I bumped into Rosier in the hallway while I searched for Regulus.
"Hey Potter!"
"Hey, do you happen to know where Regulus is?" I asked as I continued to look around.
"Oh, Potter. What'd you do?" He asked. I didn't like his tone. I turned back to him and stared, he raised his arms in surrender. "Library, love." I rolled my eyes and pushed past him.
"Thanks." I called back. I heard him chuckle as I pushed through people. I eventually found him, sitting in a back corner by himself, nose in a book. He looked like Moony right then. I pulled out the chair across from him. He looked up at me confused.
"What're you doing?"
"Shut up and listen to me," He closed the book, but kept his finger on his page. I sighed. "Okay, so. Sirius started grilling me about you, right. Claiming I liked you and that I had caught feelings for you."
"You did." He replied as I paused to catch my breath. I shot him a look and he slumped back in his seat.
"Right, so I panicked and the only thing I could think of in the moment to save our asses was to tell Sirius I still liked him."
"Still?"
"Save your questions for the end. So while processing that, I guess his only valid response was to kiss me to see if I was faking,"
"He what?" I winced at his tone.
"I knew you weren't gonna be happy about that one, but you can't raise any issue or whatever you're thinking of doing because then we both have consequences of our actions," I looked him in the eye for the first time during this conversation. "Mine more severe than yours."
"I'm the heir." He whispered.
"And I'm the blood traitor who ruined it all." He took a deep breath and nodded. I could tell he was fuming. He closed his eyes. I stared at him the whole time, watching the way his jaw twitched as he bit his tongue both literally and figuratively. He finally opened his eyes and looked at me.
"Do you like Sirius? Am I just some replacement for my brother you couldn't have?" He asked. Although the words themself weren't nice, he had no hate behind the words. It was more fear. I shook my head.
"No, I liked him when we were younger. I mean we kissed last summer but I feel nothing for him. He's like my..." I trailed off, not wanting to hurt him by calling Sirius my brother again. He nodded. I sighed. "I'm not them Reg, I like you for you. I prefer you to Sirius and I fear I always have. Sirius was just more accessible, but I lived for the stories about his brother. Sirius is my best friend, but I'm elated I'm dating you."
"He's like your brother. You can say it. He is." He replied as he fiddled with the book. I pulled at my lip.
"But he is your brother." I replied, he nodded.
"So, sorry, I'm really trying to process this. Why did he think kissing you was the only way to prove you weren't lying?" He asked with a smirk. I laughed.
"Because he's Sirius, he didn't think he just did it." He chuckled.
"You're lucky you're cute, Potter."
"Oh I know, Black."
🗡️🗡️🗡️
I laid in my dorm alone when James bursted in. He marched right up to my bed and plopped down.
"Why didn't you tell me you still liked Sirius?" He demanded. He meant to sound angry, but he sounded more hurt than anything. I shrugged.
"I thought I was over it." I lied, he gave me side eye.
"You're lying."
"No, I'm not."
"Nova, there's no use in this game. What's wrong?"
"Nothing Jamie, I'm fine."
"Nova."
"James."
"Why didn't you tell me?" I sighed. I rolled my head to stare at him. I hugged my knees to my chest.
"I don't know. I've always liked him. He's smart, funny, cute, he actually sees me y'know. It's like, for the first time, with him I'm not Nova Potter or Vix, or James' twin sister, mum and dad's daughter. I'm just Nova." James nodded along the whole time. He assumed I meant Sirius, but for the first time I was telling him how I felt about Regulus. He sighed.
"That's how I feel about Evans." I nodded.
"Lily's really good at that sort of thing." We both nodded in silence. A good beat of silence went by.
"I can't believe you called Sirius smart." James finally joked. I laughed.
"He is in his own way." He fell silent and fiddled with his hands. I watched him for a moment before he looked up at me.
"I'm sorry you feel like you have no identity outside of me and our family. You do, you're Nova. If it helps, I've always tried to make sure people knew that."
"I know you have Jamie."
"I'm sorry Sirius doesn't like you." I cracked a smile.
"I think I'll live."
🗡️🗡️🗡️
Regulus played with my hand while I laid next to him in the Astronomy tower. He traced the veins he could see and fiddled with my rings. He drew little patterns on the palm of my hand until I shivered.
"So what is this?" He finally asked. It was the first time either of us had spoke since we finished our homework. I turned my head to face him, he was already looking at me.
"You're the one with something to protect, you tell me." I replied, he looked at me confused.
"Nova, I could give a fuck less about being the heir. I do it because I have to. You do know that right?" I nodded.
"I meant Sirius."
"I've protected Sirius for so long at the expense of myself. I fear I won't be able to do it much longer."
"I say to hell with the Black family name. You run away too."
"Yeah," He laughed a little. "Like Romeo and Juliet, shall we just off ourselves and see how that turns out? Tragically beautiful or whatever they called it." I laughed.
"Doesn't sound half bad right about now." He smiled.
"I think I'm falling in love with you, Potter."
"That's a dangerous decision."
"So was meeting with you in the first place."
"What's even more dangerous is that I know I love you, Black."
