I Will Follow You Into The Dark || Jegulus

71. Cough It Out

It was Regulus's birthday, and Barty and Evan showed up at the Potter's doorstep first thing in the morning to bother Evan.

"Come on Reggie you're going out with us and we're already late. Dorcas and Pandora are already there." Barty yanked Regulus out the door, still in pajamas.

"Hold on a second! I just woke up at least let me get dressed before you start dragging me places!" Regulus rushed back inside, his two friends behind him.

"Oh hello boys! You must be Barty and Evan!" Effie ran up to them excitedly, "I'm Euphemia Potter, please call me Effie." She exclaimed.

"Oh I like this woman!" Barty smiled and hugged her.

"I want you bringing Reggie back in one piece and SOBER, hear me boys. If Reggie comes to his party high or drunk or whatever you like to do, you will not hear the end of it, okay?" Effie said strictly.

"Yes ma'am. Sober. Completely, we promise." Evan saluted.

When Regulus came back, Barty and Evan took him away just in time to avoid Regulus seeing anyone coming over for party preparation.

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James had invited everyone he could think of. Barty and Evan obviously, Pandora, Xenophilius, Dorcas, Marlene, Mary, Lily, Peter, Remus, and obviously himself and Sirius. James also decided to send a last minute invite to Andromeda Tonks, whose daughter was a few years younger than James. James thought it would be great for Regulus to meet his niece, Sirius too. Neither of the brothers talked to Andy enough in James's opinion. She was their only living family that was mentally sane after all. 

James also let his mother send some invites just to have some more faces around. Molly Weasley had an eight year old, a six year old, a two year old, and two newborns. James didn't know why his mother insisted on having kids around, but he wasn't complaining. 

Once Regulus left, James, Sirius and their parents started to set up before the others arrived to help. Lily and Mary were the first to arrive, bringing some baked goods. Effie smiled and led them to the kitchen where she had been preparing food. Effie decided to make mini sandwiches as well as a taco bar, and the deserts were just perfect. Lily made some lemon bars, and Mary made peach cobbler.

"Lily! Come help!" James shouted from the back porch. He was standing on an unbalanced stool, trying (and failing) to hang up a happy birthday banner with Sirius, who was far too short.

She laughed and grabbed the other end, helping to pin it to the wall. Soon a knock came on the door, and in came Pandora, Dorcas, Marlene, and Xeno.

"Oh its great to see you guys!" Lily jumped and ran to hug Pandora and the other girls. "Being around these boys for just a few minutes is mentally draining" She said just loud enough for the boys outside to hear. 

"Hey! you dated me for months!" James gasped, placing a hand on his heart.

"Yeah and the mental toll that took on me. Must have lost so many brain cells." She laughed.

Eventually more guests arrived. Molly appeared with her five children, cradling two giggling newborns on her hips as the two oldest sons ran in circles. The middle son stood almost silently next to his father.

"Oh you must be Molly!" Lily grinned, "it's great seeing another ginger, there aren't many of us. I always get mistaken as your family" She grinned.

"Molly, Arthur! you made it!" Effie ran out of the kitchen, "Monty get out here!" She shouted. He was busy cooking taco meat but went to the living room to greet his guests.

"The house is getting crowded already. Maybe we should head outside?" Monty offered.

The backyard was getting set up with tables and chairs for everyone to sit, and had plenty of room for rowdy children and partygoers.

Remus and Peter showed up, as well as Andromeda with her muggle husband and daughter.

As soon as they walked into the backyard, Nymphadora ran off to go play with the Weasley boys. Charlie was being insistent on playing some dragon related game and Nymphadora joined in, changing her face into a dragon.

"Woah! You look like a dragon!" Charlie giggled.

"Andy!" Sirius grinned upon seeing his cousin. "Andy, Ted, how are you guys?" He asked.

"We're great. I mean you know, apart from the war, and the death threats from my sister, but this is a party. I wanna see my little cousins" She ruffled Sirius's hair.

"Barty and Evan should be back soon with Regulus." Sirius said.

"I'm getting worried." James popped in. "We shouldn't have sent them out alone like that what if-"

"James, relax," Monty said to his son, "Come with me." He ushered jamrs away from the blacks (or former black in Andromedas case)

He took his son inside, where it was quiet. James was practically vibrating with nerves. "After everything that happened, how did we just send Reggie out there with no protection?" Jamrs asked.

"I believe in him. If his mother, or you know who decides to confront him and his friends, I think they can handle themselves. If they were in danger, they would immediately contact us." Monty said.

"How? Owls are too slow, and a patronus-"

Monty pulled out a small mirror. James remembered that. He and Sirius both had mirrors that connected to each other that they used to talk to each other with when they had separate detentions. He thought he lost his half after 5th year and never really needed it since.

"Where did you get that?" James asked.

"Dumbledore may have 'mysteriously' came into possession of these mirrors and given them to me a few years ago." Monty smiled sheepishly. "Regulus has the other half."

James let out a sigh of relief. "I love you, dad." He smiled

"Love you too, son." He ruffled James's hair. "Remember, Regulus is strong." He stood up and walked back outside, leaving James on the sofa looking at himself in the reflection of the small mirror.

He stared at his reflection in the mirror for a long time, thinking that maybe he was going crazy worrying for Regulus. Maybe he was delusional, but he was delusional in love, and you cant blame someone for worrying about the person he loved. 

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Tonks is aged up for plot purposes. Also, her being that much younger than the marauders just makes the canon so weird. Like technically, Tonks should be five in this scene, uhhhhh no :) respectfully, I am NOT doing that even if Remus and Tonks aren't romantically involved

Anyway omg guys its my birthday! Im officially an adult. thats so weird to think about.