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The classroom had the slow, suffocating drag of time stretched too thin.
Sunlight filtered in through the tall, arched windows in tired, golden slats, catching dust in the air like it was something sacred instead of just… stale. The kind of quiet that wasn’t actually quiet—quills scratching, chairs creaking, someone tapping their foot too loudly, someone else sighing like the weight of existence was personally attacking them.
At the front, Professor Vector was still talking.
Still.
Talking.
“And if you observe the structural integrity of the spell matrix—”
“I’m going to pass away,” Sirius Black muttered, slumped so far down in his chair he was practically a puddle in human form.
“You said that ten minutes ago,” Remus Lupin replied without looking up, though his book had been open to the same page for the past twenty minutes.
“That was a warning,” Sirius said solemnly. “This is the event itself.”
James Potter snorted beside him, twirling his wand between his fingers. “If you die, can I have your boots?”
“No. Bury me in them.”
“You’re not being buried in anything, you dramatic nightmare,” Lily Evans snapped from across the aisle, though there was no real bite to it. She was slouched over her parchment, quill dangling from her fingers, ink slowly pooling at the tip.
Mary Macdonald had her head in her hands. “I can feel my brain cells dissolving.”
“They are,” Marlene McKinnon said, staring blankly ahead. “I watched mine go five minutes ago.”
“Same,” Fabian Prewett added. “I think I saw one crawl out my ear.”
“That was just Gideon,” Frank Longbottom muttered.
“Oi—” Gideon started, then paused. “…actually, fair.”
Peter Pettigrew yawned so wide it looked painful. Alice Fortescue nudged him lightly with her elbow. “At least pretend to care.”
“I am pretending,” Peter said miserably.
Across the room, the Slytherins were no better.
Barty Crouch Jr. was upside down in his chair, legs hooked over the back, staring at the ceiling like he was trying to astral project out of his own body. “If I drop dead right now, tell my enemies I did it to spite them.”
“You don’t have enemies,” Dorcas Meadowes said flatly.
“I should,” Barty insisted. “I have the personality for it.”
Evan Rosier was spinning a quill between his fingers with lethal precision. “You annoy people, you don’t threaten them.”
Pandora Rosier was doodling absentminded spirals across her parchment, humming under her breath.
And Regulus Black—
Regulus Black looked like he had already mentally left the room entirely.
He sat perfectly upright, as always, posture immaculate, but his eyes were distant, unfocused. Boredom, for him, didn’t look loud. It looked like stillness. Like silence stretched thin enough to snap.
Professor Vector clapped her hands suddenly.
“Now,” she said, with far too much enthusiasm for the state of the room, “I will demonstrate a controlled destabilisation spell.”
No one moved.
No one cared.
“Watch carefully—”
She flicked her wand.
The air warped.
And then—
BOOM.
The explosion cracked through the classroom like a whip.
Everyone screamed.
Chairs scraped violently. Papers flew. Someone ducked under a desk. Someone else knocked over an entire ink bottle.
“What the—?!”
“Merlin—!”
“ARE YOU MAD—?!”
The spell ricocheted wildly, a burst of raw, unstable magic slamming straight into—
Regulus.
He jerked violently, stumbling back, chair crashing to the floor behind him.
“REG—!”
Evan lunged forward.
But Regulus didn’t fall.
He just—
Stopped.
Still.
Too still.
His head tilted slightly.
And then everything about him… emptied.
Not unconscious.
Not fainted.
Just—
Gone.
“Regulus?” Pandora’s voice wavered.
No response.
“Reg—?” Dorcas stepped closer.
Nothing.
Sirius was already on his feet. “What did you do to him?!”
Professor Vector looked horrified. “That wasn’t— that shouldn’t have—”
“Regulus,” Evan said sharply, grabbing his shoulder. “Oi—”
Regulus blinked.
Once.
Slow.
And when his eyes opened—
Something else looked out.
He frowned.
Looked down at his hands.
Turned them over slowly, like he was unfamiliar with the concept of fingers. Flexed them. Tested them. Lifted one arm, then the other, rolling his shoulders as if adjusting to weight.
“What the hell…” James breathed.
Regulus—no, not Regulus—looked down at himself, confusion sharpening into something more focused. Something assessing.
Suspicious.
“Reg?” Sirius said, stepping closer, voice tight. “Are you—”
The boy’s head snapped up.
His eyes locked onto Sirius.
Cold.
Sharp.
And deeply unimpressed.
“That,” he said, voice slightly wrong—deeper, edged, ancient in a way that didn’t belong in a sixteen-year-old’s throat—“is not my name.”
Silence slammed into the room.
“What—?” Peter squeaked.
“Who—?” Mary started.
The boy straightened.
Fully.
His posture shifted—not just upright, but commanding. Chin lifted, shoulders squared, presence expanding until it filled the space like a storm rolling in.
When he spoke again, it carried.
“I am Atira.”
The name dropped like a stone into still water.
Ripples of recognition hit unevenly.
“…Atira?” Remus frowned.
Pandora’s head snapped up. “Wait—”
“A goddess,” Alice said slowly.
“Native Earth deity,” Remus added, eyes widening.
“Wind and nature—” Lily murmured.
“Oh, brilliant,” Barty said. “He’s possessed by a god.”
Atira’s gaze sharpened.
“You speak of me as though I am a curiosity.”
“Because you are—” Sirius snapped.
That was a mistake.
Atira’s expression darkened.
Slowly.
Dangerously.
She took a step forward.
Then another.
“You think I’m an ignorant savage…” she said, voice cutting through the room, each word deliberate, burning.
The room stilled.
“And you’ve been so many places.”
No one spoke.
No one moved.
“I guess it must be so,” she continued, pacing now, circling them like something vast contained in too small a form, “but still, I cannot see.”
Her eyes flicked across their faces.
One by one.
“If the savage one is me, how can there be so much that you don’t know?”
Silence pressed in.
Heavy.
“You don’t know…” she said softly.
Then sharper—
“You think you own whatever land you land on.”
James swallowed.
“The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim,” she went on, voice rising, frustration lacing every syllable, “but I know every rock and tree and creature has a life, has a spirit, has a name.”
Marlene whispered, “Oh my god…”
Atira’s gaze snapped to her.
“You think the only people who are people are the people who look and think like you,” she said, voice cutting, “but if you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you’ll learn things you never knew, you never knew.”
Pandora’s eyes were wide, shining.
Barty looked like he was about to applaud.
“Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon?” Atira demanded, stepping forward.
No one answered.
“Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?”
Dorcas let out a shaky breath.
“Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain?” Atira pressed, her voice rising, filling the room. “Can you paint with all the colours of the wind?”
The air stirred.
Actually stirred.
Wind brushed through the classroom, lifting hair, tugging at robes.
“Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest,” she said, voice softer now, coaxing, beckoning. “Come taste the sun sweet berries of the Earth.”
Leaves—actual leaves—whispered into existence at the edges of the room.
James stared. “That’s— not possible—”
“Come roll in all the riches all around you,” Atira continued, ignoring him completely, “and for once, never wonder what they’re worth.”
The wind grew stronger.
The room felt bigger.
Wilder.
“The rainstorm and the river are my brothers,” she said, voice deepening, echoing. “The heron and the otter are my friends.”
Water shimmered briefly in the air.
A flash of feathers.
Movement that wasn’t there a second ago.
“And we are all connected to each other in a circle, in a hoop that never ends.”
Remus whispered, “Merlin…”
“How high does the sycamore grow?” she asked, turning, eyes blazing.
No one answered.
“If you cut it down, then you’ll never know.”
Her voice sharpened again.
“And you’ll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon!”
The wind surged.
Hair whipped around faces.
Regulus’s—Atira’s—dark curls lifted, caught in the invisible current.
“For whether we are white or copper skinned,” she continued, louder now, stronger, something ancient roaring beneath her words, “we need to sing with all the voices of the mountain.”
She stepped up onto a table in one fluid motion.
Light broke across her.
Gold.
Blinding.
“We need to paint with all the colours of the wind.”
The entire room held its breath.
“You can own the Earth and still…” she said, quieter now, but somehow more powerful.
The wind slowed.
“…all you’ll own is Earth until…”
She lifted her hand.
The light followed.
The air bent.
“…you can paint with all the colours of the wind.”
Silence.
Complete.
Utter.
And then—
“WHAT THE FUCK—?!” Sirius shouted.
Chaos exploded.
“DID YOU SEE THAT—?!”
“REGULUS—?!”
“IS HE STILL IN THERE—?!”
“THAT WAS INSANE—!”
Barty was cackling. “AGAIN— DO IT AGAIN—!”
Pandora looked like she might cry. “She’s real—”
Evan grabbed Regulus’s arm. “Oi— give him back—!”
Dorcas was staring, stunned. “What just—”
James ran a hand through his hair. “We are not qualified for this—”
Lily was already moving forward. “We need to figure out how to reverse this—”
Remus, wide-eyed, whispered, “That was… magic older than magic…”
Atira stood above them all.
Radiant.
Unyielding.
And entirely, terrifyingly present.
The wind curled around her like it belonged there.
Like she did.
And Regulus Black—
Was nowhere to be seen.
The silence did not last.
It shattered.
“WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT—?!”
“REGULUS—?!”
“IS HE—IS HE STILL IN THERE—?!”
“DID YOU SEE THE LIGHT—?!”
“WHY ARE THERE LEAVES—?!”
The classroom erupted—chairs screeching, voices colliding, panic blooming loud and messy and completely out of control.
Sirius surged forward like he’d been shot out of something. “Get out of him.”
Atira’s head snapped toward him.
Sharp.
Immediate.
Offended.
“Do not command me,” she said, her voice low, vibrating with something that made the air feel heavy again.
“I will if you’re wearing my brother like a coat—!” Sirius shot back.
Evan was already there too, grabbing Regulus’s wrist like he could anchor him back into himself. “Oi—where is he? Where did you put him?”
Atira looked down at the hand gripping her arm.
Then back up.
Slowly.
“…you touch me as though I am prey,” she said.
Evan did not let go. “And you’re in his body.”
Barty, meanwhile, had climbed onto a desk for a better view. “This is the best day of my life.”
“Shut up, Barty!” Dorcas snapped, dragging him back down by the sleeve.
Pandora was staring like she was witnessing something holy. “She’s real…”
Mary was halfway behind Lily. “I don’t like this—I don’t like this—”
“None of us like this,” Marlene said, though she hadn’t moved at all, eyes locked on Atira like she was watching a storm decide whether to strike.
Frank stepped forward cautiously. “Alright—everyone—just—calm down—”
“No,” Fabian said immediately. “No, I think screaming is appropriate actually—”
Gideon nodded. “Yeah, I vote screaming.”
Peter was already doing that, quietly, into his sleeve.
Remus, somehow, was the only one actually thinking. “If this is a possession—”
“It’s not a possession,” Pandora cut in breathlessly. “It’s embodiment.”
Remus blinked. “…that’s worse.”
Atira’s gaze swept over all of them again.
Faster this time.
Sharpening.
Categorising.
Judging.
Her lip curled slightly.
“You are loud,” she said flatly.
“YOU JUST SUMMONED A FOREST INDOORS—” James yelled back.
“I did no such thing,” she snapped, irritation flaring. “The wind answers when I call. The light listens. That is not summoning—it is belonging.”
“Right,” James said faintly. “Of course it is.”
Sirius stepped closer again, jaw tight. “Where. Is. Regulus.”
Atira stilled.
Something flickered behind her eyes—confusion, quick and unwelcome.
“I do not know this name,” she said.
That landed badly.
Sirius went pale. “You—what?”
Evan’s grip tightened. “You’re lying.”
“I do not lie,” she snapped, finally yanking her arm free. “I woke inside this form.”
Her hands lifted again, almost unconsciously, turning over her palms like she still didn’t trust them to be real.
“This… skin,” she said, quieter now.
Something in her expression twisted.
Wrong.
Deeply wrong.
She rubbed at her arm like she could peel it away.
“…this is not mine.”
The room faltered.
“What… do you mean?” Lily asked carefully.
Atira looked at her.
Then down at herself.
Her fingers pressed against her wrist, then her throat, then her face—tracing, testing, mapping.
“My people,” she said slowly, voice tightening with something close to anger, “are not… this.”
Her gaze sharpened.
Cold.
Accusing.
“I am not coloured as I should be.”
Silence fell again—but this time it wasn’t awe.
It was confusion.
Discomfort.
Something heavier.
“I—” Alice started, then faltered. “It’s just—his body—”
“I am aware this is not mine,” Atira snapped, bristling. “That is precisely the problem.”
She took a step back.
Then another.
Looking around the room like it was something foreign.
Unnatural.
“Where am I?” she demanded.
No one answered immediately.
Because where the hell do you even start with that.
“…Hogwarts,” Remus said finally.
Her eyes narrowed.
“That is not a place I know.”
“It’s a school,” Lily said, trying to keep her voice steady. “In Scotland.”
Atira’s expression did not improve.
“A school,” she repeated, like the word itself offended her.
“Yes,” James said weakly.
Her gaze snapped back to the windows.
To the sky beyond them.
Something in her shifted again.
Urgency, now.
Sharp and immediate.
“I must leave.”
That cut through everything.
“Absolutely not,” Sirius said instantly.
“I have no reason to remain,” she shot back.
“You’re in my brother’s body—that’s a reason—!”
“I have a tribe that depends on me,” Atira snapped, louder now. “People I protect. Land I walk. Spirits I guide.”
Her chest rose and fell sharply.
“I will not abandon them for this… this stone prison full of noise.”
The wind stirred again, restless.
Matching her.
“You can’t just leave—” Lily tried.
“I can,” Atira said.
“No, you don’t understand—” Remus started.
“No,” she cut him off, voice slicing clean through his. “You do not understand.”
She stepped forward again—forceful now, presence swelling.
“I do not belong here. This body is wrong. This place is wrong. You speak over one another like crows fighting over scraps, and you expect me to stay?”
“Okay, that’s a little fair—” Fabian muttered.
“Not helping,” Frank hissed.
Atira ignored them.
Her eyes were bright now.
Fierce.
“I need to return.”
The air pressed inward.
The wind built again, tugging harder now, curling around her like it was trying to take her with it.
Pandora whispered, “She’s going to try—”
“Stop her—!” Sirius snapped.
“How—?!” James shot back.
Evan moved first.
Stepping directly into her path.
“Not happening,” he said, jaw tight. “You don’t leave with him.”
Atira stilled.
Looked at him.
Long.
Evaluating.
“You would block me?” she asked quietly.
Evan didn’t hesitate. “Yeah.”
Something dangerous flickered in her expression.
“You are brave,” she said.
Then—
“Or foolish.”
The wind surged.
Stronger.
The light flickered.
Desks rattled.
“REGULUS—!” Sirius shouted, voice cracking now. “If you’re in there—do something—!”
Nothing.
Atira lifted her chin.
Resolved.
“I am leaving,” she said.
And the air answered.
It happened all at once.
The air didn’t move—it struck.
A violent, invisible force slammed outward from Atira like a pulse, like the sky itself had exhaled in anger. Desks screeched across the stone floor, parchment exploded into the air, and bodies—
Bodies were thrown.
“—SHIT—!”
“WOAH—!”
“REG—!”
Sirius hit the ground hard, shoulder first, sliding across stone with a sharp curse. James crashed into a desk, knocking it sideways. Mary yelped as Marlene grabbed her and dragged her down before she could be bowled over. Peter just dropped, fully committing to survival.
Evan staggered back two full steps, boots scraping, refusing to fall—just barely.
Atira didn’t even look at them.
She turned.
And walked.
Not hurried.
Not panicked.
Just… done.
The door slammed open before she even touched it.
“GET BACK HERE—!” Sirius roared, scrambling to his feet.
“AFTER HER—!” Lily snapped.
And then it was chaos again.
Feet pounding against stone, robes whipping, voices crashing over one another as they surged into the corridor after her.
“She’s going to leave—!”
“She can’t—!”
“REGULUS—!”
“STOP—!”
Atira moved like she knew exactly where she was going.
Even though she didn’t.
Her steps were long, sure, her posture still that same unshakable, lifted thing—like she belonged to the sky more than the ground. The wind followed her, restless and whispering, brushing along the corridor walls, tugging at tapestries as she passed.
Students in the hallway froze.
“What the—?”
“Is that Black—?”
“Why is there wind—?!”
“MOVE,” Dorcas snapped, shoving past a group of second years who were staring too long.
“She’s heading for the stairs—!” Remus called.
“No—no, she’s not—” Pandora said, breathless, eyes locked ahead. “She’s—she’s following something—”
Atira turned sharply.
Down another corridor.
Faster now.
Drawn.
“Where is she even going—?!” Gideon shouted.
“I don’t know—!” Frank answered.
“Yes you do,” Pandora said, almost reverent. “You just haven’t realised it yet.”
They burst through another archway—
—and then—
Light.
Open space.
A long stretch of corridor lined with towering windows, each one spilling gold and blue and green into the stone.
And beyond them—
The lake.
Black.
Endless.
Still as glass.
Atira stopped.
Completely.
Everyone else nearly crashed into her.
“—don’t—!” Lily grabbed Mary back just in time.
Sirius skidded to a halt a step behind her, breathing hard, eyes wild. “Reg—”
Atira didn’t hear him.
She stepped forward.
Slow.
Drawn.
Her reflection stared back at her in the glass.
Dark hair.
Pale skin.
Wrong.
So wrong.
Her hand lifted.
Pressed lightly against the window.
And then—
She hummed.
Soft.
Low.
A sound that didn’t belong in the castle.
It wasn’t a tune anyone recognised.
It was older than that.
It sounded like wind through trees, like something sung without words, like something that didn’t need them.
Pandora’s breath caught.
“Oh—”
Atira’s eyes flicked to the lake.
Locked.
Something in her expression softened for the first time.
Not anger.
Not confusion.
Recognition.
“There,” she murmured.
James blinked. “There—?”
Atira’s lips parted slightly.
Her voice dropped.
Certain.
“That is the path.”
The group froze.
“…what?” Peter whispered.
“The water,” Atira said, like it was obvious. “It carries. It remembers. It connects.”
Remus’s stomach dropped. “No—”
“She’s not serious—” Fabian said weakly.
“She is,” Pandora breathed.
Sirius stepped forward, grabbing her wrist again. “You’re not jumping into the bloody lake—!”
Atira turned her head slowly.
Looked at him.
Truly looked, this time.
“You do not understand,” she said.
“I understand you’re about to drown my brother—!”
“I will not drown,” she snapped.
“That’s not the point—!”
Atira pulled her arm free again, sharper this time.
Her gaze flicked back to the water.
Yearning.
“I came through a break,” she said, quieter now, more to herself than to them. “A tear. A crossing where I was not meant to pass.”
The wind stirred again.
Gentler now.
Pulling toward the glass.
“The water will take me back.”
“No, it won’t,” Lily said firmly, stepping forward. “It’s a lake. It’s cold and deep and full of things that will absolutely kill you.”
“Then they will not,” Atira replied simply.
“That’s not—!” Lily stopped, exasperated. “That’s not how that works—!”
“It is how it works for me.”
Evan stepped closer, voice lower now. “And him?”
Atira stilled.
“…what?”
“This body,” Evan said, jaw tight. “You go through that water—what happens to him?”
Something flickered.
Brief.
Uncertain.
“I—” Atira hesitated.
For the first time.
Sirius saw it.
Jumped on it.
“You don’t know,” he said, voice rough. “Do you?”
Atira’s expression hardened again instantly.
“I will return what is not mine,” she said.
“That’s not an answer—!”
“He is not meant to hold me,” she snapped. “Nor I him. This is wrong.”
“Then fix it without throwing him into a lake—!” James said.
Atira’s gaze snapped between them.
Frustration building again.
“You delay me,” she said.
“Yeah, that’s the point—!” Gideon shot back.
The humming started again.
Softer.
Pulling.
The surface of the lake shimmered faintly, like it was answering her.
“Oh, that’s bad,” Remus whispered.
“Very bad,” Alice agreed.
Pandora stepped forward slowly, eyes wide, voice gentle. “It’s calling you, isn’t it?”
Atira didn’t answer.
Didn’t need to.
Her body had already shifted toward it.
Another step.
Closer to the window.
“Don’t—” Sirius said, quieter now. “Just—wait.”
She didn’t.
Another step.
The wind rose.
The lake rippled.
And behind her—
Everyone moved at once.
“No—!”
“STOP—!”
“REGULUS—!”
Hands reaching.
Voices breaking.
Chaos rising all over again—
As the water called her name.
The doors burst open so hard they slammed against the stone.
Cold air hit them all at once.
Sharp.
Real.
The lake stretched out ahead—dark, endless, waiting.
“Atira—STOP—!” Sirius’s voice cracked, raw, tearing out of him like something breaking.
She didn’t stop.
She walked.
Straight across the grass, the wind tearing around her, whipping her robes and hair back like she was being pulled forward by something no one else could see.
“GO—GO—GO—!” James shouted, already running.
They followed.
All of them.
Feet slipping on damp ground, breath tearing in their chests, voices overlapping—
“She’s going in—!”
“No—no—no—!”
“REGULUS—!”
Atira didn’t hesitate.
Not at the edge.
Not even for a second.
She stepped into the lake.
The water swallowed her feet.
Her ankles.
Her knees.
Cold black waves rippling outward.
“STOP—!” Sirius screamed, lunging forward—
The air hit him.
Hard.
A wall of force slammed into all of them, throwing them back again, skidding across the grass like they weighed nothing.
“—AH—!”
“WHAT THE HELL—?!”
“GET UP—GET UP—!”
They scrambled, slipping, clawing back toward her.
Atira kept walking.
The water climbed higher.
Waist.
Chest.
Her eyes were fixed ahead—somewhere far beyond the lake, beyond the horizon, beyond them.
“This is insane—!” Lily gasped.
“She’s actually doing it—!” Mary cried.
“REGULUS—!” Evan’s voice broke.
Atira didn’t look back.
The water reached her shoulders.
Her chin.
Her lips.
For a moment—
Just a moment—
She stood there.
Still.
Like a figure carved from something older than the world.
Then—
She stepped forward.
And disappeared beneath the surface.
“No—!”
“REG—!”
“GET HER—!”
The lake went still.
Dead still.
Ripples fading.
Nothing left but black water and silence.
And then—
Underneath—
Something shifted.
No one saw it.
Not the light that broke apart.
Not the shape that separated.
Not the presence that slipped away, pulled back into something deeper, older, gone.
What they did see—
Was Regulus Black.
Alone.
—
His eyes snapped open.
Water.
Everywhere.
Cold.
Too cold.
His chest convulsed, instinct screaming, lungs burning—
No air.
No air—
What—what—what—
He kicked.
Wrong.
Too fast.
Too panicked.
His body didn’t move right—heavy, uncoordinated, like it wasn’t listening.
His hands clawed at nothing.
His chest seized.
A strangled sound tore out of him, swallowed instantly by water.
Up—up—up—
He didn’t know which way was up.
He didn’t know anything.
Only—
Cold.
Dark.
Pain.
He thrashed.
Kicked again.
Too hard.
Too wild.
His lungs burned hotter—
His body screamed—
And then—
He broke the surface.
“—AH—!”
The sound ripped out of him—half scream, half gasp, dragging in air that hit too sharp, too fast—
“REGULUS—!”
“HE’S THERE—!”
“GET HIM—!”
He didn’t hear them.
Didn’t see them.
Didn’t understand anything except—
Air.
Then water again.
His head dipped under—
“—NO—!”
He came up again, choking, coughing violently, sobbing already, the sound broken and raw and completely terrified.
“I—!—ah—!—no—!”
Words didn’t form.
Just noise.
Just panic.
Just fear.
His arms flailed again, weaker this time.
He slipped under.
Gone.
“SHIT—!”
James didn’t hesitate.
He ran.
Boots tearing across the ground, shrugging off his outer robe mid-sprint—
And then—
He dove.
The lake swallowed him whole.
“JAMES—!” Lily screamed.
The water closed again.
For a heartbeat—
Two—
Three—
Nothing.
Then—
Movement.
James broke the surface, dragging something with him.
“GOT HIM—!”
Regulus.
Barely.
He was limp for a second—
Then he came back violently.
Gasping, choking, clawing at James like he was the only solid thing in the world.
“—no—no—no—!”
“It’s alright—it’s alright—!” James said immediately, tightening his grip, hauling him up so his head stayed above water. “I’ve got you—Reg, I’ve got you—!”
Regulus didn’t process the words.
Just the presence.
The holding.
He latched on.
Arms wrapping around James’s neck, clutching tight, fingers digging in as he buried his face into his shoulder.
He was shaking.
Violently.
Sobbing.
Not quiet.
Not controlled.
Full-body, broken, terrified sobs.
“I—!—ah—!—can’t—!”
“Shh—hey—hey—it’s alright—” James said, breathless but steady, shifting so he could keep them both afloat. “You’re okay—you’re okay—I’ve got you—”
Regulus coughed hard against him, choking, gagging, clinging tighter.
The shore wasn’t far.
James kicked hard.
One arm around Regulus, the other pulling them forward.
“You’re okay,” he repeated, softer now, like he was trying to anchor him with it. “You’re okay—I’ve got you—just breathe—”
Regulus shook his head violently against him, sobbing harder, fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt.
“I—!—water—!—no—!”
“I know—I know—just hold on—”
They reached the shallows.
Hands grabbed them immediately.
“—careful—!”
“Pull him—!”
“Regulus—!”
James stumbled forward, dragging Regulus up onto the grass, refusing to let go until they were both fully out of the water.
The second they were on land—
Regulus collapsed into him again.
Clinging.
Desperate.
Sobbing.
He buried his face into James’s neck, gasping, crying, the sounds small and broken and nothing like him.
“I hate it—I hate it—I hate it—” he choked out, voice wrecked, shaking uncontrollably. “Stupid water—!—it’s—cold—!”
“I know,” James murmured, wrapping his arms around him properly now, holding him close, steadying him as best he could. “It’s alright—you’re out—you’re safe—”
Regulus shook his head again, still crying, clutching tighter like if he let go he’d go under again.
“I don’t—!—I don’t—!—I couldn’t—!”
“You don’t have to,” James said softly. “You’re here now. You’re fine.”
“I—!—I can’t swim—!” Regulus sobbed, voice cracking completely.
“I know,” James said again, quieter this time. “I know. You’re okay.”
Around them—
Chaos.
“Is he breathing—?!”
“He’s freezing—!”
“Get a blanket—!”
“REGULUS—!”
Sirius dropped to his knees beside them, hands shaking as he reached out. “Reg—hey—hey—look at me—”
Regulus didn’t.
Couldn’t.
He just clung harder, shaking, sobbing into James like he was the only thing keeping him from slipping back under.
Evan hovered close, pale, furious, terrified all at once. “What the hell just happened—?”
Pandora was crying quietly.
Dorcas swore under her breath, running a hand through her hair. “This is insane—”
Lily was already pulling off her cloak, wrapping it around Regulus’s shoulders. “He’s freezing—Merlin—”
Frank hovered nearby, trying to keep everyone from crowding too close. “Give him space—!”
Fabian and Gideon were both talking at once—
“Did you see—?”
“She just—vanished—!”
“What was that—?!”
Remus stood back slightly, staring at the lake.
At the place where she’d gone under.
Gone.
“…she’s gone,” he said quietly.
No one answered him.
Because all of them were looking at the same thing now—
Regulus.
Alive.
Shaking.
Sobbing.
Clinging.
And utterly, completely terrified.
The chaos didn’t quiet.
It just… shifted.
Less frantic movement.
More noise.
More feeling.
Because now—
Now they could see him.
Regulus Black, who was always so controlled, so precise, so untouchable—
Was falling apart.
James let out a slow, shaky breath.
Then moved.
Carefully.
He adjusted his grip, shifting back against the grass and pulling Regulus with him, guiding the smaller boy fully into his lap like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Regulus didn’t resist.
Didn’t even seem to notice.
He just—
Clung.
Arms wrapped tight around James’s neck, fingers curled into fabric, face buried deep into the space between his shoulder and throat like he was trying to disappear into it.
He was still shaking.
Still sobbing.
Not quiet.
Not controlled.
Raw, broken sounds spilling out of him—whining, gasping, little choked cries that didn’t form words properly.
James tightened his hold instinctively.
One arm locked around Regulus’s waist, anchoring him there, keeping him close, keeping him here.
The other slid up, hand settling at the back of his head, fingers threading into his wet curls, pressing him gently closer.
Grounding.
Steady.
His nose brushed against Regulus’s hair.
His lips pressed lightly to his temple.
“Hey… hey, I’ve got you,” he murmured, voice low, soft in a way no one had ever heard from him before. “You’re alright. You’re alright now.”
Regulus shook his head violently against him, a broken sound tearing out of him as his grip tightened.
“—no—no—!”
“I know, I know,” James soothed immediately, shifting slightly so Regulus was more secure in his lap, one leg braced, holding him properly. “It was bad. It was really bad, yeah? But you’re out now. You’re safe.”
Regulus’s breath hitched hard.
A sob ripped through him, louder this time, body curling in on itself as much as it could while still clinging to James like he was the only solid thing left in the world.
“I hate it—!” he choked, voice wrecked, shaking. “I hate it—I hate it—!”
“Oh, sweetheart—” James breathed without thinking, tightening his hold again, hand pressing gently into the back of Regulus’s head, keeping him tucked close. “I know. I know you do. It’s alright now, yeah? You’re not in it anymore.”
Regulus made a small, desperate noise, clutching tighter, face pressing harder into his neck.
“I couldn’t—!” he gasped. “I couldn’t—!”
“You don’t have to,” James said softly, almost instinctively, rocking him slightly, just enough to soothe. “You don’t have to do anything. I’ve got you.”
Regulus shook again, shuddering, breath hitching as more sobs broke loose, quieter now but deeper, like they were being dragged out of him.
James lowered his head a little more, voice dropping softer, gentler.
“Ohhh, my poor darling,” he murmured, words warm, steady, unhurried. “I know, I know. That was horrible, wasn’t it? But it’s over now. You’re alright. I’ve got you. I’ve got you, yeah?”
Regulus didn’t answer.
Just clung.
Harder.
His fingers twisted into James’s shirt like he was afraid if he loosened his grip even a fraction, he’d slip back under.
“I’m right here,” James continued, pressing another brief, reassuring kiss to his temple. “Not going anywhere. You’re safe.”
Regulus made another small, broken sound, something between a sob and a whine, and tucked himself even closer, if that was even possible.
Around them—
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Because what the hell were they supposed to say to that?
Sirius stood frozen.
Completely.
His hands—still shaking—hung uselessly at his sides, eyes locked on his brother like he was trying to reconcile what he was seeing with everything he thought he knew.
“…that’s—” Gideon started, then stopped.
Fabian blinked. “…I’ve never—”
“Shut up,” Marlene whispered, not looking away.
Mary had both hands over her mouth. “Oh my god—”
Pandora looked like she might actually start crying again. “He’s—”
“I know,” Dorcas muttered, quieter than usual.
Evan stood rigid, jaw tight, staring at the way Regulus was clinging, the way he wouldn’t let go.
“…he won’t even look at anyone else,” he said under his breath.
“He’s in shock,” Remus replied softly.
“No,” Evan said, voice lower, something sharper underneath it. “He’s—”
He didn’t finish.
Because there wasn’t a word for it.
Not a simple one.
Lily swallowed hard, watching carefully. “He’s latched onto the first thing that felt safe.”
Frank nodded faintly. “Yeah.”
“…and that’s Potter,” Fabian said.
James didn’t seem to notice any of them.
Or if he did, he didn’t care.
His entire focus was on the shaking boy in his lap.
Still cooing softly, voice low and steady, fingers gently carding through Regulus’s damp hair.
“Shh… there you go… just breathe, yeah?” he murmured. “Slow… like that… you’re alright…”
Regulus’s breathing was still uneven.
Still hitching.
But it was starting—slowly—to follow the rhythm James was setting.
Not steady.
Not yet.
But less… frantic.
Still clinging.
Still shaking.
Still pressed as close as physically possible.
“…I’ve got you,” James repeated quietly, like a promise. “I’m right here. I’ve got you.”
And Regulus—
Did not let go.
The storm inside him didn’t stop all at once.
It ebbed.
Slowly.
Messily.
Regulus’s sobs faded into something softer, thinner—little broken hiccups, quiet sniffling breaths, the occasional sharp inhale that trembled through his whole body like an aftershock.
He didn’t move.
Didn’t lift his head.
Didn’t loosen his grip.
If anything—
He pressed closer.
Still tucked into James’s neck, still clutching like the world might tilt if he didn’t.
James didn’t rush him.
Didn’t push.
One hand still firm around his waist, the other moving gently through his hair—slow strokes, steady, grounding, untangling damp curls from his face.
“Yeah… there you go…” he murmured, voice soft, low enough that it felt like it belonged just to them. “That’s it… you’re alright… just breathe…”
Regulus hiccuped against him, a soft, pitiful sound, followed by a small, whining breath.
Not words.
Just… need.
James’s thumb brushed lightly over the back of his neck, soothing.
“I’ve got you,” he repeated quietly. “Not going anywhere.”
Around them, the others were finally starting to breathe again.
Starting to think.
“…we need to get him inside,” Lily said, practical even now, though her voice was gentler than usual. “He’s freezing.”
“He should go to Pomfrey,” Remus added.
“Yeah, no shit,” Gideon muttered.
“Oi—watch it—” Fabian nudged him.
Frank crouched slightly, assessing. “He’s still shaking.”
“Shock,” Alice said softly.
Evan hadn’t moved.
Still watching.
Still tense.
Pandora hovered close, hands clasped together. “We should— we should help—”
Sirius dragged a hand through his hair, pacing once, twice. “Just—just take him, yeah? Get him sorted—”
James nodded faintly.
“Yeah,” he said quietly. “Yeah, alright.”
Carefully—carefully—he shifted.
Just enough to try and adjust his hold.
Just enough to move Regulus slightly away so he could stand properly.
It was barely anything.
Barely a change.
But—
Regulus reacted immediately.
A drawn-out, broken whine tore out of him, soft but desperate, the sound catching in his throat as his grip tightened violently.
“—nn—!”
His whole body went slack for half a second—
Then clung harder.
Arms tightening around James’s neck, fingers digging in again, face pressing deeper into his shoulder like he could disappear there completely.
He made another small, distressed noise.
Not words.
Just—
Don’t.
The effect was instant.
Everyone froze.
“…oh,” Mary whispered.
James blinked.
Completely caught off guard.
“Hey—hey—no, no—” he said quickly, instinct kicking in as his arms tightened again, pulling Regulus right back in without hesitation. “None of that— I’m not going anywhere, alright?”
Regulus shook his head against him, another small, broken whine slipping out as he clung tighter.
James huffed softly—something almost fond flickering through the exhaustion.
“Oi… none of that now, darling,” he murmured gently, adjusting his grip so Regulus was secure again, one hand firm at his back. “I just moved a bit, yeah? That’s all.”
Regulus made another soft, unhappy sound in response, burying himself even deeper, like he was trying to hide inside him.
His legs shifted weakly against James’s, trying—without thinking—to stay as close as possible.
“…he’s—” Fabian started.
“I know,” Gideon said under his breath.
James let out a quiet breath.
Then—softened.
Completely.
“Alright, alright… I see how it is,” he murmured, voice warm again, teasing just lightly. “You’re not letting me go, are you?”
Regulus didn’t answer.
Just clung tighter.
James chuckled under his breath.
“Yeah. Thought so.”
He adjusted again—but this time, properly.
Deliberately.
One arm slid under Regulus’s legs, the other around his back, lifting him up smoothly, like it was nothing.
Regulus made a small noise at the movement—startled for a second—
Then immediately curled in closer, arms tightening again, face still buried, refusing to let go.
“There we go,” James murmured, settling him properly against his chest. “That better?”
A quiet, shaky sniffle.
No protest.
James smiled faintly.
“Good.”
He shifted his grip slightly, making sure Regulus was supported fully, secure, held close enough that there was no chance of slipping.
“Alright,” he said, glancing up at the others. “Hospital wing.”
“Yeah,” Lily said immediately.
“Move, then,” Dorcas added.
They started walking.
Fast.
The group fell in around them, still loud, still shaken, voices overlapping again—
“That was insane—”
“Is she gone—?”
“What was that—?!”
“Regulus—?”
“Is he okay—?”
But none of it reached him.
Regulus stayed pressed against James the entire time.
Sniffling.
Hiccuping occasionally.
Small, quiet whining sounds slipping out every now and then when the movement jostled him too much.
Each time—
James adjusted.
Softened.
“Easy… easy… I’ve got you,” he murmured.
At one point, Regulus shifted slightly, fingers tightening again, another small, needy sound escaping him—
“Hey,” James said gently, dipping his head a little, voice soft against his hair. “I’m right here, yeah? Not going anywhere. Promise.”
Regulus stilled again.
Just a little.
Still clinging.
Still shaking.
But calmer.
Anchored.
“…bloody hell,” Sirius muttered from behind them, voice rough, staring at the way his brother was wrapped around James like he’d never let go again.
No one argued.
Because they were all seeing it.
The way Regulus—proud, distant, untouchable Regulus Black—
Was curled in someone’s arms.
Clinging.
Trusting.
And refusing—
Completely refusing—
To be put down.
By the time they were halfway back to the castle, the panic had burned itself out.
What was left was quieter.
Softer.
Still charged—but no longer sharp.
Regulus wasn’t sobbing anymore.
The shaking had eased into the occasional tremor, the hiccups fading into small, uneven breaths. Now it was just soft sounds—little hums under his breath, faint whines when the cold bit too sharply or when the movement jostled him wrong.
He shifted slightly in James’s arms.
Nuzzled closer.
Face pressing deeper into the curve of James’s neck, breath warm and uneven against his skin.
A small, tired whine slipped out of him.
Not distressed.
Just… worn out.
James huffed a quiet laugh.
“Oh, don’t start,” he murmured, voice low and fond, adjusting his hold so Regulus sat a little higher against him. “You’re alright now.”
Regulus made another small, grumbly sound in response, something almost petulant, like he was too tired to argue properly but still wanted to.
His hand shifted weakly, batting at James’s chest—barely any force behind it.
“Oi,” James chuckled, ducking his head slightly. “What was that for, yeah?”
Regulus didn’t answer.
Just made another soft, annoyed whine and burrowed even closer, like the act of being teased was offensive but not offensive enough to actually make him move away.
If anything—
He clung tighter.
Arms still looped around James’s neck, legs loosely hooked around his waist now without even thinking about it.
“…he’s sulking,” Fabian whispered.
“Yeah, well, he nearly drowned,” Gideon muttered back.
“That’s fair, actually.”
James shook his head slightly, smiling faintly.
“Grumpy thing,” he murmured under his breath, brushing his thumb lightly along the back of Regulus’s neck. “All that attitude for someone who won’t even let go of me.”
Regulus let out a quiet, drawn-out nnnn in protest and nudged his face against James’s collarbone, like he was trying to hide from the comment.
James snorted softly.
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” he said. “Terrible of me.”
Around them, the others were starting to piece things together.
Slowly.
Uneasily.
“…this isn’t just shock,” Remus said quietly.
Lily glanced at him. “No.”
Pandora tilted her head, watching carefully. “It’s attachment.”
Evan’s jaw tightened slightly. “You’re saying he’s—what—latched?”
“Something like that,” Alice said gently.
Frank nodded. “Trauma response.”
“Or imprinting,” Pandora added softly.
That made Sirius stop.
“…what?”
Everyone looked at him.
Sirius exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair again, something tense and uneasy settling in his shoulders.
“You don’t get it,” he said. “He—he does this.”
James glanced back over his shoulder slightly, still holding Regulus close. “Does what?”
Sirius hesitated.
Then huffed a quiet, humourless laugh.
“When he likes someone,” he said. “He goes all in. Doesn’t matter who, doesn’t matter how fast—he just… attaches.”
Regulus shifted faintly at the sound of his voice but didn’t lift his head.
Didn’t let go.
Sirius watched that.
Swallowed.
“He was worse when he was younger,” he went on, voice quieter now. “Proper clingy. Follows people around. Does whatever they say, just to keep them.”
“That’s not—” Lily started.
“It is,” Sirius cut in, not harsh, just… certain. “There was this kid. Primary school.”
James slowed slightly.
Listening.
Sirius’s expression twisted.
“He liked him,” he said. “A lot. Wouldn’t leave him alone. Always trying to make him laugh, always—always hanging off him like that.”
He gestured vaguely toward James and Regulus.
“Then one day the kid got fed up and told him to piss off.”
Silence settled in around them.
“…and?” Fabian asked carefully.
Sirius’s jaw tightened.
“And Reg didn’t even understand what he’d said,” he muttered.
That hit harder than anything else.
“He couldn’t speak English properly yet,” Sirius added. “Only Korean. So he just stood there, smiling, thinking it was a joke.”
Mary’s hand lifted to her mouth again.
“Oh…”
Sirius let out a breath through his nose.
“I had to tell him,” he said. “Explain it.”
He shook his head slightly.
“He cried for hours.”
Quiet.
“He didn’t leave his room for two days after,” Sirius added, softer now. “Mum tried to get him to come down for dinner and he just—wouldn’t.”
Pandora looked devastated.
Alice’s eyes softened.
Even Evan looked… unsettled.
“…I still hate that kid,” Sirius muttered.
“Fair,” Gideon said immediately.
“Completely fair,” Fabian agreed.
James had gone very still.
Not uncomfortable.
Not uncertain.
Just… thinking.
He glanced down slightly.
At the boy curled into him.
Still clinging.
Still half-buried in his neck, breathing uneven but calmer now, little sleepy hums slipping out every now and then.
“…right,” James said quietly.
Sirius looked at him.
“…so you get it,” Sirius said.
James did.
He really, really did.
And somehow—
That didn’t make him pull away.
Didn’t make him tense.
Didn’t make him uncomfortable.
If anything—
It made something in him soften.
Dangerously.
He huffed a quiet breath.
Then—
Grinned.
“…yeah,” he said simply.
Sirius blinked.
“…yeah?”
James shifted Regulus slightly higher in his arms again, adjusting his grip like it was second nature now.
“Yeah,” he repeated, glancing back at Sirius, completely unbothered. “I’ve got him.”
Sirius stared at him like he’d just said something insane.
“That’s not—Potter, that’s not what I meant—”
“I know what you meant,” James cut in easily.
Regulus made a small, sleepy sound against his neck, fingers tightening just slightly.
James’s voice softened immediately.
“Alright, alright,” he murmured, pressing his cheek lightly against Regulus’s hair. “Still here. Didn’t go anywhere.”
The tension in Regulus’s grip eased again.
Sirius watched that happen.
Watched how easy it was.
“…you’re enjoying this,” Sirius said slowly.
James didn’t even try to deny it.
A grin tugged at his mouth.
“Bit,” he admitted.
“Bit—?” Sirius echoed, incredulous.
James shrugged lightly.
“Pretty boy,” he said. “Clings to me. Wants me to keep him safe.”
He glanced down again, something warm flickering across his expression.
“…I’m not exactly complaining.”
Sirius made a strangled noise.
“That’s not—this isn’t—he’s not a—!”
“I know,” James said, still easy, still calm. “Relax.”
“Relax—?!”
“I’ve got him,” James repeated, a little firmer this time.
And that—
That made Sirius stop.
Because it wasn’t a joke anymore.
It wasn’t careless.
It wasn’t flippant.
James meant it.
Completely.
Regulus shifted again, letting out another quiet, sleepy whine, face pressing closer as his grip tightened instinctively.
James immediately adjusted.
One hand sliding up to the back of his head again, fingers threading gently through his hair.
“Shh… yeah, I’m here,” he murmured softly. “Go on, you can rest.”
Regulus huffed faintly in response, breath evening out just a little more, body settling.
Still clinging.
Still wrapped around him.
But calmer now.
Safer.
And James—
Didn’t loosen his hold.
Not even a little.
They didn’t slow down.
Not really.
Even as the castle loomed closer, even as the adrenaline finally started bleeding out of their systems, the energy stayed high—tight, buzzing, unsettled.
Because Regulus was still—
Like that.
Curled into James.
Clinging.
Breathing uneven but softer now, small sounds slipping out of him every now and then, half-asleep but not quite there yet.
James adjusted his grip again as they walked, steady, secure, like he’d already memorised the exact way to hold him so he wouldn’t slip, wouldn’t panic, wouldn’t feel even a second of instability.
“Nearly there,” he murmured absentmindedly.
Regulus shifted slightly at the sound of his voice.
Then—
Slowly—
He lifted his head.
Just a little.
Enough to look.
His eyes were still wet.
Still glassy from crying.
Lashes clumped slightly, cheeks flushed pink from cold and exhaustion and everything else.
And he just—
Stared.
Right at James.
Wide.
Soft.
Something in his expression that wasn’t just fear anymore.
Something quieter.
Warmer.
James stopped for half a second.
“…oh, you’re kidding,” he muttered under his breath.
Because that—
That was unfair.
Those eyes.
That look.
“Don’t—” he started, already half-laughing, half-groaning, “don’t look at me like that—”
Regulus blinked slowly.
Still staring.
Still soft.
Still—
James huffed, tilting his head back briefly. “That’s criminal. You know that, right?”
Regulus made a tiny sound.
A soft, startled squeak—
And immediately dropped his face back down, burying himself into James’s neck again, clinging tighter, like he’d been caught doing something embarrassing.
“Oi—!” James laughed quietly. “What was that for?”
Regulus just whined softly in response, nuzzling closer, face hidden, shoulders curling in slightly.
His grip tightened again.
Possessive.
Needy.
And then—
He started talking.
Soft at first.
Muttered.
Words slipping out between small breaths, voice still a little shaky, still catching every now and then.
But not English.
“…uh?” James blinked. “What—?”
Regulus kept going.
Faster now.
Quiet, but constant—little strings of words spilling out, tone soft and pleading and warm all at once.
“james… nae geo… nae geo… gaji ma… jebal…” (James… mine… mine… don’t go… please…)
James glanced up, confused. “Sirius?”
Regulus nuzzled closer again, voice muffled slightly against his shoulder but still going—
“keudae… keudae keun… yeppeun… aniya—aneun—keudae meosseo…” (you… you’re big… pretty—no—handsome… you’re cool…)
“What is he saying—?” Mary whispered.
Sirius made a strangled noise.
“reggie…” he muttered under his breath.
Regulus shifted slightly, pulling back just enough to look at James again, eyes still glassy, expression soft and awed—
Then immediately dove back in, hiding again as he kept talking, voice turning softer, more insistent—
“joahae… neomu joahae… gaji ma… naega jalhalge… eung? jalhalge…” (I like you… I like you so much… don’t go… I’ll be good… yeah? I’ll be good…)
James blinked.
“…is he—?”
Sirius pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Nope.”
“Is he complaining?” Gideon asked.
“Not even close,” Sirius muttered.
Regulus’s grip tightened again, fingers curling into James’s shirt as his voice dropped into a soft, pleading murmur—
“james… nae saram… nae geo… jebal… nareul wonhae?” (James… my person… mine… please… do you want me?)
Pandora made a tiny, distressed noise.
“Oh my—”
Evan went very, very still.
Regulus kept going.
Words tumbling now, half-coherent, half-exhausted, but constant—
“naega ne geo… eung? naega ne geo… anajwo… tteonaji ma…” (I’m yours… yeah? I’m yours… hold me… don’t leave…)
James looked at Sirius again.
Slowly.
“…Sirius.”
“No.”
“Sirius.”
“I’m not translating that.”
“Why not—?!”
“Because I like my sanity,” Sirius snapped.
Regulus pulled back just enough to look between them, confused.
“…hyung…” he muttered, voice small.
Then, immediately, offended—
“hyung, wae—!” (Hyung, why—!)
He shifted in James’s arms, trying—weakly—to reach toward Sirius, one hand tugging slightly in his direction.
“malhae… malhae juseyo…” (tell him… please tell him…)
“Nope,” Sirius said firmly, stepping back a little.
Regulus let out a soft, scandalised whine.
“hyung nappeo… nappeo…” (Hyung is mean… mean…)
“You’ll live.”
“nappeo…” Regulus repeated, voice wobbling again, sniffling faintly.
He tried to reach again.
Failed.
Let out a small, frustrated sound—
Then immediately burrowed back into James instead, clinging tighter like he’d decided Sirius was useless.
“Hey—” James said, half-laughing, half-confused, adjusting his hold automatically. “Oi—what’s he saying—?”
“Nothing you need to hear,” Sirius said flatly.
“That’s suspicious—”
“It’s fine.”
“It doesn’t sound fine—”
Regulus made another soft, distressed whine, muttering again, quieter now but still continuous—
“jebal… gaji ma… naega isseo… yeogi isseo…” (please… don’t go… I’m here… I’m right here…)
Sirius exhaled sharply.
“…he’s too tired to switch languages properly,” he said, a little quieter now. “Happens when he’s overwhelmed. English takes more effort.”
Mary frowned. “So he can’t—translate himself?”
“Not right now,” Sirius said. “Too much going on in his head already.”
“Right,” Remus murmured.
“…probably for the best,” Sirius added under his breath.
James narrowed his eyes slightly.
“…Sirius.”
“No.”
“Sirius—”
“No.”
Regulus sniffled again, clearly unhappy, shifting slightly in James’s arms as he let out another small, complaining whine.
“hyung nappeo…” (Hyung is mean…)
“Yeah, yeah,” Sirius muttered. “I’ve heard worse.”
Regulus huffed faintly, then pressed closer to James again, voice softening as he went back to muttering into his shoulder—
“james… nae geo…” (James… mine…)
James didn’t understand a word of it.
Not one.
But—
He understood the tone.
The way Regulus clung.
The way his voice softened when he said his name.
The way his grip tightened every time James shifted even slightly.
“…right,” James said quietly, more to himself than anyone else.
He adjusted his hold again, one hand sliding back up to cradle the back of Regulus’s head, keeping him tucked in close.
“Alright,” he murmured softly. “I’ve got you. Whatever you’re saying.”
Regulus made a small, content sound at that.
A quiet, tired hum.
And settled again.
Still clinging.
Still murmuring softly under his breath—
But calmer.
Because even if James didn’t understand the words—
He understood the need.
And he wasn’t going anywhere.
By the time they hit the corridor leading toward the hospital wing, Regulus had shifted again.
Not away.
Never away.
Just—up.
He huffed softly, pushing himself upright in James’s arms just enough to look at him properly, still perched against him, still wrapped around him, but now—
Visible.
And Merlin—
That was worse.
His eyes were still wide and damp, lashes heavy, cheeks flushed pink from cold and crying and exhaustion. His lips were slightly pouty, lower lip caught between his teeth for half a second before he let it go again—
And then he whined.
Soft.
Drawn out.
Looking right at James.
James exhaled sharply through his nose.
“…you are doing that on purpose,” he muttered.
Regulus tilted his head slightly.
Blink.
Whine.
Then—
He turned.
Pointed directly at Sirius.
And started.
“hyung nappeun saram… jeongmal nappeo… nappeun, nappeun, nappeun…” (Hyung is a bad person… really mean… mean, mean, mean…)
Sirius closed his eyes.
“Oh, here we go.”
Regulus pointed again, more insistent now, brows knitting together as he kept going, voice still soft but incredibly offended—
“naega malhaetneunde… hyung an deureo… babo… jinjja babo…” (I told him… but he didn’t listen… idiot… really an idiot…)
“That’s rude,” Sirius said flatly.
No one else had a clue what was being said.
But the tone?
The body language?
The way Regulus pointed at Sirius, then looked back at James like he was lodging a formal complaint?
“Oh my god—he’s tattling—” Mary whispered.
“He’s absolutely telling on him,” Fabian said.
“I feel like I’m watching a child report a crime,” Gideon added.
Regulus wasn’t done.
He leaned slightly closer to James, still pointing at Sirius with one hand, the other gripping James’s shoulder tightly, voice soft but full of betrayed indignation—
“hyung jinjja nappeo… nae mal an haejwo… jinjja sirheo…” (Hyung is really mean… he won’t say what I told him… I really don’t like that…)
Sirius dragged a hand down his face.
“I’m being bullied in my own house,” he muttered.
Regulus sniffled faintly, then added, quieter but sharper—
“hyung geu jeongdo aniya… mot saenggyeot… nappeun…” (Hyung isn’t even that great… ugly… mean…)
“Oi—!” Sirius snapped.
That one didn’t need translating.
The vibe carried.
Everyone burst out laughing.
“Did he just insult you—?” James grinned.
“He’s slandering me—!” Sirius shot back.
Regulus huffed softly, clearly pleased with himself, then turned back to James immediately, expression shifting completely.
Soft again.
Warm.
Eyes shining.
His hand lifted—hesitant for half a second—
Then gently cupped James’s cheek.
James blinked.
“…alright—hello—”
Regulus flushed deeper, lips pressing together briefly as he stared at him, something shy flickering in his expression now.
Then he spoke again.
Softer.
“keudae yeppeo… jinjja yeppeo… aniya—meosseo… keudae meosseo…” (you’re pretty… really pretty… no—handsome… you’re handsome…)
James had no idea what he’d just said.
Not even a little.
But the tone?
The look?
He smirked slightly.
“Yeah?” he said lightly. “I’ll take that.”
Regulus’s eyes lit up instantly.
Like he’d just been validated by the heavens.
A small, excited sound slipped out of him—
“—nn!”
And then he leaned closer, still holding James’s face, still flushed, still soft, voice dropping into something quieter, more tentative—
“naega yeppeo? eung? naega yeppeo?” (am I pretty? yeah? am I pretty?)
James blinked.
“…what?”
Regulus repeated himself, a little more insistent this time, tilting his head slightly, eyes wide—
“naega yeppeo?” (am I pretty?)
James, who did not understand a single word of that, grinned lazily.
“Yeah, alright, sure,” he said.
Immediate effect.
Regulus lit up.
Actually lit up.
A soft, delighted squeak escaped him as his grip tightened again, shoulders lifting slightly with excitement.
Pandora made a tiny noise. “Oh—”
“Oh no,” Sirius said.
Regulus leaned in closer again, even more flushed now, voice turning shy but hopeful—
“naega… ne geo? eung? naega ne geo?” (am I… yours? yeah? am I yours?)
James, still fully under the impression this was all part of the ongoing Sirius slander campaign, snorted.
“Obviously,” he said easily. “You’re right, he is being a menace.”
Sirius choked. “I am not—”
Regulus gasped softly.
Eyes wide.
Delighted.
Then immediately continued, faster now, more excited, voice tumbling over itself—
“uri… gachi isseulkka? eung? gachi isseo?” (should we… be together? yeah? be together?)
James didn’t even hesitate.
“Yeah, go on then,” he said, amused. “Sounds good to me.”
Silence.
One second.
Two.
Three—
Regulus squealed.
Actually squealed.
A bright, delighted sound that startled everyone—
And then—
He lunged forward.
“—mwah—!”
James froze.
“—wait—!”
Too late.
Regulus was already kissing him.
Everywhere.
Cheeks, jaw, corner of his mouth, temple—quick, soft, rapid little kisses pressed all over his face as he clung tighter, making small, happy sounds between them.
The entire corridor exploded.
“WHAT—?!”
“OH MY GOD—?!”
“REGULUS—?!”
“IS HE—?!”
James let out a confused, half-laughing groan.
“—alright—what—what’s happening—?”
But he didn’t pull away.
Didn’t stop him.
If anything—
His grip tightened.
A grin breaking across his face as he tilted his head slightly, giving Regulus more access.
“Alright—yeah—go on then—” he laughed, breathless. “If this is what we’re doing—”
“POTTER—!” Sirius screamed.
Regulus just kept going.
Happy.
Excited.
Clinging and kissing and making soft little pleased noises like he’d just been handed the entire world.
James huffed out another laugh, clearly not complaining in the slightest.
“Not sure what I agreed to,” he said, amused, “but I’m not exactly against it—”
Sirius made a noise that sounded like his soul leaving his body.
“YOU—” he pointed, shaking, at James. “YOU JUST AGREED TO DATE MY BROTHER—!”
James blinked.
“…I what.”
“You said yes—!” Sirius shouted. “TO ALL OF IT—!”
“I thought he was still insulting you—!”
“HE WAS CONFESSING—!”
James went still.
Regulus kissed his cheek again.
Soft.
Happy.
Clinging tighter.
“…right,” James said slowly.
Everyone was staring.
Screaming.
Losing their minds.
“YOU CAN’T JUST—?!” Gideon started.
“HE DOESN’T EVEN KNOW—!” Mary added.
“THIS IS INSANE—!” Fabian yelled.
Pandora looked like she might faint.
Evan looked like he might commit a crime.
Sirius was pacing like he was about to combust.
And James—
James looked down at the boy still clinging to him.
Still flushed.
Still smiling softly.
Still pressed close like he belonged there.
He huffed a quiet breath.
Then—
Grinned.
“…well,” he said.
Regulus looked up at him immediately, eyes shining.
James adjusted his hold slightly, one hand sliding back up to cradle the back of his head again.
“I did say yes,” he admitted.
“POTTER—!”
Regulus squeaked happily.
And buried himself back into his neck.
Like he’d just won everything.
They did not recover.
Not even slightly.
If anything—
It got worse.
Regulus wriggled suddenly in James’s arms, restless now in a different way, energy flickering back in uneven bursts.
James blinked. “Oi—careful—”
But Regulus was already shifting, sliding down just enough until his feet hit the ground.
For half a second, he wobbled.
Unsteady.
Then immediately—
Pressed right back into James.
Chest to chest.
Like there was nowhere else he could possibly stand.
“…alright,” James muttered, one hand automatically coming to his waist to steady him. “You could’ve just said you wanted down—”
Regulus didn’t answer.
Just hummed softly under his breath.
A bright, pleased sound.
He tilted his head up slightly, smiling—actually smiling now, eyes still a little glassy but far more alive than before.
Then—
He grabbed James’s arms.
And pulled them tighter around himself.
James blinked.
“…bossy, aren’t you?”
Regulus huffed softly, nudging closer like yes, obviously, then tightened James’s hold himself, settling into it like it was exactly where he belonged.
Mary made a small noise. “Oh my god…”
“He’s rearranging him,” Fabian whispered.
“I don’t think Potter minds,” Gideon added.
James didn’t.
Not even a little.
He let himself be moved, adjusting instinctively when Regulus tugged again, settling his hands properly at his waist.
“There we go,” he said lightly. “Happy now?”
Regulus lit up again.
A soft, delighted hum.
Then—
He started again.
Talking.
Faster this time.
More animated.
“james, son jabajwo… eung? son… son…” (James, hold my hand… yeah? hand… hand…)
He reached down slightly, trying to guide one of James’s hands lower, fingers brushing insistently.
James frowned, glancing down.
“…what are you doing—?”
Regulus pouted.
A full, offended pout.
“james…” he whined softly, tugging again.
James laughed under his breath. “I don’t know what you want, love.”
Regulus made a small, frustrated sound.
Then tried something else.
He leaned in slightly, tilting his head, lips parting just a little as he gestured vaguely between them—
“ppalli… kiss… eung?” (quickly… kiss… yeah?)
James blinked.
“…what?”
Regulus huffed.
Then leaned closer again, even more obvious this time, hovering just slightly—
James leaned back instinctively, confused.
“Oi—hang on—what are you—?”
Regulus whined.
Actually whined.
A soft, dragged-out sound of pure frustration as he tugged at James’s shirt.
“james…” he complained, brows knitting together.
Sirius covered his face with both hands.
“I’m not translating that.”
“You have to—!” Lily hissed.
“I really, really don’t.”
Regulus tried again.
More determined.
He shifted closer, practically climbing into James again, fingers curling into his collar as he spoke quickly—
“uri dulman isseulkka… eung? dulman…” (should it just be us… yeah? just us…)
James stared at him.
“…Sirius.”
“No.”
“Sirius—”
“Nope.”
Regulus let out another small, desperate whine, tugging harder now, clearly trying to move James somewhere.
“james, gaja… gaja…” (James, come on… come on…)
“Where are we going—?” James asked, half-laughing now.
“I’m not helping you,” Sirius said flatly.
Regulus stamped his foot lightly.
Or—well.
Attempted to.
It came out more like a tired shuffle.
But the intent was there.
“hyung nappeo—!” (Hyung is mean!)
“Yeah, I know,” Sirius said. “I’m thriving.”
Regulus turned back to James immediately, pouting harder, lower lip jutting out as he tugged at his sleeve again, voice soft but insistent—
“james…” he whined.
James huffed a quiet laugh.
“I don’t speak whatever that is, sweetheart,” he said, amused, lifting one hand to gently catch Regulus’s wrist before he could tug himself off balance. “You’re going to have to work with me here.”
Regulus stared at him.
Blinking.
Processing.
Then—
Whined again.
Longer.
More dramatic.
Pandora clutched her chest. “He’s trying so hard—”
“He’s suffering,” Mary whispered.
“He’s not suffering,” Dorcas muttered. “He’s being dramatic.”
Regulus tried again.
Different approach.
He reached up, cupping James’s face again, cheeks flushed, eyes soft and hopeful as he leaned closer—
James leaned back again, laughing now.
“Alright—no—hang on—what are you—?”
Regulus froze.
Then slowly—
Pouted harder.
A quiet, offended sound slipping out of him as he dropped his head slightly, pressing his forehead against James’s chest.
“nnnn…”
James groaned softly.
“Oh, don’t do that—”
Regulus immediately did it again.
Whining.
Clinging tighter.
Sirius looked like he was five seconds away from screaming.
“This is unbearable.”
“You could just tell him—” Remus pointed out.
“I could,” Sirius agreed. “I won’t.”
“Why—?!”
“Because this is hilarious.”
“It’s not—!” Evan snapped.
Regulus tugged again.
Still determined.
Still trying.
Still not getting anywhere.
And every time James didn’t understand—
He just got more dramatic about it.
More whining.
More pouting.
More clinging.
James finally gave in with a soft huff, shaking his head slightly as he slid his arms back around him properly.
“Alright, alright,” he said, amused. “I’ve got no clue what you’re asking for, but clearly I’m doing something wrong, yeah?”
Regulus looked up at him immediately.
Hopeful.
James smirked slightly.
“Tell you what,” he said lightly. “You keep looking at me like that, I’ll agree to anything.”
Regulus lit up again.
Completely.
A bright, excited sound slipping out of him as he clung tighter—
And immediately started talking again.
Faster.
More animated.
“OH NO—” Sirius said.
“Oh yes,” Fabian said.
James just laughed.
Still completely clueless.
And entirely encouraging it anyway.
Regulus huffed.
A soft, petulant little exhale that puffed his cheeks just slightly as he frowned up at James, clearly deeply dissatisfied with the situation.
Because this—
This was unacceptable.
He had asked.
Repeatedly.
Clearly.
And James—
Was being useless.
He pouted harder.
Lower lip pushing out, brows knitting together, eyes still bright and damp but now laced with frustration as he clung tighter to James’s front like he could physically force understanding into him.
“james…” he whined softly.
James huffed a quiet laugh.
“I know, I know,” he said, amused, glancing down at him. “You’re very upset. Tragic, really.”
Regulus made a small, offended sound.
Then—
Stilled.
Something shifted in his expression.
Not just frustration now.
Thinking.
Actual thinking.
He tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing just a fraction as he looked up at James—really looked this time, like he was trying to solve a problem.
James raised an eyebrow.
“…what are you plotting?”
Regulus didn’t answer.
Still staring.
Still calculating.
Then—
Slowly—
His hands lifted.
James blinked.
“…alright—?”
Regulus held his hands up between them, fingers slightly curled.
Then—
He started moving them.
Two little finger “people,” one on each hand, wiggling toward each other with exaggerated little motions.
Flap flap.
Flap flap.
“…no,” Sirius said immediately, already knowing.
“Oh my god—” Mary whispered.
Regulus made a tiny sound.
A soft, excited squeak under his breath as he kept going, fully committed now.
The little finger puppets “talked.”
Back and forth.
Animated.
Expressive.
James stared.
“…what am I watching—?”
Regulus’s fingers bumped together once.
Pulled back.
Then again.
Closer this time.
And then—
He pushed them together.
Deliberately.
Clear.
Unmistakable.
“mwah—~!”
The sound was soft.
Playful.
Accompanied by the tiniest little head tilt, eyes flicking up to James immediately after, shining with expectation.
The corridor exploded.
“Oh my god—!”
“NO—!”
“HE DID NOT—!”
“That is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen—!”
Fabian doubled over. “I can’t—!”
Pandora clutched Dorcas’s arm. “He’s so—!”
“Stop—stop—” Dorcas said, though she was laughing.
Sirius groaned loudly.
“I’m going to throw myself out a window.”
Regulus ignored all of them.
Completely.
He just stared at James.
Hopeful.
Bright.
Waiting.
James blinked.
Once.
Twice.
His brain visibly caught up.
“…oh.”
Silence.
Then—
“…oh.”
His eyebrows shot up slightly as the realisation hit fully.
“You—”
He pointed faintly at Regulus’s hands.
Then at Regulus.
Then back at the hands.
“You’re—”
Regulus nodded immediately.
Quick.
Eager.
Another soft, excited sound slipping out of him.
“—you want—”
Regulus nodded again.
Faster.
James leaned back slightly, staring at him.
“…you’re joking.”
Regulus shook his head.
Very seriously.
Still holding the little finger puppets in place like visual evidence.
Then—
Quieter.
Under his breath.
Almost like a chant.
“hae… hae… hae…” (do it… do it… do it…)
James stared at him.
At the flushed cheeks.
The bright eyes.
The hopeful, patient little wait.
The tiny puppets still pressed together.
And then—
He laughed.
A sharp, disbelieving sound.
“Unbelievable,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair.
Regulus’s expression dropped immediately.
Lower lip wobbling slightly.
A small, distressed whine building—
“—hey—no—!” James said quickly, stepping closer again, hands coming back to steady him. “Don’t—don’t do that—”
Regulus blinked up at him.
Still hopeful.
Still waiting.
“hae…” (do it…) he repeated softly.
James huffed a breath.
Looked at Sirius.
“…I’m being set up.”
“Yes,” Sirius said flatly.
James looked back at Regulus.
At the absolute earnestness of him.
The way he was practically vibrating with anticipation.
The way he was already leaning in—
And he groaned.
Soft.
Resigned.
“…you are trouble,” he muttered.
Regulus perked up instantly.
A tiny, excited sound escaping him—
And James—
Gave in.
Just slightly.
He leaned down.
Close enough that their foreheads almost brushed.
Close enough that Regulus went completely still.
Breath caught.
Waiting.
“…this better not be something insane,” James murmured under his breath.
Regulus just looked at him.
Eyes wide.
Soft.
Shining.
“hae…” (do it…)
James huffed.
And tilted his head—
Just a fraction—
Everyone leaned in.
Every single one of them.
Holding their breath.
Sirius already looked like he was about to combust.
And then—
And then—
James gave in.
A full, helpless chuckle broke out of him as he finally tugged Regulus in properly, one hand sliding up to the back of his neck, the other tightening at his waist.
“Alright—alright—” he laughed under his breath. “You win.”
Regulus barely had time to process the words—
Before James leaned in—
And kissed him.
Soft at first.
Just a press of lips.
Testing.
Regulus squeaked.
Actually squeaked—
The sound muffled instantly as he melted into it, clutching tighter, fingers curling into James’s shirt as he leaned up into the kiss like he’d been waiting his entire life for it.
A soft, breathy sound slipped out of him.
Then—
He kissed back.
Properly.
Not hesitant.
Not unsure.
Immediate.
Instinctive.
James hummed low in his throat, clearly amused for half a second—
Until—
Regulus deepened it.
Suddenly.
Boldly.
His grip tightening as he leaned in closer, lips parting—
And then—
Tongue.
James froze for half a second.
Then groaned.
“—fuck—”
The sound was swallowed immediately as he kissed back harder, something in his expression shifting—surprise flashing into something darker, sharper, far more interested.
His hand tightened in Regulus’s hair.
Pulled him closer.
Regulus made a soft, needy sound into the kiss, pressing in, clinging tighter, body flush against his as he followed the movement eagerly, like he didn’t know how to do anything except give more.
The corridor—
Exploded.
“OH MY GOD—?!”
“ARE THEY—?!”
“REGULUS—?!”
“POTTER—?!”
“WHAT IS HAPPENING—?!”
No one was being listened to.
Not even slightly.
James had fully lost track of them.
One hand still in Regulus’s hair, the other gripping his waist firmly as he deepened the kiss, tilting his head, pulling him in closer like he wasn’t planning on letting him go any time soon.
Regulus clung.
Completely.
Hands fisting into his shirt, body pressing in, a soft whine slipping out every time James shifted or pulled him closer, like the movement itself was overwhelming.
James groaned again into the kiss, breath catching slightly as he adjusted, dragging Regulus even closer against him—
And then—
His knee slid forward.
Between Regulus’s legs.
The reaction was immediate.
A sharp, breathy sound tore out of Regulus as he jolted slightly against him, grip tightening violently as he pressed closer, like he couldn’t get close enough, couldn’t hold tight enough.
James exhaled sharply through his nose, eyes darkening slightly, something smug flickering there even through the surprise.
“…Christ,” he muttered under his breath.
Then kissed him again.
Harder.
Regulus followed instantly.
Eager.
Desperate.
Soft little sounds slipping out between kisses—whines, sighs, breathy noises that didn’t even try to form words anymore.
James nipped lightly at his bottom lip.
Regulus whimpered.
Actually whimpered.
And leaned in further.
The group—
Was losing their minds.
“STOP—!”
“YOU CAN’T JUST—?!”
“SIRIUS—DO SOMETHING—!”
“I’M TRYING—!”
Sirius was not, in fact, trying.
He was staring.
Horrified.
Frozen.
“WHAT DID I JUST SAY—?!” he finally shouted.
Remus dragged a hand down his face. “This has escalated beyond intervention.”
Pandora was clutching Dorcas’s arm like she might pass out. “This is—this is—”
“Insane,” Dorcas finished.
Evan looked like he was about three seconds away from committing actual violence.
James didn’t care.
Not even a little.
He pulled back just slightly—just enough to breathe—
Foreheads nearly brushing.
Regulus chased immediately, making a soft, needy sound as he tried to follow.
James laughed under his breath.
“Easy—” he murmured, breathless, but grinning now. “Didn’t know that’s what you were asking for.”
Regulus blinked up at him.
Flushed.
Dazed.
Eyes shining.
Then leaned in again—
James didn’t stop him.
Didn’t want to.
His hand slid back into his hair, tugging him in again as he kissed him once more, slower this time but no less intense.
Around them—
Absolute chaos.
And in the middle of it—
Regulus Black clung to him like gravity had shifted.
And James Potter—
Didn’t even try to pull away.
The moment doesn’t break.
It tightens.
Regulus is still in his space, still pressed flush against him, still kissing him like he’s discovered something he refuses to let go of. It’s not clumsy anymore—it’s intentional. Every tilt of his head, every soft sound, every shift of his body is chosen.
And James—
James is very much not unaffected.
He exhales sharply into the kiss, something rough catching in his throat as his hand tightens in Regulus’s hair.
“—Christ—” he mutters, low, half-lost, before his mouth finds Regulus’s again.
And this time he encourages it.
“Yeah—” he breathes against his lips. “Just like that—”
Regulus responds instantly.
Like he’s been waiting for that.
A soft, pleased sound slips out of him as he leans in harder, kissing him deeper, more deliberate now—his fingers tightening in James’s shirt, grounding himself while everything else tilts.
James groans.
Actually groans.
His head dips, forehead brushing Regulus’s for a split second before he drags him back in again, kissing him slower, heavier.
“Good—” he murmurs, voice rough, approving. “That’s it—”
Regulus shivers.
Not from cold.
From that.
And then—
He moves.
Subtle at first.
A shift of his hips.
Testing.
Then again.
More deliberate.
Rolling forward just slightly—pressing against James’s leg—
James freezes for half a second.
Then—
“—oh, fuck—”
The reaction is immediate.
His grip tightens, hand sliding down to Regulus’s waist, fingers digging in just enough to steady him—and keep him there.
Regulus lets out a soft, breathy sound at the contact, head tipping forward as he presses closer again, more confident now, repeating the motion with clearer intent.
He knows exactly what he’s doing.
And James—
James is very aware of it.
“Didn’t take you long to figure that out, did it—” he huffs, half-laughing, half-strained, breath uneven now.
Regulus whines softly in response, a needy, pleased sound, and presses in again.
The friction draws another low groan out of James’s chest.
“Yeah—yeah, alright—” he mutters, voice dropping. “Keep going—”
The corridor absolutely erupts.
“STOP—?!”
“ARE YOU SERIOUS—?!”
“THIS IS NOT HAPPENING—!”
“SIRIUS—DO SOMETHING—!”
Sirius is, once again, spiritually deceased.
“I’m going to die,” he says flatly.
No one listens.
Because Regulus—
Regulus is suddenly impatient.
He pulls back just enough to breathe, chest rising and falling quickly, lips flushed, eyes bright—and then he grabs James’s shirt again.
Tugs.
“james— gaja…” he whines softly. (James—come on…)
He pulls again.
Insistent.
Trying to move him.
Trying to take him somewhere.
James barely shifts.
“…where are we going, sweetheart?” he asks, amused but breathless, letting himself be tugged without actually moving.
Regulus huffs.
Annoyed.
He tugs harder.
Fails.
Whines.
“james—” more desperate now, softer, pleading.
James laughs under his breath. “You’re going to have to give me more than that—”
Regulus groans.
Frustrated.
He presses his forehead briefly against James’s chest, then looks back up, eyes intense, voice dropping into something quieter—coaxing.
“naege wa… eung? naege wa…” (come with me… yeah? come to me…)
James doesn’t understand the words.
But the tone—
That lands.
His breath hitches slightly.
“…Sirius,” he says, not looking away.
“No.”
“Sirius—”
“No.”
Regulus makes a small, offended noise.
Then—leans in again.
Closer.
Voice softer now, almost coaxing, almost sweet.
“gachi ga… geureom…” (come with me… then…)
A pause.
Then quieter.
“naega julge…” (I’ll give myself to you…)
James swallows.
Doesn’t understand the words—
But something about the way Regulus says it—
The way he looks at him—
It does something.
“…you’re dangerous,” he mutters.
Regulus huffs again, frustrated when that doesn’t get him anywhere.
Then—
He stills.
Thinking.
Again.
And then—
His face lights up.
“Oh no,” Sirius says immediately.
Regulus grins.
Actually grins.
Bright.
Excited.
He grabs James’s wrist lightly, pulling his attention down.
“Look,” the gesture says.
James smirks slightly. “Alright—go on then—what’ve you got—”
Regulus raises his hands.
Again.
But this time—
It’s not the little puppet kiss.
It’s slower.
More deliberate.
One hand forms a circle.
Clear.
Intentional.
The other—
A single finger.
He pauses.
Glances up.
Checks James is watching.
James is.
Very much so.
Then—
Regulus pushes his finger into the circle.
Once.
Slow.
Clear.
Unmistakable.
The corridor—
Detonates.
“NO—?!”
“OH MY GOD—?!”
“REGULUS—?!”
“I’M GOING TO BE SICK—!”
Sirius turns away entirely. “I don’t have a brother.”
James—
James goes still.
Completely.
His smirk disappears.
Replaced with something sharper.
Hotter.
His ears go red.
Then his neck.
Then—
Everything else.
“…fuck,” he breathes.
Low.
Shocked.
Into it.
Regulus’s grin softens immediately into something shy.
Hopeful.
He tilts his head slightly, watching James’s reaction carefully, fingers still loosely holding the shape.
“…yeah?” James murmurs, voice rougher now, eyes locked on him. “That what you’re asking for?”
Regulus nods.
Small.
Certain.
A quiet little hum slipping out of him.
James exhales slowly through his nose, dragging a hand through his hair.
“…Jesus Christ,” he mutters.
Then looks back at him.
Something in his expression has shifted.
Not careless anymore.
Not just amused.
Focused.
Interested.
Dangerously so.
His hand slides back to Regulus’s waist.
Firm.
Grounding.
Pulling him in just a fraction closer.
“…you’re going to kill me,” he says quietly.
Regulus just smiles.
Soft.
Certain.
And leans in again—like the answer’s obvious.
Around them—
Absolute chaos.
Voices raised, people arguing, half the corridor losing their minds—
But right there—
In that space—
It narrows.
Tightens.
Into something charged.
Unresolved.
And very, very far from over.