Warm

TWO YEARS LATER

“This is the place?” Regulus tried not to look too judgemental as he eyed the ratty shopfront.

“Yes, this is the place.” Sirius sighed, already exasperated with him. “Don’t be such a snob.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.” He snapped back automatically.

Two years ago, his brother might have gotten annoyed by that, but now he just rolled his eyes. “It has taken me forever to convince you to do this – I’m not letting you back out now.”

“It’s not up to you whether I go through with this or not.” Regulus argued just for argument’s sake.

“Stop stalling.” Sirius fished out his game. “Just go inside.”

“Didn’t I just say not to tell me what to do?” He grumbled but reluctantly made his way into the shop.

“Hi! Welcome Tovah’s Tattoos and Piercings, how can I help you today?” The Witch at the counter greeted before realising who she was looking at. “Oh, hi Sirius!”

It was a Witch-owned business tucked away in London that did Muggle tattoos and piercings as well as magical ones too (on the down-low). The shop seemed rather grungy and punk with exposed brick and bold graffiti art covering the place, so Sirius fit right in but Regulus definitely looked out of place. Still, the inside looked much cleaner than the outside, and based on the sheer amount of tattoos and piercings on the woman greeting them, this place was legitimate.

“Hi Indy! My itty bitty bro here has an appointment – I put it under his name: Regulus Black.” Sirius answered cheerfully, throwing an arm over his shoulder which Regulus immediately pushed off.

“At 2, right?” The Witch checked through her list. “It’s nice to meet you, Regulus, I’m Indigo – I’ve heard plenty about you.”

“Don’t believe a word he’s said about me; when my brother’s not delusional, he’s just wrong.”

She laughed. “God, you’re exactly how he described. Here.” She handed over a clipboard and pen. “Fill out this paperwork for me and then give me a shout.”

He thanked her and took it, letting his brother nudge him over to the seating area. It was just a standard waiver but beneath it was a membership application.

He squinted at Sirius suspiciously. “Why would I need a membership?”

“For when you realise you want more piercings and for when I finally convince you to get a tattoo.” Sirius replied unrepentantly as he lounged in his seat. “Duh.”

“A tattoo?” Regulus hissed, glancing over to make sure no-one heard him. “Why the fuck would I get a tattoo?”

“Because tattoos are badass.” His brother smirked.

“I am not getting a tattoo.”

“I wore you down on the piercings.” Sirius stated, unfazed. “I’ll get you on the tattoos too.”

“No, you bloody well will not.” Regulus protested icily.

“James would find it hot.” Sirius threw out like the bomb he knew it was.

Unbidden, Regulus imagined James kissing down his body, following a moving tattoo. He was right – James absolutely would find it hot. And he might too.

“Shut up.”

“You know I’m right.” His brother looked unbearably smug. “Plus, if we teamed up, we could get Prongs to get a tattoo.”

Now Regulus imagined himself kissing a trail after a tattoo on his lover’s skin. Imagined himself biting down on James’s inked-up flesh. Imagined tattooing a mark of ownership onto him in place of his initials in pen ink. Okay, scratch the last one – it made him sound insane.

“You can’t convince him on your own?” Regulus inched the topic away from himself getting a tattoo.

“Prongs wouldn’t do it without your permission.” Sirius stated in annoyance. “He won’t even get a haircut without your approval.”

That was true. He always claimed that Regulus was the one who had to look at him, so Regulus should get a say. Afterall, he didn’t care nearly as much about his appearance as Regulus did. It made the Slytherin smile a little.

“He knows what’s good for him.”

Sirius rolled his eyes. “See, when you say things like that, it makes you sound like a controlling psycho.”

Regulus hummed in faux consideration. “I do like to be in control.” He drawled suggestively.

His brother immediately pulled a face. “Why do you always do that?”

He smirked. “Because it pisses you off.”

“You’re such a little shit. Just fill out the forms.”

Regulus filled out the waiver and then he may or may not have opened a joint membership for himself and James. Just in case he did decide to mark his man up a little more permanently. He called Indigo over when he was done.

She scanned the documents quickly. “Your boyfriend?” She asked slyly while Sirius was off, looking at tattoo ideas in a book.

“Perhaps.” Regulus replied.

“I’m going to assume you have his consent for this.” She said with a knowing smile.

“Of course.” Regulus met her gaze. He obviously didn’t but he knew James would blindly back him up on literally anything, even without context.

“Alright.” She smiled in amusement. “Jack will do your piercings today – I’ll just go get him.”

Jack turned out to be a fucking enormous man, with bulging muscles and a towering build. He was absolutely tatted out on what looked like every inch of available skin and he had quite a few piercings, including wide gages on his ears. But when he spoke, his voice was one of the gentlest that Regulus had ever heard. Startlingly so.

“Just the two lobes today, sweetheart?” Jack asked for confirmation after they introduced themselves and Regulus was led over to a private room, Sirius in tow.

“Yeah, ‘cause he’s a baby.” His obnoxious brother answered before he could. Regulus flipped him the bird.

“Hey now darling, everyone has a first piercing.” Jack half-reprimanded. “I seem to remember you shaking like a leaf your first time here.”

Sirius instantly shot him a betrayed look. “I thought we agreed not to speak of that day.”

“I agreed to no such thing, sweet-cheeks.” Jack grinned before turning to Regulus. “I’ll start by sanitising the area, then I’ll mark out where the piercings will go and you can tell me if you’re happy with that placement. That alright with you darling?”

Regulus agreed and he got to work. When he’d drawn on the dots, Regulus looked in a mirror and confirmed he was happy with the placement. Then Regulus picked out a pair of relatively plain titanium studs that wouldn’t clash with anything.

“Good choice, sweetheart.”

Jack then loaded the earrings into a Muggle piercing gun and started with his left ear.

“Ready darling?”

“Yes.”

“On one. Three. Two. One.”

There was a quick burst of pain but then it was over.

“Was that it?” Regulus frowned, a little underwhelmed. He thought it was supposed to hurt.

“That was it.” Jack smirked at him. “Not so bad, is it sweetheart?”

“No.” Regulus admitted.

Jack did the next side in the same manner and it was over in minutes. Regulus examined them in the mirror, pleased.

“This potion…” Jack handed him a vial. “… stops them from getting infected and increases the healing speed significantly. You won’t be able to change them out for a week, but after that you’re good to go and they should be fully healed.”

“Thanks.” After a quick glance to Sirius to confirm he wasn’t drinking poison, he downed it in one go.

“All done, darling!” Jack announced. “Indigo will handle your payment.”

Regulus stared at the piercings in the mirror some more, feeling a bit restless.

“You want more.” Sirius accused with a smirk. “I fucking knew you would.”

He just liked the aesthetic of having stacked lobe piercings. He wasn’t going to do more than that. (Yet.)

“…What about second lobe piercings?” Regulus asked hesitantly. “Is that possible to do today?”

Jack looked amused. “We could do it right now, sweetheart. I’ve got time.”

“Do thirds too.” Sirius encouraged, grinning like a maniac. “Just get ‘em all out of the way.”

Jack raised an eyebrow. “What do you say, darling?”

He walked out with six piercings total, three on each ear. He may or may not have been planning his next ones.

*

They went to a (Wizard-run) jewellery shop next – an expensive one that made Sirius salivate even as he called Regulus a snob again.

“Oh! You definitely need these ones. And these! Actually, I want these ones. You can borrow them though, as long as you actually give them back this time.” Sirius was saying.

They picked out a few different earrings for Regulus to start out with and he felt a touch bad spending the Potters’ money, but all three of them had assured him that it was no problem to spend like this. James had joked about Regulus being his kept boy a few times but didn’t seem to actually care when he spent his money. In fact, James quite enjoyed spoiling him.

And technically speaking, Regulus had started working for Monty and earning his Potions Mastery almost a month ago, so he was going to start making money for the family soon enough. His family.

“One more thing.” Regulus said to the jeweller, much to his brother’s confusion. “I have an order that should be ready today – It’s under my name, Regulus Black.”

“Ah, yes.” The man nodded in recognition. “One moment please.”

“What did you order?” Sirius asked immediately, looking curious. “Another diamond ring?”

“For the last time, that was James, not me.”

“If you weren’t conscious of spending the Potters’ money, you would have nine more just like it for each finger.” Sirius accused. He wasn’t entirely wrong; Regulus did have expensive taste. “Now what did you get?”

Regulus didn’t answer because the jeweller came back, carrying a small black box.

“Here we are, sir. Just as requested.” He opened the box slowly to reveal a ring.

Sirius instantly grabbed hold of him. “Don’t tell me you’re proposing!”

“Of course, I’m not proposing, you imbecile!” Regulus shoved him off, trying to remain as dignified as possible. “It’s a courting gift.”

“Courting?” Sirius’s eyes were wide with incredulousness and shock. “That’s like getting engaged before you get engaged! Not to mention it’s antiquated.”

“It’s traditional.” Regulus corrected. “Besides, it’s what we both want so stop being judgemental.”

After thanking the shop-assistant, he plucked up the ring to inspect it. He’d genuinely attempted making it himself but he didn’t have the kind of skill required for finicky transformation spell-work. He’d take brewing a potion any day over jewellery-making. So, instead, he got it specially made by the same jeweller who helped James make his ring – an expensive but talented man named Pierre Dubois who worked with this shop.

It was solid gold because that’s what Regulus wanted and he was sure that James wouldn’t actually care what it looked like or was made from – so he picked gold because it would nicely compliment James’s skin tone and Regulus liked making him look pretty.

On the face was the crest of House Black because, as it turned out, his parents hadn’t actually legally disowned him – they just cut him off from their bank accounts and homes until (presumably) the day they would die. Despite everything, they still needed an Heir, and Regulus was quite literally their only eligible candidate left. So, they distanced themselves but left him the legal title. That was more than fine with Regulus.

The engraving on the signet ring came out beautifully – crisp and clear. But the inscription on the inside of the band was Regulus’s favourite part.

Toujours pur de coeur.

Always pure of heart.

It would suit James a lot better than the original.

He complimented Dubois’ craftsmanship to the salesman and thanked the shop for their work before he showed it to Sirius.

“The Black House crest.” Sirius commented idly. “It’ll be weird having Prongs of all people wearing that.”

“That’s what makes it so good. A real fuck you.” Regulus smirked. Then he directed his brother’s attention to the inscription.

“Toujours pur de coeur.” Sirius repeated, smiling faintly. “J'aime ça. Je devrais peut-être le voler.”

“Je pensais que tu pourrais.” Regulus felt smug. “Pensez-vous que James l'aimera?”

“Bien sûr qu'il le fera. C'est de toi.”

There was a pause.

“And you’re fine with this?” Regulus asked quietly.

“I know I was a dick at first, but you’re good together. I love you both and I’m happy that you’re happy.” Sirius bumped their shoulders together gently. “I do think it’s a bit soon though. You only just graduated.”

Regulus could understand that. “We’ve been together almost two and a half years. I’ve known I wanted this for that long and I don’t want to wait around anymore.”

“Godric, when you put it that way…” Sirius suddenly looked stricken. “Do you think Remus is expecting a ring? We’ve been together way longer than you two.”

(Not counting the four month break they took before Remus took him back after That Night all that time ago. Salazar, that had been a mess.)

“No, you’re fine.” Regulus assured him. “James is the one who wants the white picket fence. Remus wants anarchy or he wouldn’t be with you.”

“You’re right.” Sirius tried to soothe himself, giving Regulus back the ring. “You’re right.”

“Of course, I’m right.” Regulus scoffed. He flagged down the shop-assistant’s attention again. “Do you have any boxes that are red?”

“We have a red velvet case that has black velvet on the inside.” The man told him.

“That’s perfect. May I have this in that?” He held out the ring.

The jeweller nodded and took the ring, fetching the box.

“Red box?” Regulus wasn’t looking at his face but he could tell Sirius was smirking. “Gryffindor red box?”

“Oh, shut up.”

“It’s times like these I can tell you’re just as whipped as he is.” Sirius was absolutely smirking.

“I said, shut up.”

Sirius didn’t shut up. He made fun of him the whole way home.

*

“They look cool, Starlight.” James complimented, not seeming fazed at all that Regulus got three times the number of piercings he had intended to get. “I’m excited to see what dangly ones you end up wearing.”

“I went and got some with Sirius at Dubois’ shop. Want to see?”

James nodded excitedly. So Regulus showed him what he’d got.

“Oooo. These are classy. You’re so classy, Regulus.” James cooed as he carefully picked up a pair of delicate silver drops.

“You are not. One wonders what I see in you.” Regulus drawled teasingly.

James just threw him a dazzling grin. “One thinks it might be the big cock.”

“I miss the days when I could make you blush with things like that.” Regulus lamented.

“I kind of prefer this.” James’s eyes deliberately roamed up and down Regulus’s body then he raised an eyebrow in question.

“We have dinner plans in an hour.” Regulus told him flatly. “You have things cooking right now.”

“So, we be quick.” The man proposed.

Regulus gave him a pointed look. “You always say that. But then a handjob becomes a blowjob, and a blowjob becomes full sex, and then we’re in the shower for round three hundred and time has flown by.”

James pouted. “It’s your fault. You’re too beautiful. I’m only so strong.”

“And I like you weak and pathetic for me.” Regulus drawled cruelly. “But not when we have plans.”

James whined in displeasure, flopping backwards in his seat. “Stupid plans.”

“You made the plans.” He reminded him. “A Marauders dinner.”

“Stupid me.” James corrected. Regulus couldn’t help but laugh at him.

“I might have something to cheer you up.” He said smiling.

“A surprise?” James perked up adorably. “I love surprises!”

“I know.” Regulus gave him a fond look. “I picked something up from Dubois for you.”

“Jewellery? For me?” James tilted his head curiously. “No offense but why?”

It was a fair question. The only jewellery he owned were gifts or family heirlooms, and the only one he wore on a regular basis was his necklace with the Leo constellation highlighting the Regulus star on it.

Regulus didn’t answer and instead nervously pulled out the ring-box. James was getting more and more curious by the second, his eyes widening and sitting up straight as he eyed the box. Rather than hand it over, Regulus held it out and slowly, almost cautiously, opened the box.

“Regulus…” James breathed when he saw it. “Are you…?”

“Heir James Fleamont Potter of the honourable House Potter and the ancient House Peverell, would you do me the greatest honour of allowing me to court you?”

His heart was pounding in his chest and he was breaking out in a sweat. He waited for James’s answer with bated breath.

“I can’t believe you beat me to it!” James exclaimed.

Regulus blinked.

“I had plans!” James continued. “I was going to take you to that fancy restaurant you love and then ask you at the Eros gardens! I bought nice robes and everything!”

Regulus beamed. “Is that a yes?”

“Of course, it’s a yes, you beautiful annoyance!” James surged forward to kiss him.

The kiss was passionate and all-consuming but these days, it always just felt like coming home. James was warmth and he was home and Regulus would never let that feeling go again.

“I can’t believe you beat me to it.” James muttered again once they broke apart, looking happy but simultaneously irked.

Regulus was smug. “You can still take me to Chateau De Luxe and the Eros gardens.” They were two of his favourite spots to visit in Wizarding Britain.

James squinted at him in mild irritation. “It won’t count as courting. You’re courting me now.”

“It would still be sweet, Sunshine.” Regulus was so unbelievably smug. He didn’t even know he was running a race but he won it anyway.

“I’m being courted by a sore winner.” James pouted, then flailed. “Wait! Put the ring on me.”

Regulus obeyed, sliding the ring onto his finger.

“Now, I’m being courted by a sore winner.” He said.

“No. You’re just a sore loser.” Regulus smirked before pecking him on the lips, happy to claim his man in one more way. Ring on finger, initials on hands, hickies on neck, necklace by heart and lips on lips. James was his in every conceivable way (bar marriage, but that would surely come soon enough).

“Can I still give you the courting gift I was going to give you?” James gave him a hopeful look.

“Of course.” Regulus answered but he had an evil glint in his eye. “But it’s not a courting gift anymore – it’s just a gift.”

“Sore. Winner.” James emphasised. Then he got up to fetch the gift. When he returned with a green leather ring-box, Regulus couldn’t help but huff a laugh.

“Great minds.” He commented.

“I know, right?” James grinned. “Can I give you my speech?”

Regulus raised an eyebrow. “You have a speech?”

“I had plans!” James reiterated. “Romantic plans! Not just asking you in the living room an hour before our friends come over!”

“Sore. Loser.” Regulus smirked. “Give me the speech.”

James stuck his tongue out at him immaturely before straightening up and taking a breath. He met his eyes intensely.

“Starlight.” He began but Regulus immediately interrupted him.

“Really? That’s how you were going to start?” He derided, unimpressed.

“Yes.” James lightly glared at him. “It’s a nice opening.”

“Very informal.” Regulus countered.

“It’s sweet and personal and intimate to start off and then formal at the end.” He justified. “I was going for romance.”

Regulus hummed, considering this. “I suppose that will do. Proceed.”

“Thanks for the permission, your highness.” James rolled his eyes.

Regulus smirked and deliberately ignored the sarcasm. “You’re welcome.”

James sighed in annoyance before restarting.

“Starlight. I spent the longest time chasing a love that was easy–”

“Fuck off.” Regulus cut in again. “You can’t reference Evans in your speech.”

“It was vague.” James protested.

“I still knew exactly who you were talking about, you prick.”

“I was about to say something nice!” James argued. “Just let me finish.”

Regulus sat back. “Fine. Impress me.”

“Starlight. I spent the longest time chasing a love that was easy when I should have been chasing a love that is difficult.”

“Did you just call me difficult?” Regulus burst out.

“I wonder why I would do such a thing.” James’s voice was laced with irritation. “You’re not difficult in the least. You always let me finish my speeches.”

“… Point proven. Carry on.”

James took a deep breath. “I should have been chasing a love that is difficult. Because difficult means passion. It means challenge. It means waking up every day with a new hurdle to face, but you by my side to face it with.”

Regulus’s cold heart melted just a little at that, warmth seeping in.

“And I want to keep having you by my side.” James told him softly. “I want to open a new chapter of our lives together, and take on new challenges with you right there next to me. I want to love you in the light and choose you every day until I die. So…”

He slowly opened the box to reveal a large silver-coloured signet ring with the Potter House Crest on it.

“Heir Regulus Arcturus Black of the ancient and noble House of Black… will you afford me the honour and the privilege of proving myself to you as Hecate dictates? Will you allow me to court you before all the gods and mortals, as a sign of my undying love?”

Regulus’s stomach was fluttering incessantly.

“That was a good speech.” He said quietly.

“I told you.” James grinned charmingly. “It was romantic, right?”

“Very romantic.” Regulus admitted. “I would have said yes.”

“Alas, you surprise-attacked me on a random Thursday afternoon at home.” James teased, still smiling.

“Sore loser.” Regulus said again before sliding a ring off of his hand and pocketing it to make room. He held the hand out. “Put it on me.”

James obeyed, taking it out of the box and sliding it on right beside Regulus’s own House Black one.

“This one’s an heirloom?” Regulus inquired curiously.

“Yep.” James popped the ‘p’. “Hundreds of years old or whatever.”

“I got yours specially made because I don’t have access to the actual gold ones. I only have my silver one.” Regulus told him.

James hummed understandingly, lacing their hands together. “Why gold, may I ask?”

“It looks better on your skin tone than silver.” He explained promptly.

“Of course.” The man smiled in amusement. “It was an aesthetic thing.”

“As if you didn’t pick a silver one because you know I prefer silver jewellery.”

James smiled wider. “You caught me. Does it fit okay or need resizing?”

“It fits.” Regulus assured him. “What about yours?”

“Like a glove.”

“On the bright side, not having the original ring means I got to make changes for yours.” Regulus told him.

James held the hand with the ring on it up to see, inspecting it closely. “What changes?”

“Look on the inside.”

The man slipped it off and read the inscription. “Always pure of heart.” He smiled up at Regulus. “Oh, I like this better.”

“Me too.” Regulus told him quietly. James slipped it back on.

“A new age for the Blacks.” James said. “Toujours pur de coeur.”

A new age indeed. James Potter-Black would change the family for good. Regulus was sure of it.

There were a few moments of contented silence between them.

“We’re courting.” James said finally. “Officially courting.”

Regulus couldn’t help but smile. “That we are.”

“You’re courting me.”

“I’m courting you.”

“We’re courting.”

“We are courting.”

James pressed their foreheads together, their eyes falling closed. “I’m so happy.”

Regulus was happy too. In a way he didn’t think was possible for him before James.

“I love you.” Regulus told him because there was nothing else that could encompass how he was feeling.

“I love you too.” James returned automatically. But he really meant it. They both did.

Regulus felt so warm, he finally forgot what it meant to be cold.

*

“Is that a ring?!” Peter screeched almost immediately upon arrival.

“WHAT?!” Emmeline screeched about two octaves higher than her boyfriend.

James smiled happily as Peter snatched his hand up to see. “It’s a courting gift.” He told their friend.

Peter looked up at him with wide eyes. “He beat you to it?”

James nodded.

“Bastard.”

James laughed.

Peter rounded on Regulus. “He was going to romance you! The story I would have had on this one!” He lamented.

Regulus rolled his eyes. “You can still write about it. The Prophet’s readers won’t care who asked who.”

“They will.” Peter insisted. “But it’s okay. I can spin this. Tell me everything. And Jamie, can I also get a quote on your game against the Magpies yesterday?”

“How about we hear it over dinner?” Emmeline nudged him out of the way of the floo.

“No quotes tonight but I’ll agree to a scheduled interview. For now, what can I get you to drink?” James asked. “We’re having Bouillabaisse so Regulus wants to pair it with a Bandol Rosé, even though I thought you were so supposed to have white wine with fish. But obviously, we have other options.”

“It has to be rosé because Bouillabaisse is from Provence so you have to reference Provence Rosé. Not to mention the citrus notes and dryness of the Bandol are perfect with the fish.” Regulus told him and not for the first time.

Emmeline and Peter looked at each other bewildered.

“Bandol sounds great.” Em told them, just so they wouldn’t have to talk any more about wine.

“Coming right up.” James gave them a commiserating look.

Honestly. Did none of these people know their wines?

“The place is coming along great.” Remus complimented as he flooed in next, Sirius right behind him.

“Very pretentious.” Sirius nodded, taking it in. “How many things did you let James pick?”

“He chose that cushion there.” Regulus told them, pointing to it.

“It’s a great cushion, right?” James called from the kitchen.

Their new place was fairly big for just the two of them but Regulus wasn’t about to live in squalor. It was a house in London – three bedrooms, three bathrooms, with a conservatory that Regulus used to brew in, and a back-garden that was large for the area. They weren’t planning on staying here forever but they wanted to try and live together, independently of their friends and family, now that Regulus had graduated. This of course meant that Regulus had temporarily embodied the spirit of an interior decorator while James just nodded and said nice things about his choices when prompted.

“Wonderful mate!” Sirius tried not to laugh. “Really brings the room together!”

“Merci!” James came back levitating glasses of wine. “Et voilà! Pour vous! Et pour vous!”

“Vous?” Sirius smirked. “Very respectful.”

“I’m a respectful guy.” James grinned.

“The French is coming along then?” Remus asked. “Because I still can’t be arsed.”

James chuckled. “Oui, mon français avance bien. Mon tuteur est très strict.”

“Translation please?” Peter asked.

“Reg is a slave-driver.” Sirius answered.

“And a hypocrite.” Em smirked mischievously. “I hear his Urdu is shit.”

“Very shit.” James confirmed. He pecked Regulus on the cheek in consolation. “But it’s cute.”

“I will get there.” Regulus said as more of a threat than a promise. “Bandol Rosé to go with the Bouillabaisse?” He offered their newcomers.

“Oo Provence.” Sirius nodded approvingly. “Hell yeah, gimme some.”

“See? Someone gets it!” Regulus exclaimed, feeling vindicated.

“Doesn’t white wine go with fish?” Remus asked innocently.

“See!” James countered. “I’m not crazy!”

“No, you’re tasteless.” Regulus corrected. “And you’re drinking Rosé today.”

“Godric, you two are so domestic.” Sirius sipped his wine. “Speaking of, I see courting rings – who got there first?”

“Me.” Regulus said smugly.

“Sore winner.” James coughed, not subtly at all.

“Damn it, I just lost a bet.” Sirius tilted his head back in defeat.

Remus smirked wolfishly. “I just won a bet.”

Regulus pulled a face. “I don’t want to know what you won.”

Remus smirked wider. “No, you don’t.”

“Does this mean you’ll finally stop writing your initials all over my best friend?” Sirius cut in drily.

“Don’t.” Peter pleaded. “Stories always sell more when I shove pictures of it in.” Emmeline hissed his name in reprimand but looked amused.

Regulus smirked. “I’ll stop writing it when people stop flirting with what’s mine.”

“Never then.” Em said, probably just to piss him off. He glared at her lightly.

“On that note, how about we sit down to eat?” James tried to keep the peace and distract them all from bickering. “I made fancy starters and everything.”

Regulus coughed pointedly.

“Sorry, I made fancy entrées and everything.” James corrected without missing a beat.

“Snob.” Sirius coughed. Regulus gave him the finger as subtly as possible.

“Jamie, you are a god amongst men.” Peter praised. “Can Em and I move into the spare room? Because I love your food.”

James chuckled as he led the way to the dining room. “You haven’t even eaten it yet.”

“No, he’s right, I can smell it.” Remus said.

“And everyone loves your cooking Potter.” Em added. “It’s always good.”

“Well, let’s hope I don’t disappoint!” James clapped his hands together as they arrived at the table. “Bon appetit!”

The dinner was messy and loud and chaotic but it was them.

It was them, and it was warm.

*

And they all lived happily ever after and died of natural causes late in life.

The End.