AN: Hi. This is my first work here, hope you like it. I don't own JP or HP or SB or RL or SS or LE or any characters portrayed here. Enjoy!

"Hey, James, wait up!" Sirius dashed up beside James, sweaty but grinning at his friend. "How's it going?"

"Oh. Hey, Sirius." James gave his friend a small smile, but said nothing more. Instead, he walked slowly across the castle grounds and came to a stop by the Great Oak. He sat down, leaning his head against the ancient bark of the tree, and was silent, staring at the lake and the other happy sixth years around it.

Sirius laughed. "Still bummed about Lily? Come off it, man. You know she likes you."

But James did not seem to hear.

"Look at her," he said softly. "Talking to that… that…" At loss for words, he punched the ground with his fist. Sirius, finally serious, plopped down beside him.

"James, you've got so much more going for you. You're the best Seeker Gryffindor's seen in years, you get great grades, you have plenty of friends and a sense of humor, and you've got a great pureblood family to boot. She knows you're better than that bag of dirt."

"Right," James said softly, almost whispering. "You might as well say I'm a born Slytherin."

"Oh, no." Sirius sat back, staring his friend in the face. "She didn't."

When James did not answer, Sirius went on talking. "Remember, you were sorted into Gryffindor. The Sorting Hat can't be wrong."

"Who says?" Pulling out his wand, James played around with it, miserable as can be. "You don't know what happened back then."

"Sure I do. The Hat wanted to put you into Slytherin and you refused. It happened to me, too, remember?"

Slowly, James shook his head. "Not like this. It wanted to put me into Slytherin, yes, but you were sure that you wanted Godric's house. I wasn't like you, Sirius, I was tempted. I almost chose Slytherin. Maybe I should change houses. Maybe she's right."

"No. Not going to happen. James, Lily's a Gryffindor. She knows you're here for the right reasons."

"Prove it," James said wretchedly. "I mean, look at her, flirting with Snape. You say she knows better, but I'm not seeing it."

"Are you okay?" Sirius asked worriedly. "Maybe you should come inside. Hey, Remus! Come help me out!"

The thin, pale boy appeared as if out of nowhere, taking his position by James's side. "What's wrong, Prongs?" he asked cheerfully. When James didn't answer, he looked over to Sirius, who shrugged.

"He said something about Lily and changing houses," he told Remus.

"What?" Remus asked, shocked. "That's a bad idea, mate. Dumbledore'snot going to like that."

"So?" James asked carelessly "That's just too bad for him."

Remus and Sirius exchanged a worried glance. "Uh-oh. James, what happened?"

"She basically told me that I was a dirty, bullying rag on which she'd wipe her feet on if she wasn't terrified of the germs." He pocketed his wand. "She also called me a Slytherin-like prat and told me to check with the Sorting Hat. She also said that I was a show-off and she'd rather go out with Salazar Slytherin's pet snake than me."

"What else did she say?" Remus asked.

"She went on to call me something else, but I stopped her. Then she walked off to talk to Snape."

"Ouch," Sirius and Remus said together.

"Don't take it too hard, mate," Sirius said. "She's a girl. She's supposed to say that kind of thing. You know, look. There's Snape. You can go have some fun."

He meant it as a joke, but James didn't take it that way.

"You know what?" he said. "Maybe I will."

"I didn't mean that!" Sirius called after James as he stood and walked towards Severus Snape.

-----

"Hey, Snivellus!"

James walked briskly across the castle grounds and stopped in front of the tall, greasy-haired boy. Snape rose to his feet, pulling out his wand at the same time.

"Hello, Potter," he spat. "To what do I owe the honor?"

James lifted his wand. "What were you talking to Evans about, Snivellus?"

"It's none of your business, Potter."

They pointed their wands at one another, each preparing to defect the other's blow. Now it was only the matter of who went first.

---

Behind them, Remus and Sirius looked anxiously at one another.

"You get Lily," Sirius said quickly. "I'll interfere."

He ran up the slope towards the two boys, slowly circling each other. A group of students had already begun to gather.

---

"You want to duel, Potter? Perhaps about a certain friend of yours?" Snape spat at James.

"Why not?" James replied with an angry sneer. "We're here, are we not?"

"Then bow, Potter!" Snape flicked his wand, but James reacted with a curse, blocking Snape's spell at the same time.

"What are the stakes?" James asked while activating Expelliarmus.

"You are a better," Snape stated with an evil smile, blocking the spell.

---

"Lily!" Remus cried, coming to a stop. "Come now. James and Snape are fighting"

"About what?" the green-eyed girl gasped.

"You," Remus answered. Grabbing her by the arm, he took off up the hill.

---

"Better than you, yes," James retorted, casting another spell. "Loser never comes near Lily again."

"Deal," Snape said, blocking it.

"Stop!" Neither paid any attention to the cry. One spell followed another as the battle leaned first one way and then the other. At last, James managed to disarm his opponent.

"That's it then, Snivellus," he smirked.

---

Sirius and Remus stood by Lily, watching from the sidelines. They were filled with a growing worry for their friend and the bet he was making. The two were pretty evenly matched, and although James was clearly the favorite of the students, Snape was filled with a want for revenge. Revenge for the wrongs all three of them done him. James was taking the rap for petty tricks and pranks all three of them had played.

If Snape's anger was greater than that of James's, he had the lead. Even without a wand.

-

Lily had to admire James's skill and the Slytherin's perseverance. She could almost like the two boys if not for…

She did not get a chance to finish her thought. With the rest of the crowd, she gasped at what happened next.

---

Snape, half terrified, half angry, leaped at James. The latter extended his wand, but it snapped easily under Snape's weight. In moments, the two were rolling around in a ball on the ground, engaged in a good ol' fashioned catfight.

AN: So, what did you think? Should I go on? Review or Snape will demonstrate his skills with a certain curse. You know what I'm talking about,