When the Day met the Night

The Only Hope for Me Is You

Regulus did go to James' Quidditch practice a few days later, he found out when it was through Barty sense James decided to leave out that detail, and he wasn't particularly keen on asking him.

Regulus didn't really make his presence known, he hid under the stands during practice and behind some bushes when the players were coming off the field. He left when James started to hang around.

James was distracted all practice, he's lucky it's the end of the year because his coach would have had it in for him if it wasn't. These practices are mostly just for fun. He knows Sirius can tell something is up but he thankfully doesn't mention it.

James knows Remus watches practice, he finds himself mindlessly making his way up to him.

"Moony?"

"Hm?"

"I think I have a crush on someone." James sighs, as much as he likes talking with people about various things he finds it hard to talk about his own feelings.

"Oh, okay, who is it? And no offense but I think you'd rather talk to Sirius about this." Remus is surprised, James usually goes to Sirius with anything like this, they always just clicked better, more like brothers rather than friends. Sirius is better at it anyway, the whole 'crush' thing isn't really something Remus can advise people on.

"Remus I think I like a boy." James doesn't have his usual tone, he sounds serious.

"Then I really think you should talk to Sirius cause he-"

"It's Regulus, I think I have a crush on Regulus." James isn't embarrassed but it's not like this is something he's ready to announce to the world.

"Okay, now I see why you don't want to talk to Sirius." Remus snickers

"Remus!"

"Listen, James, I don't know how to help you." Remus sighs, "How'd this even happen anyway?"

"Right after we got back from our last home visits. I was missing my parents a little and couldn't sleep, so I was wandering around and made my way up the astronomy tower. Regulus was up there and we talked, I've been going up just about every other night since."

"That's how you knew about him getting kicked out?" Remus says it as more of a statement than a question, James answers anyway.

"Yeah, he told me that first night I found him up there."

"James you have to tell Sirius, you've got to tell Regulus. I mean he's going to be living with you!"

"Or I could just pretend it doesn't exist." James doesn't even want to be having this conversation right now, let alone think about having it with Sirius or Regulus.

"Yeah, I'm sure that will go real well." Remus is snippy, James knows he's in pain, his knees specifically, he has his cane out today.

"I'm just gonna go, they are probably wondering what's taking me so long anyways." James starts down the stands, he doesn't feel great about their conversation but he's glad he at least said it to someone out loud.

"Prongs?"

"Hm?"

"If you want to talk about it you know where to find me okay?"

"Okay, yeah."

***

Regulus makes his way back to his dorm, a bit disappointed he only managed to catch the tail end of practice. From what he could tell James looked distracted, he was there physically but mentally it looked like he was in a different dimension.

Sirius was having a great time though, he had only ever seen Sirius play in a game against himself. He looked like he belonged there, he was messing around with his teammates and he had a smile on his face the entire time.

When Regulus opens the door to his dorm he finds Evan sitting on his bed reading.

"Hey," Regulus announces his presence.

"Where were you? Evan asks

"Quidditch practice." Regulus decides to not lie to Evan, he'd probably find out anyway. Evan has a talent for those sorts of things, except when it comes to Barty. Evan has expressed how much he hates the fact that he can't read Barty. Regulus finds it truly hilarious that they have a crush on each other and neither one of them knows.

"We didn't have practice today."

"I didn't say it was my practice." Regulus comments before sitting on the edge of his bed that's across from Evan's.

"Oooooooooo who's is it then?" Evan slides further down on his bed, more intrigued.

"James Potter invited me"

"A Gryffindor wow. And isn't he one of your brother's friends?" Evan fully discards his book.

"He is, and it's not like that, he's a friend." Regulus is careful with his words, he doesn't want to think about liking James. He's only recently come to terms with the fact that James actually does want to be his friend.

"Okay, how did you become friends with him anyway? I haven't seen you hanging around Sirius lately."

"The day we got back from our home visits he found me in the astronomy tower. Everything was so fresh and he was asking me what was wrong and I told him. He came back a few days later and told me to live with him and Sirius." Regulus looks down at his shoes, even with Evan, one of his best friends he finds it hard to talk about this stuff.

"Really?" Evan questions.

"Yeah, and I guess by then he decided he wanted to keep coming back up there and I let him."

"Reg, I know Barty and I don't have the best homes either but you could have asked."

"I know, but I didn't ask, he offered, and strongly advised me to say yes. Plus Sirius has lived there for years now and it'd be good to stay with him again."

"I get it." Evan pauses, "So you and Potter?"

"Are friends." Regulus finishes.

"You're going to be living with him. You'll see each other all the time like 24/7 and you don't think anything is going to happen."

"No, and that's why we are friends. Now drop it, I need to study."

"Okay, consider it dropped." Evan goes back to his book.