A/N: I'm as shocked as all of you readers. That's horrible! Poor James! No worried. Reggie will kiss it better .

"Over here, Lupin," Snape called through the snow. Unlike the werewolf, Severus had not been content to wait two hours for them. In fact, he would have given them a half an hour tops. He'd finally bullied Pettigrew into telling him where they'd gone, tracked down Lupin and forced him go with him down to Hogsmeade and to the meeting spot where James was supposed to apparate back.

He'd heard the distinct sound of someone apperating, and he could now make out two figures through what was quickly becoming a blizzard. Lupin, with his wand lit, ran over. When the soft yellow light fell on the two boys, Lupin gasped. Severus didn't, but it was a near thing.

"James! James, are you okay?" Remus ran over with Severus not far behind. Severus pulled Regulus toward him and began inspecting the other boy.

"Lumos." Severus said, and he felt his stomach twist as the light revealed a nasty yellowish bruise forming around Regulus's eye and a cut that was slowly leaking blood from around his hairline.

"I'm fine, Severus," Regulus said, trying to pull away. "I got hit, that's all."

"Hit by what," his voice was low and angry, but he didn't care. He'd let Potter take Regulus out and this is how he repaid him! By, somehow, allowing the boy to get injured, or worse hitting him himself?

He didn't think Potter would stoop that low, but with him anything was possible.

Potter shrugged the worried looking Lupin- who had just fixed his bleeding lip- off and turned toward Snape.

"I'm sorry, Snape, it was my fault…"

That was all Severus needed to hear, and he began closing the distance between him and the other boy angrily.

"You're damn right it is! You blew it, Potter! If you ever think of coming near him again, I'll…"

He stopped advancing when he found a wand pointed between his eyes. He blinked, allowing his mind to register the fact that not only was Regulus standing between him and James with a look like an angry tiger, but also that he had his wand pointed at them.

To say that Severus Snape was surprised would have been a rather drastic understatement. "Regulus?"

"It. Wasn't. His. Fault." Regulus said slowly, and Severus could see his hand trembling. "We went to a pub, and some guys roughed us up. He protected me, Severus. You've seen me try and fight like a muggle. It's amazing I'm no worse than this. He tried to help me, and I will not let you repay him this way!"

Severus looked over at Lupin and Potter, who both appeared as stunned as he was. Regulus was docile by nature, and this was possibly the most aggressive Snape had ever seen him.

"Is that what happened, Potter?" Severus asked, trying to keep the suspicion out of his voice.

Potter nodded slowly, his hair flashing blue in the light their wands. "That's right. Muggles aren't as…tolerant…as wizards are."

Severus did not think that tolerant was a word that should be used to describe wizards, but he let it slide.

"I had a good time," Regulus said, his hand still trembling, "and I would do it again. I will do it again."

Severus knew that tone of voice all to well. It was the tone Regulus always got when he'd made up his mind about something- like the fact that he was your friend, for example- and there was nothing anyone could say or do to change his mind about it. Six years of trying certainly hadn't changed his mind about the fact that he should be part of Severus's life, and he doubted that six more would change his mind about this either.

"Fine, but we're going back to the castle to discuss this farther," Severus reached out and gently grabbed the wrist that was still holding the wand pointed at him. Even at this light touch Regulus let out a small gasp and dropped his wand. Severus raised an eyebrow. "Broken wrist?"

"'M." Was all Regulus managed to mutter, pulling his left wrist close to his chest. Severus bent to get his friend's fallen wand as James ran over.

"Here Cub, let me see."

"Cub?" Severus saw Lupin mouth to him, but Severus didn't respond. Apparently, pet names were something that Potter rather liked and not something he could come up with a logical reason to make a rule against. Pity.

Regulus's wrist was swollen and slightly bruised, but luckily the bone hadn't broken the skin. Lupin- who obviously knew quite a few first aid spells- had both his wrist fixed and the marks on his face removed within moments.

"Come on," Lupin whispered, gently pulling on Potter's sleeve, "lets go back. Sirius has probably worried himself sick by now."

Potter just nodded wearily and allowed himself to be pulled ahead while the two Slytherin's fell in step behind them.

"So…" Snape said after a moment.

"So what?" Regulus answered, still bending his wrist tentatively.

"So, you remember your rules I am sure."

Regulus groaned, putting one gloved hand over his eyes. "I have to tell you everything, don't I?"

"That's what you agreed to."

"Damnit!"

"Language," Severus said, doing his best to keep the teasing out of his voice. It was always easiest to handle Regulus when he was off-balance.

"Okay, okay. We went to a pub. We order drinks. Did you know Ginger Beer isn't actually a beer at all?"

"No."

"Well it isn't."

"That isn't the point."

Regulus sighed again. "We talked, he ordered the food, and then we just kind of sat there. Then he decided he wanted to dance."

"Dance?" This surprised Severus, and surprise was not a feeling he enjoyed at all.

"Yes, danced."

"Was it a proper place to dance?"

Regulus's face looked somewhat eerie as he grinned. "No, but it was fun."

"How close did you dance?"

"Severus, how close do normal people dance?"

"Depends on how long these normal people wish to keep dating."

Regulus didn't miss the hint, and stepped a few centimeters closer to his friend. "This close. Happy?"

"No. Continue."

"Then our food came, and we ate. Then he asked if he could kiss me again."

"He kissed you on your first date?"

"He kissed me before we went on a date, if you recall."

Severus had forgotten that, and felt his blood boil slightly at the reminder.

"So, we kissed, and then this big bloke shows up and starts roughing James up. James wanted to fight him- you know using his wand- but I reminded him how much trouble we'd get in. Then the guy called me…called me a slut…"

Regulus fell silent and allowed this information to sink in. If Severus was mad before, it was nothing compared to this- although the object of his anger had changed. "He did, did he?"

Regulus nodded, "so, James got mad and attacked him. At some point I got hit, and then James rescued me and protected me. He knocked the guy out and we escaped. We got back, you showed up, end of story."

"And…"

"And what? I just said end of story."

"And how do you feel?" Severus thought this was probably a redundant question, but he had to ask. He had to know how Regulus felt before he could gauge where to go from here.

"I think," he said as he followed Lupin and Potter through the trap door in Honeydukes cellar, "that I'd rather like to kiss him again."