That’s it. James Potter had finally had enough.
Sirius and Remus were fighting and bickering nonstop. Peter wasn’t any help, and James was getting really overwhelmed.
Sirius was making him pick sides.
James couldn’t pick between his two best mates! He walked out of the room, ignoring the insults and shouts of protest that followed. James tried desperately to clear his mind and calm down.
In the hall, Regulus was hanging out with Evan and Barty. Regulus looked at James and their eyes locked. Their relationship had been kept private. Regulus saw that Barty was looking at him and shot James a hostile look.
James quickly walked away, holding back tears. He walked down the hall. Then he heard four knocks on the wall. He turned around to see Regulus walking towards him.
“Are you okay Jamie?” Regulus asked. His voice was cold and filled of resentment but James know he cared. James leaned against the wall and shut his eyes to keep from crying. His legs trembled but he forced them to stop.
“James…” Regulus’s voice was softer now, but stern and commanding. Regulus was inches away from James. He brushed the hair out of James face. He pulled James into his chest and felt him trembling.
James’s walls came crashing down. He was sobbing into Regulus’s chest. Regulus rubbed his back.
“Let’s go back to your dorm Ja-“
“No! No… please no…” James cut Regulus off, sounding frantic. It’s- it’s really loud in there at the moment…” Regulus put two and two together suddenly.
“Oh James…” Regulus murmured softly. James started crying harder. Regulus could now see how much ‘the prank’ had effected James.
“Let’s go to my dorm then. Evan and Barty won’t say anything.” James nodded. The two boys walked into the Slytherin dorms. They laid on Regulus’s bed, and Regulus held James close.
Eventually James’s tears subsided and his breathing returned to normal.“Thanks Reggie…” James murmured. He then fell asleep peacefully, for the first time in days.
***
10 minutes later Barty and Evan walked into the room. They looked at Regulus, holding a sleeping James in his arms.
They exchanged a shocked and bewildered look and gave Regulus a ‘you-better-explain-yourself-later” look before leaving the room. Regulus collapsed into silent fits of laughter.