The Great Hall was full of sunshine. A few students gazed longingly out the window instead of down at their examination paper. It was O.W.L day for the Defense Against the Dark Arts written examination. A hundred small tables all sat facing the same way in the large room. Examination day was a boring day for everyone. The warm sunshine made people drowsy as they bent low over their parchment or stared blankly into space as they tried to think of the correct answer. One boy was even asleep.
"Five more minutes!" Professor Flitwick was walking past a boy with black untidy hair.
James yawned widely and rumpled up his hair, which caused it to stick up making it even messier then it had been two seconds before. He glanced over at Flitwick, then turned in his seat and grinned at Sirius four seats behind him. Sirius gave James a thumps-up and titled his chair back on two legs, completely at ease. His dark hair fell into his eyes with the casual elegance that James could never achieve. Pat was giving Sirius a hopeful look from her seat as she sat her quill down. And two seats along from her sat Remus. Remus was looking very peaky- full moon was in a few days- and very absorbed with his exam. He re-read his answers and scratched his chin with the end of his quill, frowning. James had turned back around and was doodling on a piece of scratch parchment. He had drawn a snitch, a broom, a dung bomb and was now tracing out the words L.E.
"Quills down, please! Kindly remain seated while I collect your parchment!" Flitwick braced his feet and stuck his wand in the air, "Accio!"
He was still knocked backward several feet as the hundreds of parchment slammed into him. A few of the people in the front desks stood up and helped him back to his feet.
"You're free to go!" he called to the room after thanking the students.
James quickly crossed out the L.E. he had been drawing, jumping to his feet, stuffed his quill and question paper into his bag, and walked over to join Sirius who stood waiting for him. Severus was walking just a few feet away, still absorbed in his examination paper.
"Did you like question ten, Moony?" Sirius asked while they emerged from the Hall.
"Loved it. 'Give five signs that identify the werewolf.' It was an excellent question," Remus grinned.
"Do you think you managed to get all the signs?" James asked in tones of mock concern.
"Think I did," Remus shrugged while they walked towards the lake, "One: He's sitting in my chair. Two: He's wearing my clothes. Three: His name's Remus Lupin…"
Everyone laughed except for Wormtail.
"I got the snout shape, the pupils of the eyes, and the tufted tail, but I couldn't think of what else--"
"How thick are you, Wormtail? You run with a werewolf once a month--"
"Keep your voice down, Prongs." Remus urged.
Severus was walking a few feet away, completely absorbed in his O.W.L questions. The Marauders set off towards the lake with Severus trailing unconsciously behind them.
"Well I thought the paper was a piece of cake. I'll be surprised if I don't get an Outstanding at least." Sirius said as they sat down under a tree near the edge of the lake.
"Me too," James replied, pulling a struggling Snitch out of his pocket.
"Where'd you get that?"
"Nicked it."
James began playing with the Snitch while Peter sat next to him, his mouth open in awe. James looked over the dazzling lake and saw Lily with a group of her friends across it with their shoes and socks off, cooling their feet in the lake's cool waters. Remus had pulled out a book, James was still playing with the Snitch, Wormtail was watching, and Sirius was looking around bored. James was letting the Snitch zoom farther and farther away then making a surprising snatch at the last second causing Wormtail to clap and cheer. After five minutes of this Sirius finally got annoyed and looked over at the pair,
"Put that away, will you? Preferably before Wormtail wets himself from excitement."
Peter turned slightly pink and James grinned.
"If it bothers you," James laughed, shoving the Snitch back in his pocket.
"I'm bored. Sure wish it was full moon," Sirius yawned.
"You might," Remus made a face and held the book out to Sirius, "We've still got Transfiguration. If you're so bored you can test me…here."
"I don't need to look at that rubbish, I know it all." he snorted.
James had turned around and spotted Severus sitting a few feet away from them, immersed in his papers.
"This'll liven you up, Padfoot. Look who it is," James said quietly.
Sirius turned his head. He became very still and grinned at the unsuspecting boy sitting near them.
"Excellent…Snivellus," he grinned.
Severus got to his feet and stowed the O.W.L. paper in his bag. A she emerged from the shadows of the bushes and set off across the grass, Sirius and James stood up. Remus and Wormtail remained sitting. Remus was still looking down at his book but his eyes weren't moving across the page. A slight line had appeared between his eyebrows. Wormtail was looking from Sirius to James and then to Severus with a look of anticipation his on his face.
"All right, Snivellus?" James called loudly over to him.
Severus reacted fast. It was almost like he had been expecting an attack- which he probably had. He plunged his hand into his robes and his wand was halfway into the air when James shouted,
"Expelliarmus!"
Severus's wand flew a feet into the air and fell with a little thud on to the grass behind him. Sirius let out his bark like laugh.
"Impedimenta!" Sirius grinned, pointing his wand at Severus who was knocked off his feet through the halfway dive towards his own fallen wand.
Students had turned up to watch. Some look apprehensive while others looked entertained. Severus was on the ground panting. James and Sirius advanced on him, wands up, James kept glancing over at his shoulder towards the girls at the waters edge as they advanced. He was worried that Lily would notice now that a crowd had turned up. That was the last thing James needed, was Lily to come storming over and yell at him.
"How did the exam go, Snivelly?" James asked with a mock smile.
"I was watching him, Prongs. He had his nose touching the parchment the whole time. There'll be big great grease marks all over it. They won't be able to read a word." Sirius replied viciously.
Several of the people watching laughed. Severus was trying to get up but the jinx was still operating on him. He struggled as though bound by invisible ropes.
"You-- wait," Severus panted, glaring up at James, "You wait…"
"Wait for what? What ar eyou going to do, Snivelly? Wipe your nose on us?" Sirius replied coolly.
Severus shouted a stream of mixed swear words and hexs as he struggled to reach his wand.
"You shouldn't talk like that, Snivelly. Didn't you mother ever tell you that? Wash out your mouth. Scourgify," James answered coldly.
Pink soap bubbles streamed from Severus's mouth at once. The froth was covering his lips, making him gag and choke--
"Leave him ALONE!"
James and Sirius whirled around. James let out a little groan as he saw Lily standing there, fists clenched, eyes wide and bright.
"All right, Evans?" James asked with a slight cough.
"Leave him alone," Lily repeated, "What's he done to you?"
"Well…it's the fact that he exists if you know what I mean," James replied, looking at the bubbling Severus with dislike.
The only people who didn't laugh were Lily and Remus. Remus hadn't moved from his spot under the tree, but his whole body was tensed as he listened.
"You think you're so funny, Potter. But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag. I thought we were going to be friends this year. I guess I was wrong. You're too much of a prat. Leave. Him. ALONE." Lily snapped, pointing at Severus on the ground.
"I will if you go out with me, Evans. Go on…go out with me and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again." James said quickly.
Behind him, Severus was inching towards his wand as the jinx wore off.
"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you or the giant squid," Lily replied coldly.
"Bad luck, Prongs," Sirius replied briskly. He turned to Severus and let out a sharp, "OY!"
Snape directed his wand straight at James there was a flash of light and a gash appeared on the side of the other boy's face, spattering his robes with blood. James whirled back around. There was a second flash of light later, and Severus was hanging upside down in the air, his robes falling over his head revealing skinny pallid legs and a pair of graying underpants. Lily's furious expression twitched for an instant as though she was going to smile and then she shouted,
"Let him down, you prat!"
"Certainly," James jerked his wand upward.
Severus crumpled into a heap on the ground. Disentangling himself from his robes, he got to his feet, stood up, but Sirius had his wand ready.
"Locomotor Mortis!"
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Lily shrieked. She had her own wand out as she hurried forward to Severus.
She reached him and spun around, her wand pointed at the two boys. The crowd had gone silent as Sirius and James eyed her wand warily. Everyone watching knew how well Lily was at magic and the few people who had been on the receiving end of it were backing away.
"Ah, Evans, come on now. Don't make me hex you," James said softly.
"Take the curse off him, then, or I'll put it on you!" Lily snapped.
James sighed deeply and muttered the counter curse.
"There you go," he said, "You better be glad Evans was here, Snivellus--"
"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"
Lily blinked.
"Fine. I won't bother in the future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus."
"Apologize to her, you filthy little rat!" James roared, pointing his wand threatening at him.
"I don't want you to make him apologize! You're just as bad as he is--"
"What? I'd NEVER call you a-- well you know!" James yelped.
"Messing up your hair because you think it look scool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can- I'm surprised your broomstick can even get off ground with that big fat head of yours on it. You make me sick,"
Lily spun on her heel and marched back to Pat and her other friends who had hung back near Remus and Peter.
"Lily!" James shouted after her.
She didn't look back.
"What is with her?" James asked, trying- but failing- to look as though this was a throw away question.
"Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited, mate." Sirius replied, patting his friend on the shoulder.
"Right. Okay, fine. Right-" James looked furious now.
There was another flash of bright light and Severus was hanging upside down in the air again.
"Who want to see me take of Snivelly's pants?"
Lily had returned again. There was a brighter flash of light and James had been thrown feet away from Severus. The other boy was on the ground in the heap again, cursing.
"I told you to leave him alone." Lily snarled.
"He called you--"
"You listen to me, Potter. The next time you even look at him I'll hex you into next year. Got it?"
And then she was gone.