James

660 22 7
                                    

It's Christmas Eve.
Everyone is about to head to bed and I'm just making sure everything is in order and decorated well for tomorrow. I walk out into the hallway to hang the stockings, but I see Mum's already done that so I instead decide to say night to dad.
I walk to his office door and knock twice "Come in!" Dad shouts through the door. I open the door and walk in. It's nothing special, it's a white room with mahogany furniture, nice and simple, just how Dad likes it.
"You alright, Son?" Asks Dad
"Yeah, are you?" I reply
"Not too bad. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Just came to say goodnight"
"Goodnight, James"
"Night, Dad"
I leave his office, closing the door on my way out and decide to give the tree a final once over.
"Monty, do you think the tinsel around the kitchen window is crooked?" Mum calls out to dad. She's so precise with her decorations. You can't help but love her. "Stop worrying, Effie, I'm sure they're fine" I hear Dad call back
"You haven't even looked!" Mum chastises "James, dear, would you have a look at these for me while I check the rooms upstairs?" Mum calls to me
"Of course, Mum, I'll be right there" I reply, leaving the living room to check the kitchen.
Mum and Dad decorated two weeks ago but they always like to make sure everything is in check for their annual Christmas Party, which happens in the evening of Christmas Day. The house is packed for it every time but it's always a fun night.
As I inspect the tinsel and the Christmas hanging decorations, I hear a thud coming from the living room. "Mum? Are you alright?" I call as I rush into the living room. However, I don't find Mum. Who I do find is Sirius Black unconscious, bloodied and beaten on my living room floor. I go into a panic and I don't know what to do.
"Mum! Mum please come quick! Mum!" I call. I can barely talk. I sit down by Sirius' side "Sirius, wake up!" I say, but he doesn't budge. "James? Are you al- Oh Merlin what happened?" Asks Mum
"I don't know, I just heard a thud and I came in and he was on the floor!" I reply, panicked.
Mum cups my face in her hands and slides her thumbs over my cheeks, it appears I'd let a few tears stray in my state of panic. "I'll help him love, I'll take it from here"
I nod and stand up, giving mum the space she needs to work her magic, quite literally. "Effie? James? Is everything alright?" Asks Dad, walking down the hall. "Blimey, what in Merlin happened to Sirius?" Asks Dad
"I don't know, he just showed up like that" I reply, my voice wavering.
Dad engulfs me in a hug "It'll be alright, Son, he's in good care" says Dad, trying his best to comfort me, but all I could think about was what the fuck happened to my best friend?
"Oh my word" says Mum
"What? What is it?" I ask worried
"What did they do to him?"
"Why? What's wrong?"
"He's got broken ribs and it looks like he's suffered from...no"
"Suffered from what?"
"The cruciatus curse"
fuck
"Mum you have to be wrong!" I exclaim. I can feel a pit in my stomach, I feel sick. I knew it was bad for him at home, but I didn't know it was this bad.
I'm going to kill them.
How could they do this? How could Regulus let this happen? I asked him! I asked him to look after Sirius, to look out for him and this is what happens?
I feel the anger course through me.
He is never going back.
"I'm afraid I'm not wrong, love" Mum replies
I can see the anger in her, she's feeling a mixture of anger, pity and sadness, she can't bear to see Sirius in this state, he's like a second son to her.
Sirius groans
"Sirius?" I ask
"Leave him be, James" Dad says, holding my shoulders
"Dad he needs to know we're here" I retort
"He knows, love" says Mum
I sigh but stay put nonetheless, Sirius doesn't need a crowd around him
"James?" I hear Sirius ask, he tries to move but groans again
"We're here, Sirius love, all of us" Mum says softly
"Effie?" Asks Sirius
"I'm here" Mum replies "Sirius you have some broken bones and some other injuries, can I fix them?" Asks Mum
"Sure" Sirius manages to utter
"With magic?" Mum asks
Sirius hesitates for a moment, he manages to turn and look at mum, genuine fear in his eyes. It takes him a moment, but eventually he slowly nods his head "Only if you do it" Sirius replies
"Of course, love, I'll be right here the whole time, you let me know when to stop if you need me to" Mum states
Sirius nods and relaxes slightly, allowing for Mum to start the healing process.
"Monty, take James into the kitchen" Mum states
"What? No, I'm not leaving" I retort
"James" Mum warns
"No, you can't make me" I reply, I never talk back to Mum, ever, but surely she understands that I can't leave my best friend on his own when he's in this state
"James Fleamont Potter, you will do as I say" Mum says sternly.
"No, let him stay" Sirius says
"Are you sure, love?" Asks Mum, her soft tone returning. Sirius nods, not saying anymore, and that settled the argument there and then, I was staying and no one was telling me otherwise.
Later on that evening Mum puts Sirius in the guest room with some snacks and a hot chocolate and leaves him be before coming into my room.
"Sirius is staying for the rest of the holidays" Mum states and I nod "I was never going to let him go back" I reply, Mum smiles at me and nods "I know, love"
There's a silence for a moment where it looks like Mum is about to leave, but then she stops and turns back to me. "I think we should get Regulus out of that house and bring him here too" Mum says
I shake my head profusely "Absolutely not, Mum"
"James"
"Mum, Sirius doesn't need that right now, he doesn't need to be reminded of the trauma he just suffered"
"I get that, darling, but we can't leave Regulus there, it's not safe"
"He'll be fine, they love him, he's the favourite, he's one of them"
"Now, James, that's hardly fair, he's only young"
"That means nothing"
"James you need to be kinder to him"
If only she knew how kind I really am to him, how kind we both are to each other, but right now I can't bring myself to be kind to him, not right now, not after what I've just learnt. Maybe I'll reconsider my anger toward Regulus when Sirius tells me the full story and Regulus' part in the whole ordeal but until then I'll remain bitter and angry, until then I don't feel like being kind, not even to my own boyfriend.
"We can talk about it more after Christmas, Mum" I finally say
Mum sighs but nods nonetheless "Alright then" Mum says
"Goodnight, Mum"
"Goodnight, Sweet"
Mum kisses my forehead and leaves my room, leaving just me in my dark bedroom staring at my ceiling unable to sleep.
Moments later, I hear a tapping at my bedroom window. I get up to go investigate and discover what the source of the tapping is. I open my curtains and right outside my window is a magnificent tawny owl with a letter in its beak. I open the window and take the letter. I pet the owl and give him some water and offer him some food, he takes both greatly before flying away.
I sit back down on my bed and turn my lamp on so I can read the letter. The parchment is quite thick, it's good quality. I check the front and my name is inscribed with beautiful penmanship. It takes me seconds to know that this letter is from Regulus. I can feel the rage from earlier boiling back up within me at the thought of seeing any member of the Black family at the moment given the most recent stunt they pulled on Sirius.
I open the letter, making sure to tear the emblem of the Noble House of Black that's engraved into the seal on the letter in half out of petty anger.
I unfold the whole letter and see that the parchment is filled with Regulus' beautiful cursive handwriting. For a moment I forget myself and I get lost in the swirls, curves and general beauty of Regulus' penmanship before I realise that I should be reading this letter instead of admiring yet another thing about my boyfriend despite being mad at him. I finally read the contents of the letter:

Dearest James,

I hope that by the time you read this letter Sirius would have reached you. I know that when you read this you'll be mad at me and I understand that, you told me to look after him and I know you think I failed. I want you to know that I tried to stop them. I'm not going to go into detail, it's not my story to tell, but I need you to know that I didn't just stand by and watch, I didn't allow for this to happen. I tried. I need you to know that I was the one that sent him to you, I was the one that eventually got them to stop. You have the right to be mad and I can understand even if you hate me right now. I also need you to know that regardless I love you. I love you endlessly.

All my love,
Your Regulus

I place the letter down on my bed and rake my hands over my face. Part of me wants to hate him, wants to loathe him for the actions of his family but the other half of me aches for him, my heart burns for him. I want to get him out of that house but at the same time I need to look out for Sirius. I stare at the letter for a fair few minutes, unsure of how to feel or what to do. I love Regulus, of course I do, but right now I don't like him, right now he is not who I want to see, but I still love him. I eventually decide to write a response. I sit down at my desk and grab some parchment and wet my quill with ink and begin to write.

Regulus,

I didn't want you to feel ignored but I can't write a full response as of right now. I don't want to say things I will most likely regret. As I'm sure you can understand I have a lot of anger, anger I don't want to take out on you, not when I don't have the full story. I do still love you, but I have to know Sirius' story before I can write to you again. I hope you can understand. You'll hear from me soon. Please don't write back.

All my love,
Yours

I don't sign my name, he'll know who it's from. I scan the letter, inspecting my scratchy handwriting and subconsciously comparing it to the cursive of Regulus' penmanship before folding up the letter. I seal the letter with a stamp that holds the Hogwarts coat of arms. After I seal the letter, I scribble Regulus' name onto the front of the parchment. I walk over to my owl's cage. I open her cage and give her beak a stroke before handing her the letter and allowing her to hop onto my forearm. I guide her to the window and watch her fly off.
After that I finally head to bed, allowing myself to sleep.

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Hello there my lovelies!

I apologise for the slow upload I have been giga busy but here you are, have an angsty chapter! We haven't had angst in a hot minute so here we are! Anyways, I hope yous all enjoyed and I'll see you in the next one! Have a the most amazing day I love you all!

Stay wonderful

All my everlasting love,
Blue<3

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