Around 21 years earlier
"Five more minutes!" Professor Flitwick's voice came from somewhere to my left. I didn't bother raising my head as I was furiously finishing my last sentence.
Once I finished I put down my quill and looked around the hall and gave a small sigh. We only had one more exam after this one and although the prospect of the school year being over wasn't exactly great for me, I was looking forward to a reprevie in studying.
My eyes automatically found their way to Sirius who was a desk in front of me in the next row. He was lounging in his chair, tilting it back on two legs, his dark hair falling over his eyes. I noticed the girl sitting behind him, Gertrude Retch, was eyeing him hopefully, though he didn't seem to have noticed, it made the irrational, emotional part of me want to rip her eyes out. I rolled my eyes, annoyed at myself that he could make me feel like that by just sitting there.
"Quills down, please!" squeaked Professor Flitwick. "Please remain seated while I collect your parchment! Accio!"
After the exams had been collected, I briefly wondered where Lily was when I spotted Severus a short way away, moving between the tables toward the doors into the entrance hall, reading his exam paper. I followed him out to the grounds and watched as he settled himself on the grass in the dense shadows of a bush. He was so deeply immersed in the exam paper that he didn't notice me approaching.
I giggled and said "Hi Sev!"
"Oh Meg, I didn't notice you," he looked up at me with the look of surprise leaving his face.
"How did you think you went?" I asked him.
"Not bad, I think. How do you think you went?"
I shrugged "Ok I guess." I knew I had nailed the exam but I wanted to sound humble.
The sunlight was dazzling on the surface of the lake, and the warm breeze rustled my hair as I said "I was deciding on whether or not to go to the library for some last minute
study for Transfiguration, but it's so nice out here."
Severus stood up shoving the exam paper in his bag and said "That's actually a good idea, I'll come with you."
I smiled and nodded "Ok,"
"All right, Snivellus?" came James Potter's loud voice from behind us and I spun around to see him and Sirius walking up to us.
Severus reacted so fast, dropping his bag, plunging his hand inside his robes, and pulling out his wand as James shouted, "Expelliarmus!"
Severus' wand flew into the air and fell with a little thud in the grass behind us. Sirius let out a bark of laughter.
"What the hell is wrong with you two?!" I said angrily, gripping my own wand at my side.
"Why are you talking to him?" Sirius demanded walking right up to me and stopping inches from my face.
"He's my friend, Sirius-" I snapped back at him glaring up into his face,my temper flaring. "- and besides, what business is it of yours who I talk to?"
"I don't like you talking to him," Sirius blurted and I rolled my eyes.
I surveyed him for a beat "Does it make you jealous when I talk to other boys?" I finished with a mock pout as Sirius glared at me furiously, his jaw ticking.
Students all around had started to turn to watch whilst others were edging nearer to watch. Some looked apprehensive, others looked entertained.
"Impedimenta!" James said, pointing his wand at Severus, who was knocked off his feet, as he dove towards his own fallen wand. Severus lay panting on the ground and Sirius shoved past me to join James who was advancing on him.
"How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" said James glaring down at Severus on the ground.
"I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment," said Sirius viciously. "There'll be great grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word."
Several people watching laughed as Severus was trying to get up, but the jinx was still operating on him; he was struggling like ropes were binding him.
"Let him up James," I said but as I tried to grab James' wand arm Sirius pushed me away.
"You — wait," Severus panted, staring up at James with such hate I could almost feel it. "You — wait. . . ."
"Wait for what?" said Sirius coolly as he stepped next to James, partially blocking my view. "What're you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?"
Severus let out a stream of mixed swearwords and hexes, but as he didn't have his wand nothing happened.
"Wash out your mouth," said James coldly. "Scourgify!"
Pink soap bubbles streamed from Severus' mouth at once; the froth was covering his lips, making him gag so much he started to choke.
"You're going to kill him James!" I shouted angrily at him as I flicked my wand at Severus and said "Finite," to lift the hex James had cast.
James and Sirius spun around and glared at me which I returned.
"Leave him ALONE!" roared Lily's voice from behind me.
James's free hand jumped to his hair as he spotted Lily.
"All right, Evans?" said James, his voice suddenly pleasant, deeper and more mature than I had ever heard it.
"Leave him alone," Lily repeated, as she stopped beside me and looked at James with great dislike. "What's he done to you?"
"Well," said James, appearing to deliberate the point, "it's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean. . . ."
Many people laughed, Sirius included, but neither Lily nor I did and I continued to glare at Sirius.
"You think you're funny," Lily said coldly. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Just leave him alone."
"I will if you go out with me, Evans," said James quickly. "Go on . . . Go out with me, and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again." I sniggered next to Lily, shaking my head slightly.
"Unbelievable!" I muttered to myself.
Behind James, the Jinx was wearing off and Severus was beginning to inch toward his fallen wand, spitting out soap as he crawled.
"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid," said Lily.
"Bad luck, Prongs," said Sirius briskly, turning back to Snape. "OI!"
But he was too late, Severus had pointed his wand straight at James; there was a flash of light and a gash appeared on the side of James's face, spattering his robes with blood.
James whirled about and a second later Severus was hanging upside down in the air, his robes falling over his head to reveal skinny, pallid legs and a pair of greying underpants.
Many people in the small crowd watching cheered. Sirius and James roared with laughter.
I looked at Lily, whose furious expression had twitched for an instant as though she was going to smile. She recovered quickly and said, "Let him down!"
"Certainly," said James and he jerked his wand upward. Snape fell into a crumpled heap on the ground.
Disentangling himself from his robes, he quickly got to his feet, wand up, but Sirius said, "Petrificus Totalus!" and Snape keeled over again at once, rigid as a board.
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Lily shouted. She had her own wand out now.
"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," said James earnestly.
By now I had lost control of my temper and I stepped forward and pointed my want straight between Sirius' eyes "Take the curse off him James, or I will hex you both!"
James eyed me warily and sighed deeply. He then turned to Snape and muttered the countercurse.
"There you go," he said, as Snape struggled to his feet again, "you're lucky Evans got here, Snivellus —"
"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!" Severus shouted furiously.
"Severus!" I gasped, dropping my arm that was pointing my wand at Sirius and spun around to look at Lily who blinked.
"Fine," she said coolly. "I won't bother in future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus."
"Apologise to Evans!" James roared at Severus, his wand pointed threateningly at him.
"I don't want you to make him apologise," Lily shouted, rounding on James. "You're as bad as he is. . . ."
"What?" yelped James. "I'd NEVER call you a — you-know-what!"
"Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can — I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK."
She turned on her heel and I heard her yell my name over her shoulder as she hurried away.
I raised my eyebrows at James, a slight smile creeping over my lips as I too, turned away from James and Sirius and jogged to catch up with Lily.
"Evans!" I could hear James shouting after her, "Hey, EVANS!" But she didn't look back as she threaded her arm between mine, a small smile appearing on her face.