Lily
Lily Evans really didn't have time to deal with James Potter and his antics—she had O.W.L.s to study for. Throughout her entire academic career, she had always been dismissed whenever she showed concern about a test. People would say things like, "You always do well," or "You could never fail." But what they didn't understand was that just because she hadn't failed yet didn't mean she never would. The only reason she succeeded was because she worked hard. If she slacked, failure was more than possible—it was inevitable.
She wasn't a natural like James or Sirius, who had never studied a day in their lives and still got top marks. Nor was she like Peter, who had given up trying after repeated failure. She was most like Remus. They both studied relentlessly. They both feared failure. Lily knew his secret—and perhaps because he was a werewolf and she a Muggleborn—they both wanted desperately to prove they belonged.
Lily hadn't grown up knowing about magic. To her, it had always been the stuff of fairy tales. Finding out she was a witch had been like stepping into a dream—one she constantly feared waking up from. What if she failed? Would they send her home, make her forget the magical world altogether?
She had promised herself the day Professor McGonagall appeared at her doorstep that she would do anything to be treated as an equal. So she studied harder than anyone. She didn't complain about homework—she was studying magic, after all, and it was much more exciting than her old Muggle schoolwork. She was called "the brightest witch of her age," but that wasn't enough. She needed to prove that blood status meant nothing, if only for every Muggle-born witch or wizard that comes after her.
Lily sighed and tucked her textbooks into her bag. She'd promised to meet Severus in the library. Their friendship had been strained lately, and trying to fix it was beginning to feel like trying to repair a shattered mirror. You could always see what once was, but it would never be the same.
"Hey, Sev," she said, trying not to sound as tired as she felt.
Severus' black eyes flicked up. His rigid features softened slightly when he saw her. "Lily," he said pleasantly. "How are you?"
"As well as can be expected." She noticed the look of concern in his eyes flicker into guilt.
"What happened? Did they get to you?" Severus asked quickly, eyes wide. "I should've–"
"Who? What are you talking about?" she frowned.
Severus froze. Whatever he thought had happened—clearly hadn't.
"I just... overheard Mulciber and Avery talking," he said awkwardly.
"About what?"
"Trying out new spells."
"Curses. On Muggleborns," she said quietly. He nodded, barely.
"Oh."
"We should probably start studying for Defence Against the Dark Arts," Severus mumbled, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere.
Lily said nothing, watching him squirm. She hated the people he associated with, but she couldn't change that.
"Yeah, I suppose we should," she said after a long pause. How can she be friends with someone whose friends hate her? And worse…why isn't he stopping them?
She pushed the thought away. Severus had always been there for her. He'd told her everything about the magical world. Even if he'd lied about blood status not mattering, she wasn't ready to let go.
James
James Potter lounged at his desk in the Great Hall, waiting for the exam to start. He wasn't worried—this class had always been easy for him. In truth, every class was easy enough for him. He waved at Sirius, seated a few rows behind.
"Hey, Prongsy! Good luck, mate!" Sirius shouted, far louder than necessary.
"You too, Padfoot!" James called back. Flitwick shot him a sharp look, but James knew his Charms professor didn't care too much. They got along.
"Begin your exams, please. And no more talking," Flitwick said pointedly.
James smiled and dipped his quill in ink. Sunshine poured through the tall windows, and he liked the quiet scratch of quills on parchment. He'd never admit it out loud, but he actually enjoyed learning. He just didn't see the need for so many rules.
He flew through the exam. When he reached the essay section, his hand moved quickly, as though the words were being written straight into his head. His handwriting was large, neat, and confident. He didn't think twice about the words.
"Five minutes left!" Flitwick called. James stretched and looked around. Most students were still scribbling furiously. He sat up straighter, wondering if Flitwick would notice how effortlessly he had finished. He reread what he wrote until his eyes grew heavy from it.
He yawned dramatically and ruffled his already-messy hair. Then, bored, he pulled a scrap of parchment and started doodling. He drew a Snitch with precise detail. He'd nicked one from Filch earlier that day and could feel it fluttering in his pocket.
Absentmindedly, he began sketching an L and an E. Realizing what he was doing, he quickly covered it with his exam sheet just as Flitwick called, "Quills down, please! That means you too, Stebbins! Remain seated while I collect your parchments. Accio!"
Dozens of rolls of parchment flew toward Flitwick, knocking him backward. A few students chuckled, and some in the front helped him up.
"Thank you... thank you. Very well, everybody, you're free to go!"
James crossed out the L.E. in a hurry, shoved his things into his bag, and waited for Sirius, Remus, and Peter.
"Did you like question ten, Moony?" Sirius asked as they exited.
"Loved it," Remus said dryly. "'Give five signs that identify the werewolf.' Brilliant."
"Think you got them all?" James teased.
"Pretty sure," Remus replied, deadpan. "One: he's sitting in my chair. Two: he's wearing my clothes. Three: his name's Remus Lupin."
Peter didn't laugh. "I got the snout shape, the eye pupils, and the tail," he said nervously. "But I couldn't remember the others—"
"How thick are you, Wormtail?" James said. "You run around with a werewolf once a month—"
"Keep your voice down!" Remus hissed, eyes flicking to Snape, still nearby.
"Well, I thought that exam was a breeze," Sirius said as they stepped outside. "I'll be shocked if I don't get 'Outstanding.'"
"Same," James said, pulling the stolen Snitch from his pocket and tossing it into the air.
They sat under a beech tree by the lake. Remus opened a book; Sirius watched students pass; Peter gazed in awe at James and the Snitch. Occasionally, James glanced toward the group of Gryffindor girls by the lake, looking for Lily. He couldn't quite hear her voice, but Marlene's laugh cut throught the air and he knew Lily had to be there too.
The four boys sat lazily about. Remus, not surprisingly, took out a book on Transfiguration. Sirius stared at some students, looking bored. And Peter still watched James, practically with his jaw dropped, as he continued to catch the Snitch. He'd even go as far as to applaud if James made a particularly good catch. James didn't mind though, he loved Peter despite his lack of social skills. Between each catch, James would allow himself a moment to see if Lily had appeared.
"Put it away before Wormtail wets himself," Sirius muttered. Peter flushed, but James just grinned and tucked the Snitch into his pocket.
"I'm bored," Sirius sighed. "Wish it was the full moon."
"You might," Remus said darkly, eyes still on his book. "We've still got Transfiguration, if you're bored you could test me. Here..."
"I don't need to look at that rubbish, I know it all," Sirius snorted as Remus held his book out.
"This'll liven you up, Padfoot," said James quietly. "Look who it is..." Sirius' head turned in a doglike fashion.
Ever since Snape cut up James the way he did, Sirius had been itching for revenge. He blamed Snape and that crowd for getting his brother involved. Something Sirius couldn't forgive, even if it wasn't all the way true.
"Excellent," he said softly, "Snivellus." Snape was walking back towards the school, stuffing his papers into his bag. James and Sirius jumped up.
"All right, Snivellus?" James said loudly. Snape spun around, dropping his bag and reaching for his wand.
"Expelliarmus!" James shouted first. Snape' wand flew up and over to the grass behind him. Snape rushed to his wand but James was too quick again, "Impedimenta!" Snape tripped onto the grass and students turned to watch. Snape laid panting, while James and Sirius advanced.
"How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" James asked.
"I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment. There'll be great grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word," Sirius added. Several people laughed as Snape attempted to get up but the jinx still had him struggling.
"You-wait," he panted, "You wait!"
"Wait for what? What're you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?" Sirius said coolly. Snape cursed at them, but nothing happened. James remembered all too well what Snape could do. But this time he wouldn't let Snape get the better of him, not this time.
"Wash your mouth. Scourgify!" James said coldly. He wanted Snape to know not to mess with James Potter.
"Leave him ALONE!" Lily called out as she charged up towards them. James quickly fixed his hair.
"All right, Evans?" James said as pleasantly as he could. Lily had been ignoring him the past few weeks since the Quidditch match.
"Leave him alone," Lily repeated, "What's he done to you?"
"It's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean..." James said laughing. Students burst into laughter, but not Lily. The thing was that Lily should've known what James had against Snape.
"You think you're funny, but you're just an arrogant bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone!"
"I will if you go out with me, Evans. Go on... go out with me and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."
"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant Squid," Lily said angrily. James could see her face getting red.
"Bad luck, Prongs," said Sirius briskly. "OI!" Snape had got up and directed his wand at James' back. James felt a burst of pain in the side of his face as blood splattered his robes.
James whirled around and thought, "Levicorpus," This time Snape's wand fell to the ground and his robes fell over his head to reveal his pale legs and grey underwear. The crowd cheered. Lily's face twitched as if she wanted to laugh, but she held her front.
"Let him down!"
"Certainly," James said, jerking his wand upwards. Snape fell in a crumpled heap. Sirius quickly said, "Petrificus Totalus." Snape fell over, rigid as a board.
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Lily cried out. She whipped her wand out
"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," James said warily.
"Take the curse off him, then!" Lily shouted, pointing her wand again. James sighed deeply, he didn't want to upset Lily. That was never his intent, so he muttered the countercurse.
"There, you were lucky Evans was here, Snivellus-"
"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!" Snape shouted angrily. A gasp came from the crowd, but Lily only blinked. Her face was indifferent as she spoke, "Fine. I won't bother you in the future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus." James could've kissed her for saying that to Snape, if he wasn't so angry with Snape.
"Apologise to Evans!" James roared, pointing his wand threateningly at him.
"I don't want you to make him apologise. You're as bad as he is!" Lily said. James took a step back in surprise. Me, he thought, as bad as Snape?
"What!? I'd never call you a you-know-what!" James yelped, his voice an octave or two higher.
"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." Lily shouted with tears in her eyes. She spun on her heels and stalked off towards the castle, leaving James and Snape in shock.
"Evans!" James shouted after her. "Hey, EVANS!" She didn't even look back. James stood there in shock. How could he let her think that of him?
"What is it with her?" James said, trying to pretend her words didn't hurt him. Sirius looked at him sympathetically, "Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited, mate."
"Right... right," James muttered.
He looked to where Lily had stood, with her flowing dark red hair and brilliant green eyes, telling him that he was as bad as Snape. He banished the thoughts from his head, and began to mess around with Snape again. He didn't even fight back as James hung him upside down again. He didn't resist. He looked just as dazed.