The Marauders: Year Five #Wattys2017

Regulus's Vengence

James glared up at Snape, doubled over to ease the pain on his shoulder.

"Why don't you mind yourself and leave me alone?" Snape sneered, staring James in the face.

"That's rich, coming from you. Mind myself and leave you alone! Like you did me at the park in Cokeworth?" James snapped.

Severus said, "You were meddling in things that weren't yours to meddle in." He glared very hard at James and he muttered, "I am aware Lily Evans is not a possession, you needn't keep thinking that at me. However, she is spoken for. By me. You don't need her like I do. You want her because she's a challenge to you - because you hate not getting exactly what you want and she's always denied you that. Now. If you want me to release the spell, you'll tell me I'm right and that you're spoiled and arrogant, and quite sorry for thinking of hitting me with my own book."

James glanced up, wincing because turning his head put more strain on his arm, and asked, "How did you know what I was going to do? How do you do that?"

And Severus waved his wand, yanking James's arm up harder and groaned and doubled even further over.

"I literally do not give a damn, Potter, if I rip it right off, so I would get to saying something before we end your Quidditch career... Captain."

"You're right, I'm spoilt and arrogant," James forced the words out in a grunting voice, face screwed up in pain.

"And?" Severus pressed, raising James's arm ever so slightly.

"I'm sorry!" James yelled - he could hear the ball of his shoulder thinking of dislocating. "I'm sorry! Bloody hell Severus, I'm sorry."

Severus released him and James staggered backward as Severus flung his wand to his feet. "Very good. And as for how I do it - Potter, I'll never tell. But do know that I will always be one step ahead of you." And with that, Severus Snape turned and walked away, sweeping his robes about him and storming off toward the Slytherin table, flipping open his book once again.

James knelt to collect his wand from the floor, his shoulder smarting terribly. Severus Snape would pay for this, he thought harshly. He'd make him pay for it.

Suddenly a shadow passed over him and he looked up to see Regulus Black standing before him - so much like a miniature Sirius that it would be impossible to deny they were brothers. James stared up at him.

Regulus stared down. Then he extended his hand and James took it, reluctantly, and Regulus helped him up to his feet, reached forward and dusted the shoulder of James Potter, considering him a moment. Finally, he said, very quietly, "You want to know how he does it?"

James stared at Regulus. "What?"

"Severus Snape. How he knows what you're thinking. Do you want to know how he does it?"

"You know about it?" James asked.

Regulus nodded. "Know about it... and I know how to stop it, too." He studied James a moment. "And I'll tell you. I'll tell you everything I know about Severus Snape and the things he does." Regulus paused to allow a moment of excitement pass over James's face - an expectant sort of eagerness to his eyes. That's when he knew he could have whatever he wanted from James in exchange for the information he now knew Regulus had. And so Regulus asked for the one thing he really wanted: "If you want me to tell you... then you'll find a way to get Sirius to meet with me."

"But --"

"I mean, I don't give a damn if you know or not. You want something from me, I want something from you. I'll tell you and Sirius both at the same time what it is that Severus Snape can do. Until then --" he looked ruefully at James, "I guess you'll just have to act without thinking." Regulus shrugged.