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Being Alive was exhausting, everyone sucked and Regulus really needed to get some sleep his eyes were practically dropping out of their sockets.
He walked down the halls after his last period. Let’s just say trying to recognise potions by smell with a cold is not easy work.
He shivered, the castle got ungodly cold during the winter, no matter how many layers you put on. He didn’t know how, but he was pretty sure it had something to do with the marauders.
It always did.
He kept walking down the hallway, feet dragging on the tiles, his nose ran and body ached, it felt gross he probably looked the part to.
He heard a loud group of people around the corner, he panicked recognising his brother’s voice.
“James, shove off.” He laughed loudly as he said it.
Ah so the rest of the boys were with him to, that’s fine Regulus didn’t need to panic.
Never mind yes, he did. Seeing his brother and boyfriend meant using time and energy that he didn’t have to get them to stop talking. He had homework to do for Merlin’s sake.
Thinking as quick as he could he turned into his animagus form.
Now was he a registered animagus? no. Did anyone know he was an animagus? Also no.
Now a small black cat he would be able to slip past the group easily without having to say a word.
They turned the corner, and he slipped through their feet, well at least he tried to.
“Oh, my gods, look at this cat.” Someone picked him up from the middle and pulled him to their chest. He kicked and scrambled desperately trying to free himself from their hold.
“Hold still, geez.” The voice said.
Eventually realising he could not escape he turned to face his capture.
Of course, just his luck, it was James.
“James, put the cat down.” Sighed Remus.
Regulus couldn’t help but agree with Remus.
“Look at it Remus,” James held him toward Remus, letting Regulus’s legs dangling, “he looks like he’s cold.”
“It’s a him now?” Sirius asked. “How can you tell?”
“I don’t know,” James shrugged, “I just have a feeling.”
“In any case I am bringing him back to the dorms.” James declared.”
The group was walking again now James pulled him back towards his chest.
“James, mate, you can’t bring a cat into the dorms.” Remus explained, “McGonagal will kill us.”
James wasn’t listening anymore, he was trying to stroke Regulus’s nose, while he batted at his hand.
This did not have the intended effect, only causing James to laugh.
….
They entered the dorm rooms and James let Regulus down onto his bed, Regulus started for the door, but Sirius kicked it shut as he entered the dorm.
His plan foiled he made his way back to James’s bed and layer down, his head resting in his paws.
He felt the bed shift as James sat down beside him, James started to stroke his head, Regulus let it slide, but only this one time he promised himself.
“James don’t get to attached to the cat we can’t keep it.” Sighed Remus.
“I won’t!” James promised, “Stop looking at me like that Pete I only kept that dog because I thought it was Sirius.”
Peter shrugged and kept folding his clothes.
“Just promise me you won’t bring it to dinner.” Begged Remus.
“Okay, okay I won’t.” James said putting his hands up defensively.
James checked his watch.
“Speaking of dinner, we better head down.” James said.
Soon the boys had shuffled out of the dorm shutting the door so Regulus wouldn’t get out.
Well, his friends would worry about him so he decided he would be going to dinner as well.
He changed back into his human self and walked for the door.
It wasn’t locked so he slipped out, down to the common room.
It seemed like the Gryffindors had any warmth in the whole castle, probably had something to do with Dumbledores favouritism towards his own house.
He shivered as he stepped out of the portrait hole feeling the cold twice as much as before, without his warm fur keeping him warm.
He walked down the marble stairs down to the dining hall.
It was packed. All at once his ears hurt from the amount of people, laughter and yelling seemed to be coming from every direction.
He made his way to the Slytherin table, he spotted Barty and Evan and plopped doen into the seat next to them.
“Where have you been, we didn’t see you after class?” Evan asked.
“Yeah, to busy with your boyfriend for us Reggie?” Barty teased.
“Shut it junior.” Regulus snapped.
He reached for the chicken and picked one and put it on his plate.
“Someone’s in a mood.” Said Barty.
Evan gestured for him to leave it.
Regulus picked at the chicken with his fork. Eating was about the last thing he wanted to do, his stomach churned and he let his fork drop.
….
The minute dinner finished he turned and left, he made it to the hallway and shifted back into a cat.
He started to walk towards his dorm until he heard a noise behind him and froze
“James, you promised to keep it in the dorm room!” Remus said exasperated.
“I did!” James cried, “I swear on my mum’s life I didn’t let him out.”
“Just hide him before we get caught.” Said Sirius.
“Don’t encourage him to make us responsible for the cat!” Remus cried.
Remembering that he needed to get out of here, despite how funny watching Remus and James argue.
He tried to scurry away before they noticed him leaving, but foiled again, James picked him up and tucked him out of sight in one of his arms hidden by his jacket.
They kept moving, hoping no one would notice the lump underneath James’s jacket.
….
They got back to the dorm and Regulus was shut in once more.
He sat and watched the boys go about their routines, folding clothes, laughing while poking each other and talking so much talking.
The group took turns in the bathroom, going in with a grubby uniform, and coming out clean and in fresh pyjamas.
James was the last to come out, not surprisingly since he took the longest out of the group.
He lied down on his bed and Regulus jumped onto the bed and curled up on his chest.
“Hello there.” James smiled, playing with Regulus’s ears.
Regulus purred, he nearly died on the spot, purring? Really?
He turned his face away from James, curling into his side.
The others started getting into their own beds, well except for the Sirius, who got in Remus’s bed.
Peter got nominated to turn the light off, he grumbled about why he always had to but eventually got up and turned it off.
James got under his blanket, this took Regulus by surprise and he almost fell off the bed.
He wanted to go back to his own dorm, but there was no hope of making it out of the room without somebody noticing, so he decided to stay the night.
He stepped over to where James was lying and curled up in his arms and waited for sleep to come.
….
When James woke it was still dark outside, the curtains shut and the light still off, he looked at his watch a saw it was three in the morning. It didn’t really matter anyways it was a Saturday tomorrow, well today technically.
He rolled out of bed and made his way to the bathroom.
….
He padded back to his bed, his bare feet barely making any noise on the carpet.
As he went to flip the blanket to get back into his bed, he saw a shape under the blanket that was far to large to be the cat that was there earlier.
He flipped the blanket unsure of what would be underneath.
There lied Regulus Black’s sleeping body, how he got there, James had no idea.
Maybe my prayers are finally being answered James thought to himself.
Regulus had his hands tucked under his face, knees bent slightly, as if he was still trying to curl in on himself.
Regulus sleeping might have been the cutest thing James had ever seen, but he did have reason to biased.
James slipped into the bed beside him, doing his best not to wake him up.
He rolled over to face Regulus’s back, he slowly put an arm around him.
Regulus stirred in his sleep, James practically stopped breathing hoping not to wake his sleeping Boyfriend.
Regulus rolled over and nuzzled into James’s chest in his sleep.
James turned bright red, he couldn’t believe his luck. He wasn’t complaining but he was still quite confused what happened to the cat and why Regulus was now there.
He decided questions could be asked later and let himself drift off back to sleep.
….
When James woke next Regulus was still sleeping in his arms, a leg thrown over his own. He looked like he was trying to melt into James.
James couldn’t help but laugh a little, for someone who could be so closed off and prickly he sure could be soft and sweet in sleep.
James quickly realised the noise had woken Regulus up.
….
Regulus woke to the sound of laughter, it was too early for this, he tried to bury himself deeper into whatever was in front of him. He realised that he couldn’t because what he was trying to bury himself in was James.
His head shot up realising he was no longer a cat like he had been when he went to sleep.
“Good morning Regulus.” James said softly.
Regulus wanted to crawl in a hole and die.
He was humiliated and James was just laughing.
His whole face went bright pink.
“Not that Im complaining, but what are you doing here?” James asked.
Regulus mumbled something hoping James would drop it.
“Could you speak a little louder, love?” James asked.
“I was the cat, James.” Regulus said.
James's look of shock was enough for Regulus to bury his heads into the pillows.
“You’re an animagus?” James said, but it sounded like he was more talking to himself than Regulus.
Regulus raised his head to answer, but immediately had a coughing fit, rendering him speechless.
“Wow now let’s lay down now, love” James said, Regulus let his head drop but still looked at James.
James put a hand to his forehead, “you don’t seem to well, love.” James frowned a look of concern on his face.
And the truth was that Regulus was not feeling super.
James lied down next to Regulus.
“We can talk tomorrow, today just rest, love.” James whispered in his ear.
So, Regulus slept he let himself feel safe In James’s arms, as he let sleep over take him he was happy.