CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE The Bet

The three teams stood round in the water

"What are we playing for?" Sirius grinned impishly.

"The satisfaction that the winners rule all." giggled Ophelia, "As we already know Rem and I do."

"Is that so? Care to make a wager?"

"Love to. What do you have in mind?"

"I want in on this." said James.

"To be decided upon later." replied Sirius, ignoring him. He stuck out his hand. "Deal?"

"I seriously want to bet--"

"Deal." repeated Ophelia. She returned to Remus who was staring at her stubbornly. "I'm not getting on your shoulders."

"Yes you are! Stop being such a baby." she replied.

Pete balanced precariously on Sirius' back and appeared rather nervous.

"Worm, stop moving around!"

"Looks like I'll be winning anytime now, eh Sirius?" giggled Ophelia. "Hmm, what shall I have you do once I win?"

"Pete, I swear... if you make me lose.."

"James, stop it!" screeched Lily.

Talia walked over to the lake's edge. "Are you ready then?" she asked, holding the glowing, struggling Water Snitch.

"Lily, if you'll just let me--"

"No!"

"Sirius, don't yell at me!"

Remus caught Talia's eye and nodded ever-so-slightly.

She grinned and released the silver Snitch, before returning to her blanket in the sun.

The Snitch zoomed beneath the still water, casting a faint green light as it did.

"See what you've done? The Snitch is off!"

"Don't take that tone with me."

Ophelia dove under the surface, knocking Sirius and Pete over in the process.

"Will you just let me go, Evans?"

"What did you call me?" answered Lily coldly.

"Ev-- er, Lily."

"I can't believe after everything that's happened in the last day, you still--"

"Which reminds me, what exactly did happen last night?" said Ophelia, emerging from the water. Remus climbed off her shoulders, holding the Snitch safely between his fingers.

"Bollocks! Do you see what's happened now?"

"As it looks, it seems the amazing Lupins have won yet again."

"Like we always do." she agreed. "Good Seeker work, Rem."

"It would have been nothing without your swimming skills."

"Ah, thank you. We make a fantastic team, don't we?"

"Pretty good joke about the, er... bet, eh Phe?" Sirius chuckled nervously. "I really had you going there, didn't I?"

"Don't you dare think I'm going to let you off that easily!"

"I would have done the same for you if I had won." he said incredulously.

"No you wouldn't have, don't lie." Ophelia laughed, swimming over to him. "You would have had me grovelling at your feet or being your maid or something!"

"Yeah..." Sirius smiled. He snapped out of his thoughts. "I mean... no! No, I would be the kind gentleman that I am and let you off with a warning."

The others had begun to back away.

"Kind gentleman? Right." she snorted. "Let's owl Snivellus and see what he has to say about that, shall we?"

"Is that anyway to treat me? Really Ophelia, I'm a bit surprised at you. I mean, I would've expected this kind of behaviour from Lily--"

"Hey!"

"But not from you." He faked a hurt look. "Never from you."

She slammed her hands down onto the water's surface, causing a wave to slap Sirius.

"Er, guys?" Pete ventured.

"I can't believe you just did that." he said, sweeping his wet hair from his eyes. "That was low, that was--"

Another splash hit him in the face.

"Oops?" giggled Ophelia, "Would you believe me if I said that was an accident?"

"No."

"Good, because it wasn't!"

"Guys!" hollered James, Remus, Pete and Lily.

"What?" snapped Sirius and Ophelia.

"We're going inside now."

"Good-bye."

Once their friends had left, Sirius turned back to face her, smirking wickedly. "Where were we?"

"You were just about to admit bitter defeat. To a girl nonetheless."

"So you're still holding me to that little bet then?"

"Yes."

"And I have no chance of being let off?"

"Nope. You are a bright one, Sir." She looked away, suddenly aware that she was alone with the wizard she'd had a crush on for the past year, in the middle of a dark lake.

But he was more than just a crush now, he was--

"Phe?" chuckled Sirius, waving a hand in front of her face. "Where'd you go?"

"Huh? Sorry, I was just thinking..."

"About?"

"You."

He smirked. "Yeah, I have that effect on girls."

Ophelia went to push him under the water. "God, you can be such a--"

Sirius ducked and grabbed her arm, pulling her into a kiss.

Her head began to spin as she felt her knees buckle. She compensated by holding onto Sirius' arm for support.

A few minutes later, they got out from water and quickly dried themselves off.

"So what do I have to do?" he grimaced, as they made their way back to the castle.

Ophelia wrapped a thick towel around herself and shrugged. "I don't know. But rest assured that I'll think of something."

"That was a tad foolish, wasn't it? Leaving the bet completely open like that."

"But it's good for me." She thought for a moment. "Wait! Just what did you plan on having me do if you won?"

Sirius held open the door for her as they walked into the kitchen, joining those gathered around the counter. "Hullo Moony."

Remus shook his head. "I don't want to know, do I?"

"No, you really don't."

Once Ophelia and Sirius had returned, supper could begin. After the table was set, they sat down to a meal of peppered turkey, mash and cobbed corn.

Talia brought in a pitcher of banana juice and they sat down to a simple meal.

"So to bring up my question that was ignored earlier at the lake," began Ophelia, "What happened with you and James last night?"

"My best dreams come to fruition." answered James dreamily.

"Nothing." said Lily hastily, kicking her under the table.

"Bugger Lil, that hurt! You're wearing pointed shoes, for Radagast's sake."

"Why whatever do you mean?" she said sweetly, batting her eyelashes as she had done the previous night.

Ophelia stuck her tongue out at her best friend. "Fine. It's not like I won't get it out of James later and then start up some nasty rumor about the two of you."

"Oh, would you please, Phe?" he pleaded. "I'll give you anything if you just tell--"

"Can we talk about this later?" Lily asked. "In private, maybe?"

Ophelia grinned and darted up from the table. When she returned, she brought with her the record player they kept in the sitting room.

"I thought we agreed on saving music until after dinner." said Remus, setting down his napkin.

She held up the pristine vinyl, as if this would convince him. "It's Houses of the Holy," she explained slowly. "This does not have the power to interupt the ambience of what we have established here. Only to tweak it a bit."

"Er.. I guess that makes it alright." said Remus, unsure what to make of her little speech.

She squealed and wasted no time in setting up the record. A moment later Rain Song was floating throughout the dining room.

"You charmed the speakers, didnt you?" grinned Sirius.

"Maybe just a little, even though the great Zeppelin doesn't need my help..."

"Aw, I'm so proud, Phe."

"This is your doing." said Remus, unknowingly waving his knife at Lily.

"What is?"

"This unhealthy obsession she has for Muggle rock bands."

There was a sudden crash of cutlery as Ophelia dropped her fork. "Don't ever refer to anything related to Led Zeppelin as unhealthy." she warned. "I can feel their music..."

"That. Right there."

Sirius looked back and forth between the two. "Er, Moony, I'd sleep with one eye open tonight if I were you."

"You should listen to him, Moony."

"Alright then." said Talia, breaking apart what was surely to become a full-out war. "Who wants chocolate and martinis?"

Lily made a face. "Chocolate and martinis? I think I'll pass on this one, especially after what happened last night."

"Which would be...?"

"You are so impatient!" she cried. "Can't you wait another hour or so?"

Ophelia shook her head. "Obvioulsy I can't."

"That was a Dear Diary moment if ever I did have one." added James, smiling fondly.

"You can't let him say something like that and then not tell us what happened."

"I don't let him say anything. And besides, they already know what happened, they're the ones who found us." Lily slapped her hands over her mouth as she reaised what she had just let slip.

{Pretty odd place to end a chapter, I know, but the next is an account of the night James and Lily shared. And review! Review! It makes me smile and is a further incentive to make me write faster. But do I really need one?}