AN- Well, here we go again! I would like to express my extreme pleasure in the fact that I have had TWO reviews from people who do not typically read Remus/Sirius and both have been positive. This has made me a very happy writer, so if this is a happy story- blame TheSiriusSparrow and The Mysterious M. :big smile: Disclaimer- still not mine!

James looked down at the record player, doubt very evident in his eyes. Lily's plan had sounded pretty good, but now that he was standing in front of the little machine, charms book in hand; he wondered how he was going to make this work.

The idea was to get Sirius talking about his affections for Remus, meanwhile, James would have charmed the record player to record him instead of playing something back. James had pulled a disco album he'd bought over the summer (and hated) from the bottom of his trunk to record over, but the charm was giving him hell. He'd 'cleaned' the record and was now trying to get it to spin backwards on the wheel. He'd made the entire thing spin, but the record itself had been spinning the opposite direction. Damn his father for putting all those 'unbreakable' charms on the thing! It was really quite frustrating. Lily sure wasn't going to be happy about this...

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James was right. Lily had certainly been less than thrilled about the failure. There just wasn't a spell for making a record player record. Lily had now handed him a Quick Quotes Quill and told him to do the same thing, it would write down everything that was said. He was going to take her word for it.

That night, he cornered Sirius in the dorms while everyone else was downstairs.

"Sirius, need to talk to you." James wasn't sure why, but he was nervous about this. Probably because he was giving away his best friend's secret. Mind you it was for his own good, but still. A secret was a secret after all...

"Sure James." Sirius said, putting his quill down. "I was just finishing this essay anyhow."

James swallowed hard and nodded his head towards the stairs. "Private." Damn, he couldn't form full sentences! How does one ask a question in phrases?

James tried to formulate a plan of action as they ascended the steps. The quill was set up on his bed, the curtains drawn. He finally decided to just be himself and ask how things were going.

"Have you talked to Remus?" James hoped the quill was working, he really didn't want to do this again.

Sirius glared at him. "No, I told you. I'd rather be his friend than nothing at all."

James sighed. Exactly why he was doing this. "But, what if there's a chance? You know, of more?"

Sirius sighed and sat down on his bed. "Because I'd rather live my life wishing than take the risk of eternal heartbreak."

"You could get over him in time with closure should it come to that." James suggested. REALLY not wanting to give away Remus's secret, after all, he hadn't even been officially told of it.

Sirius looked him dead in the eye. "Remus isn't the sort of person you 'get over' James. This is real, this is forever. This is different. Trust me. Remus is the kind of person you fall in love with."

James hadn't been expecting that. Sure, he had known he LIKED him..."So you...love him?"

Sirius just nodded. "With all my being."

"Wow, well, um. Tell him. It will turn out okay, I swear." With that James bolted. That had been a bit too much emotion for him. His best friend. Completely in love. Not going to get over it. Head over heels. Oh my.

Time to find Lily.

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As it turned out, Lily was at the base of the steps. James grabbed her as he went by. She came stumbling along behind him. He quickly made his way to the One-Eyed Witch, tapped her back, muttered something Lily couldn't hear, and drug her through the subsequently opened door.

"Can't do it Lil. Can't." He gasped out, trying to catch his breath.

"Do what?"

"Tell Remus that. It's too personal. He has to tell him on his own. I can encourage, but no way in hell can I convey his feelings to Remus."

"Alright, slow down. First, where ARE we?"

James snapped out of it. "Simple. Passage to Hogsmeade. Leads to the cellar of Honeydukes."

Lily laughed. "So that's how you always get Butter beer for parties!"

"Among other ways..." James grinned. "But those are going to stay secret. Didn't think about you not knowing them."

Lily smiled and shook her head. "Well, business then. What happened?"

James's face fell. "He loves him. Really, truly loves him. Forever-type love."

Lily's jaw dropped. Evidently she didn't think the overly hyper Sirius Black could have that sort of feelings. "Oh." She stopped and thought for a moment. "Well, plan B then. I'll be dealing with Remus when he gets back."

James winced. "Good luck then. I'll put some bandages down here just in case. You aren't going to make him overly happy, very bad timing for it too."

"Fine." Lily said, crossing her arms. "I'll wait a week."

"There's a smart witch. Come on, let's get out of here before Sirius comes to track me down."

"But, this place isn't exactly obvious..." Lily was confused. How could Sirius find them THAT fast?

"Oh come on Lily, he's a marauder. You don't want him to be LOOKING for you. Trust me, you'd be found all too quickly. Let's go."

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In fact, Sirius had already located James on the map and was wondering why in the hell he'd gone running so fast to Lily.

"James." He stated as James re-entered the dorm. James looked up guiltily.

"Saw me with Lily, right?"

Sirius smirked at that response. It really was like they were brothers or something. He nodded and waited for James to continue.

"I had a minor emergency. Needed to ask her something." James said smoothly, he'd gone over this in his head. He was better prepared for this conversation.

"Which would be what?"

Bloody hell, he hadn't thought of that part! "Ah, homework." He said, floundering, when something hit him. "It had occurred to me that we have a History test tomorrow and I didn't remember a thing about any of the Goblin Wars."

"Sure James, Whatever you say." Sirius said, obviously not believing hi,=m, but not pressing the issue.

James turned bit pink.

"C'mon, it's time for Prongs to run with us." Sirius said, heading for the door. James now noticed the invisibility cloak in his hand. That could be another reason he was being looked for.

"Right, lets go. We'd best be there before moonrise then."

Sirius just smiled.

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One week later, Lily made her move.

"Remus, I need to talk to you."

Remus looked up from his book. He'd evidently finished Tolkien's works because he was reading something about Benny Goodman. The boy didn't give up on his obsessions at all. "Sure, let me guess- somewhere not so public?"

Lily nodded. "How about the tree out on the grounds?"

Remus thought about this for a moment before pulling a piece of parchment out of his robes, tapping it and muttering something Lily couldn't hear, glanced at the parchment, tapped it again with another mutter and put it away.

"Sure." He picked up his hat from where he'd set it down (It had been blocking the sunlight from the window) and set it on his head. He grinned and walked out of the Common Room, Lily behind him.

They arrived and no one was there. Lily looked relieved, but Remus didn't seem overly surprised. He sat down with his back to the tree and started playing with the hat, an odd sort of smile on his face.

"Nice feather there." Lily remarked as she sat down beside him. Remus just smiled. "I, err, wanted to talk to you about Sirius."

"Yes? I figured as much."

Lily cursed inwardly. The boy was too damn perceptive for his own good sometimes. It was like he was reading your mind!

"And you want me to tell him how I feel. I already explained this too you Lil, he's my best friend. I need him. Should he push me away, I wouldn't survive the pain."

"But, what if he didn't?"

Remus snorted. "Fat chance of that. Sorry Lily, but most people don't tend to be homosexual- or even bisexual."

"Have you ever asked him?"

"Well, it's not something most people ask! Sure, just go up to your mates and say, 'Oi, just out of curiosity, are any of you poufs?' Yeah, I'm sure that would go over great."

Lily winced. It was amazing how sarcastic he could be. He always seemed so even-keeled and polite...but get to know him and you'd realize he was so bloody sarcastic it could be considered as ridiculous at times. "Yes, well...that doesn't rule it out entirely!"

Remus snorted again. Lily wondered if James had this much trouble with Sirius.

"What, exactly, are your feeling for him?" She asked, hoping for a straight answer, well, sorta.

"What are your feelings for our dear James Potter? Sirius told me you were talking to him eve of the last full moon. Made them late."

Lily winced. Certainly NOT a straight answer! Then, a thought dawned on her. "Oi! How did you know about that? How did Sirius know?"

"Marauder trade secret." Remus said, tapping his head. "Ask James sometime, he might tell you. You going to answer my question?"

"Not until you answer mine."

"Fine. I love him. Happy?"

"Real love? Like, the forever love you read about in stories?"

Remus grinned. "Just like Frodo will always love Sam. Your turn."

"Falling- fast. He's different this year, more caring. But he's still not off the hook for being an absolute prat for the past five years." Lily chose to ignore the synonym. She didn't quite get it anyways. "Back to you and Sirius..."

"Why not just let it be?"

"Because I'm trying to be a matchmaker here and you won't let me!"

"Well what is it you're wanting me to DO?"

"Tell him!" Lily said simply, clapping her hands together.

"Damn straight I'm not going to 'let you'. No way."

"But, but...It would be worth it. I swear."

Remus gave her an odd look. "You know something. Tell me."

Lily turned red and squirmed. Remus grinned.

"A hint then!"

Lily was now very embarrassed. This wasn't supposed to happen! "Not allowed." She muttered.

"Aw, c'mon Lil! Just one little hint can't hurt..."

Lily wrung her hands and stood up to leave. Before she did she turned back and said something so quietly that Remus wouldn't have heard it if not for his improved senses.

"When I said James 'noticed things' over the summer, he wasn't noticing YOU."

And she fled. Somehow, conversations with Remus never turned out how she intended them to.

Remus still sat by the tree, idly playing with the feather in his fedora. Very hep.

It couldn't mean anything, what she just said. Just couldn't. She couldn't have meant that James was noticing SIRIUS acting oddly? But come to think of it, he was.

But it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing...

'Aw, bloody hell.' Remus thought as the lyrics floated through his mind. 'It DOES have 'that swing'. And that's his favorite song. 'Ain't got that swing' my foot.'

Remus dropped his head into his hands and realized that the temptation to tell Sirius just how he honestly felt had increased.

And that was exactly how Sirius found him an hour later.

Review! Please! I crave them! :begs: