Chapter 1
James woke up and blinked at the empty room around him. "They must have already gone to breakfast," he muttered, rubbing his eyes. Reaching for his glasses, he slipped them on and dragged himself out of bed.
In the bathroom, James caught sight of his reflection and frowned. His hair was its usual chaotic mess.
"Merlin, why can't I have normal hair like everyone else?" he grumbled, grabbing his hairbrush. For several frustrating minutes, he tried to tame the wild black locks. Predictably, they refused to cooperate. With a defeated sigh, he set the brush down.
"I'll deal with it later," he decided, though his tone suggested he wouldn’t bother. Reluctantly, James got ready for the day, his heart not entirely in it. He’d much rather stay in bed and sleep, but skipping breakfast would only invite questions he wasn’t in the mood to answer.
Once dressed, he made his way to the Great Hall. The usual lively chatter and clatter of cutlery filled the air. As soon as James stepped inside, Sirius spotted him and let out a loud yell.
"HEY, PRONGS! OVER HERE!" Sirius waved dramatically, grinning from ear to ear.
James forced a smile, plastering it on like a mask as he walked over and slid into the seat beside his best friend. Across the table, Remus sighed and closed his book, knowing there was no chance of reading in peace now that James and Sirius were together.
"Well, look who finally decided to grace us with his presence," Remus teased, smirking over his mug of tea.
James rolled his eyes, his grin now a little more genuine. "Oh, shove off, you prat."
Remus chuckled softly and shook his head, a fond smile tugging at his lips.
At the Slytherin table, Regulus Black sat quietly, his eyes fixed on James. He knew something was wrong the moment James walked into the hall. That smile—it wasn’t real. Regulus was a master of fake smiles, and he could spot one a mile away.
Next to him, Barty Crouch Jr. chatted animatedly about his latest escapades with Evan Rosier. Barty, ever the morning person, was oblivious to his friend's distraction. Regulus nodded occasionally, pretending to listen, but his mind was elsewhere.
James.
He hated being stuck on the other side of the room, unable to check in. But for now, all Regulus could do was watch, worry, and wait until he could catch James alone and figure out what was really going on.