Potions is stupid.
…….
He wakes up cold and alone. Well not really alone, and not really cold.
It's warm in the room, and Evan is getting dressed. He sees it then. Evan's soulmark.
A white dove, carrying a wilting rose in its beak. It's beautiful, a very beautiful mark. It's on his torso and it's small, but perfect.
Evan and Regulus didn’t know who it was, and they didn't want to. After all, soulmarks are useless. Especially when your parents have already arranged you to marry a prissy pureblood.
Evan doesn't even like anyone. He never has, and quite frankly they see nothing wrong with it. He doesn’t have to love anyone, at least not romantically.
Evan loves Regulus, of course. They're cousins. They practically grew up together. Regulus and Evan always slept together and latched on to each other when they were kids. And kissed.
Regulus has been in love before. It was horrible. It scared him. Made him feel things physically and mentally that he didn't want to feel.
He guesses his mark is beautiful in its own way. Antlers buried in flowers. The middles are stars.
It doesn't matter anyways. He was already promised to Pandora.
He doesn't like that and neither does she. It's weird. Repulsing. Almost worse than being in love.
At least they can pretend. Many people already thought they were dating so maybe it's not so bad. Plus Pandora already knows about it.
She's logically the best match, even though there's no chemistry.
….
After he gets changed he skips breakfast, opting to visit Slughorn instead. He's supposed to be in 6th year potions, with….Sirius.
Maybe he'll get lucky and Sirius will have not attended this year. Or maybe Sirius dropped potions. Or maybe they sat on opposite sides. Anything to not have to talk with him.
He doesn't hate Sirius. Sirius hates him. Ever since he met that stupid James Potter he never gave Regulus the time of day, instead deciding to turn on him. Sirius hasn't called Regulus his brother since 2nd year.
He finds his seat (they're numbered) and flops down on it before arranging the ingredients like they need to be. Perfect order.
Oh God.
James and Barty sit next to him. He's screwed. He doesn’t care about the girl on the opposite side of him, he cares about those two idiots sitting on the sides of him.
Why can't he ever have a normal day?
……
James POV
'Everyone is probably already seated but not me. Never me. I'm late, again.
Not my fault we had a new prank going on, so what if I missed sitting next to Crouch?'
But he was gonna miss Lily.
He'll see her later.
He snickers as he places the seeds in the Slytherins' quidditch equipment. This is gonna be good. He can't wait to see them squirming and red.
That came out wrong.
He runs along the corridor to potions before he hears- "Mr. Potter, you're late. Again. Three detentions, my office. You too Mr. Black, Lupin, Pettigrew."
They all groan before going to their seats. Lily looks absolutely stunning, and Regulus is fine.
……
Regulus POV
He almost gasps when the red headed girl sits opposite to him.
She's beautiful. She has this cleverness to her eyes that allures him. She's soft in the right places, the opposite of him. He's boney in all the wrong places.
She's the apple of his eye. The Apollo to his Hyacinthus. His new muse. He could die by her hands and still worship her in death.
He loves the way his heart beats and his stomach fills with warmth when she introduces herself.
"Uh, uh, Hey, Regulus?"
Oh.
Is she scared of him? He knew he shouldn't have worn the snake ring. He knew it. Now the ire across him was freaked out.
"Hello. Evans, er Lily, right? Heard you were good at potions." OK so maybe he didn't, but she didn't know that.
"I guess. Something like that. I'm an all-trick pony."
Whatever the draught that means, it has to be positive. Is he making a bad impression? Maybe he needs to try and be nicer?
But he was nice. He said she was good at potions….Maybe something else?
"We should start on the potion." He says, clearing his throat before that. "Could you chop these roots and grind the stem?"
She nods and they set to work before-
"Mr. Potter, you're late. Again. Three detentions, my office. You too Mr. Black, Lupin, Pettigrew."
The group groans and he screams inside his head.
Go away James. Some people need to actually pass this class you stupid, insufferable little soul sucking-
He's cut off by Lily leaning over to tap his shoulder. "Regulus? You okay? Professor-"
"I'm fine. Cool. Chill almost."
He sputters out before adding the 5th and 6th ingredient. Potter is staring at him. It makes his heart soar and his head begin to ache.
Crazy bloke.
LILY
She hurries into the classroom, almost falling over three students in the process. She heard about Sirius' little brother getting hurt. She also heard about James having to do something with it.
Never a good sign. Sometimes she regrets the fact she can feel love so deeply.
Now when Sirius told her about his 'annoying little brother' she expected a purist nightmare who wanted to avada kedavra all muggleborns.
Not the sweet boy who shyly requested that she crush and chop the bottom half of the plants while he dealt with the troll entrails.
He seemed sweet. Fragile almost.
And beautiful. If you had asked her what an angel looked like, that would've been the description. Long hair, but not too long, greengrey eyes, and such beauty she almost cried.
How could such a person exist? He didn't seem cruel or jeering like Sirius said at all.
He seemed kind, albeit a little on the shy side. She noticed how his face heated up as soon as James came in. So it did have to do with him.
She'd have to get the details from Mary and Cassie later.
But for now, she was content with James staring and Regulus' stirring. It was all but calming. The way Regulus had to use both hands and the way James eyes darted everywhere, like he was ashamed.
James stared at Regulus too. Like a sorrowful stare, not the infatuated stare he gave Lily. Like he longed for both.
'That's stupid. James is- he doesn't- He doesn't like boys-'
He can't, can he? He's got to be the straightest boy in this school. He's never even given reason to believe. Besides, he wasn't like them anyways. He could get away with it.
She really could also though.
People like Sirius couldn't. He was hardwired for men. Never could keep with a woman. Most assume he's a player.
Not her though. She knows. She sees the repulsed looks after he's slept with women. He doesn't hate them, no he doesn't at all. He just can't stand having to sleep with them.
She can't do anything about it either.
…..