stop

anthropology undergrad

[thebetterblackbrother]

genuslily‌:

Lily made a mental note to indeed take Harry out for a walk on a few early mornings. Bonding time for them, and a good excuse to get out of the flat. The idea of meeting James and Regulus for a coffee afterwards had its appeal too, finding herself looking forward to it already. “It’s settled. You’ll have to draw me a map to the football field, though,” she said, winking - she imagined Regulus would have noticed she was a loyal follower of all their games, being fairly fond of the captain.

Only a few short months ago, Lily had been absolutely terrified at what her life was going to become, but as her pregnancy went on, she’d remembered the stable foundations she had. Family meant more to her these days - more than just her parents and Petunia. It was James and his friends, and it kept growing. They would always have had a shared link because of James and Sirius, but Lily found herself really meaning it. Regulus was part of the family. He meant a lot to Sirius, a lot to James, and now she gave him a soft look as she saw how truly touched he was. “Good, because if you think James is difficult to get rid of it, you’ve seen nothing yet. I’m very persistent.” 

On that note, the back of her mind kept whirring away, but she dispelled any notions of orchestrating James and Regulus’ lives (for now). Rather she perked up as Regulus spoke, interested in what he was doing. It wasn’t anything like her own field of study but she had a passing interest and more than that, there was something about seeing a person’s face come alive when they talked about what they loved. Regulus was no different. “That honestly sounds wonderful. I hope it does pan out - and I insist upon you telling us all about it when it does, ” Lily commanded, laughing afterwards. “Oh, it’s all about Harry for me. Wait - let me grab my phone … I’ll show you some photos. God, look at that one. I swear James knows how cute he looks napping with Harry. Do I have your number?” Lily asked, happily planning on spamming Reg with all the photos of her son and boyfriend that absolutely tormented her. A (delightful) burden shared was a burden halved, after all. 

FIN.

[thebetterblackbrother]

genuslily‌:

“Well, I won’t hate it if you do!” Lily laughed, flinging her bag over one shoulder. For all she was joking, she hoped that Regulus would actually take better care of himself, he did look tired. Those circles under his eyes - and it was only the beginning of the semester. To prevent herself from slipping into lecturing mode, Lily only gave a grateful nod, “Thank you, in that case. Expect to see more of me. I’ll bring Harry, to cheer you both on.” Lily watched Regulus’ eyes light up at the mention of James and was surprised at how sweet she found it. Probably because it reminded her of herself, she supposed. “Ah, your stories corroborate, then! And I don’t think he gets into nearly as much trouble with you as with the Marauders, so I’m all for it.” Lily punctuated that with an eyeroll, to indicate how above stupid nicknames she, a mature mother of not quite twenty, was. 

 It was obvious Regulus was a bit taken aback, but Lily didn’t think it was because he was trying to find a way of politely declining. So Regulus would just have to get used to it. Once Lily got attached to someone, this was how she operated. And quite honestly, the easiest and quickest way to her heart these days was to compliment Harry. Lily wasn’t especially keen on having Harry passed around, but Regulus was trustworthy. She didn’t mind so much with him. “He’ll get bigger before we know it. Sirius is godfather, you know, so I think that makes you family, in a way.” Maybe that was why she didn’t mind. 

The cafe wasn’t far away, which was a relief, since Lily had become a lot more fond of sitting down than she’d ever previously been in her life pre-pregnancy. Over a menu, she eyed Regulus’ blush and felt a little bad. (Though really, were the two of them ever going to work things out if she didn’t get involved?) “Good. He’ll like that,” she finished simply instead. “You can tell him what’s been happening in the world of archaeology. Well, you can tell me too, actually.” 

He laughed at what she said and gave her a smile, watching Lily curiously as they walked. There was a spark of concern behind her eyes, concern that she didn’t voice, and he was surprised at how grateful he was for it even as it went unvoiced. It was nice to have people not related to him looking out for his health and wellness. Regulus’ smile grew when she mentioned bringing along Harry, and he nodded back. “I’d like that. Think seeing you and Harry at the practices and matches might bring us good luck. Call it a hunch.” He snorted when she brought up the nickname of James’ merry band of misfits. “I’ll take that as a good thing. I’ve heard all the mischief that lot has gotten into firsthand from Sirius, so I’m glad to not be that bad of an influence.”

His eyes widened a bit when Lily called him family, and he went quiet for a moment as he figured out how to respond to that. Regulus hadn’t thought of it that way, but he supposed even if he and James (and Lily now, really) weren’t friends he would’ve seen Harry often enough because of Sirius. It was heartwarming to know he wouldn’t have had a life without Harry, James, and Lily in it because of the friendship his brother had formed with them years ago. He was grateful for it. “I think I like that,” he said slowly, chewing on his bottom lip and unable to fully suppress the embarrassing smile that accompanied what he said. 

Something about Lily was knowing as she spoke, and Regulus glanced up from his menu to regard her carefully. Oddly, he felt like he was being sized up--a feeling not unfamiliar to him. He couldn’t imagine why, though. “Think it might interest you more than him, but alright. There were signs of an old civilization along the coast not far from here, pointing toward a group of people my professor did her thesis on. She might take us there as a class to examine what was found in-person, so that’s exciting.” He paused. “What about you? What are you up to?”

[thebetterblackbrother]

jimmityjammity‌:

Watching as Harry grabs for Regulus’ finger, James can’t help the soft smile that spreads across his mouth at how tender the moment seemed to be. Every day it seemed as though Harry was becoming more and more human, the smallest amounts of personality starting to shine through. And if this was apparent, which James knew it was, Harry seemed to like his newest acquaintance. It felt as though something warm was glowing inside him as James continues to watch the two, becoming more and more grateful by the minute that everyone he knew had been exceptionally understanding about his and Lily’s situation. He didn’t think that many people their age would want to hang around two people with a tiny baby, and yet James had never felt more supported in his life. 

And he would be lying if he said that Regulus’ continued friendship didn’t mean an awful lot to him.

Smirking at Regulus’ words as he fumbles with the structure of the sling, making it easier to release Harry, James winks coyly at the other boy. “You haven’t seen anything yet. Just wait until I bring out the proper attempts,” he says teasingly, helping Regulus to lift Harry out. It doesn’t take long for Harry to settle, the little boy happy to just be in someone’s arms, and James strokes his hand over the soft, downy hair atop his head, before taking a step back to smile at the scene in front of him. Did Reg even know that he was rocking right now? “He’s amazing. I’ve never been so proud of anything in my whole life. Like…he and Evans? They’re my greatest achievements.”

If this wasn’t James’ proper attempt, then Regulus was well and truly fucked.

It was, frankly, ridiculous how easily James Potter could turn Regulus into a swooning schoolgirl. He could already feel his cheeks heated from proximity alone, especially as they exchanged Harry from one set of arms to the other with James still lingering after his son was securely held. The look of awe that graced his face as he looked at his son was wondrous, and if Regulus stared for a moment too long to be considered ‘appropriate’ for a friendship then, well, that was no one’s problem but his own. He took a deep breath and relaxed slightly when James stepped away, eyebrow raising as he asked, “That mean you’re gonna show me your proper attempts, Potter? Should I brace myself for the wooing of a lifetime.

It wasn’t smart to flirt with your captain by any means, but here he was like an idiot. Smooth going, Black.

He continued to rock gently as James went on about his little family, and a pang of--what? jealousy? longing?--something made itself known in the recess of Regulus’ chest. He had no hold over James, no reason to feel like that when he, Lily, and Harry made a beautiful family. James was obviously proud of the both of them. Whatever was going on was something he would just have to ignore and move on from. Regulus could do that. “You’re not exactly subtle about it,” he teased, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. “But yeah, they really are great, James. I’m happy for you.”

[thebetterblackbrother]

ravenwoodmedical‌:

Watching as Regulus folds himself to the ground and Dora immediately scrambles into his lap, resting her head against his chest, Andromeda finds herself smiling fondly as she sinks into the nearest camp chair. She did not, after all, trust herself to sit down on the ground, lest she not get back up again. Just being near Regulus and Dora, however, is enough for her, relishing in the chance to spend time with one of her two favourite cousins. 

“It’s very abstract at the moment for her. She’s still able to almost pretend he’s not coming. Once he’s here, however, I think that’ll be the real test,” Andi says with amusement, before nodding her head. “We have his name sorted. It will just be a surprise for when he arrives.” They had contemplated not finding out the gender, as they hadn’t when she had been pregnant with Dora, before deciding that they might as well know, allowing their daughter to get used to the thought of a brother, and hopefully avoiding eventual disappointment. “She’d never hurt someone. Just annoy them, isn’t that right, baby?” Andi says, reaching to tug on one of Dora’s pigtails gently.

Regulus could picture how Dora might act once the baby was actually there and not just an abstract concept, and he tried not to wince. He loved her, he truly did, but she was a force to be reckoned with, and he didn’t wish to be in Andromeda’s shoes in the least. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to take the energy the little girl exuded for more than a few minutes; lord knew that when it happened around him, he slipped her back to her parents (whether subtly or not depended on the occasion). 

“You won’t even tell your favorite cousin the name? Rude.” Regulus grinned to show he was joking and shifted his arms while Dora squirmed, making sure she didn’t run off into the throng of students and professors alike walking by. “At least a hint. A small hint never hurt anyone, and if I guess it then it was meant to be.” Convincing people was never his specialty, though, at least not through charm alone, and though he hated to admit it he wished he had his brother’s talent for such nonsense. Dora squirmed again when her mother tugged on a pigtail and nodded aggressively, hard enough that Regulus feared she’d give herself a headache. He snorted at her confirmation and poked at her side. “Well at least she’s self-aware. You’ve raised her well.”

[thebetterblackbrother]

jimmityjammity‌:

As if he knew that he was being spoken about, Harry’s tiny rosebud lips puckered then stretched into a yawn, his little fists automatically stretching into the air. He wriggles about against James’ chest for a moment, before his green eyes blink sleepily open, and James can’t help the stupidly large grin that spreads across his face at the sight. Harry proceeds to grunt and squirm in response, his fists still waving about. How had they ever managed to make someone so small and delightful? 

Shifting as Regulus draws near, James angles the now-awake baby in his direction, before shooting him a sly smile. “Well, I know that Evans trusts you…want to hold him?” he asks, waggling his eyebrows temptingly, “It’s real easy, I promise, and you could sit down if it made you feel better?” He would never force Regulus to hold Harry if he didn’t want to, but James couldn’t pretend that he didn’t want to see one of his good friends getting to know his son. Harry was already well-acquainted with Sirius, Remus and Peter, but he’d yet to really meet many others outside that.

Tossing his head back dramatically, James flops his free arm loosely across Regulus’ shoulders, the other still firmly pressed against Harry’s back. “I’m always thinking of you, mate. And while I’d love for you to test out your muscles dragging me to the side, I guess I can try to stay conscious for you. Out of goodwill and all.”

The green eyes were most definitely Lily’s, and Regulus realized (maybe a few moments too slow) that Harry would likely grow to be a spitting copy of James with Lily’s eyes, assuredly solidifying his place in the Potter family (as if that was ever in question). He kept wriggling around now that he was awake, fists in the air, and Regulus was smiling before he realized it, taking a step closer on instinct and reaching a finger out. One of the wild fists grabbed onto it, and he grinned, letting Harry wiggle his finger around. He looked up when James offered to let him hold Harry, and he should have been thankful for the small moment of panic since it distracted him from the fact that he was maybe a tad too close to James. He took a deep breath and shook his head at the rest of James’ rambling. “I’ve got it,” he said, knowing the basics if nothing else: support the head and neck, adjust when necessary. 

He just hoped Harry liked being cradled, because he was hopeless otherwise. 

Regulus fought back his blush as James slung an arm around his shoulders, snorting along to his words. “How kind of you. You’ll have to do better than that to see my muscles, Potter.” He looked down at Harry and, after a moment of hesitation, gently lifted the boy from the sling and into his arms. Harry fussed a little bit, but once he was adjusted he settled fairly easily, looking around with his wide eyes. Regulus smiled and glanced back at James, rocking Harry a little without really noticing he was doing so. “You and Lily must be proud. He’s adorable, James.”

[thebetterblackbrother]

genuslily‌:

“You should take better care of yourself,” Lily chided gently, watching Regulus rub his eyes. “More sleep. That’s an order. I’ll get your captain to back me up if needed.” At the mention of soccer practices, Lily raised an intrigued eyebrow, smiling at the teasing. It was her own way of showing affection, so from Regulus, she took it as a sign of his comfort with her. “I’m not sure if that was entirely an invitation, but I might take it as one. James is always saying what a good time you two have.”  In fact, Lily thought Regulus might be surprised to hear how often James spoke about him.

She leaned back in her chair, starting to feel some of the strength coming back to her legs. Or maybe it was just the spark of conversation reviving her. “Well, since you were kind enough to invite me - sort of - to soccer practice, I’ll return the favour. You’re always welcome to come over to our apartment. The lego’s hidden away at the moment, but I’d like to think there are other draws.” Lily shrugged after a beat, “Mostly Harry, these days. I’m biased, but he’s pretty wonderful. Adorable. Clever. I could go on, but I’ll try and spare you.” 

The offer was far more appealing than staying here, not only because she had no desire to start reading up on her textbooks before her next class. Lily jumped up at once, “That sounds perfect, actually, let’s go!” They started to make their way out of the science building, Lily bumping her elbow against Regulus’ as she looked at him slyly, “James will be jealous, though. You have to promise me you’ll make it up to him sometime.”   

“Should I be saying yes ma’am?” he joked, yawning one more time before realizing that yes, he most definitely needed more sleep than he was letting himself get. There was no reason to read ahead as much as he’d been doing, especially so early in the semester, but Regulus couldn’t help it. He found all his major-related courses interesting enough to be worth it. Any other classes, though... well, who could blame him if they fell to the wayside? “It’s an invitation if you want it to be,” he said, mentally scolding himself when he perked at the thought of James talking about him. Don’t be ridiculous, idiot. “Yeah, we do have a good time,” he agreed, a small smile touching his lips. 

He was surprised by the offer to go by their home whenever, eyes wide as he blinked twice to recover. He was often easily surprised by that sort of thing, though Regulus never fully knew why that was. Maybe because he normally kept to himself until he got comfortable around people. Then again, what better way to get comfortable with Lily than to actually spend time with her? He chuckled when she mentioned Harry and nodded. “All accurate, though. James let me hold him for a moment back at the involvement fair--he is rather adorable. So tiny too.” He smiled again. “I’m the youngest in my family, and I never got to see Dora as a baby baby, so that was a bit of a surprise.”

Regulus hid his surprise better this time around when Lily jumped up from her spot, following her out of the science building and toward the cafe. Her sly joke and nudge made him blush, though he hoped it was light enough that she wouldn’t notice. She didn’t need to know that he was crushing on her boyfriend, thanks. “I-I think he’ll survive, but sure. I’ll make sure to take him to lunch too.”

[thebetterblackbrother]

dorcas:(..is seen typing a few times)

dorcas: oh okay

dorcas: i am sorry, won't text you again

regulus: dont be like that, im up now

regulus: tell me about your food lotion

regulus: or how it popped into your head in the first place bc youve lost me

regulus: tho we're part of a conspiracy club so i shouldnt be surprised

[thebetterblackbrother]

dorcas: RISE AND SHINE, REGGGGGGGGGG

dorcas: I KNOW RIGHT?????

dorcas: IT'S SO WRONG

dorcaS: BUT IT'S THE TRUTH

regulus: i'm not rising and shining at 3am jfc

regulus: why do you do this to me

regulus: i hate everything you stand for

[thebetterblackbrother]

meadxowes‌:

Doe’s back hurt. From all the carrying and moving around- making sure everything is in the right place as she knew she won’t be able to take out everything in one day. But, despite Regulus’ relationship with his brother- she didn’t have anyone who came to help. Although, she was still cheerful and ready to move mountains if needed. She was carrying two boxes on top of each other, her phone on top of them and slightly on the side– not falling yet however.

She could barely see where she was going, but she was walking with purpose to place it by the kitchen counter. ‘I think there’s like two boxes left and that’s it–’ she announces as she struggles to place the boxes down which ends up in her phone falling down and the top box almost falling and her catching it just in time. She straightens herself with a smile and claps her hands. ‘ But, it’ll come together soon!’

Dorcas moving boxes around was a sight to behold, and a terrifying one at that. Regulus had at least had the help (and height) to manage several boxes up the stairs at once, but each time Dorcas’ pile wobbled, it took effort to restrain himself from reaching out and simply taking the boxes from her. She was capable, obviously he knew that, but no matter how nonchalant Regulus wanted to act toward Dorcas and her affections, he was constantly worried about her. She didn’t eat like she should, didn’t sleep like she should, and couldn’t keep a plant alive to save her (or its) life. Hopefully with him living with her full time, the last one could be resolved rather quickly, if not the first two as well.

The boxes almost toppled as Dorcas reached to catch her phone, and he winced automatically, surprised when there wasn’t a crashing sound to follow it. He opened his eyes and saw her cheery smile, shaking his head and nudging her lightly as he headed toward their front door. “You’re going to give me a heart attack, Doe, and it’s day zero of living together. Please don’t drop anything or hurt yourself carrying more than you should.”

[thebetterblackbrother]

genuslily‌:

Lily, of course, was friendly by nature - far more of an extrovert than an introvert when it came down to it. She had, in spite of that, always been fairly good at picking up on others’ discomfort, watching Regulus blush faintly now in a way that suggested she’d put him at unease.  Feeling a little guilty about that, she offered him an out, “Don’t stop on my account if you need to rush off for class. I just rarely see you!” 

Then again, he didn’t seem too upset after the initial surprise and had successfully retrieved his textbook. Lily had smiled a little at that, Regulus was so different from his brother. “No, you can’t fool me. I know you oh-so-wonderful sport stars have your nerdy side. At least if James is any indication. And I have my suspicions about you, too,” Lily finished, nodding seriously. 

The feeling of being caught out did rush over her, but Lily only smiled sheepishly, “I wouldn’t say I’m hiding out specifically to avoid them. It is something of a side benefit, though. Well, except for that James has my baby. I’ll have to brave the Dreadful Duo eventually to get Harry back.”  Still, she made no moves to get up just yet, though she was starting to feel less light-hearted. 

“More like I’m rushing away from class,” he said with a chuckle, rubbing at the back of his neck and shaking his head. “Sorry, I’m a bit out of it. Beginning of the semester and I’m already losing sleep.” He hadn’t meant to make it look like he was trying to get away from her, but it seemed Lily picked up on that not being the case a moment later, thank god. “Well maybe you’d see me more if you went to our soccer practices more,” he teased, letting his hand drop back to his side.

Oh, he was absolutely a nerd. Sirius had never been shy about making sure Regulus knew as such, but Regulus had embraced it rather than shied away from it. It was the reason he did his work, the reason he excelled at what he did. Being sporty didn’t make that any less true. “Oh, James is definitely a nerd. I’ve heard something about Lego collections that he still hasn’t show me yet, the jerk. Myself though... guilty as charged.”

Dreadful Duo. Regulus laughed at that because yes, that was an accurate description of the two of them. They were menaces to Ravenwood, but still beloved by most students and faculty on campus. “Well, we won’t want to run into the duo just yet. They’re a mess and a half to deal with on the best days, poor Harry.” Though James had been very gentle with his son when he’d seen him last. “Well I’m starved, so you can feel free to sit in the lobby and hide, or you can come with me to get coffee and lunch if you want a legitimate excuse for hiding.”

[thebetterblackbrother]

jimmityjammity‌:

Underneath the soft pressure of James’ finger, Harry shifts and moves slightly within the sling, his tiny hands stretching before he settles back down with a soft sigh. Smiling gently at the sight, James can’t help but to think about the person he was a year previous, and how very different he feels about it now. It was a cliche, he knew, but becoming a father genuinely felt as though it had changed him. It was not just Lily and a soccer team who were depending on him now: there was also a brand new tiny little human that he had helped make, who needed his parents for everything, 

Relaxing at the sight of Regulus, someone he had come to depend on so much when it came to running the Ravenwood soccer team, James shoots him a crooked smile. He spots where Reg’s gaze has fallen, and James turns slightly, shifting so that the other boy can see better into the sling at the baby inside. “Yeah, we know. My parents and hers’ve both offered, and a few friends here and there, but he’s just…he’s so small. And Evans’ is a little antsy about leaving him with anyone who isn’t us at the moment. So we just take turns. I told her to sleep in this morning while I brought the sprog with me,” James explains. It wasn’t as if he and Lily had planned to be those overprotective parents, but here they were. Bumping Reg’s shoulder back, James rolls his eyes good-naturedly, “That’s why I’ve got such a wonderful vice-captain. So if I pass out, he can take over.” 

Harry was an adorable baby, though he felt the need to debate with himself that Dora was probably cuter. Probably. He hadn’t known her as a newborn, but he felt obligated to side himself with Andromeda even though she was no where near. Still, though, seeing Harry move and stretch made him smile, and James’ soft, awed reaction made his heart beat a little faster in his chest. No, worry about that later.

He shot a grin right back at James, glancing down to see Harry better and raising an eyebrow. Though young, he was definitely James’ child: he had the nose and ears for it, at least. Regulus glanced back up to James when he began speaking, and he raised his other eyebrow at his reasoning. Sure, he was small, but that didn’t make everyone suddenly irresponsible. “I mean I suppose that makes sense, but logistically you won’t always be able to have one of you by Harry’s side. Why not start building that trust with other people now?” He didn’t have a kid, so maybe it was harder than that, but it just made sense. Regulus snorted quietly when his shoulder was bumped back into, and he shook his head. “James, if you pass out in the middle of a game, I’m gonna have to be the one to carry your sorry ass to the sidelines before taking over. Think of me if not yourself.”

[thebetterblackbrother]

ravenwoodmedical‌:

It was strange, and yet fitting that Ravenwood would be the place where Andromeda would finally be allowed to reunite with her family once more. Since her disownment and subsequent removal from the family, her sisters had refused to speak to her and her cousins had been forbidden to do so, their parents blocking any attempt any of them had ever made to reconnect. And yet with the freedom of Ravenwood came the freedom for Regulus and Sirius to see her once more, and Andi relished in every moment, even if her relationship with Bella and Narcissa was still strained.

“Mildly too late. He’s coming, no matter her conflicted feelings,” Andi says with a laugh, watching as her daughter flings herself at Regulus. Dora had adored her ‘uncle’ from the moment he had stepped into her life as an infant and Andi had no doubts that the new baby would feel exactly the same. “My best!” Dora declares, nodding her head, and Andi can’t help but shake hers. She wasn’t entirely sure Dora knew the real meaning of ‘best behaviour’, but the little girl had been fairly settled for what would be a very long day. “She’s keeping me busy, as she always does.”

Mildly too late. Regulus snorted at the understatement of the century, ruffling Dora’s hair and sitting down on the ground so he could be eye level with her. The little girl had been a light in his life since he’d been able to walk back into Andromeda’s, and Regulus would be forever grateful that he’d gotten the chance at all. He hadn’t thought he’d get the chance, but here they were. It had taken a large stress off of his shoulders--no one should only have Narcissa and Bellatrix to deal with as cousins. 

“Oh, I’m sure she’ll get over it quickly enough,” he said, glancing up from the ground at Andromeda. “Have you and Ted thought of any names yet? You know I’ll help out wherever I can in the coming months.” Regulus raised an eyebrow when Dora promised she was on her best behavior, looking back to Andromeda and smirking when she shook her head. Yeah, that’s what he thought. “So long as she doesn’t hurt someone, I guess it could be worse. Little rascal.”

[sjdjfjvifieifigigirje-deactivat]

[meadxowes]

@thebetterblackbrother

[thebetterblackbrother]

ravenwoodmedical‌:

Smiling fondly at her favourite cousin, Andi waits until he has finished tidying up Dora’s mess before she draws him to her in a hug, pressing a kiss to his cheek. It felt as if it had been weeks since she had last seen Regulus, and she delighted in the chance to see him again. She had been distanced from the wider family for so long after her disownment that she couldn’t help but cherish every moment she got to spend with her cousins, now that they were no longer under the heavy thumb of their parents. 

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d believe this was Dora’s way of telling us she doesn’t want a sibling after all,” Andromeda says with a laugh, moving her hand to press gently against her stomach as she pulls away from the hug. Beside them, Dora pulls herself up from the rug, throwing herself haphazardly at Regulus’ legs, yelling none too softly, “Uncle Reg, Uncle Reg!”

Regulus hugged Andromeda back gladly, his anxiety from moments before draining a bit in his cousin’s presence. It had been rough since her disownment, not just because he couldn’t see her like he used to but because his parents had him under such strict supervision that he couldn’t even try to contact her. It had been stifling, and the moment Regulus saw her at Ravenwood he almost cried from joy. He pulled back from the hug and chuckled, shaking his head.

“Well, it’s a little too late for that, but I think she’ll get over it quick enough,” he joked, rubbing Andromeda’s arm fondly before his legs were attacked by a very-excited Nymphadora. Regulus grinned and leaned down, scooping Dora up and swinging her around before putting her back on the ground and ruffling her hair. “Hey there, monkey,” he joked, kneeling down to be on her level. “Are you giving your mum a hard time, or are you on your best behavior?”

[thebetterblackbrother]

jimmityjammity‌:

Reaching gently into the sling for a moment, James can’t help but brush a finger gently against the soft skin of Harry’s cheek, watching as the baby shifts, his forehead creasing for a brief moment before relaxing again. James is pulled from his reverie by a figure standing behind him, and he starts, swinging around to stare at the newcomer, immediately recognising his vice-captain.

“S’up, Reg,” he says, shaking his head and reaching to poke the other boy in the shoulder. Regulus was always so quiet that it was remarkably easy for him to just sneak up on a person, startling them out of their boxer shorts in the process. The soccer team had always been one of James’ favourite places, and he couldn’t pretend that it hadn’t been an excellent way to get to know Reg, someone he might not have otherwise. “Oh, he’ll sleep through this nonsense, no issues. But god forbid Evans or I open the fridge too loudly at home,” James says, rolling his eyes good-naturedly, “We haven’t had a full night sleep since the sprog arrived. He sleeps about an hour at a time and wants to be fed or held in the interim. Worth it though.” 

Regulus hadn’t thought he’d see James Potter be gentle, but here it was right in front of him. The entire soccer team was used to their captain’s mother-henning, perhaps Regulus more than the others because of his position as vice-captain, but even that could be a bit overenthusiastic at times. It was just how James was, and he’d learned that quickly once he’d started spending actual time with the man rather than vaguely knowing him as his brother’s best friend. He was gentle though, very gentle as he stroked his son’s cheek with his finger, and Regulus’ lips quirked up a bit at the sight. It was adorable, there was no other word for it.

The slight smile turned into a smirk when James spun quickly to see who had bothered him, knowing that his quiet steps gave him the element of surprise on most people. It was amusing to see people startled from their thoughts simply by opening his mouth, he’d found. He chuckled at what James said and stepped closer, looking at baby Harry curiously. “I can imagine it is,” he said, eyes darting up from Harry to James. “You know, I’m sure if you two wanted actual sleep there’d be plenty of people willing to watch Harry for a few hours. We don’t need our captain passing out on the field from exhaustion, after all.” His smirk grew, and Regulus bumped his shoulder into James’ companionably.

[thebetterblackbrother]

genuslily‌:

WHO: @thebetterblackbrother​ WHERE: Flamel Building, September 4

Lily was resting for a moment in one of the seats inside the lobby of the science building, a stack of textbooks balanced on her lap. She had a class to get to shortly after, but having felt a little tired she’d decided to take a quick rest. There was no need to make a big deal of it, of course she wasn’t entirely up to her usual strength just yet, but she was also determined to make no allowances for herself. All she needed was a moment. 

Her eyes saw a dark haired figure pass by, and Lily nearly jumped, afraid she was about to be caught out and reported to James. Then she took another look - it wasn’t Sirius at all. “Regulus!” Lily called out, waving immediately. She didn’t really know Sirius’ younger brother particularly well. He was on the soccer team with James, that was about all, but he was always fairly nice to her. Plus, she had a certain amount of sympathy for anyone with an overbearing sibling - not that she’d ever compare Petunia to Sirius. (Unless it was to his face, for the pure amusement of it.) 

“Are you lost?” she joked, knowing full well he belonged here, certainly the similiar amount of textbooks weighing him down indicated as much. “I think the football field is on the other side of campus.”  

As much as Regulus loved his major, he most certainly did not like being in lectures for three hours at a time, in the morning, with very little sleep the night before. He was glad he hadn’t fallen asleep at his desk, though it was close a few times. There was only so much one could listen to the droning voice of a professor before they were ready to run and never look back.

He was walking through Flamel’s halls with an arm full of heavy textbooks that he’d been too lazy to shove into his backpack, the only thought on his mind being coffee and food, when he heard his name called. Regulus whirled around with a start, not having expected anyone to be yelling his name out, and dropped a textbook in the process. He swore quietly and picked it back up, seeing Lily Evans as the source of his surprise and eyes going wide. They talked a few times, not nearly enough to have some sort of friendship, but the tips of his ears went red in embarrassment anyway. Whoops. 

At least she was poking harmless fun at him. It grounded his tired brain, and Regulus chuckled, slinging his backpack to his front so he could shove the textbooks where they belonged. “Maybe I just wanted to see the nerds in their natural habitat,” he replied, tugging his bag closed with a decisive zip. “Hiding out in Flamel to avoid James and my idiot brother? Smart, if that’s the case.” Though James certainly wasn’t as bad as Sirius was, not by a long shot. 

[thebetterblackbrother]

dorcas: OH MY GOD

dorcas: DID YOU KNOW THAT FIREFLY IS THE OPPOSITE OF WATERFALL

dorcas: LIKE WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT

dorcas: AND ALSO BARCODES SCAN THE WHITE PART?!?! NOT THE BLACK?????

dorcas: like lol ????

dorcas: AND THEN I WAS DOING PANCAKES EARLIER AND REALISED

dorcas: BUTTER IS FO O D LOTION?????

regulus: dorcas it is literally 3 in the morning

regulus: your spamming made my phone buzz enough to wake me up

regulus: also wtf with food lotion..? i have no words