Chapter Text
The hall was bathed in golden light, reflected in the crystal chandeliers, the white-painted walls, and the red carpet. The wedding reception of Remus Lupin and Regulus Black was, without a doubt, one of the social events of the year. Politicians, businessmen, aristocrats, and familiar faces from the modeling world mingled over glasses of champagne and laughter that rang just a little too loud to be genuine.
At the center of the room, Remus was speaking with a couple of tech magnates, impeccable in his black tuxedo and carrying that quiet composure that set him apart from other heirs of his standing. He didn’t seem uncomfortable, even though everyone knew he wasn’t exactly a man for parties. He smiled just enough to meet expectations, and every so often his eyes drifted toward his brand-new husband.
Regulus, on the other hand, looked as if he had been born for the spotlight. He moved through the crowd with effortless grace, the lights catching the golden sheen of the white velvet coat he wore. His lips curved into carefully measured smiles, the kind he had perfected since his teenage years on runways and in photo shoots.
Still, the moment he found a chance to slip away into one of the quieter corridors, he took it without hesitation. There, far from the endless toasts, Evan Rosier and Barty Crouch Jr. were waiting for him, both holding drinks and grinning far too mischievously.
“Well, Mr. Married Man,” Evan teased, raising his glass in a mock toast. “How does it feel to be the center of attention for half of London?”
Regulus scoffed, taking a quick sip of champagne before answering.
“Feels just as unbearable as before. The only difference now is that I’ve got a husband.”
Barty arched a brow, amused.
“Oh, and the new perfect husband? I’ve heard Lupin’s smart, calm, respectable… basically the dream husband.”
Regulus smiled, though his smile dripped with sweet venom.
“Exactly. The dream husband. The flawless heir. The man no one could possibly hate… except me.”
Evan let out a low laugh.
“Don’t tell me you already hate him, and it’s only been a few hours.”
“I don’t hate him,” Regulus replied evenly. “But I’m not about to get stuck in an arranged marriage like we’re still living in the nineteenth century. If Lupin thinks I’m going to be the perfect accessory to his respectable businessman image, he’s sorely mistaken.”
Barty took a long sip before studying him closely. “So, what’s the plan?”
Regulus leaned in, lowering his voice. His gray eyes, sharp even under the dim corridor light, gleamed with mischief.
“I’m going to be the most insufferable, spoiled, and impossible person he’s ever met. I’ll drive him so mad that he’ll have no choice but to ask me for a divorce.”
Evan and Barty burst out laughing, though something in the way he said it made them think he wasn’t joking.
“Regulus Black, turned into a domestic demon,” Evan chuckled. “Now that, I want to see.”
“Oh, you will,” Regulus promised, draining the rest of his glass before straightening with his usual poise. “In the meantime, let’s keep smiling like everything’s perfect.”
When he returned to the hall, his lips carried that same dazzling smile so often captured on magazine covers. And as Remus watched him from across the room, believing he could trust him to build a quiet life together, Regulus was already plotting the game.
A dangerous game.