In the weeks before Christmas break, the most Sirius saw of Snape was the hem of his cloak disappearing around a corner. He tried to ignore it; if Snape was leaving him alone, then his troubles were over, right? (Something nagged at the back of his mind late at night suggesting otherwise, but he simply swatted it away like nothing more than an obnoxious fly.) He was helped in his forgetfulness, too, by the now constant presence of Evangeline who tailed him like a shadow.

She sat next to him one morning at breakfast, and it seemed to Sirius that after that moment she never left. When he was walking to class, there she was, chattering animatedly into Sirius' bewildered silence. At Quidditch games she was there, leaning her head on his shoulder and grabbing his hand whenever Gryffindor scored. In the common room she would appear as though from thin air and slip into his lap, burbling pleasantly as he stretched around her to his homework. And on weekends he always found her waiting for him in the Great Hall, buzzing with excitement. She would patiently wait for him to finish his meal, then drag him away to some secluded corner and snog him until his face felt numb. The boys teased him relentlessly, with Remus being the most amused, taking Sirius' discomfort as a sign that he was being forced to "settle down". In rare private moments, however, James would congratulate him, gripping his shoulder, a fierce look in his eyes. In fact James seemed so preoccupied over Sirius and Evangeline that he never mentioned Lily, though occasionally, when he caught a glimpse of her, that sad, dogged look would steal across his face for a moment.

On the evening before the last day of classes, James managed to get Sirius alone for a few minutes in the bathroom.

"I think she's ready," James said, his voice strange.

Sirius had never cared much for the idea, and James' preoccupation frightened him. "I think after break would be best-"

"No, no," James swore. His eyes were blazing; Sirius was fairly certain he had been drinking. "If you wait until after break, some of her feelings could dissipate. Or she could meet someone new. You don't know. Now is the time to strike!" He looked up at Sirius with slightly bloodshot eyes. "I need this."

It broke Sirius' heart to see James that way. He had to take a deep breath to stop the uncomfortable prickling in his eyes. "Okay, James, we can try."

James smiled but there was something heartless about it, something pained and strangled.

The plan had gone decently well, thus far. Classes were over, and Sirius had suggested to Evangeline that they might like to say goodbye in private. He led her to the room with the purple sleeping bags, knowing that James was sitting in his bed, staring at the Marauders' Map. He pretended to close the door but left it open just a smidge so it wouldn't make a noise when James slipped in, then turned to Evangeline, his heart thumping wildly.

She was crying softly. "Sirius, I don't think I can bear this break without you!" she moaned, throwing herself into his arms.

Sirius held her awkwardly. "There, there, love…we'll be back here in no time."

"Maybe I could come to your house for a few nights during break?" she sniffed.

He laughed, forgetting himself. "I don't even want to be at my house. Trust me, you won't either. Besides," he cupped her chin, "doesn't absence make the heart grow fonder?"

"I don't think I could possibly be more fond of you," she sighed, bringing her lips up to his. He kissed her patiently, his mind working. James would be entering the room within moments; he had to stop her crying and get her into a more…willing frame of mind. Carefully he lifted her, his hands on her bum, and pulled her legs up around his waist. She gave a little gasp of surprise but didn't stop kissing him, so he felt encouraged in his next act: he gently set her down on one of the dusty sleeping bags, bringing himself down on top of her.

Evangeline squirmed a little underneath him and he lifted up quickly, his eyes worried. "Did I hurt you?"

She giggled. "No, silly. Come back to me." She pulled him back down and kissed him again, her hands moving up and down his chest. Sirius rubbed her thigh absently, listening for James.

There it was: a soft creak that wouldn't have been heard if he hadn't been listening for it. Evangeline gave no sign of noticing; she was hastily unbuttoning Sirius' shirt, her breath coming in quick little gasps. "I've been wanting this," she sighed, and Sirius felt his face got hot- not with desire, but with embarrassment that James was watching such a delicate moment. Suppose she undid his pants and discovered…?

But that wasn't an issue, Sirius realized with a start. The combination of Evangeline's quick hands tearing off his shirt and the knowledge that James was watching, looking at his body, meant that he was more than prepared for what was coming. Heartened, he slipped his hand up Evangeline's skirt and began to stroke her carefully, listening to the sounds she made. It was an odd and not altogether pleasant sensation against his hand, but he preserved for James, and after a few moments he felt her shuddering beneath him as she cried out, "Oh, yes!"

He had done it; he had brought a girl to orgasm! His pride and astonishment were quickly forgotten as she grasped him roughly and flipped him onto his back. "Oh!" he gasped, as her mouth moved down his chest and her lithe little fingers undid his pants. She tugged them away, revealing a hardness even Sirius was surprised by (he thought with a little quickening of his heart that James was now looking too, not knowing that it was him that had caused it) and without preamble took him into her mouth and slurped greedily.

Sirius felt his mouth gaping. Despite his reputation he had, of course, never had such an act performed on him before. It was with mingled relief and disturbance that he found it felt good- really good, good enough to make his toes curl and to allow little noises, shaking little oh's and ah's, to slip out of him of their own volition. She worked eagerly, getting her hands involved, making satisfied little sounds and looking up at him with what looked like both pride and determination. Just as he began to feel a familiar tightening in his abdomen, the room's creaky old door slammed open and shut, and James was there, calling in mock casualness, "Hey, Sirius-"

He stopped and fixed a surprised look on his face. "I-I'm so sorry!"

Evangeline had frozen, her hands still grasping Sirius firmly, her eyes wide. Sirius wasn't sure what the next step was but figured James had plotted something, so he lay very still and quiet, his chest heaving.

For a long moment nobody moved. And then, bewilderingly, James took a step forward. Evangeline said nothing. She didn't move. And Sirius found himself saying in a voice that wasn't his own- a thick, growling, hungry voice- "Evangeline, love?"

She looked at him as if she were glad that he was going to solve this bit of discomfort.

"Evangeline, James is my best mate." Sirius sat up a bit and stroked her hair. His voice was soothing, and he never let his eyes stray from hers. "You don't have to be ashamed. I share everything with James."

Swallowing hard, Evangeline let her gaze wander to James and back again. "E-everything?"

"Everything." There was a note of finality, a suggestion that the next step was hers to make. To his great astonishment he felt her hands began to move again- very slowly and cautiously, but definitely moving. He looked up at James with incredulity written all over his face and found James looking exactly the same way. James looked at Evangeline, who was beginning to work a bit more enthusiastically again, and looked back at Sirius as if to say: Well, may I? Sirius gave a little shrug, and James took a few careful steps forward.

Sirius lay back. Evangeline was sucking him again, those little hands groping, and he propped his head up with his folded arms so he could watch. James was rubbing her back- careful, his face full of disbelief. She shifted a bit and brought her ass up into the air, taking Sirius even more deeply into his mouth as she did.

"Ah," he groaned. James moved his hand down under Evangeline's skirt and she began to moan, the humming of her throat making Sirius tense all over. It felt good, so good he could barely stand it, and he watched with a shiver as James undid his own pants and moved towards Evangeline. There was a moment of disappointment when Sirius realized he couldn't see anything, but the look on James' face and the increased humming and occasional gasping of Evangeline assuaged him. James was biting his lip, his hands on Evangeline's hips, each thrust causing him to take a deep breath. In that moment James was so beautiful Sirius fell in love with him twice over. He wanted to push Evangeline out of the way, to stroke James' dark hair and kiss that lip James couldn't stop biting…but instead he watched, letting Evangeline do the things he wished the boys could handle themselves.

Sirius found that they all worked together beautifully. Without speaking they had rearranged themselves, Evangeline climbing gracefully astride Sirius while taking James into her mouth. This was a much more favorable angle, and Sirius watched the events before him with a jealous longing. Evangeline's wet warmth felt strange around his cock, but it was still good. He panted and groaned and gave a little strangled cry when he saw James tighten his hand in Evangeline's hair and thrust up against her. When James came- not with a moan but with a soft "mmm"- Sirius watched in wonder and delirious want before feeling his own body reacte, contract, pull in, and then wonderfully vividly release. Waves of warmth and vibrating energy washed over him and he was powerless to do anything more than lie back and pant, his eyes clenched tightly.

There was a certain awkwardness in the room when he had collected himself enough to sit up and lean up on his elbows. James was clearing his throat and buttoning his pants. "I…"

"You should go," Sirius said, not wanting it to be true. He willed James to wait for him with the Cloak outside the door and hoped it showed on his face.

James nodded and strode away quickly. Sirius brought his gaze back to Evangeline, who was watching him with a look of startled understanding. "You planned this," she whispered. It was a testament to her surprise that she didn't sound angry, and a testament to his that Sirius didn't deny it. She stood- not furiously but slowly, her face still working to assemble a proper expression, and straightened her clothes.

"Evangeline…"

That seemed to do it. Fury blazed in her voice as she growled, "Don't. Don't ever talk to me again. You bastard." She ran from the room, her heavy footsteps echoing down the hall.

Still somewhat bewildered and entirely drained, Sirius lay still for a moment before gathering his clothing and quickly, messily dressing. He slunk from the room like a thief.

"Sirius!" James yanked off his Cloak and waggled his eyebrows, his face glowing. "That was…that was…brilliant!" He clapped joyfully.

Sirius had to laugh. "Sure, right up until she broke up with me."

James made a dismissive noise. "She was a nuisance anyway." He slung his arm around Sirius' shoulder and gave a happy little sigh. "Mate, you were brilliant. I haven't felt this alive in months. You really came through for me." James looked up at Sirius with such perfect happiness and camaraderie that Sirius had to stop himself kissing James again.

"Now," James began as they moved down the hall towards the common room, "let's discuss Christmas break. Obviously, you'll be wanting to come over…"

Sirius stopped listening, simply letting himself enjoy the glow that he and James now found themselves in. It was almost perfect bliss.