Proudly, James looked down at his sleeve, knowing that what was under it would change the course of his life for good. He probably shouldn’t be as happy about it as he was, given it was the one thing he had sworn to never do, the one thing he had always been able to say ‘I would not even consider doing something so vile’ to. But he had done it for a reason, and now he knew that any other path would have been wrong for him. He couldn’t care less about Voldemort or his grand scheme, and he didn’t want innocent people to be murdered, of course he didn’t. But he did what he had to, he just wanted to help Evan, to protect him. He always had and that wasn’t about to change because of some foolish war.
Soon after, James was dragged out of his thoughts by the sound of the door to the dorm opening, and Evan walked in, a strawberry sugar quill between his teeth. He held an old, leather-bound book open in one hand, using the other to run his fingers through his hair, pulling it out of his face. James smiled from where he was sitting on Evan’s bed and watched as he placed the book down on the chair by the door and loosened his tie. He looked up in the direction of his bed, finding James leaning back against the headboard with an unusually proud smirk on his face. Sceptical of the look he wore, Evan took the sugar quill out of his mouth, took the wrapper from his pocket and scrunched it over the sweet, looking James up and down suspiciously.
Not seeming at all bothered by the odd look he was getting, James stood up and strode over to Evan. “Hey, Angel,” He grinned, placing one hand on Evan’s waist, while letting the other drop softly onto his chest and dipping his head down to kiss him, quick and sweet. Evan hummed and pulled back, a small smile playing at his lips.
“What’s got you down here, then? Aren’t you supposed to be at that big party everyone was looking forward to so much or whatever? It seemed like your scene,” He asked, casually walking over to the wardrobe and taking out a flowy black blouse and matching slacks, wriggling out of his uniform and changing into his peculiar choice of ‘casual clothes’.
With a short laugh, James leaned against the bedpost, watching Evan boredly. “Shit, sometimes I forget just how posh you are. Your accent trips me up, makes me think you’re a commoner like me.”
Evan looked up with a raised eyebrow and let his hands drop from where they had half-buttoned up his shirt, giving James a moment to consider what he had just said. “A commoner? You? James, your family is almost as rich as mine, get off that bloody high horse, will you?”
James laughed again, closing his eyes and shaking his head.”There it is again. The way you talk makes you seem…less…” He waved his hands at Evan vaguely, “Posh?” Evan threw him a scowl, which he ignored as he continued to talk. “I don’t know, it’s funny. I fall into the trap of thinking you’re middle-class and then you go and dress like a slutty, rich businessman, for lack of a better comparison.”
“Well, Jem, that is what I aim to be,” He joked. “No, but really, after the war, my father will likely want me to take his place, and at the end of the day, what other choice do I have?” Sensing the tonal shift in the room, he cleared his throat and changed the subject. “Anyway, if you think I dress posh, you should see the way Reg dresses at family gatherings. I’m not sure whether he chooses it himself or whether his mother forces him into it, but it’s always something physically painful to witness. It almost makes me embarrassed to be seen around him. Don’t tell him I said that, though.”
He smiled and stepped forwards with a yawn, letting his face flop into James’ chest tiredly and wrapping his arms loosely around his waist.
After a few moments of comfortable silence between the two of them, Evan groaned and tipped his head back, allowing James to press a light kiss to his nose, which made him smile and laugh in a way his parents and fellow Slytherins would despise. He didn’t know how James did that to him, but he did. All the time.
“Merlin’s arsecheeks, I’m tired.”
James sighed and nodded in agreement. “Same. That’s why I’m not at that party. Thought I’d come and disrupt one of your little scheming sessions instead,” He teased.
“I don’t scheme,” He argued, barely hiding the smile in his voice. “I have never schemed in my life.”
“No, no, sorry, my mistake,” James grinned. “You meticulously plan your next sinister move. Is that a more accurate representation of what you do in your free time, Angel?” He was met with a sharp flick at his face. Evan huffed and James laughed harder.
They stayed like that for a while, until James pulled them over to the edge of the bed and sat down, watching Evan sit down next to him. He looked at him silently for a few seconds, toying at the bottom of his left shirt sleeve.
“Evan…” Evan hummed in acknowledgment, looking at James expectantly. “You know how I said that you getting the mark didn’t change anything?” He asked.
Evan froze, his eyebrow pulling together in confusion and worry, making James realise the insinuation of what he had just said.
He placed a hand on Evan’s shoulder and shook his head. “Hey, no, that’s not what I meant. It hasn’t changed anything, I don’t love you less, or-…you know what? I’ll just do it,” He pulled up his sleeve quickly, before he could back out, revealing the large, winding black snake on his arm. “I want to protect you Evan, I did this for you.”
Evan stared in shock, reaching out to run his finger along the mark, feeling the way James shivered under his touch. It was real. Properly, undeniably real. James had done it, James had taken the dark mark for him. For Evan. To protect him. He felt his mind cloud over slightly, and was sure he would begin to cry soon if he wasn’t careful.
“You didn’t have to do that…” He whispered.
“I wanted to.”
“But your friends…”
James smiled and pulled him into a hug. “Shh, they aren’t important right now. I’ll deal with that when the time comes. Look, when we go to war, we go together, okay? Me and you, fighting at each other’s sides. Don’t you want that?”
Evan paused and nodded, smiling to himself as James held him tightly. He didn’t remember ever feeling so vulnerable and protected at the same time before.
“Okay,” He muttered. “Together. Me and you.”