I see you in the stars - Jegulus

Chapter 5 - James

James was outside with Remus in their usual smoking place. Remus had somehow escaped from Pomfrey, and basically caught and dragged James out for a smoke. It was another pretty grim day, the sun deciding not to make an appearance in the grey sky. There was even a thin layer of mist that covered the Castle grounds, giving Hogwarts a cold, yet a comforting feel. It wasn't necessarily hot, but it could get a lot colder in England. Both boys wore their uniforms, with James wearing his grey vest, and his tie loosely around his neck. After he had seen Regulus wearing a vest - and it looking so fucking good on him - James had dug his own one out of his piles of discarded clothes. It indeed made him look a lot smarter, but it was still touched with his usual laid back charm.

"I couldn't even go to the window without Pomfrey catching me. I swear it's bloody hell in there." Remus says, wincing slightly as he shifts position, smoke floating around him as he breathes out.

"I don't even know how you got out, doesn't Sirius like to hold you bed bound for the whole day after?" James laughs, knowing how overprotective Sirius gets on these days. Remus lets out a huff as he shakes his head.

"Merlin that boy drives me mad sometimes, in the best way possible of course, but still. I asked him to get me something to eat and I snuck out. He'll find us here eventually - may as well get a smoke outta it." Remus sniffed. He was still quite irritable the day after the full moon, and was more susceptible to snapping at different things. Despite it, James thought it made him more humorous, in a different way from usual. More blunter, no longer having the filter he usually had on when talking to people.

"Moony."

"Uh huh."

"What do you think of Regulus?" Remus paused putting his cigarette to his mouth as he looked weirdly at James.

"Why are you so curious about him?" He questioned. James felt a blush threaten to show at the intensity of the stare Remus was giving him, but he couldn't back down.

"He was just uh.. staring at Sirius yesterday at dinner, it just piqued my interest." James says casually, looking at Remus with his lazy smirk that was totally how he was feeling. Seemingly satisfied with his reply, Remus relaxed, continuing his drag.

"Don't really have much of an opinion to be honest. Hard to judge him when I don't know him." He replied rather matter of factly. James felt slight guilt wrap him when he realised that was exactly what he had done before.

"But Sirius hates him, shouldn't that make you feel the same about him?" His friend took a second to reply, looking off into nothing.

"Maybe, maybe not. I don't judge you that you do, but when the boy hasn't had the chance to defend himself and say his own piece, I feel a bit bad taking Sirius' word in the whole situation." James looked at him in shock. He knew that Remus always prided himself in being a fair person, but he didn't realise that went all the way to Regulus. Remus simply looked at James with a raised eyebrow.

"What, don't you agree?"

"I mean, I don't know. I haven't really thought about it. But you know, Padfoot is your boyfriend isn't he? Aren't you meant to support him and agree no matter if he's wrong or right, or some shit like that." Remus looked thoughtful as he took in the question. It was what James loved so much about him, he always thought through his answers, and answered as truthfully as possible, even if the subject matter wasn't that serious.

"I think there is a difference between supporting Sirius, and having all his opinions as my own. I'm still my own person, I can come up with my own conclusions about things that are potentially different from his." The honesty and truth in his friends' replies made James uncomfortable, since it was the exact opposite of what James had been doing since he met Regulus.