Just like a book

"I'm James Potter, and you are?"

The sun hurt my eyes as I left the historic building, I slowly put my headphones on and put on some music as I walked to the bookshop. 'The Potter's Shelf'.

I took off my headphones and opened the door to be welcomed by the warm face of Euphemia Potter who co-owned the place with her husband, Fleamont. As it was the last week of school before spring break, my college was only having half-days so I was able to go to the bookstore at exactly 1:45.
'Good afternoon Regulus, what are you doing here so early?' She said as I walked in.
'Good afternoon Effie, my school is closing early for the last week before break so I thought I might pay a visit to you and maybe get a new book.' I replied with a genuine smile on my face. Euphemia Potter is one of the sweetest people to walk the Earth and she always made me feel safe whenever I came to the store.
'Oh how sweet of you! You know you can come in anytime you like,' she clapped her hands together and walked out from behind the front desk. 'What book are we looking for today?'

I continued to visit the Potters shop everyday at exactly 1:45 everyday for that last week and I was expecting to do it for the rest of spring break as I decided to stay in my dorm over the 4 weeks. Today was the first day of the break and at exactly 1:45 I stepped through the door of 'The Potter's Shelf', Fleamont stood behind the desk hurriedly writing something down in a small notebook as Effie was casually stocking the shelves with new books.
'Regulus, my boy, how are you son?' I was always comfortable around Fleamont, I always looked at him as somewhat of a father-figure.
'I'm doing well, how are you Monty?' I smiled as we made small conversation. He asked how school was and I asked how Sirius, my brother, was doing ever since he moved in with the Potters.

My parents have always been abusive and over the years they never stopped, there was always something me or Sirius did wrong. Two years ago Sirius was done with our parents, he packed up a bag and left. He begged me to come with him but I couldn't. Our parents are horrible people that don't deserve children but something in me just told me I had to stay, I wanted to leave but it just felt wrong abandoning them like that for some reason. That's when I discovered the Potter's shop. I used to not go very often, just to collect a book or check in on Sirius but now they have become like his second set of parents. They often say that I can move in whenever I like but I always reply with a firm no and I can tell they are disappointed. I hate looking at the sad looks on their faces and it almost makes me give in but I stay strong.

'BABY BROTHER!' Sirius comes barging through the back door with his arms wide open expecting a hug. I stay closed off, hoping that he doesn't hug me.
'What? Too big to give you brother a hug, huh?'
'No I'd just prefer no to hug anyone at the moment or at any moment,' I replied.
'Cmon, I'm your family! Just a little hug?' Sirius stays persistent.
'Just because you're my family doesn't mean I have to hug you. You don't see me hugging Mother or Father do you?'
'No, but that's just because Mother and Father are cold, heartless people, I am neither of those things!' I sigh and open my arms as Sirius giggles into a hug so tight that could potentially suffocate me. After I shoot Effie a quick wave goodbye and leave, most people will find entering a store without getting anything pretty pointless but when it means visiting the Potters, I could do it everyday.

Second day of spring break, I woke up in my dorm room to look over to see my dorm mate and bestfriend, Barty. He was sharing his bed with his boyfriend Evan, who was also one of my close friends. They are both heavy sleepers who wake up late so I quickly change and leave campus to get some breakfast for myself. Soon after I get a call from Barty asking where I was.
'I'm at some random cafe close to campus getting breakfast.'
'You could at least woken us up so we could all go together,' Barty complained.
'True but then you would probably kick me and tell me to fuck of and let you sleep.'
'Heh, to be honest that does sound a lot like you' Evan says in the background.
'Anyways, it's already 1:30 and I finished breakfast long ago so don't even bother having breakfast.'
'Fine, where are you going now?' Barty asked.
'None of your business, now bye bye!' I hung up the phone and started walking towards the Potters. I walked slowly as I still had time before 1:45 but when the time came and he opened the door, he saw a new face. A handsome face.

'Hi, um- where's Mr and Mrs Potter?' Regulus was puzzled, in all his time going here he's never seen this man in his life.
'Oh, they went out of town for a couple of weeks and they left me in charge while they are gone,' the boy said. He looked a lot like Fleamont with the same brown skin and bushy black hair. I walked around for a bit while picking up a few books and after ten minutes he came to the desk and handed the one book he actually kept and paid for it.
'I come here a lot and 'I've never seen you here, who are you?' I asked because curiosity was killing me.
'I guess I never really introduced myself,' he said with a wide grin on his face which reminded me of Effie.

'I'm James Potter, and you are?'