𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄
chapter thirty-three; Breakfast Squabble
" It's alright to be hurt, I stand by that, but it is never alright to be cruel. "

  "HE CAN STAY in my room."

  The only problem any teenager would focus on, was where Regulus Black was going to sleep. It was clear to Euphemia and Fleamont that there were bigger unresolved issues causing tension between the four, and they were all taking it out trying to find a place for Regulus to stay.

  Madeline had offered up her room, but this didn't seem to last very long.

  "No," James snapped instantly, "He might wind up in your bed."

  "James!" Euphemia instantly reprimanded, "Watch your mouth!"

  "She's done one Black brother, I wouldn't be surprised—"

  "James Fleamont Potter," Fleamont said lowly, making James freeze, "I do not know what has gotten into you, but Madeline is your sister, and I won't have you disrespecting her."

  The siblings fell silent.

  "I can sleep on the couch," Sirius offered.

  "I'm not a charity case, I can sleep on the couch," Regulus snapped.

  "I never said—"

  "It was a bad idea for me to even come here," Regulus said suddenly. "I need to go home—"

  "You can't," Sirius said fiercely.

  "You can't tell me what to do!"

  "I'm your big brother!"

  "You stopped being my brother the day you left!" Regulus shouted, "You chose James over me!"

  "Enough!" Fleamont yelled, silencing the teens, "James, you'll sleep in Madeline's room—" James went to protest, "Sirius will stay in his room and Regulus will sleep in James'. I don't want to hear any complaints from any of you."

ϟ

  "It'll blow over by breakfast," Madeline said, allowing the flat sheet to fall onto James' bed. Regulus stood back, allowing the girl to re-dress the mattress. "We fight all the time."

  "I'm used to fighting."

  "I know," She said quieter, tucking the sheet in, "But, really. No one will even remember, and then maybe you and I can pop over to some shops. Or maybe see Blue and Kai—or Lily?"

  "Are you trying to convince me, or yourself?"

  "You," Madeline said quickly, grabbing a white quilt and handing it to Regulus, "Night, Reg."

  He smiled tightly, watching her walk down the hall and let her hand over her doorknob. After a long minute, she twisted it and walked in.

  James was already laying in the makeshift bed on her ground, his back turned towards the wall and away from her bed. Madeline slipped her socks off, dropping them in her clothes hamper, before crawling into her bed. She brought the covers up to her chin, staring into the darkness for far too long.

  "Do you hate me, James?"

  Madeline was tense in every part of her being. Fingers clutching onto covers, teeth tearing off the skin of her lip, legs curled so far into herself she swore it almost hurt.

  And all she could hear was James' steady breathing. He wasn't asleep yet, James snored quite heavily, no he was just laying still. Silent.

  How he remained the entire night.

ϟ

  "I was thinking of taking Regulus shopping today, for clothes and anything else he needs," Euphemia said, breaking the silence that hung over the dining table, "How does that sound, Regulus?"

  "Oh, um," Regulus cleared his throat, "I don't need anything, really."

  "You had to borrow Dad's pajama's yesterday," James said bluntly, "Just go shopping."

  "Don't be rude, James," Madeline snapped.

  "Oh, sticking up for your boyfriends, are you?"

  "That's it," Fleamont said loudly, slamming his silverware down on the table. "Mia, I tried, I did, but I need to know what is going on in my home."

  "Maddie went and screwed Sirius—!"

  "I did not!"

  "Yes, you did!"

  "That's not what happened—!"

  "Mate, you know that's not how it—"

  "Oh, I don't want to hear from you—"

  "James, Madeline, Sirius," Fleamont shouted, "Not a fight! James and Madeline, we've raised you better. And Sirius, you may not be a Potter but you've been here long enough to know how we act, I expect better of all of you."

  Sirius hung his head, whilst both Potter twins frowned deeply. 

  "One at a time, and no yelling."

  "I dated Sirius," Madeline blurted before James could say a word. "And we're not anymore, but it's also not completely over, I'm really confused because I really care about Sirius— and I fancy him, but ever since Nico Keeler I don't know about relationships— plus, I don't want James to hate me because he's my brother and it's all really screwed up!"

  "Alright, Lovie," Euphemia said, standing from her chair and putting an arm around Madeline, "Come on."

  The boys remained silent as Euphemia ushered her daughter away, Madeline obviously in a state of distress none of them had assumed she'd reached.

  "James," Fleamont said after a moment, "It's your turn."

  "They hid it for a year," James said after a long silence, "I just want to keep her safe, Dad."

  "And he's your best friend," Fleamont finished. "It's okay, James, it's alright to be upset about it. To feel like she's taken your best mate."

  James crossed his arms, slinking down in his seat.

  "You're always gonna be my best mate," Sirius said after a moment, "Whatever happens next. You, Remus, Peter, you're my family."

  Regulus shifted in his seat but didn't speak up.

  "No girl can change it, y'know."

  "You two work this out by yourselves," Fleamont sighed, standing, "But no more screaming and fighting. James, you owe your sister an apology. It's alright to be hurt, I stand by that, but it is never alright to be cruel. So I don't want to hear any of you— James, Sirius, Regulus, or even Madeline, so much as calling each other stupid. If you've got to, ignore each other."

  A quiet chorus of agreement spread over the dining room, making Fleamont nod before clearing his, Madeline, and Euphemia's plate.

  "Reg," Sirius said, "Are you okay?"

  Regulus stared at his plate, feeling the gazes of James and Sirius on him. And at last, he stood, clearing his own plate. The last thing he wanted to do was disobey the rules that had just been laid down.

ϟ

  "Alright," Euphemia said gently, dabbing the cold water off of Madeline's face with a fluffy towel. "Better?"

  "A little," Madeline mumbled, sitting on the closed toilet as her mum hung the hand towel back up.

  "Lovie, it's okay to not have everything figured out yet," Euphemia said, turning back to her daughter, "You're only 17."

  "I don't need to have it all figured out, I'd just like to have one thing. . . that I'm sure of."

  "Well, why don't you?"

  "Because I don't have anything to be sure of," Madeline laughed sadly. 

  "Well, if you're looking for it in someone else, you won't find it," The woman said, "Be sure of yourself, Maddie. Everything else falls into place after that."

  "Mum?"

  "Yes, Lovie?"

  "How'd you know. . . that you loved Dad?"

  "I didn't," Euphemia laughed, "I fancied him for a long while. . . and once I had him I made a choice to love him. You can feel attracted to someone, and you can feel like you want to love them, but you have to decide for yourself. If you want to make that commitment, it's not up to your emotions or anyone else, it's all up to you."

  "It's scary."

  "Oh, it always is."

( AUTHOR'S NOTE. )
Sorry it's been a weird gap in
updates but I'm back for the 
most part! I'm back in my hometown
for two weeks (in which I will try to
PUMP OUT updates), and emotionally
scared from Stranger Things 3!
On that topic, I have a Steve Harrington
fic up now, if you're interested! Okay, 
enough rambling, I love Fleamont and Mia
that's all!