"Miss Potter, ten minutes late to class? Fifteen points from Gryffindor."
Hugo looked at Snape disbelievingly, but Snape didn't care. It was the next year and now Hugo and Lily were third years, which meant they were both teenagers and more likely to drive the staff crazy.
To be honest, though, Snape was surprised. First off, Lily rarely ever came to class without Hugo, and second of all, Lily was never late to class. Never. She was a model student like her youngest brother.
He attempted to decipher the expression on her face, and he could tell that she seemed rather angry about something. But what was it?
He caught her discreetly mumbling to Hugo. "Miss Potter, I certainly hope you don't mind sharing with the rest of the class what it is you have to say," said Snape coldly.
Her eyes glowed with a sort of fire as she responded, "I was saying that fifteen points for being ten minutes late is a bit harsh."
"Would you rather I make it twenty points?"
"Not really, but you can if you really want to," Lily said, sounding exactly like her cousin Fred Weasley. The entire class tried to hide their sniggers and failed. Hugo looked at Lily as though she'd gone mad.
"Then twenty points from Gryffindor it is. Horace might tolerate your cheek, but I most certainly do not." The smirk wasn't wiped off her face like he'd hoped.
After his third year class, the sixth year Gryffindors and Slytherins filed in. James was surprisingly not fashionably late like he'd been all other days this week. The world had probably gone mad for James and Lily to reverse roles. As Lily walked out, she looked at James in such a hateful way that Snape had to wonder what was going on. Perhaps Lily had been late due to having another one of her arguments with James.
James remained oblivious to his sister's look and chose a seat in the middle, right behind Hazel. He looked serious for once….Perhaps the world really had gone mad. He stared at the back of her head whenever he had the chance, as though doing this would get her attention. He seemed genuinely suspicious of her. This was definitely something new. After all, James had ignored Hazel ever since she'd caused Lily to run away the previous year. But there was still a hint of longing in the boy's eyes whenever he looked at her.
"Potter!" Snape snapped. "Pay attention!" His words proved effective for once, and James didn't look at her once for the rest of class, but that didn't take the depressed look off his face.
James lingered a bit at the door while waiting for Lucy, Lorcan, and Lysander as the fifth year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws came in, and Albus nearly froze when he saw Hazel exiting the classroom. He sent James a look that could kill when he saw James sneaking glances at Hazel as she left. Rose appraised Albus with raised eyebrows and all but pushed him promptly into the nearest seat.
At the end of class, Snape felt he was about to figure out the source of all the strange interactions going on between the Potter siblings when Albus approached his desk. He was currently grudgingly giving James a high grade on his essay. For a boy who practically lived in detention due to his now constant nighttime excursions and seemed to never make it to class on time anymore, it was a wonder that he still put effort into his schoolwork.
"Sir?"
"What is it -"
But then the door burst open and Lily and James both entered.
"Never mind, I'll let them go first," said Albus hastily.
None of the kids were saying anything. There was a lot of tension building in the air as the three siblings stared one another down. Lily stood next to Albus, and the two looked to James, clearly expecting him to say something.
James cleared his throat nervously. "I just had to say that my dad passed a message on to me to tell you he arrives tomorrow."
"Very well. You may leave."
As soon as James was gone, Albus and Lily both sighed in relief.
"Professor Snape, James is up to something. Remember how I promised in my first year to tell you whenever I think he's up to something? Well, he's been sneaking around a lot," Lily said. Albus's eyes widened for some reason.
"Is that all? I gathered from your expression as he came through the door after your lesson that he angered you in some way. What did he do?"
"He was bullying Malfoy and made fun of me for trying to stand up for him."
Albus asked interestedly, "Well, why were you standing up for Malfoy? He's a git to everyone, including you."
Sensing the start of a disagreement, Snape said, "Enough, enough. What is it that you had to say?" he asked Albus.
"I think you'll catch James if you come to the astronomy tower tonight at midnight."
For once, Snape was grateful that he had a namesake who could provide him with such useful information.