A Well Known Secret

Chapter 1.

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It was their fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Sirius Black and James Potter, were now, more than ever, interested in girls.

Their first ball of the school year was coming up, and they needed dates. Sirius did not know whom he wanted to ask. James did, however. He knew whom he wanted to ask, but was having problems getting up the nerve to talk to her.

"If we want to go to this bloody ball, then we better get dates for it. Unless we want to be the laughing stock of the century," said Sirius

Before James could reply, Remus Lupin, their other friend, came through the portrait hole. Remus walked over to them, and sat down in an armchair next to James.

"So, who are you taking to this thing?" asked Sirius.

"Your sister," said Remus quietly.

"Oh, so Mira has a date, and we don't!" exclaimed Sirius "And I'm older than her!"

"Only by two minutes," said a voice from behind them.

"And fifteen seconds," added Sirius, while Mira just rolled her eyes.

"Mira!" exclaimed James.

"James, I told you before, just ask her already!" she said, "I'm not going to be the messenger between you two."

"I...I am too scared!" said James.

"You?" asked everyone together.

"I...I just...I don't know. It's just that every time I'm around her, I feel...well...it's rather hard to explain," he stated.

"Weak in the knees?" offered Sirius, with a smile tugging on his lips.

"Sort of," replied James.

"James, she's my best friend! I know she would appreciate you even more if you told her the truth! Why don't you just tell her how you feel?" asked Mira.

At that very moment, she came through the portrait hole, along with her other friend, Kayla. They were in deep conversation about the ball. James looked up at her, as she walked over to a table, and put her book-bag in a chair beside it. She was about to sit down when; Mira called over to them. "Hey!" was all she said to get them both to come over, and sit with them.

"Hi!" said Lily, as she sat down.

"Hey!" said Sirius, with an evil grin on his face. "So, Kayla, wanna go to the ball with me?"

Everyone looked nonplused. James stared at him with his eyebrow arched. Lily had a similar look to James'. Remus had his mouth open slightly, and Mira wore a blank expression. Being Sirius' twin sister meant knowing him like a book. And she knew what he was doing. Kayla looked at him like it was a joke. Sirius, himself, even looked a little surprised.

"Well?" he said, after a while.

"Are you serious?" asked Kayla

Sirius looked at James when she asked him this, because it was his name but did not pursue the subject anymore. "Yes," he replied, "would I joke about something like this?"

"Yes!" said everyone in unison.

"Well, I'm not," he said, "so will you?

Kayla looked at Lily, who was giving her an encouraging smile, and then back at Sirius, who was patiently waiting.

"I guess so," said Kayla after a while, realizing that he might have only asked her so that James might ask Lily, which, he did not.

"Well," said Lily, "I'm off to bed."

"Me too," said Mira and Kayla together, "see you all tomorrow." With that, they climbed the steps to their dormitory, and nobody heard another word out of them.

"Why didn't you ask her?" asked Sirius.

"I told you," James said, "I'm scared. What if she says no?"

"Well, you'll never know until you ask her. But somehow, I don't think she will," said Remus with a grin "I think I'd better head up to bed too. Goodnight!"

They all followed him up the stairs, and went to bed.