Chapter 7
James led Regulus to the third-class quarters. As every evening, they had a party in the simple dining room.
Regulus looked around, slightly overwhelmed. The room was full of people. A group of passengers played music. It was loud, but Regulus didn't mind.
There was dancing, laughing, and drinking.
He had never been to a party like this before. The 'parties' he used to go to were stiff and not as lively.
People rarely laughed there, and when they did, it was to make fun of someone.
"Wow," Regulus murmured.
James grabbed his hand and led Regulus across the room. After a few steps Regulus stopped.
"Wait James. Is that my brother?"
James also stopped and looked at the same direction as Regulus.
Indeed.
Sirius was on the dance floor dancing with the young officer he had laid his eye on when he first saw Remus.
"Your brother knows Remus?" James inquired.
"Well – yes. Mr. Lupin seems very nice," Regulus said, then looked at James. "Where do you know him from?"
"Remus is here often. One of the few, if not the only, officer who thinks no different about us third class passengers," James explained.
"That's nice."
The two men continued their way to get a beer at the small bar.
"There's Lily," James said, pointing to a young woman who was sitting at a table with a group of other passengers.
The young woman wore her hair down but did not have a dress and stuck to trousers.
Without warning, James pulled Regulus over to the table where James' best friend was sitting.
"Lily!"
"James, hey. Back again? How was it?"
"Not quite as bad as expected," James replied.
He pulled up two chairs and James and and Regulus sat down.
"That's an understatement," Regulus corrected. "It was terrible."
"You must be Regulus." Lily smiled at him and gave him her hand. "I'm Lily."
"Nice to meet you, Lily. James has talked a lot about you."
"Really?" Lily inquired. "Because the only topic he knows is you. He doesn't stop and-"
"Lily," James whispered to his best friend.
"That's not true at all," James tried to convince Regulus.
The younger man smiled. He looked at Lily, who winked at him.
~~~~
Let us turn back time a little. At the moment Sirius left the first-class dining hall.
The young man loosened his tie as he stepped onto the deck.
Remus was already waiting for him. Sirius noticed immediately that Remus wasn't wearing his uniform, but normal clothes.
The young officer leaned on the rail and looked out to sea.
"Sorry I'm late. The dinner just didn't seem to end," Sirius said.
Remus turned his head towards him and pushed off the railing.
"It's ok. I was a bit late too. Marlene wanted me to read her another story–" Remus explained. "But let's go."
"Where to?" Sirius inquired. He'd thought they would just chat here on deck, like they always did.
But Remus had other plans.
"Third-class throws the best parties," he said. "What do you think?"
"I think that's a brilliant idea."
Sirius was just as overwhelmed when he entered the room as his brother.
The other young man pulled him straight to the dance floor.
"Is it okay if I put my hand here?" Remus asked, putting his hand on Sirius' waist.
"Yeah sure."
The two danced until they were tired.
Remus and Sirius left the small dance floor and the two got something to drink.
"Hey, isn't that your brother?" Remus suddenly asked.
Sirius turned his head and saw his little brother sitting at a table. Next to him sat a young, pretty woman with red hair.
Remus had the idea of sitting with the three and Sirius agreed.
Time passed and James danced with the little girl he had drawn with her father the other day.
James had given the two of them the drawing after Regulus had stepped away from the railing and followed his brother back inside.
A few tables away, someone fell off their chair and a loud clatter made Regulus look in that direction.
Two other passengers helped the man to his feet and handed him another beer. Regulus could only laugh and shake his head.
It would be scandalous in first-class if someone drank that much and maybe that is why he found it so amusing.
"I'm going to dance with him now," James said to the girl, gesturing to Regulus.
"What?" Regulus stuttered.
"Come on," James said, grabbing Regulus' hand.
James and Regulus faced each other.
"I can't do this," Regulus murmured.
He could dance, but only slow and boring ballroom dances. Regulus and his brother had dance lessons since they were little kids.
"We'll have to get a bit closer," James explained.
He put his hand on the other young man's waist and pulled him closer to him.
"Like this. Is that ok?"
The girl looked at the two with slightly narrowed eyes.
"You're still my best friend, Cora," James assured the girl.
Cora smiled again and that was proof- it was impossible not to like James.
His gaze darted to Lily, he winked at her, and the young woman raised her glass and winked back.
James looked back at Regulus and the two started dancing.
"I don't know the steps," Regulus explained.
"Me, either. Just go with it," James replied.
The two danced faster and faster, but they did not mind. James and Regulus were having the time of their life.
Lily watched the two men with a smile on her face.
The two matched. The thought inevitably came to her of what would happen when the ship docked in America. Regulus would go with his family and James would stay behind. And if this went on– with a broken heart.
The young woman didn't like the thought and when Remus spoke to her, she pushed the thought away.
After the song was over, the two men went back to their table. Remus and Jimmy were about to arm wrestle to see which of them was stronger.
James grabbed two full beers from the table and handed one to Regulus. The younger of the two men drank almost all of his glass without putting it down. James looked at him in surprise.
"What? You think a first-class boy can't drink?" Regulus said, raising an eyebrow at James.
"No! I-"
James was cut off when Remus won the arm wrestling and several glasses spilled onto the table.
They partied late into the night and Regulus had so much fun, like never before.
~~~~
The next morning Regulus was having breakfast with Sirius on the small private sundeck– while having a terrible headache.
"You're so quiet this morning, frère," Sirius said.
Regulus flinched and rubbed his temples. "Don't talk, please."
The younger Black brother, even with his headache, noticed his brother's grin.
"What?" Regulus wanted to know.
"Nothing," Sirius replied.
Regulus rolled his eyes. He was in no shape to deal with his annoying brother right now, but gestured for him to continue and took a sip from his mug.
"Looks like you had a lot of fun yesterday," Sirius said.
"Maybe it's because I was having fun," Regulus explained, leaning back in his chair.
For the first time in ages, he then added in his mind.
Regulus had so much fun the last time he and Sirius played tag in the garden as kids. One of the few moments when their parents allowed the boys to be children.
"And you and James– you get along well?" the older brother asked, trying to sound casual so his brother wouldn't end the conversation.
Sirius was lucky. Regulus was still too tired to realize what exactly Sirius was trying to imply with his questions.
"He's nice company," Regulus said. "He's easy to talk to. Not like those idiots in first-class."
Sirius put his cup down and looked at his brother in surprise. He hadn't expected that. His little brother always had problems with strangers or people in general.
Regulus just didn't like them.
Something about James, however, was different. If Sirius didn't know better, he would say that Regulus liked James.
But Regulus did know better, did he?
"So, you like James?" Sirius asked bluntly.
Regulus sat up in his chair and narrowed his eyes at Sirius.
"Why do you ask?" Regulus asked suspiciously.
"Because I want you to be happy and yesterday you were. Or do you think I didn't notice the looks you and James gave each other throughout the evening."
"What looks? Sirius, I think, you had a little too much to drink yesterday."
Sirius rolled his eyes, resting his forearms on the table and looking at his brother with unusual seriousness.
"Listen, you know I'm always on your side and when you and James-"
"There's no James and I," Regulus interrupted, hissing. "We are– I don't know what we are."
"Then you should find out before the ship docks in America. Because there's a chance, you'll never see him again."
Regulus scoffed. "Just like you'll never see Mr. Lupin again."
Sirius made a face. His brother knew his weak spot even if he had never told him. And Regulus shamelessly used that.
"Don't be like that. I am telling the truth, even if you don't want to hear it. Because I don't think Severus-"
Regulus didn't let his brother finish, got up and went inside.
"Regulus, come on. I'm sorry," Sirius called from behind him.
But the younger brother did not turn around. He wasn't mad at his brother– not really. Regulus didn't think he could ever be mad at his brother either.
"Regulus," Walburga snapped her son out of his thoughts.
She was sitting on the small sofa with a cup in her hand.
"Sit down," she said, pointing to her side.
"You're not to see that boy again. You understand? Regulus, I forbid it."
"Oh, stop it, Mother. You'll give yourself a nosebleed."
"This is not a game. When your father died, it became my job to find you and your brother suitable partners, and this– this boy certainly isn't."
Regulus said nothing and silently looked down at his hands that were placed on his lap.
"I don't understand you," Walburga said. "It is a fine match with Severus. It ensures your safety and offers you a good life."
"What if– what if I don't want that," Regulus asked.
Walburga let out a humorless laugh and put down her cup.
"Why are you being so selfish?" Walburga wanted to know seriously.
"I'm being selfish?" Regulus repeated in disbelief. "You expect me to spend the rest of my life with someone I have no feelings for."
Walburga scoffed. "Feelings."
She got up and grabbed her coat.
"Feelings are only for the poor and fortunate," Walburga said. "Your father and I have learned to respect each other over the years. You and Severus will be the same."
"It's so unfair," Regulus murmured.
He didn't just want to 'respect' the person he was spending his life with. He wanted it to be like one of the books he was reading. He wanted to know what it felt like to miss someone who was just in another room.
Regulus wanted true love.
"Of course, it's unfair," said Walburga, unexpectedly soft. "We're Blacks. Our choices are never easy."
She briefly put her hand on Regulus' shoulder and then left the room.