Cursive Conundrums

iv

"I want to really advocate for house unity this year," Lily said, "I think we should do inter-house pairings for prefect duties."

"Whatever you say," James shrugged with a grin, "I reckon you just want an excuse to keep away from me."

"Foiled once again." Lily rolled her eyes. "But really, I was thinking we can set a randomizer."

"Can't we just pull names out of a hat?" James said.

"Well—" Lily paused, her brows furrowing, "actually, yes, I suppose that'll work."

"Brilliant," James said, ripping a piece of parchment into small pieces, "before I write names, who do you want to be your partner?"

"Hm?" She frowned.

"We're the heads," James said, "we can pick. Don't want to be stuck with a Slytherin, do you?"

"Oh, honestly," Lily huffed, "we have to do it as well. No cutting corners."

"We wouldn't be cutting corners!" James protested, "we're the ones that are making them."

"Just write everyone's names," she said, "we'll draw first and then draw two at a time—you have the list?"

"Yes," James said, picking up his quill. "Who even are some of these people?"

"You'll do well to learn," Lily chided, "we're supposed to be setting good examples."

"Yeah right," James snorted, "I don't reckon I fit that criteria."

"Just write."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Who'd you get?" James grinned at the grim expression on Lily's face.

"Lockhart." She frowned.

"Ha!" James howled with laughter, "sure you don't want to choose someone else?"

"No, it's fine," Lily crumpled the paper, "I'll survive. Your turn now."

"Fine," James plunged his hand into the papers, taking one out of the bowl.

"Well?" Lily asked as he unfolded it.

"Bollocks," he swore, "can we please redraw."

"That ruins the entire point," Lily shook her head. "Who'd you get?"

"Regulus Black," James showed her the paper.

"You will be nice to him." She warned, "we want to encourage inter-house friendships. No fighting."

"Please let's switch," he begged.

"No."

"Please!"

"No!"

"Evans!"

"Potter!" Her eyes were narrowed and her shoulders squared.

"Fine." James groaned.

"I want to have this done before ten," she said, "I'll make the schedule for Sunday to Wednesday, you do Thursday to Saturday. Two pairs a night, make sure everyone's doing a shift a week."

"Twelve pairs of people and fourteen shifts," James said, "whose picking up the extra two?"

"We are." Lily said.

"We have to patrol three nights a week?" James groaned, "Can't we give at least one of those to someone else."

"Fine," she agreed, "we'll take one and the other one will rotate, just start your schedule and we'll figure it out."

>•<

"Partners and schedules are done." Lily Evans announced at the meeting the following day. "Unfortunately our HeadBoy could not be here tonight, he has landed himself in detention—"

Regulus rolled his eyes.

"Schedules are beginning today, if everyone can come up here and get a copy, that would be great, you'll meet your partner and punch in and out here so me, James, and the professors know who's on duty. If you swap shifts just make sure to let either James or I know, and unless anyone has any questions, you're free to go, thanks everyone."

Regulus stood up and walked to the front with the rest of the prefects. He grabbed a piece of parchment from both stacks on the table Lily Evans was leaning on.

James Potter

"Fuck."

Everyone turned to look at him.

Fuck he had said that out loud.

He promptly turned on his heel and left.

Why James Potter. Out of every other prefect, why James bloody Potter.

He unfolded the schedule.

R. Black and J. Potter 10-2.

Lovely. Regulus checked his watch, it was currently 7 o'clock.

"You have corridor patrol tonight?"

Regulus turned around to see Pandora Lestrange running after him. 

"You left in such a hurry I didn't have the chance to say hi," she panted falling into step with him, "caused quite the scene."

"Hello, Pandora." He sighed.

"How was your summer?" She asked, "I was hoping we'd be partners again this year."

"Fine. You?"

"My summer was alright," she smiled, "Rabastan took me on a trip to Rome, but it had to be cut short because, well...you know...."

Regulus nodded.

"Are you going back to the common room?" She asked.

"Yes."

"Brilliant, I'll walk with you then," she looped her arm around his, "you've got to stop frowning, it'll give you wrinkles."

"I'm not frowning, it's just my face."

"No it's not," she laughed, "you're actually quite nice to look at when you're not brooding, however rare that may be."

"I'm glad to know my face pleases you," Regulus said but his tone had a softer edge to it and he squeezed her arm softly, "how is Lovegood?"

"Forbidden as always," she sighed, "I don't know what to do, he got a job at the Ministry, he's upset that I haven't told my family about him but he just doesn't understand."

Regulus froze, "Pandora, they can't ever know about him."

"I know," she chewed nervously on her lip, "sometimes I think they'd be understanding, you know, not my mother of course, but my brothers. But then they'll say something horribly prejudiced and I'm startled back into reality."

"You'll get disowned." Regulus said.

"Oh, that I'm not worried about," she said with a dry laugh, "if they can't accept my love for Xeno then I say good riddance to the lot of them. No, Regulus, I'm scared they'll do just the opposite. I'm scared they'll go after him and simply eradicate the issue."

"You can't tell them." Regulus said again.

"I know," she unraveled her arm from his as they arrived at the common room, "go get some sleep before curfew."

"Yeah," he agreed halfheartedly, watching her walk away.

He did try to sleep. He laid in his bed, staring at the dark ceiling, a frown engraved on his face. 

Sirius's friends had hardly ever regarded him before. But James Potter? Never.

What had compelled him to approach Regulus, single him out?

Sirius was the natural answer of course.

He had proven time and time again that he would do anything for Sirius, and Sirius would do anything for James.

Regulus was lost in his thoughts, and fifteen minutes before ten, he reluctantly dragged himself to the prefect's office.

Why James Potter?