Work Text:
After everyone in Gryffindor tower had fallen asleep, James wrapped himself in his invisibility cloak and snuck off into the castle. It was the new moon which caused the night sky to be particularly dark, meaning the stars were at their most vibrant. James had been sneaking out like this, every new moon, for six months. Ever since he and Regulus had started seeing each other.
When James arrived Regulus was already there layed out, looking up at the lights. He glanced over to James for only a moment as he entered the astronomy tower, as if he were going to miss something if he looked away too long. James laid down next to him and began to look for what was so captivating, but to James it just looked exactly the same as it always did.
“It’s March,” Regulus sighed, still gazing at the heavens.
“Correct,” James chuckled in response, “and?”
“Do you not listen to me when I speak James?” Regulus said, trying to sound cruel but James knew that he enjoyed re-explaining the stars every new moon, which worked for James who enjoyed forgetting anything Regulus told him about the stars promptly after being told. “Orion is going to be going under the horizon soon, this might be the last new moon I get to see him until the fall.”
“Your dad?” James asked, utterly confused.
“No,” Regulus laughed, “The constellation, look there.” Regulus pointed into the sky at an area over the lake. “There are three stars there, Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka, that make up his belt,” he traced the sky where the belt layed, “and there’s his torso and there’s his legs and that’s his bow.”
James kind of saw it, but he never really understood how people saw the vaguest outline of something in the sky and decided the pieces were connected. “Why do you care about Orion though? I’d think you’d want any reminder of your dad to be gone.”
“Orion is the opposite of my father.” Regulus started, his eyes not leaving the constellation, “Up until this year, I haven’t really had anyone to talk to since Sirius came to hogwarts. I’d come out here and look at the stars and just talk to them. Orion in particular, at first because I thought I missed my family, but now he’s just a reminder that I’m here and not with my father. He’s only ever in the sky while I’m at hogwarts.”
James stared at Orion and intertwined his fingers with Regulus’. “Wow,” James said, “I didn’t know I was dating a maniac who talks to stars, how cute.” Regulus lightly hit James’ shoulder in faux offense.
“You’ve obviously never had a parent read through your diary.” Regulus remarked.
“You really need to get out of that house Reg.” James said.
“I literally have nowhere to go James.”
“Come live with us,” James squeezed his hand and smiled, “my mum and dad will gladly let you stay, just like they did with Sirius.”
“Then we’d have to tell Sirius, about us.”
“Ya, I know, but I’d rather you be safe.” James signed, “just think about it all right?” Regulus nodded, though in actuality he had been thinking about it for a long time already.
“One day,” James started again, “we’ll buy a house in the French countryside, and we’ll escape all of this.”
“Ya?” Regulus mused, building the house in his mind.
“And we’ll have a garden, and we’ll tend it all by ourselves like the muggles do.” James continued.
“And chickens.” Regulus added.
“Of course, chickens for eggs.”
“France it is then.” Regulus smiled.
“France, one day.” James said.
Regulus looked back up to the stars, which seemed to be shining a little brighter. But the stars did always shine a little brighter when James was there.