Close Call – 7

Sirius pulled on Emma's hair, almost experimentally, in Transfiguration on the last Friday before OWLs. "You kept the griffin feathers in?"

"I liked them," Emma murmured, pulling her hair out of his reach.

"They are rather cool," James agreed, clearly not paying attention to the lecture. "Even Ricky agreed-"

"Valentine?" Sirius asked annoyed.

"Yeah, he's a decent bloke," James nodded. "Anyways he said he thought they were awesome, loved the team's get-up."

"Why would Valentine comment on Swift's hair?"

"Because I'm doing something new with it?"

"So he's gay then?"

Emma gave him a despairing look, "You will burn in hell, you know that, right?"

"Yes, you've made sure over the years that I'm well aware of the fact."

"Good."

Sirius rolled his eyes as she went back to her notes, "We need a prank-"

"Shut-up you git I can't hear myself think!" Remus hissed at him, quill scribbling furiously.

"Right…" Sirius drew the word out in annoyance. "As I was saying-"

"Padfoot either shut-up or I will silence you myself!"

"You wouldn't-" Sirius began, giving Emma a disbelieving look.

"Silencio!" She commanded quietly and Sirius' eyes widened in horror.

'You bitch!' he mouthed.

"She did warn you," Peter pointed out, earning himself a gut-clenching glare.

Emma, Peter and Remus spent the majority of that night in the library, going over their notes for the umpteenth time. They were on their way back to the common room when they heard raised voices.

"Oh!" Remus said in shock, dropping his wand to his side at the site of James and Sirius levitating Snape upside down. "Should I ask?"

"He was trying to hex Prongs while his back was turned," Sirius said savagely.

"How is this different from usual?" Emma asked tiredly. Her eyes widened when James pointed to his bleeding cheek. Emma strode over to him, grabbing his chin and turning his head so she could see the cut better.

"Hesphia!" she commanded, her voice arctic cold. "I thought you would have taken my last warning more seriously Snivellous?"

Relations between the Marauders and Snape had only, if possible, worsened since Snape and Emma had severed their friendship. While James and Severus had never been friends, and indeed Sirius had made it his goal at a young age to watch Snape burn in hell, they had never openly used harmful hexes on each other. A jellylegs here, a tickle curse there, but this was the second occurrence of Severus using a cutting spell, and the first time James had hung him upside down.

"Five on one?" Severus mocked. "How very courageous!"

"Because hitting someone while their back is turned is?" Sirius hissed, almost thrusting his wand right up Severus' left nostril.

"I thought he was paying attention-"

"Liar!"

"Pads calm down," Emma said placing a hand on his arm. She walked right up to Snape's reddening face, her eyes hot with hatred and anger. "I always thought you were smart."

"I am, it's you that's gone soft."

Severus groaned as he fell to the ground, Sirius hauling him up by his collar, "Take it back Snivelly."

"Touchy Black?"

"Padfoot step away," Sirius took a look around, complying when he saw Emma had her wand raised. "I'll leave this as your lesson Snape."

Severus' eyes widened as a flash of bright light surrounded him.

He woke up the next day in bed, not sure how he had gotten there. His head was pounding, the world hazy in his pain. "Fucking wandless," he groaned sitting up and making his way to a mirror to assess the damages. He paused as a note fell out of his pocket, scrawled in a very familiar hand,

Hurt the innocent and you'll pay the price.

He frowned at the message, looking in the mirror with horror. Scratched across his face was the word, Traitor. He felt his knuckled whiten as he clenched his fists in anger, this wasn't over.

The message didn't fade until the next day, displaying the vivid red word to the world and nothing he did would cover it up or make it disappear. Lily had looked at the word with the most shock, asking how he'd obtained the mark.

"Just some kids," he'd answered bitterly, wishing more and more that he could have the wandless roasting on a spit.

All too soon their OWLs were upon them, the schedule itself giving them nightmares. All their exams would be sat in a single week, enough to give even Lily a headache.

"It's all rubbish anyways," Sirius said stubbornly that weekend. "We don't need to know half of this," he picked up A History of Magic. "This pile of bat droppings for example, who in their right mind would need this load of-"

"That's enough shit imagery, thank you Padfoot," Remus said ripping the book from Sirius' hand.

Sirius frowned, "I still say it's a load of-"

"Thank you Padfoot."

They stood fidgeting outside of charms a few days later. They had their practical first and would be sitting the written that afternoon.

"Not to mention bloody Astronomy tonight," Sirius complained.

"At least that's three down," Peter told him, "that much less to study for."

"As if I'd actually study," Sirius grumbled.

Sirius was the first of the five to be called into the exam room and he really couldn't see what the big deal was about. He was asked to charm a pineapple to tap dance, turned a coffee cup fluorescent pink and, for humour, turned his instructor's goatee fuchsia.

Over the next few days they sat through History of Magic (Ernie Stebbins fell asleep half-way through) Ancient Runes, Muggle studies (Sirius said they had to lead the instructor through a 'how to operate the TV' and that he'd kill himself if he didn't get an O at least), Divination (James had invented a wild story involving a flying motorbike since he couldn't see a thing and Peter insisted he saw a pale skeletal man rising out of a cauldron), Arithmancy, Potions (Remus somehow melted his cauldron half-way through), and Herbology (Emma was attacked by a patch of Devilsnare which she accidentally exploded in her fright).

Overall the week went by well and the Marauders were confident in their marks, even if Emma had fretted over the Devilsnare to the point where Sirius had threatened to knock her out for several days.

Their practical for DADA went without a hitch and everyone, minus Peter, were assured they had scraped an O.

Emma groaned several hours later, sitting in the great hall and stretching, having just finished her DADA written. They only had Transfiguration left, that would occur all through tomorrow and she was happy that the week of exams was almost done.

She sat back lazily from her paper, tipping the chair slightly, DADA was easy, then again, she was part of the yet-to-be-studied curriculum. A small movement caught her eye and she grinned, seeing James' thumbs up and returned it. Sirius sat at the desk beside her, lounging in his chair like the egotistical git he was. She laughed as he offered her a wink and a small salute. She looked over to Remus who was still completely absorbed in his paper and not far away she could see Peter chewing on his nails nervously.

Her eyes narrowed as she spotted McKinnon sitting behind Sirius looking dreamy, with a small flick of her fingers she made the words, Look behind you, appear on his desk. He frowned at the engraving for a moment before leaning back further and looking into McKinnon's startled face, which blushed profusely. Emma snorted in mirth causing Flitwick to raise his eyes questioningly at her, she offered him a small wave, erasing the engravings on Sirius' desk as she did. Flitwick sighed and shook his head in annoyance.

"Quills down please!" Flitwick cried then, "That means you too Stebbins! Please remain seated while a collect your parchment! Accio!"

Several people laughed as the overwhelmingly large mound of rolled parchment knocked Flitwick off his feet, Emma rolled her eyes.

She gave a casual flick of her wand and the parchment rose and neatly placed itself on the desk in front.

"Yes thank you, thank you," she heard Flitwick mutter as people in the front helped him up.

Emma stood and made her way over to Lily, intent on having a few words with her about transfiguration.

"How was it?" Lily asked still putting her things away neatly.

Emma shrugged, "Simple, then again, well… you know."

"Very true," Lily said hoisting her bag over her shoulder.

"YO SWIFT," Emma turned around at the sound of James' voice, "CATCH YOU LATER, ALRIGHT?"

"YEAH," she hollered back turning again to see Lily shake her head in annoyance, "Come on, I hear the lake is cool," she said steering Lily to the lake.

Alice, Joyce, Mary and Marlene were already sitting at the lake's edge when they got there and Emma hid a groan. She was still not getting along well with Marlene, even if Lily said she wasn't as bad.

"He looked stunned to see me; I think it was my beauty…" Emma couldn't help but roll her eyes at the sound of McKinnon's annoying voice.

"He was stunned because you were stalking him," she spat at the girl annoyed.

McKinnon's face was smug, "You're just jealous," she said confidently.

Emma couldn't help it, she broke down laughing.

"Sorry, Emma's not right in the head today," Lily muttered pulling Emma down to sit with Alice's help.

"Oh, that was good," she muttered wiping tears from her eyes, McKinnon looked murderous.

"How are you and Frank going?" Lily asked Alice quickly, hoping to steer the conversation in a safer direction.

"Good," Alice answered overly enthusiastic, picking up on Lily's plan, "He invited me to watch practise actually…"

"Oh, you don't want to do that Alice, practise is boring to watch," Emma stated, curling her lip in distaste. "All we do is… practise."

"Very informative Emma," Alice chuckled, "All you do at practise is practise?"

Emma laughed, "Yeah, Prongs, Frank, and Elaine try to score on Moony, while Rob and Pads try to knock us all off our brooms, not to mention the season is over. We only have practice because Prongs is such a fanatic."

"What about you?" Lily asked, a smirk on her face.

"I try to catch the flying gold golf ball that Prongs is currently playing with," Emma said pointing vaguely towards the trees. She didn't have to look to know what her brother was doing, Prongs was always playing with the snitch.

"You've got wicked eyesight," Joyce said then, squinting to make out what the other Marauders were doing.

Emma just gave a noncommittal grunt and shrugged, "I didn't have to look, I know Prongs."

She watched in confusion as Lily's eyes narrowed, "What's up Lil?"

"I'm not sure…" Lily muttered focused, "They're… oh no they didn't!"

Emma sat up in confusion as Lily stood, watching as Lily marched towards the beach tree. Emma squinted passed her friend, looking to see what was wrong, "Lily what's… oh shit!"

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Lily bellowed as Emma watched in horror, What the hell brought on this?

Snape was lying on the ground, pink forth emitting from his lips. Emma took the distance at a jog, walking passed the snake with raised eyebrows.

"Alright Evans?" James asked using his 'mature' voice. Emma almost hit her head with her palm in exasperation, from behind James, Sirius smirked.

"Leave him alone," Lily repeated looking at James in hatred, "What's he done to you?"

"Well…" James seemed to deliberate, "It's more the fact that he exists if you know what I mean."

Several people laughed, but Emma frowned, wondering why they had made such a spectacle.

"You think you're funny, but you're just an arrogant, bullying, toe rag Potter, leave him alone," Lily seethed.

"I will if you go out with me Evans, go on, go out with me and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again," James said quickly.

"I wouldn't go out with you Potter if it was a choice between you and the giant squid," Lily snapped.

"Bad luck Prongs," Pads said briskly, then suddenly said, "OI!"

Emma gasped in shock as a flash of light whizzed passed, hitting Prongs' cheek and cutting it open; another flash of light zoomed by and Snape was hanging in the air by his ankle.

Many people cheered, Emma's eyes narrowed.

"Let him down," Lily cried.

James smiled cheekily and said, "Certainly," before letting Snape fall in a heap.

"What's going on here?" Emma asked Sirius quietly, wondering what had started the whole charade.

"I was bored," Sirius answered her easily.

"Isn't this a bit far?"

Sirius shrugged, "He's a slimy git."

Emma deliberated, "Agreed, but this is getting insane."

"Petrificus Totalus," James commanded and Emma opened her mouth with the intent of telling him enough was enough but Lily beat her to it.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" She yelled, her wand drawn and Sirius and James eyed it warily.

"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," James said earnestly.

"Prongs!" Emma screeched, scandalized.

"Take the curse off him then!"

James huffed in annoyance before saying, "Fine, you're lucky Evans was here Snivellus-"

"I don't need help from filthy little mudbloods like her!"

Lily blinked.

"Fine, I won't bother in future. And I'd wash my pants if I were you, Snivellous."

"Apologise to Evans!" James roared at Snape, his wand raised, beside him Emma's eyes were blazing in anger.

"I don't want you to make him apologise," Lily shouted rounding on James. "You're as bad as he is!"

"What!" yelped James. "I'd NEVER call you a – you-know-what!"

"Messing up your hair because you think it's cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can – I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK!"

Emma closed her eyes in horror as Lily spun on her heel and hurried away.

"Evans!" James called after her. "Hey, EVANS!" James sighed, rumpling his hair in annoyance, "What is it with her?"

"Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited, mate," Sirius supplied.

"Right," James looked furious now, angry that Evans had once again refused him, that he'd been yelled at when Snape had called her mudblood. "Right-"

With another flash of light Snape was once again in the air, "Who wants to see me take of Snivelly's pants?"

"Prongs please," he paused as Emma laid her hand on his arm softly. "This isn't the sort of attention we want, imagine if your rolls were reversed-"

"I'm not a Death Eater," James snapped in irritation.

Emma eyes pierced him, "No," she agreed, "You're not."

James' eye widened at her implication, releasing the spell, he turned from the scene.

"STOP!" he spun again at Sirius' yell, watching with wide eyes as Snape raised his wand, a red flash coming his way where it was met with another.

"NO!" he yelled as Emma took the spell head on, Protem rose swiftly, swallowing the spell whole and Emma only grimaced, flexing her fingers in pain.

"YOU STUPID WAND-"

The crowd inhaled as Severus fell silent. Ricky Valentine stood with his wand straight out, face pale with hatred. "Go," he said looking at Emma and she fled the scene before her hurt and anger got the better of her, Sirius on her heels.

She half ran to the forbidden forest, not stopping when she hit the trees, "Get away Sirius I'm not safe right now!" she called, hearing the boy fumbling after her. Indeed, her hair was spinning violently, her eye-teeth growing sharp. Around her tree boughs were breaking, birds squawking in indignation. It wasn't long before she found a small clearing and Sirius stood on the boarder when she entered, giving her space.

Her magic was not co-operating, her emotions too strong. She knew that there was little love between her and Severus, she had known he was angry with her for everything that had happened recently, but to expose her… She had been cruel, but not heartless. It was because of her that Lily was unaware he was a Death Eater, did he really think that if she'd told Lily he was attending the meetings they'd still be friends? She had not betrayed him, had not exposed him, but he would have her.

Sirius gripped a tree as the ground shook violently, waiting for her episode to pass. It was almost five minutes later that he approached her, saying nothing, only sitting by her side.

Ricky entered the forest with the rest of the Marauders sometime later, still pale.

"Thank you," Emma said calmly.

Ricky nodded, "The Gryffindor team wouldn't be half as much fun to play without you."

Emma smiled at his attempt to lighten the mood, "How did you know? How long?"

Ricky smirked, "Ages, as for how, anyone who's looking can see it. I'm a half-breed myself, mum was a witch, dad was a Vampire," he shrugged. "Call me suspicious."

"I owe you one," Emma said, inclining her head slightly. "For a great deal it seems."

Ricky nodded, then turned his attention to James and Sirius, "It was foolish, engaging Snape like that. You were asking for an emotional scene."

"Snape's a git," Sirius ground, eyes blazing.

"That might be," Ricky agreed. "But you need to learn caution. If I hadn't been there to silence the snake things could have been far worse. I don't know your history with Snape but he is cunning, watch your back before attacking."

James looked properly ashamed, but Sirius was calculating. "We'll keep it out of view from now on," Sirius agreed at last.

Ricky shook his head, "I finally understand why I'm not in Gryffindor," he said. "Your behaviour was disgusting. I'll see you in Transfiguration tomorrow."

Emma watched him leave, her eyes cold, "I have to go find Lily," she said at last. "She'll be heartbroken."

They walked to the common room in silence, watching Emma go up the stairs guiltily.

"I'm sorry," there were no other girls in the room when Emma entered, only Lily who was crying softly.

"You should be," Lily sniffed. "You didn't do a thing to stop them, he used to be your friend!"

"Things have changed," Emma took a seat on her own bed, watching Lily warily. "Perhaps I should be sorry that I wasn't honest with you."

"Oh?"

"You know how he said the recruitment was over?"

Lily nodded, "He assures me whenever I ask."

"It isn't, he's joined," Lily's mouth fell open in shock, her breathe pulling in sharply. "That's what we fought about the day I slapped him, among other things."

"That was still wrong of you today."

"I know and I'm sorry."

Lily watched her suspiciously, "What happened after I left? Did Potter really take his pants off?"

Emma winced, not wanting to lay more convictions on Snape's head.

"Well?" Lily prompted.

With a sigh Emma told her what had happened, leaving out the bit where Ricky was a half-vampire, that wasn't her tale to tell. "-He was angry Lily," she said slowly. "We all do stupid things."

"This wasn't a stupid thing," Lily sighed. "No, don't bother Emma, I had my mind made up before. My friendship with him is over, he's shown his colours," she sighed again. "Don't think I've forgiven you yet though."

"I wouldn't be so stupid."

They sat in silence for a while, both caught up in memories when Mary came in. "I'm really sorry," she began. "Snape's at the portrait hole."

"I don't want to see him," Lily said savagely. "Tell him to burn in hell."

Mary shifted uncomfortably, clearly wishing she didn't have to talk to the Slytherin. Emma felt for her and would ordinarily have taken the job off her hands but at present she felt that would only be adding insult to injury.

Once she had left Lily fell face first into her pillows, "I need a moment," she said warily. "Do you mind?"

Emma rose silently, leaving the room without a sound. Even in the common room, her hearing could pick-up Lily's sobs.

"I'm sorry," Emma knew Sirius wasn't apologising for tormenting Snape, he was sorry of what it might have cost her.

"I'm as much at fault," she answered lowly.

They sat in contemplative silence, neither willing to be the first to speak. The other Marauders were around them and it was almost an hour later that Mary came back in, red in the face with anger.

"He won't leave!" she told Emma hotly. "Doesn't matter what I say, he's adamant that he see her. Couldn't you-?"

"I've done enough damage," Emma said sadly. "Leave me out of it."

Mary huffed, looking beyond cross as she made her way up the stairs to speak with Lily. They both came down sometime later and Emma watched sadly as Lily left to speak with Snape. She was only gone a few moments and when she returned she was flushed with anger, her eyes wet.

That night was one of the longest Emma had ever sat through, too ashamed of what had happened she went to sleep on the common room sofa instead.

She woke up the next morning disoriented, wondering how she had gotten into a bed.

"Black brought you up last night," Lily said taking a seat on her bed. "He said you felt awful for what happened," she sighed. "It was only a matter of time, this wasn't your fault."

"I didn't stop it."

"No," Lily smiled. "But they're your family, you love them. I may not be thrilled with you, but I never meant for you to take a trip on the sofa," she smirked. "You're not a misbehaving husband."

Emma sat up groggily, "Transfiguration?"

"Doesn't start for another hour and a half, you have time," Lily responded standing.

They made their way to breakfast together thirty minutes later, Lily sticking close to Emma for protection from Snape. She was still very hurt by what he had said and appalled that Emma hadn't put a stop to it, but she had already lost one friend, she wasn't going to flog Emma when her input would have changed very little. If Severus was a Death Eater then it had only been a matter of time, though, she thought smugly, I no longer have to wonder who wrote Traitor across his face.

Transfiguration went without a hitch, unless you count Joyce unintentionally making thirty buffalos pop into existence.

The Saturday after exams saw the Marauders living it up. They snuck out of the castle early in the day, making their way to Hogsmead.

Remus insisted they spent some time in Honey Dukes, where they bought chocolate frogs and sugar quills before taking a tour of Zonko's fireworks.

They made themselves comfortable on the edge of town, taking bottles of butterbeer out with them to drink while the fireworks lit the sky. They watched the magical dragons fly, the phoenixes and trotting unicorns.

"Do you think we'll always be friends?" Swift asked no one in particular, her eyes glued to the night sky.

"No," Prongs answered her with a smile. "We'll always be family."

Swift smiled, knowing that her brother was right. They would always be together, the five of them, nothing would ever be able to tear them apart.

"We're going to need a huge dining room table," Padfoot said taking a swig of beer. "Just think of all the brats Prongs and Evans are going to have."

Prongs perked up at this, his smile widening and Moony couldn't help but laugh at his expression.

They sat on the train not long after, dreading another summer.

"I'm thinking of getting a motorbike," Padfoot informed them. "There's a garage not far from my place that might sell me one cheep."

"Sounds good," Swift smiled. "You'll owe me a ride when you get it."

"Course," Pads winked.

"Well, this is it," Prongs said standing as the train slowed. "We'll see you in September. Be safe."

"We will," Moony promised. "Take care of yourselves?"

Swift and Prongs nodded, Archimedes hooting lowly.

"Another summer," Sirius whispered watching them go.

"Another summer," Moony agreed. "But it will call in a new year Pads."

"Assuming I passed my OWLs."

"You did," Moony assured him. "I'll keep in touch over the summer, tell me if you need muggle exchange."

"I will," Pads clapped hands with him, seeing Walburga waiting. "Take care Moons, Wormy."

"Good luck Pads!" Wormtail said waving.

Sirius looked back once towards the train before exiting the barrier, watching Moony and Wormtail talk animatedly. He saw Prongs, Mrs. Potter and Swift not far off and turning Swift gave him a single wave of farewell.

Hogwarts, he decided, would come soon enough, two months wasn't long to wait after all…

How wrong he was.

Well, I do believe that is the end of book 5. Changes include:

-Snape's Worst Memory, in part.

-Ricky Valentine

-Dumbledore going with Emma's parents to see about rumours.

I have yet to come up with a title for the next instalment but you'll see it when I post the next chapter anyways.

The Passage you recognize from OotP is not mine! It belongs to J.K. Rowling, in fact, a whole boat load of this belongs to her :)