"If you throw that snowball, you're declaring war," Remus warned Sirius.

His best friend gave him an innocent look and quickly put his hand behind his back as if he wasn't just trying to make a snowball. Unfortunately for him, the snow that he dropped somewhat gave away his intentions.

It had been snowing heavily for the past few days, making getting to Herbology pretty much impossible- so impossible that it had actually been relocated indoors - and even using the courtyard was perilous. A first year got blown out of it two days ago. Poor kid was still in the Hospital Wing due to shock. But today it had stopped snowing which meant that the entirety of Hogwarts could appreciate the snowfall. The Marauders had decided that this was best appreciated outside. Well, almost all of them. Peter had declared them all to be insane and refused to even stick his nose outside. He was apparently going to enjoy a nice big mug of hot chocolate and watch everyone else get cold. Which was just boring. There was plenty of time for that later.

So, outside they went. They made their usual snowpeople, animated them in a way that chased the first hears about and pelted Professors with snowballs. That always got a lot of laughs. Even the first years enjoyed it, shrieking with delight as they outran their snowy pursuers. Of course, most of them ended up covered in snow but that was kind of the point.

"We have to have a snowball fight," Sirius complained, dusting off his gloves.

"You can. I am not."

He was not in the mood for a snowball fight. Mainly because it was just him amd Sirius and that was just no fun. A snowball fight had to be a proper fight woth a lot of people for it to be fun. He did not want a snowball fight to consist of Sirius trying to stuff snow down his back. Which is exactly what Sirius would try and do. No thank you.

"Spoilsport."

"I am not."

"Are too."

"Am no- actually, no. I'm not doing this with you," Remus said with a roll of his eyes.

"Because you're a spoilsport."

He decided to not answer Sirius because it would just devolve into another pointless argument. Instead he looked around them, admiring the grounds of Hogwarts.

It always took his breath away, seeing snow cover everything even after seven years. There was just something about the stillness that snow brought. Not that it was very still or even very peaceful right now with everyone running about, making snowmen, having snowball fights, all complete with plenty of shouting a shrieking. It was madness. It was chaos. It was Hogwarts.

"Sirius, I mean it," Remus said, without turning around.

He just knew that Sirius was trying again. Turning back to Sirius he saw that he was right. He pouted at him and dropped the snowball.

Remus rolled his eyes. "Really, Padfoot?"

"It was worth a try."

"It really wasn't."

Sirius just huffed and was about to say something when his eyes went wide. Before Remus could ask him anything, Sirius waved his hands and pointed to just behind him and then made a zipping motion at his lips. Remus looked at him blankly before realising what he was trying to say.

Slowly, he turned around and saw James and Lily, arm in arm, walking through the snow. They had these in smiles on their faces and they were laughing.

"Sickeningly sweet, isn't it?" Sirius said softly, coming up beside him.

Remus shook his head. He knew Sirius didn't mean anything by that. He was the biggest James and Lily supporter out there. But thay didn't mean that they had to support all this lovey-dovey nonsense. They were best friends, after all. Which meant that that sort of behaviour had to be good-naturedly mocked. Especially when the pair of them were looking at each other with those ridiculous doe eyes. They really were just asking for it. He and Sirius didn't behave like that.

Sirius looked down at the now very densely packed snowball in his hand and then looked back up at Remus with a grin on his face. Remus' eyes narrowed. That was never a good look on Sirius' face.

"Padfoot what are you doing?"

Sirius gave James and Lily a sidelong look amd everything clicked into place.

"What? No!" Remus got out through his laughter. "You can't do that!"

But even as he was saying it, he was crouched down, forming his own snowball.
Sirius just grinned at him, knowing that he didn't have to say anytbing to persuade him. The opportunity was just too good to pass up.

"We need to be quick."

Any minute now and James and Lily would look up and see them. If they could stop staring into each other's eyes, that was. Sirius nodded in agreement.

"I've got James," Sirius said, angling himself so he had a clearer shot.

"And I have Lily," Remus finished, bringing his arm back.

Both of them launched their snowballs at the same time and watched as they soared through the air. It seemed to take them forever to hit the top of their arc and start falling again. But eventually they did and the two Marauders discovered that their aim was true.

'Splat' 'Splat'

"Ah!" James yelped as it slid down his cheek.

"That's cold!" Lily complained, tugging as her scarf.

Remus and Sirius exchanged triumphant high fives.

"It was Padfoot and Moony!" James realised, seeing them.

Lily whirled around, fire in her eyes. Remus gulped, echoed by Sirius. Maybe that hadn't been such a good idea. Remus took a step back so Sirius was more in her view.
Keeping her eyes on both of them, Lily slowly crouched down, made her own rather imperfect snowball and stood back up again.

"Get them," she shouted, throwing her snowball right at them before they even had a chance to react.

They scattered only to be caught by the maelstrom of snowballs James managed to transfigure.

"Cheater!" Lily laughed at him.

"Hey! I'm the one who actually hit them with snow! Your attempt was pathetic."

"Was not!"

"Was so!"

Their argument was out on hold as a barrage of snowballs were sent their way in retaliation.

There was no conversation after that point as a fully-fledged war was fought. And fought fiercely, too. So much snow. Snowballs everywhere, some not even aimed properly in the excitement of trying to hit anything and everyone. Snow collided with walls, spraying everyone with it. It got down the backs of cloaks, got caught in eyelashes so they couldn't see which made everyone's aim even worse. Of course there was a mixture of magically formed snowballs and other snow projectiles and good old-fashioned muggle throwing.

It didn't take long for a literal line in the snow to be drawn as the two pairs fought fiercely. Orders were barked, plans were quickly made and their voices were surely going to be gone by the time this was all over. Not that anyone was thinking of that as the excitement ran high.

It was this excitement that caused things to start going wrong. The excitement, the competitive nature of everyone, the sheer thrill of throwing snow about and the giddiness that came with all of that. Or maybe it was just a complete lack of thinking. Maybe it was a case of going on auto pilot. Whatever it was, James, for some reason, thought that it was an excellent idea to dump a snowball down Lily's back. You know, his girlfriend. Who had, up until that exact moment, been on his side. And they had even been doing well together too.
At that split second, that alliance was no more as James spluttered through the snow that she almost immediately shoved in his face.

Of course, after that it became a free for all. Every person for themselves. Remus couldn't see anything in front of him because of all the snow that was flung his way. And, to top it all off, even his enhanced senses didn't help much because the smell of snow was everywhere and everyone was coated in so much of the stuff that it was hiding their real scents.

Somehow, for him, that actually made it even more fun. Who would have thought? Well, he didn't get much time to think about that as he narrowly dodged out of the way of a poorly aimed-snowball thrown by Sirius.

"Hey!"