We're Millionaires
“Keep up Minnie!” James laughed as he and Minerva McGonagall jogged away from the alleyway, not stopping until they were a few blocks away. They ducked into another alley, panting hard to catch their breath. James leant against the wall, running a hand through his hair.
Minerva brushed her gray hair out of her face, laughing breathlessly and staining her temples red with the ink she and Peter had spread over her dress. James took the bundle of money out of his pants, shaking his hands and chuckling. “I thought for sure he was onto us.”
Minnie shook her head, fanning herself with her hand. “No, no, you had him all the way!” She laughed alongside James as he tossed away the wallet full of counterfeit bills Minerva had in her purse. They were useless anyways.
James unwrapped the bundle and…“By jove, Minne. We’re millionaires.”
James pulled out the bundle of cash. It was deliciously heavy in his hand. Bills upon bills stacked high in a thick white envelope. This had to be six, no, seven thousand at least! James and Mcgonagall turned to stare at each other with wide eyes.
“Did you know he was carrying this much?” Minerva asked, tapping the stack of money with shock. There was no way. That guy must have been loaded. James shook his head, feeling like it was about to fall right off his shoulders. This was…this was it!
“Hell no, I just cut into him. I would have settled for pawning one of those shoes.” They looked at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter. No way was this real. Minnie put a hand on his shoulder.
“Alright, take your split, and we’ll meet up with Peter tonight.” She looked around once before brushing off her dress and running off in one direction. James took the other.
. . .
After James had finished counting it, it turned out to be 10,000 dollars. Ten. Thousand. He had recounted it twice just to make sure he didn’t need a new pair of glasses. James wondered what that guy was doing walking around with a load of cash like that, but he wasn’t one to ask too many questions.
James gave himself $3,333 (and .33 cents with which he bought himself an ice cream.) After hiding the rest in his pants (though he used it as a con, it was a fairly good hiding spot for cash), James felt a sense of glee run through him. He had three grand in his pocket and the world at his fingertips. This was his ticket, up and out.
First, he bought himself a new suit. He hadn’t missed how that chump’s eyes had lingered on James’s fading suit, and was just mildly insulted enough to go get a new one. He chose a dark red pinstriped one. As he looked at himself in the mirror, he could practically hear his mom telling him that he was the most dapper little gentleman.
He got himself a tie with little deers on it.
He practically skipped his way down to the liquor store, buying one of their nicest bottles of wine. He thought he would get himself a little pre-celebratory treat, given his next stop.
The sun was already beginning to set as he made his way down to the gambling den. He threw out the napkin the ice cream vendor had given him, brushing off the rainbow sprinkles from his suit and pushed open the door.
Thick cigar smoke assailed his nose as soon as he stepped in. Various gamblers yelled at the dealers or each other (James couldn’t tell which). Dice and chips clattered against the tables, and he hit his head on the low door frame as soon as he walked in. The whole room smelled faintly like vomit.
Could it be more wonderful?
“Hey Potter! What, are you getting married or something?” James’s eyes flickered over the crowd of surly gamblers until he found who had called to him.
James grinned as Molly Prewett, one of the dealers, waved him over, gesturing at his suit. Her frizzy ginger hair was falling out of its bun as she tilted her head at him. James brushed off his suit and tipped his hat to her with a broad smile.
“Get used to it, Molly, I’ll be looking like this from now on,” James leant against the roulette table as Molly tossed a few people their winnings. Molly spoke while she did so, “Haven’t seen you around here in months, I thought you took a fall.”
James waved off her words, grinning at one of the gamblers who turned to see who was so important Molly was miscounting his earnings. “Just some hard times, that’s all. It’s over now.”
Molly nodded, handing the guy the rest of his money and dropping the roulette marble into the outer ring, tapping the rim of the wheel. “You wanna give it a go? Five bucks minimum, the odds are 10-1.”
James’s eyes gleamed. 10-1 odds? 10 times $3,000 would be…James silently looked down at his fingers, trying to work it out…well a lot, in any case.
Molly waited to hear what he’d say. James pulled out his wallet and the whole three thousand with it.
“Three grand on the red.”
He could feel the den grow quiet as people overheard him. Like the whole room just took a deep breath to see what would happen. The guy turned to face James again, his eyes bugging at his wallet.
Molly’s smile melted off her face. She looked around, like she wanted someone else to step in, before turning back to James, speaking in a low voice. “Are you sure you want to start off that big? A bet like that could break us at 10-1.”
James shook his head, pushing the wallet towards her. “I feel lucky tonight, Molly.” Molly dithered for a second more before sighing and taking the money out of James’s outstretched hand.
The roulette ball dropped into the wheel, and James leant forward to watch it. If he hadn’t, maybe he would have seen the apologetic look on Molly’s face as she pressed a small button underneath the table.
James watched as the marble rolled towards red, then tilted at the last moment, falling into a black square.
No.
James’s heart sank down to his knees.
NO.
The whole three grand…and…James looked up to see Molly’s face twisted with pity and guilt. James’s mind raced, replaying the last twenty seconds over again. The way the ball moved, like it changed course at the last second, and…
“Spin it again.” James stopped Molly’s hand as she reached to take the wad of money.
Molly froze, then muttered under her breath, cupping her hand so James could hear her. “James, I’m sorry, but..” She flicked her eyes to the corner of the room.
James followed her look. In the corner, a large, thuggish looking man watched them intently. After a pause, James got it. That bastard!
He wavered for just a moment.
That was his money, his money that they were taking–stealing! But..James sighed as his rational thoughts bludgeoned his anger into submission. Molly was just trying to get by, and he couldn’t let her boss fire her over him.
James lifted his hand off the stack of bills with a frankly heroic amount of self control and pushed it towards Molly, who took it quickly. James felt a little sick as he nodded at her once before walking out of the den, tipping his hat to the thug in the corner as he went. He could feel everyone’s eyes on his back as he left.
As he walked out, he felt the bottle of wine still tucked under the crook of his arm. He tossed it in the nearest trash can.