Chapter Text
James Potter considers himself a hopeless romantic. As the lone prince of Hogwarts, certain responsibilities are expected of him, the most important of them being marriage. James has heard tales of distant countries with loveless marriages meant only to secure alliances and connect bloodlines, and in most kingdoms that is the norm.
James’s parents never considered setting him up in such a manner, which he is forever grateful for. However, one of James’s biggest dreams is that he will find his soulmate similar to how his parents found each other.
When King Fleamont (at the time Prince Fleamont) was about to meet all of the people who had been chosen to come to the palace to try to win his heart and become his future partner, something unexpected had happened. Monty had always been known to have a level head and kind heart, but when he was facing the towering double doors of the dining hall with 35 people waiting on his arrival behind them, he froze.
After a beat, Fleamont turned away from the doors, assured the guards that he was fine, and went to the gardens to calm his nerves. When he got there, he was met with the wonderful sight of Euphemia sitting on one of the sun-drenched benches staring blissfully up at a cherry blossom tree, like it was the most wonderful thing she had ever seen. The look was reflected in Monty’s eyes as he gazed at his future wife and instantly fell in love.
And the rest was history. Their love story has been echoed throughout Hogwarts with reverence ever since, despite the few murmurings of dissent that emerged over the fact that the prince chose someone from Caste Five over those of higher status. Most of those radical thoughts disappeared, however, when everyone was charmed by Euphemia’s undeniable wit and beauty.
James has always loved hearing the story of how his parents met and fell in love. He has believed in the magic of the Selection process ever since he was little and was first able to understand what was being told to him.
As James sits in the gardens where his parents had fallen in love, he asks himself what he wants in his future partner. He isn’t picky; he knows the universe has his best interest at heart, but he does hope his soulmate is compassionate and has a kind soul.
“Aw, Prongs, you can stop pouting. I know my presence was sorely missed, but I’m here now.”
An involuntary grin travels across James’ face as he turns to face his better half, Sirius Black. As the eldest son of a wealthy family in Caste Two, Sirius has been permitted access to the palace whenever he wishes. Sirius has also become an honorary Potter in the eyes of James and his parents, much to Sirius's delight.
The two boys’ friendship has been constant in both of their lives ever since the Blacks were invited to a masquerade ball in the palace and they plotted together to prank Walburga Black by tucking the tablecloth of a nearby table under her skirt so that when she walked away, all the food on the table traveled with her.
Sirius had gotten in a lot of trouble for his involvement, but he assured James when he next saw him that it was worth it to see the horror and disgust on his mother’s face. Since that day, both boys had been inseparable.
“Oh, I don’t know how I survived while you were away!” James places the back of his hand dramatically to his forehead and pretends to swoon, knowing Sirius will appreciate his lean into the dramatics. “Never leave my side again, Pads!”
James’s grin widens when he hears Sirius bark with laughter and sit next to him on the bench.
“Don’t worry, soon enough you’ll find your one true love and you won’t even remember to miss me,” Sirius said with a teasing smirk. James couldn’t help the sappy smile that stretched across his face at the prospect.
“Damn, I knew you were looking forward to the Selection, but you’re, like, really looking forward to it.” Sirius’ tone loses its playfulness and becomes more solemn.
“I am Pads, I really am!” James explodes, not being able to keep his excitement contained any longer. “You know how I feel about soulmates, and I truly do think that there is someone out there for everyone. My dad found his soulmate during his Selection, and I have full faith that I’ll find mine as well.” Sirius’ eyes soften, and he smiles fondly at James’s optimism. “There’s just something about knowing there is somewhere out there that was made to be with me that makes me even more eager to meet them and start our lives together. And I don’t know how I know, so don’t even ask, but my gut is telling me I’m going to meet my soulmate during the Selection. I just know it.”
So overcome with energy and excitement, James starts bouncing in his seat with a dopey look on his face.
Sirius, with an exaggerated pause to ensure that his best friend is finished speaking, smirks and nudges James playfully.
“Well, if you’re going to be meeting your soulmate in a few days, you have to take care of your hair, because it looks like a bird’s nest.”
“Oi! My hair is perfectly fine!” James huffs indignantly, patting his head down self consciously. Sirius laughs and the two boys spend the rest of the evening together joking around and creating chaos for everyone who crosses their path.
Later that night when James gets a moment to himself, he thinks about what Sirius said and grins at the thought that, yes, he will be meeting his soulmate in a few days, and he hopes they are as excited to meet him as he is them.
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Regulus Black is not excited to be going to the palace in a few days.
Walburga and Orion Black have been advocates for Regulus joining the Selection ever since Prince James Potter was born and they realized their youngest son was in the age range to become royalty.
Personally, Regulus has no desire to go to the royal palace and treat James Potter like the sun shines out of his butt, but to acquire the research books that he needs to complete his studies, he will do exactly that.
He also isn't looking forward to seeing his brother. Although they get along fine, Sirius refuses to get over the fact that this decision is completely out of character for his brother. And even though he is spot on, Regulus sees no need to clue Sirius in on the actual reason he is attending the most anticipated few weeks in the kingdom. That is for only Regulus to know. Not even his parents know the real reason he wishes to move to the royal palace for the summer.
Regulus is knocked out of his thoughts when an obnoxiously loud bang comes from his bedroom door, and he immediately knows who he is about to greet even before he opens the door.
Barty Crouch Jr, in all his glory, is leaning against Regulus’s doorway, clad in ripped black jeans, a leather jacket, and a t-shirt showcasing the symbol of an undercover society called the Death Eaters, a rebellious group whose goal is to kill the royal family and “liberate the country.”
“You know you can get arrested for wearing that, don’t you?” Regulus inquires as Barty shoves his way into the room and flops onto his bed unceremoniously.
“Whatever do you mean, Stella? I’m not wearing anything different! If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were checking me out.” Barty drawled, lounging back on Regulus’s bed and looking at him through his lashes.
“Fine, get yourself arrested, I don’t care,” Regulus huffs, closing his door and sitting down at his desk.
“Well, it sounds like you care…” Barty chuckles when Regulus sends him his signature glare. “Alright, alright, I know. The shirt is sick, though, isn’t it?” Barty dramatically jumps to his feet and pulls his jacket aside to reveal more of the skeletal design. Regulus barely glances up from his books, opting to instead roll his eyes.
“I know your one goal in life is to irritate your father as much as possible, but is this maybe taking it a bit far?”
“Says the man who is going to the palace this summer to steal the one and only James Potter from his brother.”
Regulus frowns. “That’s not why I’m doing it.”
Barty raises his eyebrows. “Then why?”
“None of your business,” Regulus murmurs, trying to ignore Barty’s presence and get back to his work, but predictably, Barty closes Regulus’s book and hops up onto his desk.
“Don’t tell me you actually want to win the prince’s heart?”
“Of course not,” Regulus says sharply, but a bit too quickly. Barty leans forward, delighted, and Regulus can’t help the flush spreading on his cheeks.
“Oh. My. God. Regulus Arcturus Black is in love with the prince!” Barty laughs loud and long, clutching at his stomach like a toddler, and Regulus turns away to resist the urge to kill his best friend.
No, Regulus is not in love with Potter. The prince is arrogant, self-involved, and has never had a thought in his head in his whole life. And Regulus would know, Sirius was always dragging him to the palace when they were kids.
Walburga Black, in a desperate push for power, despite her being the wealthiest family in the country besides the royal family, requested her eldest son to be admitted into the private schooling lessons the prince was getting. To her shock, though she tried to cover it, the request was accepted.
Very quickly in these lessons, Sirius became attached to the prince, and the two of them became a duo nobody was expecting. They would pull pranks around the castle, disrupt meetings, and create chaos. But despite this, every person in the palace seemed to adore both boys, in particular the King and Queen.
Sirius quickly became an honorary royal family member and was invited to all types of events and balls. And even though Sirius’s disruptive activities seemed to get on Walburga’s nerves, she refrained from doing anything about it because she was also invited to all of the exclusive royal events.
And even though Regulus preferred the confines of his room to fancy ballrooms, Sirius was the one person who was always able to get his brother out of the house and to the palace. Regulus remembers a lot about those nights, but specifically, he remembers watching James Potter.
Under the lights of the extravagant chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, Regulus always thought Prince James seemed to glow like the sun. He always exuded happiness and light as he weaved through the ballroom, dancing with anyone who asked and dazzling everyone with his easygoing attitude.
Every dignitary and distant ally seemed to be charmed by the young prince, but not Regulus. He saw underneath the facade that Potter puts up those nights. Underneath that dazzling layer of charm and charisma, James Potter is just another naive, sheltered rich boy who thinks he‘s the smartest man alive. He has never known real hardship, and Regulus is self-aware enough to know he hasn’t either, but at least he isn’t ignorant to the suffering occurring in the country. And he’s going to make sure that the royal family finally acknowledges the harm that they are inflicting on their people.
And the first step is getting to the palace.