Severus smiled to himself. That curse was a particular favourite of his, but he'd never had an opportunity as irresistible as the one James had presented to him. Best of all, Lily hadn't even protested as he pushed in front of her and shot the curse right between James's eyes. She can't know, he thought, the effects of that spell! He was writhing in glee on his stool, to the extent that he slipped off onto the floor right in front of Slughorn. ''Sorry, professor, I… I was just excited.''

''Nice to see you happy for once, Severus!'' chuckled the kindly professor, inciting sniggers from the rest of the class.

At that moment, Peter shuffled in. Unable to look at James anymore, he had been sent back to class. Curious about where the others were, she asked him, ''Where have the rest of your little group got to, little Peter?'' Snape felt anger welling up inside him. How could she care about where James was? But his fears were assuaged shortly after. ''I just want to know where my partner Remus has gone, I need him to count out the porcupine quills.'' That year Slughorn had paired them randomly, and so Lily was not working with Snape as he would have desired.

Peter, thinking that Lily had cursed James, piped up in his little voice to spite this girl who had cursed his hero James. ''I won't talk to you anymore! James is hurt because of you!''

Lily assumed he meant James was hurt because Severus always defended her so it was partly her fault. ''Well I'm sorry Peter but he deserved everything he got.''

''Then you are the most nasty person I know!'' Peter squeaked desperately. Lily gaped. Severus could feel his sides splitting and his face turning from sallow and pale to pink and red as he attempted to hold in a maniacal laugh. The Marauders thought that Lily had cast the spell! Obviously he was upset that Lily would now be targeted, but he, Severus, wouldn't be blamed! It took everything he had not to jump up and perform a gleeful dance right then and there, but he knew just how to play this one.

''Oh Peter, stop your wheedling! Lily may not like James, but she wouldn't be so mean. You know that as well as anyone. You should be ashamed of yourself, blaming her like that.''

''But Sev, you cast th-'' Severus cut her off before she could reveal him.

''Honestly Peter, I'm surprised at you. I thought you were the nicest of the Marauders, but now I see that you are just as bad as the rest of them.''

''Sorry, I just… Lily please, I'm so sorry I hurt you…''

''You? Hurt me?'' Lily laughed, ''Pathetic pandering Peter, never quite fitting in, never quite good enough. I could never be insulted by you.'' Peter, heartbroken (he quite liked Lily, really), scurried to his desk. Of course he instantly forgave her, as he always did with Sirius and James, but he was still frightened and miserable. And he was angry with stupid Snivellus.

Slughorn stepped in at this moment, keen to prevent a fight erupting in his class. As he began to drone away about the properties of gillyweed, the students began to mix their potions. Lily joined Severus' group in despair of Remus ever showing his face this lesson. As Payella Frompwood added the porcupine quills with intense concentration, Lily whispered to Severus, ''Sev, why didn't you tell poor Peter that you cast the spell on James? It was like he thought I did it or something…''

''Don't worry, Lils, I'll tell him tomorrow, I have another class with him then.''

''Well… ok. I hope the others don't think I did it too. I don't even know what you cast, Sev.''

''That bitch Evans, I will…''

''Sirius, James is waking up.''

''And when he does I'm going to tell him exactly what his precious Lily has done!''

''No, no you mustn't!''

''Why? Give me one good reason.''

''If we don't tell him, then we can ease him to the news. If we just tell him outright there's no knowing what he might do.''

''I suppose…''

''And it might not have been Lily. I swear to you, Sirius, I saw Snivellus there. Only for a moment, but I definitely saw him.''

''Remus, we can't know for sure that Snivellus was there, but there's no mistaking Evans from that distance, what with her stupid red hair.''

''But we can't prove for certain that Lily did it either. Peter and I couldn't see roun the corner and you came along later. Listen, at least concede that Snivellus is more likely, if both of them were given the chance, to do this to James.''

''Fair point.''

''Good, now don't you try to tell James.''

''Yes, father.'' Remus shot him a reproving look before turning back to James who was stirring on the hospital bed.

''Mate…'' Sirius called softly.

''Sirius, are you there? I can't see very well.''

Sirius stomached his instinctive reply and said, ''Don't worry, I'm right behind you like a monster.''

James looked up and saw Sirius bending over him. ''Jeez Sirius, that's scary. Although I must say you make an excellent monster with that face of yours.''

''That's rich coming from you, Mr I-can't-see-very-well.'' But secretly, Sirius was relieved that his friend was healthy enough to tease him.

''I could see your unbeaten ugliness if I was blindfolded and standing a mile away. Anyway, why can't I see very well? I don't remember a thing.''

''It's probably the concussion,'' Remus interjected before Sirius could talk, ''You had a nasty collision with the dungeon wall.''

''Oh, that's right, we were going to Potions, and then…'' James screwed up his face in concentration. ''I can't remember after that, apart from spilt ink and papers and lying on the floor… was anyone with me?''

Sirius and Remus shared a glance before Remus spoke, ''You were running after Evans, and we let you go ahead. But you slipped in a puddle and hit your head as you went round the corner. None of us saw you slip, but we heard a thud. Evans probably saw you fall, and Snivellus might have been with her.'' Remus engineered a tale that was almost entirely truth, even if it was not the whole truth.

''Evans saw me fall?'' James looked ashamed, ''And that turd Snivellus?'' here he looked angrier, defending his pride.

'' He might have seen, but we don't know if he was there at all.''

''Ok,'' sighed James. There was silence for a few seconds.

''Oh!'' he cried suddenly, startling Sirius and Remus. ''Do you think Evans was worried? When I fell, was she worried?''

James' two best friends shared a glance once more. ''Yes,'' Sirius said, wincing, ''she was very worried indeed.''