Houses of the Holy

Cat and Mouse, Baby

TW: Negative self-talk, swearing....... for once that's it :)

He says, "Bill, I believe this is killing me"

As the smile ran away from his face

"Well, I'm sure that I could be a movie star

If I could get out of this place" - Billy Joel, Piano Man

James

Over the next few weeks, James finds himself split between the slight terror about failing his OWLs (more than slight, he's had a few panics over it, but he's clearly fine), and befriending Regulus. Neither is going well. He spends his days following the younger boy around, offering to carry his books, ("Absolutely not! I am the heir to the noble house of Black, not an invalid!"), inviting him to sit with James and his friends, (He got ignored a few times for that one.), and generally being what he thinks is friendly. ("Potter, would you shut up!") James isn't sure as to why it hasn't worked yet, but he doesn't have much energy to do anything else. At night, he pretends to go to sleep early and then sneaks out under the invisibility cloak to go study in the library. He's really not good at studying on his own, and it makes him feel rather stupid, he's getting absolutely nowhere with anything.

One morning, instead of pestering Regulus, he just sits down at the Gryffindor table, not even bothering. Clearly, Regulus doesn't want his friendship, so he'll need to think of a new way to make the younger Slytherin keep his mouth shut. Though, that sounds rather hard. He yawns, reaching for the coffee pot off the table, ignoring how Sirius watches him with a frown.

"Alright, what's up with you, you haven't gone to pester Reggie, and you're drinking coffee. You have coffee prongs."

James huffs, spooning about 6 spoons of sugar into the bitter liquid. "I'm just tired padfoot."

Sirius eyes the sugar he's putting in his drink, "You're going to give yourself a heart attack with that."

James stirs it, and brings it to his mouth, sipping it, keeping eye contact with Sirius, "Oh, sorry mum."

Remus, who was sitting on Sirius's other side, (as always, the two are practically attached at the hip,) snorts, "Oh that's new, not sure Sirius has been called mum before, watch out prongs, he might like it."

James laughs, and Sirius huffs, glaring at Remus, "You're meant to be on my side moony!" He whines.

***

Can't you see

You're everything I hoped for

You're everything I need

You are so beautiful

To me - Joe Cocker, You Are So Beautiful

Regulus

Now would probably be an awful time to realise he's screwed up. Bad. Potter was so annoying with his persistence at becoming Regulus's friend, and Regulus had realised that the meaner he was, the more James came crawling back. He had a new way to stay close to the other boy, to get under his skin. And now, it's all fallen through. The other boy has given up. Regulus wants to walk over to him and shout that he's a coward. He won't. He sighs, if James can do it, try and be his friend, then surely Regulus can right? That is, for once, the extent of his plans. So, several days after James stops following him around like a kicked puppy, Regulus steels himself to lose all his dignity and voluntarily sits at the Gryffindor table for breakfast.

James immediately looks up, a little confused. "Regulus?"

"Potter." He says coolly.

"What are you doing here?" James frowns.