Won't You Join The Dance
“Will You Walk A Little Faster?” Said a Whiting to a Snail
There’s a Porpoise Close Behind Us, Treading on My Tail
See How Eagerly the Lobsters and the Turtles All Advance
They’re Waiting On the Shingle
Will You Come and Join the Dance
“Star, is everything alright?” Remus asked, “What happened?”
Sirius fell to his knees. Slowly, he looked up. “Regulus is dead. He’s gone forever.”
James sucked in a short breath. No. He couldn’t be. Regulus was supposed to make it. To the end. They were supposed to try again. Tears began to well up in his eyes, but he quickly forced them down. Sirius needed him. He needed to stay strong. Reaching out, James grabbed Sirius’ hand.
Will You, Won’t You
Will You, Won’t You
Won’t You Join The Dance
Will You, Won’t You
Will You, Won’t You
Won’t You Join The Dance
Sirius pushed himself up off the ground forcefully. “They were supposed to protect him,” he muttered under his breath “They were his friends”.
Sirius took a deep breath and calmly said “I need to go. I need to have a… talk with someone,”
He took his wand from the coffee table and walked out the door. James, Remus, and Lily looked at each other uneasily.
“I’ll go talk to him,” Remus said “Wait here”.
James turned towards Lily. “I need to run to the bathroom real quick, I’ll be back in a minute”.
He kissed her cheek and left the room.
Will You, Won’t You
Will You, Won’t You
Won’t You Join The Dance
James collapsed on the bathroom floor. Quickly setting up a silencing charm so no one would hear him, he broke down. His body shook as he sobbed uncontrollably. He was gone. James was never going to get his chance. Never going to try again. As he curled in a fetal position, memories began to flood his mind.
You Can Really Have No Notion
How Delightful It Will Be
When They Take Us Up and Throw Us
With The Lobsters Out to Sea
He was sitting in the Great Hall, spreading butter on his toast. Suddenly he heard a laugh. One that never failed to catch his attention. Regulus Black. His best friend's brother
James turned to look over his shoulder. He was gonna do it. Sirius was with Remus in the hospital wing, and Peter was still asleep in the dorms. Swinging his legs over the bench he made his way over to the Slytherin table.
“Hey Reg,” James asked, “can we talk for a minute?”
Barty and Evan eyed him, eyebrows raised. Regulus gave them a look.
“Sure we can” He climbed off his seat “Let’s go”
Walking down the corridor James became increasingly nervous. What if he said no? What if James had read the signs wrong? Would Sirius be okay with this? Suddenly he stopped in front of a classroom. “Here”
They walked into the classroom and sat down. “So,” Regulus said “What’s up”
“Will you go to the winter formal with me?” James asked softly “You obviously don’t have to, there’s no pressure at all if you’re not into me.”
Regulus looked down. “Dances… aren’t really my thing.”
“Then we don’t have to go to the dance. We can have a picnic or I can read to you or we can go stargazing or really anything you want”
“Really? Like, as a date?”
James nodded.
“Then of course”.
Regulus was promptly tackled into a hug.
But the Snail Replied “Too Far, Too Far”
And Gave a Look Askance
Said He Thanked The Whiting Kindly
But He Would Not Join the Dance
It hurt so bad. Why did it hurt so bad? Please James thought Please just make it go away. I don’t want to hurt anymore. It’s been so long. But no matter how much he begged or how hard he
wished, the pain never went away. James let out a scream.
Would Not, Could Not
Would Not, Could Not
Would Not Join The Dance
They lay back on the astronomy tower, Regulus’ head on James' chest, hands entwined, staring at the stars.
“That’s the one I’m named after,” Regulus said pointing at the sky “not the brightest but still the best”
James let out a laugh and kissed the top of Regulus’ head “The brightest star to me”
Regulus blushed at the declaration. “Happy One Year Reggie,” James said
Looking up at his lover Regulus replied “Happy One Year Jamie. I love you”
James pulled Regulus closer. “I love you too baby”
Would Not, Could Not
Would Not, Could Not
Could Not Join The Dance
As his mind began to slow, and the memories began to leave, James was left with one final thought. One final memory. The last time he truly talked to Regulus.
“What Matters is How Far We Go” His Scaly Friend Replied
“There is Another Shore You Know, Upon the Other Side”
The Further Off From England, The Nearer Is To France
Then Turn Not Pale Beloved Snail But Come and Join The Dance
“I can’t do this,” Regulus said, sounding as though he was reading from a script “I’m a Black, you’re a Potter. We’ll never work out and should cut things off before this goes any farther.”
James’ eyes welled with tears “I don’t care” he said frantically “I don’t care that you’re a Black. I don’t care about who your family is. I’ll put in the work. I’ll put in the time. Anything if I can keep you”
“James” Regulus said, deadpan “We can’t do this”
“Yes, we can!” James exclaimed, on the edge of tears “Please” his voice suddenly softened “Don’t leave. You’re everything to me”
“Don’t you get it, James?” Regulus said harshly “I don’t love you anymore”
James stumbled back, tears streaming down his face. “Reggie” he whispered “You don’t mean that”
“Except I do” Regulus looked at him coldly “Goodbye James”
As Regulus walked away, James fell to his knees in the dark corner.
Will You, Won’t You
Will You, Won’t You
Will You Join The Dance
It had hurt seeing him fight for the death eaters. It had hurt when he had hit James with a body-binding curse and left him for dead. But every single time he forgave him. It didn’t matter what Regulus did, James knew he would always forgive him.
Will You, Won’t You
Will You, Won’t You
Won’t You Join The Dance
James never really got over Regulus. He knew that they were supposed to be together. Yet no matter how much he asked, how much he begged, Regulus shut him out. Eventually, they left school and ended up on opposite sides of a war. But James never stopped loving him. Even when he married Lily. Even when he had Harry. Regulus was still there, in the back of his mind, constantly reminding him of what could have been.
Will You, Won’t You
Will You, Won’t You
Won’t You Join The Dance
Pulling himself together, James put on a strong face. He needed to be strong. For Sirius. This was going to be hard for him. James knew that despite what happened Sirius still loved his brother. Undoing the silencing charm, James stepped out of the bathroom, let out a shaky breath, and continued down the stairs.