She thought her life was over – but fate gave her another chance, in a world of magic. Now, running around Hogwarts with James Potter and his friends, she's about to make choices that will change the future in ways she never thought possible…

Marauder's Phase

CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE

Truth Or Dare – With A Twist

Nothing I had ever done was harder than standing up and telling Dumbledore the truth – well, not the whole truth, but most of it. He listened. He was patient. He was understanding. He was sympathetic. He didn't even seemed shocked that I hadn't killed the Basalisk.

When I'd finished, I sat back down, and he said: "I see…do your friends know about this?"

I must've paled, because he said: "Apparently not."

Okay, scratch that – telling my friends was the hardest thing I'd ever done.

But they reacted the same way Dumbledore had – with sympathy and understanding.

I didn't get it, but I was thankful for it.

***

The funeral was…harsh. Not because it was upsetting, but because I was numb, and felt like I should be crying, since I'd seen Louis Bickley die, but I couldn't.

Serilda cried enough for both of us, though. I felt bad for ever associating her with my old rival, and I thought my heart was going to break for her when I saw her on the day of the funeral. Sitting between Remus and Sirius, I realised at once how she must feel.

Just thinking about life without Remus and Sirius made a few tears slide down my face. If Louis Bickley was watching, I hoped he couldn't tell why I was crying. Because I myself didn't know.

It would take us all awhile to forget what had happened.

***

Carmichael Ackerly was taken away to St. Mungo's. I'd had to argue tooth and nail to get him out of Azkaban, because I knew that he'd been under the Imperius Curse. I don't know how many people believed me, but the Minister of Magic did, and that's all that really mattered.

Oh, and people didn't think I was the heir of Slytherin anymore, so that was a bonus.

***

Exam results came. Sirius, James and Lily aced everything. I did better than I'd expected, Peter passed, and we celebrated with stolen Fire Whisky that very night.

Let me tell you, six underaged wizards and stolen alcohol as we sit up in the boy's dorm spells TROUBLE.

And, to make it worse, someone – I don't know who – suggested we play Truth or Dare.

"Truth or Dare is boring," Sirius, who was leaning back in a chair, glass of Fire Whisky dangling precariously from his hand, stated. "Come to think of it, this whole night has been boring. I'm bored."

A bored Sirius is never a good thing. "You're bored?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Yup."

"Good. Then let's have sex." I said.

James choked on a mouthful of Fire Whisky, and Peter fell out of his chair with a little squeak. Lily put her hand to her mouth, and Remus looked a little bit stunned.

But Sirius' face was priceless. He actually looked shocked for a second – and then he looked eager. His eyes lit up. "Really!?" He asked.

I laughed. "Of course not! We're underaged!"

Sirius looked disappointed. If he had've been in his dog form, his ears would've drooped. "Aww…"

I laughed, and patted his shoulder. "Later, Siri, later. One day, when we're older. For now…I know how we can make Truth or Dare better."

"How?" Lily asked.

I pulled a small bottle of clear liquid out of my pocket. "One, is with this."

"What is it?" Peter asked in wonder, his blue eyes shining.

"That's Veritaserum," Remus said, staring at it. "But, Emmy, where'd you get it?"

"Long story," I said, placing the bottle on the table in front of us all. "So now…who's ready?"

"For what?" James asked.

"Truth, Dare, Double-Dare, Kiss A Man or Torture." I declared.

"What!?" The others exclaimed.

"Truth, Dare, Double-Dare, Kiss A Man or Torture." I repeated it. "My friends in England and I used to play it all the time, after I brought it over from Australia with me. It's much more fun than just plain old Truth or Dare."

"I like it," Sirius said, leaning forward. "Especially the 'Kiss A Man' part."

"Good," I nodded. "Then you can kiss Peter."

Sirius gaped at me. Remus laughed.

"Who goes first?" Lily asked.

"The oldest." James declared.

"Who's the oldest here?" Peter wanted to know. Then he added: "My birthday's August 8th."

"We know," Sirius said scathingly. "Mine's September 17th." He added.

"January 30th." Lily put in.

"March 10th." Remus added.

"March 27th." James said.

I nodded. "Yeah, same, as James' that is."

"Is it really?" Sirius asked me, and I nodded again. "Cool." He said.

"So Lily goes first." I said, looking at her. "So Lils – Truth, Dare, Double-Dare, Kiss A Man or Torture?"

She paused, and then said: "Truth." She took a sip of Veritaserum.

"Typical Evans, playing it safe," James smirked. "Okay then – what made you fall in love with me?"

Lily paused, and then she sighed. "You saved my sister – you're very brave and would do anything for family and friends. That…that's important to me."

James looked at her admiringly, as the rest of us looked at Remus.

"I suppose I can't pick the same as the one before me?" He asked me, and I shook my head, grinning. He sighed. "Okay then…umm…what's Double Dare?"

"He picks Double Dare!" I exclaimed, and Remus looked startled.

"No, wait, no I didn…"

"I Double Dare you to jump into the Black Lake in your underwear!" I declared, and so we all trooped down to the Black Lake, Remus jumped in in his underwear, and then we returned to the dorm where Remus dried off and dressed.

"Okay, so who's next out of you two?" Sirius asked, looking from James to me.

James and I exchanged a glance. We nodded. "Paper, Scissors, Rock!"

"Ha, scissors cuts paper, so you go next!" He told me.

I frowned. "Oh, fine then…Truth." And I took a sip of the truth potion.

"If you had to snog anyone who isn't in this room," Lily said, very seriously. "Then who would it be? And you have to choose someone, you can't say that there's no one else you'd rather snog than Sirius."

Damn. Why did she have to go and ask that? Sirius and Remus leaned forward.

I mumbled something incoherent, that nobody else could hear.

"Sorry, didn't catch that." James said.

"…" I muttered.

"What?" Peter asked.

"R………k."

"Who?" Lily cupped her ear.

"REGULUS BLACK!!!!" I fairly shouted.

Everyone looked stunned for a minute, and then Sirius nearly yelled: "What!? My younger brother!? Why him!?"

The truth potion was still working. "Because he looks like you." I said, with a small smile.

"Oh." Sirius sat back in his chair. "Well, I guess that's alright then."

"No fair, she should get a different one." Peter complained, but nobody listened to him, as James chose Dare, and Remus dared him to go into next door's boys dorms in his boxers (which have snitches on them) and he did and came back blushing like mad.

Sirius was next.

"Please pick Double Dare!" I begged him.

"Why?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"So that I can Double Dare you to jump into the Black Lake naked!"

Sirius' eyes lit up. "Okay! Double Dare!"

"Ha, psyched!" I said. "I Double Dare you to…umm…you know, I don't actually have any other Double Dare for you now, do I?" And so I saw Sirius naked again. It was as embarrassing as it had been last time, because Professor McGonagall came by, and we all had to leap into the trees before she saw us.

We were all laughing so hard I'm surprised she didn't come back.

Peter picked Torture…no, actually, he didn't, James picked it for him, but we were all happy for any excuse to use Rictusempra on him.

We went around again.

Things went smoothly until we got to Remus, who picked Truth.

"Are you a Werewolf?" Lily asked him flatly.

We all stared at them, and then Remus sighed. "Yes, I am."

"I knew it." Lily said decisively. The truth potion was still working for her, too. "The signs all pointed to it. I am still your friend, always."

Remus looked considerably brightened after that.

We were all sort of sleepy – I think Sirius, James and Lily were all half asleep by that stage…actually, I know Sirius was asleep.

I'd had a bit too much for drink. I was just asking for it. "Kiss A Man?"

"Remus!" Peter squeaked suddenly, in a sleepy sort of voice.

…

We went really quiet, and Remus and I were staring at each other, and the desire to jump on top of him and kiss him was starting to rule out all better judgement. I was actually in the perfect position to do a little bit of leaping, and I was in the right frame of mind to do a lot of kissing, but what happened next stunned even me.

Remus jumped up, grabbed my wrists and held them as he leaned in and kissed me full on the mouth.

And I was kissing him back, our lips melding together to a perfect shape, and I pushed my body up against him – he responded by pulling me closer, and I couldn't stop the small moan that escaped from me as he bit softly on my lower lip, and my heart was pounding in my chest.

"You know," He said, his lips an inch away from mine. "I wish you'd said those things you said to Padfoot to me instead."

"The part about having sex later on or jumping into the lake naked?"

Remus smirked, his eyes smouldering. "Both."

A sudden sound made us both start, and we pulled apart as Sirius sat up in his chair groggily.

"Aurgh…what did I miss?" He asked, looking round at Lily asleep with her head on a sleeping James' shoulder and Peter curled up on a chair fast asleep, and me and Remus standing on opposite sides of the room. "Anything important?"

"Nothing Paddy," Remus said calmly. "Nothing important to you, anyway."