Chapter Text
James Potter is what you would call the social type. James Potter does not have any enemies. James Potter is the kindest, most handsome, most gentleman-like student in Hogwarts. James Potter is the golden gryffindor boy and is cherished by everyone. James Potter is everything Regulus hates and more.
What people don't know about James Potter is that he is a liar and a thief. James stole the only anchor in Regulus’ life and left him with nothing. James Potter stole Sirius Black, Regulus’ only brother. Now he hates both of them. He hates every one of his brother's rotten friends with a passion.
As Regulus sits in the dingy coupe of the Hogwarts Express, he looks out the window into the dark glow of the moon that shines above the horizon. It’s a rainy day as the droplets on the window slide by his eyesight. His friends, Evan, Barty, Pandora and Dorcas all sit in the same coupe. Regulus did not want to attend his 6th year of Hogwarts. He’d rather die than study the same materials he already knew, not to mention see his brother pass by him every single day. But Regulus would choose anything other than staying in the prison of what he used to call his home. He would prefer to suffer the everlasting tortures of long boring hours in the same classes than be in the presence of one Walburga and Orion Black. He finally came to the right decision. He knew it was for the better… right? He couldn’t stay there anymore. Running away was the only option. For now he would stay in Hogwarts and as for summer he would come up with something. Hell he’d live in the streets if it was the only option left, anything other than staying in the Black household. Regulus shudders at the thought, making his friends turn towards him.
“Are you cold Reg?” Barty asks with concern in his eyes. Regulus just shakes his head. He really isn’t in the mood to talk right now.
“It’s a fairly cold September this year. I wouldn't blame you. Some say that it’s going to be the coldest year in a long time.” Pandora says, looking out the window.
“Oh come on Pandora, a little cold won’t do anything to you.” Evan steps in.
“I disagree. Cold is literally the epitome of sadness and misery. There are no cons, none at all..” Dorcas defends her friend. Barty laughs and adds into the conversation.
“Not everyone hates cold weather, you know?”
“Oh yeah? Name one person who prefers the cold.” Dorcas retorts back. Everyone turns their heads towards Regulus.
“Just because I like autumn doesn't mean I like the cold weather.” Regulus finally breaks the silence. Dorcas raises her eyebrows as if to say ‘see?’. Barty thinks for a while then snaps his fingers.
“Frank Longbottom” he says out loud. Evan snorts and both of them start to laugh, getting disappointed glances from Pandora and Dorcas.
“Ok, ok what about… Gilderoy?” Evan continues, clearly having way too much fun with their new game.
“Oh Merlin no,” Dorcas makes a disgusted face “that narcissistic asshole would cry his pants off in the cold weather. He’s more of a… summer addict.”
“Do you know who else is a summer addict?” Evan and Barty lock eyes as if reading each other's minds.
“James Potter” they say in unison barking out laughs. Regulus’ twitches his nose at the name.
“Quite the contrary, I think he would be a spring type of person.” Pandora hums.
“I’ve got to agree with the boys on this one Pandora. James screams summer.”
“That’s only because you don’t know him, Dorcas. None of you do, so you just assume.”
“And you do?” Barty asks.
“I have had a few encounters with him, yes. And from what I’ve seen he projects the season spring. He’s very considerate and kind.” Regulus scoffs at this, once again turning everyone's attention on him.
“Something funny?” Barty says smiling, knowing exactly what’s about to come.
“I wouldn't exactly call James Potter considerate and kind Pandora.” Regulus decides to join in the conversation.
“Well you’d be the first” Evan bites down a laugh. Regulus gives him a look and turns back at Pandora.
“Why do you think so, Reg?” she asks in a calm demeanor. Regulus realizes he doesn’t really want to answer this question. No one really knows about the details of Sirius’ betrayal to the Black family. About how Regulus’ only brother left him to rot in that prison hole. They all just assumed the basics. That Sirius left the Black home and never came back. No one knew why Regulus hated Sirius and all of his friends. Especially James.
“Just my opinion. No reason.” he decides. Before any of them can say anything a commotion starts outside making everyone jump and turn towards the sliding door of their coupe. There is a kind of chanting outside and a couple of grunts and screams. Dorcas, being the closest to the door, slides it open to see for herself. Regulus readies his wand just in case his friend needs his help. What he doesn’t expect to see is Dorcas smiling. She folds her arms and smirks at the scene in front of her. Regulus looks at the rest of his friends with his eyebrows furrowed. They all look at each other shrugging. They finally stand up and join beside Dorcas. Regulus was not expecting what he was seeing in front of him.
The man he despises, James Potter, wrestling Severus Snape in the narrow hallway of the Hogwarts Express, a bit further away from his coupe. Some of the students are doing the same as them, looking out in the hallway, while some are passing by and stopping for a good view. People are chanting the words ‘fight, fight, fight’, filling the train with loud eruptions. It makes Regulus furious.
He squeezes through the people to try to get a better look. His friends try to stop him but he’s able to slip from their grip and get closer towards the fight. Regulus wasn’t sure what he was trying to do, but he knew he had to get closer. After shoving everyone out of his way and literally kneeling down to get to his destination he halts to a stop. Once up close he can see James on top of Snape trying to hold him down while Snape is trying to wriggle out of his hold.
“Say it again, I dare you to say that sh*t again!” James screams at Severus.
“What? That your brother dearest practically comes from incest?”
James looks furious, his veins popping out his head. Sirius is standing behind James trying his best to pull his best friend away from Snape while Remus and Peter try to back the people away from the scenery.
“James, it’s not worth it, leave it be.” says Sirius, still trying to pry James’ hands away from Snape. Regulus watches in awe as James doesn’t even flinch. His arms showing veins coursing through, his jaw clenched in a tight grip.
“Stop trying to be the hero.” Snape spits at Sirius. “You and all your friends are just little wanna be freaks. One is a pathetic people pleaser, the other is a lonely loser and last but not least, the wolf freak." Snape says in a low tone as if delivering the point for only Sirius to understand. Sirius’ jaw clenches as he starts to take his wand out.
“Sirius no!” Remus yells. Before Sirius can do anything, Mulciber, Snape’s pathetic friend, punches him in the face and he goes flying on to a Hufflepuff student. James’ attention gets caught as he stares at Sirius with worry in his eyes. Severus takes his chance and pulls out his wand, pointing it at James. Everyone goes quiet. Regulus clenches his fists, merely stopping from throwing himself at Snape.
“What? Scared Potter?” Severus smirks, wand pointed directly at James. Regulus’ mind whirs like a machine.
“Severus, think about this. You don’t want to do this. You’ll be expelled dipsh*t.” Remus talks in a varied tone, very obviously trying not to shake with fury.
“Anything to see that pathetic look on Potter’s face.” he laughs. “This is like a birthday wish come true” he grins disgustingly. If Regulus hated Snape, nothing compared to the hate he felt towards him right now.
“Dumbledore will kill you.” Peter added in.
“That old scumbag won’t do anything.” Mulciber spits out.
“No one’s talking to you asshole” Peter turns towards him. This snaps something inside of Mulciber as his disgusting grin turns into a low growl and takes his wand out too, pointing it right at Peter.
“Hey, hey! No! This is between me and you Snape. Tell your friend to lower his wand. If you want to hurt someone hurt me. Not them.” James raises his hands, trying to protect his friends. What is he doing? The idiot is going to get himself killed, Regulus thinks.
There is a long pause with an eerie quietness, every student looking at James and Snape. Snape motions at Mulciber to lower his wand. He tries to protest but Snape glares at him and he finally lowers his wand.
“You think I won’t do it?” Snape asks, daringly.
“You haven’t done anything so far have you?” James answers. I'm going to kill him, Regulus thinks.
“You’ve got a lot to say for someone who has a wand pointed at him.”
James shrugs. “I’m just crazy like that,” he smirks. Yup, I am really going to kill him.
Snape finally snaps. Regulus has to do something. Merlin, he has to do something. Then it hits him. His mother used to teach him about non-verbal spells, about how only the most powerful witches and wizards can cast spells without using their wands. His mother had tried to teach him some. Days of being locked in rooms with hoards of ancient books without food or water and hours of being under the influence of cruciatus curse does miracles, believe it or not. He tried to remember some charms that weren’t too obvious, when it finally clicked.
Snape starts to word out “Sectumsem-” when Regulus beats him to it. He cups his hands under his mouth and spells out “Confundus”. Suddenly, Snape's wand flies out of his hand and he punches himself in the face, falling on the ground with a grunt. James looks at his friends in bewilderment. They look back at him with the same expression. Sirius starts laughing and everyone joins him. The hallway is filled with laughter. Mulciber picks him up from the ground, but Snape pushes him away wiping the blood off his nose. Before he can cast another spell at James, the distant voice of a professor approaches them making everyone start to hurry back to their coupes. James looks around and locks eyes with Regulus. Regulus’ eyes widen as he stands frozen in place. He breaks eye contact by retracting back to his own coupe as fast as possible. He runs back and slides the door open to his own coupe, plopping himself down on the seat. He is met by his friends staring at him with raised eyebrows.
“What?” he asks.
“What was that about?” Dorcas asks.
“I just wanted to get a better look, that's all”
“Mmhmm” she hums accusingly.
“Just drop it”. She raises her hands in resignation.
“Did Snape really punch himself?” Evan asks with a grin.
“Oh I wish I could’ve seen that up close. How was it?” Barty chimes in.
Regulus just shrugs. “It looked painful. His nose was bleeding” he smirks. Barty and Evan start laughing and Dorcas gives a smile. Pandora is the only one not laughing. She just examines Regulus, as if trying to read him. She leans her head to the side, squinting her eyes at him. Regulus turns his gaze away from her and looks out the window. The rain has gotten worse since, the wind making the droplets crash onto the window. The drumming of the rain is oddly comforting to Regulus as he thinks back to the eye contact he had with James.
Merlin, the moron was going to be the death of him.
James sits in his coupe, deep in thought. Why was Regulus of all people right there? Was he just passing by? Did he want to get a glimpse of James getting beat to a pulp? Was he the one who… no that must’ve been a mere coincidence.
He looks up at his friends. Peter is sitting next to him, passing cotton swabs to Remus. Remus, who sits across from him, is jabbing the cotton on Sirius’ eyebrow, making the boy flinch every few seconds.
“Ow- Moony could you please take it down a notch with the jabbing?” Sirius’ winces.
“If you weren’t so stupid I wouldn’t even have to do this in the first place.” Remus replies back.
“Stupid? That lowlife was insulting my friends. I wasn’t going to just stand there and do nothing.”
“You think I didn’t want to break every bone in that dickhe*d's body? Sometimes you have to be the better person Sirius” he adds in, jabbing off the last of the blood. Sirius flinches once more. Remus picks up his wand and points at Sirius’ eyebrow.
“Episkey” he casts out. Sirius yelps as the wound starts to close up.
“I should’ve just let Prongs rip him to pieces. He sure deserved it. Hell I would’ve taken the blame if you got in trouble.” he says looking at James as he rubs his eyebrow.
“No, I'm glad you held me back. I don’t like losing myself in my anger.” James looks off into the distance, fiddling with his fingers. James hates being angry. He hates how he loses all control when fury takes him over.
“You guys should be glad nothing serious happened. Snape may not seem the type but he’s dangerous and unhinged. He could’ve seriously hurt you James.” Remus now looks at James with disappointment in his eyes.
“Why the hell would you provoke him?” Peter asks.
“I don’t know. I was trying to distract him from you guys.” James answers.
“Well I think you did amazing, Prongs.” Sirius smiles at him. James smiles back, regaining his light a bit. Remus gives Sirius a look, who looks back apologetically.
“What even happened to him?” Peter looks at his friends quizzically.
“I’m not sure. Maybe he cast the wrong spell.” Remus says.
“Or he’s just downright crazy.” Sirius laughs.
“In any case you’re incredibly lucky” Remus seems to end the topic right then and there. James thinks back to how he saw Regulus but decides not to bring it up.
***
After a long train ride they finally arrive at Hogwarts. James and his friends wait until every student exits the train while they pack their stuff up. Once they’re outside they’re greeted by horseless carriages. Sirius lightly pats the invisible air and sits inside. Remus gives him a sad look and James understands. There are things Sirius does not want to talk about from his childhood that made him leave that awful place and James will always respect that. The thought makes him think back to Regulus. He looks over to get a glimpse of him. His attention finally gets caught by flowy black curly hair. Regulus is standing next to a white haired girl, Pandora James assumes. They were both patting the air lost in conversation, seeing something that James could not, imitating Sirius. Then they hop on the carriage and trott away. James enters his own carriage and joins his friends.
When the carriages halt to a stop they enter the castle and start moving up the stairs towards the great hall. James suddenly hears running footsteps behind him. He turns around only to see Lily rushing towards him with Mary and Marlene right behind her. Before James can do anything Lily throws herself at him as James hurls backwards on the ground. He laughs and hugs her back. They get up and he brushes himself off. Lily suddenly punches him on the shoulder.
“Ouch- what was that for?” James asks in bewilderment.
“For scaring the life out of me dimwit.” she answers back.
“Good on you for not being dead goldy” Mary adds in with another punch on his shoulder.
“Ow- can everyone stop punching me?”
“Talking about punching, is it true that Snape punched himself in the face?” Marlene asks snickering.
“Hell yeah it is.” Sirius wraps his arm around Marlene.
“You don’t get to say anything. You also got punched by a slytherin. I would’ve expected better from you Sirius.” Mary tutts. Sirius gasps and gives her a look of utter shock.
“Excuse me, I was approached during my weakest point.”
“Wouldn’t be your first time” Peter mutters. Sirius unwraps his arm from Marlene and starts to chase Peter up the stairs. Remus rolls his eyes as Marlene and Mary join him, wrapping their arms around his.
“So, what really happened?” Lily appears behind James.
Lily Evans, the girl James has been in love with for years but always been turned down. They finally came to terms with being friends last year with a firm handshake and a kiss on the cheek from Lily. Now they treat each other as best friends, being there for each other whenever the other one needs support.
“Whatever do you mean?” James bumps her shoulder with his.
“How did it start? The argument?” she asks now with a more serious tone.
“Oh you know. Just the usual with Snape’s nasty remarks” James tries to tune down her worry. Lily looks down at her shoes.
“I can’t believe I used to be friends with him.” she whispers to herself, but James catches it. He cups her hands in his and she looks up at him.
“Lil’s, this isn’t your fault. You can be friends with whoever you want no matter how bad they treat me. As long as you’re safe and happy that’s alright with me.” James gives her a smile. Lily smiles back.
“Seriously, how do you not have a girlfriend?” Lily scoffs.
“Well, trying to woo the same girl for the last 6 years really limits my options, you know.” James leans his head and shrugs.
“Hey, that's not my fault!”
“Never said it was,” James smirks. Lily pulls his head down to level with her height and rubs her knuckles over his hair.
“Hey, easy on the hair. It takes a long time to get it to look like this, you know?” James says, ruffling his hair back to how it was before.
They finally approach the great hall and take their seats next to their friends.
The great hall is filled with students from 2nd year to 7th years. The humongous doors that were closed a few minutes ago now swing open as newcomers enter the great hall with professor McGonagal in the front, leading the 1st years who look around their surroundings with pure awe. They are welcomed by professor Dumbledore like every year and sorted into each house.
“Look at Snape’s little friend” Mary nods her head towards the slytherin table. Snape, who already had his nose healed, was sitting next to Mulciber who was now sneering at James as if he was trying to explode him with his glare. James rolls his eyes and turns his head away from him. Sirius flips him off, making the Gryffindor table laugh. Mulciber’s ears practically fume but Snape gives no sign of emotion as he stares down at his table. McGonagall gives the Gryffindors a warning look and everyone goes silent.
They take off after their meal, once it’s finally time for them to go to their dorms, up the moving stairs and through the talking portrait. The boys quickly run up to claim their beds and throw themselves on the soft cushions.
“Last year boys,” Sirius says, flipping his body to lay down on his chest and turning towards his friends, “let’s make the most of it… starting tomorrow. I am too tired to even go to the common room right about now.”
“That’s the smartest thing you said all day, Padfoot.” Peter comments.
“Wormtail, I swear to god I will cook your rat ass”
“You wish” Peter smiles at him and dozes off.
“Good night Prongs,” Remus turns towards James.
“Good night Moony,” James smiles at him.
“Good night Wormtail,” Remus raises his voice at Peter. Peter slurs an mmhmm.
“Good night Padfoot,” Remus says, almost in a melodious and smooth tone just for Sirius. Sirius looks at Remus with an expression of comfort and contentment in his eyes.
“Good night Moony,” Sirius hums, still looking at him. James smiles at his two very oblivious best friends and rolls his eyes.
“Good night my love” James says jokingly. Sirius turns his eyes to James and blows a kiss towards him.
“Good night to you too darling” Sirius plays along.
With a wave of James’ wand the lights switch off and the room goes dark. James takes his glasses off and rubs the bridge of his nose. He lays down on the soft bed. His thought drifts back to how he saw Regulus and locked eyes with him.
Why was he there? He wonders for a few seconds before a very stupid idea clicks in his mind.
That’s when he makes his mind up. He was going to approach Regulus Black tomorrow and confront him. Even though James knows Regulus wants nothing to do with him.
