Mixtape
“Alright, I’ll meet you here at three. Did you hear me? THREE. If you’re not here by three, I’m abandoning you.” Sirius dramatically explains to Regulus. Regulus rolls his eyes.
“Oh please, Dorcas can drive me home.”
“You know how they feel about Dorcas.” Sirius recoils. Regulus sighs and walks away to his friends. “I love you baby brother!!” Sirius shouts. Regulus would be more embarrassed, had Sirius not been doing this since the first day of school.
“Brother issues?” A familiar voice asked. Regulus turned and was faced with his best friend, Pandora. Her long blonde hair was tied into buns on the top of her head, only her long bangs sticking out, with her bright blue eyes popping against her fair skin. She was wearing a sheer floral shirt, with a plain tank under, and plain black mini skirt paired with matching knee high boots.
“Always.” Regulus sighed. Pandora patted his shoulder in support, talking about Evan and how he got grounded. Again.
“And keep in mind, he just got in trouble for smoking weed.” Pandora prefaced. “But now, it’s for smoking marijuana. It’s bad. Mum and Dad are thinking about sending him to rehab.”
“He wouldn't last five days in rehab. He’s far too soft."
“Thank you! That’s what I’m saying, but he refuses to believe it.” Pandora sighs.
“Ask Barty! Barty loves the poor chap but even he’d agree Evan’s too soft for rehab.” Regulus pointed out. They went to their usual spot on the bleachers, where Dorcas seemed to be waiting.
“Dorcas! Do you think Evan’s too soft for rehab?” Regulus shouted, walking the stairs, grasping onto Pandora, who was struggling.
“Why? Is he going?”
“Doesn’t matter!’ Pandora shouts.
“He for sure is! He can barely manage school, what makes him think he’ll survive rehab?”
Pandora shrugged, sitting down next to her best friend. Dorcas toyed with Pandora’s bun, who pulled her book of poetry. Regulus looked out at the field.
Regulus and his friends commonly met at the bleachers since Dorcas and Evan were in a separate year, so this was one of the places they could all hang out, since the cafeteria was bust being used for P.E now. Regulus still had no clue why, but it was just another weird school thing.
But there was another reason Regulus liked meeting up at the rugby field.
Because the rugby team would meet up for practices every other day.
And that would mean Regulus got to see James Potter.
Nobody knew about the crush. Not even Pandora, and especially not Sirius. Regulus himself wasn’t even sure why he fancied him. Ever since they met that one time in year two, year three for James, Regulus grew infatuated by him. His green eyes, his jet black hair, his glasses, everything.
And today was one of those days Regulus got to see the boy who had fascinated him since they were small kids.
The team came out as a group, but Regulus was able to pick James out from a mile away. The school colors, red and gold, seemed to pop on James’s dark skin. Regulus was mesmerized by watching James focus on what he loved and was passionate about.
“Regulus? You good there mate?” Dorcas asked. Regulus practically jumped and looked back at her. He nodded and went up to sit with her. Barty and Evan were walking up the bleachers. Regulus could tell Evan was drained, likely from a night of fighting with his parents, Barty looking pretty rough as well.
“Why hello pretty boys.” Dorcas called out, the boys waving. “Where were you two? Busy making out?” The two boys froze, looking at each other, in what seemed to be shock. Dorcas laughed. “I’m kidding. God, you two looked like two deers caught in the headlights.” Everybody broke out into laughter as Barty and Evan sat down with Pandora and Dorcas, respectfully. Evan took out a cigarette and Pandora yanked it from him.
“No Evan! Are you serious? Mum and Dad were just yelling at you about this last night!”
“Yeah and I was fucking high the whole time.”
“Well can you at least not smoke around me? I hate lying to Mum and Dad.” Pandora pleaded. Evan sighed then nodded his head. Pandora smiled brightly, gave Evan a small smile, then went back to her book. Regulus looked back at Dorcas and Barty, who were busy whispering about something, and Evan was busy reading along with Pandora and playing with Pandora’s buns, which seemed to be a common activity within the group, so Regulus just looked out to the field again. It took a second, but he found James again.
“Oh come on Reg, just tell us who you’re staring at for God’s sake!” Barty shouted. Regulus jumped, looking right at Barty and Dorcas. The rugby team was done with practice, so he didn’t have any reason to keep watching. They both were smirking from ear to ear, and Regulus hated it.
“Oh shut up. It’s nothing!” Regulus groaned, hitting Barty in the knee. He dramatically fell onto Dorcas, fake crying. Dorcas dramatically patted his head, babying him. “Oh please he’ll live. And why would I tell you guys? You are all the most dramatic people ever and I wouldn’t trust any of you to say nothing.” Regulus got up and left the stands, ready to head to class. As his friends were crying for him to stay, Regulus ignored them, walking all the way down. Ironically, Regulus wasn’t planning, the rugby boys were walking out of the shower room. Regulus was reaching for his cassette player, so he wasn’t even paying attention when he walked into someone. Regulus fell to the ground, his open bag making everything fall out. Thankfully, it wasn’t rainy, so he only fell in dust from the dirt.
“Oh, shit, sorry!” The other person called out. Regulus sighed and started to pick everything up. The other boy got down too, starting to pick Regulus’s cassettes up.
“It’s fine.” Regulus muttered, pissed off from falling over in front of his friends. Regulus took his cassettes from the boy and looked up to see who it was.
“Fuck.” He sighed. Of course it was the one person in the world he didn’t want to see right now.
“Regulus right?” James Potter asked, smiling from ear to ear. Regulus hated how perfect he was up close. His green eyes were even more vibrant and his black hair was even more curly. His glasses were practically falling off his face, but it seemed more endearing than frustrating.
“In the flesh.” Regulus sighed, playing down jazz hands.
“Here’s the rest. Your pencil case spilled open so I filled it back up with the stuff that I think was in there.” James smiled. He kept staring at Regulus, and Regulus picked up on it quickly.
“Got a staring problem Potter?”
James stopped and looked back at the ground, clearly flustered. “Sorry, I’m just shocked by…”
“By what?” Regulus asked, impatient with James’s flustering. Mostly because if anyone had an excuse to be, it’d be Regulus, but he wasn’t stuttering. “How alike do I look to Sirius?”
James nodded, still smiling. “Yeah sure.” James got up, extending a hand to Regulus. Regulus rolled his eyes and got up on his own. He wasn’t a little damsel, he can get up by himself. James nodded and handed Regulus his bag. “Well, here you go.” Regulus took the bag and started to walk away. He was already holding his cassette tape and put in Sirius’s mixtape. Mostly Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, and a bunch of indie bands he had never heard of, but Sirius was always bugging him to ‘get some taste’ so Sirius made him the mixtape. Regulus was a little embarrassed to admit it was one of the few tapes he kept in rotation, but it didn’t matter if nobody knew. Regulus already had his headphones on when somebody tapped on his shoulder.
“What?” Regulus sighed. He took the headphones, only to find James Potter in his face. Again. “God, are you obsessed with me?”
“Indeed.” James joked. “Look I just figured since I was going in the same direction as you figured you could use a walking buddy.” Regulus sighed and put up his cassette. James took notice. “Oh, what were you listening to?”
“All the stuff Sirius likes.” Regulus awkwardly explained. Usually he would hate talking to people about his music, but it was his brother's best friend. Why would he care enough to tell Sirius?
“Fun. Nice to see the two Black brothers are so alike.” James smiled. Regulus was so close to folding, but he stayed strong.
“Not really.” Regulus shrugged. James nodded and kept walking by his side. At least he’s observant. He can tell I’m not in the mood to talk.
“So, are you seeing anyone?” James randomly blurts out. Regulus stops dead in his tracks, face flushing. Oh god god god.
“Why do you care?” Regulus questions, continuing to walk. James, who was previously a little behind Regulus, was now in front of him, walking backwards. He looked ridiculous.
“Just curious.” He shrugs. Regulus rolls his eyes and speeds up to be in front of James. He still catches up, however. Guess I forgot that he’s a rugby player.
“Well there’s not much to be curious about.” Regulus huffs.
“Why?”
“Is that really any of your business?”
“Nope. Just might want to get to know my best friend’s brother more.”
“Why?”
“Who knows? Maybe I’ll end up marrying Sirius.”
“Oh, our parents would love that.”
“Really?”
“No, they hate you and your family.”
“Do you?”
“Again, why do you care?”
“Again, just curious.” James smiles. God can he just stop smiling at me like that? “Okay, can we revolve back to the dating thing?”
“Why?”
“Because your response has me thinking.”
“Oh that’s a rarity for you.”
“You hurt my heart Reggie.”
“Don’t call me that.” Regulus Grits. James throws his hands up, admitting defeat. “Only people I’m close with can call me that.”
“We could be. If you would just answer one question for me.”
“And what would that be?” Regulus asked, ready to leave. They were now walking up the stairs up to their form rooms. Now they were on the first floor, so James had a while to go. Regulus’s form was on the second floor, so it wouldn’t be as bad.
“Have you ever kissed anyone?”
Regulus, again, froze. Guess he has that effect on me.
“Ummmmm…”
“It’s fine.” James added. Regulus gave him a weird look. “You don’t have to answer it, I was just wondering since you said there wasn’t much to be curious about.”
“Well there isn’t. There’s your answer.” Regulus huffed, practically stomping up the stairs. James followed suit, this time in silence.
Once they reached the second, Regulus sighed. He felt bad for snapping at James. He didn’t really deserve it. He was just asking a question.
“My answer is no. I haven’t had my first kiss yet.” Regulus sighed. James nodded and kept walking in silence. Well that worked out.
“I won’t tell anyone.” James whispered. “If you don’t want me to.”
Regulus nodded. “Thanks.”
“Of course.” James smiled, albeit shyly. Regulus smirked and stopped walking. He reached his form room.
“My room is here.” Regulus muttered. James nodded and stood here. “You can go if you want.”
“Well, I’m your little walking buddy so I was waiting for you to reach your form.” James smiled, more affectionately now.
“Well, I’ll see you around James.” Regulus said, walking into his form. James stopped him, grabbing his hand. “The fuck-”
“Can we hang out soon?” James exclaimed. Regulus was shocked. “You can so no, or if you say yes, you can choose how much we do, just…please?”
“I, uh, I mean, sure.” Regulus sputtered. “We can uh, meet up for lunch? It’s your A-Block right?”
James smiled, brighter than he had the entire day. “Yep! Meet at the rugby field?”
“Yeah, sure.” Regulus confirmed, pausing. “Well see you then.” He nodded and finally went into his room. He smiled very shyly, cheeks flushing. He reassessed, heading to his usual spot, waving to Professor Slughorn on the way there.
“Teacher's pet!” Someone called out. Regulus rolled his eyes.
“Nice to see you too, Mulciber!” Regulus called. He sat down, no Barty or Evan in sight. He sighed and laid his head down on the table.
He tried taking a nap, but that wouldn’t work out, as Barty and Evan started nooging Regulus. Hard.
“Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow. Cut that out!” Regulus screamed. He swatted at whoever was doing the nooging and kicked whoever was in front of him.
“Jesus! Alright! Calm down!” Barty cried, sitting down next to Regulus. Guess he was the one Regulus kicked.
“Well then maybe don’t noogie me.”
“Yeah we won't anymore, bloody hell.” Evan sighs, sitting down at the table in front of Regulus and Barty. He scoots the chair to the table to fully talk to the two. “But now, onto more pressing matters…” Regulus scooted back, looking at the two. They both had mischievous grins, which Regulus knew was never a good sign.
“Oh god…” Regulus sighed.
“We just couldn’t help noticing you were walking with a certain rugby player.” Barty teased.
“James Potter was it?” Evan asked, knowing the answer.
“Oh, piss off. Both of you!”
“Why? Too busy daydreaming about your boyfriend?” Evan now teased.
“He is not my boyfriend!” Regulus announced. Barty and Evan both raised their eyebrows, Regulus rolling his eyes in response. “He’s just my brother's annoying best friend. He felt bad for knocking into me, picked my stuff up, then walked me to form since he was going in the same direction.” Evan and Barty nodded along, still seeming suspicious. “And then asked me to have lunch with him today.”
“Woah, woah woah!!!” Both Evan and Barty cried.
“Lunch?” Barty asked. Regulus nodded, used to their shenanigans.
“Bloody hell, when's the wedding?”
“God you two are unbearable.” Regulus sighed. “It. Means. Nothing. If you two morons were listening, he just felt bad for knocking into me and wanted to make up for it.”
“Sure Black. Whatever you want to believe.” Evan side-eyed, smiling at Barty. Regulus sighed once again, rolling his eyes for what felt like the thirtieth time in this conversation.
“You two are insufferable.”
“Didn’t you just call us that Reg?”
“Nope. Unbearable was the word.” Regulus smiled, pulling out his book. Well, it wasn’t really his. He had stolen it from Sirius, since he had snuck in lots of books his parents would never approve of. How he got them? He never told. But Regulus was grateful non the less.
Now reading The Outsiders, Regulus could successfully drown out Barty and Evan.
Which wasn’t that hard since after he started reading, the two were incredibly awkward between each other. Regulus smirked but kept his mouth shut.
He knew how long the two were into each other for, and was trying his best to get them together, with the assistance of Dorcas and Pandora. And hopefully, this time of bonding would help the plan go even further.