Chapter Text
Max came back a few minutes later with Miri and Emmeline in tow. He, predictably, made a beeline for the cake. “What kind is it?”
“Chocolate,” Regulus said. “What else?”
Max hugged him. “Reg, I swear, sometimes, I could just kiss you.”
Regulus thought he wouldn’t mind that one bit, but he knew better than to admit that. “There are – pastries, too. The House Elves wouldn’t let me leave without them.”
Max grinned and kissed his cheek. “What would I ever do without you?”
“Annoy me to no end, is what you’d do,” Isaac said from his bed. He reached into his trunk and threw a package to Max. “Here’s your present.”
“He thinks he did poorly on exams,” Regulus stage whispered.
“Isaac, you didn’t do poorly on exams,” Max said. “You’re one of the best students in the entire school.” He ripped open the wrapping paper to reveal a book. It appeared to be a novel, but Regulus had never heard of it.
“I’ve been getting fliers from this – gay bookstore in the post ever since I had to special order that one book last year. This looked like something you might like.”
“Ooh, is it gay?” Max asked, turning the book over in his hands. “Has it got a happy ending?”
“Yes, and yes,” Isaac said. “At least – as far as I’m aware.”
“Excellent,” Max said.
It seemed, then, that it was time to exchange gifts. Everyone else had gotten Max a book of some sort, so when it was Regulus’s turn, he felt self-conscious, but handed the package over anyway.
It was a jumper with Kneazles on it – the Kneazles were playing with each other, and the main colour of the sweater was the same blue as Max’s eyes, and Regulus could feel everyone’s eyes on him as Max held it up to himself.
“I love it!” Max exclaimed.
“It was supposed to be for Chanukah, but it wasn’t done in time. I also – got you some chocolate, from Honeydukes.”
Max hugged him tightly. “Can’t believe I’ve got to live up to this for your birthday, then,” he said.
“It’s not a competition,” Regulus said.
“No,” Max agreed, “but still. This is so wonderful, Reg. And now – time for cake! Let’s see – there are six of us so that means if we just cut the cake into six pieces, that’s enough for everyone.”
“How about twelve?” Isaac asked. “Two for each of us. That way those of us who want can go back for seconds. Not everyone has your appetite, Max.”
Max heaved a dramatic sigh. “Fine. But if no one wants their second slice, I get it. It’s my birthday, after all.”
They spent the rest of the night talking, laughing, and eating. They had a week left before they were to go home, and Regulus never wanted it to end. He and Max fell asleep in his bed sometime after nearly everyone else, with Max curled up next to him.
He made up his mind then and there, as he drifted off to sleep: He’d tell Max when they started next term. He didn’t want to risk anything so close to summer hols, but in September, he’d tell him.
Well, he’d tell him that he was gay. He wouldn’t tell him that he was becoming increasingly certain that he fancied him. That would just make things awkward.
Regulus savoured the rest of term as best he could. Ravenclaw had won the Quidditch Cup, and Prewett reiterated that she wanted him to captain the team the following year.
“I’ve already spoken to Professor Flitwick about it. Ultimately it’s his call, of course, but if it goes to Corner rather than you…” She shook her head. “At least we’ve won the Quidditch Cup.”
She went on to talk to Corner, no doubt to lecture him on how he ought to run the team if Flitwick chose him as captain. Regulus didn’t particularly think he’d mind if Corner were made captain – he hadn’t treated Regulus any differently since Regulus had rejected him, which was, really, all the reassurance he needed. (Although he still wasn’t sure why Corner fancied him, but he didn’t dwell on it).
Max came into the common room from their dormitory and flopped down on the sofa so that his head rested in Regulus’s lap. Regulus started carding his fingers through Max’s hair; it was nearly on reflex at this point.
“Reg,” Max began suddenly after a few minutes.
“Yeah?”
“D’you fancy anyone?” he asked. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk about – well, anyone that way.”
Regulus felt as if his heart had dropped into his stomach. He couldn’t properly tell Max that he fancied him, and the alternative would be admitting that he desperately wanted to snog Evan Rosier, which wouldn’t be any better, but he also really didn’t want to lie to Max.
When he didn’t reply after a moment, Max continued, “It’s okay if it’s – someone you think Isaac or I wouldn’t approve of. You can’t control who you fancy, and everyone knows that.”
“There’s – no girl I’ve got my eye on,” Regulus said, which, while it wasn’t technically a lie (because he was definitely gay, and there certainly wasn’t any girl he had his eye on in any way), it certainly felt like one (because he hadn’t told Max he was gay).
Max, for once, seemed to pick up on this. “There’s no girl you’ve got your eye on?”
“No,” Regulus agreed. “No girl.”
“No girl,” Max said.
“We’ve just clarified – no girl.”
Max turned so he was looking up at Regulus, and Merlin his eyes were so blue and his face was just covered in freckles and his lips looked so soft. Regulus wondered what it would feel like to kiss him. “Is there something you want to tell me?” His voice was soft, level, and as serious as Regulus had ever heard it.
“Max,” Regulus began, “I’m going to – go home and see my parents in just a few days, can we please not – do this now?”
Max worried at his lower lip. “Fine. But we’ll talk about it in September, all right?”
“All right,” Regulus said.
“Promise me?”
“I promise.”
“And if they get to be too much – you know how to use the Knight Bus. Floo’ll be monitored, between points. Or – James Potter doesn’t live very far, if you get Sirius to contact him, we can work out a plan. Our parents are friends, anyway, so – i’m sure he and Sirius have untraceable means of contact.”
“I – really hope I don’t need to, but – thank you.”
“Of course,” Max said.
Regulus wondered if Narcissa would still write him once he was disowned. After all, it was just a matter of time. He didn’t think he could keep up the act very much longer, and Merlin only knew what his parents would do to Sirius after they arrived back at Grimmauld Place. And if they’d somehow found out that he’d snuck off to the Scamanders’ for Easter hols while he said he was at Hogwarts – Sirius had forwarded the letter his parents had sent, but he was still nervous about it, months after the fact.
At least, no matter what, he knew that Max and Isaac would be there for him, as much as they could. That helped. He didn’t know where he’d be without them.