Fandango

All three of them sat in uncomfortable wooden chairs as they faced the school principal in his office. Dumbledore sat on the other side of his desk, hands folded in front of him, looking each of them over with piercing blue eyes.

Snape's eyes didn't dare meet his, suddenly becoming very interested in his own hands. James could understand the humiliation, but he was not going to show it. He hadn't meant to hurt Lily - he had been aiming for Snape - but he had, and now all three of them were in trouble for it. This was a prestigious school; fighting of any kind was not acceptable.

"Well," Dumbledore said, his voice calmer than James would have expected. "Would anyone like to tell me what happened?"

"Snape started it," Sirius said, leaning back in his chair, arms folded over his chest. "He punched James in the stomach. James was just defending himself."

James nodded, ignoring the twinge of guilt in his stomach. If he hadn't provoked Snape... But it wasn't his fault, really. How could he have known the greasy git would turn violent?

"Is that true, Severus?"

"Yes, sir. They were teasing Lily and me," Snape admitted quietly, still not looking up.

For several moments, Dumbledore was silent. Then, with a heavy sigh, he rested his hands on the table, blue eyes focusing on each boy in turn. "Bullying of any sort will not be tolerated," he said. "All three of you are on probation for the rest of the semester."

"But sir!" Snape said, head jerking up. "That means I can't dance in the winter performance!"

James fought back a smug grin. At least he wouldn't have to watch Snape lifting Lily and touching her on stage.

"That's right, Mr Snape," Dumbledore informed him calmly. "I am sorry, but you know the rules - all of you do - and I will not go easy on you simply because you are being considered for the lead role. Now, of course, I'll have to inform your teachers, and…" He trailed off, mumbling to himself as he thought of everything he would have to do to enforce their punishment.

James rounded on Snape. He would now miss the show, too, thanks to that git.

"Thanks a lot, Snape," he said quietly.

..

James was still fuming when he and Sirius left the office and parted ways with the greaseball. "I hate him."

"Cheer up, mate," Sirius said brightly as they turned a corner towards the dormitories. "At least Evans has something to remember you by."

"You're not helping."

The dormitories were located just outside the school grounds. It was getting late into the afternoon by now and many other students were beginning to make their way in the same direction. As they walked, James couldn't help but wonder if Lily was okay.

"Do you think she'll ever talk to me again?" he asked Sirius, sighing at the thought. It probably wouldn't make much difference if she didn't. She preferred that slimy git to him anyway.

"No, probably not," Sirius said seriously. "You did punch her."

"Not on purpose." James opened the door to their room which they shared with two other boys, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew, and the moment they were inside, their two friends began bombarding them with questions.

"What the hell were you thinking?"

"Did you really hit her?"

"Is Lily okay?"

"How were you not expelled?"

James sighed. Normally, he'd play it cool and laugh it off. Now, all he could do was shake his head.

"I was aiming for Snape," he insisted. "She got in the way, trying to stop us all."

"Well, what happens now?" Remus asked, always the serious, most logical one.

"We're on probation," Sirius said. "Meaning we can't perform at the winter performance."

"Neither can he," James said, and that thought always cheered him up slightly.

Remus pursed his lips. James braced himself, waiting for the inevitable lecture that would come. But he just shook his head and sighed. "Come on," he said. "We can't have you moping around."

"I'm not moping!" James insisted.

"You sort of are," Peter said.

"To hell with you lot," James grumbled, but he knew they knew he didn't mean it.

That was what he loved about his three roommates. None of them were judgemental. He'd come to think of them all as brothers now, and he'd do anything for them, no matter what.

Remus was a photographer, and a darn good one at that. Above his bed he had stuck many of his favourite photographs on the wall. Most were of the four of them, but others were of his father and mother, who had passed away when he had been little.

Peter, their other roommate, had been accepted into the art section of the school. He had a creative mind, and was able to paint a picture almost as perfect as Remus could take a photo.

They'd been thrown together by the school - four boys with no other friends - and James was certain Albus Dumbledore regretted that decision now. Despite sharing no classes, together, the four of them could cause absolute mayhem.

"Fine. Theoretically, if I was moping- which I'm not, thank you very much!- what would you say is the solution."

James waited, tapping his foot. He expected Remus to suggest something soothing like tea and a book. Or Peter to suggest an outing of some sort. But it was Sirius who answered by moving towards his bed and pulling a bottle from under his mattress.

"Oh," Sirius said, a grin creeping across his face. "I know just what to do."

James beamed. Sirius was the troublemaker of the group - the oddball of his family - and if Sirius had a solution for anything, it always involved alcohol.

Remus sniffed, not at all pleased by the suggestion, but James and Peter were thrilled, and soon all four of them were drinking from the bottle Sirius had somehow gotten his hands on. Sirius gathered some food, and as the evening wore on, dinner went forgotten, replaced by the enjoyment of alcohol and friends.

It wasn't until the clock struck eight, and a knock came on the door of their room.

The look they gave each other was one in the same. They knew they were in trouble.


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