Disclaimer: Characters and settings are property of J.K. Rowling. What you don't recognize is mine. And I wish I owned the Marauders (specifically Sirius and Remus) but most unfortunately, I do not. L

Important Note: Chapters 2 and 3 have been changed (not so much three, but two is drastically different) so please check those out. I decided, after some deliberation, that I liked James better as a Chaser. It's a bit harder to right him as the hero of the match, though… Oh well. I think I did a decent job.

X-X-X-X-X

"What's the matter with you, Lily?" asked Marlene as they quietly packed up after class. They were among the last to leave – the others had simply raced out the door. "Your face is like a tomato."

"Nothing," lied Lily hastily, and instead focused on the parchment crumpled up in Marlene's fist. "What's that?"

"Nothing," said Marlene quickly, stuffing it in her pocket. "It's nothing."

Hmm… looks like I'm not the only one keeping secrets… Hang on, I haven't got a secret! A deep red flush rose in her face. It's not as though I like Potter, so I don't have a secret! Right? Right!

Bloody hell, Evans, you're talking to yourself. You know, they say the first sign of insanity is talking to yourself.

"Clearly." Lily jumped and stared at Marlene, who was giving her a bemused smile. "You said the first sign of insanity is talking to yourself. That's true." Then Lily realized she had spoken aloud. She flushed all the more deeply, and Marlene laughed. "Don't worry. I won't tell about your crush on Potter."

"I don't have a crush on him! I-"

"Lily! Calm down; I was only kidding." Marlene stared at her suspiciously. "You don't have a crush on him, do you? Because, you know," she added quickly as Lily began turning red again, "it's perfectly all right if you do. Lots of people. I mean, look at Janine, right? She has a crush on him…"

"She does?" Lily asked blankly.

"No, I don't!" They whirled – Janine had been sitting with one of the Ravenclaws (having gotten to class late), and was glowering at the two girls. "I wish people would drop that. I said James was 'cute.' And that was second year, and I meant in a very platonic, brotherly sort of way!" Marlene and Lily exchanged grins. "I did!"

"You know," teased Lily, "if you have a crush on him, I wish he would ask you out. At least you'd say yes." Janine went quiet and muttered something unintelligible under her breath. "What did you say?"

"Girls!" They all turned to Violet, who was regarding them irritably. "Take your gossip elsewhere! I don't want to hear it!"

They hastily ran out, all giggling madly. Lily stopped Janine when they were at a safe distance.

"So? What did you say?"

Janine shot her an irritable look, having stopped giggling. "I said, I've already gone out with Potter!" Her two friends stared at her, and she blushed. "Okay, not exactly. There was this one time, before fourth year – it was a bit stupid, really, we only kissed once, just to see what would happen – nothing did, of course, but anyway – Black came upon us and made so much fun of us that we never let it get past that one kiss. Thankfully – I don't think Black exactly cherished the thought of us together."

"Why, how did he take it?" asked Marlene curiously.

"He was fine with it – although I have my suspicions as to what he said to James when I wasn't there." She made a face. "He took pictures of us kissing in the Leaky Cauldron. But I told him if he ever told anyone, I'd rip his throat out and stomp on it. And yes," she added, just as Marlene opened her mouth, "I do know that I'm good with imagery. I get that a lot."

Marlene smirked as the three girls began walking off again. "But, you know…" said Marlene slowly, "Potter is awfully good-looking."

"Yes," agreed Lily poisonously. "He's awfully big-headed, too." Marlene and Janine exchanged looks. "Don't do that whole 'exchanging looks' thing. It usually means that you're both thinking something that you think is obvious to you and not to me. And it's usually not right, either."

"We were just observing," said Janine very cautiously, "that you don't seem to like Potter much."

"And we were also remembering," added Marlene slowly, "how relationships between two people often stem from a mutual dislike for each other. You know?"

Lily scowled. "Are you saying – are you saying that you think Potter and I are going to have a relationship?" she spat.

Janine backed away slowly. "You know, you already do have a relationship. Just not a very good one."

Lily scowled. "I'll have you know that-"

"Go on, Snape!" The three girls froze and whirled as a laughing voice floated from around the corner. "Go ahead! Make me stop!"

Lily pulled out her wand and angrily stepped around the corner.

X-X-X-X-X

A Few Minutes Earlier…

"Padfoot!" Peter stomped on Sirius's foot, throwing an arm out to block him and James. (That night was the full moon, so Remus was in the hospital wing – "My mother's sick," he had explained to the girls the day before. Alyssa had taken it in stride, but the others nodded dubiously). "Look!"

Sure enough, just slightly ahead of them, Severus Snape walked slowly, inspecting a parchment.

Sirius expelled a soft breath through his teeth, grinning. "Excellent." He raised his wand-

And just as he did, Snape whirled, but James was first. "Expelliarmus!" Snape's wand flew from his hand (Peter caught it), and Snape slammed backwards into a stone wall, glaring spitefully up as the three Gryffindors approached him.

"Well," he sneered, "if it isn't Saint Potter and his little friends. Where's your other cohort?"

The three boys exchanged looks and didn't answer. Instead, Sirius lifted Snape by the neck of his robes and slammed him against the walls. "We haven't seen your greasy little head around recently," he sneered.

"How fortunate for you," snapped Snape, trying to push Sirius away (it didn't work). "Let me go, Black!"

"Make me, you git," retorted Sirius, moments before his fist slammed into the side of the other boy's face. Peter and James crowded around, smirking.

"With pleasure, Black," snarled Snape, sending his knee into Sirius's stomach. Howling, the Gryffindor boy let go, giving Snape time to snatch his wand and point it at Sirius threateningly. Peter and James had reacted as one, going to their fallen friend's side, and as a result, neither had his wand out. "Who's the dangerous one now, Black?" asked Snape, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.

Sirius sat up on his elbows, glowering at Snape. "Think you're so smart, do you? You're hardly dangerous, Snape." He smirked. "Always trying to get us into trouble like you are… you'll pay for it, one day. We'll make you sorry."

James's mind was already whirling with the possibilities – he wanted to do something spectacular, something that would make Snape really sorry…

"Will you, Black? I'd like to see you try, you pathetic excuse for a pureblood. Hanging around with filthy half-bloods like Pettigrew and Lupin…"

Sirius shot to his feet, scowling. "Leave Remus alone!" Peter felt moderately insulted that Sirius didn't bother to rush to his defense, but then again, Peter was standing right there. It was considered extremely low to insult someone who wasn't even present to defend himself.

"Oh, it seems I hit a nerve. What's the matter, Black? Feel the need to defend your boyfriend?"

"Piss off! You're a greasy git, Snape! A greasy git, you hear me?" Sirius's fists clenched and unclenched.

"How many times has that come up in our conversation? I always figured you were more creative than that. Of course, to figure you to be creative, I'd also had to credit you with a brain." Sirius's fist slammed into Snape's cheek again. "You bloody bastard! Let go of me!"

In response, Sirius began to thoroughly beat him. Peter backed away nervously, not liking the looks of cold malice in James and Sirius's eyes – they clearly thought this was fun. Enough was enough. "Guys, stop…"

"Don't be such a wimp, Wormtail!"

Snape coughed blood onto Sirius's shirt, causing the other boy to jerk backwards in disgust. "Have pet names for each other, do you? Didn't know you were a pansy as well, Potter. My, your dormitory must be like a heaven for you lot." With a low growl, James lunged for Snape, but Sirius got that first. Snape gasped in pain as Sirius's fist connected with his nose, letting a sharp crack echo through the all.

"Make me stop, why don't you!" Snape opened his mouth, but Sirius cut him off with a cold grin, taunting him. "Go on, Snape! Go ahead! Make me stop!"

And then Lily Evans stepped around the corner, flanked by Marlene McKinnon and Janine Garnet, her wand directly pointed at the four of them, a look of complete fury on her face. Oh, crap, thought James, and his hand jumped to his hair.

X-X-X-X-X

"Lower your bloody hand, Potter!" she spat. "Worrying about how you look at a time like this – I can't believe you! Leave him alone!"

"I thought I told you," snarled Snape, "that I didn't want any help from a Mudblood like you! Are all Gryffindors this thick, or is it just you and these three idiots?" Sirius's fist slammed into his cheek again. Already, it was mottled with dark, purple bruises, and another was forming.

"Stop!" shrieked Lily. "Stop that at once! If you don't, I'll-"

"Sod off, Evans!" snapped Sirius. "Can't you see we're busy? Where's your Gryffindor pride?" James smirked a little; Lily glared at him. Peter, on the other hand, shot her a plaintive look with a clear meaning: Do something.

"Stop," she ordered again, firmly. Her green eyes glittered threateningly. "Or I'll hex all of you into next century and dump you in detention!" With a face, Sirius let go of Snape, letting him drop to the ground, and backed away, his arms spread as he bowed mockingly. "Fifty points from Gryffindor!" she hissed. They all stared at her – even Peter, Janine, and Marlene. "Attacking another student is… it's… it's despicable, that's what it is!"

"Evans, chill out," ordered James, now scowling as well. "Fifty points is pushing it."

"It most certainly is not! I'm a prefect, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let you smirch Gryffindor honor and attack another student without cause…"

"Of course we had a reason," said Sirius with a smirk. "He exists. That's plenty reason to attack Snivellus. Oy, where do you think you're going?" he added at Snape, who was trying to sidle away. He lunged for Snape at the same time James did – but Marlene and Janine got there first, Janine tackling Sirius, Marlene knocked James to the floor. "Bloody hell, Garnet!" roared Sirius as they struggled on the ground. "Butt out!"

"Make me, Black!" she screeched in his ear; he flinched. "Snape! Go, you idiot!" Snape went, fleeing down the hall.

Marlene and James had already settled matters with a quick scuffle – Marlene was seated firmly atop James, not allowing him to move much. He did, however, sit up on his elbows and twist to look at Snape. "Bloody coward," he snarled. Marlene slapped him. "Ow!"

"What's going on here?" came a bellow. The six students looked up and stared at Fabian Prewett and Damien Garnet (both of whom were rapidly turning red in the face). To Lily's astonishment, Janine's younger brother Perry was staring at them with wide eyes. What's he doing with a pair of older students?

"Get him, Janine!" he yelled eagerly, but Damien yanked the younger boy behind him, furiously storming over to Janine and pulling her off of Sirius, which was a bit difficult, due to the fact that she had a fistful of his shirt in one hand, the other pulled back in a fist, and he was yanking her skirt with one hand and her hair with the other.

"What are you doing?" he hissed. Fabian, however, made no qualms about shouting.

"This is unbelievable! You're all unbelievable!" he roared. "This is a disgrace! And Black, Potter, what do you think you're doing, attacking girls?"

"Attacking girls?" roared James in response, shoving Marlene off of him (she gave an indignant squeal and clambered away from him). "They attacked us first!"

"I don't care! That's now way to act! Didn't your father raise you to be a gentleman?" Within moments, Fabian and James were shouting at each other, Damien and Janine were arguing in heated whispers, and Sirius was nursing what was rapidly turning into a black eye. Marlene sat off to the side, flushing, while Lily, Peter, and Perry stood a little bit away, not wanting to get involved.

Finally, Fabian and James's argument seemed to have reached a stalemate as they sat there, glowering at each other. Sirius was sending mental daggers at Janine's turned back – he was clearly sulking – and Janine was standing there, scowling at her brother, her fists firmly planted on her hips.

"I am not going to tell Professor McGonagall about this," said Fabian at last, coldly. "I'm also not going to ever mention this incident ever again. Go clean yourselves up. Get healed; make your excuses to Madam Pomfrey. Damien, let's go. We were supposed to be helping your brother find the Headmaster's office." The three of them started off, until, at last, Fabian turned with a scowl. "I expected you to break this up, Evans. What kind of prefect are you? And you," he added in Janine's direction. "You ought to set a better example for your younger brother." He stormed away.

Marlene smiled weakly around. "Well. That's one way to break up a fight, I suppose." Everyone glared at her. "Jen is going to kill us for leaving her out," she added to Janine, who shrugged, brushing off dust from her skirt.

Janine glowered at James and Sirius. "I hope you two have learned your lessons about attacking someone when their back is turned. We're Gryffindors; we have more honor than that. Lily, are you coming?" she added arrogantly. Lily sighed, and glowered back at James and Sirius as Marlene followed Janine from the corridor.

"Oh, Black? And Potter?" They glanced at her. "Detention on Friday." She stormed away as both Sirius and James flicked her off as one.

Peter gave them an 'I told you so' sort of look. Sirius glowered at him. "If you say what I think you're going to say, I'll hit you." Peter hastily shut his mouth. "You'd have to pick an anal prefect to be the love of your life, wouldn't you?" he added to James. "Of all the damned people to pick for your future wife, it would have to be Evans…"

"She is not my future wife! All I'm doing is asking her out. And anyway, it was your fault," retorted James. "You're the one who dared me to in the first place."

"I hadn't expected you to take it this far!" He raked a hand through his hair. "We just lost fifty points. Great. At least Prewett didn't take points off."

"He's mostly mad because you were fighting with his girlfriend," pointed out Peter reasonably. "Although the fact that we were fighting so loudly didn't help. By the way," he added, with a dark look, "what possessed the two of you to take it so far?"

"I thought I told you not to be such a wimp," James retorted. "Where's your sense of adventure?"

"That's no adventure, Prongs, that's just… just mean!"

"Oh, it's mean, is it? You're really pathetic, sometimes, Wormtail, you really are. I wonder why they placed you in Gryffindors. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got something to do. So you two can scuttle off and be good little boys, but I'm going to be a real man and deal with this problem once and for all." And Sirius stormed away, robes billowing out behind him in a manner that put Peter in the mind of a Slytherin.

X-X-X-X-X

Snape stormed down the corridor, wiping blood from his mouth. "Bastards," he hissed. "Stupid bastards – go to hell, all of them-"

"Talking to yourself, are you, Snivellus?" Snape whirled, whipping his wand out – Sirius already had his own out, pointing it at Snape threateningly as he advanced. "The only bastard around here is you. You think you're so smart, skulking around, dabbling in the Dark Arts, trying to get us expelled…"

"You'd deserve it if you were," snarled Snape in response. "Piss off, Black! Didn't your females bring you to heel?"

"You don't even deserve to be at Hogwarts, Snivellus. This school would be better off without you." Sirius grinned, malice lining every inch of his face. "It's about time we dealt with you properly."

"Fine!" spat Snape, a furious scowl on his face. "Trophy room, midnight. One duel to settle this once and for-"

"No," interrupted Sirius, still snarling. His eyes glittered coldly. "I won't have you picking fights with us anymore. You will leave Lupin alone. He's better than you are."

"He's less than I'll ever be. He's a half-blood, Black. It's no wonder your mother hates you. You've got no pureblood honor."

"Pureblood mania, you mean." Sirius bared his teeth. "Tonight, Snivellus. Go bash your head into the Whomping Willow, and it'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget. Remus will teach you a lesson you'll never forget." He stalked away, throwing over his shoulder, "Maybe you'll learn who the powerful ones really are, then."

Snape watched him, and spat on the floor after Sirius had disappeared. He resolved to go out to the Whomping Willow and take on Sirius once and for all – and prove who really was the dangerous, powerful one of the two. It'd serve him right.

Gripping his wand, he stalked off in the other direction, mentally going over all the nastiest hexes he could think of.

X-X-X-X-X

A/N: Right. Okay. Here's the next Chapter – drop me a review, and I'll really appreciate it! To answer a question that came up in the reviews, the reason I can update so fast is (normally) I have the story typed out ahead of time for when I'm short on time, like I am now. And the reason that I haven't updated, even though I've had it all typed out, was because I've been too busy. I'm still busy, too. I'm not even supposed to be on my computer – I'm supposed to be doing all the homework I have. Anyway, about this chapter…

I know Sirius is a bit OOC in this chapter, but this is rather how I picture him. He's a nice guy, but too rash for his own good. And any chance to torment Snape is a golden opportunity in his eyes, which is why he's so evil. And he doesn't stop, even for a moment, to think what might happen to Remus or Snape should one encounter the other on the full moon.

As for James… well, after reading "Snape's Worst Memory" in OotP, I always sort of figured James to be a bastard (even though I absolutely LOVE him to death). I figure he's a lot like Sirius, which is why I made him present when Sirius told Snape the truth. He's a bit more conscious of the consequences of his actions, as you'll discover later. You'll find out my reasons for him saving Snape in the next chapter or two…

And you'll also notice that I made PETER the one who tries to stop them. I figure that Peter must be a pretty cool guy, to hang out with the Marauders. He chose the wrong path, and that changed him. He's not as talented as the others, no, but he's a really good guy, on the inside… at least, for now. Anyway, he's still too chicken to go against James and Sirius by telling Remus what they did, or preventing Snape from getting to the Whomping Willow (not that he really could, anyway).

After this, we're going to gain more insight into the other characters – more Sirius, more Peter, more Remus, more of Lily's friends, and more Snape. And, of course, Lily and James will remain the prominent characters.

I hope you liked the chapter – leave me a review, and I'll be motivated to update faster! The more reviews I get, the faster I'll update. The less I get, the longer I'll wait.