#euphemia

Euphemia enjoying her stay at the sea, ... darling that might not be the smartest spot to sunbath on.

@abductedhiko

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When Regulus moved in with the Potters, he spent most of his time hidden in his room. He feared that if he said one wrong thing, they would throw him out. Any small slip-up was worthy of punishment in his parents’ eyes. They were obligated to let him stay, especially after Sirius had run away and Regulus was the only heir. People would start asking questions if both of the brothers were disowned. Regardless, Regulus had followed Sirius, as he always would.

Currently, Regulus was curled up in his bed reading, still trying to make himself small, even in his own room. The only place that Regulus had ever felt was his was his dorm at Hogwarts, which he shared with Evan and Barty. He would never tell them, but it was the place he felt most comfortable. Now, in this room, he worried he took up too much space. He tucked himself into the corners of rooms, not wanting to invade these people’s lives. But he felt he had done so already.

There was a soft knock on his door. “Come in,” Regulus said.

Euphemia opened the door carefully, looking around the room for a moment. Regulus hadn’t really unpacked or decorated. This all felt too good to be true, as though at any moment they were going to laugh in his face and send him right back home.

“Hi, sweetheart. I just wanted to check on you. We’ve barely heard from you.” Euphemia sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Oh, um. Sorry,” Regulus mumbled.

“No need to apologise,” Euphemia said with a smile, so kind that Regulus almost felt pained by it. “James and Sirius are a little worried, is all.” Regulus furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at this, but didn’t say anything in response.

“We’re all very happy that you’re here, cariño” she continued. “Sirius spoke so much of you before you arrived. Always so nervous about you being in that house. He might not say as much, but he is so proud of you. We all are.”

Regulus didn’t feel that he had done anything to be proud of. He had continued to live with his mother and father for over a year after his brother left. Did that not mean he sympathised with them? Did his reluctance to leave not make him just like them? Unwilling to voice his thoughts, he once again did not reply.

“James talks about you just as much as Sirius,” Euphemia informed him, a playful glint in her eye. “Every time he calls us he has something new to tell us about you.”

“He- What?”

“You really believe that my son doesn’t reciprocate your feelings?” She near-giggled at this, as though the thought of James not liking Regulus was not even a possibility. 

“I don’t- He doesn’t-”

Euphemia held up her hands in surrender, standing up from the bed. Regulus continued to try to defend himself from these absurd allegations, but Euphemia just fixed him with another sickeningly warm smile, so similar, if not identical, to James’s. Regulus calmed slightly, looking down at his book to avoid her knowing eyes. 

“Tell me if you need anything, corazón.” Euphemia closed the door, leaving Regulus still stunned. 

she wouldnt stop raising us drama about how no happy ending for eurymene so i raised her NEITHER DID EUPHEMIA

Yes the girl helped her uncle fight the suitor

and now that she just learned that her dad didnt make it, she fall but still grip her hands on the last consistant thing she had of her father : her battle axe

A/N: if I never get more than 2 behind then I'm basically on schedule, right?

@jilymicrofics

“You’re really a lifesaver,” James says, probably for the third time since Lily arrived. At least the second time since she ascended the ladder.

She turns and grins over her shoulder, holding out one hand for her heavy duty gloves. “Literally - also kind of my job.”

James passes them over and returns to his place at the base of her ladder. Despite her assurances that it’s necessary, it’s making him feel useful. “No I can’t tell you how quickly mum would destroy me to avenge her favorite child; also I think its not entirely your job I called your personal number.”

Lily pulls a few cat treats from her pocket and lifts them toward Bond. “James I know your mum. She loves you more than the cat…also please never call the station for this.”

“No she loves the cat more - remember what his legal name is? She was calling me Human James.”

“But she stopped,” Lily says in a sweeter voice than usual as she coaxes the cat toward her.

“Another tick in the Bond box is that I apparently withhold affection.”

“More than a cat?”

“Right? I would’ve thought the fact that I don’t ask her to scoop my poop was a tick in my favor.”

Bond chooses this point to accept Lily’s food based motivation and crawls into her open palm. She draws him into her chest and scratches his chin. “Does that mean you do piss in a box in her laundry room? Here, get to know your brother.”

James’s shoulders tense as he accepts the furry package. For his part, Bond eyes James warily reaching stretched paws out as if begging Lily to protect him. James holds Bond beneath his front legs and squints. “No piss, but but I have been known to chew her phone cables.”

“No wonder she prefers this little bloke,” Lily gives Bond a gentle stroke on the white strip between his ears. 

“He’s also never complained about wearing a tux,” James adds, “Though he can’t really avoid it - a shit!”

In what James would call classic Bond assholery, said cat digs his claws into James’s forearm and leaps to the ground. Before wither human can react, Bond is back in the tree and looking quite smug. 

Lily sighs. “You might not like to hear it, but between the tux and the violence, he’s pretty genetically set to be James Bond.”

“That’s what I told mum about not wanting to wear a tux and she didn’t buy it.”

They resume their tree climbing positions and Lily fixes her eyes decidedly not in James’s direction when she finally speaks, “Not sure what your issue is. You’re fit. Fit blokes usually look fitter in a tux.”

James is still puzzling that statement out when a third voice - the voice he least wants to hear at the moment Bond is in a tree and Lily is maybe hitting on him - sounds from over his shoulder. “That’s what I keep telling him.”

Both turn, Lily a little more carefully given her place perched half in the tree to find Euphemia Potter taking in the messy tableau. 

“Mum,” James forces a ‘nothing is wrong here grin’ which is definitely not his best before the cat in the tree evidence is even considered. 

“Why is my baby in a tree?”

Immediately, Mature Adult James disappears and is replaced by Childish Pouty James most often bright about by playing Mario Kart with Sirius or any interaction with his mum’s cat. He fold his arms. “Because he’s the devil.”

Lily climbs down carefully, expertly, and passes the cat to James like he needs him as a shield…and given the way his mother’s eyes have narrowed maybe he does. 

“Your dapper child is now safe and out of the tree,” Lily says and winks, “Rate us on Yelp.”

Euphemia pats Lily’s cheek and smiles, “Thank you dear.” Her smile drops when she turns to James, “I will talk to you later,” she tugs Bond from his hands, “And when you’re done with whatever this is, invite Lily inside for lemonade like I wasn’t a complete failure of a mother.”

Once his mother has disappeared inside the house, James ruffles his hair and glances towards Lily. He watches, briefly not creepily, as she loads her gear back into the rig. “You really did save my life.”

“She might still send you cat poo in the post.”

James chuckles. “Yeah honestly that has happened.”

Lily pushes the rig doors shut and leans against them, lI wonder which box do you check on the label to indicate cat poo.”

“I think it was probably illegal so - “

Suddenly, Lily closes the distance - most of it anyway - between them until his back brushes the tree trunk. “Since I did save your life…”

“And the life of my mum’s cat,” James adds, throat bobbing. 

Lily smirks. “Yes. Keep that in mind.”

“This is getting ominous.”

“There’s this fancy dress fire - well its not the fireman’s ball because im not a man, but if we call it fire ball - “

“That sounds wicked,” James says teasingly as his fingers reach to gently brush against hers. 

She blows out a long breath. “But also like not exactly inviting.”

“Point,” James allows with a dip of his head. 

“I don’t need a date but since you’re indebted to me we could…take care of that.”

This time when he reaches toward her fingers he grasps them, pulling her close enough to not be friendly. “And I would need a tux.”

Lily’s voice is breathier than he’s ever heard when she replies. “It’s not a favor if all you have to do is spend a glorious evening in my presence.”

“Definitely valid,” James murmurs, their noses brushing. 

“Did I mention your mum will be attending?” Lily whispers against his lips. 

James snickers and presses a short kiss to her lips. “No more about my mum, eh?”