The Ladders Of Love: James Potter

20

clari & reg

"SO YOU'RE OFFICIALLY BOYFRIEND AND GIRLFRIEND?" Elliot asked with excited eyes as his head popped through the fireplace in the Slytherin common room, Clarisse nodding enthusiastically.

"Yeah!" She began to explain how he asked her out.

"That's so cute! What type of flowers?"

"Carnations." Clarisse replied before casting a quick tempus charm, learning that the time was 8:03am. "Sorry Eli, I have to run. Today is Wednesday meaning-"

"The day that you spend with Regulus, yeah I know." Elliot rolled his eyes as he recited her words before giving her a wink and a salut. "Bye Clari."

"Goodbye Eli!"

The girl scrambled upwards, rushing through the onslaught of Slytherin's that were making their way to the hall. She quickly skipped up the stairs to the boy's dorms, ignoring the questioning glances she got. Knocking on the door of the sixth year dorms, the girl smiled brightly at the sight of Barty Crouch Jr who smiled back. "Here for Regulus?"

She nodded lightly. "It's Wednesday."

Since they met, Clarisse and Regulus made a pact that they would always make time for one another, but being in different years always impacted their friendship as they would become distant due to the class separation. So, the two best friends concluded that they would hang out every Wednesday during their free periods and at every meal. This meant that they always saw each other, at least once a week.

Barty migrated back into the dorms, gesturing for the giddy girl to follow him in. She sat down on Regulus' neatly set bed, waving sheepishly to Evan who was cuddled up in his duvet.

"Regulus!" Barty called through to the bathroom door where the students could hear the water from the shower. "Clari is here!"

"Be out in a minute!"

A boy exited the bathroom five minutes later with damp messy hair and a towel hanging low on his hips. Clarisse barely paid attention to the boy, too indulged in her game of charades with Evan. Regulus quickly got changed, smiling as he watched his friends interact.

"Let's go Clari." He tapped her shoulder, eyeing the maroon jumper that she was wearing. He didn't recognise it and it made her eyes pop with colour.

Waving goodbye to the other boys, Clarisse looped her arm through Regulus' as they skipped down the the kitchens, instead of the Great Hall. Upon entering, an influx of excited house elves began to crowd around the duo. Their visits to the kitchen were weekly so the house elves got used to their presence. Regulus was particularly good with them.

"Hello Winky, Maitreyi, Poppy, Quinn, Nassar and Tulip." Regulus recited, Clarisse giving all of the elves a bright smile and wave. "Mind if we grab some breakfast?"

"Of course not!" Winky exclaimed, her small arms flying outwards. "Winky will prepare two plates right now!"

"Winky you made them last time!" Nassar grumbled as he crossed over his arms. "Nassar wants to make them this time."

"It's actually Tulips turn." Maitreyi pointed out with a cute smile as she tilted her head. "But I wouldn't mind doing it."

Regulus sighed lightly, disagreeing with the labour that the elves did daily. "We can grab them ourselves-"

"Absolutely not, Mr Black!" Winky gasped dramatically making Clarisse giggle. "Winky will get them ready right away!"

The little elf quickly rushed off, the other elves running after her with crabby faces, annoyed that they couldn't help.

Regulus rubbed his face tiredly as the two sat down next to the table on the side that had lbeen especially set up for the students that visited the kitchens. "They will never call me Regulus, will they?"

Clarisse shook her head. "Probably not."

✤

"So you have free periods until 12, correct?" Regulus asked the girl as they exited the kitchens, her arm linked with his as she forced him to skip.

Birds chirped loudly and the sun shone bright as they entered the familiar courtyard, the Slytherins both taking a seat by the fountain, their feet dangling down above the ground an inch. "Yep, potions is at 12 with Slughorn."

"Want to hit the quidditch pitch before then?" Regulus asked lightly as he swung his legs next to the girl, perking up slightly when she nodded yes. Regulus had been on the Slytherin quidditch team since he entered his second year. He was a very talented seeker and could probably become a professional if he wished.

Of course, these dreams would never happen - not if Walburga Black was still kicking. She had a particular path set out for him, and if that was to go downhill, she assumed he would become a politician like every Black male became.

The duo slid off of the flowing fountain's concrete edge, strolling towards the wide green pitches. "So when is your next game?"

Clarisse Russo didn't really make it a habit to go to quidditch games. She went twice in her third year, mostly just to see Regulus' first games, but after that she never really attended. Due to her intolerance (or irritation?) to loud noises the girl tended to avoid the quidditch scene.

"Saturday. It is Slytherin vs Gryffindor." Regulus summoned his professional broom, and spare broom (for Clarisse). "Why? You coming?"

Clarisse shrugged with a mysterious smile. "Perhaps."

At the sight of two sticks hurting towards the duo, Clarisse ducked down allowing Regulus to catch both in either hand with a smug smirk. He passed the spare to his best friend before mounting his own, leaning back as it began to hover.

"You really want the first game you attend in years to be the one where it's your best friend verses your boyfriend?" Regulus questioned as Clarisse clambered onto the broom a little less gracefully than he did. "Who will you cheer on? If you don't say me I'll be severely upset."

"Both of you, of course!" Clarisse solved as she hovered upwards slowly, a sly smirk slithering onto her face. "...and maybe just a little bit more for Slytherin."

Regulus snorted at her competitiveness as he slid up next to her with his broom. "Race you?"

"Do you even have to ask?"