Feeling Lucky

"Sirius I really don't think that this is going to work!" hissed James Potter at his long time best friend Sirius Black. Sirius was pretending to do his homework over breakfast but by the cheeky smile slowly spreading across his face James knew that he was listening. "I am being serious here Black, this is wrong! I don't like it one bit!"

"Oh James grow a pair," Sirius sighed shutting the potions book he had been 'reading'. "We both know that this is the only way that you are going to get a date with her and once she sees how charming you are then it will all be for the best."

"You say that now, but do I really want to tell my children that the way I got their mother was by drugging her?" James felt his voice rising with hysteria and glanced around. It was early and luckily the only other Gryffindors around were at the other end of the table. Lily would be here any second though she always ate breakfast early.

"We are not drugging Lily!" Sirius protested. "We're drugging you!"

"That is not any better Sirius and you know it."

"Look Potter," Sirius levelled him with a sharp gaze all traces of humour gone from his grey eyes. "We have spent a lot of time and effort on this plan. I have here in my pocket a little bottle of illegal potion that we brewed from scratch and you and I both know we had to steal some of the ingredients from Slughorn. You are not backing out now."

James sat back and stared moodily at his untouched toast. He knew that Sirius was right and that it was his best chance to get Lily Evans to take him seriously. It just felt wrong; when he finally won her heart he wanted it to be real. He wanted her to really want him.

The more he sat there, waiting, the more his mind twisted the idea until he was convinced that this was just a way in so he could show her what a wonderful person he really was. He just needed that opportunity to show her that he could make her happy. All these feelings were genuine, it didn't really matter that the method was a little underhand. Right?

He didn't have any more time to dwell on the subject as right at that moment Lily walked into the great hall, closely followed by her friend Marlene McKinnon. James tried not to stare, he really truly tried, but she was mid laugh and she was so beautiful when she was that carefree. Her hair was never quite perfect, and sometimes she would have toothpaste on her hand and it would get everywhere but the thing that really got him was her smile. She had such a beautiful smile and he dreamed of the day when one of those smiles was pointed right at him.

"Okay Casanova this is it," interrupted Sirius moving to block his view of Lily. He presented a cup full of juice, but that probably wasn't the only thing in it. "Drink this, don't think just drink. Let it settle and when you feel it you march right over to Lily and you ask her to Hogsmeade. I don't know how long you have so tell her you'll buy her breakfast in the Three Broomsticks. You eat, you shop, you eat again, nice romantic walk, then back to the castle. Got it?"

James nodded, unable to reply with his suddenly drier than the Sahara desert mouth. The nerves were so intense that he was shaking and the juice sloshed within his cup. He stared for a moment down into the cup looking at his distorted reflection but, hearing Lily's laugh from just down the table, he frowned and threw his head back, downing the drink in a few gulps. He slammed the cup down with a satisfying thump and could feel the effects almost immediately.

He stood, grinned down at a curious looking Sirius and marched up the aisle between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff students.

"-and the look on his face was absolutely hilarious! I know that I should be more sympathetic but we aren't really friends anymore-"

"Lily," James declared stopping next to the beautiful redhead. Lily looked up, at first disgruntled at being interrupted, but then with shock at seeing James stood in front of her. She had been convinced that he was avoiding her for some reason or other and she found it very off putting. She was used to his constant hounding to go out on a date with him but it had been nearly two months of silence.

"Yes James?" she asked a slight but adorable frown puckering her eyebrows and mouth.

He took a deep fortifying breath. "I know that it's short notice and that today is the Hogsmeade day, but I was wondering if you would come with me. I realise that you have never said yes before and that you have no reason to say yes now but I really think that if you gave me the chance you would see that I really care about you and that we would be good togeth-"

"Yes."

"-er and I know that you have never really liked me, what?"

"I said yes James. I will go to Hogsmeade with you today."

"You will?" he asked, completely shocked. This potion must work fast and strong!

"Yes," she said standing up and smiling at Marlene. "You don't mind do you?"

"Of course not," she replied sharing a sidelong smirk with Sirius down the table.

"Come on Potter we don't have all day," called Lily as she started towards the doors, "and you can buy me breakfast."

James grinned and jogged after her he couldn't believe that this was really happening. He turned as they reached the door to give Sirius a thumbs up and share a victorious smile but he was shocked as he saw his friend holding up a small vial.

The Gryffindor boy smirked as he shook the little vial teasingly at his shocked friend. It was still full of the little golden luck potion called Felix Felicis.