Enjoy!

April 1976

"Is this really happening?" Sirius asked with a smirk.

"Shut it," James replied. Despite the fact that he wanted to appear annoyed, he was having a hard time keeping the grin off of his face.

When he had told Sirius the news earlier he had made sure to do so in the hall seconds before they were due to be in Potions. This had been strategic planning on his part, giving Sirius less than five seconds to poke fun about it.

That had been hours ago though.

Now as they headed to their destination, Sirius had all the time in the world.

"No but really," Sirius continued with a cheesy grin. "Is this really finally happening?"

"I swear if you say anything to embarrass me…" James threatened, pausing for a moment to decide what best he could work with, "I'll tell Lindsey Boken that you snogged Samantha Mott the night before you were in the secret passage with her."

Sirius practically rolled his eyes at the threat. "She knows. I told her ages ago when she wouldn't stop hanging all over me."

Peter laughed at Sirius' words as he adjusted the satchel on his shoulder; in it were two bottles of firewhisky.

James looked up and down the hall, careful to make sure that nobody was in sight.

"Let's go," Sirius said as the door suddenly appeared.

James and Peter wasted no time following him, James taking one last look around. As far as he was concerned they couldn't be too careful. After the incident in the shack earlier in the school year, Sirius couldn't afford to get into any more trouble at school or at home.

"Took you three long enough," Remus said the moment they entered the room. "I was starting to get worried that you were caught."

"Sorry," James offered as he crossed the room and sat down on top of an old trunk. "I was-"

"He was just prettying himself up," Sirius cut him off in an amused tone. "We have a special guest joining us tonight Moony."

"Shut it," James bellowed. He didn't really mind his brother's teasing. He would, however, absolutely die of embarrassment if Sirius said anything in front of her. He knew that he wouldn't though. It was one thing to tease him in front of the guys, it was quite another to take it that far.

A knowing look swept over Remus' face. "Is she really?" He asked with a large smile.

"It's not a big deal," James tried to downplay the situation. "I asked her if she wanted to and she said yes. We're just friends."

Sirius nearly snorted at these words as he took the satchel from Peter. He removed the two bottles of firewhisky and the stack of cups and began pouring, filling four of them to the rim. "You've been into her for years," he exclaimed. "You finally work up the nerve to ask her to hang out, she says yes, and you are telling me that it is no big deal? Jamie, Jamie, Jamie," he shook his head with a chuckle. "You forget that I know you. This is most definitely not no big deal."

James couldn't help the smile that spread across his face at his brother's words. "Okay, so it's a bit of a big deal," he admitted. "But we aren't going to act like it is."

"Of course we aren't," Remus agreed as Peter nodded in agreement.

James turned his attention to Sirius who was now handing cups to both Remus and Peter. He walked back across the room, retrieving his cup as well as James' from the old desk that they were sitting on. "What?" He asked as he noticed James' solemn face.

"Sirius," James said in a sober tone.

"You really think I would do that?" Sirius asked in a mock hurt voice. "Me?"

"Well no," James admitted. "But you can't blame me for wanting to be sure."

Both Peter and Remus chuckled softly at these words.

"I'll be on my best behavior," Sirius promised with a grin. "I wouldn't want to make my future sister-in-law uncomfortable now would I?"

"I swear I'm going to get you back for this one day," James promised through a small grin. "I'll tell mum and dad all about how you snuck that girl from the seaside into your room that night at the cottage."

"That girl happens to have a name," Sirius replied in a phony stern voice. He had absolutely no fear of James making good on his threat. He knew it would be a cold day in hell before his brother would ever rat him out for that, or anything for that matter. They didn't do such things to each other. It was unheard of.

"Really?" James laughed before he took a sip of his drink. He swallowed, willing his face to remain normal. He never did quite develop a liking for the taste of firewhisky though after the first cup it hardly mattered. "And what was it?"

"Either Jessica or Jillian," Sirius replied. "I'm nearly certain of it."

"You're crude," Remus stated before taking a drink.

"I can't help it that I look like I do," Sirius replied with a smirk. "The ladies love me."

James rolled his eyes as he laughed.

"I think it's brilliant," Peter declared as he took his first sip. He made a disgusted face as the dark liquor ran down his throat.

"I think you should have enough respect for these girls to at least know their names," Remus noted in a disapproving tone.

"Hey now I'll have you know that I am always a complete gentleman," Sirius replied in a mock hurt tone. "I even held her purse for her while she climbed back out of the window."

"A real Romeo," James laughed.

"We can't all find the perfect girl and pine over her for ages," Sirius retorted.

James couldn't help the small smile that spread across his lips at the words, nor could he help the way his ears began to burn. He quickly brought his cup to his mouth glad for the distraction. He had cared deeply for Lily for quite some time now but it wasn't until they brewed Amortentia in Potions earlier in the week that he knew how strong his feelings were. He had instantly smelled her perfume mixed with the lavender shampoo she used. His face had nearly burned off when the realization hit him.

Remus threw Sirius a stern look as the un-denying sound of the wall changing filled the room. A second later Lily appeared.

She was wearing a pair of jeans and a jumper. Her long red hair was down and it looked as though she had run all the way through the castle, but James was sure that she had never looked more gorgeous.

"Started without me I see," she smiled softly as she tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Such gentlemen."

She walked across the room as James quickly jumped up to pour her a cup of the liquor. He handed it to her as she passed by him.

"Thanks," she said with a smile.

James watched she drank a large mouthful and swallowed it down with no problem. As she walked past him he caught sight of Sirius swallowing a laugh. James threw him an annoyed look as Lily sat down in an old rocking chair.

"So how often do you do this?" She asked. She was quite impressed by them. She had never thought of using the Room of Requirement for anything, let alone for drinking undetected.

"As often as we can nick a bottle or two from our parents," Sirius replied as he leaned back in the beat up armchair he was occupying. "'Bout once a month."

"Wicked," she smiled.

"I have to say I never took you for the type," Remus mused.

"To break the rules or to drink?" Lily questioned with a curious grin.

"Both," Peter answered. He agreed completely with Remus. Lily always seemed so sweet and studious. Not the type to snitch on anyone that was breaking the rules but certainly not the type to join in.

"I guess you don't know me at that well," she replied with a small laugh. "I don't go out of my way to break the rules by any means, but if the situation presents itself I won't turn it down."

James smiled softly at her words. He liked that she wasn't prudish, that she had a bit of a wild side. In his eyes it only added to her allure.

"Sounds a bit like you," Sirius commented nodding in Remus' direction.

"Certainly doesn't sound at all like you," Remus retorted.

Sirius rolled his eyes before he directed his attention back to Lily. "You should have brought some friends with you. It could have made things more interesting."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh is that so?"

Sirius shrugged with a grin. "I wouldn't mind snogging a new girl tonight."

"I'm not sure there are any girls left in this castle that you haven't snogged," Lily retorted causing the others to laugh.

"You are all making me feel quite cheap tonight," Sirius declared before taking a long drink from his cup.

"Oh please," James laughed. "You are enjoying every minute of it."

Sirius shrugged with a cheeky grin before he got up and refilled his cup. "Anyone else?"

Remus held his cup out for a refill as he spoke to James. "Thank Merlin our first class isn't until eleven tomorrow. We must be barmy to be doing this on a school night."

James nodded in reply as it was it was already after one in the morning and he was sure that they weren't going to go to bed anytime soon. "I might fake an illness, skip Muggle Studies altogether."

"You'll end up with Poppy," Peter remarked. "Taking draughts that will make you wish you were in Muggle Studies."

James shrugged in reply.

"I think that's a brilliant idea," Lily commented. "I may just follow suit and complain of a headache. A draught will be better than sitting through class."

James smiled at her, appreciative that she had agreed with him.

"Why are you all drinking on a school night? Couldn't wait one more day for Friday?" She asked with a small chuckle.

James threw a concerned look in Sirius' direction before looking back to Lily.

Realization swept over her face as she realized that if they drank on the weekends, one of them would not be able to participate. She hadn't been told why Sirius went home every Friday night but she could guess that he wasn't doing so willingly.

"Sorry," she said in a soft voice. "I didn't realize. I mean I realized but I didn't think."

"It's okay," Sirius nodded giving her a small, reassuring smile as he sat back down in the armchair, his cup now full once more. "I can't give any details but I got in a bit of trouble a few months back and I have to go home every weekend."

Lily gave him a sympathetic look. She couldn't imagine being made to go home every weekend. Everything exciting took place on the weekends.

"We should have brought food," James said in an attempt to change the subject.

Peter nodded in agreement. "I'm starving."

Sirius nearly rolled his eyes at the words. Peter was always starving. "I'll sneak down to the kitchen and nick some."

James quickly shook his head. There was no way he was letting Sirius do something so risky. Since the whole incident with the shack, James had gone out of his way nearly every day to make sure that his brother didn't take any wild risks. He had this unrelenting fear that if Sirius got into any more trouble he would be expelled. Not to mention their parents would likely murder him.

"I'll go," Lily offered as she jumped up. She quickly finished off her cup of firewhisky before handing the now empty cup to James. "Can you fill that for me while I'm gone?"

"You can't go," James replied shaking his head.

"Why?" She asked in a mock annoyed voice. "Because I'm a girl?"

"Yeah," James nodded and then he quickly thought better of his reply. "No! I mean it's not right. If anyone should get in trouble it should be one of us."

"And to think that some people think chivalry is dead," she smirked as she quirked her right eyebrow at him. "Don't worry. If I get caught I won't get into trouble."

"How?" Peter asked.

"Surprisingly by Potter's reasoning for not wanting me to go – I'm a girl."

"Funny I've seen plenty of girls in detention," Sirius commented before taking a drink.

"Maybe so but then they aren't taking advantage of the situation," Lily replied as she headed towards the door. "If I get caught I'll just cry."

Remus raised an eyebrow at these words.

"There is no way that would work," Sirius declared as he sat up a bit straighter. "Crying won't get you out of trouble."

"Of course it will."

"How do you know?" Peter asked.

"Because it has about two dozen times," Lily replied in a nonchalant voice. "Now stop worrying. I'm going to go get us a fruit platter and some sweets. I'll be right back."

Sirius shrugged in reply. As far as he was concerned if Lily thought she could get away with it without being caught who was he to stop her?

James wasn't giving in quite so easily though.

"I'll go with you," James offered.

"Absolutely not," Lily shook her head. "If you and I are caught together we're both dead. I can't cry my way out of that one."

"She does have a point," Remus nodded. "That would look bad to say the least."

James felt the tips of his ears burn slightly at the realization of what they meant. "Okay yeah you're right," he agreed. "Just be careful."

"Promise," Lily smiled before ducking through the doorway.

"Well I think it's going well," Remus noted the moment she was gone.

"She's into you," Sirius nodded before having another drink.

"How do you know?" James asked. He hadn't seen a single thing that would lead him to believe that Lily liked him at all.

"Number one she keeps glancing at you when you aren't looking," Sirius replied holding up a finger. "Number two," his second finger went up. "She is being nicer to us than she has to which means she wants us to like her. She wouldn't care about us liking her if she wasn't into you. Number three she looks cute but like she doesn't want to look cute. She looks like she put a lot of effort into her appearance but she doesn't want you to think that she did. Number four-"

"Number four is that you put way too much energy into figuring out how girls think," Remus cut him off.

"It really isn't that hard to figure out," Sirius replied. "But no that actually isn't number four. Number four is that I know what your Amortentia smelled like."

"What does that have to do with her liking me?" James asked. He could feel his cheeks blushing slightly at Sirius' words.

"Because I know what hers smelled like too."

"She told you?" Remus asked in a disbelieving voice.

Sirius shook his head as he drank from his cup.

"Some girl you snogged did and Lily told her," Peter guessed.

Another shake of the head.

"Then how git?" James asked in an annoyed voice.

"The moment she smelled it she blushed and looked directly at you," Sirius replied. "You really need to learn how to pay more attention to things like that."

"You're lying," James accused.

Now a real look of hurt swept across Sirius' face. "When have I ever lied to you?"

"Never," James quickly replied in a soft voice. "I shouldn't have said that…sorry."

Sirius nodded in reply, the hurt exiting his face as quickly as it had arrived. "You should really ask her on a real date. Without us there ya know?"

James nodded in agreement. They had a Hogsmeade weekend coming up. He could ask her to go with him, treat her to lunch.

James watched as Peter got up and poured himself another drink. "This bottle is done."

"Lucky we got two," Sirius commented.

The four heads looked up at the same time as the wall turned into a door once more.

"Back," Lily announced happily as she stepped into the room, her arms full.

"Merlin!" Sirius exclaimed. "What the hell?"

James quickly jumped up to help her.

"The fruit plate that I promised," She smiled as she handed it over to James. "Five treacle tarts," she handed them over as well. "Another bottle of firewhisky," she smiled widely as she pulled the bottle out from under her jumper. And a pair of Slughorn's socks," she laughed as she pulled them from her pocket.

"Lils!" Sirius laughed loudly as he stood up. "You were just going for a fruit plater not half the bloody kitchen! And why the bloody hell do you have a pair of Slughorn's socks?"

"What can I say Black, I got carried away," she smiled before turning her attention to James. "My drink?"

"Oh!" He suddenly realized that he had never refilled her cup like she requested. "Sit, I'll get it."

She smiled softly at him giving him a small wink before walking past him to her chair.

James quickly retrieved both her cup and his own and filled them before handing hers to her.

"I must say I am impressed," Remus noted. "Perhaps you should hang out with us more often."

"I'd like that," Lily nodded as she smiled at James, their eyes locking for a brief moment. She bit her bottom lip as she forced herself to look away from him. "I would like that a lot."

"It appears James is coming home tomorrow night," Charles said as he cut his roast, "and bringing a friend with him as well. He said he would floo home before lunch and explain."

Sirius couldn't help the snicker that escaped his mouth at these words. It has been nearly a month since the night in the Room of Requirement and James and Lily had been nearly inseparable. Sirius had caught them snogging on more than one occasion. He didn't have a doubt in his mind that he was going to bring Lily home to meet his parents.

Lydia raised a knowing eyebrow at her son before giving her husband an amused smile. "Sirius?"

"Hmm?" Sirius mused refusing to look up at her.

"What do you know?" She asked in a curious voice.

Sirius took a moment to compose himself. He wanted to make sure that his face didn't give him away at all. Slowly he looked up at her. "What do you mean? I don't know anything."

"Sirius," Charles forced his voice to come out sternly.

"Not fair," Sirius replied with a small grin.

"Lying has a high penalty in this house," Charles continued, fighting to keep his face one of seriousness.

Sirius shook his head, smiling widely now. He knew his dad well enough to know that he was in no danger of actually being punished. He could easily see that the man wasn't even really mad. "Really not fair!" He declared.

"You must tell us!" Lydia demanded in a voice that was mixed with frustration and amusement.

Sirius shook his head adamantly as his attention went back to his dinner.

"Perhaps I could make you a deal," Charles offered.

Sirius looked up at him with a curious face. "A deal?"

"If you tell us what you know I will allow you to stay at Hogwarts next weekend," Charles said.

Sirius pondered these words. He didn't really think that James would mind all that much if he told their parents that he had a girlfriend. Of course he would leave out the details. He wouldn't tell them about the endless snogging.

"The next five weekends," Sirius replied. If he was telling he was going to get more than one weekend out of it.

"Two weekends," Charles tried to compromise. He knew that Sirius' punishment was not a joke, but in the same breath the boy had been coming home every weekend for months now. Over those months he had attempted to beg his way out of his punishment only twice. Though only once had he taken it too far and got himself in trouble by doing so. Several times James had been home as well and despite the fact that Charles knew that James had tried to pursue Sirius to sneak out at least once, Sirius had stayed in his room as he had been instructed to do. A little leniency for some information was hardly much.

"Four," Sirius countered.

Charles shook his head. "Two is my final offer, take it or leave it."

"Oh nonsense," Lydia said. "Three weekends and on the fourth you can come home on Saturday morning instead of Friday night. You can also stay out of your room the rest of this weekend."

"Lydia," Charles said in an astounded tone.

"Hush," she replied with a smile. "I want to know what he knows."

Sirius looked at his dad with an amused smile. "I'll talk for mum's offer." It took everything he had in him to speak without dissolving into laughter.

"Of all the ridiculous…." Charles shook his head as he weighed his options. He had just been manipulated by his sixteen year old and he knew it. "I ought to tan your backside for your cheekiness alone," he threatened but the amused look in his eyes gave him away. "Fine, your mum's offer is fine."

Sirius held out his hand. "Shake on it."

Charles shook his head as he held out his hand and firmly shook the boy's hand. "Don't be so impertinent."

Sirius playfully rolled his eyes at his dad's words before letting go of the man's hand and picking up his fork eating a bite of his roast.

"Well?" Lydia nearly shrieked.

Sirius slowly looked up for his plate with a confused look on his face. He fought hard to keep a straight face. He was having far too much fun with this. "Oh you want me to tell you now?"

"That's it," Charles declared in an amused voice as he pushed his chair away from the table. "Get over my knee!"

Sirius quickly shook his head as he laughed loudly.

Charles pulled his chair back towards the table as he looked at Sirius with an expectant face.

"He has a girlfriend," Sirius finally said. "They've been dating for about a month. He's going to bring her home for dinner to meet you."

"A girlfriend," Lydia said softly with a smile.

Sirius looked at his mum to see her face positively glowing. James was going to bloody murder him. He wouldn't be surprised if he did rat him out about the girl from the cottage.

"You can't tell him I told you," Sirius quickly added.

"Never," Charles shook his head.

"What's her name?" Lydia asked.

"Lily Evans," Sirius supplied.

"Oh she sounds darling," Lydia concluded in a soft voice.

Sirius made a face at these words. He wasn't sure how his mum had decided that just from hearing her name.

"I'll have to make something special for tomorrow night."

Sirius nodded in reply as he took another bite of his dinner. He would tell James that he had told their parents. He knew he would have to. They didn't keep secrets like that from each other. Aside from that, he didn't know how else he would explain the next few weekends that he would be at Hogwarts. He was nearly certain that James wouldn't be cross and if he was he was certain that it wouldn't last. It had gotten him a break from his punishment after all; James would understand the good in that.

"Put your magazines in your room," Lydia instructed.

Sirius looked up at her from the sofa where he was lounging around.

"Now please," she added when he didn't move. "James and Lily should be here any moment and I don't want the house to look a mess."

Sirius rolled off of the couch. He leaned over and picked the small stack of magazines up off the ground.

"Is your room tidy as well?" Lydia asked.

Sirius nodded. He wanted to add that he didn't plan on anyone being in his room but he refrained. He had never seen his mum so crazy about the house being tidy.

Sirius was halfway upstairs when he heard the floo roar to life in the parlor.

He continued on his trek to his bedroom glad to miss the awkward introductions. He dropped his magazines onto his bed before turning and heading back downstairs.

"Hey Lils," he said as he walked into the parlor.

"Black," Lily smiled.

"Dinner will be ready any moment," Lydia announced. "You all sit and talk while I finish things up."

"Do you need any help?" Lily asked.

"Oh of course not! You are our guest dear," Lydia smiled.

Sirius sat down in the armchair as he gave James an entertained glance.

"So Lily I hear you are in Gryffindor as well," Charles said. "Where your parents also in Gryffindor?"

"No Sir," Lily replied. "My parents are muggles. I'm actually the first witch in my family, bit of a shock to them but they were quite happy about it."

"I can imagine that it was," Charles chuckled.

"Lily is very smart," James said blushing slightly as he did.

"Yeah she is," Sirius added hoping to relieve some of the embarrassment from his brother. "She's one of the top in our grade."

"Is that so?" Charles asked. "That's wonderful. Your studies are very important, so much depends on them."

"Dinner is ready," Lydia called from the dining room.

Sirius stood up as Charles spoke. "I guess we should move into the dining room. We don't want to keep your mother waiting."

Charles walked out of the room with Lily only a step behind him.

"Is this too incredibly awkward?" James asked in a hushed voice the moment he and his brother were alone.

Sirius fought the urge to laugh at the question. James looked as though he was about to be sick. "No," he replied shaking his head. "It's going good - brilliant even." He paused as he noticed that his words didn't seem to make James any less anxious. "Tell you what, if it gets awkward at dinner just kick me under the table and I'll do something to take care of it."

James smiled softly at these words as he nodded in agreement. "Thanks Siri."

"So wait you told them?" James asked in a hushed voice.

It was nearly one in the morning. After learning that Sirius wasn't going to be made to spend the night in his room after dinner, James had walked Lily back to the Gryffindor Tower and then returned home to spend some time with his brother. With Sirius' punishment it was rare that the two of them got time alone.

Sirius nodded sheepishly. "Sorry mate but I mean look at the deal we made. I can go to Hogsmeade in two weeks. Hell we can hang out in the Room of Requirement this weekend. I can go to the Quidditch game too. I couldn't pass all that up."

James pondered these words before nodding in reply. "No, you really couldn't."

"I didn't tell them about all your snogging," Sirius clarified. "Just so you know."

"We don't snog that much," James replied as he rolled onto his stomach. Their parents had gone to bed hours ago but the pair were still in the parlor, stretched out on the floor.

"Only when you are breathing huh?" Sirius chuckled. He paused for a moment before speaking once more. "You love her huh?"

James nodded. "Yeah I do Siri. It's weird because we haven't been dating that long but I do. I think I did before we even started dating."

Sirius believed the words to be true. He had always known that James felt strongly about Lily. He could see from the first time he looked at her that it ran deeper than just a random girl to snog.

"She loves you too," Sirius said. "I can see it when you are together."

"You like her right?" James asked. He wasn't sure why he cared so deeply about whether his brother liked her but he did. He was sure that if Sirius hated her he would have to break up with her. It would nearly kill him but he would have to do it.

"Lils?" Sirius grinned. "Yeah she's cool."

"Cool," James responded attempting to appear nonchalant. He paused for a moment. "So three weekends and a Friday night huh?"

Sirius nodded smiling widely. "It was all mum actually; dad said he was stopping at two weeks."

"Course he did," James replied through a yawn. "Mum really is brilliant. Sometimes I don't think we give her enough credit."

Sirius nodded in agreement. "You aren't mad I told them are you?"

"Hell no," James shook his head. "I'm mad you didn't go for four weekends and a new broom for me."

Sirius rolled his eyes as he laughed at his brother. Sometimes he was sure that he didn't give him enough credit.

TBC...