Chapter Text
What are they talking about?
“Would you stop that?”
What's so funny? Why is he laughing?
“Reg!”
What's even so interesting about this Potter?
“Regulus!”
“Ouch!” Regulus cries out and turns to his right to see Barty's annoyed expression. “Git.” He shoves him back.
Barty's lips stretch into a shit-eating grin. “You should thank me actually. You've been staring at Potter for the last two minutes. Embarrassing if you ask me.”
“I'm not asking you.” Regulus feels his cheeks heat up. “And I wasn't…Oh, forget it.” His mood that was already shitty sours even more. He wasn't staring at Potter. Well, technically he was but not for the reasons Barty might think.
“Aww, no need to lie to me.” Barty rolls his eyes and bites into his sausage. “Not a very good choice, sure, but whatever floats your boat or what they say.”
Regulus groans and rubs his eyes. It's too early for this shit.
“Barty, you…”
“Morning, guys.” Evan plops in front of them with two food trays.
Regulus lets out a small sigh of relief hoping that now they can start talking about something else.
“Reg has been staring at Potter all morning.” Barty, of course, goes straight to the point wiggling his eyebrows and grinning at Evan. Great.
“I have not .” Regulus bristles and starts eating his own breakfast. “You are so annoying.”
Evan snorts. “Really?” He looks at Regulus now. “I know you like dudes but I didn't expect Potter to be your type”. He isn't.
Regulus grits his teeth.
“Where's Pandora?” He tries to change the subject and Evan mercifully lets him.
“She met Evans on the way here and stopped to talk.” He takes a sip from his mug. “Should be here soon.”
Regulus gives a small nod and takes his own mug of tea. He doesn't dare to look at his brother and Potter again, glad that Barty and Evan started talking about homework they all had for today's classes and seemingly aren't gonna talk about Potter anymore.
Honestly it's still better than if they actually knew the truth.
Regulus isn't sure when it started. It feels like he has always been like this. When they were both kids and he loved his big brother more than anyone. And when they got older and Sirius started to become distant, finding new friends, avoiding being at home.There was suddenly no place for Regulus in his life anymore. And he was seething with jealousy, with betrayal, with disappointment. How could this happen to us? James Potter. Oh, how he hated that guy. Still does. Small part of him, the one that he decided to ignore, knew that it wasn't actually James's fault. At least not entirely. But it was easier to blame him for taking Sirius away than his parents for pushing him away.
He has always loved his brother. He only started to realise that he loved him more than was acceptable when Potter came into the picture and he started losing him. Every time he saw them together, whispering and giggling with Potter's arm around Sirius's shoulders he felt like he was capable of committing a murder. It only got worse when Sirius started sleeping around and there were these rumors. Regulus couldn't spend a day without hearing some girls giggling in school corridors talking about his brother's dick. For fucks sake. He actually cried the day he heard about it for the first time. Not his proudest moment. It's not like he expected Sirius to never date anyone and never sleep with anyone but it still hurt. At that point he was deep in his feelings and was regularly wanking to the fantasies of Sirius’s fingers on him, his lips on his neck. It's like he didn't even notice how his wish to be the only one for his big brother again turned out to be this. It was a strange mix of shame, anger and love. It still is.
In reality they're sitting two tables away from each other and Sirius isn't even looking in his direction, too immersed in whatever Potter is telling him.
“I need to go.” He stands up abruptly and both Evan and Barty stop talking and look at him confused and Regulus cringes. “I need to get to the library before class. I'll see you.” He takes his bag. “Say hi to Pandora.”
He leaves before they have a chance to say anything. And even if he allows himself to look at Sirius again on his way out, well, no one has to know.
He doesn't go to the library. Instead he sneaks out for a quick smoke. He lits a fag and inhales, leaning against the school wall. The day just started and he already wants some peace and quiet. And since Barty only smokes when it's a party and Evan doesn't smoke at all, it's his only chance to be alone for a few minutes.
He freezes and his heart jumps into his throat when he hears a familiar laugh. No. Why couldn't they smoke before lunch? So much for peace and quiet. He feels irrational anger mixed with panic and for a moment he entertains a thought of just fleeing from the spot before they can see him which makes him feel embarrassed and because of that even more angry. Why would i fucking run away? He grits his teeth and takes another drag willing his heart to calm down.
“Oh, hi, Regulus.” James sounds surprised but cheery like they're on friendly terms. He sounds like this with everyone, Regulus muses.
He turns his gaze towards them and his eyes meet Sirius’s who has this conflicted expression on his face, his eyes flick between Regulus's face and his fag. He doesn't know I smoke.
For a moment no one says anything and they just stand in awkward silence. Regulus is thankful that at least Lupin and Pettigrew aren't here to make this situation even more uncomfortable.
“Well, uhm…Yeah.” James coughs awkwardly and Regulus decides that it's time to leave. He throws away his fag and starts walking away not looking at any of them.
“Nice chat.” Sirius scoffs. “Does mommy know you smoke, Reggie?” He asks mockingly and Regulus wants to hit him in the face. He doesn't, of course.
“Piss off, Sirius.” Regulus's voice doesn't betray any emotions and he keeps walking. He was always the one with self-control. Sirius is the one with Black temper. “Since when do you even care what mother thinks?”
“You…” Regulus is spared from whatever Sirius wanted to say as he reaches the school door and walks inside.
He leans against the wall and lets himself breathe for a moment.
He is in class 5 minutes before lesson starts, sitting in his place on the right from Barty who looks at him suspiciously. “You weren't in the library.”
“No.” Regulus sighs. “I wasn't.”
Barty studies him for a few moments. “Did you run into your brother and Potter?”
For fucks sake.
“What is it?” Regulus sighs, turning to him. “Annoy Regulus day?”
“I just wanted to help.” Barty raises his hands in surrender and grins. “Feel free to brood on your own if you like it.”
“I'm not brooding.” Regulus hisses.
“Sure you're not.” Barty rolls his eyes.
Once again Regulus is saved from an unpleasant conversation, this time by a teacher who walks into the classroom.
***
After classes are over Regulus finds himself laying in Barty's room on his bed. They're doing homework. Well, Regulus is trying to do his homework and Barty switches between spinning on his chair and playing darts. Regulus is genuinely surprised he doesn't have someone's picture stuck on the darts board.
“I've been thinking.” Barty starts tentatively turning on his chair to face him. “You know, about your Potter situation.”
“My what?” Regulus chokes. “There's no situation.”
“Sure, sure.” Barty waves his hand. “But if there was a situation. I think you should go for it, you know.”
“What?” Regulus looks at him stupidly, his homework’s abandoned.
“Well, you like him and you're a catch. He would be lucky to have you.” Barty plops himself on the bed facing Regulus. “Seriously, I have a plan.”
“What? I'm what? You what?” Regulus splutters. “Have you lost your mind?”
Barty rolls his eyes “Come on. You want him, I want to help you to get him.”
“Why?”
“Well, I'm very confident about my ability to seduce people. Ouch.” Barty laughs and pushes him away when Regulus hits him over the head. “And i want to help my friend of course.”
Regulus just stares at him like Barty has suddenly grown a second head. Plan to seduce Potter?
“Just think about it.” Barty raises his hands in surrender.
Regulus sighs in frustration and rubs his eyes. There's no way. He doesn't want Potter. I want Sirius though. He's not that desperate. But Barty isn't lying. He knows how to make people like him. He can teach me. No, he isn't going to hit on his brother with Barty's help. It's just too much.
They sit in silence for another few minutes, Barty goes back to darts.
“Fine.”
“Fine?” Barty jumps on the bed excitedly. “Fine! We're so gonna get you laid.” He grips Regulus' shoulders, grinning.
“Oh my god.” Regulus groans and pushes him away. “Okay, what's the genius plan?”
Barty goes to his table and gets paper and pen and Regulus’s eye twitches. Seriously?
Barty completely ignores his bewildered expression as he starts writing on the paper. “Plan to seduce James Potter. Step one.” He looks up at him. “This one is gonna be tough for you and probably not very fun, since it's Potter we're talking about, but you have to start talking to him. There's no way you're ever gonna get together if you keep looking at him with your condescending stare and ignore him every time he tries to start a conversation with you.”
Regulus wants to vomit. Not from the idea of talking to Potter, he doesn't even think about him. I'll have to start talking to Sirius. Normally. We're never gonna make up otherwise. If Sirius even will be willing to talk to me.
He probably looks as sick as he feels because Barty's smile falters.
“What if he doesn't want to talk to me?” Regulus looks at him.
“Why wouldn't he? He tries to talk to you every time he sees you. At this point I'm starting to think that he should be the one to make all the moves. Maybe we won't even have to use the next steps.” Barty winks at him.
Right.
Regulus thinks for a moment.
“He's always with Sirius. They're practically attached to each other.” Nothing in Regulus’s voice betrays how angry acknowledging this makes him. “I don't think he will let me have even one peaceful conversation with Potter.”
“Well.” Barty grins lopsidedly. “Then you'll just have to catch him when he's alone.”
Great. Just great.
“What am I even supposed to talk to him about?” He sighs defeated.
“Mmm, people love to talk about themselves. You can start there. Just let him talk and act interested. I don't think making Potter talk is that difficult.” Barty shrugs. “And try not to bully him. Be nicer. I'm not asking you to become someone you're not but definitely tone it down with cold stares and all that.” He resumes writing.
Regulus feels the beginning of a headache.
***
On the way home he tells himself that he can always back down. That he doesn't have to go through with this plan. We're never gonna make up if we don't start talking. Regulus needs a smoke but his house is on the corner and there's no way he can get rid of the smell in such a short time. How is he even supposed to hide from Barty that he isn't actually talking to Potter?
The house is quiet which means that Sirius either decided not to bless their parents with his presence for dinner or the fight is already over.
Regulus sighs and goes to the second floor where the bedrooms are. He stops on his way to his room to stare at Sirius's bedroom door. You'll have to catch him when he's alone.
Regulus takes a deep breath and knocks. For a moment nothing happens but then the door flies open and he sees a confused looking Sirius. No one in this house is used to knocking.
They stare at each other for a second and Sirius’s confusion melts into a condescending smile.
“Don't worry.” He says leaning against the door frame.
“What?” Regulus asks, puzzled.
“I didn't tell her anything. And I'm not planning to. You can keep smoking in peace.”
What? He thinks I came to him because I'm afraid that he will rat me out?
Regulus is lost for words, any ideas about what he could say to his brother that he had on his way here are gone.
“I didn't…” He tries.
“Goodnight.” Sirius slams the door in his face.
Great start.