Smooth Sailing

Monday

Sailing Terminology: Tension, or jib tension, is an important step in rigging a boat. It's generally a two-person job. Port is left and starboard is right. The tell tales are pieces of string attached to a sail that let you know if you're sailing on course with the wind. Capsizing is when the boat flips over.

i may have solved your problem , a new text from Sirius read. James rolled his eyes; they were supposed to go to sleep. If their solution had anything to do with Hospital Man, as James was now calling him in his head, James didn't want to hear it. He just wanted to drive himself to and from Brighton, sail the best he could, and hope for the best when he talked to Coach Rolanda. He wasn't expecting the coach to be waiting for him in front of the dock.

"Morning, Coach," James greeted.

"Good morning, James. I was sorry to hear about Sirius' ankle. I'm sure they told you," Coach Rolanda said.

"Yeah, I think I was the first person they called. What's your plan for the regatta?" James asked.

"Well, Sirius actually found a viable solution. We're borrowing a sailor from a different club." James braced himself. There was no way that Hospital Man sailed too. It was just too much of a coincidence.

"Well, then, I'd be happy to meet them. What club are they from?" James asked.

"Oh, I assumed you knew. He's from West Cheshire Sailing Club."

"Okay," James said, not seeing the connection.

"You know Sirius' brother, right?" Coach Rolanda asked.

"I know of him," James answered truthfully. Sirius had only recently reconnected with their brother after finding out that he'd followed in his older sibling's footsteps, left his parents' house, and, as Sirius put it, "fucked off to the real world". From what James knew, they'd reached some sort of fragile peace where Sirius visited Regulus a couple times a month. James had no idea what they talked about, but after eight years of friendship, he knew better than to push an issue with Sirius Black. All it did was shut the conversation down.

James walked over to his usual boat, where a boy had already rigged the mainsail and was tightening knots. When he stood up straight, he was slightly taller than Sirius with shorter hair, but with the same angular face and grey eyes. His countenance was placid with a hint of scepticism behind his eyes, an expression James only picked up on because Sirius wore the same one when they were trying to figure someone out. Regulus, formal as ever, held out his hand for James to shake. James took it.

"Hi Regulus. Er, thanks for showing up. You're doing Sirius a big favour," James said with an unabashed grin.

"Hello, James. Are you the helmsman or the crew?" Regulus asked in a monotone.

"I'm the helmsman, if that's okay," James replied, knowing full well that he was useless at being the crew and that he wouldn't hesitate to fight Regulus for the position. Maybe not fight , per se, but certainly a few strong words wouldn't hurt.

"All right. Can you help me get this boat in the water?" Regulus asked, tying off his last knot.

"Shouldn't we check tension?" James asked, pulling on the sail.

"No need," Regulus brushed him off, "it's tight enough."

"But you did it by yourself!" James protested. Even he and Sirius needed each other to rig a boat. It made no sense that this newcomer could do it on his own.

"Want to feel?" Regulus released the sail. James took it, attempting to move it around.

"Well, look at that," James said, begrudgingly impressed by Regulus' skill.