KNOWING ME KNOWING YOU ⇒ jegulus one shots

HARRY POTTER AND HIS DAD'S NEW FRIEND

The nightmares in which torment poor Harry Potter are always the same. Monsters of varying shapes and sizes chase him through smoke and fire. They mock him as he calls for his daddy. For his mummy, daddy says that he misses his mummy that bit extra sometimes, hence why the monsters pick up on it.

And it always ends the same. One of the horrifying beasts manages to snatch the boy up and eat him whole. When he wakes, his skin is shiny with sweat, and his small chest heaves as he breathes. When he can finally speak, he calls for his papa, and the man comes to his rescue every time. It's always the same.

This particular night, however, is different. The monsters still chase the boy, but he wakes and calls for his daddy, but his daddy does not come to comfort him. That's when Harry remembers.

Regulus Black had come into their lives so suddenly. So suddenly in fact, that Harry hadn't even had the chance to protest, not that James Potter would've entertained the protesting. The young Black had managed to capture James' attention so fully and easily.

No one had done that since Lily Evans. After her death, All of James' energy and love fell to Regulus, after Harry's uncle Padfoot had decided they might enjoy a few rounds of firewhiskey together, but soon after; Regulus was sporting something Harry had heard his aunt Dorcas call an 'engagement ring'.

Since then, all of James' affection had to be divided so he could ensure that his new husband and his son both equally had his love.

Harry didn't see how this was fair at all. He had known his daddy longer, or at least he hopes he has beaten Regulus in that area, anyways. His daddy's attention has especially been diverged since Regulus' belly had begun to grow to the largest shape Harry had ever seen the slim man look.

However, when Harry pointed this out to his uncle Moony and his uncle Padfoot, they had gently scowled him and told him that his daddy would explain to him why Regulus had gotten so heavy.

His daddy did explain and Harry already didn't like Regulus enough so he wasn't too sure why his daddy would want him to share him with yet another human being.

But now, here is this other person competing for that affection and attention that James so delicately delivered. For that, Harry decides he hates Regulus Black. It is Regulus, or 'Reg' or 'Darling' or whatever else his daddy calls the younger man, who now keeps James from coming to comfort Harry.

Harry sighs and rubs the oncoming tears from his eyes. He will not cry. He is four, after all, much too grown up for tears.

His daddy had said he was a big boy, and big boys didn't cry over monsters. He is still frightened though. The shadows in his small room look like the monsters in his dreams and the heavy London rain against the window mirrors his own heart.

He sits for a moment longer before he shoves his covers away and crawls out of his bed. If his daddy will not come to him, he will go to his daddy.

Harry all but runs to the door and down the hall to his father's bedroom for fear of being eaten by monsters. He pauses for a moment at the door, pressing his ear to it, and listens. The sounds of light snoring can be heard, and Harry figures if he is incredibly careful, he can sneak in without waking either of the men.

James would be sure to send the boy back to his bed at this hour. Harry theorizes that his daddy would probably give him a small talk on how Regulus 'needs' his sleep right now, if Harry wakes him, he might also wake the baby that he's carrying around in that big belly of his.

But Harry knows that if he can sneak in, he can maybe sleep on the floor at the foot of the bed. The monsters couldn't get him if he is in the same room as his daddy; that was just scientific.