Muse in Secret

Chapter Five

As he promised, James' joined the boys on their trip, although it had made quite awkward with Lily in doing so. He only told her of the dates right before departing, partially out of shame, knowing he would be sharing a bed with Regulus the whole time, but partially out of forgetfulness. He had never meant to hurt her, none of this was designed to hurt her in any way. Regulus was simply a muse, his muse, in the way Lily could not be. It was art, nothing more, and nothing less. 

"You just returned from France." She said, with her arms crossed. Indeed they had agreed that James' would stay in London for five days, and then France for two, but he had agreed to a four day trip, that fell on three of his London days.

"Lily, it's for the book." He hadn't told her where he was really going, of course.

"Then can I come with you?" She asked defiantly.

He swallowed. "No, love. I need you to stay in London. First off, you'd be bored as anything. It's meetings, it's marketing, it's me rolling my eyes for seven hours a day all whilst pretending that I understand what they're all on about."

"They've never made you do this in England."

"Yes." He agreed. "But this is France. Secondly, I want you safe, we don't have the staff in France to assure that."

She crossed her arms. "We could bring them."

"There's no room." He said, this time truthfully.

"Which is why you should have gotten a bigger flat." However, it was clear she had conceded. She went to sit on her little seat that looked out the front window.

"I'll miss you." He added, trying to smooth over the tension that still hung heavy in the room. "Dearly."

"As I will miss you."

He kissed her goodbye, taking no time to look back as he left the house to see if she was looking after him. His mind was consumed with Regulus, and Sirius and Remus, and getting to spend so much time with them. He had agreed to meet them not in Paris, but in the Port at Calais. He took his train, and then had to correct himself to not get on the train bound for Paris out of old habit. Instead, he stood on the platform, awaiting the incoming Paris train.

There was a certain amount of self consciousness that overtook him. Surely this was some joke, that the boys had planted this happiness in his gullible mind, and that he would be met with the disapproving faces of his peers, mocking him as they were in the ones who disembarked the train.

But that would not come to pass. In several moments time as the train ground to a halt, Regulus was exiting the train and striding towards him, followed by Sirius who was pushing Remus in his wheelchair, a thick blanket over his lap.

"Hello." Regulus said, a smile etched upon his face. He had agreed to be careful in public for the sake of James' image, but he had also assured them that once they reached the country house, there would be no need. It was a secluded place that they would take a train and then carriage to reach, and house lined up on the beach, making it secluded and private.

"Hello. I assure the trip did you well?" James asked in return.

"It was rather painless, lest Sirius complaining the whole way." Oh how James wished he could bottle that smile- it would be enough to bring sun to England for a whole year and a day.

"You know I didn't sleep, and if I don't sleep, I get train sick." Sirius grumbled. It was true, there were deep purple circles under his eyes. Remus reached up and back wit a frail hand, grabbing onto Sirius' and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"But you're going to sleep at the country house, no?" Remus asked, before turning his attention to James. "Please tell me you've brought me something to read."