Interlude - Regulus's P.O.V
Regulus had woken that morning from a very good dream, One that was right on the fringes of his memory. The kind that if he rolled over and smushed his face into the pillow he just might be ablw to get back to it. But rolling over proved difficult when he realised morning wood is a thing and hed guess from the small damp spot near the front of his pyjama bottoms that the dream was way too good and he should absolutely go to the locker room this morning.
With a will of iron he crept from his bed, up the stairs holding his uniform to his chest. As soon as the big oak door closed behind him he all but sprintednover the feild to the locker room, wrenched open the door and flung himself inside. Even though it was approaching October the air inside the locker room was always warm, charmed that way. He glanced over at the spot where James had sat that day, a fleeting moment of dissapointment brushed over him before he made his way to the back of the room.
The locker room looked like you would imagine it, bricked and painted white, the shower stalls were at the back, they were charmed so that noone could see into them and they were real stalls. The water was always hot, almost too hot just the way he liked it and he just felt more comfortable here than he did in the dorm bathrooms or the prefect bathroom.
Quickley he undressed and stepped into the shower turning the knobs till he got a lovely hot spray of water over him. Only once there was a massive amount of hot steam did Regulus reach down and do the thing his body had been begging him to do since he awoke from that very lovely dream.
He finished his shower leisurely, dressed slowly and made his way back to the castle for his first lesson, Potions. Regulus loved potions, the attention to detail, the methodical process, it calmed him in a way that very little else ever could. Upon entering his usual classroom he found a notice saying that slughorn would be teaching both his class and the upper level gryffindors in leu of his usual professor being off sick with some form of dragon pox. Shrugging Regulus moved to the classroom adjacent and took his seat. Watching as the rest of the students filled the room. Barty, Evan and Dorcas made their way to him, sitting at his station and rolling their eyes at gryffindors.
"That McKinnon is cute" Dorcas giggled, it was the worst kept secret that Dorcas was queer, she made no effort to hide it even if it was frowned upon, stating that shed rather be subjected to alsorts than pretend to be who she is. Regulus admired her greatly, he could never admit what he felt to anyone really. Dorcas knew but he figgured that had more to do with Dorcas than himself, and Evan wasnt openly gay but to those who knew him it wasnt hard to spot the way his eyes glazed over in the dorm when barty was shirtless.
Barty was a mystery, he could be or he could not be and he could be simply because it would piss off his dad. It in theory could be anything with bartys personal brand of insanity really.
Regulus loved his friends, other than Sirius he had never known love really, he knew loyalty and he knew pain but he had never known love. What he wouldnt give to be able to love someone fully, love someone who would love him back, unconditionally. The way the sun loves the moon.
Slughorn was talking now, about creating a potion which would kill anything - Draft of the living dead. Complex really but simple enough for Regulus (the self proclaimed potions prodigy) to be able to do. Well that was until slughorns great idea of pairing the Slytherins with the Gryffindors. (Wonderful truly.) Regulus rolled his eyes so hard that he feared theyd get stuck inside his skull.
"Lupin and Rosier" A groan from both parties could be heard and Barty giggled, poking poor Evan in the side. The way Evan looked down nervously was somthing else though, a tiny blush creeping up his throat. Remus was attractive to say the least. Tall with broad shoulders, scars on his face, he had a certain aura around him too that all but oozed danger. Evan was in for a treat working with the quiet boy.
"Evans and Sewylin" Unusual but atleast it kept him away from Regulus who LOATHED Sewylin (Him and Snape both)
"Pettigrew and Crouch" Barty groaned, he wasnt a fan of the mousy boy in the slightest. The way he was so mediocre, always running to James and Sirius and away from any kind of figuht
"Black and Snape" Reguluses head snapped up, just in time to see his jackass brother plead with someone else about it. He didnt envy him at all. Snape was awful, Truly the worst kind of person. He'd started off okay really in Reguluses first year, nothing too shabby about him other than his clothes and the boy was good at potions and then the oureblood agenda got him and since then... Well lets say Regulus wouldnt mourn him if he was to be in an unfortunate accident.
"Meadows and McKinnon" That had Regulus poking Dorcas in the ribs subtly especially since her earlier comment
"Potter and the younger Black" Did he hear that right? Did slughorn just place him with the object of his obsession?
Regulus all but pleaded with Dorcas with his eyes not to leave him with James. Alas she had other ideas and leaned down to whisper.
"Maybe Slughorn is a match-maker" and with a wink she was sauntering to Marlene leaving Regulus to stew with the information that he would have to work with James.
"Erm, Hi" James spoke, he was adorable when he was nervous, gripping the back of his neck and showing off the muscles of his arms. Those damn muscles would be Reguluses downfall really, the way they rippled and moved.
"Hello James" Regulus kept his voice soft, he didnt look up at James, He didnt look anywhere than at the ingredients on his station and the soft flickering of the flame. James moved slowly, so slowly until finally he stood at his side.
"Hello Regulus" He breathed, his voice so close to a whisper right over the shell of reguluses ear. The younger boy shivered, trying desperatley to suppress the tiniest of pink blushes creeping up his neck. Being so close to him was something else. James Potter smelt like freshly cut grass, and boy, and Jasmine. His pores all but blasted the scent of Jasmine at him. Regulus had to repeatley squash the urge to reach out and touch his arm, his hand. Anything really. Instead he opted for speaking
"James, are you going to stand there looking pretty all lesson or are you going to help me?" Reguluses voice came out sterner than he wanted, and the other boy simply stood there for what seemed like forever before taking a seat on the little stools and softly speaking.
"I erm, I dont do so well with potions if I actually have to touch them" James sounded shy, sheepish even, like it was some great secret that the almighty potter wasn't immediatley brilliant at something.
"Well I guess that explains why ive never seen you so much as look at the blackbored" He muttered. "Fine, stay out of the way." He hadnt meant to sound so exasperated, he'd meant to sound light and playful but it never worked not really. Side effect of being a Black, Sirius had got all the fun flirty genes and Regulus was merely better looking. But Regulus was smiling ever so slightly and hoped that James caught.
Regulus really did love potions, so much so that he had forgotten everything except for the ingredients infront of him. He forgot all about James potter sitting on the bench, he forgot about how being close to him made Regulus feel. He forgot about the classroom and the time and simply focussed on brewing the best damn potion slughorn had ever seen. He hadnt seen it coming hed been so obsessed with his task that when James spoke it confused him for a moment until the words registered.
"Beautiful" He had whispered, Regulus's concentration was broken as his eyes on their own accord flicked up to meet the amber hue of James's.
Regulus watched in slow motion when James realised whatche said, his own mouth falling open just a little bit. James was something else, like a greek god carved out of stone. Olive skin, dark brown hair and eyes the same colour as Honey in sunlight. His lips were pink, browning at the edges and his nose was straight (A great thing considering how many times it had been broken) Regulus lost to the rest of the world as he looked at James potter, As he watched James potter watching him everything else ceased to exist as his entire person focussed on him. On the dusting of freckles along his cheekbones and the strong arch of his brows, on the way his adams apple bobbed as he swallowed.
It was no good, Regulus knew the second he looked into those eyes of preserved amber that he was a gonner, he was done for. Oh and just to top it off the object of his obsession had just called him Beautiful. Regulus caught james James looking around, seeing if anyone else was watching them, if anyone else had heard what he had just said. For a second Regulus thought he regretted what had blurted from his mouth but instead James Potter shocked him.
Gently, oh so gently he pressed his forefinger to Reguluses chin and applied the tiniest of pressure. Closing Regulus's mouth and then gripping his chin between his thum and finger James leaned in. For a fleeting second he could of sworn he was going to kiss him (Oh my god. Please let him kiss me) was what was rattling around in his head. Instead James spoke barely a whisper while looking directly into his eyes."Beautiful"
Has regulus died and gone to heaven? Did he really just say that too me? Surely im being punked? What the fuck is going on? Is potter queer? Does he like me? What the fuck?
Thoughts whirred round his head like bees in a hive, rendering Regulus useless. Putty in the other boys hands, As it happens Regulus spoke before his brain had become fully functioning again
"You shouldnt say things that arent true" He whispered before he returned to his flurry of activity.
"I'm offended, that you think the mighty James Potter a liar" James's fake offended voice nearly had Regulus laugh, a poor attempt at trying to defuse the tension that he had created and from there the lesson continued. Regulus after giving up on being quiet proceeded to question James about things (Mainly potions because hes so original).
"So, why dont you touch the potions James?"
"Because I have a tendancy of blowing up the cauldrons"
"Are you good at any potion?" he asked almost laughing
"I make a mean pepper up potion. Its the only one i tend to need and therefore the only one i dont usually fuck up" James shrugged.
"Do you not dabble in Anti Anxiety potions Potter?"
James shook his head "I never get them right and i usually end up more anxious" Regulus nodded. athe next question off James caught him off guard. He hadnt realised thenother boy had been paying much attention to him. Not in the way Regulus had been watching him anyway (Wrong)
"Where were you at breakfast?"
Regulus paused for a moment before shocking James by answering him (Something he was convinced he was going to do until the words sprouted from him)
"I was at the locker room, dealing with something" He muttered
"Has someone been bothering you?" James's voice was sharp, sharper than he had ever heard it and low low and dangerous. It did things to him, things he wished he could hide away to think about later. Instead he snorted
"No-one would dare to bother me James. I'm heir to the most nobel house of Black remember?" He sighed. "I was dealing with something else. Something that required a place where most people wouldnt be before breakfast"
The look of bewilderment on the older boys face amused Regulus, well until a different look replaced it, a look of knowing and suddenly he wished he had let James touch the potion so it would blow up and kill him.
"Oh" James whispered
"Yeah" Regulus was the one who looked sheepish now as he stirred the potion clock wise. They stood in tension filled silence for a moment a very mortified Regulus staring into his potion. And then there was a bang. A very loud bang, alot of yelling, and a fast approaching green smoke.
"What the fuck" was the only words to come out of James's open mouth.
All at once Reguluses skin went cold, his breathing became shallow and his heart rate sped up. His hands began to shake and he was thrown into a memory. One of Wallaburga Black throwing things at Regulus, of throwing Sirius around the room and into furniture. He was thrown into a memory head first with no ability to climb back out on his own.
"Mother please," he had begged. It wasnt Siriuses fault it was that damn house elf that had left the stove on. It was her own foolishness that had caused her to burn through her new robes. She had thrown them on the stove.
"Stop crying Regulus" she had screamed turning her wand on him and levitating him into the air. "Black's do not cry. You will stop at once" Her thrill voice sent another wave of tears down his face.
"Mother leave Regulus out of this!" Sirius was yelling now too, pleading for his younger brother has he stayed suspended in mid air. Sirius was on his knees, Blood pouring from a gash on his head. "Let Regulus go" He tried again.
Suddenly he was falling, falling, falling until he hit the ground head first with a thump and his eyesight goes black.
He can hear Sirius screaming, he can hear Wallaburga using the cruciatus curse on him. He can hear the begging of his own voice that isnt attached to his body as he begs and begs her to stop.
She doesn't stop.
Out of nowhere another voice penetrates the memory.
"Regulus we have to go now, that smoke is toxic" James spoke softly but he couldnt answer, he couldnt move. His limbs were heavy and his eyesight black still. Still trapped inside with his mother, being thrown out of the dining room and into the grandfather clock in the hall. Cradling his wrist that he knew was broken.
"Regulus, come on we have to leave the classroom" James tried again. Somewhere in the back of Regulus's mind he knew he was shaking. Shaking with the effort it took not to scream, with the effort it took to remember that he was in a classrom but still he didn't move.
Please leave him alone. He was banging on the door now, The screaming had stopped from Sirius now it was simply sobbing. Sobbing with promises to do better, be better.
Another voice was heard, Evan
"Pick him up. He cant do anything right now to help himself so pick him up." he said, he knew he was trapped in his own head the noise of the bang and Sirius's voice had sent him there. It was the reason he couldn't stand to be near his brother. If he was talking to him directly he could hold back the memories, the flashbacks but like this he was flooded with them. His nervous system shot.
Regulus remained in the memory, reliving it until a voice he knew was Dorcas meadows, his bestfriend was heardm
"Ill take him, Potter. Thank you for getting him out of there"
Regulus had no idea how much time had passed by the time he had come back into the present. He was lay on his bed, his head in Dorcas's lap, she was running her nails over his scalp. Whispering that it's okay, that hes not there, that wallaburga cant get him here. Telling him that it was just a memory.
Slowly, Regulus opened his eyes.
"There you are. We have some Camomile tea for you" She crooned. Her voice was soft, gentle ad she helped him into sitting position and handed the cup to him.
"Potter got you to me" She muttered as he nestled into his bed, blanket oulled round his still too cold frame.
"I think he might have a thing for you" Dorcas stood up as Regulus made himself comfortable in his bed, where he would stay for the remainder of the day; Either asleep or reading.
Tomorrow he would need to explain to potter, to thank him for not leaving him behind but thwt was tomorrow. For today Regulus would stay bundled up in his bed.
It was very late when Regulus realised he could still smell James Potter. After moving around and using his eyes he realised why.