Watching Sirius and Ainsley hate each other when I know differently has really been killing me these past few days.

Ainsley is one of my closest friends – I love her like the sister I wish Petunia was. I want nothing but the best for her, and in this case, Sirius is the best thing for her. She likes him – the affection is there, and I can see it. It's in the way she glances at him in class when she thinks I can't see her, the way her cheeks go oh-so-slightly pink when he brushes by her, or the way she unconsciously starts to fiddle with her hair when he's addressing her. The subtleties – the things people don't care to look at – tell the whole story.

It also helps that Ainsley all but confessed her attraction to Sirius a few nights back, even if she didn't mean to.

So, I decide to go ahead to the next step – a date. I mean, how else are they going to get to know each other? For this though, James's cooperation was vital. I don't like having to ask for his help all the time, since it's kind of humiliating, but it's not for my cause – it's for Ainsley, who, in this case, is much more important than my pride. I find him in the corridors and I explain the plan on Friday; he is obligated to agree with me, and promises to do what I proposed.

On Saturday then, when Ainsley and I are in Hogsmeade, I insist upon going to The Three Broomsticks, telling her I'm hungry as I drag her in. She lets me, just because she's in a particularly agreeable mood, and I take her to the back of the restaurant.

James had said he would get Sirius a table on his own and put a Sticking Charm to his behind to keep him in place, and I find this he has kept his promise. I see an Ainsley-style storm start to develop, but all that does is make me haul her over more roughly, plop her onto the chair, and perform the Sticking Charm on her rear before she can explode. I take away her wand too – I don't want her to break through the charm.

Ainsley could have happily used an Unforgivable on me.

I skip off to the side James is at, pleased as they begin to discuss (rather fiercely) why they got where they were.

"Excellent," I whisper to him. "This may work!"

"And when it does, you and I are going to be the ones at that table together." James smiles impishly; he knows exactly what to say to make my blood boil.

"Yes, well, for now, I want to assist my best friend in ever way possible, and you will help me do that – then we'll see about our date," I say shortly. "I think this will work for Ainsley and Sirius."

"Erm…" James's expression turns apologetic as he gestures to Sirius, who has taken out his wand, lifted the charms, and is arguing ferociously with Ainsley. I whip around to face James, and, my tone thunderous, I ask, "Did you take Sirius's wand away?"

James's uncomfortable fidgeting tells me that he has not.

I shove him in the shoulder, annoyed, and run out to Ainsley, who has already abandoned a livid Sirius and is glaring at me. I try to follow her, but she stalks away; I can see why, but that doesn't stop me from being indignant all the same.

She goes straight to the dormitory and hides in the bathroom from me – it's going to be about four hours before she will be able to even look at me after what I've done. I linger outside the door, frustrated; James has already gone elsewhere, so I can't kill him even though it's his fault the date didn't work, and Sirius is Merlin knows where. How had such a good idea gone so wrong?

This experience gives me only one conclusion to work with: I'm just going to have to try a little bit harder.