ENCHANTED ⇒ jegulus

SIXTEEN

"You said Evans lost your baby when she was in the beginning of the third trimester," Regulus starts, but he does not finish.

James nods, taking a sip of his morning coffee. "Yes, I did say that," He answers. Regulus simply nods his head, turning back to his toast. James clears his throat. He isn't sure if he should say what he is about to say. "But...but don't think about that. Nothing is going to happen to you,"

Regulus nods curtly. "I'm not worried, Potter," He insists sharply. "Just morbidly curious, I suppose," He adds, as if to clarify his intentions in questioning.

"So. A girl. Have you thought about names?" James wonders. "She's going to need one and I don't suspect that I'd be very good at that sort of thing,"

There is a clatter at the counter, and James turms to see Regulus clutching the sugar bowl with whitened knuckles.

Regulus takes an obvious, exaggerated breath before turning to glare at James. "You'd been doing so well, y'know? Steering away from the sensitive topics. War, Hogwarts, Azkaban, my parents," Regulus pauses. "So nice of you to break that habit now,"

James sighs. "She's going to need a name. I just thought-"

"You just thought that that you should twist the knife a little harder and try to assuage your guilt in the most useless way possible by letting me make suggestions for names?" Regulus says sharply.

James shakes his head. "Stop. I thought we agreed no more arguing,"

Regulus rolls his eyes. "Then don't say fucking stupid things," He utters coldly. "Will it make you feel better?"

"Regulus-"

"Should I say Walburga? Bellatrix? Fine family names, those. Names you can turn down with a clear conscious. Is that what you want? So you can go back to your little girlfriend and tell her what an idiot I am, and she can say I'm just wanting to carry on Death Eater traditions, and isn't it a good thing she made you swear that Vow?" Regulus spits quickly. James can barely take his words in.

Regulus Black never says much, unless you've angered him. Or so James has learned.

"Stop it."

"Too close to home? Either it's true and she does your thinking for you, or it's not and you really were all right with this. You can't have it both ways, Potter." Regulus snaps.

James, truthfully, has little to no idea what to say to that, but he does know that punching Regulus right in the face was out. So he leaves, abandoning his morning coffee and Regulus.

Sirius and Remus' cornflower blue front door is comforting in it's familiarity when James lands on their doorstep with a pop.

It only occurs to him to wonder if she was even in when he knocks harshly. His luck is with him, because the door opens to reveal Remus' startled face. "Prongs! Are you all right?"

James just sighs and steps inside as Remus pulls the door open further, gesturing him toward the kitchen.

"Fine," James huffs as he plops down into one of the kitchen chairs. Sirius eyes him from across the table, gripping his own morning coffee and raising an eyebrow. "Just fine. Only it was come here or murder your brother." He snaps.

Remus sighs and squeezes James' shoulder once before putting the kettle on. "You two were doing so well."

"He said the same thing. Only less kinder," James grits.

Sirius rolls his eyes. "Prongs, what did you say to him? You're at a stage with him now that Regulus won't just yell at you over nothing. He might have four months ago, but not now,"