Ever the Same

Chapter Five: Dramatics and Butterbeer

*I'll always mark chapters with trigger warnings if they apply, and this story was outlined and planned for an audience above the age of 18. If you are a minor, please DNI with the explicit bits to come in the future. Thank you, my deers <3

"Convinced yet?"

Regulus scowled. "If you could refrain from snogging me where my students can see, Potter, that would be preferred."

James's lips widened into a signature Potter smile at the words, watching the way that Reg's eyes danced with the color of silver. He always loved to watch Regulus's occlumency walls fall, exposing the real and true feelings of the wizard that tried so very hard to remain secretive. 

"There's no one out at this hour, Reg. I'm sure your reputation will remain intact."

Even as he spoke, James leaned back in to kiss Regulus again. He wasn't sure what it felt like to be a starving man, but the closest he had ever been to such was when he tasted Regulus Black.

Regulus broke away from him for the second time that day, asking, "What is it that you had to tell me, then?"

James blinked. "Oh. That."

"Yes, that. I know that tone. What's happened now?"

James carefully slid out of Reg's side of the booth and back into his own, straightening the collar of his cloak and folding his hands in front of him.

Regulus watched silently, his own hands in his lap to keep himself from reaching for the man across from him. 

"I've been given a new case from the Minister himself," James began carefully. "And I want you to know about it."

Regulus scoffed, "What, are they making you do a deep investigation into the Black family lineage or something?"

James remained silent.

Regulus's eyes clouded back over. "You are, aren't you?"

"You and your dramatics, Reg," James laughed subtly, reaching into the extended pocket of his cloak to pull out the file. "It's never as bad as you think it is."

He placed the file on the table between them, sliding it over in front of Regulus. Regulus reached out and flipped the cover open, only to be met with the last known photograph of his dear, deranged cousin.

Regulus inhaled through his teeth, "Has there been another sighting?"

It was a personal project of his, searching for Bellatrix. And one that he quickly surmised no one knew about. His contacts after the war had waned dramatically, given the dicey backstory he had fed to the public. The Death Eater sympathizers painted him a turncoat. The Order of the Phoenix and the rest of the Wizarding World just assumed he was a selfish bastard.

But Regulus had been searching. 

Every place that held any meaning to Bellatrix or Voldemort, Regulus had checked. How she had disappeared from the most secure jail cell to ever exist was still beyond Reg.

"There has. She was spotted in Sunderland. No idea why."

Regulus's brow furrowed. "That town holds the largest muggle population in all of England. Is she hoping to blend in?"

"Bellatrix?" James all but snorted. "Blend in with muggles?"

"What of the child? Any sight of her?"

"Nothing since she was abducted from the group home in Port Erin. I don't know what she's done to conceal them, but there's no trace. We even tried to track their magical signature and it doesn't read."