AU! Severus is still friends with Lily as he didn't call her a Mudblood.

Slightly OOC as they aren't on the verge of a war, they haven't matured yet despite being in their seventh year.

Written for Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

House: Thunderbird

Class/Task Number: DADA. Creatures: creature

Bonus Prompts:

(creature) unicorn

(setting) Forbidden Forest

(plot point) running into someone somewhere they're not supposed to be

Word Count: 1819/4500

Capturing a Unicorn

To get a unicorn for Lily's birthday, James goes into the Forbidden Forest, but Severus seems to have the same idea. Are they able to get the unicorn?

In the Forbidden Forest, the unicorn herd heard the stomping of human feet from a mile away and the magnificent creatures glanced at each other nervously. They knew that if humans were around, the unicorn herd could be in danger. They neighed softly to each other and, one by one, they bolted away from the humans, helping their foals hide from view.

Only a few feet away from the treeline, James Potter changed into his Animagus form and lowered his head down to the ground to listen to the sound of hooves. He understood the unicorn herd had already been alerted to his presence and he quickly bolted after them. He followed them for a long time, but he was unsuccessful in finding even one unicorn.

Tired, he changed back and dropped down beside a thick oak tree, sweat dripping down his brow. He wheezed for breath and muttered, "Why is capturing a unicorn so damn hard?"

He closed his eyes to rest for a bit, knowing that as it wasn't a full moon night, there wouldn't be any werewolves in the forest. There were other dangerous creatures in the forest, but James knew how to sneak past most of them.

Lily's birthday was coming up soon and James was determined to give her the best present ever. He had overheard — or well, eavesdropped — on her conversation with Marlene McKinnon in which she had claimed that she wanted to pet a unicorn foal on her seventeenth birthday. James had immediately decided he would be the one to make her birthday wish come true; maybe it would help her see him in a new light.

But the only problem was that unicorns lived deep in the heart of the Forbidden Forest and rarely came near humans. James hadn't bothered asking his friends to help him with Lily's present as he wanted to be able to tell Lily that he got the unicorn all on his own.

James was trying to think of a plan to capture a unicorn foal when he heard the unmistakable sound of someone coming through the forest towards him. In his panic, he changed into a stag and leaned against the tree, pretending to look casual.

Severus Snape climbed over fallen trunks and overgrown bushes, his mouth turned down into a frown. "Bloody forest… What— Potter? What are you doing here?" he snarled when he caught sight of the stag leaning against the tree.

James shifted back and scowled at him. "How did you know it was me?"

"I've never seen any deer pretending to look so casual before."

"'I'm a stag, not a deer," James grumbled as he straightened his clothes. "What are you doing here, Snape?"

"It's none of your business, Potter. Leave me alone." Severus turned around and continued to walk through the forest. James decided to ignore Snape and continue on his mission. He followed Snape through the forest for a while until Snape turned around and snapped, "Why are you following me, Potter?"

"I'm not following you! I've got better things to do than stalk your pathetic arse!"

"Then why—"

"I'm heading this way. Merlin, Snivellus, you're so paranoid! Loosen up!"

"Fine, don't make any sound!" Snape continued to walk through the forest, ducking under gnarled branches and slithering vines. James tried to remain silent as he listened for the unicorns again, but he couldn't help his curiosity.

"What are you doing here?" he repeated his question, making Snape bristle with annoyance.

"Will you shut up if I tell you, Potter?"

"Yeah, sure."

"I'm looking for a unicorn," Snape admitted and James gasped. He grabbed Snape's arm and yanked him back.

"No! You can't look for unicorns! I'm looking for a unicorn!" James cried, shaking Snape by his arm.

"Tell me it's not for—"

"It's for Evans' birthday," James whined. "I want her to—"

"Bloody hell, no! No way! You can't look for the unicorn! I'm going to give her the unicorn and she'll fall for me!" Snape snarled, grabbing James by his collar and shaking him fiercely.

"No, it's going to be my present to Evans! You can think of something else," James growled, his eyes dark with anger.

"Why should I think of something else? You can think of something else. I'm sure you can afford it," Snape snapped, his eyes narrowing in on James.

"No, I'm going to find the unicorn and —"

Severus suddenly shot away from James and ran into the darkness. James yelled out in anger and quickly changed into his Animagus form to run after Severus. He passed Snape and couldn't help but stick his tongue out at him — right before he crashed into a tree and fell to the ground in a daze.

Severus burst into guffaws, scaring the nesting birds and small critters away with the loud noise. "Merlin, I wish I had a camera!"

James groaned as he sat up, trying to shake his head to clear it, but his head hurt so bad at the small motion. Changing back, he muttered, "Sod off, Snape! Oh, Merlin, my head hurts so bad…"

Severus grinned wickedly, waving his fingers at him, and called out, "See you later, Potter!" He stepped past him and continued onwards into the forest.

Unicorn foals were more trusting of humans than their adults, and one such foal snuck away from the herd to look at the humans who had entered their domain.

He kept to the shadows and watched the humans argue in their gibberish language. He made sure not to let them sense his presence near them, knowing that they would try to take advantage of him — his mother had warned him about the terrifying things humans did to their kind.

He knew if he stepped on any twigs, the humans could be alerted to his presence, and then his mother would be very annoyed with him. His heart pounded in his chest as he followed the humans, trying to figure out what their intention was.

The foal soon got bored by hiding from the humans and decided to see if they could chase him for far. He stepped on a twig and it crunched under his hoof.

The humans immediately glanced up at the sound and whipped out thin sticks from their fur. The foal watched silently as they turned around to look for him.

"Homenum Revelio," Severus hissed under his breath, trying to find out who had been following them for a long time. The two of them had sensed someone's presence nearby, but they hadn't been able to pinpoint where the creature was.

James watched as the unicorn's footprints became visible in the dark. "Ah-ha! There it is!" Janes cried before he turned into a stag and ran after the unicorn.

The foal stumbled with shock at the human's sudden change and neighed loudly as he tucked tail and ran as fast as he could. The other human yelled something at the stag and followed him.

The foal's heart thundered against his chest as the stag neared him, but he kept running faster and faster until he was sure the stag wouldn't be able to follow.

James kept his eyes trained on the unicorn, his hooves treading lightly over the moist grass, as he tried to keep up with him. Severus gasped and wheezed as he bolted after him, adamant on not letting him win. Lily would be his, not James'.

But then a loud scuttling sound distracted James and he snapped his head to the side to look at the thing that had made the sound. James let out a loud bark at Severus to warn him, and Severus turned to look.

James stumbled when his antlers got caught in the branches and he watched a large Acromantula scuttle towards them. James bellowed, panicking at the close proximity to the large arachnid, and Severus blanched.

"I'm not helping you, Potter!" Severus yelled, his wand trained on the spider.

James tried to change back, but, in his panic, he was unable to go through the transformation. He bellowed again, his voice loud and terrified, and Severus snapped at him, "Shut up! Let me think, you dolt!"

James shook his head, trying to free his antlers, but the leaves fell, scattering around him. He bellowed once more as the Acromantula scampered closer to him, clicking its pincers loudly.

Severus yelled, "Arania Exumai!" A bright blue light erupted from his wand and hit the Acromantula's side and the spider shrieked as it rolled over and kicked its legs up in fright. It managed to roll over and dash into the darkness.

James grunted, shaking his antlers furiously. Severus smirked at him and drawled, "Maybe I should leave you stranded here... That way I can —"

James grunted pleadingly, his eyes wide with hope. He pawed at the tree trunk, trying to melt Severus' cold heart. Severus snorted and said, "I'll help you on one condition… When we find the unicorn and take it to Lily, you'll tell her that I saved you from dying a horrible, painful death. Deal?"

James was extremely annoyed by it, but he knew he needed to agree with him — for the time being, at least. He nodded his head and Severus waved his wand at his antlers, detangling him from the vines and branches.

James fell to the ground in a heap and changed back. "I'm going to kill you, Snape… as soon as I catch my breath."

Severus smirked and motioned for James to follow him. James stood up and walked in front of Snape. Severus scowled and asked, "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm taller, I'll walk in front."

"I'm older than you, I'll walk in front."

"Sod off, Snape! I'll walk in front!"

"I said I'm older than you, Potter. Get back in line!"

James snarled and whipped out his wand. Severus rolled his eyes but did the same. They started throwing hexes and jinxes at each other in the middle of the forest, and the unicorn foal watched with bewilderment at their stupidity. Humans — especially the males of their species — were incredibly dumb creatures, he decided as he trotted off towards his herd.

"Oh, this is wonderful! I always wanted to pet a unicorn foal! I read that if a maiden touches a unicorn on her seventeenth birthday, she's sure to have good luck for the next five years! Oh, thank you so much for this present! This is the best present ever, Remus!"

"You're welcome, Lily. I heard you wanted to see a unicorn for your birthday. So, I asked Hagrid to let me borrow one for the day," Remus admitted shyly. "I'm glad you like it."

James and Severus, with broken limbs and broken hearts, watched with horror as Lily threw herself into Remus' arms and snogged him passionately. They turned to look at each other and thought, 'That bloody bastard stole my girl!'

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