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“Chill out it was just a joke.”
A joke? God that’s rich coming from him.
Regulus was pissed, he couldn’t take all of this nonsense. Barty’s infernal yapping never seemed to end. Talking. Non. Stop.
Barty had been pushing his buttons for hours, while he was trying to study no less. He was going to loose his mind, Barty had ‘joked’ about Regulus’s height and he had quite enough.
He was well aware of his height, he did not tower over anyone, and was reminded of it almost daily. He didn’t need to hear that from his best friend.
Not that he would ever tell Barty he was his best friend, that would only make his ego larger.
Evan was sat on the other side of the dorm desperately trying to tune out Barty’s pestering when he got bored of Regulus. He was attempting to get his own homework done, quills and parchment scattered across his bed.
It never lasted long though, it wasn’t as funny to Barty to tease Evan, his teasing didn’t stir him up the way it did for Regulus. It usually ended with Evan throwing a pillow at Barty and charming his curtains shut.
He slammed his hand into the desk, causing ink to spill all over his essay.
He groaned.
He heard a laugh escape from Barty’s lips, god he was annoying.
He stood and spun around on his heel.
He looked Barty up and down, deciding whether or not Barty was worth hexing.
He decided against it, Barty would just get him back threefold, besides he would be giving Barty exactly what he wanted.
Barty grinned like a fox at Regulus.
“Someone’s mad.” Barty mocked.
“Im going for a walk.” Regulus declared, he turned to the coat rack and grabbed his winter coat.
He heard Barty coming up behind him.
“Aw, don’t be like that Regulus, I was just playing.” Barty laughed.
Regulus glared at him, shrugging on his jacket. The sooner he could be out of there the better, the hot and stuffy common room was one thing, but Barty on top of that? No thanks.
He considered grabbing his beanie from his top drawer, he eventually decided that he could spare the warmth to get out of the room quicker.
He turned to leave the dorm room, a feeling of annoyance following with him.
He stepped down into the common room, immediately feeling the cold, the only place that had actual heating was the Gryffindor tower. Nothing in life is fair.
He shivered as he walked, Regulus was naturally a cold person, he didn’t enjoy winter because he could never seem to warm up, it chilled him to his core. Spring or fall was what he preferred. No overheating or freezing temperatures.
Stepping into the common room fully he sees various Slytherins draped across couch’s, hanging out with friends, flirting with crushes. Some of them desperately trying to sneak their partners from other houses into the dorms.
Despite the common room being a way to get away from Barty, he was hoping to sneak into the forbidden forest. Not too long but just long enough to scare Barty.
Just to teach him a lesson.
He let his feet carry up the cobblestone stairs that lead up and out of the dungeons. The old stone steps threaten to crumble every time they’re used.
He steps into a hallway.
The hallways are no warmer than the common room.
It’s after dinner now so the sun is going to set rather quickly, and it was going to get colder fast.
He thought if he hurried he could get to the forest before nightfall, he wouldn’t go deep into the forest, just behind a tree, somewhere that if Barty came looking for him, he wouldn’t be seen immediately.
He keeps an eye out for filch. Since the small man seemed to be able to smell students who were out past curfew, and who knows maybe he could.
He had no issues with filch though. He quietly made his way through the castle not seeing hide nor heir of him.
He cleared hallway after hallway, quickly approaching the castle door.
He let his mind wander as he walked.
He thought of his ruined essay, of Barty’s smug face, about the pot of ink spilled. It wasn’t even really that big a deal, Barty was annoying all the time, he didn’t know why he was so bothered by it today.
It was probably just stress.
He was so lost in his own mind he almost ran straight into the door.
It was large and wooden, with metal details that made it feel larger than it probably was.
He pushed it open a crack, it made a high pitched squeal as he pushed open. He quickly slipped out when there was enough room for him to fit through.
The door shut with a loud bang.
He winced hoping that no one had heard the noise.
He heard a noise that sounded close to footsteps, long strides towards the door.
He scrambled away hoping to get far enough away to be out of sight.
His legs burned as he sprinted toward the forest, the evergreen trees rapidly approaching.
Far worse than his legs his lungs ache from the physical exertion and also from the cold.
Snow falls around him as he ran.
Had it been a normal day the snow would have been a beautiful sight.
Snow covered grass and bushes, coating the land in an icy shade of white, glistening under the dull rays of the setting sun. The whole courtyard painted in different hues of pinks and oranges as the setting sun created beautiful colors in the sky.
Snow crunches under his feet with every long stride, he was just glad to have made it so far. He was surprised that so few teachers had been out and about, usually they can be seen until the late hours of the night.
His legs burn as he keeps running, it felt as though his chest had been set on fire.
He finally reached the entrance of the forest nose red and panting. His whole body was shaking where he stood.
He rests against the back of a tree, letting himself catch his breath.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
Each time he exhaled he could see his breath in the cold winter air.
It reminds him of his brother, being two or three running around the backyard during winter.
Sirius pretending he was a dragon chasing Regulus.
Until they both fell over in a heap and got a scolding from their mother.
They spent the rest of the night talking under a blanket pretending to be in the dragons cave.
Regulus laughs recalling the memory.
Although it makes his heart pang with a longing for simpler times.
Not those times had been particularly pleasant or easy.
But at least he had, had his brother.
He sat down against the base of the tree. The bark felt nice under his back, the snow underneath him was cold, but not more than he could handle.
He let his head rest against the back of the tree, staring upwards at the leaves, beautiful shades of green staring back at him.
His body was tired now, from stress and anger.
He let his eyes shut, he would just lay there for a minute. Surely?
….
James checked his watch, 7:30pm.
Now James was not one to talk when it came to being on time.
But he did know a thing or two about Regulus, and it just so happens that Regulus is thirty minutes late.
Regulus also happens to never be late.
He tells James all the time that being on time is late, one should always show up early and well prepared.
So, Regulus being late was strange to say the least.
He hopped up off his bed.
“Remus hav you seen Regulus today?” James asked trying to sound as casual as possible
Remus sighed.
“No James,” Remus rubbed the bridge of his noes and set down his reading glasses, “I haven’t.”
It’s James’s turn to let out a sigh, he ran a hand through his hair, making the birds nest on top of his head marginally worse.
“If you’re so desperate to see him, go to his dorm.” Peter chimed in. Turning away from his own, book he had been reading. It was some muggle book Remus had loaned him.
In return he had let Remus borrow his copy of ‘A History Of Magic’, which had completely enveloped Remus for the past few days.
“Great idea Pete!” James exclaimed. “What would I do without you?” Running to grab his cloak from underneath his pillow.
“Die?” Peter replied.
James was taken aback.
“God that’s morbid Pete.” James responded.
He rustled around on his bed to find the cloak, he pulled up his blankets to find it lying under the covers.
He grabbed it and threw it over his head.
“Alright try not to get up to too much mischief without me boys.” James joked.
Making his way for the door.
There is a few mumbled farewells from the two boy as James steps out of the dorm.
He took the steps two at a time down to the common room.
Not bothering to look at the people still chatting and laughing in the warm room.
He crossed the room with long strides making quick work of it all.
He pushed open the portrait hole and bent down, trying not to hit his head as he stepped out.
He clambered out and turned back to watch as the fat lady swung back into place.
With a great snore she woke from what appeared to be her sleeping
“Who goes there?” She demanded, her eyes flickering across the hallway for the invisible force disturbing her sleep.
James crept away from the painting, careful to make sure his footsteps weren’t too loud.
As soon as the portrait was out of sight he breathed a deep sigh of relief.
This relief was short lived when he almost tripped down a flight of stairs he hadn’t spotted previously.
He scrambled backwards, clamping a hand over his mouth to stop a cry of surprise from leaving his mouth.
He more cautiously approached the steps taking them one at a time, being careful not to fall.
After what felt like forever of climbing down stairs he had reached the right floor, he began to walk toward the dungeons.
Confidently crossing hallway after hallway.
He reached the stairway into the dungeon and walked down the old stairway.
The cold air hit him immediately.
The dungeons were far colder than Gryffindor tower.
He wondered how Regulus survived winter down there, he always saw Regulus covered in thick clothes during the winter. Yet some how he was still always cold.
Although, he did find the sight of Regulus in large oversized jumpers, some of which happen to be his own, he does wish that the dungeons were slightly warmer.
As he descends into the dungeon it only gets colder, sending goosebumps running through out his body.
There was no one in the common room when he came into it.
He crossed to the boys dorm and climbed the stairs.
He was getting really sick of stairs.
He remembered that Regulus’s dorm was to the far right, one from the end.
He tested the door knob, it was unlocked so he slipped in.
He saw Barty and Evan still chatting.
Well Barty pestering and Evan being pestered.
The door creaks and Barty turns around at break neck speed.
“Who’s there?” Barty demanded.
James slipped the cloak off, letting it fall to the floor.
Barty stared blankly at him, crossing his arms.
“Oh, it’s just you potter.” Barty snarled.
“Um yeah,” James said awkwardly, “I just came to see if Regulus was here?”
Barty glared at him, so much so that his eyes were barely opened.
Evan sighed and rolled his eyes at Barty’s dramatics.
“He went for a walk.” Barty sniped, his brows furrowed more than James thought possible.
“Um okay?” James said, “to where?”
He looked directly at Barty and he did was shrug.
“How should I know?” Barty said, “don’t you have that stupid map? Find him yourself.”
James sighed, Barty was the least helpful person he knew. And that’s saying something he knows Sirius. He seemed to have something against James, he thinks it has something to do with him dating Regulus. But he would never bring it up.
Barty is right about one thing though.
He does have the map.
He pulls it out of his back pocket, along with his wand. He unfurls the parchment and points his wand to the centre of it.
“I solemnly swear I am up to no good.” James says, he has said that line a million times across the years. The marauders had wanted a way to know what everyone was doing, so after careful months of perfecting it (mostly done by Remus) they had a map.
His eyes scan across the paper looking for Regulus’s name, something he had also done a million times before.
He looked over the courtyard and further into the forest. But wait no that can’t be right.
Regulus is in the forbidden forest.
He looks back up at Barty who is still glaring at him.
“He’s in the forbidden forest.” James spoke softly, his words full of confusion.
“What?” Barty said his mouth falling open. “Then go and get him!” Making a shooing motion with his hands.
James didn’t need to be told twice.
He bent to the floor and scooped up the cloak pulling it over his head once more.
He turned and bolted out of the room praying the cloak wouldn’t get caught on anything in his hurried state.
He dashed down stairs and into the common room once more.
All hope of being quite discarded.
His legs worked as hard and as fast as they could carrying him out of the dungeons and towards the castle door.
He sped through corridors, ducking past cupboards that always seemed to be in the way.
He reached the large door, he took a little more caution than earlier to slip out of the door without making a commotion.
Thankfully no one had heard him slip out.
It was a home run now he checked the map once more, still running feeling his body full of adrenaline. Regulus hadn’t moved on the map.
He wondered how long Regulus had been in the same spot, what state would he find him in? Was he okay? He hoped so.
He kept running approaching the end of the courtyard, passing trees and bushes.
You could probably hear the snow crunching under his feet from miles away with how loud he stomped.
He dashed for the trees, still not slowing.
He gasped for air as run, even as a quidditch player who was very serious about his chosen sport, there is only so much one person can take.
The trees get closer with every leaping step, it’s hard to see because the sun had set a long while ago, and snow had started to fall from the sky.
He made it to the entrance of the forest, he leaned on a tree bending over and leaning against it with one hand.
He gulped in big breaths of air.
Once he could breath properly again he pulled out his want from his pocket.
“Lumos.” He muttered, the end of his wand sparked to light illuminating the path ahead of him.
He stepped away from the tree and onto the small path that lead deeper into the forest.
He was about to start walking again when the light of his wand hit something black and curly.
Regulus.
He scrambled over to where Regulus was and dropped to his knees.
Regulus asleep in the snow, all he had on was a pair of warm pants, boots and a winters coat.
He reached his hand into Regulus’s jacket, he rummaged around until he found the spot on his chest where he could feel Regulus’s heart beat. He could feel his heart beat against his hand. A massive relief to James who had been so worried.
Regulus was still freezing though. He shivered under James’s hand.
He scooped Regulus up in his arms, pulling the smaller boy close to his chest.
He took some comfort in the fact that he at least knew where Regulus was.
But he still had to worry about the cold.
It was dark and he could barely see in front of him even with his wand.
He decided to make a desperate break for it.
Regulus wasn’t getting any warmer, and the night was only going to get worse.
Despite the aching in his feet from fatigue, he kept running. He could see the dim lights of hogwarts now, the lantern lit glow of the windows.
He kept running, which felt like all he had been doing that evening.
He eventually made it to the door.
He slipped inside, careful to make sure he could fit himself and Regulus through.
The door slammed shut, he winced at the noise and quickly through the invisibility cloak over himself and Regulus.
He saw a head pop out from a door.
From the silhouette of the woman he assumed it was Professor McGonagal, all sharp features and delicate glasses.
He bit his lip and creeped towards the stairs.
They marble floor made his footsteps sound the times louder, but he kept moving.
Regulus still was shivering in his arms and his teeth chattered as well.
He held him a little closer to his chest, feeling very protective of the smaller boy.
The staircase moved exactly as he needed it to leading him to the fat lady. He carefully removed the cloak from himself.
“Pumpkin juice.” He whispered to the portrait, hoping she would still be using the password from this morning.
He was in luck the portrait swung open with a groan.
He clambered in through the small hole, trying his best to be gentle with Regulus.
He slipped through the common room silently, the room was dark but it was at least warm.
He climbed the stairs to the dorms and pushed open his dorms door.
The heating felt so nice on his cold skin, and he could feel Regulus start to stir in his arms.
He was worried that Regulus might be sick or worse have hypothermia after being out in the cold so long, so he walked up to his bed and gently set Regulus down on top of the blankets.
He walked over to Remus’s bed and shook his shoulders.
Remus groaned and rolled over to face James.
“What James?” Remus groaned.
“Can you have a look at Regulus?” James asked.
“What? Why?” Asked Remus.
“Because I found him out in the snow and I don’t know if something is wrong with him or not and-“
“Wow slow down James.” Remus sat up and stretched his lanky arms, “I’ll have a look at him.”
James’s whole body relaxed a little more, slouching down.
Remus slid out of bed and walked softly over to where Regulus lay.
He checked his forehead and pulse.
He looked at James, blinking sleepily as he did.
“He should be fine,” Remus said, “but he will wake up with a nasty cold.”
James was relieved, it felt like a weight had been taken off his shoulders.
“I’d get both you and Regulus changed into more bed appropriate if I were you.” Remus said looking James up and down.
He looked at his dirty converse and warm pants.
He was right James needed to get into something that wasn’t covered in snow.
But Regulus came first, He changed Regulus into one of his warm woolly jumpers, it was red and soft and a soft pair of black tracksuit pants.
James reached into his trunk and pulled out a pair of pjamas he slipped into the pair of pjamas, the top and bottoms probably didn’t match but he wasn’t too fussed.
He slid into bed beside Regulus covering both of them in James’s thick blankets.
He pulled Regulus close to his chest and let his eyes flutter close.
…
Regulus woke warmer than he had gone to sleep.
His nose was running and he felt like death warmed up.
He felt something move in front of him. He looked up to see James’s eyes staring down at him.
He tried to remember how he had gotten here, but he had no recollection of when he had gotten in James’s bed.
James cupped his face in his hands and moved it side to side, as if he was scanning to see if Regulus was actually there.
“James?” Regulus croaked.
James looked at Regulus with joy in his eyes.
“What happened?” Regulus asked.
“What happened was, you scared me to death, love.” James said sternly, the joy in his eyes replaced by something more serious.
Regulus started to recall the events of last night.
Storming off because of Barty, falling asleep by the tree, and most of all the cold.
He felt embarrassed about making James search around in the dark and cold, worried sick about him.
“Im sorry.” Regulus said softly.
“It’s okay, love,” James said stroking Regulus’s back as he spoke, “why were you even out there in the first place?”
Regulus blushed, it was such a stupid reason he felt dumb saying it out loud.
“I was trying to scare Barty because he was really bothering me…” Regulus said sheepishly.
James chuckled.
“Well, you scared someone, love.” James joked.
“Shut up.” Regulus said, burying his face in James’s chest. “I said I was sorry.”
They lay there for a long while holding each other until they both fell back to sleep. The night taking a toll on both of them.