Raising Harry

Chapter 8

10/31/1981

James and I had decorated the whole house with autumn leaves and pumpkins. It looked like a Halloween store had thrown up all over the house.

James even dressed Harry up in a pumpkin costume and made pumpkin muffins and cookies. I don't really know who would eat them since the only guest coming over were Lilly.

Lilly and Mary had just broken up. Lilly needed some comforting. I think we were the only available people. Everyone had basically gone off to do there own thing. Remus was still on his mission. Barty had his job at the ministry like his father. And Sirius wasn't talking to anyone.

I walked into the hall. I was wearing a festive dark green sweater with a pumpkin on it. James was wearing the same but in red.

He found it funny. I found it horrible from my normal clothes I'm used to.
But oh well just have to deal with it.

I dug into the cupboard under the stairs. James told me to look for the candy bowl his mother had given us one year. "I can't find it." I yelled out.

"Look harder." James said in response.

As I was looking around I accidentally stabled on an old box. It fell over and the contents spilled out onto the floor. "Shit." I whispered and began to pick stuff up.

That's when I noticed something. A picture frame with a photo of James and I in it. We were covered in snow. My black hair and grey eye just see able in all the snow.

My Slytherin scarf was tightly wrapped around my face covering my mouth. James how ever looked cheery and happy. He was smiling and his glasses were foggy from the snow. His hair fluffed up everywhere.

As I was looking at the frame I noticed there was something behind it. "What's this?" I asked myself as I removed the frame and looked inside it. A necklace fell to the ground.

It was small and heart shaped. The words best friend were ingraved into it. That's when my memory came flooding back to me. It was from the first time he said I love you to me.

~Regulus Flashback~

The snow fell gently on my face as I watched James make a snow angle. It was just us two in an open field near Hogsmeade. No one could see us. James was acting like a child per usual.

"Come and join me Reggie." James said smiling through his scarf.

"No thank you. I think I'm fine where I am." I turned my head so I was looking out over the horizon. The owls returning to Hogwarts could be seen flying over the snowy mountains.

As I was distracted by the bueaty of the owls I felt something cold and hard hit my face. I turned to James who had a mischievous grin on his face.

He was holding a snowball. "How dare you James Potter." I said as I picked up my own snow ball. I through it at him and it landed right on his fluffy hair.

"So that's how you want to play."

"Uh oh." I said getting to my feet as James grabbed a snowball.

I started to run away fastly down the hill. James following closely behind me.

He was really fast on a broom and off apparently. I quickly took cover behind a tree. Hopeful he didn't notice. "Reggie where are you?" He asked.

I slowly peered out from the tree to see he was totally clueless on where I had gone. I took a sigh of relief and hid closed to the tree.

Then all of a sudden James went silent. I peered again out of the tree. I looked and saw nothing but snow. James had disappeared.

Then I heard the crunching of snow behind me. I quickly swung my hand up just catching James.

He was still holding the snowball. He used all his force to try and break free from my grip so we both ended up falling backwards. He landed on top of me.

Crushing my ribs "Ow." I said.

"Did I hurt you?" James sat up dropping the snowball.

"No. I just like to see you worried about me." I smiled and sat up with him.

"You have a bit of snow." James said he pushed one of the strands of my hair back rwvealy my pale cheekbones.

Just then it started to snow. The snow lightly fell on the both of us. But we didn't care cause we both seemed to be distracted with eachother.

"Reggie?" James asked.

"Yes?" I said starring deeply into his frosted glasses.

"I love you."

My heart felt something it hadn't in a while. Love. "James." I started but was stopped by James.

"I know you want to keep this a secret and gifts hasn't really been our thing but. He dug into his cloak and pulled out a necklace.

He then grabbed my hand with his free one and opened it. He gently placed the necklace inside.

I pulled my hand closer to my face examining the pendant. It was a heart with the words best friend written on it.

"A best friend necklace." I arched my brow confused.

"Yeah well. I thought it would be better than getting a best boyfriend one since you know this is a secret. You could tell people it's from Barty." He smiled.

I think this is the only moment I have felt happy. Or at least happy in a long time. My heart was warm my feeling for James were stronger and all I wanted to do was kiss him.

So I did. I leaned in and kissed him. "What was that for." He asked clueless.

"I love you James Potter." I said and we both spend the afternoon up there watching the owls go past and admiring the snowy hills.

~end flashback.~

Everytime I thought of that moment I would get butterflies in my stomach. I loved him so much. I just didn't tell him often.

All of a sudden there was a knock on the door. "I'll get it." I called out to James. I walked over to the beautiful white door and opened it. Lilly's warm smile was brighter than ever.

"Come in. James is in the kitchen." I said. She walked in and I shut the door leaving the cold air out in the night.