evergreen • remus lupin

32. secrets

March 7, 1977

"What's the ingredients for dreamless sleep potion again?" Regulus asked sitting on Selene's bed leaning against the headboard.

"Dandelion root, Rosemary, Goosegrass, Moonstone, Neem oil and... wait I know this... oh Valerian root." she answered with her head resting in his lap staring up at the ceiling. 

"Thank you" he smiled writing on a piece of paper. The two were studying together in Selene's room for their upcoming exams.

"Don't you have any studying to do?" he asked as she just continued to lay in his lap.

"A shit ton, but I don't want to" she sighed

"You're going to fail" he raised his eyebrows going back to studying potion ingredients, 

"Alright quiz me" she said proudly. Regulus put down his paper, and thought for a moment, 

"Cast a non-verbal spell" Selene got out her wand and silently cast a water making charm shooting water into the air and then silently cast a shield charm over herself as it came raining back down on her bed, and on Regulus.

"Oh fuck you" he laughed, shaking his head to get rid of the water. Selene smiled

"Told you I don't need to study" she smiled. So Regulus continued studying occasionally stopping to ask Selene a question or spontaneously quiz her.

"Where were the Salem witch trials of 1692?" Regulus asked

"Quiz or question?" she asked

"Quiz"

"Easy Massachusetts"

"Damn Rowle" he smirked.

As they continued studying in silence, Regulus looked down at the girl. He took a deep breath, 

"Selene?" he asked

"Hm?" she asked dreamily, her mind wandering

"I need to tell you something" Selene's attention focused back to the boy as she realized he wasn't asking another quiz question

"What's up, are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine, it's just..." he took a deep breath

"I'm gay"

Selene sat up off his lap and stared at him, 

"Seriously?" she asked in shock. 

Regulus nodded and started panicking. Selene was his only friend he thought he could tell. She was the only one that wouldn't spit on him, disown him or call him something crude. Or at least he thought. He braced for the worst, he was about to lose his best friend. 

But instead of a hateful slur, or spit in his face, Regulus was met in a tight hug. Regulus didn't react at first, he just stood there, but he soon embraced her back and remembered why he wanted to tell her. 

Selene wasn't judgmental, she wasn't prejudiced, she was kind and accepting. 

"That's amazing Reg, I'm so proud of you" she whispered. Tears started spilling from Regulus' eyes, "Thank you for telling me" 

"So what you're not mad at me?" he choked out

"Mad?" Selene whispered her voice cracking slightly, her own eyes brimming with tears, "Reg, I love you so much, and whoever you love won't change that, I promise" she wiped away her own tears as she pulled away from the hug, 

"Thank you Selene, you really have no idea how much this means to me" he wiped his eyes, 

"Of course, Reg. Does anyone else know?"