Written for Competition Time: I Want to Dance with Somebody
Written by: Story Please
Team: Pride of Portree
Position: Captain
Song: "We Will Rock You" by Queen
Word Count: 529
A Prince Rises
Cold. Wet. Darkness.
Severus briefly considered simply lying still forever. Humiliation burned inside of him like a black flame.
"Uh-oh! Looks like Snivvie's got mud in his eye!"
"All over, more like!"
Oh, how he hated them. Their stupid, laughing faces. Their bloody friendship. Their adventures at his expense.
But I don't need any of that. I will be a greater wizard than any of those dunderheaded fools. I have magic. Strong magic.
"I have an idea! Let's give ol' Snivvie a bath since he so badly needs it!" James Potter's voice was like a red-hot poker in Severus' ears.
And I am not afraid to use it.
He gripped his wand tightly in his hand and twisted it to the left in a half-circle motion while silently chanting the spell he'd created a few weeks earlier after they'd thrown the filthy contents of one of Filch's mop buckets over him. With a loud bang, mud exploded in all directions and when everything settled, Severus stood, looking down his nose at the four Marauders, who were now flat on their backs and caked with mud.
"Who's the disgrace now?" Snape drawled. "If nobody else is willing to put you in your place, then I suppose it will have to fall to me to do so."
"Shut up!" Sirius growled, grabbing a rock and hurling it at Severus.
Severus dodged quickly enough for it to miss hitting his eye, but it still connected with the side of his head, causing a steady stream of blood to trickle down his temple. With a pained hiss, he held his hand over the wound and pointed his wand at Sirius as James lunged over to grab another rock out of the wild-haired boy's hand.
"It's not worth it, mate," James hissed at Sirius, turning to Severus with a scowl. "Go on, then, Snivellus. You won this round, so why don't you flounce off to the dungeons where you belong?"
Severus went scarlet with fury at James' taunt.
"Oh? Is that how you want it? Fine. Incarcerous," Severus said smugly, smiling as ropes appeared and tied all four boys together. "I'm sure Professor Slughorn would be interested in knowing how I received this terrible wound, if you catch my point. Or, rather, lose them. I daresay that causing bodily harm to another student is frowned upon."
"Prongs, Padfoot, you're really not helping," Remus Lupin said with a sigh.
From the bottom of the pile, Peter moaned in fear.
"What in Merlin's name is going on over there?" The sharp sound of Professor McGonagall's voice cut through the air from the other side of the hill.
"Looks like Mummy McGonagall has come for her cubs," Severus said snidely. "Until next time, Gryffinbrats."
"Just you wait, Snape!" Sirius fumed, the mud dripping down his nose, "I'll kill you for this."
"Doubtful," Severus said, turning back to look at them with a sneer. "Granted, you've tried once already, but you still tried to leave the dirty work to you friend. Ta-ta, now! Believe me when I say that it has not been a pleasure."
In a blur of black and green, he was gone.
