breakfast table conversations
December 25th, 1979
Regulus had always loved Christmas, it had a special place in his heart. even though his previous Christmas days hadn’t always been too great, he always tried to see the best in these cold days.
for the first time in what must have been years, it was actually snowing during Christmas. Regulus didn’t know if he liked snow very much, or if he actually just hated it; all he knew was that summer was his favorite.
he made his way into his bathroom and took a nice hot shower, he liked— loved, it when the water felt like it was burning his skin, like he was bacon in a frying pan.
Regulus then got dressed and went downstairs, not even halfway down the stairs, he could already smell Mrs. Potter’s famous cinnamon bread, and suddenly the day felt better already.
“good morning, Regulus! how are you feeling today?” Euphemia asked him, as she ushered him to sit down at the table, putting a huge mug of tea in front of him not even a minute later.
“i’m great. you?” he asked her, sipping the tea.
“i’m good too, thank you.” she said, sitting down on the seat across of him. she folded her hands together as she accio-ed her cup of tea from the kitchen island.
“Mrs. Potter—” Regulus started but Euphemia interrupted him.
“it’s Effie for you, dear.” she smiled sweetly and took another sip, Regulus smiled too.
“do you think… do you think Pettigrew saw me, the other day?” Regulus stuttered a bit, which was very unlike him.
“if i’m being completely honest,” she started, and he looked at her in fear. “i don’t know, i’m sorry. but no matter what, you will be save, Regulus. I’ll make sure of it personally, if that is necessary.” Regulus dropped his head into his hands.
“didn't you say Voldemort trusts you? if he really does, i think he’d believe you faster than he would believe Peter.” Euphemia grabbed Regulus’s hands and made him look at her.
“nothing will happen to you, as long as i’m here.” Regulus smiled sadly, he knew she was absolutely being honest, but he didn’t want to feel like he’d have to depend his safety on someone else.
“thank you.” she smiled and nodded, as if telling him it was nothing to worry about.
“i,” she started again, making Regulus look up. “i still find it so strange to believe, everything with Peter.” she sighed.
“when the boys told me what you had told them, i literally couldn’t believe it. because it’s you know, Peter!” Euphemia let out a sigh. “that same Peter that spend oh so many Christmas days here, sitting in the same seat as you are right now!” Regulus looked down at his seat. “Peter was like my son, he had been for all those years. it was so hard to even fully realize what he had done.”
“i’m so sorry, about that.” Regulus answered. “i didn’t know him that well, i wasn’t friends with him, or anything. i just remember having to tell my brother and James and Remus what i had heard and the moment i saw their faces i knew what kind of damage it had done.”
“don’t beat yourself up for that, Regulus. you did the right thing, who knows what could have happened if you hadn’t. any of us could have been dead by now.” Euphemia gave him a sad smile.
“who could have been dead by now?” James asked as he came walking inside the kitchen, half sleeping Lily on his side.
“oh no one, dear! Regulus and I were just chatting about a book i lend him.” Euphemia walked towards her son and his girlfriend, gave them both a hug.
“merry Christmas, you two.”
“merry Christmas, mum.” James said, sitting down where Euphemia had just previously sat, Lily was helping her prepare breakfast.
“mornin’ Reg.” James said. big smile on his face, as always.
“morning Bambi.” Regulus said with a smirk, knowing (from Sirius) how much it bothered James to be called Bambi.
“hey hey hey! i get that you’re alright with your brother again, but there’s no need to pick up some of his nasty comments.” James laughed, making Regulus grin.
“oh but there is!” Regulus said, seeing James fake being offended.
“i’m deeply offended by that, Black.”
they chatted for a bit, and in the meantime the others slowly made their ways downstairs as well. Sirius and Remus coming downstairs the latest of them all, both of them looking like corpses.
“oh good thing you guys are finally here! i was about to send one of these guys up to check on you.” Euphemia said as she ushered them into their seats.
Regulus saw Remus give Sirius a side eye and he almost spit out his tea.
the breakfast was, as always, beautifully set up and absolutely delicious. everyone was happy, it almost made Regulus forget about the war. and about the fact that he would have to return back to school in a couple of days.
James looked at Lily, who then gave him a brow up and mouthed something, to which he nodded and smiled, so did she.
“we uh, we have to tell you something.” James started, big smile still plastered onto his face.
“i’m pregnant!” Lily said, happily.
“Merlin are you serious?” Euphemia said, stunned, when she saw them both nod she stood up and made her way over there. “oh my god that is the greatest news! i am so so so happy for you guys!” she looked like she couldn’t believe her eyes, and wrapped both of them in a massive, tight hug.
Mr. Potter was smiling too, hugging the hell out of the both of them as well. Regulus was so happy for them, he already knew that they were going to be the best parents ever.
“does that mean…” Sirius said, staring straight ahead of him with a smile lingering on his face. “i’m gonna be an uncle,” he looked at Remus. “that we’re gonna be uncles?”
James looked at Sirius with a big smile as Sirius practically jumped up and ran into his arms.
“i’m gonna be an uncle!!”
most of them were crying by now, Regulus joined the group and hugged both Lily and James. god was he happy for them. it felt like his smile could never even get off his face anymore, he was that happy.
“have you guys decided on a name yet?” Mr. Potter asked them, having them shake their heads in return.
“we’re not far along to tell what it’s going to be, yet. but we’re thinking about,” James looked at Lily, who nodded. “Harry, if it’s a boy, or Jane if it’s a girl.”
“whatever their name will be, they will be the luckiest and happiest baby in the world, guaranteed with parents like you guys.” Mr. Potter said, as James put an arm around Lily.
the rest of the morning all of them were happy, they ate more food and sang Christmas like they were drunk on fire whiskey.
Regulus loved it.
they spend the entirety of the day on the land the Potter’s owned, having snowball fights, and doing whatever their hearts desired. a bit later Euphemia called them all in for lunch, where she had made an Indian soup filled with potatoes and vegetables, and lots of spices. it might have been the most delicious thing Regulus had ever eaten.
apparently the Potter’s used to have big Christmas party’s, but ever since the war they kept silent. Regulus preferred that anyway; he didn’t feel like walking around with the invisibility cloak all night, or even worse, sitting alone in his room all night.
normally he didn’t mind that but on god’s forsaken Christmas? no, that would just be sad.
“oi Reg!” Remus ran up to him, limping a little bit, like he always did.
“hi.” Regulus said, as he smiled a big smile, flinching a bit at the bright light of the sun.
“you’ve been a bit quiet, what’s up?” Remus sat down on the chair next to him. the view from the chairs was basically all of them having fun in the snow like a bunch of little children, Remus seemed to enjoy it as well.
“nothing.” Regulus didn't feel like complaining about the Peter thing all over again, and he especially didn’t want to bother any of the boys with it.
“is it about… Pete…r?” he added the R a little later, as if he wasn’t used to calling him Peter again. Regulus nodded softly.
“i don’t wanna bother any of you with it, it’s hard enough for you guys as it is.” he smiled sadly at Remus.
“i don’t mind talking about it,” Remus stopped for a bit, not really knowing if he should talk or not. “could actually need someone to talk about it, in all honesty.” he looked at James and Sirius. “they don’t talk about it, which i get! i mean i get that you wouldn’t wanna talk about and that’s what i wanted at first too; i wanted to forget about it but you just… you can’t.”
“it’s just. i would have never expected something like that, not from any of us, not from Peter.” he sighed. “i still don’t understand it… why did he do it? was it a part of his plan since way before Hogwarts? was he forced into it? did he just randomly decide—”
“Remus.” Regulus interrupted him.
“sorry.” Remus chuckled. “it did feel good, though.” Regulus now let out a laugh too.
“it’s just not worth getting worked up for, you know.” Regulus convinced him.
“you’re right, i guess.”
“that sounds faithful…?” Regulus giggled, as Remus elbowed him.
“oh you know what i mean!”