Regulus was never the brightest star in the night sky. Doomed in a never ending comparison with Alpha Canis Majoris. Sirius. That’s also quite close to how Regulus felt in real life. Never special enough for anyone to care to look at him for other reasons than mistrust or fear. He guessed it to be alright though. Regulus knew his namegiver had the far more intriguing story behind itself.
Regulus‘ favorite place to be alone was, since the very beginning, the astronomy tower. Carefree time to spend with his family of celestial bodies, which he didn’t have to share with anybody else. So when his brother‘s best friend noticed and went to investigate what was going on, Regulus was straight-up pissed off. Blessed, honorable James Potter taking his brother and now his safe space.
Fuck him.
Except, Regulus soon had the revelation that James was actually interested in what he had to say. And, oh his poor heart, when he noticed James Potter looking at him. The sudden captivating feeling he never wanted to vanish.
Hi. Hello. So nice to meet you. Please don’t look away.
After that night James found himself staring more often. Leaving Gryffindor Tower after curfew just to be able to search for the lion’s heart – his heart – high on the night sky, without his friends noticing.
Infinite was the word humans described the universe with. Endless galaxies, filled with uncountable solar systems, planets and their moons. James was never able to imagine anything specific in it, let alone describe it. The thought of Regulus Black alone came unexpectadly very close to it.
He realized that no matter how bright a star shines, if he centres his gaze on a specific one, it always outshines every celestial object near it.
Not the brightest star in the night sky, but the brightest star in the Leo constellation, Corleonis. Regulus. The heart of the lion. That’s also quite close to how James felt, looking above himself at ungodly hours to focus on this almost unexplainable feeling of infinite in his soul and his heart.