#insistence

@jegulus-microfic April 30, Word count 517

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Regulus kept disappearing with Pandora at random times. James and the others had tried to get out of them what the Dryad had actually said, but they were being very tight-lipped with their answers or not answering at all. 

James had tried to follow Regulus and Pandora with the Marauder’s Map, but they kept disappearing off it and reappearing in random places in the castle or its grounds. 

Sirius tried to track them as Padfoot, but their scent had him running around in circles, so they’d given up. 

It was at Regulus’s insistence that everyone stop trying to figure out what they were up to on pain of every dark curse Regulus knew that they eventually stopped. The approaching full moon was also a distraction from the odd pair. 

It took a lot of effort and his and Sirius' part to come up with a feasible plan to get everyone into the shack without anyone being caught. Sirius had decided that it was safer for everyone to meet Moony in the confines of the shack; that way, he and Prongs could herd Moony into another room while the others got into the tunnel and away in case anything went wrong. But Sirius was certain that Moony would love each and every new friend that they were bringing him. Remus was not as optimistic. 

James sided with Sirius. 

“You were great with us from the get-go. What’s a few more added to the mix? You spend enough time around that lot in your human form, so Moony to recognise their scents. I’m with Sirius on this, everything will be fine, so stop worrying.”

“Yeah, well, when I swallow Barty whole, it’s on you two,” Remus huffed, folding his arms and turning away from them. James and Sirius laughed. Sirius tried to wiggle his way under Remus’s arms and onto his lap, only to lose his spot when a little black cat jumped up just as he got Remus to unfold his arms and settled into a little ball, yawning widely. 

“Oh, hey Midnight,” Remus grinned down at the cat. Remus had dubbed Regulus’s cat form Midnight after he’d crawled into bed with him at midnight, pushing Sirius to the floor by prodding all of his claws into his back. The name had stuck, and that was that. Midnight chirped happily before laying his head down for a nap. 

“He’s such a prick, but he’s too cute to push off,” Sirius grumbled, going to the next best lap, which happened to be James’s. Midnight cracked open one green eye and growled unhappily. 

“You stole my boyfriend, I steal yours,” Sirius told him, sticking his tongue out at him. 

James held his arms open, and Midnight hopped off Remus and onto James, hissing at Sirius as he did. 

“Hello, love,” James cooed sweetly, brushing his hand down Midnight’s entire body. The cat curled up again and went to sleep. James could sit like this all day if Regulus allowed him. 

He absentmindedly stroked Midnight as the three of them discussed how Moony was going to act in two days' time.