Chapter Text
James Potter was a happy man with a little secret: he was in love with Regulus Black. In fact, he had been secretly dating him for the past two months. And don’t get him wrong, he would love to scream at the top of his lungs that the younger Black is his, but it was kind of thrilling to keep a secret, as if what they had could be theirs and theirs only.
Every night he would grab the Map and his Cloak and escape to the astronomy tower to meet with his -now- boyfriend. Today though, he had to move his plans earlier.
“Moony, can I borrow that?” he asked, pointing to the Map on Remus’ lap.
“Going somewhere, Prongs?” Sirius asked, getting in the way “We have to polish all the details for tomorrow’s prank.”
“I know.” James said, surrounding Sirius to grab the Map. “I’ll be back in time.”
“Where are you going anyway?”
James smiled, inevitably, as he always did when he thought about Regulus. “Can’t tell.”
“You can’t tell me?” Sirius asked. A pout on his lips “But I’m your best friend.”
“Sorry, Pads.” he said, before shoving him to Remus “Moony, entertain him for me will you? I’ll be back soon.”
He turned around and sped up to the astronomy tower, a quick look to the Map confirmed to him that Regulus had already arrived and James didn’t want to leave him waiting for long. When he made it, Regulus was reading by the window, leaning on a nearby wall. The sunset reflected itself on the boy’s skin in a way that left James breathless.
“You are beautiful.” he said.
Regulus looked up, a smile forming on his lips. James came closer to steal a kiss. When he moved away, Regulus brought him closer again to steal another kiss. “Since you’ll be owing me my goodnight kiss.” Regulus said.
“Yeah… Sorry about that.”
“Do you have a party or something?”
“Reg, It offends me that you think I would ditch you for a party”
“So… you wouldn’t?”
James huffed, sitting besides Regulus while hugging him so they could be kind of cuddling. It was a weird position but it worked for both of them. “I would rather be here stargazing with you, love”
“Is that so?” Regulus kissed his cheek and James wondered if that would ever stop having the effect it still had on him after a hundred kisses.
“Yes… but sadly I really can’t stay tonight, we’re planning something big, your brother will kill me if anything goes wrong with the prank.”
“Really? Another prank?”
“Shit. That was top secret. I shouldn't have said that.”
Regulus chuckled, as if James had said something very silly.
“Don’t worry I would’ve suspected that anything weird happening would be because of your little group”
James acted hurted. Damn. They weren’t that mischievous were they? That was a stupid question, they definitely were. “Our reputation precedes us, doesn’t it?”
“Just stay out of trouble. And leave me out of it too, really, should I worry?”
James smiled, intertwining their fingers. “You’ll see tomorrow” he sang “and I doubt the boys will want to prank you. If they did I wouldn’t let them.”
“What a gentleman aren’t you?”
Before he could even answer, Regulus kissed him, softly but intensely, then he kissed him again, and again, and again, and again. And oh James was surely a happy man. Such a happy man.
Perhaps he could be a bit late. If he had more kisses it would be worth it, even if Sirius got a little mad.
Regulus Black couldn't care less about other people's problems. He had his own, and they were plenty. He couldn’t care less about gossip, or the unfortunate things that happened to someone that wasn’t his friend.
But he had to admit that witnessing Mulciber being all over Snape at breakfast was quite amusing.
Snape’s face projected the feeling that he wanted to kill someone (perhaps himself) meanwhile Mulciber was oddly hugging him from his side. Snape tried for what it seemed the 100th time to move him, but just like the times before, he failed. Mulciber was clinging to him like some kind of flea.
“Well, that’s new” Evan said.
“That has to be bloody embarrassing” Barty said. “And probably the funniest thing I’ve seen this month”
Across the dining hall, Regulus caught a glimpse of his favorite smile. James, and his friends were trying their very best to avoid breaking into laughter, but they were not accomplishing much at all. So that was the confidential prank Regulus thought.
“He’s been cursed” he said.
Evan shrugged “They both had it coming”
Regulus guessed they did. But since he didn’t care about other people’s problems he went on with his day. By his second class he realized that James and his group — the so-called marauders (he refused to acknowledge his brother’s presence in said group) had anticipated more than one victim to their prank. Across his morning he came face to face with Lucinda Talkalot all clingy with Emmeline Vance, he saw Edgar Bones with Hestia Jones, who seemed quite pleased actually. And even the marauders’ own friend Marlene McKinnon had been cursed and was now all over poor Dorcas.
So Hogwarts was a bit of a chaos at the moment. But it was fine, since Regulus didn’t have to deal with it.
At least he thought so, until after his ancient studies class. He was leaving the classroom with Evan when they were both surprised by Barty jumping to the blond’s back, making him trip, and therefore, making Regulus trip as well.
“Bloody hell, Barty what are you do‒”
“I missed you, Ev” Barty said before hugging Evan.
Oh Merlin, if Regulus weren’t on the floor he would be laughing so hard at Evan’s blushed cheeks. He stood up and helped his friends do the same.
“We saw each other less than two hours ago” Evan said.
“And I missed you” Barty replied.
“He’s definitely been cursed” Regulus said.