You’re halfway through a game of Exploding Snap with Remus when Sirius slinks into the common room, all swagger and mischief.

“Evening, love,” he purrs, flopping onto the couch beside you, far too close. “Looking devastatingly radiant tonight.”

You roll your eyes. “You’re ridiculous.”

He smirks, nudging your knee. “Can’t a man compliment his favorite Potter?”

Across the room, James freezes mid-sentence. His head snaps toward you both, eyes narrowing as Sirius’s arm drapes over the back of the couch behind you.

“Sirius,” James says slowly, voice low and dangerous. “What the hell are you doing?”

Sirius barely glances at him. “Flirting. Obviously.”

James practically launches across the room, his wand out before you can blink. “She’s off-limits!”

Sirius blinks. “Relax, Prongs. We’re not even real brothers.”

“I don’t care,” James snaps. “Try again and you’ll be eating slugs ’til Christmas.”

Remus coughs awkwardly behind his cards.