Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, events and/or places that are recognized as being written and created by J.K. Rowling. J.K. Rowling owns all the characters and places from the Harry Potter books including the ones used in this story.

A/N: Hello! Long time no see! I know, I know. It's been over a month, but, if you happened to check my profile page, you would have read all about how during Decemeber I played constant slave to Christmas shoppers. I literally worked from dawn to dusk. And just when I had time to let my hungry mind out to write, I had to put my cat to sleep. Which was possibly the hardest thing I've ever done. So, in conclusion, I am terribly sorry for the wait. And I'm really really really going to try and not let long stretches of time pass between chapters. It makes me sad to see my little story sitting in my documents folder, being ignored and collecting virtual dust bunnies!

And, as usual, I would love to thank EVERYONE who left a review. I appreciate it to no end! Perhaps, I'll drop a little personal thank you, to make up for not mentioning names here. :D

"Good morning, star shine!"

Remus's eyes were heavy laden and wanted to do many things, none of which involved them opening. He dug his nose deeper into his pillow, surrounding his pupils in blackness. There was movement next to him. He could feel his mattress sink down, raising his own body up. And now his pupils weren't the only things surrounded by Blackness.

"The Earth says hellooooo!"

"Please stop," Remus hissed into his pillow. He didn't want the Earth, or Sirius, to say hello to him. Today hadn't even begun and already Remus wished it would go away.

"Now, Moony," Sirius said. To Remus's ear Sirius's voice felt like it was coming from a higher altitude. This had a calming effect on him. At least Sirius wasn't in his "cuddling" mood. "You're the only person who can manage to get out of bed on the wrong side, before he's even gotten out of bed."

Leave it to Sirius to be awake and coherent at, Remus ventured a peek at his clock, 6 a.m. Remus rolled over, allowing one blurry eye to escape its prison and look at Sirius. To Remus's high annoyance, Sirius was grinning; he knew why Remus was less than thrilled to be awake.

"It's Saturday," Sirius announced. He sank down further on Remus's bed, sinking his shoulders into Remus's extra pillow. "So we really don't have to be up this early-" is that true, Remus thought, sarcastically; "-and I am no morning person, but…I had a nightmare, well, an early morning-mare, and I didn't want to stay in my own bed."

"Afraid of the big, bad Hippogriff?"

"Yes, but not the wolf."

Remus rolled his eyes, which only made his head hurt. This was the day he had been dreading since…three months ago. The day he foresaw from the moment he read Lily's accusing statement.

The day he would have to parade around, in public, as Sirius Black's boyfriend.

Of course they weren't really putting on a parade; only Lily would have any idea about them. That is, if Lily was the only person who thought of the two friends like that. For all Remus knew, the whole school could have had the same idea.

But, what Remus did know was that Sirius was going to push all the envelopes…and all his buttons; and that today would be the longest day of his life.

Remus looked at Sirius, whose restless eyes fluttered from Remus's face to Remus's bed hangings to Remus's feet and back again.

Sirius wasn't bad looking; Remus would admit that much. If he had to be anyone's boyfriend, he was happy it was someone he wanted. Er, might want, or could…want…what Remus meant was someone that was a friend that would make Remus feel as comfortable as pretending to be on a date with his best friend could feel. Yes. That's it. Remus closed his eyes.

"Don't go back to sleep before me, Moony!" Sirius reached out to Remus's shoulder and shook him. Sirius didn't even need to actually reach since they were in the same extremely small, single bed. The only reaching that could be done, was reaching for a way out. "Moony?" Sirius whispered, dragging his face over closer to Remus's. "Mooonnnneyyy?"

"Why do you think elongating my name ever works in getting me to do things for you?"

"Maybe because it always works."

"What do you want?" Remus sighed. This conversation only stood as a reminder of what kind of day Remus was going to have. He wasn't going to wake up, have breakfast, go to Hogsmeade, spend money he didn't have, come back to Hogwarts and go to bed; no, no that would be just way to easy of a day. Remus's day had to have afflictions and complications sewed in so that there would be nothing easy about it.

"I want you to not go back to sleep," Sirius whispered.

"But, I'm tired."

Sirius let out a long, unnecessary sigh across Remus's nose. If Remus sneezed bogeys and brains all over Sirius's hair, he wasn't at fault. "So, Moony," Sirius said. "I might have a problem."

Now Remus wanted to sigh. Why did he have to play therapist to Sirius constantly? Remus had enough problems of his own. Remus had a fool-proof way to stop Sirius from whining though. If Sirius came over to him, complaining about a paper cut, Remus would simply say "I'm a werewolf" and Sirius wouldn't say anything else about his tiny wound, or whatever his issue was. That statement was the only good thing about Remus's disease; of course there were literally only a handful of people who he could say it to without them calling the Ministry, so it really wasn't used that often.

"You see, Moony," Sirius picked up. "There's this girl. Sixth year. Gryffindor. I think her name is…it's like Amelia or something, anyways, she's hot. And…I was thinking of ditching you for her."

"Blunt," Remus said. He wanted to pretend that he was hurt, but only on a sarcastic level; which was hard given the fact that he oddly really did feel hurt.

"Just thought I'd let you know in case I decide to-"

"Sirius?" Remus flopped onto his side, facing Sirius, and propped his head up with his elbow.

"Yes?"

"Why do you always come to my bed?"

Remus could see Sirius's shadowy face twitch slightly. "I like talking to you," Sirius said in a low whisper.

"But, what about James? Why don't you go to his bed?" Why do I feel the need to interrogate him about this? Remus didn't know why he cared all of a sudden, but, all of a sudden he really cared about knowing what it was about him.

"James is like my brother."

"And I'm not?" Remus whispered back.

"You're more like a cousin, Moony," Sirius said, with a strange wave of affection.

"What you do with your family, Padfoot, is nothing I want to know about." Sirius laughed into his hands, shaking Remus's bed. Remus smiled. He just thought of a great paper to write; Pure-blood Families and Their Incestual Relationships. Then Remus thought of something even more disturbing. "I would ask you why you didn't go to Wormtail's bed, but, you know, ew and all of that."

"Right on." There was a tight moment of silence. The two boys stared off into their own spaces, thinking of two many things at once. "So, Moony, that Jennifer. Hot."

"I thought you called her Amelia?"

"I might have the name wrong." Remus shook his head. Sleep, glorious sleep was calling to him again. "She has legs to kill over. Really! And you know how I appreciate long legs."

"So the stories go," Remus said. He hid a rather large yawn with the back of his hand. "But, you know, Padfoot," Remus began. "If you do really like her, or even just have a slight appreciation for her, don't let me, and James's fake date, stand in your way. Pursue all you want." This was the opportunity Remus was hoping would pop up. A way to get out of this entire mess and return to his normal existence of simply existing. All he would need to do is push Sirius towards, who ever this girl that wasn't him was. Remus closed his eyes again. It was the morning, the early, early, befuddled morning, that was making him think such odd things.

"Lie still," Sirius said, suddenly. "On your back."

Of course, getting Sirius to listen to Remus's words was a big task all its own. "Should I be nervous?" Remus asked, as he followed Sirius's direct orders.

"No, just..." Sirius started wiggling, and scrunching, until his body was lying straight next to Remus's. "There!" Sirius proclaimed.

Remus wanted to close his eyes. He really wanted to close them and re-open them and not be lying next to Sirius, with all there body parts…touching. "Sirius, what are you doing?"

"I just wanted to see…Yep! Knew it! My legs are longer than yours."

"You being taller than me might have something to do with that."

Sirius sighed. "Don't be all upset because you're not my perfect woman anymore."

A sharp, searing white pain ripped through Remus's head, or Sirius's voice felt like a sharp, searing white pain ripping through his head. Either way, something was making his head hurt and Remus knew Sirius had everything to do with it. Then again, Sirius was just being normal; as normal as Sirius Black could be. It was just that Sirius's "normal" actions were being magnified under the fact that Lily thought that those actions meant a thousand other things, and now Remus couldn't help but see that also.

"Sirius," Remus said, but stopped. "Sirius, what was your nightmare about?"

Remus could feel Sirius's shoulders rise and fall, and Sirius's head move side to side. "It doesn't matter," Sirius said.

"It does," Remus retorted.

Sirius's head shook again, but this time fell farther to his right; closer to Remus's. "My mum," Sirius whispered so quietly Remus felt like Sirius's voice was in his own head.

Remus's head tilted towards Sirius's; he knew what horrible words were coming. "What did she do?" Remus asked just as softly as Sirius spoke.

"She Adava Kadavra-ed me."

Why was it that whenever Remus was ready to push Sirius and his eccentrically touchy behavior as far away as possible, Sirius had to come and remind him why he was that way; and steal a tiny piece of Remus's rather large heart.

Remus's hand, on its own accord so Remus wished to believe, stretched out over Sirius's hand, patting the soft skin in a comforting beat. "Today's our big date," Remus said, going for the old completely change the subject tactic. "Got plans for James lined up? Maybe I should be aware of them. So I could stop the really dangerous ones."

"Oh, Moony! Just you wait." Sirius paused. Remus could hear a very audible swallow, before Sirius's low toned whisper started up again. "Moony? You're not going to be all weird on me today, are you?"

Remus's head immediately flopped to the side, to look at Sirius. "And that's supposed to mean?"

Sirius sighed, furrowing his eyebrows. "I just…I don't want to make you uncomfortable, or angry, or sad, or disappointed, or scared, or…any number of things really. But, you're all I've got and…I just want you to know that…this is all for fun, and I won't let it get out of control."

Remus looked back straight up at his canopy. Quite suddenly he felt empty, and he wasn't sure why, or he was sure but wouldn't even admit why to his own self. "Thanks Padfoot."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you! I've picked out your outfit!"

"My…my outfit?" Remus's stomach plunged to his ankles. He wasn't expecting to get dolled up for this. James was lucky that he was even going along. He, in fact, was still planning on trying to deter a very undeterable Sirius.

"Of course, Moony!" Sirius sat up and leaned over Remus, straddling his torso with his arms. His face hovered dangerously close to Remus's. "No boyfriend of mine is wearing corduroy."

Remus allowed a misplaced smile to cross his frowning features. The time was not even 6:15 a.m. yet…and it had already begun. "It" being the universal word for this disastrous day. But, it was Sirius; should he expect anything less but glamoursly disastrous?

"It's either leather or nothing, Moony."

Oh, yes, Remus thought as he pushed a laughing Sirius off of him. This day was going to be one of a kind.

James thought that, if it was a sport, he could compete internationally as an Olympic spitter. His gracefulness while drooling was alone something to be awed over.

But, then again, when one was in such a mood as James Potter, then they too would think that any action was top of the line, and Olympic worthy perfection.

Today was the day James had been waiting for, for…seven years! The day he would be on a date, even a quasi one where he'd be basically lying the entire time, with Lily. His Lily. Evans! James spat into the washroom sink. Yes, today would be a gloriously perfect day.

James had spent the past hour practically scrubbing a layer of skin off. Thinking back, a thirty minute shower might have been a grave mistake. He did succeed in washing off years worth of Quidditch dirt, but he had made his entire body very prematurely wrinkly in the process.

James dragged his raisiny fingers down his equally raisiny, but muscular nonetheless, chest and shrugged.

It wasn't like he was going to be naked on his date. Lily was far from being that kind of lady. Lily was Olympic goddess worthy; though they might have been more inclined towards nudity then most beings.

James leant forward closer to the mirror, and examined his teeth, his pores, his nose hairs, pulling his nostrils up towards his eyebrows.

"Attractive. I can see why Lily would want to date you."

"Pete! Quick, come here!"

Quick to Peter meant some kind of waddling jog, but eventually he made it to the washroom sink.

"Look," James said, and shoved his nose into Peter's eyes.

"Oh. My. Gods."

"So, it's true." James released his hold on his nose, and hung his head in depressing defeat.

"Listen, Prongs. The last think I ever want to be is mean to you, but…maybe you should do something about your abnormal amount of nose hair."

James held one pruiny finger up in front of Peter's face. "No spells. Nope, nope, none. The last thing I need is braided nose hair."

Peter saluted. "Aye, aye."

"You're a good man, Pete," James said, patting Peter on the shoulder. "My nose hair issue will be our little secret."

"Good," Peter said. He leant forward to face the mirror, and examine his own, not wildly out of control, frock of nose hair. "Because Moony and Padfoot have secrets and so I was thinking that we should have secrets to balance things out."

James squinted his eyes at Peter. "What do you suppose their secret's about?"

Peter shrugged. "Something canine-y." Peter knew what James wanted to hear; it could only be one of two choices. And Peter quickly decided that for James's own good, he would play aloof. If playing aloof was an Olympic sport, Peter would be an international star.

"You know Lily still- ahem."

Peter attempted to raise his eyebrow, but since he wasn't even close to being the kind of person who could raise their eyebrow and look cool while doing it, his eyebrow just kind of vibrated and moved a quarter of nothing. "Lily still, what?"

"Lily still…has an hour to cancel." And now James had succeed in making himself worried, because, up until that moment, he forgot that Lily could still turn around and say "Ew. Gross. Date? I don't think so."

"Prongs," Peter said, exasperatedly. "Look at you!"

"Yeah?"

Peter blinked. "I don't know where I was going with that."

"Do something productive and smell my arm pit." James lifted his arm into the air, and tried to stick his nose into his arm pit. Peter, who has no mind of his own, (he'd even admit that, half the time), stuck his own nose into James's arm pit.

"Hmm," Peter said. "I'd say a little more deodorant would be better."

"What on Earth am I witnessing?"

Peter and James lifted their noses towards the door. Sirius was there, leaning with that pureblood casualness, against the frame. "Don't pay me any mind," he said. "I'm starting to think that someone's slipping some kind of queer potion into our juice at breakfast."

James narrowed his eyes. "Why? Who else is acting…queer?" James had his suspicions, but he'd rather pretend they were false. Not that he'd care if his best friend was like that, but he would care! Who else would appreciate a conversation about boobs if not his best mate, Sirius Black? But James didn't want to question him today. It would be better not to agitate Sirius on a day that James needed him to be his usual "hands-all-over" self.

Sirius came into the bathroom, and grabbed his tooth brush. "Well, obviously me and Moony. You know…that whole Lily thought we were lovvverrrsss?" Sirius let out his patented bark laughter, before shoving his toothbrush into his mouth.

James shook his head and continued going over his appearance with a fine tooth comb. He knew his personality was a lost cause, so maybe he could win Lily with personal grooming alone.

"Padfoot?" James asked, once Sirius was through rinsing. Peter started busying himself with shaving, but was listening with apt trained ears. "You're my best mate, right?"

"Bestest…use bestest, because it's not a word and it makes Moony's veins pop."

Ignore, James screamed in his head. "Anyways…will you do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Tell me if I have some sort of odor. Because I keep smelling this, like, foul, peppery scent, and…it's not good."

"I'm not sticking my nose in your pits."

James's face recoiled in shock. "What? You've stuck your nose in other places before!"

"I was Padfoot."

"Not that one time."

"Ouch!" Peter's hand went straight for the new gash under his chin, where he snagged his razor.

"See what happens when you listen in on conversations?" Sirius warned, as if he made Peter's razor cut him. "Prongs, I stuck my nose in your ass because we were testing to see if I had dog powers when I was mortal."

"Oh, that's right," James said, laughing. James focused his eyes on Sirius, watching as he slung his toothpaste foamed spit from one cheek to the next. He looked like a chipmunk; and just as ridiculous. "Padfoot?"

Sirius spat into the sink, and smiled. He too had Olympic worthy spitting ability. "Yes, Prongs my boy?"

"It's Evans."

Sirius huffed and grabbed Peter's freshly cleaned razor.

"Evans!" James grabbed Sirius arm. "She smells like sweet oranges and fresh ink. All the time. She'll know that if there's a sudden odor, it stemmed from me."

Sirius sniffed the air. "Less mousse."

"That's all?"

"Change your socks!" came a fierce voice from the next room.

"You heard the nose," Sirius said, bobbing his head towards where Remus's voice originated from.

"But," James said. He looked down at his feet. "If they're stuffed in shoes, how's anyone going to even know they smell?"

"Even I think that's disgusting," Peter piped up. "And I wear the same pair of pants every day."

Sirius turned towards his two friends. "This falls under the 'Just because we live together doesn't mean we have to know every detail about each other' category, that I'm quite fond of."

Peter stood in a strategically placed position behind James. "They're the only pants I like," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Doesn't change the fact that you fart in them, and then don't wash the fart out." Sirius pointed at Peter, with wanna-be wisdom. Peter stared back, and then sat down on the toilet because he was laughing too hard, and he didn't want to puncture anything.

There was something about today and Sirius that was making James want to pull his messy hair out. Normally, James would have laughed and repeated 'fart'. But, now he just wanted to slug Sirius for being grumpy for no reason.

"What, is your problem this morning?"

Sirius looked up at James with big curious eyes. "Nothing."

"Nothing?" James shouted. "You're being a prat. That's something."

Sirius dropped Peter's razor on the counter and turned to James. "Just because you're all first date jittery doesn't mean that I have to play bitch to all your requests."

James stared at Sirius. He, unnoticeably, was clutching the towel wrapped around his waist. His knuckles were turning fire red from the strain. James wanted to scream at Sirius, or at least come up with a clever retort…but, Peter beat him to it.

"Someone got up on the wrong side of Moony's bed this morning," Peter said with too much casualness. After the words left his mouth, his free hand rose to cover it. Peter's beady eyes turned to Sirius.

"I had a nightmare," Sirius stated. "And Moony doesn't take every other word I say and make references to his own life with them."

"Are you calling me selfish?" James asked.

"Why, I suppose I am."

"That's it, Black! I'm-"

"Will you two stop arguing!" Remus barged in between Sirius and James. "Prongs, you still smell weird-" Remus stopped to run his hand through James's hair. "You didn't rinse." Remus held out his soapy hand to James.

"Oh," James turned to go back into the shower. He was feeling uncharacteristically uncomfortable in the hair department. He guessed. Stupid Moony.

"Wormtail," Remus continued. "You're going to need a transfusion in a moment." Remus pointed to the cut on Peter's chin that was, for lack of better word, gushing blood. Peter fumbled for a tissue.

"And you," Remus said, pointing a long, dangerous finger at Sirius. "Come with me."

Sirius spun around on the spot, and began to follow Remus. "Wait," he said, halting. "Why am I…?" Sirius sighed, giving up trying to figure out why Remus's commanding voice made him obey to an absolute and continued walking into the dorm.

"Padfoot," Remus began, his voice softening to normal. Then Remus uttered the question which most followed Sirius's name: "What's the matter?"

Sirius rolled his eyes, and folded his arms. He looked into Remus's wide, caring blue-brown eyes and relaxed. "Everything Prongs says makes me…"

"Angry?"

"No." Sirius leaned closer to Remus. "Sad."

Remus bit his tongue, because there was a feeling rising through his body and he knew it was associated with laughter. "Why, Padfoot?" he managed to ask.

"Because! It's coming Moony. It's going to happen any day now."

Remus stared, open mouthed at Sirius. "What?"

"We're going to lose Prongs forever! To that stupid girl! My best friend will be her little love slave, and it's going to ruin my entire life!"

"I think you're being a little selfish." Remus, of course, didn't think that Sirius was being a little selfish; he knew.

"It's already starting, Moony. He asked me to smell his armpit?"

"Well, you did stuck your nose-"

"That was an experiment."

Remus quickly noted the time. They had five minutes till breakfast, and he hadn't even showered yet. Remus looked back to Sirius, who was still standing with his arms crossed and his mouth frowning, staring at the suddenly interesting ground. Sirius's greatest talent was making Remus feel bad for him, it seemed.

"Sirius," Remus sighed, draping his arm around Sirius's neck, and grabbing his shoulder. Sirius grunted a response. "Prongs has always been quite obsessed with his appearance, you know that." Sirius grunted again. "And he's been in love with Lily forever…so he's nervous, wouldn't you be?" Sirius shrugged. Remus smiled. "So, just cut him a break. And you're not losing your best mate; he's not going to abandon you for Lily." Sirius didn't say anything, and Remus hoped that Sirius was buying all the false statements he just spat all over the atmosphere. James would abandon a job as King of the Universe for Lily, who was he kidding?

Remus shook Sirius slightly. "Are you ok, now?" Sirius grunted and shrugged. "How about when we get to Hogsmeade, I buy you a nice, big Lollypop?"

Sirius was quiet. Slowly he turned his head to look at Remus. "What flavor?" he asked in a low, pathetic voice, complete with an Olympic worthy pout. Remus laughed, making Sirius smile back. "Moony?" Sirius whispered. Remus leaned in closer.

Peter, who was standing incognito behind them in the shadowy corner by his bed, leaned closer too.

Sirius leaned closer to Remus. Their noses would bump if a gust of wind blew through them. Their breath mingled, joining together to make the air hotter than it should be. Remus felt odd; deep down to the pit of his stomach, which he could suddenly feel rattling down near his middle. He didn't know what was going on.

He wanted to find out.

"Moony?" Sirius repeated.

"Huh?"

"You're armpit smells."

Remus tore his arm away from the now barking with mad laughter Sirius. "I haven't taken a shower yet," Remus said, holding his arms tight to his sides. As soon as James stepped out of the bathroom a second later, Remus bolted inside, slamming the door. It was all that unneeded closeness that was making him uncomfortable. He guessed. Stupid Padfoot.

"Wormtail, you ok?"

Peter sprang to attention at James's questioning. "Yeah," he mumbled. Sometimes he wanted to curse his innate desire to snoop on everybody within ten meters of him. He wouldn't be so disappointed all the time. Peter really wanted to be the one to tell Lily that she was right. He wanted to be in her good graces; so that when she and James became inseparable, Lily wouldn't mind him tagging along occasionally. All Peter needed was to lose James; without James, Sirius and Remus would forget about him.

"Hey," James called, standing in front of his trunk, buttoning up his shirt. "Why can't you be with us in Hogsmeade, Pete?"

Peter sighed, and sat down on his trunk. "Tutoring."

Sirius whistled. "On a Hogsmeade trip? Bad luck there."

"I know," Peter nodded. "He's meeting me at the Three Broomsticks…hey! You guys'll be there, right?"

"I don't-"

"We'll be there," James cut past Sirius. "Yep. Three Broomsticks. Why wouldn't we be there? It's a place to get drinks, and I'll be thirsty. That's for sure. I'm thirsty now, actually. Thirst and I have a very familiar relationship."

"Breathe, Prongs," Sirius spoke up. He was standing by the door, waiting for the collective group to be ready to walk out. Remus was only on the second verse of Figaro. He'd be there for a while.

"What?" James said, prancing towards the door. "I'm just saying that I want to go to the Three Broomsticks."

"Don't you have to meet-"

"Yes."

"-Lily. You're not eager or anything, huh?"

James rolled his eyes. "Padfoot. I know you and-"

"Prongs," Sirius placed his hands on each of James's shoulders. "I don't like Lily, but I like you. I want to see you happy. You're my best mate, for life. You'll do fine on your…date. Just don't be yourself."

"Actually," James said, putting his own hands on Sirius's shoulders. "About that." Now that Sirius succeeded in stealing James's big heart and pity, James felt bad about lying. Maybe he should say something about it.

James heard the shower stop. "Hey! Moony's done! Let's wait for him downstairs."

Maybe not.

"Prongs." Sirius stuck his arm out to stop James from opening the door. "Are you sure that you want me and Moony on your…date?"

"For moral support," James nodded.

"Ah," Sirius replied.

Remus swept out of the washroom feeling refreshed. He caught Peter's eyes, and followed his head nod towards the door.

Sirius and James were standing with their foreheads pressed together. Their eyes were boring into the others, and their fists were clenched at their sides.

"Prongs…?" Remus called gently approaching the two, with Peter tagging behind him. "Padfoot…?"

Sirius and James were trying to read the other's mind. Sometimes they thought that it wouldn't be hard for them to accomplish. All they had to do was concentrate; and stand on top of each other.

There was a silence in the room. It was like the Olympics, where everyone waited in a hush to see if the tiny gymnast would pull off the triple-flip-a-whatever-it's-called.

"I got nothin'," Sirius finally said. "Next time I'll tell you what I'm thinking, and then you try to read my mind, and then you'll know what to listen for."

"Alright," Remus said, reaching for the door handle. Remus didn't understand, and never would, how Sirius and James could have the highest marks ever, but then spew nonsense and fall apart over the word 'fart'. "Let's all go have breakfast, and vitamins, and brain cells." Remus was going to need them.

Sirius stopped Remus at the door. "Hey, Mister!" Sirius whispered. He looked down at Remus's legs. "Where's the leather pants? And…a sweater, Moony! Now I can't possibly call you my pretend boyfriend?"

"Sirius," Remus said. "Good." Oh, yes, Remus thought as he pushed a laughing Sirius away from him. This day was going to be one of a kind.