Pretend.

Chapter seven

James was laying on his bed, angry with himself. His friends were in the library (yes, Sirius somehow included) researching ways to save Regulus. James was pretty sure Remus had found a solution already, but he too would not waste an opportunity to see Sirius Orion Black III read. James had told his friends he was tired, but in reality, he needed some time to think. How could he have been so fucking stupid! He had tricked himself again. He had somehow managed to be the person he hated. He was still in a heteronormative mindset, no matter how hard he tried. He wished he didn't have that mindset. He also had no idea how it had happened. He only knew that it had.

He had pushed the Amortentia smell to the back of his mind before. He had ignored it, fixated his mind on the one part he could try to explain.

"It smells like the Quidditch pitch, the snitch, a bit like Sirius when he comes back from his parents, the library, and, for some reason, apple sauce."

Knowing what he knew now, it was so obvious. Mary had probably figured it out already. The smell of Sirius when he comes from his parents. That's practically the smell of Regulus. The Quidditch pitch, the snitch. Regulus is a seeker on the Slytherin team. Well, he was a seeker on the Slytherin team. He was kicked off. The library. Regulus read a lot. It's a thing James had noticed during the time Regulus was with the Marauders. He read whenever he could. And apple sauce. From what James knew so far, Regulus absolutely loved apple sauce. James smiled to himself.

How could he have been so stupid? How could he be such a bad friend? HE'S SIRIUS' LITTLE BROTHER JAMES! Sirius'll kill you! James felt the anger boiling up again. He tried telling himself what Remus always said when he'd realize James was about to get a tantrum. Breathe in, breathe down. Picture the sea, an empty beach, almost completely clean. But there's one plastic bag. This plastic bag is your anger. Now pick it up, and move it to the trashc- THIS IS SO FUCKING STUPID. The anger took over again, and James started throwing things all over the place. He had been throwing things around for quite some time, when moony came in. James ran to him and started kicking him. Remus however, was at least 10 cm taller than him and knew what to do in these types of situations. He started hugging James from behind, preventing James from moving. He whispered the beach thing in James' ear.

"I'm sorry moony," James said when he had calmed down. He felt incredibly guilty. "It's fine," Remus said. "Why were you angry?"

"I lied to myself again, moony. I don't have a crush on Marlene, I just told myself to." James said.

"Hi, I'm James Potter, and welcome to my completely heterosexual life," Remus said. James laughed through his tears. "Who's the lucky boy who will have to live through your endless attempts to get him to date you? Or is it a they?" Remus quoted his boyfriend.

"It's a he," James said. He started blushing.

"Who?"

James looked away, biting his lip.

"Who, James? You're only making me more curious."

"Promise not to kill me?"

"As long as it's not Lockheart, you're safe."

"It's Regulus."

"Well, I won't kill you."

"Sirius will."

"Yeah, he will."

-

When the rest of the Marauders and co came into the dorm, they had joyous news. They had found a method.

"We'll poor a giant lava bucket on the Black Manor," Sirius said. (Credits to Warpeddonut for that amazing idea.)

"Sirius we are not doing that!" Marlene said, killing Sirius with her glare. "That wasn't the plan."

"We're just going to tell McGonagall about the Dark Mark thing, she'll never allow that to happen," Peter said.

"Wow, you figured it out. Honestly, I started thinking I'd have to suggest it myself." Remus said. "What? I do not waste an opportunity to see Sirius read." He added when he saw the confused looks on his friends' faces.

"I hate you," Sirius said.

"Love you too, motherfucker."

-

Later that evening, the entire group found themselves in Professor McGonagall's office. They had just told her the story. Now, she was looking at them, thinking. "I don't have the authority to keep mister black here at Hogwarts, but he has signed to stay here, so he will. I can't stop his parents from taking them away from here, however. Now back to your dormitories. It's almost curfew."

A/n
Hope you liked it.