— chapter twenty five —
MAN WITH A PLAN

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         SIRIUS BLACK ALWAYS had a plan. When he set his mind to something, became a man on a mission, he created a plan that he would call 'foolproof'. While it may not be that, his plans always had a way of getting to the way he wanted things. Maybe he didn't get Nadia and Remus to work, but he never really wanted that. Instead, he got a girlfriend and Moony was pinning after his sister. Maybe he should've been disgusted by that or tell him to back off, but he didn't. Because Remelda deserved someone and so did Remus, so what did it matter if they were his sister and best friend?

Now, with an end goal in mind, he went straight to the smartest person he knew; Nadia. While he loved James and would tell him everything, he actually needed the plan to work. And, well, James' plans weren't always the best. Especially when it came to relationships, seeing as all his plans failed miserably when he really chased Evans. So, he didn't tell James about who liked who and, knowing him, he wouldn't find out on his own either. He wasn't always the most observant. Plus, he was busy with Peter trying to find a way to ask Lily to Slughorn's party.

(James was always over-the-top, couldn't just ask the girl, no. He had to do something big – something she would remember forever. As if they weren't dating or anything.)

And Sirius knew that Remelda didn't want this. Didn't want to admit to her feelings and would rather he stay out of it, but he couldn't just stand by and watch as live lonely lives because they were too scared to tell the other their feelings. So he had to. It was only right.

"I don't know about this, Sirius. Don't you think it'll be better for them to just get together on their own?" Nadia questioned after Sirius told her what he was thinking.

"Possibly," he shrugged, biting into his apple, "But they won't. I mean, I love Remus but he isn't really good at telling people how he feels. And I know Remelda won't open her mouth."

Nadia sighed, "But you'll be trying to force their relationship, and that never works. Remember last year?"

Ah, last year when he tried to set up Nadia and Remus because she fancied him and was too afraid to do anything herself. Sirius just pointed at her, "No, this is different. Last year, I straight up told Remus that you fancied him and that you two should date. I won't be doing that this time. Instead, I'll try to just...nudge the two towards each other. Be subtle and everything."

The Greene girl gave him a pointed look. In her hands was a copy of The Great Gatsby that she was gripping tightly before letting out another elongated sigh and letting go of her clutch on the book. "Fine, I'll help you. But if anyone asks – this was all you. I had no involvement."

"My lips are sealed," Sirius smiled at her, leaning in for a small kiss which she happily obliged to give.

Nadia hummed, pulling back and placing the book gently down onto the coffee table in front of the couch. "So, what are you thinking?"

"I don't know. How could I get them close?" Sirius asked, taking another bite of his apple.

"Hogsmeade?"

"Thought of that. They could easily part ways and find us," Sirius shook his head.

"But you said that they like each other, so why would they part? A date would be nice there," Nadia insisted.

Sirius gave her a look, "Is this your way of saying that I should take you on a date at Hogsmeade?"

"Maybe," Nadia shrugged before changing the topic, "Why didn't you ask James for help? You two always scheme together."

"Yeah, but actually need this plan to work without any flaw. With James...well, things don't always go as planned. I love the man, but something always goes wrong with him. Plus, he's busy thinking about how to ask Lily to Slughorn's party."

Nadia's eyes seemed to light up at those words, "That's it!"

The Black boy looked at her in confusion, not understanding what she had just exclaimed. "What's it?"

She only rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's stupidity. "The party. You could casually bring it up and then ask Remus if he has a date and when he says no, because he never has a date to these things, ask Remelda if she wants to go with him and bam! There you go!"

Sirius smiled at her, leaning in for another kiss, this one lasting a bit longer, pulling away and telling her, "Nadia, you're a genius!"

The girl smiled back, "I know."

"Merlin! How could I not think of it! It was so simple and just right in front of me!" Sirius continued, seeing Nadia's fond smile for him, "You know, this is why I like you so much."

"Well, I would hope so. I mean, we have been together for about a year now," Nadia said.

―

Remelda couldn't help but be wary of her brother since he found out about this little crush. Little. Wow. Maybe at first it could've been classified as that, but she's been staring at Remus a little here and there and noticing little things like how he plays with his hands when he gets nervous and bites his quill when he looks for answers in textbooks. How he furrows his brows a bit as he concentrates and all these other little things she probably shouldn't know.

So she couldn't help her worries when Sirius decided that she should sit with them at breakfast the following morning. Usually she sat alone at the Slytherin table, eating quickly before escaping to the library where she did whatever until her first class of the day. It wasn't as if she enjoyed her experiences there in the morning, but it was just easier there, seeing as she would already be with the others every other part of the day. She didn't want them to tire of her, so she gave them time away from her.

Yet, that morning, Sirius had invited her to the Gryffindor table in the morning. Furrowing her eyebrows and asking a long 'why?' she agreed to his offer because honestly, she was curious as to what he was going to do.

"Oi, Moons, you in for our next prank?" Sirius asked quite loudly, but that was to be expected – it was him, after all.

Remus, who was chewing at his waffles, carefully placed down his fork, "What prank?"

"On Filch of course. He stole the bloody map from James and I like two months ago. I want to try and get it back. You in?" Sirius explained.

"And be your distraction? No thanks."

Sirius shook his head, "Nah, that's Peter. James persuaded him into that after agreeing to win him a date with Hestia over there."

He nudged his head to where Peter was sitting that morning; with Lily, James, and some her friends – including Hestia herself. Remelda didn't say anything when Nadia let out a sigh at the sight of him looking so lovesick. Hestia didn't return the expression, but she held that look of wonder, as if she were contemplating if she liked him back or not.

"Peter's a horrid liar."

"And James agreed to help him learn," Sirius waved the matter off, "Plus, you're the quickest out of us all. You could snatch it from his office real quick."

Remus looked his friend dead in the eyes, "Sirius, your plan is never going to work. You don't know where Filch is keeping the map. It's a lost cause, let it stay there until someone else finds it."

Sirius' eyes lit up at that, "So someone can continue our legacy? That's brilliant, Moons!"

"That's not what I meant," Remus muttered softly, but Remelda heard him. She let out a small laugh, causing him to look at her and in her eyes. It was their little secret and a small smile began to spread to his face. Remelda didn't say anything, returning the smile as well. She was the first to look away.

"Anyways, you got a date to Slughorn's party this weekend?" Nadia brought up this topic, exchanging a look with Sirius before asking Remus the question.

The werewolf shook his head, "No, actually. But it's fine."

"Won't you be lonely, though?" Nadia insisted, "I'll be busy with Sirius –"

"I resent that!" Sirius chimed in.

Nadia rolled her eyes, "– and James' have Lily to fawn over."

"I appreciate the concern, but I've been going alone for a while now and, really, it's fine," Remus finished.

Nadia sighed, defeated, and nodded her head. The conversation turned back to the usual banter as sometimes Remelda and Remus got caught up in their own world. Leaving breakfast, the two walked together.

"So, you're apart of the Slug Club?" Remelda brought up, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Yeah. I'm surprised that you aren't," he answered, looking at her with tinted cheeks slightly pink and a soft smile.

She shrugged, "Wasn't invited into it. I don't mind, though, wouldn't have agreed anyways."

"But you're still in Potions this year, right?"

"Yeah, I am," she blushed at the thought of Remus remembering this fact about her, "But I'm nowhere near the smartest in my class. And besides, I know for a fact that Slughorn doesn't want to be associated with Death Eaters at all, and well..."

Remus nodded, suddenly turning nervous as they turned the corner and looking at Remelda. "Do you, um, do you have anything to do Friday night?"

"Friday?" she asked for conformation, he nodded, "No. Why?"

"Well, I was just wondering if you'd like to come with me. To Slughorn's party. It probably won't be much fun but it'll be better than being alone and everything's better with you around."

Her mind didn't even register the last part of his ramble, too caught up with the original question. Frozen, she opened her mouth, which had suddenly become dry, and managed out, "The party?"

"Yeah? I know it's stupid and everything and I understand if you don't want to come, but yeah, it'll be nice to have you there."

"Y-Yeah. I'd like that. I'd like that a lot," Remelda nodded, looking at Remus and seeing the relieved look on his face.

"Really?" she nodded and saw the smile spreading across his face. It was worth it to see that smile. And for the first time in a long time, Remelda went to class with a large smile on her face.