Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Then You'll be Sorry!
By: ChoCedric
James Potter. James bloody Potter. James bloody Potter with that stupid, scruffy mess of hair and those traitorous, misleading hazel eyes. When I first got on the Hogwarts Express, I met this boy. I was sitting in my compartment with Lily Evans, minding my own business when he decided to butt into our conversation. The stupid git laughed and jeered at me when I said I wanted to be in Slytherin, the same house my wise and clever mother was in. Right away, a fierce, burning hatred arose in me, and I knew instantly that Potter and I would never, ever be friends.
Sirius Black, Potter's sidekick, was supposed to be from a noble pureblood family, but he showed his unworthiness, hanging out with the likes of Potter. Those two took every single chance to taunt me, and my self-esteem plummeted a little more each time they had a mean word for me. They always seemed to have the upper hand; I tried to give as good as I got, but they were darling little Gryffindors and luck seemed to always be on their side. Plus, in every confrontation we had, one of them always said something to get them out of trouble, insinuating that I was the one who had started it. And of course, the teachers will believe charming, handsome Potter and charismatic, mesmerizing Black over slimy, sneaky Snape any day.
What made me even angrier were the two others in their group. There was Remus Lupin, a shy, bookish boy, who never confronted me on his own. But whenever his little friends were around, he never stopped them from teasing me. Every hex and every hurtful jibe they threw my way, Lupin just looked on like nothing was happening. And then there was Pettigrew, oh, pathetic Peter Pettigrew. He did nothing but egg them on, beaming and cheering. He can't get it through his tiny little pea-brained mind that Potter and Black only hang around with him because he strokes their egos. He makes me sick, the cringing piece of vermin.
The only friend I had for the first few years at Hogwarts was Lily, but I was getting worried. It seemed that, as much as she denied it, she was getting roped in by their charms. It made bile rise in my throat to see how Potter flirted with Lily, asking her out all the time. No matter how loudly she yelled and screamed at him, I saw something behind her eyes which I did not like. I sometimes caught her trying not to smile behind my back, and that hurt me more than any insult ever could.
Over the years, the taunts grew more spiteful and the hexes got nastier. I ended up in the hospital wing more than once, courtesy of their actions. They thought it was funny to prank unsuspecting people; they even did it to Pettigrew, who they claimed was their friend. Pathetic.
It all came to a head when I kept noticing that the four of them were sneaking off at night. It was my mission and desire to find out what they were doing, and I spent many sleepless hours pondering and ruminating on this. I had noticed that on certain days, something seemed to be off with Lupin, and there were times he even missed classes several days in a row.
I eavesdropped on some of the Marauders' conversations, but they seemed to talk in code when they suspected someone was around. They also had made up these idiotic nicknames for each other: Potter was Prongs, Black was Padfoot, Lupin was Moony, and Pettigrew was Wormtail. I vowed to figure out their secret one way or another, for I knew the foul nicknames had something to do with it.
One night, I was looking out the window when I saw Madame Pomfrey leading Lupin out of the school and to the Whomping Willow, a dangerous tree that had been planted the same year I started at Hogwarts. Black and I met each other in the hall, and that boy is so easy to manipulate. I got him all riled up, taunting him about how his little brother is better than him, about how he's actually my friend, and Black blew a fuse. He informed me that if I really wanted to know their secret, I could go on out to the Whomping Willow, grab a stick, and prod a certain knot on the tree. Knowing exactly what I wanted to know now, I left him with a "Thanks, Black!" and a sly smirk.
But oh, God. My knees shake and my stomach heaves as images of what happened next replay over and over again in my head. I went out to the tree, prodded the knot, and entered a tunnel. Excitement bubbled within me; I was finally going to find out what the precious Marauders were up to, and hopefully get them all expelled.
I had almost got to the end of the tunnel when I heard running footsteps behind me. "Snape!" I heard someone yell. It was the unmistakable voice of bloody Potter. "Snape! Stop, now!"
"Not when I'm finally going to find out what your big secret is, Potter!" I snarled back.
"No, I mean it, Snape! Stop, please!" Potter begged, panic lacing his tone. "You don't want to go in there!"
But it was too late. As I exited the tunnel, I saw a sight which will haunt me for the rest of my life. A growling, howling, spitting, snarling beast was looking right at me, its fangs bared. It was the most foul, despicable thing I have ever laid my eyes upon, and the pieces finally fit together. Lupin was a bloody werewolf, and his three little friends knew about it. Dumbledore was hiding a werewolf in a school filled with students, a werewolf who could kill any one of us. And, I thought for sure that the Marauders' plan had been to get me killed, and James Potter had chickened out at the last minute.
"RUN!" Potter screamed, terror in his voice, and for once, I did as he said, not looking back. Panting, we exited the Whomping Willow. "You--you--you!" I spluttered, spit flying from my mouth. "You tried to kill me! I'll get you all expelled, just you wait and see!"
"We will talk about this situation first, Mr. Snape," another voice spoke from the shadows. Headmaster Dumbledore made his presence known, and I felt hatred pulse within my heart. Was Dumbledore about to let his precious do-no-wrong Marauders off scott-free for almost getting someone murdered, and almost making their best friend a murderer? Some friends! I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them!
And now, I am completely livid. I am fuming; my body is shaking so badly with fury that I can hardly think or speak. It's almost like Dumbledore did let them go free, for do you know what he did? He's protecting bloody Lupin! He's blackmailing me into not telling about his condition! He's saying that if I let one word out, I'll be expelled! Is that all I am to him, nothing but a werewolf's meal? Does he care so little for my life, for my well-being? It's unfathomable how far he will go to protect his beloved Gryffindors. They only got a few points taken and Black got detentions for the rest of the year, but they all should have been expelled!
And Dumbledore says Potter saved my life! Saved my life? No, more like saved his and his friends' pitiful skins! I'm about ready to kill right now, for it wouldn't have affected the Headmaster at all if I'd been devoured and mauled by that bloodthirsty creature at the end of that tunnel. I'm shaking, and scared, and angry, and disgusted, and livid, and boiling, just boiling with hatred. How could the Headmaster, one of the most renowned wizards in the world, betray me like this?
Well, I have a solution. Avery and Mulciber, two Slytherins who have become interested in my talents in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions, told me about this magnificent wizard who is going to build a new world for all wizardkind. He will root out the filth and pollution which is not needed, and only his most faithful supporters are allowed to call him by his name: Lord Voldemort. The prospect of joining him has been growing more and more tempting by the day, for it seems as though Lily doesn't care much for me anymore either. If I join Lord Voldemort, I can have all the power I want, for he promises a lot of that. That way, I can help to get rid of all the scum which made my life a living hell at school.
So there, Dumbledore. You think I'm nothing but werewolf food now, but just you wait until the Dark Lord unleashes all his force upon you.
Then you'll be sorry!