I have in my possession a pet myna bird. It is a very annoying thing that was given to me on one of my birthdays from my death muggle grandmother. If she weren't death I would have to say grandmamma had a mean streak to her. The bird repeats everything anyone says and somehow has managed to break through any spell or charm I have attempted to place on it to keep it from talking. True, the spells or charms keep it quiet for a bit, but they never seem to have any long-term effects. Besides being an annoying talker and the worst secret keeper in the world, it also has the best memory on the earth. The one thing the darn bird is promised to do is to spit out the wrong thing at exactly the wrong time.

For once, I had a very good use for Aunt Mini (my grandmother named it also) . I knew, like most of the student at Hogwarts, that Sirius Black is an habitual groomer and it was not hard to find out his grooming habits. I also knew that he had just finished a tutoring lesson with Remus on the particular day I put my plan into action. So right after the lesson I put Aunt Mini in a little breathable pouch and put a temporary charm on her. I then placed the pouch under the counter in the boys' laboratory at exactly five minutes to one.

"Let's see," I thought to myself. "If Black has anything to share with us today." I hid around the corner and watched as Sirius went in. He must have been in there for almost an hour, but he finally did come out. The second he was out of sight I retrieved Mini. I then made my way to a small study room close to the Gryphindor common room. I took Mini out of the pouch and removed the charm. "Sirius Black," I said to Mini, she'd repeat what she heard if you said the name of someone or something mentioned in the conversation.

"Sirius," Mini repeated in her squawky voice, "you're such a coward. Why couldn't you have just told Remus during our study section?" Mini took in a deep breath, mocking the sound she heard coming from Sirius. "Come on man have some back bone, just march right up to him and say Remus I have a confession." Mini squawked then continued. "Remus I like you and I mean that in more than a friend sense. I'm gay Remus. Ah, bloody hell it'll never work. Who am I fooling?" the bird paused again than squawked out. "Even if Remus is gay he'd never date the likes of me." She finished with another loud squawk then went silent.

I patted Mini on the head and laughed to myself. This was too perfect, I had the confession now all I had to do was deliver it to the right person. I quickly got up from my seat, placed another charm on Mini, then I put her back into the pouch.

I made my way to the Gryffindor common room. I had previously paid Frank Longbottom 5 lbs to help me out. I didn't tell him what I was up to, all I told him was I needed him to wait in the common room for me around two or three o'clock and deliver a pouch to James, Peter, Remus and Sirius' room. He was supposed to nonchalantly take it there and leave it there. Frank didn't seem too curious, he was more interested in the money.

As planned, Frank met me and he took the pouch with Mini in, (I warned him to be careful) to the boys' room. When he came back I asked him who was there? He told me Sirius and Remus were studying and he had used the excuse that he need them to help him with his schoolwork later. Which he had informed me was a good excuse because he truly did need help.

When Frank finished talking, he excused himself and I looked around for James. I caught him eyeing me from the doorway of the common room. He strutted up to me in his usual cocky and conceited manner. "Why Miss Evans," he bowed and kissed my hand. I quickly pulled it away. "Don't you look ravishing tonight."

"Ha," I laughed, "Like you know what the word ravishing means, but for once I'm glad to see you Potter and," I looked behind him and saw Peter Pettigrew lingering in the hall, "you too Peter."

Peter said nothing, he only stood there cowering behind James. James's big head had just been inflated three times with those words and a big grin came to his face. "I am," he placed his arm around my shoulder, "glad to hear that Lily."

"Back off Potter," I pulled away. "I only meant that I wanted to ask you if you have seen Mini."

James looked disappointed, "You mean your bird?"

"Yes James, my bird," I said as if I was actually concerned, "she disappeared again."

"Not again" James replied with a roll of his eyes. "As I recall, the last time the flipping bird disappeared, I found her in the common room repeating my conversation I had with Remus that morning. I'll never forget that day, way back in first year" James's face went glum, "Remus if you tell anyone that I wet my bed this morning I'll turn you into a worm and feed you to Black Wing," it squawked, "James, calm down. I'm sure the nightmares just frightened your body so much that you lost control of your bodily functions. It happens to other people all the time. But really James if they are that bad you should seek counseling." James shuddered as the memory faded. "If that wasn't embarrassing enough" he thought. " the dumb bird started jumping up and down shouting very loudly 'Wet Pants, Seek Counseling, Wet Pants Seek Counseling." James shook his head, "Honestly Lily if I do see your bloody bird again I'd probably feed him to Frank's cat!"

To my surprise James marched away from me then without another word. I had to laugh because I remembered the incident well. In all honesty Aunt Mini had not escaped, I was mad at James for pulling another stupid trick on Severus Snape and planted the bird in his room. I couldn't have guessed it would over hear such a tedious and embarrassing detail. It had humiliated poor James, but it was soon forgotten when the great James Potter had won one-hundred points for Gryffindor when Dumbledore found out he had done some splendid thing, I forget what it was, (the brilliant James Potter always seemed to be surprisingly useful and helpful at conveniently just the right time) and he soon was back on his high pedestal.

Anyways James wasn't my concern then. I had more important things at hand.

I made my way to the boys' room. I knocked lightly on the door and Remus let me in. "Lily," he looked a bit surprised but not disappointed to see me, "what brings you here?"

"Oh," I said with fake concern, and watched as Sirius stood also to greet me, "I lost Mini."

"Aunt Mini," Sirius laughed, obviously reminiscing the James event, "why would you think she was here?"

"I think that Frank might have accidentally grabbed her." I said as I walked into the room scanning for the pouch.

Sirius scratched his head, "What would Longbottom mistake your bird for?"

"Oh," I said nonchalantly, "my bird was in a pink pouch. I was carrying her to my friend's room and ran into Frank. He had bought the same type of pouch for his new friend and was showing it to me. He handed it to me to look over and when I was handing it back I think I might have given him mine instead." I shrugged. "Anyways, he just told me he had misplaced the pouch and the last place he was, was here." I looked around.

Remus glanced at Sirius and Sirius shrugged his shoulders. "Might have," Sirius said, "he was here to ask a question."

"Oh," I excitedly spotted Mini's pouch, "there she is."

I went over to the exact spot Frank had told me he placed it, picked up the pouch and took out Mini, who had fallen asleep. She peeped with happiness when she saw me.

"Thank you Sirius," I said pretending to snuggle with Mini, "thank you Remus." "That did it," I thought. Little Aunt Mini's black and white head popped up with eagerness at the mention of the names and like a child, she promised to repeat. I held back my snicker when suddenly Mini was repeating every word of Sirius' bathroom conversation.

"Sirius," Mini repeated in her squawky voice, "you're such a coward. Why couldn't you have just told Remus during our study section?" Mini took in a deep breath mocking the sound she heard coming from Sirius. "Come on man have some back bone just march right up to him and say Remus I have a confession." she squawked and the boys simply stared in shock. "Remus I like you and I mean that in more than a friend sense. I'm gay Remus. Ah, bloody hell it'll never work. Who am I fooling even if Remus is gay he'd never date the likes of me."

I pretended to be embarrassed and acted as if I couldn't believe what she was saying. Sirius with his face flushed, stood stunned and silent. Remus stared back and forth from the bird to Sirius. When my pet finally shut up I quickly put her into the pouch again. "I'm…" I said stepping towards the door, "so, so, sorry." I began apologetically. "I don't know how she heard that… I should go." I of course made a speedy exit but when the boys shut the door again I leaned against it to hear what was being said. When I couldn't make out fully what was said I whispered a spell that made it easier for me to hear.

"Remus," Sirius sounded distress, "you shouldn't have found out this way."

"Is it?" Remus sounded like he was coming out of shock, "Is it true Sirius?"

There was a long pause and I wish I could have seen how the two were reacting.

"Yes Remus," Sirius said it with a sigh, "all of it."

I hated to hear the two suffer, but I was convinced it was for the best.

"Sirius," Remus said very softly, "Why me?"

"Why you?" Sirius sounded shocked, "I would think that was obvious."

"But you could have girl that you want or a number of boys," Remus said shyly.

"I don't want any girl or any other boy," Sirius mumbled bitterly.

"Oh," Remus said apologetically. "I didn't mean offense. I mean. I don't mind being the one you like. I just was wondering why me?"

"Because," Sirius let out a slight snicker, "my friend, you understand me. They think I am good-looking, with just cause, of course, and they like the fact that I'm popular. But you Remus, you see me for who I am, not for who they want me to be. You're a good friend and a good person. Why not you?"

There was silence for a bit than Sirius spoke again. "What did you mean when you said, you didn't mind me liking you?"

"I meant," Remus seemed hesitant, "I like you too," he said the last words very softly.

There was an awkward silence and my imagination played out the rest nicely. I decided to back away and take in the triumph of my plan. Just as I turned around, however, I bumped into James. "Oh," I said startled. "I'm sorry James I was just leaving. I found my bird."

James smiled but backed away, "Hey you can bump into me any day, but please keep the bird away okay Evans."

I nodded and then began to walk away, but when James placed his hand on the door I froze. "Wait!" I shouted, but it was too late.

My suspicions were confirmed as James had just walked in on Sirius and Remus in lip lock. James just stared for a bit with his mouth hanging low to the ground. Sirius and Remus let go of each other quickly, "James," Sirius walked towards his friend, "um we can explain."

"You," James looked from Sirius to Remus, "you two."

"Yes James," Remus looked embarrassed and a bit concerned for his friend.

James didn't look like he was able to say much more than "you two." I helped the others walk him in the room and placed him sitting on his bed. Then I shut the door so no one else could hear us talk.

Sitting down seemed to have helped. James started to blink again. I took that as a good sign.

"When?" he looked confused, "did," he was saying his words slowly, almost one at a time. "This happen?" he pointed to the two of them.

"We kind of," Sirius looked only a little less embarrassed than Remus, he ran his hands through his hair, "just got together."

"So you're ah," James breathed deeply.

"Gay," Sirius finished his friends' sentence.

"No," James said, seeming to be more collective. "Honestly, both of you had a group of girls gawking after you every day and neither of you ever had a serious relationship. It gives a guy ideas. I had my suspicions about that part," he paused and shrugged before continuing. "and frankly Black, well, lets just say I was almost jealous over the amount of drooling you did over Lupin here," he winked at Remus, " I was going to say a couple. I mean, it would have only been a matter of minutes before I figured it out, I am a very excellent detective," James lifted his head boasting, "I've just been, extra busy," he paused, "yes that's it, that's how I missed it, missed how Lupin felt that is, but I was on the very verge of it."

"You what?" Remus interrupted looking up at James with disbelief as if he just tuned into what his friend had said.

"I can't believe this," Sirius said looking towards me, "was I that obvious Lily?"

"Not obvious," I shrugged, "but I thought it was a possibility. I have to say the Yule Ball made me really start suspecting it."

Remus looked down at his shoes. Sirius pushed his hair back again. "So," James said more like himself, "are you two a couple?"

Sirius laughed then, "I guess we are, but we are kind of hoping to not announce it to the rest of the school."

"Look," James said, "it'll take time for me to adjust to the idea, but I'm friends with you both. I want you two to be happy and I know when to keep my mouth shut about certain," James looked at Remus, an odd look in my perspective. It made me think there was something more than this that James held a secret, "secrets and things left best unsaid to others." He finished.

Remus and Sirius nodded in thanks and understanding. For the first time I really believed James Potter was being sincere. A small part of me began to wonder if I had misjudged him.

"Just one question?" James asked, sitting straight up. "Did either one of you ever consider me?"

Remus looked to Sirius and Sirius looked to Remus, together they spoke, "No."

"Ah come on guys, why not? I mean I'm straight and would have refused you, but come on. Didn't either of you have the tiniest bit of a crush on me."

A pillow hit James then and the boys began to laugh. I took that as my cue to leave. I grabbed my Aunt Mini and together we left. I had congratulated myself several times before I went to bed that night. It was nice to be helpful to my friends. I wished then that I would find my match, just as those two had found theirs. I had hoped that Mini wouldn't be involved in my love story though.