Party is on
It was in the library, several hours later, that James found him.
Regulus was alone, Pandora having gone to class and the small group of Slytherins he studied dispersing to one thing or the other. Barty had just disappeared around the corner of a long bookshelf when James appeared a few feet to Regulus’s right.
“Hey, Reg.”
Regulus glanced up, startled, and undeniably pleased. He quickly scooted over from where he was sprawled on a beanbag.
“Hey James” Regulus ignored how quickly his heart was beating.
James sat down on the edge of the beanbag, a foot or so from Regulus. Regulus tried not to think about how he could feel the warmth from the other boy's body even then, stark against the chill of the room. Suddenly realizing how cold he was in his thin robe, Regulus pulled his legs to him with a shiver.
“You cold?” James asked immediately, turning toward Regulus with an expression of concern. A flash of irritation passed through him, for no reason other than that James was worried about something as silly as a chill, and nobody had ever been worried for him like that.
“No,” he said shortly. James frowned, injured.
“What's up?” Regulus asked in a softer tone, feeling the immediate pang of guilt. He shifted over more, leaving space for the other boy to sit comfortably next to him.
“Not much,” James said, his brows creasing. “All my dorm mates are in detention, and somehow I'm not. I wanted to come talk to you.”
Regulus was for the hundredth time shocked at the candor in James’s words, how the boy spoke his desires so plainly and unabashedly.
“I don't believe you aren't in trouble” Regulus said teasingly. “How’d Sirius pull off a prank that you weren't a part of?”
“Shocking, I know. Me being the brains of the operation and all.”
Reg refused to laugh, looking at him with a deadpan face. James grinned.
“I was feeling rather good this week, actually” he said primly. “Maybe I’m reforming from my dark ways”
“No please” Regulus groaned, covering his eyes in mock dismay. “There'll be nobody interesting left.”
James let out a real laugh, echoing through the dusty rows of books and earning a dirty look from the librarian, Madame Bank.
Regulus smiled, wondering again at the simple pleasure of the hazel eyed boy’s company.
“Anyway” James began, settling into his seat. “I wanted to tell you there's gonna be a party next week, in the Gryffindor common room. You should come--bring whoever.”
“In the Gryffindor common room? I don't think I’ll be quite welcome there, James.”
“Oh yes you will, I’ll make sure.”
Regulus frowned, trying to envision the shocked expressions of Gryffindor faces when a third year Slytherin and his friends came crawling through the portrait hole.
“I know you’re very optimistic in general--”
“--C’mon--”
“But I think this one’s a bit much. Nobody’s gonna want me there, James.” Regulus finished, turning and looking the other boy in the eyes. James looked painfully earnest, staring at Regulus almost exasperatedly.
“You always think that, and you’re always wrong. People don't just hate people for no reason!”
“Oh yes they do” Regulus interjected.
“Not normal people,” James snipped. “Nobody’s going to mind if you come--they’ll probably be glad! You’re funny, you're smart, you…”
James trailed off, glowing slightly red. Reg glanced at him curiously.
“You really think so?”
“Yes.” James said firmly. “Besides, I’m inviting you, that's all you really need.”
Regulus couldn’t let that one slide.
“Well,” he said in a stage voice. “If the star of the Gryffindor quidditch team, the renowned James Potter invited me--”
“Oh shut up” James said, rolling his eyes. Regulus grinned. The jokes about his ego were the only ones that got to him. There was something undeniably satisfying about jabbing James Potter well enough that his cheeks flush. Regulus moved the heavy book resting on his lap and laid back on his beanbag chair, placing his head dangerously close to James’s seated torso. Something about the quiet seclusion of the library and the thrill--though he hated he felt it--of being chosen made him unusually bold. Regulus closed his eyes, releasing a long sigh that had seemed to be writhing inside him for weeks on end. He felt the heat of his breath brush James’s leg, and thought he heard the other boy’s breath catch for just a moment, his body growing imperceptibly more rigid.
“I think I’ll go” said Regulus nonchalantly, mostly to break the growing silence. He didn't open his eyes as he spoke. Nonetheless, he felt James’s pleased grin.
“Excellent! Bring whoever, really. Pandora, Barty…”
“How’d you know them?” Regulus asked, cracking his eyes open with surprise. He found James peering down at him.
“You spend almost all of your time with them Reg, how am I supposed to not?”
James replied as if it were obvious. A pleased shiver chased down Regulus’s spine.
Get it together. He chided himself.
“Yeah I guess. Them and you.”
A silence stretched just a moment too long after the words left Regulus’s mouth; he wanted to snatch them back from the air, wish them out of existence again. He must be losing it, the sleepiness of their corner and the way James was sprawled casually next to him twisting his thoughts in circles and letting the words in his mind slip out of his mouth into the painful space between them.
“Yeah, and me.” James said finally. His words were plain; Regulus couldn't find the emotion behind them. He risked a glance at the other boy, and found James smiling slightly at him. The knot in his chest loosened.
“I’m really glad we’re friends, y’know” James whispered. The librarian was far away, and there was no student around. Still, Regulus found his words hushed as well.
“Me too.”
Regulus searched for something better to say, something to convey the sheer gratitude he felt for the very existence of James, of every attribute and flaw, of each breath of his chest and flicker of his eyes and the warmth of his hands, of the way he thought and felt and acted, for the parents that raised him and the world that kept him safe, safe enough to place into Regulus’s path and change his life forever. His mouth failed him. Glancing at James though, meeting his warm hazel eyes with a smile, Regulus knew that again, even his failure was enough.
The two of them sat for a little longer, Regulus almost drifting off to sleep and James reading a thick book of spells, before they began a game of wizarding chess that occupied the rest of their afternoon. Regulus caught Pandora as he was leaving the library, James having departed to the Gryffindor tower to change for dinner only minutes before. She reacted to James’s invitation exactly how he had expected--sheer excitement.
“Oh my goodness” she squealed breathlessly. “This is so exciting, I must get a dress, this was so very kind of James!”
Regulus murmured his agreement, wishing he could share his friends' excitement. His own stomach was twisting with nerves at the idea of a Gryffindor party, with fourth years nonetheless. A flash of admiration for Pandora’s determined confidence, her hopefulness, flitted through him. The two of them went together to find Barty, who was sitting in the Slytherin common room experimenting with different breeds of frog, comparing how they reacted to a leaping spell. Several bright yellow amphibians were already springing impossibly high about the dim lit dungeon. When Regulus invited him to the Gryffindor party, the frogs went whizzing with alarmed croaks sideways, collapsing to the floor and hopping frightenedly away. Barty’s initial reaction was much more like Regulus’s own.
“There is no way they’re gonna want us there” he said flatly, looking at Regulus like he had lost his mind. “All those fucking snooty Gryffindors, marching around feeling important and noble, think they want us sulking around in the corners?”
Privately, that had been exactly what Regulus was thinking.
“C’mon” Pandora said dreamily, gazing out the green lit window into the depths of the lake. “It'll be marvelous! Think about the dancing, the music…besides, it's rude to decline such an invitation. James really wants you to go, you know Reg.”
“What-no that not--shut up Pands” Regulus spluttered. Savage delight overcame Barty’s expression. Preparing himself, Regulus glared at Pandora, who gave him an innocent look.
“We were keeping it discreet how we got invited, remember” Regulus growled to her quietly. She didn't respond, only creasing her brows at him in feigned confusion and turning back to Barty attentively.
“Oh so it's the famous James inviting us? Us blokes must go then, since Regulus has a date”
Regulus refused to let himself redden. “Barty--” he began.
“Should I get you a corsage, you can pin it on his robes?” Barty taunted.
“No--”
“Well if Mr. Potter is dying for you to go, we can't keep his holiness waiting, can we?”
Regulus fought the urge to yell at his friend, channeling years of practice to make his face emotionless.
“Fine,” he said coolly. “Don't come. I know you have plenty of chances to see the Gryffindor common room and free firewhiskey stacked up in your agenda, missing one won't hurt.”
Barty paused. Regulus smirked, turning away and walking up the mossy stairs to their dormitory. He hadn't even wanted to go, but now that Barty had made fun of James he felt obligated to. He thought that maybe if Barty talked to James, he would see how funny he was, how smart and charming and good. He would like James, because everyone liked James. They would get along, Regulus assured himself, if they gave each other a chance.
“Hey Pandora,” he called over his shoulder. “Isn't Claire Cannow going to be there? I’d love to give her some help with her transfiguration homework, I know she was asking about it.”
“I believe so!” Pandora chirped, plopping down in a green plush chair behind Barty, who stood with his mouth agape. Claire was a fourth year that Barty had been drooling over since she transferred from Beauxbatons at the start of the year. She was in Regulus’s transfiguration classes, and although he wasn't sure she knew he existed, it was a sore spot for Barty.
“The party starts at nine!” He shouted back to Barty. He thought he heard a scoff in return, but could feel the smile on his friend’s face.