Thanks For The Tea: A Oneshot:
With a flick of his wand, James Potter lit the last candle. He knew that his flat was going to catch on fire at any moment but it was worth it. Hopefully Lily would arrive before it happened. He strutted around in an open bathrobe because that was the James Potter way. He tripped a few times and set his eyebrows on fire once because that was also the James Potter way.
He had just regrown them when he heard the knock on the door. Putting on his best smile, he crossed the room and pulled it open.
The smile immediately wavered.
Lily was not on the doorstep. Rather the visitor was a boy one year his junior, his silver eyes sunken, his ribs poking through his shirt.
“Hey, Potter,” Regulus said with a small smirk. “Good to see you.”
James realized that his bathrobe was still open. He pulled it closed but not before the other teenager chortled.
“Yeah, Walburga said the same thing,” James teased.
But Regulus’ smile didn’t look real. It was with a great deal of effort that he asked, “Can I come in?”
“Well, seeing as how you’re a Death Eater and we’re in the middle of a war,” James said. “I don’t see why not.”
Regulus pushed past him and sank onto the couch.
Regulus snorted. “You are so much like your mother that it’s scary.”
“Funny,” said James lightly. “I was going to say the same to you.”
“Your curtains are on fire.”
“I’m well aware of that, thank you.”
James put out the flames before hurrying into the kitchen. He came back out with a platter of sandwiches and two cups of masala chai.
“Thanks for the tea,” Regulus mumbled.
The two sat in silence for a while.
“What are you doing here, anyway?” James finally asked. “Shouldn’t you be out making Muggleborns scream?”
Regulus glanced around. “From the look of these candles, mate, I’d say that you’re the one doing that tonight.”
He cackled as James threw a sandwich at him. Regulus caught it and ate it in a few large bites. He ate a second. Then a third. If James noticed, he didn’t comment.
Regulus made a few more wry comments before James stepped in.
“Listen,” he said, surprisingly gentle. “I’ve been friends with your brother for almost nine years. You can make all the innuendos you want but I know that you’re seconds away from—”
Regulus burst into tears.
“–that,” James finished. “All right, what’s wrong?”
He spent the next hour comforting the sobbing teenager. He only left his side twice - once to gently send Lily away and again to make another pile of sandwiches. Regulus owed him a loaf of bread.
“Listen, Regulus,” James said, pouring him another cup of tea. “If you really want out, if you really want to turn over a new leaf, then I can help you. Of course I’ll help you. But I’m not the person you want to help you and you both know it.”
“Sure you can,” James said. “You just sort of think of what you’re going to say and move your mouth a little.It’s basically what you’re doing right now only you’re facing him and not me.”
"He won’t believe me,” Regulus sighed. “Let alone forgive me.”
“Regulus,” James laughed. “You could murder someone right in front of him and he’d still forgive you. You know he would.”
Regulus shook his head, suddenly donning an odd tone. “No, no, I can’t just talk to him. I have to prove it. I have to prove where my loyalties lie.”
James’ smile slipped away. “And how exactly are you going to do that?”
“I’ve been doing research,” he mumbled. “I figured out his secret. I - I can get it. I can destroy it. And if I do, if I do, Sirius will have to forgive me.”
“Destroy what?” James asked. “What are you - ?”
“What do you know about horcruxes?”
James gave a start. “Hor-what?”
“Nothing, never mind,” said the other teenager. “Look, I have to go. I have to make things right.”
He jumped up and headed over to the fireplace.
James leapt over the couch and grabbed his shoulders.
“Regulus, look at me,” he said quietly. “You don’t have to make anything right. Sirius will forgive you. You don’t have to prove yourself to him.”
Regulus pushed past him, reaching for the Floo Powder.
“Regulus, listen to me,” James shrieked. “You don’t have to prove yourself to him! You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone! You never have! Sirius loves you! He’s always loved you! That’s never changed and nothing you do is going to make a difference!”
“It’s okay, Prongs,” said Regulus with a small smile. “I know what I have to do. I’ll be back in a few days. And then, we can be a proper family. You’ll see. Do me a favor? Don’t tell Sirius that I stopped by. I want it to be a surprise.”
“Regulus!” James screamed. “Regulus!”
James sighed. He forgot to tell the silver-eyed teenager that he owed him a loaf of bread. Oh well. He would tell him when he returned.
