This is my first time writing the Maruaders. I'd love some constructive criticisim, as well as some ideas for other stories.

For a while, I've been thinking about the "prank" pulled by Sirius on Snape, in which James saved the day. This is not the story of how James saved the day, or Sirius recieving a punishment. This is James and Sirius's first interaction after all of that. I always see this scene in Sirius's point of view, but never in James's, which is a bit unfair. I may go back and add things in here; it's not quite how I wanted it.

"What the hell, Sirius? What the bloody hell?!" James Potter was at his wit's end, to say the least.

"I didn't make Snivellus go down there! He would've tricked us like that—"

James took a step closer to Sirius, fuming, slamming the dormitory door shut behind him. "So now you're on the same level as Snape? Putting people in danger just because you don't like them?"

"I—" Sirius started, only to be cut off.

"Remus could be expelled for this. Remus, who never asked for this to happen to him. Remus, who puts all his efforts into doing well because he considers himself lucky to be coming to this school!" James's voice rose to yell. "Everyone might know about his lycanthropy by morning! All of what he has could be lost, just because you can't control yourself!"

Not fully aware of what he was doing, James swung his fist. It connected with Sirius's jaw, causing him to stumble backwards and fall. Hands shaking with rage, he stood over his friend.

"How're you feeling now? Not so happy since you got caught for it?"

Sirius got back to his feet, wiping blood from his mouth, and met James's furious stare. "You think that this is easy for me? Do you honestly think that I'm enjoying this? Well, think again. If I had known that Snape would have gone down into the tunnel, I never would have said anything."

"But he did go! I don't give a damn if you were under the Imperious Curse when you did it! The thing is, you did do it, and Snape was almost killed!"

"Snape deserved it! He was slinking around, trying to get evidence that Remus was a werewolf–"

"SO YOU HAND IT TO HIM ON A SILVER PLATTER?" James roared. "If he was unsure then, he's certainly not now!"

Sirius's face reddened, but he shot back, "I thought he would back off! Snape knew that I was in a bad mood, he was baiting me!"

It didn't occur to James to ask why Sirius had been in a bad mood. "So you took the bait? Bravo, Sirius, you got tricked by a Slytherin. Consider yourself congratulated."

Sirius put his hand into his pocket, and narrowed his eyes. "Give me my wand. Now."

James had taken Sirius's wand a few hours previously and locked him in the dormitory while he went to find Snape. "Why should I? You're just going to hex me with it."

"Give it to me, or so God help me, I will strangle you."

James laughed humorlessly. "You think that I'm afraid of that?"

"Damn it, just give it to me!" He was clearly frustrated. A bruise was starting to form along his jaw.

"No. I don't trust you enough to have a wand. Maybe you'll set the dorm on fire or blow up my trunk."

Sirius stalked across the room to James. The practical part of him said to take a step back; Sirius was still a few inches taller than he was, which would be a disadvantage in a fight. But he stayed where he was. James didn't think that Sirius would have the nerve to hit him.

James's hazel eyes met Sirius's grey ones with a glare. They stood there for a few moments in an unspoken battle of wills. Sirius turned away, his hands digging around in his pockets for something. Whatever it was, James didn't see. The room was quiet.

"You're going to talk to Remus when he wakes up tomorrow."

"What if I don't?" At this point, James thought Sirius was only being defensive.

"You will, unless you're afraid of owning up to your mistakes."

"I'm not."

"Then tomorrow morning, you're going to go to the Hospital Wing and explain everything that happened to him. And if he hits you, you deserve it," James scowled. "You had no reason to do that. Nothing Snape could have done is bad enough to make you want him to die."

"You don't know that," Sirius muttered darkly.

"Is that how Blacks handle bad situations? By getting rid of the people who cause them?" Somewhere, in the corner of James's mind, he knew he was going too far. "For all you say you aren't like them–"

Hurt flashed across Sirius's eyes, quickly replaced by anger. James didn't see Sirius's fist soaring forward until it hit him. He stumbled back.

There was something distant about Sirius as he said, "I am not like them."

"Are you sure?" James retorted quickly; just a response. He didn't expect Sirius to sit on the edge of his bed, hang his head and be quiet.

As it stretched on, the silence was painful.

At last, Sirius spoke up. There was something weary and sad about the way he said, "Prongs? I don't know." He turned his head, avoiding James's eyes. "I'm going to bed."

James pulled his pajamas on, and slipped into his four poster. He pulled the curtains shut, and closed his eyes. Slowly, the anger stopped throbbing in his veins, only to be replaced by a nagging saddness. How was Remus going to survive this? Where had Sirius begun drifting down the wrong path, and why had he let him? He drifted into an uneasy sleep. Tomorrow, he hoped, would be kinder.

I want to clarify that Sirius is still the one to blame. He's not innocent in this situation. He screwed up, and he knows that. In the next chapter, you'll understand why Sirius did what he did.

Please review; it'll make my day :)