Another Chance
I don't own 'Harry Potter'
"Is this seat taken?"
He looked up from his Potions essay to see Regulus Black. He smiled at the other boy.
"Not at all."
The Slytherin sat down gracefully and looked at him, grey eyes meeting blue.
"Regulus Black."
"Michael Potter."
The other boy nodded once and turned his focus to his work.
Michael watched him for a moment before looking down at his essay. It was certainly different being Michael Potter instead of Harry Potter.
He still had no idea how he'd ended up reincarnated as his dad's younger brother, but it had certainly given him opportunities to work with. He'd managed to anonymously inform Lord Black about the behaviour of some of his family, donated a cure for Lycanthropy to his Potions master grandfather-turned-father, and even managed to get James to curb most of his bullying.
It was amazing what a pair of big blue eyes and a trembling bottom lip can accomplish.
That was nothing compared to playing the perfect pure-blood, visiting manors, liberating Horcruxes, and slowly destroying Voldemort's soul. It was amazing what hindsight can tell you, and he'd managed to make the idiot mortal by the time he was fourteen. He had no doubt that Tom had been surprised when he was taken out by a simple cutting curse during a raid by Alastor Moody. The infamous Auror had been heralded by the public, and nobody would ever know the truth about Voldemort even if Dumbledore still looked contemplative. They would never know it'd been him.
After all, who was going to suspect the quiet Hufflepuff?
He had made sure he was obviously known, but so normal he faded into the background. He wasn't Heir Potter, he wasn't loud, he had a few friends but wasn't a social butterfly, and he didn't stand out in classes.
He hid in plain sight.
There weren't going to be any crazy wars, Snape wasn't going to grow cold and bitter, Sirius wasn't going to run away, and the boy in front of him wasn't going to have to sacrifice his life to destroy something so vile.
He heard the bell ring and packed up his things, noticing Regulus do the same.
"Potter."
"Black."
They nodded to each other and went their separate ways, Michael wandering towards Gryffindor Tower to see his brother. He thought about Regulus all the way there, and kept thinking of him over the next week.
"Potter."
Michael turned to see Regulus stood in front of him looking distinctly uncomfortable.
"Black, can I help you?"
The other boy's face twisted and he cleared his throat.
"I would like to know if you would be amenable to the idea of accompanying me on our next excursion to Hogsmeade?"
Michael blinked, trying to sift through the formal words to find the meaning. His cheeks pinked at his conclusion.
"Are you asking me on a date?"
The flush on Regulus' face seemed to signify 'yes' but he was astounded. He hadn't thought to pay much attention to romance in this time, too concerned with fixing things. Michael Potter wasn't interesting, he was boring. Although …
He looked at the other boy who'd started fidgeting and made a decision. He was still an impulsive Gryffindor, after all.
"I'd like that."
Regulus gaped at him for a moment before he smiled. Michael got up and walked over to him. After making plans, he stood on his tiptoes and pressed a shy kiss to a pale cheek before retreating to the common room.
If he'd looked back, he would have discovered that Sirius wasn't the only Black capable of a dopey grin.