Living in Shadows [Harry Potter Fanfiction]

Chapter Five | Hogwarts, June 1975

Chapter Five

Hogwarts, June 1975

 

            A warm breeze shifted the hair around Severus’ face as he settled on the grass, back against a shady birch; he wanted to finish going over his exam paper, just to make sure he did everything correctly. He’d just finished his first exam, and soon he would be going home-home to Hazel and days of sitting by the river with her and Lily. Home to his parents, who would probably just ignore him all summer-not that Severus particularly minded.

Glancing up from his book, Severus saw James Potter fooling around by the edge of the lake, trying to show off for the girls a little farther down the shore. How he detested Potter, more than any filthy Muggle in his town, more than not seeing Hazel-more than his father. He hated how Potter looked at Lily, like she was a prize he was constantly competing for.

The golden snitch left his fingertips only to be grasped once more, again and again; the git was mussing up his hair, probably trying to make it look windswept. Severus had heard girls nearly swoon over him, that stupid hair and how it always looked as if he’d come back from a ride on his fancy broom. Severus didn’t really like flying, not that anyone cared.

From his spot on the grass he could see Lily, her think red hair in two pigtails; he knew she liked the loose look of them, like the Muggle hippy’s she’d seen on TV over Christmas break. Severus liked them on her, too.

Being so close to Potter was bothering Severus, and the stupid way he was playing with that snitch was preposterous-and the idiot Pettigrew looked as if he were going to wet himself. So Severus stood, and as he was stuffing the paper in his book bag the voice of James Potter nearly gave him a heart attack-one day without having to be tortured would have been nice. Just one day.

'All right, Snivellus?' said James loudly.

Severus reacted so fast it was as though he had been expecting an attack: dropping his bag, he plunged his hand inside his robes and his wand was halfway into the air when James shouted, 'Expelliarmus!'

Severus’ wand flew twelve feet into the air and fell with a little thud in the grass behind him. Sirius let out a bark of laughter.

'Impedimenta!' he said, pointing his wand at Severus, who was knocked off his feet halfway through a dive towards his own fallen wand.

Students all around had turned to watch. Some of them had got to their feet and were edging nearer. Some looked apprehensive, others entertained.

Severus lay panting on the ground. James and Sirius advanced on him, wands raised, James glancing over his shoulder at the girls at the water's edge as he went. Pettigrew was on his feet now, watching hungrily, edging around Lupin to get a clearer view.

'How'd the exam go, Snivelly?' said James.

'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; Severus hated it when they laughed. Wormtail sniggered shrilly. Snape was trying to get up, but the jinx was still operating on him; he was struggling, as though bound by invisible ropes.

'You--wait,' he panted, staring up at James with an expression of purest loathing, 'you-- wait!'

'Wait for what?' said Sirius coolly. 'What're you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?'

Snape let out a stream of mixed swear words and hexes, but with his wand ten feet away 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, choking him--'

'Leave him ALONE!'

James and Sirius looked round. James's free hand immediately jumped to his hair.

Lily had suddenly appeared, and through his pain Severus felt humiliation burn through him.

'All right, Evans?' said James, and the tone of his voice was suddenly pleasant, deeper, more mature.

'Leave him alone,' Lily repeated. She was looking at James with every sign of 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 of the surrounding students laughed, Sirius and Wormtail included, but Lupin, still apparently intent on his book, didn't, and nor did Lily.

'You think you're funny,' she said coldly. 'But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. 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.'

Behind him, the Impediment Jinx was wearing off. Severus was beginning to inch towards his fallen wand, spitting out soapsuds 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, and turned back to Snape. 'OI!'  But too late; Severus had directed 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: a second flash of light 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 cheered; Sirius, James and Wormtail roared with laughter.

Lily, whose furious expression had twitched for an instant as though she was going to smile, said, 'Let him down!'

'Certainly,' said James and he jerked his wand upwards; Severus fell into a crumpled heap on the ground. Disentangling himself from his robes he got quickly to his feet, wand up, but Sirius said, 'Petrificus Totalus!' and Severus keeled over again, rigid as a board.

'LEAVE HIM ALONE!' Lily shouted. She had her own wand out now. James and Sirius eyed it warily.

'Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you,' said James earnestly.

'Take the curse off him, then!'

James sighed deeply, then turned to Severus and muttered the counter-curse.

'There you go,' he said, as Snape struggled to his feet. 'You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus-- '

'I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!'

Lily blinked, and Severus –who knew every facial expression she had- felt his heart immediately sink.

'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 Snape, 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 hurried away.

'Evans!' James shouted after her. 'Hey, EVANS!'

But she didn't look back.

'What is it with her?' said James, trying and failing to look as though this was a throwaway question of no real importance to him.

'Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited, mate,' said Sirius.

'Right,' said James, who looked furious now, 'right--'

There was another flash of light, and Snape was once again hanging upside-down in the air.

'Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?'