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Even five months after making the bet it was still being upheld. Every time Lucy heard something she disagreed with she opened her mouth to exclaim something profound she had to stop herself - often by grabbing the first bit of food she could find and shoving it into her mouth.
Danny who argued with Lucy at least every hour had to bite his tongue to stop himself and had gone uncharacteristically quiet.
Even Lina was struggling with the bet, every meal she would reach for the jug that held the pumpkin juice but every time she caught herself and instead solely drank water - she had never had to pee so much in her life.
Cedric was the only one who was getting by with ease, he was already the golden boy of his year, the bet - that no one else was aware of - just helped him keep his title.
Lina woke up on May thirteenth to a small pile of presents at the end of her bed , today was her twelfth birthday. The first thing she opened was a note from her uncle saying her main present was waiting for her back at home, he also sent a card and a fabric woven anklet that changed colour based on the wearer's mood - when she tied it around her ankle it turned a bright yellow.
Next, she opened a card from her aunt and uncle and unwrapped their present to her, they had given her book of pressed flowers and herbs each explaining their properties.
She even got a card from and present from the Weasley family, they had all signed the card and Mrs Weasley had knitted her a yellow and black scarf.
Lina sat smiling at the presents, Demeter nuzzling her face. The other girls slowly started to wake and when they did, stared at the small pile "birthday?" Zoe guessed, Lina nodded. All the girls wished her a happy birthday.
The five girls had come to a silent agreement, they spoke and were friendly to each other during class and in their dorm room but completely understood that Lina had other friends that she spent the majority of her time with.
Lina never particularly liked her birthday for obvious reasons but this year felt different, she felt optimistic that the day wasn't going to suck. She walked into the common room once dressed with a slight skip in her step where her three friends and cousin was waiting for her, a banner that read "HAPPY BIRTHDAY LINA" in changing colours floating above their heads.
Lina didn't know what to say, she was speechless, she'd never really had friends before but here she was sure standing before three of them with a banner they had created for her birthday. "You guys, thank you so much" she gave each of them a tight hug "You didn't have to."
"But we wanted to" Cedric shrugged.
They had all even got her presents. Danny gave her pumpkin juice, he gave it to her wrapped while laughing, Cedric had given her a bracket with a sunflower charm, Lucy had given her a muggle flower colouring book and pens - apparently they helped calm muggles down when they were stressed and Tonks had given her a hairband with different flowers on it.
At breakfast, the four sat together. "Alright," Danny said causing attention to go to him "as it's our dear friend Evangelina's birthday, I think it would only be fair that you can have pumpkin juice."
Lina narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Danny and then answered "no." Lucy laughed loudly at Danny's put off face "I'm not risking losing the bet."
"Day off, it is a special occasion and all" he slid a large goblet of pumpkin juice towards Lina.
"No" she slid the cup back towards him.
"Oh come on!" He flung his hands up which ended up knocking the goblet of juice all over Lucy, she screeched and jumped up as the thick orange juice trailed down her jeans.
"You fucking idiot!" Lucy quickly covered her mouth realising what's she had said, Lina and Cedric looked from each other to their friends, their mouths agape while Danny looked quite smug. "That doesn't count."
"Yes, it does! You lost the bet" Danny smirked.
"No, I didn't."
'Yes, you did."
"No, I didn't."
"Yes, you did."
"Guys" Cedric yelled, the two ceased arguing "even though Lucy lost the bet first and now has to pronounce her undying love for Professor Snape to him, Danny you also just lost the bet for arguing with Lucy about it" the two guilty people looked both mortified and outraged.
"And I'm also about to lose the bet," Lina said before downing a whole goblet of pumpkin juice, she poured herself another and downed that one as well "much better."
"Now we just need to decide when Lucy is going to do her forfeit," Cedric said casting a concerned look at Lina who was now on her fourth glass.
"But I didn't-"
"Lose the bet, yes you did Lucy we all agreed what the punishment would be. If pumpkin face lost she would do it" Danny said, pumpkin face was in reference to the slight orange tint Lina was now starting to get.
"Well considering Professor Snape has just left the hall now would be the perfect time," pumpkin face said.
Lucy glared at her friends and sulked out the hall. After Lina had finished her sixth glass the other three followed, they were far enough back to watch what was about to happen and hopefully not be spotted. "Professor Snape!" Lucy called, the Professor in question stopped walking and turned to the student.
"Yes?" He replied in his normal monotone voice.
"I, I" Lucy's cheeks were already flushing red "I just wanted to say you're a great professor and that" she took a deep breath "and that I'm completely in love with you."
Lina, Danny and Cedric, who were hiding behind a stone column burst out laughing, this was better than what they imagined. Professor Snape heard the kids laughing, it only fulled his anger, his nostrils flared and his hands clenched. He glanced from the students who had almost collapsed from laughing so hard to Lucy who was looking like she regretted every life decision up until the moment. "Twenty points from Hufflepuff each from you and your friends and detention for all of you" he hastily turned away his cloak swishing behind him.
Lucy turned and narrowed her eyes at her friends "I really fucking hate you all."
On May thirteenth on Evangelina Black's birthday after five months the bet had finally ended.
