Chapter 3 - The First Task
"Claudette, where are we going?" Regulus quizzed as he scanned around the dark woods.
"Keep up!" She hissed stepping over the log in her path.
Regulus looked towards Ivan, whose face was barely visible in the pitch black of the forbidden forest.
"Just let the little lady do her thing, Regulus." Ivan quipped.
The bushes dragged against their legs, creating a constant rustling sound.
The crickets went silent from inside the forest, which Regulus figured was their way of keeping themselves hidden from predators.
There was a soft breeze that brushed against Regulus' nose as he walked alongside Ivan.
He wasn't entirely sure how they'd gotten to this point- following Claudette aimlessly through the forbidden forest past curfew.
He had been on rounds by himself as James had been excused from everything for a small champion ceremony, where Ollivander tested each of their wands and declared them fit for the tournament.
Turning the corner he almost collided into Ivan and Claudette, who seemed glad to have run into him.
Furthermore dragging him- blindly might he add- into whatever shenanigans Claudette had found herself in.
Regulus found himself flinching at the crack of sticks under their feet and crunching leaves.
"Shit!" Regulus cursed as he tumbled forward, only to be caught by Ivan who stabled him.
"Thanks." Regulus muttered.
"No problem." Ivan assured the boy.
"Quiet!" Claudette hissed before crouching down.
Ivan and Regulus followed her actions- moving to crouch beside her, looking out over the window made by the brush.
Regulus' eyes widened at the creature in the cage.
A Blast-Ended Skrewt- Regulus was sure, after all he had written an O worthy essay on the species for Care of Magical Creatures.
The creature was incredibly large and resembled that of a giant scorpion with stingers curled over their backs.
It was a dark grey color with an orange tinge and housed a shiny shell of armor that, Regulus remembered, was practically impenetrable.
With a second glance Regulus could tell the Skrewt was a female, as she had a sucker and not a stinger.
If Regulus had anything to be grateful of, it was that James wouldn't die from the lethal poison.
"What the hell is that thing?!" Ivan spat exasperatedly.
"A Blast-Ended Skrewt. It's a cross-breed of Manticores and Fire Crabs." Regulus explained.
"It's for the first task." Claudette explained.
Ivan furrowed his eyebrows, "I thought the first task had something to do with fire? I don't see any fire."
Claudette sent a look Ivan's way that said, 'Really? You sure?'.
She reached plucking a rock from its placed before throwing it towards the cage.
The rock soared through the air before hitting the ground with a plop.
The Skrewt snapped around before a beam of fire shot out from its rear.
"Po dyavolite! (Damn!)" Ivan spat as the left over heat of the flames traveled their way.
"Sans blague (No kidding)- Jac is going to piss himself when he finds out." Claudette explained.
"Godric, James is way in over his head." Regulus muttered to himself.
Regulus stood up, "We should head back before-"
"Who's there?!"
Claudette yanked Regulus back down.
"-Before that...." Regulus finished.
"Okay, we should split up. They'll be less likely to catch us. Regulus you go straight, Ivan- left. Head straight toward your dorms. Tomorrow we meet in the courtyard before the first task", Claudette explained as the footsteps grew closer, "Got it?"
Regulus nodded, readying himself for the cardio of a lifetime.
"On three", Claudette started, "One."
"Two." Ivan said, the shuffling growing louder.
"Three." Regulus muttered.
Before he could comprehend, his feet were taking him off through the woods.
The flicker of moonlight shining through the trees proved to be the only source of light as Regulus kept on in darkness.
He didn't look back. Running around bushes and hopping over logs.
He swung wide around a large tree before cutting straight through the thick brush- pushing it with his arms to clear a path.
Regulus couldn't tell if he was followed over his own rustling and his fast beating heart.
Through the row of trees Regulus spotted light. He rushed that way- avoiding tripping over any outgrow roots. His adrenaline through the roof.
He broke out from the forest coming to a pause as he looked around him for Ivan and Claudette.
Down the perimeter line of tree and to the left, Ivan popped out around the same time as him.
Regulus' head swiveled towards the right to see Claudette pop out shortly after them.
She smiled at him before all three sprinted from the edge of the woods, through the field.
They split once again as Ivan and Claudette ran around the castle, heading more towards the back where- as Regulus remembered- their dorms were.
Regulus headed straight into the castle before bee-lining towards the large staircase.
He quickly ran up the staircase, hitting each step with a sense of urgency.
Regulus' foot hit the very edge causing him to slip, smacking his head against the stone stair.
He groaned as he regained the wind that had been knocked out of him before he scrambled upwards.
Carefully this time, Regulus reached the top before sprinting down the corridor and towards the Gryffindor portrait.
"Goodness gracious! I could hear your loud footsteps from here!" The fat lady exclaimed.
"I need to speak to James Potter", Regulus huffed, "Can you get a hold of him for me?"
The fat lady looked at him before mumbling under her breath as she disappeared from the painting.
Regulus was an athlete, but even he was out of breath after that run.
He placed his hands on his knees as he continued to catch his breath.
Shorty after the portrait opened and a confused James Potter came into view.
"Regulus?" James quizzed waking up more as he took in the sight of the boy.
"Blast-Ended Skrewt." Regulus huffed.
James furrowed his eyebrows not understanding, "What?"
"The first task is Blast-Ended Skrewts." Regulus reiterated.
"How do you know?" James asked the boy as he got closer.
"I saw it with my own eyes. Out in the forbidden forest-" Regulus started.
"What were you doing in the forbidden forest?" James quizzed.
"It doesn't matter-"
"You're bleeding." James muttered as he lifted Regulus' head upwards to get a better look at the cut on his forehead.
"I fell up the stairs, it's fine- doesn't even hurt." Regulus explained.
It wasn't entirely a lie- yeah it didn't hurt at first, but his adrenaline began wearing off.
James clicked in tongue in disapproval, "I leave you alone for one shift and this is what happens."
"To be fair I almost made it the entire shift- but that's not the point", Regulus explained, "The point is you have to fight a Blast-Ended Skrewt tomorrow."
"So?" James quizzed not quite understanding the small boy.
"So, they have an impenetrable shell- you have to aim for their underside, it's the only unprotected area." Regulus explained.
"Okay, okay. Aim for its underside." James repeated as to assure Regulus it'd be fine.
James brought his wand to Regulus' forehead, mumbling the spell as Regulus' cut healed.
"Come on." James spoke as he intertwined their fingers.
James began moving towards the portrait only for Regulus to stay stationary.
"I can't. I need to do more research-" Regulus started.
"No, no, no. 'Researching' entails pulling an all nighter and I would rest easier if I knew you were peacefully sleeping", James muttered, adding, "Preferably beside me."
Regulus pouted, pushing his bottom lip out.
He didn't know enough- his essay had been two years ago and he desperately needed to brush up on everything.
James tugged Regulus' arm gently for the boy to move.
"Regulus", James scolded, "I will drag you."
Regulus let out a soft unimpressed 'hmph' before walking closer to James.
James smiled victoriously before gently guiding Regulus into the common room.
This time Regulus took his time to actually look around.
The entire room was obnoxiously red, but it was warm- the fire illuminating the room with a soft orange glow.
Scarlet tapestry draped the walls and a sets of bookcases scattered around the room- filled with various novels.
He could imagine the Marauders sitting on the maroon sofas as they planned their next prank.
James pulled him up the winding stairs, before reaching his dorm.
James stepped into the room- their fingers still intertwined- as Regulus waited.
With a sudden tug Regulus stumbled into the room. James already dragging him to the bed.
Regulus slipped his hand from James', sliding into the bed.
James closed to curtains before joining beside Regulus. He wrapped an arm around the smaller boy's waist and the other buried in his curls.
Regulus snuggled his head closer into James' chest.
He was nowhere near prepared for the events to come.
***
"Do you think James has left yet?"
Regulus stirred as the voice of his brother floated to his ears.
He blinked away to spot the empty side of the bed where James had been.
"Yeah, left earlier this morning. Something about debriefing the champions on the first task." Remus explained.
"You think we have enough time for Lunch before the task?" Peter quizzed.
"Yeah, Pete", Remus said, "C'mon Pads."
Regulus listened as there was a bunch of shuffling.
He didn't make a peep or even move until he was sure they'd gone.
He slowly peaked out of the curtain to see the dorm was- in fact- empty.
Regulus hopped out of the bed and began fixing his hair as he rushed from the dorm.
He quietly made his way down the stairs, peaking his head to make sure they hadn't stayed around.
"They just left." Lily explained from her spot by the bookshelf.
Regulus head snapped towards the girl as she smiled at him.
"Thanks, Lily. You're a godsend." Regulus spoke as he rushed out the common room and into the corridor.
Regulus was slightly less on edge now that he was less suspicious outside in the open.
He made his way down the stairs, carefully this time, and took a left- placing him at the courtyard where Ivan and Claudette waited, conversing silently.
"Sorry I'm late, I got stuck." Regulus started as he approached them.
Claudette stifled a chuckle before fixing Regulus' hair for him.
They both wore their respective uniforms as support for their champions.
"There's a golden egg. Each champion fights the Skrewt to get to the egg, which is a clue for the next task." Claudette explained stepping back from helping Regulus.
"How do you know?" Ivan quizzed.
"There was a debriefing and I just happened to be within hearing range." Claudette spoke as she smiled mischievously.
"So what do we do?" Regulus chimed in.
"We wait for them to get the eggs. Then we figure out how to open them", Claudette said looking from Ivan to Regulus, "Together."
Ivan nodded, "Together."
All three of them weren't in it for the money or the 'eternal glory', but to make sure that the people they care about don't die- Regulus really managed to find his people.
Claudette and Ivan looked at him expectantly as he rolled his eyes playfully, "Together."
"Tell your siblings I said good luck." Regulus said to the pair.
"Tell your lover we said good luck." Claudette teased as she and Ivan both smiled at Regulus shamelessly.
Regulus chuckled as he began walking off, "I will."
The quidditch pitch was pretty much a straight shoot from the courtyard.
He followed the mass crowd of students that'd exited the Great Hall.
"Jacques is so hot." A girl giggled from in front of him as she walked arm and arm with two other girls.
"But James is the hottest." Her friend exclaimed, which was exactly what Regulus didn't want to hear.
"Are you kidding?! Evangeliya is obviously the hottest!" The blonde jeered.
"Tamara!" The other two girls squealed before they broke out into laughter.
Regulus- desperately wishing to distance himself from the trio of girls- fell back in the crowd, allowing him to sneak towards the champions' tent.
Regulus peaked his head in to see James laying on a makeshift bed, tossing and catching a golden snitch- specifically the one Regulus had given him.
A brown curtain closed in front of him, creating a private cubicle.
Regulus was grateful he'd managed to find James' and not the others- not wanting to imagine how awkward that might've been.
He looked apprehensively around himself before slipping into the restricted tent.
James lazily tossed the snitch up in the air- expecting to catch it, only for Regulus to swiftly grab it.
Regulus smiled down at James as the older boys smile grew.
"What are you doing here?" James quizzed.
"I just wanted to...", Regulus paused as he bent down to press a kiss to James' lips, "...wish you luck."
James smiled before rolling off the bed. He speedily grabbed Regulus' face in his hands, smashing their lips together again.
Regulus stomach fluttered as much as the snitch in his hand at the action.
"James- Professors, ten o'clock. Finish your rendezvous." Jacques called from the other side of the curtain, his voice like honey.
James pulled away softly looking over his shoulder slightly to answer the boy, "Stalle pour moi, veux-tu? (Stall for me, will ya?)"
Regulus' heart beat out of his chest at James' French. It was like music to Regulus' ears.
James turned back to kiss him once more only for Regulus to dodge him.
"James Potter. You know French?" Regulus quizzed in disbelief.
James shrugged, "Subpar."
"Say something." Regulus begged fascinated.
"De toutes les étoiles dans le ciel nocturne, tu es de loin ma préférée. (Of all the stars in the night sky, you by far are my favorite.)" James cooed at the boy.
Regulus pressed his lips to James' before stepping away.
He took in the view of James. He wore a black jacket that had long scarlet sleeves with two golden stripes that traveled from his shoulders to his wrists.
The neck line sported this lace design like that belonging to sneakers while a patch of red was underneath- again another useless feature in Regulus' opinion.
To the left of his chest sat the Hogwarts emblem of all four houses surrounded by gold.
The hoods interior was red, while the outside was black with two golden stripes down the middle like with the sleeves.
The word 'Potter' spread in red lettering upon his back.
"Like what you see?" James teased.
Regulus rolled his eyes playfully, "Just don't die, yeah?"
Regulus slipped out of the tent heading towards the stadium stands.
The amount of Gryffindor red and gold was astronomical. Hats, jackets, paints- everything you could imagine.
"Regulus!" Lily called causing Regulus to swivel.
On her cheeks was a circle of gold and red pedals attached to it, making a Gryffindor colored flower.
She wore a flowy, gold tank top with a floral design that clashed with her fiery red hair.
Beside her holding a rectangle of, what Regulus figured was face paint, was Mary.
She wore a grey sweater vest with gold and red seams as well as a gold and red headband to hold back her light amber- almost brown- hair.
Regulus smiled at the two girls before sitting beside Lily.
"Where's your school spirit?" Lily quizzed at Regulus' all black attire.
Regulus shrugged, "Not my colors."
"Oh come on- you, Regulus Black, don't look bad in any color." Mary exclaimed.
"Here", Lily said as she smirked dipping her finger into Mary's paint before smudging it on Regulus' face, "Now you have a little school pride."
Regulus glared at the girl unimpressed, "I hate you."
"You wish you hated me." Lily chuckled.
"I'll fix it", Mary suggested, "So it's not just a smudge."
Regulus contemplated it before sighing, he might as well let her do whatever.
"Fine." Regulus agreed as Mary gleamed at him.
She moved to the other side of Regulus, before drawing on the boys face with her cold paints.
Regulus watched as the Blast-Ended Skrewt was placed in the arena that'd been set up in the quidditch pitch.
The beast thrashed around before it was pushed out from its cage. It immediately headed towards its nest of grey colored eggs and the singular golden one that stuck out like a sore thumb.
Mary moved his head all around to paint on both sides.
By the time the first champion was due to come out Mary had finished and Regulus had stars of varying sizes from his cheekbones up barely to his forehead- each with alternating color between gold and red.
First up was Evangeliya. She had made it a decent ways to the eggs before the Skrewt spotted her.
The beast was fast to shoot fire as she jumped, shielding herself with a large rock.
She peered to the side of the rock throwing a fruitless spell at the monster, only angering it.
She tucked and rolled towards another rock, contemplating before making a run for the egg.
She leaped into the nest, dodging as its sucker came at her.
She swooped the egg up into her arms, running for another rock to cover her.
The Skrewt's flames hitting her this time setting her glove on fire.
She speedily ripped it off her hand throwing it to the ground before stomping out the flames.
Rocks covered her the entire way back towards the entrance allowing her sneak away from the monster and to victory.
Dumbledore levitated a new golden egg into the nest, allowing the judges to prepare before the next champion.
Regulus waited with anticipation as Jacques entered the arena.
He mumbled a spell before rocks flew up from the ground and began flying away from the eggs to distract the Skrewt.
Jacques swiftly made his way towards the nest, only for the beast to snap his way.
It shrieked before smacking the rocks his way, using its sucker like a bat.
Jacques held his arm up to shield himself as he attempted not to get pelted by the incoming rocks.
He rushed to the nest grabbing the egg as the rocks kept at him.
The Skrewt, un-content with stopping the boy began shooting fire at him.
He successfully reached the exit with the egg, being lucky enough to only have a few cuts from the rocks.
Dumbledore repeated his actions from before- placing another egg into the nest.
Regulus was biting his nails with anxiety at this point.
As James stepped out into the pitch, the crowd went wild- including the two girls beside him.
James' eyes met his before he looked determined towards the creature.
The Skrewt was distracted by the cheering, allowing James to slip past the rocks.
He never stayed in a straight line, making the Skrewt unable to detect his sudden growing proximity.
Regulus watched in awe as the boy flawlessly moved across the arena- like he was floating.
James rushed to the egg grasping it, ready to run back behind the rock.
James hissed as the Skrewts sucker clamped around his side, pulling him back from the egg.
Regulus shot upwards as his blood ran cold.
James grabbed a rock to keep the Skrewt from pulling him upwards.
He used all his might to pull himself to the ground, far enough to use his wand on the creatures underside.
James stupifyed the Skrewt causing the monster to release its grip on James, plopping him to the ground.
James held his side speedily grabbing the egg and sprinting towards the exit.
"The scores are tallied. In first is Jacques with 25 points, second is James with 23 points, and third is Evangeliya with 22 points", Dumbledore announced, "The next task will take place on 24th of February, our champions have till then to figure out the egg's clue."
As soon as Dumbledore finished, Regulus was off.
Which was not ignored by Sirius who furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at his brothers actions.
Regulus rushed down the stairs of the bleachers and towards the champions tent, passing anybody who was going way too slow for his liking.
Stumbling slightly before pushing through the flaps, into the large tent, Regulus' eyes darted all around meeting Eva and Jac's gaze.
"Where is he?" Regulus muttered his voice cracking.
James appeared out from the curtain, "Regulus."
Regulus' vision blurred, his fingers shook in built up fear, and his breaths were short and sporadic.
Regulus choked out a sob causing James to stride towards him in an instant- enveloping him in a hug.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm okay", James assured the boy as Regulus squeezed him tighter- afraid he'd disappear, "Nasty bugger got me good, but it's nothing Poppy couldn't fix."
Jacques smiled at the boys before pushing Eva out of the tent, much to her dismay- wanting to continue watching the whole thing go down.
"Hey, look at me." James said as he cupped Regulus' face, tilting it upwards to look up at him.
Regulus sniffled as James wiped the streaming tears from his cheeks.
"I'm right here. I'm fine." James muttered.
He placed a soft loving kiss to Regulus' lips, tasting the salty tears upon his lips.
The couple broke apart as Ivan charged into the tent.
"Brother. Right behind me. Abort." Ivan explained shooing Regulus.
"Meet tonight. Same place as always." James said.
Regulus nodded before allowing Ivan to push him out the back of the tent.
"You owe me and I would like to cash that favor in." Ivan spoke as the two boys headed back towards the castle.
"What are you on about?" Regulus quizzed, slightly out of it.
"There's a ball. For Yuletide and I need your expert advice on how to approach asking Claudette." Ivan explained.
"You're asking me for advice on girls? You realize how dumb that is right?" Regulus exclaimed.
"Not specifically girls, people in general tend to like you. I just need some of that hospitality." Ivan explained causing Regulus to snort.
Ivan sent him an unimpressed look only for Regulus to hold his hands up in surrender.
"We've got a month, I'm sure we can figure out something." Regulus assured.