Chapter 14
Regulus walked into the room and couldn't help his smile, Jem asleep with a handful of letters on the bed beside him, photos as well. He recognized his brother's hand writing on one of them. Then one scrawl that was similar to Jem's and the last was a mix of elegance and short hand from who Regulus could only assume was Lupin's. One of the photos was of a stag and a black dog stuck in the grate of a fireplace struggling to get out. Then it was of Lupin smiling like someone had told him something funny before snapping a photo. Sirius trying to balance things on James' head, James seemed to be sleeping. Then it was of an older kind looking woman who smiled and waved with an older looking man kissing her cheek.
Not wanting the stack of things get crumpled, Regulus moved them to the desk and ran a hand through Jem's hair, one more month then they were back. Some part of him knew that Jem had to be missing his brother at the very least if not all of them. But he seemed content as well, he wasn't itching to do things, Jem seemed honestly happy to just be around.
Regulus smiled as the other wizard's eyes opened, a soft smile pulling at his lips as he took in Regulus, "Hey Reg," he leaned down pressing a kiss to the top of Jem's head before letting Jem tug him down onto the bed. "What time is it?"
"2 am, ish. I don't know anymore." He admitted the words while relaxing into Jem's hold.
"Mine." He chuckled, more dog than man tonight it seems.
"Yes you overprotective idiot, yours."
He relaxed into the soft hum, that vibrated Jem's chest, "Good." Absently he traced the gold lion while listening to Jem's heart slow as he drifted back off.
Two and a half months of successfully hiding the animagus from his parents was brought down to this moment. To when Jem heard his call for help and was there in seconds, the dog turning to the man in between steps, a clear warning in his eyes as he walked. "You came."
"You called." He said it like that was common sense. Of course he had come. Regulus had called for him. Then his gaze was on the two adults, "Don't." It was a warning, when they tightened their grips on their wands. "Come on, Reg." A calm command, that was the soldier Voldemort trained, a calm, controlled reaction to a dangerous situation. "It's okay." A soft reassurance as Regulus took his offered hand, how he waited for Regulus to get his legs underneath him. Neither of his parents had moved an inch, stranger or not Jem could be intimidating if he wanted to be and the Dark Mark only seemed to prove that he could take them out if he felt like it.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"That is nothing concerning you. Go pack a bag." He nodded towards the now open doors before giving Regulus' hand a quick squeeze. "I'm right behind you." That had him moving. He was halfway up the stairs when he paused to wait for Jem. "Here, here," Jem was quick to assure him welcoming the hug Regulus tackled him with. "That's right, come on, bag, I've got to send a letter."
"To who?"
"My brother." He muttered opening the door and sitting down at the desk as Regulus pulled out a trunk. "To messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs." He muttered writing the words on the top of the folded paper and tossing it into the fire, "James Potter." He told the fireplace and it came to life, roaring blue fire.
"What does that mean?"
"Hmm?"
"Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. I've seen it around with an another name, um...Wolfy?"
"It's complicated but less complicated than it sounds. I promise, I'll tell you one day." He took Regulus' hand, "Trust me?"
"Of course." Then there was a tight feeling in his chest, when his vision cleared he had his trunk in his left hand and Jem was holding his right, leading him down the street. "Did you just..."
"Yes."
"That's illegal."
"Yeah, well so are a lot of things. Keep your head down and do your best not to look lost."
"Where are we?" Regulus asked dipping his head as told.
"Somewhere I'd rather not be, but I can't take us too far on my own. Voldemort fucked with my Apperation and I can really only go about 10 miles at a time." A hat appeared in his hand and he dipped his head while letting it settle into place hiding the brilliant white streak in his hair Regulus had just noticed.
They walked through the dark and surprisingly busy streets, Regulus holding onto Jem's hand and trusting the other to know where they're going. "He's a pretty one-"
"Piss off." Jem's voice was hard enough that even Regulus flinched, the man muttered something and walked off.
"What was that?"
"Just trust me." They walked into a bar and Regulus was quick to stay close as Jem talked with the bartender and pulled the sleeve of his shirt up slightly, the top of the dark mark shown before he nodded and gestured up the stairs.
"What was that?"
"You pick up a few tricks working for Voldemort." They ended up in a room with a fairly big bed, a window facing a pond and a desk. Jem dropped onto the bed rubbing his face, "James should be here tomorrow."
"Where is here?"
"Just between Knockturn Alley and Diagon Alley." He answered pulling his hair from the hat and running a hand through it.
"Is that even a thing?"
"No. It's a fluke, a small stumble in the logistics of space and gravity. And us magic users took it upon ourselves to not leave it alone but make it bigger." He waved a hand around and Regulus couldn't help his smile while dropping the trunk. "Basically, you get real lost, flash your dark mark and enjoy a night of minimal backstabbing."
"We're safe?"
"As safe as one can be in a bar of Death Eaters." He muttered against Regulus' lips, running his fingertips up and down the younger Black brother's sides as he settled down on his hips. "I like where you're trying to take this, but do you know how many people have shagged on this damn thing?" Regulus laughed rolling off Jem and kissing his cheek as they both laid looking at the ceiling, "Try again when we're out of here."
Regulus woke up with his head in Jem's lap, the Potter was talking with someone...maybe multiple someones. He thought about moving, looking at whoever the voices were but it was warm and Jem felt safe. So he dozed back off with a hand playing with his hair.
"He looks exhausted."
"Yeah," Jem agreed with his brother.
"You don't look much better."
"Which is ironic because I feel like I haven't been doing anything but sleeping. How's home?"
"Good, we're ready to have you back though."
"I bet." James smiled at that.
"When do you want to go?"
"'bout an hour. This isn't exactly the safest place for a hiding spot."
"Fair enough, you know mum's gonna be all over him the moment we walk in the door."
"She was all over Sirius too and he didn't react too well at first, maybe she's learned." James and Jem both snorted at that. Hopeful thinking.
"Alright, I've got to grab a few things for mum while I'm out, I'll be back in about an hour."
"Sounds good." James nodded getting up and heading for the door, "Hey bambi," the older brother looked back raising an eyebrow, "thank you."
"No problem."