The first quarter moon was hanging in the sky, painting the grounds of Hogwarts silver. James moved through the courtyard at the base of Ravenclaw tower, tucked beneath the invisibility cloak, eyes scanning the shadows. He had taken this route purposefully, hoping to glimpse whoever it was he was meeting. The grounds appeared quite empty, though, save for a quick glimpse at Mrs. Norris, who was chasing mouse in the brush along the walls closest to the green houses, and James carefully gave her a lot of berth so as to avoid being smelled.

He crept to the foot of the Bell Towers and leaned against the cold stone, breathing as shallowly as he could to keep his scent and sound discreet, and turned his wrist to see his watch. The moonlight lit the face, beneath which moved Mickey Mouse's pointed fingers. It had been about fifty minutes since he had received the scroll. He was about to move forward for the handle of his wand to unlock the door out onto the grounds when a door to his right opened and he held his breath, staying still as a figure emerged at a run.

The figure darted out into the dark, sprinting for the shadows of the brush at the far side of the courtyard, and threw itself amongst the branches, startling Mrs. Norris, who darted out into the center of the yard with her tail pouffed up before turning back to examine what had come up. She snuffed the air carefully, and James squinted at where the branches were swaying from the propulsion of the runner entering them. The door to his right swung once more as the branches stilled, and Argus Filch emerged next, panting heavily. He looked infuriated and red in the face, as he hurried into the moonlight and looked around with a squinty-eyed expression of suspicion.

"Know yer out here," he hissed, "And when I find you, Sirius Black, I'll hang you by your ankles in the dungeons, whatever Dumbledore says!"

James immediately started inching towards the brush, quietly as could be. Sirius must have awakened and followed him somehow, he realized. He edged along, trying to only take steps as Filch did to try and mask the sound of his footsteps with Filch's steps. "Sirius," he hissed as he approached the brush. "Oi mate I'm here against the wall. Under the cloak. Wave one of the branches. I'll come over."

A branch wagged obediently.

"I see ya," James whispered, and he side stepped slowly toward the brush.

Filch turned their way as James's trainer caught a pebble and James froze entirely. Filch took a step in the direction of the brush. James licked his lip and edged closer as Filch walked, and he reached the brush, facing Filch, and quickly hiked the back of the cloak up for Sirius to see his ankles and he heard the brush rustle and felt Sirius's body smack into his own as he leaped beneath the cloak just as Filch leaped for the brush and the two boys under the cloak moved out of the way.

They moved quickly toward the Bell Tower door as Filch tugged at the branches, swearing and fuming loudly, searching for Sirius in the brush. "Unlock the door," James said, looking back and he heard a muttered alohamora and the lock clicked and they hurried out the door, slamming it shut behind them as Filch continued spluttering across the courtyard.

Outside, James tugged the cloak off and tucked it into his robes, realizing as he did that his wand wasn't in the pocket he thought it was, and turned about to face Sirius. "Mate, you didn't happen to bring along my —"

But it wasn't Sirius behind him.

It was Regulus Black.

"Regulus?" James said in surprise.

Regulus nodded then put a hand to his mouth - a motion to stay quiet - and he nodded at the stables away in the distance, indicating for James to follow along after him. James hesitated. Going to the Care of Magical Creatures stable and library had been one thing when he'd thought he had his wand but now — Now he was unsure. He glanced back up at the turrets and spires of Hogwarts and the moonlight glowing on the edges like an outline. It was also entirely different if Regulus Black was going the same direction. He didn't know if he ought to allow Regulus to see where he was going or not, given that he hadn't any idea what he was going into there in the first place. It occurred to him perhaps Regulus was going the same place. But who would summons both himself and Regulus Black?

"Potter," Regulus hissed, urging him, breaking into James's thoughts.

James bit his lip, hesitation, weighing his options. He could go back to the dormitory but most likely be caught by Filch on the way, or else he could go on with Regulus, hoping no occasion in which he would need his wand would arise. Regulus stared at him, his expression a desperate urging.

Finally, James stepped toward the stables, though a bit stiffly.

"Hurry before the bloody old cooter comes after us!" Regulus hissed.

If Regulus was to go along with him, James reasoned, then at least Regulus had his wand on him - James could see it stuck through his belt loop in the back. He trusted Regulus, at least to a certain extent, and didn't suspect that he would be trying to kill him or else to hand him over to the Dark Lord. Regulus would be more likely to help James fight than to hand him over. And so he decided to follow.

They stole across the grass beneath the moon and ducked beneath low hanging branches of trees lining the path to the stables. James glanced back over his shoulder, worried Filch might be following, but there was not a soul to be seen. He glanced up and saw he Headmaster's office light glowing far above and wondered what was keeping Dumbledore up so late. A part of him hoped Dumbledore would look out and spot them and be on his way down, just in case, but if the Headmaster looked out, it was in the blink of an eye and James didn't see him at it.

The stables were aging and looking a bit worn for their time. James came up behind Regulus on the path as he reached them and pushed the door opened. James followed into the dark inside, which smelled of beasts and straw.

"Lumos," Regulus said, holding his wand aloft. He glanced back at James with a curious expression.

"I haven't got mine," James said.

"Haven't got your wand?" Regulus looked at James with concern. "Bloody hell, why not?" His voice was just above a whisper.

"Forgot it," James shrugged. Then, "Don't get on me for it, your brother already does that plenty."

Regulus made a face like it was quite a challenge to keep his tongue, but he managed at it and turned to walk across the wide floor of the stable, his wandtip glowing. "You're rather a dolt for coming down here without it," Regulus said.

"Yeah," James agreed because he couldn't exactly argue the point. He glanced around, then, "D'ya know who sent for us?"

Regulus had opened the Library door and stepped just inside, waving his wand to illuminate the lamps. "Well I did, of course," he said. "Didn't you see the signature?"

"Signature?" James reached into his jumper pocket to pull out and smooth out the letter he'd received. He hadn't noticed before, but at the very bottom of the page was a scrawled monogram: R.A.B. "Well. Look at that."

Regulus raised an eyebrow.

James looked up. "So you sent it, then?"

Regulus nodded.

"With your elf, I presume?" James realized the telltale crack of an apparating house elf would have been that which had awakened him from his dream state. He folded up the letter, tucking it into his jumper pocket again, and boldly asked, "What do you want, Regulus?"

Regulus drew a deep breath, "I need your advice."

"My advice?" James asked, and his brow cinched.

Regulus nodded. "You're still the leader of the Order of the Phoenix aren't you?"

James had very near to forgotten the organization, and he felt a surge of guilt for having done. "Yeah, I s'pose," he answered with a half shrug. Then, "What of it, Reg?"

"It's just that you've faced You Know Who several times now, and you've come off alright," Regulus said, and he paused, rubbing the back of his neck and looking about, as though he expected someone else to be in the Care of Magical Creatures library at such an hour. "How did you do it?"

"How did I do it?" James repeated, confused. "Do what, exactly?"

"Face him," Regulus said. "Without being scared out of your wits?"

James chuckled and looked about. Spotting a chair, he walked over and fell into it heavily. "Bloody hell, Regulus, you can't possibly mean to think that I wasn't absolutely knackered with fright?"

"I mean, I saw you face him and not be afraid," Regulus pressed.

James shook his head, "Then I put off a great illusion and fooled you is all."

Regulus sat in a chair across from James, right on the edge of the cushion, leaning forward so as to lean against his knees. He stared at his trainers a long moment, absorbing the information. Finally, he looked up. "There's something going on that I'm trying to piece together," he said, "I don't dare at saying too much, but if I do figure it out one day, will you help me?"

"What?"

"I can't say too much," Regulus insisted.

James said, "Help you to do what, though?"

"Whatever it is that needs doing to — to stop him," Regulus said.

James replied, "I'd do anything to stop him, Regulus." Then, "Anything."

Regulus nodded, "Alright." He shuffled his feet nervously then expelled a good deal of air. "Oh gods, I'm honestly just so terrified of everything, I wish it was easier."

James asked, "Are you in trouble, Reg?"

Regulus smiled sadly, "Aren't we all in trouble? All of the time? This whole world?"

James replied, "Yes but —" He paused, then, "You don't have to do whatever it is you're doing alone. I'll help you figure it out. You don't gave to face him alone. You don't have to be a part of —"

Regulus pulled up his sleeve to show the Mark. "Don't I?"

James stared at the blackness of it on Regulus's pale skin. It turned his stomach. "You don't." Regulus covered the Dark Mark back up, and James breathed in relief. "You can run the same as Sirius has, you know."

Regulus resolutely stared at his feet.

"Mum and Dad would help you just the same. You could come home with us for holiday, just disappear. Escape."

Regulus let himself picture it. Pancake breakfasts across the table from his brother - seeing Sirius everyday and laughing at jokes with him - becoming a fifth Marauder, and going on their adventures, going camping under the starlight and the moonlight... He pictured Mrs. Potter hugging him as he'd seen her do Sirius on Platform 9 3/4 before and imagined Mr. Potter calling him "son"... He pictured being happy and safe.

But there was no happy and safe place. James himself was proof of it. There was a small scar on his cheek, very faint but there none the less, that had been a gift of Voldemort's torture. There was no place safe with the Dark Lord at large. Everywhere was potentially a dangerous zone.

Regulus shook his head, "I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm the only one on the inside that's fighting against him, aren't I? And there's something - something he said - that I've got to figure out. I'd rather him gone for good than to run away for myself."

James nodded. Then, "That right there. That's how I did it."

"What is?"

"Being brave enough to want him gone more than wanting to run away," James said. "It's the only way to face him - or any fear, for that matter. Staying and fighting has to be more important than running away."

Regulus nodded.

They got up and headed back into the castle. To avoid Filch, they went 'round to the Entrance Hall and snuck past the Great Hall. At the stairwell, before they were to go their separate ways, James paused and said, "Oi. Regulus."

"What?"

"If you think on it and change your mind, you can always come, alright? Just an owl away. Okay? Don't forget that. There's always somewhere to run if the time comes."

"Thanks," Regulus said.

James said, "He wouldn't know if you visited, at least."

Regulus said, "Maybe."

"I reckon Sirius would like it a good deal," James added.

Regulus felt a lump in his throat. "Alright."

"Anytime," James added. "Even if all you stay for is a sandwich or a hullo or a bit of advice. Anytime at all."

Regulus nodded. "Just promise you'll help me when I've figured it out?"

James solemnly said, "I'll be there the instant you do, and we'll take care of it together. The very moment. I swear it, Reg."

Regulus watched James go up the staircase before turning to the steps leading into the dungeons.