Sorry I took so long with this chapter. It's quite long and important to the basic story line. Thanks again brennqt14 and thanks for reading!

Chapter 16

They crept along the corridor concealed under the invisibility cloak but when they reached the trophy room Snape was not there. The corridor was empty, and to Snape it would probably appear so too since the pair of them were still invisible.

"D'you think he's going to come?" James asked after about five minutes.

"Dunno," Sirius said. "Let's wait another ten minutes. I s'pose it would be quite good if he didn't actually show up. That way we could…"

But just then there was a sound of footsteps, getting gradually louder. Moments later, Snape appeared, looking around nervously for them.

"Ready?" James asked quietly.

"I think so." Sirius said and the pair of them leapt into the trophy room, flung off the invisibility cloak and reappeared visible to Snape.

"Good evening Snivelly," Sirius said grinning.

"It's morning," Snape said through gritted teeth though his lip was curling.

Sirius opened his mouth but before he could say another word Snape had withdrawn his wand and shouted perhaps one of his favourite spells, "diffindo!"

James dodged to one side so the jet of light from Snape's wand missed him by inches. "Hey! We haven't started yet!" He said angrily.

"Reducto!" Snape shouted but apparently the reductor curse was not one of his specialities since nothing happened.

Sirius snorted. "Well Snivelly, doesn't look as though all that time spent memorising curses has paid off has it?"

"Relashio!" James shouted laughing. Snape jumped backwards and ducked but James' wand merely emitted a jet of fiery sparks.

Snape recovered fairly quickly. "D-didn't work!" He laughed though he was looking slightly nervous.

"Yes it did, that's what's supposed to happen," James said rolling his eyes.

Snape's eyes were darting from James to Sirius like a trapped rabbit. "Ready to duel Snivelly?" James asked grinning nastily.

Snape straightened up and pulling at his wand lunged at them so suddenly Sirius only just had time to shout, "Impedimenta!" Snape was knocked backwards. His wand flew from his hand and he retrieved it looking livid.

"You'll pay for that…" Snape said panting.

"Furnunculus!" James shouted. It was one they had been practising in the common room and though complicated worked magnificently. Snape erupted in boils at once and glared at the pair of them before darting to the wall as Sirius shot another spell at him.

"D – diffindo!" Snape tried again and the spell hit Sirius. This was apparently one of Snape's specialities since Sirius was at once covered in blood which was rapidly spurting ever faster.

Sirius didn't seem to care though, "here's something to cheer you up… Serpensortia!" A vast green serpent erupted from Sirius' want tip and began slithering dangerously at Snape.

"Stupefy! Impedimenta!" Snape shouted at it but no luck. The snake slithered faster and faster… It was gaining speed.

"Sirius you moron!" James hissed. "What are we going to do if it eats him?"

"Who cares," Sirius said though he was looking slightly anxious. Their eyes were following the thick-skinned snake as it made its way closer to Snape.

Snape had turned and began running. "Oh dear…" James said as Snape raced round the corner out of sight. The snake turner to face them. It hissed, showing massive white fangs… Poisonous fangs.

"What do we do now?" James asked frantically.

"I didn't think about that…" Sirius said nervously.

"Well think now!" James shouted. "IMPEDIMENTA!" Nothing happened. The snake was if anything coming at them even faster.

"Impedimenta!" Sirius tried. "Stupefy!"

"It's too thick," James said. "Wait until it opens its mouth…"

"If that happens…" Sirius said. They were moving back slowly as not to provoke it into going even faster.

"Let's try together…" James said desperately. "There's got to be something."

They were almost at the end of the charms corridor. The charms classroom door was locked. They had reached a dead end and the snake was still following them. "HELP!" James shouted. There was nothing else to do… It was this or nothing. "HELP US!"

They were really panicking now… The long green snake really would kill them… It opened its mouth and showed its long fangs again but neither Sirius or James attempted to stun it again…

"HOLD ON YOU TWO!" Came a familiar voice from the end of the corridor. Remus and Peter were running at them.

"Over here peabrain! Come on!" Remus was panting desperately. Neither James nor Sirius had ever seen Remus show so much bravery. He was now even closer to the snake than the snake was to Sirius and James. "Peter!" He shouted. "Get McGonnagal! I can't do this alone!" Remus pulled out his wand, stepped backwards and shouted a series of stunning spells James and Sirius had tried.

The snake stopped and turned to Remus. It stretched up and hissed, but Remus was showing no signs of fear. "Come on! Come over here!" He was shouting desperately. "Stupefy!" The snake had turned and began moving towards him, though slowly it was still enough for the colour to completely vanish from his face. But still he didn't move.

"Lupin! Run for it you idiot!" Sirius shouted as Remus remained firmly on the ground.

The noise apparently brought him to his senses. Moving backwards though still staring at the snake he successfully drove it towards the end of the charms corridor. "Nice one Moony!" James and Sirius cheered. "You're a life saver!"

Seconds later Peter came racing round the corner looking completely out of breath, followed by Professor McGonnagal in a tartan dressing gown who waved her wand and in an instant the snake had gone.

All four of them were still looking pale as their eyes darted round to see where the snake had gone.

It was McGonnagal who spoke first. "Well…" She said looking slightly anxious. "Would anyone care to tell me what's been going on?"

James and Sirius looked at each other. There didn't seem like anything they could do to get out of the situation. So slowly they told McGonnagal the whole story of how they had been duelling with Snape and it had got out of their control. Though McGonnagal still seemed more worried than angry her lips thinned as she surveyed them.

"And how is it Mr Lupin and Pettigrew came to be involved?" She asked.

Remus looked at Peter who was still looking for signs of the snake. "Well obviously I knew what was going on," Remus said. "So… We went to make sure James and Sirius were ok."

It was almost as though McGonnagal had just smiled, her lips certainly moved… "Well that is very thoughtful of you Mr Lupin and Pettigrew, though maybe a slightly foolish thing to do… As for you too," She glanced at Sirius and James. "I am going to have to take 50 points from Gryffindor each…"

"What?!" James spluttered. "But Snivellus started it!"

Professor McGonnagal frowned at him. "I will be speaking to Mr Snape as well, Potter. Now I suggest you get back to bed." With that she turned and strode back down the corridor.

"Well… thanks Moony." James and Sirius said smiling as they watched her out of sight.

Remus smiled back. "Just tell me next time you agree to a duel with Snivellus." He said and the four of them returned to the dormitory, invisibility cloak tucked under James' arm.