Written for Quidditch League - Round 5

Chaser: You must choose to write either the scenario prompt, quote prompt or head!canon prompt. Harry Potter quote: Your story must revolve around the quote. It doesn't have to be directly quoted, but you can if you'd like.

Box: Hogsmeade - Harry Potter Quote: "What would your head have been doing in Hogsmeade, Potter?"

11. (word) Atmosphere

13. (phrase) 'Under lock and key.'

1. (quote) 'Let's face it; this is not the worst thing you've caught me doing.' - Tony Stark, Iron Man

Under the Cloak

"So, this is a date… right?" Remus asked.

Sirius nodded his head. "Yeah, a proper date… with flowers and romantic crap."

"I see," Remus murmured. "And it'll just be the two of us?"

James didn't miss the panicked look thrown in his direction, and he rolled his eyes before nodding his head. Of course it needed to be the two of them. Him and Peter couldn't very well join them on a date.

Sirius turned back to Remus. "Yeah. Just me and you. Like I said, a proper date with poetry and… and chocolate and snogging and stuff."

James turned back to his magazine as Remus smiled at Sirius. He didn't need to watch all the soppy stuff. He was only in the room for moral support, and to make sure Sirius didn't make a fool of himself in asking Remus out.

Otherwise, Sirius would never have gotten the courage to ask him out.

James' eyes drifted over a photo of the Wigtown Wanderers scoring a goal, but he wasn't focused. He knew that Sirius would demand his attention the moment Remus left the room or went to sleep. If the look on his face was anything to go by, Sirius would most likely panic about being on the date alone with Remus.

James didn't quite understand why; it wasn't like it was the first time Sirius had been alone with Remus. It happened quite often, actually, as the obvious-to-everyone-but-them feelings between the two of them grew. They were trying to make sense of their emotions, whilst feeling terrified that the other would never return their feelings.

Point being that Remus and Sirius were together most of the time.

James flicked the page, ignoring the other two whispering to each other. He wasn't in a romantic mood, having been turned down by Lily Evans, again.

He wasn't sure why as he had changed a lot that year. For a start, he was Head boy. He wasn't pranking as much as before, and he was actually looking out for the younger students – even the Slytherins. If that didn't spell 'dedicated', he didn't know what did.

Not that he expected her to fall into his arms or anything, but she could at least stop being so cold towards him. He wasn't as bad as Snape, becoming a Death Eater and calling Lily a 'Mudblood'.

He let out a small sigh, trying to turn his attention back to the Quidditch magazine. Unfortunately, even when he read the page with information about how excellent the newest broom on the market, the Nimbus, was doing, he couldn't find it in himself to care that much.

Maybe it was time to give up on Lily Evans. His friends had said as much, even Remus had said that Lily was a lost cause, and he had been so sure that Lily would warm up to James before. Maybe he should set his sights on someone who was open to his flirtations.

Someone like Regulus Black, perhaps?

Sirius sitting on his bed was a welcome distraction from the Lily and Regulus thoughts, and James dropped the magazine onto the bed next to him.

"He said yes!" Sirius announced smugly, as though there would be any doubt at all. James grinned, holding back comments about how he had been sitting on the next bed for the whole conversation.

"That's great, mate," James replied. "I knew he would."

"I need to get some chocolates and flowers before tomorrow, but I have detention in a bit…"

James sighed, completely aware with what Sirius was about to ask. "Okay, but you write down what you want. I'm not risking picking it myself just for you to throw a dramatic-sulk because I bought the wrong thing."

"I do not throw dramatic sulks," Sirius muttered, frowning at his best friend and folding his arms.

"So, what are you getting lover-wolf for your date tomorrow?"

Sirius' face lit up immediately at the mention of Remus. "Flowers and chocolate… and oh, I have that book I bought him for his birthday. I could give it now and replace –"

"It's a first date," James stated, shaking his head. "Remus isn't going to expect a present. Trust me, he won't expect anything… but if you're adamant on a gift, chocolate is perfect. After all, it's Remus."

Sirius nodded his head. "How about some of those chocolate flowers? And a big box of –"

"I won't be able to sneak boxes back," James replied, standing up from his bed and pushing his feet into his shoes. "Why don't you get a basket and then fill the chocolate into that? It'll look nice and will fit more chocolate than a chocolate box, plus you know you're getting his favourites in there. It'll be easy for me to carry a basket."

"Brilliant!" Sirius stated. "You get on that; I'll get to detention." Sirius made to stand up but hesitated. "Another thing… I need a favour," Sirius asked, sounding anxious.

"What is it?"

"I… I can't go on the date alone!"

James rolled his eyes, having expected Sirius to panic over this fact.

"But –"

"So, I want you to come too… just bring the cloak. If you sit at the next table and only talk to me when Remus isn't there, then we can get through this date."

"'We' as in you and Remus?"

"'We' as in me and you. You're going to help me charm him. You come up with all that poetry for Evans and all those excellent chat-up lines. You should be able to help me with Remus."

"So, the date that Remus requested to be just you and him… you want me to tag along? You want me to give up my whole Saturday following you under a cloak whilst you and Remus flirt and get all coupley and make sex-eyes at each other. What's in it for me?"

"I, Sirius Black, will owe you."

James narrowed his eyes. "I'll do it for half the day. If you go down around ten, you have me until one. Three hours. There's no way I'm going to follow you both around for the whole day."

Sirius bit his lip in thought. "That'll work," he finally muttered.

"And you will owe me. That means whenever I need help, no matter what it is, you have to help me."

Sirius nodded his head. "Unless you screw up. This is your free-pass if you do something stupid."

"Done."

...oOo...

James didn't know why he was there. Sirius was managing perfectly fine by himself. He wondered if Sirius had even forgotten he was tagging along.

James shifted to avoid someone walking into him, his eyes still on the pair.

"Your lips are as red as a cherry," Sirius murmured. James rolled his eyes, relieved that Remus seemed to be loving the strange and corny comments that Sirius kept blurting out.

He had explained time and time again to Sirius that he needed to think before speaking, but Sirius didn't seem to have that ability around Remus.

He watched for a few more minutes, noting his time was almost up. He couldn't help but smile. Even with the cringe-worthy things Sirius was saying, it was clearly a romantic atmosphere between the pair. They only had eyes for each other, and their hands were entwined over the table.

James felt slightly jealous at the sight, wanting to feel that with someone too. He pushed the feelings aside. It wasn't the time to feel jealous, Sirius and Remus both deserved each other, and they both deserved to be happy.

James waited until Remus had headed to the bar for another round of drinks before starting over towards the table. He wanted to let Sirius know that he was leaving but was unaware that someone standing close to him had their foot on the corner of the cloak.

James stepped forward, feeling the cloak slip as he moved. He grabbed the cloak before it uncovered more than his head. He yanked it from under the person's foot and pulled it around him before anyone could notice. He glanced around, but no-one was looking his way, though the person who had stood on the cloak looked very confused.

Satisfied, James headed over to Sirius. "Time for me to go. You've got this."

Sirius tilted his head slightly in understanding. "Thanks, mate," he murmured into the table. "I owe you."

...oOo...

"Potter?"

James frowned. He was still under the cloak, but someone was calling after him. He took a look around and spotted Regulus Black looking this way and that.

James turned away, heading towards the alley next to the pub.

"Potter!"

He turned once more to find Regulus Black in the alley with his wand out. James wondered if Regulus was going to kidnap him and bring him to his Death Eater buddies… or maybe order James to be his sex-slave. Yeah, that was it. James could handle that. It would be a tiring job, but rewarding, as Regulus was attractive and –

"I know you're under that blasted cloak."

"How?" Crap. Now Regulus would be certain that he was there. James cursed himself for answering as a slow smile spread over Regulus' lips. There was no point in even pretending, and he pulled off the cloak.

"What do you want, Regulus?" James asked. He had long given up calling the younger Black by his surname. It reminded him that this was Sirius' little brother, and he shouldn't be thinking about Regulus at all. His eyes moved down Regulus' body as Regulus moved forward.

"I just wanted to know what your head was doing floating around the Three Broomsticks."

"Why? You want to write about it in Death Eater Weekly?" James retorted, folding the cloak up and slipping it into his robes. "Or did you just want to get me alone?"

James leered at him, hoping Regulus chose the second option.

"I just wanted to inform you that it's not your best idea since you have no ability to remain inconspicuous. I knew you were there and have no doubt that Lupin saw you too. Maybe you should try walking quietly? You sounded like a herd of elephants walking up the street."

"So you were following me!" James stated, grinning. "I knew you wanted a bit of this!"

Regulus rolled his eyes and sighed deeply. "I saw your head, and –"

"And you seem to have a fixation on it. Do you want a proper look?" James murmured, moving closer.

"I wouldn't want to do anything that would require bleach or an obliviate," Regulus sneered. "What do you want, Potter?"

"Me? You were the one following… stalking me. Is this a Black thing? Do you all stalk the people you fancy?" James watched, shocked at the blush that appeared on Regulus' cheeks. "Because I'm totally alright with you being a stalker. Stalk away."

"What did you say I am?"

"Gay for me!" James stated with a wink that would make Sirius proud… well, one Sirius would be proud of if it had been aimed at someone who wasn't his little brother. "So, next Hogsmeade weekend, why don't you stalk me to Madam Puddifoots? I'll stalk you, too, so it's not weird. Shall we start our stalking at about… twelve?"

"You're out of your mind," Regulus said, backing out of the alley.

"That wasn't a 'no'," James called after him. Regulus continued walking without saying another word.

"So… if it's not a 'no', does that make it a 'yes'? It's a date, right?"

James decided to take the silence as a 'yes'. He wished he wasn't alone. He felt the need to high-five someone after his success in asking out Regulus Black.

...oOo...

James pulled the door to the dorm-room open and closed it behind him. He turned, finding himself under the narrowed gaze of Remus.

He glanced around, noticing a very chastised Sirius slumped on his bed, clearly sulking. Great.

Peter was nowhere to be seen and James couldn't blame him. Peter had probably run off the second Remus looked in his direction.

James turned his gaze back to Remus.

"A very interesting thing happened today," Remus stated, not taking a moment to blink. James fidgeted, wanting nothing more than to look away or have a magazine or something to hide behind, but something in Remus' clear amber eyes had him frozen in place.

"Oh?"

"You see, I was on a wonderful date and was enjoying myself immensely… and I headed to the bar. I turn to look towards my date…" his gaze flickered to Sirius, who bowed his head, refusing to meet Remus' eyes, "when I noticed something very strange – just for a moment that is."

"You… did?"

"I did," Remus confirmed, sounding scarily calm. James was terrified. It was the voice Remus used when things were the opposite of calm. "I spotted a head."

"Your lucky day," James blurted out. "I didn't realise you and Sirius were at that level of –"

Sirius let out a strangled sound: a mixture between a snort and a laugh before going silent at Remus' glance in his direction.

"I saw a floating head." James opened his mouth but closed it under Remus' glare. "Just in the middle of the pub. One that could be achieved by a cloak, perhaps?"

"Funny, that. I wonder who –"

"What would your head have been doing in Hogsmeade, Potter?"

"It wasn't me," James lied.

"It was you. Sirius has already sold you out, I'm afraid. Now, I know why Sirius asked you to do it, but you're going to tell me why you agreed with the… the insane idea of following us on our first date."

"Because Sirius asked me to?"

"We both know that Sirius doesn't… doesn't think these things through, but you should have more sense than that, Potter."

James fidgeted some more. Remus only used his surname when he was completely pissed. "I wanted to help. Sirius wanted the date to go perfectly so you'd want to go on future dates with him but was worried that he'd say something or do something stupid. I was supposed to stop that from happening."

"Yet you caused it by being there." Remus sighed. "It was supposed to be a first date. We're all friends here, and we can do things together all the time, but the first date is supposed to be just me and Sirius. I wouldn't have even known that you were there if I hadn't caught you."

"Let's face it; this is not the worst thing you've caught me doing," James stated. "I wanted to help and make the date perfect."

"And how much of it was Sirius? The poems, the great chat-up lines? How much of it was actually Sirius? How much of it was you? I wanted to date Sirius, not both of you."

"Moony, I'm hurt," James began. "I…" he trailed off at the glare Sirius was giving him. Right. Now wasn't the time to pretend that he wanted to date Remus, too. Got it. "It was all Sirius. I just threw bits of paper at him when he was about to say something stupid. I didn't tell him anything to actually say."

Remus glanced at Sirius again. "On our next date, you will not invite anyone. Do you understand?"

"Next date?" Sirius' face lit up at the idea. "Yeah, of course, whatever you want! James will stay here under lock and key."

"Stay here under lock and key? What if I have things I want to get in Hogsmeade? What if I have a date?"

Two disbelieving glances were thrown his way. "A date?" Sirius scoffed. "What? Finally wore Evans down?"

James glared at him before walking over to his bed. "It wasn't Evans I was going to take. I was going to take Regulus."

"Regulus?" He heard Sirius get up from the bed and stomp over to him. "If you think for one minute I'd let you take my little brother –"

"You owe me, remember. Anything I wanted, and this is it."

Sirius froze. "When I said anything, that didn't include my brother!" he hissed.

James shook his head. "Too late. I've already asked him."

"Did he shoot you down?" Sirius asked hopefully.

James shook his head. "It was closer to a 'yes' than I've ever gotten from Evans."

James groaned at the sound of the bathroom door slamming shut behind Sirius. "Moony, do you think you can persuade him that me dating Regulus isn't a bad thing?"

Remus shook his head. "I think even my powers of persuasion aren't enough to fix this."

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