hands in his pockets as he observed James a second more than necessary. “If you don’t mind Potter, I’ll be leaving now.”
“Oh, er yeah. Night Reggie.” James muttered seemingly in a daze, staring at Regulus with wide eyes. And oh, how fun it was to see him undone. Leaning closer to James as he passed Reg simply couldn’t help it.
“Goodnight James.” And in a flash he was gone. Pulling his friends along with him as they descended into the dungeons, leaving a stunned James Potter on the stairs as he brought a hand up to touch his ear where Regulus’ lips faintly touched.
“I’m so fucked.”