Into the Hands of Fate

Chapter Ten

James said, "Okay guys, let's go." Peter sat up groggily and Sirius bounced out of his bed with excitement. James rolled his eyes and muffled a laugh as he led the way out for Sirius was still bouncing.

He led the way to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom where their bubbling cauldron lay. Peter looked at it with frightened wide eyes and made a kind of gurgle. Sirius laughed and clapped a hand on the boy's back. "You first buddy!" he exclaimed.

James rolled his eyes and poured the cauldron's contents equally into three cups. He handed the first one to Peter and another to Sirius. "Put in the hairs we got last week," he told them. Peter put his in as did the other two. His boiled an ugly and dull brown. He held it as far away from him as it would go. Laughing softly, James said, "Ok, Peter, you go first."

The small boy gave him a look. "Oh, sure, pick on the smallest," he mumbled contorting his face into a playful glare.

Sirius grinned. "Go on, drink it up," he ordered.

"Why me first?" asked Peter. Sirius shrugged. "Fine, but only because I'm the bravest." This made James choke with mock indignation. With a smile, Peter gulped the potion down as quickly as he could. The smile fell from his face immediately when the cup was lowered. He groaned and held his stomach.

James' face fell into one of deep concern. "Oh gosh, Peter, are you all right?" he asked in panic. The other boy was doubled over.

Sirius looking thoroughly guilty and filled with worry said, "Peter, what is it? What's wrong?" And then Peter was gone. There was no sight of him anywhere. In a frenzy, they called out his name.

All of a sudden, Peter was there again with a smile. "It worked! It worked! It actually worked!" he exclaimed with excitement. He hugged them both and disappeared again. The other two boys shared a look and then when they heard squeaks, they looked at Peter on the floor. But Peter wasn't Peter anymore, he was a mouse.

With a tense laugh, Sirius picked him up and held him by the tail. "Ew, you're a rat," he said.

James laughed and petted him. "But his fur's soft." The mouse squeaked and the boys laughed again. Sirius suddenly dropped him. "Sirius!" yelled James in shock.

Peter transformed again holding his head. "What did you drop me for?" he wondered.

"Sorry, Peter, but your tail, you were moving your tail and it was squirmy and, ew. It was like I was holding a worm," was the reply. He received a glare from Peter.

James ignored them and with excitement building inside him, he swallowed the potion down. There was a burning sensation in his throat as the liquid went down. He felt as if he were going to throw up. And then a chilled feeling went through him. It was the strangest one he had ever felt. Suddenly, a sort of pop sounded in his ears.

When he opened his eyes, he was confronted with something big and black. He tried to yell but it came out in a different sound. With shock, he tried to back up and heard a click of hoofs on the tiled floor. There was a yelling and he did his best to translate it.

"Change back, James! Change back!" Yes, he knew that voice, it was Peter. Change back? Oh yes, he knew what to do. He thought of himself as himself, James Potter. And then he was on his rear end. He opened eyes to see Peter and Sirius looking at him.

"Are you all right?" asked Sirius.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I just saw this big black thing...I got scared..." replied James.

Sirius laughed, "That was me, I took the potion when you did."

"Yeah, after you hit me," said Peter rubbing the back of his head.

Sirius grinned sheepishly. "Er-so sorry, Peter my hand seemed to be out of my control at that time." He received another glare so he smiled brightly.

"Sirius, what did you turn into?" asked James curiously.

The other boy beamed. "Well...I was taking into consideration that dream I told you guys about...you know, the one where I saw the boy who looked like James flying but he was a seeker, and I also that Professor Sibylline kept seeing the grim in my cup... " James and Peter laughed when they found where this was going.

"You chose to be a grim?" exclaimed Peter with a laugh.

"This is the farthest you've ever gone, Sirius," said James with a laugh to his friend.

"Well, what're we waiting for?" Sirius yelled and ran off. The other boys followed close behind.

Outside, they looked around in the midnight's darkness. A howl pierced the night, which made the three boys turn to the Shrieking Shack with wide eyes. "Poor Remus..." said Sirius softly. Peter just shook his head in sympathy. They ran and Peter transformed into a rat so he could touch the knot on the Whomping Willow like Remus told them to do. The other boys followed him and soon they were in the tunnel leading into the room where their friend was. James looked around. This gloomy hallway filled him with wonder and curiosity.

"I as good as killed them," he croaked. James looked around with widening eyes. The voice echoed in the tunnel.

"Sirius, did you say something?" The other boy turned around to look at him.

"Er-no, why?" Sirius asked in curiosity. James just shook his head.

"I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me..." James halted again.

"Sirius, what are you talking about?" he asked. The voices still echoed by.

The other boy looked at him and put a hand on his shoulder. "James, I'm not saying a word, are you feeling all right?" His voice was full of concern.

"Peter, tell me you heard him speaking," James told Peter.

The plump boy looked at him. "James, if you aren't feeling all right, maybe we should bring you back."

Sighing, he shook his head and continued up the steps.

"I'm to blame, I know it..." The voice was filled with solemn guilt filled with an excruciating pain that James could almost feel it just at the sound of it. He turned to look at Sirius whose eyes were glowing with eagerness. Only then did James see how much the other boy cared for his friends. He only wanted to help Remus.

"Well, hello, Peter. Long time, no see."

"Remus?" called James. "Long time no see? You saw us just a few hours ago." Peter and Sirius looked at him with building bewilderment.

"James, what are you talking about?" asked Sirius. He stopped James' assent up the steps of the tunnel. "Come on, we're going back now, I'm taking you back."

James pulled out of his grasp. "No, never mind, I'm fine." The other boys looked unconvinced but shrugged and finally, they reached the door.

"He's at Hogwarts...he's at Hogwarts..." echoed a voice. James covered his ears with his hands and shut his eyes to take a few deep breaths. He felt sick. Something seemed so wrong here, something seemed so very wrong.

Sirius watched with wide eyes. The door was slowly opening but then James covered his ears and shut his eyes. There was a piercing howl and a fully-grown werewolf was before them. It pounced and Sirius ran to push James aside. Dazedly, everything seemed a blur. Peter was yelling for Remus to stop and James was slowly sitting up but covering his ears. Everything seemed like a dream. Sirius transformed at the last moment when the werewolf was on him. He did his best to calm Remus.

"Remus, it's us, look at me, it's James, your friend," came a voice. Sirius turned to see James standing with Peter in the room. The howls and roars slowed and Remus sat on his haunches looking from the big black dog that was Sirius to the two boys before him.

Puzzlement was clear in his eyes. "Don't bite us, Remus," Peter whispered looking at him with wide eyes. Sirius transformed back into himself.

Poor Remus...he thought with a wrenching heart. The werewolf's eyes kept looking from each boy to the other and so on. It looked thoroughly bewildered. Slowly, the werewolf that was Remus curled up on the floor looking at them. He seemed to be trying to think of who or what these new creatures were and why they were there.

There was a movement beside him and James turned to see Peter take a step forward. Almost immediately, he took a step back but seemed to be thinking which he would rather do. He took a step forward again and cringed when Remus lifted his head. Biting down on his lip, Peter, with his face set with determination, slowly advanced towards his friend.

"H-Hello, R-Remus, I-I can change in-into a r-rat n-now," he said forcing a crooked smile. Beads of sweat ran down his forehead and he brushed it away with a sleeve. "Er-we-we touched the - er - knot on the-the Whomping Willow, and-and it froze, like you-you said it would." The small boy's voice trembled with fright but he seemed resolute to try and be brave for the sake of his friend.

Sirius and James looked at each other with a small smile. The walked up to the werewolf as well. James patted Peter's shoulder and the boy nearly fell over. He stood erect once again with a foolish grin.

"Stupid floor, I think it's crooked," he said quietly. James laughed at him. He transformed into his stag state. Sirius looked at him in awe. It was a perfect animal. James' transformation was large but not too large and exquisitely beautiful.

That night was the best night of the full moon Remus had ever had.

~*~

James stumbled into the common room after Peter and Sirius landing on the couch with a soft thump. His lids closed and he fell immediately asleep. Sirius pushed Peter ahead of him and turned around to say something to James about when they were back in the tunnel, but found the other boy wasn't there. Giving the sleep walking Peter another push, he went back down the steps.

"James," he mumbled forcing his eyes open. He fell down the remaining steps and sat up holding his head. "Ok, ow." Blinking rapidly, he seemed more awake now. He looked around the room and caught sight of a limp figure on the couch. Before he knew it, his eyes drooped shut and he was asleep at the staircase.

~*~

Lydia yawned and stretched, blinking her eyes in the bright sunshine of day. She brushed her blonde hair away from her face and looked around. No one else seemed awake yet so she lay on her four-poster bed for a short while.

I wonder how Remus is doing...she thought to herself. It jolted her suddenly when she replayed that thought. Her first thought in the morning was about Remus...that gave her something to think about.

Lily heard a rustle and sat up. Rubbing her eyes, she opened her curtains to see Hallie putting on her snow gear. "What - are - you - doing?" she asked slowly. "It's like - what? - seven thirty?"

Hallie shrugged with an angelic smile plastered upon her face. "It's snowing outside." There was a laugh from across the room where Lydia sat. "What's so funny?"

"It's like another blizzard out there!" she exclaimed with incredulity dripping in her voice. This made the other girl put on her clothes on faster. She raced down the steps and tripped over something soft at the bottom. She rolled over and sat up with a groan as she rubbed the shoulder she fell on. There was another groan from in front of her. Hallie narrowed her eyes.

"What the hell were you doing sitting at the bottom of the steps?" she wondered loudly.

Sirius blinked and looked up rubbing his sore back. "What the hell did you trip over me for?" he yelled back.

Glaring at him, she slowly stood up with a wince. "I asked you first," she told him.

"I was sleeping, that's what I was doing," he replied. This made her break into laughter.

"Very smart of you, Sirius."

He rolled his eyes and stood up. Sirius now looked down at her. He was half a head taller than she was. Since he was young, he had grown and became a very handsome young man. Like James, who was also now a very sought out boy, he tried to stay away from some of the giggly girls that seemed to try and trail their little group. Now that he thought of it as he looked down at Hallie, she was really not like those girls. She didn't really giggle and was likely to insult him rather than swoon over him. Lily was very mature and didn't have an eye on anyone really though he thoroughly suspected she liked James very much as did the other boy like her. Lydia and Remus had been a couple since the middle of their third year.

Sirius looked at her differently now. Hallie was looking at him expectantly as if waiting for him to say something. Her large sapphire eyes blinked at him and he just blinked back. In puzzlement, her arms fell to her sides. "Sirius, are you all right?" she asked. She brushed a strand of her straight black hair from her face. Her ivory skin was pale from the cold making her eyes stand out unusually brightly. She waved a hand in front of his face making him shake his head and bring back into reality.

"What? Oh, yeah. What're you doing?" he questioned.

She raised an eyebrow but replied. "Er - I was going outside to go in the snow."

His eyes lit up. "Ooh! Wait for me!" he said and ran up the steps. Hallie thought about this for a moment. Should she wait or leave him behind? It would be mean to leave him, but did she have the patience to wait? In the time it took her to leave him, he had already come down. She looked at him. He wore his thick robes and his cheeks were flushed in the rush of excitement. "What're you waiting for?" he exclaimed and took her hand. He led her down the hall where they passed by Professor McGonagall.

"Where are you two going in a rush?" she inquired looking at them over her glasses and over the pile of books she was carrying.

"Er-nowhere, Professor," said Sirius with a handsome and charming smile. He ran a hand through his hair. She narrowed her eyes and turned to Hallie who was looking down at hers and Sirius' hands, which were intertwined.

"Tell me, Miss Forester."

At this, Hallie looked up. Sirius gave her a meaningful look and squeezed her hand. Sighing she said, "Nothing at all, Professor." Sirius nodded and gave the teacher a broad grin and then took off tugging Hallie along. Finally, they burst out of the front doors and into the air where the snow fell from the heavens.

They dropped their hands and she looked up into the sky and closed her eyes. Letting the snow fall and melt on her face, she felt its coolness on her skin and smiled in content. Then she looked to Sirius who was on the ground making snow angels. She laughed. "I don't think I've seen anyone do that in a long time," she told him.

He looked up and smiled at her. She noticed how adorable he looked with snow in his black hair. His smile wasn't one filled with mischief and scheming, but it was one filled with sincere joy and happiness. It was genuine smile she felt her heart melt to. "Come on, try it." He stood up to look at his masterpiece and laughed. Sirius beckoned her over. She thought about it for half a second before running over. Together they lay in the snow making snow angels.

~*~

Warily, Remus walked up the steps to his dormitory and bumped into Lydia who smiled and hugged him tightly. "Are you all right?" she whispered looking up at him in concern.

Sluggish with drowsiness, he smiled at her and held her close. Their lips met and the winter cold seemed to melt away. When they parted, Remus let his headrest on hers. He was so tired. She helped him to his dormitory and sat next to him. He closed his eyes and smiled. "Thanks, Lydia," he murmured. She lay next to him and kissed his cheek. His breathing became even and his features softened. The stress lines that were starting to appear on his face left and she caressed his cheek. He had been through so much at such a young age. She kissed his soft lips.

"I love you, Remus," she said softly.

"Love you too," he replied quietly. She smiled and snuggled close to him. He put his arm around her and hugged her gently. She too, then fell asleep.

~*~

Lily walked down the steps holding her book and crept to the armchair by the hearth but saw a form on the couch. She stopped to look at him. James was curled up slightly and he looked like a sleeping angel. The fire cast a glow a bit like a halo around his head. He was so cute lying like that. His head was rested on his arm and he was sleeping so peacefully. Her fingers itched to brush away a strand of hair that fell before his eyes. She slowly went closer to him and did what her instinct told her to.

James felt soft and gentle fingers run through his hair. He rustled ever so slightly and opened his eyes slowly. She jumped away from him and looked at him with wide eyes. Slowly he sat up with a small smile on his face. He motioned for her to sit next to him. Ever so cautiously, she did so. He rubbed his eyes and smiled. "Hi," he said softly. She gave him a lop-sided smile.

"Hey," she replied in the same quiet voice. He leaned back and rested his head on a pillow on the couch. She looked at him. Just the sight of him made something inside her turn with a feeling of...with a feeling of...of what she did not know. It was different, but she liked it, it was different from everything else she had ever felt. It was something new. It was only then that she noticed his hand on top of hers. A surge of warmth ran through her and she was amazed at how only a single person's touch could have made such an impact on her. Her spine tingled with a gentle electrifying feeling. On instinct or something she did not know, she sat closer next to him and rested her head on his shoulder.

He put a hand through her soft hair and kissed her forehead. Somehow, this scene felt right, it seemed as if nothing else mattered and only she did at that moment. He held her close. She looked up at him. Her emerald eyes showed something he had never seen in them before and his reflected the feeling. She smiled and knew what that expression she could not define meant. He leaned his head down and kissed her. It was short but sweet and full of the feelings that words could not have expressed. No words needed to be said; just looking at each other could the express what they were feeling at that moment. They both smiled.

~*~

"I need to know. The prophecies say it will be true but I doubt it so. How shall I know for sure?" He sat before his prized thirteen. A man stood up. He stood erect and proud full of confidence.

"The Seer will know, master, we must find the Seer," said the man. He whom they call Lord Voldemort rose.

"Precisely, we must find the Seer. And how shall we execute this task?" he asked. The other man bowed. "Yes, Requillo?"

"We must get someone from Hogwarts to assist us, someone close to the boy," he replied. Voldemort nodded.

"Indeed. Very well thought out." The Dark Lord closed his eyes with a small smile playing on his lips. "Leave me," he said softly. The thirteen Death Eaters rose at once and in order walked out of the room. "I'll get you, James Potter, I'll do whatever it takes."

~*~

"I guess we should go down for breakfast," he told her. She looked up with a smile and nodded. He took her hand and helped her up. They left the Gryffindor common room to walk down the halls. His arm was casually on her waist and hers on his. Then Andrea and four of her other friends were walking down the hall from the opposite direction.

"James!" she exclaimed with a smile. Her eyes drifted to his arm around Lily's waist and her smile faltered noticeably. "And Lily," she finished dully. The group of giggly girls lost their giggles as they stood to watch James and Lily walk by.

When the group was out of earshot, Lily laughed. "I don't think I've ever seen them lose their laughter before when around you!" James groaned and rolled his eyes heavenward.

"It gets rather annoying, I'm glad for the peace and quiet. When so many girls are after you, there's only one time there's a silence, when you're asleep," he told her.

Lily punched his shoulder with another laugh. "Well aren't you Mr. Modest!"

He put up his hands in defense. "I'm just telling it like it is!" It was now her turn to roll her eyes. He put his arm around her waist again and held her close. In turn, she leaned her head against his chest. Then they saw two people coming down the hall.

~*~

He shivered. "You made me into a living Popsicle. Thank you ever so much, Hallie dearest," Sirius said giving Hallie a sweet but mocking smile.

She reflected the one he gave her. "And you're ever so welcome." She swung an arm over his shoulder. "Now, I'd like to know you're behind me 100%."

He put his arm around her shoulders as well and sighed but grinned at her. "Of course I am. I must admit, you're a very cunning young lady," he said in a dignified voice.

She smacked the back of his head and laughed. "Don't make fun of me."

There was a short pause. "So how about tonight? Is tonight okay with you?"

She looked up at him with a scheming smile. "Wonderful. It's perfect."

James shared a meaningful look with Lily and waved Sirius and Hallie over. Sirius shared a meaningful look with Hallie and waved back at his friend. "Er - hi, guys," he said with a smile. He seemed to be trying to hold back his laughter, which made Hallie, burst into giggles. She clasped a hand over her mouth and waved. Then she rushed away in a speed walk.

"Er - is she - is she...?" asked James.

Sirius grinned charmingly. "Of course she's not. She's a maniac witch, remember?"

At this, Lily punched his shoulder with a smirk. "But someone seems to like her," she said softly.

He blushed a bit and rolled his eyes. "I don't. Now, how are you two?" he asked.

It was Lily's turn to blush and James, with a smile, averted his eyes. "We have to go now, Sirius, you understand don't you?" asked James still looking away.

With a nod, the boy grinned and puckered up his lips. "Of course I do!" Then he ducked Lily's slap and ran off cackling with laughter and making kissing noises. Lily rolled her eyes and looked up at James.

"I sincerely am concerned about that boy's sanity," she muttered putting a strand of hair behind her ear. James laughed and put his arm around her.

The rest of the day pretty much was like a regular day and the boys sat around in the common room late that night after everyone had gone up to sleep. Remus sat half asleep on the couch. "That was great! It was the best!" yelled Peter with a broad smile.

Sirius elbowed him and said, "Tone it down a bit, Wormtail."

Peter gave him a look. "Wormtail?" he asked. "Care to explain?"

The boy folded his arms across his chest with an eyebrow raised. "Umm...no, not really," was the reply. James grinned and rolled his eyes averting his gaze towards Remus who was stretched out on the couch, fast asleep. Sirius' and Peter's bickers were slowly increasing in loudness. He grabbed a pillow from behind him on the armchair before the fire and hit them both upon their heads with it. "Ow!"

"Be quiet, Remus is sleeping," James told them both. The other boys looked to Remus and Sirius' face broke out into a mischievous smile. The boy sucked in a deep breath and opened his mouth ready to yell but Peter hit him in the stomach with his wand making him cough.

"Didn't you heard? Remus is sleeping!" he exclaimed. Sirius' exhale became laughter which made him put a hand over his mouth to muffle the chuckles. James sighed and used a spell to levitate them back to their dormitory as to leave Remus in peace.

Remus opened his eyes as soon as he saw that the others had left. Quiet as a mouse, he went up the steps and to the girls' dormitory where he found Lydia waiting for him. He took her hand and they went down the steps. She put her head against his shoulder. "Aren't you tired?" she asked softly.

With a grin he said, "No, not really, you're forgetting those three hours of sleep I got during double classes of History of Magic."

Lydia laughed and hugged him. "You're too cute for your own good."

"I know."

~*~

Later that night, Remus walked from her dormitory back to his with a silly smile upon his face and almost walked straight into someone sitting at the top of the steps leading up to the boy's dormitory. "Hi, Remus," said James looking up at him from his perch on the step.

The foolish grin faded away from the boy's face. "Er - hi, James. What're you doing up this early?" he asked.

James with a small smile on his face replied, "You took the words right from my mouth." Remus looked up at the ceiling. "Where did you go?"

"To the French restaurant in Hogsmead."

"Have fun?"

Remus looked at him with another grin. "You could say that."

Rolling his eyes, James stood and pushed the other boy into the room before him. "Get in there, you."

~*~

Lily sat at the breakfast table with her friends. "The Winter dance is coming up!" squealed Andrea, coming up to them.

Gwen looked at her as she rolled her eyes. "Whoopee."

This received a glare from the other girl. "So, who do you guys want to go with," she asked taking a seat next to Lydia. The girl gave her a look. "Oh yeah, I forgot, you're already hooked. I guess that takes Remus off the bachelor list. Too bad too." Andrea shot a look at the boy down the table and grinned playfully at Lydia who had a raised eyebrow. "You know I'm just kidding you!" She then turned to Lily. "How about you, Miss Popular? How many guys have asked you already?"

Lily blushed. "Be quiet, Andrea, it was just announced this morning."

Hallie smiled. "She's going with James."

The bright smile Andrea wore faded a bit. "Oh really?"

"He hasn't asked me yet, Hallie," said Lily in a low voice.

The girl laughed. "Yet? Did I hear you say yet?" Another laugh came from the coal black headed girl. "You know you like him."

"As a friend! I like him as a friend!" was the reply.

Andrea and Hallie shared a meaningful look. "She likes him."

"So what about you, Hallie, who're you going with?" Andrea asked her. It was Lily's turn to smile.

Gwen grinned evilly. "Oh I know who you should go with," the girl said. Lydia looked at her expectantly. "Sirius!"

Hallie choked with indignation. "Well, if you would say that and call yourself my friend -"

"She's just kidding," said Lydia, but there was a gleam in her eyes and she and Gwen shared a look.

Andrea, after a while, left and went further down the table for gossip.

"Molly," was Arthur's simple reply. James grinned.

Sirius said, "Of course, he and Molly are destined." Arthur swung a smack at him playfully and with a laugh, the boy ducked.

The older boy looked at James. "How about you? Are you going with Lily?" he asked with a small smile.

James blushed and looked down the table where she was talking with her friends. "Er - no," he replied.

Remus looked at him in shock and Peter bit down on his lip to suppress a chuckle. "But I thought that you --" James silenced him with a look. "Oh - um - right. How about you, Sirius? Who're you going to ask?"

Now Peter laughed. "I don't think it's a matter of Sirius asking anyone because it's the matter of if they'll go with him or not," he said. Sirius glared at him with mock hurt. The boy lunged at the smaller one who laughed and backed off. Arthur laughed with them and stood up when Molly came over.

"I'll see you guys later, all right?" he said and went away with Molly.

"Are you saying I can't get a date?" Sirius asked Peter with a glare.

The boy rolled his eyes. "I was kidding, you're like, Mr. Popular."

Remus held up a hand. "Wait one second," he said with a glance at James who nodded and grinned. "I don't think you can get a date for the Winter Dance."

Sirius crossed his arms over his chest. "Name the girl and I'll get her to go with me."

Remus laughed. "Well aren't you Mr. Modest?"

"On one condition," Sirius continued.

James said, "Name it."

"I want a new supply of fifty filibuster fireworks and fifty dung bombs," the boy said with a wide smile.

Peter rolled his eyes. "You're such a kid," he said.

James agreed and Remus said, "It's a deal."

Sirius looked around. "So now all I have to do is get a girl to go with me to the dance."

James shook his head and beamed. "Not just any girl, my friend, but the girl. And we're choosing her."

Sirius looked overly confident. "Go right ahead."

Peter and Remus and James huddled and in one second separated with broad and mischievous grins upon their faces. "You have to get Hallie Forester to go with you."

Sirius' grin fell from his face almost immediately. "Hallie - Hallie Forester?" he asked with a squeak in his voice.

The other boys laughed and James said, "The one and only."

"Goodie." He paused for a few moments. "Wait, you guys never said what you want in return if I don't get her to go with me."

Peter chuckled. "If? My, my, Sirius, you're still confident about this?"

Sirius looked down the table at the girl who was laughing with Lily, Lydia, and Gwen. "I never said that."

"We don't want anything much, Sirius, but if you lose, we get to dress you up as a girl, dress and all, and make you go a day like that around school," said Remus who was beaming.

"WHAT?!" he yelled. Almost everyone in the room became silent. He looked around and smiled sheepishly. "I just found out James is going to ask Lily to the Winter Dance is all," he said into the silence. James blushed a deep crimson and shot a glare at the boy. The room erupted into excited talk once again. Sirius laughed. "Just kidding!" And then the talk softened a bit for their piece of gossip was ruined. He leaned in to the others. "That's not fair," he whispered fiercely.

"Oh, but it is," said James looking at the boy evilly. "You made the deal, and we cast the Wizard's Dealing Charm on you already. The bet is on."

With another look down the table, Sirius muffled a groan and put his head in his hands in defeat. "Goodbye dignity and hello pretty dress..."