Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize!

Please note that English is not my mother tongue, I'm actually from germany, but trying my best not to make too many errors.

"Leave him ALONE!" Someone yelled and with a jolt in his stomach Severus recognized that voice. He would have recognized it any time, in any situation possible. Lily's voice. Suddenly Severus began to feel nervous. He didn't want Lily to see him in this situation. Brought to the ground from the boy who fancies her, the boy who every girl adores.

"All right, Evans?" Severus heard James ask. Anger boiled inside him at the sound of Jame's voice. He tried to sound mature and Severus detested this false-faced behavior. If there was one word that couldn't describe James Potter then it certainly was the word mature.

"Leave him alone," Lily said once more. Severus tried to move, but the Impediment Jinx hadn't worn off yet.

What's he done to you?" Every single word coming out of Lily's mouth made Severus feel more uncomfortable. He had tried to avoid exactly this situation for 5 years. He was helpless, jinxed and she came to help him. He knew that she just meant to be nice, but all this was so highly embarrassing for him. After all, he wanted to be the one protecting her, looking after her and be there for her, not the other way around.

"Well," James said, his voice sounding more mockingly this time. "It's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean..."

At those words a rush of laughter went through the crowd. The only laugh Severus wasn't able to hear was Lily's and that cheered him up a little. At least Lily wasn't stupid enough to fall for James.

"You think you're funny," Lily said coldly. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone."

If Severus mouth hadn't still been full of soap bubble, he would have laughed out triumphantly. This was the best revenge he would ever get.

"I will if you go out with me, Evans," James now spoke in his, what he thought, mature, deep voice. "Go on...Go out with me, and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."

Now Severus felt the Impediment Jinx wear off. It was the biggest relieve he had ever felt. Now he could get out of this miserable situation. As fast as possible he was inching toward his wand, while he finally spitted out the last soapsuds.

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was the choice between you and the giant squid."

These words gave Severus the strength to grab his wand. Lily did not like James Potter. Even better, she insulted him.

"Bad luck, Prongs," Sirius said briskly, turning back to Severus. "OY!"

But Sirius' warning came way too late. Severus had already muttered the incarnation, he had invented himself under his breath, "Sectumsepra".

There was a flash of light and a gash appeared on the side of Jame's face, spattering his robes with blood. Severus was fully content with himself. It was the first time he had tried the spell on a human being and it worked exactly how he had intended it to.

But Severus wasn't vigilant enough in this moment of pride. There was another flash of light and Severus found himself hanging upside down in the air. He could feel his robes falling over his head and became fully aware of what everybody, including Lily, could see now. He didn't have to think hard to know that he was wearing an ugly pair of graying underpants, all of his underwear looked like that. While the small crowd that had formed around him during the fight, roared with laughter, Peter, James and Sirius being the loudest, Severus tried to hold back tears of anger and embarrassment.

"Let him down," said Lily and Severus winced very quietly. Why did she have to see that, why?

And not entirely to Severus surprise, James said: "Certainly," and Severus fell down to the ground. He tried to straighten his robes, which were all tangled. He was at his feet relatively quickly, but of course Sirius was faster. "Petrificus totalus," he shouted and Severus felt the horrible sensation of being paralyzed instantly, keeling on the grass once more.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Lily shouted again and out of the corner of his eyes Severus could see how angry she was. Her whole face was flushed and her eyes had a glint of malice in them. She only became furious like that on very rare occasions, but Severus just loved her like this. Then she almost seemed like an entirely different Lily, one full of passion, anger and something dark that was hard to describe.

"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," James said and Severus thought instantly that James would regret it very deeply if he would only as much as make an attempt to hex Lily.

"Take the curse off him, then!" Lily insisted.

Severus could hear James sigh, but then mutter the countercurse. Finally Severus could clamber up to his feet again. Still though he had his wand ready.

"There you go," James said. "you're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus-"

"Yeah,right..." Severus said and his voice sounded not at all like he wanted it to.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Lily asked and spun around to face Severus.

"Nothing Lily, I just...You know what, never mind?" Severus turned away and ran up all the way to the castle. The wind rushed in his ears. What in the world was he supposed to say to Lily after this incident? What did she expect from him? A thank you?

At least he had controlled his temper long enough to escape her. As sharp minded as he was, when facing Lily his brain just became numb and empty.

The castle was extremely cool after the nice warming sun outside. But Severus didn't mind. He made his way downstairs into the dungeons, right into the Slytherin common room. He needed time to think about how he could explain Lily why he sometimes acted like a jerk around her. He would have rather sorted out rotten flobberworms from good ones, that would have been the less horrible task.