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“Love?” James says, turning away from the sky to face his boyfriend.
Regulus looks back at him, a peaceful happiness reflected on his face.
“I have to tell you something.” James says, sitting up and his tone turning sincere and this makes Regulus feel a little nervous.
“What’s wrong?”
“Well uh, do you remember that camping trip me and the others went on last week?” he asks and Regulus instantly knows what James wants to talk about.
He turns back, watching the dimming sky as he fights a smile that plays on his lips. James is predictable but that’s something Regulus loves about him. The fact that even after this time, he still hasn’t realised that Regulus is smarter than he gives him credit for.
“Wait, before I say anything, I need you to promise not to get mad. At me or Sirius or Remus or my parents. And I need you to promise not to say anything to anyone, for my sake and for your brother’s. Oh and please don’t hate me for not telling you sooner but it wasn’t really my place and I just-don’t get mad, Reg, okay?” James rambles, sounding extremely uncomfortable.
Regulus forces himself not to laugh and he keeps his voice steady as he responds.
“What’s happening, love?” he asks, making sure that James doesn’t have any idea that Regulus already knows.
James exhales sharply and runs his hand through his already messy black hair, making it worse in his nervous tic that for some reason, Regulus finds incredibly attractive.
“There’s uh, a lot to tell you. I mean, like, there’s a bunch of different things that all connect but don’t interrupt, just let me say everything, okay?”
Regulus nods.
“So Remus, he’s a werewolf. Not by choice, he was bitten when he was a child because his dad did some anti-werewolf stuff and Greyback wanted revenge. That’s why he’s covered in scars and everything, because he used to claw himself up when he transformed. Obviously, that wasn’t his choice so none of us are mad at him but we had to help of course.” James breaks off, nervously glancing at Regulus to gauge his expression but he looks back, blankly, fighting the small laugh that is building in his chest because James’ worry is adorable.
“Sometime in our third year we found out about Animagi and we decided that if we could become animals, we could join Remus on full moons and then it would help him. Remus refused when we first told him so we spent the fourth year researching and by our fifth year, we managed to complete the transformation.” he finished, breathlessly.
Regulus doesn’t respond, wanting to see what James is going to say but he just fidgets with his hands, his eyes flicking back and forth between Regulus and the grass between them.
“I-I’m an Animagus.” he finally says to fill the silence as Regulus still doesn’t speak. “I’ve wanted to tell you, love, but we weren’t ready. Are-are you mad?”
Slowly, Regulus shakes his head, picking his words meticulously.
“What animal are you?” he finally says, his voice empty and he wants to laugh as James shifts, uncomfortably next to him.
“A stag.” James responds. “I can show you.”
“Okay.” Regulus says, quietly. “Show me.”
Suddenly, James morphs into a stag. His fur is dark brown, the same as his skin and his antlers stick up in every direction, resembling his hair. There are markings around his eyes that look like James’ glasses and Regulus bites down, hard, on his bottom lip to keep from laughing. The stag is just so James that he can’t help it.
Regulus stands up and reaches forward, gently brushing his fingers up and down James’ face, the fur making his fingers warm. He keeps his face bare as he looks the large stag up and down, his grey eyes impassively digging into James.
“I’m assuming this is Prongs?” he asks, dryly and the stag nods in response.
He lets out a small huff and suddenly, the stag turns back into James who is blushing slightly as he looks nervously at his boyfriend.
“Are you mad?” he asks, wringing his hands as he speaks.
Regulus partially shrugs, turning away to hide his small smile. He wants to see how long he can drag this out, how worried James is.
“I’m assuming my brother and Pettigrew are as well?”
James nods.
“Sirius is a black dog and Peter’s a rat.”
“Padfoot and Wormtail.” Regulus dips his head as he speaks.
“I only hid it from you because it was Remus’ secret and he didn’t want to tell you. Last week was the full moon. We didn’t go camping, we ran in the forest with Moony. Please don’t be mad.” James begs as Regulus refuses to show any of his emotions.
He can’t take it any longer.
“James,” Regulus muses, gently. “I need to tell you something too.”
Worry shines in James’ hazel eyes but he nods.
“Come here.” he whispers and James opens his arms as Regulus falls into them.
Without another word, Regulus transforms into a black kitten.
It takes James a moment of absolute fear before he realises that the cat in his lap, purring gently and rubbing against his shirt, is his boyfriend. He proceeds to splutter over his words for another moment before picking up the kitten, looking at its fur and eyes.
“You’re an animagus too?” he asks in disbelief and Regulus gives him a meow in response. If cats can look smug then Regulus perfectly represents that. “What-how-why?”
Regulus gives a lazy meow and squirms out of James’ lap before settling back down in his lap only to be plucked out again.
“Transform.” James demands. “Now.”
With a whine of annoyance, Regulus complies, turning back into the boy that he is.
“How are you an Animagus?” James splutters.
“I drank a potion, left a Mandrake leaf in my mouth for a month and then chanted the words during a thunderstorm.” Regulus responds, dryly.
“No, I mean like, why?”
Regulus grins and resists the urge to stick his tongue out at his boyfriend.
“I’ve known that Remus is a werewolf since my first year. It only took three months. I track the stars and I naturally know the moon from that. I didn’t really care. I didn’t care for him and it wasn’t my business. The cycle was easy. In your fourth year, I caught you multiple times in the library, reading books on Animagi.” Regulus shakes his head and laughs as James gapes at him. “I knew for sure when you, Sirius and Peter did your stupid “month of silence” to commemorate the mute. That was the dumbest excuse I’ve ever heard.”
“Hey, it was my idea and I thought it was pretty good.” James replies, indignantly. “How did you get around it, huh?”
“Sticking charm to keep it in my mouth and a colour changing spell so people wouldn’t see.” Regulus responds, simply.
James blinks at him.
“Oh. That’s smart.”
“I know. Anyways, I started brewing the potion when you were doing your month with the Mandrake leaf. Maybe it was petty but I wasn’t letting my brother and his friends be the youngest ever Animagi in the world and I had fifteen months before I was the same age as you.” Regulus says, lazily tracing the grass with his hand.
“So you became an Animagus to… stop me from being the youngest?”
Regulus thinks about it for a moment.
“Yes.”
James shakes his head in a mix of laughter and disbelief.
“I can’t believe you.”
“Pandora helped me.” Regulus admits, smiling slightly at his fondness for the other girl.
“She’s an animagus too?” James yelps in shock.
“Yup. Six months younger than you, but still nine older than me so I’m still the youngest.” Regulus says and if anyone else had said it, it would’ve sounded braggy but to Regulus, he states it so matter-of-factly that James can’t help but smile at him.
“So what’s she?” James prods.
“A white cat. The same but also the opposite of me.”
“You’re a black cat but your brother’s a black dog?”
“Pretty much.”
“You really are brothers.” James exhales in disbelief.
Regulus shrugs and a smile spreads across James’ face and Regulus can see the glint of an idea spark in his eyes.
“What do you want to do?” he asks, sighing and James lights up in excitement about being asked.
“Come home with me. I have a plan.”
Sirius walks through the door to the Potter’s manor. Effie and Fleamont are out in Diagon Alley and it’s just James sitting on the couch.
“So… how did it go with my brother?” Sirius asks but he suddenly sees a black cat, sleeping on James’ lap. “Prongs, what did you do?”
James shrugs, sheepishly and flushes as Sirius stops, staring at the cat.
“Did you get a cat for my brother because you were scared he would be mad?” Sirius says, incredulously. “Please tell me you didn’t.”
“I love him, Sirius.” James says, instead of responding.
“Merlin, James, you didn’t have to get him a whole cat just because you didn’t want him to be upset,” Sirius complains. “Plus, Padfoot isn’t going to like him. What’s his name anyways?”
The blush deepens on James’ face and Sirius can see that he’s fighting not to laugh.
“Prongs,” he says in a warning tone. “What did Reggie name him?”
“His name,” James says and his voice breaks through with a laugh. “Is uh, Leo.”
Sirius stares at him for several seconds in shock.
“James,” he says, reaching up to rub his temples.
“Sirius,” James counters.
“You are a helpless prick who is in love. I can’t believe you.” Sirius says but he can’t help from laughing himself at the sheer ridiculousness of Regulus. “You let him name a cat, you got him, after his own star.”
“Do you wanna hold him?” James asks, picking up the purring kitten from his lap who looks extremely fluffy and sweet.
“Why not?” Sirius says, shrugging and reaching out for the cat.
The second James lets go, the cat snarls and hisses at Sirius in anger who nearly drops him in panic.
“I don’t think he likes me.” Sirius yelps, frantically as Leo bats at his face.
“He’s really a sweetheart.” James assures him.
“Prongs, get him off. Get him off!” Sirius shrieks as Leo digs his claws into his leather jacket and holds on tightly. “Help me!”
Laughing, James reaches forward and gently pries Leo off of Sirius’ jacket as he scowls at the cat. The second that he’s back in James’ lap, Leo is purring gently, rubbing his head against James and the boy looks genuinely pleased with himself. Sirius is not.
“James,” he wines. “You love that cat more than me.”
James, to Sirius’ displeasure, does not deny the statement.
“I don’t like him.” he pouts, hoping James will listen but he doesn’t. “Jameeees.”
“I’m not getting rid of him.” James responds, firmly, smiling as he gently pats the cat which for some reason, makes Sirius incredibly jealous.
He scowls at the cat who is taking James’ love away from him.
“You want to know something?” James asks, still stroking the cat and not looking up at Sirius.
“What?” he grumbles, looking angrily back at the kitten.
“I think the jig is up.” James says and before Sirius can react, the cat is gone and his little brother is sitting in James’ lap.
Sirius does not take it well. He stares then sputters, then sits down and blinks like it’s not true.
“What are you doing?” he finally asks and Regulus preens in James’ arms.
“I’m an animagus.” Regulus responds and Sirius feels envy curl at his stomach.
“That was my thing.” he complains before hitting Regulus, lightly, on top of the head before moving before James can slap his arm away. “I’m supposed to be the cool brother.”
“Considering that I’m the one who’s the youngest Animagus in the world, I’m pretty sure that’s me.” Regulus responds with a lazy grin.
“Youngest?” Sirius questions and Regulus’ grin only grows.
“I was fourteen and two months. James was fifteen and six months. So I won.” Regulus replies, haughtily and Sirius has to restrain himself from strangling his brother.
“He already knew everything before I could tell him.“ James says, looking actually apologetic as he speaks, smiling sheepishly at Sirius.
“Reg?” Sirius says, his voice filled with warning.
“Yes?”
“You have ten seconds to run.”
“Run?” James asks in worry.
“Nine. Eight.”
Regulus takes off, transforming as he runs and James follows suit, scooping up the kitten onto his back as Prongs takes off, Padfoot not too far behind.