Chapter Seven: Twisted Relations

A few weeks later, the Gryffindor upperclassmen were seated before the fireplace in bold red armchairs, the picture-perfect image of House unity. Yet they neither spoke nor worked, each gazing into the snapping flames and thinking, dreaming, perhaps. Ah, the insanely unusual silence of the Gryffindor common room, thought Remus Lupin wryly. It was a sound he neither enjoyed nor heard often. He rolled his eyes and mentally composed himself before speaking and cracking the silence.

"So, how did everyone's classes go?" he asked, though his honey brown eyes still reflected the light of the fire, not the faces of his Housemates.

James stretched his arms over his head and yawned. "They were…interesting. You?"

"What do you mean, interesting?" Lily glared at him over the top of a book. "You would know, considering the effort you put in."

"It was an interesting experience," he smiled lightly, "and I believe the only one in which we've been in the same room for over ten minutes and maintained a state of calm. Though it might have been ten minutes since you just came down," he remarked.

Sveta cut them off with a sharp glance and said, "I'm sure mine with Snivellus were even more so. But more importantly, Quidditch tryouts are tomorrow, aren't they, Jamesie?"

"Yes, they are," he acknowledged quickly, rumpling his hair out of habit. "Anyone in fourth or fifth year trying out? Dunno what Gryffindor's going to do after we're gone—the whole team's in seventh year, except Tetley, and he won't be much of a captain." At that time, Sirius shot him a questioning look, and James quickly continued, "But of course, it's been the Golden Age of Gryffindor these past years…that's going to be hard to beat."

He rested his chin on a hand, grinning. "You all going to come down and watch as half the House beats each others' brains out for two team spots?"

On cue they laughed, and it was almost like the year before again. Back then they had all been so much closer, had shared the inexplicable bonds that they thought would last forever. But was it all breaking apart?

Then Lily lifted those big green eyes of hers from the ground and rested her indirect gaze on her hands, which were busily fidgeting with something in her lap. "I…I'm not sure if I can, I might have work to do," she murmured softly, evasively. "Besides, you don't need me there, right?"

But oh yes, James does, thought Remus with a shake of the head. It was really a pity that she didn't notice how much he wanted her, how much he was willing to sacrifice for her. Most memorable was the incident in the fifth year, when she had manipulated him into nearly getting expelled for trying to obtain some archaic potion ingredient in the Forbidden Forest, then panicking and drawing a wand on Professor Mescolare. But even more stunning was the expression on her face when she found out—disbelieving, which quickly turned into a "Hmph!" and a scowl disapproving of his actions.

He had seen James nod and shrug it off both times, not bothering to ask any questions and concealing the hurt. And he saw how he looked at her the same way as he, at a certain other dark-haired angel. However, the difference was in Lily's temperament. She had the stubborn streak and the subtlety of a roaring lioness that tended to surface at the most inconvenient times, whereas others at least knew tact. But Lily Evans amazed them all with her brilliance, her unabashed frankness, and if only she could look around a bit more…

Sweet, beautiful Lily…when will you wake up to the light? When will you realize how to fix all that has been wrong to right?

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They walked off the pitch side by side, two-headed dark figures in scarlet Quidditch robes, Sirius unable to resist a last chuckle and James half nodding, half contemplating the skills of the people who had tried out. It was the dilemma of the captain to decide who would be handed the glory of playing for the House, and few truly understood the delicate art of keeping all of the seven people on a team content. Quarrels were easy to start…over uniforms, over order of names announced, over any sort of stupid issue anyone cared to bring up. Sometime over the past three years, they had also decided that the more girls on a team, the less likely practices would be used to fly and to practice.

Thus, Sirius was rather happy to leave the captainship to James and give him as much counsel as he could. For instance, today he very much would have liked to remove the blond Chaser from the team who insisted on whispering in their ears every chance she got, adding to the sickeningly sweet and sticky air of the transition time between summer and fall. Annie Toblyn happened to be one of the most shy and talkative people in the entire school (how is that even possible?) and unfortunately, also one of the better fliers. James would never consent to take her off.

Sighing, he nodded mindlessly, wondering if even she knew what words came out of her wide mouth sometimes. None of the seventh year girls, at least, talked unless they had something of particular importance to say. Most characteristic was a certain auburn-haired Lily, who was headed straight for them.

He nudged his friend in the ribs just a little harder than necessary and nodded in her direction, but there was no need. James had already begun to offer the smile he always did and hurried ahead. But the expression on his face, once he had advanced a few steps, was not of flirting but of unmitigated shock. His hazel eyes opened until they were almost bulging out of his head, and then they looked aside and closed, dark lashes shielding them from the world as Severus Snape stalked into the open and stood beside her.

Loping forward, Sirius tilted his head questioningly, although by then Lily's radiant smile had disappeared and thinned into cold fury. "Don't you start asking me what's going on," she snapped at no one in particular, "because you know perfectly well like you always do. My name is Lily Evans, his name is Severus Snape, and I have NOT come to ask you about how Quidditch tryouts went!"

"What?" he sputtered loudly, as means of greeting. Looking around, Sirius saw no one but them, the Quidditch players, and Snape, and none of those three categories had done anything in particular to annoy her. Except perhaps Snape. "Speaking of him, you're not dating him, are you?" he teased, grinning. "Because it was just a joke…don't blame us, we were bored." Shaking a lock of dark hair out of his eyes, Sirius laughed but stopped as soon as he saw the look in her eyes. Sheesh, what was bugging her today?

"Matter of fact," she drew a breath, probably to prepare for the hundred or so words about to tumble out of her mouth all at once, "I am." Her voice was triumphant and hard, unlike the girl they thought they knew. "Now is that a problem for either of you?" Lily smiled sweetly, looking from one to the next, then back at Severus who was apprehensively watching the scene unfold.

He blinked several times in astonishment, rooted to the spot as they walked away calmly. Snape appeared awkward but happy, and Lily…god, she was putting on a damn good act if it were an act. Looking up to him adoringly. Smiling as though she'd never met him before. It was sickening.

With a low growl, he bounded forth, only to feel James' hand gripping his shoulder, restraining his impulses. Dimly Sirius heard his friend deny any need for action, and he sounded so dull and dejected his confusion had turned into anger to match that of Lily. No longer was it his own scorn for the slimy Slytherin git, but the maelstrom of emotions coursing freely though his blood fed off the knowledge that the entire situation was just wrong. James and Lily, the two of them were meant to be together. They both deserved better than the constant fighting, and Snape had come into play. Snape had taken advantage of the belle of the class. Sooner or later, there would be hell to pay, and he could nearly smell the upcoming clash as it approached.

Breathing heavily, Sirius turned and saw a lonely figure walking up the hill back to the locker rooms. Scowling once more at the couple rapidly vanishing behind a clump of trees—here uneasy thoughts filled his mind—he dashed off after him, long legs hitting the grass at perfectly even intervals. At least that felt good.

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He barely cared that Lucius would object to the pixie-like, energetic Gryffindor girl walking by his side. It was enough that she had chosen him over Potter—the only student in the entire House whom he considered an intellectual equal. Lily, Lily, Lily. Snapping black eyes softened as they alighted on her delicate, glowing features, and he allowed the faintest hint of a smile to come through the shell of ice that had been built up over the years, encasing him in an impenetrable frozen exterior. "Yet am I softening?" he asked himself, peering over a large, hooked nose. If so, that mattered even less…as much as he hated to admit it, her presence had a calming effect on him, smoothing over the razor-sharp flashes of sarcasm he was known for. But if the Slytherins thought they had lost him, they would soon discover that Severus Snape was not to be underestimated.

And despite the comfortable silence between the two, he was unsure whether she was acting truthfully, or just out to spite her longtime pursuer. Then again, Gryffindors could not lie.

Rounding a corner, he stopped just as the boy in mention stepped into view. In typical manner, Severus eyed him coolly, resting just a moment longer on the wand gripped so tightly that the knuckles of his fingers were white. An expression of rage on James' face, he nonetheless stood still and stared at their proximity. How painful it must have been for him to watch. How entertaining that he had come to rescue his crush from the grips of the scary Slytherin, when she didn't want to be rescued.

"Yes, Potter?" he drawled smoothly, lifting a questioning brow but saying no more. Then turning to Lily, he saw the dismayed frown and nearly smirked. It was instant rejection, and it amused him to think that Potter the ladies' man could be turned down.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the twitch of a finger and whirled around. Their wands were both raised. Severus narrowed his eyes and was matched glare for glare. And the tension rose, neither willing to let loose the first spell but both eager to win. Contrary to popular belief, that particular desire was universal and one of the strongest that existed…even in the highest classes that were known for erasing passions from their minds.

Suddenly a jet of light sprang from the mahogany wand he had seen so many times, and he had no inclination to politely step aside. Instead Severus pushed Lily back and returned the curse. Spell after spell, shield after shield. They broke into a steady pattern that allowed no room for breath, nor time for thought—by the Lady, that one hurt—and he swore and dodged. A whirl of bodies and flapping robes and wands hot to the touch, like tempers, were all.

James threw himself to the ground and from there, fired sparks upwards. Soon a teacher was going to come, but oh, no matter…

A trickle of crimson flowed down the pale hand that gripped a wand with such familiarity. But there was no pain, no sense of injury. All his mind was focused on the next jinx about to be let fly…

And then, just as suddenly, they both fell back against the wall and panted heavily—a temporary truce of sorts, sans word, sans honor and waiting to be broken. It left the door wide open for anything unexpected.

"Expelliarmus," finally snarled Severus in a voice barely above a cold, cold whisper. "And now let us talk like civil men."

But before he had time to finish his sentence, James had leaped forward and seized the wand in midair, so reminiscent of the cursed ease with which he caught Snitches and made the Gryffindor girls swoon. "Talk? Look who's talking," he retorted.

Severus smiled cruelly; just barely he could see Lily's mouth open in a little "o", agape in horror. "Yes…I merely question your motives…especially whether or not they even exist."

He held up a restraining hand as Lily began to trounce over, waiting for the reaction. Oh yes, it would be a reaction of retribution for the past…what, five years? Only one minute of both their time and he would be content. At least for the time being.

James blinked several times, as if finally stumbling upon the truth, and walked away rapidly. Quietly, Severus and Lily watched him disappear into the maze of corridors, and a low sigh escaped from not only one of them. He took her into his arms in a brotherly fashion, albeit awkwardly, and allowed a few tears to fall onto his robes before drawing away again.

"Lily," he stared into her red-splotched but still beautiful face, "we need to talk as well…"