Love & Scars

30. Looking In

"Stop drooling over my brother, Moony," Sirius grunted as they stood outside, looking in the shop.

"I'm not — I'm not drooling!" He muttered with a blush.

"Right." James snorted.

"You're one to say. Lily flips her hair one time, and you're a stumbling idiot." Sirius interrupted before Remus could retort.

"What about you?" James raised an eyebrow. Sirius turned to see his best friends look at him in the same way.

"What about me?"

"It wasn't me who dragged us to every dress shop." Remus pointed out. "I can't wait to see Reg again, but you seem to need to see her. Why is that?" Remus cocked his head in an all-too-knowing look.

"I know you know, Moony."

"Know what?" James asked, and he glanced at the window. "Fuck, your mother." He threw the cloak over him and Remus while Sirius transformed into Padfoot. He saw Izzie disappear behind a velvet curtain. "You know, Regulus did look very handsome." Both men on either side of him growled, making James chuckle. "Don't get your knickers in a twist. You know I only have eyes for one —"

James stopped talking, and Sirius knew why.

Izzie had stepped out of the dressing room in a burgundy wedding dress. Remus smiled despite himself. He hated the idea of an arranged or forced marriage, but Izzie looked beautiful.

Sirius couldn't tear his eyes away from her, the way the dress fitted her body. The colour, oh, the colour was perfect for her. He was snapped out of it when Remus growled with a light chuckle.

"Stop drooling over my best friend, Pads."

"Dogs can't drool." He answered, not looking away as his brother approached Izzie.

"Dogs drool most of the time, Padfoot." James laughed.

He ignored them as Regulus took her hands in his, tugging her close and twirling her around. He wished he were in Regulus's place, dancing with her as she wore that dress.

Then Reggie dipped her, and her eyes found his, but still he couldn't look away. He saw her blush before she was pulled into Reg's chest, her head nestled in his shoulder.

It hit him then as he saw them together. The wedding was getting closer and closer.

"We really need to put an end to this." He growled.

"They are just friends, Pads. Reg is seeing Moony, remember?"

"I don't mean that." He growled. "The wedding!"

"Oh, right." James managed to sound ashamed of himself.

They saw her try other coloured dresses, black, grey, brown, even yellow. He shivered when he saw her walk out with a Slytherin green dress; he hated that colour on her. He saw the saleswoman flinch when his mother spoke to her.

Later, his mother left the shop without Regulus and Izzie. When she spotted Padfoot, she scrunched up her nose as she looked down at him.

"Filthy animal." She turned away, muttering to herself. "I should send the Ministry to get rid —" The rest was inaudible as she walked away.

"Pleasant as always." James snorted. "Let's go to Peppers and wait for them there."

***

The three of them hurried over to Pepper's joke shop and waited in the back for the pair. They were growing anxious as the minutes ticked by.

It was more than thirty minutes later when they finally arrived, whispering to each other. Reggie's eyes found Remus first. He squeezed Izzie's hand before flinging himself at his boyfriend.