Destruction
It had started out so simply, just like things of this nature always did. While idly wrapping a scarf around his neck, James heard a familiar, almost scared voice mutter "I wonder if he ever looked back."
Not being one to miss an opportunity, James wheeled around and followed the voice. It came from a boy not quite as tall as he, younger in age, but with hair just as dark. While James' hair stood in unruly spikes, Regulus Black's hair lay perfectly flat, as if every part of his body had to follow an order. The shorter boy was leaning against a stone wall and quickly looked away when James approached. This drew a smirk to James' face. He was ready for some fun, and already this was highly amusing.
Once he closed the distance between he and Regulus, James stood in front of him, nearly toe to toe and slapped his hand hard against the wall directly within Regulus' line of sight. This forced Regulus into a jump, and he turned his head to face James' baby-voiced greeting of "Awww, what do you mean, ickle Reggie?"
The way Regulus tried to set his jaw to look more confident than he was was almost humorous. It took all of James' efforts to not burst out laughing at the way his lips trembled an his voice shook when Regulus barely managed a retort of "None of your business, Potter."
He had managed to hold back his laughter, but at this James couldn't help but let a grin grow unsuppressed. If it weren't for the situation it would look almost sincere. His eyes shone with delight and his lips parted to bare his teeth in a sinister smile. "It is my business! You're talking and I'm here to listen."
"Yeah. Like I'm going to buy that. I don't trust you. And I don't like you."
Canting his head to the side, James asked in an innocent, soft tone which betrayed his current demeanor, "What's there to not trust? And why don't you like me? What have I ever done to you besides call you affectionate nicknames?"
"You mean horrendously annoying and embarrassing nicknames. I don't trust or like you because all you ever do is hex me and make fun of me. Not exactly things that make people like you, genius."
Regulus' attempt at bravery would have been cute if it weren't so pitiful. "Sirius calls you the same things! I'm only being brotherly to you. C'mon, let me be one of the family. Plenty of people like me." James paused to give his next set of words time to linger "Who likes you, Regulus?"
The front of courage instantly vanished from Regulus' face. This was getting better and better. "Piss off, Potter. Don't speak to me." Then turning away from the arm, Regulus walked through the gap between them. James let him walk a few steps as he reflected on how the younger Black's voice croaked out his last statement like a dying frog.
Before he could get any further, James steeled his own voice and called to Regulus' back "What are you doing? I didn't say you could leave, Black." His hand flew into his pocket where he deftly withdrew his wand with a practiced motion. "Petrificus totalus!"
Regulus instantly froze fell to the ground, smacking his chin against the floor. James easily stepped across the path to Regulus, purposefully taking his time to make Regulus wait for him and worry, then rolled him onto his back with a foot. "I'd use my hands to make you look at me," he sneered coldly, "but I don't know where someone like you has been." He then planted his foot square in Regulus' chest, like an explorer laying conquest to a slab of dirt. "I'm going to call you whatever I want to call you, got that?"
It was so rewarding to look into Regulus' eyes in that moment. They were the only part of his body that he had any hope of control over, and he didn't even have the dignity to hold back the tears that now rolled down his cheeks. "I think I've made myself clear." James stayed hovering over Regulus for a full minute, watching his friend's brother cry helplessly as he lay on his back. Then after he'd gotten bored and had enough, James kicked Regulus' shoulder before walking away, not bothering to unbind him, and left the Slytherin for someone else to find.
escape_my_sins used with permission
Not being one to miss an opportunity, James wheeled around and followed the voice. It came from a boy not quite as tall as he, younger in age, but with hair just as dark. While James' hair stood in unruly spikes, Regulus Black's hair lay perfectly flat, as if every part of his body had to follow an order. The shorter boy was leaning against a stone wall and quickly looked away when James approached. This drew a smirk to James' face. He was ready for some fun, and already this was highly amusing.
Once he closed the distance between he and Regulus, James stood in front of him, nearly toe to toe and slapped his hand hard against the wall directly within Regulus' line of sight. This forced Regulus into a jump, and he turned his head to face James' baby-voiced greeting of "Awww, what do you mean, ickle Reggie?"
The way Regulus tried to set his jaw to look more confident than he was was almost humorous. It took all of James' efforts to not burst out laughing at the way his lips trembled an his voice shook when Regulus barely managed a retort of "None of your business, Potter."
He had managed to hold back his laughter, but at this James couldn't help but let a grin grow unsuppressed. If it weren't for the situation it would look almost sincere. His eyes shone with delight and his lips parted to bare his teeth in a sinister smile. "It is my business! You're talking and I'm here to listen."
"Yeah. Like I'm going to buy that. I don't trust you. And I don't like you."
Canting his head to the side, James asked in an innocent, soft tone which betrayed his current demeanor, "What's there to not trust? And why don't you like me? What have I ever done to you besides call you affectionate nicknames?"
"You mean horrendously annoying and embarrassing nicknames. I don't trust or like you because all you ever do is hex me and make fun of me. Not exactly things that make people like you, genius."
Regulus' attempt at bravery would have been cute if it weren't so pitiful. "Sirius calls you the same things! I'm only being brotherly to you. C'mon, let me be one of the family. Plenty of people like me." James paused to give his next set of words time to linger "Who likes you, Regulus?"
The front of courage instantly vanished from Regulus' face. This was getting better and better. "Piss off, Potter. Don't speak to me." Then turning away from the arm, Regulus walked through the gap between them. James let him walk a few steps as he reflected on how the younger Black's voice croaked out his last statement like a dying frog.
Before he could get any further, James steeled his own voice and called to Regulus' back "What are you doing? I didn't say you could leave, Black." His hand flew into his pocket where he deftly withdrew his wand with a practiced motion. "Petrificus totalus!"
Regulus instantly froze fell to the ground, smacking his chin against the floor. James easily stepped across the path to Regulus, purposefully taking his time to make Regulus wait for him and worry, then rolled him onto his back with a foot. "I'd use my hands to make you look at me," he sneered coldly, "but I don't know where someone like you has been." He then planted his foot square in Regulus' chest, like an explorer laying conquest to a slab of dirt. "I'm going to call you whatever I want to call you, got that?"
It was so rewarding to look into Regulus' eyes in that moment. They were the only part of his body that he had any hope of control over, and he didn't even have the dignity to hold back the tears that now rolled down his cheeks. "I think I've made myself clear." James stayed hovering over Regulus for a full minute, watching his friend's brother cry helplessly as he lay on his back. Then after he'd gotten bored and had enough, James kicked Regulus' shoulder before walking away, not bothering to unbind him, and left the Slytherin for someone else to find.
escape_my_sins used with permission