TIGERS IN CAGES

Lily Evans

There is nothing Lily Evans hates more than James Potter on any given day. Which makes it so much worse that he had come to defend her against her best friend. Well, best friend is a bit of a stretch. They have been drifting apart for a while now. But despite the company Severus kept, she could have never imagined he would call her - that. She strains to keep the tears from her eyes while she makes her way back to the Gryffindor Tower, skillfully evading every person she might know. Which is maybe the reason why she finds herself in an empty hallway, with soft footsteps approaching. When the person rounds the corner, the hint of silver and green tie is almost enough to turn Lily around - but something makes her stop. She stares in the grey eyes of Regulus Black and juts her chin out.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Regulus Black

It had to be somewhere around here. His brother's not-so-veiled hints had made that much clear. No doubt Sirius hadn't felt the need to be subtle, sure that silly little Reggie wouldn't figure it out anyway. Well, he'd show them. It might take four Gryffindors to uncover Hogwarts' secrets, but one Slytherin should work as well. At least if that Slytherin was Regulus Black.

Of course that would be when everyone's favourite prefect would be stomping around in the exact same spot.

"I go to school here in case you hadn't noticed, Evans," Regulus says, swallowing a scathing 'Mudblood', but only just. Maybe because, filthy blood or not, there is something like decorum. Or maybe just because she looks rather scary right now. "If you're looking to pick a pointless fight with someone, may I suggest my brother and his band of miscreants instead?" he adds. "I'm sure Potter would be happy to oblige at the very least."

Lily Evans

Maybe it's the mention of Potter. Maybe it is the burning feeling in her chest that she has felt since she had left that dreadful scene. Maybe it feels good that the tears burn now from anger. Whatever the reason, her wand suddenly appears in her hand and she hears herself hiss: "Do not give me another reason to hate Slytherin House today, Black."

Somewhere, in a rational part of her brain, Lily knows this is a bad idea, and maybe more important, that the little slimy snake standing before her does not deserve her onslaught. But by God, she is tired of giving people the benefit of the doubt. Her hands are positively itching for violence. She fights a smile on her lips, daring the Slytherin to back away from it. She fails.

Regulus Black

One of the many advantages to growing up in the Noble & Most Ancient House of Black is that getting a wand pointed at your face soon loses its novelty. Admittedly, from what he's heard, Evans is a capable enough witch. More than capable probably, given how grudging his housemates would praise a Mudblood. She is, however, not Walburga Black.

Besides, as if she'd have the guts to do anything. He's a Black. She's a nobody.

"Or what?" he says, his lips curling up in defiance. "You're going to run crying to your parents?" he taunts, reaching for his own wand. "I'm sure they'd be happy to help, if only they could see Hogwarts."

Lily Evans

Lily does not deign a reply – it is after all nothing a Muggleborn like her hasn't already heard after spending enough time in the magical world - but forces her smile to grow wider. She doesn't even have to pretend that an arrogant inbred Pureblood is standing before her; he already fits the shoe perfectly. Really, she almost ought to thank the boy.

Instead she cries: "Avis oppugno!"

A swarm of angry red birds erupts from her wand and dives like tiny angels of vengeance on their target, all sharp beaks and eager talons.

Regulus Black

Birds. Birds everywhere. And of course they'd be red. The unoriginality of it all would make him laugh if the stupid things didn't hurt so much. He draws his wand as he tries to shield his face with the other hand. His first instinct is to fall back on the exploding charm. But as tempting as it is to cover Evans in bird entrails with a well-placed Bombarda, he isn't quite sure he knows the spell well enough to avoid collateral damage.

"Finite incantatem," he yells instead. With grim satisfaction, he watches the birds blink out of existence. Then, he turns his wand on Evans. "Flipendo!"

Lily Evans

The only thing that remains of her avian army are some Gryffindor red feathers floating around the shoulders of the boy. The burning in his eyes serves as a warning that this is not over.

When he attacks, she is ready.

"Flipendo!"

"Protego!"

A transparent shield appears before her, but in a split second she notices something is wrong. The spell speeding her way has a colour too vivid for a normal Knockback Jinx. Lily hesitates - maintaining the shield or dodging an overpowered spell? - but by then the jinx has reached her, cutting through her shield and hitting her square in the chest.

For a moment Lily Evans is flying through the air. Then, a spike of white hot pain shoots through her skull, and the world goes black.

Regulus Black

"Yes! Take that!" Regulus yells, punching the air in elation when he sees her drop. Loath as he is to admit it, a pureblood scion doesn't get to be cool very often. Proper? Yes. Regal? Absolutely. Dignified? Every single second of his existence. Cool? Not so much. But taking out an older student with a single spell definitely counts. Then he realises that his triumphant antics are very much neither dignified nor cool. His eyes dart around the hallway, but they are still alone. No one has witnessed his almost Mugglish celebration. And then he notices that Evans is out cold and bleeding from her head. He crouches next to her and gives her cheek a pat.

"Evans?" he stammers.

She doesn't move.

Slughorn is going to be so disappointed.

Sirius and Potter are going to be furious.

Snape…Oh Merlin. Snape's going to kill him.

"Evans, come on, wake up Evans," he tries, shaking her softly.

Sirius Black

He needs it to be a surprise. Which explains why he's currently not lounging by the lake with his friends, but making his way to the One-eyed Witch Statue. Not only does the tramp hide a secret passageway that nobody that isn't called Marauder would ever find, but also a stack of herbs that a gangly kid in Muggle London last summer had promised him would be terrible fun. Originally he had planned to use it in Grimmauld Place, but by then the place had become too grim and old, and he would never think of using it while enjoying the hospitality of the Potters.

Sirius has just reached the corner when he hears something. It reminds him of the sound that those obnoxious peacocks of Abraxas Malfoy made when he chased them, the first and last time he had accompanied his parents to Malfoy Manor. It's abruptly cut off, and then he hears the tell-tale sound of spell fire.

Normally he would never hesitate to join in on the fun, but his plans for today are different. James needs cheering up – teaching Snivellus a lesson would not be enough to soften the sting of rejection by an unrequited crush. Sirius shakes his head. Ah, James. How many times has he told his best friend that it would be so much easier if he didn't put his eggs in one beautiful but icy basket?

Sirius waits until the sound has died off and turns the corner.

And stops in his tracks.

In the middle of the hallway, Lily Evans is lying prone, with a Slytherin looming over her like a predator.

Impossible.

This is not happening.

And then, the Slytherin touches her.

"Oy!" Sirius roars while crossing the distance between them. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" He flings the Slytherin against the wall and pins him there. It is only a kid, Sirius thinks wildly, only a kid why would a kid – oh no.

For one moment, one blissful moment, he had not recognized the scratched face.

"What the fuck," he rasps.

His brother. His fucking soon to be dead baby brother. James would kill him, and Sirius suddenly isn't so sure he would stop him.

AN: Just two friends having fun who decided the world needed to share in said fun. As you may have figured out, this is an AU following Snape's worst memory. Girl meets boy. Boy meets girl. Girl hexes boy. Boy hexes girl. Then romance, drama and some silliness ensues.