Epilogue
1985
Regulus pulled his neck to the side as he rubbed at a sore spot on his shoulder. The view from the balcony was gorgeous as all around him stood lush trees climbing up and down the mountainside and in the centre, a crisp blue lagoon sat glittering under the mid-morning sun but it was hard to focus on any of it. His own fingers were soon replaced by a set of firm ones as James joined him, slowly kneading his muscles.
“You’re tense- how is it that you’re tense even on holiday?” James laughed lowly in his ear, his warm breath tickling his cheek.
Regulus groaned, tilting his head back to lean on James, “You know why,” he mumbled.
“I’m not leaving so you can go back and check on Grimmauld or the papers for the hundredth time- everything is perfect,” he reasoned and Regulus knew he was right but it was still hard to fight his perfectionist tendencies when it came to this, everything came down to this.
“Did I make a mistake doing this? I mean what right do I have to open an orphanage, I’m part of the reason so many children are orphans, kids don’t even like me, what if I-,” he began rambling, heading back into the hotel room so he had more space to pace in.
James followed him in, sitting on the edge of the bed, “Reg, we’ve gone over this before but I’m happy to do it again. Remind me why it is you decided to turn Grimmauld into an orphanage?” he asked expectantly, leaning back on his forearms as his eyes followed him back and forth.
Regulus stared down at the soft persian rug beneath him, his eyes tracing the pattern as he considered the same question he asked himself a hundred times over, “I just- after Sirius and I visited the orphanage and saw the conditions there, after I was reminded of what I personally did- I thought long and hard about what I wanted Grimmauld to be. It housed generations of unhappy Blacks and I finally had a chance to do something different to it and it wasn’t like I wanted to live there again. What if I had a chance to make it into a real home? One where others could grow up happily? I wanted to redeem it…” he trailed off, looking up at James who had a soft smile on his lips.
“I don’t think anyone is going to fault you for opening an orphanage- that’s like sending someone to Azkaban for feeding homeless cats,” he replied as though it were obvious. “Are all the muggles set up in their new homes?”
Regulus nodded as he received the message from the realtor that the job had been completed the previous evening.
Converting Grimmauld into an orphanage posed many issues but among the most important was the concern about space. Grimmauld was large no doubt but not big enough for it to be comfortable housing multiple large groups of children so he had bought out the entire block of houses and tore down the walls in the middle, converting it into a large mansion style house with more than enough space.
To do so however, required moving the previous muggles out of the adjacent homes so he posed as a muggle building developer and gave each of the families a healthy sum of money and alternative living arrangements in exchange for them to evacuate their properties. Some were all for it while others, namely the old woman Gertrude at the end of the block who thought him presumptuous and snobby, were against it. She finally gave in when he promised her a lifetime supply of cat food for her twenty-something cats.
“And you’ve gone over everything with Millicent and Kreacher how many times?” James chirped from the bed.
Regulus replied with a mumble, not even wanting to say how many times it had been because it was truly exorbitant. Millicent, who was infinitely patient and kind, and who had many other wonderful qualities that qualified her as the new Director, had to calmly explain to him that everything had been checked and double checked and to quite simply- stop owling her.
They just had to wait on the Ministry to approve their plan which seemed unlikely as of right now.
“Now come on or else we’ll be late for our hot air balloon ride,” James warned him, heading over to rifle through the wardrobe.
“Remind me why you thought it was a good idea to ride in a picnic basket with a group of muggles using just a balloon flying a million feet off the ground? They don’t even have magic,” Regulus cried, worry twisting his gut.
He couldn’t believe just a few years ago he had to face death and war and some of the most gruesome scenes a wizard could ever have to experience in his life but now he was getting worked up over flying on a balloon with his boyfriend.
“Yes but we do so should the balloon pop, I’ll cast a little cushioning charm and we’ll be fine,” he replied easily as he started changing his clothes, “And it’s not a million feet, just a couple thousand,” he chirped, finishing with a wink.
Regulus let that go knowing it was a losing battle and instead headed into the bathroom to get ready himself.
He rubbed the sleep out of his eye and looked at himself in the mirror, just as he did every morning, but something about today gave him pause.
Sometimes change was quick, life turning upside down at the flip of a coin where one could hardly keep up while other times it was gradual, so slow one didn’t even notice until they took a single considering moment and realised where they were now and where they had been before.
Regulus hadn’t realised how much he had physically changed until this moment where he was standing, slightly sunburnt and a bit flushed, in the bathroom of the hotel they’d booked in the Italian countryside.
His hair was much longer now, curling about past his ears and creeping down his neck. He normally didn’t like his hair too long- he felt like it made him look like he was trying too hard to be Sirius and he didn’t really have the features to pull it off but it was much better in comparison to the tight and slicked back hair he was forced to previously sport. His alabaster skin had gained just a slight tan, not enough that he had any sort of colour but enough to make him look lively again, like he had some sort of soul left in him. His sunken eyes and thinness had faded away as well and the creams he had started to apply on some of his scars had helped fade them from the harsh red and purples they were before.
The scars on his cheek remained still but they had lost their colour and while he still struggled to look at himself some days, his friends were always there to remind him that they were the marks of a job well done, as a reminder of what he had overcome.
Still, he looked good in a way he was sure he had never hoped for before. His life was so drastically different now and he worked so hard to forget the past but moments still occasionally crept up on him, stealing his breath until James whisked them away to a new city and he was lost in the motion of it all once more.
They’d been travelling on and off for two and a half years now, only coming back for major events such as Pandora’s wedding which had happened swiftly after the war, Sirius and Remus moving out of the manor once and for all, Dorcas and Marlene’s engagement, and the like but aside from those, he and James liked to stay away.
It didn’t feel like they were ‘running away’ by any means as some like Dorcas and Barty liked to call it but rather, they were experiencing life through an entirely new lens for the first time. Home was important, yes, but both of them now had skewed definitions on what the word even meant anymore and while they worked through that they could simultaneously try new foods, explore different cities, and live different experiences.
They had the luxury of freedom and youth which meant they had the privilege of going onto a flying death trap as well
He exited the bathroom to see James buttoning up his light blue linen top and he wanted to rip it right off of him but he feared if he did that, then they wouldn’t be leaving the room again until tomorrow so he withheld.
James always looked beautiful to him but he only realised how harsh a toll the war had taken on him until after they were out of it. He wasn’t all that much older, three years was nothing compared to a wizard’s lifespan but now that he was in his twenties, the prime of his life, he was looking all too good with his broadening shoulders and leaning frame. As he eased off the quidditch, some of his muscles had thinned out but he was always on the move which meant he had stayed in shape, his muscles elongating and pulling when he moved.
James pressed a kiss to his cheek, his aftershave wafting up to his nose in a jasmine and sandalwood blend before they left hand in hand to the location.
Surrounded by a small group of equally nervous muggles, he and James boarded and when they began to lift off, Regulus had to hold on to the scratchy wicker basket for dear life. James was ecstatic though as the landscape rolled out beneath them in all directions and once Regulus got over his initial fear, he was able to enjoy some of it as well.
The air was crisper up here and the sun shone brightly on them, warming their shoulders and noses and it was quiet save for the gas tank above them blowing fire up into the balloon every few minutes. The fire worried him a bit but James continued talking in an attempt to distract him and while it didn’t necessarily work, he appreciated the gesture nonetheless.
“Excuse me, sorry, could you take a picture of us please?” a woman asked him in a thick Eastern European accent, tapping on his shoulder and holding up a hand-sized rectangle device made of some sort of metal.
“Er- sure,” he said, awkwardly taking it from her.
James slyly leaned in, “Just focus on them and press the circle,” he whispered, having had more experience with muggle technology, and Regulus did as ordered, trying as best as he could.
Her and her partner smiled at him, one arm around each other and Regulus did as he was told before they changed poses, one with him grinning and her holding up her hand, a dazzling ring sparkling in the morning light on her left hand. He took another and when he gave it back to them, they thanked him and moved back to their spot at the helm.
“Ah, young love,” James sighed with the tone of a much older man.
“Are you implying we’re not young anymore,” he joked back with a raised brow.
“We’ve got a two in front of our age now, that’s practically geriatric,” he laughed before sobering a bit, “You know I used to always be scared about growing up, I think I’d say it was one of my biggest fears.”
Regulus wanted to say something smart about James’ privilege in having his biggest fear being wrinkly and grey but he held back, “Really? And why’s that?”
He considered, tilting his head a bit so the light caught his eye, lighting up the green specks near his pupil, “Well growing up meant graduating Hogwarts, starting a job, moving away…life gets busy for everyone. That meant I wouldn’t have the time to see my parents or my friends- I’d have to get all serious and I didn’t think I would ever be ready for that. It also meant I’d have to start a family of my own, a prospect I couldn’t even begin to consider. I didn’t know what or who I wanted and growing up meant forcing myself to figure it all out when I really didn’t want to.”
Regulus stayed quiet as he contemplated his words, wondering if James had figured it out yet or if he was still scared and confused. Maybe for him, travelling was an escape rather than the adventure Regulus thought it was. His mind worked itself into overdrive before James continued speaking,
“But now I know what my biggest fear actually is.”
He paused, waiting for him to continue,
“It’s for all of this to end,” he finished.
“All of what?” he asked, wanting James to continue.
His lips quirked then, “I love being an adult- I love my life with you. I mean I still don’t know what the hell I’m doing but I’m not scared about it anymore…I’m excited. I can’t wait for more life with you- I know that doesn’t really make sense but-.”
“It makes total sense,” Regulus assured him, resting his hand atop James’ own on the ledging. “I can’t wait for more life with you too” he said with a bit of a laugh and a shrug because while anyone listening on might think they just didn’t know proper English, to them it was crystal clear.
Their moment was ruined by the balloon jolting to the side and the person manning it quickly apologising in broken English so Regulus continued with a, “But if you ever take me on a balloon ride again, I’m cutting both our lives short.”
James’ laughter rang out in the clear sky.
1988
He knelt by the edge of the Lake, staring at his own warped expression with awe. He felt a bit like Narcissus, forced to stare at his own reflection for eternity as he felt like he couldn’t turn away, even if he subconsciously wanted to. The position he was in became uncomfortable, his legs bent awkwardly and the grass mushy under his hands.
He tried to move his legs but they didn’t respond and when sweat began to bead on his back, true worry began to set in. His hands slowly started sinking into the dirt as if it were quicksand and his reflection grew panicked the longer it drew on. He stared at his own hands as they betrayed him, as if he could will them to move by sheer look, but it was impossible.
In the split second he looked back at his reflection in the still water, clawed hands shot out from under the surface, clutching at both of his temples and yanking him forward, his body being pulled free of its constraints like a puppet whose strings had been cut. He tried to shout but no sound came out and when the initial shock of being pulled under the ice cold water swept away, he was able to open his eyes to see his attacker.
Grey met blood red as Voldemort began laughing in his face, all the while pulling him deeper and deeper underwater. It felt like it could go on for an eternity as he continued shouting and then all at once water started rushing into his open mouth, drowning his lungs with it. The water didn’t affect Voldemort as water continued to whip past him and he was begging for it to end- no longer could he just submit to drowning anymore, he wanted to live.
His hands were feeble against the torrent of water as he was being dragged impossibly deeper and he screamed and cried and he could hardly feel his body as it slowly went numb. His eardrums burst under the pressure and he began pleading for his life, feeling like nothing had changed, that maybe everything from the past few years was just a hallucination, that maybe-
“Reg!”
He gasped as he sat up and Sirius only narrowly missed being bashed in the head with his own.
His body slouched as he sat back, breathing heavily as though he was in the dream with him, “Gods you were screaming bloody murder, you had Remus and I grabbing our wands ready to hex each other.” He said all the while pushing his hair back and summoning a moist flannel and dabbing at his forehead. “A nightmare?” he asked gently.
Regulus nodded once, burying his face in his hands.
He thought he was getting over them but they seemed to creep up on him whenever he thought he was okay as a constant reminder of the past.
It was already bright outside, early morning light washing the room in a muted shade of yellow and a look at the clock on the wall showed it was a little past eight. James must’ve already left for his run then and Regulus was almost happy for it, he hated seeing James worry for him.
It wasn’t like they all didn’t have their fair share of nightmares but James still struggled to let Regulus take care of him after them, instead shushing him back to sleep and going downstairs for a cuppa before silently going to bed again. He wasn’t sure James would ever be able to be helped as he spent his whole life being a helper.
“Sorry,” he replied, sitting up. “I must’ve forgotten to silence the room.”
“There’s nothing to apologise for, I’m just happy I could be here for you,” he said, smiling gently before the door creaked open and the reason Sirius was here at home with them quickly entered, jumping up onto the bed and pawing at him, purring deeply.
Regulus smiled, petting the velvety black fur of their cat while Sirius just stared angrily at it.
Eclipse was a new addition to the home after James insisted that they get some sort of pet. He didn’t care what it was as long as it was something and Regulus refused to have a dog or be some sort of weird frog/ lizard/ bird owner so they settled on a black kitten they bought from the menagerie a few weeks ago.
She was well-behaved and incredibly intelligent, thanks to the fact that she was part kneazle but that also meant Sirius, who was technically part dog, was practically her mortal enemy though Regulus suspected that even if Sirius wasn’t an animagus, she still wouldn’t like him. She likes Remus well enough though it even took them some time to get used to each other. With James she’s temperamental, her moods constantly fluctuating, but to him, she was a perfect angel.
“I can’t believe we agreed to watch her for the week,” he grumbled, standing up to vacate the room as he often did whenever she entered. Regulus didn’t know how they’d be able to stand each other for that long if they couldn’t even stay in the same room for longer than a couple minutes before she started attacking him with her claws.
“Thank you,” was all Regulus said before going back to nuzzling her and letting the stress from the nightmare slowly slip away.
He and James were about to go to Argentina for a final trip before they were to settle down semi-permanently with the orphanage set to open in just a month’s time. It had taken a long time to get to this point but with all the Ministry and personal hurdles to jump through, there was no other choice but to take it one step at a time. The house was set, elves were brought in with Kreacher being head, teachers and aides were all ready to start, and all the incoming children were prepared for the change.
They were set to take in different groups of magical children from different orphanages all across the continent to help relieve some of the stress on them and allow for new bonds to be forged and built.
Everybody was incredibly excited while he was still scared out of his mind whether or not he’d be capable enough for this but James continued to remind him that he had managed every step of the orphanages’ opening up until this point so the hard part was over.
Nonetheless, James really pushed for this final trip and while Regulus didn’t understand why Argentina, he went along with it as he had picked their last destination, Morocco, anyways.
After a couple hours of last minute packing, breakfast, and rushed goodbyes- he and James were off, a small teacup portkey blasting them across continents all the way to Ushuaia, Argentina, a small portside town nestled at the base of a few mountains leading down to the Atlantic ocean.
Thankfully, along their travels, they had purchased small magical translating devices that they had to tuck in their ear allowing them to understand what others were saying and everything they said back would be translated into the listener’s ear. He hated how awkward it was whenever they went to a non-English speaking country and they tried to speak English despite the fact that it was really them who should know their language rather than the other way around.
It made navigating the town much easier as James spoke and they arrived at their small cottage on the outskirts of the city soon enough.
James went straight for the windows, throwing them open to reveal nothing but green grassy mountains for miles on either side, the ocean visible through the windows on the other side of the house. The cool breeze cleared the room as he turned around and asked, “D’you like it?”
Regulus smiled tiredly, heading towards him, wrapping his arms around his middle and breathing him in, “I do, it’s beautiful.”
“It is,” he agreed and when Regulus looked up, he saw James was only looking at him. He snorted as he turned away but James wasn’t ready to let him go, pulling him in closer and tilting his chin up for a kiss.
Regulus instantly melted into it, his hands coming up to wrap around James’ neck while his hands rested on his hips, his thumbs creeping up to just under the hem of his shirt and when Regulus pushed forward slightly, they moved higher in earnest, rubbing at his sides gently.
He had only ever truly been with James and when he heard others’ stories about the various people they’d been with, he wondered if he was somehow missing out on anything but when James kissed at his pulse point or his hands trailed down to rest in the divots of his lower back, he knew there was no one else out there for him. No one could possibly know him like James did, could pleasure or starve him like he did.
Regulus let out a soft moan when James bit at the skin of his collarbone before kissing away the hurt. James stepped forward so he was up against the wall and he let his leg rest in between Regulus’ the slight pressure taunting him. He pulled Regulus’ shirt off before pulling off his own and all Regulus could do was pause and admire him for a moment.
James had adopted a few tattoos over the years as well, adding to the pair of antlers on his lower hips. He had a snitch tattooed on the upward curve of his ribs, the Leo constellation marked onto his pectoral- the Regulus star gleaming right over his heart, he had MPP on his collarbone. and a few other random ones he had gotten along to match Sirius.
Regulus made it his mission to trace each and every single mark with his lips so he flipped them around so James was against the wall and went to work, starting at the top before working his way down at an agonisingly slow pace, letting the pressure between them build higher and hotter.
When he had finally made it to James’ waistband, he could see the evidence of his arousal and he looked up through his eyelashes to see James flushed and biting his lips, holding himself back from rushing them through to the next stage.
Regulus traced around his cock, teasing him, before pushing his trousers and pants away, tossing them to the side.
James often took the lead when they were together but he couldn’t deny the pure pleasure that erupts from him whenever he takes command and slowly picks apart James until he’s breathing heavy and desperate for even the slightest of touches.
He dropped to his knees and he couldn’t help but chuckle when James snapped, a wandless cushioning charm settling beneath him and allowing him to be more comfortable.
“Perfect, that means I can take my time,” he smirked and as if realising the mistake he made, James dropped his head back, audibly thumping against the wall as he groaned.
Regulus took him in his hand and began pumping slowly before replacing his hands with his mouth and it wasn’t long before James went weak in the legs and joined him on the floor in a sweaty and satiated mess. A little while later, Regulus was in the same predicament and they laid there, tangled in a mess of sweet nothings and kisses as the sun set on the horizon, indicating the end of another lovely day with James.
____________
They spent the next two days exploring the town trying new foods and perusing around the small shops in the centre of town buying trinkets and souvenirs for everyone back home. They also bought a wedding gift for Marlene and Dorcas as it was coming up quicker than any of them had expected. Regulus also knew that Barty was holding off on asking Evan for fears that he would say no and even Regulus, ever the pessimist, thought that was just mad.
On their final evening, James had arranged for a boat ride for them after dinner.
Dinner ended up being a James special as he had gone to the shop a few hours ago while he was taking a nap and bought all the ingredients he needed for whatever it was he decided to whip up this time.
Regulus watched in bemusement, sitting on the kitchen counter with his legs dangling off the edge while James methodically worked, chopping vegetables and heating up oil in pans that sizzled whenever he added something new in.
“Do you remember our first date?” he asked wistfully, the memory suddenly coming to him.
James smiled through tears while he was cutting onions, “You mean at the Mexican restaurant where my tongue almost burst into flames and fell off? Yes I remember it well,” he laughed. “Gods I was so nervous ahead of time but it was nothing compared to what happened when I got back.”
“What happened?” he asked once the sizzle from the onions hitting the pan quieted and he handed James a napkin for his eyes.
James smiled ruefully as he remembered, “Everyone was waiting for me in the Common Room when I got back- it felt like I was on trial in front of the Wizengamot.”
“What did you say?” he asked, leaning in, surprised that he had never heard this story before.
“Well,” James went on stretching the vowel, “Sirius was wondering where I was to which I replied that I was at dinner with the Hufflepuff quidditch team,” at this he flustered, looking up as if even he knew that was a terrible lie. “Then I waffled a bit and he and Peter thankfully left. Then, Remus, wonderful as ever, said he knew I was out with you and to hide my love bites next time I come back so late.”
Regulus gaped, “No he didn’t.”
The other boy smiled and nodded, dropping marinated chicken into the same pot as the onions, “He did. He’s just perceptive like that and it certainly helped to anger Sirius when he realised that Remus knew before he did.”
Regulus was thrown back into the memory of running through the forest at night, first away from Remus in his werewolf form before running back in towards James who was wounded in the entire spat.
When he voiced that, James looked up at him fondly, “I know that was a really bad time for us but you can’t imagine how relieved I was that we weren’t a secret anymore- it was getting too hard to bear.”
“We’ve gone through quite a bit together haven’t we?” Regulus asked softly.
James nodded, his cheeks pink and smile genuine.
_______
Dinner was done a little while later and Regulus set the table for the two of them as he brought over a tray full of chicken biryani. It was far too much for just the two of them but it made Regulus’ mouth water and he was already considering how he’d have enough to take with him for leftovers tomorrow to prolong the experience that was his cooking.
James served him first before serving himself and Regulus contributed by pouring them both a glass of white wine that would pair well with the blend of herbs and spices in the dish and lighting the candles on the table between the two of them.
They ate their fill twice over and when Regulus was food heavy and wine buzzed and ready for a nap, James declared it time for their boat ride so they both quickly changed and soon they were on their way down to the port.
Regulus had expected there to be a group of people on the boat, as was often the case whenever they went on excursions, but he was surprised to find it was just them on the mid-sized boat. When they arrived, a woman, a bit older than them, hopped off the boat and onto the dock, introducing herself as the captain of The Riptide.
Regulus threw James a look but he was looking steadfastly ahead so he just boarded along with him and he nearly had a heart attack when a flute of champagne was floated over to him.
He spluttered and James, catching on, grabbed the glasses from the air and said, “Oh this is a magical ship, not muggle.”
He hadn’t even realised and when he looked back to where the captain was, he saw that she was perusing a book while the ship was steering itself.
He marvelled and wondered how a witch such as herself ended up here but he relaxed slightly knowing that if the boat went down, he had a good chance at surviving, and enjoyed the view of the crisp water beneath them slowly turning golden as the sun slowly inched toward the horizon.
“So where exactly are we going?” he asked as he leaned closer into James. The weather was nice but out on the ocean with the boat going as fast as it was, he had no protection against the chill of the wind rushing past them.
“It’s a secret,” he hummed, not answering. “However I did have to book a magical boat because normally for muggles, the trip takes about 6 hours and I didn’t think you’d want to sit out on a boat for that long.”
“Too right you are,” he huffed, settling back in.
The time passed quickly as they admired the view and spoke about any and everything under the sun and for some reason, the back of his mind tingled and he was feeling some sort of familiarity with the scene but it felt impossible because he’d literally never been here before. Still, as he looked at the view or back at the shore, he felt like he’d seen it before.
The ship took a slow turn around the edge of the coast and on a small lone island, was a lighthouse. It stood proudly in the centre of the rocky and green outcropping, striped red and white with a small house on the top with which one could look through.
The sun was setting on the other side of it, washing it in gold and Regulus quickly turned to James, “How did you-?” The words died in his throat as he continued marvelling at it.
It was an exact copy of the lighthouse he saw in his mind whenever he did his Occlumency. The same tower that protected him over the years, that hid his memory of James and all of his friends against his parents and Voldemort, the same lighthouse that offered him comfort from the harsh realities of his real life.
He never knew where he had gotten the idea from and wasn’t even sure it was real but here it was, as real and solid as he or James were.
The boat docked on the edge and Regulus got off first, unable to wait, tilting his head back to stare right up at it.
“How did you know?” He finally managed to ask James who made it off and was standing by his side, hands tucked deep into his coat.
“Your uncle Alphard found it actually. It was in a postcard he sent you when you were young and I s’pose you don’t remember it but it looked identical to how you described it to me so I figured it had to be it,” he answered, smiling as he gazed upon Regulus’ unadulterated awe.
He couldn’t believe James sometimes- he had outdone himself this time. Again he had to wonder what he had ever done to deserve him to do something so considerate.
“Wow,” was all he could say as he walked forward to encircle the tower, navigating carefully over all the rocks and plants.
He had made it halfway around, trailing his hand along the sides of the building before realising James wasn’t with him anymore so he quickly made his way back around to find him.
When he got around the corner, he froze.
James was kneeling in a bit of clearing in the grass, a small velvet box in his hand open to reveal what could only be a ring. His smile was timid and scared and his hands were shaking as his eyes filled with tears but still he gathered up the courage to ask, “Regulus Arcturus Black, will you marry me?”
His mind went blank as he continued to stare at James who was silhouetted by the sun like he always seemed to be. With his beautiful hazel eyes and his shaking hands, to the way he looked at Regulus with so much love and hope it almost didn’t seem real, Regulus didn’t know what to do or say because nothing seemed an adequate answer to James’ question.
He must’ve been quiet for too long because James’ face slowly shifted and he looked like he was about to get up but Regulus just jumped on him with a cry taking them both down to the ground and for a split second he saw a younger version of James at school, lying beneath him by the Lake under the moonlight and he held him close and cried in his ear before saying,
“Yes, a million times yes.”
They stayed there long till after the sun set and the stars shone bright above them.
1994
A loud knocking at the door tore Regulus away from the documents he had been poring over since the sun rose. He tried to ignore it as the kids often liked to play pranks on him when he was in, knocking and hiding behind a curtain, or asking inane questions like why was the sky blue but the knocking persisted.
Sighing and cracking his back that felt far too old for his age, he called out, “Come in.”
The door to his study slowly creaked open to reveal Liam, gap-toothed and smiling shyly up at him. Regulus could already tell by the way he was standing and the look on his face that something wasn’t right.
Regulus took his glasses off and prepared, “Yes Liam?”
“Well, I just wanted to let you know that- well I had nothing to do with it, I was just watching really- but Harry, well, he on his own-.”
“What happened?” he asked, cutting straight to the point and leaning forward.
“Just come with me,” he blurted and quickly turned on his heel rushing away.
Regulus quickly followed after him, and when he made a turn for the residences instead of the larger part of the orphanage, he became worried. He went up a few floors and took a couple turns, all the while looking anxiously over his shoulder, until they arrived at the entrance to the attic. It was then that he saw Liam’s hands were painted blue and green.
“Liam what were you two doing up in the attic?” he frowned.
“Harry wanted to go in, not me!” he said, again accusing Harry despite the fact that Regulus knew Liam was more of the troublemaker between the two.
He climbed the steps and saw Harry absolutely covered in paint in all different colours. His hair and clothes were splattered with it, his glasses were so smudged with it there was no way he could see, and he managed to remain smiling as he looked up at him, “Papa!” he called out and made to run for him but Regulus held him back with a hand to his forehead, keeping him back.
“You both know you’re not allowed to be up here,” he said, quickly pulling out his wand casting it on Harry and while he managed to get most of the surface level paint off, there was still a lot of residue on Harry meaning he’d need to take a bath soon.
“I know but Harry wanted to come up here!” Liam protested.
“Nuh uh! You said you wanted to see the paintings!” Harry cried out, looking back at him, “Papa I said to him! I promise!”
“Yes Harry as it so happens I believe you, now go downstairs to your dad and tell him you both need to take a bath,” he ordered and they both listened, heading downstairs while arguing amongst each other quietly.
If only Regulus had known that Harry and Liam would be so close, he would’ve done whatever he could to keep them apart. It was just so natural for them to be so close as Regulus was quite close with Liam, considering their past together, and then James and he had decided to have Harry a few years back that they just so happened to grow up like brothers.
He stood up and eyed what havoc they wrecked on the attic and he was surprised to find they hadn’t made too much of a mess, just a few splatters here and there and there was a turned around canvas that had small handprints on the back that had him thinking that this was the one they used.
He nervously started to turn it, wondering which Black ancestor they defaced but he was surprised to find that it wasn’t one at all.
It was a simple blue canvas and Regulus struggled for a moment before gasping when he realised what it was.
It was the canvas he had painted with Pandora all those years ago in the Ravenclaw Common Room when she was working on ‘coping’ skills with him. He remembered that he was horrible at painting and even worse at deciding what he wanted to paint so he simply painted the entire thing blue and left it at that, swearing he’d come back to it and never doing so.
Now, it was covered in dozens of smears and handprints and flowers and love hearts all made with Harry and Liam’s fingers and Regulus’ heart squeezed with affection. He realised that nothing he ever could have painted would have compared to this.
It was as if he had kept the painting all these years for this exact purpose. He thought he had just kept it for sentimental purposes but now he realised that fate was guiding his hand instead.
The painting soon found itself a new home in the Library at home right above the hearth. He considered leaving it at Grimmauld but he didn’t have the heart to leave it behind.
Regulus gazed up at it that evening as he sat, curled up with a book in front of the fire in the Library with Eclipse sleeping at his feet, and James walked in shortly after,
“You coming to bed, love?” he asked a bit sleepily, “I already put Harry down so he should be up in about twenty minutes,” he laughed. Harry was still a long way away from sleeping in his own room, pretending to go to sleep and crawling into their bed shortly after and neither of them had the heart to put him back in his room yet.
Regulus, toying with the silver band on his finger, still staring up at the portrait asked, “What would you say about turning our family of three into one of four?”
James was quiet a moment before replying, “I think that’d be a wonderful idea.”
He smiled up at him and just as it always had, silver met hazel and nothing else in the world seemed to matter.
His life now was so different that any other he envisioned for himself but he couldn’t imagine doing or being anywhere else in the world. He had done everything he had set out to do, accomplished everything he had dreamed about in his darkest nights, and survived horrors no one should ever have to.
But he knew he would do it all over again if it meant he would be back in this moment with James, in their home filled with love and laughter, and their lives fulfilled and long.
James lowered his hand to pull Regulus up and they went upstairs together, giddy as they whispered about what the newfound future might look like.