Harry Potter Stories

A Different Angle (M/E) P1

Summary:

Sirius and Regulus switch places for a month to prank their partners and Hogwarts. Secrets come to light during the duration of the prank.

Ships:

James/Lily/Regulus

Sirius/Remus

Dorcas/Marlene

Barty/Evan

_____

Regulus cautiously opens the door to the Room of Requirement and peers out, checking the corridor for people. Thankfully the coast is clear. He slips into the corridor and tiptoes toward the Grand Staircase.

He has five minutes to reach the Slytherin common room before curfew. It's not fair that Lily and James are public with their relationship and can leave when the halls are still full of students. No one will bat an eye if they see the couple sneak out together.

Regulus' involvement with the relationship isn't public knowledge. Sirius would kill him and James if he found out. It would be fine if Regulus was just dating Lily because she isn't Sirius' best friend. James is different. His relationship with Regulus breaks the rules of "bro code" as he so eloquently puts it. It's bullshit if you ask Regulus. Most of the things that come out of James mouth is bullshit, but Regulus loves him anyway.

It is also a secret because Regulus' parents won't be happy about either of his partners. One is a blood traitor and the other is a Muggle-born, the two worst options Regulus could choose. It's the perfect recipe for disaster if their secret gets out.

The need for secrecy means Regulus has to wait until everyone is in their common rooms before he can leave. He can't risk someone seeing him and putting two and two together about James and Lily exiting the room before him.

He checks his muggle watch, a gift from James, and sighs. He's not going to make it. He can't reach the dungeons without running. He won't try that because Sirius and his idiot friends - Remus excluded - lose house points daily for running in the halls.

Regulus is smarter than that. He has a better chance of retaining Slytherin's points by sneaking through Hogwarts. He can easily avoid prefects and professors. Regulus lives with Walburga Black. He's a master of moving silently. It's a skill he utilizes with his boyfriend.

James is so easy to scare. All someone has to do is jump at him and James flinches like he just saw Voldemort himself. Lily, not so much. She doesn't scare easily. Regulus has tried many times before. It never works. Lily stares at him like he is an idiot every time. Regulus doesn't appreciate that look - he's not an idiot, that's James - so he doesn't try to startle her much.

The abuse Regulus' mother puts him through pays off. He avoids detection on the way to the dungeon. He's about to duck down the corridor to the Slytherin common room when a voice stops him in his tracks.

"Mr. Black."

Regulus internally curses himself. McGonagall is the worst professor that could have caught him out after curfew. Slughorn would have taken a few house points and let Regulus off the hook with a warning. McGonagall isn't as laid back.

"Hello, Professor," Regulus says cordially.

"What are you doing out of bed? It is past curfew."

"My apologies. Professor. I was studying in the library and lost track of time."

McGonagall's lips purse. "A likely story, Black. Why are you in the dungeons? The library is not in that direction."

Regulus frowns at her, confused. Where else would he be? "I'm on the way to my common room."