Repayment of a Debt

June, 1976:

Defense Against the Dark Arts OWL

Hogwarts

James Potter yawned and ran his hand through his wavy dark hair, making it stand on end. He had learned long before that chicks dug the way his hair looked all mussed and windblown. He shuffled his exam paper, not minded to double check it. He was sure he had done well. He darted a look at the clock, they had about ten minutes left until Flitwick collected the papers. He glanced idly behind him, grinning at Sirius, who was leaning back in his chair, a lazy grin on his face. Then he looked over and saw Remus, who was still intent on his exam, and Pettigrew was sweating nervously and trying to peek over at his neighbor's test.

James just shook his head, Peter was not the brightest spark in the fireplace, but it wasn't that he was trying to cheat that caused James to scowl ferociously, it was who he was trying to copy answers from. For the student next to Peter at the end of the row was none other than Severus Snape.

Snape was bent over his paper, writing swiftly and intently, from what little James could see, the paper was covered with Snape's handwriting. What the hell is he writing, a bloody novel? James thought scornfully. He glared daggers at the Slytherin, ever since that fist fight outside the library during first year, James had loathed Snivellus Snape. He was the typical slimy Slytherin, greasy, fascinated with the Dark Arts, and too smart. He could have been decent looking, but his nose had been broken, courtesy of James, and his hair was always in his eyes, and he was always dressed in worn patched clothing.

And yet, something about him drew Lily Evans to him, though what it was remained a mystery to James. He couldn't, for the life of him, figure out why Lily chose to remain friends with such a deadbeat outcast, one who was so clearly destined to come to a bad end in Azkaban. And more, partner him at the Yule Ball last year. James ground his back teeth together, recalling how Lily had rejected him in front of half of Gryffindor House when he had asked her to go with him.

December, 1974

"Hey, Evans . . .uh, I mean, Lily . . .got a moment?"

She turned to face him, her bag over her shoulder, on her way out the portrait hole from the looks of it. Her auburn hair glinted in the light cast by the lamps in the common room, making it appear as if she had a fiery nimbus crowning her. "Make it quick, Potter. I need to get to the library before it closes."

"All right, Evans. Keep your panties on," he drawled, rumpling his hair up and smiling at her, his brilliant smile that never failed to make girls swoon. "You know, if you study too much, your head will explode." He waited for her to laugh, the way all the other girls did at his wit. But Lily just tossed him an annoyed look.

"That was a joke. You're supposed to laugh," he coaxed.

"I didn't think it was funny. What do you want, Potter?"

"You know the Yule Ball is coming up, right? I'll bet you ten Galleons that with all the time you spend studying, you haven't even gotten a date yet. Well, not to worry. I'll save you the trouble of having to find a bloke, Lily, and I'll take you. What do you say?"

He waited, a tad anxiously, for her to say yes, and to finally appreciate that he was actually choosing her over all the other girls he had throwing themselves at him. Really, it was quite an honor.

To his utter disbelief, she looked him up and down, sniffed, and said, "Sorry, Potter. But I already have a date for the ball."

He gaped. "You . . .do? But who?"

She turned away, not bothering to reply.

"Evans . . .Lily, who is it?" James persisted, unable to believe she actually had a date. She never got her nose out of a book long enough to hold a conversation with anyone except Alice, Cindy, and . . .Snape. "Oh, no! Evans, tell me you're not going with . . .with that swamp rat, Snivellus."

Lily whirled around, her hair settling like a fiery cloak about her shoulders, her emerald eyes flashing green fire. "Don't call him that disgusting name, Potter! Not that it's any business of yours, but if you must know, the answer is yes, I am going with Severus. And I'm sure he will behave like a gentleman and treat me like a person and not a conquest, Potter! He asked me, he didn't assume!"

Then she flounced out the door, leaving James with his jaw hanging open like a witless fish.

"Tough break, mate," Sirius consoled, patting his friend on the shoulder. "But hey, she's not the only chick in the henhouse."

James frowned, irritated for once at Sirius's cavalier attitude.

"I'll go with you, James!" gushed Cindy, coming over to him and gazing at him with utter worship in her eyes.

James sighed, then looked at her. Cindy was cute, petite, and built. And she liked him. "All right, Graves. We're a couple. Get a nice dress, okay?"

Cindy squealed, then threw her arms around him and kissed him. "Ooh, we're going to have a wonderful time, Jamie!"

"Sure we will, Graves," he replied, but he felt . . .dissatisfied. For the first time in his life he felt the sharp sting of rejection, and he found he did not like it at all. The only child of rich elderly parents, he had always been the apple of his parents' eyes, overindulged and spoiled. He had only to ask and it was given. Except in this case.

Lily Evans frustrated the hell out of him. What the hell did Snape have that he didn't? Nothing. And yet, she had turned him down for Snivellus. Gryffindors shouldn't accept invitations to school dances from Slytherins. Especially not when they had perfectly decent Gryffindors asking them out.

A week later at the ball, James was sitting at a table, sulking, while Cindy pouted and went to get to a cup of punch. He knew he wasn't being fair to the other girl, who really enjoyed being seen with him, and had looked at him as if he were Merlin come back from the dead when she had met him in the Entrance Hall that night. Normally, he would have been able to just enjoy the party and dance and flirt and have a good time.

But then he happened to look over at the dance floor, where the band was playing a soft number, and seen Lily dancing with Snape.

They were looking into each other's eyes, and both wore a smile of utter fascination and contentment, a smile that was for just the two of them. And Snape had his hand on her waist, holding her closer than he should have, James thought jealously, but she didn't seem to mind. No, she was laughing up at him, the little tease, and the Slytherin was smirking, his eyes sparkling.

Ugh! How can she let him touch her? I hope he took a bath, James thought nastily, though even he had to reluctantly admit that Snape actually looked halfway decent, in new dress robes and a nice suit with a tie and shoes, his hair washed and combed and pulled back in a tail. Even his crooked nose didn't seem so crooked then.

He watched them dancing for a few more minutes, jealousy burning a hole in his gut.

Cindy returned with the punch, and James looked at her critically. There's something wrong with you, Potter, he scolded himself. Here's a willing pretty girl here that'll do whatever you want and you're still moping after silly Evans. Get a life, for Merlin's sake.

"Thanks, Cindy." He took a cup of punch from her and drank it down. Too bad it didn't have any firewhiskey in it. "Hey, you want to dance a bit?"

Cindy lit up like a Zonko's firecracker. "Oooh, Jamie, I thought you'd never ask! C'mon, baby, let's do the tango!" She practically dragged him off his chair and onto the dance floor.

He danced quietly with her for a few measures, then he pulled her close and began to kiss her, his hands wandering leisurely up her back. She kissed him back, clearly welcoming his attention, and James felt his confidence restored. Beaming, he twirled Cindy Graves about, hoping Lily was paying attention to how good he looked.

And yet, by the end of the night, he still felt embers of jealousy every time he looked at Snape and Lily, who couldn't take their eyes off each other all night, and seemed to be touching even when they were apart. It wasn't fair! He fought the urge to stomp his feet and howl like a little baby. Instead he indulged in a long snogging session with Cindy, but even so he still felt as if he was missing something.

"Time's up! Quills down!" Flitwick ordered.

James blinked, coming out of his reverie. He set down his quill, he had been doodling absentmindedly on a piece of parchment. He had drawn a snitch and also the letters L. E. with a heart around it. To his astonishment, he saw Lily, who was three rows up and across from him, turn about and flash Snape a smile.

Snape lifted his nose from the parchment, looked up, and returned Lily's smile.

James ground his teeth together, wanting to gag. What right did Snivellus have to look so happy, he was nothing but a Death Eater wanna-be, like all his House. He didn't deserve to have Lily look at him that way, James thought, seething. Merlin, but I hate you, Snivellus.

"Please remain seated while I collect your papers. Accio!" Flitwick summoned their exams off their desks, interrupting James's bitter musings. The papers zoomed towards Flitwick and knocked the small professor over.

Several students, including Sirius and Peter laughed, but Lily and Alice went to help Flitwick up. "Thank you, thank you, my dears." Flitwick said, a trifle red in the face as he accepted the girls' hand up and picked up his papers.

James scribbled over the L. E. and stuffed his papers back in his bag, then strolled leisurely out the door and to the Entrance Hall, waiting impatiently for his best friends to appear.

Soon Sirius and Remus appeared and then Peter, who looked nervous and a little upset. He had never done well on standardized tests.

"Moony how did you like number ten-give the five signs that identify a werewolf?" Sirius asked the slightly taller blond Lupin.

Remus smirked. "Loved it."

"Do you think you got all the signs right, Moony?" James drawled, a mocking glint in his eye.

"Oh, I'd say so, James." Remus held up a finger. "One-he's sitting on my chair. Two-he's wearing my clothes. Three-his name's Remus Lupin." He spoke in a very soft tone, so that only the Marauders were able to hear him.

Sirius and James burst out laughing. Peter didn't laugh, he just looked more agitated. His pointed nose began to twitch, like it always did when he grew nervous.

"I don't know if I got them all right. I could only remember three-the pointed snout, the shape of the eyes, and the tufted tail. I tried to copy from Snape, but he writes too small for me to read."

James gave Peter a disgusted look. "Wormtail, how thick can you be? You hang around one every full moon and you can't remember what he looks like? And what's with trying to get answers from Snivellus?"

Peter flushed. "I . . .get nervous when I have to sit for exams, you know that. My mind just goes blank. And Snape . . .he's smart, one of the smartest kids in the school . . .he remembers almost everything . . .so I tried to see what he wrote . . ."

James rolled his eyes. "Thick as a castle wall . . ."

"Ah, who cares?" Sirius laughed dismissively. "We're done for the day, let's go outside and celebrate. It's great weather out, let's go down by the lake. I saw some babes heading that way."

They quickly exited the school and headed down near the lake, where james saw Lily, her best friends Alice and Cindy, and a few other girls, sitting and dabbling their feet in the water, since it was terribly hot today. James bit back a sigh of longing and flung himself down under a beech tree. Sirius followed suit and so did Peter. Remus, more conscious about dirtying his robes, sat on a bench a nearby and pulled out a Transfiguration text, brushing up on some concepts for tomorrow's test.

"I think I got an Outstanding on that one," Sirius said confidently. "How about you, Prongs?"

"Definitely." James replied, slanting a quick glance over at the lake. Lily and her friends were giggling over something. Wish they'd look this way. He ruffled his hair and then remembered the Snitch he'd nicked from Hooch's office the other day. He pulled it out and started to toss it in the air, catching it just before it could take off.

"Where'd you get that, James?" asked Peter.

"Nicked it." He continued to flick the Snitch effortlessly into the air, all the while keeping tabs upon the girls at the lakeshore.

Cindy and a few others had noticed him tossing the golden ball, but Lily had yet to look his way.

"I'm bored," Sirius announced.

"Why don't you study for Transfiguration, Padfoot? That's the last OWL," suggested Remus, thrusting the text out towards his friend.

"I don't need to study, Moony. I know all that rubbish!" Sirius waved him off. "I don't want to spend the afternoon with my nose in a book, like my smartarse little brother." He made a face, for he and Regulus did not really get on, especially now that Reg was in Slytherin.

James was still tossing the Snitch, and still watching the girls out of the corner of his eye. But Lily was not even aware of him, she was still talking animatedly to Alice. Peter was panting, looking at James catching the Snitch with something resembling religious adulation, his watery blue eyes fastened upon James's lean muscular frame.

"James, put that thing away before Wormtail wets himself," Sirius ordered in a bored tone.

Peter blushed and looked away.

James tucked the Snitch back in his pocket, and noticed with a sudden flutter in his chest that Lily was now looking across the grass at . . .he followed her gaze and saw that it was resting, not on him, but on his rival.

Snape was sitting a few feet away, beside a large huckleberry bush, peering intently at his paper, his knees tucked to his chest, his hair hanging partially in his eyes.

Sodding little greasball. Thinks he's a bloody professor or something, the way he always knows the answers and stuff. I'll bet he's read half the library, he practically lives there. So does Lily, whispered another part of his mind, but he ignored it.

Snape had gotten up and put the paper away, he picked up his bag, looking like he was ready to leave, and then Lily called out from the edge of the lake, waving at him to join them.

James saw red. "Padfoot. Look, it's Snivellus."

"Perfect. This day just got a whole lot better," Sirius grinned, and rose to his feet, wand out, to play with his favorite target-the lowly outcast Snivellus Snape.

Severus did not realize the danger at first, he was too busy trying to recap the exam. But soon he found his thoughts straying to how Lily had looked the night of the Yule Ball-like an enchantress of faerie come down to mingle with mortals upon a midsummer's eve-as he had read in Shakespeare's play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. He sighed as he recalled what it had felt like to hold her in his arms, his beautiful lily-flower, the only girl he had ever felt this strongly about, and the only girl who had ever seen past the Slytherin crest and the ragged clothes and long greasy hair to the boy beneath. With Lily, he felt safe, he had no need of masks, he could just be himself, just Severus . . .

He stood up, intending to go back inside and get a drink, for it was awfully hot out that afternoon, and he was beginning to develop a headache from the glare and the heat. But then he heard Lily calling, and looked over to see her waving from the lakeshore.

"Hey, Sev! Come on and join us!"

Severus hesitated, he knew Lily's friends didn't really like the fact that they were an item, but then he squared his shoulders. Since when did he care what anyone thought about him? He loved Lily and he thought she was starting to have feelings for him too, else why would she be willing to go to the ball with him and be seen publically with him as well?

He started to turn towards the lake when he heard another voice, low with menace.

"All right, Snivellus?"

Potter! Severus's brain slipped into an automatic defensive mode and he spun, drawing his wand as he did so.

But he was a shade too slow, having been caught off guard.

James was faster, and shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

Severus's wand was blown out of his hand.

Sirius had come to stand next to James, and was laughing uproariously. "Smooth move, Sniffly Snape."

Severus sprang after his wand, but ended up flat on his back after Sirus cast the Impediment Curse upon him, helpless to defend himself. Stupid, Severus! Never ever let your guard down! Idiot! Now you're helpless. He tried to frantically recall the countercharm to the jinx, but James came and leered at him, hazel eyes bright with loathing.

"How'd the exam go, Snivelly? Memorize all the questions?"

"I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment," Sirius sneered. "There will be great grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word."

By then several other students had come to watch the show, and they laughed at Black's wit, as always.

Severus struggled against the jinx, furious. He gasped, cursing himself for allowing a girl to distract him from his constant state of alertness. This year had proven the worst ever as far as the Marauders' campaign to torment him, they stalked him everywhere, though they usually waited till he was alone, without Lily or Reg, to start on him. "You wait . . .you wait . . ." he growled, glaring up at his tormentors.

"Wait for what?" Sirius taunted, all cool arrogance, eyeing Snape the way you would a piece of rubbish. "For you to wipe your nose on us, Snivelly?"

Everyone else laughed mockingly and Severus wanted nothing so much as to hex the arrogant bully into the next universe. He could feel the spell starting to wear off and he gathered himself, spitting out a few choice swear words learned from Tobias to distract Black and Potter while he marshaled his power.

James pointed his wand at him. "Wash out your mouth, you filthy bugger. Scourgify!"

Severus gasped and gagged as pink soap bubbles filled his mouth, and he coughed and retched uncontrollably, his power scattering as his concentration broke.

Lily had been sitting calmly by the lake, cooling her feet in the water along with Alice and Cindy, talking quietly about their test and the possible results. Lily stared out over the black water, the sun dazzling upon the surface. Smiling, Lily shut her eyes, and immediately fell into a daydream about the last time she had danced and kissed Severus, during the Yule Ball.

"You look wonderful tonight, Lily," he had murmured, his hands reaching up to cup her face, ever so gently. In his eyes was a fierce protectiveness and something wild . . .something primal, it called to her with all of her being, and then his gaze swept down her and she found herself flushing and burning with an unaccustomed heat, like a candle set ablaze.

"Thank you, Sev. You look handsome too."

He shook his head, unwilling to take her words at face value. "I don't think . . ."

"I do." Then she was reaching out, and drawing him to her, and their lips met.

It was like a jolt of purest fire, followed by a sudden surge of desire so great she nearly swayed on her feet, and only her grip on Severus's lean muscled arms kept her upright. There was a hidden strength in those arms, though he kept them hidden beneath the fabric of his robes, gained from long hours stirring and moving cauldrons of potions.

"Lily." He whispered her name as if it were the answer to a prayer.

"Sev." She gasped, drowning in a torrent of desire and sweet longing. Now, at last, she understood what the poets meant when they said they had been "swept away by love's sweet fire."

"Hey! Earth to Lily!" Alice called, tapping the side of her friend's head playfully. "Where did you go, Evans?"

Lily blinked and sighed happily. "Somewhere wonderful."

"Oh?" Cindy quirked an eyebrow. "With whom? Sweet Severus?"

Alice shouted with laughter. "Cindy, you are wicked! Calling that one sweet."

Lily frowned. "He is sweet, Alice. At least to me. The night of the ball . . .he kissed me . . ."

"And? Tell, Evans!" Alice demanded. "How did it make you feel?"

"Greasy?" teased Cindy. "Ow!" she yelped as Lily smacked her on the ear.

"Shut up, Graves! I told you before, don't talk like that about him. Unless you want to be drinking your meals through a straw."

Cindy stared at her. "Evans, take a Calming Draught. I was only teasing."

"It's not funny. I'm sick and tired of all you Gryffindors making jokes about my boyfriend. Have you ever gotten to know him? Talked to him? Looked at him as anything but a scummy Slytherin?"

Cindy looked away, feeling ashamed. "Well, no."

"No, all you do is what everyone else in this bloody House does, mock him for his looks." Lily snapped. " And you wonder why he never wants to spend any time in Gryffindor Tower like Frank does or Potter. He knows he won't be welcome, that he'd be in enemy territory."

"But, Lil, how often are you down in the dungeons?" asked Alice.

"Quite a lot, since Severus and Reg have their own room. Sev's a fifth year, so in Slytherin that means you can have a room with a roommate of your choice. And he's a prefect too." Lily said proudly.

"I never said he wasn't brilliant, Lil," began Alice. "Just . . .unsociable."

"He wouldn't be if all of you didn't act like gits to him, Alice! If you'd just give him a chance . . ." Lily began hotly.

Alice held up her hands. "Down, dragon lady! I surrender! Okay, why don't you invite him over here and we'll talk a bit. All right, Cindy? Maybe Lily's right, and we are being unfair."

"Okay. Why not? Look, Lily, he's over there!" Cindy pointed across the grass.

Lily turned and saw Severus, just climbing to his feet, obviously in a brown study. "Sev! Over here!" She waved frantically. "Come and join us!"

He looked up . . .their eyes met . . .and he smiled, his dark eyes bright with pleasure.

Then Potter and his bullying friend Sirius stalked over to him and started their usual crap.

Lily saw red. She knew that Severus could take care of himself usually, he could duel quite well and had beaten both Black and Potter on more than one occasion, when they were one on one. But this time, he wasn't fast enough to dodge the Disarming Charm Potter threw and in five minutes he was helpless on the ground, choking on some foul pink bubbles and suddenly Lily had had enough.

"Leave him ALONE!"

She sprinted across the lawn and was joined by a taller figure wearing a Slytherin crest.

"My brother and his lame friend are at it again, huh, Evans?" Regulus asked sharply, his hazel eyes blazing.

"Looks like it, Reg. Only this time . . .I'm going to give Potter a good piece of my mind, the great berk!"

"All right. You wallop Potter's arse, and I'll deal with Sirius," Regulus growled. "I haven't had a good scrap with him since Christmas." And now I can repay the debt I owe Severus at last, thought Regulus. He drew his wand.

"Leave him alone, Potter!" Lily snarled. "Before I kick you all the way to the Hebrides."

James turned around, a smile stealing across his face at finally gaining Lily's attention. "All right, Evans?" he said, his voice suddenly gentle. "Merlin, but you're beautiful when you're mad, you know that?"

"Why you . . .you . . .arrogant . . ." she sputtered, unable to believe he was trying to romance her after he had so cruelly hexed her boyfriend.

"Handsome, brilliant, totally cool, Quidditch flyer extraordinaire . . ." James purred, smirking. "I know, I know, Evans. You secretly want to go out with me, admit it. You want to dump Snivellus here and go out with me, right?"

"Not in a million years, Potter! I'd sooner go on a date with the giant squid."

"Ouch!" Sirius winced dramatically. "That was cruel, Evans."

"Shut it, Sirius!" Regulus cried. "Get off him! Or else." He was about four feet from his older brother, looking like he wanted to knock Sirius to the moon.

Sirius turned around to face his brother, shaking an admonitory finger at him. "Now, now, baby brother. You know what Mother said about fighting."

"Bugger yourself, Siri! And leave my friend alone!"

"Language, kid. Don't make me teach you another lesson, Regulus," warned the elder Black, his eyes suddenly hard.

"Do it then, you cock-walking shite!" challenged Regulus, his temper exploding. "Or are you only brave enough to fight someone two on one?"

"You calling me a coward, Reg?"

"If the cloak fits, Siri . . ."

"That does it! This time, little brother, I'm going to wallop your arse till you howl and to the devil with Mother and my promise!" Sirus pointed his wand at Regulus. "Impedimenta!"

But Regulus was prepared, he had practiced for hours on the weekends with Severus in friendly duels, and he twirled his wand in a counter so fast that Sirius was nearly caught by his own spell. "You were saying?"

Sirius flushed, and several watchers snickered at seeing him shown up by his little brother. The rivalry between the Blacks had always been fierce, both at home and at school, as they competed for their parents' affections and recognition.

"That I'm going to tan your hide, little viper!" Sirius tried a Disarming Charm.

Regulus blocked it, glaring. "Don't call me that, you damn bullying prat!" he cast a Boil Jinx, but Sirius dodged it.

"Why not?" demanded Sirius, sensing he'd hit a sore spot. "It's the truth. You're nothing but a treacherous snake, headed straight down the dark path to the arms of You-Know Who!"

"No!" Regulus shouted. "Don't you DARE say that! I am not evil! I'm not!" his voice cracked upon that last word, and he pointed his wand and screamed, "Everte Statum!"

Sirius was sent flying backwards, he crashed into Peter and knocked the smaller boy flat.

Several people cheered. "Way to go, little Blackie! Maybe you ought to be in the Dueling Club."

Regulus ignored them, advancing on his brother. "If you say that again, Sirius, I swear I'm going to hex your tongue out."

"Easy, Black. You don't really mean that." Remus spoke up, setting down his book. He didn't like the way Regulus was looking at his brother, as if he wanted to do some serious damage to him.

Regulus spun on him, his hazel eyes glowing with fury. "But out, Lupin! This doesn't concern you. It's a family matter."

"What?" Sirius cried, coming to his feet. "Since when is Snivellus family?"

"Since he treats me better than you, Sirius Orion Black!"

"How do you figure that?"

"Well, let's see. When Gordon was pounding me every other day, you just told me to quit whining. Severus kicked the creep's arse when he tied me to a tree and was going to leave me as food for a manticore. Whenever I needed you, you weren't there! You were off with Potter and Lupin and Pettigrew, playing big bad Marauder!" Regulus shouted, tears glittering in his eyes, that he quickly blinked away.

"Aww, poor little Reggie!" sneered Sirius. "I told you when you got on the train, you were going to have to learn to stand up for yourself and not be a sissy. What did you want me to do, Reg, hold your hand? Wipe your nose? Kiss your arse, like Mum?"

Regulus didn't answer, he was trembling, trying to control himself. He could feel his magic surging wildly, nearly spiraling out of control.

"No. He wanted you to watch his back, you arsehole," came another voice, soft with anger and scorn. "Like a real brother."

It was Severus, having finally freed himself of the jinx, standing up, giving Sirius a look that should have fried him where he stood.

"Like you'd know what that was, Snivelly," Sirius mocked. "Your parents didn't dare have anymore kids after they saw the way you turned out."

Severus sneered, his lip curling. "Yours saw you and decided to try for a better model, puppydog."

Sirius went to hex Severus, but Regulus stepped in the way, and fired off a Stinging Hex at his brother. "I'd . . .sooner have Severus as my brother . . .than . . .you!"

"You would, you rotten bastard!" Sirius shouted, and gestured suddenly at Snape.

Severus found himself upside down, in mid-air, his robes falling over his face, and then his trousers vanished, revealing his worn threadbare underpants. Bloody hell, Severus! He's used Levicorpus on you! His mind seethed, even as he struggled to concentrate and summon his wand. He must have read the spell notes in the margin when you left your potions book in Slughorn's classroom when he was in detention that time!

He felt himself flush blood red as the other students jeered and mocked him for his worn pants, laughing hysterically.

"You need to buy a new pair, Snape!"

"Yeah, you ain't impressing no girl with your skinny arse!" snickered another.

"Get him down, Sirius!" ordered Regulus.

"Make me."

Regulus lunged at him, and tackled his brother to the ground. He had grown some since he was a small scrawny first year, put on weight and muscle, and he was nearly a match for Sirius now.

James guffawed as the two Blacks rolled on the ground like two wildcats. Then he looked at Snape, still hanging in mid-air, struggling, and he turned to Lily and said, "Now, Evans, why would you want to go out with someone who looks like that?"

Lily drew her wand. "Cancel the spell, Potter!"

"Evans, don't make me hex you."

"Do it, you bullying toerag! What's he ever done to you?"

"Well, it's more the fact that he exists, you see."

"You're a riot, Potter. Let him down!"

"Go out with me, Lily. If you say yes, I swear I'll never lay a wand on Snivelly here again."

"Don't you understand English, Potter? I'll never go out with you."

"Why not? Give me one good reason."

"I'll give you three, Potter. One, I don't date arrogant jackasses. Two, I hate immature prats who think every girl worships them. And three, Severus is worth ten of you any day of the week."

Underneath his robes, Severus smiled.

He concentrated hard, silently summoning his wand. He had never tried to perform wandless magic before, but hearing Lily verbally thrash Potter that way gave him the necessary impetus to do so. Accio my wand!

The ebony wand suddenly flew into his grasp. Then he nonverbally cast the counter to the Levicorpus spell. Liberacorpus!

The next instant he was down on the ground, his wand pointed at Potter. "Looks like she told you, Potter," he said, and did something he hardly ever did. He grinned openly.

James went red and started to say something, but Lily snapped, "Incarcerous!" and ropes shot out of her wand and wrapped about James, tying him fast.

Levicorpus! Severus thought, and James was hanging upside down in the air by his ankle.

Lily laughed and took his arm. Then she waved her wand. "Nice pants, Potter!" she called. "You all right, Sev?"

"Now I am," he said, then he bent and kissed her, for once not caring who saw.

People clapped and gasped, to see such devotion displayed so openly between rival Houses.

Then Regulus cried, "Look out, Sev!"

Wormtail had snuck up behind the couple, wand out, ready to cast a nasty hex.

"Expelliarmus! Impedimenta!" shouted Regulus.

Wormtail was blasted halfway across the lawn by Regulus's spell barrage.

Severus turned around and inclined his head to his friend. "Nice one, Reg."

Regulus stood up, dusting his hands off. His face was battered, but he too was smiling. "You're welcome, Sev. Told you I'd repay you someday."

Then he joined Severus and Lily as they made their way down to the lake where Alice and Cindy waited.

Behind them, James called, in a muffled tone, "Uh . . .Sirius? Can you help me get down, mate?"

But Sirius did not answer.

"Sirius, c'mon, mate! My head's about to explode. And my arse is freezing."

"He can't hear you, Prongs," came Lupin's voice. "His brother knocked him out."

"You've got to be kidding!"

"Fraid not. Let me wake him up. Ennervate!"

Sirius groaned and blinked. "Huh? What happened?"

"Your little brother," Remus answered, chuckling.

"Aww, Merlin's bloody arse!" Sirius cried. "I am never going to live this down!"

"That makes two of you," Remus said, indicating James.

"Padfoot, get me down, damn it all!"

Sirius stared. "What happened to you?"

"Snape," Moony laughed.

"Bloody hell!" He glared at Moony. "What's so funny, Lupin?"

"You, Sirius. I told you someday you'd go too far and you didn't listen."

"Ah, shut it, Lupin!" ordered Sirius, and then he waved his wand and James was released from the Levicorpus spell, amid snickers and derisive laughter.

Sirius reversed the spells on James, who straightened his robes with something less than his usual cocky grin. "Where's Evans?"

"Went off with Snape," sighed Remus. He pointed to the lakeshore.

James glanced over, but the lakeshore was now empty of occupants. There was a dull ache in the pit of his stomach, as he discovered for the first time the feel of humiliation, shame, and the dawning realization that he had lost his chance with Lily Evans forever. He turned away, grimacing at the sudden bitter taste on his tongue.

So . . .how did you like that little twist?

Also, the Yule Ball in this story has nothing to do with the Yule Ball in GOF, which was connected with the tournament. Here, I use the same title for a holiday dance, since Yule is the old word for the Christmas season from pagan tradition.

Next: More romance between Lily and Sev at night beside the lake.