1 - The Plan

James entered the Great Hall and took a look around searching for his friends. He knew for sure that Peter was still in the bed, enjoying the fact he had free period which meant two extra hours of sleep and brunch instead of breakfast. He had met Remus in the library just couple minutes ago, so he was really just looking for Sirius. He spotted him and immediately knew something was not right, his best friend was too quiet, just playing with his cereals, and that was never a good sign.

"Hi Padfoot, what's your problem now? I thought you and Remus worked things out and now are the happiest couple in this castle. But yet, you're sitting here looking like someone has just resurrected your grandmother," James said, as he sat down.

Just two weeks ago, Sirius told James about him and Remus getting together. Not that James had never thought that Sirius might be into boys (come on - you can't be a teenage boy having dozens of girls drooling over you and not date or at least mess with any of them if you're not into boys, can you?), but who could have guessed the same thing about Remus?

Sirius didn't tell James without his reasons, of course. The thing was, he and Remus had been having some minor misunderstanding and it was only natural for Sirius to seek James' advice. But as far as James knew, they had solved everything. So what the hell was wrong with Sirius this time?

"I'm not telling you," Sirius answered in grumpy manner.

"We both know you are. Either you'll be a drama queen about it, sitting there, pouting and waiting till I finish my breakfast, or," James paused to send big smile to Lily, who just arrived. "Or you could just tell me, you know, like a normal adult person would do. What's bothering you?"

But Sirius just growled and pushed his bowl of cereals away. Instead, he grabbed a toast and started pecking on it like some grouchy bird. James shrugged and helped himself to sausages.

"Since you seem to choose the first option, let me tell you about my wonderful morning. I was in the library doing some research for our Charms homework, and Evans happened to be there too, searching for the very same book. Being gentleman as always, I had offered her the only remaining copy and guess what she said."

"She hexed you, because she thought it was just another strategy to trick her into going on a date with you," Sirius muttered, his lips curled in almost usual lopsided smile.

"Close enough. She proposed we meet after classes and do our homework together." Sirius had never seen James so satisfied with himself.

"You're kidding."

"I certainly am not. It seems Remus was right, when he told me to give her a break."

"Yeah, Remus is usually right," Sirius smiled. But two seconds later, he frowned again and returned to his toast. James sighed.

"Come on, Padfoot, I know something's not right. Tell me, maybe I could help you. It did help you last time, telling me, didn't it?" he added. Sirius hesitated, but then nodded and moved closer, so no one would hear him but James.

"It's just…" he said in low voice, but then paused, not able to find the right words. Again. He wondered if he ever would be that reckless, self-confident person everyone knew. "Look, I had crush on Remus for ages and when I told him and he said it was mutual, everything felt right. It was like I arrived to a place in the world where I belong. Like I had been searching for something and finally found it. But…"

"But what?" James asked, as he didn't have a clue what this was about.

"Well, we started going out and agreed to not tell anybody but you and Peter till we ourselves get used to the idea. We spent, like, hours just cuddling and talking or being absolutely quiet, just enjoying being together. We've already had something close to argument and then we made up and kissed… But that's not how it's supposed to be, is it?

"What makes you think it's not?"

"You do, with your yearning for Evans. And every other couple I know. Everybody started like - he finds out he fancies her, tries to impress her by doing something stupid, then desperately attempts to detect, if she's interested and when she is, he asks her on a date. They talk about themselves, get to know each other, at the end of a good date they kiss, they go on more dates and that's how you start a relationship," Sirius finished with almost desperate look on his face.

"Padfoot, I've never thought I'd said something like this to you - but that's the most narrow-minded, prejudiced thing I've ever heard," James said with a chuckle.

"Thanks, that's really helping," Sirius retorted.

"Oh come on, you can't mean that."

But Sirius was still looking like an abandoned dog. James sighed again. His best friend was nothing like rest of the Black family, but from time to time, some unrealistic dull idea about how things worked popped up and one could easily track down its origin.

"Look, mate, there's nothing like 'the only way how relationships should start'. People meet differently and as long as things feel right, there's no need to worry. You and Remus have been friends for ages, you've seen each other at your best and at your worst. You know he's a werewolf, he knows you have a crazy family. You don't need to get to know. For you two, being together isn't anything brand new, it's more like another level. But if it really means so much to you, you should ask Moony on a date." James smiled in encouraging and a bit teasing way. "And just for your information, this was the most mature speech I've given so far and it probably used up all my supply of maturity for this year."

"But I don't have experience with this sort of thing! I don't know where to take him or how to ask him or anything!" Sirius blurted, startled.

"You're not telling me you've never been on a date?!" Prongs asked incredulously.

"Not with anyone who mattered," Sirius specified reluctantly. Everyone assumed that he was a heartbreaker, but the truth was, he never cared for these things. He was too busy with pranks and even after years, he couldn't get enough of the feeling of having friends, so there was almost no time left for dating. And James really wasn't helping with his self-confidence now.

"Merlin, that's hilarious! Sirius Black, the man of whom three of five girls and probably one of five guys in here dream, doesn't know how to ask somebody out!"

"I thought you were my friend," Sirius said in hurt voice. "And Moony isn't somebody," he added and frowned at James.

"All right, all right. I'll help you. We should go to the Potions now, though. We can think about your date on the way." James offered and stood up. Sirius nodded, maybe a bit too eagerly, and got up too.

"So, perfect first date. Let me see... I think picnic on school grounds would be nice," James suggested when they left the Great Hall.

"Prongs, be the good boy, take a look from a window and tell me who in his right mind would go on a picnic in this weather."

"Yeah, you're right. What about Three Broomsticks or that tea shop, how's it called? It's a bit cliche, but in few weeks is a trip to Hogsmeade…"

"Yes, it is. And I do believe you remember we are in detention for turning the Dungeon Staircase into a Dungeon Slide."

"Oh crap, I forgot. I hoped I could ask Evans to go with me, if I fulfill my resolution about giving her a break, it will have been five weeks of not asking her out constantly. And that's something I deserve a reward for."

"Well, aren't you prince charming," somebody spoke behind their backs. Lily Evans, who was heading to the dungeons for Potions class too, seemed more amused than annoyed and quickly walked past them.

"Did you see that?" James turned his beaming face to Sirius. "She smiled! Second time today, this is best day ever!"

"Yeah, congratulations. Can we now go back to my first date with Moony?"

After two hours of intensive thinking above their cauldrons, they left classroom in rather hopeless state. They went through multiple possibilities of first dates, James even suggested Shrieking Shack ("What the hell, mate, that's where the worst moments of his life take place! Not to mention that that place is disgusting.") and now was officially out of ideas. Sirius was questioning himself - not for the first time - why did he ask James for advice, given his poor results with Evans.

They met the other two Marauders in front of the Transfiguration Classroom.

"Hey, Padfoot, why the long face? Did you get bad mark in Potions?" Remus asked with a little smile. Sirius just growled and Remus' smile widened.

"Alright, listen, maybe this would improve your mood. I promised professor Sprout I will weed all her dittany this Saturday, she doesn't have time for it and I'm the one who needs tons of it every month. It'll probably won't take much time, but I'll have the greenhouse for myself. I really like it there, there are benches and everything and it would be shame being there alone. Would you like keeping me a company?"

Sirius stared at him. Then, in a low voice, he said, "You mean like a date?"

"Well, I know it doesn't sound like a great one, but we could stay there for a whole afternoon, we could bring some butterbeer and I don't know, maybe play chess?"

"That sounds perfect! I'd love to go," Sirius answered in eager voice. Remus smiled, but then the door to the classroom opened and they had to go to their seats.

"It seems Moony is way better than you at this," James chuckled softly when McGonagall started her lesson.

"He's better than you too," Sirius smirked.

"Yeah. I'm totally gonna steal his idea when Evans agrees on going out with me. I mean the greenhouse, not weeding dittany, eww. Definitely not doing that."

"Merlin, you're such a princess."