A/N: for anyone that followed me from any of my previous fanfictions, I changed my penname. Sorry if that confused anyone. And yes, I will eventually get around to continuing and finishing all incomplete fanfictions even though it probably seems like I abandoned them. Rise of Vulcanhöff and The Siren will be resurrected. I really do hate abandoning fanficitons since I know the pain of a reader that has to accept a life time of not knowing how the story ends. It truly sucks.
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James Sirius Potter sat on the couch in front of the Gryffindor fireplace clutching a bottle of butterbeer loosely in his hand. Tonight was a celebration for the Quidditch Cup that had basically already been won. There was still the Slytherin-Hufflepuff match in the morning, but everyone knew that the 'Puffs team was falling apart at the seams. Their Captain and best member, Evan Lynch, had transferred to Beauxbaton over Christmas due to some family emergency and ever since their performance had slowly deteriorated. There would be no time for recovery, so the game was pretty much an assured victory for the Snakes leaving the Lions to snatch up the cup.
James leaned back in his seat with a satisfied smirk on his face as he took a swig from his foaming mug. His final year at Hogwarts had shaped up fairly nicely, if he did say so himself. He might not be quidditch captain like he'd originally hoped (no, that honor had gone to his dweeby cousin Hugo… it was still a sore point for James), but Head Boy was doing wonders for James detention record –he'd somehow managed cut his caldron scrubbing down to once a day instead of his usual hourly visits. He was sure his mum was so proud.
"Yo Fleecy," a deep voice called jerking James out of his thoughts. He turned to see his best friend Fred Weasley II making his way towards him with some giggly, blond fifth year attached to his arm.
James scrunched up his nose in distaste at the horrible nickname and said with a groan, "I thought I told you to stop calling me that." Fred grinned impishly showing off an impressive display of white teeth.
"Sorry Fleece. No can do," he said with relish as he held his free hand up as if taking a vow of some sort, "A Marauders name is an important part of who he is. It would be a dishonor to the Marauder code to abandon such a noble moniker!"
"Sure thing Murder," James shot back with a grumble. Honorable name indeed. James still couldn't figure out what had possessed his friends to dub his animagus form, a bighorn sheep, with such an embarrassing nickname. He'd tried to retaliate by naming Fred's inky black crow with an equally horrid name, but Fred took a shine to Murder instantly, dubbing it "retro" if memory served correctly. And so Murderer the crow would forever soar proudly through the corridors of the Hogwarts much to James chargin.
"There's the spirit!" Fred exclaimed, "Now, where's Ugg and Chief?" he asked referring to the swan and bear of the group.
James rolled his eyes and responded, "Linden's. Somewhere—" he swept an arm around the tower and added under his breath, "—Probably ogling Lil's…" The fact that one of James' best friends, Linden Wood, thought James, Louis, and Fred didn't know he was constantly making eyes at James' fifteen-year-old sister was an ongoing joke between the rest of the group. James wished Linden would just ask her out already. She may be his little sis, but the guy was honestly becoming pathetic.
"And Lou's off with Rosie and Phyll for a study session," he finished with a sarcastic emphasis smothering the word 'study' to perfectly convey his opinion on the matter.
"Uh, seriously?" Fred snorted, "Is he really resorting to our dear cousin Rosiebell to get Llis to acknowledge him? Doesn't he know Guillaume has more class then him?" James shrugged nonchalantly, "He's laboring under some crazy assumption that Phyllis won't be rude in front Rosiepie, will suddenly notice his dashing good looks and charming smile that she hasn't looked twice at in the past six years, and'll fall madly in love."
"How long do you think it'll take him to realize Rose fully supports her best friend's stance on the Great Louis Weasley?"
"I'd give it two seconds," James deadpanned.
"Oh! Our ya do talkin' abou' Phylly Gillme?!" the forgotten Barbie-lookalike asked in a breathy alcohol induced slur as she clumsily pawed at Fred's chest.
James rose an eyebrow at his cousin. Seriously, he mouthed. Out loud he acknowledged in a bored tone, "Yep. That's the one. Phyllis Gillaume." He drew out her last name before finishing, "What about her?"
"I heard her famies fro' Ants!" Barbie shouted a bit to loudly, obviously proud of her memory recollection, "I' always wanna visit Ants. Thay 'ave 'nails th'r to ate. Ya e'er aten 'nails?" James coughed to cover his laugh and quickly took a swig from his butterbeer. Fred wasn't living this one down and from the look on his face, he knew that.
"Riight… Well. Hope you get to visit France someday," James told her as straight-faced as possible. Wagging his eyebrows at Fred he added "Have a good night with Nails there, mate. I'm sure it's gonna be an… Experience."
Fred gave him a rude hand gesture in response and said snootily, "At least some of us are getting some." Then, turning around and tugging his blond companion towards the common room door, he called over his shoulder, "Not all of us are waiting for The One. Bye now Fleecy darling!" James shook his head in exasperation and waved goodbye.
"You know, he has a point," came a feminine voice from behind his couch seat. Jumping slightly, James swiveled to look up at the newcomer. Smirking down at him, Diana Sterling ruffled his hair and continued, "You really can't be judging when all you have is that ridiculous cat to cuddle with at night."
"Hey, Leo's not ridiculous!" James shot back thinking fondly of his orange fluff-ball menace.
"James, the thing squeaks," Diana said plainly.
"He's a kitten!" James defended. Admittedly, Leo did have a pathetic meow, but James firmly believed that he'd grow out of his miniature mew eventually and grow into his namesake's mighty roar.
"He still squeaks," she stated before shoving her butterbeer into his hand unceremoniously and hoisting herself over the edge of the couch to flop into the seat next to him.
Giving up on the debate, he handed her cup back and asked the question she'd undoubtedly been waiting for, "Sterling, what are you doing here?"
She grinned cheekily at him before answering, "Celebrating," with a toast in his direction. James made a face at her from behind his own mug.
"In the Gryffindor common room?" he questioned the sixth year with a scornful glance at the red and gold tie wrapped around her neck in a false impression of belonging.
"Yep," she replied popping the 'p' as she took a swig from her glass. James had to contain a laugh at the white mustache that formed around her mouth. She gave him a weird glance as he snorted, but James shook his head to indicate he was innocent. Diana would kill him if she knew what he was smirking at, but the picture she made was priceless. It was too bad he didn't have a camera. The blackmail potential was sky rocketing by the minute.
"What?" she asked, completely clueless.
"You do realize you're a Slytherin right?" he asked patronizingly, trying to distract her from the real cause of his amusement. Diana rolled her wide velvet eyes in exasperation as she stared at him.
"Really?" she asked with false amazement, "I am? And here I've been thinking I was a lion for all these years. Goes to show what I know…" she drifted off with a forlorn sigh causing James to bark in laughter. Her sarcasm never ceased to brighten his day. It was a breath of fresh air from the slap stick humor he suffered through on a daily basis. If only more people could understand the sacred language. It truly was a lost art.
"So what are you really doing here?" he asked calmly, changing the subject, " 'cause I'm so not buying that celebration crap." She grinned before masking it with a look of hurt that transformed the mustache into a slightly deformed caterpillar.
"You wound me Fleecy, darling! I can't believe you'd ever think me capable of causing mayhem and mischief on a wondrous night such as tonight!" James snorted into his cup and chocked slightly on the liquid that had been traveling down his esophagus, causing it to spray all down his front. He quickly tried to clean it up, but soon gave it up as a lost cause.
Fixing his gaze back on the black haired witch, he gave her a disgruntled look. She giggled into her own mug as he dryly said, "Thanks for that."
She held up her hands in the universal 'don't shoot me' sign before replying, "That was all you."
Conveniently ignoring her, he tried to flip his bangs out of his face for added effect as he said, "Besides, who said anything about mischief and mayhem? If I didn't know any better Sterling, I'd say you had a guilty conscious." Diana gave him an overly offended look as she crossed her legs daintily in front of herself, creating a picture of sophistication that may have worked if it wasn't for the drooping, foamy mess around her mouth.
Mockingly she said, "Guilty? I don't know the meaning of the word!"
"Now that, I do believe!" James snorted. Grinning again, Diana dropped the pretense.
"Okay, so you caught me," she said leaning back into the couch, smirk still in place, "I'm here 'cause of a bet." At the word 'bet' James winced slightly. Betting against Diana Sterling was not a smart move. She was a force to be reckoned with when it came to winning and he knew from past experience that she'd do almost anything to prove someone wrong. He didn't envy whoever the sorry soul was.
"Oh don't give me that look, Potter. I solemnly swear that no blood shall be shed tonight." As if to prove her point she placed on hand over her heart and raised the other into the air still clutching her bottle of butterbeer tightly in her fist. James laughed loudly causing a few passing students to glance at him curiously. Trust Diana to use a distorted Marauder's code against him.
"It's not the blood I'm worried about. It's the poor soul's pocket money that concerns me." Diana grimaced, "Oh, this is no poor soul," she said in disgust, "These people need a good kick in the arse." James eyebrows rose in surprise. Diana wasn't one for swearing. Hearing her do so meant heads would soon be rolling.
"Should I get the guillotine in place?" he questioned cautiously. Laughing, Diana shook her head.
"Nah, unfortunately my roommate's heads should still be safely attached by the end of the night, though I will admit the offers tempting."
Ah, so it had to do with her roommate's… Suddenly everything made sense and James no longer felt bad for the girls who would probably be dirt poor come sun rise. Diana's roommates were royal pains in the rear and James couldn't stand them. Not many people could for that matter.
"What'd they do this time?" he asked amused.
"They bet me that I couldn't get some boy to kiss me," she answered airily.
"Uh… Seriously?" James said startled. Those girls were just asking to be beaten. "Who's the poor sod?" he asked, quickly dogging as Diana aimed a kick at his knee.
"Oh shut up, Potter," she said with an eye roll, "You and I both know that most of the guys in this school would line up to get a kiss from me." Which was true despite how self-centered it may have sounded. Diana Sterling was gorgeous. Even James would admit that, though he'd only ever do so in his head and most certainly never to the female in question. His brother's best female friend was simply stunning and she didn't even have to try. It was an effortless beauty that made girls hate her on instinct and the male population as a whole drool whenever she walked by. All one had to do to prove the statement was to glance around the room and count the number of guys either staring at her appreciatively or glaring daggers at James for being so close to her.
"So, what's the problem then?" he asked curiously, "You wouldn't be here for my help if there wasn't a problem." She sighed in exasperation and blew a lock of ebony hair out of her face.
"They gave me the one guy that has never been in that line." James grinned foolishly at her and snarked, "A guy like that exists besides me? Is he gay?"
"Potter," Diana said warningly as a slight flush colored her cheeks.
"Sorry," he said without remorse, "And who would that be?"
"Not important right now," she said with a wave of her hand, "What is important is that they're betting fifteen galleons on this!"
"Fifteen galleons?" James said in surprise, "Bloody hell that's a lot. Even I'd kiss you for that kind of money!" Diana laughed.
"Each," she added with satisfaction. James jaw dropped with an audible thump. "Each?" he asked dumbstruck.
"Yep," she said with a firm nod. James quickly did the arithmancy in his head. With four other girls in her dorm that had to be about sixty galleons. And all for a single kiss. Damn, to bad his roommates all knew better then to bet him that kind of money.
Still in a slight state of shock and awe, James asked, "So, how are you going to get this guy to kiss you?" Diana made a face.
"Not sure yet," she replied.
"Well, you could always just ask him for a kiss for good luck," he joked.
"A kiss for good luck?" she asked lifting an eyebrow as she waited for the punchline.
"He's sure going to need it if he's got your roommates attention." Laughing again, Diana gave him that infuriating smirk she always got when he was missing some crucial part to the equation. He struggled not to gulp. That look never boded well for him.
"So, I'm just supposed to approach him, bat my eyes at him sweetly, and… ask?" she sounded amused and incredulous all at the same time. James nodded carelessly, hoping his concern didn't show.
"Yea, and I'll sit here laughing at the poor guys expense." Diana gave him a thoughtful expression while setting her bottle down on the coffee table.
"Okay," she said before sliding over on the couch until she was perched right next to him. She put a petite hand on his bicep and smiled flirtatiously as she batted her eye lashes up at him in a ridiculous fashion causing James throat to go dry as the dots began to connect.
Of course. There was no other guy. He was the only male at Hogwarts, besides his brother and that Malfoy kid, that wouldn't be in make-out line for Diana Sterling. And her roommates would have known that too. In fact, everyone would have known that. James Potter was not one to just kiss a girl because she asked him to. It was well known that he was a hopeless romantic always waiting for The One.
But, sixty-some-odd galleons was a lot and James, still in a dazed surprise, was suddenly having a difficult time remembering why he hadn't snogged her senseless before as she slid her fingers down his chest to rest on his abdomen from her new position straddling his lap. He couldn't quite remember how she'd gotten there –just a moment before she'd been sitting at his side, but he didn't really care as she leaned in closer to look him straight in the eyes and whispered in a seductive voice, "So how 'bout it Potter. Kiss for good luck?"
And somehow, the butterbeer mustache didn't ruin the effect at all.
"I get half," he whispered before crushing her mouth to his, not even pausing to wait for a response. He felt her moan into him as he savored the taste of her lips against his, his tongue practically begging for entrance. She parted her lips slightly allowing him to deepen the kiss.
A nagging part of his brain registered that her roommates had only said kiss. There'd been no specification on the time-limit. The requirements could have been fulfilled with nothing more then a peck. Making-out wasn't necessary.
But the thought was quickly pushed to the back of his mind as one of Diana's hands slipped under the hem of his shirt and grazed his muscled abdomen before sliding up to rest on his chest. He wasn't sure what design her fingers were drawing, but the warmth of the trail was burning through his body and James was suddenly finding it extremely difficult to think.
Running his palms over her form, James let them stop on her hips as he pulled his lips from hers and trailed his mouth along her jawline to the juncture of her neck. She gasped when he tugged her closer into his body and meandered his kisses down to her collarbone.
"James," she breathed as his mouth found its way to her exposed shoulder.
"Hmm…" he responded distractedly enjoying the feel of her hand gripping his messy hair.
"James," she said more urgently. James pulled back this time to meet her eyes concerned something was wrong. Diana's face was flushed and her uniform was ruffled where his hands had been perusing.
"Everything okay?" he asked.
Diana nodded her head slightly and replied, "Uh, yea. Peachy." Her voice sounded off like she was trying to convince herself of the validity of her statement more then him.
"Um. Thanks," she added with a frazzled shake of her head.
"Thanks?" James asked.
"Yea. Thanks," she repeated with an uncertain nod, "For, you know –your help."
"Help?" James wasn't following. His brain seemed to have been turned to mush. All he could seem to process was the way her swollen lips didn't look swollen enough. He'd have to fix that, his mind seemed to say.
"Mmhmm," Diana continued with a firmer nod, "The dare. Couldn't have done it without you." Seeming to pull herself together, Diana detached herself from James by removing her hands from under his shirt and climbing out of his lap. James watched her as his brain tried to catch up with what she was saying.
"Diana?" Diana paused in her attempted escape.
"Oh! Right!" she exclaimed, "I'll give you your half at breakfast." She called the last bit over her shoulder as she grabbed her butterbeer and dashed out of the room, leaving James to quietly explain, "That wasn't what I was going to ask…" to the empty space where she'd been.
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[end of chapter one]
A/N: So this is a fanficiton I found in my junkbox a few days ago and randomly decided to fix up and post. It'll be a decent length story once I get to actively writing it with all the next gen and their crazy teenage romances interwoven. I'm not really sure how long it'll take me to actually work on it though. My sister threatened to steal my kittens if I didn't start/finish A Starless Midnight first... and since that's only the first book in my seven part Queen of Emerald HP fanfiction series, that'll probably be a while. Especially when I haven't even posted the first chapter yet! Anyway, hope you all enjoyed the beginning to All Bets Off. I feel a bit bad for James at the end, but he'll just have to suck it up. It wouldn't be a good story if he didn't suffer some. If it makes him feel any better though, I'm way meaner to his brother Albus in his romantic plot-line. Now if everyone will excuse me, I have to go catch an escaped hedgehog...
~Morrigan