James sat back in his chair, finishing the last bite of toast as the dull ache in his head finally began to lift. The breakfast, simple as it was, had worked wonders in easing the discomfort, and now he could feel his energy starting to return. Luna, ever the loyal golden retriever, sat beside him, her brown eyes watching him intently, as if waiting for her next command.
Feeling more like himself, James couldn't help but grin as he looked over at Regulus and Sirius, who were engaged in their usual playful banter. Regulus was leaning back in his chair, smirking as Sirius playfully shoved him, their brotherly bond evident in their teasing.
"You guys," James started, his grin growing wider, "do either of you have anything on you I should be concerned about?"
Regulus and Sirius exchanged confused glances. Sirius raised an eyebrow, trying to suppress a smirk. "What are you on about, Potter? Why would we have anything you should be concerned about?"
"Oh, I don't know," James said, leaning back casually in his chair, his voice dripping with mock suspicion. "Just wondering if there might be something you're hiding from me."
Regulus crossed his arms, his expression one of amused skepticism. "And what exactly would we be hiding from you, James?"
James shot them both a devilish grin, his eyes twinkling with mischief. He sat up straighter, the command already forming on his lips. "Luna, sit," he said in German, and the golden retriever, already obedient, stayed put beside him.
Then, with a sharp nod, he pointed at Sirius and Regulus. "Liesel, Zora, Suche Gefahr!"
The command—search threat—was all it took. The two Malinois, Liesel and Zora, sprang into action, their sharp eyes locking onto Sirius and Regulus as they quickly moved towards them, noses twitching as they began their methodical search.
Sirius's eyes widened in mock horror as Liesel, the larger of the two dogs, started sniffing at his jacket. "Oi, James!" he laughed, trying to pull his coat away as the dog nudged her snout into his pocket. "What did I do?"
Regulus, meanwhile, was being equally invaded by Zora, who was now pawing at the inside of his robes with great enthusiasm. "Oh no," Regulus deadpanned, though there was a smile tugging at his lips. "They're onto us, Sirius."
James sat back, feigning an air of dramatic exasperation. He placed a hand over his heart, looking to the doorway just as Walburga and Orion Black entered the room, clearly having heard the commotion.
"Walburga, Orion, help!" James cried with a grin, his tone as exaggerated as possible. "These two have been keeping chocolate from me!"
Walburga raised a perfectly arched eyebrow, her lips twitching into a smirk as she took in the scene. "Chocolate, you say?"
Orion crossed his arms, amused by the theatrics. "Sounds like a serious offense," he said dryly, his eyes twinkling as he watched the dogs continue their diligent search.
"Oh, it is," James said, nodding solemnly. "A grave crime against breakfast! Chocolate should never be kept from a man in recovery."
At that, Liesel let out a small huff of triumph, pulling a shiny package from Sirius's pocket—a chocolate frog. Sirius gasped dramatically, throwing his hands up in surrender as the Malinois brought the prize to James.
Zora wasn't far behind. She pawed at Regulus's pocket until, with a knowing sigh, he pulled out his own hidden stash. "You've betrayed us," Regulus said to the dog with a mock sigh, handing over the second chocolate frog. Zora took it with pride, trotting over to James and dropping it into his outstretched hand.
"Good girls," James praised, patting Liesel and Zora on the head as they sat proudly beside him, their job done. He grinned, feeling quite pleased with himself as he unwrapped the first chocolate frog.
Sirius and Regulus were both standing there, hands in their now-empty pockets, looking both amused and defeated. Sirius shot James a glare, though the smile on his face betrayed any real anger. "That was uncalled for, Potter."
James chuckled, popping the chocolate into his mouth. "Uncalled for? I think it was perfectly justified. I mean, hiding chocolate from me? That's just cruel."
Regulus crossed his arms, leaning back against the counter. "I don't know, James. Maybe if you'd just asked nicely…"
Walburga, who had been watching the whole thing with an amused smile, finally spoke up. "You boys and your games." She shook her head fondly, moving to lean against Orion. "One day, you'll grow up."
"Hopefully not too soon," Orion added with a grin. "It keeps things interesting around here."
James took a bite of the second chocolate frog, savoring the rich taste as he looked around at his friends and the Blacks. The dogs, Liesel and Zora, sat proudly beside him, their tails wagging slightly, while Luna remained quietly by his side, watching the scene with her calm, steady gaze.
"Well," James said, licking the last bit of chocolate off his fingers, "now that justice has been served, what should we do next?"
Sirius, never one to stay serious for long, grinned mischievously. "You know, I think it's about time we staged a proper revenge."
"Oh?" James raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And what would that look like?"
Sirius glanced over at Regulus, who seemed to catch on to his brother's idea immediately. "Oh, I think you'll find out soon enough," Regulus said, his tone teasing as he exchanged a look with Sirius.
"Is that a threat?" James asked, laughing.
"Consider it a warning," Sirius replied, winking.
Walburga shook her head again, though she clearly enjoyed the banter. "Just don't destroy the house while you're at it," she said. "I've had enough chaos for one morning."
James grinned as he leaned back in his chair, feeling much better than he had earlier. His headache had faded, and now, with chocolate in his system and the support of his friends and the Blacks, he felt ready to face whatever came next—whether that was Sirius and Regulus's revenge or just another quiet morning in the manor.
With his dogs by his side and laughter filling the air, James knew that, at least for now, things were looking up.
"Bring it on," he said, still smiling as he reached down to give Luna an affectionate pat. "I'm ready for whatever you've got."
