The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix - Part One

IT'S SIRIUS DAY!

"I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand..."

"This is actually Indian," Remus muttered without looking up from the menu.

"...walking through the streets of Soho in the rain..."

"Is it Tandoori that James likes? Or the Tikka?"

"He was looking for a place called Lee Ho Fook's..."

"Do you remember if we liked the biryani here or if that was at the place by King's Cross?"

"Gonna get a big dish of beef chow meinnnnn..."

"Sirius."

"Ahhhh-oooh... werewolves of London..."

"Sirius."

"Ahhh-oooooh!"

"SIRIUS!"

Sirius looked at Remus, who was standing beside him in the foyer of the dumpy little Indian restaurant that was their downstairs neighbor. The whole place smelled of warm spices so thick that you could almost taste the air and the takeout counter was painted bright yellow with dirty windows that separated the kitchen from the takeaway lobby. In the corner was a folding table and chairs where the owner's young daughter was kneeling on one of the chairs, playing with finger paints. The cooler of bottled drinks hummed and sweated with perspiration. It was hot in the take away, despite being on the colder side outdoors.

Remus held out the menu. "Will you please just - focus - just for a second? Please?" 

Sirius sighed, "I was serenading you love."

"Yes, and I appreciate it, but please. Just five seconds."

"A moment ago it was only one, darling."

"And now it's five. Look at the menu. Help me figure out what to order so we can get upstairs, alright, then you can sing and do the fandango and whatever else it is you want to do."

"As it should be," Sirius piped up, taking the trifold paper menu from Remus's hands and opening it, "Seeing as it's SIRIUS DAY and all."

Remus sighed. "I know."

"It isn't REMUS DAY. We already celebrated REMUS DAY this year. But SIRIUS DAY is upon us and you know what that means?"

"It means -- look at the bleeding menu and pick what you want to eat or we'll never get upstairs to actually celebrate SIRIUS DAY, alright?"

"Pffff," Sirius muttered, but he did focus on the menu then. "Did you order the Tandoori for James?"

"No, I asked you if it was --"

"Or is the the tikka he likes?"

Remus smacked his forehead and wondered why the bloody hell he'd asked Sirius to come downstairs with him in the first place? He ought to have known the attention span level was not as it should be for something as important as dinner selections.

"OH REMUS THEY HAVE BIRYANI!" 

"You don't say?" Remus asked.

"We should get that." Sirius said, "Although it'll be hard to beat that ickle little place by King's Cross we found. Remember that place?"

"How could I forget it?" Remus rolled his eyes.

"What, Moony-poo?"

"Nevermind," Remus said.