Glimpse Of Us | JEGULUS

8 | i used to light you up

"You can't keep ignoring me because you think I'm lying," James accused the boy as he followed Sirius through the school. It had been a few days and classes were about to start and James was fed up. "You don't have to believe me but you certainly can't keep acting like this." Sirius narrowed his eyes but said nothing. James rolled his eyes at this. "How am I supposed to fix anything if you won't talk to me?" he asked as they entered the Potions classroom. Sirius stopped in his tracks, James running into his back, "What are you-"

The two stared at the desk where Regulus Black sat. "Do we have the wrong time?" James asked with a frown.

"No, we don't," Remus said from behind them as they entered the classroom. They had to have the wrong time because how on earth would this be explained otherwise. There was not explanation. Unless hallucination was an option.

"Moony, you're my partner," Sirius demanded, dragging him across the room. Remus sent James an apologetic look. James's eyes widened at this, a certain wave of dread washing over him.

"Where's Peter?" James asked.

"He got held behind, remember?" Remus replied. The pity was just behind his eyes and James felt the sudden urge to cry, "He has to take the course again."

"Oh, right," he frowned as he looked around the room. His heart began to beat rapidly against his chest as he realized where he was going to be forced to sit if he didn't figure out something else. He couldn't sit there. He wouldn't.

He approached Professor Slughorn's desk, his Potions textbook clutched to his chest, "Er, Professor?"

"Yes, Potter," he said, not bothering to look up at the boy.

He hesitated, "I was just wondering if there was somewhere else that I could sit."

Slughorn looked up at this. He looked around the room before facing James, "There's a seat next to Mr. Black." That was precisely the problem, wasn't it? Because somehow, with little to know explanation, Regulus Black was in their class. How was that even possible?

"Well, yes, but-"

"Have a seat, Mr. Potter," Slughorn requested simply and James let out a sigh of defeat. Maybe James could fake being sick. Maybe that was his solution to this awful predicament that he found himself in.

"Yes, Professor," he replied before making his way to Regulus's table, on the opposite side of the room where his friends sat. He looked at them wistfully but Sirius had Remus's full and undivided attention. James sat down with a huff, placing his textbook on the table. He didn't look at the boy as he spoke, "What are you doing here?"

"My parents requested that I be put in courses that were more rigorous and matched my level," Regulus explained simply, his quill poised and ready to write when the Professor began.

"Courses, as in plural?"

"Yes, Potter," he rolled his eyes. "Think of me as a sixth year student now, if it's easier for a nimrod like yourself to understand."

"Well, isn't that just bloody wonderful."

James spent the entire class trying to forget that Regulus sat next to him. Maybe it was the proximity to him, or something unexplainable, but James couldn't stop thinking about Quidditch Camp. And everything that happened at Quidditch Camp.

James ran from the table as soon as the class was dismissed. He joined Sirius and Remus and followed them out. "He skipped a year," James informed them, "I didn't even know you could do that."

"You can't," Remus frowned, "Or you couldn't."

"Perks of having influential parents, I suppose."

"Helps that they're scary, too," Sirius spoke up. "I was there when they talked to the Ministry about it. They made it rather difficult to say no to."

"You knew?" James asked in confusion.

"Yes," Sirius answered. He frowned slightly, "Admittedly, I forgot but I did know."

"So we'll have every class with him?" Remus inquired.

"It seems that way," James concluded. Sirius watched him closely as he continued, "But we'll have Peter for the rest of the classes so I won't have to worry about that again."

Sirius huffed before stalking off from the pair. Remus shot James an apologetic look before going after the boy. James let out a sigh of defeat as he continued through the hallway. "He's mad at you," Regulus announced from behind him and James jumped in surprise. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything," James replied once the shock wore off. Regulus moved swiftly, quietly, and he never heard him coming. "More like what I didn't do. He wants to know what you did to me while we were at camp."

Regulus snorted at this, "I'm sure he'd regret that standpoint if he knew-"

James turned around abruptly, double checking that no one was in the hall, "This isn't funny. I'm lying to my best friend and it's not exactly easy."

"You're not lying," Regulus countered. "You're just withholding the truth."

"He knows something's up with me. I've been acting differently."

"Then don't act differently."

"It's not that simple."

"It could be."

"No, it couldn't."

"Just tell him I called you a blood traitor. Better yet, tell him I called him a blood traitor," Regulus suggested and James narrowed his eyes. "Or, tell him I've been a secret Animagus the whole time. It doesn't matter what you tell him so long as it's true but not the truth, you understand? Never the truth."

"You're crazy."

"Thanks, I get it from my family," he replied with a flat expression.

James shot the boy a look, glancing behind himself for a moment, "I - I don't know that I can do this."

"I can obliviate you," he offered. "It's not a particularly pleasant experience but I'll do it if I have to."

James raised an eyebrow, "You know how to do that?"

"Of course I do," he shrugged. "You don't?"

"What is it with you Black's and rubbing in your talent's without even realizing it?" he huffed. "You're not going to obliviate me. I'll figure it out."

"Good, because if you don't, I'll obliviate you without your permission. Either way, the problem is solved."

James faltered at this, "You'd do that?"

"Do what?"

"Take it away?" James asked with a frown. Something about how easily Regulus was willing was a stab in the gut. Was it really of such little importance to the Slytherin that he could just take it? He shook his head slightly, "All of it?"

Regulus shrugged, "I'll do what I have to do."

"Right," he nodded in somewhat understanding. Part of James wanted to yell at him but he also knew it was pointless. Of course James had meant nothing to him, he should have understood that from the start. James had always been a fool with stuff like this. Always so bloody gullible it was almost nauseating. James cleared his throat, "I have to go before they realize I've been gone for too long. Apparently I'll be seeing you in the next class, Black. Until next time."