First meet
James’ eyes were fixed on the boy standing on the other side of the sidewalk. He knew it wasn’t very polite to stare at people, but he was certain he knew the boy from somewhere. He couldn’t quite pinpoint from where, but there was no doubt they had met before.
Before he could really think it through, James yelled, “hey!”
The boy turned, his black hair framing his face gracefully.
“Hi?” he said, looking confused.
James checked for cars before quickly crossing the road, coming to stand next to him.
“I feel like I know you,” he admitted truthfully.
“You must have mistaken me for someone else because I don’t know you.”
He had an accent, and James was very fond of it, unable to suppress his smile. He had definitely heard it before.
“I really don’t think so.”
The boy hummed, looking away.
“What’s your name?” James asked, still slightly starstruck.
“I’m not telling you.”
“What? Why not?”
“Because you’re a stranger and I don’t know you.”
He shrugged, giving James a look out of the corner of his eye.
“I just said I think we know each other,” James said. “So were actually not strangers, you know.”
The boy laughed dryly.
“You’re awfully bad at kidnaping people, did you know that?”
James grinned back before saying, “I’m not trying to kidnap you.”
“Which is exactly what a kidnapper would say.”
The boy gave him an emotionless glance, but James couldn’t stop his own smile.
“You’re funny,” James said, to which the boy snorted.
“I’m really not.”
“And I'm not a kidnapper.”
The boy turned to face James fully, and James could only guess what he was thinking.
“So,” the boy asked, “are you trying to ask me out on a date then, or?”
James blinked, confused.
“Excuse me, come again?”
The boy sighed.
“Why are you talking to me?”
“I know you. Or I'm pretty sure I do. I recognize you from somewhere. I'm not trying to ask you out on a date or anything. Like, I'm sure you’re lovely and everything – you look lovely, truly. I just, well that wasn’t why I-”
“I get it,” he interrupted. James received a cold glare before the boy turned around, clearly content with ignoring James.
“So, aren't you going to tell me your name?”
“I thought I already made that clear. No.”
“Oh, okay,” James said, letting the silence float between them for a few seconds. “I’m James, by the way.”
“Okay.”
More silence.
“Reminds you of anything?”
“No.”
James didn’t believe him. It had to remind him of something, because there was no way James was making it all up in his head.
“What about James Potter?”
He hesitated, just a second, and James was lucky that he noticed.
“No.”
“No?”
“It doesn’t remind me of anything at all.”
“I don’t believe you.”
James narrowed his eyes, as if the answer to where he had seen the boy before would suddenly appear if he just kept on looking.
“Please tell me your name; it’s really bothering me that I can't quite put my finger on where I've seen you before.”
“No.”
“Please.”
“No. You're a stranger; I'm not telling you my name.”
“I’m not a stranger,” James argued.
“I’ve never seen you in my life before, so you are a stranger.”
“I just told you my name, so we’re not strangers anymore. You just need to tell me yours and then we’re practically best friends, you know.”
James shrugged, but the boy clearly didn’t get James’ attempt at making a joke.
“I’m not telling you my name.”
“But I told you mine.”
“I didn’t ask you to.”
James sighed, opening his mouth to say something more when suddenly a car pulled up next to them. A black-haired head poked out of the window, and suddenly it dawned on James where he recognized the boy from.
“Reggie,” Sirius said, practically hanging on the windowsill. “Get in, I have places to be soon, so hurry up.” Then he noticed James. “James!” he said excitedly. “What are you doing here, mate?”
The boy – Regulus, James remembered now, Sirius’ younger brother – sighed, walking around the car to the passenger side and opening the door, once more ignoring James.
“Not much, just chatted with your brother a bit,” James said, letting Regulus know that he remembered now. “But I have to get going now. I'll see you later, both of you.”
“Sure, Prongs, I'll see you around,” Sirius said.
Regulus got into to the car, pretending that he hadn't a single thing James had said, and James waited to address him until he was completely still.
“Regulus?” James said, happy to see Regulus’ gaze fly up immediately. “Have a good day.”
“Yeah, you too,” he mumbled, rolling his eyes and most likely embarrassed that James had caught him in a lie. James flashed him a big smile, grinning as he waved and started walking away.
Oh, how James liked being right about things.