Written for
QLFC R9 (Finals)
Prompt: Each position has what appears to be a ship and must choose ONE of the people as inspiration for their story.
SEEKER: Loki/Wanda Maximoff
Focus:
Regulus is struggling to live up to his brother's standards and thinks he's weak compared to him./ Loki feeling like he is living in Thor's shadow.
Team: Caerphilly Catapults
Position: Seeker/Captain
Word count: 1565
Betas: Catapults — thank you so much! You are all amazing!
Warnings: Canon divergence, Everyone!lives
Summary: Regulus should listen to his instincts more often—his brother was being particularly annoying.
Regulus was having a nice meal at breakfast, quietly reading to himself. Now that the weekend was here he was more relaxed and didn't need to be anywhere. The past few months, he and Sirius had started to reconnect, but he still didn't feel like Sirius understood him. And he also felt like he didn't understand his brother either.
Well, that wasn't true. Ever since they were younger, Sirius had always been braver and more confident, whereas he was reserved and kept mostly to himself. Sirius always spoke out of turn and stood up for himself. He didn't understand how, though. The consequences of doing that were worse than actually trying to speak up.
"Reggie!"
He hid the fact that he was startled by the sudden intrusion using his well-crafted mask. Potter. The down side of making up with his brother was that he was stuck with his friends now, as well. It was hurting his reputation. He didn't look up from his book.
"Potter."
"You can call me James—"
"I know," Regulus deadpanned, his lip turning slightly upwards, almost into a smile that vanished as soon as it appeared.
"One day, I will get you to call me by my name. How are you?" James asked as he helped himself to breakfast.
He hummed. "I was having a peaceful time until you interrupted," Regulus couldn't help but say, although, looking at James's deflated face, he added, "I'm alright, thank you. Just a bit tired. And you?"
"I'm much better now that I'm with you. Do you want to go to Hogsmeade next weekend? It's meant to be the hottest day of the year and we could get ice cream?" James questioned, all in one breath.
He blinked at the invite and nodded, his heart warming a little, though he wasn't sure why. "Yeah, sure. I'd love to go."
They stared at each other for a few moments, neither wanting to look away.
"Go where?" Sirius butted in, sitting in between them and stealing his bacon.
Regulus, in Sirius's presence, became reserved once again and opened up his book. It was going to take a lot to get used to his brother's excitable self in the mornings, and just him in general. But he was going to try to make it work.
"Hogsmeade," James replied, smiling happily.
Regulus glanced up as he felt Sirius's eyes on him, like he was studying something, and then he watched as he did the same to James. He had a cheeky grin on his face; Regulus frowned at this. It was concerning; he knew his brother was up to something.
He was in the library at lunchtime, trying to work on an essay, when Sirius sat next to him. He sighed, Regulus was seeing too much of his brother today. Could he not just have a moment's peace? Just this once.
"What?" Regulus asked, glaring.
"Can you do me a favour? I've lost the quill I got for my birthday, the one Mum and Dad gave me. They'll hate me even more if I tell them I can't find it. Want to help me look? Please?"
He groaned. "Why can't you get your friends to help instead of bugging me?"
"Because you're my favourite brother and you love me?" Sirius stated, but it was more like a question, with a big, pleading grin on his face.
"I'm your only brother, Sirius," he said, feeling the need to point it out.
"Still, please? I'll owe you!"
He sighed and found himself nodding, even though every part of him was telling him not to trust Sirius right now.
"Alright, where did you last see it?"
It turned out that he really should listen to his instincts more often. Sirius, the idiot, locked him in an empty classroom with James Potter. This wasn't the way to get them to connect. Apparently, Sirius thought that the prank would help him and James, but how? His stupid brother failed to impart that information.
"He has to have a good reason for this, it's Sirius. Don't worry, he'll let us out eventually," James said, optimistically.
Regulus rolled his eyes and groaned.
"He'll get away with it like he always does," he mumbled, shaking his head as he fidgeted with his hands nervously. "He always thinks he is doing things for the best, but he just makes it so much worse."
He heard footsteps and he spotted James's shoes next to his own. Regulus glanced at him, surprised he was so close. Why did he have to care so much? It was extremely frustrating that Regulus could tell just from looking at the other boy that he was going to say something deep and caring. There was more to James than he showed to everyone else.
"You know, in his own way, he's trying to look out for you. Why do you view it as something else? What's wrong, really?" he asked softly.
He didn't hesitate, he knew he could trust James.
"He does things I'd never do, he's so much braver than me. Everyone likes him and forgets about me. I'm weak, and I hate it. I hate that I don't know my own purpose, apart from being the perfect heir."
His voice cracked at the end and he didn't like that he was opening up in front of James, of all people. How could he trust someone and not like them at the same time?
This conversation was reminding him of when they received the news that Sirius had been sorted into Gryffindor. He remembered it like it was yesterday.
They were sitting around the dining table, having dinner, in silence. It wasn't uncomfortable, just… quiet with his brother gone. He picked at his food, not feeling terribly hungry, when a familiar dark brown owl flew in through the window.
He held his breath; that was Bellatrix's owl. He recognised it well. It was the eyes that glowed gold but had a tint of dark green. Always gave him the shivers. It was silly, he knew that.
Like he also knew that, from the look on his mother's face, the letter brought very bad news. She seemed angry–angrier than he had ever seen her before. He froze when she glared at him.
"Your brother has betrayed the family. He is no longer my son. Now, we will expect you to be our perfect son, perfect heir, or you will have nothing to your name. You won't be a part of the family, like him. You wouldn't want that, would you, Regulus?"
She stated it like a question, but it was more like an order. He swallowed.
Sirius only ever thought of himself. Now, he would always be in his parents' gaze. Always the focus. There was nowhere to go.
Maybe… he could plan. Plan something that none of them would ever see coming. He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes as he shook his head.
"I won't let you down."
"Reg! Are you with me? Hello?"
There was a hand waving in front of his face; someone clicking it as they were trying to get his attention. He grabbed hold of it, the movement making him dizzy.
He blinked a few times and saw that James was still there. He looked more concerned than he had ever seen him. Regulus's eyes softened.
"I'm with you. Sorry, a bad memory…"
"You don't need to apologise, Reggie. I need to know if you're alright," he said, looking at him all over.
He frowned a little. "Why?"
"Because I care about you, that's why. I wanted to say something. I've been thinking about why you hate Sirius so much. What you just said…" James trailed off, a little nervously.
Regulus looked at him, waiting for him to continue. For once, he had no idea where James was going with this.
He felt James intertwine their hands together and he didn't let go. He wanted to see where this was going.
"I could never forget about you, Reggie. When you come into someone's life, against the odds… that person makes you better. And that's what you did for me, Regulus. You're so much more than a new friend, best friend. More than that. So don't ever think you're easily forgotten, because you don't know how you've changed others lives. You'll find your purpose, and when you do, I'll be there to say I told you so."
Regulus didn't realise he had been crying until he licked the tear off his lips.
He was lighter, somehow.
His heart was beating heavily as he did the one thing he never thought he'd want to do. He hugged James Potter.
"So I like to think it was me who got these two lovebirds together. If it weren't for my prank, they'd still think they were the best of friends—"
"We would have gotten there eventually!" James defended, grinning widely, clearly very happy.
Sirius's eyes softened and he nodded. His brother was smiling and that's all he needed to see. "I know, I never doubted you. I think I've talked long enough, here's to the happy couple!"
He tinged his glass as everyone cheered. His brother was happily married. His best friend was happy. And he had the girl of his dreams in his arms.
The war had ended and everything was better, somehow.
Mischief Managed, he thought to himself, sitting down next to Lily, kissing her on the cheek.