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“Shit,” Regulus cursed as the potion on the table in front of him transformed from a beautiful shade of amethyst to a ghastly, sickening green. Smoke sizzled on the surface of the soupy liquid. He mumbled his grievances as he noted the results down in his notebook. “I really thought that was the one.”
During his summers home from teaching Potions at Hogwarts, he would hide away for hours in his Potions room, sometimes developing his own potions, but mostly using his skills to test and perfect new recipes for St. Mungos or other potioneers creating revolutionary work in the field.
He was working on a particularly difficult potion that was admittedly taking up way too much of his time, leaving him frazzled and dazed when he finally exited the room into the real world. After disposing of the mess of the potion properly, he looked at the clock on the wall. 2:34pm.
He sighed. He’d missed lunch. Again.
When he opened the door, he immediately bumped into one of his children, who had apparently been lingering in the hallway. Messy curls brushed against his arm. Based on what he knew of his son’s personality, the boy had likely been pacing in front of the door, trying to decide if he should open or not.
He stepped back and gave him a quizzical look. He patted the boy’s messy head and greeted him. “Harry.”
Harry shook the startled look off of his face. As soon as his gaze connected with Regulus’, his expression transformed. The boy threw on his puppy dog eyes (which he learned from Sirius, of course.) He straightened his crooked glasses (James). Cocked his head (Remus). And then finally, he displayed a classic Harry grin, which he definitely also inherited from James.
Whatever Harry was about to ask for, Regulus knew, unfortunately, that he would have to give it to him. Harry also knew this, which was exactly why he applied each of these tactics. Regulus was weak for his children, what could he say. He loved them too much not to willingly hand them the world.
Harry was so like James. An eleven year old, “almost twelve” Harry would say, who was too smart for his own good. And too much trouble.
“Oh, hi Papa,” he said sweetly, as if he wasn’t seeking Regulus out in the first place. “So I was thinking-”
Regulus put up his hand, cutting the boy off. “Walk with me.”
Harry rushed after him, right on his heels, as he stalked to the kitchen and began rummaging through the fridge for leftovers. Sitting on the middle shelf was a plate of food with a sticky note on top. He plucked the note off, reading it as he gestured with his wand, placing a warming spell on the food.
“Lunch. :) Or early dinner depending on when you finish. :P Took Circe to park. :) Haz is probably getting into trouble somewhere. ;) Love you. :) - James <3”
He glanced up at Harry, who was still milking the emotional manipulation. “Lemonade? I made it while you were working.” The boy was grinning from ear to ear. Cheeky , Regulus thought. He knew Regulus was a sucker for some freshly squeezed lemonade.
“You didn’t put a bucketful of sugar in it this time?” He raised an eyebrow. When Harry was on his “I saw a muggle ride a bike and I really want to learn to ride a bike, it will be so totally cool” phase, he made Regulus lemonade to convince him and put so much sugar in it, Regulus almost said no because he was gagging so hard he was crying.
Harry had taken Regulus’ choking as a reaction to the bicycle comment and not the lemonade that was sure to give the poor man a heart attack so he just kept ranting, “I know a broom is better, but bikes just look so cool and Uncle Sirius has a motorbike so I should be able to have a normal bike so one day he’ll will me his motorbike or at least let me ride with him and I’m telling you it’ll be so worth it” until finally Regulus sputtered out, “I will buy you a bike if you agree to never make lemonade like this again.”
“Perfectly balanced, just as you like it. I followed your exact measurements.” Another flash of the pearly whites.
“Mhmm.”
His son pulled the pitcher out of the fridge. Regulus studied him, hiding his smile, as the boy giddily poured two glasses. “Outside?” He asked, his eyes bright and wide. Regulus nodded and watched the boy carefully carry the precariously full cups to the backyard.
When he stepped onto the patio, Harry was still beaming at him, sipping at his own glass of lemonade. Regulus laughed as he slid into a chair. Harry nudged his glass toward him.
“You’re really pulling out all the stops here, Haz.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Harry gave him a meaningful glance.
“Well, let’s get right to it.” He clapped his hands. “What do you want?”
Harry pulled up his bottom lip into a half-pout, half-frown type of look. “What if I just want to spend time with my papa? Who I love very much, by the way.”
“Mhmm, love you too.” Regulus dropped his eyebrows, squinting at the boy’s face. “Did you do something?”
“No, of course not,” Harry rushed out, probably too fast. “I am the perfect child, I have done no wrong.”
“Haz, you are the exact carbon copy of your dad. I hate to break it to you but trouble courses through your veins.”
Harry offered him a sheepish smile. “Okay, see, here’s the thing.”
Regulus tried not to laugh, covering up his chuckle with a sip of lemonade. The kid was right, it was perfectly balanced.
“You know I haven’t seen Ron and Hermione since school and we were so used to spending literally all our time together.”
“I’m well aware of the time you spent together.” He gave Harry a look. The amount of detentions Ron and Harry got last year rivaled Sirius and James’ detention numbers in first year. Of course, not even close to the number of the infamous Weasley twins, but that didn’t faze Harry. All he cared about was the letter of praise he received from his Uncle Padfoot every time he and Ron pulled yet another prank. (Regulus had tried to get Sirius' owl banned from Hogwarts, but with Remus being a professor and all, it was out of his bounds.)
“Well, we exchange letters every day, but it’s not really the same as hanging out in person.”
“Yes, I’m aware of how many times letters are exchanged because of how often ‘owl treats’ have been added to my grocery list so far this summer.”
“It’s just…” Harry tapped his finger on the table, then dragged it through the condensation on the side of his glass. He looked up at Regulus, his eyes gleaming behind his glasses. He blinked them repeatedly. Goddamn you, Sirius . “Do you think they could come over for a sleepover?”
“Hm.” Regulus pretended he was thinking very hard about the decision, covering his face with a frown, pulling his lips into a tight line. Black family traits.
He, of course, secretly loved Ron and Hermione, no matter how much he complained about their friend group (in jest). He thought they were wonderful friends to Harry. He would allow them to come over in a heartbeat.
If he were being truthful, James and Regulus would probably let any of Harry’s classmates over for as long as they’d like to stay, whether they were a part of the “Golden Trio'' or not; forever mirroring Euphemia and Fleamont’s endeavors to make their house a home for anyone who stepped across the threshold. Unconditional hospitality was the cornerstone of the Potter’s cottage.
“Papa, please.” Harry’s lip was quivering now. Seriously, did Sirius give him lessons? How is he so good at this? “I’ll do extra chores for a week!”
Regulus hummed again, raising an eyebrow at his son. How far is he willing to go? “And I promise we won’t pull any pranks on dad.”
He kept a stern look on his face. “I will accept the first offer. Extra chores for a week.” Then he allowed the corners of his mouth to turn up into a smile. “But I decline the second offer. I expect you three to pull a brilliant prank on your dad, and if you need any ideas or help, you come to me.” He winked at Harry as the boy squealed with delight.
“So that’s a yes then?!”
“Yes, of course. They can come over.”
“This Friday?”
Regulus shrugged, unable to keep the happiness off of his own face. Harry’s joy was overwhelming for Regulus’ own cheer meter, which was currently off the charts.
“Why not invite them for the whole weekend. The weather is supposed to be nice. Dad will set the tent up for you in the yard so you guys can sleep outside.”
“Bloody hell! This is going to be awesome!”
“Language.”
“Holy smokes? This is going to be awesome?”
Regulus laughed. “Yeah, that works.”
“I’m going to go owl them right now!” The boy jumped up from his seat, his curls flopping every which way on his forehead.
“Harry,” Regulus called out, before his son could make it into the house.
He spun around, a wicked grin permanently painted across his cheeks. “Huh?”
“Put your glass in the sink please.”
Harry dashed back to the table, scooped up his glass, saluted Regulus, then ran back inside, leaving Regulus to his leftovers.
“You’re not even going to help set up the tent?” James had been fighting with the tent poles for the past thirty minutes, doing his best to wrestle them into the small sleeves across the top of the canvas.
“Do I look like I know how to set up a tent?” Regulus drawled.
“It’s really not that hard.”
“Uh-huh, clearly. Which is why you’ve smacked yourself in the face with the sticks three times already.”
“Tent poles. And I wouldn’t have if you’d just give me a hand.”
“Why would I do that when I can watch you get walloped with the tent poles three different times," Regulus snickered.
James flipped him the middle finger and went back to wrangling the contraption.
“You know what’s not that hard?” Regulus smirked.
“Don’t say it.”
“Getting a wizard tent and using magic to install it.”
“Yeah, but that wouldn’t be nearly as fun as a Muggle tent.”
“Okay, Arthur Weasley,” Regulus joked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
After a few minutes, James spoke thoughtfully, “You know, it’s been a long time since we’ve camped out, just the two of us.”
“Yes, because we decided we wanted two little spawns of yours running around interrupting all our lovely time together.”
“Hey, Circe takes after you, not me.”
“As she should. Circe is a perfect, lovely, wonderful little genius.”
“Harry is also a genius in his own way.”
“Yeah, a genius who got 27 detentions last year.”
James snorted. “Kids were your idea.”
“Our idea.”
“Our idea,” James echoed lovingly.
Regulus was laying on his back in the grass, staring up at the clouds.
“I wouldn’t change it for anything, you know. How we’ve lived our lives. The decisions we’ve made.”
“I wouldn’t either,” James said, his voice gentle and kind, hitting Regulus square in the heart. He traced the patterns in the sky above him with his eyes, picking out shapes among the clouds.
“Hey, James?” He asked, his voice soft.
James paused his hammering and glanced toward his husband. “Yeah?”
“Wanna sleep out here tonight? In the tent?”
James let out a giddy laugh. “Reg, I love you, but we’re not having sex in a tent that our son and his friends are going to be sleeping in all weekend.”
Regulus laughed out loud, turning his body towards James, who was grinning at him like a little kid.
“I didn’t mean sex, but now that you mention it.”
“No,” James laughed again.
“Okay, fine. We won’t have sex in the tent.” Regulus flopped back on his back in the grass. James climbed down beside him, casually lacing his fingers through Regulus’. He directed his gaze to the sky and pointed out a dog-shaped cloud.
“I actually meant sleep,” Regulus whispered to him. “Like, just cuddle together, the two of us, closed off from the rest of the world, under the stars.”
“Did you forget we were parents with kids in the house?”
“Let’s send Circe to Sirius’ tonight. Harry should be fine by himself.”
James raised an eyebrow. “He will?”
“Honestly, you don’t think he’d get into more trouble with Sirius?”
“Well, Remus will be there.”
“And what happened last time ‘Remus was there’?”
“All the animals in the zoo turned pink.” James tried not to laugh. Regulus threw him a stern expression.
“Yes, all the animals in the zoo turned pink,” he repeated flatly. “Remus is no better. They’re both criminal masterminds.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Okay, we’ll sleep in the tent.”
“Yes!” Regulus jumped up from the ground, brushing stray blades of grass off of his pants. “I’ll go floo call Sirius.”
“You know, Reg,” James said from the ground, his hands laced behind his head, grinning up at his husband, “you’re basically as excited as Harry was when you approved the sleepover.”
“Sleepovers are fun, James!” He stalked off toward the house.
“They are,” James laughed as he sat up on his knees and started toward the tent, still laying half put together and half collapsed on the ground.
Regulus spun around before he entered the house, “Oh, and James?”
“Yeah?”
“Just use your damn wand and magic the tent together please for Merlin’s sake!”
“Got enough snacks there, sunny?” James teased as he entered the kitchen.
Regulus glanced down at the table, which was covered edge to edge in all sorts of tasty treats for the kids.
“Okay, I admit I went a bit overboard, but once I started putting stuff in the cart I couldn’t stop,” he shrugged at James, a sheepish grin painted across his face.
His husband pulled him into a hug from behind, kissing him on the cheek as he tucked him tightly into his arms. “They’ll love it. Harry will be so excited.”
“I just really want him to create great memories with his friends here. I didn’t have that when I was his age. I mean, Hogwarts was basically just a constant sleepover with Barty and Evan, and of course, growing up with Sirius was nonstop crazy, but… you know stuff like this, it never happened at home. I just want Harry to be happy and safe here.”
James released him from his embrace and spun him around, his hands firmly planted on his shoulders. “Reg, our son is beyond lucky to have you as a father. This home is happy and safe because you make it that way.”
“We make it that way,” Regulus whispered.
“Even if you do spoil him to no end,” he gestured toward the pile of snacks.
“The cheese puffs are for you,” he smirked. “And the jelly beans.”
“My hero.”
“Shut up.”
“My love.”
“Help me cook dinner before the kids get here, you idiot.”
“My heart.”
“Snooping?”
Regulus jumped at the sound of James’ voice. He had been standing at the window, watching the kids out on the patio, playing a Muggle board game Hermione had brought with her. Harry was laughing at Ron, who kept prodding his piece, asking it to move to the next spot. Hermione was rolling her eyes, but she, like Harry, seemed just as delighted at the whole spectacle.
“I’m just observing,” Regulus mumbled.
“Hm, looks like stalking to me.”
James earned a sharp glare from Regulus. “I’m just making sure they’re doing okay.”
“Are they doing okay?” James asked, his tone soft and gentle.
Regulus smiled. “See for yourself.”
The laughter outside leaked through the windows into the house. A warm glow was cast across the lawn from the floating orbs above the table. The light was reflected on Harry’s glasses as he threw his head back in glee. Ron was chucking pieces of popcorn at him while Hermione frowned at the two from across the table.
“You did a good job,” James whispered.
“Shut up,” Regulus shoved him.
“Now, if you’ve done enough not snooping,” James teased, using air quotes, “Circe is down and asked for you.”
Regulus sighed, “Okay… you’ll watch them for me?”
“Reg, I’m not going to stand here and stalk our son and his friends.”
“Ugh, fine, but when I come back down I expect popcorn and a movie.”
“That I can do.”
Regulus walked down the stairs to the smell of bacon cooking. As he turned the corner into the kitchen, he was met with the sight of James, sporting his “World’s Greatest Mommy” apron, singing and dancing across the tile floor, a frying pan in his left hand and a spatula in his right. A vibrant pink mop of hair bopped around on his head as he jumped from foot to foot.
Regulus held in a snort and swiveled around back into the hallway to compose himself. After a bout of quiet laughter, he re-entered the kitchen and slowly greeted his husband, trying to keep his voice steady so as not to give anything away, “Jamie, good morning.”
James provided him with a wide toothy grin. “Oh, hey sunshine!”
Regulus’ eyes shot up to the hair, then back down to James’ face. “You seem happy.”
“You know breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.”
“Mhmm,” Regulus hummed, a small grin curling at the corners of his mouth. “I take it you got up early and went for a run this morning already.”
“How’d you know?” James raised an eyebrow.
“You just, uh,” he glanced up at the hair again, “look clean?”
“Thanks?” His husband threw him a quizzical glance, then resumed flipping the pancakes, piling the finished product onto a plate. “Call the kids in, will you?”
Regulus chuckled as he exited the house, glancing back at James’ bright pink hair, and made his way to the tent in the backyard. He unzipped the entrance and smiled at the three kids tucked tightly into their sleeping bags.
“Rise and shine, kiddos!” He clapped his hands cheerily. Harry rubbed at his eyes as he sat up, his hair sticking out at all ends.
“No one says kiddos, papa,” Harry mumbled groggily.
“I do, obviously,” Regulus snarked, crossing his arms across his chest, raising an eyebrow at his son.
“Did it work?” Harry asked as he unfolded his glasses and pushed them up his nose.
“Like a charm.”
“Like a potion, you mean,” Hermione responded as she stretched.
“Ron, wake up,” Harry shook Ron’s sleeping bag until the boy cursed at him.
“Bloody hell, mate, the sun is barely up.”
“Trust me, you guys are going to want to see this before your dad catches a glimpse of himself. Now up and at 'em, let’s go,” Regulus clapped his hands and headed back toward the house. Harry scampered after him, Hermione right on his heels. Ron trudged slowly behind, dragging his feet across the lawn.
Regulus almost burst out laughing again when he re-entered the kitchen and saw James again. Harry immediately started cackling when he crossed the doorstep. Hermione clapped her hand over her mouth in shock.
“Morning, Haz! Mione!” James called out over his shoulder. “Come grab a plate, yeah?”
A few seconds later, Ron ambled in. “Bloody hell, that’s right pink, isn’t it?”
Harry smacked Ron across the back of the head. Then they took one look at each other and burst out laughing. Hermione couldn’t help herself when the boys got going and started howling right alongside them.
James gave Regulus a questioning glance and that was his breaking point. The laughter spilled out of him, echoing with the kids’ around the kitchen. Harry and Ron were rolling on the floor now.
Bewildered, James glanced around at the four of them. “What is going on?”
By the time the laughter finally died down, and Harry and Ron were wiping tears from their eyes, James had set the table by himself.
“If you clowns are done, I’d like to eat my breakfast now.”
“Daddy?” Circe’s small voice came from the doorway to the hall.
“Yeah, Cricket?” James spun around and smiled at her.
“What happened to your hair?”
A confused expression passed over his face. “My…” He whipped around to glance at Regulus who was pointedly staring in a different direction, his hand covering his mouth. The kids immediately burst into another round of laughter. Ron fell completely out of his chair onto the floor, pulling Harry down with him.
He scurried across the kitchen toward a mirror hanging on the wall. The room fell silent as he ran a hand through his bright pink hair, surveying the color. He flipped his gaze back to the spectators, then burst into a grin.
“I love it!” He screamed happily. “How’d you do it?”
“Papa made the potion!” Harry exclaimed from the floor.
Regulus glared at Harry, “You little snitch.”
“But Ron and I snuck it into your shampoo.”
“I love it, daddy! You should keep it like that all the time,” Circe piped up as she gave James a hug.
“Maybe not all the time,” Regulus said with a smirk, “but it will last the whole weekend.”
“Totally worth it,” James grinned. “Now can we please eat breakfast? I’ve made all these great pancakes and no one is eating them.”
The boys pulled themselves back up to the table as Hermione started piling fresh fruit onto her pancakes. Regulus smiled at his family, including Harry’s friends who had practically become two additional members of the family. James, pink hair and all, was helping Circe create a smiley face with chocolate chips. Harry and Ron were tossing blueberries at each other, trying to catch them in their mouths. Hermione was asking Regulus about the aspects of the potion he made and what he used to get it to last longer than a few hours.
James glanced up and made eye contact with him, a wide smile smeared across his face. He mouthed, “I love you,” to Regulus, who nodded and smiled back, then turned Hermione to explain the properties of the potion.
Family. Everything Regulus had always longed for. Right her in his own home. Their home.