Never Saw You Coming

James was back at his door with breakfast at seven o’clock in the morning.

And Regulus almost strangled him.

You could say he wasn’t a morning person.

“Potter, the actual sun isn’t even up yet, why are you vertical?” He grumbles, squinting at the chipper boy and yawning.

James looks visibly startled to see him in this state. The shock is gone in an instant.

“The ‘actual sun’? As opposed to what?” He sounds amused. This makes Regulus want to go back to bed.

“Please don’t start with the word games yet, I’m not even awake.”

“I’ve been up for an hour and you were the one who said ‘first thing’. It’s first thing.” James shrugged still smiling and too peppy for anyone.

“I regret all life decisions that have brought me to this moment.” Regulus grumbles into his pillow.

“Come on, baby Black. Don’t be too regretful, I brought breakfast.” He singsongs from beside Regulus’ bed.

The smell of bacon tickled Regulus’ nose, his stomach made of noise of appreciation.

“That’s what I thought.” James replied to no one, smug.

“Oh shut it, Potter. You only get a pass because of the bacon. That’s it.” He tried to make it mean, but it didn’t translate. Or maybe it did and James just didn’t care.
He swung his legs back over the side of his bed and zombie walked all the way to the bathroom.

James was sitting on Rosier’s bed, eating a muffin and reading up on magical artifacts.
Regulus went into the bathroom about five minutes ago, so James made himself comfortable.

When James heard the shower tap turn on, he jumped.
He felt that yanking in his stomach.
He looked down at the muffin and decided to place all the blame on that.
A blueberry muffin. It’s all their fault. His stomach was just empty.
Yes. That must be what it is.

He tried to ignore the sound. And his heart racing for no reason. But his eyes were just skimming over the words at this point.

He takes in his surroundings. He’d never been in any Slytherin dorm without everyone being vacated from it. Another distinction, was that it was daylight, and it made all the difference.

Sunlight only came from high windows that couldn’t really be seen, or even opened. But the light that made its way down, cast everything in a teal glow. James felt like he was looking at the world from the floor of the ocean.

His eyes fell to Regulus’ bed. It wasn’t hard to tell which one belonged to him, though James already knew. It’s was perfectly made the last time he was here, but today the sheets are rumpled, and the comforter is balled in the top corner.

James smiles at the fact that he got to see the messiness left behind by the boy before he inevitably came to tidy it up.

The table directly beside the bed was covered in parchment and shading pencils. The dark wood underneath wasn’t visible at all.

James stood and made his way over to it. On the other side of the bed, was a bookcase, it had lots of historical texts he’d never seen or heard of before. And novels. Many many novels.

James had always been impressed with Regulus but he was in awe, now. He had no doubt that the younger boy had read all of those books, multiple times.
His eyes fell to the table again, he realized that the parchment he thought was blank was actually a very light sketch. Of what, he couldn’t decipher.
He got lost in it for a few minutes. It was so incredibly delicate that Regulus’ hand must’ve just barely grazed across it. He always knew how to handle things with care. With a feather-like delicacy that James had never seen anywhere else.

“What are you doing?” Regulus’ voice made him jump, again. He could feel the embarrassment creep up his shoulders and turn his face red.

When James turned around to speak to him, he immediately looked away.

Regulus was wet, first of all. He was still drying his damp curls with a blue towel. A thin t-shirt clinging to his skin in all the places water was still present.
The feeling in his stomach threatened to pull him through the floor of the dungeons and into the Earth’s core.

James wished the ground would actually swallow him so he didn’t have to confront any of this, at all.

“Um. Sorry. I was just…looking.” He cast his eyes to the abandoned artwork.

“What do you think?” Regulus asks following his line of sight.

“Well. It’s not finished, I don’t know what it is.” He says quietly, still trying to work it out in his own head.

“Me neither.” Regulus didn’t seem to have any feelings about this fact. He just said it the way it was.

“You will.” James smiled at him. Then he made his way to the other side of the room to sit on Rosier’s bed and finish his breakfast.

“You don’t have to sit over there. Might make studying rather difficult, Potter.” Regulus popped a grape in his mouth but didn’t turn around. He was rooting through his chest of drawers, looking for something.

James observed him, mindlessly eating. He watched him pull out a red sweater, then throw it over his head.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear red.” James joked.

“And you, most likely, never will again.” He was turned around still, talking to the wall, but James could hear the smile. “I’m feeling festive, that’s the only exception.”

“Is Christmas your favorite holiday?” James questions, curiously, lifting an eyebrow.

He wanted to solve the mystery of Regulus Black one tiny piece of information at a time.

The mysterious boy does turn around then, completely dressed and awake.
James mentally compares this boy with the one he saw not half an hour ago, untamed hair and tired eyes.

“I think so. It holds the best memories.” James nods at him, smiling. “Yours?”

“New Years Eve.” He doesn’t give an explanation.

“I would’ve guessed Halloween.” Regulus teased.

“Are you trying to tell me I look like a monster.” James never takes anything Regulus says against him seriously, because he knows him too well.

Regulus laughs at him. “For once, no, I’m not commenting on your savage appearance and uncontrollable mop of hair. It’s the ancestral holiday of trickery.” He smirks at the boy, finally uncovering the rest of his breakfast.

“I can see where you might draw that conclusion. But I don’t think I’m edgy enough to go all out on Halloween. I will always throw a party, though, anything is an excuse to get shitfaced.” He chuckled.

Regulus smiles but doesn’t continue the conversation.
Instead he says
“I thought you were moving over here.”
He’s still looking down at his plate.

“I will. Im finishing breakfast over here so I don’t get muffin crumbs on your sheets. I don’t much like Rosier, anyway, so he can deal with them.” He grumbled.

His head shot up when he heard Regulus let out a bubbly laugh.

“Golden boy, James Potter finally discovers a human being he doesn’t like. I’m shocked, honestly.”

“There are plenty of people I don’t like.”

“Name three.”

James is stumped. He actually can’t think of three right off the top of his head. But he never backs down from a challenge. He smiles.
“Let’s just go with the easy answer, all three of your roommates.”

“That’s cheating. But okay.” He shakes his head. He starts to reach down for his books when he stops and look up again with his eyebrows furrowed.
“Why don’t you like Rosier? Specifically him, I mean.”

“Couldn’t tell you.” He said, standing, and getting rid of his plate with a wave of his wand, sending it back to the kitchens. “I just get a bad feeling.”

He walked across the middle walkway and plopped himself down on Regulus’ bed, right in front of him. His legs were dangling off the side but he was laying down with his head propped up, supported by his hand.

Regulus halted mid chew.

This was all very new. But James seemed comfortable.
And for some unknown reason, it made Regulus happy.
He felt almost relieved.

Regulus couldn’t remember the last time he was relieved that someone else was making themselves at home in his presence.

He forced himself to keep eating so he had something to do with his hands and the motor function center of his mind.

And maybe something to look at, other than a boy sprawled out at the foot of his bed.

“I’ve been reading about crystal balls.” James says offhand. “Apparently they’re one of the oldest magical tools on record. That’s kind of wild, when you think about it.”

“Says the boy with the original invisibility cloak.” Regulus rolls his eyes playfully.

“How do you know it’s the original?” James asks with a smirk.

“Because I’ve seen fakes. They’re cheap and faulty.” He meets James’ eyes. “They’re also easy to spot. There are shimmers and reflections. I know yours is the real thing because it never falters.”

“I never thought about that. The fact that people would try to duplicate it. I mean, it makes sense.” He pauses, looking down. “Maybe that makes me naive, that I didn’t consider it.”

“No.” Regulus shakes his head. “Only people with less than honorable intentions would ever even attempt a thing like that. And it’s a foolish venture, no one with half a wit would ever think anyone was out there doing such things.” He pops the last grape in his mouth then vanishes all traces of the plate back to the kitchens.

“I don’t think I know anyone that talks the way you do.” James said, still leaning on his hand.

“Oh, you mean with proper grammar and punctuation? Maybe even a few advanced vocabulary words?” He quipped back at him, but James’ words had already settled in his chest and warmed his whole body.

“Very funny, baby Black. With your sunny disposition and that sense of humor, you should be a comedian.” The sarcasm drips off his words.

“I’ve already got a job, it turns out.” He gives James a look. “As your divinations tutor. And if you don’t get your books, I doubt you’ll learn much of anything.”

James let’s out a pathetic whine. “Fine. But I’m not going to pretend to be happy about it.”
He shoots up and grabs his bag from the chair he tossed it into upon his arrival.

“Since you’re interested in crystal balls, we can start there. It’s actually kinda fun.” He says flipping to the correct chapter.

“Maybe for gifted seers of the future, like yourself. I never get anything. Just mystical smoke staring back at me with disappointment.”

“Every task gets better with practice. It takes time. There are a few tricks they don’t really mention in the books.” He mentions offhand.

“Show me.” James replies instantly.

“I will. But first, read.” Regulus pointed down to the book, then got up and walked to the door.

“Wait, where are you going?” James called out.

Regulus couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. James sounded worried.

“Believe it or not, most of us don’t have crystal balls in our back pocket. I mean I do, but it’s too small for what we need. I’ll be back.” He said nodding then leaving behind the door.

That boy really is a mystery. James thought to himself. Then did as he was told and read the chapter.

Regulus made it halfway to the Divinations classroom when he was stopped on the staircase.
To say it caught him by surprise is an understatement because
One, he wasn’t expecting anyone to acknowledge him at all.
And two, he didn’t hear a single sound on the stairs before a hand placed itself on Regulus’ shoulder scaring him out of his wits.

He followed the arm up to the body of the headmaster. Dumbledore was wearing blue robes today, his beard braided down the front.

“Good morning, Professor Dumbledore.” The greeting was almost an instinct now. He said hello to most of his teachers in the hallway if they smiled at him.

“Good morning, Regulus. Where are you headed in such a trance-like state?” He asked quirking an eyebrow.

Regulus couldn’t lie to Dumbledore. Not now, not ever.

“I’m tutoring someone in Divinations. I was just running up to the classroom to grab some supplies.” He answered quickly and politely.

“Ah.” Dumbledore nodded. “Do they make a good student?” He looked at Regulus thorough his white eyelashes.

Regulus was once again, taken aback. He wasn’t expecting this line of questioning at all.

“Erm.” He had to take a second to collect his floating thoughts.

Was James a good student? Yeah, he was. He was quiet and listened very well when Regulus was explaining something to him. But he also asked questions.

“You could say that. They’re definitely improving.” The smile that followed was a real one. A small one. But a real one none the less.

Dumbledore seemed to get the answer he was looking for because a small smirk appeared on his face along with that glint of magic in his eyes.
“You must be a very good teacher.” The headmaster smiled. “You should be off, don’t want to keep him waiting. And do let me know if you should need anything.”
He nodded once in Regulus’ direction then he continued on his path down the stairs.

Regulus could only stare after him for a few minutes trying to decipher what just occurred.

Was he dreaming? Weird things like that tend to happen in his dreams.
And why had Dumbledore all of a sudden offered him a personal favor? He’d never done that before, Regulus would’ve remembered.

And the last thing, was the slip up.
Dumbledore said “don’t want to keep him waiting.”

Him.

Dumbledore knows who Regulus is tutoring, so why is he acting clueless?

The headmaster is much smarter than anyone gives him credit for, and that’s saying something. He would never say ‘him’ unless he meant to say it.
Maybe Regulus was meant to notice.

None of this makes any sense.

Regulus was still in a daze as he made his way back towards the dungeons, crystal ball in hand. It encased in a black box with a handle.

He snapped out of it rather quickly when he entered the common room.
He could feel…something. And whatever it was knocked him out of his sleepy confused state. Regulus was hyper aware of his surroundings now. And what he was returning to.

Or who, in this case.

The ‘who’ in question says nothing when Regulus opens the door and he soon discovers why.

He’s fallen asleep.

This makes Regulus momentarily panic.

There’s a sleeping lion cub in his room.

In the snake pit.

Then he remembers that everyone is gone. And he breathes again.

What the hell was that?

That feeling was awful. This was not anything like the warm gut feelings that he had been experiencing for the past three days. That feeling was cold and ate away at his insides.

It was dread.

Regulus hated it. It made him feel like he was at Grimmauld Place.

The feeling disappears completely when Regulus opens his eyes to find a still soundly sleeping boy.

A golden boy.

Even here, in the damp, cold, darkness.
He is the light.
And Regulus can see it every time he looks at James.

He’s the sun.

Regulus felt like he was witnessing something he shouldn’t be.
Something too intimate for his eyes.

And yet.

He couldn’t look away.

He also couldn’t move himself to wake James.

There was nothing to do but wait.

Luckily, he didn’t have to wait long.

Regulus had just sat down on Barty’s bed and began to open the black box when he heard a rustling.

James must’ve had an ache in his back from sleeping in the cramped position that he was, he tried to correct it, when it made a terrible pop and he let out a groan.

He really should stop making noises like that, he sounds like a wounded gorilla.

“Are you alright?” Regulus asks before he can think better of it.

“I have a genetically bad back. Something to do with brittle bones. All very boring.” He said standing and stretching in place. Regulus followed every movement with his eyes. James’ back was to him, so he could watch without being caught. “Anyway. Sorry I dozed off. I never do that in the middle of the day.”

“No apology necessary. You did wake the both of us at an ungodly hour this morning, so I can’t exactly blame you.” He looks down and starts fiddling with the clasp on the black box again.

“Is that it?” James inquires. He sits on the foot of Barty’s bed to get a closer look.

“Yes it is.” Regulus replied sliding the crystal out of its container and placing it gently on the bed beside him. Then he reached back into the box and pulled out a stand. A ‘center’ is what most people in the seeing world would say. Yes it holds the crystal still, but it also grounds the seer.
So they don’t get lost.

Regulus moves Barty’s empty bedside table to sit directly in front of James.
He secures the center and the crystal in place.

“Ready?” He asks James.

“What if nothing happens?” He asks back, defeated. Regulus almost wanted to quell any notions James had of embarrassing himself in front of him, but he thought better of it.

He replies with a shrug. “It happens. Nothing to have an existential crisis over, I promise.” Then Regulus smiles.
He knows James hears the comfort that’s hiding behind his indifference.

“Fine. But don’t laugh.” James begrudgingly turns to face the crystal head on. The smoke was a pastel lavender with shimmers of light reflecting back from something James can’t quite see.
After a few seconds, he looks up.
“Now what?”

Regulus does laugh at him. And James can’t say he’s bothered.

Regulus gracefully moves his body closer to James and the ball, looking into it.
“First you need to quiet your mind. Take a deep breath.”
James’ mind was anything but quiet. Though, he did take a deep breath, and it helped.
The voices got farther away in the distance.
“Now look into the smoke, and see if anything catches your eye. If it does, focus on it. Just a snitch, they come and go quickly. Don’t take your eyes off it.” James listens intently before he looks into the hazy glass dome.

For a few seconds nothing happened.
Then Regulus heard James gasp.

“What?” He furrows his eyebrows.

“It looks like an animal. A…a lion.” James states with wide eyes, his reflex was to move back. But Regulus didn’t want him to lose it, so he placed his hand on the older boy’s back to keep him in place.
He could feel the heat radiating off of him.

“Keep looking. It will tell you more.” He says quietly, watching James’ profile. Looking at the smoke would do him no good because it wouldn’t reveal the same vision. He doesn’t remove his hand, though.

“It’s running.” He whispered. He inched closer to the table, slowly. “There’s something in the path.” Regulus feels the way his breath catches underneath his palm. “It’s a fawn.” James’ eyebrows were furrowed in worry. “It’s hurt.” He whispers, weakly. James closed his eyes in agony, not able to look any further.

“Stay calm. It’s okay. This is just the way the universe is speaking to you. It’s using a language you understand. All of these things mean something to you.” Regulus didn’t know he unconsciously starting rubbing small circles on James’ back while whispering reassurances.

The realization was not enough to make Regulus draw his hand back, only to stop moving it. He wanted to be another anchor for James if he needed it.

James took a deep breath, then opened his eyes again.
Only to gasp.
But instead of trying to jump away from it, he got impossibly closer.

“The lion is saving it. He-“ A pause. “He’s dragging it out of the forrest.” James places his left hand on the crystal, presumably to get a better look.

Then something strange happened.

Regulus wasn’t in his room anymore.

The air was so dry. Arid. He could feel his skin already burning under the unforgiving sun above him.
When he looks out. He sees nothing. Only the dry, cracked, land that was once something, but had long since been abandoned by living things.
He heard a noise.
He quickly turned around, reaching for his wand and realizing it wasn’t there.

This was cause for panic.

When he turned he mostly saw more of the same hard-packed dirt.

Except.

Except a group of trees.

The only pop in a land the color of nothing.
They were so green. Too green for this climate.
Regulus thinks he recognizes that color green from somewhere, it’s imprinted on his brain but he can’t remember where he remembers it from.

He takes four steps towards the trees.

Then he’s not in the dessert anymore.
He’s in the forrest.
But this forrest spans farther and wider than the small gathering of trees he saw just seconds ago.
Regulus can’t see anything beyond it.
He sees no birds. Hears no bugs, or any living thing.
Looking down, he notices he’s on a cleared dirt path. It’s solid but damp like the rain came in the night but was mostly dried up by noon the next day.

Regulus wonders momentarily if he’s dead.

He got his answer when something came sprinting towards him from inside the never ending wood.
A deer.
A small one.
Barely able to hold itself up on its own legs.
It had a line of dotted white fur spots down it’s spine, and a black star of fur on its chest.
It was the smallest deer Regulus had ever seen.

It skipped playfully along and didn’t even seem to notice Regulus was there. There was a stream to the right of the path, the fawn stopped to drink.

It all happened too quickly.
Regulus heard a voice shouting a curse before he could react at all.

“Crucio!”

He knew that voice. It was cold and lifeless. It had claws.
That voice was his mother.
It sent dread and despair pumping through Regulus’ veins making his whole body numb. He braced himself for the impact of the curse.

But it never came.

Instead he heard a gut wrenching cry.

Down by his feet, laid a tortured, dying creature.

The fawn.

Something here was familiar, but Regulus couldn’t put his finger on it. He’d heard this story before. But where?

He was racking his mind trying to remember but it wouldn’t come to him. Like a word that’s right on the tip of your tongue.

He swung his head around in circles, trying to see his mothers looming figure. But he found nothing. Only more trees.

He lent down beside the fawn and started crying.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you.” He whispered, as tears fell from his face and into the already damp soil.

“It’s okay.”
The voice came from the sky. Much like his mother’s had. But this one was different.
He knew this voice too.
But it was another thing he couldn’t place his finger on. His mind wasn’t allowing him full access to his memories and it was starting to become extremely irritating.

He stood when he heard more rustling among the sea of green.
The path he was on, continued forward, and it also continued behind him, though Regulus had not come in that way.
He seemed to have apparated in.

Behind him was where the great being appeared.
It was huge. A foot taller than Regulus. It had a wild untamable mane.

A lion.

And it was running full speed.

Regulus was panicking and terrified but he couldn’t move.
Why wouldn’t his legs move?

Just before it reached Regulus, it slowed its pace, then stopped altogether.

The lion wasn’t looking at him.

It was looking at the fawn.
It’s limp, bleeding form was still taking shallow breaths. Slower with each passing minute.

The lion bowed its head, and began to cry.
It’s tears were liquid gold.

And as the lion cried over the young animal, the gold drops landed over the sliced open cavity of its body.
The fawn absorbed them.

And before Regulus’ own eyes, it started to heal.

He couldn’t help the overjoyed laugh that came out of him.
But his laughter died when the lion turned his head directly towards the noise.

As if he were realizing Regulus’ presence there for the first time.
It approached him tentatively.
It got closer and closer, still Regulus could not move.

It didn’t attack him.
It just smelled him.
It got so close that it’s magnificent mane was tickling his face, and it smelled him.

Afterwards it looked him right in the eye.
It’s odd, but Regulus could swear he’d seen those eyes before.
Green. Like the trees.
It’s not possible, obviously, Regulus doesn’t frequently have nice chats with any members of the large cat family.
But it felt like he knew this one.

It seemed to know him too. The lion looked surprised that he was here.

Was Regulus not supposed to be here?
No one told him any thing.

Where even was ‘here’?

As it did with the fawn, the lion bowed its head to Regulus. Then it walked over to the fawn, clamped it’s teeth down on the back of its neck and began to drag it forward on the path.

Never looking back.

“The lion will save us all.”

Regulus knew he had never heard this voice before.
It was a different sound. Not human. It sounded more like angels conversing. Gentle and soft and loving.

“Regulus? Wake up. Please.”
Why were there so many different voices? And why couldn’t regulus remember this one? He knows it’s important. He knows it means something to him.
It was begging him to wake up.

“Regulus. Follow my voice.”
The boy allowed his eyes to slip closed and he tried his best to make his body move.
I need to find you.
It’s all he could think. He didn’t know this person, or who they were to him. But all he knew deep to his core was that he had to find them.

When he woke, it was gasping for air.
He remembered.
He remembered it all.
The crystal had taken him into the vision.

But James was the seer of this particular vision, why did Regulus get to be involved?

He was trying to catch his breath. He felt like he was running on a mountain with very little oxygen.

James spoke first. His hand was on Regulus’ shoulder.

“Did you see what I saw?” He asked quietly.

“You were there too?” Regulus breathed out. “I couldn’t see you.”

“I couldn’t see you either. But I heard you.” He whispered looking back to the ball of purple smoke. “When I snapped out of it, you were slumped over on the bed, I had no idea what happened.”

“I never even knew it was possible for two people to see the same vision simultaneously.” His heart rate is finally returning to normal.
“Why did I stay in longer than you? That’s very odd.”

“What did you see?” James asked.

“A fawn. Running. And drinking from the stream. Then a voice. It sounded like-“

“Walburga.” James finished for him, nodding solemnly. “I recognized it immediately.”

“I knelt beside it, I tried to help. But I didn’t have my wand, I couldn’t do anything.” Regulus’ whole body deflates. He doesn’t know why he feels so deeply about a plot device in a vision.

“I heard you.” James said again, quietly. “I heard you apologizing to it.”

“I heard you too.” He replies. He’s so thankful that James was there to talk him through it, even if he wasn’t. “But my mind wouldn’t let me remember who you were. I knew that I recognized it, but it was just gone.”

“Then what happened?”

“Well. The lion came.” He paused remembering the magical moment he encountered. “It cried tears of gold and healed the fawn. It was incredible.” He whispered.

“Everything is the same so far.” The cogs in James brain were turning trying to find the inconsistency.

“Not much happened after that.” Regulus said, almost reading his mind. “The lion walked up to me an-“

“Wait what? The lion walked up to you?” James looked surprised.

The younger boy nodded. “It didn’t smell you?” He asked.

“No. It never acted like it knew I was there.” He said. “What happened after?”

“Nothing. He just smelled me. And looked me over. Then he bowed his head and left with the fawn.”

“The lion bowed its head to you?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm.” James said, smiling small, as if trying to keep it to himself.

“What?” Regulus inquires. He wants in on the joke.

“Nothing, nothing.” He waves off. After Regulus shoots him a look, he laughs and gives in. “It’s just…it’s a sign of respect. That’s all. When a powerful figure in the animal kingdom bowes it’s head to you, they are showing their respect. They consider you an equal.” He looked at Regulus with something soft.

“Hmm.” Regulus mocked his earlier response. But inside he was surprisingly honored. Even if it was some made up existence.

“Did you get a message at the end? From another voice?“ James asks, remembering.

“I did. Then directly after I heard you calling for me.”

“That’s when I woke up.” James pondered looking at the floor. “What did the third voice say to you?” He turned to look at Regulus.

Regulus doesn’t know why, but his face warmed. Maybe at the attention, maybe it was something else.
“‘The lion will save us all.’” He recited quietly, not looking at James.

“Oh. That’s not what I heard.”
Regulus did turn to him with a questioning eyebrow raised. It prompted him to continue.
“It said ‘The heart of the lion is dying.’” He took a deep breath. “I don’t know what that means at all.”

“You think I do?” Regulus chuckled.

James groaned in response and flopped on his back, sighing.
“This is not helping me understand Divinations, Mr. Tutor.”

“I told you I’m not a miracle worker. And if I remember correctly, you couldn’t get anything out of the crystal ball before, so I did actually do something.” Regulus points out.

“Let’s stop for today. That really did my head in.” James said.

“Okay. We’ll do something a tad less advanced tomorrow.” Regulus agrees, falling back on the sheets next to James, staring at the impossibly high ceilings.

They’re quiet for a while. It’s a comfortable silence. Which should make Regulus uncomfortable, but it doesn’t.

James breaks the silence. As he always does.
“Do you think I’m the lion in the vision?” He questions quietly.

“I do.” Regulus tells him.

“Any particular reason?” James turns his head to see Regulus’ profile, his eyes still turned up.

“Many. Wizards are not always included in the prophecies they see. But this felt personal.” He paused, sensing eyes on him. But he didn’t meet their gaze. “The lion was determined. He let nothing get in his way. But he made himself vulnerable in a dangerous forrest by stopping for another hurt animal. One that couldn’t defend itself. He wasted no time healing it and moving on with the extra weight. That’s you if I’ve ever heard it.” He says, finally looking to the boy beside him. “He also had your eyes.” He whispers.

They stared at each other for three silent beats before Regulus turned his head back to the ceiling.

James was still looking at him, burning holes into the right side of his face.
“So, then, who was the fawn?” He questions aloud.

Regulus won’t lie and say he hadn’t been racking his brain to find out the meaning behind this very specific vision.

“You would know that better than I would. But there’s always a chance you haven’t met them, at all. It could be a moment that hasn’t, yet, come to pass.”

“What if it never happens?” James asked the ceiling.

“It will.”

“Okay.” A pause. Regulus knew he wasn’t going to leave it alone. “But what if…”

“What?” Regulus asked turning to look at him again.

“What if I can’t save them?” He whispered. Tears started gathering in his eyes, and Regulus’ heart broke. He couldn’t stand it. It made everything in him hurt.

“If anybody can save a dying fawn, it’s you.” Regulus said. “I’ve seen it.”

Instead of just looking at Regulus, James rolled completely on his side to face his whole towards him.
“What do you mean you’ve seen it?”

Regulus had to steady his own breathing.
It was all new.
People didn’t really get close to him. Not because he told them not to, though he would, if they did. They never even tried.
‘Close’ in both ways. Yes, no one tried to get to know him, but no one ever got physically close either. Like they were scared Regulus would bite them.

Maybe he would.

He wasn’t a big fan of theirs.

James was…different. All the feelings were new, the reactions.
And it was slowly but surely driving him mad.

Funny how things can remain stagnant for so long, never changing, then one random day, the wheels start to turn. Destiny sets everything in motion exactly when it’s meant to.

“With Sirius.” He whispered, looking James directly.

His eyes.

Like the sun.

Regulus will never not think that.

“Oh.” Regulus watched the apple of his throat as he swallowed, unconsciously. “I wasn’t the one who saved him. And I was terrified.”

“You might not have been the one to retrieve him, but you’re the one who saved him. My brother and I might not agree on much, but that is certainty, between the both of us.”

“Thank you for saying that.” James’ fingers were fiddling with the fold of the sheets.

Regulus seemed to realize in that moment that there was in fact a whole world around him. A world with classrooms and teachers.
And time.

Time was always there, ticking away even when you can’t hear it.

Though, he realized this, Regulus had no intention of moving.
But he felt the need to draw attention to it.

“Any other plans today?” He tried to be casual.

He failed.

“No.” James shook his head. “I was hoping you wouldn’t mind if I was a lazy git in your room today. Mine gets rather boring.” He laughed. “And lonely, at times.” James’ eyes left his own fiddling hands and met Regulus’ gaze.

“That’s fine.” Regulus whispered. “Things aren’t exactly…exciting here, either.”

“Well, I’m perfectly content. Without all the…excitement.” He smiled but it wasn’t loud. It was small. It was personal. Regulus didn’t have any control when a matching smile appeared on his face. He looked away to the ceiling. “What do you do in here all day, Mr. Black?”

Regulus was blushing. For no reason.

“I’m quite boring. Of course, I read. And I sketch. But that mostly happens at night when I’m restless.” James suddenly pushed his head off the bed with his hand and used his arm as a prop. It unsettled Regulus in a different way.

Attention makes him a tad…

Anxious.

And especially this attention. So close. From this boy.
His opposite really.

But then,

Maybe not.

He had to keep talking.
“I also sleep. A lot.” James let out a laugh. A warm sound, low and completely genuine.
Regulus was captivated by it. He absorbed it, locked it away in his memory.

“And I see you.” Regulus smiled softly. “And that’s about it.”

“Nobody hiding in the closet I should know about?” James poked fun.

Though, it made Regulus’ stomach do a swoop. He had to get away from this topic of conversation immediately.

“Definitely not. I’m sure they would’ve died in there by now.”

“Good.” James responded quietly. Almost so quiet, Regulus wouldn’t have heard him.
But they were close.

And Regulus might’ve been watching his mouth say the word. But there was no one here to notice.

~~~

That day, they did absolutely nothing.
Well maybe it would look like nothing to a stranger looking in.

But it wasn’t actually nothing.

They read quietly for a while. James actually pulled a novel out of his bag and Regulus was speechless.
Why had he underestimated James Potter his whole life?
He wasn’t an idiot.
He was actually rather smart.
It would explain all the top marks and professors praise.

Regulus had to try to sneak a peak but James had it flat on his lap.

“What are you reading?” He inquired, discreetly of course.

James looked up and smiled that beaming smile.
“I got it from my uncle, actually. It’s called The Outsiders.”

“I’ve never read it.” Regulus tells him. “Do you like it?” Regulus had a strange urge to know what James was thinking.

“I love it.” He’s still smiling and Regulus can’t stop looking. “It’s American.”

Regulus’ curiosity has peaked.
“When you finish it, you should let me borrow it.” If there’s anything Regulus loves in this life, its reading a new book. Something completely different from anything he’s ever known.

“Of course, baby Black. I think you’ll love it. It has this theme of being separated because of class and style. But in the end, we’re all the same. Just human.”

Regulus sat back to lean against the headboard of his bed, thinking.
He’s almost thinking out loud when he says
“Would you consider wizards human? Or are we something different?”

“I definitely think we are human. Magic is nothing more than a gene inside an unborn baby. Some have it, some don’t.” James shrugs.

Regulus let’s out a big sigh.
“If only the rest of the world would realize that.”

“They will.” James tells him. It’s reassuring and absolute.

An hour later James ran up to the tower.
“To get something.” That was his only explanation.

He returned with both arms full of records and a record player.
“We are listening to these, right now.” He demanded.

And they did. They listened to every record James had in his possession and some of Remus’.

Regulus decides he really likes Queen. They’re kinda weird, like him.

The two head to the kitchens for lunch and then go directly back to the room.

After eating and cleaning up the grapes they tried to throw into each other’s mouths from across the room, they sat quietly and listened to another album.

After the second song finished, Regulus heard James make a noise.

“The next one is really sad.” James whispers.

The words just left his mouth when the song began.

“Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head

And as I climb into an empty bed”

A lump forms in Regulus’ throat. The man’s voice is conveying the hopelessness. The tragedy.

“Oh well. Enough said.

I know it's over

still I cling

I don't know where else I can go”

Regulus knows that feeling all too well.
Clinging to nothing because there is nowhere else to turn.
No one else to care about you.

Regulus is struck with the thought that he doesn’t feel like that right now.
He isn’t worried.
Or scared.
He feels safe.

Regulus doesn’t feel that very often.

The song continues and Regulus just lays there, willing tears not to spill out of his eyes.

Then he hears a line

“I know it's over

And it never really began

But in my heart it was so real”

The tears fall. And they don’t stop.
Regulus can hear the dull thud of his own heartbeat in his ears, reminding him that he’s alive.
And it makes him cry harder.

He almost shouts when he feels an hand on his shoulder. He felt the warmth of it immediately.

He didn’t dare open his eyes.

Seeing James right now would only make everything in this miserable existence worse, in so many different ways.

The hand leaves his shoulder.

Then a pair of arms are taking Regulus in.

It was some kind of magic.
The way Regulus was no longer quietly gasping for air. The way the tears stopped falling.

He melted into the embrace. James was strong and solid. His arms held Regulus as if he were afraid the younger boy wouldn’t be able to hold himself up any longer.

James smelled like honey. And summer. And lavender soap.

He always has.

Regulus isn’t aware of how much time passes.
The music isn’t playing anymore.
James must’ve turned it off.

Neither of them have moved an inch.

“Thank you.” Regulus mumbles into James’ shoulder.

“Don’t thank me, I’m having a great time.” He smiles.

And Regulus can’t help it.
Of course, he laughs. It’s so absurd. He attempts to quickly school his face.
“You’re ridiculous.” He tells James.

“Maybe so.” James agrees. “But you need someone around to make you laugh, anyway.”

James leans over and retrieves Regulus’ book from his nightstand, then extends it to him.
“I don’t know if it’ll make you feel better, but it’s worth a shot. Always works for me.” He smiles.

Regulus takes it from his hands, nodding him head slightly.
“Thank you.”

James just nodded back at him and went back to ‘his’ bed on the other side of the room.

Regulus gave it about two minutes, before he finally threw in the towel.

His mind was not in reading mood right now.
He closed the book with a huff.

“Not going well?” James questioned with an eyebrow raised.

“I can’t read right now.” He says closing his eyes and falling back on the mattress. He begins rubbing the ache away from his temples. “My brain is too loud.”

James says nothing, at first.
Then he stands, walks to the center of the room, and lays down on the floor.
He looks at the ceiling for a moment before casting his glance towards Regulus.

He pats the empty space next to him on the floor.
“Come on, baby Black, come get a new perspective with me.”

Regulus doesn’t have to think twice about it.

Maybe he should.

But he doesn’t.

This was the allure of James Potter.
This nature to be everything everyone needs.
He’s just perfect.

And Regulus doesn’t find that leaving him angry. Or envious.
In fact, he’s grateful to witness it. To have this act loveliness directed at him.

He settles beside James.

“Fleamont gets that way sometimes. Where he can’t seem to get anything productive done because his head’s all over the place.” James tells him quietly, not looking at him. “Must be a thing with you genius types.” He adds smiling.

Regulus allows the comment to make him feel like he’s actually worth something. Coming from James, he takes it to heart.

“What does he do to fix it?” Regulus inquires.

“He and Effie go to the park. I don’t really know what they do there. I assume just sit and talk. Maybe walk around.” James unconsciously smiles at the memory. “Sometimes they’d be gone for hours, but when my dad steps back into the house, he always has a smile on his face. He looks younger. And lighter. My mum has that affect on people.” He chuckles.

Regulus looks at him now.
“Like you.” He whispers. “You’re always running around, making everyone feel better.” James doesn’t look at him, but he does smile. “Must be a Potter thing.”

They both laugh quietly at that.

They lay there on the floor for a long time.
And they talk.
About everything.
Books. Music. School. Professors. The gossip being spread by a horrible second year Ravenclaw girl.
They talked about the war, and how scared they were.

They talked so long it got dark outside.
Then it got late.
And James started yawning.

Regulus didn’t want him to go.
“You’ll be back tomorrow?” He was finding it really difficult to sound casual.

“Of course.” James smiles small. “First thing.” He smirks, then gets up to gather his things.

Regulus sits on his own bed, and follows James around the room with his eyes.

“I’ll bring breakfast.” James tells him quietly.

Regulus has to look down at nothing to conceal a smile breaking his face.

“Sleep well, golden boy.” Regulus throws at James when he’s heading for the door.

“You too, baby Black. Don’t stay up reading.” He smiles at Regulus one last time, meeting him eye before throwing the invisibility cloak over his head and disappearing.
The door closes.
And he’s gone.

Regulus feels an icy pain in his chest.
But he ignores it and decides to go directly to sleep.

The next day started much like the one before. But they focused on tea leaves and what they might mean.
The symbols used.
Every couple of hours, Regulus would test James on everything they went over, and he would ace it every time.

Regulus finds himself feeling proud of his student.

“You will pass the make-up exam, I’m sure of it.” Regulus says, setting his textbook to the side.

“Thank you. If you have hope for me, then so do I.” James smiles at him and Regulus feels a wave rise up inside in his chest.

“Do you want to get dinner?” His own words made him flinch. He did not intend for that to come out the way it did. He should’ve worded it differently, he should’ve-

“Sure. I’ll just leave my stuff here.” James shrugs then stands, heading towards the bedroom door.

Regulus is still in the same place, thinking about the fact that now he doesn’t have to eat dinner alone, and James is returning with him afterwards.

Okay.
No problem.

The bright boy sticks his head back in the door,
“You coming?” He’s smiling that gorgeous smile.

“Yeah. Sorry.” He grabs his coat and closes the door behind him.

He has an instinct to grab James’ hand on their walk to the great hall.
He doesn’t.
Of course he doesn’t.

In what universe would he have any reason to do that?
Has Regulus actually lost the plot?

James was chatting away.

“I hope Jacey doesn’t try to pull me away again. You should’ve seen the giant spiders she was talking about. It was terrifying.” He shuddered.

“I’ll take your word for it.” Regulus responds, holding the door open for James.

“Why, thank you, good sir.” James smirks at him.

“Next time, I’ll go first and slam the door in your face.” Regulus quips says, walking towards the table.

They sat. No one gives them weird looks any more. Either they don’t care or they realized there’s no point in trying to make James Potter feel like he’s doing something wrong.
He knows when he’s doing something risky. He’s hyper aware of the rules he’s breaking, Regulus has noticed.

He started piling his plate with food when he felt it again.

The heat.

It was creeping up his neck and burning the side of his face.
He tried to wipe it away with his hands.

It didn’t work.

He turns to James.

And he’s staring at him.

“Alright?” He asks.

Regulus seems to have a lightbulb moment.
It’s always when James is looking at him.

His eyes like the sun actually were the sun.
He could feel it, even now, looking directly at him.
It was obvious James wasn’t doing it on purpose.

It was an annoyance that first day. But now, he waits for the warmth to come. He loves never being left alone with the coldness of his own heart.

“Yeah. Fine.” He says looking back down to his half filled plate.

“Christmas Eve tomorrow.” James states.

“I know. Planning a rager for the occasion?“ Regulus asks, licking cherry frosting off his finger from a cupcake he just acquired.

James eyes lingered on the movement before he turned back to the rest of the great hall.
“Nah. I don’t have my confidants with me. Wouldn’t be as fulfilling.” He sighed. “And it’ll be nice to have a quiet Christmas. No screaming or being woken up by Padfoot jumping on top of me.” He chuckles. Then looks back to Regulus. “What about you? Big Slytherin Christmas celebration?”

“Absolutely not.” Regulus shakes his head. “I’ll probably forget it’s a holiday, at all.”

“That’s a crying shame!” James shouts. “No. You’ll spend Christmas morning with me and we will exchange gifts and it’ll be fantastic. No excuses.” He points an accusing finger at Regulus before going back to his food.

Regulus has to act like this a devastating blow.
“Fine.” He huffs out.
But he’s over the moon. Way past the moon, he’s floating among the stars now.
This Christmas is shaping up to be the best yet.

When they finish dinner, they walk back to the dungeons, occasionally bumping into each other.
Neither of them comments on it.
“How many well known people do you think walked these halls?” James asked, running his hand along the engraved wall beside him.

“Most of them.” Regulus tells him. “Why? Do you want to be well known?”

“Maybe. Just known by a few people would be alright with me. As long as there’s at least one person left behind to remember me when I’m gone.” The older boy is still tracing the etchings in the stone with his hands.

“Don’t be so modest. ‘Golden Boy’ James Potter is already a household name. Trust me. People notice you.” Regulus keeps walking, slowly, looking his feet on the tiles of the floor.

“That’s not the same as knowing me.”

“More than a few people know you. The Potter name won’t be lost in history, I promise.” Regulus reassured him. Somehow he knew in his bones that he’s right. One way or another, the Potter name would go on to do great things.

“Thank you.” James smiled at him then, finally matching his slow steady pace.
He changed the subject rather quickly.
“So, baby Black, what do you want for Christmas?”

“A little peace of mind and a bottle firewhiskey.” James shoots him a look. “What?”

“That’s not a Christmas gift, Regulus. It’s a pipe dream.” James laughs at him. “Come on, anything you can dream of.”

Regulus was not, under any circumstances, going to voice the first thought that came to mind.
He forcefully shoved it back and tried to think about anything else he might want.
“I have no idea.” They were approaching the entrance to the dungeons. “Maybe…if I could have anything, I’d want a telescope.” He nodded. Yeah, he’d cherish a telescope with every second of the rest of his life.

“To see the stars.” James said. It was really a question, so Regulus didn’t answer.
“That’s a very good answer.”

“What does Future Head Boy Potter want for Christmas this year?”

They finally reached the door to the room, and James didn’t even hesitate to walk right in.

Regulus took a moment to appreciate the simple act.

“Now you’re asking the right questions, baby Black. I want a train set, all the candy a boy can eat, I want a new broom. Aaaand as many records as I can get my hands on.” As he’s listing off his heart’s greatest desires, he falls gracelessly onto Regulus’ bed.

“Have I told you today that you’re ridiculous?”
Regulus raises his eyebrows at the foolish perfect boy.

James leans on his elbows to look at Regulus.
“I think you have, but thank you for making sure I’m informed.”

“Anytime.” Regulus tells him, walking over to his chest of drawers.

While he’s rooting around looking for the new pack of sketching coal he’d been saving, he felt sweat start to form on his neck.

James was watching him.
And if he didn’t stop, Regulus was going to look a right mess.
Sweating has never been a good look for him.

Regulus does the only thing he can do.

Take off his sweater.

It was wool, to keep out the sting of cold wind. It was suffocating.

He pulled it off over his head and breathed a sigh of relief only for a moment before the heat seemed to get more intense.

He might as well have kept the sweater on.

He had to make it stop. It was driving him up the walls and he couldn’t physically take it.
So he turns around and looks at James, just so he looks away.
And Regulus can feel the damp cold coming back to him.

“Are you a naturally warm person?” James asks, not looking back to him.

“The opposite, actually. Why do you ask?” Regulus joins him own on his bed.

“You seem to get over heated quite easily, that’s all.”

“It’s a new symptom.” Regulus says quietly secretly hoping James just might choose not to hear him.

“Are you ill?” The concern and pitch both rose.

“I don’t think so.” Regulus says hesitantly. “I can’t be sure. But I think it’s just…a thing that happens now.”

“Well, that very reassuring, Regulus.” James sarcasm is appreciated somewhere in Regulus’ mind that isn’t overshadowed by the reaction to James using his first name. Damn this mind. “And what exactly is the ‘thing that happens now’?”

“I don’t have all the answers. It’s like there’s an invisible sun. Invisible even to me. And it’s just baring all it’s weight down on me. But it doesn’t happen all the time.” It doesn’t even happen every time James looks at him. Only sometimes. It’s all very strange. But he didn’t want to scare James away. Regulus was just starting to…like him?

Was that even the right word? Like? It wasn’t a question of whether or not he thought James was noble or good. He had always thought that.
But now, gravity is pulling Regulus towards him. It’s almost as if Regulus didn’t have to consider it or think it over at all.

His body, his mind, his spirit. They all agreed on one thing.

James Potter was everything all at once.

Kind and brave. Honorable, sharp, adorably clumsy. He was a guarded knight while at the same time being the personification of vulnerability.

And James was letting Regulus have all of him.
All the little thoughts. And worries. All the corny jokes.

Maybe it was a Christmas present.

“I’m taking you to Pomfrey tomorrow, and I don’t want to hear any excuses.” James looks at him in accusation.

“Excuses? Me? You must have the wrong gentleman.” Regulus feigns.

“Gentleman? You?” James mocks him, with a doubtful questioning look. And a matching smirk.

Regulus’ cheeks flame but he only slaps James in the chest with the back of his hand and tries to force down his unprompted glee.

~~~

That night they stayed up talking and studying. James was filling pages with notes on the subject. He was always an overachiever.

They were still chatting while James took a practice test. Regulus wouldn’t have done, on instinct. But James said talking him helps him think better, even if it’s not about the assignment.

Just another little key to the many locks of James Potter’s mind.

It goes quiet for a bit, Regulus is just watching James take his test.
They were both sprawled out on the floor surrounded by white pages filled with black ink.

Regulus must’ve fallen asleep.
Because when he opened his eyes, all traces of the sun were gone.
Darkness had set in.
The dungeons always got darker than black at night. Like a lightless pit of hell.

Regulus can’t see anything.
Everything is so quiet.
But he can hear someone else breathing.

The golden boy.

If he was awake, why was he just laying in complete darkness?

Regulus reached for his wand and waved it once.

All candles in the room came to life, casting everything in golden yellow light.

Regulus’ eyes found the boy immediately.
He was sleeping.
Curled up in a ball, still surrounded by a sea of paper.

They almost looked like his wings, the way they spread out from him. Like he’s the source of all their magic.

Regulus doesn’t have the same panic he had experienced the first time he found James asleep in his room.

Now, he can only appreciate every single minute in James Potter’s presence. Conscious or otherwise.

That sounded creepier than he meant it.

Sleeping James was the quietest Regulus had ever experienced him.
Slow even breaths, calm, peaceful.

He looked like a fallen angel.

Regulus checked the watch on his table.
It read half past four in the morning.

He didn’t go to his bed. Instead Regulus settled back down on the ground 5 feet from James’ sleeping form.

A feeling settled in him. It was sweet and light. Like Spring.
He closed his eyes and listened to James breathe until he, himself, wondered back into a dreamless sleep.

Christmas Eve began with confusion. Then realization all at once.
James still wasn’t awake.
But the sun was out and Regulus needed to brush his teeth very badly.

He soundlessly rose and entered the washroom.

When Regulus stood face to face with himself in the mirror, he took a deep breath.

The memory of last night is still cast in that candlelit glow. Soft and fuzzy. Regulus noticed long ago that the light of day always brought reality back into sharp focus. The hazy cloud of midnight was always assessed differently when morning finally arrived.
Today, it was almost ruining his buzz.

James had slept next to him last night.

What an odd reality. If someone had asked Regulus a week ago if he thought this would be the plot twist, he probably would’ve cursed them and fed them to dementors.

Today, it has his insides warm. And a small smile refusing to leave his lips. Even as he showers and shaves.

Only afterwards did he realize he forgot to grab a change of clothes on the way in.

James was probably still asleep.

He crept open the door and started towards his chest of drawers when he noticed that James wasn’t lying down, any longer.

He was sitting up leaned against the foot of the bed, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

That is,
until he saw Regulus in nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

He didn’t catch himself in time. His mouth dropped open.
But he quickly snapped it closed.

James must be dreaming.

This must be a dream.

Regulus is frozen, mid stride just staring back at him.

“Is this a dream?” James questions quietly.

After a pause, Regulus laughs at him shaking his head. Drops of water fall to the ground, and one on James’ leg.

James just stares at it.

“We fell asleep last night. I woke up and showered but” he gestures to the top drawer that he was trying to reach before he was caught. “I forgot to get clothes. I assumed you’d still be sleeping. Of course, you’re a bloody rooster who’s up before dawn every day, I should’ve assumed.” He shrugged, looking down.
He realizes he’s still in a towel, dripping puddles onto the wooden floor.

“Ah.” James says, still staring. After a few more silent beats he has to physically shake his head to snap himself out of it. “I’ll go shower too, and let you get dressed.” He mumbles, then quickly moves to get up.

“You can just shower here, if you want. It’s more time efficient. Breakfast is almost over.” Regulus hasn’t moved towards his area of the room yet, still trying to get James to stay for a minute.

James turns back around but doesn’t look anywhere except Regulus’ face.
“You’re sure?”

“Of course.” Regulus shrugs. “I know you have Potter cooties, but they’ll go right down the drain with everything else.” He quips, finally getting on with his task. It’s getting a tad nippy standing wet and naked in the winter.

James chuckles at him.
“I’m telling my mother that one. She’ll love it.” Then he starts towards the washroom.

“Wait.”

James freezes.
This is a dream, isn’t it?
His mind is just playing cruel tricks on him.

“Take this.” Regulus says, throwing something at the back of his head. James realizes it’s a shirt.
One of Regulus’ shirts.

He’s definitely asleep right now.

“My trousers won’t fit your abnormally long legs but that should be cleaner than what you have on.” Regulus shrugs again. James doesn’t appreciate noncommittal gestures from other people. But with Regulus it’s just another tiny thing that makes him, him. “My shampoo is probably still on the sink.”

“Thank you.” James mutters.

“Anytime.”

James disappears behind the door after that.

Taking several minutes to just breathe and lower his heart rate.

Bathing in a different place is always strange. Different light. Varying amounts of space.

He does notice one thing.
Regulus likes the smell of honey.
His shampoo, his conditioner, even his body wash.
All honey scented.

James locks this piece of information away, for later.

While James is gone, Regulus tries not to think to much about the fact that James will smell like him when he reappears.

They go for breakfast. Almost no one is in the great hall.
“Happy Christmas Eve, Regulus.” Gary appears beside him almost immediately after he and James have sat down.

“Happy Christmas Eve, Gary. Doing anything for the pre-holiday?” Regulus smiles politely.

“Sheila and I are going into Hogsmeade to have a drink. Care to join?” Gary chooses not to acknowledge James at all. Regulus figures this is more out of fear than anything else. James is a bold creature, he can scare others away with his brashness sometimes. But not often.

“Thank you, but I’d rather stay in. I don’t do well in the cold.” He chuckles. “But I’ll catch up with you after tomorrow and we’ll do something.”

Gary doesn’t look displeased in the slightest.
“Sounds good. See you around.” He smiles then leaves the way he came.

“Well that was something.” A voice said from over his shoulder.

“What was ‘something’?” Regulus doesn’t look, he turns to his food instead.

“Gary.” James emphasizes. “He seems to look up to you.”

“He’s just shy. I’m shy. We tend to stick together.” Regulus busies himself with eating.

“You are anything but shy.” James scoffs. “Quiet, yes. But you never steer clear of the elephant in the room and you never walk away from a challenge.” James sips at his cup of pumpkin juice.

“Fine. Quiet, then.” Regulus relents, he can’t win against James.

“Are you actually going to meet up with him after Christmas?” James asks.

Regulus shrugs. James watches him. It’s almost a routine now, watching Regulus make these little habitual movements. “Probably not. I don’t usually enjoy the company of others, but I try to be polite.”

James doesn’t say anything in response to this. But a smile blooms on his face and continues to grow until he’s grinning to himself like a fool.
Regulus usually doesn’t enjoy the company of other people.
James is the exception.
And Regulus wasn’t going to hang out with Gary after Christmas.
James thinks he has reason to smile.

“People are going to think you’re on drugs.” A whisper comes right beside his ear and sends a shiver down his spine, involuntarily.

“Let them think it. I need the boost for my reputation.” He waves a hand in the direction of the ten other students in the great hall, dismissing them mentally.

Regulus huffs a laugh at him.
“Sure, you do.” He mutters.

“So,” James starts, mouthful of food. “I think we should take today and tomorrow off from studying. It’s a holiday after all.” His eyes turn to Regulus and James juts out his bottom lip just enough for it to have the effect. “Please, Professor Black?”

Regulus pushed down all the images that ran through his mind in that single second.
“It’s better than ‘baby Black’ so I’ll take it. And yes, fine. But afterwards, we pick up where we left off.”

“It’s a deal.” James beams at him. “Thank you.”

Regulus doesn’t respond and he also doesn’t look back into the sun taking up the seat beside him.

The two boys spent the day walking the grounds, drinking hot chocolate in the kitchens.

And, of course, they sat in Regulus’ room. And they just existed.

Existing with James was one of Regulus’ new favorite things.

He savors every single drop of nectar that oozes out of his own soul. He’s so…happy.

And for once he doesn’t want to question the reason why James is the center of this newfound joy.

Regulus just wants to live it for as long as he can, before…
Well, before time goes on.

James was pacing around the room, saying nothing. Regulus was watching him do so, yet pretending he was writing a Christmas letter home to his mother.

The only thing he had on the parchment in front of him was the word

Deprivation.

The word had been bumping around on the side of Regulus’ skill like a pinball.

There was a noise at the door, and it had Regulus on his feet immediately.

Tap tap tap.

James didn’t act like it surprised him in least, and he went to open the door.

Regulus caught him by the arm, shaking his head.

James smiles at him, flicking his eyes down to the firm grip Regulus’ hand had on him, then back up to his eyes.
“It’s okay.” He whispers, for no reason other than Regulus’ reassurance.
“It’s for me.”

He walks away from the younger boy, opens the door, and retrieves the paper bird on the other side.

He smiles the entire time he’s reading it then he turns to Regulus again.
“I have to pick something up from the mail room. I’ll be back.”

Then he’s gone.

Regulus feels that same icy stabbing pain in the center of his chest.
He ignores it, again.

When James returns, he does so empty handed.
Regulus doesn’t ask about what he picked up from the mail room. Though, Regulus’ curiosity picks at the inside of his skull.

“Did you get any further?” He asks when he comes through the door. He doesn’t knock.
A fact that Regulus can’t seem to ignore. James was just as comfortable here as Regulus was and it was doing something to him.

“Any further with what?” Regulus asks with his eyebrows drawn together.

“With whatever it is that you’re writing. Before I left you were just staring at the paper.” James laughs, flopping back down on his (Barty’s) bed.

“No, I didn’t. The words just haven’t placed themselves together yet.” He shakes his head and tosses the paper into the folds of his blanket.