Author's Note: Wow. The final chapter. I can't believe I've made it this
far. I feel happy yet sad, kind of like how parents probably feel when they
watch their eldest child leave home to go off to college. And in a way
Natalia is my girl. I hope this last chapter lives up to everyone's
expectations.
Some news is that Liz Dockson from fictionalley.net has kindly offered to host some of my fanart in exchange for my beta skills (I'll do my best ;p). I'm not sure when I'll have some pictures up for everyone to look at, but I'm planning on drawing for all three of my chapter fics and I'll put the link on my bio page when it's up.
Since this is the final chapter, I would like to dedicate this to everyone who has ever read and reviewed and especially mention Heather, who helped me get out of a tight spot writer's block wise.
Here we go...
# # # # # # # # #
Entry Twenty: This is what we call "Truth or Dare"
* * * * *
Hey baby what's your name
Don't stand looking insane
Do you want to ride the train
Welcome to the fast lane
If you're in love beware
'Cause these people they don't care
All hands in the air
This is what we call "Truth or Dare"
- NERD, "Truth or Dare"
* * * * *
1:04 PM, November 8th
Alright then, let's recap:
Far too early this morning for anyone in their right mind: Took Roger I liked him. And got wimped out on. Badly.
Very very bad.
Not quite so early this morning, but at a still indecent time for people with lives, or hangovers, or both (they sometimes go together): Experienced rare moment of bonding and solidarity with Pen - er, Penelop - er, Clearhead.
Very very disturbing.
About half an hour ago: WE WON THE QUIDDITCH CUP! WE WON THE QUIDDITCH CUP! AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE HOLYHEAD HARPIES LIKES MY STYLE (not in that way, you sick bastard) AND WANTS ME TO TRY OUT FOR THE TEAM! BLOODY MERLIN!
Uh, all that was very well and good.
Fast forward to the present: Slytherin on the losing side of a Snitch standing in front of me with wand pointed in between the features that made Dolly Parton famous and that I eventually hope will do the same for me.
Oh shit...
1:07 PM
"Natalia," Montague grinned (slimy git). "Take a seat." Realised that only people sitting are Slytherin team, with Draco lounging in throne-like chair in front of Ravenclaw tapestry like some kind of reptile. But I will not be undone. Stalked across to him and plopped down on his lap, virtually burying the little creep beneath me (hey, what the hell is wrong with being voluptuous and statuesque?). As for the word "burying," well, don't give me ideas. Tempting as it is, room's full of witnesses - not to mention chronic tattle-tales like Percy Weasley, Clearhead and Hermione Grater - and I don't really think the Harpies take on people with Azkaban sentences under their belts.
Speaking of "under the belt," is Draco happy to see me?
Is going to be very long afternoon. Whoops, "long," which he certainly isn't - I mean the afternoon will be "lengthy," oh, I give up.
1:09 PM
Everyone now sitting in semi-circle on floor. Fortunately, the rest of the Slytherin team - who are still holding us hostages with wands - requested that Draco and I join them. Very lucky as if he had been any "happier to see me," I would have had one in the oven. Distract self from unsettling thought of yet another addition to the Malfoy family line (Pothead was right) by glancing around circle at rest of victims. Players - I mean prisoners - are:
GRYFFINDORS - no, scrap that, I am not putting them first because they always come first in every *&*&$#^%*^^#$%@^^&^%*! other thing - HUFFLEPUFFS - who never come first, no, not them, because nice guys always finish last, okay, THE RAVENCLAWS:
Alessandro Bombardino, Malcolm Brocklehurst, Cho Chang, Penelope Clearwater, Vanesssa Johnson, The Wimp (okay, Roger Davies) and Yours Truly.
THE SLYTHERINS:
Karen Bletchley, Millicent Bulstrode, Marcus Flint, Draco Malfoy, Alexander Montague, Pansy Parkinson, Adrian Pucey and Carl Warrington
THE GRYFFINDORKS:
Katie Bell (moo), Lavender Brown, Colin Creevey, Hermione Granger, Lee Jordan, Neville Longbottom, Parvati Patil, Harry Potter, Here a Weasley, there a Weasley, everywhere a Weasley and His Woodiness.
THE HUFFLEPUFFS (because nice guys finish last, mwuah!):
Hannah Abbot, Susan Bones, and Cedric Diggory.
Let's get ready to rumba...
1:10 PM
"Alright, punks," Flint drawled, looking around at a circle of some very scared faces (pathetic Hufflepuffs), "this is what's happening. Firstly, thank you for kindly accepting our invitation to join us Slytherins in some interhouse games."
Draco smirked. Hermione Grater took the opportunity to cuddle up to Harry Pothead. "You're a Gryffindor," I hissed to Lavender Brown next to me. "You're meant to be bold and heroic. Can't you do something to get us out of this mess?"
"We've got Harry Potter," she said, a blank smile on her face. Honestly.
"Secondly, we will start with I Have Never and then continue on to Truth or Dare," Adrian continued. "In order to salve our consciences-" huh? "-we have enlisted the help of a Ravenclaw to make an aging potion, which we will give to everyone below the age sixteen. So we will not be held accountable for your actions, and it will make the Truth or Dare game all the more interesting. Thirdly, as you may know I Have Never is a drinking game." The Hufflepuffs looked blank. Fred and George Weasley sniggered knowingly. "Therefore, we too will be drinking and in order to ensure everyone else other than the Hufflepuffs tell the truth for the Truth and Dare game, these drinks have been spiked with Veritasium, also brewed up by our trusty Ravenclaw friend." Could have appreciated this move of pure genius and evil if was not on the receiving end of it. "Roger, would you do the honours?"
"Roger!" I hissed. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Look, don't get mad, Nat, but I overheard them planning to do this yesterday and I offered to brew both potions," Roger whispered hurriedly. "I figured this way at least I know no one would get poisoned and with everyone being over sixteen, we break as few school rules as possible." He got up and walked over to a steaming pot in the corner of the room. Okay, when has he ever been interested in not breaking rules? So "now" during a time of crisis he decides to go all Ravenclaw on me? Great, just great.
"Fourth and finally, we Slytherins are only observers in this," Montague smirked.
"No, you're not," Roger said. "That wasn't the agreement we had."
"Aw, poor wittle Roger," Flint pouted in mock sympathy. "Since when have we Slytherins been known to keep our promises?"
"Since when I got the entire Slytherin team to sign the terms we made up on a charmed piece of paper," Roger said coolly. "If you refuse to play, you will get the word "Coward" written across your forehead in big red letters. And since it involves going back on a promise, the curse is irreversible."
"You're lying," Flint said baldy, but a muscle in his cheek had started to twitch.
"Try me," Roger challenged. Woo hoo, go Roger - wait, am still angry with him.
"Alright then," Flint shrugged. "Pucey, say you won't play."
"Bloody hell, Marcus," Adrian swore. "What if he is telling the truth? At least ask someone who never had any good looks to begin with, so the damage will be limited."
"Fine," Flint said. "Parkinson, you say you won't play."
"Are you saying I'm not attractive?" the second year, who was almost as big as Flint, demanded.
"N-n-no, of course not," Flint stammered.
"Oh, this is getting ridiculous," Hermione Grater snapped. "All of you, there's a very basic and obvious solution to this problem. Simply get Roger to drink some of his own Veritasium, then ask if he put a curse on the parchment you signed."
Flint, Adrian and Montague all glanced at each other. "Right," Montague said. "I was just about to suggest that." One of the Weasel twins snorted. "Well, Davies, you heard the mudblood-"
"Don't call her mudblood!" Ron Weasel snapped.
Roger took a swallow. Flint asked him if he had cursed their signatures. He replied that he had. "So you're playing then?" he asked cheerfully.
The Slytherins scowled and took a spot in the circle. Colin Creevey, who was sitting next to Cedric, received a lancing glare from Adrian and quickly scrambled out of the way so the happy couple could sit next to each other. "Now then," Roger continued, "since I am sixteen myself, it would be dangerous for me to test the aging potion-"
"There's an idea," Draco injected, resentful of the way Roger had taken control of the situation.
"-so I would like a volunteer."
"A Gryffindor," several Slytherins said promptly.
"For once we're in agreement," Roger beamed.
"Potty, here's a chance for you to be a hero once more," Draco smirked. "You do it."
"Why me?" Harry pouted.
"Why not?" Draco retorted. "Now get your arse up there and drink some potion." Harry glared at him but complied. Since Draco had a wand but he didn't, he didn't really have any say in the matter. Hermione Grater sneaked a quick look at the arse in question as he walked over to Roger. Those Gryffindors think they're so pure and high-minded. Well, in Dumbledore's case, perhaps "high" is appropriate word choice.
Everyone around me gasped. I returned to the present to see a sixteen year old Harry Pothead who stood almost as tall as Roger. Hermione was blushing. "If I only I got a mark for this," Roger lamented. "Now walk around and hand out glasses to everyone and I'll follow behind with the potion."
Seconds later the younger students were admiring their new and lusty selves. Each Weasley boy had grown several inches in height and the once tiny Lee Jordan was now about six feet tall. "Cool," he said. Hannah Abbot's acne had completely disappeared. Lavender Brown had developed. Parvati Patil had not. "This is all I have to look forward to?" she had shrieked in dismay after looking down her shirt, then burst into tears. "It's not fair, it's so not fair." Colin Creevey looked about the same. And as for Neville, well, helloooooo Neville...
Let's just say that his puppy fat was only that.
"Oh my god, Neville?" Hermione breathed, looking at him with great interest. "Neville, if I'd known I would have helped you out more in Potions, honest!" Neville flicked his hair out of his face and shrugged his now-manly shoulders. Lavender giggled.
It wasn't just the girls who were eyeing Neville. Cedric hadn't taken his eyes off him since the transformation. Adrian was looking distinctly sulky, probably jealous because Neville was now better-looking than him. Flint looked put out too. Hello, he was always better-looking than you!
"Right then," Flint began as Harry and Roger now put drinks spiked with Veritasium in everyone's glass ("I hope that's diet coke," Lavender said when Roger got to her), "this is how I Have Never works. "We go around the circle and each make a, eh, talking thingy-"
"A statement," several Ravenclaws supplied.
"Yeah, what they just said," Flint shrugged. Behind Harry and Roger Colin Creevey was pouring Susan Bones coke without the Veritasium. It had apparently been decided among the Slytherins that Hufflepuffs, being the most honest (read, stupid) house in the school, did not need it. I think Adrian just didn't want Cedric to share too many of his secrets. "We each make a what-the-Ravenclaws-call-it like "I have never brushed my hair" or "I have never showered"-" Draco winced and scooted away from him "-and if you have done those things, you have to drink. Do the Hufflepuffs understand?"
"Do you?" Susan whispered nastily. Next to her Ron Weasley sniggered.
"Fucking great," Flint grinned. "Natalia, you seem like an, erm-"
"Interesting," Adrian supplied.
"Creative," Montague piped up.
"Slutty," Bombardino cut in. I will kill him.
"-person. Why don't you start?" Flint finished. Felt like refusing but a request from a Slytherin is never a request. It's an order. "Now the "I Have Never," er-"
"Statement!" Hermione shrieked at him.
"-has to be something you haven't done yourself. You might have difficulty there," he smirked. Bastard. "We go around the circle in the direction that - uh - isn't clockwise."
"Counter-clockwise," Cho groaned.
To my right there was a thud. In the middle of passing out glasses Harry had reached Draco and in a moment of foolish Gryffindor heroics had tried to wrestle his wand off him. Draco had retaliated by Stupifying him. "Now, now, Draco," Montague said idly. "Bring him to his senses again. We need him for the games." Draco looked mutinous but performed the counter-curse. Harry sat up and rubbed his head.
"Well, Natalia?" Adrian snapped. He was glaring in the direction of Neville Longbottom.
"I've got one," Vanessa Johnson, two places down, rescued me. "I have never fancied Oliver Wood."
I didn't drink. Perving at someone doesn't count as fancing. Katie Bell, Hermione Granger, Alicia Spinnet and Ginny Weasley did drink. So did Adrian, Cedric and - gulp - Colin Creevey. Lavender and Parvati drank, then glared at each other and looked away.
Millicent Bulstrode took a swallow. "Oh, shut up," she told a sniggering Pansy Parkinson next to her.
Next was Malcolm Brocklehurst. "I have never received anything below an "E" on my OWLS," he said, glancing cautiously around the circle as if he had just said something taboo.
Oliver, Montague and Flint all drank, not looking particularly bothered by what they had just revealed. Percy also drank, blushing fit to burst. Penelope gave a disappointed sigh and turned away from him.
Except for Cho and Malcolm, who were gaping at Percy in shock, everyone's eyes were now on me. "Fine, then," I muttered. "I have never kissed a Weasley."
The result was calamitous. Almost every single person who wasn't (a) a Weasley, (b) Roger or (c) me drank. Penelope and Angelina Johnson looked pretty apathetic as they did. The rest gaped at each other in horror. Harry was blushing fit to burst. "FLINT! YOU KISSED OUR SISTER!" George roared.
"No, I didn't!" Flint protested quickly. "I kissed Percy!" Angelina spat out a mouthful. Flint realised what he had just said and ran out of the room.
"Well, I know you didn't kiss my sister," Fred said apologetically to Cedric, who too had drank and was sitting next to him. "So who was it then? Percy? You poor bastard. I bet it was quite dark though. You couldn't help it."
"Actually, it was Charlie," Cedric ducked his head.
"Charlie is gay?" Fred whispered.
"EWW! GINNY AND RON JUST DRANK!" Pansy shrieked. The mouths of everyone in the room collectively dropped.
"IT WAS WHEN WE WERE FIVE!" Ginny yelled. "OH, COME ON! I BET EVERYONE KISSED THEIR SIBLINGS WHEN THEY WERE YOUNGER!"
"Er, no," Vanessa said, glancing at Angelina.
"Charlie is gay?" Fred repeated.
"Ginny, move so that you're not sitting next to Ron," Warrington ordered, pointing his wand at her. "No, not next to one of your other brothers, in between Neville and Oliver. We can all do without unsavoury images for the rest of the game." This remark caused the Gryffindor Chaser to shoot jealous looks at her. Ginny was another one who had matured with age. "Lavatory, it's your turn." Lavender was gazing vaguely at Neville. "Nevermind. Creevey, you got any ideas?"
"I've got new socks on," Colin piped up excitedly.
"Charlie is gay?" Fred gaped.
"Ah, forget it," Warrington snarled. "I guess it's my turn then. Ginny and Ron, for the sake of keeping everyone's lunch in their stomachs you are excempt from this one. I have never shagged a Weasley."
"What if we want them to answer it?" Bombardino asked. Vanessa's face got an oh my god, what have I been shagging the last two weeks expression on it and she scooted away from him. That boy is one sick puppy. To everyone's great relief, only Penelope drank.
"Parvati?" Draco raised his eyebrow at her. She opened her mouth to speak. "Don't bother. I doubt you have anything of interest to contribute."
"Actually, I was about say I have never gone for a guy my best friend fancied first," she said, shooting daggers at Lavender.
"I can't be bothered with this," Montague sighed. "Stupify!" Both Lavender and Parvati fell to the floor.
"I was actually quite interested in that," Oliver protested.
"That's because you're a pretty boy narcissist," Roger snapped.
"Jealous, are you?" Oliver asked smoothly.
"No, because I HAVE THE QUIDDITCH CUP!" Roger retorted. Oliver's lower lip began to tremble.
"My turn then," Karen Bletchley barked. "I have never had impure thoughts about a mudblood." She shot Marcus Flint, who had returned when Montague knocked Lavender and Parvati out, a significant look.
All the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs drank, but no one was paying attention to our revelations. Marcus, grinning shame-facedly at Bletchley, drank. Montague and Warrington looked at each other, then shrugged and downed their glasses. Adrian was too busy glaring at Neville to even pay attention to the question. Then-
"DRACO! YOU SLUT!" Pansy screamed.
"But Pansy," Draco protested, sneaking a guilty look at Hermione. "I was on medication!"
"Oh, I feel so violated," Hermione sighed.
Pansy reared forward and punched Draco squarely on the jaw. Before she had drunk the Veritasium, she had been almost as large as Marcus Flint, but now she was massive. Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell, who had been sitting in between Pansy and Draco, were squashed beneath her. Pansy then went into a rage and was sedated only by a well-placed Impedimentus curse from Warrington.
"Right, I think everyone's had enough Veritasium to ensure that they're honest in the next game," Montague said, wiping his brow. The Slytherins looked traumatised from the last I Have Never. "Let's go on to Truth or Dare, shall we?"
"I want breasts," Flint said suddenly.
"What?" Everyone who was neither stupified, frozen or otherwise indisposed turned and stared at him.
"Just while we're playing," he added hurriedly. "I mean, I couldn't have them all the time. I'd never get any work done, would I?" Penelope gave him a disgusted look. "Pleeeeaase?"
"Fine," I said. "If someone tosses me a wand I know the spell to do it. My mother's a cosmetogolist." Angelina elbowed Adrian and he threw me his wand, then continued glaring at Neville. I performed the necessary incantation and Flint soon had a pair of lovely C cups. "Nice," he said, running his hands over his chest.
"Flint," Warrington shuddered, "you can ask the first one if you just please don't."
"You're jealous," Flint pouted, but stopped. "Pothead, truth or dare?"
"Pothead?" Harry said, pretending to look around the circle of people. "I don't see anyone who goes by that name here." Draco pointed his wand at him. "Fine, I'll take truth."
Smart boy.
"Are you trying to steal Hermione from underneath Ron's rather large nose?" Flint grinned.
"Yes," Harry said, then clapped a hand over his mouth. Ron made to leap for Harry but was cut short by a freezing curse from Warrington. "As much as I wanted to let him go for it, you'd make a really good subject for other people's dares," he told Harry. "Now it's your turn, Pothead." Colin Creevey waved his hand in the air. "Come on, pick someone."
"Um, I'll pass," Harry said.
Stupid boy.
"I've got one," Draco said immediately. "Chang, truth or dare?"
"Dare," Cho gulped.
Draco grinned horrifically. "I dare you to give Pothead a lap dance while singing "Get Me Off" by Basement Jaxx."
After many protests and a stab from Draco's wand, Cho was finally sent across the room. Warrington summoned a chair for Harry to sit on so that he and Cho would be better, eh, matched. Tentatively swaying her hips in Harry's direction, Cho began to sing:
Give your body to me
Give your body to me
Let your body be free
Free your body, your body with me
Give your body to me
Give your body to me
Let your body be free
Free your body, your body with me
I wanna undress you
Wanna caress you
Don't wanna be coy
It's time to get me off
I wanna undress you
Wanna caress you
Don't wanna be coy
It's time to get me off
Cho's singing was like melodic nails on a chalkboard. Those of us that still had wands had cast temporary deafening charms on our ears. Those of us who hadn't had our hands over them. Cho hadn't even reached the chorus when Warrington mercifully cut her short.
"Draco, truth or dare?" she snapped, her eyes shining with tears of anger and humiliation.
"You can't ask the person who asked you," he said quickly, glancing around his team-mates for help. "Isn't that right, Warrington. Isn't that right?"
Warrington looked as though he would like to have disagreed with Draco, but thought better of it. "Yep. Those are the rules. Sorry Cho, you're going to have to choose someone else."
"I don't know what to ask," she said miserably. Lee Jordan, who was sitting next to her, whispered something in her ear. She turned bright red. "Colin Creevey, truth or dare?"
"I've got new socks on," Colin said cheerfully.
"I'm sure they're very nice socks, Colin, but I need you to answer my question now," Cho said sweetly. Draco made a retching noise. Mentally, I agreed. "Truth or dare?"
"Ooh," Colin wriggled excitedly. "A dare, please."
Cho smiled warmly. "I dare you to kiss Harry Potter."
Penelope gasped. Ron looked like he was about to puke. Lee Jordan lent across Cho to give George a high-five. "Why am I always involved in other people's dares?" Harry sighed.
"Because you weren't embarrassed anywhere enough by what Cho had to do," Lee Jordan retorted in a now-deep baritone. "So pucker up, little boy." Colin smooched Harry on the cheek, who hurriedly wiped his face off afterwards.
"My turn now," Colin said happily, gazing adoringly at Harry. "Harry Potter- "
"Didn't see that coming," Harry muttered.
"Truth or dare?"
"Truth," Harry snapped.
"Do you like Hermione?"
I groaned. Several people rolled their eyes. "Yes, Colin," Harry sighed painstakingly. "As Flint's earlier truth and dare question already established, I do indeed like Hermione. Now go back to your side of the room, please." Not aware of the annoying effect he had on his idol, Colin skipped happily back to his position in between Lavender Brown and Marcus Flint. "Angelina, truth or dare?"
"Truth," Angelina said easily. I snorted. No way would Pothead ask her anything traumatic.
"Just out of curiosity, exactly what do you see in Fred Weasley?" Harry asked.
"Nothing," Angelina said. "I mean, I'm dating George."
Gryffindor just got a hell of a lot more interesting.
There was a tense silence. "See," George turned triumphantly to his twin. "I told you she liked me better."
"But she said yes when "I" asked her out!" Fred protested.
"Yeah, but that's only because she thought you were me," George pointed out.
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Pucey," Angelina quickly raised her voice over the bickering twosome, an embarrassed flush creeping up her neck, "truth or dare?"
"Dare," Adrian spat, looking at Neville maliciously.
"You asked for it," Angelina shrugged. "Since you've never dealt with anything with breasts before, I dare you to walk across the room and pash Marcus Flint for at least five seconds."
"HELL, NO!" Adrian screamed. Everyone was staring at him. Roger and Warrington were rolling around the floor in hysterics. Even the twins had stopped arguing the see the outcome of this. "THERE'S NO WAY I AM GOING NEAR THAT...THAT...AWFUL, BUCK-TOOTHED THING!" The now-feminine Flint pursed his lips together and made puckering noises. "CEDRIC, YOU'D BE INSANE WITH JEALOUSY IF I EVER KISSED ANOTHER - WELL, WHATEVER THE HELL MARCUS IS NOW - WOULDN'T YOU?" He turned to his beloved for help.
Jealous of Flint? Anyone? Hell, that's stretching it. "Actually, since it is a dare after all, I wouldn't mind," Cedric said sweetly. "I mean, I'm right here. It's not like I don't know about it."
"A lot of help you are!" Adrian snapped. "I don't care! I'm just not doing it!"
"You have to play, Adrian," Roger reminded him while fighting a grin. "Your name's on the contract." His lower lip trembling pitiously, Adrian made his way reluctantly across the circle, then took Flint in his arms and kissed him passionately. One second passed. Then two. Three. Four. Then, "Er, Adrian, time's up, mate," Warrington said. Neither boy made a move to pull apart. "Adrian, five seconds has been and gone." Still no response. "ADRIAN!"
Adrian withdrew from Marcus's embrace, a dazed expression on his face. "I, er, now know what I've been missing out on all these years," he said softly. "Ladies and gentlemen, I have an announcement to make that may shock you. I, Adrian Cornellius Pucey, as of five seconds ago, am bisexual."
Katie, Vanessa, Hermione and Ginny, who had both come back into the room during some point of the insanity, all cheered. So did Penelope, then quickly looked away from Percy. So of everyone in the school, the one that "finally" makes the hottest guy come around is, eh, Marcus Flint? I think I need some Panadol.
"Adrian, you have to pick another victim," Montague reminded him.
"Ah, yes," Adrian said vaguely. "Vanessa, truth or dare?" She picked truth. "What to say, what to say...um...just to reassure myself that I am still the most sexed-up beast in Hogwarts, and what just happened has been amazingly fortuous since it doubles my scoring opportunities-"
"Adrian, get on with it," Montague warned.
"How many times have you and Bombardino shagged?"
"Umm," Vanessa screwed up her face in concentration. "Weeeell, there was the time in the," she began to count off her fingers, "and then there was the time when he - can I get back to you on that on? I think I'm going to be a while."
"Moving right along," Montague rolled his eyes. "Twins, pick a victim. Other than me, that is."
"Cedric, truth or dare," Fred said, sneaking a sly look at Adrian.
"Oh, truth please," Cedric replied. Vanessa was still counting.
"Do you find the sixteen year old version of Neville Longbottom sexually attractive?"
Neville turned bright red and attempted to hide behind Ginny. Is truly adorable when guys don't know how hot they are. Come to think of it I rather fancy him myself - no, must repeat after self: HE'S REALLY ONLY TWELVE, NATALIA, HE'S REALLY ONLY TWELVE...
"Um, er," Cedric warbled, Adrian watching him expectantly.
Vanessa was now not only continuing to count off her fingers (she had gone through several pairs of hands) but whispering to herself. Every now and again she'd remember a particularly torrid detail and smile to herself, then turn bright red.
Thank Merlin I can't lipread is all I can say.
Now being a Hufflepuff, Cedric had not been forced to drink the Veritasium and therefore had the luxury of lying if he so choose. But what did the noble Hufflepuff do *sighs and rolls eyes heavenward*? "Um, er," he continued for about ten minutes, then finally, "yeeeeessss."
"THAT'S IT!" Adrian roared, leaping to his feet. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH! YOU CAN FORCE ME TO DRINK VERITASIUM! YOU CAN MAKE ME KISS SOMEONE WITH BREASTS AND COMPLETELY THROW MY SEXUAL ORIENTATION INTO TURMOIL! BUT A GRYFFINDOR HITTING ON MY BOYFRIEND? THIS IS TOO MUCH! I QUIT!"
Instantly the word "Coward" appeared on his forehead. At Hermione's gasp Adrian cautiously felt his face, then screamed and ran out of the room. Oh yeah, Adrian, like springing acne that would be visible a mile off on Hagrid would make you suddenly looking more appealing than Neville "Hot"bottom. Nice one.
Hang on. First he's hot and gay, then for a matter of seconds he's hot and bisexual, then...he's..not hot. There was a brief window of opportunity and I missed it. It's just all too much *sob*.
There was a shocked silence as everyone stared at each other in horror. "Um, Roger?" Draco asked shakily. "What happens if we all quit?"
"It's only the spoken phrase that activates it," Roger said. "And if everyone mutually decides to finish the game, then the contract no longer applies. Are you interested in quitting?" Draco, Warrington, Montague and Flint all nodded mutely. "Alright then. All in favour of finishing the game raise your hand." Every single hand in the room rose up. "Good. The game is finished."
People began to sigh with relief and slowly get up, except for the Slytherins, who bolted out the door in a very undignified way. What a bunch of cowards. Then with our new revelations about each other, the party swung into action. Big time. It was the first I could ever remember myself enjoying the company of Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. Cedric came up to me and said he was very sorry, but that he would like to take Neville Hotbottom to the ball instead of me. Angelina dumped Fred to go out with George. Well, she's actually not sure which of them she dumped, but she is going out with one of them. And I almost mentally referred to Moo as "Katie," but caught myself just in time.
It was good while it lasted. But the party gradually trickled away, leaving only Roger and myself. We had seen and talked to each other earlier today, but this was the first occasion I had properly spent time with him after our disastrous little talk this morning. I felt suddenly awkward.
"Roger?" I spoke up suddenly. "Can I ask you a question?"
"All in good time," he said, and smiled. There are better-looking guys in the school, but no one can hold a wand to him in the smile department. "But first I have a little game that just the two of us can play." He reached into his robe and withdrew a vial of some kind of milky-blue liquid, which he took a mouthful of, then handed to me.
"What's this?" I asked.
"It's the counter-solution to Veritasium," he explained. "That way when I ask you a question, you don't have to be honest with me."
I raised the vial to my lips and drank. "Are we playing Truth or Dare or I Have Never?"
"Both," he confirmed. As I passed the vial back to him I realised that his hand was shaking. "I remember our conversation this morning and I don't think it went the way I intended. Perhaps if I try a different means of communication, it will go off better. Do you want to go first, or shall I?"
"I will," I said. Roger's behaviour was very strange and I needed to stall for time and suss the situation out before I committed myself to anything. "I don't have a Dare in mind, so I'm just going to offer you a Truth. When you said you were a coward after the match today, what did you mean? I thought you were very brave about that Bludger you took to the stomach."
"I wasn't brave about the Bludger I took this morning," Roger replied. "I'm going to give you an I Have Never question. Now, to your left is Hannah Abbot's glass. She's a Hufflepuff so her glass won't have Veritasium in it." I picked up Hannah's glass. He bent down and picked someone's discarded vessel off the floor.
"Roger, that's Angelina's glass," I pointed out. "It will have Veritasium in it."
"I know," he said. "I need it. Like you said, I'm a coward." His hand was shaking so badly that some of the liquid had sloshed onto his sleeve, and he took a hasty gulp.
"Roger, what is this about?" I asked. "I'm tired and confused and I would really like you to be straight with me."
"I have never been in love with someone on my Quidditch team," Roger blurted out. He *ohmygodohmygodohmygod* raised the glass to his lips and swallowed. My own hand trembling now, I did the same. We both smiled and took a step closer to each other.
THE END
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Well, it's finally all over. Thanks for sticking with me this far and let me know what you think!
Some news is that Liz Dockson from fictionalley.net has kindly offered to host some of my fanart in exchange for my beta skills (I'll do my best ;p). I'm not sure when I'll have some pictures up for everyone to look at, but I'm planning on drawing for all three of my chapter fics and I'll put the link on my bio page when it's up.
Since this is the final chapter, I would like to dedicate this to everyone who has ever read and reviewed and especially mention Heather, who helped me get out of a tight spot writer's block wise.
Here we go...
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Entry Twenty: This is what we call "Truth or Dare"
* * * * *
Hey baby what's your name
Don't stand looking insane
Do you want to ride the train
Welcome to the fast lane
If you're in love beware
'Cause these people they don't care
All hands in the air
This is what we call "Truth or Dare"
- NERD, "Truth or Dare"
* * * * *
1:04 PM, November 8th
Alright then, let's recap:
Far too early this morning for anyone in their right mind: Took Roger I liked him. And got wimped out on. Badly.
Very very bad.
Not quite so early this morning, but at a still indecent time for people with lives, or hangovers, or both (they sometimes go together): Experienced rare moment of bonding and solidarity with Pen - er, Penelop - er, Clearhead.
Very very disturbing.
About half an hour ago: WE WON THE QUIDDITCH CUP! WE WON THE QUIDDITCH CUP! AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE HOLYHEAD HARPIES LIKES MY STYLE (not in that way, you sick bastard) AND WANTS ME TO TRY OUT FOR THE TEAM! BLOODY MERLIN!
Uh, all that was very well and good.
Fast forward to the present: Slytherin on the losing side of a Snitch standing in front of me with wand pointed in between the features that made Dolly Parton famous and that I eventually hope will do the same for me.
Oh shit...
1:07 PM
"Natalia," Montague grinned (slimy git). "Take a seat." Realised that only people sitting are Slytherin team, with Draco lounging in throne-like chair in front of Ravenclaw tapestry like some kind of reptile. But I will not be undone. Stalked across to him and plopped down on his lap, virtually burying the little creep beneath me (hey, what the hell is wrong with being voluptuous and statuesque?). As for the word "burying," well, don't give me ideas. Tempting as it is, room's full of witnesses - not to mention chronic tattle-tales like Percy Weasley, Clearhead and Hermione Grater - and I don't really think the Harpies take on people with Azkaban sentences under their belts.
Speaking of "under the belt," is Draco happy to see me?
Is going to be very long afternoon. Whoops, "long," which he certainly isn't - I mean the afternoon will be "lengthy," oh, I give up.
1:09 PM
Everyone now sitting in semi-circle on floor. Fortunately, the rest of the Slytherin team - who are still holding us hostages with wands - requested that Draco and I join them. Very lucky as if he had been any "happier to see me," I would have had one in the oven. Distract self from unsettling thought of yet another addition to the Malfoy family line (Pothead was right) by glancing around circle at rest of victims. Players - I mean prisoners - are:
GRYFFINDORS - no, scrap that, I am not putting them first because they always come first in every *&*&$#^%*^^#$%@^^&^%*! other thing - HUFFLEPUFFS - who never come first, no, not them, because nice guys always finish last, okay, THE RAVENCLAWS:
Alessandro Bombardino, Malcolm Brocklehurst, Cho Chang, Penelope Clearwater, Vanesssa Johnson, The Wimp (okay, Roger Davies) and Yours Truly.
THE SLYTHERINS:
Karen Bletchley, Millicent Bulstrode, Marcus Flint, Draco Malfoy, Alexander Montague, Pansy Parkinson, Adrian Pucey and Carl Warrington
THE GRYFFINDORKS:
Katie Bell (moo), Lavender Brown, Colin Creevey, Hermione Granger, Lee Jordan, Neville Longbottom, Parvati Patil, Harry Potter, Here a Weasley, there a Weasley, everywhere a Weasley and His Woodiness.
THE HUFFLEPUFFS (because nice guys finish last, mwuah!):
Hannah Abbot, Susan Bones, and Cedric Diggory.
Let's get ready to rumba...
1:10 PM
"Alright, punks," Flint drawled, looking around at a circle of some very scared faces (pathetic Hufflepuffs), "this is what's happening. Firstly, thank you for kindly accepting our invitation to join us Slytherins in some interhouse games."
Draco smirked. Hermione Grater took the opportunity to cuddle up to Harry Pothead. "You're a Gryffindor," I hissed to Lavender Brown next to me. "You're meant to be bold and heroic. Can't you do something to get us out of this mess?"
"We've got Harry Potter," she said, a blank smile on her face. Honestly.
"Secondly, we will start with I Have Never and then continue on to Truth or Dare," Adrian continued. "In order to salve our consciences-" huh? "-we have enlisted the help of a Ravenclaw to make an aging potion, which we will give to everyone below the age sixteen. So we will not be held accountable for your actions, and it will make the Truth or Dare game all the more interesting. Thirdly, as you may know I Have Never is a drinking game." The Hufflepuffs looked blank. Fred and George Weasley sniggered knowingly. "Therefore, we too will be drinking and in order to ensure everyone else other than the Hufflepuffs tell the truth for the Truth and Dare game, these drinks have been spiked with Veritasium, also brewed up by our trusty Ravenclaw friend." Could have appreciated this move of pure genius and evil if was not on the receiving end of it. "Roger, would you do the honours?"
"Roger!" I hissed. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Look, don't get mad, Nat, but I overheard them planning to do this yesterday and I offered to brew both potions," Roger whispered hurriedly. "I figured this way at least I know no one would get poisoned and with everyone being over sixteen, we break as few school rules as possible." He got up and walked over to a steaming pot in the corner of the room. Okay, when has he ever been interested in not breaking rules? So "now" during a time of crisis he decides to go all Ravenclaw on me? Great, just great.
"Fourth and finally, we Slytherins are only observers in this," Montague smirked.
"No, you're not," Roger said. "That wasn't the agreement we had."
"Aw, poor wittle Roger," Flint pouted in mock sympathy. "Since when have we Slytherins been known to keep our promises?"
"Since when I got the entire Slytherin team to sign the terms we made up on a charmed piece of paper," Roger said coolly. "If you refuse to play, you will get the word "Coward" written across your forehead in big red letters. And since it involves going back on a promise, the curse is irreversible."
"You're lying," Flint said baldy, but a muscle in his cheek had started to twitch.
"Try me," Roger challenged. Woo hoo, go Roger - wait, am still angry with him.
"Alright then," Flint shrugged. "Pucey, say you won't play."
"Bloody hell, Marcus," Adrian swore. "What if he is telling the truth? At least ask someone who never had any good looks to begin with, so the damage will be limited."
"Fine," Flint said. "Parkinson, you say you won't play."
"Are you saying I'm not attractive?" the second year, who was almost as big as Flint, demanded.
"N-n-no, of course not," Flint stammered.
"Oh, this is getting ridiculous," Hermione Grater snapped. "All of you, there's a very basic and obvious solution to this problem. Simply get Roger to drink some of his own Veritasium, then ask if he put a curse on the parchment you signed."
Flint, Adrian and Montague all glanced at each other. "Right," Montague said. "I was just about to suggest that." One of the Weasel twins snorted. "Well, Davies, you heard the mudblood-"
"Don't call her mudblood!" Ron Weasel snapped.
Roger took a swallow. Flint asked him if he had cursed their signatures. He replied that he had. "So you're playing then?" he asked cheerfully.
The Slytherins scowled and took a spot in the circle. Colin Creevey, who was sitting next to Cedric, received a lancing glare from Adrian and quickly scrambled out of the way so the happy couple could sit next to each other. "Now then," Roger continued, "since I am sixteen myself, it would be dangerous for me to test the aging potion-"
"There's an idea," Draco injected, resentful of the way Roger had taken control of the situation.
"-so I would like a volunteer."
"A Gryffindor," several Slytherins said promptly.
"For once we're in agreement," Roger beamed.
"Potty, here's a chance for you to be a hero once more," Draco smirked. "You do it."
"Why me?" Harry pouted.
"Why not?" Draco retorted. "Now get your arse up there and drink some potion." Harry glared at him but complied. Since Draco had a wand but he didn't, he didn't really have any say in the matter. Hermione Grater sneaked a quick look at the arse in question as he walked over to Roger. Those Gryffindors think they're so pure and high-minded. Well, in Dumbledore's case, perhaps "high" is appropriate word choice.
Everyone around me gasped. I returned to the present to see a sixteen year old Harry Pothead who stood almost as tall as Roger. Hermione was blushing. "If I only I got a mark for this," Roger lamented. "Now walk around and hand out glasses to everyone and I'll follow behind with the potion."
Seconds later the younger students were admiring their new and lusty selves. Each Weasley boy had grown several inches in height and the once tiny Lee Jordan was now about six feet tall. "Cool," he said. Hannah Abbot's acne had completely disappeared. Lavender Brown had developed. Parvati Patil had not. "This is all I have to look forward to?" she had shrieked in dismay after looking down her shirt, then burst into tears. "It's not fair, it's so not fair." Colin Creevey looked about the same. And as for Neville, well, helloooooo Neville...
Let's just say that his puppy fat was only that.
"Oh my god, Neville?" Hermione breathed, looking at him with great interest. "Neville, if I'd known I would have helped you out more in Potions, honest!" Neville flicked his hair out of his face and shrugged his now-manly shoulders. Lavender giggled.
It wasn't just the girls who were eyeing Neville. Cedric hadn't taken his eyes off him since the transformation. Adrian was looking distinctly sulky, probably jealous because Neville was now better-looking than him. Flint looked put out too. Hello, he was always better-looking than you!
"Right then," Flint began as Harry and Roger now put drinks spiked with Veritasium in everyone's glass ("I hope that's diet coke," Lavender said when Roger got to her), "this is how I Have Never works. "We go around the circle and each make a, eh, talking thingy-"
"A statement," several Ravenclaws supplied.
"Yeah, what they just said," Flint shrugged. Behind Harry and Roger Colin Creevey was pouring Susan Bones coke without the Veritasium. It had apparently been decided among the Slytherins that Hufflepuffs, being the most honest (read, stupid) house in the school, did not need it. I think Adrian just didn't want Cedric to share too many of his secrets. "We each make a what-the-Ravenclaws-call-it like "I have never brushed my hair" or "I have never showered"-" Draco winced and scooted away from him "-and if you have done those things, you have to drink. Do the Hufflepuffs understand?"
"Do you?" Susan whispered nastily. Next to her Ron Weasley sniggered.
"Fucking great," Flint grinned. "Natalia, you seem like an, erm-"
"Interesting," Adrian supplied.
"Creative," Montague piped up.
"Slutty," Bombardino cut in. I will kill him.
"-person. Why don't you start?" Flint finished. Felt like refusing but a request from a Slytherin is never a request. It's an order. "Now the "I Have Never," er-"
"Statement!" Hermione shrieked at him.
"-has to be something you haven't done yourself. You might have difficulty there," he smirked. Bastard. "We go around the circle in the direction that - uh - isn't clockwise."
"Counter-clockwise," Cho groaned.
To my right there was a thud. In the middle of passing out glasses Harry had reached Draco and in a moment of foolish Gryffindor heroics had tried to wrestle his wand off him. Draco had retaliated by Stupifying him. "Now, now, Draco," Montague said idly. "Bring him to his senses again. We need him for the games." Draco looked mutinous but performed the counter-curse. Harry sat up and rubbed his head.
"Well, Natalia?" Adrian snapped. He was glaring in the direction of Neville Longbottom.
"I've got one," Vanessa Johnson, two places down, rescued me. "I have never fancied Oliver Wood."
I didn't drink. Perving at someone doesn't count as fancing. Katie Bell, Hermione Granger, Alicia Spinnet and Ginny Weasley did drink. So did Adrian, Cedric and - gulp - Colin Creevey. Lavender and Parvati drank, then glared at each other and looked away.
Millicent Bulstrode took a swallow. "Oh, shut up," she told a sniggering Pansy Parkinson next to her.
Next was Malcolm Brocklehurst. "I have never received anything below an "E" on my OWLS," he said, glancing cautiously around the circle as if he had just said something taboo.
Oliver, Montague and Flint all drank, not looking particularly bothered by what they had just revealed. Percy also drank, blushing fit to burst. Penelope gave a disappointed sigh and turned away from him.
Except for Cho and Malcolm, who were gaping at Percy in shock, everyone's eyes were now on me. "Fine, then," I muttered. "I have never kissed a Weasley."
The result was calamitous. Almost every single person who wasn't (a) a Weasley, (b) Roger or (c) me drank. Penelope and Angelina Johnson looked pretty apathetic as they did. The rest gaped at each other in horror. Harry was blushing fit to burst. "FLINT! YOU KISSED OUR SISTER!" George roared.
"No, I didn't!" Flint protested quickly. "I kissed Percy!" Angelina spat out a mouthful. Flint realised what he had just said and ran out of the room.
"Well, I know you didn't kiss my sister," Fred said apologetically to Cedric, who too had drank and was sitting next to him. "So who was it then? Percy? You poor bastard. I bet it was quite dark though. You couldn't help it."
"Actually, it was Charlie," Cedric ducked his head.
"Charlie is gay?" Fred whispered.
"EWW! GINNY AND RON JUST DRANK!" Pansy shrieked. The mouths of everyone in the room collectively dropped.
"IT WAS WHEN WE WERE FIVE!" Ginny yelled. "OH, COME ON! I BET EVERYONE KISSED THEIR SIBLINGS WHEN THEY WERE YOUNGER!"
"Er, no," Vanessa said, glancing at Angelina.
"Charlie is gay?" Fred repeated.
"Ginny, move so that you're not sitting next to Ron," Warrington ordered, pointing his wand at her. "No, not next to one of your other brothers, in between Neville and Oliver. We can all do without unsavoury images for the rest of the game." This remark caused the Gryffindor Chaser to shoot jealous looks at her. Ginny was another one who had matured with age. "Lavatory, it's your turn." Lavender was gazing vaguely at Neville. "Nevermind. Creevey, you got any ideas?"
"I've got new socks on," Colin piped up excitedly.
"Charlie is gay?" Fred gaped.
"Ah, forget it," Warrington snarled. "I guess it's my turn then. Ginny and Ron, for the sake of keeping everyone's lunch in their stomachs you are excempt from this one. I have never shagged a Weasley."
"What if we want them to answer it?" Bombardino asked. Vanessa's face got an oh my god, what have I been shagging the last two weeks expression on it and she scooted away from him. That boy is one sick puppy. To everyone's great relief, only Penelope drank.
"Parvati?" Draco raised his eyebrow at her. She opened her mouth to speak. "Don't bother. I doubt you have anything of interest to contribute."
"Actually, I was about say I have never gone for a guy my best friend fancied first," she said, shooting daggers at Lavender.
"I can't be bothered with this," Montague sighed. "Stupify!" Both Lavender and Parvati fell to the floor.
"I was actually quite interested in that," Oliver protested.
"That's because you're a pretty boy narcissist," Roger snapped.
"Jealous, are you?" Oliver asked smoothly.
"No, because I HAVE THE QUIDDITCH CUP!" Roger retorted. Oliver's lower lip began to tremble.
"My turn then," Karen Bletchley barked. "I have never had impure thoughts about a mudblood." She shot Marcus Flint, who had returned when Montague knocked Lavender and Parvati out, a significant look.
All the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs drank, but no one was paying attention to our revelations. Marcus, grinning shame-facedly at Bletchley, drank. Montague and Warrington looked at each other, then shrugged and downed their glasses. Adrian was too busy glaring at Neville to even pay attention to the question. Then-
"DRACO! YOU SLUT!" Pansy screamed.
"But Pansy," Draco protested, sneaking a guilty look at Hermione. "I was on medication!"
"Oh, I feel so violated," Hermione sighed.
Pansy reared forward and punched Draco squarely on the jaw. Before she had drunk the Veritasium, she had been almost as large as Marcus Flint, but now she was massive. Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell, who had been sitting in between Pansy and Draco, were squashed beneath her. Pansy then went into a rage and was sedated only by a well-placed Impedimentus curse from Warrington.
"Right, I think everyone's had enough Veritasium to ensure that they're honest in the next game," Montague said, wiping his brow. The Slytherins looked traumatised from the last I Have Never. "Let's go on to Truth or Dare, shall we?"
"I want breasts," Flint said suddenly.
"What?" Everyone who was neither stupified, frozen or otherwise indisposed turned and stared at him.
"Just while we're playing," he added hurriedly. "I mean, I couldn't have them all the time. I'd never get any work done, would I?" Penelope gave him a disgusted look. "Pleeeeaase?"
"Fine," I said. "If someone tosses me a wand I know the spell to do it. My mother's a cosmetogolist." Angelina elbowed Adrian and he threw me his wand, then continued glaring at Neville. I performed the necessary incantation and Flint soon had a pair of lovely C cups. "Nice," he said, running his hands over his chest.
"Flint," Warrington shuddered, "you can ask the first one if you just please don't."
"You're jealous," Flint pouted, but stopped. "Pothead, truth or dare?"
"Pothead?" Harry said, pretending to look around the circle of people. "I don't see anyone who goes by that name here." Draco pointed his wand at him. "Fine, I'll take truth."
Smart boy.
"Are you trying to steal Hermione from underneath Ron's rather large nose?" Flint grinned.
"Yes," Harry said, then clapped a hand over his mouth. Ron made to leap for Harry but was cut short by a freezing curse from Warrington. "As much as I wanted to let him go for it, you'd make a really good subject for other people's dares," he told Harry. "Now it's your turn, Pothead." Colin Creevey waved his hand in the air. "Come on, pick someone."
"Um, I'll pass," Harry said.
Stupid boy.
"I've got one," Draco said immediately. "Chang, truth or dare?"
"Dare," Cho gulped.
Draco grinned horrifically. "I dare you to give Pothead a lap dance while singing "Get Me Off" by Basement Jaxx."
After many protests and a stab from Draco's wand, Cho was finally sent across the room. Warrington summoned a chair for Harry to sit on so that he and Cho would be better, eh, matched. Tentatively swaying her hips in Harry's direction, Cho began to sing:
Give your body to me
Give your body to me
Let your body be free
Free your body, your body with me
Give your body to me
Give your body to me
Let your body be free
Free your body, your body with me
I wanna undress you
Wanna caress you
Don't wanna be coy
It's time to get me off
I wanna undress you
Wanna caress you
Don't wanna be coy
It's time to get me off
Cho's singing was like melodic nails on a chalkboard. Those of us that still had wands had cast temporary deafening charms on our ears. Those of us who hadn't had our hands over them. Cho hadn't even reached the chorus when Warrington mercifully cut her short.
"Draco, truth or dare?" she snapped, her eyes shining with tears of anger and humiliation.
"You can't ask the person who asked you," he said quickly, glancing around his team-mates for help. "Isn't that right, Warrington. Isn't that right?"
Warrington looked as though he would like to have disagreed with Draco, but thought better of it. "Yep. Those are the rules. Sorry Cho, you're going to have to choose someone else."
"I don't know what to ask," she said miserably. Lee Jordan, who was sitting next to her, whispered something in her ear. She turned bright red. "Colin Creevey, truth or dare?"
"I've got new socks on," Colin said cheerfully.
"I'm sure they're very nice socks, Colin, but I need you to answer my question now," Cho said sweetly. Draco made a retching noise. Mentally, I agreed. "Truth or dare?"
"Ooh," Colin wriggled excitedly. "A dare, please."
Cho smiled warmly. "I dare you to kiss Harry Potter."
Penelope gasped. Ron looked like he was about to puke. Lee Jordan lent across Cho to give George a high-five. "Why am I always involved in other people's dares?" Harry sighed.
"Because you weren't embarrassed anywhere enough by what Cho had to do," Lee Jordan retorted in a now-deep baritone. "So pucker up, little boy." Colin smooched Harry on the cheek, who hurriedly wiped his face off afterwards.
"My turn now," Colin said happily, gazing adoringly at Harry. "Harry Potter- "
"Didn't see that coming," Harry muttered.
"Truth or dare?"
"Truth," Harry snapped.
"Do you like Hermione?"
I groaned. Several people rolled their eyes. "Yes, Colin," Harry sighed painstakingly. "As Flint's earlier truth and dare question already established, I do indeed like Hermione. Now go back to your side of the room, please." Not aware of the annoying effect he had on his idol, Colin skipped happily back to his position in between Lavender Brown and Marcus Flint. "Angelina, truth or dare?"
"Truth," Angelina said easily. I snorted. No way would Pothead ask her anything traumatic.
"Just out of curiosity, exactly what do you see in Fred Weasley?" Harry asked.
"Nothing," Angelina said. "I mean, I'm dating George."
Gryffindor just got a hell of a lot more interesting.
There was a tense silence. "See," George turned triumphantly to his twin. "I told you she liked me better."
"But she said yes when "I" asked her out!" Fred protested.
"Yeah, but that's only because she thought you were me," George pointed out.
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Pucey," Angelina quickly raised her voice over the bickering twosome, an embarrassed flush creeping up her neck, "truth or dare?"
"Dare," Adrian spat, looking at Neville maliciously.
"You asked for it," Angelina shrugged. "Since you've never dealt with anything with breasts before, I dare you to walk across the room and pash Marcus Flint for at least five seconds."
"HELL, NO!" Adrian screamed. Everyone was staring at him. Roger and Warrington were rolling around the floor in hysterics. Even the twins had stopped arguing the see the outcome of this. "THERE'S NO WAY I AM GOING NEAR THAT...THAT...AWFUL, BUCK-TOOTHED THING!" The now-feminine Flint pursed his lips together and made puckering noises. "CEDRIC, YOU'D BE INSANE WITH JEALOUSY IF I EVER KISSED ANOTHER - WELL, WHATEVER THE HELL MARCUS IS NOW - WOULDN'T YOU?" He turned to his beloved for help.
Jealous of Flint? Anyone? Hell, that's stretching it. "Actually, since it is a dare after all, I wouldn't mind," Cedric said sweetly. "I mean, I'm right here. It's not like I don't know about it."
"A lot of help you are!" Adrian snapped. "I don't care! I'm just not doing it!"
"You have to play, Adrian," Roger reminded him while fighting a grin. "Your name's on the contract." His lower lip trembling pitiously, Adrian made his way reluctantly across the circle, then took Flint in his arms and kissed him passionately. One second passed. Then two. Three. Four. Then, "Er, Adrian, time's up, mate," Warrington said. Neither boy made a move to pull apart. "Adrian, five seconds has been and gone." Still no response. "ADRIAN!"
Adrian withdrew from Marcus's embrace, a dazed expression on his face. "I, er, now know what I've been missing out on all these years," he said softly. "Ladies and gentlemen, I have an announcement to make that may shock you. I, Adrian Cornellius Pucey, as of five seconds ago, am bisexual."
Katie, Vanessa, Hermione and Ginny, who had both come back into the room during some point of the insanity, all cheered. So did Penelope, then quickly looked away from Percy. So of everyone in the school, the one that "finally" makes the hottest guy come around is, eh, Marcus Flint? I think I need some Panadol.
"Adrian, you have to pick another victim," Montague reminded him.
"Ah, yes," Adrian said vaguely. "Vanessa, truth or dare?" She picked truth. "What to say, what to say...um...just to reassure myself that I am still the most sexed-up beast in Hogwarts, and what just happened has been amazingly fortuous since it doubles my scoring opportunities-"
"Adrian, get on with it," Montague warned.
"How many times have you and Bombardino shagged?"
"Umm," Vanessa screwed up her face in concentration. "Weeeell, there was the time in the," she began to count off her fingers, "and then there was the time when he - can I get back to you on that on? I think I'm going to be a while."
"Moving right along," Montague rolled his eyes. "Twins, pick a victim. Other than me, that is."
"Cedric, truth or dare," Fred said, sneaking a sly look at Adrian.
"Oh, truth please," Cedric replied. Vanessa was still counting.
"Do you find the sixteen year old version of Neville Longbottom sexually attractive?"
Neville turned bright red and attempted to hide behind Ginny. Is truly adorable when guys don't know how hot they are. Come to think of it I rather fancy him myself - no, must repeat after self: HE'S REALLY ONLY TWELVE, NATALIA, HE'S REALLY ONLY TWELVE...
"Um, er," Cedric warbled, Adrian watching him expectantly.
Vanessa was now not only continuing to count off her fingers (she had gone through several pairs of hands) but whispering to herself. Every now and again she'd remember a particularly torrid detail and smile to herself, then turn bright red.
Thank Merlin I can't lipread is all I can say.
Now being a Hufflepuff, Cedric had not been forced to drink the Veritasium and therefore had the luxury of lying if he so choose. But what did the noble Hufflepuff do *sighs and rolls eyes heavenward*? "Um, er," he continued for about ten minutes, then finally, "yeeeeessss."
"THAT'S IT!" Adrian roared, leaping to his feet. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH! YOU CAN FORCE ME TO DRINK VERITASIUM! YOU CAN MAKE ME KISS SOMEONE WITH BREASTS AND COMPLETELY THROW MY SEXUAL ORIENTATION INTO TURMOIL! BUT A GRYFFINDOR HITTING ON MY BOYFRIEND? THIS IS TOO MUCH! I QUIT!"
Instantly the word "Coward" appeared on his forehead. At Hermione's gasp Adrian cautiously felt his face, then screamed and ran out of the room. Oh yeah, Adrian, like springing acne that would be visible a mile off on Hagrid would make you suddenly looking more appealing than Neville "Hot"bottom. Nice one.
Hang on. First he's hot and gay, then for a matter of seconds he's hot and bisexual, then...he's..not hot. There was a brief window of opportunity and I missed it. It's just all too much *sob*.
There was a shocked silence as everyone stared at each other in horror. "Um, Roger?" Draco asked shakily. "What happens if we all quit?"
"It's only the spoken phrase that activates it," Roger said. "And if everyone mutually decides to finish the game, then the contract no longer applies. Are you interested in quitting?" Draco, Warrington, Montague and Flint all nodded mutely. "Alright then. All in favour of finishing the game raise your hand." Every single hand in the room rose up. "Good. The game is finished."
People began to sigh with relief and slowly get up, except for the Slytherins, who bolted out the door in a very undignified way. What a bunch of cowards. Then with our new revelations about each other, the party swung into action. Big time. It was the first I could ever remember myself enjoying the company of Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. Cedric came up to me and said he was very sorry, but that he would like to take Neville Hotbottom to the ball instead of me. Angelina dumped Fred to go out with George. Well, she's actually not sure which of them she dumped, but she is going out with one of them. And I almost mentally referred to Moo as "Katie," but caught myself just in time.
It was good while it lasted. But the party gradually trickled away, leaving only Roger and myself. We had seen and talked to each other earlier today, but this was the first occasion I had properly spent time with him after our disastrous little talk this morning. I felt suddenly awkward.
"Roger?" I spoke up suddenly. "Can I ask you a question?"
"All in good time," he said, and smiled. There are better-looking guys in the school, but no one can hold a wand to him in the smile department. "But first I have a little game that just the two of us can play." He reached into his robe and withdrew a vial of some kind of milky-blue liquid, which he took a mouthful of, then handed to me.
"What's this?" I asked.
"It's the counter-solution to Veritasium," he explained. "That way when I ask you a question, you don't have to be honest with me."
I raised the vial to my lips and drank. "Are we playing Truth or Dare or I Have Never?"
"Both," he confirmed. As I passed the vial back to him I realised that his hand was shaking. "I remember our conversation this morning and I don't think it went the way I intended. Perhaps if I try a different means of communication, it will go off better. Do you want to go first, or shall I?"
"I will," I said. Roger's behaviour was very strange and I needed to stall for time and suss the situation out before I committed myself to anything. "I don't have a Dare in mind, so I'm just going to offer you a Truth. When you said you were a coward after the match today, what did you mean? I thought you were very brave about that Bludger you took to the stomach."
"I wasn't brave about the Bludger I took this morning," Roger replied. "I'm going to give you an I Have Never question. Now, to your left is Hannah Abbot's glass. She's a Hufflepuff so her glass won't have Veritasium in it." I picked up Hannah's glass. He bent down and picked someone's discarded vessel off the floor.
"Roger, that's Angelina's glass," I pointed out. "It will have Veritasium in it."
"I know," he said. "I need it. Like you said, I'm a coward." His hand was shaking so badly that some of the liquid had sloshed onto his sleeve, and he took a hasty gulp.
"Roger, what is this about?" I asked. "I'm tired and confused and I would really like you to be straight with me."
"I have never been in love with someone on my Quidditch team," Roger blurted out. He *ohmygodohmygodohmygod* raised the glass to his lips and swallowed. My own hand trembling now, I did the same. We both smiled and took a step closer to each other.
THE END
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Well, it's finally all over. Thanks for sticking with me this far and let me know what you think!