Chapter Two: To Hex, or Not to Hex?

James sat in the Great Hall the following morning, feeling slightly ashamed with himself. He was plagued with guilty thoughts and feelings about taunting Snape, something he was not at all happy about feeling. Yes, they had had confrontations before, James nearly always coming out on top, but what Lily had said to him . . . ("You're nothing but an arrogant, bullying toe rag, Potter!") Did she really think that low of him? Suddenly what she thought was very important to him. Prior to the half naked Snape incident, he had found Lilian Evans attractive, yes. But now, he came to the conclusion that he seriously liked her. He came to the swift conclusion that this was not to be known amongst his friends. OK, they were allowed to know he thought she was cute, but serious feelings? He'd never live it down. It wasn't what Quidditch heroes did anyway.

Sirius nudged a goblet to him. "What's up, Prongs? You look peaky, mate."

James snatched up the goblet. "Peaky? Don't be daft. Snape's the peaky one, remember?"

The Marauders laughed out loud. A group of girls down the far end of the Gryffindor table were laughing as well about something or other, but they were just leaving. Lily passed the table, her expression set, doing her utmost not to catch James's eye.

"Alright, Evans?" James chanced in a languid tone, not really looking at her but running a hand through his messy hair. If he had looked up, he would have caught a piercing green gaze of contempt, and heard her mutter under her breath, "pathetic." Her group of friends laughed more so at this comment, and one of them noticeably winked at Sirius as she passed. Another spoke. "Good luck with the Quidditch match, James!" she chirruped.

"Erm. . . thanks, Bella."

They stalked away, James trying hard not to stare at Lilly's receding back.

"Oh, I was supposed to tell you, Padfoot," said Peter between a mouthful of porridge. "Arabella Figg fancies you."

Sirius spat out a mouthful of pumpkin juice all over Lupin's plate. "What?"

"Oh, like you didn't know, Paddy," said James without looking up.

"Well,"her amongst others" was the message. Sorry, I forgot. I was doing Potions at the time, and we all know I can't exactly concentrate as it is in that lesson," said Wormtail, apparently not bothered by the news that had startled Sirius.

Lupin chuckled as he wiped his plate. "I'd lock your dormitory door if I were you, Padfoot."

Sirius nodded vigirously. "I plan to. But if we're gonna talk about girls, here, why don't we ask Prongs about a certain Muggle-born lady friend?" Sirius said, obviously rattled about the newfound knowledge of Arabella Figg.

James snorted, trying to make it look as though he was not remotely interested in Lily Evans or what she thought.

"Oh, well. Even if he's not interested in her, he's got plenty of other offers, haven't you, eh? James?" said Wormtail, almost proudly.

"What if he doesn't want any others?" snapped Lupin. "You can't keep moving between them all, you know."

Sirius looked highly affronted. "Give me one good reason why I can't!"

Lupin looked to James, ignoring both Sirus and Peter.

"What? Evans?" snorted James. "Don't be daft. OK, yeah, for a bit, maybe, but hey. She thinks I'm a conceited git, doesn't she?"

Sirius laughed. "Scratch the surface, my friend. Scratch the surface."

The roaring of the crowd chanting his name and the wind whipping his already untidy hair, James felt as though the Quidditch match had lasted only a few seconds. His hand whipped out at the last second, the crowd gasping at the spectacular way he leaned right over the edge of his broom, a Cleansweep 7, the most popular broom of it's time, and grasped the handle. He didn't have to, but James knew more people would compliment him if he made a more daring catch.

So, he waited until he was slightly closer to the ground, made a big thing of attempting to reach and not quite making it, (which he could easily have done) and threw himself into the catch. Shrieks and gasps from below told him he had earned the response he wanted, and he landed triumphantly on his side, the golden Snitch straining against his fingers.

Cheers erupted from the stands and James saw Snape land a little way away from him. Snape looked livid, and for a fleeting second, James felt his stomach contract. He was alone here, Snape was angry and, to be honest to himself, he had just hurt his ribs with his over-exaggerated fall.

"So, Potter. Another win," Snape spat as he wriggled off his oldere, clunkier broom. "I wonder how bored you will become of being such a pathetic hero."

"Oh, I'll never get bored of it," James said coolly, however he was eyeing suspiciously the way Snape had curled his fists. James knew from experience that Snape didn't like to lose. "Speaking of boredom, got anymore dirty laundry I can air for you infront of everyone?"

Snape flushed. "You. . . you wouldn't dare," he whispered. "Not in front of everyone here. Plus, you're all alone here, Potter. No Splendid Sirius to save you from me now."

"Save me from you? That's quite funny."

They were conversing quietly and the wind had picked up, so the other teammates could not catch what they were saying.

"If you ask me, you're the one that needs saving, Snivellus. Up to your ears in the Dark Arts, aren't you? It'll probably only be a matter of time before Voldemort comes looking for you. . . ."

Snape winced but couldn't hold his temper any longer. Years of being taunted by the arrogant, good-looking teenager who stood in front of him gave way to boiling anger. His face contorted as the name of the Dark Lord was mentioned. He pulled his wand out in a flash, and James, who was usually quicker than they were in Wild-West-Muggle-Movies, did not expect Snape to react so soon.

"SECTUMSEMPRA!" bellowed Snape. Heads turned in their direction, not from the teachers who had since begun their way back up to the castle when the whistle had blown. Those who remained, now gathered round to watch the inevitable fight.

James was blasted to his knees, but this was not the only thing that happened. As he had done back by the lake, Snape had merged a spell that also blasted people off their feet but also caused damage. A gash, larger than the one Snape had caused earlier, appeared across James's face. It crossed his eyebrow, narrowly missing his eye, and traced down to the corner of his mouth.

"Haven't heard that one before, have you, Potter?" Snape spat. "That's how useful being up to your ears in Dark Arts is! My own invention!"

Snape raised his wand again to strike, to hurt. Out through the blood obscuring his right eye's vision, James saw the Marauders hurtling in his direction.

Wormtail was in the lead, wand raised but Snape had already cast his spell. It was a jink of some kind, and Wormtail went down with a hard, frumpy thump.

"IMPEDIMENTA!"

He wheezed on the ground, "Get. . . . get him. . . . Prongs!"

Snape turned his wand back on James, who was gingerly getting to his feet, wiping his face. The sound of Sirius behind him made Snape turn.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" James shouted, and Snape's wand soared through the sky and into his hand. A complicated swish later, involving the two wands held in his hand, Snape was suspended in mid air.

"Go on, then . . . Potter. If you think you can. . . ." Snape panted.

James squinted against the earlier pain in his ribs but also the most frequent ones in his face and knees. "You see the difference, Snivlley?" he asked maliciously. "I'm not like you. I don't need to cause real pain to get a kick. Making you appear the most unpopular, most slimy moron that you are, is enough for me."

Snape fell to the ground with a thud and James turned his back.

"You alright, Prongs?" asked Sirius, eyeing his cut.

"Fine, just a scratch." James turned again and saw a group of girls hurrying towards him. On of them was Lilly. His hear gave a huge jolt and his hand went automatically to his hair.

He turned quickly to Lupin and Sirius. "Quick!" he spat. "Make it bleed more!"

"What?" said Sirius, looking concerned.

"So she sees!" he said, hurriedly. "Make it look like I'm really hurt!"

Sirius laughed as Lilly streaked past them to Snape on the floor, not even sparing James the meagerist of glances.

James's heart writhed inside him with jealousy. He did not want to admit it, but he was in love with Lilly Evans. Now, all he had to do was get her to love him back, but that was turning out to be an impossible task.