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It may be in the nature of Gryffindors or even Ravenclaws to believe in the adage: if you want something done, you have to do it yourself, but Regulus Black was a Slytherin and he wouldn’t willingly get himself sweaty or tired unless it came to winning a Quidditch match or… other such physical activities that may bring the participant pleasure. No, Regulus’ speciality and secret to getting everything he wanted was manipulation.
It was a Hogsmeade weekend and both Barty and Evan had managed to get themselves banned from the trip after a rather unfortunate mishap in Charms class. To be fair, they’d been aiming for someone else when they inflated Professor Flitwick like a helium balloon and bounced him around the classroom, but that didn’t matter to Professor McGonagall who had been walking past, and nor did it matter to Headmaster Dumbledore or Professor Slughorn when they’d been called in to deal with the matter. Apparently levitating your teacher was frowned upon; seemed trivial when compared with some of the mischief other students got away with.
Like The Marauders. They were untouchable; they had the teachers wrapped around their little fingers and they had the entire student body (except maybe the Slytherins) eating from the palm of their hands. Regulus would sooner lick the floor of the dungeons than admit that he maybe, sort of, respected his older brother and his misfit friends.
The four of them walked ahead of him as they made their way down the path towards the village. Peter Pettigrew was hanging on every word that was coming out of James Potter’s mouth. Potter was next to him, sauntering along while twirling his wand absentmindedly in his hand. Regulus’ own older brother, Sirius, had his arm around James and was also listening intently to what he had to say. Remus Lupin seemed to be ignoring them, his head facing forwards as he walked along on Sirius’ other side.
And that’s when the Brilliant Plan™ hit Regulus. He smirked as he hurried his pace and then fell into step with Lupin.
“Remus,” Regulus said by way of greeting.
“Regulus,” said Lupin. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Oh, I could think of lots of things,” Regulus said. “Busy day planned? Lots of tomfoolery?”
“Just the usual,” Remus said, facing Regulus. “And yourself?”
Regulus pouted, pushing out his lower lip and making his eyes go wide and innocent-looking. “My friends are in detention, so I’m on my own.”
“Well, you’re more than welcome to hang out with us.” Remus smiled, and Regulus grinned up at him.
“That’s so kind, thank you,” he murmured, and hooked his arm through Remus’. “What’s our first stop?”
“Ah… Honeydukes?” Remus raised an eyebrow but allowed Regulus to continue hanging on to him.
“Excellent!” Regulus shot a quick glance to his left and was pleased to notice that Sirius was no longer listening to James, his gaze intent on Remus’ side profile.
“Reg.” Sirius tugged on the back of his jumper as they entered the sweet shop, deepening their breaths to take in the delicious scents.
“Sirius.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m joining you,” Regulus said as he trailed after Remus. “That okay?”
“Of course, but why–?”
“Remus, come and look at these!” Regulus called, and Remus appeared at his side.
“What are they?”
“Candy hearts, probably in preparation for Valentine’s Day.” Regulus sank his teeth into his lower lip and looked up at Remus through his lashes. “Do you have a Valentine yet?”
Sirius made a strangled noise in the back of his throat and Regulus had to fight very hard to stop himself from cackling.
“Um, no,” Remus said, his gaze flickering to Sirius and then back to the candy hearts. “Not yet, anyway.”
“Shame.” Regulus tutted. “If a handsome guy like you can’t get a Valentine, there’s absolutely no hope for the rest of us.”
“Ah, thanks, Regulus, that’s really nice.” Remus’ cheeks were tinted a pale pink, but they were nothing compared to Sirius’ quickly reddening complexion.
“Don’t you think Remus is just divine, Sirius?” Regulus nudged his brother, who was still gaping between them.
“Um…”
Remus rolled his eyes and turned away, something like a sigh escaping his lungs.
“What are you doing?” Sirius hissed, his hand clutching at Regulus’ elbow.
“I have no idea what you mean,” Regulus said. “Remus is hot, and I feel like flirting.”
“Well don’t,” Sirius said between clenched teeth. “Not with him.”
“Why?” Regulus challenged, folding his arms across his chest.
“Because… because he’s my mate!” Sirius spluttered. “And you’re going to give Prongs an aneurysm.”
“What?” Regulus whirled around and locked eyes with James across the shop. He was looking sort of funny, with his hands balled into fists at his sides and daggers practically shooting out of his eyeballs. Regulus bit back a triumphant smirk as he asked, “The hell is up with him?”
“Just… lay off Remus.”
Regulus turned back to Sirius, eyebrow arched. “Or what?”
“Don’t you dare, Reggie. I’m invoking the Bro Code.”
Regulus scoffed. “I know of no such code; sounds stupid.”
“You’re my brother and I’m asking–begging–you to stop.”
“Shan’t.” Regulus smiled sweetly, patted Sirius in the middle of his chest and then pivoted to go and find Remus again.
He found him in front of a large stand of chocolate. “Is this your favourite?” he asked, making sure their shoulders brushed.
“Yeah,” Remus said with a nod, his hands in his pockets. “It makes me feel better when I–well, when I feel a bit down.”
Regulus nodded, reaching out to pick up several bars of the candy. “I understand. I’m not big on chocolate myself; tea is more my thing.”
Remus smiled down at him. “Figures.”
“Oi!” Regulus poked him playfully on the shoulder. “What’s that meant to mean?”
“Nothing, nothing.” Remus smirked and then bent down to whisper in Regulus’ ear. “I know what you’re doing.”
Regulus shivered; he may have his eye on a different Marauder, but he hadn’t been lying to Sirius before. Remus was hot.
“And?” Regulus whispered back. He could practically feel Sirius’ eyes boring into his back.
“I think it’s working.” Remus pulled back just in time for Sirius to launch himself between them.
“Enough!” Sirius screamed and silence fell within the shop, students turning as one to see what the commotion was about. “Stop this; stop this now!”
“Sirius, bugger off, I’m buying Lovely Lupin some chocolate and then we’re going to have tea.” Regulus made to shove past Sirius, but he blocked his path and the chocolate fell to the floor.
“We are?” Remus said and Regulus winked at him.
“No.” Sirius shook his head, his hair flying around like a wild mane. “Absolutely not, I forbid it.”
“You forbid it?” Regulus frowned. “Why?”
“Because… because…”
At that moment, James sauntered over, his body relaxed and confident, completely at odds with his face which was nothing short of thunderous.
“What’s going on?”
“Regulus just asked me on a date.” Remus smiled.
“You what?” James turned towards Regulus, his face slackening into something sad. He was far too easy to read.
“Are you both blind?” Regulus looked between Sirius and James. “Lupin is hot; he’s a catch, and I would like to enjoy his company without his bodyguards. So shoo.”
“You shoo!” Sirius screeched, arms waving madly. “He’s my friend!”
“Well my intentions are not quite as pure, but–”
“REMUS JOHN LUPIN WILL YOU GO OUT WITH ME?” Sirius shouted, turning in one fluid movement to bend down on one knee in front of Remus. He clutched Remus’ hands in his, forcing Remus to bend over at an awkward angle.
“Holy shit.” James and Peter gasped simultaneously and Regulus smirked.
“Um… right now?” Remus asked.
“Yes, yes, right this very second. Sooner, if possible.”
Remus’ smile spread across his face like the sun rising. “I’d love to,” he said softly. Regulus would absolutely deny it later, but he may or may not have clapped along with the rest of the students in the shop.
Sirius grinned, stood up and lifted Remus, spinning him around until Remus smacked him on the head. “Thank you,” Remus mouthed over Sirius’ shoulder as he was all but dragged out of the shop.
Seemingly boosted by Sirius’ grand display of affection, James appeared in front of Regulus, smiling down at him with that boyish grin of his. Regulus’ stomach swooped, but as James began to lower himself on to one knee, Regulus reached forward and caught him under the arms.
“I swear to Merlin, Potter, don’t even think about it.”
James’ face fell instantly. “Oh. I… I didn’t realise that… shit, I’m so sorry. I thought it was a joke, you smiled, and Remus said thank you and… oh Merlin, I’m such an idiot.”
“Potter, if you closed your mouth for one second I could tell you that we’re absolutely going on a date, I just refuse to be proposed to in the middle of Honeydukes surrounded by most of the Hogwarts student body. I have some Black-dignity left.”
James’ grin was back and he was bouncing on the balls of his feet. “So where to?”
“Anywhere Sirius and Lupin are not.”
“Shrieking Shack it is.” Regulus wasn’t entirely sure if James meant it, but he figured that it didn’t really matter when James slipped his hand into Regulus’ and gently pulled him towards the door.
“Hey!” A muffled voice called from somewhere in the shop. “What about me?” Peter was trying to make his way through the throng of people, but James and Regulus had already reached the exit.
“Enjoy your solo adventure, Wormtail!” James called over his shoulder, laughing as he tugged more insistently on Regulus’ hand.
Manipulation may not be the most ethical of ways to get someone to finally shoot their shot, but later on after they all returned to the castle, Sirius’ lips decidedly chapped and James’ hair even more out of control than usual, Regulus couldn’t bring himself to feel even the tiniest bit guilty.