02 | Sheltered
Euphemia brought Regulus a cup of tea and headed to bed, making sure to send Sirius and James away for the night.
“Give him some space tonight, boys. You can berate him with questions after he has had a night's sleep.” Regulus wasn’t surprised by her kindness, but instead by the solemn looks on the boy's faces as they did as they were told. From what Regulus had seen growing up that was never something either of the other boys were good at.
Regulus sat on the bed, above the dark grey duvet, with the cup in his hands. His knees were tight to his chest as he let his eyes examine his brother's room. It was like looking into Sirius’ soul. On the wall beside the bed was a collage of photos of his friends, but a majority of them were a familiar face. Remus Lupin. He was Regulus’ favourite of Sirius’ friends, if he had to pick one. That was mainly because he was quiet for the most part and he left Regulus alone. Unlike James, who used every second they were near eachother to try and bond or make conversation.
A knock on the door pulled Regulus from his thoughts, before his brother was entering the room.
“Sorry, just gotta grab some clothes for bed.”
“It’s your room.” Sirius didn’t respond, just went straight to his dresser and began searching for his clothes. “Why don’t the pictures move?”Sirius looked shocked and Regulus couldn’t tell if it was by the question, or the fact that he asked it in the first place.
“Andromeda gave me a muggle camera for Christmas. Muggle pictures don’t move.” Regulus wanted to ask about Andromeda, he wanted to know about her. He was never really given a chance to truly know her.
“You take a lot of pictures.” He settled for instead.
“I have a lot of memories I want to remember forever.” Sirius looked admiringly at the photos around the room and it was clear to Regulus how happy his brother had grown in just 1 short year. A year without him in it.
“I don’t.” Regulus was bitter, he would never doubt that. But, he believed he had every right to be. With the life he had and the lack of childhood, what is there to be optimistic about?
“You will... Good night, Reg.” There was a faint smile on Sirius’ lips. It was a genuine smile, not a smirk to hide his pain, the look Regulus had grown up so used to.
Regulus wasn’t so sure if he could believe his brother. He had lived nearly 16 years up to that point and he wasn't even sure he could count great memories on his fingers, there were so few of them.
So for the next hour that was what he tried to do. He went through memories with his brother and memories with his friends. Not that many. Sure, he spent plenty of time with his friends and he used to be very close with Sirius, but still… The list was disappointing to say the least. He was thinking about a specific Halloween when he was drinking and getting ready for a party with Barty and Evan, when there was yet another knock on the door… He was dumb to think the boys would listen to a word Euphemia had to say.
“Come in.” The door creaked open slowly to reveal James standing there in nothing but a pair of maroon cotton trousers and a messy mop of curls. Regulus instantly caught himself staring and forced eye contact. Regulus would never admit this outloud, especially about his brother's best friend, but as annoying as he is… James Potter is rather fit. “Can I help you?”
“I know Mum said to leave you alone for the night… But if you don’t want to be alone you don’t have to be. I thought I’d at least give you the option of some company. Sirius is asleep, but I’m awake if you want to talk or something.” James was rambling and Regulus couldn’t help but smile because of it… on the inside. On the outside he was just giving James a blank stare that made the boy ramble more. “Unless you want to be alone… I could just go. You probably want to be alone.”
“I want to be alone.” It wasn’t a complete lie, but he didn’t have to be so harsh to the other boy. Regulus rather enjoyed being alone. As much as he could enjoy anything. Enjoying things is optimistic.
As suspected, James' face dropped. Regulus couldn’t quite understand why this meant anything to James, or why he even bothered coming to his room. It wasn’t like they were friends… not for James’ lack of trying.
“Right, well I’ll be in my room just across the hall if you need me.” It was almost pathetic watching James linger in the doorway, procrastinating a goodbye. So Regulus did something he has been doing a lot of recently… The last thing people expect him to do.
“10 minutes.” He was so quiet he wasn’t even sure James had heard him correctly.
“What?” James’ brows were knit together in confusion and yet Regulus’ expression never changed for a second. It was a skill he had mastered under the tutelage of his mother. Emotion is weakness. Sirius never really learned this skill, he always wore his expressions with pride, something Regulus didn’t feel he had much of.
“You have 10 minutes… Then I want to be alone.” James’ face lit up as he rushed to sit on the foot end of the bed across from Regulus. Both boys were facing eachother with their legs crossed in front of them. There was a moment of silence before Regulus looked at the clock on the nightstand. “9 minutes.”
“Do you wanna talk about what happened?” ‘Of course those are the first words out of your mouth.’ Regulus thought with dejection as he frowned at the worried boy.
“No.”
“Do you wanna hear a funny story about Sirius trying to play tennis?” James let his face light up as he tried to do the same for Regulus.
“No.”
“Do you wanna sing ‘God Save The Queen’ quietly in Sirius’ ear while he sleeps?”
“Why would I want to do that?” Regulus brows furrowed in confusion. He tried hard to understand James Potter at that moment, useless. James Potter was an enigma that no one would ever understand.
“Because it’s brilliant! Once he joined in!”
“What a tragedy I missed it.” Regulus rolled his eyes and took a sip of his tea.
“Are you sure you don’t wanna talk about tonight?”
“Completely.” James pondered for a moment about what they could do because unlike Regulus, he could not sit still or stay silent for even a moment.
“Do you want a quiet tour of the house while everyone is asleep. I can show you where mum hides the biscuits.”
“A biscuit would be nice.” Regulus agrees with a small shrug. He was intrigued by what he saw of the house upon entering, it was much different from his house. He noticed the differences in culture immediately and it was even more clear when the two boys were standing downstairs in the dark sitting room. Regulus found himself drawn to a shelf by the stairs covered in golden statues. A specific statue of Ganesha caught his attention.
“Have you ever been to India?”
“No, but Mum and Dad have been wanting to make a trip there. There is just never a good time… school.” He said with sorrow, but Regulus knew he meant the war. The war was the killer of fun, and though it wasn’t in full swing yet, it put a damper on any plans that didn’t consist of staying home and protecting your loved ones.
“I hear it’s beautiful.” Regulus was speaking the truth, but he also wanted to make the frown on James’ face go away. How was life supposed to suck less when the boy that lit up every room he entered was frowning beside him?
“Have you travelled much?”
“Not really. I went to France once with my uncle. I’m sure Sirius told you about it.”
“He did. Why don’t you tell me about it?” There it is, James’ specialty… pretending they were friends or at least trying to become them.
“Nous ne sommes pas amis.” We aren’t friends. With that Regulus turned to look around more at his surroundings. The fireplace had been put out so the only light was from the moon outside, which appeared to be full. Regulus didn’t miss the grimace on James' face as he watched it in the sky. “Do you have something against the moon?” Regulus immediately regretted the question that slipped past his lips. Why would he care about James’ feelings for the moon?
“Did you just speak french?” Any question Regulus asked went right over the other boy's head as he stared at him, bewildered. James’ eyes were wide and there was a light in them that matched the smile on his lips perfectly.
“Me comprenez-vous?” Do you understand me?
“What are you saying?!” Oh Regulus could have fun with this…
"Tu es un idiot.” You are an idiot. Regulus’ lips hold a slight smirk as they make their way through the living room toward the kitchen. “Pourquoi insistes-tu pour être mon ami et pourquoi est-ce que je te parle en ce moment?” Why do you insist on being my friend and why am I even talking to you right now?
“That could have been completely offensive and yet it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.” Regulus had lost all knowledge of hiding his emotions as he felt his cheeks burn and his eyes widen. James didn’t seem to notice his expression change though, as he remembered the reason they were there,“Oh! The biscuits!” With a grin on his face James rushed to the cupboard beside the fridge. “There is always Jaffa Cakes and chocolate biscuits on the top shelf behind the peanut butter and jam. I reckon Mum thinks that will slow us down.”
“What on earth is a Jaffa Cake?”
“Oh Reggie, you poor sheltered child,” ‘No shit.’ Regulus wants to say. Instead he stays silent and takes the round chocolate covered biscuit and examines it.
“We didn’t really eat muggle foods. Recipes yeah, but not stuff like this.”
“ Oh I know , Sirius was almost as bad as you. Wait till we go to Port’s.” Regulus’ confused expression grew as he stared at the other boy. “It’s a restaurant. They have really good pizza. Lily showed it to us on our last beach trip. Eat it!” James grinned down at the biscuit in Regulus’ hand like it was the most marvellous thing in the world. “It’s just chocolate and orange jelly.”
“That sounds disgusting.” Regulus mumbled as he took a bite… and another. “I hate you.”
“Why?!” James barked a laugh at the younger boy with a mouth full of Jaffa Cake.
“It’s rather good. So I hate you.”
“Well if that’s why, then I am glad you hate me.” The boys took the box of biscuits to the table and James rushed to grab two glasses of milk.
“What’s pizza?” Regulus asked after a moment.
“How do you not know what pizza is? Even Sirius had had pizza before!”
“He’s more acquainted with our cousin Andromeda than I am. She was always showing him different muggle things when she snuck a visit with him.”
“Of course it was Andy!” James laughed with a grin that made Regulus feel empty and yet full of jealousy all at the same time.
“You know her?”
“Yeah, she comes over on Christmas, after she opens gifts with Ted and Nymphadora.” The mention of his baby cousin brought a hollowness to the pit of his stomach. One that James saw in the frown that formed on his lips and the slight slouch of Regulus’ shoulders.
“Her baby… I never got to meet her. My family disowned Andromeda when they found out about her and Ted being together.”
“Maybe they can all come over soon!” James Jumped up in his seat to sit on his feet, a position that would have made Regulus’ parents cringe and hex him on the spot. “But Pizza Reggie! It's so good. It’s kinda like bread, and it's got tomato sauce and cheese on it. There’s all sorts of toppings. It’s bloody brilliant!”
James continued his tangent about pizza and all of the other hundreds of muggle foods that Regulus needed to try, until a yawn slipped past the younger Black’s lips.
“Oh merlin, you must be exhausted. I’m sorry I kept you up so late. I went far past my 10 minutes. Were we really down here for a whole hour?!” Regulus just shrugged.If he was honest with himself he didn’t mind listening to James ramble for the past hour. It had been a not so horrible distraction from the events of the day.
”Let's get you to bed! I’m sure Sirius is missing me dearly.” James grinned lovingly at the ceiling.
“You two are ridiculous.” Regulus muttered as he went to return the box of biscuits to the cupboard.
Both the boys were quiet on the walk upstairs, both staring ahead, like they weren’t allowed to look at eachother or something terrible would happen. It isn’t until they are outside their respective rooms that James takes the risk and turns to the younger boy with a sweet smile.
“I’m glad you're here. You’re safe now.” Regulus doesn’t say anything back, just gives a nod and turns to enter his room. “G’night Reggie.”
“Good night, James.” One last look and both boys closed the doors behind them for the night.