Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter

"I'm telling you, it works!" James insists, Sirius rolls his eyes at his best friend as they take their seats in Transfiguration. They're late but of course don't even bother to walk in quietly.

"Uhuh, sure it does Jamie."

"Let me try it on you, then you'll see how good at it I am." It's at this moment that the class start giving them strange looks.

"James, I love you, but I do not want that sort of connection with you. Keep your wand away from me." James huffs.

"Oh come on, we both know Moony won't let me do it to him."

"And for good reason! Something goes wrong and you'll just be completely submersed inside him!"

"What the ever-living acorn are you two on about?!" Remus suddenly asks incredulously, the usual snickers that have been following Remus around all week are not-so-strangely absent. On Monday, Lily had decided she'd had enough of his bad language and cast a spell on him that changed any swear word he attempts to use into something entirely unrelated. Remus is still planning his revenge.

"James is attempting to learn Legilimency," Sirius explains, "He's been working on it for months and has decided he's ready to field test it on my mind." There's a beat of silence before it all clicks in everyone's heads.

"Ohhhhhh."

"What else would we have been…oh no, no I hear it now. Whoops. Fear not Moony, I have absolutely no interest in your acorns." Remus huffs and rolls his eyes.

"You can take your fluffy acorns and shove them up your glittery cabbage patch."

"Mr Lupin! That sort of language is not tolerated in this school," McGonagall tells him sternly, Remus really wonders how she manages it with a straight face.

"Apologies Professor."

"Now, if you all wouldn't mind settling down, we might actually finish this lesson on time for once."

"Not pudding likely." Remus huffs as the snickers return.

"Oh, come on Padfoot, just give me a chance!" James asks again at the end of the lesson as everyone begins packing up to go, Sirius huffs and rolls his eyes.

"I don't want you rooting around in my mind. Besides, if something goes wrong, there'd be no one around with the skills to help."

"So, let's do it here and now with Professor McGonagall present." Sirius narrows his eyes at James, then his gaze flicks to McGonagall questioningly.

"I have to admit, I would be interested to see how Mr Potter is faring in his endeavour. But only if you are comfortable with it." Sirius sighs, flopping back into his seat.

"Fine."

"Yes!" Literally the entire class sits back down quietly to watch it happen. James retakes his seat beside Sirius and pulls his wand out. He takes a breath to calm himself before pointing his wand at Sirius, "Legilimens." Sirius blinks at him as James stares into his eyes.

"Well?" Sirius asks, James responds in an eerie voice.

"You feel love." The class looks at him in intrigue, "Sexual love."

"No, I don't!" Sirius immediately claims, James points at McGonagall.

"For her." There's a beat of silence before the class starts laughing at him as Sirius picks up his bag and hurls it at his friend.

"You tosser, did you really just spend three months studying legilimency and casually bringing up all the things that could go wrong so that when you asked I'd make you do it in front of Minnie and you could do this?" James shakes his head.

"No, I spent three months studying legilimency and casually brought up all the things that could go wrong so that when I asked you'd say no. I then made us late for class so that when we walked in everyone would hear an argument I started with you about it and thus would choose to remain and watch as you make me do it in front of Minnie," James corrects, everyone continues laughing at Sirius, none so much as Remus and Peter though. Sirius hits them with his bag too.

"Did you actually learn anything over those three months?" Sirius asks James who nods with a bright grin.

"Want me to show you for real?"

"Sure you aren't just going to announce my 'sexual love' for Snivellus next?"

"Are you feeling sexual love for Snivellus?"

"No!"

"Then no." Sirius huffs.

"Fine, but if you're a prick again, I'll murder you." James snickers, then nods. Everyone falls silent again.

"Legilimens." Sirius feels something in his mind this time, rooting around. It just feels weird and wrong. Nothing should be in his mind but himself. After a few moments, Sirius feels one thought pulled above the rest and knows James is looking at it. Only it's not just a thought, it's a memory. A memory of someone by a window, sunlight drifting in behind them, highlighting them in a way Sirius sees every time he looks at them. James immediately exits his mind, Sirius going rigid with panic, "I was wrong, it's not Minnie he's hot for," James says, a grin on his face, and Sirius panics more. But there's a look in his eyes, and for once it's not mischief. Sirius' secret is safe, "It's Slughorn."

"Oh, for Squids sake, we're leaving now," Remus decides, dragging his friends out of there.

"Thanks for that," Sirius tells James quietly as they walk down the hall, James just smiles gently, not an expression one often sees from James Potter, and nods. Sirius hurries to catch up with the other two, and as he does James thinks about legilimency. It's odd, because when you view the memory you can feel what they feel, see it through their eyes even when it's not quite from their perspective.

He's never seen Remus look so beautiful as he does through Sirius' eyes.