"You shouldn't be here," someone spoke and he looked up in confusion. James turned around slowly to find that Crabbe and Goyle - two Slytherin's - were walking towards him. The Gryffindor grew uncomfortable, not sure what was happening.

"I'm not looking for any trouble," James spoke honestly. He pulled his books tight against his chest as the two circled him. "I'm just heading to class, so if you don't mind-"

"Not so fast, Potter," Lucius Malfoy spoke up, making his presence known. James froze, a wave of terror washing over him. He glanced behind him but the three had him cornered. This fear was new to him. He used to approach everything without hesitation. The racing heart and feeling of dread was completely new to him. He hated it. "I just want to talk."

"I really can't be late for class," he pointed out. His wand was in his pocket but in order to reach it, he'd have to drop his books. He didn't want to escalate the situation more than it already had escalated. "We can talk later."

"This can't wait," he said, placing a hand on James's shoulder. The Gryffindor looked down at his hand with a frown. He pulled his hand away, "You probably like that, don't you?"

James's face contorted in clear confusion, "I'm sorry?"

"Oh, come on, you seriously thought you'd be able to keep it a secret forever?" he asked which only furthered his confusion. He tsked, "You're smarter than this, Potter."

"I really don't have time for this," James said, shaking his head. "Stop wasting my time." He managed to push past him with a breath of relief but what he said next nearly knocked him off his feet.

"I heard there's an electric shock treatment that can fix you," he began and James froze in his tracks. "I'm happy to be the one to recommend you."

James turned to face him, "Excuse me?"

"We know your secret," he informed him. "Though, it seems rather obvious, in hindsight. Pining after Lily all these years? Showing no interest in any other girl. It all makes sense now."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't," he shrugged. "I'll let you go this time." James frowned and he continued, "Shocking, I know. But you trying to figure out how we found out will be a sort of torture that not even Bellatrix could execute. Get out of my face, before I change my mind."

James only wasted a second before he took off sprinting through the hall. He made it to a more open area, his breathing heavy as he looked around. Everyone was already looking at him though and it was what he feared had come true. They knew, they all knew. He wasn't even sure himself and yet everyone knew.

But he had only ever talked about it with Regulus and Sirius.

It felt as though the castle walls were crumbling around him. The world spun in fast circles. Too fast. Any step he tried to take seemed counterproductive and he couldn't breath. Not really. His chest tightened, his ribs far too big to fit. It felt like his bones were breaking, unable to hold him together.

"James!" someone shouted. "James, we've been looking for you everywhere." He squinted slightly and he could just make out the scars on his friend's face. "Hey, can you hear me?" James reached up and he might have grabbed the boy's face but he shook his head, a faint whimper escaping him. "We need to get him to Pomfrey."

"I - I don't-" James shook his head. "How did they - how-"

"We'll figure it out," Remus said. "But right now we focus on you."

James tried to walk but he stumbled again and Remus helped him stand, holding him around the waist. People were muttering comments in their direction and Remus raised his free hand, showing them an unflattering finger.

"Find something better to do with your time," Sirius practically growled out as he moved to his friend's other side. The three made their way to Pomfrey's who seemed fully prepared to help.

"Is he okay?" Sirius asked once he was on a bed. He wrung his hands together anxiously, looking toward Pomfrey, "I - I mean, he'll be okay? Right?"

Pomfrey nodded, "This isn't the first time. Though the circumstances are a little different." James started to calm down after she gave him something, "I'll be right back."

Sirius turned to Remus, "He's going to think it was me."

Remus was taken aback by this, "What?"

"He's going to think I told people," Sirius explained, panic clear in his expression. "I didn't! I swear, I wouldn't do that. But after we talked, I kind of avoided him."

"Why would you do that?" Remus huffed. "And I'm surprised he told you at all, I mean, he seemed pretty adamant that he was going to keep it a secret forever."

"He told you."

"No, I figured it out," Remus countered. "But he won't blame you. He knows you better than that."

"But who told," Sirius asked. "And the Slytherin's of all people? That's just cruel and evil and-"

"I don't know who he's talked to or where he's talked about it," Remus explained. "Logically, it could have been anyone."

"It was Peter," someone spoke up from behind the pair. They both turned abruptly to see a rather anxious Regulus standing by the door. "He came by yesterday and told them what he heard you guys talking about."

Sirius paled, "Everything?" Regulus frowned before he slowly nodded. The elder Black deflated, leaning against the bed, "Why haven't they said anything?"

"I don't know," he admitted, "Peter divulged everything so I don't know if they're waiting for the right moment or what. I didn't hear everything. Once he brought you up, they sent me away."

"I don't believe you."

"Sirius," Remus frowned, "He has no reason to lie. Not right now."

Sirius wiped under his eye quickly, "What are you even doing here?" Regulus looked to Remus for help but he wasn't sure how to answer that question.

"Reggie?" James said quietly and the three fell silent. They turned their attention to him. Sirius was visibly confused as he continued, "I - I mean, Regulus. Why are you here?"

"I wanted to check on you," he admitted. He turned and closed the door to the infirmary before he crossed the remaining distance between the two. "How are you?"

"I've been better," he admitted with a forced smile, his voice cracking slightly. "You can go, thank you for stopping by."

Regulus shook his head, "I'm not going anywhere. Not if you want me here." James glanced over at Sirius who was watching the pair closely. Regulus grabbed his hand, "I don't care. Right now all I care about is you."

James seemed to melt at this, his body relaxing as the boy smiled down at him. Regulus raised his hand and wiped a tear that had slipped off of James's face. James covered Regulus's hand with his own, "Thank you."

"I'll take care of it, I promise," Regulus informed him. James moved Regulus's hand and pressed a kiss to his palm, "They'll regret it. All of them."

"No," James shook his head. "No, you won't take care of anything."

"Okay, I'm sorry," Sirius finally spoke up. "What am I missing here?"

Regulus cleared his throat as he looked from his brother to James. James nodded slowly and the younger Black looked over at his brother once more, "Um, James and I...We've been seeing each other."

"Oh," Sirius said, looking between the two. Something flickered in his expression and his eyebrows furrowed, "Since when?"

James frowned, his eyes welling with tears, "Since the summer. At Quidditch Camp."

Sirius scoffed, "I knew it."

Remus shook his head, "Sirius, now really isn't the time to do this."

"You were lying to me," he continued anyway. James sat up more in the bed, ready to defend himself but Sirius continued before he could, "You made me feel as though I were crazy! How could you do that to me? After everything, you-" He shook his head, "You know what, no, I'm not doing this."

He started toward the door and Remus turned around quickly, "Sirius, come back! Don't walk away!" Remus turned to James, "I'll talk to him. He-"

"Let me do it," Regulus requested and both James and Remus turned to him in surprise. "I think it's overdue." Regulus leaned forward, pressing a quick kiss to the boy's forehead before going after his brother.

James watched as he left and once the door closed, he faced Remus, "I messed up big time, didn't I?"

"He'll get over it," Remus pointed out. "It'll take him some time, but he'll live." He took a seat in the chair next to James, "But do you think you're making the right choice here?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Now that you've come out, it's only going to be harder to keep this sort of thing a secret. He might not-"

"Come out?" James gaped. "Remus, I didn't 'come out.' I was thrown out. Flat on my face. Like, a broken nose from impact sort of fall. Maybe even a broken skull."

Remus frowned, "I know and I'm sorry."

"I - I can only focus on one thing at a time," James admitted. He frowned, "Peter did this? How did he even find out?"

"We don't know that Peter did anything," he countered. "That's only if we take his word for it."

"Why would he lie?"

"Because he told them."

"He didn't know about Sirius," James pointed out. "He couldn't have-" he stopped mid sentence. He started to get out of bed, "The stupid rat."

"Hey, woah, what's your plan here, James?" Remus asked the boy, trying to encourage him to sit back down. "You can't just charge in with no plan!"

"I don't need a plan," he countered, throwing the blanket back on the bed. "I just need my wand and-"

"I doubt he's alone," he replied. "If what Regulus said is true, then he's going to play it smart. He'll be with the Slytherin's as guards. So sit down," he said, gesturing to the bed, "We'll make a plan when they get back, do you understand?"

"I can't believe that you'd stoop this low," Sirius scoffed, seemingly knowing that his brother was right behind him. They stopped in an abandoned hallway, "You are-"

"Have you ever considered that it has absolutely nothing to do with you?" Regulus interrupted.

Sirius narrowed his eyes, anger clear in his tone, "What?"

"Sirius, we didn't do this to hurt you," he explained. "James would never do that to you. And whether you believe me or not, I wouldn't do it to you either." He shook his head slightly, "We didn't plan this. It just sort of happened."

"You don't get to drag him into your mess, Regulus," Sirius shook his head. "His family saved me. I won't let you hurt him."

"I'm not going to hurt him."

"So then what's your plan, huh?" he asked. "Little momma's boy is finally going to defy his parents? The golden child, no longer golden?" Regulus's expression hardened and Sirius scoffed, "That's what I thought."

"Sirius, this would be harder for me than it was for you, don't you get that?" Regulus said. "You think they'll just accept that both of their sons are done with them? You think they won't react?"

"We'd figure it out-"

"You don't get it!" he exclaimed and Sirius took a step back. "As much as they fought it, they expected you to leave. Andromeda was expected. But me? I've been the picture perfect son. Their last heir. I don't get the luxury to just walk away."

"Yes, you can!"

"Salazar, Sirius, you're so ignorant!" Regulus replied. "Don't you realize what's been going on? That this isn't just about us but about the war? If I leave, they won't just come after me, they'll come after you. They'll come after James. If me staying keeps him safe, I'll do that. It doesn't matter what happens outside of that."

Sirius shook his head, "They'll kill you, in some way. You do know that, right?"

"La vie est faite de petits bonheurs." Life is full of little pleasures. Regulus shook his head, "If it's me or him? We both know there is only one right answer."

"You're right," Sirius agreed after a moment. "He comes first." Regulus frowned, he opened his mouth to speak but Sirius walked away before he could.

Regulus made his way back to the infirmary, a throbbing headache preventing him from trying to process his conversation with his brother. If you could even call it that.

Remus stood up immediately when the door opened and his expression dropped when he saw that it was just Regulus. "He's in a moping mood," he explained, "You may want to check on him. He actually likes you right now."

Remus turned to James and said something to which the boy nodded in response. Regulus approached as Remus left and he closed the curtain around James's bed. "Are you okay?" James asked.

Regulus rolled his eyes as he sat down in the chair next to the bed, "I don't think you're the one who should be asking that question."

"That was a lot," he pointed out, "I'm proud of you Reggie." He placed his hand over his, "Don't forget that."

Regulus smiled sadly, pressing a quick kiss to James's hand. "I should let you get some rest."

"Hey, wait," James said, squeezing Regulus's hand. Regulus looked at the boy and saw the fear that he was trying to mask, "Stay?"

Regulus nodded slowly but he pulled his hands away from James, causing him to frown. He pulled his wand out and moved it slowly, muttering a spell to himself.

"Beautiful," James muttered, in awe of the boy in front of him. He looked up at him, "I'll have you know, these beds are extremely roomy."

Regulus rolled his eyes but the smile broke through. He moved to the bed and James pulled the boy down. They moved until James had his arms wrapped around Regulus's torso and the two were as comfortable as you can get in a hospital bed.

"I love you, too, Jamie," Regulus whispered and James looked up in surprise.

"You do?" Regulus nodded and James smiled before saying, "That's good, because I'm not sure I'll ever stop loving you, Reggie. No matter how hard I may try."