Chapter Text
Regulus knows that she shouldn’t be in here. He always knows that when he walks into the forbidden forest but he does it anyway. He likes it, likes the environment, likes the noise that it creates even late at night from all of the creatures doing their own thing. So he walks into the forbidden forest, just like tries to do at least once a month.
Only he stops short about halfway to the little clearing that he had found several years ago, when he sees James. Now, Regulus has known about the activities that his brother and friends get up to during the month, he’s talked to Remus enough about that for him to have confided that information in Regulus. But it’s nowhere near the full moon and James isn’t in any sort of animagus form -- he may know about them being illegal animagi but he doesn’t know what they are outside of Sirius being a black dog -- it’s just… James.
But what’s more concerning to Regulus is the fact that James is just standing there petting the wings of a fucking thestral. They’re cooing to it, talking quietly.
“James?” Regulus asks, taking a soft step towards the two of them, “What are you doing out here?”
James jumps at his voice but otherwise doesn’t do anything outside of turning to him, “Regulus? What are you doing out here?”
“I asked you that first.” Regulus says, crossing his arms and popping a hip, “Especially why you’re petting a thestral. Those aren’t common, and how can you even see it?”
“I just needed to clear my head,” James shakes their head, hand remaining on the creature’s wing, “I’ve spent so much time out here that I’m not scared of the forest anymore and so it’s a nice place to go. Your turn, what are you doing out here?”
“I try to come out here at least once a month,” Regulus shrugs, “I don’t have a reason, I just like it out here. I have a place that I like to go to. Why can you see that?”
“The thestral?” James asks, like it is not obvious what he’s talking about from the way that he jerks his chin in the direction of the horse.
“They’re only visible to people who have seen the dead.”
James is quiet for a moment before they shrug, “I’ve been able to see spirits my entire life. My grandfather died just before I was born but I didn’t know it until later when I started talking about him because I thought he lived with us. I always saw him around and figured that he didn’t talk because of his age or something. My parents also lost several children before I was born and they used to come to me when I was younger. I’d always ask my parents about seeing my siblings.”
“So you’ve seen the dead all along.”
“I didn’t figure that I needed to mention it. There are all sorts of spirits that follow people around but I don’t want to creep people out. And most people wouldn’t believe me.”
“Is it normal for your family to see spirits?”
“A lot of us do, but not everyone. My mum can see some.”
“So it’s genetic?”
“I guess. We may not do the whole dark magic thing but we do have strong ties with the dead. We have strong evidence that my ancestors did stuff with necromancy, so it’s not all that shocking that we can see the dead.”
“Interesting.” Regulus hums, walking up to the thestral slowly, “So did this just come up to you?”
James hums, “It was hesitant but I’ve been wanting to see a thestral for a while and it warmed up to me quickly. Put your hand here.” They take one of Regulus’ hands and guides it to the creature’s neck, taking their movements slow and allowing the creature to watch the approach of their hands.
“Y’know, you don’t seem shocked that I’m able to see this.” Regulus hums, slowly moving his hand up and down the neck of the creature, feeling the way the leathery skin dips between bones.
“Sirius can, too.” James hums, “I know what your family is like. I’m not shocked by it. I’d be more surprised if you couldn’t see it.”
Eventually, the thestral seems to get tired of them and takes off, leaving the two of them. Regulus guides James to the clearing that he found and the two of them sit down in it, not saying much.
“You needed to clear your mind?” Regulus asks, “Can I ask why?”
“I just have a lot that goes on up here constantly. Being in a place like this quiets all that.” James says, their eyes closed. Regulus takes the moment to gaze over them. The moon is shining through the canopy above them, hitting them just right. They look lovely in the sun but they look absolutely ethereal in the moonlight.
“Do you… do you see things in the forest?”
“Of course I do, this place is crazy.” James hums.
“I mean…”
They crack one eye open, “Ghosts roam the forest, too. That’s a part of the reason that we’re warned to be careful here. There are some very malicious spirits in here. I try to avoid them as best as possible, they creep me the fuck out.”
“Have you ever seen a spirit around me?”
“Not you.” James shakes their head, “Your Rosier friends have one, though. I see it around them all the time.”
“Both of them?”
James nods, “It’s the same one, it’s got the same energy but I’ll see it around either of them at different times. Don’t know what or who it is.”
“You’ll have to tell me more about the spirits that you see,” Regulus hums, “It’s interesting.”
“You’d be the first to say that, most people are freaked out by things like that.”
“Well I’m not most people.” Regulus hums and James snorts.