Fight Your Own Battles ~ Jegulus

Chapter Nine

TW- mentions of homophobia. 

James had been owling Lily. Regulus may not have noticed, but every time an owl showed up he would flinch, worried his parents had found out about where he was. James would almost immediately reassure him explaining it was just Lily, and no one else. After a few days of this Regulus began to realize how often the two had been sending letters back and forth. Regardless, he ignored it. Spending most of the break inside, reading or doing homework.

It was the day before Christmas Eve, Regulus sat on the couch reading, James came down the stairs in a hurry with a bright smile. He fell on the couch beside Regulus who didn't look up from his book.

"Guess what," James blurted out.

"Hmm," Regulus mumbled, still focused on the words in front of him.

"I'm going to Diagon Alley tomorrow."

"Really?" Regulus said, setting down his book to look at James.

"Yes, to see Lily."

"Oh," Regulus said quietly.

"Do you want to come?"

"No," Regulus said, maybe too quickly. "I'd just be a third wheel."

"No you wouldn't! Sirius and Remus will be there anyways."

"Then I'll be a fifth wheel."

"It'd be fun Reg, I mean you've just been sitting around doing nothing all break."

"Hey! I've been doing stuff."

"Uh hu, like what exactly?" James crossed his arms.

"Well, I er... I've been reading and... doing homework."

"That's not fun, Reg come on please."

"No," He said leaning back.

"Fine then, be boring."

"Fine." He replied sourly, returning to his old, battered book.

...

On Christmas Eve James, Sirius and Remus left in the morning after breakfast for Diagon Alley.

"Are you sure you don't want to come, Regulus?" Remus asked him as he pulled a scarf around his neck.

"No, thanks. You lot have fun though," Regulus faked a smile. Remus nodded and followed Sirius outside.

As he said he would, Regulus spent most of his day doing nothing but reading. Though doing this was usually enjoyable for him, it became extremely difficult to keep focused thinking of James with Lily. He sat on James' bed, leaned back on the wall, turning every which way. He had almost had enough when Euphmia came through the door with a pile of clothes floating behind her.

"Oh, I'm sorry dear I thought you went with the others." She said as she began motioning piles into draws with her wand.

"I didn't really want to." He said, shrugging.

"I understand, I never did like big crowds either when I was young." Regulus smiled as she finished and began to leave the room.

"Do you need any help? I'm not really doing much," He said, sitting up.

"Well, now that you mention it, I could use some help," Euphmia said, Regulus followed her to the living room.

Helping Euphmia might as well have been the most productive thing he had done all break. They had cleaned the kitchen using mostly magic. Regulus honestly enjoyed it, growing up he never had to do anything around the house, being that there were house elves. And it gave him time to think, while having conversations with Euphmia he thought about James, a lot. One conversation in particular, made himself question his true feelings for James. When they had finished Regulus sat at the table whilst Euphmia made tea.