Fight Your Own Battles ~ Jegulus

Chapter Ten

*Note- so I now realize I've been spelling Euphemia's name without the 'e', so please like >ignore< that, thank youuu*

Christmas morning Regulus and James were woken by Sirius, jumping on their bed like a sugar crazed child. Regulus pulled a pillow around his ears to drown out the sound, sealing his eyes closed like an envelope. James resorted to throwing his pillow at Sirius, knocking him off the bed and onto the floor.

"What the fuck James, this isn't a damn quidditch game," Sirius hissed, pulling himself up.

"What time is it?" Regulus asked, sitting up slowly.

"Five-thirty," Sirius replied sharply, causing James to let out a tired groan, falling back on the pillows.

"He does this every year." James sighed, his voice muffled under the blankets.

"And every year not a single one of you mother fuckers actually wakes up," Sirius said in annoyance.

"Well I can assure you that's not going to change this year." Regulus retorted, closing his eyes again.

"Go back to bloody bed," James said finally, Sirius huffed loudly, turning and slamming the door dramatically as he left. "I swear I'm going to kill him one of these days."

"I'll help." Regulus uttered, James laughed a bit, turning to face him. He reached his fingers out where Regulus' hand laid on the pillow, touching his palm. Regulus opened his eyes as he watched James slowly trace circles.

"Happy Christmas Reg," James said tiredly.

"Happy Christmas." They both began to fade away, their fingers tangled together.

...

"Finally awake I see," Sirius said as James and Regulus came down the stairs.

"It's Eight, you're literally the only other person awake besides us and Mum," James replied sourly.

"It's Christmas ,we're supposed to be being jolly!" Regulus could hear Sirius and James' bickering drown out as he came into the kitchen. Euphmia was sitting at the table with a mug of tea in front of her, the steam fogging her glasses as read the The Daily Prophet.

"Oh hello dear! Happy Christmas," She chimed when he walked in, taking off her glasses.

"Happy Christmas Effie," Regulus smiled, sitting across from her.

"Come, I have presents!" She beamed, motioning for Regulus to follow her back to the living room.

James and Sirius were now sitting on the couch, bickering still like an old married couple. Euphmia called up the stairs for Remus and Fleamont. Regulus took his seat beside James as Effie handed out boxes with bright, colorful wrapping. Much to Regulus' surprise she handed him one.

"Oh Effie, you didn't have to get me anything really I-"

"Stop that now, open it!"

He did as he was told, ripping the pale green paper. It was a book, it seemed to have been read before, but still new. The spine had been worn in and the pages were a light yellow color, like the sky before sunset.

"I know it seems a bit old, but it was mine when I was your age. A good friend of mine gave it to me, I do hope you like poetry?" She smiled.

"I love it, really. Both the book and poetry. Thank you, truly, I've never gotten a Christmas gift before."

"Oh darling... I am glad you like it."

"I do."

After opening gifts Regulus went back to James' room to read the book Effie gave him, The Collected Poems of William Wordsworth, read in gold letters placed upon a dark green cover. He opened to the first page where there was writing on the back of the cover.