Burning Love

•Placing Bets•

The Great Hall buzzed with energy, the kind of lively atmosphere that made Hogwarts feel like home. I was enjoying my breakfast, surrounded by my friends—Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter—when James practically bounced in his seat, unable to contain his excitement.

"You guys won't believe it!" he exclaimed, leaning forward with wide eyes. "Lily actually said yes to going out with me!"

My fork paused mid-bite, and I exchanged a look with Sirius, who raised an eyebrow, a teasing smirk already forming on his lips. "Wait, what? You're serious?" I asked, my skepticism evident.

James nodded vigorously, his grin stretching from ear to ear. "I'm dead serious! She agreed to a date!"

Sirius leaned back, arms crossed, ready to pounce. "And how exactly did you manage that? Did you finally use your charm, or are you just lucky today?"

James shrugged, a bit too puffed up for my liking. "It's all about persistence! You know that!"

Remus chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Right, and that persistence has only made her more likely to run away from you. What's different this time?"

James waved off the doubt like it was a pesky fly. "No, really! She's actually interested now! After Quidditch practice yesterday, she said, 'Maybe we could grab a butterbeer sometime.' That's practically a wedding proposal!"

I couldn't help but laugh, my skepticism turning to amusement. "A butterbeer? Wow, you really went all out for that one, didn't you?"

Sirius joined in, leaning closer to me with a cheeky grin. "What's next? You'll tell us she invited you to her parents' house for dinner? You're really reaching here, mate."

James shot them both a playful glare, undeterred. "You just wait. When we go on this date, you'll be eating your words!"

I leaned back, watching him with a mix of curiosity and anticipation. "Alright, Mr. Potter. We'll take you at your word. But you'd better make sure it actually happens. Or else you'll be the laughingstock of Gryffindor."

"I won't be!" he insisted, determination ringing in his voice. "You'll see! I've got it all planned out."

Just then, Lily entered the Great Hall, her hair catching the light like spun gold. She glanced around, and when her eyes met James's, I could practically see the fireworks going off in his head. He straightened up, an eager smile spreading across his face, and it was impossible not to feel a rush of excitement for him.

"Look at him! He's practically glowing," I whispered to Sirius, trying to stifle my laughter.

"If he keeps this up, he might just float away," Sirius chuckled, his eyes glinting with mischief.

"Hey, hey!" James interjected, noticing our laughter. "I'm serious! Lily and I are going to be a thing!"

Lily approached the table with Alice, and I could see a hint of pink on her cheeks as she caught James's gaze.

"See that?" James declared, practically bouncing again. "She's blushing! That's a sign!"

I rolled my eyes, trying not to laugh too hard. "Or it means she's embarrassed that you're staring at her like a lovesick puppy."

James opened his mouth to argue but was interrupted as Sirius declared, "Alright, everyone, listen up! We need to place bets on how long it takes for James to embarrass himself in front of Lily on their first date."

Laughter erupted around the table, and even James couldn't suppress a chuckle at the absurdity of it all. "You'll see! I'm going to make a grand romantic gesture that will blow her away!"