Chapter 6: Quidditch Time
Notes:
I'm so sorry this is so late, my dad was rushed to hospital and I went back to school, I promise it won't happen again.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The last weekend of November bought the first Quidditch game of the season, this time it was Slytherin versus Ravenclaw, so usually, James wouldn't be this excited. He was always excited on Quidditch days, but he was almost as excited as if it was him that was playing today. Peter and Sirius had been giving him odd looks all morning, but Remus had found the back-and-forth letter between James and Regulus, so he just gave James a knowing smile and walked off to have breakfast.
James heard whispers start as soon as he walked into the great hall. He knew he must have been a sight, the Gryffindor Quidditch team Captain, dressed fully in green and silver, with face paint to match, wearing the team seeker's number on his cheek. He simply smiled and walked over to sit with his friends.
"Bloody hell Prongs." Sirius was laughing, he wore green and silver whenever his brother was playing, but it was usually just a scarf, James had gone all out, he'd even gotten Marlene to put green and silver streaks in his hair.
"Thank you, Padfoot." James smiled and sat down, piling food onto his plate.
Moments later a charmed paper aeroplane landed next to him, his name written in a familiar cursive, he unfolded it and read it.
'Nice makeup James, but can I ask what the actual fuck you are doing?' James smiled as he read it, he looked over to the Slytherin table, smiling when he sees Regulus already looking at him, and nods at him a little.
When the Slytherin team stands up, James rushes over to walk with them, ignoring his friends' complaints.
"I figured I'd show my support, I know I can't outright support you, but I wanted to do something." James put his hands in his pocket, he was speaking as quite as possible and facing forward instead of looking at Regulus. Regulus just squeezed his arm and kept moving with his team, while James walked towards the Gryffindor section of the spectator stands.
James watched people slowly start walking down to the stands from breakfast, he'd already cast warming charms on everything he was wearing, and he'd cast them on the seats around him, the cold November air still causing many of the younger students to shiver, he'd offered to cast warming charms on five third years and they'd run away giggling.
"James, you've got to be honest with me, are you shagging one of the Slytherins?" Sirius sat down next to him, instantly relaxing into the warmed seat.
"Merlin Sirius, no what is wrong with you." James shook his head, but he was smiling, he knew Sirius was just taking the piss.
On the second night in the Astronomy Tower, Regulus had asked James to not tell Sirius about their friendship, he'd said his parents would blow up at him if they found out, and that he thought Sirius was absolute shit at keeping secrets, James had laughed, but respected Regulus' wishes.
As the teams made their way onto the field a loud cry of support came from all the stands, people shooting coloured sparks out of their wands, and people clapping and cheering.
James sat back with a smile, ready to watch a good game.
~
Regulus sighed as he got undressed, he'd almost run into the ground chasing after the snitch, but he'd caught it and won Slytherin the game. He didn't get anything more than a pat on the back from the Captian. Everyone avoided him, knowing he wouldn't talk to them. Talks of celebration were going on around him, he knew he'd be unwanted there, and his friends would take him to the library to properly congratulate him, he wasn't expecting anything new to happen this time, and he definitely wasn't expecting James Potter to be waiting for him outside the change rooms.
"Hey, do you wanna go up to the Tower, I've got some Firewhiskey and I told Dorcas I'd talk to you after the match." Regulus just nodded, too surprised to do much else. James smiled and took his arm, dagging Regulus up to the Astronomy Tower.
They managed to get up to the castle without being spotted by anyone, Regulus heard James cast a Disillusionment Charm, and Regulus layered his own over the one James had cast, making them both almost invisible. When they walked into the Tower, Regulus saw the walls decorated in Slytherin green and silver and saw that someone had conjured a table and had lined some food and Firewhiskey up on it.
Regulus felt himself gasp, his friends had put this together, for him. No one had ever done something like this for him, even for birthdays, he got a few birthday wishes from his family and then had to deal with a loud family dinner. No one had ever celebrated him or something he'd done, and now he was being celebrated for something he was expected to do. Regulus could feel tears welling up in his eyes as he saw what his friends had done for him.
"So, do you like it?" James said, turning to look at Regulus, noticing his misty eyes. "Hey, hey, what's wrong? Are you okay? Did I do something?" James steps towards Regulus, grabbing a hold of his face and looking over it, as if checking for bruising or cuts. Reg simply shakes his head, and mouths 'Thank you'.
"Oh, oh, no it's no problem, I just wanted to do something for your win, that really was a great catch." James let his hands drop to his sides, and Regulus immediately wanted them back on his face, he had no idea how James was always so warm.
"I've got to agree with Potter, Reg, you almost gave Evan a heart attack." Barty put his arm around James while saying this, and Regulus immediately sent him a glare, Barty just smiled at him.
The night continued on with his friends all congratulating him, and all of them slowly getting drunk as they played random games, muggle and wizard alike, and by the end of the night, all the Slytherins were stumbling into the common room with wide smiles on their faces, all of them far to drunk to care about their housemates.
Notes:
Again, so sorry I was late.