Like Real People Do

Chapter Twenty-Seven

That's when the curses started, and James made himself look away. 

He had remembered that night, the wards around Potter Manor signaling that they had an unannounced guest. Sirius had collapsed on their doorstep, surrounded by a puddle of blood and his own sick by the time that James had made it to the door. 

It was because he looked away that he noticed Regulus, standing just off in the distance and clenching his jaw so tightly that James was sure that he was breaking his teeth. He was swallowing often, looking as though he would sick up at any moment. And when Walburga stormed from the room, James watched as the clouds in Regulus's eyes cleared, followed by a singular tear as he turned and marched up the stairs. 

The scene dissolved then, depositing James out of the book and back in front of the table once more. James took a deep breath to calm himself before he began to slowly reach for the second one.

Euphemia sat quietly the entire time that Regulus destroyed the bedroom. The only movement she did was to repair some items within the room once Regulus seemed to be growing short of things to smash. By the end of it, his arms were covered in nicks and cuts, as well as the cut that sat over his right eyebrow. 

She knew he was finished when his shoulders slumped, his wand falling from his hand and rolling slowly across the wooden floor.

"I'll heal you now, Regulus. Come here."

It took a moment for Regulus to make himself move, but he finally did so and stood in front of Effie, deeply ashamed. 

"I'm sorry," was what he settled upon, muttering it out as she began to heal him.

"Whatever for?"

Regulus lifted his head to look at her, dropping the manners and giving her a look that said, You can't be serious.

"Do you feel better?"

"No."

"Stop being petulant, Regulus. It's beneath you."

He would have almost thought she was chiding him in the way she spoke, if it weren't for the way she took his hand in hers and wiggled it about between them. When she realized Regulus was remaining silent, she spoke.

"I think James likes you, too, you know."

"Effie," Regulus began, which greatly pleased Euphemia at the use of the nickname, "Your son lives and breathes for Lily Evans."

"James just thinks he lives and breathes for her. He's always been a romantic, that boy. Just like his father."

Monty was growing scarcer around the manor as the war ramped up, and Regulus found himself curious about the man. It seemed that Euphemia already knew such as she pulled him back to sitting on the bed next to her, launching into a story. 

"Monty didn't love me at first, you know. Was actually greatly against the idea altogether."

"What? Why? But you-"

"Are quite flattered by that thought, thank you," she laughed. "I wasn't the same person that I am now, Regulus. Monty and I's marriage was one purely for convenience at first."

"Would you-" Regulus shifted uncomfortably at the thought of asking, but trudged on. "Tell me about it? You two?"

Effie smiled at the long ago memories, and agreed.