Chapter 16
"SNAPE!"
Severus Snape froze in his tracks and cursed under his breath. Two days of paranoia and then when he finally thought he was safe and let his guard down, he was cornered. He turned slowly on the spot, and found himself face to face with a very angry Sirius.
"You are in so much shit, Snivelly." Sirius growled, his voice shaking with suppressed rage. "You are going to pay, big time."
Snape felt a malicious pleasure at how angry Sirius was. He knew he was in trouble now, but it was worth it to see the arrogant Marauder so wound up.
Snape plunged his hand inside his robes, but just as he withdrew his wand Sirius disarmed him and sent his wand spinning across the stone floor of the entrance hall. A crowd was gathering to watch as Sirius waited for Snape to retrieve his wand, eyeing his enemy contemptuously as he crossed the hall.
Snape reached forward and his fingers closed slowly around the handle of his wand. Sirius was getting impatient. He looked the other way for a moment, tapping his foot. The moment Sirius's attention wavered, Snape struck. He spun around suddenly, aimed his wand at Sirius and screamed, "Tsepstefaro!"
Sirius reacted just in time, as Snape's voice brought him back to reality.
"Protego!" He yelled, a split second before the curse made contact. The jet of red light rebounded back towards Snape who dodged it and shrieked "Comtephestra!"
Sirius wasn't quick enough this time, and the spell hit him in the chest. He was knocked backwards off his feet and flew across the room, slamming into the far wall with a sickening thud before falling to the floor.
There was a gasp of horror from the spectators, and Snape grinned triumphantly, as he advanced on his prey.
Sirius groaned and rolled over quickly as Snape halted beside him, pointing his wand straight up into Snape's face. "Riptumonia!" He bellowed, and Snape suddenly found himself hanging twenty feet above the floor. Snape struggled to get down, but the curse held him position and he started to cartwheel, over and over. The crowd clapped and cheered, but Sirius, noticing Snape's now green complexion, hurriedly lowered him to the ground.
"Sestekompra!" A thick green gas spurted from Snape's wandtip and hovered around Sirius' head, making him cough and splutter as he fought for breath.
"Tempestor," Sirius gasped, and Snape started to spin on the spot, round and round, faster and faster until-
"STOP!" yelled a voice. Thinking it was a teacher, the crowd scattered, leaving Sirius and Snape alone in the entrance hall. Snape slowly stopped spinning and, noticing Sirius' back was turned, escaped down one of the corridors leading to the dungeons. Sirius looked around him, searching for the person who had shouted. Seeing no-one, he set off towards the staircase.
"Sirius Black," said a voice just behind him. He turned and received a hard slap across the cheek. Roseline was standing in front of him, her face pale, her eyes glistening with tears, but looking angrier than Sirius had ever seen her.
"You're disgusting," she said quietly. "I don't know why I didn't see it before. I thought you'd got better, but it turns out, underneath, you're still the same arrogant, insensitive bully you always have been. What's Snape ever done to you? Humiliating him in front of the whole school, just because you can, just because you want to look good. You make me sick!"
"Roseline, listen to me, it wasn't like that, he-"
"I don't want to hear your excuses!" She screamed. "I don't care any more. I hate you, and I never want to speak to you again. Gryffindor." She snorted. "I don't know why you aren't in Slytherin with your precious brother. Goodbye, Sirius."
Roseline turned on her heel and disappeared down a corridor, leaving Sirius alone again.
He stayed as still as though he was carved from stone, staring after her for a long time after she had disappeared from view. He was not angry. He was lost. He was confused. And he didn't what to do.
After a long time he turned away and made his way back up to Gryffindor Tower. He crossed the common room in silence, looking straight ahead and ignoring everyone. When he reached the dormitory he went over to the open window and stood there, leaning his elbows on the windowsill.
Long after dark had fallen James came up to the dormitory. He glanced at his friend before looking away and getting into bed. Once James was asleep, Sirius turned from the window with a sigh, before collapsing on his bed, fully clothed. He fell asleep straight away.
"SNAPE!"
Severus Snape froze in his tracks and cursed under his breath. Two days of paranoia and then when he finally thought he was safe and let his guard down, he was cornered. He turned slowly on the spot, and found himself face to face with a very angry Sirius.
"You are in so much shit, Snivelly." Sirius growled, his voice shaking with suppressed rage. "You are going to pay, big time."
Snape felt a malicious pleasure at how angry Sirius was. He knew he was in trouble now, but it was worth it to see the arrogant Marauder so wound up.
Snape plunged his hand inside his robes, but just as he withdrew his wand Sirius disarmed him and sent his wand spinning across the stone floor of the entrance hall. A crowd was gathering to watch as Sirius waited for Snape to retrieve his wand, eyeing his enemy contemptuously as he crossed the hall.
Snape reached forward and his fingers closed slowly around the handle of his wand. Sirius was getting impatient. He looked the other way for a moment, tapping his foot. The moment Sirius's attention wavered, Snape struck. He spun around suddenly, aimed his wand at Sirius and screamed, "Tsepstefaro!"
Sirius reacted just in time, as Snape's voice brought him back to reality.
"Protego!" He yelled, a split second before the curse made contact. The jet of red light rebounded back towards Snape who dodged it and shrieked "Comtephestra!"
Sirius wasn't quick enough this time, and the spell hit him in the chest. He was knocked backwards off his feet and flew across the room, slamming into the far wall with a sickening thud before falling to the floor.
There was a gasp of horror from the spectators, and Snape grinned triumphantly, as he advanced on his prey.
Sirius groaned and rolled over quickly as Snape halted beside him, pointing his wand straight up into Snape's face. "Riptumonia!" He bellowed, and Snape suddenly found himself hanging twenty feet above the floor. Snape struggled to get down, but the curse held him position and he started to cartwheel, over and over. The crowd clapped and cheered, but Sirius, noticing Snape's now green complexion, hurriedly lowered him to the ground.
"Sestekompra!" A thick green gas spurted from Snape's wandtip and hovered around Sirius' head, making him cough and splutter as he fought for breath.
"Tempestor," Sirius gasped, and Snape started to spin on the spot, round and round, faster and faster until-
"STOP!" yelled a voice. Thinking it was a teacher, the crowd scattered, leaving Sirius and Snape alone in the entrance hall. Snape slowly stopped spinning and, noticing Sirius' back was turned, escaped down one of the corridors leading to the dungeons. Sirius looked around him, searching for the person who had shouted. Seeing no-one, he set off towards the staircase.
"Sirius Black," said a voice just behind him. He turned and received a hard slap across the cheek. Roseline was standing in front of him, her face pale, her eyes glistening with tears, but looking angrier than Sirius had ever seen her.
"You're disgusting," she said quietly. "I don't know why I didn't see it before. I thought you'd got better, but it turns out, underneath, you're still the same arrogant, insensitive bully you always have been. What's Snape ever done to you? Humiliating him in front of the whole school, just because you can, just because you want to look good. You make me sick!"
"Roseline, listen to me, it wasn't like that, he-"
"I don't want to hear your excuses!" She screamed. "I don't care any more. I hate you, and I never want to speak to you again. Gryffindor." She snorted. "I don't know why you aren't in Slytherin with your precious brother. Goodbye, Sirius."
Roseline turned on her heel and disappeared down a corridor, leaving Sirius alone again.
He stayed as still as though he was carved from stone, staring after her for a long time after she had disappeared from view. He was not angry. He was lost. He was confused. And he didn't what to do.
After a long time he turned away and made his way back up to Gryffindor Tower. He crossed the common room in silence, looking straight ahead and ignoring everyone. When he reached the dormitory he went over to the open window and stood there, leaning his elbows on the windowsill.
Long after dark had fallen James came up to the dormitory. He glanced at his friend before looking away and getting into bed. Once James was asleep, Sirius turned from the window with a sigh, before collapsing on his bed, fully clothed. He fell asleep straight away.
