Chapter 4: Detention For Two

Chapter Text

Regulus turned up to detention a few minutes early. This was the first detention he had received and he didn't know what to expect. Would he be writing lines or cleaning? How bored would he get, and would he be able to get away with reading a book?

He knocked on the door and his head of house, Professor Flitwick, opened the door. "Ah, Mr Black. There you are. We're just waiting for one more student to join us, and then I'll tell you what you'll be doing."

Regulus nodded as he stood there awkwardly, running a hand through his messy hair. Roughly five minutes later, he heard heavy footsteps that sounded a lot like someone was running. Regulus turned to look as the person who was running opened the door.

He couldn't help but grin, and it was a true smile that he only seemed to reserve for one person.

"Mr Potter, need I remind you how you got this detention in the first place?" Professor Flitwick said sternly and James shook his head.

"Sorry, I forgot how many stairs there were. I misjudged the timing," he said and Regulus scoffed as James stood beside him.

"Now you're both here. I want you to tidy up my book cupboard at the back of the room. Dusting, organising. No magic. I will come back in three hours to check if it's been done properly."

Regulus nodded, and so did James as they watched Professor Flitwick leave. Once he was sure that the professor was gone, Regulus faced James with an unimpressed look.

"Jamie, what are you doing here?" Regulus hissed, his eyes narrowed when James just grinned.

"Couldn't let my partner in crime have a detention all by himself, not on my watch."

"But didn't Professor McGonagall say that if you got any more detentions this term, she'd be writing to your parents?" Regulus quoted what James had told him the week prior as the pair of them made their way towards the cupboard. Regulus opened the cabinet and coughed as the dust flew into his face. There must be about a hundred books in there , he thought.

"Yeah, well... This was important," James replied.

"Bet you regret it now," Regulus commented dryly.

"Nope, I get to spend time with a friend," James said and Regulus blinked at him.

"Yeah, because you'd love to spend time in detention cleaning books, rather than hanging out with your best friends in the Gryffindor common room planning the next prank," Regulus ranted sarcastically as he took out the first book and used a cloth to dust it.

"Exactly!" James replied. "I actually wanted to ask you about what was said in the meeting."

Regulus frowned. Did he mean when James called him pretty? Or… or something else? And why was that the only thing that came to mind?

"About what?" Regulus questioned quietly.

"Remus," James replied just as quietly, and Regulus' eyes widened with realisation. Of course. Of course.

"What about him? I meant what I said before, you know." Regulus said, moving to the next book.

"I know, I… I want Remus to feel included in something. He's like you in a way, reserved. And I think it's because he doesn't think we want to be his friend. That we're only helping him because we have to. And I don't want him to think that," James was rambling and Regulus stopped to look at him. He had a deep frown on his forehead and his eyes had sadness in them. If Regulus really looked, he could see that James had dark circles under his eyes; did he even sleep last night?

"Jamie, I really think Remus does feel included," Regulus said softly.

"But…"

"No buts. If we want to finish this cupboard tonight, we have to get a move on. Come on, you do that pile and I'll do this one. Race you?" Regulus said with a small smile and was happy to see James grinning again.

"You're on."

Three hours and one pristinely organised cupboard later, detention was finished. Regulus collapsed on the nearest bench and groaned when James collapsed on top of him, his head lying on Regulus' legs.

"Move," Regulus said tiredly.

"No," James responded, and Regulus tried to move his legs but was too tired to put any effort into it.

They heard the door open and heard the familiar voice of Professor Flitwick.

"Working hard, I see," Professor Flitwick commented.

"Professor, I probably worked the hardest I've ever done in my entire life," James told him dramatically and Regulus laughed.

"And that's saying something," Regulus added, not feeling anything when James tried to punch him in the stomach.

"Good, next time you'll think twice before arriving late to my class. Now off you go, you pair of marauders."

Regulus couldn't move even if he wanted to. But suddenly, James was up in a flash, dragging Regulus by the wrist as they both left the classroom hurriedly.

"What…?" Regulus questioned tiredly, allowing himself to be dragged to Merlin knew where.

"I just had an amazing idea!" he heard James say excitedly.

"Everyone stop the press, James Potter had an idea!" Regulus said with amusement.

"Shut up," James replied, and Regulus shook his head in disbelief.

Slowly, he recognised where they were heading, and his eyes widened. "Jamie, you realise it'll be a few minutes past curfew soon, right?"

"Whatever, you need to be with me when I tell them my idea!" James said, clearly not thinking, like, at all. Regulus shrugged; he was amazed they hadn't been stopped by anyone yet.

They got to the Gryffindor common room, and James stopped outside the door. He then turned and took Regulus's school tie and robe off, getting him to hold them.

"What are you doing?" Regulus asked sleepily, and James just grinned.

"If they don't see your uniform, they won't stop you from entering the common room. Duh," James told him with sass and Regulus blinked back his surprise.

That was actually quite ingenious. Or was it his tired brain thinking that?

Remarkably, Regulus made it to their dorm room, much to the surprise of Sirius, Remus and Peter.

"Before you say anything, I've been dragged here against my own free will, and I would like to say that this idiot has finally lost it!" Regulus told the group pointing at James.

"How was detention?" Sirius asked Regulus, who yawned in reply.

"I had help, it turns out Jamie can actually do work voluntarily," Regulus said.

"Who knew?" Sirius replied with amusement.

"Alright, alright! Now, I need to tell you all something! Let me speak!" James told them all, and Regulus found the nearest bed and decided to sit on it, though he was very tempted to fall asleep then and there.

"We are henceforth -"

" - that's a big word, James -" Sirius interrupted, who was ignored by James.

" - now known as The Marauders!"

OoO

Regulus woke up, aching from the detention yesterday. He frowned in confusion as his eyes adjusted to the light. He saw red curtains and gold posts. Oh no. Oh no. He sat up and pulled the curtains across, seeing the time, he saw it was just past six thirty. How could they let him crash here?

Why didn't they wake him up?

Regulus crawled out of bed quietly and slipped into the shoes he'd been wearing yesterday. He put on his tie, and he put his Ravenclaw sweater over the top. He then put on his robe, and he tiptoed out of the dorm, not wanting to wake the other boys up.

He walked down the stairs when he froze, seeing James asleep in one of the armchairs by the fire. Regulus frowned, why was… Oh. He must have collapsed on James's bed.

The blanket James had been using was on the floor, and Regulus thought James must be freezing. The fire had been put out a while ago, it seemed. Before leaving the common room all together, Regulus picked the blanket up and wrapped it around James, making sure he would be warm enough when he woke up.

Regulus paused as James stirred in his sleep. "Thank you, Reggie," James muttered and Regulus smiled, leaving the common room and headed for the Great Hall.

He wondered briefly just how different things would have turned out if the Hat had decided to put him in Slytherin. He wondered if he'd be friends with James and if things would be back to normal with his brother, like they were now. If he'd actually be part of The Marauders.

There were too many "what if's."

He knew one thing: he was glad that he was in blue. He was glad that he had decided enough was enough, because if he hadn't decided then, when would he have?