The wind was howling through the trees, sending wavering shadows over the cobblestones lit by early morning light. The sun was barely up, yet a young boy in his seventh year stood by the huge doors to the Entrance Hall, lost in thought. The boy reached up, pulled his Gryffindor scarf tighter and straightened his cloak. The wind made the air nippy, and he didn't want to catch cold. He reached up, ruffled his hair and looked around, his handsome features searching for something.
Upon apparently not finding it, he walked to a tree on the edge of the lake, sitting down to wait. The sun had barely risen and nothing would have drawn him from his bed save for the nagging sensation in the pit of his stomach. For the first time in his life, Sirius Black was feeling a slight nausea that had nothing to do with the Chocolate Cauldrons of the night before. Sirius Black, the Casanova of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was in love.
He sighed deeply, thinking of this troublesome feeling when a thought crossed his mind. He twiddled with his wand as the words slowly formed on his lips and he said them aloud, shattering the five o'clock silence.
"I'm ruined," he whispered, his breath puffing out in the late September air.
Unbeknownst to Sirius, he was not the only troubled soul awake so early. Another seventh year braved the cold and, emerging from behind a bush, was prepared to attack.
Severus Snape threw his greasy hair back in laughter as Sirius went flying into the air by his ankle, Snape's wand pointed at him. Severus strode towards him, his pride showing on the cadaverous face. The grin that stretched ear to ear was disturbing and reminiscent of a Jack o' Lantern.
"Thought to have a bit of fun with old Snivelly were you?" Snape sneered through clenched teeth. After years of torture, the time was finally his. With the proper silencio spell, no one would come looking for Black for hours, it being a Saturday morning. "Too bad you never pay attention to your surroundings, Sirius."
Sirius opened his mouth to say something, but before the biting rhetoric that was steaming to come out could go, Snape pointed his wand at Sirius throat, shouting "Silencio!"
The sound was cut off from his breathing.
Snape circled the hanging boy, his features opalescent in the early dawn. He flicked his wand again, and Sirius began to spin. Slowly at first, and then gaining speed, his body twirled and he began to whimper, a soundless motion that caught the beady black eye of Snape.
"Stop being a girl. You are a disgrace to purebloods everywhere, you blood-traitor." He lowered his wand and the spinning ceased, Sirius' usually handsome face bright red, his dark brown eyes brimming with tears. Severus laughed, a hearty and frightening laugh.
A girl of their same year, Head Girl badge blazoned on her robes, was sprinting down the lawn towards them. She too had been troubled this morning, though was certainly moving with purpose now. Her red hair was flying and her wand was held out. Sirius saw her hair coming and his eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. Fortunately, Snape was monologuing and twirling his wand at the time, so he didn't notice.
"Expelliarmus!" Lily yelled, catching Snape's wand as it flew through the air.
Snape spun on the spot, facing her.
"Why you filthy little mud-"
"Silencio!" Lily flicked Severus' wand and Sirius crumpled in a heap at the base of the tree, panting. He stood up quickly, brushing himself off. He shot a dashing Sirius Black smile at her and reached for his own wand, turning it on Snape as well.
James Potter came flying across the lawn, wand out, eyes wild. As he spotted Evans he slowed, ruffling his already wind-mussed hair and attempting to act smooth.
"Evans," he greeted her, his voice a little lower than normal.
"Trying to sneak a little revenge on Black here while the rest of us were sleeping, eh Snivelly?" She kicked his side with her boot. "You're even lower than them. At least they have the decency to attack you when other people are about."
She looked at James and an odd look crossed her otherwise lovely features.
"You do know that being Head Girl and Boy, we have certain, shall we say, privileges?" she said.
"Oh may I?" James asked, his eyes gleaming mischievously, matching her own.
"Why certainly James."
"Petrificus totalus!" James pointed at Snape and his limbs drew together, stiff as a board. Not even his mouth could move. Sirius walked to Snape, turned him over so that his face is pressed into the cold grass, and smiled at James. Lily took Snape's wand and placed it three feet from his nose.
"Farewell Snivelly," she said, turning back towards the castle.
James and Sirius shared a second's glance and then hurried after her.
"Evans! Wait up!" James called after her.
"What is it now, Potter? Another Slytherin got your knickers in a twist?" Lily replied sardonically.
"Thanks for helping out dear Sirius back there. Who knows what Snape would have done? Raped him, hung him out with his knickers missing on top of the Astronomy Tower, who knows."
"Why yes," Sirius butted in. "Thank you for your kindness. Please allow the two of us to escort you to breakfast?"
Lily scoffed at them. "Thanks boys but I believe that after six years of wandering around this castle I am quite capable of making my way towards breakfast on my own."
"Well then, if you two don't mind, I am off to my breakfast." James walked away, leaving Sirius and Lily alone.
"You know, Lily, you really are a charming young woman. I've honestly never seen you looking like this; the way the early sunrise hits your hair, it's really quite lovely you know.." Sirius said to her, moving closer to her all the while.
James turned around, sprinting back to them. "OY! What's going on here?"
Sirius jumped three feet back. "Nothing ol' chum. Nice seeing you Evans, James." And he ran for it.
James caught him before he got very far, hissing into his ear. "Liar." And James punched him square in the face. Blood poured from Sirius nose and he stared at James with loathing.
Lily gasped. "James Potter! You know fighting is against the rules!"
"You bas—" Sirius was cut off by Lily's second gasp.
"Boys!"
Sirius, his hands clenched in tight balls of pure, unadulterated fury, stormed off in the direction of the forest. James let his hand fall to his side and, without looking at Lily, stormed off to the castle. Extremely confused and somewhat dazed, Lily stood on the spot.
"Did that really just happen?" Lily said to herself quietly before heading back to the Great Hall herself.