Chapter Text
James could hear voices outside the house. He looked around at the pictures decorating the obviously family home. The pictures consisted either of all five friends or only of the few of them. They were happy in each of them.
James smiled and stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to look at Srius who nodded forwards. James turned to look at Evan once more then. The white haired man had a small smirk on his face as he observed the three nervous friends.
“In case I haven't been clear before, this is a zone of no magic. That will not change. You use your wands and we will shoot back.” Evan said, a threat clear in his words. Remus frowned.
“Shoot?” He asked and Evan smiled as he turned around and continued to walk towards giant white doors.
“We are without magic, Lupin. That doesn't make us defenseless or powerless.” He said and opened the doors.
Sirius was the first to start following him, cracking his knuckles on the way there. He was clearly nervous about meeting his little brother now that it had come to a time of decision.
James was the last one to follow. Once outside again, they saw a giant pool in an enormous garden, surrounded by tall white walls, giving the small family of five privacy.
There he could see Barty and Dorcas in the middle of the pool, wrestling, or trying to do so in the water. The two were laughing, especially Dorcas while she made the tattooed green haired Slytherin boy dive down.
In a corner of the pool sat Pandora on the stairs with her elbows on the outside of the pool. And behind her sat Regulus, now in black loose pants, black sneakers and black loose t-shirt.
Regulus` hands were covered in bracelets and rings while they dealt with Pandora`s white hair. James squinted his eyes and smiled softly when he realized he was braiding Pandora`s hair.
Pandora was saying something when Regulus chuckled softly. James took notice of the fact that Pandora was halfway outside the pool so that the water could not make Regulus wet and his smile fell off his face.
Then he saw the bandage on one of his forearms with a small dent in it and he gulped. Regulus was covered in marks and scars of his survival, the kind that James and his friends had pushed him into all alone. Except, Regulus wasn't alone. He had his friends when he didn't have anyone else.
Barty was the one to break the silence. Like always.
“Oh darling, there you are. Come inside. Help me drown Dora.” Barty yelled while he swam around the pool, trying to catch Dorcas who was still laughing.
Evan smirked and started to walk towards Regulus when he saw the man look at him. Regulus` eyes remained in Sirius one second longer and then he looked away, gulping as he did so. James noticed Pandora put her hand behind her, on Regulus` knee to give it a gentle squeeze and Regulus gulped again. Evan then crouched down next to Regulus.
“And?” Regulus asked and Evan smiled.
“They weren't lying.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“When have you ever doubted me?” Evan asked with a smirk and Regulus shook his head.
“I didn't mean it like that.” He started and Evan chuckled.
“I know, don't worry. I don't like them. I probably never will, but if you want them in your life then let them in. We`ll never leave your side. We will be here no matter what. And if they do betray you again, it will be the last time they betrayed anyone.” Evan spoke and Pandora chuckled.
“I can sign that statement.” She spoke and Regulus took a deep breath, finishing the braid on Pandora`s head at the same time.
He turned around when he heard water splashing and saw Dorcas leave the pool to put on a robe. Then she walked towards Lupin and Regulus nodded in understanding when she turned to look at him. He understood she needed some answers, some kind of closure.
“We need to talk.” Dorcas had said and Remus frowned, genuinely confused.
“We do?” He asked and Dorcas nodded her head.
“Don`t worry. I won`t threaten you. I imagine Evan must have done enough of that on the drive here.” Dorcas said and Remus followed her to the bench on the far left side of the pool, giving them some privacy.
“He was actually rather quiet on the way here.” Remus said and Dorcas made a face, making Remus frown.
“What?”
“If Evan is quiet then that is when you should be most careful.”
“Why?” Remus asked and Dorcas turned to look at Evan who was now in the pool, cornered by a smiling Barty.
“If Evan is quiet with you, it means only one thing.” Dorcas started to speak and then she turned to look at Remus again.
“He doesn`t care about you enough to warn you. He won`t threaten you again. But he won`t hesitate to stab you all in the back if you give him a reason to.”
“Glad to see nothing has changed.” Remus said, almost bitterly and Dorcas frowned.
“Evan is our protector. He is Regulus` protector. He is covered in scars that tell the story of his loyalty. We built this little happy family we have here from scratch, all alone. We won`t let anyone destroy it, not even you. And Evan will alway be watching you all like a hawk.” Dorcas spoke and Remus took a deep breath.
“We aren`t here to harm anyone.”
“I know.”
“Good. Now, will you tell me why you needed to speak to me?” Remus asked and turned around to see Sirius sitting on the other side of the garden with Pandora.
“I- I need you to tell me about Marlene. How is she?” Dorcas asked and Remus had a small and sad look of realization on his face.
“Are you sure you want me to tell you that?”
“I am. I need to know.” Dorcas confirmed and so Remus told her.
He told her everything about how long Marlene mourned Dorcas and about the days she would not leave her grave for days. But then three years later, she got close to Lily. And the two grew fond of each other.
They fell in love and were still together to that day. Dorcas had let one small tear roll down her cheek and Remus looked away, understanding her pain all too well. But then Dorcas did one thing Remus did not expect her to do. She smiled, brightly and genuinely.
“Good. I am glad she is happy. She deserved only the best. And that wouldn`t have been me.” Dorcas said and Remus shook his head.
“Don`t say that.”
“This is not me being insecure, Lupin. This is me being honest. I would have been the wrong choice for her. I am too stubborn and selfish, I never would have left Regulus` side. Not even for her. I am glad she found peace in someone like Lily. Lily was always good.” Dorcas spoke and Remus sighed, turning around to look at Sirius once Dorcas walked towards the pool once more.
Sirius was still talking to Pandora, a soft look in his eyes as he did so. Even when he hated Regulus` friends, he never hated Pandora. Remus doubted anyone could hate the sweet girl. Sometimes, Remus even found himself wondering how she could possibly be Evan`s twin.
And then he felt someone watching him. He looked to the left to see Evan staring at him and he remembered Dorcas` words from earlier. Evan will always be watching them.
****
Sirius had waited for Pandora to start the conversation, giving her time to even gather courage to ask what she wanted to know. Sirius could already imagine what it would be about. Or rather who.
“I wanted to ask about Wilkes. How is he?” She asked and Sirius took a deep breath, wondering how to tell her the truth properly. No, Wilkes did not have a happy ending like Marlene did. He worried the truth would break the nicer Rosier twin.
“I`m not sure how to tell you this. Pandora.” Sirius admitted and Pandora smiled sadly as she turned to look at him.
“He died, didn`t he?” She asked and Sirius frowned in confusion.
“He did. How did you know?” He asked and she smiled sadly.
“I can't explain it but shortly after we left the wizarding world I just had this- this feeling he was gone. I couldn't explain it to myself and I hope I was wrong.” She spoke with a distant look in her eyes as she remembered the boy she had once loved.
Sirius put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, feeling someone's eyes burning into him. He ignored them, certain it was Evan being the overprotective little shit like always.
“I`m really sorry to be the bearer of bad news.” Sirius spoke and Pandora took a shaky breath.
“How did he die?”
“He actually died, trying to bring down Riddle.” He said and she snapped her head back to him, confused.
“What?” She asked and he smiled.
“Yeah, it took us by surprise as well. He came to us one day, spewing something about his theory of Riddle having been involved in all your death`s. We- I`m sorry to say that we simply thought he was losing his mind due to grief. It turned out he was right. Wilkes was right.” Sirius spoke, a sad and distant look in his eyes as he remembered the boy who had back then come to them to beg for help but they didn't listen. Peter had made sure they wouldn't, Sirius thought with bitterness.
Peter Pettigrew managed to put a giant hole between Sirius and Regulus and he had managed to keep the two brothers apart for five years even after his death.
***
Regulus had opted for a more secluded part of the house to talk to James. He had dragged him upstairs in his study and closed the doors behind them before he turned to look at him.
James itched to come closer, to explain himself, or try to. How do you explain taking a side of the friend who betrayed you and tried to kill you all over the one person you loved more than yourself?
So, he chose to just stand there and wait for Regulus to speak first. He caught Regulus' glance at his ring finger before he turned around and walked towards the chair in the corner of the room, next to a window.
Regulus motioned for James to sit down as well and so he did. Regulus cracked his fingers a little bit, an old sign of nervousness that seemed never to have gone away, James thought with a small smile on his face.
“I’m going to be completely honest here, Potter.” Regulus started. James nodded his head and waited him out, choosing not to comment on the name Regulus chose to call him by.
“I have missed you. And the other two. I never did stop loving you. And I want to give you a second chance even if I really do not believe in them.” Regulus started to speak and James gulped, fearing this was all going in the wrong direction.
“I choose to give you a second chance but do not forget that you choose your friend over me once. And so I will do the same. I love you, a lot. But if I ever have to choose between you and my little family, I will choose them. Make me choose even once and we will erase ourselves from your lives again. And this time you will never find us.” Regulus spoke and James nodded his head in understanding. Regulus was right.
The only difference between them was that James chose a friend who nearly killed them all instead of Regulus. And Regulus would choose the friends who turned their lives upside down for him over those who did not even bother wondering if maybe Peter had been the wrong choice.
“So, what I’m trying to say here is-” Regulus started to speak and leaned forwards, resting his elbows on his knees while he stared at James.
“Don’t ever make me choose between you because you won’t like the outcome.” Regulus spoke and James nodded his head.
“I have no intention of making you choose. I see what you built here for yourselves. And I have no intention of destroying it. I just want you back.” James spoke and after a while Regulus hummed.
“Good. Because if you do make me choose, I will pick up my wand and you will never see us again this time. This- I promise you. I swear it on my own blood.” Regulus said at last and James nodded in understanding.
“Does this mean you will give us a chance at last?” James asked and Regulus straightened his back again, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Only once you tell me what happened between you and Lily. And don’t tell me nothing. I won’t fall for the same lie twice.” Regulus spoke as he stared at the empty ring finger on James` hand and James shook his head, not accepting to believe that Walburga and her words were still buried deep in Regulus’ head.
“Do you still not believe me? After all these years? Do you still hear your mother’s voice in your head, telling you not to trust me?” James asked and Regulus gulped and looked away for a second before his eyes met James’ again.
“NOTHING ever happened between me and Lily. Not when you were there, and certainly not once we thought you had died. I love you too much to look at anyone else. And Lily was always in love with Pandora. Once she thought Pandora died, she took time to grieve before she fell for Marlene. NOTHING ever happened between us and nothing EVER will.” James spoke, his eyes never leaving Regulus’. The younger Black brother blinked fast a few times, chasing the tears away and tried to look away.
“No, look at me, Regulus. Please.” James spoke as he finally stood up and walked towards Regulus. Once in front of him, he knelt down and took a hold of Regulus’ hand. He put it on his heart and watched Regulus gulp.
“This heart has only and will only ever beat for you. Please tell me you understand that.” James spoke and Regulus remained silent. He himself did not understand why he couldn’t just erase Walburga from his mind. The terrible witch was dead. She shouldn’t be getting to him anymore.
“Please, my heart, please tell me you understand this. It doesn’t matter what your mother said back then. I told you back then and I will tell you now as well, I have never and will never love anyone the same way I love you. Please tell me you understand. Please believe me.” James begged and Regulus gulped, his eyes turning much softer than they were before. Regulus opened his mouth and then closed them again.
“Please tell me you believe me.” James begged once more and Regulus slowly nodded his head.
“I do. I believe you, James.” Regulus spoke, finally calling him by his first name and James took a deep breath of relief, his eyes finally falling onto Regulus’ lips.
Then he leaned up and captured them in a kiss. Regulus gasped into it and let James take charge. He was tired of fighting and leading. If he could give up control in a simple kiss then he would do just that.
And James was as gentle and soft as he always was with him, careful not to kiss too hard or not to pull on him too hard, just how Regulus loved to kiss him. Neither of the two knew how long they had been kissing before there was a knock on the doors.
“You two better not be making babies in there!” Barty’s annoying voice yelled and Regulus groaned while James broke the kiss to laugh.
“Barty! I’m going to cut your balls off!” Regulus yelled and Barty giggled. He actually giggled.
“Evan, baby, I was right. They were making babies! Dorcas, come here and give me my 50 bucks!” Barty yelled and Regulus’ eyes widened in disbelief. Then he could hear Dorcas groan while she walked down the hallway.
“Damn it, Reggie. Couldn’t you have waited a day? You cost me 50 bucks now!” Dorcas yelled and Regulus growled.
“Did you fuckers bet on me?” He yelled back and Evan snorted.
“Of course we did.” Pandora answered back and Regulus shook his head in disbelief. Then he heard Evan chase them all away and he turned to look at a still laughing James.
“I can’t believe these fuckers.” Regulus spoke and James chuckled.
“I actually can. Now, come here, baby.” James whispered and pulled Regulus off the chair and onto the floor and his lap, claiming his lips into a kiss once more.
Regulus could not help but think that maybe just maybe they would all be okay now.