To Let it All go Down in Flames - jegulus/starchaser

A Promise in Silver (James pov)

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triggers: references to the black family tramma 

Slytherin won the cup. A year ago, I would recoil at the phrase, but it was true, and I was happy about it. I sat in the Gryffindor stands with Lilly during the match, she was bord out of her mind, but I was on the edge of my seat holding my breath at every turn and dive the seeker toke. He was a wonderful flyer anyone could see it, he knew how to work the broom to his advantage, getting it to perform the best it could, as if him and the broom were one being. Throughout the match my eyes fell to Sirius more times than I would have liked, his eyes were trailing his brothers as well he was also unable to sit still digging his nails into his palm more than once. When regulus took his final dive for the snitch plummeting to the ground Sirius gasped and I shot up from my seat a newfound fear coring thr0ugh me.

Then regulus lifted his hand grasping the golden ball, the crowd erupted in a mix of cheers and boos the team lifted regulus in the air ecstatic at the win. That night me and regulus escaped the Slytherin party to a dark cold night where we rode out brooms for a while talking and snogging a bit. We both felt high on life for a brief moment.

That was until I found the letter.

One early morning when I woke up before anyone else in the Slytherin dormitory I found a letter addressed to regulus on his bedside table. Curiosity took over as I began to read it. Then my heart sank as I looked at the other boy who still lay asleep in his bed. The letter was from him mother scolding him about the few slug club meeting he went to, how he hadn't done anything to help the cause yet, how he needed more dark arts training, and how he better not embarrass the black family at the slug club event in a few days' time.

The letter had been addressed the day of the quidditch match, not telling their son good luck, or that they are proud of him for making it that far they instead pointed out everything else he was doing wrong. That day I made a point to stress how amazing regulus was doing not just about quidditch but everything. One thing about regulus though is he doesn't know how to take a compliment.

It was only then I remembered that regulus was going back to Grimmauld place for those few summer months. The thought shook me to my core as I knew I had to do something. Getting him out wasn't an option like it was for Sirius regulus had once explained reg was the backup which meant there wasn't anyone to take his place. Oddly though for a few brief moments that made me feel unbelievably angry at Sirius but then I reined myself back in knowing the dislike was irrational.

So that weekend as I strolled through the Hogsmeade streets, I saw a display for rings in the jewelry display. I went in picking out 2 matching black and silver ones with only one difference. One band held engraved stars in it and the other a sun with a few carved clouds. I bought the two unsure of when I would give them to him but a strange flutter of hope filled my mind.

The rings weren't for an engagement or anything but a promise of sorts that even when he was in hell back home, I still cared for and really liked him. Fuck why can't I just say it?

The fallowing week was the slug club party and regulus did amazing. Before we left Barty and Evan lost their shit over what I was wearing (a hoodie and jeans) and forced me to change into dress robes, but then when they realized they were red and gold Barty made me change into some of his old ones. When I looked in the mirror, I saw a real pure blood not the blood traitor I was, the robes were a sleek black with silver embroidery. When regulus came into the room in dark green and black ones, he immediately flushed a deep shade of pink then tripped over nothing. Barty and Evan laughed I only smiled.

When we got their regulus eminently went to schmoozing the purebloods, pandora to the drink table, Barty went to avoid ministry workers pestering him about his dad, Evan headed to Slughorn and began letting him talk his ear off nodding along, I saw Lilly in the corner looking miserable so I went over to her as she commented on my outfit we talked for a while the night ticking by minute by minute.