Chapter Text
June 15th 1967
Orion Black brought Regulus and Sirius out to Hogsmeade for an outing and to get Regulus candy. The little prince’s birthday is coming up and there is no arguing that Honeyduke’s is the best candy with the widest selection unless you were going out to France or something.
As had become recent tradition, Orion apparates himself and the boys into Hogsmeade and starts walked towards the Three Broomsticks. It was always food, brooms, then candy. Orion and Regulus hand in hand, creatures of habit that enjoyed structure and predictability.
Regulus thinks part of the reason for this particular habit is because they go in age seniority order concerning favorite activities.
Orion was ALWAYS hungry! And for good reason, standing at 6’4 and very fit, his body takes a lot to maintain. His dark hair was well kept and swept back into a ponytail. Simple, clean, crisp, and straight stopping just at his lower back; it’s not frilly or adorned like the Malfoy’s but respectable. Orion told stories to Regulus and Sirius of how he used to play quidditch and be a star beater. His long lean muscles giving ample power and further reach for a swing. Unfortunately, when he got to the pros he just wasn't nimble enough or small enough (physically) to keep up with other players. He is retired now, working in the ministry, but the athletic style of living never really left.
And thus Sirius' obsession picked up where his father's left off. He was chronically obsessed and talked to Regulus all day everyday about quidditch.
Regulus was constantly wondering how there was more to learn, more to talk about, more to analyze, more to practice, more to buy. Sirius was that way though in general, more more more. He just wanted to shine SO brightly; sometimes it's suffocating. Pretty fitting how he was named after a star. With the shining, but also because stars inevitably devour all that enters their gravitational pull... eventually becoming a black hole. All consuming.
Regulus and Sirius had really enjoyed these new outings with their father recently. Lunch was full of laughs, good food, quidditch of course, and then teasing Regulus.
"Reg, you're always so quiet! Have some fun?"
"My NAME is Regulus, not Reg and I am having fun Sirius! Not my fault I don't want all of Broomsticks to hear everything I say."
Orion chuckles, "It's ok Sirius, Regulus is just a little more quiet, reserved, and---thoughtful like your mum.''
Sirius' eyes grow wide as he looks up at Orion,"When is mum ever quiet?! She's always yelling or squawking about something."
Something flickers in Orion's eyes and he becomes stern, leveling Sirius with a look that made him shrink down in his seat,"Silence now Sirius. Don't talk about your mother that way.”
Sirius looked down at his shoes picking at his nails, his hair falling in his face. No doubt trying to hide his tears. Sirius never cared what their mum thought of him but something about Orion's disappointment dissolved Sirius to tears instantly.
Orion took a deep breath. "I'm sorry Sirius," he took and tucked Sirius' hair behind his ear, raising his chin to make eye contact, "I know your mum did some bloody awful things to you. If I had known… it would have never happened but it did. She hurt you, and that is why I had her leave…but I still love her. I miss her. It's — hard for me not having her here."
"Papa. How can you love someone who does bad things? Who hurts you?" Regulus asked. Though Regulus would never say it to Sirius he misses his mum too.
Orion and Regulus were often mirroring each other in love and guilt. Especially surrounding this, feeling guilt for missing her because Sirius, so they never talked about it. It being what the feelings meant, how to handle it.
"Oh mon amour, l’amour est toujours très complique" Orion turn to Sirius who had mostly recovered by this point except a light red rim around his eyes. "But I love you most mon chou,” he smiled softly at Sirius, “Toujours Pur is going to mean something new from here on out, and we get to define it because we have power, Oui?”
Sirius smiled brightly and then answered, "Oui."
"Good! Now... back to happier things, oui?" Orion clapped his hands together and rubbed them in a motion to induce excitement.
"QUIDDITCH STORE!" Sirius yelled standing up quickly, causing the chair to scrape on the floor.
Regulus rolled his eyes causing Sirius and Orion to bark out laughter. "It's not your birthday yet Reg! I don't have to surrender my fun to you yet!" Sirius stated in a very haughty tone.
Reggie turned his head and huffed, “I have fun.”
~*~
As the three boys stepped out into the summer air, it had grown hot and sticky. The streets were more busy in the late afternoon and kids were weaving through the slower moving adults. Sirius, as usual, was not paying attention to anything, floating and spinning about on their way to the Quidditch store.
As they got closer to the store a patch of red caught Regulus' attention out of his peripheral vision. Sirius and Orion were already entering the store as Regulus turned to look around; looking for what caught his eye, he found a boy in a red shirt crashing full force into the legs of two adults who might have been his parents. Regulus couldn’t help imagining the horror on his mothers face if he ran around like that in public let alone crashed into her like that. Coming back from his thoughts, Regulus froze in place. He had taken in more about the boy than just his shirt and he’s not sure exactly why but he couldn’t breathe. Then it clicked. Regulus didn’t think he had seen anything quite as beautiful as this. That boy’s smile. It was like the warmth on Regulus’ face when they went to the French coast over hols.
From beside him came the noise of someone clearing their throat. Regulus looked over to find his father smiling softly. "You coming Regulus?" Sirius’ head popped out from behind their father.
"Um..." Regulus turned back to see the boy entering Honeyduke's with his parents in tow, "Im going to... go to Honeyduke's. Get a head start. Is that alright? Sirius is more into quidditch than me anyways and I heard there’s a new broom on display."
Sirius’ eyes lit up and he looked up at their dad smiling. They turned back into the store, “Yeah ok Reg. See you soon,” he tossed over his shoulder.
Orion looked in the direction Regulus had previously been looking and frowned slightly. Regulus wasn’t sure why but for some reason it maked his stomach knot, like he was doing something wrong — like there was something he didn’t want Orion to see.
Orion looked back at Reglus, "Ok mon amour. Be safe."
Regulus nodded," Yes, papa."
As Orion turned back into the quidditch store Reg made his way over to Honeyduke's and for the first time is maybe…happy? his mother wasn’t with them.
~*~
When he opened the door Regulus immediately found the boy in the red shirt. His heart skipped and his breath caught. How?! How was Regulus supposed to say hello? He wasn’t like Sirius. He wasn’t a natural charmer. He didn’t have the know-how to just make friends naturally and going up to just say hi was — scary. Luckily the kid ducked down to tie his shoe and Regulus had an opening. He would just bump him a little like he was trying to reach the candy and say sorry, opening up the conversation.
To Regulus' credit it was a good plan but he might have pushed the boy just a little too hard. The boy in the red shirt fell forward onto his hands and knees, loosing his glasses to the floor.
"Hey! What are you pushing me over for?!" He said as he skitters his hands across the floor searching for his glasses. The boy picked up his glasses and then sat back on his knees to clean them and put them back on.
"I'm sorry," says the most quiet voice.
That startled the boy and had him putting on his glasses in haste to see who just spoke. He looked up and saw Regulus looking down at him, rather flushed and embarrassed looking. He stayed there looking up at the young boy feeling the urgent need to protect him.
"Um... it's, it's ok."
"I was just trying to get some candy, but I didn't see you," Regulus said timidly staring intently at his shoes now, freaking out about how he messed up something so simple.
"No, no it's ok," he got to his feet, readjusting his glasses on his nose, "My-my name is James, James Potter."
"Regulus."
James snorted and Reg raised an eyebrow at him. "Something funny?"
"Um... uh, I'm sorry. That was rude. I just haven't heard a name like that before."
"My parents named my brother & I after stars in the sky. I think it's pretty cool."
James giggled again. Regulus was so taken aback and conflicted between thinking this kid is a right git and his heart skipping beats every time he smiled.
"Of course you do."
Regulus’ eyes narrowed looking at James with disdain, "What's that supposed to mean?"
James was just looking at him stupidly again.
This idiot can't even collect his thoughts Regulus thought. He huffed and turned to the next row of candies deciding he was actually going to get a head start on collecting candies. He grabbed a bag and started to put in handfuls of ones he liked.
James was following behind Regulus now seeming pulled like a magnet into Regulus’ gravity. Regulus spun around quickly catching James off guard , “Can I help you?”
James chuckled again," You are so proper. And sensitive."
Reg blushed and then frowned, "Godrick’s sake, you would be really good friends with my brother. Just wait till he shows up. He'll be here soon enough.” Regulus turned back towards the candies grabbing another bag, “You can't miss him. He's just about the loudest person on earth."
"Hey! Are you saying I'm loud!?"
Regulus smirked, side eyeing James, "Well you definitely like attention and teasing like he does.''
Reg's heart crumpled a little at the thought of losing another thing to Sirius. He got to be the oldest, the heir to the family, the outgoing one, and now — he's the better fit to the boy that took Regulus’ breath away... the better fit for James.
James made a face at this, "Maybe I just like talking to you. Did you think of that? Usually it's a good sign to make people laugh. I think you're funny."
Regulus swiftly turned his face further away to hide the blush that was crawling up his face.
James came around his other side," What are you getting so much candy for anyways?"
"It's my birthday in two weeks; we’re stocking up for my party."
James' eyes widened. "I wanna go to the party. Can-can I come?”
Regulus looked up at James; he looked him up and down, "Why would you wanna come to my party anyways?"
"So I can see you again...we are going to be friends aren’t we?”
Regulus bit his lower lip. His stomach felt squirmy and he thought about stories of feeling butterflies in your stomach. In French they would say something like avoir l’estomac noué. Instead,"Ok," was the only thing he could get out.
James smiled, all teeth, ear to ear. His nose scrunching up, moving his glasses, and Regulus noticed he had tons of little freckles across his face. You could barely see them on his dark skin. That smile did Regulus in. Boy, did James Potter shine, pretty like the sun. Regulus couldn’t help himself; he smiled back.
"What are your favorites? Candies, I mean."
"Oh," Regulus thought, looking around the shop, "Um.... Oh! I know!" Regulus spun on the spot grabbing James' hand and pulling him towards the stairs leading to the second level. After running up the stairs and around a corner Regulus abruptly stopped causing James to run into him laughing. Regulus laughed breathlessly pointing at the wall.
James looked up following Regulus’ pointing," Warblers?"
"Mhm, and Fizzing Whizzbees. They let you make bird sounds! And the Fizzing Whizzbees let you fly."
James was smiling again, looking at Regulus but it felt… different. His smile was smaller and all in the corners, his lips pressed together. It was not all teeth and stretching across his face. He looked more… thoughtful?
Regulus stared back, unyielding. He may feel anxious but he’s had a lot of practice staring between his mum and Sirius. He knew how to hide what he’s feeling. His eyes narrowing slightly,"What?"
"Nothing, I just like flying too. It makes me feel — free."
Regulus’ eyes immediately widened as the words hit his heart. As he breathed, "me too,” escaped him.
"James? James? Ah there you are!"
The woman Regulus had seen earlier was coming up the stairs towards them and Regulus became very self conscious, letting go of James' hand, realizing he was still holding it. James — well he didn’t let go.
"Hi, Mum!"
"Hi darling. Who's this?"
Regulus moved to hide slightly behind James. There wasn’t much of a difference in height but still Regulus felt safer having someone between him and the unknown. Ironically, usually that was the place Sirius took.
"This is my new friend, mum! He's favorite candies are Warblers and Fizzing Whizzbees. Oh, and his birthday party is in two weeks. Can I go? I wanna go party?”
His mum laughed kneeling down, "Hang on James, slow down," she extended her hand towards Regulus to say hello but he hid further behind James.
She smiled reassuringly," It's ok. My name is Euphemia. I'm James' mum, but you can call me Effie."
Regulus looked at James with his brows furrowed eyes narrowing. This idiot was giggling at my name when his mum's name was Euphemia. Ridiculous.
"What's your name dear?"
Regulus turned his attention back to her. "Regulus," he said almost so quietly that Effie missed it. She thought she heard…
"Regulus Black?"
"Yes."
Effie's smile twitched down momentarily but went back to being reassuring. Reg didn’t miss it though and wondered what it meant.
"My goodness you'll be turning 6 now right?"
“Yes."
"Well congratulations darling. Where's your mum? I don't want her to worry about you and where you are."
"My mum — "Regulus stepped back from James, clearing his throat, "I'm here with my papa."
"You're here with Orion?"
Regulus looked up, surprised Effie knew his papa’s real name. Suddenly feeling like he was missing something.
"Yes, he and Sirius are at the quidditch store. They said I could come here and start on the candy for the party."
She smiled, "Well it is so nice to meet you Regulus."
Reg wasn’t sure why but he smiled and nodded. There was something warm to Effie, just like James.
James smiled, "Is it time to go now?"
"Yes darling. Unfortunately, Dad has some things to do this afternoon."
James sighed looking at Regulus, and it felt so strange because he was aware Effie was watching them.
"Mum, can I see Reggie again? Soon? His birthday party?"
This startled Regulus and he crinkled his nose with great distaste. "Reggie?"
James got caught in laughter, "Yes, Mr. proper you need a nickname, hence, Reggie."
“Ugh,” Regulus complained exasperated, “ you and my brother with nicknames! My NAME is Regulus.”
Effie smiled, "I will write Orion and see what I can do." She took James' other hand gently and it occurred to Regulus for the first time that mother's can be soft… that maybe they are supposed to be warm and soft.
James finally let go of Reggie's hand and waved. "Bye REGGIE. See you soon.'' For good measure he threw a wink over his shoulder.
Automatically, not really knowing why, Regulus’ hand went up to wave briefly and he knew his face was completely flushed, "Bye James."
Effie and James went down the stairs back to the first floor and Regulus found himself standing there hoping Effie gets James out of town before Sirius and Orion started on their way over because Regulus knows Sirius LOVES shiny things, and boy does James Potter shine. He shines like the sun.