Regulus Black and The Elemental Trials

Chapter 2 - Beginning of Bonds

James slowly made his way out of the bathroom, stretching his tired limbs with a yawn.

He pushed his glasses up enough to rub the exhaustion from his eyes before opening them to see Remus standing beside the dorm door.

James shrieked as he jumped back.

"You've gotten sloppy, James." Remus stated as James noticed the green Slytherin tie hanging from his finger.

James' blood ran cold as he tried keeping his laid back composure.

"You're lucky I was the one to catch your slip-up", Remus started pausing slightly, "Sirius is going to kill you."

"Oh come on, Sirius needs to get over his 'all Slytherins are evil' thing-" James started figuring there was no possible way Remus would know it was Regulus'.

"You and I both know that's not what I mean. I meant he's not going to like the fact that you're sleeping with his little brother." Remus explained.

James nervously chuckled, "What are you talking about Moony? I'm not sleeping with..."

James' sentence fell off as Remus pulled a wand from his back pocket- Regulus' wand.

It was easily identifiable as Regulus', it was black and pristine with a sliver grip of elegant swirls.

"You can't tell Sirius." James spat.

"Of course I'm not going to tell Sirius- I choose life." Remus jeered.

James sent him an unimpressed look.

"Look, you have to tell him James. He deserves to know- and soon because however mad he'll be about you and his brother, he'll be even more hurt that you've been lying to him." Remus explained.

There was a spell of silence as James contemplated his next move.

"I love him." James muttered, the words falling from his lips.

Remus seemed slightly taken aback by this, but tried not to show it, "What?"

"Regulus. I'm in love with him. That's why its so terrifying- because- because I can't lose either of them." James spoke as his voice wavered slightly.

Remus sighed, setting Regulus' wand and tie on the dresser beside him, "Sirius is waiting for me to go to breakfast. Do whatever you need to do."

James let out a breath he didn't know he was holding before nodding at the boy. Anxiously James slipped his hand through his bed head.

Remus began heading out of the dorm before pausing in the doorframe, turning back around to James, "And James, don't forget about your interview with the Daily Prophet today."

James was never more grateful for Moony's pretending that nothing had happened- that he didn't just find out his best friend was into blokes, specifically his own boyfriend's baby brother.

As Remus disappeared out the door, James crawled back into bed.

Regulus had sprawled himself out, his arm almost hanging off the bed.