good things fall apart • sirius black

Cornered animals

    "I said, you and your over-privileged, pig-headed friends can-"

But Snape didn't get to continue his sentence.

Before he'd even finished, James had already punched him square in the jaw, sending the Slytherin boy crashing to the ground. Spitting blood, Snape tried to hit James back, but the messy haired boy had seen red, and he took another shot at Snape's head before he even got a chance to come near. They were a ball of black dress robes, wrestling on the floor in the corridor, grunts and insults being yelled back and forth.

Never had it come to this before.

Ellie had seen some nasty arguments and jinxes between the boys over the years, but they never had gotten so violent. James looked about ready to strangle his opponent, who had managed to get one good hit to the messy haired boy's check - something that would definitely leave a mark. Pulling and grabbing the two boys weren't letting up and there were multiple holes in both the boys' dress robes from clawing hands. The only thing Ellie felt she could do was dive in to pull the boys apart, but that posed more dangerous a task than she thought.

Within seconds of getting involved, the beautiful girl was sent tumbling backwards, landing on the floor with a sharp thud on her side.

    "DID YOU JUST HIT HER!?" James raged, teeth bared like some animal and he sent another nasty jab to the Slytherin's nose.

Coughing and spluttering from the blow, Ellie tried to scramble to her hands and knees, desperately needing to pull the boys apart before James actually murdered Snape.

The wrestling boys' shouts only became louder as Snape spat a string of insults at James, neither the messy haired boy, nor Ellie, actually heard amongst all the fighting. Just when he thought he was gaining the upper hand, having managed to work his way out from underneath James, Snape was sent colliding back into the stone floor. A wild look in his eyes, the messy haired boy sent one last blow to the Slytherin's nose, the crunching noise sounding satisfying as he did so.

    "What in the world..."

Ellie was the only one who had heard the approach of their Head of House, Professor McGonagall being trailed by a number of other students and staff. All the commotion had been heard over the music in the Great Hall and had sent many running in search of what was going on. The Marauders were first in line, all having recognised the shouting of their messy haired friend, Lily following close behind them.

    "Enough! Potter let go!" McGonagall attempted to pry James off of Snape, but his vision was still clouded with red as he fought to get out of her grip.

    "NO! He doesn't just get to get off like that..." James' vicious cries were strained and came out a heaving mess, Sirius and Remus stepping forward to take a hold of him whilst McGonagall helped the Slytherin boy to his feet.

Snape's features were almost unrecognisable, blood sticking hair to his face and a nose that looked far too crooked to not need healing by Madame Pomfrey. Lily rushed forward, tears filling her eyes when she saw one of her dearest friends bloodied and bruised. Hands hovering in front of Snape's face, not knowing how to comfort him without causing him more pain, her head whipped round to the exhausted boy being held up by his friends.

    "What have you done?" Words laced with hurt and anguish, the red head broke down into tears.

James having no remorse for what he had done, kept his gaze fixed on the Slytherin, jaw set in anger. Even Lily Evans wouldn't make him feel sorry this time.

    "Horace, I suggest you take Mr Snape to the Hospital Wing." McGonagall addressed the Slytherin Head of House, who tentatively stepped forward, looking rather uncomfortable in the situation, "Miss Evans if you could accompany Professor Slughorn and your friend..."