Welcome to my new fic! This is already posted on Ao3 but I thought I'd post it here as well. For the time being I'll update every Tuesday evening, which for those of you in the US is probably morning/midday. A few notes, the first part of this was adapted from a screenplay format, which you might notice in the way it's written. Furthermore, this fic follows James and the Marauders, but also Lily and Sev (and a few other Death Eaters) equally. My aim is to do all the characters, canon, and the time period justice. That being said, let us dive into:
THE DARKEST DAYS
PART ONE: THE NIGHT WILL ALWAYS WIN
"Did you trust your noble dreams
And gentle expectations
To the mercy of the night?
The night will always win"
The world is dark, he can perceive nothing but a sharp metallic taste in his mouth and pounding in his ears.
Slowly, the boy opens his eyes, and his dilapidated surroundings come slowly into focus— shredded furniture, boarded-up windows. Slowly, he becomes aware of his arms, legs— and the dull, throbbing, debilitating pain that permeates every inch of his being.
He's slumped against a wall, in bad shape: naked, bruised, scraped; dried mucus, blood, saliva, vomit cake his face, crust in his hair. His face is marred with old scars as well as fresher, still-open wounds. Blood spatters darken the walls behind him. There are deep, deep shadows under his eyes. He just stares forward, taking ragged breath. As his breaths grow slower and steadier, he pushes himself a bit further upright.
Suddenly, he leans violently sideways to vomit onto the floor beside him. He straightens up, wipes a shaking hand over his mouth, mumbles a curse word.
He lurches down onto all fours and begins to crawl forwards. He looks down at his hands and suddenly they're huge and clawed and scrabbling at the peeling floorboards- a split second, later they're human hands again. He teeters to the right, but regains balance, continues crawling until he reaches a pile of bricks. He lifts them aside, pulls from underneath a blanket, which he wraps around himself.
Remus waits, shivering.
It's morning, so early that there's still dew sparkling on the smooth grass of the pitch and still mist clinging to the stands and the gold hoops towering at either end. The castle is visible in the distance, lit by the start of the sunrise.
A boy on a broomstick zooms onto the field; he lands on the grass, dismounts, red robes fluttering in the breeze. He's a teenage boy with messy dark hair, square spectacles, and a bright scarlet Quaffle tucked under one arm. This is James Potter, a fifth-year Gryffindor. He breathes in the morning air, grins confidently, turns on his heel. On the back of his robes the word "POTTER" and a number 3 are emblazoned in gold.
James, who tosses the Quaffle up toward the sky- he looks up, following its progress, then catches it easily in front of his face. He grins, triumphant.
"Potter's gone mad," says Marlene McKinnon.
An assortment of sleepy-looking people— most in regular black school robes or muggle sports clothes— are gathered in the locker room.
A group of three students wearing red Quidditch robes sits apart from everyone else.
"Honestly, I think he's gone mental." Marlene says again to her fellows. She's a tall, blonde fifth-year from Scotland, and perhaps the only one in the locker room that doesn't look tired. On the contrary, she appears wide awake and energetic.
Benjy Fenwick, bleary-eyed, nods in agreement. "He's always been a nutter about Quidditch."
Dirk Cresswell rubs vigourously at his eyes. "It's five-thirty, five-thirty. Who schedules tryouts at fucking five-thirty, I ask you."
"James Potter, apparently." Grumbles Fenwick. "Mad bastard. Knew I should've been Captain."
"Potter's the best on the team," Marlene says. "Better than even you, Fenwick. He had it in the bag after the final last year."
Fenwick grunts "Yeah, maybe, but he's an absolute nutter."
"This is inhuman," says Cresswell. "It's a violation of rights."
Marlene shrugs. "I'm feeling alright myself. I've done a few Boosting charms though... I didn't even go to bed last night."
The doors of the locker room suddenly open and daylight streams in, along with James Potter. Everyone perks up at once.
James looks them over with a steely eye, measuring them up. "Alright, you lot. Out you get. Single file. McKinnon, Cresswell, Fenwick, you're first up seeing as how you've already got a general idea of how this works—"
People start to rise and line up, Fenwick in the lead.
"A general idea? I've been here longer than you have, Potter."
"Oh, leave it out, Fenwick."
James stands aside and people start to file out of the door, looking over each person over critically as they pass. Marlene sticks her tongue out at him, and he shoves her playfully through the doorway. After the last person has exited the locker room, James himself exits, pulling the door closed behind him and turning to the hopefuls.
"Alright, everybody, listen closely! My name is James Potter, for those of you who don't already know me. I'm captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team this year, and this—" He pauses for dramatic effect, scanning the crowd. The younger students eye him nervously "—is tryouts."
There's applause from some of the younger hopefuls, quickly silenced by a glare from the captain.
"This is my first year as your captain, fourth year on the team. You're probably all wondering why tryouts are being held so early—"
A murmur indicates that everybody was, in fact, wondering this.
"Right, well, I can answer that one for you right now. The way I see it, if you're dedicated enough to get up at this hour just to try out, then you might just be dedicated enough to be on my team."
He lets this settle over them.
Cresswell whispers to Marlene and Fenwick: "Mental."
"I heard that, Cresswell. I'm going to be harsh during these tryouts, and on the off-chance you actually do make it onto the team, I'm going to work you hard. So if you're not absolutely certain you want this, you might as well leave right now."
He raises his eyebrows— a challenge. Marlene pretends to storm off. Nobody else moves.
James frowns. "Stop wanking around, McKinnon. And careful with those Boosting Charms."
Marlene feigns innocence. "Sorry, what?"
He gives her a look, but says nothing else. "Alright, is everyone ready?"
James reaches for his broomstick. He pushes his glasses up his nose.
"Let's get started then."
The curtains are closed over the windows of the fifth-year girls dormitory, and darkness still clings to the four-poster beds. One is empty, three are filled with sleeping girls, and the last one contains Lily Evans, who is just sitting up.
Lily is a pretty girl with very long red hair and very distinctive green eyes. At the moment, she looks a bit sniffly, a bit sickly and rather sleepy.
Lily hugs her knees to her chest and takes a deep breath. Finally, she crawls to the edge of the bed, pulls on her dressing gown and steps into her slippers.
"Mary?" She calls softly at the bed next to her.
No response but a mumble from Mary, who is buried deep in her red duvet. Only a small slice of her face is visible.
"Mare, I'm going 'round the hospital wing."
Mary opens one eye but doesn't move from her comfortable surroundings. "Sick or summing?"
"I feel rubbish... I'm going for some potion."
"Mm. Well alright. Try not to wake me up again, will you."
She rolls over and instantly falls asleep again. Lily stands, shivering, hugging herself to keep warm. She grabs her wand from the dresser. She stops for a moment, picks up a framed picture and regards it.
It's an old, moving photograph of two kids on a roundabout, laughing in eternal merriment.
Lily smiles a little. She sets it down.
The sunrise knifes in through the tall, grimy windows that line the corridor. At the far end, a giant pendulum swings rhythmically past the wooden beams of the clock tower.
Remus and a young healer, Madam Pomfrey, hurry towards the hospital wing. She's supporting him, and there are bits of vomit on her apron. Remus looks close to death, barely conscious as he stumbles forward.
With a wave of her wand, the grand wooden doors open into a long, airy room containing two rows of hospital beds all immaculately wrapped in sterile white sheets.
Remus stumbles a bit but manages to reach the nearest bed. Pomfrey draws the hangings around his bed, stands back. She sighs, powerless to help her most difficult patient.
"Oh— morning Madam Pomfrey."
Startled, Madam Pomfrey turns and sees Lily Evans entering the ward. Her eyes flicker to Remus's bed and away.
"Oh, Miss Evans, good morning—"
"Sorry it's so early, I wasn't feeling too well, see, and—"
"Alright, alright, have a lie down and I'll be out in a bit with a restorative."
She ushers Lily to next unoccupied bed. Lily sits on the edge, still shivering, kicking her feet back and forth as Madame Pomfrey bustles away to her office.
Remus coughs. Lily looks up at his bed, curious despite herself. She hadn't realised anyone else was here.
Pomfrey returns, bearing all sorts of bottles, jars, and bandages.
"Lie down, lie down!"
Lily lies down. Madame Pomfrey disappears behind Remus's curtain.
Lily sits up again.
She eyes the curtain, tempting in its mystery. The figure of Madam Pomfrey is visible moving around inside, and Lily can just make out her voice muttering a healing spell. Finally, Pomfrey begins to back out of the curtain— Lily quickly lies down again.
"...particularly bad this time, looks like." Pomfrey is saying to her mysterious patient.
The curtains are closed before Lily can see anything.
Madame Pomfrey sighs and turns around, spotting Lily and remembering that she's there.
"Oh, what did you need again?"
"Pepperup, I'm not feeling well—"
"There should be some in the cabinet over there." She raises her voice significantly. "I'll be in my office, give a shout if you need me."
"Alright, thanks." Lily says. She goes to the cabinet and selects a potion bottle. She unstoppers it and returns to her bed to drink it. She swallows it in one gulp— her face grows very hot, and steam curls out from beneath her hair. Then it fades and Lily, feeling quite peppered-up, sets the empty bottle on the bedside table.
The other patient coughs again. Curiosity gets the better of Lily; she stands up, slowly approaches the hangings, extends a hand to pull them aside—
Footsteps echo in the outside hallway and Lily quickly returns to her bed. Lily can't see who it is around the curtains. The footsteps stop. There's a rustle of fabric and voices.
"Fuck sakes Peter, it's not going to wrinkle, is it. We don't need to fold it— give it here."
"Fine, you bloody do it then."
"I will do it then."
"If it wrinkles James is going to be angry."
"For the last time, Peter, the cloak doesn't wrinkle."
Lily purses her lips. She knows those voices. She straightens out her robes and goes around to confront them.
Sirius Black has just managed to stow something out of sight when he looks up and catches sight of Lily.
"Evans!" He says, casually. "What are you doing here?"
Peter Pettigrew, beside him, throws a nervous glance toward the occupied bed.
"What are you lot doing here?"
"I asked first."
"I'm sick. This is the hospital wing, isn't it?"
Sirius looks around, grins lazily. "S'pose it is."
"So, what are you lot up to?"
"Not up to anything. Just fancied a walk is all."
"Oh yeah, at six in the morning, that's convincing. What is it really?"
He shrugs. "Can't curse a man for a crime he hasn't committed yet."
"Too bad for me, right?"
Sirius laughs easily, sweeping his hair out of his eyes. "Right."
"Where's Potter, anyway? He can't be far away."
"He's at Quidditch tryouts," says Peter.
"Run along and see for yourself if you like," says Sirius.
Lily crosses her arms. "That's alright. I'm staying."
"Looks like we'll all be here a while then."
He sits down crosslegged on the floor, motioning for Peter to join him. Lily remains standing, stiff.
"Haven't seen Remus in a while," she comments.
"No, you wouldn't have. He's off in Wales, visiting his mum and dad."
"Oh, that's right. Poor Remus. Must be awful, I can't imagine."
"No, you really can't." Sirius says coldly.
Lily doesn't quite know what to say to that. Finally, she sits.
A few awkward beats pass between them as they all suddenly realise that they have very little in common. Peter fiddles with his shoelaces, retying and untying them.
"Well, isn't this cheery." Sirius remarks, fishing around in his pockets. He retrieves a mangled packet of cigarettes from his pocket and sticks one in his mouth. "Tryouts are taking bloody forever, aren't they? James should be here by now."
Peter shrugs. "Must have a tough lot this year."
"Either that or he's wasting time showing off," says Lily.
Sirius lets out a bark of laughter. "James doesn't need to show off at Quidditch. He's good enough on his own."
"Being good at sports doesn't give him the right to swagger around the place like he owns it."
"And being a sanctimonious virgin doesn't give you the right to act so bloody superior either, but here you still are, aren't you."
Peter laughs, and Lily stiffens, turning red despite herself. If Potter could be mean, Sirius Black could be downright cruel at times.
"You're a right bastard, you know that?"
Sirius doesn't answer, attention suddenly diverted somewhere behind her. His entire expression seems to change, cracking into a wide grin.
"This seems cozy, mind if I join in?"
Lily twists around to see that James Potter has just entered the Hospital Wing, still in Quidditch gear and a bit muddy and sweaty. He pulls off his gloves and runs a hand through his hair.
"Budge up a bit Pete," says Sirius. "How was tryouts?"
Peter and Sirius move to allow James to sit down heavily.
"Bloody appalling is what. I'm exhausted, don't mind telling you. I could use a smoke. Have you got one?"
Sirius hands him one, lights it with the tip of his wand.
"Did you lot just come here for a smoke?"
James looks around at her. "Sorry, what is she doing here?"
Lily glares at him. "She was feeling sick. Rumour has it this is the place for that kind of thing."
He snickers. "Let me guess... time of the month?
"She wouldn't be the only one, would she." Says Sirius, a smug inside joke that Lily doesn't comprehend.
He and Peter laugh, but James is eyeing Lily for a reaction. She won't rise to his needling.
"You're so immature."
"Yeah, but it just adds to my boyish charm though, doesn't it."
"Oh, yeah, it'd be a big surprise if you had any in the first place."
"Well I'm full of surprises once you get to know me, Evans."
He looks at her, full of something, and she has to avert her gaze. She's glad when Peter interrupts and diverts his attention.
"So what happened at tryouts then?
James heaves a sigh. "All kinds. I filled every position in the end, but most of the prats who showed up hardly knew one end of a broomstick from the other. Had to send some of the second years home crying their bloody eyes out. You'd think there'd be at least a couple who were competent at least."
"They can't all be as good as you, mate."
"Unfortunately, true."
Lily snorts. "You've no shame at all, have you?"
He shrugs, utterly confident. "Nah not really. What's the point?"
She rolls her eyes in disbelief. "Did Marlene make it back on the team at least?"
"Yeah, of course, she's bloody amazing. Though were I you, I'd wait 'till she sleeps it off to tell her."
"Sleeps what off?"
"Bit of a junkie, your friend, isn't she?"
Lily opens her mouth, confused.
"Fit though," remarks Sirius
Lily looks at him in disgust. James snorts.
"What?"
"Oh, leave it out." Says James
"You don't think she likes me?"
"Would hardly be surprising," interjects Lily.
Sirius glares at her. "Was I asking you? What is it, James?
James heaves a sigh. "You're not her type. And she's not yours, is she."
Lily has a distinct feeling that there's meaning behind that statement, but Sirius brushes it off.
"Don't know what you're on about."
James rolls his eyes. "Yeah, alright."
Remus coughs again. They all turn in his direction.
"Why don't you trot along then, Evans." Sirius says. "That poor sod probably needs his rest."
"After you," she returns.
"Evans here doesn't trust us not to cause mischief," Sirius says with a snort.
"If we leave, you'll leave, right?" Says James.
"I suppose." Says Lily.
James looks around at his friends, nods. "Alright then lads, let's go."
"But—" Peter begins.
"Come on then, Peter."
They troop out, leaving Lily to once again contemplate the curtains drawn around the mysterious patient. She looks down the hallway— Potter and his friends have disappeared. Lily bites her lip. Really, she thinks, it's none of her business. She shakes her head, and leaves the hospital wing.
A second after she's gone, James flings the cloak away from them, where they'd been pressed together into the corner of the room.
"Hiding under the cloak was a lot easier when we were smaller," remarks Sirius.
James pulls back the hangings slightly so they can enter one by one. Remus is awake but looking drained. They sit on the chairs around him.
When Remus speaks, his voice is hoarse and cracked. "Morning all. Lily's gone?"
James pours him a glass of water, which he gulps eagerly.
Sirius reaches in his pocket and pulls out a folded parchment. He taps it with his wand.
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," he says in a bored tone. "Merlin, I wish we'd chosen something shorter. And maybe we ought to redo some of the charms..."
Ink blooms out from Sirius's wand tip, curling into an elegant script which proclaims simply 'The Marauders' Map'. Sirius opens it up. revealing an intricately detailed map of Hogwarts. Labelled dots move around its halls and corridors.
"Yeah I reckon the cover looks a bit bare as well." James muses.
Sirius squints at it, searching. Finally, he spots a dot marked Lily Evans, heading rapidly down a corridor towards the common room.
"Look, there she goes. That's a relief. I thought she'd never leave, nosy bint."
"She's not bad as all that," says Remus.
"Well, she was about a second away from opening your curtain and having a shufti at your mutilated body." Sirius says, leaning back in his chair. "We would've stopped her, of course."
Remus looks down at his bandaged hands.
"How're you feeling, Moony?" Peter asks.
Remus smiles weakly. "Bit sore. My head's like to split open as anything, but alright otherwise."
They exchange sympathetic glances. Remus is clearly still far from alright, but he's putting on a good show for the sake of his friends.
"Wish you didn't have to go through all this on your own. As soon as we figure this spell out it'll be easier."
Remus sits up, despite the pain this causes. "Thought you said that was off."
James looks down.
"Merlin's sakes, James, you all nearly died last time you tried it. I won't let you risk yourselves."
"Well, that's not entirely up to you." Sirius says with a huge yawn, tilting his chair back.
"I've really got it figured out this time," James says. He's so earnest, so intent, so James. Remus wants to believe him, he wants to hope. "Besides, it's worth the risk. You're worth the risk. Isn't he?"
"Absolutely," Peter says without hesitation. Remus has to turn his head away from them.
"I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you because of me. You— you told me you'd given up."
James gives him a wonky smile. "Do I ever give anything up?"
He leans forward, utterly determined. Remus sighs, knowing he has no choice but to give in.
"Never," says Sirius. "Come on, Moony, you know what a stubborn bastard he is."
"I'm just willing to do whatever it takes," James pushes his glasses further up his nose. "It's been a year. I've been working hard on this, researching and all that, and- I just need a bit more time. I wouldn't be saying anything if I weren't absolutely certain-"
"Alright then." Remus surprises even himself with the rapidity of his answer- yes, this is his weakness, his great selfishness. As much as he cares for his friends, as much as he tries to insist, he wants this. In truth, James hardly needed to convince him.
Ashamed, Remus plays with the edge of his bedsheet.
James is grinning. Remus hates himself. James, he thinks, knows nothing. He understands nothing. He's too good for the likes of me. They all are.
"Really? You mean it?"
Remus sighs. "Yeah. Just be careful, alright?"
"Oh, You know me, Moony."
"That's the trouble."
They laugh, and so does Remus, though it's physically painful to do so, though he feels as though nothing could be less funny. He's a traitor in their midst, a wolf in sheep's clothing.
James claps a hand on his arm. "Don't worry, Remus."
"I'm not worried," Remus says, brightly. "Honest."
Sirius snorts. Remus knows that he knows. He can never fool Sirius, a fact which irritates him somewhat. Sirius has a way of seeing right through you.
"It'll be fine." Peter says. Poor little Peter. If he ought to worry about anyone, it's Peter. James and Sirius can handle complex spellwork, but Peter barely scrapes by.
Remus nods. "Yeah," he says.
"More than fine," Sirius says, with an almost dreamy look in his eye. "It'll be brilliant. The four of us, marauding the grounds on full moon. We can go anywhere. Do whatever we want."
Remus chews his lip. "Not whatever we want. You have to keep me under control."
"Yeah, yeah, 'course we will." Sirius waves a hand, as if Remus's concern is of little consequence. "You worry too much, Moony."
Remus says nothing, the same old bitterness stirring in his gut. Sirius, he thinks, has absolutely no idea.
"Well, you don't have to." James presses a kiss to the top of his head. "We've got this in the bag."
Remus looks at him, at his best friend, at the boy who saved him and has saved him many times over. He feels with a sinking certainty that he will be James's downfall. He could say something, he could stop them. He considers, for a moment, the prefect's badge sitting on his dormitory dresser next to his folded robes. He could report them. He could do the right thing.
He grins weakly. "Stubborn bastard."
They laugh, and Remus does too, trying to ignore the pain in his side, trying to keep them from noticing.
"It's not because your father's a muggle is it?" says Preston Avery.
That question, Severus thinks, is the one that he's been asking himself from the beginning. "I said, I don't want to talk about it."
"She's not bad looking, I s'pose. For a mudblood and all. You know what they say, don't you?"
Severus' reply is curt. "No."
Avery snickers, an unpleasant preamble to his unpleasant jokes. "When it comes down to it, Mudblood fanny is just the same as the rest of it, isn't it? You just have to wash afterwards."
He laughs. Severus doesn't.
Avery sees this and frowns. "Lighten up, will you Snape, you're starting to depress me."
"Well excuse me for not sharing your nasty sense of humour."
"It's just a laugh."
Severus doesn't reply as they enter into the Great Hall. It's still fairly early in the morning, and there are few students eating breakfast.
Severus and Avery head toward the Slytherin table, where a small knot of students are concentrated at the end, deep in conversation.
One of them notices them, looks up.
"Preston, Severus." Evelyn Mulciber greets them silkily. "Have a seat, will you boys, we were just discussing politics."
They sit.
"That right?" Says Severus. He doesn't know anyone as politically savvy as Mulciber— the older boy has power and connections the rest of the table can only dream of. There's a reason, thinks Severus, that he is the unspoken ringleader of this little group.
Mulciber eyes him. "It is. As the resident half-blood perhaps you've a refreshing perspective to offer us."
Severus doesn't say anything, only stares very hard at the table. But Avery, surprisingly, leaps to his defence. "Come off it, Mulciber. He can't exactly help his father being a muggle."
"Quite right, Preston. But he can help his associations, can't he?"
"How is your little friend, Severus?" Wilkes snickers. A shiny prefect badge glimmers on the robes of Devereux Wilkes, their fellow fifth-year. Of everyone at the table, Wilkes is the least interesting; Severus has a special disdain for his smarmy, pompous attitude and the way he's always sucking up to Mulciber.
"Who?"
"Lily Evans. You are friends, aren't you?"
Severus shrugs this off, uncomfortable. "We were friends when we were kids, that's all."
"Snape here just wants to shag her," says Avery. The other Slytherins laugh.
"Well, no harm in getting your hands dirty once in a while," says Mulciber. "So long as you wash, mind."
More laughter. Severus forces out a little chuckle. It's far from funny, but he wants badly to be accepted by this group. His fledgling friendship with them is tenuous at best, and the differences between he and they are already staggeringly clear.
"What's stopping you then, Snape?" Asks Wilkes.
"Well..."
"I saw her clinging all over you just the other day," Avery snickers. "Practically begging for it if you ask me."
Severus is almost embarrassed by the flicker of hope this gives him. "Really?"
"Enough about Snape's Mudblood whore." Evan Rosier, Mulciber's right hand man. If Mulciber is all charm and subtlety, Rosier is the exact opposite: huge, prone to violence, and absolutely terrifying. "Can we return to the matter at hand?"
"Evan here was just saying we should do something about her kind."
Severus isn't keen on the sound of this. "Do something? What like?"
Rosier sneers. "We need to show them the Wizarding World still belongs to the true Wizards. They're getting too big for their britches."
"I'll say." Nicola Selwyn speaks up for the first time. Severus isn't too keen on her either. She's arrogant, snobby, and too good to give him the time of day. He can't stand girls who know they're beautiful and act like it. She's nothing like Lily.
"We ought to do something big," Mulciber is saying.
"Won't we get in trouble for it?" Wilkes says. Severus smirks to himself. Wilkes is a coward.
"What does it matter?" Mulciber replies impatiently. "Even little Regulus here's not afraid of getting in a few scraps. Isn't that right, Regulus?"
Regulus nods slowly. In demeanour, he is the opposite of his brother, although they look very similar. Severus doesn't mind him, but they've never spoken much.
"Yeah, that's right." Says Regulus.
"You don't want to be shown up by a thirteen-year-old, now do you, Wilkes." Mulciber says. "Besides, you don't have to worry. My father's got favour where it counts."
Corrin Shea leans forward. "How does that help the rest of us exactly?" Shea is pale and pretentious, and practically glued to Nicola Selwyn's side. Severus cottoned on pretty quickly that these two have some sort of strange relationship, impenetrable to outsiders.
"My father's got friends who share our point of view, friends in high places"
"Higher than Dumbledore?
Mulciber grins conspiratorially. "Higher than the bloody Ministry of Magic I'll wager. The way of the world is changing, my friends, and you'd all be wise to show which side you're on soon as possible.
"What side is that?"
"Come on now, Corrin. Certain select parties which have an interest in influencing matters within Hogwarts... I rather think I shouldn't have to tell you to whom I'm referring."
Shea scoffs. "And why should they care about what happens to us?"
Mulciber looks slightly annoyed, then brushes it off. "Loyalty's valuable to them. Having agents within the school, I should think... to work from the inside, close to Dumbledore. I'd wager they'd find something like that useful... I mean, for starters, look at the state of this place... filth, everywhere..."
He stops as he sees something, eyes trailing upwards. Severus turns.
Lily Evans is standing behind him. Shit.
Mulciber leers at her. "Speaking of filth..."
"Get stuffed, Mulciber. Sev, you coming? We've got that potions essay we said we'd look over before class-"
Severus glances nervously at all his companions. Why now? This is so embarrassing. They are all eyeing him beadily, and he wants to melt into the floor.
"Er, can't it wait a bit, Lily?"
Lily purses her lips. "Potions is our first class, Sev, we had better get this done. Are you coming or what?"
"Oh, right. Alright, let's go."
He begins to stand, but Mulciber grabs his arm.
"A thought, Severus— times are changing. Sides will have to be picked soon enough... loyalties will be tested, you hear me?"
Snape can't do anything but nod.
"Yeah, well, a thought, Mulciber— bullies always get what's coming to them." Lily retorts.
Mulciber barely glances up at her. He lets go and Severus stands up. Lily takes his arm, not noticing Severus's nervous glance towards it, and drags him toward the Gryffindor table.
"He's horrible, he is. Don't know how you stand any of them to be honest, but the way Mulciber goes on sometimes... I don't know but it scares me something awful."
Severus is quick to reply, almost automatic. "It's all a bunch of rubbish, what he says. He doesn't mean it."
"Oh I know it is. Mulciber's all talk, but he gives me a bad feeling, that's all. They all do. Why you're friends with them, I don't know."
"Most of them aren't all that bad really, they just go along with whatever Mulciber says." He catches her disbelieving look. "Honest!"
"I s'pose, if you say so... well, just as long as you aren't getting mixed up in any of it."
"'Course not." Severus says.
"Good then."
Lily sits down at the Gryffindor table and Sev sits next to her. She pulls a roll of parchment, quill and ink, and a book from her bag and spreads it out on the table as she talks.
"I've double-checked my essay with Advanced Potion Making, but we all know that book is utter rubbish, of course."
Severus chuckles grateful for the change of subject. "I reckon Slughorn only assigns it because he's good mates with the author.
"Typical Slughorn."
"Here, I'll take a look at your essay if you like, see if you—"
"What's he doing here? He'll get grease all over the food, and me trying for a low-fat diet and all—"
Severus flushes at the sound of that voice, hated above all others… James Potter has plopped down across from the two of them.
Lily scowls. "Do us a favour, Potter, shove off."
But Sirius Black sits down next to his friend, lazy smile on his face as he contemplates them.
"It's the slimeball who's pushing in where he's not wanted. Last time I checked this was our table, not his. Ugly loser table's over there."
Lily looks stormy. Sev can't react, staring at the ground with his fists balled up at his sides. They're only words. Why do they affect him so much?
Lily stands, defiant. "C'mon Sev, I'm not very hungry all of a sudden. We'll try the library, shall we."
Sirius mocks her. "Ooh, we'll try the library, shall we? Ooh, Sev. I'm all a-quiver."
"Careful he doesn't get grease all over the books."
"You shut the hell up, Potter. Let's go, Sev."
James watches them go, feeling irritation creep up within him. "I can't understand why she's friends with him."
"One of life's great mysteries," says Sirius breezily, scraping bacon onto his plate.
"I mean, it's obvious he's got a big hard on for the dark arts." James muses. "Everyone knows he's into that except her. What is she, blind or something?"
"What's it to you?"
"I just think she could do better is all. He's a slimy git who's in with every pureblood supremacist in the school. Mulciber, Rosier, Avery..."
"And my brother." Sirius stares darkly over at the Slytherin table. James follows his gaze to see Regulus Black, sitting with the others.
"Yeah, and him..." James says. He can only imagine what it's like to come from a family as fucked up as the Blacks. "Anyway, all I'm saying is Snape's pure evil. And she's, you know, a nice, normal girl. I don't understand it."
"Since when did you start caring so much about what Evans does?"
James doesn't have an answer. "Since... no, I don't- you know what, it doesn't matter. I've got things to do. See you in class, alright?"
He gets up.
"Where're you off to now?" Sirius says through a mouthful of bacon and sausage.
"To the library."
"You're not studying now are you?"
"'Course I'm not. Just need to look something up for, you know, our project. The furry one."
"Oh, right..."
"Well I'm off. Don't start any fights without me."
Sirius is still glaring at the Slytherins. "Yeah, go on then."
James claps him on the shoulder.
Lily and Severus are sitting together at a table which is pushed up against some bookshelves. They're all set up with textbooks and parchment spread across the surface. It's gloomy, lit only by a single dim lamp mounted on the wall next to Lily.
Lily squints at a page of her textbook, shows it to Sev.
"Can't see a bloody thing I'm doing, can you? What's that say?"
Sev squints too.
"Er.. it says 'flobberworm' I think. There's a lamp behind you, look, turn it up if you like."
"Alright."
Lily stands up on her chair with her back to Severus and reaches high to fiddle with the dial on the lamp.
The way she's reaching lifts her skirt, and from his angle he can see the barest hint of white peeking from beneath. He feels his face grow hot, taking in this cherished crumb hungrily, if a bit guiltily. Lily is totally oblivious, focused on the lamp as she chatters.
"Oh I've been meaning to ask, you going to Hogsmeade next weekend? I was thinking we could go round the shops, we haven't gone together in a while."
"Yeah, I— yeah, I was thinking about it. That sounds nice."
"Cripes, it's so fiddly. Shit, hang on."
"Lily—" he says, eyes still glued to her rear.
"This is hopeless," says Lily, turning and wiping hair away from her face. Severus quickly averts his gaze.
"You could always try magic," he teases.
She claps a hand to her forehead. "Oh. Of course I could, why didn't I think of it before? There I go, standing on the bloomin' chair like a fool. I can be so stupid sometimes."
"You're never stupid," says Severus honestly. Poor Lily, so talented yet eternally held back by her muggle ancestry. Just like him, he supposes.
They smile at each other, genuine affection passing between them as he helps her off the chair. Lily waves her wand.
"Incandenso."
The lamp brightens, casting them in golden light. Severus, feeling embarrassed for some reason, turns away— and spots James Potter, watching them with a smug smirk. The moment is shattered.
"You."
Lily spots him too. "D'you mind?" She snaps, about as happy to see him as Severus is.
"Need a book, don't I?" Potter pushes deliberately forward between them to access the books, craning his neck to look at the higher shelves.
Severus isn't convinced. He knows Potter, and Potter is always up to something. "And I s'pose it's just a coincidence that the book you're looking for happens to be right where we are."
Potter regards him with derision. "Believe me, Snivellus, if I could go as far away from your fascinatingly rank aroma as I could I would, but as it happens, yeah. Advanced transfiguration. This is the section."
"What d'you need advanced transfiguration for?" Lily says. Clearly, she isn't fooled either. "This is all NEWT level, this is, you haven't even done your OWLs yet."
"I'm an overachiever, Evans. Hmm. Looks like I'm going to do some climbing myself. If you stay where you are, Snivelly, I'm sure you can get a good look at my bum as well."
Snape flushes, hands gripping the table tightly. How long has he been watching? He sneaks a side glance at Lily, but thankfully she doesn't seem to have understood his meaning.
"You can have a look at my bum yourself, Evans."
"As if I'd want to."
He laughs. "Why wouldn't you? It might take me a while to look. My bad eyesight and all."
She rolls her eyes, then gets back on her chair.
"Why don't I just get the book down for you, if it even exists, then you can be on your merry way as soon as possible."
He crosses his arms over his chest. "Go on then, Evans. It's the one with the brown binding."
Severus looks at the bookshelf— all the books have brown leather binding.
"He thinks we're stupid," snarls Severus.
"You're not wrong," Potter snickers.
Lily sticks her hands on her hips. "Bit more specificity may be needed, Potter."
Potter shrugs. "Fine. It's the Torgoff's. Should be on the shelf just above..."
She pulls it out, looks at it in confusion.
"What, 'Torgoff's Animagi Compendium'? This one? What d'you need this for?"
Severus narrows his eyes in suspicion. He doesn't like this. Potter is up to something, he knows it. Whatever it is, he's going to figure it out.
"Just fancy some light reading on the side, what's it to you?"
"Nothing, I s'pose."
"Right. So, tell me, Snape—"
Severus twitches at the sound of his name.
"Do you think Evans is alright with you peeking up her skirt and all? I mean, it is a bit rude."
Severus snarls, shamefaced. He should have known Potter wouldn't let that one go. "Shut your lying gob."
"Now I'm the liar, am I? I suppose next you'll try and tell me you aren't saving that entire experience for a special date with your hand later on... you tosser." He laughs, and Severus has never hated anyone more in his life.
Lily hops down off the chair, faces up to him. "You're vile, Potter. Get lost, now."
Severus feels like he's melting into himself, shame and anger coursing through him in equal measure.
"You gonna give me my book?"
Lily shoves it unceremoniously at him. "I said leave."
James shrugs moodily, fixing Severus with a meaningful look, one which he understands perfectly— this isn't over between them, and he's lucky Lily's there.
"Fine," he says at last. "Got me some light reading to do anyways."
Once he's gone, Severus relaxes, the tension leaving his body. Lily, on the other hand, still looks extremely heated. She opens a textbook violently and starts flipping the pages at random, clearly not reading a word.
"Fucking obnoxious wanker. I can't stand him, I can't bloody stand him at all. Who the hell does he think he is anyway, coming here and talking to us like that?"
"He thinks he's James Potter of course, great bloody Quidditch star."
"Oh too right, he's always been a pompous arse... but ever since the final last year he's been downright insufferable, hasn't he." She adopts a mocking voice. "'Ooh look at me, everybody, I'm Gryffindor chaser, look at me and my stupid messy hair! Blah blah blah.'"
Severus laughs.
Lily's tirade isn't over. "Thinks he's so fantastic, when he's really just an arrogant puffed up git who thinks it's alright for him to act however he pleases. Well I don't agree. The worst part is the entire school seems to think so, don't they. We must be the only ones who can actually see him for what he is.
"Well, I know some of my friends don't like him very much." Says Severus thoughtfully.
But this has entirely the wrong effect on Lily. She turns her ire on him instead.
"Oh, that right is it? What friends are those, Sev, the ones who think the school ought to kick out all the Muggleborns like me?"
"They don't think that," he says automatically.
"Don't lie to me, I've heard them. Mudblood this and Mudblood that. They all say it. Oh yeah, 'cause their opinion is so valuable. Rather James Potter than that Mulciber. At least Potter doesn't go on like he thinks those extremists have it right."
He gapes at her. How can she possibly think Potter is better than his friends? Severus knows that if she just knew Mulciber like he did, just understood their point of view— she would see what a great wizard he was, what a true visionary... "I— I only meant, not everyone likes Potter and thinks he's a big hero. That's all I meant."
"Oh, what does it matter? You know what, I can't concentrate on this anymore— reckon I'll go find Marlene, we were supposed to meet before class."
Sev, disappointed, watches as she begins to pack up her things and shove them messily into her bag. "You're leaving already?"
"I...yeah. I'll see you later, alright?"
He heaves a sigh. "Yeah, see ya."
She looks like she's going to say something else, then shakes her head and departs. Severus squeezes his eyes shut, frustrated. You idiot.
He packs up the remaining books and parchment, then wanders around the library to the desk, where Mr. Amirali, the librarian, sits reading. He looks up, almost in annoyance, at Severus' approach.
"Sorry, but have you got a copy of 'Torgoff's Animagi Compendium'?"
Amirali frowns. "As a matter of fact one was checked out a few minutes ago. But I'm certain there's another copy around here somewhere... I could've sworn it was just stamped."
He searches around a little.
"This is a transfiguration project? What year are you in?"
"No... just my own research, that's all."
Amirali squints at him from behind his owlish glasses. "Hmm. I'd wonder what you need the Compendium for. Are you thinking acquiring Animagus status after you leave school?"
"Not really."
"Then I can't see how it would be of use to you. It's an anecdotal guide detailing the process of becoming Animagus."
"What, so it's just about turning into an animal?"
"That's what I said, isn't it? Ah, here it is. Yes, Torgoff the reknowned boar-man. Quite famous in his day."
Severus holds his hand out expectantly "Thanks."
"Hang on just a minute, young man. Have you got a permission slip? You need one from your head of house or the head of the transfiguration department. I can't let you take this out of the library without it.
"You're not telling me James Potter had permission."
Amirali scoffs. "He did, of course. I wouldn't let a student run off with a restricted book without following the proper protocols, now would I? Mr. Potter had permission from Professor McGonagall, who is both his head of house and the department head. You have neither, might I remind you, so if there's nothing else I can help you with I suggest you get to class."
"Fine, didn't need the stupid book anyways."
He wanders away, scowling.
Bloody useless Mudblood.
A corridor lined with tall arched windows encircles a pleasant open grassy area through which students are milling about, heading to their next classes. Marlene picks her way groggily through the crowd. The after-effects of Boosting charms are always awful, but it seems to be hitting her particularly hard today. Marlene perks up, however, when she sees her best friend waiting by the fountain.
"Mary!"
Mary grins. "Alright?"
"Alright... Where've you been all morning?"
Mary shrugs. "Bloody slept in, didn't I? Miss anything good in Potions?"
"Oh, it was alright. Since you were bunking off I was working with Lily. You can copy my notes later if you like."
"Can I? Cheers, Mar." She sits on the rim of the fountain, and Marlene joins her.
"Oh, don't mention it. Lily was a big help, you know how she's like with Potions."
"Yeah, her and that Snape, en't they?"
"Yeah…" Marlene says thoughtfully. "I reckon they might've fell out though, she was ignoring him all class."
"She should've started ignoring him a long time ago, if you ask me."
"Too right."
"Where is she, anyway? I need her help for my next protest."
Marlene smiles fondly. "Always protesting something or the other, aren't you? Soon people are just going to get bored of it and stop coming."
"Nah, that'll never happen." Says Mary confidently. "People love a good riot. And this one's important, it's not about our dinner this time."
"What is it about then?"
Mary leans forward conspiratorially. "Discrimination against Muggleborns at school. People deserve to feel safe here at Hogwarts, but it keeps getting worse."
Marlene looks around the courtyard. A small group of fifth year Slytherins is sitting under the tree. Nicola Selwyn looks up, catches her watching. Marlene averts her gaze, feeling a shiver down her spine. Merlin, they're a horrible lot. Marlene worries about her two best friends sometimes— she knows better than they do what certain Wizarding families can be like. "I s'pose... be careful, though, Mary."
"Hang on, you haven't heard the best part yet." Says Mary. "I'm staging a walk-out during class. We all just stand up and leave at the same time and group up in the Entrance courtyard. It's like bunking off but for a higher cause, so it's bound to be a success. And no teacher's going to do anything about it without seeming like they're against Muggleborn rights, are they?"
Marlene ponders this. "D'you know, that's actually rather clever."
"Oh I know it is," says Mary. "And I need Lily for this one."
"Need me for what?"
Lily has appeared, a slight frown creasing her brow. Marlene wonders if they should ask about her fight with Severus; though generally the subject of Severus Snape isn't one either of them like to bring up.
"I'm organising a protest," begins Mary.
"Not about vegetarian food again," says Lily, eyes widening in alarm.
Mary waves this away. "No, no, it's much more important than that. It's about Muggleborn discrimination at this school. Something's got to change." Mary smacks her fist into her palm, punctuating her statement. Lily's eyes widen further.
Marlene nods supportively. "It's a walk-out during classes. Quite clever, really."
"Everyone's going to want to participate. And the teachers won't be able to stop us. It's perfect."
Lily bites her lip. "I know you mean well, Mare, but most of the people who'll join in will just be interested in getting out of class early, won't they? They'll hardly appreciate the reality of the situation."
"Well of course not, but that's not the point. It's not about what a handful of lazy students think, it's about making an impression. A statement. A massive demonstration like that is bound to make the news—" Mary taps her chin, thoughtful. "I bet we could even get some Daily Prophet reporters to come here."
Lily bites her lip, unresolved. She sees the truth of what Mary is saying, and it does sound like a good idea...
"Oh, go on Lily." Mary wheedles. "Muggleborns like you and me have been taking their rubbish for ages. You know who I'm talking about. This is a chance to strike back and show the bastards we won't take it lying down any more. But I need your help organising it all."
"I s'pose so."
Marlene eyes the Slytherins across the courtyard pensively. Nicola Selwyn flips her shiny hair over her shoulder, says something to Corrin Shea. "Funny, thinking about all that lot left sitting in class like idiots."
Mary follows her gaze. "Yeah, I s'pose we'll really be able to tell who's who then, won't we?
Lily thinks about this.
"Well alright then," she says finally. "I'm in."
Severus tightly clasps his flagon of butterbeer, one finger tapping nervously on the glass.
The Three Broomsticks is packed with students, trying to avoid the blistering wind. Rosmerta is at the bar serving butterbeer, and Severus watches as she chatters and laughs with her customers.
"Relax, will you?" Says Avery.
Severus turns his attention back to his table. Mulciber and Rosier are noticeably absent, leaving the fifth years by themselves.
"I don't know what's got you so wound up lately," continues Avery. "But you're driving me up a bloody wall."
"Sorry," Severus mumbles into the foam of his butterbeer.
"What, don't tell me it's Evans again?"
Severus glances across the pub, where Lily is sitting with her annoying, gossipy friends. They seem to be handing out pieces of parchment to anyone who walks by. Probably some stupid fancy of Mary MacDonald's. He can never understand why Lily is friends with those two, he finds them utterly shallow and uninteresting. Lily is far too smart for that.
"You've got to let it go, old boy." Avery is saying. "It's not healthy for a man of your age and breed to spend all your time hung up on one bird. Broaden your horizons! There's plenty of mudblood minge out there just waiting to feel the immense power of a true wizard's wand, if you know what I mean."
He laughs riotously at his own joke.
Nicola lets out a noise of disgust.
"What?"
"You're so crude, Avery. Besides, Snape is half-blood himself, remember. Hardly a different breed, is it?"
Avery scoffs. "The wizarding blood is what counts. Not his fault his father is a turnip who decided to spend his seed in his mother. A true witch of decent breeding, as you know perfectly well."
Severus rolls his eyes. "I'd rather you not talk about my parents that way, if you don't mind."
"Merlin, you're all so touchy today." Says Avery. "Where's Mulciber, anyway? Thought he said he'd be here."
"He and Rosier are in the village, they said they had something to do." Shea says.
Nicola scoffs. "They're always doing things they don't tell anybody about."
"Just because they don't tell you, Selwyn." Wilkes replies, derisively. "Some things are just too sensitive to talk about in public. They're meeting some important people, that's what I've heard."
Shea looks doubtful. "You can't mean they're actually talking to—"
Wilkes interrupts him. "Shea! Keep it down, or do you want Mulciber to get in trouble?"
"Nobody's listening, you pillock." Says Shea. "Answer the question, since you clearly know so much more than the rest of us."
Wilkes looks too and fro, as if checking for eavesdroppers, then leans in. "I can't tell you a lot."
"Because you don't know, right?" Sneers Selwyn.
"I know enough! Look, between you and I, things are about to start changing round here, very soon. The pieces are still being put in place but—" He taps his nose knowingly. "There's a massive storm coming, and we want to make sure we're on the right side of it when it hits."
"Do storms even have right or wrong sides?" Asks Shea.
"It's only a figure of speech, Shea, don't overthink it."
"Yeah, it's a figure of speech alright, Wilkes. Only you're using it badly."
There are snickers around the table. Wilkes sulks.
"Leave it out, Shea."
Shea continues: "So if you're so knowledgeable, how come you're sitting here with us and not with them in this very important meeting?"
"Well, I—" Wilkes clearly does not have an answer. The others at the table laugh. Severus does too, glad someone else is the subject of ridicule for once. Serves Wilkes right for being so pompous.
He looks up, makes eye contact with Lily. Both of them avert their gaze.
Across the pub, Lily focuses her gaze on the pamphlets she's handing out. She doesn't want to think about Severus, having a laugh with his new Slytherin mates.
"Rather chummy, the whole lot of them, aren't they?" says Mary.
Lily sighs. "I know they're his housemates and all, but I wish... well, it doesn't matter."
"So you and him have stopped talking, then?"
"What? Of course we haven't. He's still my best mate, isn't he? We just had an argument yesterday and I've been avoiding him, that's all. It'll sort itself out eventually, always does."
"Well Christ, thank heavens for that." Says Mary, tone dripping with sarcasm.
Marlene casts her a sympathetic look. "Oh, don't be so nasty, Mary." Lily knows Marlene is just being kind. Neither of her friends can understand why she's friends with Severus.
"Oh yeah? And why shouldn't I? I reckon Lily's better off not being friends with someone who spends all his time with Mulciber and that lot. Besides, I've never liked him. Always gave me a bad feeling, that one."
"You hardly like anyone, Mary, and besides, you don't know him." Lily says defensively. "It's not easy for him, you know, he's hardly ever had any friends besides me and he's always being picked on."
The Slytherins are rising from their table, putting on their cloaks on to leave. Severus shoots Lily one last glance before he does so.
"Oh, boo hoo. Some people ought to be picked on if you ask me."
"What a horrid thing to say!" Says Marlene, scandalised.
"Can't blame me though, can you? He's... strange. I s'pose we'll see what side he's on during the protest though, won't we."
"Yeah I s'pose we will," says Lily. "I know Sev and I know he'll stand up. He will." She tries for confidence, fails. Her friends exchange an uneasy glance, which only upsets Lily further..
"Yeah, alright. If you say so."
Lily rises, slides out of the booth. "Well, you don't have to believe me, you'll see for yourselves soon enough. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go and see if I can catch him. I should apologise for being in such a state yesterday."
"Lily—"
"I'll see you later," Lily says, fastening her cloak. She hurries out of the pub, leaving Mary and Marlene to exchange exasperated looks.
"We can still hand out a few more of these around the village before we go back." Mary says, and Marlene nods. They start to pack up their pamphlets and papers into their bags.
"D'you get the feeling she's in for a world of heartbreak?" Says Marlene.
"Better sooner than later."
"You never know, I s'pose he might stand up after all."
Mary's expression darkens. "Well if he does, I swear I'll get down on my knees and apologise to him. But if he doesn't, she bloody well had better see reason. There's no grey here. Something's coming, and you're either with us or you're the enemy.
Marlene laughs. "Merlin's sake, Mare, it's only a protest, not a battle is it?"
But Mary is resolute. "No, it's a war."
Lily, scarf tugged about by the wind, hurries up the Hogsmeade main road. There's no sign of Severus in all their usual spots. He must have gone up to the castle.
"Hang on a minute Evans!"
It echoes loudly. Lily hears and turns, then starts walking faster.
Mulciber and Rosier are right behind her, the last people Lily wants to deal with right now.
"I'm talking to you, Evans! I just want to ask you a question is all."
She stops, and they catch up with her.
"What do you want?"
Mulciber exchanges a grin full of self-importance with Rosier.
"I've a question about our dear friend Sev, you see."
Lily is impassive, determined not to let them get to her. "Oh yeah? And what's that, then?"
Mulciber smirks. "Well, I've been thinking about getting him a gift. You see, I've been wondering and wondering what to get him."
Lily waits for him to spell it out.
"You don't happen to know what he wants, do you?"
"As a matter of fact, I know what he needs." She says. "You lot to stay away from him."
They look at each other again, amused.
"Oh, is that right?" Says Rosier with a sneer.
"Yeah, that's right. He's not like the rest of you, he's a good person but he's had a hard time of it. You're just taking advantage."
"He's a big boy, he makes his own decisions about who he's friends with." Says Mulciber.
Lily glares at him. She knows there's truth to that, really, but she won't admit it. "You're not his friends."
"Keep telling yourself that," says Mulciber. "You haven't answered my question yet. But no matter… I do know one thing he wants more than anything else, and I can see why."
Lily is nonplussed; she has no idea what Mulciber is banging on about. "And what's that then?"
Mulciber doesn't answer, but addresses Rosier instead. "I see why our Sev likes her. She's spunky, isn't she? And the blood's filthy, yes, but the outside's not so bad." Rosier laughs.
"You ought to shut your mouth or I'm going to report you."
Mulciber leers at her. "As if this school and its insignificant rules really mattered to me. Report me if you like, Evans. It's all the same to me. Soon everyone will be doing what I tell them."
"You're delusional," says Lily.
"What do you know about it, Mudblood?"
He pulls out his wand, and she instinctively reacts with alarm.
"Oh, don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you. I just love to see it in your eyes when you realise I could. I could do anything I wanted to you and there's not a thing you could do to stop me."
He takes two steps forward, rests the tip against her cheek gently. Lily doesn't react, doesn't move, fear is coursing through her veins but she's unwilling to let him see, to give him the satisfaction— he laughs at her, then—
Suddenly, Mulciber is blasted back away from her and off his feet, freezing solid as a board as he hits the floor. Lily and Rosier turn in surprise and see James Potter with his wand out, just having come up the hill behind them.
"Merlin's sake, Potter!"
"What?" He says.
Rosier curses and draws his own wand. "You blood-traitor sc—"
"Langlock." James says calmly.
Rosier is silenced mid-sentence, he clutches at his throat as his voice is taken from him by James's spell.
Lily stares. "What on earth are you doing?"
"You're joking, right? He had a wand on you. He was threatening you."
Rosier raises his own wand.
"Impedimenta!" Shouts Lily, and Rosier is stopped in his tracks. "I heard what he said, Potter, but I had things under control. I don't need any help from you."
She starts to walk away, and to her annoyance he runs after her.
"Oh, well, pardon me, then. From where I was standing it looked awfully like you were just going to take that one lying down."
"Just because I don't settle everything with a curse, Potter, doesn't mean I was taking it lying down. Bloody hell. Now this is a much bigger mess than when it started. You had to fire the first spell, didn't you."
"Well, sorry. I just reacted on instinct, that's all. I thought you were in trouble."
"I was perfectly fine! Maybe you meant well, Potter, but I don't need you or anyone jumping to my rescue. You can't just pick fights whenever you feel like it."
"Not going to report me, are you?"
Lily sighs, relenting. "Oh I s'pose not, but only seeing as they were really asking for it."
James grins. "I can't stand people like him. Any one of them could do with a good hex if you ask me."
"Has it ever occurred to you there's better ways of fighting them than starting duels?"
"What like?"
Lily gives him an exasperated look. "Peaceful, non-violent protest for starters. Mary and me are organising one next week."
"Protesting what exactly? If it's another one on not enough vegetarian food in the dining hall I'll have to sit it out."
"Not exactly. Here, I have a pamphlet somewhere."
She retrieves a crumpled one from her pocket and hands it to him. James smooths it out and reads it interestedly. Lily watches him. The one good thing about James Potter is that he genuinely seems to care about stuff like this.
"It's about the way Muggleborns are treated at this school," she explains. "And it's a walk-out, as you can see, during classes."
"Oh forget it then. You know how important attendance is to me."
She can't help but grin at that. "I understand," she says.
He grows serious. "Jokes aside... I'll be there, no question about it. My friends too."
She nods, stopping before the castle gates. "Alright, well I'll see you then, I suppose."
He stops and sticks his hands in his pockets, a little awkward.
"Right, then. See you."
Further down the hill, the fifth year Slytherins stumble upon the frozen Rosier and Mulciber.
"Oh hell," says Avery.
Nicola unfreezes them with a wave of her wand. Severus helps Mulciber to his feet, Rosier coughing as he regains movement.
"What on earth happened?" Demands Severus.
Rosier snarls at him. "What d'you think? Your stupid mudblood girlfriend and her blood traitor pal."
"Lily? Lily did this? That can't be right—"
"With a little help from James Potter," adds Mulciber. "I hate that jumped-up little prick, he gets on my last nerve."
Severus can't believe what he's hearing. "James Potter? She doesn't even like him."
"Who cares who she likes?" Says Rosier aggressively. "She dared to lay a wand on us, and she'll pay the price like every Mudblood in this school."
"Now hang on—"
"Don't worry, Severus." Begins Mulciber, but Rosier interrupts angrily.
"It's the Mudblood who should worry. I'll make her wish—"
Mulciber places a restraining hand on his arm. "Evan, calm down. Sev here wants her so badly, he'll have her."
"Not likely," says Nicola Selwyn with a scoff. "If she hasn't shagged him yet it's probably because she doesn't want to. I mean, what girl in her right mind would?"
Avery laughs nastily as Sev scowls, anger bubbling in his chest.
"Oh, our Sev's got his charms. She'll come around. And failing that, we'll lend him a hand. What are friends for, right?" Mulciber throws a sympathetic arm around Sev's shoulders. Sev looks up at him, grateful. The rest of them could burn as far as he was concerned, but Mulciber was the only person who had ever seen what Severus was worth, the only person who had accepted him.
"Don't worry, Severus," says Mulciber. "We'll make her see she was wrong about you."
Mulciber takes a last look down at the village, and Severus follows his gaze. Most of the students have gone up to the castle by now, with only a few stragglers left over.
"Yeah, they'll all see."
The Slytherins turn, and head back up towards the castle.