Disclaimer~ Anything in this text that you recognize is not mine. However, if you don't recognize something (more than likely) it belongs to me.
DanniBannani~Hello everyone! Sorry for the delay. There was a death in the family right before Christmas, which caused me and my family to have to leave for America as soon as we could. And right after we went straight back to Switzerland to re-pack and head on a pre-planned vacation for New Years. And I just got back last Saturday. So, hopefully this explains why I'm a bit late on this chapter. So…
On with the story…
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"Now, let us begin," Lily grinned evilly and rubbed her hands together as everyone situated themselves in a circle. She grabbed the bottle her friends had been playing 'Truth of Dare' with earlier and spun it slowly for affect. Incidentally, it landed on none other than Sirius Black. Lily took much pleasure in saying in an oh-so-sweet tone, "Sirius, you're first."
Sirius closed his eyes momentarily and took a deep breath.
Lily said her next three words slowly and with satisfaction, "Truth or dare?"
Once again his bold self, Sirius sat up straight and said cockily, "Dare, of course."
"You shouldn't have said that Sirius…" warned Melanie.
"And why not?" he asked with a smirk.
"You don't know Lily's dares. Plus, she's got James to help her plot her revenge."
"But James wouldn't betray me over one measly joke, would he?" Sirius asked confidently while looking hopefully at James, who (to Sirius' dismay) had turned his head the other way.
"Oh no." squeaked Sirius.
Lily and James (who in a time of revenge, had decided it would be okay to form a temporary truce) went into a corner of James' bedroom to plot Sirius' "demise." After minutes of argument-like whispers, Lily's eyes lit up and gained an ominous twinkle. She whispered to James once more who nodded in approval.
"We have come to a decision," said James in a professional tone. "Sirius, you are to—"
James was cut off by Lily with a sharp nudge in the side. She turned to him and whispered in his ear once more. James gave a terse nod of approval.
"Because Evans has had a good idea, for once," James said while jumping to avoid a kick from Lily, "We have decided that it would be more appropriate for Sirius to suffer from his lack of patience, than to get our most horrific dare over with in the beginning. So, we have decided that Sirius shall wait until the end of the night to complete 'The Dare from Hades' as we've decided to call it."
Lily grinned happily.
Sirius' bold smirk was wiped off his face in an instant, "Well. Wh-what do I have to do now?"
"Oh. You'll just have to," Lily paused for thought, "sniff James' dirty knickers!"
"And you say my final dare will be worse than this one?" Sirius asked doubtfully.
"You just wait, my friend. You just wait," James said while beaming.
"Well, Sirius, why are you just standing there? James' underpants are losing their patience!" Robyn joked.
Everyone laughed and then turned to Sirius, waiting for him to complete his dare.
Sirius shot daggers at Robyn before slowly standing up and walking cautiously towards James' dirty underwear. Once within a two foot radius, his back stiffened and his nose scrunched. Slowly, he bent down and picked up the briefs by his thumb and forefinger. He held the underwear an arm's length away from himself and, wearing a scowl, he brought the briefs to his face, inhaled their scent for a split second, and tossed them into a corner of the room in an instant. After several seconds of recuperation, he turned around and looked at the composed faces of each of his friends. Shoulders slumped; he trod over to his seat on the floor and plopped down. There he sat cross-legged, looking as if he could cry as he twiddled his thumbs and rocked back and forth.
Seconds later, a storm of laughter erupted in the room. Melanie, the placid one, could be heard yelling, "I didn't know you to be such a sissy, Sirius!"
Sirius blushed and cursed out his friends under his breath.
James was the first to notice the hurt look on Sirius' face, "Oh, c'mon mate! Cheer up! We're only having a laugh."
"Well, it's not funny!" he shouted. The laughing came to a halt. "You didn't have to smell them! I mean, it was worse than dungbombs—tenfold!"
"You can't be serious," gawked Robyn, "I mean, I smelt dungbombs first thing in the morning once. You know, when my nostrils were all fresh, and could pick up the scent really well—and, well, that was the worst thing I'd ever smelt. And you say it was worse than the scent of dungbombs tenfold…well, that's pretty much impossible!" Robyn then started to chuckle, "I say, James, that's a world record!"
It was James' turn to blush as the new pot of laughter began to boil. But before anything could get out of hand, Remus stood up and shouted over the laughter, "Guys—and girls. I'd like to bring to your attention the fact that we haven't even begun to get into our second round of truth or dare. So, I suggest we stop laughing and start torturi—I mean daring each other, preferably sometime before the next century!"
"I'm with Remus!" James agreed hastily. The others eventually quieted, some sooner than others. After ten minutes or so, they were all seated in a not-so-circular circle once more.
"Now, it's Siri's turn to spin the bottle," said Melanie.
Sirius reached for the bottle.
Lily and James fidgeted.
However, to their utmost relief, the bottle landed on Robyn.
In his head, Sirius was pondering what he would do if she dared pick dare. But being the kind person he could be at times, he decided he wouldn't be hard on her. This was mainly due to the fact that she had humiliated James in such a satisfying manner. So, he said with little anticipation, "Truth or dare."
"I'm always up for a challenge, so—," Sirius was prepared to inform Robyn of the easy dare she would have to complete, "truth."
"I dare you to—wait! Did you say truth?" Sirius was in shock.
"Yes. Do you speak English?" Robyn said slowly, and very loudly.
"Er…yeah, but you should know that, Robyn."
Robyn chose to roll her eyes at Sirius, "Well, then. What's my truth?"
Still in shock, Sirius asked the first question that came to his mind, "What color are your shoes?"
"No fair!" whined Peter.
"But he asked the question," Robyn said with a smile, "and my answer is blue, though I'm sure you could figure that out yourself, couldn't you?"
"Wait! I didn't mean to ask that question! I want another chance!" Sirius pouted.
"Too late, already answered," Robyn's smile widened, "And I believe it's my turn to spin the bottle." Robyn picked up the bottle and spun it hard and wildly. The bottle landed on Remus, or rather, hit his shoe. Robyn claimed it counted and proceeded to ask the question, "Truth or Dare?"
"You know me, never the daring one. I say truth."
"Okay. Who do you like?" Robyn asked innocently.
"Er…well…d-do you promise not to laugh?"
"Of course," Robyn replied.
"And that goes for the rest of you as well, right?" Remus asked the others.
They all replied with some form of "yes."
"Ok, then. The person I like is, well, I-it's Lucinda, you know, er… L-Lucy Spinnet."
"Oh," Robyn said with loads of enthusiasm, "Lucy Spinnet. Well, she's really pretty, isn't she?" Robyn smiled a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Well, I guess it's your turn to spin the bottle, isn't it Remus?"
Remus looked perplexed for a moment, but soon shook out of his daze, "Oh, right." Remus spun the bottle and it landed on Robyn.
"Spin again, she's already gone!" said Lily.
"Okay." Remus spun once more. It landed on Robyn again. "I, um, guess I better spin it again." This time, it landed on Lily. Remus looked relieved as he asked, "Truth or dare?"
"Dare. I'm up for a challenge," Lily answered confidently.
Remus was about to tell Lily what dare she was to do when James interrupted, "Remmy, my boy; I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I suggest a dare for the Lovely Lily, would you?"
"I dunno if that's a good idea, Ja—," Remus attempted to object.
"Excellent. Lily, your dare is to eat five vomit-flavored Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans…without spitting one out. Of course, you're alternative is to sniff my, er—underpants."
"Lily you don't have to since I didn't create the dare, okay?" Remus reasoned.
"No, but I want to, just to see the look on James' face," Lily said with a glare that meant the white flag had just been lowered, "However, I don't see how we'll come across any vomit flavored beans without spending hours picking through packets of Bertie Bott's, which, might I add, I am sure you don't have." Lily said matter-of-factly.
"Oh, but Lily," James gave the redhead a sinister smile, "I just happen to have a stash of vomit flavored beans, handpicked by myself, that I leave in that drawer right behind you. You are more than welcome to look if you don't believe me."
Lily's face had paled. She obviously had thought James would have been stupid enough to not have the beans needed to complete the dare. She realized too late, that she was dealing with James Potter, who was bound to have every single prank item known to man. Now she was stuck with a dare that she was not sure she could complete.
However, she was not about to show any weakness in front of James. Therefore, with a calm look on her face, she stared James down until he was forced to look away. After completing the 'intimidation process,' she turned around and opened the wooden drawer of what she assumed was James' dresser full of prank supplies. When she looked inside the drawer, she was surprised to find not one, but ten different jars (each labeled) of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans in the most revolting flavors. She found the one she'd need and pulled it out.
Turning back around, she opened the jar, took out five tan beans (which were speckled with pink and green), and popped them in her mouth. She bit down on them and was filled with the sudden urge to vomit, herself. Of course, she didn't. That would be too satisfactory for James. So, instead, she got a hold of herself and began saying in her head, "It's just a strawberry jelly bean. It's just a strawberry jelly bean. It's just a strawberry jelly bean."
Lily swallowed the vomit-flavored beans with as little chews as it took. She felt them scratch her throat as they went down, but was sure they would stay down. After finishing, Lily opened her eyes (which she didn't realize she had closed) and found herself staring at seven sets of wide eyes.
"Geez, Lil, how did you do that?" exclaimed Peter, "James made me do that once and I didn't even get one down. Well, rather, it didn't stay down."
"I-I just think I have, er, talent," Lily murmured.
"Well, I'm proud of you Lils," said Arabella with a pat on the back, "That sure showed James!"
"And I have just the dare for him!" cried Lily.
"But you didn't spin the bottle," protested James.
"Fine!" Lily took the bottle and spun it slightly so that it would definitely land on James.
"No fair, you cheated!" argued James.
"No, technically I didn't. And it's your turn. So, truth or dare."
"Fine, dare," James raised a challenging eyebrow.
"Okay. I dare you to let me hex you at any time next month without seeking revenge."
"No."
"Robyn, could you go get James' knickers for me?"
"Wait!" cried James. "Agreed."
"I thought so," teased Lily, "But it is sad you won't even sniff your own underpants! Are they really that bad?"
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And so the many rounds of truth or dare went on until it was almost time to welcome the New Year.
Lily and James, who had one again raised the white flag of truce, decided to stand up and inform Sirius of the dare he would have to complete as an "alternative" to more knicker-sniffing.
Lily cleared her throat and the room silienced. "Potter and I have decided to deliver to Sirius the final dare of the night, also known as 'The Dare From Hades.' James will explain to you, Sirius, what you are to do."
"Yes, indeed I will," said James in his professional tone once more, "Sirius. You are to enter the ballroom from the place we were announced; descend the stairs; and kiss one of the female guests who is over the age of sixty on the…cheek at the stroke of midnight. But don't think this is it, because it's not. You will be wearing a pink tutu, which I have so kindly agreed to transfigure since Lily's rubbish at transfiguration. ("ouch!") And Sirius, once you're done, you'll have to run back up all the stairs you've descended and sniff James' knickers in front of everyone. Then, and only then, are you allowed to leave the ballroom."
Lily then added, "And don't you even think about backing out. You heard what I said earlier and I will not hesitate to hex you to Hades. And I hear it's not very nice at all."
Sirius gulped, but nodded. And this was why, twenty minutes later, Sirius found himself in a pink tutu standing outside the doors to the ballroom. All of his friends were sniggering behind his back and his cheeks were on fire. He had been trying to persuade Lily and James to lighten up on the dare, but they wouldn't even consider it.
In fact, as the clock in the ballroom began to chime, it was both Lily and James who opened the double doors for Sirius. James gave him a quick shove on the back, nearly causing Sirius to fall down the stairs. He gained his balance just in time to see most of people in the ballroom looking confusedly at "that strange boy in the tutu." Once he realized the clock was still chiming, he scrambled down the stairs like a madman and rushed to the nearest woman he saw.
"Excuse me ma'am, but how old are you?" he asked in his politest tone. The posh woman merely shoved him off, claiming she was seeing things.
Sirius made his next attempt on a stout woman dressed in turquoise and gold fabrics. Her hair was a bright orange and she wore bright blue eye shadow. She looked to him a bit crazy and he thought she might be used to strange sights, such as himself. So, again he asked politely, "Excuse me ma'am, but how old are you?"
"Why, what a charming young man!" she exclaimed. "I love your costume, it's wonderful! I used to dress my son up like that all the time when I was forty, but that was twenty two years ago!" the woman seemed to float into a daze after that statement. Sirius figured she wasn't sixty anyways and went to look for another woman.
This time he decided on a drunk woman who was stumbling around the ballroom, asking random people where the "craham grackers" were. He went up to her and asked (forgetting his manners), "How old are you?"
"Sixty-six, love!" she cried.
"Thank Merlin!" Sirius had never been more relieved.
Sirius waited until he heard eleven strikes of the clock before he quickly kissed the woman's cheek and began to run off; but not before he heard her cry, "Lovely boy, have you seen the craham grackers? I can't seem, to find them anywhere!"
Sirius didn't even bother to answer as he made a mad dash for the ballroom steps. He scampered up them, grabbed James' dirty knickers, sniffed them, and collapsed.
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DanniBannani~Hello once again everyone! I hope you enjoyed that chapter. If you did, please tell me in a review (It won't matter if it's short or long). And all I need is TWO MORE until I get 100! That would be amazing. I never thought my boring fic would make 60, let alone 100. WOW. Well, I apologize again for the delay (and for the bad chapter…I didn't like it too much, but it's your thoughts that count!) Please Review J