And there's a hand, my trusty friend,
And gie's a hand o' thine;
We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

"And what is the reason for your visit?"

James Potter had been asking himself the same question since he had boarded the plane in Boston eight hours before. I'm here to find out if something's happened to my best friend, or if I've just fallen for the world's worst joke. He looked at the immigration official doubtfully. "I'm visiting a friend."

Passport stamped, James passed through the security gate and into the baggage claim area, feeling uncharacteristically awkward and out of his depth. He was annoyed with Sirius for that, too. Gritting his teeth, he swept the milling throng of travelers, looking for a familiar face. There. Sirius waved to him from across a baggage carousel, grinning nervously. And behind him - That must be the guy.

Sirius hurried toward him, dodging between tourists and their luggage. James eyed the lanky youth trailing after his best friend critically. He was unpretentiously dressed. Brown hair. Brown eyes. Odd patchy red markings on his cheeks, and across the bridge of a nose a touch too long for good looks. His appearance offered no explanation for the bewildering letter James had received three weeks before.

"James!" Sirius moved as if to embrace him, but he must have seen something in his expression that made him drop back, looking disappointed. "James, this is Remus."

James hesitated a moment before shaking hands with the stranger, uncomfortably aware that he was experiencing something like jealousy. "Pleased to meet you," he mumbled.

"Sirius speaks o' you all the time." The young man's voice was soft and lilting. "It's good to finally be able to put a face to a name."

Sirius carried most of the conversation out of the airport and onto the train that would take them to the village where they were staying. Remus appeared to be naturally soft-spoken, and James's normally boisterous personality was subdued by the strange situation. He gave brief replies to Sirius's inquiries about his flight and how his parents were and what he had been doing over the summer, and he listened to Sirius talk about the village they were headed to and their plans for his visit, but mostly he spent the trip watching the two men sitting across from him.

It was hard not to be aware of how often Sirius and Remus looked at or touched one another. Every time the conversation lagged, Sirius would glance at the other man, and Remus would nod encouragement, or touch Sirius's hand or knee briefly, and the last hope James clung to that this was all some sort of elaborate joke evaporated. Sirius could lie through his teeth when he needed to, but he was not that good of an actor.

By the time the train pulled into the village station, James was more annoyed than ever. At Sirius for doing something so drastic to their friendship and putting him in such an awkward position. At Remus for existing and having such an obvious influence over his best friend. At himself for the irrationality of his feelings about the matter.

He kept telling himself that he was not homophobic - he was very firmly of the opinion that people should be free to live their lives in whatever way worked best for them, so long as they were not hurting anyone - but this was different. James had thought he knew Sirius as well as he knew himself, but he had never once suspected his friend might be queer. Perhaps he did not know him as well as he had thought.

Dinner at the local pub, owned and operated by Remus's aunt, was punctuated by long silences that good food and generous quantities of beer did little to cover.

At last, Remus said, "I should be off home and let the two o' you catch up."

Sirius gave the Scot a wordless, pleading look as Remus extracted his hand from Sirius's grip. Then Remus did what James immediately realized he should have been expecting, and leaned in to kiss Sirius goodnight. They did not make a show of it, but it was no dry, formal peck, either. James had never seen Sirius kiss anyone like that - had never in seven years seen such an expression of dreamy tenderness on his friend's face - and stared openly. He had the sudden unsettling thought that this was not Sirius at all, but some stranger he was about to be left alone with, impersonating his friend.

When the two men broke apart, Remus brushed a thumb over Sirius's jaw and whispered, "It will be all right."

James felt even worse for being the cause of Sirius's distress, but there was a part of him that considered it only justice for the discomfort he himself felt at the moment.

"Goodnight," Remus nodded to James, and more softly, "I'll see you tomorrow," to Sirius.

After the other man departed, Sirius cast James an unusually shy look. "We should take our dishes through to the kitchen. Save Fiona the trouble. Then I'll show you to the room."

James nodded, but said nothing until they reached the privacy of Sirius's rented room over the pub.

"So -"

Sirius leaned against the door, arms folded. "Just say whatever it is that you're thinking and get it over with, Potter."

"It's true, then."

"Of course it's true," Sirius scowled. "I said so, didn't I?"

James shook his head, sinking into the desk chair. "I don't get it."

"What's not to get?"

"He's just - not what I was expecting," James said uncomfortably.

"Which was what, exactly?"

"I dunno," James shrugged, jet lag lending an edge to his irritability. "Movie star good looks. Maybe kind of girly. Something to explain why you've suddenly decided you're a -" he broke off, shaking his head. "But he just looks like some guy with a skin condition. I'd think it was all a joke, but even you wouldn't go to this much trouble."

Sirius's face flushed with anger. "Fuck you, Potter."

"No thanks," James sneered. "I'm not into that."

Sirius stared at him for a moment, as if trying to decide something. Then his arm shot out, wrapping around James's neck and twisting him into a headlock. James yelled, fighting back, but only managed to rake Sirius's cheek with his nails and lose his glasses before Sirius wrestled him to the floor, pinning his arms at his sides, and straddling his abdomen.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Black?" James growled, glaring up at Sirius's intent face, inches from his own.

"I'm reminding you that we're still brothers," Sirius said coolly. "I don't think about you 'that way' and you're not going to catch 'queer' from me. I'd rather not have to punch you, but if you're going to be an asshole about Remus, I will."

They glared at one another for a moment in a silent battle of wills, then, "Get off," James wheezed. "You've made your fucking point."

Sirius let go of him, and the two of them sat side by side on the floor with their backs against the bed, trying to catch their breath. James could feel several tender spots where he was sure to have bruises the next day. Strangely, he now felt somewhat better about the situation. Physical altercation was familiar territory for the two of them. It had been a more common means of resolving disputes when they were younger, but they still resorted to it from time to time to settle points of contention. Sirius was still Sirius. That was good to know.

"Why did you come?" Sirius asked, handing him back his glasses. "You didn't have to. If that's how you feel about it -"

"You're my best friend," said James, surprised that he should ask. "I was worried about you. I just wanted to make sure you were all right."

Sirius looked equally startled. "Why wouldn't I be?"

James's hands clenched at his sides and he flushed darkly. He could not look at his friend, but the question needed to be asked. He had come all this way. "Look, don't take this the wrong way, but - he didn't - force you, did he? I mean, if he hurt you -"

"Jesus!" said Sirius, slumping against the bed in shock. "God, no! It wasn't like that. You really thought -? Remus would never -"

The knot James had been carrying in his guts for weeks loosened slightly. "OK. I believe you. It's just - this seems really sudden. You were never into guys before."

"I was never really into girls, though, was I?"

"You were with Corbet for a year." James pointed out. "And you went out with Withers. Everyone wanted her."

Sirius sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. "You want to know why I really broke up with Withers? She couldn't get me off. I told her she was doing it wrong, but really, I just wasn't into it. Maybe I stayed with Corbet for so long because she never tried. I've never gotten stupid over a girl the way you and the other guys did. They just weren't that interesting."

"And you're stupid over this guy?" asked James skeptically.

Sirius's grin was comfortingly familiar. "Like a drunk with a head injury."

"So. You have a boyfriend," James tested the word.

Sirius's grin widened. "Yeah, I do."

"Are you in love with him?"

The grin faded from Sirius's lips. "I don't know. Maybe. It's only been a few weeks."

"Are you sleeping with him?"

"I sleep here," Sirius pointed out, ears reddening. "But if you really want to know, yeah, we did. Once. But then we decided to back off and get to know each other better."

James shook his head. "I can't believe you let someone do that to you."

"Do what?"

It was James's turn to blush. "You know."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "We didn't do that. Not that it would be any of your business if we did."

"But I thought you said -" James frowned in confusion. "I mean - So you didn't have sex with him?"

"Oh, and the only way for two people to have sex, according to the great James Potter, is for someone to stick their cock in someone else?" Sirius shot back. "It's easy to tell you've never gotten laid. I went to bed with him. We got each other off. Repeatedly. That's all you need to know about it."

"And you liked it?" asked James, trying very hard not to picture the scene Sirius described.

"Best night of my life," said Sirius smugly.

James scrubbed his hands through his unruly cloud of black hair and sighed. "What time is it?"

"Not too late, but if you're tired, we can go to sleep. You can have the bed."

Tired of arguing, James nodded. He felt a little more self-conscious than usual undressing in front of Sirius, but his friend ignored him, unrolling his sleeping bag on the narrow strip of floor between bed and desk. Maybe it would be all right. Maybe things had not changed between them as much as James had feared.

Lying in the darkness, James realized there was something important that he had forgotten to ask about, wrapped up as he was in his own feelings.

"How did your family take it?"

Sirius gave a quiet snort. "Let's just say it's a good thing my parents don't have a phone number for me here. There have been a lot of emails. They think this is just another way for me to rebel, and that I need to get it out of my system and come home before any of their friends find out."

"What about Regs?"

There was a long silence. "I haven't heard from him."

"Are you OK?" James knew how close the Black brothers had been when they were younger, and how much their growing apart bothered Sirius.

"Mostly," Sirius admitted. "Remus thinks he'll come around. I just wish I knew what he was thinking."

"I'll talk to him when I get home, if you like," offered James.

"Thanks."

"If he feels anything like I did, though, you should think about talking to him face-to-face."

"Maybe."

"You have to come home sometime, you know. You can't stay here forever."

"I know," said Sirius, but the tone of his voice suggested that he knew no such thing.

James raised himself up on an elbow and peered down at the dark shape of his friend on the floor. "What about Harvard?" he demanded. "What about us rooming together? Is this it? You're running off with some guy and I'm just never going to see you again?"

"Don't be ridiculous," said Sirius irritably. "Of course you'll see me. Even if things do work out with me and Remus, it's not like I'm dead or on another planet or something. Anyway, it's too late for me to apply to St Andrews this year. I'll have to do Harvard for at least a semester before I can transfer. Maybe a year. We can still room together, if you still want to."

"You think I wouldn't, just because you're queer now? I don't want anything to change." He shut his mouth abruptly, hearing the desperate note in his own voice.

"I guess that's the thing about growing up." Sirius sounded a little sad. "It's not going to be like it was anymore. Things are going to change whether we want them to or not. But we'll always be brothers, won't we?"

"Always," James said firmly. "Someone has to look out for you."

Sirius let James sleep for as long as he needed to the next morning. They ate breakfast in the room - toast and tea from the toaster and kettle Sirius kept on his desk - before heading over to Remus's aunt's house to collect him.

The Scot's eyebrows rose when he caught sight of Sirius's scratched cheek and the dark bruise on James's arm. "Everything all right?" he asked, a protective arm circling Sirius's shoulders.

"He said you were ordinary-looking," Sirius complained.

The corner of Remus's mouth turned up. "Well, I am. But if you dinna mind it, then neither do I. Have you sorted things out, then?"

Sirius nodded, and Remus's smile widened. "I told you so, did I no?"

"I'm all right with it," James volunteered. "At least, I'll get used to it. I wouldn't drop a friend over something like this. But I still have to make sure you're good enough for him."

Sirius scowled, but Remus laughed outright, revealing the unexpected flash of a tongue piercing. "As you should. I'll forward you my references, shall I?"

From that moment on, James could not help liking Sirius's boyfriend just a little.

The plan was to travel to Inverness for the weekend and visit one of Remus's friends. James was not sure if this was to keep him from feeling like a third wheel, or if the additional company was meant to cover any discomfort until they all got used to one another, but he was glad to have something to do other than sit around and make awkward conversation.

The train ride north was somewhat better than the one from the airport the previous day, but James still could not help feeling out of place. Sirius and Remus mostly kept their hands to themselves, but he was not sure if this was for his own benefit, or because they were in public.

Do people give them a hard time? he suddenly wondered.

Protectiveness surged in his chest. Not only for Sirius, but for the pair of them. He glanced around covertly for disapproving gazes, but none of the other passengers appeared to take any special notice of the two men, and James relaxed slightly.

The flat where Remus's friend was staying was only a few minutes' walk from the station. When the door opened to Remus's knock, James stared.

"Remus!"

The most beautiful woman James had ever seen in person wrapped Sirius's boyfriend in a fiercely possessive hug. The redhead hugged Sirius, too, then turned her green eyes and bright smile on James.

"Lily, this is James Potter, Sirius's friend from home," Remus introduced them.

"Pleased to meet you," she grinned, shaking his hand. "I didna ken America was so full o' bonnie laddies."

James found himself blushing - something he rarely did in the company of girls. "Nice to meet you. Lily. Er -"

"We've the place to ourselves for the weekend," she said, holding the door open. "Frank and Alice have gone doon to Norwich to visit his parents."

As they followed Lily into the flat, Sirius murmured, "If you don't close your mouth, flies will get in."

"You don't think she's hot?" James demanded in a whisper.

Sirius observed the redhead's rear aspect and shrugged. "She's sort of pretty, I guess. If that's your type."

James stopped dead and stared at his friend in disbelief. "You really are gay, aren't you?"

"I thought we'd already established that."

"How did neither of us ever notice?" James shook his head. "I always thought we were pretty smart."

Sirius grinned. "Don't complain; just be glad you don't have to compete with my charm and good looks for the local redheads. You wouldn't stand a chance."

"Always so modest," James snorted, clapping him on the shoulder.

They spent the remainder of the day exploring Inverness. Lily played tour guide, taking them to the best local eateries, rarely frequented by tourists.

In the afternoon, they visited Moniack Highland Winery. James was so charmed by Lily's running commentary of little-known historical gossip that it was a while before he realized that Sirius and Remus had vanished. After the mead tasting, he and Lily searched the grounds, finally locating their friends necking enthusiastically behind a tree. James was the only one who seemed embarrassed, and he realized that if he wanted to impress Lily, he needed to be cool about Sirius and Remus's relationship, and fast.

"You think I'm going to behave myself for a whole week just because you're here?" Sirius teased in an undertone as they walked back to town, lagging a little behind Remus and Lily. "Besides, you didn't look like you'd miss us."

James smiled reluctantly. "I didn't, for a minute."

"You like her."

"The fact that that surprises you at all only goes to show how bent you are, Black. Do you happen to know if she's seeing anyone?"

Sirius gave him an evil grin. "I'll go ask, shall I?"

"What? No! Sirius!" James hissed as Sirius skipped away, laughing. God, she was going to think he was twelve, and not even a little bit cool.

But Sirius was only giving him a hard time. "We should do something fun tonight," James heard him say as he drew even with Lily and Remus. He cast a wink over his shoulder. "Know any good clubs?"

Lily looked at Remus with something like concern. "Feeling up to it?"

Sirius's boyfriend shrugged. "Aye. Why not?"

As it turned out, Lily did know a decent nightclub. It was located just off the high street in the middle of Inverness. The music was loud and fast, and the bar was overrun with teenagers and twenty-somethings, flailing to the music and clamoring for drinks.

"I've got the first round," Sirius announced, diving into the throng. He returned several moments later, awkwardly carrying four cocktails.

Through luck and strategic maneuvering, they managed to secure a table in a corner which was not exactly quiet, but they were at least able to converse at something below a shout. The drink tasted strong, and James enjoyed the novelty of being legally permitted to drink alcohol in public. He hoped that he would not make a fool of himself in front of Lily, and resolved to pace himself.

As the others were finishing their first round, Sirius leaned over and whispered something in Remus's ear. The Scot raised his eyebrows and glanced back and forth between James and Lily, then grinned at Sirius.

"Aye, I believe I do feel like dancing," he said. "If you'd care to join me?"

Sirius stood, taking his boyfriend's hand. "Will you two be all right on your own for a bit?" he asked with apparent innocence.

James nodded. His eyes followed the two men as they stepped onto the dance floor. Soon they were lost in the music, eyes only for each other, as if they were alone in the world. James watched, lost in thought, until a hand set another drink down in front of him. He looked up sheepishly at Lily.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to ignore you."

"It's all right. I ken you're a bit distracted the noo."

"So I guess you're pretty happy for them," he said, eyes wandering back to the dance floor.

"Aye, it's good to see Remus happy with someone at last. They look good tegeither, do they no?"

James glanced at her, surprised by the smugness of her tone. "I guess so. You don't think anyone will bother them?"

She shook her head, taking a sip of her drink. "Take a look around, and tell me what the lassies are doing."

James did as she bade him. Most of the club's patrons took no notice of the two young men dancing in each other's arms, but more than a few young women watched with obvious enjoyment.

"If any o' the blokes here want to impress the lassies, they willna trouble our lads," she assured him. "Anyway, I happen to ken that one o' the bouncers is queer. He willna let any harm come to them."

James relaxed slightly, taking a swallow of the drink she had bought him. "I worry about him," he admitted. "He's my best friend."

"Aye, and Remus is mine."

"It didn't change things?" James asked. "When you found out he was gay?"

"Well, it did," she confessed. "In some ways, for the better. It was hard at first, though. You ken we were seeing one another at the time? It hurt - him saying he didna like girls at all that way. I thought maybe it was something I had done wrong. I ken noo that that's ridiculous, and he was always like this, but at the time -" she sighed, shaking her head. "But noo we're closer than we ever were. So dinna fash if things are uncomfortable for a wee while."

"It feels like I'm losing him," he confessed. "I've never seen him like this about anyone. I came over thinking - I don't even know. But this is real for him - for them. Isn't it?"

"Aye. But you canna lose a true friend." She gave his fingers a squeeze, and between that and the drink, he found it rather hard to focus on what she was saying. "He hasna changed, you ken. It's only that he's figured something out, and he's a wee bit distracted at the moment. So relax and try to enjoy yourself, lad. Your friend will come back to you soon enough."

James nodded, tossing back the rest of his drink. "You're right. I shouldn't worry so much." He dragged his eyes away from the dance floor and gave the beautiful redhead beside him his most charming smile. "Would you like to dance?"

She looked him up and down, then returned the smile. "Aye. Why not?"

By the time they arrived back at the flat, they were all more than a little tipsy, and everything seemed utterly hilarious, right up until they sorted out the sleeping arrangements for the night. When Remus kissed Sirius goodnight and disappeared into Lily's room, James looked at his friend incredulously.

"He's sleeping in her bed, and you don't have a problem with that?" he demanded.

Sirius paused amid distributing pillows and sleeping bags on the sitting room floor, and shrugged. "You'd rather he was out here with you, and I was sharing her room? I'd be more than happy to bunk up with him, but I don't think she'd be quite as cool about sharing with some guy she just met."

"Fine," scowled James. "But you know they used to go out, right? Lily told me. You're not worried something might happen?"

"He's gay," Sirius reminded him. "She could put her hand down his pants and he wouldn't be interested. If I offered to blow you, would that tempt you away from being straight for a night?"

"God, no!" James gagged, reflexively shielding his crotch with his hands.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Don't worry; I have no interest in your pathetic, wrinkly dick. It would be like sucking Regs off."

"All right," James relented, wriggling into one of the sleeping bags. "If you trust him - He seems like a decent guy."

Sirius grinned. "I hoped you'd like him."

"Maybe I do. A bit." James returned the smile grudgingly. "All right. I'm ready to listen. Tell me what happened. But not too many details about - things, OK?"

It was a long story, but James stayed awake, listening to his friend's sleepy voice. When he finished, James was silent for several contemplative minutes.

"Are you happy, Sirius?" he asked at last. He pitched his voice low, in case his friend had fallen asleep.

Sirius gave a sleepy sigh of contentment. "Yeah, I am."

James nodded, satisfied. "Then I'm glad for you."

"Do you think they'll be all right?" asked Remus.

Lily squeezed the arm around her waist. "I think they will be. But if you like, I can work on James a bit."

Remus chuckled, pulling her closer against his chest. "After you gave me such a hard time for turning poor Sirius's head?"

She shrugged, snuggling comfortably back against him. "Well, he's a fine-looking laddie, and if he's busy panting after me, it's that much less he'll fash himself about you and Sirius."

"You ken he fancies you already. But what do you think o' him?"

"He might be all right, once he gets over being uncomfortable about everything."

"Aye, fair enough," he grinned, kissing the top of her head.

"So how are things going with you and your laddie?" she asked.

Remus gave a sigh of contentment. "You were right. As usual. Things are good."

"Are you sleeping tegeither yet?"

"I dinna see how that's any o' your concern, Mistress Evans," he said reprovingly.

"I was only curious." She patted his hand. "But from the way the two o' you were dancing tonight, I'm guessing you are. If you like, I can go kip in Frank and Alice's room, and you can have the laddie in here."

"All right," Remus sighed. "Since you willna let it go, nay, we arena shagging. We're waiting until we ken one another better."

"Och, I never kent you were such a romantic, Remus," she teased.

"Wheesht, woman," he grumbled, giving her another affectionate squeeze. "Can a man no have a little dignity?"

"Nay, I think it's verra sweet o' you to wait. I do love you, Remus."

"I love you, too, Lily. Noo go to sleep and stop thinking pervy thoughts about me and my boyfriend."

Sirius had never shown much respect for the personal space of others, so James considered it a wonder that he even bothered to knock before inviting himself into Lily's room the next morning. He followed his friend into the room where Lily and Remus were waking up, still clothed, but rather more wrapped around one another than James thought was decent between friends. Sirius, however, ignored the pointed look James shot him, bouncing onto the bed to give Remus a thorough good morning kiss.

Lily sat up and raised her eyebrows at James. She looked, if possible, even lovelier with her hair all sleep-mussed than she had the day before. "Come and help me with breakfast?" she invited him. "We'll give these two lovebirds a wee bit o' privacy."

She closed the door behind them, and led him to the kitchen. James sat down at the table, the awkwardness of the day before settling over him once more.

"Everything all right with you and Sirius?" she asked, transferring a critical eye from the contents of the cupboard to him.

"Yeah. We talked some more last night. I think we're OK."

"Then why do you look like your mum just told you your da's the postman?"

It was a personal question, and it was none of his business, and James should not ask it, except that, insofar as it concerned Sirius, it was his business, because he had a responsibility to look out for his best friend's wellbeing. "You and Remus aren't still -?"

She paused, kettle in hand, and frowned at him. "I told you last night. He only fancies blokes."

James tried to think of a diplomatic way to ask, and gave up. "Maybe he doesn't like girls, but what about you? Are you over him? You were all wrapped up in each other this morning, and I just wondered -"

Lily looked down at the cluster of mugs on the counter and sighed. "Nay. I used to fancy him like anything, and I'll always love him, but I dinna think I was ever in love with him. It's been over between us for a long time."

He was just about to try turning the conversation to whether she was seeing anyone else at the moment when the bedroom door opened, and a very flushed and tousled Sirius and Remus emerged. Sirius ducked quickly into the bathroom, but Remus came into the kitchen, subsiding into a wooden chair.

The redhead opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, Remus shot her a warning look. "Nay, we didna, so dinna ask."

She laughed, and James tried very hard to pretend he could not guess what Remus's cryptic remark meant. By the time Sirius reappeared a few moments later, looking somewhat more composed, there were four steaming mugs of tea on the table, which they drank while they waited for toast and discussed their plans for the day.

The rest of the weekend was surprisingly pleasant, and James suffered only a few minor embarrassments. They took things at a more leisurely pace than the first day, since Lily seemed concerned that Remus looked tired, but James thought the Scot seemed well enough. He and Sirius kept wandering off on their own, and James began to suspect that they might have an ulterior motive apart from a desire for privacy: every time they disappeared, James was left in the company of the lovely and delightful Lily Evans. He did not feel inclined to complain about this state of affairs.

All too soon, the four of them were standing at the station, waiting for their train to arrive.

"It was good meeting you," said James regretfully. "I hope we'll see one another again sometime."

"Aye, me too," said Lily, flashing him one of her bright smiles. "I'm sure we will, if these two wee fools manage to keep it tegeither. Here -"

She took out a pen, tried and failed to find a scrap of paper, gave up, and wrote her email address on the back of his hand. As the train pulled into the station, she stood on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek.

"Write to me sometime, aye?"

"I will," promised James, sincerely hoping that Sirius and Remus would stay together for a very long time.

Glossary:

wheesht - hush

Song: "Auld Lang Syne" by Robert Burns