A Deal, A Bet, Or A Death Sentence?
To James' opinion the pranks after all had been definitely worth it, the next few weeks at Hogwarts had been like heaven to him, all the students stopped to smile at them, greet them or congratulate them everywhere the four friends went, like new celebrities, it seemed like a lot of people had found their prank highly amusing while other people had not.
"SIRIUS IAN BLACK!" Bellowed a woman's voice across the Great Hall that made everyone jump and turn to the Gryffindor table at the howler that had just exploded above it.
"I AM SO ASHAMED OF YOU, A BLACK! A BLACK IN GRYFFINDOR? YOU BETTER START PRAYING SIRIUS BEFORE YOU GET HOME AND I STRANGLE YOU! IT'S YOUR FIRST MONTH AND YOU ARE ALREADY IN DETENTION! WHY CAN'T YOU BE MORE LIKE YOUR BROTHER AND COUSINS? YOU WOULD NEVER BE A TRUE BLACK, SIRIUS, NEVER!" and with these echoing, scandalizing shouts, the letter tore apart to hundreds of little pieces.
Lucius and the Slytherin gang sniggered, some students turned back to their breakfast and some kept on staring at Sirius waiting for his reaction who rolled his eyes.
"You would never be a true Black" He imitated his mother's voice "I think I'm going to be sick, it's not like I want to be one, anyway I'm not planning to go home till what? In a year?" Sirius said as he helped himself to some waffles on his plate.
"Oh…. My God. Narcissa has been reporting me to my mother, what a threat! I'm solo scared now, oh James hold me please, I think I'm about to faint!" Sirius said in an ironic voice, loud enough for Narcissa to hear at the other edge of the hall, placing his hand dramatically on his forehead as if he was really actually about to faint.
Narcissa and Bellatrix glared at him.
"Stupid Bellatrix and Narcissa think they are worrying me a great deal!" He said with his mouthful to his friends, James smiled weakly at him.
"I still can't believe that was your mother" Remus stated shocked, he was more pale than usual, his eyes very tired and bloodshot.
"Well she is, unfortunately" Sirius Replied.
"Oh dear" Peter said in trance.
"HI! Jamesie, Siri, Rem, Pete!" Lily said running towards them, Sirius frowned at the sound of being called 'Siri' as Lily came into an abrupt halt between Sirius and James that were sitting opposite Remus and Peter.
"Hello Lily" Everyone greeted her but Sirius who was very busy eating, Lily beamed sweetly as James blushed and Remus smiled back as she caught his eye.
"Remus are you all right? You look dreadful" Lily said worried, Remus laughed.
"Well thank you for the compliment Lily, but I'm ok"
"You better be! Boys um.. I know you may have plans for today as it's Saturday and all" She leaned on the table looking at the four. "But would you please, please, please come practice flying with me this morning? Madam Hooch's test is next week and I barely hold a broomstick without hitting my head!" She begged, her emerald eyes shinning.
"Why don't you ask your friend Jess instead?" Peter suggested.
"I can't, I haven't seen her lately" Lily said sadly.
"Sirius and I had something to do" Remus invented quickly before anyone else could talk. "But I'm sure James would be delighted to go with you"
"But James is excellent why would he take flying pract—" Peter said but was interrupted by Sirius who glared and kicked him painfully down the table, Remus coughed.
"Yeah I can go with you Lily, I'll help, I'm sure you'll be an expert by the end of the day" James said happily.
"You'll stay all day with me?" Lily asked surprised but very excited all the same. Sirius raised his eyebrows at Remus not quite believing what he had heard. "Oh that would be lovely" Lily replied smiling looking sweetly at James who turned red again and broke eye contact, Sirius couldn't help but roll his eyes. "But I was hoping all of you would come, I hope I'm not causing much trouble"
"Oh no no!" Sirius said faking a smile.
"No trouble at all!" Remus joined in.
"But I suck at flying too! So why don't we all--" Remus and Sirius had kicked Peter again down the table still forcefully smiling at Lily.
"But.. Are you sure?" Lily asked anxiously.
"But-" Peter stuttered.
"Yes!" Both Remus and Sirius shouted to block Peter's voice.
"Come Lily. Thank you guys" James said smiling as he stood up taking her out of the Great Hall. Remus and Sirius gave a sigh of great relief.
"Why did you kick me?" Peter asked crossed.
"Err dunno, maybe because you are an idiot?" Sirius asked.
"Haven't you realized that James likes Lily?" Remus asked.
"What? …Sorry I didn't-" Peter began anxiously.
"Of course you didn't know, you are always so out of this world" Sirius said standing up. "Mate you do look a bit scary, sure you are well?"
"Yeah I'm fine, sometimes the weather affects me a bit, you know" Remus said without looking at him and changed the subject. "We should go outside too for a little while" Remus stated looking up at the bewitched cloudy ceiling "Before it rains"
"Rain? Then James and Lily wouldn't last much time outside" Sirius said very glad as the other two stood up and walked to the entrance hall.
"You weren't too eager for James to go with Lily, Sirius. Why?" Remus asked.
"Huh? How did you-?"
"Don't ask me the obvious" Remus said, Sirius sighed as they got out and sat at the edge of the lake by the usual tree.
"It's not that I don't like Lily"
"Then?"
"I don't know how to explain it exactly, well it's not like you'll understand anyway" Sirius said thoughtfully as Remus stared at him and spoke at last.
"Is it jealousy?"
"Jealousy?" Sirius repeated, thinking hard for a long while reconsidering his answer.
"I'm sorry Sirius, I shouldn't be asking you this" Remus said looking at his feet realizing it was a bit awkward to ask Sirius such things.
"Oh no, don't worry it's ok, it's just that I've never thought about it that way, what really concerns me is that he is so fond of her." Sirius said thoughtfully. "I'm afraid she might do something to him. You know"
"I doubt it, Lily's too nice to hurt James… If that's what you mean" Sirius didn't answer, instead he looked over his shoulder to a loud noise of collapsing rocks that had captured his attention.
Right at the far side of the castle there were 6 wizards along with professor Sprout and professor Dumbledore, they were standing around a thick, tall and not to mention huge willow in pairs. With their wands out they settled it carefully on the ground. The floor shook when its strong and long roots sank deep into the earth, everyone in the grounds had turned to look at the enormous thing very stunned.
"Have you ever seen a tree that size?" Sirius asked awestruck
"I have, around my house, there is a whole forest of those" Remus replied without the slightest surprise.
"Why would they plant such a thing there?" Peter asked, some students went to have a look at it, Remus shrugged at Peter's question.
"Let's go have a look!" Sirius said excited about to stand up.
"I wouldn't go near that willow if I were you" Remus explained when Sirius stared at him confused.
"Why not?" Peter asked, but soon enough his question was answered from a girl's scream who had gotten too close to the tree and was saved by professor Dumbledore before its branches could reach and hit her, professor Sprout was now lecturing her not to get close.
"For Merlin's beard… A whomping willow " Sirius whispered staring amazed at the tree, his mouth slightly opened like Peter's. Remus just stared blankly at the reflection of the sky on the lake instead, wishing the other two would stop giving too much attention to that tree.
"I want to go!" Peter pleaded looking at Sirius.
"Let's go then! Don't you want to come Remus?"
"Err.. Not really" He said doubtfully.
"Ok then, we'll be back in a moment" Remus nodded and watched Sirius hurry away with Peter.
Meanwhile Jess was sitting on the other side of the lake, thinking, quite alone, her hazel eyes looking down, hidden by the shadow of her glasses.
Today there would be full moon. But how in heavens will Remus transform? Where? She still couldn't believe Remus was a werewolf. Maybe that was why he didn't show up at the sorting. Werewolves, she had read in the library, were supposed to be violent, mean.
"But Remus, instead, is so calm, kind and… Nice" She said softly very distracted.
"You think so?" Came a sudden voice from behind her, she jumped turning around and saw Remus smiling at her. She screamed taken a back, Remus hurried towards her anxiously.
"Wha- you- Remus I-"
"I'm so sorry" He said upset "I didn't mean to scare you" Jess shook her head no immediately.
"No it's my fault for being so distracted"
Remus smiled again.
"I think you are a very nice girl too"
"Thanks" She said a bit shy, not looking up at him.
Suddenly he held three little, but pretty, pink flowers in front of her.
"I came to give you these" He said sweetly, Jess blushed.
"They're for me?" She asked taking them in her hands, Remus nodded still with a smile, Jess smiled back at him, she had not smiled in a long while.
"I think you look better with a smile on your face Jess, I thought this might cheer you up"
"Thank you Remus" She said looking at him in the eyes behind his glasses, he blushed slightly.
"Well err… I'm quite sick and it's getting cold so.. Err.. I must go" He said and ran away from there, around the lake. Jess giggled.
They definitely had to edit those books in the library where it said werewolves were mean and violent even at their human form, it was a very unfair and dishonest judgment. She thought looking sweetly at Remus who was already at the other side.
At the Quidditch Pitch…
"But Lily! You have to say 'UP!' with confidence, not…" He imitated her, fixing his hair and robes, giving a deep sigh placing his hands on his waist and then saying with a fake yawn in a girly voice, looking everywhere but at the broomstick "Up… Oh James it's not working!"
"You are exaggerating, I didn't sigh like that!" Lily said a bit annoyed, trying not to laugh.
"Look" James said taking this very seriously walking towards the other school broomstick.
"Up" He said simply and the broom soared upward straight to his hand, Lily applauded.
"Oh I'm so startled my genius, I think not even Einstein could have done it better" Lily mocked.
"Who's Einstein?"
"Oh never mind. Ok then, here I go again" She said very focused on the broomstick this time.
"Oh yeah, there she goes again" James said impatiently "I have no patience for this, when I get out of Hogwarts, teaching would be the last thing I'll apply for, mark my words"
"UP!" She said once more and the broomstick jumped off the ground hitting her hard on the face making her fall down on the grass, facing the sky. James ran towards her kneeling down.
"Lily? Lily say something! Are you alright?" He said alarmed.
"Oh yes! Never been better, a broomstick was about to blow my head off just now, but I'm ok" Lily laughed, James glared, helping her sit down.
"You scared me"
"Sorry, it's not my fault you are not a very helpful teacher" Lily said smiling.
"Hey I'm trying!"
"I know! I was just kidding, I really had fun even if I didn't improve much, Thanks James"
"Err. No.. No problem" James stuttered "Do you want to watch the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin with me and my friends tomorrow?" James asked quickly before he loosed his courage.
"Sure!" She replied as she stood up.
"Well let's try this a few more times" He said without helping a cheeky grin, Lily smiled and nodded.
Back at the school grounds by the lake Sirius and Peter came running from the Willow towards Remus.
"Remus mate, that was the freakiest tree I've seen! I so wish I could feed Bellatrix, Narcissa and their nasty little friends to it, it would rip them in half in seconds!" Sirius told him panting.
"Why would Professor Dumbledore plant at thing like that at the school?" Peter asked, Remus a bit uncomfortable about the subject.
"Maybe he wants it to get rid of his enemies! Like the Slytherins' parents, they are not very happy he being the new headmaster, my mom and my uncles for example" Sirius replied thoughtfully.
"Or maybe he wants the tree for future punishments for the students!" Peter said with excitement, Sirius's eyebrows arched.
"And you think that's a good idea? You are scaring me, you sounded just like Filch!" He said, Remus laughed.
Suddenly Sirius heard a familiar voice speak behind him; he turned around immediately only to see the most unpleasant sight of the year.
It was Annabelle, walking towards the castle and chatting very eagerly with none other than the slimy Slytherin Snape who was smiling and showing a book to her.
"Sirius what's wrong?" Remus had asked, but Sirius was not listening, he was already halfway marching straight to the castle towards Snape whom Sirius was already seeing strangled, decapitated, torn and burnt in his mind out of fury and jealousy.
One thing was sure, Sirius thought of Remus' question, if what he felt when James didn't spend time with them to go with Lily was jealousy it was nothing compared to the devouring jealousy he was feeling inside right now. He broke into a run to catch up with them.
"My, my, what is it little cousin? Having a bad day?" Bellatrix asked with pity getting on his way, making Sirius loose Snape and Annabelle out of view.
"None-of-your-business. Now, GO AWAY" He said angrily trying to push her aside but with a lot of difficulty, he was much smaller than her, being two years younger.
"Oh no I don't think so just yet my dear" She said smiling and then looked over her shoulder and thick straight black hair to see what Sirius' anger was all about. "Let me guess, you don't like Severus to go near her do you? I see you really like her" She said, Sirius didn't reply but tried exasperated to get past her, but she wouldn't move. Bellatrix laughed very amused.
"Here, stop acting like a child and let's get down to business"
"What do you want?" Sirius asked rudely taking out his wand and pointing it at her ready to curse her.
"Hey don't be so harsh on me, I'm willing to help you" She said eyeing his wand, Sirius glared suspiciously at her.
"Since when do you help without screwing things up for me? I think you help much, much more not helping me at all, I appreciate it Bellatrix but no thanks" He said in a matter-of-fact voice.
"OK but just hear my proposition first would you? Listen, your friend James, I can't just stop thinking about him since I saw him over at your house last summer, he's so cute, pretty face, black hair, hazel eyes" She said almost dreamily, Sirius scowled.
"He's 2 years younger than you are, God. You are sick you know?"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever… Anyway, I heard there would be like some sort of Halloween party this month and I wanted to please ask you to persuade Potter to go with me as a date. Just for the night" She added quickly.
"You just like him because his dad's famous and is the head of the department of mysteries"
"Yeah so?"
"So? What makes you think he'll want to go out even for a second with someone like you"
"I saw him with the first year mudblood" She smirked, Sirius made for his wand once more in his pocket but Bellatrix got hold of his wrist. "Lila Evan, if he can stand being with that, it's obvious he'll feel honored to go out with me"
"It is Lily Evans, plus, don't you ever call her a mudblood again or I'll shut that hole on your face for you!" Sirius said shaking with fury.
"What? You my cousin, defending a muggle born? A Black? I'm so flattered, I soooo have to tell Narcissa to report this to your mother, anyway why?"
"Because my best friend likes her, so there's no way he'll look at you, besides of all the wonders I've talked to him about my disgusting family, you included" Sirius said now with his turn to smirk, Bellatrix looked at him with her gray eyes with pure hatred.
"Ok then you are the one who looses not me, I knew the perfect way to get Snape away from Annabelle but if you don't want to, then fine" She said through gritted teeth.
"Alright, alright, let's hear it, what's the deal?" Sirius said in a business like voice, Bellatrix smirked.
"Now we're getting along, here's the deal, you help me with what I told you about James for Halloween and I'll help you get Snape out of Annabelle's sight"
"How?" Sirius asked frowning.
"You'll see, you'll see, let's just say that Snape let something slip. Something quite useful you don't have to get him away from her" She winked. "Just to make sure, whoever that doesn't keep this promise is cursed and has to go to the new tree they just planted outside and get hit by it for a whole hour. Deal?"
"No way! I'm not giving my best mate the nightmare to be with you for Halloween!"
"Slytherin will tear Gryffindor apart tomorrow at the Quidditch match, I'm playing chaser"
"No way! Gryffindor will tear Slytherin apart! Anyway, what does it have to do with-"
"Oh, a great lot Sirius you see, if you don't like deals, we'll make it a bet, if Gryffindor wins I'll help you get rid of Severus from Annabelle and you won't have to do anything for me, but if Slytherin wins I do nothing and you help me at Halloween with James, if one of us doesn't do this if their house looses, there will be an obligatory curse I'll take care of myself, to get tortured by the willow. Is that fair?" Bellatrix asked smiling, holding out her hand to him,
Sirius looked at it and then at Bellatrix doubtfully. If he accepted this bet, if Gryffindor looses he'll get nothing and will have to help Bellatrix with James… But if Gryffindor wins tomorrow…"
"Come on Sirius! Won't you do it for Annabelle?" Bellatrix insisted still with her hand held out, Sirius looked at her, took a deep sigh and shook her hand.
"Ok then, but you have to promise that if Gryffindor wins you'll get Snape away from Annabelle as soon as possible and that if Slytherin wins, James will go out with you only on Halloween night"
"Certainly my dear cousin! It's all about business, now that's how I like it" Bellatrix said smirking maliciously, heavy rain drops starting to splatter against the windows.
A/N
Hellos! Thanks soooooo much for reviewing,xPIt just makes me sohappy:Bea, Jess, Gatermage!
Well I hope you liked this chaptie and keep reviewing )
Clue: Bellatrix is not up to anything good,the title of this chapter says it all.
Luv ya always my readers!
Karina
Disclaimer:
Bea is stillnot the queen of England.
and I'm stillnot owning dear Harry Potter (Damn!)