"I don't need your help, you little Mudblood!" cried Severus, just having been thrown to the ground by James Potter. Lily had immediately come to his defense.

Lily stopped dead in her tracks. "I'm sorry you feel that way!" she said, and hurried away, books in hand.

Severus got up quickly, hoping to make a quick getaway from Potter and his little crew, but it was to no avail.

"Where do you think you're going, Snivellus?" Sirius laughed and, with a nonverbal spell, hoisted Severus up in the air by an ankle.

"Want to see me take off Snivelly's trousers?" chortled James.

Remus had had enough. Sirius and James were constantly bullying Severus – what was the point? Severus had never done anything to either of them, other than becoming friends with Lily Evans, who James had a crush on.

"Stop!" cried Remus, standing up from his spot underneath a large tree on the Hogwarts grounds. "Just stop! He didn't do anything!"

James and Sirius half-turned toward Remus, and Sirius flicked his wand downwards, slamming Severus back to the ground. He stood up, patted himself off, and stared at Remus. He was just about to open his mouth to thank Remus when McGonagall appeared.

"What is going on here?" said Professor McGonagall loudly.

"Nothing, Professor," said James quickly. We were all just having a conversation when Severus came over and started -"

"Quiet, Potter. Don't lie to me – I saw everything. Detention for you and Mr. Black." She turned to face Severus. "Are you alright, Snape?"

"I'm fine, Professor," he said quietly, gathered his books, and hurried away to find Lily.

He eventually found her in the Great Hall, having lunch. He gestured to the empty seat next to her. "Can I sit?"

"Actually, I'm saving it for a friend."

He sat down anyway. "Lily, I am so sorry. I never meant to call you that. . . I was just sick of Potter and his friends harassing me! I'm not making excuses, because I should have never said that. You just. . . You mean so much to me."

Lily paid him no attention and continued to eat her lunch.

"Lily," Severus said desperately, "look at me."

She turned her head to see Severus's face inches from hers. He kissed her. Nothing passionate, just a kiss.

She pulled away quickly in surprise. Her eyes were wide and her mouth gaped open.

"What'd you do that for?" she cried.

"I – I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

She cut him off. "I didn't say I didn't like it." And with that, she got up from her seat, picked up her books, and went off to her common room for the rest of her lunch hour.

When Severus stood up from his seat, he saw James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter standing in the doorway of the Great Hall. Severus continued to walk down the aisle and walked right past them. He stopped, spun around, and called back to Remus, "Thank you."

Remus nodded, slightly taken aback. "No problem..."

"Hey, Evans!" shouted James. Lily was already to the top of the first flight of stairs. She came closer to the railing.

"What do you want?"

"I'm sorry," he said.

Lily walked slowly back down the stairs until she was between Severus and James.

"What?" she asked incredulously.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I hurt Severus in front of you." Now he turned to directly face Severus. "I really am sorry. I guess the only reason I hurt you is because I love Lily as much as you do."

"James, are you serious?" said Lily quietly.

"Yeah," laughed Sirius, "James, are you serious?"

"Shut up," said James. "I am completely serious, Lily."

Lily looked between James and Severus rapidly, trying to figure something out.

"I – I don't know what to do!" cried Lily, and she ran back up the stairs.

James turned to Sirius and laughed. "She totally fell for that!"

"Ha ha! That was really convincing. You had me fooled!" laughed Sirius.

Remus blew past them, going up the same stairs Lily had.

"Where're you going, Moony?" called James.

"Away from you two! You're sick!"

Severus was still standing there, staring at James and Sirius with new-found hatred.

"How could you say that to her? You're disgusting! You – AAAGH!" shouted Snape, running directly at James.

James drew his wand and sent Severus, once again, into the air by his ankle.

James laughed. "You never learn, do you, Snivellus? I'm better than you! And she's going to choose me!"

"JAMES POTTER!" bellowed the most frightening voice James and Sirius could have imagined.

James was too shocked to even throw Severus down.

"P-Professor McGonagall! How are you to-"

"You let that boy down this instant!"

James flicked his wand downward and Severus came crashing down to the floor.

"One hundred points from Gryffindor! And you have a week's detention. With me," said McGonagall. "Now, clear out!"

From that moment on, Snape vowed to do anything in his power to hurt James, even if it meant hurting himself. The half-blood prince was born at that moment. Nothing mattered to Snape anymore. He still loved Lily, but he knew James would stop at nothing to get her. He made another vow at that moment. He would keep Lily safe forever.