Friday 24th October, 1976

I opened my eyes groggily, squinting as the sun shone through the window into my bedroom. I rolled over, groaning, and glanced at my clock, feeling better rested than usual. I bolted upright when I realised why, blinking, once, twice, but the time didn't change.

I had 15 minutes to get ready and get to the Great Hall before breakfast disappeared. I scrambled out of bed, wondering why my alarm clock didn't go off and found my uniform folded neatly at the end of my bed. One of my dormmates must have done it.

I ran out of the room before I even had my tie on, franticly working on it while sprinting down the stairs to the Great Hall. I arrived with 7 minutes to spare and slowed to a walk as I headed for the Gryffindor Table. My pace slowed even more in hesitation as I noticed everyone staring at me with curious, stunned expressions. My fellow Gryffindors were worrying me the most, disbelief and betrayal on many of their faces.

I got to the marauders, only to find them staring at me with similar expressions. Remus seemed concerned, while James and Sirius seemed horrified, almost disgusted. Peter just stared between James and I in terror, as if waiting for a bomb to explode.

"What are you wearing?" Sirius asked, voice straining as he tried to be calm.

"My robes...?" I answered, trailing off in confusion.

"I didn't know you were in Slytherin," James scoffed.

I looked down at my uniform, eyes widening as I noticed the green tie around my neck. Where had that come from? I thought back to this morning and the rush I had been to get ready. My clothes had been folded neatly at the end of my bed. My clothes were never folded neatly, and my dormmates had certainly never folded them for me before. So who folded them?

I got my answer when James started speaking, his voice dangerously low.

"Does you wearing a Slytherin tie have anything to do with the Slytherin across the hall wearing a Gryffindor tie?" he wasn't even looking at me as he spoke, instead glaring daggers at something across the hall.

I followed his gaze, eyes widening when it landed on Regulus Black, calmly eating his breakfast as nearly everyone in the hall stared at the red and gold tie currently around his neck. My red and gold tie. Almost as if he could sense my gaze, Regulus looked up, eyes meeting mine as his lips curled into a smirk.

My mouth went dry as I stared at him. It was only a piece of clothing, I kept telling myself, and yet the way my whole body heated would make it seem like something completely different. He had snuck into my room and swapped our ties, all without me noticing.

And now here he was, the pureblood Slytherin heir, wearing a fucking Gryffindor tie, just to get me in trouble with my brother. The little shit.

"This is not what it looks like," I assured them, sending Regulus one last scathing look before turning to my brother and his friends.

"Then what, pray tell, is it?" James asked through gritted teeth, ripping his gaze away from Regulus to glare at me.

I took a deep breath and started my explanation, telling them everything from the first revenge prank I ever did on him, to the prank that had been mistaken for a romantic gesture, to my book that screamed.

Once I'd finished, the marauders looked at me in silence, making me shift on my feet uneasily. I looked at each of their faces, trying to gauge their reactions. Peter seemed shocked, Remus was good at keeping his face blank so I couldn't get anything from him, James was looking at me with a mix of awe and pride, and Sirius was frowning.

"Sirius," I prodded nervously.

He looked up at me and narrowed his eyes.

"You're my brother's secret admirer? Really? Him?" he asked accusingly, sounding somewhat offended I wasn't his secret admire instead.

"No, it's not like that," I said exasperatedly, covering my face with my hands.

I made one little mistake, and yet everyone never failed to remind me about it. I felt two hands grab my own and pull them away, causing me to stand face to face with my brother who was grinning manically

"I knew we'd turn you eventually," James said, pride clear in his voice. "Now mum has two pranksters for children."

I smiled, but James wasn't finished.

"And of course we'll help you continue pranking him," James continued sagely. "We'll make sure he doesn't see it coming."

"Really?" I asked, pleasantly surprised.

The idea of planning pranks with my brother and his friends now that I had an interest in it made me excited. I had so many ideas I wanted to share with them, so many topics I wanted to cover.

"Definitely," Sirius said, grabbing my shoulder and squeezing. "It'll be like family bonding."

I tried not to show how happy his words made me, instead nodding and making up some excuse about needing to get to class early before I said something sappy and ruined the moment.

I left the boys and walked out of the Great Hall, strolling through the castle at a leisurely pace. I still had 15 minutes until class started, and I found my thoughts straying to a certain Slytherin currently wearing my tie.

His prank had been devious, well thought out. I wondered if he got inspiration from my failed attempt at a prank when everyone thought Regulus had a secret admire. Funnily enough, the thought didn't bother me as much as it should have. The prank in general didn't bother me as much as it should have, really.

There was no anger, no livid rage. Instead, there was reluctant admiration, and determination to make my next prank better than this one. It was strange, and I wasn't sure if I liked it or not.

I found myself out the front of my classroom 5 minutes before the actual class began and entered the room to find Regulus already sitting down, the room empty except for him.

"Black," I greeted, my tone lacking the usual harshness.

"Potter," he replied, voice smug as he eyed the green and silver tie I was wearing.

I looked down at the tie, realising I'd forgotten to take it off. Regulus had already changed his, the crimson and gold gone from his uniform. I sighed and started untying the piece of uniform. Regulus smirked as he watched.

"Getting undressed in front of me Potter?" he taunted. "I didn't know you were than desperate."

"Oh shut up," I said, rolling my eyes as I finally got the tie off my neck.

I walked forward until I was in front of him, chucking the tie on his desk and standing there expectantly. He took his tie and looked up at me, lips twitching into a smirk.

"Well?" I asked.

"Well what?" he retorted, feigning confusion.

I scowled, the familiar feeling of annoyance that appeared whenever Regulus Black was around returning.

"My tie," I said. "Give it back."

"What's the magic word?" he asked slyly.

I clenched my jaw, resisting the urge to slam his head against the desk. The prank didn't seem all too funny anymore. In fact, the feeling of livid rage was quickly filling me, and I wondered why I'd ever thought the prank was anything other than an inconvenience.

"Please," I said through gritted teeth.

Regulus's smirk widened in victory as he fished for something in his pockets. He tossed me something red and gold and I held my tie tightly, careful to keep it away from him. I shot him a dirty look and sat on the other side of the classroom, putting my tie on as students started filing into the room.

The rest of the day was full of whispered rumours and sceptical stares. I took it all in my stride, telling myself it wouldn't matter after I pranked him back. No one would even remember this tomorrow, their interested taken from some other gossip bound to come up.

I sat in the Gryffindor Common Room with the marauders, leaning forward to listen as James proposed another grand scheme to get Regulus back. The fire was bright and strong, the heat being produced welcomed gratefully around the room. Students were milling about, doing homework, talking with friends, chasing each other around the tower. It was an average Friday night.

"We could dump him in the Black Lake when he's sleeping," Sirius suggested.

I grimaced. "Seems a bit much, don't you think?"

"That's perfect!" James, exclaimed, ignoring me completely. "Great thinking Padfoot."

I huffed and rolled my eyes, catching Remus's gaze. He shrugged apologetically, possibly the only person who had heard my protest.

At the same time, Lily entered the Common Room, followed by Marlene and Mary, the three girls smiling and laughing with one another. As they passed, James looked up hopefully, but Lily's attention was fixed on the other Potter, AKA me.

"Excited for the Hogsmeade trip tomorrow?" she asked.

"Definitely," I said with a grin.

"It's gonna be so much fun," Mary said. She eyed the marauders behind me before adding, "no boys allowed, just letting you know."

With that, the girls left, climbing up the stairs to their dorm and disappearing inside it. I turned around, ready to continue planning, when I found James glaring daggers at me arms crossed. I smirked and ruffled his hair, barely avoiding the hand that tried to swat it away.

"Don't be jealous James," I cooed. "I'm just the better Potter."

I jumped off the couch as James jerked upright and ran to the girl's dormitories before he could catch me, grinning madly.

A/N:

early chapter because i have zero self control <3

fun fact, i had this scene planned out before i even started working on this fic. i just loved the fact that regulus swapped their ties and happily wore the gryffindor tie if it meant his plan would succeed. he's so evil. i love him so much.

also, sirius being all quiet, freaking y/n out until "you're my brother's secret admirer?". like, all y/n wants to do is forget about that failed prank but literally NO ONE is letting her.

and i suck at enemies to lovers because i just want them to get together already and be happy and in love, so enjoy y/n already falling in love with regulus but suppressing her own emotions because she doesn't Like Them.