The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix - Part Two

The Resurrection Stone, Part Four

James nearly tipped over when he found himself on the beach, only catching his balance in the sand just in time. He felt dizzy from everything that had happened and he shook his head, unsure exactly what had happened.

Bloody hell, he thought, did he just fight Albus Dumbledore?

He doubled over, clutching his knees, trying at catching his breath. "Bloody hell," he whispered, "Bloody hell, bloody hell, bloody hell..."

There was a hand on his shoulder.

"James?" 

He'd thought it would be Mopsus - so when he heard Regulus's voice, he looked up in surprise.

"Thank you," Regulus said quietly. "For all that stuff you've just said and done."

James nodded, his throat closing up with emotion.

Regulus's eyes filled with tears and his face wrinkled up and he started to cry and he threw himself into James, his face pressing into James's shoulder, his arms wrapping about him. James wrapped his arms around the younger boy's body, too, and held him close, his chin resting at an odd angle against Regulus's head. Regulus's shoulders shook, and James could feel the tears on his shoulder as real as anything. He closed his eyes.

This should be Sirius here, he thought. Not me.

Regulus clung to him.

"Listen, alright, I dunno what all that was about - I'm real thick, okay, like porridge, Lily always says, but I know one thing is for sure alright - You didn't deserve any of the rubbish you've been through... in your life or after, alright?" he said. "And I'm really sorry you've been through so much."

James drew a deep breath, then pulled back and held Regulus out at arm's length. "You deserve to rest. I don't want you to feel obligated to anything back here, alright? Just - just go and - and be free. Okay?"

Regulus's eyes were downcast, then he looked up at James. "I left a - a note. For Sirius. In his bedroom. Did he ever find it?"

"For us, it's only just happened today, Reg."

Regulus looked stunned. "Just today?"

"Yeah. Mopsus showed me a bit of the future, I guess... I don't know, as I said, I didn't understand a lot of what just happened."

"Ah. Mopsus. Of course. That makes sense... I was wondering considering --" he cut himself off. Then Regulus nodded slowly. "It's probably better that way - not knowing, I mean..."

James said, "So a letter, huh? In his room, you say?"

Regulus nodded. 

"What, at the flat?"

"No at Grimmauld Place." Regulus paused. "He'll need Kreacher to let him in." His eyes filled with tears again, thinking of his poor old elf.

James said, "Regulus?"

Regulus looked into James's eyes. 

"Go rest. I'll see to it Sirius gets the letter."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Regulus paused. He looked down at the watch on his wrist, then back up at James. "Give him my watch. The one you have, I mean."

"Okay."

"Tell him... tell him how to make it glow."

James nodded. "I'll tell him." Then, "He loves you a whole lot. He's kind of a tosser at telling people that -- there's a lot of layers and --"

"I know," Regulus answered. "I'm fairly certain that 'ickle sodcake' means something like most brilliant  little brother in the entire universe or something in Sirius's own private language."

James laughed, "I don't doubt it. Just like 'fuck off Potter' means you're my best mate." 

Regulus nodded, smiling, "Well. In that case. Fuck off Potter." 

James smiled and pulled Regulus into another hug. He kissed the top of the boy's head before he let him go.

Regulus stood there on the sand a moment, looking at James with gratefulness. Then he turned away and started walking across the beach. He didn't know where he was going, only that he needed to go - and he could feel James watching him as he went... But something was happening... something kind of cool. Regulus could feel himself feeling less and less heavy, could feel the weight of trauma lifting off his shoulders, could feel his head clearing out and the last of his tears spilled out of his eyes, it they were cleansing tears, not sad ones, and he looked out over the horizon and he saw the sun coming up - a sunset in reverse, he thought, and he smiled at it, pausing to take it in...

And there was a scream - a scream of happiness, of elation, of joy...

And he turned to look and all he saw was a blur of teal.

Her arms flung about his neck and her legs wrapped around his waist as she leaped up into his arms, screaming his name. "REGULUS, REGULUS!!" and they toppled onto the sand, Maryrose's lips pressing all over his face, kissing away whatever was left of the tears, the sun's rays falling over them, seeming to light them on fire...

"Maryrose!"

"You're finally here! I've been waiting forever for you!"

"I know, I'm sorry it took so long, but --"

"I HAVE SO MUCH TO SHOW YOU, OH MY GOD, REGULUS -- WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE -- OH MY GOD, IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL. COME ON... YOU AREN'T GOING TO BELIEVE IT, ALRIGHT?"

"SHOW ME EVERYTHING!" Regulus cried, excited by her excitement.

Maryrose's face was glowing - she was brighter than any sun - rising or setting - and Regulus couldn't take his eyes off of her. He doubted whether anything that she showed him could ever be as beautiful as her face.

"AH! I'M SO HAPPY YOU'RE HERE AT LAST!"

"I'M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE AT LAST!" 

"YOU WERE SO BRAVE, YOU WERE SO BRAVE, YOU WERE SOOOO BRAVE!!!"

And James knew he'd seen all he was meant to see -- Regulus was going to be alright now. He had Maryrose... and so he turned and walked away, disapparating home.