Chapter 13 - The Final Task
-Five hours till the final task-
Regulus spent the morning with the champions as a send off/closing of the tournament.
Regulus sat beside James, leaning his head on the boys shoulder as James rubbed his thumb on the back of Regulus' hand- that'd been intertwined with his.
Claudette and Ivan only ever broke apart for air, to which the rest of the group pretty much ignored.
Regulus' favorite part were the chocolate chip scones- warmed to perfection- the chocolate chips melting in every bite.
Every so often James would press a kiss to the top of his head, which was another thing Regulus had grown to love.
"You guys have any plans for after school?" James questioned.
Regulus knew what James would do. Join the war, fight for the good side.
No matter how much it scared Regulus to think, they were being trained to be soldiers.
Soldiers in a war way bigger than they could possibly understand.
"I'm thinking about being a curse-breaker, make all kinds of earth-shattering discoveries." Eva explained.
Regulus had read many articles in the paper of big archeological discoveries curse-breakers had made, but he'd also see his fair share of curse-breaker deaths in the column.
"You have to actually have good scores for that", Ivan scoffed earning him a scone to the head, "Ow!"
"Shut up, Ivan." Eva spat as the boy glared at her rubbing his head.
Claudette stifled her laugh at the scene.
"I'm thinking about staying in London, becoming an Arithmancer- I've always been quite good with numbers." Jacques explained as he sipped his pumpkin juice.
Regulus was aware of only one famous Arithmancer, Bridget Wenlock- due to the book he'd read on Hogwarts alumni.
She had discovered the magical properties of the number seven.
How she'd done it, Regulus had no idea. He'd never wrapped his head around math quite like that.
"What about you, James? Got any plans?" Evangeliya asked.
Regulus wondered if James would be honest- tell them his plans fully revolved around the war.
Regulus didn't know if they were aware of the war. It'd never been a topic they'd ever brought up before.
"Oh, uh- Quidditch. Maybe after things... settle down... and I've gotten my stuff together." James explained.
Regulus was slightly surprised James had chosen to avoid the truth, but then again today wasn't supposed to be burdened by thought of war.
Today was a celebration.
***
-Three hours till the final task-
"I wish time would just stand still." Regulus admitted.
Ivan was sprawled out across the couch, his head on Claudette's lap and his feet on Regulus'.
The trio took to calming their pent up anxieties about the task by relaxing on the sofa in Ivan's dorm.
Regulus didn't mind the silence, he minded that soon silence would be all he had.
There was exactly a week before Regulus had to return to Grimmauld Place.
A week before he swore his life away, for a cause he didn't believe in.
A week before he said goodbye to his brother, his boyfriend, his best friends.
A week. Seven days. 168 hours. 10,080 minutes and Regulus felt as if it was passing by the blink of an eye.
Regulus felt that his entire childhood had been wasted and now that he was finally content, it was all being taken from him.
He couldn't even remember what it'd been like without James- without Ivan or Claudette- and he desperately wished he didn't have to.
"Same." Ivan agreed.
"We're going to be on different parts of the continent." Regulus stated.
"We shouldn't think about this now." Claudette muttered with a frown.
"It's all I think about", Regulus admitted, "You guys are my best friends."
"It's been nice- being here. It's been hard for Eva and I since mum passed. I think she needed this- we both needed this." Ivan explained.
"I don't have any friends at my school", Claudette said as her lips curved down slightly, "I was never skinny enough for the girls there, so I threw myself into my studies. And of course that doesn't earn you very many friends."
Regulus and Ivan were silent as they let the girl go on. Her French accent was beautifully intricate and Regulus hadn't appreciated it half as much as he should've.
"My parents are very indulged in their studies- I've only ever had Jacques. He's been more of a parent to me than mine have been." Claudette muttered.
"I love you guys." Regulus mumbled.
The words were still foreign on his tongue, but he meant them- at least in the way he'd learned to understand them.
Ivan sat up and Claudette looked over his shoulder at Regulus.
"We love you more, Regulus." Ivan hummed before ruffling the boys hair.
The pair tried to ignore the shine in each other's eyes.
***
-One hour till the final task-
"Packing already?" James quizzed as he walked into the dorm.
"You know Pads- if he doesn't start now he'll never get done in time." Remus scoffed.
James watched as Sirius placed something suspiciously into his trunk.
He furrowed his eyebrows, "What are you doing?"
"Nothing." Sirius lied.
James walked over to his trunk spotting Dot in a pile of blankets.
"You can't bring Dot with us." James said with a laugh as he picked the cat up out of the trunk.
"Why not?" Sirius whined.
"Because 'Dot' still has to finish his last year of schooling." James explained.
"What?" Sirius quizzed completely lost.
James placed Dot to the ground as Regulus transformed back.
"You're no fun." Regulus pouted.
"What. The. Fuck." Sirius gaped.
Remus broke out into laughter as Sirius looked at him in disbelief.
"You're an animagnus?! Since when?!" Sirius spat.
"Since last year." Regulus explained as James wrapped his arms around the boys waist from behind, resting his head on Regulus shoulder.
"I say we take him with anyways." Peter joked.
"I agree." Sirius stated.
"Me too." Regulus quipped.
James chuckled, "Not happening."
"You are no fun, Prongs." Sirius groaned.
"I should get going. I was heading to the library before I was catnapped." Regulus joked causing James to laugh.
James pressed a kiss to his temple, "Okay, love."
James unraveled himself from Regulus as the boy headed towards the door.
"I'll come with." Remus quipped as he stood from the bed, in pursuit of the boy.
Regulus and Remus quietly made their way to the library.
It wasn't awkward just- quiet.
Regulus had been decently quiet the entire day, he'd spent a lot of time in his thoughts.
"Don't go home." Remus muttered breaking the silence.
Regulus sighed, "It's not as simple as that."
"You don't have to do it, Regulus. You can stay at the Potters', with James and Sirius." Remus suggested.
"I can't, that's the first place they'd look- I couldn't- I can't put them in danger." Regulus muttered..
"So... so stay at mine. I won't tell them and if your parents look there, they'll be clueless. I live in Wales- no way they'll expect you there." Remus quipped, convincing Regulus he hadn't just thought of it on the spot.
Regulus stopped turning towards the boy, "Why? Why would you do that?"
"Because you'd be safe- I care about you Regulus. I care about Sirius and James. If you go home you're not just hurting yourself, but everyone who cares about you." Remus explained.
Regulus just stared at the boy before swiftly hugging him, knocking the air out of Remus.
"I love you, Remus." Regulus mumbled into his chest.
Remus squeezed Regulus tighter. He knew how hard it was to say for both Black brothers.
"I'm so proud of you, Regulus." Remus muttered softly.
And it really meant everything to Regulus.
***
-Ten minutes till the final task-
Regulus was pushed against a wall as James' hands traveled all over, sliding under Regulus' black polo.
"Don't die." Regulus huffed as they pulled away.
"You talk too much." James muttered, bee-lining to Regulus' neck placing love bites around his collar bone.
"Hey, hey", Regulus mumbled before pushing James' head to look at him, "You have a tournament to win."
James pouted, "But that's not half as fun as this."
His hands trailed up Regulus' chest before pressing soft kisses down Regulus' jaw.
"Hey Regulus- oh god!", Ivan hissed as he covered his eyes, "My virgin eyes!"
"Ivan, you cock-block. Go away!" James groaned.
"You are literally supposed to be out on the pitch in two minutes!" Ivan exclaimed, "Now if you would stop hogging Regulus, we have seats to get to."
Regulus chuckled, "I'll come find you, Ivan."
"Whatever." Ivan groaned before making his way blindly out of the locker room- but not before walking straight into a wall.
James took that as he signal to continue, but Regulus gently pushed him away.
"James", Regulus scolded, "Remember what you’re doing this for."
"Eternal glory?" James said more of a question than a statement.
Regulus nodded.
James smiled grabbing the boy by his collar before pressing their lips together, "To eternal glory, Baby."
"Now go make me proud." Regulus joked as he shooed James off.
Regulus recollected himself before following in the direction James had gone.
He watched by the entrance as James waved to the crowd, students all around going wild.
Regulus chuckled as he jumped all around, like a goofball.
Eva and Jac just shook their heads and laughed as James made a fool of himself.
James wore a red and black shirt, that was all over the place- one red sleeve one black and the middle split in two with one black, one red on opposite sides.
The back had 'Potter' sprawled in orange lettering and a small star underneath.
Eva stood with her arms crossed, she wore a long-sleeved tan shirt that had a square neck. In the middle was the Durmstrang emblem.
While Jacques was decked out in a baby blue track suit.
The bleacher walls were decorated in checkered patterns of the three school's emblems.
The crowd was a collection of baby blue, Gryffindor red, and brown.
Students of all sizes and ages decked out in face paint, hats, and t-shirts.
Dumbledore made his way to the stand before placing his wand to his neck to project his voice.
"Silence", He called as the band died loud and with it the chatter, "Earlier today, the Tri-Wizard cup was placed deep within the maze."
"Now as Mr. Potter-"
His sentence was cut off by the eruption of cheers.
Regulus could make out his brother hollering, the word 'JAMES' spelled across his forehead in bright red paint.
"-is in first, he'll be the first to enter the maze, followed by Mrs. Angelov and Mr. Bureau tied for second", Dumbledore continued over the cheering, "First person to touch the cup, will be the winner."
Dumbledore huddled the champions together speaking, although Regulus couldn't hear.
"On three." Dumbledore instructed towards Filch who readied a canon.
With a bang the cannon fired and James disappeared into the maze.
Followed five minutes later by Jac and Eva.
Regulus waited in his spot, leaning against the Quidditch Pitch entrance, completely in the dark about what was going down in the maze.