DISCLAIMER:This disclaimer will apply to all chapters of this story. Characters, names, story-line, etc... all belongs to J.K. Rowling and the various companies who own the rights of publication. Whatever there is in this story that may belong to me I bequeath to J.K. Rowling, and J.K. Rowling alone.
Author's Note: This is the first scene from a series of 10 or so. The first scene takes place directly after the events of "Snape's Worst Memory"(GoF, Ch. 28) in late spring of 1976. That is Snape, Lily, and the Marauders' 5th year. Spoilers for all HP books to be expected.
Scenes From the Life of an Outcast
Scene 1
Wrath Like a Woman Scorned
Furious at the world, Lily stormed off towards the castle. As she stomped along she sputtered random words and sentence fragments. "I can't believe... 'Mudblood'... Bloody gits! All of them!" Even Remus, she thought, he was a prefect after all. He could have done something.
She couldn't stand injustice and cruelty. She couldn't stand to see anyone or anything suffer. Not even that detestable greasy Slytherin who was probably on his way to becoming a Death Eater. More than anything, she hated cruel people. James Potter, that cruel arrogant bastard. Oh how she hated him! Her fury had at least been directed somewhere while she was yelling at James. She had been so angry. And then, when she was so close to victory, Snape had to interfere. Idiot. Calling her a… you-know-what. Couldn't he see that he was just making it worse? Ungrateful Slytherin scum. He couldn't put his mindless hatred aside even to save himself.
A flash of light appeared in the edge of her vision and she stopped dead in her tracks. Tensing, she wondered if she should go back. He didn't deserve her help. Then again, he didn't deserve punishment from James, that despicable hypocrite. She heard a yell. "Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?"
With a scream of frustration, she made her decision. She whirled around and charged back across the lawn. "EXPELLIARMUS!" she shrieked, and watched in watched in utmost satisfaction as James was flung flat on his back and his wand went flying. She felt slightly guilty as Snape, released from the spell holding him up in the air, fell yet again in a crumpled heap on the grass, but told herself that he deserved that at least. Lily kept her wand trained on a flabbergasted James and gave a satisfied smirk at the sight of Sirius gaping at her, paralyzed in shock. "To hell with principle," she thought as she hexed James with an obscure spell that caused his hair and eyebrows to 'fro out and turn a hideous fluorescent shade of pink.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Lily jerked her head to the side in surprise to see Snape struggling to his feet, his wand now in his hand and pointing waveringly at Sirius. He curled his lip back in a snarl as he flicked the tip of his wand in some sort of non-verbal curse. Sirius, still petrified, broke out in large boils visible all over his pretty face.
"Miss Evans! Mr. Snape!" Lily jumped in guilty surprise as her gleeful elation began to fade into something resembling dread. Minerva McGonagall was approaching rapidly from the direction of the castle, her disapproving gaze fixed firmly on Lily and Severus Snape. "What happened here?" she demanded. Lily looked guilty, yet resolute. "He deserved it, Professor." Snape simply glared in silence at everyone. James and Sirius (who had been released from the body bind) merely stared at the ground looking sullen and slightly ashamed. Professor McGonagall now looked yet even more disapproving, if such a thing was possible. "Well if no one is going to tell me what happened, I will be forced to make a judgement!" No one spoke. "Very well then. Fifty points will be taken from both your houses, and you two," she gestured towards Lily and Snape, "will be serving detention every night for the remainder of the term with Professor Slughorn. Now let's get these two off to see Madam Pomfrey immediately." She marched off with James and Sirius, Peter trailing anxiously behind.
The crowd began to disperse and Snape, looking very angry indeed, stalked off, refusing to meet Lily's gaze. Lily sighed. So she'd be spending all her remaining evenings in detention. And with Snape none-the-less. Still, it was worth it. If she hadn't confronted James, all those emotions building up inside would probably make her blow up… or something… She wondered idly that if such an intense burst of emotion was left untapped, would it result in some sort of uncontrolled wandless magic? Anyways, now that she'd taken her anger out on James she did feel a lot better. The O.W.L.s were over, it was a gorgeous late spring day, and detention wouldn't start until after dinner. She took a deep breath and smiled.