Chapter Seventeen ~ Conversation

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Regulus Black: Monday 22nd October 1975

(08:45am)

Regulus didn't like James Potter. He didn't like anything about the boy. James was just... not the type of person Regulus was into. And he would never like Regulus. The kiss clearly meant nothing because James still hadn't broken up with Lily. And Regulus refused to have anything to do with Potter until he broke up with Lily. And that Regulus wasn't speaking to him anymore except for in the library which was a complete accident. Besides, since when does James Potter go to the lib-

"Regulus! Reg! I've just seen Sirius!" Yelled Barty, crashing into the empty dorm.

"Sirius?".

"Yeah! Hes really really upset and angry about something and he won't tell me what but its alright, I kissed him and now hes feeling better and turns out, James-,"

"Barty, slow down. Did you say you... kissed him. As in... my brother, Sirius?" Asked Regulus. Barty shrugged.

"We're just friends, its like, completly platonic, Reg. Like a hug but a bit more close you know? Like we do. Anyway he told me James and Lily broke up because apparently our Mr Jamie Potter happens to like someone else,". Regulus blinked a few times, trying to follow the information he had just been told.

"James and Lily broke up?" asked Regulus.

"Yeah! Now me and Sirius are on a hunt because we believe we can work out just who this girl is," Barty said with a flourished wink. Regulus raises an eyebrow, unimpressed with Barty's antics. "If you're worried I'll tell sirius its you Potters secretly into then clearly we haven't been friends long enough, Regulus,".

"Barty, Potter doesn't see me like that," Regulus grumbled. Barty flopped himself onto Regulus' bed.

"Mhm. You told me the same bullshit about Evan though, did you not?".

"What do you mean?".

"You insist Potter doesn't like you as much as I insist Evan doesn't like me. And I say Potter does like you as much as you say Evan likes me. See what I'm getting at?".

"Yeah but that's different. You and Evan are... normal,".

"Normal?! Really Regulus! After all these years and-".

"ok ok, not normal but I mean your relationship. It's fine. There's nothing about it that isn't fine,".

"Except that my dad scarred me when he found out I was gay?". Regulus frowned.

"You can't joke about those things, Bartemius,". Barty got up and began walking to the door.

"Easier to joke about it than crying though, am I right?". He yanked open the door and glared at what Regulus thought was an empty corridor.

"If you want to listen in, just knock next time and you can have front row seats, alright?" Barty grumbled.

"Don't, Barty, we just didn't want to interrupt," Came Dorcas' voice.

"Regulus' brother Sirius told us we should come check on Regulus," said Pandora. "He seemed really upset but he gave us a letter for him,".

"Sirius told us a fair bit actually," Said Evan. Regulus sighed. This 'strictly platonic' kissing that Barty and Sirius were doing seemed to be going left but Regulus couldn't deny he understood. Sometimes when Regulus or Barty were having a nightmare or Barty was having a panic attack, Regulus would kiss him lightly just as a closer way of contact than a hug. And he could see why Barty would apply the same thing to Sirius and why Sirius wouldn't mind at all.

"Evan-". Evan pushed past Barty and came to sit beside Regulus on his bed.

"Save it, Barty, we'll talk later,". Regulus glanced at him.

"Evan, me and him do it all the time, it's like that," Regulus said.

"Except you and Barty have never shown signs of attraction to each other, Reg. Barty and Sirius would get married tomorrow if they could, I can guarantee you that," Evan scoffed.

"Yeah, platonically," said Regulus. Just then, Barty finally decided to let in Dorcas and Pandora, shutting the door as they entered. Dorcas sat in the chair (Regulus assumed she'd transfigured it from something else because it was never there before) and Pandora curled into her lap. Barty sat with Evan and Regulus on the bed opposite them.

"Right, let's do this properly. Regulus whats happened?" asked Dorcas, eyebrows raised. Regulus sighed. There was no point lying to his friends: Pandora could always tell when he was lying, Barty and Evan he felt bad lying to and Dorcas just scared the truth out of him.

So he told them.

About the library at the beginning of the year. About the party. About all the little touches and looks shared between them.

About the kiss.

About his father being sick.

About how they were making another bet on Quidditch. About the moment in the libary. About how Regulus had never felt the way he does with James Potter.

Their initial reactions were expected: Dorcas rolled her eyes, Evan smiled, Barty grinned like it was the best news he had ever heard, Pandora held his hand and told him his crush was completely understandable to which Dorcas glared at her.

"Dora, there's nothing understandable about this. James Potter had a girlfriend and he kissed poor Reg. And he's never even acted like he liked Lily Evans!" Said Dorcas.

"Lily Evans is lovely! And let it be known by you, she no longer has feelings for Mr Potter" Said Pandora, an edge to her voice that Regulus had never noticed or heard before. Evan raised an eyebrow.

"Bit defensive aren't we, Dora?".

"I am only doing what I belive is right," Pandora said, flushing sightly. None of them clearly believed her but they let it go anyway. There was a bigger problem at hand at the moment.

"Reg, how about you go and talk to Jamie and work this out?" Suggested Barty. "I can come to and distract Sirius for a bit,".

"How, by shoving your tounge down his throat? I think not. And I'm not talking to Potter. He's not even aware I know he's not with Lily anymore," said Regulus.

"Well get it out of Lily then. And if Potter asks you don't have to lie to him," Evan said.

"Why are you all encouraging this!" Dorcas cried. "Reg, this is so dangerous. And your going back home soon, you're going to be married off, how is this to work?!".

"I'm not going," said Regulus simply. I have been thinking of this plan since the beginning of the year. I suppose I'll have to implement it,".

"Plan being?" asked Dorcas, arms folded. Regulus thought for a moment.

"Run away,".

Evans eyes bulged out of their sockets. Pandora gasped. Dorcas raised her eyebrows. Barty laughed.

"Your not being serious, Black?" he asked. Regulus rolled his eyes.

"Well try coming up with something better,".

Barty thought hard.

"Alright then but... where would you go?".

"The Potters,".

A/N: what should we do for Sirius' birthday? :')
I love platonic Sirius and Barty. Evan doesn't.

1975 ~ JegulusWhere stories live. Discover now