no use to you
The sun had crawled her way across the sky in great lengths before beginning her descent to the horizon. Remus would come out on deck to watch the sunset every day without fail. He would lean against the edge of the forecastle deck, watching the sky morph from cobalt to turquoise to wine to orange over and over again as the sun dipped her toes into the ocean and disappeared. He felt the day’s heat burn off to cool fog that spread over the deck like a rolling tide, raising his skin and clearing his head. He always left before the moon spotted him.
He told James he was looking for signs of storm.
Regulus’s first night aboard on deck was no different. Remus threw his legs over the bowsprit, straddling the ship like a stallion, and waited.
Remus worried about Regulus. He guessed the boy was beyond confused, hurting in the profound way one does when they’ve been betrayed by a stranger, a pain that comes from not knowing so many things it turns your world upside down and forces you to ride out the tumble.
Remus took comfort knowing that Sirius had never felt that way about Lady Lily .
Remus knew he should have gone back to Regulus, explained things like he had promised, but he couldn’t bring himself to turn around and make good on it. His eyes, his face, the way he held his chin and threw back his shoulders. He was at once so like and unlike Sirius that Remus couldn’t bear it. Defensive, bitter, calculating; but in a different light, a person who could be endlessly compassionate and giving. Remus had seen Marlene flouncing around in Regulus’s coat on deck, a gift rather than a trophy. Somehow, Remus knew Regulus would not have given up the coat if he was really fighting for it.
Remus inhaled through his nose, letting the salt sing through his head.
There is nowhere else I belong, but here , he thought.
“Moony,” Sirius crept up from below becks, coming up behind Remus on the bowsprit and wrapping his arms around Remus’s middle. Remus sunk into the embrace like the sand soaked up the tide.
“James will want you to come to dinner,” Remus said. He heard Sirius snort in response, burying his face into the curve of Remus’s shoulder. His response was muffled.
“I don’t know if I can do that.”
“You brought him here,” Remus pointed out, “You have to try.”
Sirius sighed, “He will hate me.”
Remus had once promised Sirius that he wouldn't ever lie to him. He didn’t start now.
“Yes,” said Remus, “He probably will.”
Sirius raised his head again, “Was this a mistake?”
Remus didn’t have an answer for him. He flipped himself around to face Sirius.
Remus carded a hand through Sirius’s hair, letting the fine, dark strands fall through his fingers. Sirius’s face was indented with the imprint of the mask, a parting echo of silver that pressed into his cheekbones, leaving them red and raw.
“It’s a bloody stuipd thing you do to yourself,” Remus said, gently testing the marks with his fingertips, “It could scar.”
Sirius snickered, “Then we’ll be matching.”
“Dread pirate boyfriends with a penchant for cutting themselves on the razor?” Remus suggested.
“Something like that,” Sirius said, “It would look pretty bitchin’.”
“It won’t feel bitchin’.”
“You can’t be a proper pirate without a couple of battle scars. Marls purposely stabs herself with her tattoo needle because it’s-” He paused, “What’s that thing that Mary says? Beauty is pain?”
Remus smiled, “You’re beautiful anyway.”
Sirius' face flushed, illuminated by the dying day, “Oh stop it.”
“You are!”
“You’re full of shit Moony.”
“I mean it.”
“Yeah yeah, sure you do,” Sirius pulled Remus to his feet and kissed him. It was gentle and unhurried, one that promised dozens, thousands, in the future. A future they no longer had to fight for.
“We should head to the galley,” murmured Sirius.
“Oh no,” corrected Remus, “King James has decided we must dine like proper civilians and sit around a real table in the captain’s quarter.”
“Christ,” said Sirius, rolling his eyes, “He’s really putting in a shift for Regulus.”
“You sound annoyed,” Remus started to tug Sirius down the forecastle deck.
“I am annoyed.” Sirius spat, “I go and kidnap him and the first thing James wants to do is flirt with my brother.”
Sirius peeled off to retrieve his mask, against Remus’s convincing. Remus entered the captain’s cabin to find everyone already seated.
James had cleared off his desk, stuffing his papers into every empty vessel and crowding the table with mismatched chairs. James sat in his usual desk chair, his arm around Lily’s seat to his right. Peter slouched at the head of the table, with Mary and Marlene flanking him. Mary, of course, opted to sit next to Lily. Regulus was to James’s left, straight backed in his chair as if someone had jammed a metal lightning rod up his shirt.
His shirt, Remus noticed, was one of James’s. Remus smirked in James’s direction.
“Moony! You’ve decided to join us,” greeted James, “Wonderful. Nearly a party, I’d say.”
“I’ll go get the food,” said Mary, standing.
“Mary, you stay. I’m already up.” Remus offered.
“You work too hard darling,” chimed Lily, “Thanks Remus.”
Remus nodded and departed.
When Remus returned, Sirius was still absent.
“Where’s Padfoot?” he asked. James shrugged. Peter looked around the room lazily, as if Sirius would apparate into thin air.
“Dunno,” said Marlene, “Haven’t seen him since this morning.”
“Hope he fell off the ship,” muttered Regulus. Remus kept his mouth shut, doling out rations to the group. He sat at the other head of the table. They were all quiet for a moment, getting settled in. Regulus did not touch his food.
“So,” asked Mary pleasantly to Regulus, “How was your first day on board?”
Regulus’s scowl thinned, “Fine.”
“Not seasick?”
“No.”
Sensing her politeness was losing traction, Mary switched topics, directed to James, “So Jamesy, where are you taking us?”
James set down his spoon, “With any luck, we’ll be wrapping around Cornwall and headed into Celtic waters in a few days. Isn’t that right Remus?”
Remus nodded, “From there we’ll see how the weather is looking and whether or not we can make it to the Waterford coast within the month.”
“Waterford?” Regulus interrupted, startled, “But that’s in southern Ireland.”
“Yes.”
“Why the fuck would you go there?”
Lily snorted, nearly choking on her wine. Marlene’s hyena grin grew wider, like a spectator witnessing a bullfight.
To his credit, James didn’t laugh.
“Lily dear, would you kindly explain to Regulus my divine mission?” said James ironically.
Lily put down her spoon. “The Irish coast is teeming with pirates. Cutthroat blokes, brutal guys who will blow your ship to bits and suck out the marrow.”
“Lily, we’re trying to eat-” butted in Peter, but she kept right on.
“Anyway, James seems to think that there’s a ghost ship of all the pirates who died in the Celtic waiting for a worthy vessel to conquer them. And if that ship is Lady Lily , the spirits will bless her with good waters and fat treasures for the rest of his sailing days.” finished Lily, stabbing into her stew.
“I don’t think there’s a ghost ship,” corrected James, “I know it.”
“What’s it called,” asked Regulus, “The ghost ship?”
“It’s called,” responded Sirius cooly, entering the captain’s quarters, mask pressed to his face, “ Narcissa’s Revenge .”
Sirius threw himself into the chair next to Remus. Remus stopped eating and leaned towards him, putting his arm around Sirius’s chair protectively. Sirius waited for Regulus to connect the dots.
“But that’s-” Regulus started.
“Your cousin, yes,” said Sirius. When he didn’t elaborate, James filled in.
“It’s captained by Lucius Malfoy, populated by his skeleton crew. Not totally a ghost ship, really, but enough that’s become something of legend. Malfoy is real and alive, as far as we know, but it would have cost him greatly to seize captain of such a vessel.”
“No one’s ever actually seen him aboard,” Lily pointed out, “But it would be obvious he made a deal with the devil.”
“How so?” Regulus inquired.
“Necromancer's scars,” Remus said. Familiarity laced his tone, “The sea repulses magic. Therefore, it often requires a physical price to complete any sort of mystical work. Blood, for example. Plenty of lousy captains will cut themselves to pieces in order to strengthen their crew with the ocean’s dead.”
“So in addition to the whole spiritual element of cracking Narcissa’s Revenge , I have a good feeling that there’s quite a bit of loot on board,” James twirled his spoon, “I’ve been looking for this ship for a long time, Regulus. But I’ve come to realize it takes a Black to find a Black.”
Remus didn’t miss the sidelong glance James swept to Sirius before he continued, “I was hoping you could help me, in that regard.”
Regulus glared. Remus unconsciously placed a hand on his sabre.
“I have a brother, you know.”
Regulus’s admittance was surprising, more in his tone than his actual sentiment. Everyone on board already knew about Sirius and his wishes, hence why Regulus’s ignorance was not so shocking as to his total belief in it.
“He was also taken by pirates, when I was young.” Regulus darted up from his seat. He stared down at Sirius with malice, for all the wrong reasons, “How do I know you did not take him also? How am I to know I’m not your fallsafe when he failed you?”
Regulus turned his attention to James. Faithlessness shone in Regulus’s eyes.
“You brought me here to fulfill your foolish quest. I know nothing about ships. I didn’t even realize my cousin’s husband owned one. I haven’t spoken to Narcissa in years,” he paused, “I’m no use to you.”
Sirius growled, “We’re not returning you home.”
“Then you won’t hear from me at all.” Regulus stormed out of the captain’s quarters.
James looked to Remus, almost for permission.
“Go.” said Remus. James chased after Regulus into the brackish night.
Everyone prodded at their stew. Under his mask, Sirius frowned.
Remus sighed heavily, “Great fucking family dinner guys.” He tossed back his wine with a tired flourish.
“I’ll drink to that.” said Marlene, and clinked glasses with Lily.