Regulus hadn't even wanted to attend the party. It was the end of year celebration held annually for the seventh year students. The staff liked to pretend that they had no idea the sixth and seventh year students were slipping out into the grounds to drink, dance, and sometimes have sex under the last full moon before summer holidays. They looked the other way and ignored as the sixth years gathered whatever they could from the feast and secreted it into waiting bags. They turned a blind eye to the seventh years slipping out into Hogsmeade and returning with sweets, fireworks, and alcohol. Completely neglectful on the staff's part and absolutely ridiculous, he thought as his friends strong armed him out of the dorm and onto the grounds.
He had better things to be worried about. He had an entire summer of coming out balls and various luncheons and teas that he would be required to attend, ending with his betrothal to some chit for the future of the great and noble house of Black, Regulus reminded himself with an eyeroll. His parents didn’t care that he was gay just like his brother who had been blasted off the family tree the year prior. They just cared that he married and fucked some girl to make an heir and then he was free to have his “dalliance's” as long as he was discreet.
The same concession would be offered to his betrothal, despite his parents disapproval of it. But Regulus refused to saddle some poor girl in a loveless and sexless marriage without any option to seek that in someone as long as she kept it quiet and didn't bring any children from them into their home. And Regulus had his service to the Dark Lord to complete for the betterment of the wizarding world, or so he was told. He didn't actually believe that either, but he had seen what had happened to Sirius when he disagreed. Thus Regulus bowed and bared his arm like the good little puppet he was.
Regulus had given up his arguments and had decided if he had to be there, he was going to get plastered. The group was tastefully late; arriving after the fire had been lit, the booze had already been poured, and the music started. Those not dancing or sneaking off into the shadows were settled onto the lawn with food and a mixture of liquors. The bonfire blazed in the centre, casting a luminous golden hue in the radius of the crowd. Barty pressed a bottle into Regulus’ hands and he swallowed the burning liquid down as fast as he could. Barty howled with laughter and handed him his own drink before dragging Evan off. Likely to skip the preamble and go snog in a secluded spot, Regulus determined.
The more Regulus drank, the more maudlin he became. At some point even Pandora had disappeared into the crowd and left him with his thoughts. Regulus knew he was going to die. The darkness that was quickly consuming him and a small hopeful part of him thought that nothing could save him from hell, except maybe love and Regulus was too realistic to think that was an option for him.
The music switched to something he’d never heard before. The guitar and the drums worked together to create a fast paced rhythm. Cheering sounded as the space by the fire emptied of people, save for one person, James Potter.
The music filled the air as James started to dance, his hips moving and arms flowing around his body and over his head. Regulus’ breath caught in his throat as he watched. Regulus had never been a religious person, but if anyone could save him from the devil inside himself, it would be James. James danced with a passion, like a fire consumed him and his entire soul was dancing along. The crowd started to keep time with their hands, clapping and patting their legs as James spun in circles and the firelight glowing behind him.
Regulus has no idea how he got there, but somehow he was on the edge of the circle surrounding the empty space James was dancing in. It seemed every soul in the area was singing along to the song that he had never heard before and all Regulus could see was James, sensually moving with the moon in his eyes. James didn’t dance like an angel, oh no. James was not from Heaven, James was a siren and the way his body moved was his song. A call to his soul, pulling at him until he found himself in front of the devil himself.
James laughed and his teeth captured his bottom lip in a teasing manner, before he reached out and pulled Regulus close. There was no room left to move in between them and Regulus’ body began to sing in the same way James’ was. They sang to the fire, the wind, the moon, and to each other as they danced. One song turned into many and Regulus forgot where and when he was as his soul reached out tentatively to James’.
Something clicked in Regulus, like the missing piece of a puzzle slotting into place, and Regulus could swear the darkness was ripped from his soul as they danced into the night.
