She thought her life was over – but fate gave her another chance, in a world of magic. Now, running around Hogwarts with James Potter and his friends, she's about to make choices that will change the future in ways she never thought possible…

Marauder's Phase

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Incendio!

I wisely chose to stick with Peter for the morning classes, since I wasn't sure Sirius had forgiven me for tickling him into submission last night, and he and James were in the same class. Also, Muggle Studies wouldn't be the best class for me to go to, for fear I'd take offence to something that was said of muggles and say something, the way I'd almost given myself away when Lily had come up to the boy's dorm unexpectedly last night.

Not that I was exactly a muggle…I'd just always thought I was one. But now…now I had no doubt in my mind that I was a witch, whether I came from a muggle family or not. But, since I'd disowned said family years ago, it didn't matter to me. But I wouldn't be telling anyone that now, would I?

No. I'd get called mudblood, and then my temper would cause me to do something I shouldn't do, like hex someone…

The bright side? I had something in common with Lily Evans…and I knew who had called her mudblood at one stage…he was going to regret it if he did it when I was anywhere near…

It wasn't until just after lunch that I got to test that little theory.

Peter, Remus and I were walking out of Ancient Runes (which to me made about as much sense as Sanskrit) and were heading across the hall to where Sirius and James were waiting for us.

James was talking to Lily.

"Come on Evans, just say you'll go out with me!" James said earnestly.

"What part of no don't you understand?" Lily replied, glaring at him as Peter, Remus and I (still under the invisibility cloak, which had gotten a lot of wear today) approached. "Now, if you don't mind," She said, and made to leave. But then she glanced at Remus and nodded. "Remus." And she left, heading toward the staircase.

James sighed, and slumped against the wall. "The hell won't she just go out with me? What is wrong with that girl?"

"It's not Lily, it's you." I said before I could stop myself, and the Marauders all turned to the stop where I was standing, hidden by invisibility. I was glad they couldn't see the colour that rose on my face, as I explained. "W-well, what I mean is that…she…as in, we girls…we're not…we don't…" Augh, this was getting us nowhere. I couldn't explain it properly, because I honestly didn't know why Lily wouldn't go out with James – aside from the obvious reasons that she thought he was an arrogant, conceited jerk. "Look, Lily doesn't know the real you – she only sees the side of you that shows off all the time…" I wondered if I should have said that last part…

Luckily, the last part of my sentence was drowned out by the sound of someone tripping down the stairs and, of course, we all turned to look.

Severus Snape lay sprawled at the foot of the stairs, his books lying in a heap around him. Before I could feel too sorry for him, he got up and turned to glare at Lily who had, apparently, bumped into him by mistake. "Hey, watch where you're going mudblood!" Lily's beautiful emerald eyes widened as if she'd been slapped.

There were two yells – one from James and one from me, but my yell was a little more direct. I'd taken out my wand, moved it out from under the cloak and uttered the incantation: "Incendio!" Then I stood back to watch as all the books surrounding Snape caught on fire, as did the edge of his black robes.

By that time, James had reacted similarly too, and soon found himself hanging upside-down, as the students milling around roared with laughter, James and Sirius included.

Remus, Peter and I stood back, and Remus was looking at me. I could tell that he knew I'd been the first to attack.

Well, I would explain it to him later – that I'm touchy on the subject of muggle-borns. Hey, we're witches too you know!

Remus and I continued to stare at each other, me into his disapproving golden eyes, and him into the hazel ones he couldn't see. For some reason, my heart gave a tug of pain, and I wasn't sure why.

Suddenly, there was a distraction. "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!!??" Shouted a familiar voice, and Professor Riberta came striding down the stairs like an angry lioness. She took stock of the situation immediately, whipped out her wand and freed Snape from the spell, before pointing her wand at James and Sirius. "You two, up here!" She barked. "The rest of you, get to class!" She added, and the crowd of milling students dispersed. Remus and Peter exchanged a glance before leaving, but I stayed behind. I had a feeling I had a right to know what was about to happen.

James and Sirius walked forward, each with a look of dislike on his face.

Professor Riberta helped Snape up (by grabbing the back of his robes and hoisting him to his feet, mind), while I lingered at the foot of the stairs, waiting to hear what would happen.

"You two cause more trouble than you're worth!" Professor Riberta had short black hair and slanted, crystal-blue eyes. She didn't look particularly friendly, and held out her hand. "Wands!" She ordered, and both boys handed over their wands.

"Prior Incantato." Professor Riberta tapped Sirius' wand with her own, showing that the last spell he'd performed had been Stupefy. I blinked. Had he really not done any magic since he'd knocked me out yesterday in the field, or had it been used on somebody else?

The same test on James' wand revealed Professor Riberta's suspicions, that James was the guilty culprit. "Mr. Black, you may go. Mr. Potter, you will join me for a detention tonight at six."

"But Professor, I have Quidditch…"

"Tonight at six." She cut him off, in a steely tone, handing his and Sirius' wands back to them. "And be thankful there aren't any more. "Now go."

"But, wait Professor," I bristled, as Snape spoke. I still hadn't forgiven him for calling Lily a mudblood. "Someone…I heard them, they used Incendio on all my books…" He glanced from James to Sirius with full-fledged dislike. "It was probably one of their friends…maybe you should give them all a detention?"

It took all of my self-control not to leap at Snape and tear his throat out, or something.

Professor Riberta raised an eyebrow. "And maybe you three should be getting to class, before I give you all a detention," She didn't sound like she favoured Snape at all. She was just a very strict teacher. "Now go!"

I followed James and Sirius out of the hallway, they deliberately took a different corridor to what Snape took and, when we were out of earshot of both Snape and Professor Riberta, we stopped.

"You with us, Emma?" Sirius asked.

I whipped off the invisibility cloak, and nodded.

"Was that you who set fire to Snivellus' stuff?" James wanted to know.

I nodded, clenching my fists to my sides. "He. Called. Lily. A. Mudblood." I said, trying to control my voice. "Next time he does it, I won't just set his books on fire…"

I was fairly growling, parts of my wolfish side showing through, but when Sirius said: "You're brilliant, Em." I replied, very sweetly: "Why thank you, Siri."