"Are you even listening to what I'm saying?"
James Potter's head snapped back towards Sirius so fast that his neck cracked. "Yeah, yeah. Of course."
Sirius raised an eyebrow, plainly requesting that James repeat whatever he had just said. Remus was grinning slightly as he took an apple from a bowl on the table, and Peter sniggered out loud, earning him a kick underneath the table from James. They were having lunch in the Great Hall, along with everyone else in Hogwarts. Sirius was picking his friends' brains for ideas on his latest predicament. It wasn't what his next prank would be, nor was it how to get out of his Friday night detention. Twenty times more serious, in his opinion. "How am I going to get Elizabeth to forgive me?" Sirius repeated exasperatedly.
James shrugged, giving his best friend a sympathetic look, hoping that that would be enough for him. Naturally, it wasn't, and Sirius scowled, then put his forehead in his palms, elbows resting on the solid table.
"It might help to know exactly what happened," Remus pointed out.
Sirius shifted his hands to his temples, staring at Remus, as if he was waiting for Moony to just say 'forget it.' When he didn't, Sirius sighed and sat back up, gathering his thoughts. "Well, you see... her best friend, Nicole, is it? Well, Nicolemight have overheard me saying something about how I could-" he cleared his throat- "um, get any girl in our year to go out with me... if not more..."
The other three Marauders laughed out loud. A typical Sirius remark: harmless, but perhaps not so funny to outsiders. Sirius didn't laugh, however, instead continuing with, "Of course, I never would utter such a thing... downright preposterous... shameful... completely uncharacteristic..."
James smirked. "Good, because it's not true, anyway." He began to laugh again when he saw Sirius's haughty expression.
"Surely you jest," Sirius said, in a half mocking, half dangerous tone. (Peter was perhaps the only one who, once again, did not pick up on it.)
James just grinned, dropping his eyes and pushing food around his plate. When he looked back up to Sirius's interrogating stare, he shrugged. "Did it sound like I was joking?" At that, Remus raised his eyebrows. This was going downhill, quickly. The competitive edge in Sirius was beginning to rear its quite handsome, shaggy black head. He crossed his arms to his chest.
"If you don't believe me, Prongs, then how about we arrange a little bet?"
James, with his attention now fully on Sirius, had never been able to turn down a bet. He succeeded more often than not, and if he didn't, he always had enough Galleons to fall back on. "Just name the terms, Master Padfoot."
Sirius wasted no time. "I bet that I can persuade Lily Evans to go on a date with me in less than a week."
The grin dropped off of James's face like an anchor being dropped overboard. He studied his friend's face intently for a few seconds, then held out a hand. But before he let Sirius grasp it to shake, he added, "But you're not to get attached or anything." His face was beginning to betray his feelings. Sirius grinned. "Don't worry, Prongs."
Without letting go of James's hand, he laid out the rules of the bet. If he succeeded, James had to take notes in History of Magic for one month (a duty they normally shared) as well as complete two weeks' worth of astronomy charts. James scoffed at those terms, but knew better than to argue. But he added his own as well, sticking to schoolwork like Sirius had done, though it was much more tempting to make Padfoot sit next to Snivellus in Potions for a week or something along those lines.
With that settled, they went on their way to Charms, Sirius wearing a confident smirk as he led the way, and James exchanging a worried glance with Moony.
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"What is he looking at?" Lily Evans slammed her Potions textbook shut, flashing an annoyed look at one of her best friends. To Lily, the feeling of being watched was nearly unbearable. Laughing, the other girl suggested that they finish studying in their dorm. Lily was getting a little too agitated to remain in the Gryffindor common room, but she shrugged in agreement, perhaps a touch disappointed in herself for letting Potter best her once again. But honestly, why was he staring at me? she asked herself. As she leaned over, shoving her parchment and spare things back into her bag, she was interrupted by a familiar voice.
"All right, Lily?"
Apparently Potter hadn't trademarked that debonair pick-up line, which surprised her. No, instead, it was Sirius. She straightened back up, finding the handsome seventh-year leaning over the back of the couch she was seated at. "Fine, and yourself?" Lily asked coolly.
"Sick of doing homework, actually." Brushing his hair out of his face, he rounded the side of the couch and came to sit next to her, pushing another student's things aside.
Continuing to pack up her work, Lily responded, "Did you even do any?" Sirius laughed and shook his head. "Not a bit. Hogsmeade trip next weekend, isn't there?"
With a nod, Lily responded affirmatively, wondering what he was up to. Was this why James seemed so annoyingly entranced? She felt rather as if though she was about to have some great prank pulled on her. Sirius pulled one of Lily's parchments over. He studied it appraisingly, then abruptly pointed to one section. "This is wrong." Before Lily could react, he asked, "Can I see a quill?"
Lily slowly handed her favorite quill over, watching as he scrawled a phrase on the bottom of the parchment. It was definitelynot a correction to her notes on vampire regulations for History of Magic. Instead, it read: Act natural - please. I'll give you a galleon if you suggest we go up to your common room when I ask.
While Lily certainly did notneed an extra galleon, she couldn't deny being horribly curious. She tried to deaden it by reasoning- this was just a prank, a joke, something she'd regret, but nevertheless, when Sirius suggested a few seconds later that they go up to the Head Students' common room with a wink, she grinned in reply and led the way. They left a rather slack-jawed James sitting behind.
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Lily sat down on the couch, extending her legs out and crossing her ankles. Still waiting for Sirius to explain what was going on, she watched him as he stood by the doorway, as if trying to make sure they weren't being listened in on. With a slight sigh, Lily took out her wand and pointed it at the door, charming it so that none would hear their conversation. Sirius grinned. "Much better."
Making a point to glance at her watch, Lily decided just to come out and ask. "What's this all about?"
"Hold it - I get to ask the questions," said Sirius, shaking his head as Lily studied him. "But first," he continued, "I suppose I should tell you that you're currently part of a bet."
Lily's eyes immediately widened as she tried to think of what to say next. "What kind of bet?" she finally asked, her voice accusing.
Sirius magicked an armchair so that it was right in front of Lily. He sat down with a sort of lazy grace, throwing his legs up over the arms of the seat. "A bet that I involved myself in solely for the benefit of my best friend." He paused for effect. "And if I've guessed correctly, it'll help you, too." Stifling a laugh at her expression, he decided that he really ought to explain. "I told James that I could get a date with you in less than a week." Before Lily could protest, he held up a finger for silence and then continued. "Of course, he's completely worried, and why not? What with my striking good looks and all..." Lily scoffed but didn't interrupt. "Anyways, like I said, think of it as more of a... um... favor." Sirius paused to take a breath and let Lily get her say. She was silent for a moment, and then:
"Well, that makes it all better..." She didn't sound nearly as angry as he thought she would- it was almost as if she was a bit relievedabout something."How is it supposed to be a favor?" she asked, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.
Sirius brightened. "It's a win-win-win situation, really. I win my bet... and... well, you and James..." Lily raised an eyebrow as she waited for him to stop rubbing his neck and continue. "You know, I've always told Prongs just to keep doing what he's always done... we figured you'd crack eventually and just go out with him, if only once. But 'eventually' just isn't good enough for him anymore. He's actually taking advice from Remus..." Sirius shook his head, and Lily couldn't suppress a grin at the obvious effect that had on his ego. "But anyway, that's why he's laid off of you so much."
Lily was blushing even before Sirius said what she knew was coming next. "And like I said, if I've guessed correctly, you miss it, right?" He grinned as Lily turned determinedly away, staring at the door as if trying to bore a hole right through it.
Finally, Lily sighed out of exasperation. "Hypothetically speaking, of course... if I did... it's not like I can't just completely turn around and finally give into the one thing I've been avoiding for the past, oh, four years or so, I mean, I'd lose all dignity I had, if not become a complete laughingstock when HE turns ME down, because how do you know for sure that he's actually taking advice, what if he doesn't even care about me anymore?" She took a deep breath.
Sirius shifted in his chair so that he was facing her, and he grinned, but in a kinder way than normal. "Only one way to find out, though, right?"
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Author's note: This took forever because originally I was going to have Peeves in it... but every attempt I made at his dialogue came off a little too Gollum-sounding, ha ha ha. But I actually like this one a lot better than my first idea. Even if the ending's a bit rough. Please leave a review, I'm practically going through review-withdrawal!
