Disclaimer: All rights to Harry Potter, the Characters, and the places belong to J.K. Rowling.

The halls of the castle were a buzz with chatter from the students. Professor Dumbledor had announced at breakfast that there would be a ball on Friday to celebrate the one-thousand, one-hundred-and eleventh birthday of one of their founders, Helga Hufflepuff. All of the students were excited especially the Hufflepuffs, it was not everyday that Hufflepuff House held the spotlight, but this feast would be theirs!

While every student was busily searching for someone to be their date for the ball for some it easier than others. Sirius Black, for instance, had little difficulty. Despite him being only a second year, he had had multiple young ladies ranging from first to third years asking him if he had already found a date, and if not they were more than willing. He had settled on a third year Ravenclaw who's feminine assets had matured early that summer.

James Potter had gone immediately to Lily Evans and asked if she would be his date, only to be turned down, and again later after Charms, and after Transfiguration, before she finally told him that she was going with someone else and if he didn't stop asking her, she was going to hex him so badly that he wouldn't be going to the ball period. Fortunately, Dorcas Meadows happily accepted his invitation.

Peter had struggled to ask any girl out, and was certain that he would be going stag. James and Sirius would not hear of such a thing befalling a Marauder and continually assisted him in his endeavors until finally he found his Griffindor courage and asked Mary McDonald's little sister Sally who was completely flattered to be attending the ball on the arm of a second year and one of the Marauders.

Marlene McKinnon had been asked by a third year Ravenclaw, Sean O'Klien, and Lily Evans his second year brother, Art. Alice Prewett was going with third year Griffindor, Frank Longbottom. Come Thursday, everyone had a date. Everyone it seemed except Remus Lupin. He had missed the announcement of the ball due to the full moon on Monday night, and had been kept an extra two days until Wednesday before he was released from the Hospital Wing.

Both Sirius and James had tried to find a date for him, but Remus seemed incapable at asking any of them out. Peter suggested to the other two that maybe Remus already had a date but wasn't telling anyone. James jumped to the conclusion that the reason he wasn't telling anyone was because he was taking the lovely but stern, Professor McGonagal. This caused them all to laugh before Sirius, acting somber for once, decided that the only reason that Remus wasn't finding a date was that he didn't know how to talk to a girl.

Sirius spent the morning trying to think of a way to solve Remus' predicament. It simply wouldn't do to have a Marauder going stag. If he could find a girl for Peter, then he certainly could find a girl for Remus. Heck, if slimy Snivilus Snape could find a girl to take his greasy head to the ball, Remus could find one too; all he needed was some self-confidence. Remus would not be the only Marauder without a date to this ball, Sirius promised himself.

"What are you doing down here?"

Sirius jumped at the voice, he hadn't realized someone else was there, or to where he had wandered. Looking up he realized he was in the Library, some place he never went, and that the person by whom he had been addressed was his cousin, Andromeda.

"Oh hi, Andy, I'm just thinking."

"I can see that. Should I be worried?" She teased. "Because I am Head-Girl and I'd hate to put you in another detention."

"It's nothing to do with that stuff." he replied honestly.

"Then what's it about?"

"Remus. He's the only one of us who doesn't have a date for the ball."

"Why is that?"

"I don't think he knows how to talk to a girl. The only one I've ever seen him talk to is Evans, but then it's only about classes or some muggle book."

"And you want to find a way to fix that." she stated more than questioned.

"Yes."

"I see."

Suddenly, Sirius had an idea. "Andy, would you be willing to help him?"

"What do you mean?"

"Would you teach him how to talk to a girl and ask one on a date? James and I have tried, and he does really well talking to us, but as soon as it's a girl he falls apart."

"You want me to teach him how to flirt?"

"Yes! Well at least give him practice asking a girl out. I think he knows how to flirt after listening to James and I, but putting it into practice is the hard part." Sirius looked at his cousin, "please, Andy! He doesn't have any confidence in himself, he just needs someone kind who will help him get comfortable with this." Sirius' puppy dog eyes were in full throttle as he gazed up into Andromeda's.

"Oh very well, have him meet me in the Charms classroom after dinner tonight and I'll help him."

"Thank's, Andy, you're the best!" Sirius gave his cousin a big hug before he ran from the library, much to the displeasure of the librarian.

That night, Sirius was walking Remus to the Charms classroom.

"Will you please tell me what we're doing, Sirius?"

"I told you, it's a secret."

He lead him through the door to see Andromeda sitting on one of the desks waiting patiently for them.

"Sirius, why is your cousin here?"

"She's the surprise."

"Pardon?"

"She's going to help you with your problem?"

"What problem?" Remus cried beginning to worry just what his friend knew and what Andromeda knew.

"You're inability to talk to girls."

"I can talk to girls just fine, thank you." He defended, though he felt immense relief knowing that they weren't talking about his secret.

"Really? So I guess that the whole fiasco with Emiline Vance yesterday was deliberate?"

"I...She...I..."

"Remus, it is absolutely unacceptable for a Marauder to go to the ball without a date. You seem completely inept at asking a date on your own, so I have enlisted the aid of my cousin to get you in shape to ask a girl out to the ball tomorrow night."

"Sirius, you can't force him." Andromeda said, "Remus, if you don't want to do this we don't have to."

"But-"

"No, Sirius, let him speak for himself."

Remus looked at his best friend then at the young woman next to him. They just wanted to help him, and he did need help. Despite how much he denied it, Remus couldn't even say more than a 'hello' when he was trying to ask a girl out. He knew that they'd say no before he even asked them, what kind of girl would want to go with a sickly, scarred, werewolf? Maybe Sirius was right, and that he just needed a confidence boost, someone to practice on without there being any consequences. Maybe Andromeda could help. He looked from one to another before he said, "No, I...I would very much like the help...if you don't mind, that is."

Andromeda smiled down at the boy, "I'd be happy to help." She looked at her cousin and added, "It might be easier for him, Sirius, if there isn't an audience."

"Huh? Oh! Yeah, I'll see you later, Remus. Thanks, Andy." With that, Sirius ran out of the door leaving his best friend and his cousin alone.

"Er...Hi."

"Hello, Remus, what would you like to start with?"

"I, er..." he said looking down at his shoes, "I don't really know."

"Well first off make eye contact. Not only is it polite, but it shows confidence."

"Okay." He lifted his eyes to face her, blushed and ducked again, before he managed to look her in the eyes. Andromeda smiled and almost caused him to break it a third time but he held his gaze.

"Great job, Remus. Now how would you go about asking me to a ball."

"I, er...I guess...I'd, er..."

"Spit it out, Remus, tripping over your words has the same effect as avoiding eye contact"

"Do...you want to...Bloody Hell, I'm no good at this." Remus spun on his heel and pulled at his hair.

"Hey, don't get flustered, let's try again."

They went on like that for about half an hour, and Remus still struggled with getting a whole sentence out without stuttering, or getting discouraged.

"Remus why are you so flustered?"

"I don't know. James and Sirius make this look so easy and yet here I am practicing and I still can't do it."

"Do what?"

"Ask you out."

"Okay, tell me how are you asking me out?"

"I guess I'm trying to do what James and Sirius always do; just walk up and ask you flat out. No ceremony or anything."

"Alright, that is how James and Sirius do it, but is that how you want to do it, or would you rather do something else? Something less forward?"

"Less forward is what seems more natural."

"Well then, let's go with that. Typically a less forward way of asking a girl out is casually bringing up the subject without mentioning if you're looking for a partner."

"Okay."

"Just a normal conversation.

"How about you walk over to me while I'm sitting at a desk and try asking me out?"

"Yeah, okay."

Remus walked away then turning around, walked back. Andromeda had sat down at a desk pretending to be writing something as he approached.

"Um, high, Andromeda."

"Hello, Remus, how are you?"

"Er, I..."Andromeda arched an eyebrow at him, "I mean, I'm fine, you?"

"Very well, thank you."

"You're welcome." He began to shift his feet then stopped and sat down on the desk in front of her. "Er, are you ready for the ball tomorrow?"

"Not really. Hopefully I'll be ready in time. It would be really embarrassing for the Head Girl to miss the ball."

"Yeah it would. Are you going with Henry, the Head Boy?" Remus was surprised how easy this conversation was going. It didn't feel as if he was trying to ask her out on a date, more like a conversation between friends.

Andromeda was both shocked and pleased with how well Remus was doing so far. He seemed entirely different than he did at the start of their session. "No actually, he's going with his girlfriend from Hufflepuff."

"Oh, then who are you going with?"

"I don't have a date yet."

"You don't?" Remus said shocked.

"No. I've been asked a few times but I turned them all down."

"Why?"

She paused for a second. There were multiple reasons for turning them down. One being that they had all been respected heirs of families belonging to the Sacred Twenty-eight, and simply hoped that by taking her to a ball that they might be considered suitors for a member of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. None of them were truly interested in going on a date with Andromeda, rather on a date with a Black. The biggest reason is that she had been hoping that Ted Tonks would ask her. They had been studying together in the library this term and grown quite close despite him being a muggle-born and a Hufflepuff, and her a pure blooded Slytherin. Ted had seemed like he was going to ask her today but did not. Word was the he was going with Sarah Linsky another Hufflepuff.

"I guess the right guy never asked me."

"What will you do for a date then?"

"I don't know. I'm sure that someone will ask me again before then, if not then I guess that I'll just have to accept that I'll be on my own."

Remus took a breath, now was the time to do what he'd been practicing all night, "w-would you like to go to the ball with me?" he said softly.

"What was that, Remus?"

"I said would you like to be my date to the ball?"

"I would love to, Remus." She said with a smile.

"No, I mean, Andromeda Black, would you actually like to go to the ball with me as my date? For real?"

Now was Andromeda's turn to take in a breath. This was unexpected. She had agreed to help this little second year get over the bump in his road and learn to ask a girl out for himself, and now it seemed that he had done just that, taking her by surprise at the same time. What did she say? Did she tell him thank you for the offer but this was just a practice round and that she didn't want to go with him and risk ruining everything on which they had been working all night; or did she say yes and go to the ball with this boy? What she had told him was true, she didn't have a date, but did she want him to be it? What would people say if they saw a daughter of the House of Black going to a ball with a twelve year old? What would they say if the same daughter and Head Girl went to the ball with no one? She thought about why she had turned down all of the other suitors. None of them had wanted to go with her for the sake of being with her, but because she was a Black and Head Girl. Remus, on the other hand, seemed to want to go with her; and she had to admit, she had very much enjoyed tonight. Finally she looked at the boy and smiled.

"I would like very much to attend the ball with you, Remus Lupin."

"Really?" He said excitedly.

"Yes, really."

"Thank you! Thank you so much, Andromeda!"

"You're welcome, Remus, and thank you." She stood up and looked down at the boy, "now, I think it's time for you to return to your dormitory, or else you'll find yourself in detention and unable to attend the ball at all, and that would disappoint me very much."

"Right, I promise that I won't get a detention!" He said as he turned and ran from the room leaving Andromeda behind to laugh silently at the turn of the night's events.

The next day, the everyone was getting ready for the ball that night. The Great Hall was being decorated with Hufflepuff colours, A large yellow banner was hung over the giant double doors of the school declaring "Happy 1111th Birthday Helga Hufflepuff!" in bold, black, Gothic script. Up in the second year Griffindor Boys' dormitory, James, Sirius, and Peter were pestering Remus about his date for the ball. All he had told them upon entering the Common Room the previous night, was that he had acquired a date. His silence on the matter following that had caused a great many conspiracies as to who the lucky lady was. James again insisted that it was McGonagal, and Peter was beginning to be inclined to agree. Sirius had been busy interrogating every girl in third year and below if they were or knew the one whom Remus had asked, but no one could answer. Come that evening, three of the Marauders were waiting impatiently for their friend to arrive so they could solve the mystery. James had almost donned his invisibility cloak and followed Remus out the door to discover the answer before the ball began, but had been intercepted by Dorcas who was looking lovely and ready to be escorted to the Great Hall. As the time for the ball to began grew ever more nigh, the tension that was building within the boys' hearts was at a peak and threatening to erupt when the doors opened and in walked their friend and...

"ANDY?" Sirius cried as they entered through the door, earning the attention of everyone else.

"Wait, Remus, you're with Sirius' cousin?" Peter said looking at them wide eyed.

Remus nodded blushing, not because he was embarrassed to be seen with Andromeda, but because he was embarrassed that his friends were making such a scene about it in front of everyone. There was a short pause before the silence was broken by a clap. All heads turned to see James Potter standing on a table beginning a slow-clap for Remus. Quickly Sirius joined in, followed by Peter, and Frank Longbottom, soon the entire hall, minus the majority of Slytherin House, was clapping for them. Even the Professors were clapping. Remus couldn't help but notice the smile that Professor McGonagal gave him, and the twinkling in Dumbledor's eyes.

Once the music started, Remus took his date out onto the floor, and he and Andromeda danced the night away.