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Chapter 20

Slot Machines and Grazed Chins

All day James, Alex and Blue kept one eye on the Marauder's Map. They were looking for an unlikely spot where large groups of students would meet and there, according to Uncle George would be where they would find the Gambling Club. James was still furious that he hadn't thought of using the map before.

It wasn't until after classes had ended that they found a likely spot. They travelled there after dinner. It was an ordinary corridor on the third floor but soon enough, after a bit of searching, they found a trap door.

"Can you believe the teachers don't know about this place?" Alex asked as they pulled it open.

"There are hundreds of hidden passages and other secrets in Hogwarts." Blue pointed out reasonably.

James grinned, thinking of the Room of Requirement. He'd never got around to telling them about it and now he wasn't sure that he would. After all it was Rangi's secret gym. If they ever needed to use it themselves, he'd let them in on it but until then, he enjoyed having the secret to himself.

There was a large drop under the trapdoor but Blue found a rope ladder and they all clambered down. The ladder swung and wobbled as they climbed, it wasn't easy to get down and James got rope burns on his hands as he climbed. It was dark too, he had lit his wand but had to hold it between his teeth as they climbed.

Finally at the bottom, the three boys looked around properly. The chamber was dark and silent.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Alex asked nervously.

James had been pretty hopeful but now it seemed unlikely that any rebellious student activity had taken place in this dull place for at least a quarter of a century.

"The passage leads this way." Blue pointed out shining his wand down a gloomy passage.

James shrugged and followed him, their footsteps abnormally loud in the echoing passage.

They emerged in another chamber and to their great surprise and excitement, it was slightly less lonely than the last. A regal, wooden desk stood against one wall, lit with a cheerful oil lamp and sitting at it, scratching away at some parchment with a long eagle feather quill, sat Julius Binns.

"Julius!" Exclaimed Alex at the sight of his friend.

Julius looked up in alarm, he obviously hadn't been paying attention when the boys had entered.

"Oh, Alex!" He smiled, "So you finally made it in?" He paused for a second as his smile faded, "You did make it in, right?"

"Actually, no." Alex said smiling broadly, "That's why we're here."

"You're not going to cause any trouble for me, are you?" Julius said eyeing them warily, "I can't treat you differently to anyone else, you know."

"Oh yeah? Even when my cousin runs the place?" Alex said smartly.

Julius's eyes widened, "How do you know about that?"

"Word gets out." James said simply."Now, I demand to see my cousin!" Declared Alex pompously.

"I'm afraid that's impossible. Leopold is very busy." Julius told them looking very worried, "Now please, get out of here, I don't want to have to be the one to get you into trouble."

"Too busy, is he? To see his only living relative!" Alex exclaimed dramatically.

James sniggered and Blue looked embarrassed but Julius just became more frantic.

"You are not his only living relative!" Julius protested indignantly.

"How do you know that something tragic hasn't happened that you just don't know about yet?" Teased Alex.

"Because I saw your Aunt and Uncle more recently than you did." Julius pointed out warily.

"Ah yes. How are good ol' aunty and uncle?" Alex asked leaning casually on the fancy desk as if having a pleasant chat at the local post office.

"Not so happy about your destruction to their property." Julius pointed out severely.

"Possessions are only material things, family is priceless." Alex smiled angelically.

"Then you should think about treating yours a little better." Julius warned, "Now you really have to go or it's my job to call security."

"Go ahead then." James sighed, "We're not leaving until we see Rankin."

Julius eyed him to see how serious he really was, James didn't flinch so his hand moved to a buzzer on the table top.

"I don't want to do this." Julius said again looking at Alex one last time. He shrugged. Julius pressed the button,

"Security! Front desk!" He called.

Blue took a step forward. James could taste the tension in the air. He knew Blue didn't want to be here but Alex looked like he was positively enjoying the experience. His excitement quickly faded when he saw who security was. Carlisle Lawless stepped out from a door behind the desk, muscles bulging in the lamp light. James felt himself freeze.

"Lawless, these three nonmembers won't leave." Julius said nervously.

Lawless stepped forward and Alex took a small step back so that he was no longer leaning on the desk. The older boy loomed over him.

"I'm starting to regret not trying to dissuade you..." Blue muttered in James ear.

James wished Blue had protested too. Furthermore, he wished he would have listened to him if he did. He hadn't thought about how painful this experience would be in reality when he had scribbled it down last night.

"We want to see Leopold." James demanded as courage and stupidity took over.

"That's not possible." Julius reminded them, James could tell he was no happier about the situation than Blue was, "Now please leave or I will have to ask Lawless to escort you."

"Let me see-" Alex only made it halfway through the sentence before Lawless stepped up and grabbed him by the arm.

"Alex!" James yelled in warning, seconds too late, "Let go of him."

James raised his wand but before he could cast a spell Lawless had both boys pinned up against a wall. He could feel his arm twisted behind his back still clutching his wand as his chin scraped against the rough wall.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something he never expected. Blue darted across the room, past where the two boys were pinned, over the edge of the polished desk and through the door from which Lawless had emerged.

Julius let out a cry of shock and Alex squealed in pain as he tried to turn and see.

"Security backup! Bronze Club!" Julius called into the buzzer.

There was a lot off yelling and scuffling from beyond the doorway before another large security, this time a Slytherin, dragged Blue back into the chamber.

"What's going on?" Came an authoritative voice as someone else emerged into the chamber. From his cramped position pushed against a wall James couldn't see much of what was going on, "Julius? Why was security called? What's happening out here?"

The voice sounded concerned and Julius's reply was apologetic, "Just three nonmembers trying to get into the club."

"Leo?" Came Alex's muffled cry, "Cousin Leo! It's me!"

Leopold's sigh was audible, "Let them go fellas, I'll make sure they don't try something else."

It was only when Lawless let go that James realised that he'd been lifting him high onto his tippy toes. He stumbled and fell, knees hitting the hard,stone floor. Alex caught himself by leaning on James's crouched back.

"And please don't call me that, Alex." Leopold Rankin added grimacing down at them.

James, Alex and Blue assembled themselves in front of the Gambling Club's sixteen-year-old leader.

"What were they trying to do again?" Leopold asked Julius without turning around.

"We only wanted to see you!" Interjected Alex.

Leopold surveyed him with crossed arms and a skeptical expression.

"We figured you wouldn't say no to letting your favourite cousin into to your very own club." Alex added smiling serenely.

"Alex, I am not letting you into the club just because we're related. And just for further notice, I would always pick your sister over you."

Alex feigned hurt but James knew by now that insults tended to bounce off his playful friend.

"Either way, let's take this into my office so that we can talk like civilized people." Leopold added nodding to Julius, "Maybe you should join us, Lawless? Just in case."

Leopold led the way through the door behind Julius's desk. The third years followed eagerly. James noticed that Blue had a cut lip and guilt panged at his heart strings. It had been his idea to go in guns blazing after all. Beyond the door was what James had longed to see for months.

A large chamber room, lit will dull neon lights stretched out. The floor was black and white checkered stone and tables, covered in green cloth filled the room. Students were everywhere. Playing poker, roulette, gin rummy. From one corner came the distinctive ping of slot machines. Little stalls were scattered around where more students were making bets and exchanging chips for fistfuls of galleons, sickles and knuts. On the walls, lit up brightly were emblems of the four card suits with two dice in the centre - the symbol Rangi had mentioned in September.

Leopold saw James admiring the place and smiled at him,

"Like it?" He asked.

James merely nodded.

Leopold led them through another door at the other end of this, beside which the Slytherin security guard stood looking intimidating.

The next room was like the first only here there were fewer people. Large chalk boards were advertising the odds on the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch game against one wall while people made their bets.

"I'm taking you to my office." Leopold smiled, "Only my favourite people get to see in here and the really bad trouble-makers. -You're the latter," He added spotting the grin on Alex's face.

For a minute, James thought he saw Lysander's blond head before they were pushed through another door into a smaller chamber. This one had a large desk like Julius's and behind that a large aquarium full of brightly coloured fish. A couple of sixth years were hanging around in here, sipping drinks from a small water cooler and perched on the edge of the wooden desk, dressed in black jeans and a jacket and her hair in it's usual low ponytail, was Molly.

She hopped off the table as soon as she saw James,

"What is he doing here?" Molly demanded, eyes flashing furiously.

"I invited him in." Leopold said smiling at how much he was obviously annoying her.

"Hi Molly." James grinned bashfully.

She was obviously not happy to see him.

"Now, what seems to be the problem that you caused such a big fuss for poor Julius?" Leopold asked civilly, reclining in a large swivel chair behind the desk.

"Ah yes, well we want in." James stated bluntly.

"Not this again!" Molly exclaimed rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.

Leopold raised his eyebrows and put his finger tips together, "You realize that that privilege usually has to be earned, right?"

"Yeah well, everyone we asked was out of recommendations." James admitted bashfully.

"They tried to blackmail me." Molly pointed out.

Leopold rose his eyebrows again. James could tell he was enjoying himself.

"Well, I suppose James, as you're Molly's cousin and I know she's very fond of you I see no reason not to let you and your friends into the Bronze membership club."

James couldn't believe it. Neither could Molly apparently,

"Leopold if you let him in, I swear-"

"Let me just find some cards!" Leopold interrupted.

He opened one of the drawers of the desk and emerged with three, sleek, laminated cards. James's eyes opened greedily.

"Since I'm inviting you in myself though, I'm afraid you don't get any recs to give out." Leopold apologised.

"No recommendations?" Alex asked.

"Can't have everyone getting in, can we? Then there wouldn't be any appeal." Smiled Leopold handing the cards to Lawless, "Give your names to Lawless outside and he'll put them on the cards, I need this office to myself now."

Lawless ushered them out of the office and before the door shut behind them, James could hear Molly's livid ranting.