Chapter Text
The match went exactly as Regulus had expected, Gryffindor won by A LOT. Crushing Hufflepuff with so many points that it wouldn’t even have mattered if the players in the yellow jerseys had caught the Golden Snitch, they would have lost the match anyway.
They didn’t catch the Snitch, the Gryffindor seeker clumsily catching it and putting an end to the game. Regulus had heard the Gryffindor power play being described as “The game of the year” by some of the other students. He silently disagreed. What’s so fun about watching a game where one of the teams are that dominant. No, two equal teams going up against each other would have been endlessly more exiting, but he couldn’t deny that watching James Potter effortlessly place the Quaffle in the Hufflepuff rings again and again was quite hypnotizing.
Waiting straight outside of the Gryffindor changing room seemed a bit too risky for Regulus. So, even though he wanted to see James as soon as possible, a strange sort of dependency on the boy slowly creeping up in him, he chooses to stand behind a tree a few feet away from the door.
He could see every single one of the joyful Gryffindors coming and leaving. If he really concentrated, he was able to listen in on their conversation about the celebration party that they were planning for later that day.
A huge group left together. James was not among them, a smiling Sirius half hanging of off Remus Lupin's shoulder while talking rabidly with a shorter blonde boy. He waited for about 15 minutes longer. The occasional players dripping out of the door, before it finally slowed all the way down to a stop, the grounds around the Quidditch pitch going quiet.
Regulus has been taught strict patience by his mother from a young age. But he has also been taught to always be on time. And even though the curly haired Gryffindor doesn't know that Regulus is waiting for him, he is still running late.
So, the Slytherin riskes it.
He marched up to the door and knocked hard three times, the same way that Evan always does when he wants something urgently. He wants something urgently.
No one answers the door, so he picks up every bit of bravery in his body and push the wooden obstacle out of the way in one strong push.
The room is empty safe for the puddles of water on the floor. The occasional one a bit more yellow than the others. Ew. He jumps over the puddles and turns the corner to check the blind spot that he usually changes in himself after Quidditch practice.
Bingo
James Potters hair is damp and more unruly than usual. The occasional drop of water dripping down onto his bare torso. Regulus is not staring. Only a creep would silently stare at a half-naked man in a locker room, and Regulus is not a creep. The very rational annoyance that he feels at the low-waisted red leather pants hanging from the boy’s hips is only because they are red. Hause pride and all that.
“I guess I owe you a favor now Potter.” He leans his back against the wall, trying to look cool but feeling incredibly silly.
To be fair James looks pretty silly himself. Doing a silly little jump and looking close to falling over at the initial spook. “Ah-“ He adjusts his glasses as he attemps to quickly collect himself. “Yeah, I guess you do, although I haven’t really figured out what yet.”
Regulus takes a step closer to the other boy. “I think I’ve got an idea for you.” Making sure to place himself just outside of James’s space.
“Oh, you do, do you?” James said, clearly catching on quick. “What kind of great ideas run through that pretty head of yours?” Potter takes half-a-step and suddenly they are standing very close, nose tips almost touching. If Regulus had the time, he could have counted the small stubble hairs decorating the brown boy’s chin.
But he doesn't have the time for that at all, as he feels himself lift his arms over James Potter’s neck and slightly pulling down, James lets his face get dragged towards Regulus’s without any complains.
And suddenly their lips are locked together.
Suddenly he is kissing a half-naked James Potter in an empty locker room, and nothing has ever felt more right.
Regulus smiles into the kiss, he can't help but let out a little giggle as their lips parts, even though he was reluctant about ending the kiss. James was seemingly not happy about it either, as they hadn’t been apart for more than a few seconds before he smashes their lips together again, bringing Regulus into a deeper kiss than before.
They ended up spending a lot of time in that locker room.
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Barty doesn't know how he’d ended up here. Okay, so he does know. Evan had asked to meet him here for some Herbology practice. But Evan isn't in the small, abandoned classroom that clearly hasn't been in use since the dark ages. It's just Barty.
Just Barty Crouch and Remus bloody Lupin.
“Peter wrote me a note saying that you requested me to help you with some Herbology stuff.” The boy says, raising an eyebrow. “I was quite surprised. Don’t get me wrong I am more than decent at Herbology, but I don’t believe we’ve ever really spoken before. Besides I thought Peter was your Herbology tutor, and he is top of the class in the subject.”
“Peter wrote you what!?”
“That you need Herbology help? Is that not correct?” The scarred brunette scratches his neck, looking slightly confused.
“No!!” Barty exclaimes “I mean yes I do need help, but not from you. I have two tutors already I do not need a third”
Remus closes the book ,,Edible herbs and where to find them’’ that he has lying in front of him with a careful blast of wandless magic. “That’s all clear with me then, to be honest I didn’t really have the time to help you out anyway.” He gatheres his stuff in a bag that definitely wouldn’t have fit all of those books without some sort of shrinking magic. “I don’t know how this misunderstanding occurred, but I’ll tell Peter that you didn’t require my assistance.”
Barty steppes aside as the taller boy, because he was a slight bit taller than him, walks towards the door.
“Oh, and Crouch” Lupin says as he turns his head to make eye contact with the Ravenclaw. “Be nice to Peter, he deserves it.” and then he stepped out into the hallway, letting the crowd swallow him up.
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Barty’s mind is clouded with doubt and confusion as he walks towards the room of requirement. It was the first time in a while that they had found the time to meet up. Peter seemingly constantly busy with homework and his friends.
Was that why he had sent Remus Lupin to help Barty? Did he just not have time for him anymore. Was Barty getting out-prioritized by other people? Would Peter break up with him tonight?
He considered not going at all. You can’t break up with someone that you can’t get into contact with.
But that’s now really how it works. Logically he’s aware of that. Them never seeing each other again, is in reality not better than being single at all. So, he’s going anyway. Even though just the thought of losing Peter for good, scares the shit out of him.
And he doesn’t even know why. Remus Lupin had seemed to be fine with their relationship, and if not for his friends, then what reason to break up with Barty could Peter possibly have.
He’s getting ahead of himself, he knows that. He can’t know what Peter is going to say to him in there. Maybe he won’t say anything at all. Maybe they’ll just cuddle all night. Maybe it’s all just in his head.
But then why Lupin? Was it some weird attempt at getting Barty to mingle with Peters friends? Surely there are better ways to go about that. And why Evan? Why had Evan told him to go to the abandoned classroom in the first place? Barty wondered if it was all one of the famed marauder pranks as he finally approached to door to the room.
He hesitates before finally pulling the handle down and cracking the door open. Peter is already in there. Sitting on the couch with some book that Barty has never seen before. Peter looks up as Barty takes a step into the little cozy room. “Oh, there you are! I was wondering wether you had gotten lost on your way up here.” A foreign look shifted over Peter’s face, as Barty stayed on his feet, unmoving. “D-do you want to sit down?” He scooted a bit to the right, even though there had been plenty of space for Barty to sit next to him on the couch in the first place.
Barty sat down in the far-left end of the couch; he could take a hint. He would rather have kept standing up, wanting to be able to leave as fast as possible after his boyfriend broke up with him. He looks around the room, suddenly the tapestry has gotten very interesting. He notes that there was a new plant in the room, and a little lamp suited for reading. He avoids looking at the boy sitting beside him.
“Do you still want me to tutor you in Herbology?” The blonde asks, breaking the silence hanging between them. Still. Do I still have to waste my time on you after I leave you. Peter’s usually kind and soft voice rung out in his mind in a harsh and mean tone, speaking the truth that Barty knew the other boy was too selfless to really utter.
He wants to say yes. He so desperately wants to say yes. Wants the gryffindor to stay, no matter the form their relationship might take. But that would be unfair. Not when he knows what this really is. Not when he knows the other is trying to say goodbye, for good. So, he pulls himself together. “It’s fine, I’m already a lot better at it then I used to be. I truly appreciate all the help you’ve given me, but I can manage on my own from here, so you don’t have to worry about it.”
The words feels horrible on his tounge. He is almost certain that if someone checks the inside of his troath, they will discover several burn marks decorating his skin.
Peter’s silence almost hurts more.
Did what they had not matter to the gryffindor? Is he going to stay awake tonight, turning his pillow over every five minutes to prevent the tears from completely soaking it. Barty will. He’s not convinced he’ll ever get a good night of sleep again.
“So… this is goodbye then, it was nice while it lasted.” Peter wasn’t even looking at Barty as he said it. Like Barty disgusted him. And it truly didn’t make sense to him. He has never thought of Peter as a player, but he feels played. He feels played, miserable and confused about the lack of reasons. But it was done now. Peter had broken up.
“Yeah.” Bart croaks out, holding back his tears. “This is goodbye.”
They sit together for a short while. A short while that feels very long. If someone told him that they had been sitting there for a year, he would believe them.
Eventually Peter scoots off of the couch with an awkward slap on his thighs. Barty can see his now ex-boyfriend’s hands shaking as he gathers up his things and leaves without sparing the Ravenclaw a single glance.
He knows that Peter closed the door normally. He saw him gently press the handle down and slowly let it go afterwards. But the sound of the door closing still somehow sounded like a thousand babies screaming in his ears.
Peter had left the room. Barty is alone. Peter has left him. Barty is alone.
And Barty breaks down.
He spent that night in the room of requirement, sleeplessly tossing and turning as the muffled sounds and previously back-held tears streaming out of his body. The scent of Peter’s cologne still hanging in the air, taunting him.