#'we know regulus hates Sirius for leaving him behind' who's WE?

[aithusarosekiller]

Media: here is a realistic sibling relationship that clearly displays the love they have for each other even if they haven't seen each other in ages and were separated by war

Half the fandom for some fucking reason: clearly they hate each other!

[t1oui]

thinking about how living w regulus would affect harry like

he's such a fucking snob about everything. food, decor, fashion, you name it, he's got opinions on it.

he does ballet despite being the least graceful person on the planet. he's somehow pretty good at it, likely out of spite

speaks french

very much a cat person, has a cat named leo who is his baby

like yk how james and sirius are extremely codependent? that's how harry is w leo. both of them can not handle being apart from each other too long

reads a lot of stories

thinks seeker is the best quidditch position

on that note, lots of slytherin house pride. james hates it. harry refuses to put any gryffindor decorations up in his room

harry loves taking pictures just like reg so the house is filled with photographs

and ofc harry is snobby about what types of cameras he uses thanks to reg. james now just lets them deal with the cameras & photography stuff bc he's scared to get the wrong thing lol

harry is taller than reg but bc dysphoria all of reg's old clothes (like quidditch jerseys + hoodies and stuff) are his size so half his wardrobe is from reg's hogwarts days

definitely the type of guy to change his bedding & curtains & everything in his room based on the season. will anybody actually be in there other than him and his parents? not really, but he MUST redecorate

idk what this even means but snobby about candles. this is another thing james is scared to buy him

harry and reg speak french w each other more than english

since james doesn't speak french w harry (i hc he's only comfortable speaking it w reg) harry is used to having a conversation in two different languages so sometimes he'll be speaking french w his friends without noticing

he'll be in the middle of a rant and realize they don't understand a thing he's saying lol

reg and harry control the decorating for every holiday, every birthday, etc.

the one thing harry knows how to do that reg doesn't/reg didn't teach him is cooking. reg never cooked for himself as a child so james was the one who taught him

doesn't look like it most of the time but all of harry's clothes are very expensive... did i mention he's a snob

harry is such a dry texter/writer... he's such a dick about grammar when it comes to writing even tho he can barely string a sentence together when speaking

deeply sarcastic (look! a canon detail! we never thought we'd see that on this account, did we?)

will take his partners on the most expensive dates & whatnot like it's nothing... cedric the farmboy™️ is not prepared

writes sad boy poetry when he gets annoyed w someone... like harry will storm off all pissed and then he comes back 20 mins later with a beautifully written, very angry poem for whoever made him mad

has so many clothes & different curtains and bedding sets for different seasons that he also uses the closet in the guest room (reg takes up 99% of his and james's closet for the same reason)

has an inherent hatred of fake plants

bedroom is simultaneously tidy and so messy a hurricane might as well have come through

leaves a book behind everywhere he goes

secretly the worst sense of humor lmao

he may not have gotten his love of drawing/painting from regulus, but you def see reg in the way he is, you guessed it, a massive snob about art supplies

soooo indecisive. redoes his room at least twice a year

an asshole when he gets less than 10 hours of sleep... he's mildly tolerable after 3 cups of coffee (black, of course) but you might as well just ignore him until he gets a nap in

on that note is very good at making coffee and is, drum roll please, a massive snob about it. who would've guessed (somebody count how many times i've said snob in this post and comment it please and thank you)

if he doesn't like a gift he's horrible at pretending he's happy w it so people usually go through reg whenever they buy him something... this goes both ways too, people go through harry when buying something for reg

is visually james and lily's but in personality is really just reg's (and also lily's... he definitely inherited his spite from her lol)

is a crazy cat lady by age 20

at least 10 pictures of leo in his room... he has whole photoshoots for her and she poses for them

might as well not hang out w harry at his house bc he'll make out with his cat the whole time

loves going to art museums w regulus

he's a, surprise surprise, snob about art. james just doesn't comment on art altogether atp

his vocabulary is a weird mashup of french, english, and hindi that makes it very hard for anybody who doesn't know him well to understand what he's saying lol

looks angry until he smiles (he got this from lily but a life with reg has perfected it)

needs a golden retriever to his black cat in any given relationship (enter cedric and cho) (yes i'm going to push my rarepair on everyone reading this)

tl;dr being raised by/living w regulus has turned harry into a massive snob about literally everything and regulus is proud of it (blink twice if you need help, james)

[astairo]

I have a regulus black request for you!

Reader is a potter but got into Slytherin and James hates her because she’s a Slytherin?

Reader and regulus are inlove but haven’t told eachother even tho everyone can see it

One day James is picking on her for being a Slytherin and she snaps at him and fights him and wins? I dont know something like that

And reader is in the hospital wing alone with regulus and he is verry worried about her and they confess to eachother basically just super fluffy at the end

Courageous Serpent

Regulus Black x fem!Reader

Warnings: Angst, bullying, physical violence, threats, fluff

“Slytherin!”

Y/n would never forget that moment. She remembered how her brother’s gleeful face turned cold and sour. She could never forget the day she lost her brother. All because of a sorting. Their playful banters turned into cold insults and hatred. She felt unstable.

“Bloody disgrace!” Young James Potter sneered at his sister, bumping past her. “Jamie—“ his head snapped to her, “Don’t call me that.” Her eyes widened at his harshness, “But Jamie—“ he pointed his wand towards her, “I said don’t call me that!” Y/n’s lip quivered, overwhelmed and frightened, “I-I’m sorry.” James glared at her, “You should be.” She took a step forward, breathing shakily as he took a step back, “No, I can’t be seen with a bloody serpent.”

His words never left her mind. She would recall all the times he’d promised to be by her side, knowing he’d failed to do so. After all, he was one of the courageous lions, and she was one of the serpents. She had never felt so alone, so outcasted. A bloody disgrace.

“I understand how you feel,” a voice spoke behind the bookshelves of the library. Y/n’s head perked up from her balled up form, wiping her tears, “H-hello?” She looked behind her, watching as a figure emerged from behind the bookshelves, “It’s okay. My brother hates me, too.” She looked at the pale boy, “Who are you?” The boy looked at her tiredly, “Regulus, Regulus Black.” Y/n’s eyes softened, “Sirius’ brother?” Regulus nodded before taking a seat on the floor next to her, “I feel lonely, too.” She looked at him with pity, “You do?” Regulus nodded, glancing back at her, “Mother and father aren’t exactly the kindest people, and Sirius thinks I’m just as bad.” Y/n looked at him sympathetically, “I-I’m sorry you go through that, Regulus.” He shook his head, “It’s quite alright, Potter. Maybe we could be lonely together.” Her expression changed to one of adoration, “You don’t need to pity me. I’m sure you’ll be better off without me.” Regulus smiled at her, “I insist.” Y/n smiled softly, looking down to her hands, “But I’m just a bloody serpent, a disgrace even.” Regulus frowned, “You’re more than that,” he reassured, “You’re anything but a—“

“—Disgrace!” James grinned devilishly as he pointed his wand at Y/n. She felt herself lift off the ground, shrieking. She watched and listened as her brother and his friends pointed and laughed at her misery. “A flying bloody serpent!” One of the boys dramatically shrieked, causing the group to laugh harder. Y/n felt defenseless and vulnerable as she floated around. “Leave her alone, you gits!” A familiar voice rang out, Y/n’s eyes snapping open. She noticed Sirius scowl as James grinned, “Oh my, it’s Reggie!” James mocked as he turned to the pale boy, dropping Y/n harshly. “Leave her alone,” Regulus spoke threateningly, causing the group to snicker. James rolled his eyes, “Or what, Black? Adding that disgrace to your family tapestry won’t solve your issues.” Regulus paused and looked at him, refraining from saying words he might regret.

“James,” Y/n started to get up, immediately getting kicked down. Regulus noticed and rushed over, “N/n, are you alright?” He spoke softly as he helped her up. James scoffed and pushed him off, “Move. One serpent is plenty.” Y/n’s eyes widened when James grasped onto her uniform, harshly tugging her up, “You’re so easy to torment. A coward and a disgrace,” he grinned. Y/n winced at the insults.

Y/n winced as she stumbled through the castle halls, sore from James’ torment. James had gotten more courageous with his torments, getting more and more physical as time went on. By the time her fifth year came around, he was creatively ambitious. Hair dye, her vandalized dorm, itching powder. He even went overboard and attempted to spike her drinks, which she safely avoided.

“Tabby,” Regulus’ voice echoed in the empty corridor, “You’re limping. What’s wrong?” Y/n turned to see him walking up to her, distressed at seeing her state. “Don’t worry about it, Reggie.” Regulus shook his head, “No, I will worry about it, I will worry about you.” Y/n looked at him and smiled, "That's sweet, Reggie.” He smiled, “You’re all I’ve got when I think about it.” Y/n’s expression shifted into appreciation, “Thank you, Reggie. That means a lot coming from you.” Regulus smiled at her, “You mean a lot to me.” His words had her flustered, cheeks tinted pink, “Y-you mean a lot to me, too, Reggie.” He nodded, wrapping his arm around her waist to support her.

Y/n quickly scowled, pushing away from her brother, “Enough.” James scoffed and looked at her in disbelief, “Enough? Who are you to tell me what’s enough? You’re just a bloody serpent.” Regulus heard this and went to step in. Sirius quickly tugged his younger brother back, making him fall into the ground. James snickered at this, looking back at Y/n, “That thing isn’t going to make everything better,” he sneered, “Stop wasting your time with that waste and actually make use of yourself.”

Y/n couldn’t contain herself, harshly shoving her brother back and pulling her wand out, “He isn’t a waste!” James’ friends snickered from behind, infuriating him, “Watch your damn words, serpent.” Y/n’s patience crumbled, spitting out a spell. She gasped as she watched her brother fly back into a tree, “I—“ Before she could apologize, a strong force hit her chest, causing her to fall back. She winced and looked to find her brother’s wand pointed directly at her, “How dare you,” he snarled. Y/n felt herself shrink under his deadly gaze, “It was an accident.” James only scoffed as he walked towards her, “Of course it was ‘just an accident.’ It’s always an accident, a mistake, when it comes to you,” he snarled and kicked her side, causing her to wince at the sudden contact.

Regulus’ eyes widened and went to help, only to be held back by his brother, “Let go!” Y/n’s gaze shifted to her best friend, only for James to harshly revert it back to him, “You’re nothing but a disgrace to this damn family, and that’s all you’ll ever be.” James’ tone was laced with venom and hatred towards his sister, showing no sign of remorse or guilt. “It’s the fact that I can hex you right now, and no one would care for you, you filthy serpent. Not mum, dad, me,” his grasp tightened around her face, “Not even him.” Y/n felt herself snap at his words, “Stupefy!”

Students walking past had stopped to watch the commotion, gasping as James flew back. In the matter of seconds, spells were thrown back and forth between the two. Just as Y/n raised her wand to cast another spell, James moved quickly and hit her. Y/n felt herself falling to the ground, harshly hitting her head. James smirked down at his work, quickly scrambling away with his friends when Professor McGonagall appeared hurriedly. Regulus quickly scrambled to her side and told her what had happened. “Thank you, Mr. Black,” she spoke worriedly as she looked down to the barely conscious girl, “I’ll take it from here. If you could please bring Miss Potter to Madam Pomfrey, I’d gladly appreciate it.” Regulus didn’t wait for her to finish and quickly helped his tabby up to the hospital wing.

-

Y/n awoke hours later with a raging headache. As her eyes fluttered open, Regulus was quickly there to comfort her, “You’re alright, tabby. You’re safe with me.” She looked up with appreciation, “Thank you, Reggie.” He smiled and handed her a small vial, “Pomfrey said to give you this once you woke up. I reckon it’s for your head.” She nodded, quickly drinking the substance. Regulus watched her sigh and relax into the bed, ultimately breaking the silence, “You have no idea how upset I was.” Y/n looked at him, confused, “What?” Regulus scooted closer, holding her hand, “Tabby, I watched him hurt you, and I couldn’t protect you.” She frowned, “You don’t have to protect me, Reggie—“ “I care for you too much.”

Y/n’s gaze softened at his words, “And I care for you too.” Regulus looked at her, kissing her knuckles lightly, “As much as I do, you’re too oblivious.” She cocked her head, “Simplify?” Regulus shook his head, leaning in and planting his lips on hers. Y/n’s eyes widened, ultimately closing as she melted into him. The two parted away, Regulus slightly trying to chase her lips. They stared at each other with pink-tinted faces and small smiles. “How was that for a kiss, tabby cat?” He whispered cheerfully. Y/n shook her head, “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to do that, Reggie.” He gazed at her, “Now you don’t have to. By all means, kiss me however and whenever you want, my tabby cat. I promise you won’t regret it.” Y/n chuckled, “I could never regret being with you.” The pair smiled and embraced each other, better intertwined.

[msmk11]

Trou Noir

Regulus Black x gn!reader

WC: 665

CW: Angst; hurt no comfort; Regulus’ death; mention of bile (no graphic description just the word)

Summary: Mourning your husband.

Day 12 of mk’s mad dash

A tragic romance. That’s what people liked to call it.

“Right person, wrong time” they would sigh.

And you hated it. Maybe it was true. No, it was true. But they had no right to say it. They were the same ones who had silently judged from afar- who’d scoffed and claimed that you two wouldn’t last.

They had no right to mourn.

You remained seated stiffly in a hard folding chair as everyone rose to pay their respects to you and your brother-in-law.

“I’m so sorry for your loss, he will be missed,” they all said, the words piercing your heart bit by bit until it shattered everywhere.

You tried to keep from scoffing. Most of the people at this funeral ignored your husband on the daily. When he needed their help the most, they turned a blind eye. They scolded him and called him a coward, an outcast, a villain. They couldn’t miss him when he was never a part of their lives in the first place. They couldn’t long for Regulus- someone they never had.

But despite the sickening insincerity that forced bile up your throat, you trudged onward with a stony expression. It’s what he always did in the face of discomfort, anyhow.

Your brave, beautiful Regulus.

Finally, after what felt like days, the few remaining guests filed out of the small church in which the funeral was held. Now there was only you and Sirius left.

Sirius.

You never much liked the older Black boy- especially after he abandoned his brother. But Regulus never stopped loving him. Even when he tried to hide it, you always knew that your husband longed for the relationship he once had with Sirius. His brother was everything to him, even when he’d been discarded by him like trash. So, though you had no empathy for the older Black, when the fiery Gryffindor broke down into sobs, you knew what Regulus would’ve wanted you to do. Ever so carefully, you reluctantly placed a hand on his shoulder.

Sirius turned towards you with tears streaming down his face, “I- I’m so sorry. I should’ve been there for him. He would’ve still been alive had I not left him behind.”

He began to cry even harder.

“No, you shouldn’t have left him behind” you agreed, “But Regulus forgave you. He always wanted you to be happy and safe, even if it meant he wasn’t.”

“You’re probably just saying that,” Sirius sniffled.

“Black,” you began, “I’ve never been fond of you and I've been pretty honest about it. Never have I once put something nicely to avoid hurting your feelings. I sure as hell am not starting now. I’m telling the truth.”

The man nodded with a small smile.

A sharp pain shot through your heart.

Who would’ve thought the two brothers shared a smile?

Refusing to cry in front of Sirius, you stood and began to gather your things, using your flutter of motion as a chance to hide from the man before you.

“Well, I need to be heading out, Black. I’m very tired. My condolences,” you mumbled.

As you turned to leave, he protested, “Wait! Can- can we meet up sometime? To talk about Reggie? I- I want to know more about him. Maybe then I can find a way to forgive myself and move on. Maybe you can move on too.”

You hesitated.

What right did Sirius have to ask you such a question after all this time. What was he owed after neglecting your husband for years? Why should you say yes?

Maybe it was because misery loved company, or because you were drawn to anything related to your husband, but you finally sighed in agreement.

“Fine. But don’t call him Reggie. You lost that privilege long ago. Meet me at the Leaky Cauldron on Friday- 6:00.”

You and Sirius would never be the best of friends. But perhaps, through conversation, you would both heal from the Regulus-sized hole in your hearts.

[bradleysass]

Road Trip - word count: 650 - Jegulas w/ Rosekiller & Sirius

The air smelled of smoke, the kind that clung to clothes and hair, mingling with the faint scent of petrol and regret. The five boys stood in front of a dilapidated petrol station, their faces illuminated by the orange glow of the flames licking the night sky behind them.

“Well,” Sirius said, casually flicking a cigarette away and leaning against the beat-up van they’d somehow managed to keep running, “I think that went pretty well.”

“‘Pretty well’?” Regulus hissed, shoving his older brother in the shoulder. “You set the bathroom on fire, Sirius!”

“That was an accident!” Sirius protested, though his grin displayed zero remorse.

“Was it, though?” Barty drawled from where he lounged against the van’s hood, his boots kicked up like he didn’t have a care in the world. “I distinctly remember you saying, ‘Wouldn’t it be hilarious if this place went up in flames?’”

“Okay, technically I said that before the explosion,” Sirius corrected.

Evan snorted, tossing his leather jacket into the van before joining Barty on the hood. “I’m just saying, the fireworks might have been a bit overkill.”

“Fireworks?!” Regulus turned his glare toward Evan now. “You brought fireworks?”

“Mate,” Evan said, his voice slow and smooth like molasses, “if you’re going to blow something up, you might as well make it look good.”

Regulus let out an exasperated groan, dragging his hands through his hair. “We can’t keep doing this. Every single place we stop ends up—” He gestured wildly at the raging inferno behind them. “Like this!”

James, who had been suspiciously quiet until now, stepped between the brothers, clapping a hand on Regulus’s shoulder. “Relax, love. It’s not like anyone saw us.”

“James,” Regulus deadpanned, “this is the third time this week. At this rate, we’ll have every magical law enforcement officer in the country on our tail.”

“Fourth, actually,” Barty corrected, holding up a finger. “You’re forgetting the inn with the haunted barstools.”

Sirius snorted, nearly doubling over with laughter. “Oh, Merlin, the barstools!”

“Focus!” Regulus snapped, glaring at all of them. “Do any of you have even an ounce of self-preservation?”

James tilted his head, pretending to think about it. “Does loving you count?”

Regulus flushed, his mouth opening and closing like a fish before he finally managed to snap, “That’s not the point!”

Evan slid off the hood, sauntering over to the passenger side of the van. “Look, Reggie, we’re alive, aren’t we? No one’s caught us yet, and we’re making great time.”

“To where?” Regulus demanded, throwing his hands up. “What’s the actual plan here?”

Barty grinned, spinning the car keys on his finger. “To see the world, obviously. And leave it in flames wherever we go.”

“That’s not a plan, that’s a crime spree!”

“And yet,” Sirius interjected, slinging an arm around his brother’s shoulders, “you’re still here. Which means you’re having fun, even if you won’t admit it.”

Regulus glared at Sirius, then at James, who was grinning at him like an idiot. “I hate all of you,” he muttered.

James leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to Regulus’s temple. “Love you too, darling.”

“Don’t push your luck,” Regulus grumbled, though he didn’t pull away.

The group piled back into the van, the flames roaring higher behind them as James gunned the engine. As they sped down the empty road, the firelight faded into the distance, leaving only the faint scent of smoke and the promise of more chaos to come.

“I’m serious, though,” Regulus muttered from the passenger seat, glaring at James, who had stolen his spot on the driver’s side. “Next time, no fires.”

James grinned, one hand on the wheel and the other resting casually on Regulus’s knee. “Whatever you say, Reg.”

But as Sirius and Barty exchanged knowing smirks in the backseat, it was clear to everyone that the next destination was bound to go up in flames—just like all the rest.

[youknowwho-mustnotbenamed]

December 31 - Goodbye | Jegulus | word count: 1,050 | @taylorswiftmicrofic

Regulus never believed himself to be a bad person. Everything he has done, and everything he is going to do will be for a reason. Every decision has been thought through fully and deemed the best option. Tonight, however, guilt gnaws at his heart. James has done nothing but give his whole self to Regulus, believing that they would be forever. Regulus however, knew this would end sooner rather than later, and he had selfishly taken for himself, knowing that when he ended things, he would destroy James in the processes.

“James, there is something we need to talk about.”

“What is it, love?”

“We have to stop meeting up.”

“What?! Why?” James sits up from his lap, pivoting to face him.

“You know exactly why.” James says, fixing James with a pointed look.

“I know you are afrai—”

“I’m sorry, James, but this,” He waves his hands between them, “is over.”

“You’re breaking up with me?” The crack in his voice is like somebody has driven a spike directly into his heart. He knows the same spike has driven into James’ heart, and he has to act now, to shove the doubt and hatred in before it seals up again.

“Can’t break up if we were never together.” Regulus shrugs, hoping his voice doesn’t betray him now.

“Of course we were together. What do you think we’ve been doing for the past year and a half?”

“This was just a little bit of fun before our real lives began. I told you before this started, it was going to end when you graduated.”

“And I told you that I don’t date on a timeline.”

“It’s a good thing we weren’t dating then.”

“Stop saying that!” James shouts, desperation dripping from his tone.

“Name one time we went on an actual date.”

“I took you on the broom ride over the mountains. We had the picnic in the forest. We—”

“That doesn’t count.”

“Why doesn’t it count?! I love you, Regulus, and I know you love me too. So why are you doing this? Why are you acting like it doesn’t hurt?” He hates how easy it is to hide behind the mask. He is so hidden, that even when he is crumbling inside, James sees nothing but the façade he wants to present. It’s a great sign that he can hide so completely, even from the one he loves, and yet startlingly scary.

“You said I love you. I never did, you were just too blinded by your foolish lovesickness to see the truth.”

“Don’t say that, Regulus. I love you. And I’ll love you even after death.”

“See, that’s your problem. You love too much. You love people you’ve never met; you love people who do horrible things. Even if you told somebody your darkest secret, and they turned around and stabbed you in the back, you still love them and try to help them. What if Sirius betrayed you? What if he returns to the family? What if he tries to have you killed? Would you still say, I love you, because I bet you would.”

“Why are you being so mean?”

Regulus cants his head. “I thought you like it when I’m mean?”

“You are being hurtful.” He pouts.

Normally, the look on his face would have Regulus caving. To fling himself into James’ arms and seek forgiveness for his harsh words. But he has things he needs to do and timelines to keep. So, he pushes further. If James is still trying to save him, he hasn’t gone far enough yet.

“This was all just a distraction from the girl you really want. So, go get her; it’s obvious she wants you too. Forget about me and live the life you wanted with the girl you’ve always loved.”

“I don’t. I don’t want her anymore. I just want you.”

“James. Just leave.”

“No.”

“I’ll Crucio you if you don’t leave. See if you can still look me in the eye and still tell me you love me after that.”

“You wouldn’t, love. You don’t hate me enough.” James takes a step closer. Regulus pulls out his wand, but James only steps forward until the wand presses against his chest. “And even if you did, I would come crawling right back to you.”

“You’re pathetic.”

“I’m in love.” He says it so simply, throwing it around like he doesn’t care. That's how Regulus knows. That's how he knows James isn’t in as deep as he is. James throws around that word like it means nothing, like anybody and everybody is deserving of his love. He isn’t committed to Regulus, so he will move on to Lily easily enough.

“Leave James, last warning.”

“You wouldn’t hurt me, love.”

“You know,” Regulus muses, “Sirius said the same thing.”

Clearly, Regulus misunderstood the bond between James and Sirius, because James looks at him just plain confused. “What?”

“Oh, Sirius didn’t tell you what really happened the night he ran? Pity, it was quite the tale.”

“Reg, you don’t have to lie to get me to leave. I’ll love you through anything.”

He knows James doesn’t mean it. As soon as he hears what Regulus did to his best friend, his brother, his soulmate, he will go running in the opposite direction and never look back again. Good. He needs to destroy any love James had for him, thoroughly and forever.

“He had already been pushing me away for years, replacing me with you. His own brother wasn’t good enough, so he went and replaced me with somebody better. With somebody he wanted me to be.”

“Regulus, you now he doesn’t—”

“Mother asked me to Crucio him.”

“Regulus…”

“I did.”

“No. You don’t—”

“Hate him? Yes, I did, I still do. I meant it, and I made it hurt. I made him hurt for all those years he left me alone. He got the message, and he stopped trying to pretend to be my brother.” Regulus raises his wand once again, hoping the slight tremors aren’t visible to James. “I’ll do it the same right now. One word is all it takes. One word, and you will hate me as I should.”

“Regulus, please.” But he is already backing toward the door.

“Goodbye, James.” I'm sorry.

[rainroses45]

Over the Edge

☾ description: i don’t know how to describe this basically you have a one to one talk with sirius and regulus makes a surprise appearance (Sirius Black & Sister Reader)

☾ a/n: i watched the edge of seventeen cried my heart out AND THEN WROTE THIS BC OMG I GOT MAJOR INSPO (NOT EDITED)

☾ song inspiration: Novo amor - ontario instrumental

☾ Warnings: uuummm none that i can’t think of..does sadness count?

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ the edge of seventeen ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊

┊ ┊ ┊ ˚★⋆｡˚ ⋆

┊ ┊ ⋆

┊ ★⋆

You stood in front of the dimly lit hallway - watching, waiting for some explosion to happen. A giant fire or a crash of useless antics giving you a reason to open the door, yet nothing happened. The whisk of the cool air caused a ghostly tune to string your ears into a ringing of pain. You continued to stand still but what if, what if you could just drop dead and never have to speak to him again. Curse this stupid family, and curse this pride you held within your harden heart.

The door seemed to stretch farther and farther away from you with every tick of that annoying clock downstairs. Without letting another thought pass through the statue of time, you took a shaky step forward and knocked on his door.

You stared at the black door for a moment before deciding to leave, but just as you were about to turn your back, you heard the creak of the floorboards.

Sirius opened the door. He simply believed it was Regulus needing comfort after having another nightmare situation with father, but he was surprised to see you 5 feet away from him. His younger sister, his only sister, his stupid dump sister that he tries so hard to protect from his parents.

Gently he closed the door behind him, stepping forward into the cold hallway. He said nothing as he took a step towards you, a harden face that reeked of anger but held sadden eyes.

You looked at the floor tinning your lips trying to remember what you were going to say.

“I- I just wanted to say that I’m,” you stumbled over your words as you looked at him wide eye and nervous. “I’m sorry for being a bitch tonight….and for the past couple of weeks, and the past couple of 15 years before that.”

He avoided your gaze, looking down the railing way of the stairs. His hands grasped onto the darkened wood, zoning down at it as you continued your apology.

“I know this isn’t any easier for you- or that,” he looked up to see your gaze soften at your words. You fiddled with your hands trying not to shake.

“I think some deranged part of me was thinking I’m the only one with real problems,” you lightly laughed as you looked up at him. “Like that makes me special,” you took a deep breath, “you know ever since we were little I would get this feeling like - like I’m floating outside of my body looking down at myself and I hate what I see.” Your lip trembled as you tried to wipe away the tears falling down your face. Your older brother stood still, watching as a tear ran down your cheek and fell to the floor.

“How I’m acting, the way I sound,” the rasping of your voice against your throat caused you to cough a bit. Roughly you wiped you face as you tried to stand strong. You probably looked pathetic right now crying in front of your brother who had to go through so much worse compared to you.

“And I don’t know how to change it,” you lowered your gaze down disgusted, “and I’m so scared that that feeling is never gonna go away.” Your chest rose fast but would never rest as you let the tears fall. Sirius stood still letting out a sigh before letting you continue.

“I’m sorry, really-“ you look up at him for the first time with a clear vision before turning around to head to your room. “Good night.” You whispered, leaving your brother alone in the hallway.

Sirius snapping out of his thoughts quickly called out quietly, “Y/n.”

You turned around from the staircase looking at your brother. He was wearing his pajamas from school. The proud colors of red and yellow blinded you. They stood illuminating the darkness of your black dress that mother had chosen for you for tonights dinner party.

Sirius walked towards you determinedly which caused you to flinch in fear. Grunting, your brother pulled you into a hug, holding you tightly towards his chest. You shockingly put your arms around him and closed your eyes.

“This is nice,” you took a deep breath, letting your tears stain his shirt.

“So I don’t get invited to group hugs or what?” Both of you let go as you saw Regulus making his way upstairs. “Unbelievable, I turn my back to go eat a cream puff and my two siblings are hugging without me.”

“Oh get in here you nitwit,” you laughed you pulled him into the hug. Now all of you were crying silently into each others arms. You wish it could be like this forever, but you were part of the noble House of Black. A truly distinguished punishment of the fates.

“I love you guys.” You whispered.

“We love you too sis.”

HELLLOO LOVIESSS IM ALIVEEE!!! and i’m trying to stay active with writing since i’m out of school (have been for a while but been recovering from a burn out) and what better way to keep me going then writing sad fluff :) MUAH MUAH

[elysianymph]

🔥 anything about sirius because i am being a little hater towards some characterisations too

i've already talked your ears off about this on discord but i'm happy to talk to about it again bc i fucking HATE new sirius black with a burning passion. i hate him as much as i love my sirius black that marauderstok can pry from my cold dead hands bc i'm not letting him go. i don't know when it happened and why but marauders fans are particularly persistent on taking away any interesting traits sirius had and leaving behind a whimpering pathetic twink that cries when someone looks at him the wrong way. sirius has been scrubbed clean of any morally grey traits he might've had (he's not allowed to care for his family (unless it's regulus) or long for them bc they are bad, he's not allowed to have any prejudices even though he was literally raised with pureblood mentality and taught he was superior to everyone else from the day he was born, he's not allowed to be an asshole bc he's not like his family guys!! and when he is an asshole it's always used to victimize the character he's being an asshole to and sirius is painted as the villain with mommy issues that can only be fixed by getting dicked down apparently)

i cannot stress this enough: LET THIS MAN BE A COMPLEX CHARACTER!! and no, giving him mental illnesses that miraculously disappear when he gets together with remus and making him attempt to kill himself post prank because he feels bad is NOT making him complex! you're just weird. you're just romanticizing mental illnesses and i can't believe you don't see anything wrong with it. giving him bipolar to justify his actions is?? not??? representation??? it's offensive to people who actually have to deal with these issues in their day to day lives and yet here you are using something that will impact their life forever as a plot device for your uwu sadboy mlm fanfic.

and that's what new sirius boils down to. he's a plot device, an accessory to everyone else's story that's never given much depth other than "oh his mom used the cruciatus on him and now he's traumatized". no hate to jegulus but hate to specific jegulus fics that turn sirius into an overdramatic caricature of his former self for the sake of drama and angst.

also, some of these wolfstar shippers... wtf are you guys on?? idk when and why (that's a lie i do but i'm not gonna say it) remus became sirius black in a werewolf costume but here we are. oh sirius was cool and effortlessly smart and handsome and girls wanted him? well guess what? snatches all of those character traits and throws them onto remus they're his character traits now. ignore how it doesn't make any sense for the werewolf child who was isolated from the rest of the world to be a smooth talking alpha casanova who plays basketball actually. while we're at it, ignore how unrealistic it is for a boy who was raised in a family that believed they were superior to everyone else based on blood status, who was raised to be the perfect heir and checked off all the traits needed to be one to be insecure?? and unsure of himself?? and stupid??? and a loser??? i don't understand what the point of flipping the wolfstar dynamic was when you're left with a shallow copy of the original but ok. you do you ig.

to summarize, my sirius is cool and effortlessly smart and egotistical and a complete asshole who thinks he's the best thing ever. is it an act to cover up how damaged he thinks he is because of his family? possibly. but i also fully believe sirius thought he was a god amongst men and everyone should be glad to be in his presence. he talked down to other people because he considered himself smarter, he rolled his eyes when students asked stupid questions and made fun of them when they got an answer wrong. he's a teenage boy let him be a dick with no excuses.

(also i find it funny when people write about sirius getting into a fight with james or remus and crying because they said something mean. as if sirius wouldn't throw hands the moment someone started criticizing him. he's toxic and that's what makes him interesting. that's his purpose! characters exist to make stories interesting, to start drama, not to be your moral guide on how to act. stories become so much more fun once you let go of the need to make every character a good person. also liking a character doesn't equal liking them as a person. i love sirius but i would hate his guts irl)

[moonagedaydream13]

I love you, i’m sorry

Jegulus microfic - 777 words - angst

First microfic and first time posting my writing so pls me nice :)

Regulus knew, of course he knew. He knew the day Sirius left him alone in that hollow, cold house. And now he was simply trying to survive, or more accurately, you could say he was protecting him. Because in the end, it always leads back to James.

He stood there, at the top of the astronomy tower. It was cold tonight, looking just on the brim of rain, matching the feelings regulus was carrying. He knew James would find him up here, he didn't know how the boy did it, but James never failed to find Regulus, even when he didn't want to be found. Just on time, Regulus heard the sound of footsteps behind him, he knew it was James, who else would it be.

“Hey, you didn’t come down to eat” James said as he walked up beside Regulus, leaning towards the boy. Regulus' face was hidden in the dark, hiding his red, glossy eyes. He hated that he’d been crying, he hated that the second he heard James' voice, he wanted to cry all over again. “I wasn’t hungry” Regulus says, barely above a whisper.

It was silent for a moment before James finally spoke, “Reg, what happened?”. Regulus felt his eyes burn, “I'm sorry James” he’s crying now, “i'm so, so sorry”. And James, being the man he is, wraps Regulus in his arms, holding him close while whispering sweet words to his boyfriend. “Hey, it’s alright love, you're ok”.

“No, no it’s not.” It’s wrong, Regulus can’t do this to him, he forces himself to take a step back, leaving James arms even if his body protests. He wishes the world would stop, that everything would stop and give him more time. He wishes he could travel back in time, all to avoid the pained look of confusion on James face. “Regulus?” is all James says. While still crying, all he can muster up is “i’m sorry”, a look of realization crosses James face and it’s like the entire world came crashing down.

James was now crying, along with Regulus, he looked at him like he was trying to read his thoughts. Looking like he was waiting for Regulus to tell him it wasn't true, but all James could do was reach out for his boyfriend's arm, reluctantly Regulus let him. He lifted Regulus’s sleeve to reveal what he was dreading most, ink sprawled onto his skin, poisoning his veins. He felt his heart break, because the boy he loved looked at him with betrayal. The air grew thick as neither dared to speak a word.

“It’s not too late, reg, you can still leave, come stay with me” James begs him, trying to convince him to go and live with him, to run away from all of this. “Look, before you say no, just, i graduate soon and i’m moving into my own place, there’s extra rooms, it works' ' he's crying, “just please reg”. Oh how he wishes it would be that easy. “I can’t, James you know I can’t” he wishes the other boy would understand. “No, don’t say that”, “please just stay, stay with me, we can be happy Regulus”. He wishes he could stay, every bone in his body is begging him to run away with James, he wants nothing more than to hold onto him and never let him go, to kiss him until he can’t breathe, to tell James, ‘please take me, no matter what i say, bring me with you.’ but he knows it’s already too late as he feels his arm sting where the mark is.

He pulls his hand away from James' hold, “I'm sorry” he whispers. Please forgive me James. And oh Regulus wants to take everything back, James looks like he was just stabbed in the heart, and Regulus was holding the knife. James Potter, the boy who smiles so brightly, like he’s the sun himself is now looking like he lost all light in his eyes. Regulus did that. He managed to burn the only boy he truly loved. The only person he let himself be loved by.

So much goes unspoken between them, leaving them destined to be an unfinished story, a tale that gets lost and eventually forgotten.

Without another word, he leaves. Leaving James standing there, alone.

I’m sorry James, he thinks to himself, please forgive me.

Please forgive me, he thinks as he walks into the cave alone, I love you, he thinks as the water clings to his skin. Don’t forget me, he thinks as hands begin to claw at his skin. ‘Sirius’ he whispers in his last breath before being dragged into the water.

[messrsrarchives]

I will never understand people saying that Sirius didn’t love his brother, or even that he hated him,

Sirius tore his child hood home apart, but left regulus room intact.

Also when he said “my idiot brother, soft enough to believe”

Soft enough is such a loaded term to me. It’s like he’s trying to shift some of the blame off of regulus shoulders and on to their parents.

What are your thoughts??!

i have so many thoughts here and all of them can be so easily summarised into "love is messy", and i think in the case of sirius and reg it's more that their love and their hate are so linked that it's easy to get them confused.

they don't even know what one wins out a lot of the time. take sirius leaving home for example, in fics we don't see *everything*. we see it (1) through the characters eyes but (2) as much as they see it - a lot of the time they're hiding parts of themselved that don't make it into their inner monologue until later.

and in this scenario it often leads to sirius blaming regulus for staying behind or reg hating sirius for leaving - but it's so much messier than that yk? we're limited by the emotional awareness and intelligence of two stunted kids who were never taught right from wrong, and hardly know what familial love even is.

but it's love. love is why sirius didn't touch regulus' room, even if he hated him, he couldn't being himself to empty it. maybe some fear too? if he had emptied it, he'd have been the one to find those newspaper scraps and the "shrine", and he wouldn't be able to fall himself into believing regulus was just soft.

and it's love when sirius is looking at the tapestry: soft enough to believe them, soft enough to be warped by them. i've always taken that line as, yes resentful but also as like a "this isn't my brother, he was moulded into this, soft enough to be crafted into what they wanted" type of thing??

idk. i'm rambling but sirius didn't have very strong morals, we know this. we know about the prank, we know that his love is wonky and we know that he does the wrong sometimes and i think this idea that he hated regulus kind of dismisses the fact that being on the right side doesn't make you perfect. he has wonky morals and he does the wrong thing sometimes, and his love for regulus persists because of that.

and the fact that sirius hated regulus because he left him behind? not even gonna touchhhh upon that. what an odd thing for people to say.

but yah !! he loved reg. he also hated reg. and those two emotions aren't mutually exclusive. i think he loved reg, and he held onto that love by not clearing out that bedroom because he knew he'd hate him if he found out he wasn't just soft, but that he wanted this. 🙂↕️ love and hate 🙂↕️

[seriousbrat]

why I don't think the Blacks were actually that wealthy is this:

"A reasonable amount of gold."

So, Harry inherits ALL of Sirius's money, house, his house-elf. Since Grimmauld Place goes to Sirius after the death of his parents, it's fair to assume that he also got all their money. He also, as we know, inherited a good chunk of gold from his Uncle Alphard. Being in Azkaban for 12 years and later living in hiding/at Grimmauld place, he probably did not spend much of that money. His one big expense is the Firebolt, which, yeah, is expensive but if the Blacks had been uber loaded like they're portrayed in fic, I don't think Dumbledore would have used the word "reasonable" to describe what was left to Harry.

Reasonable suggests to me that yeah, it's a decent amount. But it's not MORE than what Harry already had. It's not an EXTREME amount.

Another thing for me is the matter of Bellatrix's marriage. Narcissa and Lucius seem to genuinely be in love, but I don't think Bellatrix mentions Rodolphus, her literal husband, ONCE (correct me if I'm wrong but I'm fairly certain) in the ENTIRE series. She was in love with Voldemort. She probably didn't want to marry Rodolphus and clearly didn't care much about him. This suggests to me that the motivations behind this marriage were financial rather than romantic. Even Narcissa's marriage to Lucius was probably financially motivated, even though they were lucky enough to actually be a good match. Walburga married her own cousin- again, this was likely financially motivated.

The other clue is Grimmauld Place itself. Historically, wealthy/aristocratic families would have a london townhouse for the season, but reside most of the time in country estates or manor houses. There's no mention of any Black family estate at all, and if there was one Sirius being the eldest male heir would have inherited it, as would Harry later. The fact that the Blacks live only in their London house (which is not even that ostentatious, it's terraced and between Muggle houses. why would they choose this.) suggests to me that any country estate they might have had was sold. I guess you could argue that Cygnus and his daughters lived there, but he was the younger male so i find this unlikely. If anything, it would have gone to Alphard. It might have passed to Cygnus upon his death, but that still leaves Walburga without.

What I think happened was that the Blacks were a typical old money family with dwindling resources. Likely Orion and Walburga did not work, and yet still clung to a lavish, aristocratic lifestyle while burning the galleons they had. Grimmauld Place is in a state of disrepair, and yeah it's been abandoned for 12+ years but imo it probably started before that. Kreacher is OBSESSED with Black family heirlooms, which suggests that Walburga probably was too- likely she clung onto them as signs of her family's wealth and status, which was fading away before her eyes.

Personally I think Alphard probably inherited the bulk of what was left of the Black fortune, possibly an estate which he then either sold or gave to someone else- but presumably not Walburga, as she blasted him off the tapestry.

And the blasting of Alphard itself. Yeah Walburga hated Sirius and anyone who looked kindly on him, but imo if had she been rolling in it and money was of no concern, Alphard leaving Sirius some gold might not have been especially noteworthy to her. I believe that she was hoping that either she or Regulus would inherit the gold, and when he left it to Sirius she reacted VERY angrily. Because tbh, it might have just gone to him by default as the eldest male heir if Cygnus was dead by that time, which if this is the case seems likely because Alphard DID leave Sirius money. If it was just about him being fond of Sirius she likely would have blasted him off earlier. It seems to me like it was about the money, and to me explains why Walburga was so bitter and so possessive over her legacy.

edit: it is actually canon that inheritance in the Black family goes through the male line:

[emlovessid]

September 1, 1972

He follows along nervously after Sirius, hand grasped in his brother’s like a safety net. He’s trying to take in everything as they make their way onto the train; the people, the chaos, the train itself.

“Boys!” Sirius beams as they stop in front of an open compartment.

Inside are three other boys; it’s not hard to guess who they are, Sirius hasn’t stopped talking about them all summer.

“Sirius!” they all shout back in unison, jumping up to pull his brother into a hug.

“This is my brother, Reggie,” Sirius introduces him once they’ve pulled back.

After a chorus of Hey, Reggie! they take their seats again, him and Sirius sitting down next to the boy wearing glasses. As the train begins to move and the boys all start talking at once recounting their summers, he relaxes into the conversation and finds himself laughing at more than one of their stories. 

If this is anything to go by, he thinks he’ll like Hogwarts.

September 1, 1973

“Are you sure you don’t want to sit with us?” Sirius says from the doorway, James and Peter chatting animatedly in the compartment behind him. 

Remus slips past them with a hello, quickly joining in on his friends’ conversation.

“Yes, I’m sure. I have my own friends, you know?” Regulus sighs, though he really does appreciate his brother looking out for him.

“I know, I know. Just remember, the offer always stands.” Sirius pulls him into a hug then, pressing a quick kiss into his hair before letting him go. “Have fun, Reggie. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

“That’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever said, there’s literally nothing you wouldn’t do,” he says with a playful shove. “See you at dinner.”

September 1, 1974

He leaves his brother, who’s just thrown himself onto James’ back like a koala, on the platform in search of his friends.

He finds Evan first, who’s chatting with his sister and her friend Dorcas.

“Reg! How are you, mate?” Evan says, slinging an arm around his shoulder and pulling him into a hug. “Let’s go find Barty. Bye Pandora, bye Dorcas!”

It doesn’t take long to find Barty, standing in the doorway of an otherwise empty compartment, blocking it from anyone else who might want to take it. Barty’s face lights up when he sees them, quickly ushering them inside.

“Good summers?” Evan asks as they take their seats, getting settled for the journey; which means taking up as much space as humanly possible.

“The best!” Barty pipes in. “You’ll never guess who I bumped into.”

September 1, 1975

As soon as he’s on the train and out of his parents’ sight, he’s rushing up the corridor, eyeing each compartment as he passes. 

He doesn’t hesitate when he finds what he’s looking for, throwing open the compartment door. Sirius is on his feet before Regulus can step in any further, arms coming tight around him, holding him close to his chest.

“You’re okay, you’re okay, you’re okay,” Sirius is muttering into his hair. Regulus isn’t sure which one of them he’s trying to reassure, perhaps both.

“I’m fine. Are you okay?” Regulus asks shakily as he pulls back, hands still tight on his brother’s arms as he scans his face.

“I’m okay. They didn’t hurt you, too?”

Regulus shakes his head, bringing his arms back around his brother. He catches James’ eye over Sirius’ shoulder, whispers, “Thank you, for keeping him safe.”

James simply nods, “Of course.”

September 1, 1976

“Reg! To what do I owe the pleasure?” James beams when he notices Regulus standing in the door to his compartment. James is by himself, stretched out across one of the seats, arm folded behind his head.

“I came to say hi to my idiot brother, where is he?”

James laughs, a full-bodied laugh that has him clutching at his chest. Regulus hates the way it makes his insides twist a little.

“Him and Remus disappeared before we even got out of London, I can almost guarantee they’re off snogging somewhere. You might want to wait until we’re at Hogwarts.”

He probably should have guessed that.

“Fair call, I don’t need to walk in on that.”

“Try sharing a dormitory with them. The things I’ve seen, Reg,” James says with a shudder.

“My condolences,” Regulus laughs, lingers in the doorway for a moment. “See you ‘round, James.”

He ignores the flutter in his chest when James gives him a warm smile.

“See you ‘round.”

September 1, 1977

He’s walking back from the bathroom when he feels fingers wrap around his wrist, tugging him unexpectedly into a compartment.

He smiles as hands come up to his face, slipping behind his head to thread in his hair. Lips meet his and it feels like coming home.

“I thought we were going to meet up after the feast?” Regulus laughs.

“I missed you too much,” James sighs into his mouth. “God, I missed you.”

“Tell me about it, longest summer of my life,” Regulus replies, pulling away to kiss the corner of his mouth, his cheek, his forehead. “I love you.”

James runs his hands down Regulus’ sides as he rests their foreheads together, looking down at him through lashes.

“I love you, so much.”

For the first time in two months, Regulus feels like he can breathe again; without the pressure of his parents’ watchful eyes, and the added weight of missing James, bearing down on him all summer.

September 1, 1978

Unlike the last six years he’d arrived at Platform Nine and Three Quarters, this time feels much less like a reunion and much more like a goodbye.

A goodbye to Hogwarts, to his friends, to the last time they’d be making this journey.

A goodbye to his parents, who he wouldn’t be returning home to at the end of the school year.

A goodbye to James, who met him on the platform to see him off, kissing him without a care in the world who saw them.

[thebibutterflyao3]

Day 2 - Prompt: Luxuriate @pandalilymicrofics

February Daily Series - 695 words

**TW: brief mention of a parent’s transphobia**

<<<Previous Part

James mentioned a woman named “Lily” specifically. Why?

Pandora paused her frantic packing and grabbed her phone from the dresser. She needed more than a first name. After a thorough search through Sirius’s recent Instagram posts, she found one that was tagged @ lilyflower, but her profile was private.

“Aren’t you lovely?” she whispered, opening the photo of the pretty redhead dancing with Sirius.

“Where are you going?”

She ignored her brother’s question as she stuffed her mobile in the pocket of her skirt. Thankfully, this one was vintage and actually had usable pockets sewn in. Pandora tucked in the last few bits and bobs, then closed the bulging bag.

“Shut up and help me,” she huffed, tugging on the zipper.

Evan appeared at her side to lean on the top of the bag. “Don’t be snippy. Mum said you were ‘abandoning us for that girl,’” he imitated, scowling as he added, “so I assume the old cow meant Regulus.”

“Yes, I was invited to Wales to meet his new boyfriend. He’s from Scotland, I think, so taking a train to Wales was more convenient.”

“Can I come too? You can’t leave me here with them, Pandora,” he chastised, hitching his thumb over his shoulder. “You know as well as I do that their ‘party’ is complete shite.”

Pandora shook her head. “I didn’t buy the ticket, James did. Besides, I’ve had enough of you for one holiday.”

“Come on! I’m bored!”

“That’s what happens when you dump your boyfriend.”

Evan glared at her as she pulled the suitcase to the floor. “You know perfectly well why I had to do that! I didn’t want to. He’s just…”

“Toxic? An arsehole? A lying, cheating prick?” she suggested, smiling brightly.

“Says you! He wasn’t that way with me.”

“Then why did you break up with him?”

Evan ducked his head and grumbled under his breath. “Because he hurt Regulus.”

“Exactly!”

“But I didn’t know that when we started dating! We met at the shop, and it was long-distance most of the time. You didn’t know either, until you spoke to him,” he defended.

Pandora shrugged, then pulled up the handle on her suitcase. “Never met him in person and Reg didn’t like to FaceTime back then. That doesn’t change who he is. When you know better, you do better.”

“So what? You’re punishing me now? I have to stay here in hell while you luxuriate in some lush Welsh Inn?”

“I doubt it’s posh, Evan. It’s Wales, not Versailles.”

“I miss Versailles. So many pretty blokes,” he said wistfully. “We should go back.”

She waved him off as she searched for her purse. It was a bright green bag that she’d crocheted herself when she was in her yarn phase. “Then go back. No one’s stopping you. I’m quite happy in London. I have a decent job and a nice flat with Reg and Dorcas.”

“You don’t have to rub it in.”

“Sure I do. You made your choice, Evan, and I made mine.”

“I like my job! I just hate it here.”

She threw a hand up to stop the incoming tirade she’d heard on repeat since coming home last week. “Enough. You’re an adult, act like one.”

He closed his mouth and snatched up the handle of her luggage. She knew he was frustrated, but she’d hit her breaking point. Even compassion had its limits.

“Look, I’m sorry for leaving you behind. I just need to enjoy a little of this holiday. As much as I love you, you’re infuriating!”

“Me? You’re the one ripping my head off and hiding in your room!” Evan shot back, roughly yanking her suitcase down the stairs.

The case barely survived its perilous journey to the front door, and Pandora was grateful she’d remembered to tuck her glasses into its hard case for once. With a stern warning to stay awake to watch for “train hooligans,” her mother hugged her and shooed her away. Outside the house, a town car that James insisted on sending idled. Before she knew it, she was staring through double-paned train windows in first class as the world flew by while her mind fixated on one name.

Lily. Why did he mention “Lily?”

Next Part>>>

[lakeofflowerss]

a kiss of moon and salt

English is not my first language so I apologise in advance for my mistakes.

inspired by a verse of an argentinian children's song called Luna Lunar

The gentle swaying of the sea was the most beautiful music for that moment. The beach breeze caressed their faces so softly and sweetly that it could evoke what the stories mention that a mother's caress feels like. Regulus and Sirius never felt it, at least not from their mother, but from their moms.

For Sirius Euphemia was his mother in every law. The woman who loved him, who cared for him, who took care of him and protected him in the nights when the remains of torture were present in dreams... in nightmares. That woman had been a balm in his life, the maximum reference of goodness on Earth.

In Regulus' case, the love came in a beautiful package named Hope that gave him hope when he felt almost all was lost. She was his salvation. When he closes his eyes he can feel the warmth of his mom's gaze that in no way compared to the icy daggers Walburga would plunge into him.

They were there, newly married to the most beautiful people who could exist, not only physically but internally, in soul and mind. The Black brothers had a long road to reach the point where they perceived themselves worthy of those loves.

"I never would have imagined our fate, Sirius."

"Me neither, Reggie."

"All this peace felt so far away, happiness was only something I could dream of but I never imagined myself feeling it" he turned to look at Sirius' face.

"The darkness of Grimmauld Place, the screams of it... I didn't think we could ever leave them behind." He fell silent. "I shouldn't have left you with her, Reggie, I'm never going to be able to stop regretting that.”

"I must confess that at first I hated myself so much for that, I hated myself for not being enough for you to take me and get me out of that place" he sighed and turned his eyes forward to stare at the sea skimming the shore. "But then Remus came for me, he was there and he took me with him. He made me understand that I was worth it, that things were very difficult and complex for you too. He took me with him and then I met Mom. If you had taken me Hope didn't... We were with the people we should have been with at the time we should have been. You should stop regretting that because my life and your life would not have been the same. You wouldn't have Effie and I wouldn't have Hope. You wouldn't be James' brother and I wouldn't be Remus' brother. You wouldn't have married Remus and I wouldn't have married James. It happened exactly what was supposed to happen, when it was supposed to happen.”

"I still have a hard time understanding that we deserve all of this. Not because I feel we're not worth it but because I firmly believe they're all so fucking awesome."

"I know, I feel that way too.”

James appeared behind them accompanied by Remus who like them were wearing a white linen shirt and matching pants with necklaces made of wooden beads. Laughter accompanied the waves and the Blacks couldn't help the smiles on their faces.

Both Remus and James grabbed their partners' hands and pulled them with amusement into the sea. The crescent moon was so beautiful and bright that it painted the sea its color. The reflection of the beautiful moon was just the spot where the four of them decided they had gone far enough into the water.

They splashed some water on each other which made everyone have salt on their lips. They laughed and like magnets Regulus moved closer to James as Sirius moved closer to Remus and they kissed. On the shore the shouts of glee let out by Euphemia and Hope followed by Fleamont made them laugh out loud.

[iwriteasfotini]

The Prince's Pact - Author Note

Oh my, I just went back and read my post for THATS which was my pre-posting brain dump. Guess what? It has zero notes. ZERO. Which is perfectly fine as I certainly do not like, reblog or comment on every post I read. Hahaha! It did make me wonder if I am wasting my time writing this... But I am not. Because reading what I wrote about THATS was hilarious and awesome and I couldn't have agreed with myself more.

Ok, enough of that. The Prince's Pact, installment number two, begins posting TOMORROW! Woot woot.

Here is what I have learned about posting on Ao3 since posting THATS:

Ao3 unfortunately messes with formatting when a word in italics is combined with punctuation not in italics. Real bummer that.

Posting is pretty anti-climactic. I was so hyped to post THATS, and by the end I was thinking, can we just be done with this! Nothing happens. I push that post button and that's about it.

Getting kuddos and comments is the BEST! I love comments in particular. I wish more people who read works on Ao3 would leave both of these. I generally think more people are reading and enjoying my work that let me know about it.

I am actually reading each chapter within a few days of posting it this time. I felt SO removed from THATS. People left comments and I couldn't remember what they were talking about. Blah. Not fun. This time I am going to stay more up to date.

Related to number 4, I am doing one more edit as I post. Because I had to edit THATS again AFTER I posted it and that was not fun.

It is a great little fic. I love going behind the doors of Slytherin house. Their vibe is so different from the Gryffindors.

And this installment begins to introduce my world building through Dark magic. I was heavily inspired by Evitative by Vichan for many of the concepts I present in this fic. So much so I had to reach out to them to get permission to use them, which they graciously gave me. But I also expand on it. It only grows from here.

The friendship dynamic between Severus, Regulus, and Lily is so special to me. It is not what you think. Or maybe it is exactly what you think when you consider you have two socially awkward and rather manipulative Slytherins and an outgoing Gryffindor. If you enjoyed Lily in THATS, you get far more of her in TPP. Though she is a little less into activism and more into magic in this one.

What else can I say? James and Sirius are portrayed as the menaces they are considering this is Severus' POV. But I'm certainly not going to hate on them. I love those boys.

I don't know how my Severus will jive with the Snape Fandom which seems to be pretty rigid in how Severus should be characterized canonically. I suppose all I can say is that I am writing with canon adult Severus' demeanor in mind. I really enjoy him as a character. There is absolutely no Severus bashing in my writing. Merely a boy who makes some questionable choices and has to live with the consequences. But in this work we get to see inside his mind, a bit of why he does what he does in later works. He is also brilliant. But in a far less showy way than Lily and Regulus.

The Snily is there. It isn't subtextual, but it is two thirteen year olds, so you know, just figuring out their feelings for the most part. Very awkward. There might be a kiss...

We will see how my Severus and Regulus friendship is received. Regulus really needs someone. Sirius was his someone. Then Sirius went to Hogwarts and he was left alone. Since then he has been very lonely. He has his quirks but he likes physical affection from a person he trusts. Severus doesn't think he needs more friends outside of Lily. And he is not into physical affection, very sensitive body boundary (he and I have this in common). They come from two different social classes and upbringings. But I think they work really well paired up in a platonic friendship which oscillates between brotherly and allies.

Wandless magic is a huge component of the story. I enjoy showing the characters beginning with rudimentary skills and working for years to get better, stronger, and then be able to perform insane feats of magic. This is the first stone of that foundation for the ones who do wandless magic. Like the Dark magic world building, it grows and grows through the rest of the school year.

I don't feel this work is as nostalgic as THATS. I got all the nostalgic world building out of the way in THATS. We see far less of Severus in lessons (except DADA and Potions) than we did of Sirius in THATS. It's intentional. Who wants to sit in lessons for seven installments? I don't have great story arcs through my works. So what keeps them interesting is building up a different piece of the world and the relationship development. Thankfully those things can make a work which doesn't have a mystery to solve somewhat engaging.

Will people miss seeing their beloved Marauders in this fic? Perhaps. Do I characterize the Slytherins the way which is popular right now? Not in this one. And probably only a little bit through Rosekiller in later works.

But I do think The Prince's Pact will resonate with at least some people. I love reading it. I feel just as happy reading it as I do reading THATS. I laugh, I smile, I shake my head, and my heart breaks a bit for these young teens who are trying so hard to figure the complexities of life out. They already start having to make HUGE adult decisions no thirteen year old should have to make.

This is Severus' big work (until his later installments). He isn't seen much in The Bonds of Friendship because... well, it is James' POV. And we do see him again in The Heart of the Lion but Regulus is a bit preoccupied with James to be honest. Poor Sev. I think he comes back strongest in installment six, The Changing Times since that is Lily's POV. So if you are a Severus enthusiast, enjoy this installment while it lasts. And if you are less enthusiastic about Severus, we get back to the other Marauders pretty quick. AND please give the man a chance! He is actually really interesting when not portrayed as either a victim or an evil villain. Severus is neither and both? It is complicated. But that is what is fun about writing a Marauders story where he plays a large role but isn't the sole main character. We see both his good and his bad. And that goes for all the characters. None of them are pure good or pure evil. They all do terrible things. They all do wonderful things.

I think what is most important for people to see in these characters is they are all capable of love. And they all have people they love and are loved by. It looks different for every character in the series, but love is at the heart of every meaningful mutual relationship. That isn't to say Severus loves James or Sirius. But eventually they are forced to find common ground in who they love. It's like a big web, everyone is interconnected and even rival relationships become important or are flipped on their heads.

I hope this work takes you home as much as THATS did. I love Hogwarts. Seeing it from the Slytherin perspective is somewhat different. If you read the story and especially if you enjoy the story, I hope you will share with me and with others! It means so much to me to learn people found my writing enjoyable.

-for our time is not infinite

[bradleysass]

Fragments of Us - word count: 702 - Jegulas

The war had taken everything. Friends, family, innocence. But nothing had prepared James Potter for this.

The letter had been short, cold, devoid of any humanity. Just a note from Dumbledore delivered by Fawkes, with ink that might as well have been blood.

Regulus Arcturus Black is dead.

The rest of the words blurred together, something about bravery, about sacrifice, about secrets carried to the grave. James didn’t care about the details. The only thing that mattered was the finality of it. Regulus was gone.

He didn’t remember how he ended up on the floor of his small, cluttered flat. The letter lay discarded on the coffee table, a ghost of something too heavy to hold. Instead, his hands clutched an old shoebox, its lid barely holding together, corners frayed from years of handling.

Inside were the photographs.

James stared down at the first one, his breath catching in his throat. It was a picture of them in the Hogwarts library, tucked into a shadowy corner where no one would find them. Regulus was scowling at the camera, though his lips twitched in that almost-smile that James had always teased him about. James, on the other hand, was grinning like an idiot, his arm thrown over Regulus’s shoulders.

He traced Regulus’s face with a trembling finger. “You hated it when I made you pose,” James murmured, his voice cracking.

The next photograph was taken during a stolen weekend in Hogsmeade. They were outside the Three Broomsticks, cheeks flushed from Firewhisky. Regulus had been laughing, his head thrown back, dark hair falling into his eyes. James had snapped the photo mid-laugh, capturing a rare moment of unguarded joy.

It was that laugh James heard now, echoing in his mind, as the silence of the flat pressed in on him. He wanted to reach into the photograph and pull Regulus back to him, to hold him and tell him it wasn’t too late to run, to leave behind the war and the darkness and everything that had swallowed them whole.

The tears came before he could stop them, hot and angry and unstoppable.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” James choked out, clutching the photograph to his chest. “We were supposed to make it through this. Together.”

The next photo slipped from the box, fluttering to the floor like an autumn leaf. It was blurry, taken by Sirius, who had been laughing too hard to hold the camera steady. James and Regulus were sitting on the grass by the Black Lake, James’s head in Regulus’s lap as Regulus read aloud from a book. It had been a rare moment of peace, stolen from the chaos of their lives.

James picked up the photo and stared at it through watery eyes. Regulus’s expression was soft, his lips moving as he read, his fingers absentmindedly threading through James’s hair.

“You always thought you had to do it alone,” James whispered, his voice barely audible. “But you didn’t. You had me. You always had me.”

He didn’t know how long he sat there, surrounded by the fragments of their life together. The photos were scattered across the floor, each one a memory, a moment, a piece of Regulus that James would never get back.

The last photograph in the box was different. It wasn’t candid or playful. It was one James had taken in secret, one night when Regulus had fallen asleep in his bed, the moonlight casting soft shadows across his face. James had always been terrified of losing him, even then, and he’d wanted to capture that moment, to hold onto it forever.

Now, it was all he had left.

James clutched the photo to his chest and let out a broken sob. The flat felt impossibly empty, the silence deafening. The war had taken Regulus, but it had taken James too, in a way. It had taken the part of him that had dared to hope, to love, to dream of a future where they could be free.

“I love you,” James whispered into the quiet, his voice shaking. “I’ll always love you.”

And as the photographs lay scattered around him, James sat on the floor, drowning in the echoes of what could have been.