1 Hogwarts- April 1976
After knowing Sirius for sixteen years, James Potter could predict his moves quite thoroughly. He knew who'd be victim to his next prank or who'd fall prey to his rage. This fight had been brewing for the past six years; ever since Sirius had met Severus Snape on the Hogwarts Express. James was defiantly worried about what might happen. Only James was there to stop them if things got out of hand. Peter wouldn't be able to do anything. He wouldn't want to risk Sirius getting upset with him for stopping it.
James really thought that this was unnecessary, and that they should be heading down the tunnel to the shrieking shack at this time to be with Remus. But Snape had tackled Sirius a few yards from the wholping willow, and knocked him to the ground. Wile James and Peter didn't know the exact reason this fight had come up now, they had to suspect that it might have had something to do with the shrinking powder Sirius had put in Snape's Pumpkin juice. It had affected Snape's, err…assets in a very amusing way.
James noticed that Sirius had abandoned all thoughts of a wand, for he'd dropped it to the ground and was making good use of his fists. Snape was startled by this form of attack, but responded quickly by sliding his wand into his pocket and hitting back. The two were soon on the ground rolling over each other throwing almost blind punches.
"I wish you'd die!"
"Get off!"
"You git!"
Snape finally got an advantage over Sirius and planted a punch to his face that should have knocked him out cold. The punch did not have the affect Severus intended. Instead of falling limp, he seemed to get stronger, and angrier. Sirius managed to roll them closer to the Whomping Willow. Now the tree was in the brawl as well. Both Snape and Sirius took several hits from the tree before hitting each other. As Snape reached to wipe the blood from his face Sirius knocked him onto the trunk of the tree. James almost jumped in to stop his friend, but Sirius shot him a menacing look, and James stepped back. They all heard a crack and suddenly Snape's nose was spewing blood.
'He'll never be able to stick that nose up again' thought James bitterly.
Sirius' licked the blood of the side of his mouth, slowly waiting for Snape to retaliate. He knew he was a mess, and what he was doing was 'incredibly immature' as his girlfriend would say, but this was a fight that needed to be won. Snape needed to be taught a lesson. He hadn't meant to break Snape's nose. That was an accident. He knew he had to stay in control but the blood all over the place was driving him over the edge.
Snape slammed Sirius into the trunk of the tree, holding onto his neck and squeezing. "I'll win this time. Not even James in going step into this one." He taunted, squeezing harder. "And there's no Alex to protect you."
James and Peter's eyes went wide as Snape mentioned Alex. If they'd ever said anything like that to Sirius they'd have gotten a broken arm at the least. James, Peter especially, had no desire to see what Sirius might do to Snape. Sirius looked surprisingly calm. But looks are deceiving, James discovered as he looked into Sirius' eyes. His dark blue eyes had gone pale and the fury swirling in them could have stopped Hades himself. As he turned these eyes on Snape, James and Peter were both truly scared.
"I think Prongs might be needed." Peter whispered urgently to James.
"That might just happen." James took steps away from where they were standing. He didn't want to reveal anything to Snape.
Sirius broke from Snape's grip and smiled. It was a toothy smile, and Snape could very well see the two fangs sticking out over Sirius' lower lip.
"James!" Peter hissed.
"I'm on it." He started to run farther away. "Damn Sirius. You had to let it get the bloody far."
Peter watched as Sirius jumped on Snape and plunged his fangs into his neck. Peter wanted to scream, but he just watched as Snape fought to get Sirius off. His head banged against a knot on the tree. The knot. The knot that opened the trap door. Sirius grinned and knocked Snape down the hole.
They both heard hoof beats and saw Prongs coming up to them. The anger seemed to leave Sirius' eyes when he saw Prongs. He barely had enough strength to stand he realized. He didn't want to faint. But he had to.
*~*
"Someone has to get Snape!" James pointed down the hole where Snape had been pushed. Peter Pettigrew shuddered slightly at the thought of traveling down there alone. Of course he couldn't decide which was a worse choice; staying above ground with a vampire, or going below ground to a werewolf.
James knew it was only a matter of time before a teacher wandered out and discovered them, and he had no patience for Peter's state of indecision. "Peter, stay with Sirius."
"What if he wakes up?" Peter nervously eyed the body of their friend. He supposed Sirius wouldn't do anything to him, but he could never be to sure.
"Use a stunning charm- only if he seems out of it. He'll kill you otherwise." Said James. "I'm going after Snape. I don't even want to think about what might happen if he gets it into his head to start walking."
"What about Remus?"
"Peter!" James flashed him a look. "Stop worrying, just watch Sirius. Get him away from this bloody tree."
Peter nodded as James lowered himself down the trap hole. He moved Sirius' body over to the lake. In his robes Peter found a kerchief that he stuck in the water. He rung it out and tentatively started wiping away the blood on Sirius' face. The cuts, Peter noticed, were already healing themselves. His breathing was also changing from a raspy wheeze, back to its normal steadiness.
It was fifteen long minutes before Peter heard anything from Sirius. It was a small, almost inaudible groan followed by a long bout of coughing. His eyes flew open. They were back to their normal shade of dark blue. He groaned again and looked at Peter blankly.
"A-Are you ok?" Peter asked. He pushed Sirius back down. "Don't try and sit up."
Sirius wiped his hand over his face and blanched when he his hand came back dark red with blood. When Peter pushed him back to the ground he was thankful; his ribs hurt too much to breath sitting up. The inside of his mouth tasted like blood that wasn't his.
"Damnit." He murmured, running his tongue over teeth and feeling his two sharp fangs. "God no. Peter…"
Peter turned away and pretended to be engrossed in cleaning his hands in the lake.
Taking smaller breaths, Sirius managed to pull himself into a sitting position. He saw the blood splattered all over his robes. "Peter whose blood is this?"
"Snape's." Peter sputtered. A werewolf's howl sounded in the distance. He was getting to like this night less and less.
Sirius let himself fall back to the ground in a defeated slump. This was not good. It meant Snape knew, and there would be no stopping him from telling the whole of Hogwarts. Sirius could picture Snape laughing at him when he was expelled, and that was sure to happen. Not even Dumbledore would let him stay after this
His ribs started hurting even more. Sirius could feel the power from Snape's blood flowing through him, and decided he might as well use it. He concentrated, and slowly he could feel his ribs heal. On his forehead he got rid of the deep cut, and closed up his split lip.
"How'd you do that?" Sirius hadn't noticed that Peter was finally looking at him.
"Blood." He wasn't about to explain it all. "Where's James?"
"He went after Snape; under the willow." Peter said, stealing a look at his watch. It was twelve o' clock at night. They'd been out for almost an hour.
Sirius desperately wanted to follow his friend, but even though he could stand the world was still carouseling around him. There was another howl and Peter looked pleadingly at Sirius. Peter hoped Sirius wouldn't make them stay out there. Maybe for once they could be and go confess to Dumbledore. Maybe fore once Sirius wouldn't play hero.
Sirius started feeling around his robe pockets for his wand, the remembered what exactly he'd thought about his wand during the brawl. Something along the lines of "f*** the wand. This is what fists are for". He didn't have the strength to get down on all fours and look for it either, so he looked to Peter and pointed dejectedly towards the castle.
"I think I need to see Madam Pomfrey."
*~*
A/n: And there you have the prologue to my new story. If you like it (and say that in the reviews) I'll have the next chapter up by the weekend. Oh, it feels so good to be back!
-Peace out!
Aphrodite B
After knowing Sirius for sixteen years, James Potter could predict his moves quite thoroughly. He knew who'd be victim to his next prank or who'd fall prey to his rage. This fight had been brewing for the past six years; ever since Sirius had met Severus Snape on the Hogwarts Express. James was defiantly worried about what might happen. Only James was there to stop them if things got out of hand. Peter wouldn't be able to do anything. He wouldn't want to risk Sirius getting upset with him for stopping it.
James really thought that this was unnecessary, and that they should be heading down the tunnel to the shrieking shack at this time to be with Remus. But Snape had tackled Sirius a few yards from the wholping willow, and knocked him to the ground. Wile James and Peter didn't know the exact reason this fight had come up now, they had to suspect that it might have had something to do with the shrinking powder Sirius had put in Snape's Pumpkin juice. It had affected Snape's, err…assets in a very amusing way.
James noticed that Sirius had abandoned all thoughts of a wand, for he'd dropped it to the ground and was making good use of his fists. Snape was startled by this form of attack, but responded quickly by sliding his wand into his pocket and hitting back. The two were soon on the ground rolling over each other throwing almost blind punches.
"I wish you'd die!"
"Get off!"
"You git!"
Snape finally got an advantage over Sirius and planted a punch to his face that should have knocked him out cold. The punch did not have the affect Severus intended. Instead of falling limp, he seemed to get stronger, and angrier. Sirius managed to roll them closer to the Whomping Willow. Now the tree was in the brawl as well. Both Snape and Sirius took several hits from the tree before hitting each other. As Snape reached to wipe the blood from his face Sirius knocked him onto the trunk of the tree. James almost jumped in to stop his friend, but Sirius shot him a menacing look, and James stepped back. They all heard a crack and suddenly Snape's nose was spewing blood.
'He'll never be able to stick that nose up again' thought James bitterly.
Sirius' licked the blood of the side of his mouth, slowly waiting for Snape to retaliate. He knew he was a mess, and what he was doing was 'incredibly immature' as his girlfriend would say, but this was a fight that needed to be won. Snape needed to be taught a lesson. He hadn't meant to break Snape's nose. That was an accident. He knew he had to stay in control but the blood all over the place was driving him over the edge.
Snape slammed Sirius into the trunk of the tree, holding onto his neck and squeezing. "I'll win this time. Not even James in going step into this one." He taunted, squeezing harder. "And there's no Alex to protect you."
James and Peter's eyes went wide as Snape mentioned Alex. If they'd ever said anything like that to Sirius they'd have gotten a broken arm at the least. James, Peter especially, had no desire to see what Sirius might do to Snape. Sirius looked surprisingly calm. But looks are deceiving, James discovered as he looked into Sirius' eyes. His dark blue eyes had gone pale and the fury swirling in them could have stopped Hades himself. As he turned these eyes on Snape, James and Peter were both truly scared.
"I think Prongs might be needed." Peter whispered urgently to James.
"That might just happen." James took steps away from where they were standing. He didn't want to reveal anything to Snape.
Sirius broke from Snape's grip and smiled. It was a toothy smile, and Snape could very well see the two fangs sticking out over Sirius' lower lip.
"James!" Peter hissed.
"I'm on it." He started to run farther away. "Damn Sirius. You had to let it get the bloody far."
Peter watched as Sirius jumped on Snape and plunged his fangs into his neck. Peter wanted to scream, but he just watched as Snape fought to get Sirius off. His head banged against a knot on the tree. The knot. The knot that opened the trap door. Sirius grinned and knocked Snape down the hole.
They both heard hoof beats and saw Prongs coming up to them. The anger seemed to leave Sirius' eyes when he saw Prongs. He barely had enough strength to stand he realized. He didn't want to faint. But he had to.
*~*
"Someone has to get Snape!" James pointed down the hole where Snape had been pushed. Peter Pettigrew shuddered slightly at the thought of traveling down there alone. Of course he couldn't decide which was a worse choice; staying above ground with a vampire, or going below ground to a werewolf.
James knew it was only a matter of time before a teacher wandered out and discovered them, and he had no patience for Peter's state of indecision. "Peter, stay with Sirius."
"What if he wakes up?" Peter nervously eyed the body of their friend. He supposed Sirius wouldn't do anything to him, but he could never be to sure.
"Use a stunning charm- only if he seems out of it. He'll kill you otherwise." Said James. "I'm going after Snape. I don't even want to think about what might happen if he gets it into his head to start walking."
"What about Remus?"
"Peter!" James flashed him a look. "Stop worrying, just watch Sirius. Get him away from this bloody tree."
Peter nodded as James lowered himself down the trap hole. He moved Sirius' body over to the lake. In his robes Peter found a kerchief that he stuck in the water. He rung it out and tentatively started wiping away the blood on Sirius' face. The cuts, Peter noticed, were already healing themselves. His breathing was also changing from a raspy wheeze, back to its normal steadiness.
It was fifteen long minutes before Peter heard anything from Sirius. It was a small, almost inaudible groan followed by a long bout of coughing. His eyes flew open. They were back to their normal shade of dark blue. He groaned again and looked at Peter blankly.
"A-Are you ok?" Peter asked. He pushed Sirius back down. "Don't try and sit up."
Sirius wiped his hand over his face and blanched when he his hand came back dark red with blood. When Peter pushed him back to the ground he was thankful; his ribs hurt too much to breath sitting up. The inside of his mouth tasted like blood that wasn't his.
"Damnit." He murmured, running his tongue over teeth and feeling his two sharp fangs. "God no. Peter…"
Peter turned away and pretended to be engrossed in cleaning his hands in the lake.
Taking smaller breaths, Sirius managed to pull himself into a sitting position. He saw the blood splattered all over his robes. "Peter whose blood is this?"
"Snape's." Peter sputtered. A werewolf's howl sounded in the distance. He was getting to like this night less and less.
Sirius let himself fall back to the ground in a defeated slump. This was not good. It meant Snape knew, and there would be no stopping him from telling the whole of Hogwarts. Sirius could picture Snape laughing at him when he was expelled, and that was sure to happen. Not even Dumbledore would let him stay after this
His ribs started hurting even more. Sirius could feel the power from Snape's blood flowing through him, and decided he might as well use it. He concentrated, and slowly he could feel his ribs heal. On his forehead he got rid of the deep cut, and closed up his split lip.
"How'd you do that?" Sirius hadn't noticed that Peter was finally looking at him.
"Blood." He wasn't about to explain it all. "Where's James?"
"He went after Snape; under the willow." Peter said, stealing a look at his watch. It was twelve o' clock at night. They'd been out for almost an hour.
Sirius desperately wanted to follow his friend, but even though he could stand the world was still carouseling around him. There was another howl and Peter looked pleadingly at Sirius. Peter hoped Sirius wouldn't make them stay out there. Maybe for once they could be and go confess to Dumbledore. Maybe fore once Sirius wouldn't play hero.
Sirius started feeling around his robe pockets for his wand, the remembered what exactly he'd thought about his wand during the brawl. Something along the lines of "f*** the wand. This is what fists are for". He didn't have the strength to get down on all fours and look for it either, so he looked to Peter and pointed dejectedly towards the castle.
"I think I need to see Madam Pomfrey."
*~*
A/n: And there you have the prologue to my new story. If you like it (and say that in the reviews) I'll have the next chapter up by the weekend. Oh, it feels so good to be back!
-Peace out!
Aphrodite B