26th January 1972
The weeks following the Christmas holidays were a blur of classes and increasingly frustrating attempts to capture Lily Evans' attention. It was like she was a snitch, always just out of reach, darting away whenever James thought he was close. His usual charm, the one that worked on practically everyone else, seemed to bounce right off her, leaving him feeling deflated.
He tried everything he could think of to impress her. He'd show off his best Quidditch moves during practice, hoping she'd notice his daring dives and impressive catches. He'd answer every question in class, even the ones he wasn't entirely sure about, just to demonstrate his knowledge and quick wit. He'd even try to make her laugh with his jokes, though they often fell flat, earning him a roll of her eyes or a withering glare.
One day in the library, he noticed Lily struggling to reach a book on a high shelf. Instead of making a big show of his athleticism, he simply and quietly retrieved the book for her, offering it with a small, genuine smile. "Here you go, Evans," he said, trying to keep the smugness out of his voice.
Lily looked at him, her expression a mixture of surprise and suspicion. "Thanks, Potter," she said coolly, taking the book without meeting his eyes. James felt a flicker of disappointment, but he pressed on.
"No problem," he said, trying to sound casual. "Just trying to be helpful."
Lily gave him a curt nod and turned away, her dismissal clear. James felt a surge of frustration. Why was she being so cold? Didn't she realize he was trying to be nice?
But his frustration was quickly overshadowed by his growing jealousy of Snivellus. He'd see them studying together in the library, their heads bent close together, their whispers mingling with the rustling of pages. He'd catch them laughing in the corridors, their eyes sparkling with shared amusement. And sometimes, he'd overhear snippets of their conversations, deep and meaningful, about things he couldn't even fathom.
A venomous pang of jealousy twisted in James's gut. Why was she so drawn to him, a gloomy Slytherin with greasy hair and a perpetual scowl? What did he have that James didn't?
His frustration and insecurity began to manifest in increasingly cruel ways. It wasn't just snide remarks anymore. He'd deliberately trip Severus in the corridors, sending his carefully-organized notes scattering across the floor. He'd hex Severus's inkwell to explode, covering his pristine parchment in messy blots. Sometimes, fueled by a potent cocktail of jealousy and arrogance, he'd even resort to petty physical attacks, shoving Severus into walls or pulling his hair.
Lily, initially amused by James's childish antics, now watched with a growing sense of disgust. His relentless bullying of Severus wasn't funny; it was mean-spirited and cruel. Each snide remark, each malicious hex, each shove chipped away at the image she'd once held of the charming and confident Gryffindor. In its place, a darker, uglier picture was emerging, one that filled her with a growing sense of revulsion.
One afternoon, as James cornered Severus by the Charms classroom, Lily finally intervened. "Leave him alone, Potter!" she snapped, her voice sharp with anger.
James, momentarily surprised by her outburst, turned to her with a smirk. "What's it to you, Evans? Protecting your precious Snivellus?"
Lily's eyes flashed with fury. "He's worth ten of you, Potter," she retorted. "And I'd rather spend my time with a toad than with a bully like you."
James felt a jolt, as if she'd slapped him. A toad? He stammered, trying to defend himself, but Lily had already turned away, her back rigid with disdain.
And then there was the incident by the lake.
It was a crisp winter afternoon, and Severus was sitting by the water, absorbed in a book. James and Sirius, spotting him from afar, exchanged a mischievous look. An idea, cruel and calculated, took root in James's mind.
"Hey, Snivellus!" James called out, his voice dripping with mock-cheerfulness. "Enjoying the sunshine?"
Severus looked up, his expression wary. He knew better than to expect anything pleasant from James Potter.
"Leave me alone, Potter," he said, his voice flat.
"Aw, come on, Snivellus," Sirius chimed in, sauntering over with a swagger. "Don't be such a spoilsport. We just want to have a bit of fun."
James, with a flick of his wand, levitated Severus into the air. Severus yelped, his book tumbling into the lake with a splash. He hung suspended, his limbs flailing helplessly as James and Sirius circled him, their laughter echoing across the water.
"What do you think, Sirius?" James asked, his eyes gleaming with malicious delight. "Should we give him a little dip?"
Sirius grinned. "I think a dunking is in order," he agreed. "It might even wash away some of that greasy hair."
With another flick of James's wand, Severus plunged downwards, headfirst into the icy water. He surfaced spluttering, his hair plastered to his face, his robes soaked through. James and Sirius roared with laughter, their cruelty amplified by Severus's obvious distress.
Later that evening, back in the Gryffindor dormitory, James paced restlessly while Sirius lounged on his bed, flipping a galleon idly in the air.
"Think we went a bit too far with Snivellus today?" James asked, more to himself than Sirius.
Sirius shrugged, his tone nonchalant. "Nah, he deserved it. Besides, it was bloody hilarious." He smirked, recalling the image of Severus soaked and sputtering. "Did you see his face?"
James hesitated, gnawing on his lip. "Yeah, but... Lily didn't seem to think it was so funny."
"Evans?" Sirius scoffed. "She needs to lighten up. It's just a bit of harmless fun."
"But she called us bullies," James countered, the memory of Lily's disgusted expression stinging.
"She'll get over it," Sirius said dismissively. "She always does."
James wasn't so sure. He couldn't shake the feeling that he'd miscalculated. And what he didnt know was that in James' relentless pursuit of Lily, coupled with his cruel treatment of Severus, was pushing her further and further away.