Le Défi

Chapter Two

Ten Galleons

Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them, and you have their shoes - Frieda Norris

Light. Light is bad. Light is bright, and harsh, and at seven in the morning, James was ready to strangle whichever idiot pulled had back the hangings on his bed to let in the light.

"Wakey, wakey," a familiar voice yelled in his year.

"Lupin, you are dead."

"Hmm... I guess I can't do this then." Remus grabbed James' arm and dragged him out of bed onto the floor. "Get up, get up, get up."

James glared up at his friend. Remus had no right to be so chipper this early in the morning. Looking to the right, he saw that Sirius' bed was already empty, and Peter was sitting up in bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"I hate you." James glared up at Remus.

"That's the spirit!" Remus chirruped.

"Ja- ames?" Peter asked through a yawn.

"Wha- at?" James imitated from his ever-so dignified position on the floor.

"Is there a reason why we're up so early, or did he just smoke something suspicious last night?"

"There had better a very good reason, Wormtail. Although, there was bag of oregano in the-"

"Shut up," Remus interjected, knowing that James was just joking.

"So then, why are we awake at this ungodly hour?" Peter continued.

"Ten Galleons, my friend, ten Galleons." Remus grinned at James.

James stood up. Ten Galleons... whaaaaaa??? Oh SHIT! Lily!

"I'm sure she's not up yet, Moony," he said.

"Ah, but you're wrong there. I have heard from a very reliable source that she wants to be at breakfast by seven-thirty. And how can we count all her suitors if we aren't there too? By the way, great job last night. You two definitely hate each other now."

James growled, "One day, that's all you get."

"Then you can declare your undying love again, I know, which is why we have to get down there now."

Grumbling all the while, James got up, and was ready to head down to the Great Hall by seven-fifteen. Peter, on the other hand, promised to meet them there, as he didn't want to get up. And, seeing as he wasn't part of the bet, he could afford to sleep in. He smiled and waved groggily at James as Remus pulled him out the door.

Trudging down several flights of stairs, James plastered a smile on his face and tried to pretend that he didn't want to go to sleep right there in the hallway.

"Where's Padfoot?" he asked Remus, figuring that conversation would keep his eyes open.

"He went down early to watch for Lily."

"Why?"

"Because last night I said I'd give him two Galleons if he did."

"Will you?"

"'Course not."

"Sounds good." James waved to a group of girls heading in the opposite direction.

*

The Great Hall was surprisingly full. All four tables were over three-quarters full, and students were milling about, visiting their friends from different houses. James spotted Lily immediately, sitting with Pat Moon about halfway along the Gryffindor table. Sirius was sitting about ten spots along from them.

"How many so far?" Remus asked cheerily as he sat down and reached for the toast.

"One." Sirius' face broke into an evil grin as he spotted James. "Gilderoy Lockhart."

James forced himself not to say anything. He sat down and poured himself a large cup of black coffee, downed it, and then refilled the cup, this time adding substantial amounts of cream and sugar.

"What did she say?" he asked finally.

"What did who say?" Sirius asked innocently.

"Evans!"

"She's right there." He pointed.

"What did Evans say?" James gritted his teeth.

"To who?"

"To Lockhart!"

"Merry Christmas. With love, Prongs."

"I didn't send him a goddamn present. What did Evans say to Lockhart? Did she say she'd go out with him?" hissed James.

Remus laughed, spraying crumbs across the table.

Sirius threw up his hands. "No need to get so uptight. She told him that she was flattered, and she likes him and all, but not that way. Then he walked away fuming and Pat started laughing and Lily turned bright pink and slouched down a good foot and a half. Didn't go well with her hair at all."

"Oh James!" a voice called.

The three boys groaned quietly, then James plastered his trademark lopsided smile on his face and turned around.

"Bella!" he exclaimed. "How was your summer?"

"Good, good. I didn't see as much of you as usual, almost thought you were avoiding me!" she exclaimed as she made her way over to them. "Sirius," she said briskly, acknowledging her cousin with a nod.

"Bella," Sirius responded before returning his full attention to the bacon on his plate.

"Anyway James," she continued, "the reason I came over here is because we Slytherins are hosting the first party of the year next weekend! You'll come of course?"

James pretended to look thoughtful. "Well, normally I'd love to, but see, I don't know how welcome all the other Gryffindor's would be, and I don't want to-"

"Nonsense!" she said, interrupting him. "They can all come with you if you want them to. See you then!" She flipped her dark hair over her shoulder and paraded back to her table.

Remus and Sirius began laughing, while James slumped down in his seat.

"Why... me?" he mumbled.

"Because," Sirius said, still laughing, "she has to find a pure-blood rich guy, and guess what you are? Plus, she thinks she'll have an advantage over the other Admirers 'cause she's my cousin. You should see her when she's not being flaky. Scary girl Bellatrix is."

"She doesn't have an advantage," said James quickly.

"So," Remus said slyly, "we're going to a Slytherin party next weekend. I wonder if we'll still be welcome after Saturday?"

"Of course we will be," Sirius said matter-of-factly. "If we don't go, no one will."

"He has a point," James said.

"I s'pose."

*

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin, Mr. Pettigrew, if you would kindly cease that racket for thirty seconds I will begin my class."

James exchanged a glance with Sirius. McGonagall was back.

As she went on in explaining whatever it was that they would have to do, James allowed his gaze to wander about the rest of the NEWT Transfiguration class. From his position in the middle of the back row, he had a nice view of everything. All of the sixth-year Gryffindors were there, no surprise. James also recognized several Slytherin and Ravenclaws, and a handful of Hufflepuffs. In particular, Ravenclaws Garret Doyle, James's archrival on the Quidditch pitch, and Greg Kane, prefect and his arch-rival for the affections of Lily Evans. Snivellus was also conspicuously sitting directly in front of James, a few rows in front.

A very nice looking Hufflepuff was sitting on the other side of Remus... What was her name? James pondered for a minute. She had a prefect badge, and he'd seen her before. It started with an 'A,' maybe. He didn't think she was one of the Admirers, or a member of the Fan Club... He'd have to find out later. Damn it! She must have a name. Everyone has a name. Alyssa? Amelia? Anne? She didn't look much like an Anne... Maybe Angela? Andrea? Aberdoodle.

Aberdoodle. That's gotta be it Prongs, pure genius.

When everyone else began taking out their wands, James began paying attention.

"What're we doing?" he whispered to Peter.

"Transfiguring the cotton balls."

James rolled his eyes. "Into what?"

"Shirts."

James raised his eyebrows, then turned to Sirius on his other side. "What're we doing?"

"Dunno. Wasn't paying attention." Sirius turned to Remus for a few seconds, then back to James. "Moony says we're turning the cotton into shirts, apparently it's a money-saver later in life."

James groaned. "I don't know about everyone else," he said, "but I think I'm going to be buying my clothes."

Two rows in front of Peter, Lily spun around in her seat.

"That may be Potter," she said icily, "but some people don't have more money than they know what to do with. Some people actually have to work, not just goof off all the time."

James' mouth fell open as she turned back around. That hadn't been what he meant! Why did she always take things the wrong way?

"That's not what I meant, Evans," he said.

She didn't respond.

"Fine, ignore me. You're getting much better at it by the way, I guess practice does make perfect after all."

Still nothing.

Damn.

*

Classes were over, and James was sitting impatiently in the common room, waiting for the rest of his team to show up. As he waited, he began drawing up game plans, which proved to easier said than done, as people wouldn't leave him alone.

"What are you doing, James?" asked Holly Jacobs, a fifth year, perching on the arm of his chair.

As she was the twelfth girl to perch in that exact same spot and ask that very same question, James' patience had worn out.

"Listen Holly," he said agitatedly. "I'm Quidditch Captain this year, I'm drawing up a play, I don't want to flirt, I'm not interested, go away."

She pursed her lips. "What I was going to say," she continued, "is what are you doing there?" She pointed to a dot representing a Chaser on the page. "That one's in a perfect position to fake over here-" she pointed again "-and then either the other team follows leaving this guy over here open, or they don't follow and the fake becomes the play." She crossed her arms over her chest, looking rather proud of herself.

James glanced at the page. She was right. "I... uh, sorry Holly."

"No problem." She smiled. "Two Chaser positions are open this year, right?"

"Right. You trying out?"

"Yup. See you at tryouts."

James grinned, at least someone was serious about Quidditch.

The rest of the team arrived ten minutes later, and they sat in a circle as James explained his now-revised game plan.

"So," he finished, "that's the main play we're going to work on for our first game, we'll come up with a few more offensive and some main defensive later. What does everyone think?"

"I like this part," Michelle said, pointing to the faker. "Not expected, most would go into the Porskoff Ploy."

"Yeah, that's what I thought," James agreed, conveniently leaving out the fact that Holly Jacobs had come up with the move. Hey, he didn't say that he had come up with it, just that he thought it was unexpected...

"So when's a good time for tryouts?" Chris Ryan asked.

"Before the end of the month," James said immediately, pretending to ignore the fact that Sirius' eyelids were drooping. "We want at least a month to get used to the new team. Does next Friday sound good to everyone?"

Michelle nodded. Chris looked skeptical. Sirius also nodded, but for a different reason, he hated meetings and was very close to falling asleep.

"Chris?" James raised his eyebrows. "You have to be there, we need a Keeper to test the Chasers."

"I guess," Chris said. "I have to cancel important plans, you'd better appreciate this."

"Deirdre won't mind." James grinned. Chris had taken a definite liking to one of the former Admirers, Deirdre, the previous May. "I'll talk to McGonagall tonight and get the pitch booked, then let you all know tomorrow what's going on."

The meeting ended with James feeling very satisfied. Tryouts were coming up, and he was in charge. Sure Sirius had been practically asleep, but at least it meant that he wasn't interrupting to put in his opinion.

Suddenly, James could sense someone coming up behind him.

"We need to talk," Lene said in his ear.

James raised his eyebrows. "Do we?"

"Yeah."

"Alright then. Come on." James stood up and led Lene out of the common room.

They made their way to the nearest classroom, and she shut the door behind them. They both stood there, eyeing each other, daring the other to speak. James wasn't mad at her any more; he had gotten over it during the first week of summer. Besides that, he had only really gone out with her to get Lily's attention, as low as that was.

"I feel bad," she said finally.

"About what?"

"I don't want us to be not speaking all year. I've been avoiding you all day and it's weird."

James considered it. "Neither do I," he said finally. "It was stupid, right? I mean, we didn't really even like each other."

"Exactly," she said, sounding relieved. "So we're good then?"

"Yeah, we're good."

Nodding at each other, they left the classroom and went their separate ways. James was once again reminded of why he had always said Lene might as well be one of the guys. Short and to the point, that was how you could define almost any conversation with Lene. Unless, of course, she was in a talkative mood, then she could go on for hours on end talking about one stupid subject, like the color purple.

At least I can talk to her now.

Making his way back to the common room, James had the vaguest idea that he was supposed to be somewhere, doing something.

No duels... Quidditch hasn't started... Detention? No, that's not till tomorrow night... Aha! The Ultimate Sock Escapade! Oh - shit, I'm late!

Breaking into a sprint, James hurtled back to the portrait hole, blurted out the password, darted through the common room and up the stairs, and burst into his dormitory. He was met with three Looks.

"Late," Remus said simply.

"I know. I was talking to Lene."

"You're not back together, are you?" Peter asked.

"No, we just don't hate each other."

"Good, good, good. Now, on to Phase One of the Ultimate Sock Escapade." Sirius, now alert, pointed to four empty cauldrons in the middle of the room.

"Those are cauldrons."

"Very good, Prongs," Remus said sarcastically. "Now, what kind of sleeping potion are we going to make?"

"We could nick some Dreamless Sleep from the Hospital Wing and save some time," Peter suggested.

"No," Sirius said, "The new nurse would notice. Got to give her at least two months before we can borrow from her."

"There's always the ever popular and very easy to make Draught of the Living Dead," Peter suggested as another method.

"'Cause it's always a good idea to put a whole house into almost-permanent slumber," Remus disputed.

"Or," James said, "we could always mix up a quick little Deep Sleep Potion. We don't want them to fall asleep all over the common room; that looks too suspicious. We only want them to not wake up when we break in."

"Exactly." Sirius nodded enthusiastically. "But first, we need to get some more done on the map, we'll need to know where everyone is."

"Before I forget James," Remus said out of the blue, "Lily has been asked out by about six different guys today, and it isn't even dinner yet."

James pointedly ignored him, if he didn't he'd end up punching something. "Where's the map?"

Sirius bounded across the room and pulled it out from under his mattress. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!" he proclaimed, touching the parchment with his wand tip.

Nothing happened.

Sirius cleared his throat. "Just a warm up," he said confidently. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Still nothing. "Want to have a go, Moony?"

Remus took the map. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Nothing. Remus passed it to Peter.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Not a drop of ink. It was passed to James.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." The parchment remained blank. "Open up you fucking map or I will curse you from here to oblivion!"

Suddenly, from the point that James' wand had touched lines of ink began spreading crisscrossing and joining up with each other, rather rushed, and forming the words of the title and dotting where people were until the entire Gryffindor Tower and everything else on the floor were showing.

"I'm good," James declared, nodding to himself. He felt slightly better; the Lily comment had put him in a bad mood,

"Goddamn map," Remus grumbled.

"I take it that wasn't supposed to happen?"

"Of course not Wormtail! You think we want it to open up to anyone who can yell loud enough?"

"I s'pose not. McGonagall can yell with the best of them."

"Hence the password."

"But that didn't work."

"WE KNOW THAT!" Remus' face was very red by that point.

"Moving on," Sirius said quickly, "Moony, you and me'll work on the map. Prongs and Wormtail get started on the potion."

James raised his eyebrows. Since when does Sirius call the shots, he wondered?

"Since when do you call the shots?" he asked.

"You have a better idea?"

"No. I just don't appreciate being ordered around by someone who needs a de-flea charm."

"Moving on," Remus interjected, cutting off the staring match.

James rolled his eyes and sat down beside one of the cauldrons. Peter sat beside him, waiting to be told what to do.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked.

"Do we have all the ingredients here?" James held open a book and pointed to a potion near the bottom.

Peter scanned the list, and then went rooting through the supply bag he had 'borrowed' from Professor Hubert earlier that day. "That and more!" he declared proudly.

"Let's get started then! Eighteen grams of wormwood, mixed with twenty-two drops of lavender nectar..."

*

When the four cauldrons were bubbling contently and the map was obeying orders the four boys headed down to the Great Hall for dinner. As they climbed out the portrait hole, Remus noticed Lily and Lene walking ahead of them, just turning a corner.

"I'll be right back," he said quickly, and quickened his step.

"Why?" James asked, matching the new speed.

"I want to talk to Lene, and that would be a bad idea if you're right there."

"I told you, we're speaking."

"I want to talk about Lily."

James rolled his eyes and fell back.

Jogging to catch up with the girls in front of them, Remus rounded the corner just in time to see Lily's flaming hair disappear behind a tapestry. He pushed it aside to see a staircase twisting downwards. Taking the stairs two at a time, he caught up with them near the bottom.

"Hello!" he said brightly.

"Oh, hi Remus." Lily smiled.

"Hullo." Lene grinned.

"Listen Lily, I need to talk to Lene. Can she meet you in the Great Hall?"

Lily raised her eyebrows wryly.

Lene laughed and shoved her friend good-naturedly. "See ya down there, Lily." When Lily had gone through the tapestry at the bottom, Lene turned to Remus. "Okay, what does James want me to do?"

"What?" Remus was confused, what made her think that?

"Well, he obviously wants my help - again, I might add - in getting Lily, but he can't walk up to me 'cause she'd bite his head off, so he's sent you. He would have asked me before, of course, but we haven't exactly been in touch over the summer and he wasn't sure if I was going to let him leave my sight with all his body parts after the shit he put me through." Lene crossed her arms and gave Remus an all-knowing look; she was in one of her talkative moods.

"No, that's not it."

"Go on then."

"Have you noticed an increased interest of the male population in Lily today?"

"Now that you mention it, yes. It wasn't at all distracting, guys stopping to talk every ten bloody seconds. I mean, who needs to be at class on time? Who wants to have a conversation with her best friend? I'd also like you to note that I didn't feel at all jealous, having guys walk straight by me all day to talk to Lily. Why? You still like her?"

"No! Wait - I like her, but I don't like her... you know?"

Lene laughed. "Think you could back up any faster? It'd be funny to watch."

Remus rolled his eyes. "How many times d'you think she's been asked out?"

Lene gave him a questioning look. "Well, let's see," she said. "There was Lockhart this morning, Kane in Transfiguration, Love at break-" she counted them off on her fingers "-Doyle and Kirke at lunch, Webber in Charms, Green after Charms, and that funny Hufflepuff bloke with the big nose... what's his name? Well, he asked her out too. Oh! Sirius did right before he went off to that Quidditch meeting, but he did just after the Hufflepuff, and I think he was making fun of him so I guess it doesn't count. And that second year - Bill - asked her to marry him because she has red hair. But he asked me first because I have the uniform tie around my ponytail, and he was joking, so I don't think that counts either. At least he acknowledged my existence."

"So, what's that? Nine dates and a proposal?"

Lene glanced at her fingers. "Guess so."

"Great! Thanks Lene. I owe you one."

"No probs." She looked tired all of a sudden. "Tell James I'll try and put in a good word. Underneath it all, I think she does like him a little, after all, she put up a good fight when he said he hated her." She turned back down the stairs.

"Hey Lene!"

"What?" She turned back around.

"You want to get a Butterbeer on Saturday?"

She laughed. "Sure, but only 'cause I know how much you've been pining after me!"

Remus guffawed, then realised she was only joking.

*

James, Sirius and Peter were loading pork chops onto their plates when Remus bounded into the Great Hall, grinning.

"Pay up," he declared, holding his hand out to James. "Nine guys asked her out-"

"The deal was ten!"

"- And one proposed. That counts as another one."

James pouted and sunk down in his seat.

"Wait a minute," Sirius said, as if just remembering something. "You didn't count me in there, did you Moony? 'Cause I asked her out right after classes - as a joke," he said quickly, seeing the look on James' face.

"Okay, so it was only eight and a proposal, but still. Dinner's not half over yet."

"When does dinner officially begin and end?" Peter asked. "When do they officially say, now it's dinner time, and, now it's not? I've never actually seen the food appear or disappear, except at feasts."

Sirius contemplated. "Neither have I."

"Me neither." James rested his chin on one hand.

"Um, you guys? Who cares? It's food, as long as it shows up it doesn't really matter, right?"

"I s'pose. That's on the condition that it's good food, of course," Sirius said sagely.

"That goes without saying. We wouldn't want sprouts or tripe or anything like that." James wrinkled his nose.

"Or cabbage or those funny spicy little green peppers." Peter shuddered.

"Halepinõs?"

"Yeah, them."

"Hey look! Ben Harper's talking to Evans!" Remus held out his hand to James.

"Damn it. When d'you want the money by?"

"This weekend would be nice, I owe Lene a drink."

"As long as it's not a drink of vegetable juice."

"Or prune juice."

"Aren't prunes vegetables?"

"I think they're fruit."

"Oh. Well as long as it's not fruit juice either."

"Wait, I like fruit juice."

"What about overripe banana juice?"

"Or the liquid wrung out of sweaty socks?"

"Um, Padfoot? The liquid wrung out of socks is definitely not fruit juice."

"It's probably overripe though."

"Too true, my friend, too true."