CH 1

A/N: This story begins after one of Snape's memories in Chapter 33 The Princes's Tale in Deathly Hallows. It begins after the memory where Lily questions whether Snape should be hanging around his "death eater" friends and Snape reveals that James fancies Lily and Lily calls James a "Toerag."

An easy March breeze tickled Lily's cheek as her and Severus strolled through a courtyard weaving between scatterings of school friends, a blend of adolescents all clothed in the same black robes but accented by their house colors. Lily could not help but notice how in the past few years or so, students had become more likely to "hang out" with classmates of their own class. She felt as though she and Sev were one of the last pairs to keep a loyal friendship as others drifted apart. However, even she could feel that Severus was beginning to spend more of the early spring afternoons with his Slytherin friends rather than her.

As they continued walking towards the door that led to the inside of the castle, Lily felt Snape inch closer to her as they passed a small tree, planted with its roots underneath the concrete stone where sat four teenage boys, all clothed in the same robes, with the same colored ties, glistening scarlet and gold. The skinnier one sat with his back against the tree, talking and chatting with the others, but out of the corner of his eye fumbling with a small golden winged object. He would quickly release it from his right hand and just as rapidly catch it again, almost right before it had the chance to get away

"Hey Sniv!" the boy with the snitch called out. Lily felt Severus tense up. She had not realized that he had moved close enough that their shoulders were in contact.

Lily tilted her head toward his, "Just keep walking," she whispered. "Ignore them." The duo picked up their pace a couple beats.

"Leave him alone, James," yawned the dark golden haired boy. Remus was lying on his side, the upper half of his body shaded by the small tree. With his head in one hand, supported by his elbow, in his other hand he was reading a book. However, his face had no sense of concentration; his eyes were rather glazed over as though he had not slept the previous night. Despite a large bruise on his left cheek, Remus was still rather handsome, in the classic dark eyes, and shiny hair sort of way.

"And miss this opportunity?" snarled a third boy. Although he was talking to his friends underneath the tree, his eyes were somewhere else; they were trying to make eye contact with Helena Coventree, the curvy 6th year Hufflepuff he'd had his eyes on for the last couple of weeks. She gave him a glance and he nodded his head up, as if to say "What's up?" Helena giggled and tossed her long blond hair over her shoulder and then turned back to continue chatting with her other friends. Remus casually looked up from his book.

"She's never going to go for you," he said quizzically.

"Five sickles says I'll be snogging her by Friday." Sirius briefly grinned when James gave him a soft kick to get him back focused in on Severus. Remus rolled his eyes, gave another slight yawn, and returned to his book.

"Sniv-" James began again, but was cut off.

Lily stopped in her tracks and grabbed Severus' arm to stop him as well. Severus's pale and pasty cheeks reddened a bit, giving off the faintest pink. "His name," Lily said sternly, "is Severus. Not," she paused for a greater affect, "Snivellus. Or any other foul name you slime balls have thought up."

James was taken by surprise. "Us, slime balls?" he sat up from his relaxed position against the tree. "Lily, dear, all I want is to hear a small 'thank you' from your friend here. After all, I did save his life a few nights ago." The fourth and final boy giggled awkwardly. He was chubby and had very crooked teeth. His ratty hair and acne prone face did not fit in with the other three boys, all of whom possessed glossy hair and clear complexions.

Snape's pink cheeks darkened. "Potter." He spit out the name like it was a moldy pumpkin pasty. "Potter, you-" he briefly closed his eyes, searching for the right words. He exhaled and said, "You know what happened. Your lies won't get past-"

"Lies?" James exclaimed with an outburst of laughter. "Lies? Are you serious? Sev, Sev, Sev. Here is what happened. You thought you would be cool to go near the Whomping Willow. I saw you from Hagrid's hut. When I was walking back to the castle, I heard a scream coming from near that tree. I went to examine, and there you were, inside the roots, screaming because you heard sounds and you were STUCK. Now, my dear boy, I saved you. And remember, I didn't have to, because, frankly, I don't like you, Snivellus."

Lily was frozen. She had not heard this whole story, and was shocked how loosely James had told what happened in front of anyone within five meters. Other students around then had stopped their conversations and were unsurely looking around at each other. Even Remus had closed his book and Peter's grin had faded.

Severus seemed to gain some courage. "That's right, Potter. You are the hero. You do no wrong and everyone should bow down to you." James's grin, like Peter's faded when Severus said this.

"You are the great James Potter. But, Potter, I see right through your little act. I know what you really are." Snape's mouth curled into an evil sneer.

"And what is that, Sniv?" James stood up and took a step out from under the tree. He thrust his snitch into one pocket of his robe and yanked his wand out of the other.

Lily unfroze and with a swish of her robe, she stepped out between the two boys, her arms out on either side of her. "Stop!" she demanded. She turned toward James. "James, Severus is of course thankful that you saved him. Do not further humiliate him. This needs to end now. Whatever prejudice is between the two of you needs to stop."

James raised his eyes in surprised. Why does she do this to me? He thought, thinking of the bright crimson colored hair girl he had fancied since first year. Every time I think I am over her because of how she hangs all over Snape, she surprises me yet again. James shook his head. Snape, on the other hand had turned so red in the face that he felt like he could fry an egg on his forehead.

"Lily," James stuttered. "You're right. I'm done here." He watched as she lowered her arms, her bright green eyes reflecting the relief she felt.

Lily was surprised. She had not expected James to give in so easily. After all, he was the one known to pick fights and not stop until her had made his point. She turned back to Severus, his head hung low, staring at the ground, while stringy bits of his greasy hair dangled over his eyes. Lily took one of his arms and tucked hers between his and dragged him from his spot and they together walked out of the courtyard, out of the pleasant March day's sunlight, and into the warm corridor.

James, watching Lily touch Snape, felt all of a sudden overcome by an instinct to pull out his wand and jinx the greasy boy with something terribly embarrassing. Something bad enough to make Lily never look at her friend again. No. James stopped himself. Lily would hate me even more. No, he needed to impress her in a different way. He went and sat back down with his friends.

Sirius was able to read James's expression. "Don't worry, mate, you'll get him in the end. You always do."

"Yeah," said James, even though he still felt like gagging at the very thought of Snape's hand even just casually grazing Lily's shoulder, or leg, or worse, her splendid naturally rosy cheeks. "It's just a matter of time, right? I mean, she'll see what a creep he is one day right?" However, by the time he had gotten the words out of his mouth, Sirius was already halfway over to where Helena was standing, his arm outstretched to tug on her robe, probably to capture her in one of his intense gazes from underneath his striking black hair that would no doubt be hanging attractively over his dark entrancing eyes. "Um, right Remus? You know what I mean?" James said to his friend.

Remus, with his book still open in his hands, had his eyes closed, his mouth open the slightest bit, deeply breathing.

"Oy, Lupin!" James playfully slapped his shoulder. Remus was startled and dropped his book.

"Wha-What? I'm here, yeah Severus is a complete dweeb."

James looked away, disgusted with his two best friends when Peter caught his eye. The boy was still grinning, for who knows what reason.

"I understand, uh, mate," Peter stammered awkwardly. He tried to lightly punch James's shoulder.

"Right, thanks." James stood up. "Well, er, I have Quidditch practice in a couple hours. So...I'm going to go up to the dormitory and rest up. Remus," he said glancing down to his friend, "you should consider coming too. Honestly, you look awful."

Remus sat up, pushing off of the ground with his book. "You're probably right. I, well, you know, have had some long nights, you know." James reached out one hand and grasped his friend's and pulled him up. He felt his arm muscles tense up and momentarily wished he was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and that Lily was in viewing distance.

Once the boys were up, they headed towards the door and Peter quickly gathered his things and followed them. Pulling open the door, James turned his head to catch a quick glance of Sirius. The boy had already pulled Helena away from her friends and they looked as though they were in the middle of a deep conversation. Hah, deep. James knew that Sirius was as deep as a baby pool. But the boy did have moves. A strand of Helena's hair fell into her eyes and Sirius was quick to push it behind her ear before she had the chance to.

James walked inside the castle, and he was still thinking of Sirius and Helena, except in his thoughts, he was Sirius and Lily was Helena.