Chapter 20
They ended up icing cupcakes, terribly, both of them dropping icing on the long wooden counter at least six times. Effy didn’t seem to mind, though. They worked in the servant's quarters, which still had the bell system on the wall, although hadn’t had a chef other than Effy in the past 25 years. Effy, who in her spare time ran a successful charity, helped out with the national trust, substituted for any sick teachers in the village school, and spent countless days organising and hosting parties in her large home, had made sure that her first job was running the home.
She was far different from Regulus’ mother like this. Walburga didn’t know how to cook, and wouldn’t even know what a vacuum cleaner was. She also didn’t keep Regulus’ room in mint condition, as Effy did, or hug him, as Effy did. She wouldn’t dream of having him ice anything for a party in her home. She’d have people hired for that, and if they made as much as a mess as James and he did, they’d be fired.
By half 6, she ordered them both upstairs to get dressed. “It’s smart casual, Regulus. My son told me he forgot to tell you about this event, but any Black family member always has at least a neat jumper with them, I’ve come to know.”
“I have something,” he nodded, smiling.
“Well, great. Showers and dressed, down here for half 7 to help me set out drinks, okay?” They both nodded, obeying the orders by shuffling back into the main part of the house. Regulus figured he’d get lost during his time here, no doubt, but he didn’t say that as he silently followed James upstairs, departing to his own room once outside it.
He unpacked as quickly as he could, hanging his shirts, jumpers, and blazers up in the wardrobe before laying out his outfit for the evening, slipping into the bathroom attached to his room. It was vintage seeming, but the shower worked well enough, and Regulus felt much better after it.
He spent too long fixing his jumper in the mirror before finally drying his hair, sitting on the edge of his bed as he did so. He had a hairdryer in his bag, but he felt embarrassed about taking it out. He simply rubbed his head with his towel, shaking his head occasionally.
James knocked on his door, eventually, and he almost jumped, stumbling to open it. James looked like he’d stepped out of a catalogue, his hair seeming full of volume, his eyes sparkling behind his glasses, his checkered trousers seeming pressed, and his grey jumper ironed. “Ready?” He questioned.
Regulus nodded, forcing himself not to blatantly check out his host. He couldn’t help but notice James’ eyes travelling over his appearance, though. He didn’t say anything, as he slipped past James starting his way to the staircase as James quietly shut his bedroom door.
“I need the bottles of champagne laid out on the hall table, okay? Glasses, here, cakes, here,” Effy pointed out random things for them to do, which they then did. The simplistic set-up was easy to follow. James, who had obviously done this before, glided around the room, setting things out before he had to be asked. Regulus clumsily followed suit, helping Monty set up the discrete speakers that he placed on the mantle place, and by the door, helping him pick a selection of Christmas music.
Eventually, guests began arriving, shuffling through the large entryway, all dressed in nice clothes. Some brought bottles of wine, others whiskey. A few brought boxes of chocolate, which Monty seemed most impressed with, lighting up at the sight of them. They all got stowed away, although Regulus couldn’t figure out where. Monty didn’t seem to disappear from the party at all.
James got passed around the neighbours, different women seeming to make an effort to catch up with the strapping young man, while their husbands made small talk with him about university. Regulus managed to float around, occasionally getting stopped to chat with people he didn’t know. “I’m James’ friend,” he explained, when asked, leading people to nod, eyebrows threatening to rise. They didn’t, though.
“Regulus is with us for the holidays!” Effy interrupted one of these conversations, placing her hands on his arms, giving him a comforting squeeze. “Get him out of the city for a bit!”
He wondered, vaguely, if James had told his parents everything that went on between him and Sirius. Sirius, although not the Potter’s child, was almost seen as one. Regulus couldn’t help but notice the framed picture of the four of them hanging on the wall, below a large group of others. His days here were going to be plagued with the memory that this was his brother safe haven. Not his. James had taken him home for the holidays, sure, but he’d taken Sirius home for almost two years.
“You’ll like it here at Christmas, Regulus! It’s like magic! Always snows, y’know?” A man who was standing with them said.
“Like in the movies?” Regulus questioned, taking a small sip of his champagne.
“Exactly like that!” The man grinned, raising his own glass ever so slightly.
An hour later, James had finished greeting his public. He ended up slinking towards Regulus, who stood in the corner, by the cupcake table, staring into his glass. “You’re not having fun.”
“I am!” Regulus defended. “This is lovely!”
“But you’re bored,” James pointed out. Regulus simply shrugged, unable to argue. He was kind of bored. “Come with me.” His friend ordered, turning away.
Regulus followed James out of the large hall, through a different door than he had gone through to get to the kitchens. They ended up in a large living room, with wallpaper from a hundred years ago, and oil paintings hanging from the walls, but also a large couch with blankets thrown over it, and a large DVD player. James closed the door, quietly, which drowned out the endless Christmas music. “We’ll watch something, shall we?”
Regulus nodded, falling onto the couch next to James who had grabbed the remote, pointing it at the tv as he jabbed the on button. “What’s on?”
James shrugged, beginning to go through the tv guide on the screen, eyes scanning for something interesting. “Back to the Future 3 is about to start!” He lit up, selecting the channel before dropping the remote. “Sorry, I would ask what you wanted to watch, but this… Nothing tops this, Reggie!”
“Is it a film?” Regulus questioned, eyeing the ads playing for Christmas nibbles.
James made an exaggerated gasping noise. “Regulus Black… Have you never seen Back to the Future?!”
Regulus weakly shrugged, and James almost fell off the couch, scrambling to get to the cabinet under the tv, which he opened, revealing a row of DVD boxes. He ran his finger along them, finally grabbing a silver case. “Okay, we have to watch them all.”
“All?!” Regulus rose an eyebrow.
“Yes, all! They’re the best films of all time, Reggie!” He was scolding, turning on the DVD player under the tv as he went, closing the cupboard. “How have you never seen these films?!”
“I don’t watch a lot of films.”
“What about Ferris Bueller?” James asked. Regulus shook his head as the boy gaped. “Stand by me? The Breakfast Club? 10 Things I Hate About You? North by Northwest? The Sound of Music?!”
“I don’t watch films,” he shrugged again.
James made a loud scoffing noise, changing his tv setting until the loading screen of his DVD player showed up. “This is sick, Regulus. Awful. How have you reached adulthood without watching these classics?!”
“I don’t know!” He defended. He felt somewhat tired. He could probably drop off halfway through the first film. James was so enthusiastic about watching it, he probably wouldn’t notice.
James crashed back onto the couch beside him, pressing play on the menu screen. “We’re going to watch films this week, Reggie. Lots of them. All of them. Next week, Christmas films, but this week, the classics! We’ll educate you.”
“Sure,” Regulus nodded, yawning into his arm.
They both sat side by side as the film began, and although his eyes felt heavy, Regulus gradually woke up a bit more, watching with interest as the film went on. Although the plot was questionable, he found himself enjoying it more and more, and he enjoyed the facts James gave him too.
“They had someone else cast for Marty, y’know, but he ended up taking the role too seriously so they cast Fox, which I think was genius, because he’s brilliant, of course,” James excitedly told him.
“What’s the dog's name?” Regulus mildly responded.
“Einstein!” James told him, beaming.
They were almost finished the film when Monty poked his head inside the living room, veering around the door to glance at the tv. “Doc!” He mimicked Marty’s voice, causing James to laugh as he probably had done a million times before, and Regulus to smile. “Your mother thinks you disappeared, Jamie.”
“Reggie has never seen the Back to the Future films, dad,” James confessed, and Monty gawked for a moment.
“Regulus! How haven’t you seen them?!”
“I had never even heard of them until James told me about them an hour ago,” Regulus defended himself. “It’s good, though.”
“Best film of all time,” Monty nodded.
“That’s what James said.”
“I raised him to have taste,” Monty shrugged. “Right, I better round up the stragglers and get rid of them before you stick the second one on. That’s the best one, Regulus!”
“Bring us in one of those chocolate boxes, too?” James requested.
“I might,” his father disappeared back out the door.
“Your dad's really nice,” Regulus said after a few moments, the band on the tv beginning to play Earth Angel.
“He’s the best,” James agreed. “I think he’s happy to have you here.”
“Is he?” Regulus questioned, eyebrows raising.
“Well, he’s happy as long as you’re not with your parents. He knows what they’re like… He was kind of disheartened when you couldn’t come before,” James explained. Regulus mentally wracked his brain, attempting to recall a time he was invited before. James watched him for a second before clenching his fist, his face dropping. “That fucker, god.”
“What?”
“Last year I asked Sirius to pass on that you were welcome for Christmas. He said you had declined because you had the party to attend, and studying to do. He didn’t even tell you, did he?” James questioned, and Regulus couldn’t help but shake his head. “God, he’s such a prick.”
“He’s not,” Regulus weakly protested, but James was shaking his head.
“You don’t have to defend him all the time, Reggie. He’s been a tosser to you these past months. It doesn’t matter if he was nice before, he’s a dick right now,” James huffed. “I’m just sorry I didn’t see it sooner.”
The movie was still playing, although it seemed much quieter than it had before. “Dorcas said you’re not talking to him, is that true?”
James looked away, eyes flickering towards the tv screen. “I’m not at the moment, no.”
Regulus frowned, looking at the tv too. “You’ll forgive him, though, won’t you?”
James sighed, audibly, shaking his head ever so slightly. “Soon, probably. But for now, no.”
Regulus thought it over, knowing he could say more, knowing he should ask more, but Effy was pushing into the room, grinning widely. “I hear you’re watching Back to the Future!”
“I feel like this family likes this film,” Regulus mumbled as Effy sank into the armchair beside them.
“Slightly,” Effy grinned over her shoulder. Monty finally returned, a box of chocolates under his arm. “Ryan leave?”
“Finally,” he nodded, sinking into the other armchair. He threw the box to James, smiling. “Brought the good ones!”
“Cheers,” James grinned, opening it up. “Reggie hasn’t seen the John Hughes films either!”
“Well, Regulus, seems like we’ll have a busy week!” Effy grinned, turning up the volume.