i really loved him

chapter 21

Regulus POV

Regulus was reading quietly in his favourite corner of the library when James ambushed him.

"It's your birthday!?"

He had appeared from behind a nearby bookshelf and was storming towards him. Upon reaching the desk, James plucked the book from Regulus' hands and took two steps away when he tried to snatch it back.

"Hey!"

"Nope. No studying on birthdays. It's a rule," James grinned.

"And you ignore rules," Regulus shot back. "Constantly. With no regard for the consequences."

"Yeah, but birthdays are different." He rolled his eyes, as if that were perfectly self-evident. "Anyway, why didn't you tell me?!"

Regulus ignored that.

"Give it back, Potter," he said.

"Oi! Thought I'd been promoted to 'James' by now," James protested, now holding the book in the air out of reach.

"Not when you steal my books. You've been demoted," Regulus replied stonily.

It was a brand-new volume that had arrived in the post that morning, regarding the history of alchemy and ancient arts. From Andromeda, of course. And he had been thoroughly enjoying it.

"How do you know it's my birthday?"

"Sirius told me," James pouted.

"Sirius?" he frowned. That was difficult to believe. "He never remembers birthdays."

"He remembers yours," James said pointedly, and gave him a meaningful look. But that didn't last long; the keen smile was back on his face when he declared, "You, me, birthday quidditch. Right now."

Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel, still with the book in his hand, and strolled to the library exit.

"Meet me on the pitch in twenty!" he called behind him, and waved it in the air. "You'll get this back when you—"

"—SHHH!" came a furious hiss from whom Regulus assumed to be Madame Pince, who was notorious for taking her job as librarian extremely seriously.

"Sorry, Irma!" James said sheepishly, before glancing over his shoulder to wink at Regulus and prancing out of the door.

Regulus sighed wearily, picked up his bag from beneath the desk and stood. It really was impossible to tell him no. And there was no need for that wink, he thought indignantly as he swung the bag over his shoulders and made to leave the library. Completely unnecessary.

Thankfully, twenty minutes was more than enough time for his warm blush to cool.

14:41 – Sure enough, exactly seventeen minutes later, Regulus walked into the changing rooms to find James waiting for him. Actually, not exactly waiting. In fact, he didn't seem to notice Regulus enter the room.

James was sat cross-legged on one of the long wooden benches, already dressed in his crimson robes, with an open broomstick servicing case beside him on the floor. His Nimbus 1001 rested across his knees, and he was in the middle of carefully polishing its handle. Regulus felt oddly compelled to look away.

Before he could deal with that thought, however, James spotted him and jumped up excitedly.

"Blimey, didn't think you'd turn up," he beamed, and handed him not one, but two books stacked on top of each other. "Here."

The second book James had given him was thick, green and tied in a shining silver ribbon.

"Happy birthday!" he said. "Sorry it's not wrapped. There was a bit of a time limit."