Work Text:
James Potter leaned against the window ledge of the Gryffindor common room, his eyes fixed on the grounds below. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the grass, and there, near the edge of the Black Lake, he spotted them—Remus Lupin and Regulus Black.
They were sitting side by side, their heads bent close together, deep in conversation. Remus’s sandy hair caught the sunlight, and Regulus’s dark curls seemed to blend into the shadows. James couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he didn’t need to. The way Remus gestured animatedly, the way Regulus tilted his head slightly, as if hanging on every word—it was enough to make James’s chest tighten.
But he wasn’t jealous. He wasn’t.
“What’re you staring at, Prongs?” Sirius’s voice broke through his thoughts. James turned to see his best friend flopping onto the couch, his long legs dangling over the armrest.
“Nothing,” James said quickly, too quickly.
Sirius raised an eyebrow and followed James’s gaze out the window. His expression softened slightly when he saw his brother. “Regulus,” he said, his tone quieter now, almost thoughtful.
“He’s been spending a lot of time with Remus lately,” James said casually, as if it didn’t matter.
Sirius shrugged, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—something James couldn’t quite place. “Yeah, I’ve noticed. Moony’s got a way of bringing people out of their shells, doesn’t he?”
James frowned. “You’re not… bothered by it?”
Sirius leaned back, running a hand through his hair. “Bothered? Nah. I mean, Regulus is… complicated. But he’s not all bad. He’s just… stuck, you know? Stuck in that house, stuck with their expectations. If Remus can get through to him, maybe that’s not such a bad thing.”
James blinked, surprised by Sirius’s response. He’d expected something sharper, more dismissive. But Sirius sounded almost… hopeful.
“They’re just talking,” James said, more to himself than to Sirius.
Sirius smirked. “Yeah, well, Regulus doesn’t just talk with just anyone. He’s not exactly the chatty type. If he’s opening up to Remus, that’s… something.”
James didn’t respond. He turned back to the window, watching as Remus laughed at something Regulus said. The sound didn’t carry up to the tower, but James could imagine it—soft and warm, the kind of laugh that made you feel like you were in on the joke.
He wasn’t jealous. Really, he wasn’t.
But he couldn’t help wondering what they were talking about. Remus had been spending more and more time with Regulus lately, and James couldn’t figure out why. It wasn’t like they had much in common. Remus was kind and thoughtful, always looking out for others. Regulus was… well, he was a Slytherin. He was quiet, reserved, and always seemed to be calculating something.
Still, there was something about the way they interacted that made James uneasy. It wasn’t jealousy, he told himself again. It was just… curiosity.
“You’re staring again,” Sirius said, breaking the silence.
James shook his head. “I’m not staring. I’m just… observing.”
Sirius rolled his eyes. “Right. Observing. Because that’s what you do best, Prongs.”
James ignored the jab. He couldn’t explain why he felt so unsettled, but he knew it wasn’t jealousy. He trusted Remus. He did.
But as he watched Remus and Regulus rise from the grass and walk back toward the castle together, James couldn’t shake the feeling that something was changing.