The enchanted Castle

It was another Saturday.

Regulus put on his emerald sweater, together with dark brown pants and a black trench coat. He wore this together with his black oxfords. He checked himself in the mirror and yelled „I will be out now.“ to his roommate Evan Rosier, who was too busy focusing on his boyfriend Barty.

Barty was nice.

Evan tried to set up Regulus with different dates but they were all fails. One by one. Not one single person was interested in literature or art and the one person who was interested in literature and art wasn’t really his type, which is why they agreed to become friends.

It was snowy outside. The trench coat wasn’t the best option for that. He sighed but went on with his day, walking towards the tram station, waiting. Waiting for the tram. Waiting to arrive. Waiting to see THE painting.

In order to come regularly Regulus has an annual ticket, which he purchased right after his first visit. This painting was different for him. It wasn’t like other paintings. The pain, the tears, the emotions made it extraordinary (for Regulus).

It wasn’t like other paintings.
It was different.

It was fulfilled with so many emotions and none on the other hand.

The tram finally arrived and Regulus continued his way towards the Museum of Arts, the National Gallery of London.
While he was sitting and waiting for his stop, he was reading Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austin. One of his favourite reads. Something he has in common with the guy he became friends with.

Their date they only talked about Jane Austin and the analysis of Pride and Prejudice. He could talk hours about the analysis of books, that’s his red flag some could say. He was so focused to understand and read literature and interpret it in his own way that he mostly forgot to socially interact with other people, which he didn’t like (his best friend Barty was an exception). He wasn’t the party kinda guy. In order to not freak out and be completely filled with anxiety he had to prepare himself mentally with at least 5 shots of something strong and not delicious.

After starring out of the window for 10 minutes and thinking about totally nothing except for the beauty of the snow and how beautiful the snow was, he finally arrived at his destination. The one thing he couldn’t await more than just going in there and starring at this one painting with his thoughts only focused on this painting.

„Your annual ticket, Sir?“, the man who worked at the register knew him. He stopped asking him to buy a ticket after the third Saturday. They all knew him.

„Here!“, Regulus showed him his ticket. He needed a new one soon. „In a few months you need a new one, Sir. Shall I remind you then?“, the worker who works the register at the National Gallery of London was one of the kindest people Regulus knew. He was always polite (which was kind of his job) but also so kind towards other costumers. If a big family missed a penny he gave them the ticket and told them just to tell nobody and bring the penny whenever they have time. „The education of our youngest and most impressionable is one of the most important things and providing them with the beauty and knowledge of art is something not many people can understand nor see.“

„Have a wonderful day, Sir.“, Regulus said to him with a smile on his face. The old man with his uniform and hat always made him smile (which was rare if you ask Evan or his brother).

„You too, Sir.“, the older man mumbled and went right back to his job helping another young man out who looked at him with a confused face.

„Excuse me, Sir. Where do I find Professor Dumbledore’s office? I am here for the new job.“, the boy smiled and handed him a piece of paper, which got a short briefly look from the old man. „Well, your resume is quite fine – Psychology is quite impressive for such a young man. Tell me, why do you want to become a therapist?“, the eyes light up and looked right into the young man's eyes.

„I wanna help people, but I don’t wanna become a doctor. I love talking, giving advice and I love listening and find out what people are hiding from me.“, he said with a smile.

„Oh that’s very nice. Welcome to the team –“, he looked down at the paper again „James Potter. I am sure you will find your way to achieve your goals. My name is Albus Dumbledore- you don’t have to add the Professor, okay? Your job will be as an security guard to one of our finest paintings. The enchanted castle by Claude. We have a collection only with works from the artist Claude who are very popular. If you have any questions you can come always to me. I am in my office, which is this cubicle here at the front door. If I am not talking to visitor I am doing some paperwork in the back.“

After this monologue Albus smiled at James. „Okay, Sir. Where is this painting? Will I stand at the entrance to the room?“ – „Oh it’s on the second floor in the first room to your right and yes, you will stand right at the entrance inside the room. Any further questions?“, Albus asked while moving his tie back into position because it moved while he was talking and getting some paperwork.

James thanked the old man, who was returning to his seat welcoming new visitors with a big smile.

The big stairs felt like an eternity to walk upstairs. It wondered James why he didn’t get any uniform, because he didn’t want to come across as an insane stalker to the visitors but he didn’t wanna be a burden to Albus Dumbledore on his first day of work.

When he entered the room he was just starring at the beautiful ceiling and room overall. It was a beauty itself. James couldn’t care less about the paintings. He has always been obsessed with interior designs and if he hadn’t chosen to become a therapist he would have become a interior designer for sure.

When he looked around the people and stopped gazing about the furniture he found himself gazing at a man around his age who looked at the painting like it was the most beautiful man he had ever seen with curly black hair and gorgeous skin, no acne. He was perfect.

As James noticed his starring he found himself embarrassed and starting to do his job. He has seen this face somewhere before but he couldn’t put a name or family to his face. He couldn't care less. He just knew that he wanted to look at this beautiful face until he leaves.

While he was standing there, scanning the room, always finding this one face, always looking at this beautiful man with the gorgeous dark, curly hair.

»I keep thinking about his angel eyes. I keep thinking. Last night I was taking a walk along the river-«, James started thinking about his favourite ABBA song. It reminded him of this man, he didn’t knew the name of and didn't even see his eyes, but he knew that he had angel eyes, just like ABBA sang about. This song could have been about him.

If they were together, James would sing this song to his eyes everyday while looking at them. He wouldn’t just sing for him- Buying flowers. Writing poems. Singing songs he wrote for him.

He shouldn’t get distracted so easily.

»Focus, James.«, he thought to himself.

If this man stayed as he stayed now this would have been the most difficult job in the world.

The museum was about to close and he was still here looking at this painting, writing something into his black notebook – the most beautiful notebook.
He couldn’t imagine how it felt like holding this black notebook and his cat-pen. There was nothing more that he wanted than just touching this notebook, writing in it with this cat-pen.

„We’re closing soon, Sir.“, Albus just stood right next to James, scaring him – but he didn’t show it (thankfully for him or he may have lost his job on his first day.). The old man wasn’t talking to James, he was walking towards the young man sitting right next to him. „It’s a beautiful piece that gets to you every time, doesn’t it?“, Dumbledore smiled and starred at the painting. They gazed together at the enchanted castle.

James couldn't understand them, but it amazed him, that they were so hung up by this.

„Let’s go. Shall we?“, Albus said towards him.

„You did a good job today, James.“, he suddenly said while still looking at the painting. „You will get your uniform next time. I forgot, I am sorry.“

At least this question was answered.

„I don’t wanna leave, Sir. I wanna stare and stare and stare until I am free.“ Oh, he wasn’t only beautiful - he was also poetic.
Oh boy, oh boy, he didn’t wanna fall.
Oh boy, oh boy, it was too late.
Oh boy, oh boy.

When the young man turned away from the painting, James had just realised that he was right. He had angel eyes, how ABBA would see it.

„When shall I come back? This week I have many exams coming up! I am always free on the weekends.“, James asked still watching them. „Oh next week Dolores will come and cover securing this section. You can come and cover the whole Saturday again!“, Albus said slowly standing up. „Come on, ya’ll. We should grab some Cheeseburgers on the way out. It’s my treat, folks.“

On the way out of the room, Albus closed all the doors and locked them up. „You will get your keys as well, but that takes time, James.“

• • •

The burgers looked great, lots of cheese – perfect for a „after work-food“.

„Okay, gentleman, before heading right into this delicious burger I will head to the restroom.“

Silence. It had never been more silence on a table James sat by and ate food. He was the party of the room, the sun of the universe, the stars of the night. James and quiet in a sentence? His best friends would call the person who said this crazy and a psychopath.

„So, you like the painting?“ „Yes. It’s beautiful.“
»So are you.«
„What makes this painting so extraordinary to you?“ „It makes me want to cry. It makes me want to smile. The dark colours, the castle in the background, probably having people captured. The person standing out front – thinking. Thinking that he should run away with his thoughts running around in his head. The forest is concealing all the secret of the castle. It’s enchanted. It’s hidden. Nobody knows about the secrets.“

James was in shook. The man in front of him was broken and needed help. The way he looked at this painting this way made him feel sorry, which slipped out of his mouth. „I am sorry.“ The confused man looked at him and put the fries his hands down. „What?“ „You... uhm seem very hurt.“

The man sitting by James frowns. „You’re working as a security guard in a museum and tell me that I seem hurt by the way I described a painting I admire?“, a little smirk appeared on his opponents face but disappeared seconds after. „There’s gotta be more to your story, right?“ James shouldn't have said that. Why couldn't he just continue staring at his angel eyes? Explaining to him that he was a psychology student in his fourth semester? Not that much fun.

James stopped talking about what degree he was about to get, because people he knew came to him and talked to him about their problems – not that he didn’t care, he just wanted some peace and make this is job and not hate his job from the beginning just because his family members take it for granted.

James didn’t want to be taken for granted.
He wanted to be seen as James.

„I am a student, a student studying psychology.“

Silence.

„Oh.“

Silence.

„Your name is James, I assume.“, he just answered.

„What is yours?“, James just asked, skipping answering, because he knew that the answer was obvious.

„Regulus.“

A beautiful name given a beautiful man.

Regulus, Regulus, Regulus, Regulus, Regulus.
He could yell this name to the moon, such a beautiful name. It was a name he could never forget. The most beautiful flower, most beautiful city, most beautiful anything. Nothing can beat his name, his looks, his intellect, his knowledge, his hair, his everything.
Regulus was his new everything and James knew that he couldn't let anyone else know.

„A nice name.“, he looked down to his burger.

While they were both staring at their fries and burgers adding no more words to the conversations. Thankfully for both sakes, Albus came back from the restroom fully heading into those fries.
„Wow, those fries are so good. Dig in!“

So they did. They did dig in, but in silence.

A good silence.

A nice silence.

The first time James enjoyed being in silence at a table.

• • •

„Oh Remus, you wouldn't understand. The guy I saw today, he.. he was extraordinary – you wouldn't know.. His name, his smile, his smirk, his eyes. Oh Remus, he’s a star in this universe. No, no, he’s the star. He’s gorgeous. He’s everything.“

James was gazing, gazing at the stars thinking about Regulus and the way he looked at this painting.

The enchanted castle.