The tangerine
What a wonderful day! Was the first thing that crossed Harry's mind when he woke up this morning. His hair ruffled like crazy and his smile making his cheeks ache because of how joyful he was..he was up early today, driven at the mere thought that he was going to go out with Regulus all day long.
Getting ready, he used the time he had alone in his dorm to talk with Ron and Hermione. And with a quick and practiced hand he made a gesture with his hand toward his bracelet. Trying to say '' accio '' in his head multiple times, before eventually resigning to pronounce the spell out loud to attract the little object directly into his hand.
This little item was a flip phone, a Motorola StarTAC to be more precise. But he hadn't got to try out this new muggle technology because he, Ron and Hermione (especially Hermione) had worked on it in order to encharm it enough so they could communicate freely via magic no matter where… and what time-line they were in.
'' Vocatis amicis" he mumbled absent-mindedly while trying to tame his hair with his fingers and a comb he had stolen from his adoptive brother/biological father.
'' Harry!" An enthusiastic high-pitched voice echoed in the room and Harry almost dropped the item in his right hand out of fear.
" Yes Ron it's me." Harry said, sighing at the sight of his hair, which was messy again.
"Fucking time you contacted us again mate! How are things going?"
"Alright I guess. I keep an eye on some students, I might be able to save more people in this time-line."
"I keep thinking you should just go back and kill You-Kno-. Voldemort,as an infant."
"I ain't killing a fucking baby Ron!!"
"It would be more efficient than flirting with Sirius' brother and being nice with Snape." Hermione's voice rang in the back.
"Should I remind you both that there was also a gryffindor in this mess? I don't know, maybe someone called Peter Pettigrew?" He snapped, growing more and more annoyed with the ruffled-hair and friend-talking-shit-about-slytherins combo.
"You know that's not what we meant, Harry." Hermione answered, sounding a bit annoyed and taken aback.
"You're right, I'm sorry." He sighed. Thinking about the fact that his friends weren't responsible for his growing weird attachment to some slytherins he had met recently.
"You're forgiven mate."
"What's the date at your place?"
"It’s been a month since you left’'
''So the time-distorting charm works."
"Yes. 1 day for you is 1hour for us, ifI remember well." Ron said, probably turning toward Hermione to look at her like he was used to.
"1440 minutes for you is 60 minutes for us, or 86 400 seconds for 3600. If we count to be really precise, 24 sec for you is 1 sec for us, and 1 secondes for you is 0,04 secondes for us
"Bloody hell Hermione." Ron almost whined .
"It's basic mathematics knowledge."
"fucking muggle Arithmancy."
Harry snored,trying hard not to laugh at how his friend hadn't changed a bit, still picking on each other and flirting like two embarrassing young teens.
"You've been there for almost 2 years now, or around 17 520 hours, which is 730 hours for us, or 30 days.
"You left for 2 years and 30 day have passed for us?? Bloody hell. That's so weird when you think about it. You're basically 19years old now." Ron said, sounding quite dumbfounded.
"I haven't grown up since I arrived there. I'm still 17. Just with two more years of experience."
"The ministries would lose their mind if they knew." Ron giggles, and Hermione loved it. If the smile he could hear in her voice was anything to go by.
They spoke for a while as Harry was getting ready. Hermione giving him fashion advice (she wasn't that good but who was he to complain about his friend losing her precious time for his young-teenager-in-love ass?).
"We'll tell you goodbye Harry! Have a good date with Regulus."
"Yeah. Good date with you COUSIN Harry!"
"Oh fuck off Ron!"
"Yeah yeah. Bye!"
When the line cut, Harry was done getting ready and 25 minutes had passed by the bat of an eye. Getting out of his room, he immediately aimed for his living room. Appreciating one last time the comfortable mixture of red velvet and dark wooden furniture, along with the slight hints of leather on his couch, before eventually going under the trapdoor, pulling down the ladder and climbing it.
Struggling, and finally succeeding in getting out off the bewitched with an extension charm little shoe box on his bed. He opened the curtain of his canopied bed and stepped out, not waiting a second before quickly getting out of the room in order not to wake up any of the teenagers who were still sleeping (and it was 9.30 am on a Saturday so who could really blame them ?) Unsurprisingly, in one of the common room’s armchairs was sitting Remus Lupin, the wiser of all his friends and the father Teddy had lost. Harry shook his head, trying to ignore this strange feeling he had every time he thought about what had happened to a lot of the people here in his timeline. Approaching Remus in order to greet him, he stopped after realising that he was actually sleeping, mouth open and drooling like a fragile cub, so instead, Harry took one of the soft blanket folded on the sofa and covered Remus with it, he had figured that his book was probably safer in his hands (who were still holding it in a deathly tight grip) than exposed to everybody that would walk across the room. And after doing so, the green eyed boy was finally able to get out of the common room.
Walking to the Great Hall, Harry started thinking about things he should have anticipated beforehand, such as where he and Regulus were supposed to meet, and should he have breakfast or just directly go to Hogsmeade ? Perfect, he was already starting to freak out, should have just gone see a therapist after the war instead of enchanting a phone and traveling to another timeline to save people ! But he also couldn’t just let them die !!
Already annoyed over his overthinking brain, he figured out that he could just take a peek to the great hall, and send a patronus to Regulus if he wasn’t there. Finally with a concrete action plan in mind (which wasn’t that usual for him) he kept his steps steady and opened the door of the Great Hall once he was in front of its entrance. Not a lot of students were there, most of them were still sleeping or chilling in their common room with their friends, which meant the atmosphere was calmer than usual. Most of the students who were eating were slytherins and ravenclaws, not that he was particularly fond of stereotypes but they were clearly the morning types, unlike the hufflepuffs and the gryffindors.
Scanning the entire room, Harry didn’t notice the blue-eyed Black, and tried to ignore the little pain in his chest as he was walking to his table, not so hungry as per usual. He sat and greeted the Gryffindors at his table, one girl whom he recognised as Mary Mcdonald waved at him and asked if he had seen Lily yet, he answered no and she thanked him before going back to her conversation with her friends. Harry on the other hand grabbed himself a glass of water and quickly drank it before standing up again, ready to go. But as he was doing so, he noticed a blue-eyed face with onyx soft wavy hair falling on the side and framing his face like a piece of art boy. Who was looking directly at him.
Boom.
Fuck that was the sound of his heart.
His mind wanted to look away and pretend that he wasn’t absolutely mesmerised by his pale skin and his rosy cheeks and his Greek nose and his prominent cheekbones and his bloody thin and heart-shaped lips that looked masculine but whome the beauty was so feminine at the same time it was making his bisexual heart beat like crazy. But on the other hand his heart just wanted to sink and drown in these pupils who were now completely fixed on his. It should be fucking illegal to be that attractive, what on earth was a literal mystical being doing on this damned planet ?
As if he had heard his thoughts, Regulus rolled his lips and blushed even more, and, well damn to a certain extent he could, he’s a bloody legilimens of course he could!
Harry quickly looked and sat down again, suddenly his empty glass was really interesting. The feeling of a strong magical aura he knew all too well suddenly overran his senses. Something cold and threatening but also immensely controlled that made him shudder with delight. His own magic embracing this cold lingering power, like the sun embracing and holding the stars in her welcoming arm, holding them with great care.
“Harry ?’’ He heard this voice say his name and -lord have mercy- he could get on his knees right now and there and beg him just to hear his name being pronounced by these lips again.
He hummed, his face still facing the table but aware of every words that will come out of his mouth.
“Harry, I am fucking terri-unconfortable right now, so quite ignoring me.’’ That made Harry raise his head in a second.
“I am not ignoring you and why are you…’’ he stopped, realising what Regulus had meant to say before changing his words. His calm voice now more annoyed “what did James and Sirius do ?’’ He hoped it was a mistake, what could they possibly-
“A prank.’’
Fuck. Anything but not that.
“What kind of prank?’’
“I have no idea, but it’s about us.’’ He frowned.
“Have a seat.’’
“I would rather not, being there is bad enough and…’’ he stopped and then turned again. “Not being with you ! Well, to a certain extent it is but… Eh bloody hell wait a second.’’ He took a deep breath and his eyes were now almost empty from all emotions. The Perfect-heir-of-the-Black-family look. Harry hated it, he hated when Regulus pretended to be someone he wasn’t, but it was his way of feeling safe, in control, and it was not his place to force him to be completely transparent and honest with him. So instead he stood up, pressing his back on the wooden table so they were now next to each other, and kept talking, looking in front of him so Regulus didn’t feel uneasy about eye-contact. And also because he couldn’t possibly open to him and look him in the eyes. They were friends, maybe a bit more, but no eye-contact while they were opening up was one of their unspoken rules.
“I won’t let them ruin that for us.’’ Harry stated, and the slytherin smiled sadly at that, breaking his poker face, not that Harry could see it, but he could hear it in his voice as he answered.
“I know, it’s just… Maybe it’s not a good idea.’’ A cold shiver traveled down his spine and he felt like throwing up. The ancient Chosen One blinked, stopping himself from crying like a baby over a rejection, he should be used to this by now.
“I want you.” He felt Regulus startling but continued anyway, if he was going to be rejected, he might as well tell him how he felt. ‘’I want you’’, he repeated, before continuing, “And I want to go out with you, because I… like you. But I do not want to ruin anything between you and your brother, and I know that I am not as bold or as cool as James. That doesn’t stop the fact that I wanted us to be… I don’t know. A thing? But if you don’t feel comfortable or if you simply don't like me, I won’t pressure you to do anything, all I want is… You to be honest with me but also with yourself. I’m not your parents or one of your classmates, I’m your friend. And you bloody have the right to decide what you think is the best for you. And I’ll never interfere with that.’’
When had he grown so attached to this boy ? He asked himself after his soliloquy, embarrassed that he had opened his heart like that to a friend he had a crush on. Even when he was with Ginny, he had never done something that cringe-making and liberating at the same time.
A cold and smooth pressure on his hand is what got him out of his slumber, and when he turned his face shyly, afraid of what Regulus face was going to express, he was met by soft blue eyes, a sky locked between a sunny day and a storm, contrasting with the redness of the skin around them. And there was Regulus, looking at him with such awe and fondness it was astounding and he might have stopped knowing how to breathe for a few seconds. His pink femininely manly lips slightly parted and his hand still on his.
“I want to kiss you so bad right now.’’ And oh.
Oh.
That was something.
“Before even taking me out on a date? Such a scandalous suggestion.’’ He smiled, trying to brush it off with a little joke.
“I apologise Harry, but my sudden urge to bend you over this table and do way more scandalous things to you is making me forget my manners.’’ He pronounced these exact words, his eyes deep into his and his magic brushing against Harry’s skin with a strange delight he couldn’t understand well. That boy was going to be the death of him. Not snape, not Dumbledore, not even Voldemort. Regulus Black and his blue eyes and his black hair and his bloody attitude and the way he could go from hiding everything to describing how he desired to consume his flesh, these were going to kill him.
“Make space for the marauders cause we are here!!’’ They both jumped and Regulus took a few steps back. His face frozen in what could appear as terror. As the four boys were coming closer, Sirius was the first to notice him, and his smile disappeared, replaced by a face twisted in anger. And Harry felt his chest ache, it was the same every time he had to see what kind of person his godfather was when he was a teenager. But he didn’t want to concentrate on these douchebags right now, all he wanted was to remove Regulus from this situation, Regulus could use his poker face all he wanted, that couldn’t change the fact that he himself had to put on a mask and hide his suffering from de Dursley, so he was quite experienced on the matter and could see when it was about to break.
“Regulus-”
“Let’s go Harry.’’
He stared at him wide-eyed for a second.
“You still-”
“I still have to court you properly before allowing myself to kiss you, and that would be a shame if we had to wait any longer don’t you think ?’’ He smiled at him, malicious sparkles in his irises. And really, who was he to deny it ?
Full of embarrassingly loving feelings in his chest, his green eyes locked into his blue, before he nodded, an almost imperceptible movement. The hand on his had disappeared and the sorrowful feeling of loss and need made him shudder. Regulus made a movement with his head, and Harry understood, so he followed him, side by side and on his right. After Sirius it was James who noticed them, and Harry felt Regulus tenses up. He knew they had some kind of background, but he couldn’t really figure out what kind, and didn’t want to use his legilimency to violate their privacy. He just felt sad that he couldn’t befriend James like he thought he would. He just couldn’t bear with his insufferable behavior. And even if he knew he would change next year and date Lily Potter, it couldn’t stop him from resenting him. He knew that he had arrived 2 years ago pretending to be 13 when he was 17 in order to prepare and accommodate his surroundings, and also to be housed by James’ parents. But he couldn’t possibly form any kind of brother bond with him like he wanted to before seeing Snape’s memories.
As they walked by the foursome, almost instinctively Harry put his arm over the slytherin’s shoulder, which seemed to make him stiff under his touch, before melting into his arm after a few seconds. And he hoped that he would make the little snake feel safe by his side for as long as he wanted him, the Potter with the scarred face, to be by his side.
He may have lost touch with reality for a minute or two, because before he knew it, he was outside of the Great Hall, and Regulus was talking to him.
“Thank.’’
He looked at him, surprised.
“For what ?’’
“Just… Thank.’’ He sighed, his head falling in the crook of his neck, his soft hair tickling his chin and the side of his left cheek.
Harry smiled, feeling his chest so full of love it was almost too much.
“Oh, hold on I almost forgot.’’ Harry was about to stop but soon realized that Regulus was searching in his pockets, and he was almost scared because who knew what this Slytherin could have in his pocket (and also he was a bit traumatized by all the things Hagrid had in his own pockets) but soon he realized that the slytherin had now two tangerines in his left hand.
“I completely forgot you had not eaten anything. I'm so sorry’’ He whispered, feeling terrible for having starved Regulus.
“I have food in my dorms, but I assume that you don’t, therefore it’s not the reason you never eat much.’’
“I don’t-”
“Harry, you starve yourself all day and then eat like a horse at dinner.’’
Now he was taken aback, what was he supposed to say ? Oh no it’s nothing, it's just that I was starved my whole life until I went to Hogward and it was still happening every summer vacation so I never got used to eating in a healthy way ?
Regulus started to peel the fruit and Harry felt nauseous.
“I don’t want to eat right now.’’
Regulus stopped, removing his head from his neck and looked at him, now his eyes were only showing worry.
“If I eat half of it would you eat the other half ?’’
Harry stayed quiet for a while, torn between two parts of his mind who weren’t agreeing, and the guilt he was feeling.
He hadn’t noticed the smell of citrus fruit until he realized Regulus was putting a quarter of tangerines in his mouth. And afterward it was him, who had one in front of his lips.
“Just nod or shake your head, if you don’t want to, I won’t be disappointed.’’
If you don’t want to, I won't be disappointed.
Gosh he could cry. But instead he took a deep breath, taking his decision while knowing that he was not forced, he was in control, he could say no without being a disappointment for the others.
So he opened his mouth. And let the boy in front of him put the fruit in his mouth.
And just like that, Harry knew that he would protect this boy wherever and whenever. And that he’ll be the first person saved from Voldemort’s hands.