James felt the clock tick away; he'd been finished with the damned OWL for ages, when would Flitwick call time? James looked around; the only one he could see clearly that was still writing was Remus. James turned back to the paper in front of him.
James grinned, now thinking of the next Quidditch match, against Slytherin. Maybe that'll prove to Evans Snivellus is no good; he's in that snake house, full of Voldemort's followers.
James's grin melted when he thought of the evil wizard, the oncoming war, and all the danger looming over their heads. He shook his head, and forced his mind back to Evans.
She's fairly pretty, and smart, funny... he thought to himself. Before he realized it, James had traced the words with his index finger on the table.
Suddenly, right behind James, Flitwick's voice shouted "Five more minutes!" James quickly read over his paper, despite having done so five times back when he actually finished it. He put the quill down and rolled everything up. With a yawn and an uncontrollable urge to mess up his hair again, James grinned over at his best mate, Sirius, who gave James thumbs-up in return.
James noticed a girl looking at his mate from the back, but Sirius gave no notice. After looking at his two other friends, James began to draw a Golden Snitch, besides his role as a Chaser; it was the symbol of Quidditch itself, not just being a Seeker. Inside, like the fifteen year old boy he was, James drew Evans's initials on the inside, grinning stupidly.
"Quills down, please!" Flitwick squeaked again, adding "That means you to, Stebbins!" James glanced at the blushing blonde boy, remembering the History of Magic exam. "Please remain seated while I collect your parchment!" The small man took out his wand, and casted "Accio!"
James laughed as the hundred rolls of parchment zoomed into Flitwick's open arms simultaneously, forcing him to fall over. James was barely able to stay seated, his eyes were watering, and his gut hurt he was laughing so hard. The girl next to James smacked his arm, either meaning "you prick, it's rude to laugh when someone falls!" or "Mate, it wasn't that funny, calm down before you make a fool of yourself." Either way, James's laughter slowly died away.
Flitwick was back on his doll-like feet, panting and thanking the students right in front of him.
"Very well, everybody, you're free to go!" dismissed Flitwick. James quickly scribbled Evans's initials enough for them to be indistinguishable from the rest of the Snitch before stuffing his quill and exam question paper in his bag. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, James stood waiting for Sirius to walk over.
The two of them quickly found Remus and Peter, James running to his best mates and Sirius walking over much more nonchalant. The four discussed the exam with ease, only Peter feeling as if he might've done poorly.
"Did you like question ten, Moony?" Sirius asked the sandy-haired boy on the left, the four of them leaving the entrance hall and joining the rest of the fifth year students on Hogwarts's grounds.
"Loved it. 'Give five signs that identify the werewolf.' Excellent question." Remus answered, hiding a grin.
James faked concern as he questioned "D'you think you managed to get all the signs?"
"Think I did," Remus began in a serious tone. "One: He's sitting on my chair. Two: He's wearing my clothes. Three: His name's Remus Lupin…" Remus left the statement hanging as James and Sirius began laughing, the grin showing on his scarred face. James noticed Peter didn't join their laughter, and looked at him questioningly.
"I got the snout shape, the pupils of the eyes, and the tufted tail, but I couldn't think of what else-" Peter said, as if answering the question James had directed mockingly at Remus.
"How thick are you, Wormtail?" James interrupted his friend, impatient. "You run round with a werewolf once a month-" Now it was James's turn to be interrupted.
"Keep your voice down," Lupin chastised him. James quickly glanced to see if anyone was paying attention or had heard him, but everyone was talking amongst themselves as well.
James looked at Remus and shrugged, saying "Oh well, luckily no one heard."
Sirius managed to continue the before conversation with "Well, I thought that paper was a piece of cake. I'll be surprised if I don't get Outstanding on it at least." He bragged.
"Me too," James added, before digging in his pocket for his new toy.
"Where'd you get that?" Sirius asked him, motioning to the Golden Snitch struggling in his grasp. As they walked to the shade of the beech tree near the lake, James began to play with the Snitch, letting it fly about an arm's length away before grabbing it back.
"Nicked it," James answered, focused on his game. James didn't fail to notice Peter watching James's every move, his eyes wide in awe. The four lads finally stopped to sit in the tree's immense shade. Immediately, Lupin pulled a book out of his enormous bag and began reading, and Sirius casually observed the students running around over the grass, looking bored.
James increased the Snitch's distance before catching it at the last second, and Peter's mouth opened. For every 'difficult' catch, Peter would applaud after gasping as if it was surprising James could keep going. It would be annoying if James wasn't enjoying the attention. Every few catches he used his other arm to ruffle his hair, making sure the wind didn't ruin how wind-swept his hair looked.
Still playing with the Snitch, James looked by the lake, where a group of laughing girls let their feet cool by the water's edge, focusing on dark red hair.
"Put that away will you?" Sirius told him while James made his final catch. Peter cheered as if he were trying to make up for the lack of a real crowd. "Before Wormtail wets himself from excitement." Wormtail gained a pink tint, but James just grinned.
"If it bothers you," James told him, returning the snitch to his pocket.
Immediately, Sirius spoke to no one in particular. "I'm bored; wish it was a full moon."
"You might," Remus bit back darkly, not removing his head from his book. "We've still got Transfiguration; if you're bored you could test me. Here." Remus stopped reading and held out the book towards Sirius. Sirius just snorted.
"I don't need to look at that rubbish, I know it all." He told Remus.
James noticed a sudden movement by the bushes, and recognized long, dark greasy, hair. "This'll liven you up, Padfoot," James told his mate quietly, imagining how they could embarrass the git, especially with every fifth year on the grounds right now.
Sirius looked like he was a fox that had gotten a whiff of his prey. Slowly, he turned his head towards the greasy boy. "Excellent," He replied softly. "Snivellus."
Snivelly was only now putting his OWL paper in to his bag, and set off across the grass. Sirius and James stood simultaneously, and Remus and Peter remained seated. James saw Peter looking between Snivelly, himself and Sirius, anticipating their next move. Lupin was staring at his book, but he wasn't reading; he was just pretending he didn't notice, to not take part.
"All right, Snivellus?" James called out for their rival. As if expecting it, Snivelly dropped his bag and reached for his wand. Before he could cast anything, however, James shouted "Expelliarmus!" Snape's wand ended up behind him, and Sirius let out a bark of laughter.
James continued casting spells at the greasy boy. "Impedimenta!" He shouted, causing Snape's dive for his wand to be interrupted as he was knocked off his feet.
James looked around to see, as per usual, students watching the battle-if you could call if that. Snivelly hadn't even attempted a spell yet. Also as per usual, only a quarter seemed unsure if they should watch, though most were eating it up.
Snivellus lay panting on the ground before them, and James looked over at the girls by the lake again as he and Sirius walked towards the heaping pile of grease with their wands up. James had also looked over at Remus and Peter; Peter was up now, waiting for more action.
James's eyes returned to his prey. "How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" James asked with mock concern.
"I was watching him," Sirius replied instead, vicious. "His nose was touching the parchment. There'll be great grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word." The students around the three laughed.
Snivellus was attempting to get back on his feet, but James was sure a jinx cast by him of all people wouldn't wear off so quickly. Snivelly fell back, as if he were bound by now-greasy ropes.
"You-wait," Snivellus panted, glaring at James, loathing clouding his expression, and James sneered back. "You-wait…" He left the sentence hanging.
"Wait for wait?" Sirius asked coolly. "What're you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?" James and their audience began laughing again.
Apparently, what they were waiting for was a stream of curses and useless hexes, with swearwords thrown in, his wand still lying ten feet away.
James's face turned cold. "Wash out your mouth," James said. "Scourgify!" James did it for him, as pink soap bubbles began pouring out of Snivellus's mouth, and the froth caused him to gag.
"Leave him ALONE!" cried a familiar voice. James and Sirius looked around for where Evans must've been, James subconsciously running his hand through his hair.
"All right, Evans?" James forced his voice to sound pleasant and deep as he smirked over at her.
Lily repeated herself, glaring at James, but not as hatefully as Snivelly had. "What's he done to you?" She questioned.
"Well," James began, trying to deliberate the point, "it's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean…" James's comment caused everyone but Remus, Lily and Snape to laugh.
"You think you're funny, but you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter." Lily told him coldly. "Leave him alone."
James leaped at the chance; he'd been bothering his mates on how to ask the fiery red-head out; what better way than bribe? Yes, it was low, but he couldn't try being polite, she hated him. "I will if you go out with me, Evans," James told her quickly. "Go on…Go out with me, and I'll never a lay a wand on old Snivelly again." James thought it sounded pretty enticing; everyone got what they wanted.
James was too distracted by Evans to notice Snape inching towards his wand, soap bubbles still spilling out, but less often and slower.
"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid," Lily shot him down.
"Bad luck, Prongs." Sirius consoled him (or tried to) before turning back to their target. "OY!" He shouted.
James turned to see Snape aiming his wand towards him, before a flash of light and pain on the side of James's face. James looked down and saw blood on his robes. Immediately, Snape was hung upside down by his skinny, pale legs; his robes hung and revealed gray boxers. The audience cheered, and James, Sirius and Peter roared with laughter.
James noticed Lily barely hide a smile before yelling "Let him down!"
"Certainly," James replied, whipping his wand upwards to release Snivellus and the git fell into a crumpled heap of grease once again.
Snape got to his feet too quickly for James's liking, but Sirius amended it by casting "Petrificus Totalus!" Snape returned to the ground, stiff as James's house elf's ironing board.
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Lily demanded, furious enough to take her own wand out. Knowing her power, James eyed it warily, watching for any flicker to show she was about to jinx him and Sirius.
"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," James warned her, his eyes still trained on her wand.
"Take the curse off him, then!" Lily spit, glaring again. James sighed, sad that Evans had to ruin their fun, and muttered the countercurse.
"There you go," James told Snape as the boy struggled to get back up, "you're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus-" James told him mockingly.
Snape's reply fill James's very core with anger.
"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!" He shouted. The crowd gasped at the swear.
Time froze. Lily blinked, and then pursed her lips. "Fine," She said coolly. "I won't bother in the future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus." She spit at him, turning away.
"Apologize to Evans!" James demanded, whipping his wand back up to seem threatening.
"I don't want you to make him apologize," Lily yelled at him, turning around to face James. "You're as bad as he is…" At this point, if Evans as comparing Snivelly to him, James knew their friendship was over.
"What?" He yelped like a puppy at this, anyways. "I'd NEVER call you a—you-know-what!" James defended himself; he believed blood didn't make you better, especially comparing someone like Snivellus to someone like Evans.
"Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch," James wondered if she had been looking at him earlier like he had been glancing over at her because of that, "walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can-" Lily listed, rage growing with every word. "-I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK." She insulted, turning on her heel and hurrying away.
James looked dumbstruck, snapping out of it to shout "Evans! Hey, EVANS!" at her retreating form, but she never looked back.
"What is it with her?" James asked aloud, not expecting an answer. He hoped it sounded more as if he didn't care too much, like it was of no importance, but it was. Comparing a blood purist to him, just because he was a bit arrogant? Maybe it was a bit much to hex random students, but Snivellus wasn't a victim, he fought back harder and dirtier.
"Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited, mate," Sirius said, putting his hand on James's shoulder in an attempt to console him.
"Right," James felt furious; more at Snivelly than Sirius or Evans, but also a bit at himself for being such a prick around Evans, but he couldn't help it; she threw off his game. "Right-"
James returned Snivelly to his rightful place; in the air, underpants showing for the world to laugh at the git.
"Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?" Half the crowd cheered, before realizing what that would cause them to see, and everyone shouted "NO!" together.
Sirius laughed as he said "No one wants to see that, mate; not even Snivelly's own mum, I'd bet." The crowd resumed laughing, and James joined, mind taken away from Evans; what did it matter if she thought of him poorly, if this many people thought he was fantastic? He forced Snivellus onto his arse before turning away. Sirius guarded his back to make sure Snape didn't cast something, a technique they began doing since their first face-off.
The crowd eventually returned to their own activities, which was fine with James; he had a headache.
"You didn't have to do that, you know," Remus muttered from behind his book, eyes moving but not retaining any information. "Lily's right, he's done nothing as bad."
"If he'd aimed his wand any lower he could've killed me!" James protested. "I'm lucky he's such a poor aim, but I've still got to deal with a gash in my face until Madam Pomfrey fixes it up."
"Prongs is right, Snivelly aims to hurt us; we just embarrass him." Sirius added. Remus just sighed and returned to his book, finally continuing his studying.