@jegulus-microfic April 13, Word count 996

James could not Ski. He’d tried for years. His parents took him every year, but he just didn’t have the balance for it. Even now, at 25, he stayed on the easiest slopes. He watched 8-year-olds surpass him. But even though he was hopeless, he absolutely loved it. The mountains were so beautiful, the air crisp and cold, and the evening wood fires with fresh hot chocolate were to die for. 

One morning, he took the chair lift to the top with his parents, fully intending to take it back down again once he’d taken in the view. But of course. James accident-prone Potter, did not go back down the way he meant to. 

James began to slide backwards without noticing. It was only when, with a puzzled look on his face, he wondered why the trees he was looking at were getting shorter. Did he begin to panic. 

His eyes went wide with horror as he hurtled backwards down the slope. Somehow, he doesn’t quite know how he managed to turn around, so he was at least facing the right way. He started yelling. He’d definitely been happier facing the other way. 

He tried to bring up every lesson he’d ever learnt about Skiing. He managed to slow himself enough to control his descent. That was until the skier clad in a skin-tight black and white snowsuit caught his attention. 

It was as though his skis were attracted to the skier. They turned towards him, and James lost all control. 

“LOOK OUT!!!!” He screamed. The man turned in time to watch James smack into him. They crashed to the ground in a tangle of skis, poles and limbs. 

“What the hell are you playing at?” The other man shouted at him, his cheeks red with anger. James looked at him sheepishly. 

“I’m sorry. I lost control of my skis and couldn’t stop.”

“If you can’t control yourself, you shouldn’t be on this slope. You should be down with the children.” The man sneered at him. James nodded profusely. 

“Yes. Yes, that’s where I normally am, but I accidentally came down this one.” 

“How on earth did you manage that?” The man asked interestedly.

“I came up with my parents and meant to take the lift back down. But, while I was looking at the view. I kind of started sliding backwards, and by the time I realised it was too late.” He flushed with embarrassment. 

“How did you not realise you were moving?” 

“The view was pretty.” He shrugged. The man laughed at him. He tried to stand and hissed when he put weight on his ankle. 

“Damn it.” He tried again and quickly stopped. “Ouch.” He whined. James stood up and was thankfully unharmed. He looked around. They were nearly at the bottom. He could see the bar from here. 

He set his skis in front of him and bent to gather the man’s skis and both sets of poles. 

“Here, hold these.” He told the man as he slipped his hand under him and scooped him into his arms. 

“Ahhhh! What are you doing?” The man panicked. 

“I’m going to get you back down so you can see a doctor.” He didn’t wait for the man to argue. He stood into his skis and set off. Maybe it was the determination to get this man off the slopes, or maybe something had finally clicked, but James skied down the rest of the mountain like a pro. 

He stopped at the bottom, released his feet from his skis and carried the man into the hotel. 

“Hey, can someone get a doctor here? He’s hurt his ankle.” James deposited him on the lobby sofa as gently as possible. “I really am sorry.” He apologised again. “Can I get you anything?” The man shook his head. James hovered awkwardly next to the sofa. 

“Oh, for crying out loud, just sit down.” The man snapped. James flung himself on the sofa in panic. “Ouch! Watch the ankle!” 

“Sorry! Sorry!” James’s hands fluttered uselessly over his ankle. 

“I’m Regulus since you asked,” Regulus told him. 

“Oh-er. James, James Potter.” James held out his hand. 

“It was a pleasure to be almost crushed by you, James.” He smirked, a wicked glint in his eyes. 

“I really am sorry.” James dropped his head, staring at his boots. 

“Did someone ask for a doctor?” A tall, lanky man asked them.

“Yes, Regulus here had an accident while we were skiing,” James told the doctor. 

 My name’s Dr Lupin. I’m going to examine you. Is there anywhere that hurts?”

“Excuse me, I was hit by a clumsy yeti.” Regulus snickered back, ignoring Dr Lupin. 

“Did you hit your head?” The doctor asked worriedly, his hands gently probing across Regulus’s head. Regulus swatted him away. 

“No, the yeti was him,” He pointed at James. Dr Lupin looked between them, confused. 

“Regulus, can you tell me where you’re hurt?” He asked again patiently.

“My ankle,” He pointed at his left foot. Dr Lupin carefully prodded and rotated the joint. 

“Hmm, I don’t think it’s broken. Badly sprained. Keep off it for at least a week and wear this…” Dr Lupin dug out a tubular bandage and handed it to James. 

“Make sure you’re boyfriend takes it easy. Hot chocolate works wonders.” He smiled kindly. 

“Oh-no-he’s not my-we’re not!” James spluttered.

“Hear that, dear? Waited on hand and foot.” Regulus said as he held back his laughter. Dr Lupin looked between them again, realising he was missing something. 

“Well. Here’s my card in case the pain gets any worse.” He handed over the little card and excused himself. James watched the doctor pause when the man who looked eerily like Regulus caught his eye when he was about to walk out the door. 

“So hot chocolate then, love?” He snickered at Regulus, winking and taking great pleasure at the pink colour his cheeks turned. James was going to enjoy this week. He just knew it. 

From Solène Ballesta’s series - Whodunit -, you can see its WIP here.

Picture taken in the Parisian bar Dr LUPIN.