5
Sirius nearly choked on his poorly timed mouthful of margarita as he snorted with laughter at the story Rabastan was telling him.
"No truly it was quite hilarious but then" Rabastan continued after taking a sip of water as his own laugh rippled in his voice. "He went from cursing muggles to buddying up with the chef in about 5 minutes. Those American hamburgers changed his life."
"Bloody hell" Sirius finally managed to gasp out. "If that was Rodolphus’ first trip into the muggle world for food and drink I can’t wait to hear about Bella’s.” Sirius wiped his eyes “too funny”
"Indeed" Rabastan agreed, as he took another mouthful of his steak enchilada and took a moment to savor the flavors as the sauces engulfed his taste buds.
“Although I’m unsure when we’ll be able to get your dear cousin into a muggle restaurant”
“Please let me polyjuice myself and watch from a corner when you’re finally able to do it. I’ll even stay and help you obliviate everyone at the restaurant afterwards, I’m sure she’ll do something ridiculous at some point”
The rest of their evening carried on the same. Sirius was truly having a wonderful time with a former follower of the Dark Lord, a reformed follower of Voldemort to be more accurate. Someone who grew up believing the exact things he had rebelled away from when he had left his own family. But was someone so completely different than he thought. Sirius found himself continually surprised by how different Rabastan was from the kid he grew up with in the pureblood circles, from the standoffish prat he remembered from Hogwarts, and from the serious Scion of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Lestrange persona he carried in public.
Rabastan was now, apparently, his friend. His very handsome friend that he enjoyed looking at between laughter and conversation. Who knew that getting stuck in an elevator and then going to grab coffees afterward was how one went about making new friends?
Anyways, Rabastan's owls seemed to be finding their way to Sirius' flat a few times a week and Sirius always responded. They mostly spoke about food, work and Hogwarts; often exchanging funny stories about people they both knew. Which was how Sirius found himself here at Casa Lupita's with Rabastan. It was the second time they'd met this week. It was also exactly why Sirius found himself answering Rabastan’s next owl in the affirmative 2 weeks later about trying a new restaurant in muggle London with him. Rabastan had happened across it when he went to the opera the other night with Lucius and thought their menu looked promising.
As they were leaving THAT restaurant they had gotten a suggestion for another one which they decided to go to the following Tuesday.
On Wednesday morning Sirius had written him saying someone in their cafeteria had tried sushi that weekend and had loved it. Rabastan immediately responded asking if he'd like to go on Saturday, Sirius tore a piece off the same parchment that Rabastan had sent and simply wrote yes!
“What do you mean you already have plans on Saturday night?” asked Lily incredulously as she ate ice cream straight out of the carton.
“Well exactly that, a friend of mine asked me to dinner and I agreed to go with him, we're meeting on Saturday night” Sirius couldn't stop the smile that stretched across his face.
“Wait you have friends outside of this room???” James suddenly spoke up
“you’re going on a date THIS WEEKEND and you haven’t already told us?!” Remus chimed in at exactly the same moment
"no, wait, yeah...his question first. You're going on a date 3 days from now and we didn't know?!" James looked hilariously heartbroken. Sirius almost felt bad
“you haven’t been on a date in ages mate, not since that terrible breakup you had with Marcel Lloyd during auror training.”
Sirius rolled his eyes “well none of us really thought things would go well with him did we? At least once I went out with him and his parents, it was bound to end. I mean his mom was the spitting image of my mother, it didn’t matter how sweet she was…there was no future” he shuddered slightly with the memory.
“Okay back to the original point” Remus raised his eyebrow at Sirius “who are you going out with and why haven’t any of us heard about this guy yet?”
“You haven’t heard of him bc there’s nothing to share guys, it’s not a date. I’ve made a new friend and he seems to be as passionate about food as I am. It’s nice actually." Sirius took a quite bite of ice cream "James and Lily have each other, Remus you have your new librarian girlfriend, and I have my food.” Sirius shrugged “it’s all really working out guys”
“First of all, I hate you for lying to me Siri I’m pregnant I deserve better” she gestured down at her stomach “second of all, I’ve seen you eat and I have no idea how you’re not 20 stone heavier”
“Speaking of pregnancy, do I get to be the godfather for this one too?”
“Not if you don’t tell us who you're dating Pads” James responded “okay who’s ready for some more chips. Some salty to go with all this sweet my gorgeous wife is craving”
“I’ll take some chips” said Remus “I’ll also take the name of the gentleman you’re dating Siri”
"oh wait, here's another question for you Pads" James paused dramatically and raised his eyebrows at Sirius " could you please tell us why Rabastan Lestrange was in your office the other day?"
Remus, ever the voice of reason "he was probably there for a case right?" he put his bowl down "is there anything you can tell us about what's going on?"
"or if you can't tell us why don't you talk about the case with James here, in great detail, and we'll just happen to overhear" Lily shifted as James sat down next to her "if you do I might even forgive you for not telling us about your mystery man"
Sirius rolled his eyes. How was he supposed to explain to his friends that he was now friends with Rabastan, and he was the one he was going out with on Saturday night but he wasn't actually dating Rabastan? He just liked his company, and his face…but mostly his company. He felt like he had found a kindred spirit in gastronomy and he was having a lot of fun with it he wasn't sure he was ready to share.
"Okay so no big deal, I'm kind of friends with Rabastan now"
"you're kind of what?" Lily deadpanned at him, her death stare almost reminded him of Snivellous, and it was freaking Sirius out; he quickly continued
"well remember when they were working on the elevators last month and I got stuck in one?"
James nodded and fidgeted with his spoon as he waited for him to continue
" he was in there with me and we were stuck in there for a few hours and I was really craving those egg salad sandwiches that Maggie makes that day after I missed lunch. I had mentioned them to him and obviously after being stuck in there so long he decided to tag along so he could try one of her coffees and pastries as well." Sirius shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant about it all
"her sandwiches really are the best" James responded dramatically clutching his chest
"wait! her sandwiches are good enough to make Sirius friends with death eaters and you haven't taken me there yet James?!" Lily turned to James her hands on her hips despite being seated
James raised his hands and got ready to try to placate her
"well in my defense he was never a death eater," Sirius tried to keep his voice even
"oh Merlin! Sirius is Rabastan who you're going on a date with on Saturday night?!" Remus' mouth hung open. Remus was always too clever for the rest of them.
"It's not a date! we're not dating!"
"but you just happen to be going to a fancy restaurant with him on Saturday night in muggle London?" Remus blinked owlishly at him
"My aunt Dorea said he was engaged, Siri...I mean I'm already not a fan of the possibility of a death eater being invited into your bed, Sirius." James shook his head "But an engaged death eater is really where I insist you draw the line"
"look as beautiful as the man is. We're not dating, he IS engaged; we're just foodie friends guys! don't get your panties in a twist!" Sirius exclaimed he had no idea how he had lost control of this conversation so badly."
"but you're going to dinner with him and you think he's beautiful?" Lily smiled her smug 'I know something you don't' smile at him
Sirius dropped his head into his hands "he was never a death eater" he looked up and sighed "plus it's not a date" he said weakly.