*Seduction Secrets*
James Harold Potter - Only son of Lord Harold Francis Potter and Lady Victoria Marie Potter. Resident ladies man at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardary. He withholds a popular and sought after reputation as the most eligible and most desired bachelor at Hogwarts. He is ringleader of the most popular and envied foursome ever to reside within Hogwarts' walls - The Marauders: James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. Outside of school he holds the same sort of reputation, only it is kept clear from his wealthy parent's ears as he is currently only 16 years old. He enjoys his time with friends and family at his grand family retreat: Godric Lagoon Manor.
Lily Elizabeth Evans - Youngest daughter of Lord Richard William Evans and Lady Elizabeth Dian Evans. The most sought after girl attending Hogwarts, but remains an untainted virgin of beauty. Quiet, calm and collected, Lily Evans has the reputation of never having a boyfriend despite her evident potential to have virtually any boy she desires. She stays clear of becoming too wrapped up in a member of the opposite sex, as she firmly believes that the act of love should only occur when both parties involved are actually in love. Leads the same home lifestyle as James Potter - minus the obvious - and enjoys her precious time spent with family at her parent's country home: Orchard Bloom Manor.
Summary - James Potter has had his eyes set upon the 'gorgeous, yet fiery, red head', Lily Evans for quite a while and has been bidding his time until he makes his move. Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew believe that James has finally met his downfall with this girl, and insist that even with his 'talent', he could never in a million years get Lily Evans to sleep with him. However, James is adamant that, although it may be a slight challenge, he could tempt the lovely Lily into his four poster bed easily. Deciding to play James at his own vain game, Sirius, Remus and Peter offer James a little wager: he has to persuade Lily Evans, the most beautiful but virtuous girl in Hogwarts, to sleep with him by the end of their seventh year, otherwise he must swear upon the contents of his vault that he'll never sleep with another girl until his post-nuptial hour; if he succeeds, however, they must never doubt his 'incomparable flair at getting any girl he wants' - as insisted upon by the typical James Potter.
A tale of love, hate, lies, deception, pleasure and attraction - these are: Seduction Secrets
Swimming Pool Playtime
Seduction; the transparent persuasive technique used to manipulate and entice another into acting upon something they would not partake in otherwise. To seduce a fellow human being, by some, is considered a form of mind intrusion; an invasion of the psyche as to soften and weaken the victims mind, causing them to indulge in things upon false pretences. To others, however, it is thought of as a gift and an art form, in which at least a minimal level of lust is shared between both parties: the predator and its prey.
The art of seduction is fragile; it is hollow and it is translucent to those who find themselves unperturbed by feeble hormonal-driven exploits. These victims, whom seem resolute to ignoring such flagrant passes and endeavours offered by the 'hunter', remain the ones who are recognised as strong and unyielding when interferences clash with their own morals and beliefs.
One boy knew that these types of people were rare, especially when someone like him was around with his dazzling charm. Yet, being the slightly naïve person he always was, he couldn't help but not understand how a certain fiery red-head girl could be so immune to his 'charismatic magnetism'.
This girl was to soon become an even bigger part of his life, and it all started one hot summer afternoon as four boys lazed around outside by an enormous Aztec style swimming pool, all bathing in the cool shade of a large palm tree.
"So, what are we going to do today apart from remain un-tanned under this tree?" asked a topless, well built boy with dark wavy hair and dreamy, sparkling silvery grey eyes. Beside him lay another bare chest, slightly tanned and firmly toned bodied boy. This bespectacled boy's glasses further enhanced his gorgeous, deep, chocolate-brown eyes and made his handsomely chiselled features stand out more thanks to his attention-seeking eyes.
"Well, either we lay here and stay cool…or we dunk Wormtail into the pool…he's asleep, we could just levitate him…" began James Potter as he had turned on his side and was now facing Sirius Black, his best friend. Another boy with sandy coloured hair, shinning blue eyes, broad tanned shoulders and wearing a bright yellow t-shirt sat up suddenly and glanced over at James and Sirius planning poor Peter Pettigrew's 'accidental mishap' and frowned.
"What are you two going to do to little sleeping Peter this time?" he enquired staring at the boys intently, though from the tone of his voice, his choice of patronising words and the slight grin playing on his lips, it was obvious to see he wasn't overly bothered. James looked at him and smiled mischievously, then gestured to him to come closer.
"Sirius and I want to give Peter a little wake up call…in the pool," he said quietly and peeked over at Peter Pettigrew, a small, stumpy, mousy haired boy with two large front teeth and tiny watery eyes. He also wore a t-shirt, depicting a large quantity of Swiss cheese and a mouse crawling out of one of its many holes. "So you want to help?" he asked Remus Lupin as Remus brushed his hair away from his face and rolled his eyes.
"No, you're all right…I'll miss this one out," he sighed and lay back down. He reached over the edge of the sun bed and picked up a book entitled, 'What Wary Werewolves Wear' by Lunica Lupus, turned to a bookmarked page and began reading. James and Sirius raised their eyebrows and looked at each other, and then seemingly came to a mutual agreement.
"Fair enough, Moony, have it your way…" Sirius said smirking. He and James rose from their sun beds and got out their wands from their shorts pockets. Creeping over to Peter's rest place, they both pointed their wands at him simultaneously. It was only Sirius, however, who spoke the incantation to levitate Peter without him realising.
Remus, not being all that stupid, quickly glanced up to find James standing with his wand pointed directly at him with an evil glint in his eyes. Remus' eyes went wide and he made to get away but James was too quick.
"Wingardium Leviosa," he said in a bored tone and gave a fake yawn. Remus yelped and started yelling at James to put him down, but this only made James laugh loudly at the frantically struggling Remus Lupin before him as Sirius carefully floated a still sleeping Peter over to the waters edge and over the middle of the pool. Remus had stopped screaming demands to be let down at James, but was still shooting insults and threats at him in low tones as he was slowly moved over to where Peter was, over the glistening, cool water.
"Prongs, I swear I'll rip your bloody antlers off of your stupid head and lodge them where the sun doesn't shine if you drop me into that-" he warned James, though he looked a little amused all the same. After all, it was all in good fun.
"Oh, Moony my dear old friend, you brought this upon yourself…if you won't be part of the solution, then you're part of the problem," James said in an, 'it's the only way' tone. Remus' eyes widened at James' attempted reconciliation.
"Solution?! What bloody solution? Dropping a sleeping human rat into a pool of water is a solution now?" he asked incredulously. James stopped moving Remus now, as he was already above the middle of the pool and put on a serious thinking expression, then looked at Sirius who was waiting for the go ahead. Sirius just shrugged, looking nonchalant and James looked back at Remus.
"Yes." He said simply and smiled, and then both he and Sirius whipped their wands away so that the connection with the spell was broken.
Peter and Remus both fell in unison into the cool water that felt like ice on a hot summer's day. As they hit the water Peter gave an almighty mousey squeal - funnily enough - and started splashing around in the water. Remus, on the other hand, just allowed himself to go under and resurface again; all the while his eyes narrowed at the two boys who stood at the edge of the pool laughing gleefully and - what one could only imagine by the way they were gripping their sides, their eyes watering - painfully.
"Oh - oh God…that was classic…the look on your face W-Wormtail!" cried James, a face of utter amusement. Once Peter had finished splashing about, he came to a halt and saw the two culprits who had disturbed his heavenly dream that involved he, in rat form, tangoing with Professor McGonagall, the infamous 'no-nonsense' teacher at Hogwarts, who scared the living daylights out of anyone that received one of her piercing, speak out of term one more time and you'll wish mummy and daddy had taken more care when indulging in drunken fornication' glares.
Glaring with his small watery eyes, narrowed to look even more miniscule than usual, he screamed out to the boys laughing uncontrollably.
"What the hell was that for!" he cried shrilly. James looked at the drenched Peter and announced happily.
"Oh come on Petey, don't get over-dramatic now-" he sniggered as Sirius cut in.
"Yeah, Pete, let's not get too ratty now." Sirius hollered, and both he and James burst out into heavier spouts of laughter.
As he and James rolled about the floor laughing, Remus withdrew his wand from the joggers he had on and whistled to Peter. When Peter turned his attention to Remus, Remus indicated that he should do the same and then glanced pointedly at James and Sirius. Peter gave a look of understanding and pulled out his wand.
They aimed their wands at the two boys and incanted the levitating spell. Both James and Sirius, holding their sides still, eyes scrunched up from the apparent hilarity of the situation, neither noticed that they had left the ground, nor did they realise that they were hovering six feet above the water. With the element of surprise achieved, they glanced at each other and nodded.
Time for a little payback…
"Ahhh!" screamed James and Sirius as they collided with the mellow waters surface and became engulfed in a wave of, what felt like, icy cold water. As they resurfaced, both gasping in shock and the sudden bitter lack of oxygen they had just so rightly received, they looked at one another, mouths wide open. They turned their heads rapidly to see Remus and Peter laughing hysterically.
"And WHY in God's green fuckin' earth would you do that!?" Sirius yelled in indignant incredulity, his hair dripping wet over his attractive facial features. Remus stopped laughing and grinned back at Sirius and James.
"Well, we figured, that since you couldn't be part of our solution, you were part of the problem…" he chortled and Peter just snorted loudly. "Terribly sorry lads, but you left us no choice - 'what has been dealt unlawfully unto others, should be dealt just as so unto the dealer', my friends." he spoke wisely, trying to act serious, but failing miserably as another bout of laughter swept over him.
Shaking their heads in disbelief, James and Sirius charged - correction; waded as fast as they could - at Remus and Peter then began dunking their heads under the water.
For a total of half an hour the four Marauders fought tirelessly: splashing, dunking and lifting one another out of the water, and then throwing the victim as far as they could. Peter, naturally, could barely lift either of the ten/eleven stone teenagers, and consequently became the prime target for everyone else.
It wasn't until a woman wearing an orange silk gown, a sombrero hat perched at an angle upon her head and dark sunglass's covering her eyes came sauntering out of a pair of large oak doors and down three flights of polished marble steps that were attached to an enormous country manor house, did they finally have to call a truce.
"Boys! I want you to be out of the swimming pool, dried off, showered, dressed up in your best formal clothes and have your teeth cleaned so that they out-shine the sun in thirty minutes!" she called hurriedly. The boys all turned to look at the pretty woman before them and smiled.
"Mother, how wonderful it is to see you again!" exclaimed James happily as they all paddled their way to the edge of the pool and climbed out. Victoria Marie Potter rolled her eyes and smiled at the four drenched boys.
"James dear, what have I told you about starting water fights with our guests?" she asked in a mock stern tone.
James just raised his eyebrow and said, "Mum, I would hardly consider them to be guests…they never leave the grounds."
Victoria opened her mouth to reply but was cut off as a tall, clean cut, prim and shaven man, wearing a light dinner suit, stepped up by her side and smiled at the boys.
"I would have to agree with that, dear," he said to his wife and kissed her cheek, then turned to the three 'guests'. "Are you ever going to give us any peace and quiet for once?" he asked in the same mock tone of strictness his wife had used. Sirius, Remus and Peter all glanced at each other, and then turned to face Harold Francis Potter, all grinning stubbornly.
"Not very likely," said Sirius.
"No, sorry," sighed Remus.
"What they said," piped up Peter.
Harold Potter just smiled brightly and shook his head. "Well, that's all right then!" he said merrily.
"Right, boys, you really must be getting ready," perked up Victoria. She turned to her husband, laid a hand on his arm and spoke slowly and as though she was talking to a two year old. "Harold, do be a dear and stop delaying the child- I mean, the lads." She added hastily at the look she received from James and Sirius.
"Oh, that was a close one Mummy P," cringed Sirius and she just rolled her eyes.
"Be quiet Sirius, sweetheart," she cooed and tapped him on the head in a somewhat patronising manner. "Now, go on you four; go and get washed and changed…we have guests arriving in an hour," she said linking arms with Harold and turning around, leading him back up to the house.
James and Sirius, looking perplexed at the sudden news of guests, both rushed to find out who it was that they were having over.
"Why? Who is it that's coming?" called James.
"Do we know them? Have they got a cute daugh-?" Sirius began but Remus elbowed him painfully in the ribs. "Ouch! That bloody hurt!" he protested.
"Good," snapped Remus sharply, though he had a satisfied smile on his face.
Harold and Victoria came to a momentary halt at the top of the marble stairs and Victoria twisted her head to look at them.
"We told you the other day…well, in any case, as you seem to have forgotten-" she turned to face the great oak doors and motioned with her hands for them to open, "-our guests are Lord Richard and Lady Elizabeth Evans. Oh, and yes Sirius, they shall be bringing their daughter. You have one hour boys…better hurry up." She said and with that the two parents strolled through the doors and out of sight.
Sirius stood quiet as though contemplating something as Remus grinned knowingly, Peter blinked stupidly completely indifferent to the situation and James stammered helplessly at the news of who their guests were.
Sirius turned to look at James.
"Wait, aren't they-?"
"Lily's parents, yes," answered Remus smugly.
"And Lily, she's James'-?"
"Obsession, yes,"
"The one who-"
"Hates James with an incomparable passion, yes,"
"Ahhh," breathed Sirius knowingly and turned his gaze to Remus.
"The Untouchable," they said in unison and chuckled.
James, in the meantime, gave an involuntary jump and finally returning from his stupor, started for the house. The other three boys looked a little startled by his abrupt departure and Sirius called after him.
"Why are you in such a hurry," he asked, though the answer was obvious…
"Lily's coming! Need to get ready!" he called back shortly and entered the house at a run.
Remus rolled his eyes at Sirius for being so slow and slapped him on the back of the head. "Duh, Sirius - why else would he be rushing to get ready?"
"Will you stop hitting me Please?" he pleaded in a child-like voice. "I haven't got many brain cells left!" he added and began rubbing his head as though hoping the damaged brain cells would suddenly nurse back to health with his touch, all the while wearing a pathetic pout.
Yes, a sixteen year old boy, pouting.
"You know, Padfoot, it still amazes me to this day how you and James can be top of the year in nearly every class, yet retain being so ineffably stupid and slow at the same time." Mused Remus, half to himself, half directed at a now mildly outraged Sirius.
"Hey! I repent that!" he retorted angrily and Remus just snorted.
"Merlin- you see what I mean? Tell me; do you even know what the word 'repent' means, Padfoot?" Remus questioned. Sirius opened his mouth and closed it stupidly and Remus grinned triumphantly.
"My point exactly," Remus sighed and clapped a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "Don't worry mate, I sometimes repent ever meeting you so young." He said in mock seriousness and began walking towards the house. Sirius' downcast expression suddenly turned into a bright and grateful smile.
"Aw, thanks Moony…I knew you loved me really!" he quipped happily and followed after Remus, Peter shuffling along in toe.
Remus burst out into a fit of laughter and placed an arm around Sirius' shoulder as he caught up.
"Yeah Padfoot, that's precisely the point I was making," he smiled contently. "Now, let's go and get ready for Lord and Lady Evans and Miss Untouchable."
"Oh great, Prong's is going to go all soppy and starry-eyed," complained Sirius, then he added, "I repent for not feeling so wrapped up in someone like he is."
Remus shook his head as they passed through the tall oak doors to the house. "So do I Padfoot, so do I." He sighed...
This was going to be a long day…
(A/N: Well I've just earned my place as an author here at Portkey.org, and although it took a good few weeks, I have to say that I'm quite happy! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and if you feel like it, please don't hesitate to let me know what you think! :) )