Author's Note: Written for…

Monthly One-Shot Exchange (June). For Raybe! :D Prompts: Remus/Sirius, romance, "You're really not helping here."

Things I Would Do For You Competition. Prompt: Distract the teacher while you finish your homework.

Ludo Game Challenge. Prompts: Albus Dumbledore, chocolate pudding

Distractions

"You look like hell," Sirius commented as Remus dropped onto the bench beside him.

"I had prefect duty last night." He made a feeble attempt at fixing his hair and straightening his tie as he spoke. "I was patrolling the fifth floor until one in the morning."

James perked up all of a sudden, eagerly leaning across the table. "Were you with Lily? Did she say anything about me?"

Remus glared at him. "James, stop trying to drag me into your infatuation with that poor girl. And no. Lily refuses to work with me since that last stunt you pulled."

James' face fell and he returned his interest to his plate of breakfast.

"Were you able to get that Transfiguration essay done, at least? You said you'd take care of it on duty last night," Sirius said, frowning when he noticed his friend was without his book bag.

"No, I didn't get the chance. And Transfiguration is our first class. I'll never manage to finish in time."

Sirius grinned as a thought struck him suddenly. "No worries. James and I will distract McGonagall so you can finish your homework!"

"We'll do what now?"

"Come on, Prongs, we have to hurry. We don't have much time."

Sirius ran from the table before anyone could stop him. James took a final bite of his toast, shrugged at Remus, and followed Sirius at breakneck speed.

:-:

"Tell me this doesn't have anything to do with your stupid crush on Moony," James muttered as they slipped passed a crowd of Hufflepuffs.

"Hey, drool over Evans all you want but the werewolf is mine. Now, are you doing to help me buy him some time or what?"

"Fine. What do you need me to do?"

"Go down to the kitchens and get me a bowl of pudding – a big bowl of pudding. Preferably chocolate."

James nodded and ran off, not even the slightest bit suspicious about Sirius' skills as a pranker.

:-:

Sirius waited outside the Great Hall for ten minutes before he spotted the green tartan robes of his head of house and pounced into action.

"Professor McGonagall?" The witch turned, eyes already narrowed at him.

"What is it, Black? Class is in fifteen minutes."

"I was wondering about becoming an animagus," he said quietly. "I've been doing a bit of research on the subject, and I find it really fascinating. I've always admired your abilities, Professor. I was hoping maybe you could tutor me?"

"Look, as thrilled as I am that you've suddenly taken an interest in my class – and let's be clear, I'm not fooled at all – you're underage. I'll need your parents' consent to help you with that kind of training and you and I both know I'm not going to get it."

Sirius had to give it to her, she was finally starting to catch on to his tricks. Still, there was hope. He could see James hidden behind a column across the entrance hall, levitating the gigantic bowl of chocolate pudding toward their professor. Sirius just need to stall her a couple seconds longer until the bowl would finally tip.

"I understand your predicament, Professor, but I'm really dedicated to learning this. If we could just talk about this-"

The bowl was over her head, already tipping.

"See me after class and I'll give you a permission slip to send to your parents. I'm afraid that's the best I can do."

Another second and the pudding would be on her, but there was a crowd of students exiting the Great Hall and McGonagall stepped aside to let them through.

It was too late to stop it from falling. All Sirius could do was stand by and watch as the chocolate splattered over the heads and shoulders of eight students, including Remus.

The prefect turned to look him in the eye as he wiped pudding from his face with a partially clean sleeve.

"You're really not helping here," he said tiredly.

McGonagall cleared her throat, stepping around the messy students and the puddles on the floor to grab Sirius.

"Congratulations, you two are free to skip my class this morning in order to meet with Professor Dumbledore. I'm sure Mr. Potter will be joining you shortly."

Sirius' eyes flicked to the column James had been hiding behind, but the boy was gone.

:-:

"You just had to get involved, didn't you?" Remus grumbled as they climbed the spiral staircase to the headmaster's office. McGonagall had trusted them to go alone while she tracked down James.

"Hey, I promised I would distract her and I did. It's just a bonus that I managed to get us out of class altogether."

"And the impending detention is what? A gift?" They'd reached the landing now, the door in front of them. Remus rounded on him.

"I was just trying to help," Sirius said, pouting. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you in trouble."

Remus sighed, frowning at the drops of pudding dripping off his frame.

"It's alright. I just don't understand why you can't leave it alone. I would've taken the bad grade compared to detention and point deduction."

"Because I … like you."

"I like you too, Sirius, that's why we've been friends for six years."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "No, not like that. I mean, yeah, you're a great friend and all, but I kind've … you know, like you."

Remus didn't seem to understand, staring at Sirius with a bewildered look on his face.

"Oh, for the love of Merlin, he's in love with you!" they heard James shout from a few steps below them. Remus' eyes widened.

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," Sirius said, blushing.

"I'm having trouble deciding whether to slap you or kiss you," Remus finally said just as the door opened to reveal their headmaster with a dish of candy.

"Perhaps a lemon drop while you decide?"