Chapter Text
Monday October 25th, 1999
Day 1
The first thing James noticed when he woke up was the phantom feeling of flesh between his teeth, the taste of iron on his tongue, and a tightness in his pants that he could have sworn was buried in an imaginary hole. His teeth ached, sweat was forming on his brow, and he shivered as the last remnants of his dreams echoed in his ear: a soft, breathy voice saying his name. He stretched and pulled the curtains away from his bed, ignoring how the voice hadn't sounded female.
"Jeez, Prongs, for a second there, I thought we were going to have to drag you out of bed. You alright, mate?” Sirius looks up from where he's going through his trunk, searching for his tie. James grunts, slapping his hand on his desk to find his glasses. Sirius exchanges a look with Peter. “Prongs, are you alright?”
“Fine Pads,” James mutters, then yawns, trying to roll the tension from his shoulders. “I think it's starting early this year. I'll need to talk to Pomfrey before classes and see if my room is ready.”
“Oh shit, seriously?” Peter asks from where he was looking under his bunk, trying to find his shoes. “I thought it was going to be next month.”
“Sirius Orion, actually, but I might change it to Lee when my adoption goes through.” Sirius grins. “It'll open a whole new number of jokes.”
James could only manage a smile while the other two laughed themselves silly at the idea. Sirius Lee Potter; the world wasn't ready for that kind of brilliance. Sirius notices when James yawns again, and he rolls his eyes. “Oh, come on, mate, that was hilarious. You could at least—”
“Not today, Pads.” James sighs and stands up. “I'm going to shower and get ready. Will you guys take notes for me and Remus?”
“Yeah, no problem,” Peter says before Sirius can say something else that might set the other Alpha off. The two of them often like to rile each other when they get close to their ruts, but James has always been better at reading when Sirius is being serious and backing down.
James goes to take a shower and gently scrubs the dried sweat from his skin, his whole body sensitive and sore from his cycle and their late-night activities with Moony. It had been a long full moon, and he felt the heat building up inside him. He stands under the hot water spray, eyes closed, trying to remember the dream he'd been having, attempting to piece together who it was about that made him wake up wanting to bite and rut against his pillow.
“James. Right there.” The voice that had whispered in his ear was definitely not Lily's; it lacked the accent Lily had spent years eliminating and had a certain…something that reminded him of his best friend or his mom when they spoke in another language. He shakes the image of a vague outline from his mind and gets out, leaving the water running for Peter, who was waiting outside the door for his turn. He pulls on his underwear and pants before walking into the dorm, with Peter scurrying in behind him with a change of clothes.
James chooses a comfortable sweater and a casual robe to wear, then hands his tie to Sirius for him to put on. After he's dressed, he begins packing a bag with his books and extra parchment rolls while Sirius sits on his bed, already ready for classes.
“Honestly, James, you should have gone yesterday," Sirius wrinkled his nose as he sat on the bed, trying not to gag as the smell of licorice, the scent of James's rut, started to grow stronger. “Remus would have understood if you missed it because of your rut, mate.”
“I know, but we haven't missed a moon since, well, fifth year... and I’m sure he'd understand, but I had to burn off some extra energy anyway.” James turned to grab the sheets they had set aside last night, just in case, each carrying the scent of his packmates. “Are you guys going to be okay helping him catch up until I’m done?”
“Yeah, no worries.” Sirius stood up. “Are you at least going to come down to breakfast, or are we heading straight for the infirmary?”
“The house elves will bring me something later. I want to prepare the room before the rut begins, or my Alpha will panic about not being in my Den. Plus, we can pick up Moony before you all head down. Knowing him, he's probably trying to sneak out before Pomfrey clears him." James slung both bags over his shoulder.
“Did you remember to get the list of assignments for the week?” Peter asks as he exits the bathroom, fully ready for the day. “I still can't believe you'll be doing homework during the rut instead of relaxing. It's supposed to be a week-long break from school, Prongs.”
“The professors aren't expecting me to complete all of them.” James rolls his eyes as he leaves the dorm with the two boys, climbing up the stairs to the common room. “Ruts are just frustrating, especially when dealing with them alone. While I enjoy a good wank, a week of just that sounds dreadful. The assignments are meant to occupy my lucid moments, Wormy.”
“I have an idea for how to fix that.” As they walk past the common room toward the portrait, Sirius nudges James, who notices Lily Evans chatting with a few younger students. Sirius raises his eyebrows suggestively, making James laugh, and he playfully shoves him, drawing attention from those around them. James sees Lily glance their way, then roll her eyes before returning to her conversation, ignoring them. James deflates, feeling irritation and hopelessness well up inside him, while his Alpha whines in disapproval. He hadn’t even done anything this time besides making noise. Sure, she claimed to hate him, but did she really hate him that much? Sirius notices the interaction, gives him a reassuring pat on the back, and guides them through the portrait hole and down the hall to the main staircase.
They arrive at the infirmary just as Remus is finishing getting dressed. It seems like Pomfrey was allowing him to leave a day early. Sirius lights up the moment he sees him on his feet. “Remus! We’ve come to rescue you!”
“Keep it down, Sirius, you're too loud,” Remus snorts. Peter hands him his bag and a chocolate frog. “Thanks, Pete.”
James chuckles, ignoring Sirius’s complaints behind him. “Hello to you as well, Moony. What am I, dragon liver?”
“Not at all, you're venison jerky,” Peter grins.
Remus chuckles as James dramatically places a hand on his chest, proclaiming his betrayal. Remus rises from the bed. "As dry as your humor is, Wormtail, you'd think you were the jerky. Hello, our deerest Prongs—have you come to bargain your soul with Pomfrey for my release?"
“A noble sacrifice, my friend," James replies with a bow. “The lengths we go for our Moony.”
They chuckle while James adjusts the bags on his shoulder. “Sirius has the map and my cloak, and I've prepared my extra assignments. Thanks for sharing your notes, Rem.”
“Sure, no problem. I suppose it’s partly my fault you're in this situation early this year.” Remus rubs his nose. “I mean..."
James dismisses it casually, saying, "I've always experienced a mild rut during the colder months; it's just the first time it's become more pronounced. Just because stags rut in autumn doesn't mean it has altered my schedule. Relax. Completing our special project doesn't change anything; in fact, it makes sense this way.”
“If you say so,” Remus smiles.
“I do say so,” James grins back.
“You're here early, Mr. Potter," Pomfrey says as she exits her office and moves across the room. "Now, Mr. Lupin, as long as you take it easy, I won't keep you. However, I do recommend that you rest today. You know my rules, boys, and I expect you to make sure he follows them."
“Yes, Madam Pomfrey.” The four of them salute her, making her shake her head.
“Come on, Mr. Potter. I have a private seclusion room ready for you.” She gestures for James to follow her. He waves to his friends as they help Remus out of the infirmary and down to breakfast.
She guides him to the back of the infirmary, stopping at her office door. On the rear wall, another doorway opens to a corridor of private suites. Some are occupied, housing other kids who are receiving special magical treatments or coping with their own ruts and heats. Pomfrey allows him to choose an open room, and he does so, leaving his wand in the containment box outside the door, placing his belongings on the bed, and inspecting the bathroom. The room is odorless, and James can already feel his glands reacting to the lack of scent. His rut is growing, and he feels the instinct to mark his territory. After a brief consultation with the matron, he is left alone to make the space more inviting. He sets the extra sheets on the bed, rubs his itchy wrist glands, and gets to work.
“I'm going to stab her.”
“No, you're not.”
“If she touches you again, then yes, I am.”
“Hello, Evan. Berry.” Regulus lifts his gaze from his book as Barty Crouch Jr. slams his bag on the bench across from him before sitting at the Slytherin table. "Whom are we stabbing?"
“The cunt that's harassing Rosie.” Barty scowls.
“She's as harmless as a flobberworm.” Evan sits down next to Regulus. “Hardly worth the effort it would take to clean up the blood. Just hex her and let Pomfrey handle it.”
“Alright then. Whom are we hexing?” Regulus raised an eyebrow. “And why is she harassing you?”
“My father is currently exploring possible Bonds on my behalf for my postgraduate endeavors.” Evan exhaled through his nose, the sole indication of his restrained frustration with the circumstance. “The individual in question is a Ravenclaw Omega, whose father has advised her to seek my favor. She is exceedingly determined and does not acknowledge my lack of interest."
“The next time she says you can keep me on as a mistress once you Bond, I'm going to make you pop a knot in my throat in the middle of the hallway.” Barty glares at a blonde girl sitting at his own house table, but she dismissively turns her nose up at him. He grits his teeth and spins away. “Fucking bitch thinks she can just come in and steal my Rose cause she's got a soaked cunt.”
"Nobody’s allowed to see you while you’re locked on my knot, Berry. That's for my eyes only." Evan growls at the Beta.
“Unless you ask politely, Archie. We'll always make an exception for you.” Barty winks at Regulus.
“You two are revolting.” Regulus makes a face, making Evan chuckle. “So, which hex should we use?”
“Did you hear that, my Rose?” Barty grins. “I told you he would assist us.”
“Pandora might come after me if I don’t stand up for her favorite future brother-in-law.” Regulus chuckled as Barty’s eyes widened in surprise, his ears flushing with the blush he was trying to suppress. “After two years of coaxing you both to confess your feelings, some Ravenclaw knot-clencher isn't going to undo everything before you elope and inevitably become Bonded.”
Evan snorts. "Are we considering elopement now? Where do you envision, Berry? A tropical destination or maybe somewhere more urban?"
“Anywhere, as long as I get your teeth in me and it pisses off our parents.” Barty throws a grape at the blonde Alpha. “Just not Paris. It’s so fucking clique, and that's the first place your family will go looking. Bunch of fucking Normans.”
“You’re fucking a Norman,” Evan smirks while munching on the grape.
“Oh Rosie, you can have a taste of me anytime—"
"That’s enough from both of you. For Merlin's sake." Regulus sighs.
“Here he comes,” Evan murmured. The three turn toward the doors as Sirius and his friends walk in, laughing and joking. “I suppose that means they’ve officially resolved their fight.”
Regulus nodded in agreement. By the end of their fifth year, a rift had formed between Sirius and his boyfriend Remus, putting a strain on their relationships with James and Peter as well. The entire school was aware of their breakup, which had been triggered by an incident they referred to as "The Last Prank." James Potter had publicly confronted Sirius, accusing him of being fortunate that no charges were pressed and exclaiming loud enough for everyone in Gryffindor Tower to hear that Remus Lupin could have ended up in Azkaban or worse because Sirius had allowed him to take the blame. Upon learning of the situation from the Headmaster, their parents commended Sirius for finally behaving like a respectable Black Heir, having put the half-blood in his place. Regulus believes that comment was the tipping point for his brother; it explains why Sirius fought back more that summer than ever before and ultimately chose to run away. Despite his disdain for his brother's co-dependent relationship with James Potter, Regulus is relieved that the other Alpha does love his brother, as he doubts anything less would have led James to welcome Sirius into his Den and Pack following their altercation. Last year, all four of them had tentatively found a truce for the sake of living together, but most of their issues had been slow to resolve.
"Good," Regulus noted while watching Sirius at the Gryffindor table with his friends. “He will need all the allies he can gather if our parents truly intend to convince Grandfather to disinherit him.”
“Has he made any effort to reach out to you since the school year started?” Barty asks, glancing back.
“No, he has separated himself from the Blacks," Regulus replies sharply.
“Where is his counterpart?" Evan asks, a frown on his face.
Regulus's heart twinges as he shifts his position to look past Barty; James Potter is not with his brother. He scans the table until he notices a particular mug-blood with dark red hair, whom the Potter heir is courting. To his relief, however, she is talking with her classmates, and the boy is nowhere to be seen. They have a strange courtship, pretending not to like each other. He wonders if this is part of the mugs’ culture.
“He was absent halfway through yesterday as well." Regulus shifts his focus to his meal, taking a piece of toast from the platter.
“You would be aware of that, wouldn’t you, Archie?” Barty smiles mischievously. "Are you actually going to do anything about your fixation on the blood-traitor this year?"
Regulus chooses to ignore the flush of embarrassment creeping up his neck. “He has likely done something foolish and found himself in the hospital wing again. Do you recall two years ago when he was confined there for an entire week because he was sprouting antlers? I wouldn't put it past him to have done something as equally moronic as becoming an illegal animagus at fifteen.”
"You said it was cute." Barty snorts. "Think he'd pop them while in a rut? Just imagine you're riding his knot and they start coming out. They'd make some great-"
"Bartemius." Regulus snarls at the boy in warning, and the Beta backs off, going back to his breakfast. Regulus takes a moment to regain his composure and tries not to think about the image Barty had painted for him. It would never happen; James Potter barely acknowledges his existence. But the thought of it causes a heat to rise in his stomach, and an ache in his cunt.
“At least they're keeping their pranks to themselves this year.” Evan huffs, unamused with Barty talking about another Alpha in such a way. That was true; none of the so-called Marauders had even stooped low enough to set off a dung bomb since The Last Prank. In fact, Regulus thought that maybe they hadn’t pranked anyone in the months leading up to it either. Regulus mentally thanks the Alpha for changing the subject.
“Are you going home for Yule this year?” Barty asks him.
“I’ve got my OWLs coming up. My father was understanding when I asked if I could take a break from our holiday traditions to pursue further studies. Mother will support Father’s decision since she wants me to excel academically.” Regulus grins. “I’m secure this year."
“Yes!” Barty hisses excitedly. "That makes all five of us. This could be the highlight of our childhoods.”
“Incoming.” Evan looks up as the owls dive down, eager to grab their mail before it falls onto the food platters. Regulus ignores the newspaper and his mother's letter, choosing instead to finish his toast. Barty glances at a letter from his parents, tucking it away into his robes before returning to his oatmeal. Evan sorts through the mail addressed to himself and Pandora, reading aloud a letter from his father discussing upcoming gatherings where he hopes Evan and Pandora will find potential matches, which makes Barty chuckle.
“What is this?” Evan frowns at the envelope in his hands. “There's no address.”
“Weird.” Barty takes a sip of water. “Are you going to open it here or take it somewhere else so it doesn't explode on us?”
“It's not going to explode,” Evan snorts.
He opens the letter.
The letter explodes.
“What the hell!” Barty's shout catches the attention of the entire Great Hall as he pushes himself away from the table, and the other students around them yelp in shock and quickly back away. A pink liquid spills over all the food in front of them, releasing wisps of smoke and causing some of the younger kids to scream as it rises. Regulus grabs Evan, both of them splattered with the substance, and pulls him away from the table. The Alpha trembles, gasping for breath and coughing, while the Omega tries to ignore the heat rising in his core and the wetness that starts between his legs.
“We have to take him to the hospital wing!" Regulus shouted to his friend as he pulled Evan along. Barty followed on the other side of the table, shoving through students while the teachers tried to restore order in the room. Even Barty’s Beta scent was growing more noticeable.
“Evan!” a girl shouts just as they reach the doors. Barty, helping Regulus, loops one of Evan’s arms around his neck to drag the Alpha, who buries his nose in Barty's neck with a rumble. Regulus glances back briefly, spotting the blonde Ravenclaw girl from earlier struggling through the crowd. He sees Sirius standing on top of the Gryffindor table, scanning for someone. When their eyes meet, he sees Sirius whisper his name, and then they start to move.
“Let’s go!” Other kids who had been sitting nearby when Evan opened the letter joined them as they climbed the stairs. They all shared the same goal: to get to the infirmary for Pomfrey’s examination.
“What happened?” she demands as the crowd enters and finds places to wait.
“Rosier opened a letter, which detonated with some liquid that gave off pink smoke. Black and Crouch were closest to him.” One of the other Slytherins pointed them out, prompting Pomfrey to approach swiftly. She cast a spell over them, her nostrils flaring and her eyes flashing angrily. She waved her wand, and a cat Patronus materialized at her feet. Her voice emerged as a low growl as she addressed it.
"Go to Albus and tell him to come here immediately with the damn letter!" The cat quickly slipped out through the open door, and Madam Pomfrey called for the other assistant medi-witches before she turned to the gathered students. "We need to check your glands. You might have been exposed to an overdose of an Enhancer. If we can give you the antidote quickly, you’ll avoid the effects of an artificial cycle and should be able to return to your classes. Mr. Rosier!”
They dragged a sweating, panting Evan closer to them. His face was red, and Regulus didn't need to see his glands to know Evan was already affected. He could smell the pre-rut on his friend and feel the pre-heat building in his own body. Pomfrey could tell as well. She checks them over with pursed lips and moves on to another student. “You three need to find empty seclusion rooms!”
They passed her as she and the medi-witches divided the other kids into groups: those already in artificial cycles and needing the seclusion rooms, those who had been dosed but could receive the antidote, and those who would be released after a more thorough checkup. Barty led them through her office into the seclusion corridor, to the first open room he could find, and they dragged Evan onto the bed.
“Reg, get out,” Evan growls. “I can smell you; you need to leave.”
“Come on, Berry.” Regulus grabbed Barty's arm but released it when Evan snarled, quickly lifting his own arm to wrap around Barty's waist and pull him closer.
“I suppose that means this is practice for our honeymoon.” He grins, nervous as he passes his wand to Regulus, then reaches into Evan’s sleeve to retrieve his wand holster and hands Evan’s wand to him as well. Regulus hesitated, and Barty gestured toward the door while Evan pressed his nose against Barty’s throat, taking a deep breath. “I'll be fine. Go! I'm here, my Rose, I'm not going anywhere.”
Regulus leaves, slamming the door shut, and places both of their wands in the containment box outside the room, then activates the quarantine wards. It would lock them in for five days, until Evan's rut ends, or if one of them becomes so severe that they need to be moved to St. Mungo's Red Ward. Looking around for an open door, Regulus notices that none of the others are immediately available, so he begins searching for an unlocked one. After encountering four locked and runed doors, he finds one that opens when he turns the handle. A commotion at the end of the hall catches his attention, and he turns to see three fourth-year Betas trying to force a seventh-year Alpha into one of the rooms. The Alpha's eyes meet his.
Shit. Regulus scowls and pulls out his wand to place it into the containment box. The Alpha shakes two of them off and lunges toward him. Regulus casts a leg-binding jinx at him, but the Alpha dodges. A wave of heat courses through him, causing him to stagger back a step and then another, until he comes to a stop in front of the next door, trying to create distance between them. The Alpha lunges again, pinning Regulus to the door. Regulus clenches his teeth, jabbing his wand into the other male's stomach as a clear threat, while reaching up to grab him by the throat when the Alpha tries to bury his nose in his glands. He pushes the Alpha away, causing a growl of displeasure from the older boy. Ignoring the Alpha's attempt to turn his head away, Regulus nearly yells for help but freezes when he feels a hand reach under his sweater to tug at the waistband of his pants. The Alpha shakes Regulus’s hand from his neck, and Regulus quickly moves to protect his own neck as he feels teeth sink into his arm. The Alpha then shoves a hand into his pants and underwear and cups him. He recoils against the wall, shocked by the blatant assault.
He was a pure-blood. This Alpha was attacking an Omega from an Ancient and Noble House. He feels a finger breach his wet cunt just as the Alpha tears at his shirt, and he remembers that his wand was still in his hand.
He doesn't know what spell he cast, only that the Alpha was sent flying back down the hall with a howl that finally prompts two sixth years to move in and help contain him. A chunk of Regulus's arm was missing, the front of his shirt had been torn away, and the button was missing from his pants. Shaking, he hurried inside the room behind him and activated the wards. He feels the snarl reverberate through the door as the Alpha crashes against it, unable to reach the Omega in time. Regulus feels his eyes burn with relief as he rests his head against the door.
Safe.
“What the bloody hell is going on?”
He spoke too soon.
Regulus turned to see James Potter, a towel around his neck and a toothbrush in hand, standing in the doorway of the bathroom. His hair is the tamest Regulus has ever seen—wet and curling adorably around his ears and against his forehead. Before Regulus could reply, another growl sounded from the other side of the door, prompting him to jump away from it, wand aimed at it just in case the Alpha broke through. He pants, glaring at the door as he tries to cover his ruined clothes with his cloak.
James watches in confusion. "What on earth are you doing here? You shouldn't be here! Why would Pomfrey let you in here?"
“She's a bit preoccupied," Regulus snaps back. "If this is some twisted prank by you and my brother, Potter, I swear—"
“I haven't done anything,” James protests. “Except be here, in my private room that I've booked for the past two weeks."
“So it wasn't you and my brother?” Regulus shifts his glare from the door to James.
“What do you mean it wasn't us?” James snaps back, irritated that Regulus was accusing him of something he knew nothing about.
“Someone slipped an Enhancer into a letter meant for Evan Rosier, and it exploded when he opened it, affecting half of Slytherin and Ravenclaw," Regulus growled. "Pomfrey's trying to get everyone into rooms to endure the worst of it if she can't heal them. Otherwise, she's sending them to St. Mungo’s for treatment.”
James’s eyes widen in shock as he drops his toothbrush. However, when he speaks, his voice is cold and detached in a way Regulus had never heard before, making him tense. “Do you genuinely believe we’re capable of something like that? Sirius and I would never stoop to such a level. Sure, we might find some…questionable activities amusing, and maybe our pranks are a little dangerous at times, but drugging people with Enhancers is something we would never do, Regulus Arcturus Black.”
“Tch. I wouldn’t put it past you to think something like that was funny, but I suppose even you wouldn’t be so cruel as to hit first-years with it, and force them to present before they're ready.” Regulus turned his attention to the room. The clothes, the bag of books, and the bed with extra sheets, on which he could smell the scent of others, were all there. Even the room itself was filled with the Alpha's scent; the musk of Alpha pheromones, the bite of cinnamon and cloves, the crispness of apples, spiced chai, and the faint smell of licorice indicating to Regulus that James wasn't lying about his rut.
“Shit.” The younger Omega spun back toward the door and tried to open it, ignoring the sweat pooling at the back of his neck. If he could reach the other room—the empty one next door... It was still locked, the runes glowing in the doorframe showing that the wards were active. They should be able to open from the inside—why wasn’t it working? His wand. Of course, his wand was messing with the runes' magic. He forgot to put it in the containment box outside. “Shit!”
“Regulus—” The Omega stepped away from the door, avoiding James, who stayed rooted at his new spot by the entrance. He hadn't realised the Alpha was approaching him. He felt trapped in a room with an Alpha who wasn't family, and he was going through an artificial heat.
“Reg—”
“Stay away from me!” Regulus growled, clutching his cloak tighter around himself.
James remains in place, watching him, which causes Regulus to bristle and bare his teeth. This wasn't how he'd imagined this happening; it wasn’t supposed to happen at all, but especially not like this, where neither of them could walk away at any point. The room feels suffocating, and sweat pools at his neck, dampening his hair. It drips down his temple, and tremors run through his body as his stomach cramps. He senses James's gaze intensifying with each symptom. The artificial heat rises, and an Alpha stands directly in front of him, blocking the locked door.
“Regulus—” As James takes a step closer to the door, he notices the younger Omega watching him closely, analyzing his movements. His arm was bleeding, and James frowned at the sight of torn skin. The frown deepened at the way Regulus held his clothes, as if trying to hide something. He catches Regulus's gaze shifting to the open bathroom door, and the Omega sprints across the room to dash inside, slamming the door closed behind him. James doesn’t intervene as Regulus locks himself in. With a sigh, he rubs his face with the towel draped around his neck before trying to turn the doorknob.
Enhancers; perfect, just perfect. Artificial heats are terrible, and his mother often talked about the horrifying things she'd seen at St. Mungo's because of them. Since becoming an animagus, James has become more sensitive to smells, and he can smell Regulus even from here. The scent wafting from the bathroom—the bite of mint, mouthwatering chocolate, tart cherries, and the pheromones that gather in the back of his throat like thick, sugary syrup that makes his thirst increase—all signal the start of Regulus's growing heat.
“Did you seriously activate the wards with your wand in the room?” he calls out.
“Shut up, Potter!”
That was a yes. Damn. They were helpless until their cycles finished or time ran out. The runes acted as heavy suppressants, blocking accidental magical outbursts while the wizard inside was being treated. Magical cores in wands often interfered with the ward's ability to suppress a wizard's magic, so Pomfrey made them leave their wands outside while the wards were active. They were trapped unless they got outside help.
James swallowed, fighting the urge to rush into the bathroom and stick his head under the faucet. The scent of Regulus’s pheromones lingered in his mouth, tempting his Alpha and making him feel like he needed to drink something. Sirius might have been estranged from his blood family and still upset about his brother's involvement in everything, but he would kill him if he found out James had spent a cycle with his little brother, no matter if he had done anything other than share the same space as him.
That was, if Regulus didn't kill him first.
He finished drying his hair and sat at the desk, pulling out his wireless and Transfiguration homework. He would wait for the other boy to come out when he was ready. Setting it to the right channel for a Quidditch match starting soon, he got to work, humming along with the radio.
…
Regulus stares at the bathroom door, waiting for the Alpha to try to talk to him, push his way into the bathroom, or do anything else. When he hears the radio, he frowns and steps toward the door, slowly opening it. James is at the desk, busy with homework of all things. Without looking up, he says, “Feel better now?”
“I'm stuck in here with an Alpha in rut, and I’m entering heat myself," Regulus growled. “I'll feel safer once the wards are down.”
“Good luck with that. Just let me know if you succeed so I can hide in the bathroom,” James hums. “I'd rather not attack someone for invading my space while I’m like this.”
“You haven't attacked me yet.” Regulus narrowed his eyes.
“I can't get you medical help with the wards active without risking both of us ending up in St. Mungo’s Red Ward. That would cause our parents to rush to the hospital while they put us in induced comas and give us artificial hormones. It’s a big hassle, especially if we waste their time.” James glances at him briefly before returning to his work. “I haven't fully claimed the room yet, so as long as you don't provoke or challenge me, you should be okay.”
Challenge him? Regulus blinked in disbelief. “I'm not Sirius.”
“I'm aware.” James turns around and grins at him.
Regulus scowls. “What I mean is, I'm not an Alpha. I'm not going to challenge you for territory.”
“I'm also fully aware of your dynamic.” James tapped his nose, and Regulus stiffened as he realized that James could smell his heat. “Being an Omega doesn't mean you can't challenge me if you want to. But even if you did, this was my room first, so there.”
James sticks his tongue out, and Regulus glares at him. “You are so fucking childish!”
"And you need a shower.” James stands up and moves toward the bed where his spare clothes are kept. He unloads them onto the bed, then offers Regulus the bag and a set of clothes. “The hot water will help with the cramps, and you can put your clothes in this bag. Just leave it in the bathroom when you're done. You can wear these.”
“My clothes—”
“Still have the Enhancer on them,” James cuts him off. “The last thing either of us needs is to enter our cycles with that in the room. Go. Shower.”
Regulus hesitates, then takes the clothing and the bag. He pauses at the bathroom door. “Thank you.”
“Seriously, Reg, go now.” Regulus could see the other boys' nostrils flare. He was taking in the scent of the Enhancers and Regulus's heat. The younger boy enters the bathroom and locks the door. He tries to avoid taking deep breaths as he removes his ruined school uniform. He then empties the closet of towels and spare sheets, puts the uniform in the bag, and locks it in the closet, hoping to further diminish the odor. Afterward, he flips the switch for the decontamination vents, turns on the shower, and quickly cleans himself off, careful of the bite wound on his arm.
…
James inhales shallowly as Regulus goes into the bathroom, swallowing his spit to quench his thirst. He moves toward the front door, feeling the itch in his wrist glands again. Rubbing them until they shine, he slides his hands over the door, the glowing, rune-covered frame, and the handle. Regulus's scent would only strengthen his rut, and having an injured Omega in his territory, especially his best friend's younger brother, has put James's Alpha on high alert. Sirius belonged to James’s pack, while Regulus was part of Sirius's, which was perhaps the only reason James could hold back from attacking the Omega. The scent of his blood and heat made James's heart race, and he wasn't sure if he wanted him or wanted him dead. The idea of either made him bristle. While he could admit that the younger boy was attractive—he's a Black, so obviously he would be—he'd never thought of Regulus as anything other than Sirius's blood-supremacist little brother. So the fact that his Alpha pegged him as an available, fertile Omega was enough to make James want to throw himself off the Astronomy Tower. As for wanting to kill him… he’d need a stronger reason than Regulus entering his room uninvited to act on that impulse. As long as Regulus avoids making James's Alpha feel threatened, James should be able to convince his Alpha that they are protecting a vulnerable packmate, just as he did with Remus over the summer during his last rut while the Beta was recovering from a tough moon. Because, as much as James didn't care if Regulus died, Sirius did. James would never intentionally do anything to hurt his best friend.
Regulus re-entered the room just as James was scenting the walls. Usually, he'd feel embarrassed if someone saw him rubbing his head against it as if trying to scratch an itch, but right now, he couldn’t care less. Regulus moved to the bed and sat down, draping one of the sheets over his bare legs as the shorts rode up his thighs. James stared for only a second — the Omega was wearing his clothes, curled up in his Den, his scent was on him... his Omega? — watching the subtle pale skin disappear under Sirius’s blanket before he continued to scent the room silently, briefly pausing by the bed to smell its frame. He frowned at Regulus and the bandage on his arm, and Regulus held his wand up to point at him, scooting further up the mattress. James sniffed again and then ignored him to check the desk. The only area Regulus noticed he avoided was the bathroom—neutral ground. Once James seemed satisfied that the room smelled like him, he grabbed a fluffy pillow from the end of the bed and sat back down at the desk to continue his homework, occasionally running his wrist glands over the pillow to scent it and relieve the itch. The radio continued to play a recap of last week's Quidditch game.
“Is this really what you mean to accomplish all week?” Regulus asks, lowering his wand but not putting it away. “You're doing your homework while listening to Quidditch? I thought you were in a rut?"
“Basically,” James hums. “And a rut is just a natural reaction to the shortening or lengthening of daylight and a change in weather, usually colder, caused by an increase in testosterone that tells us subconsciously to find a mate and breed. It’s just biological impulses that the media have romanticized to sell sex and superficial beauty standards. I usually train for Quidditch to sweat it out when I'm home, but this is the first time I've experienced a mature rut while at school. I guess it’s a puberty thing since I have two of them a year now. Spending it here is more for the sake of other people not having to smell me getting a random boner at all hours of the day and night. It makes the others uncomfortable to smell an Alpha in rut just walking around. What, did you expect me to spend a week straight just wanking myself whenever I felt the itch?”
“Don’t you?” James’s explanation baffled Regulus; he thought he was an idiot. Everyone said that James Potter was lucky to be naturally talented at things because they believed he was too stupid to achieve anything that required effort. His parents had left the explanation of their dynamics to the family healer, who only described what to expect during his heat cycle and the basics of what a rut was. What James said was almost exactly what his healer had; that was practically a textbook explanation, without all the flowery language.
“Some people do,” James shrugs, looking uncomfortable. “I don't, though. I think I'd get bored eventually. Can we not talk about this? No offense, but we don't know each other well enough to discuss my masturbation habits. Unless you're planning on sharing yours as well.”
“You're disgusting.” Regulus scoffs.
“Gee, thanks.” James rolls his eyes. “You started it.”
“I did not start talking about you masturbating.”
“Yes, you did. You started that conversation.”
“No, I did not.”
“Uh-huh,” James murmured before writing something down.
Regulus scowls and grabs a pillow to throw at the older boy. Suddenly, James looks up, and they both freeze. A low rumble comes from James's chest, a warning from the Alpha. Regulus quickly releases the pillow. James's eyes are almost maroon when they meet Regulus's, and his Omega instincts scream for him to look away, to submit. Instead, he keeps his gaze, even as the rumbling subsides. Finally, James looks away, clears his throat, and grabs another textbook to place on the desk closest to the Omega.
“Here. There's something to read so you don’t go stir-crazy staring at these same four walls while I finish this essay. Or you could take a nap or do whatever you like.” James massages the back of his neck. “I mean, you're going into heat, right? I can arrange something else if you need the bed to nest.”
Regulus watches him for a second before grabbing the book—it's the seventh year's Potions book—and sliding back onto the bed until his back rests against the wall. He positions it on his knees and begins to read. The shower had helped to wash away most of the Enhancer's effects since he was no longer covered in it and inhaling it, but his stomach still cramped with arousal. Regulus observes as James's hands tighten on his quill with each cramp, as if he can smell him getting wetter. They remain silent, the only sounds coming from the turning of pages in Regulus’s book, the scratching of James's quill against parchment, and the Quidditch game on the radio. Even when lunch arrives on a platter by the door, and later dinner, neither of them speaks a word to the other for the rest of the day.