Lily, Alice, Marlene, and Jenna made their way over the lake on the beautiful sunny day after their exam, chatting and laughing as they went.
"Ah, I love this weather," Jenna sighed in satisfaction.
When she neared the water's edge, she then started to take off her shoes and socks.
"Er... Jen?" Marlene raised a brow. "What are you doing?"
"Enjoying a beautiful sunny day, of course," said Jenna brightly, sitting at the edge of the lake and putting her legs into the cool water.
Alice was next to follow as she giggled and then Marlene, who shrugged and joined them.
"C'mon, Lil," said Alice brightly, closing her eyes in bliss. "You're missing out."
"Oh, alright," Lily sighed, hesitantly taking off her shoes and socks as well, dipping her legs in the cool water. "Ah, this is nice..."
"I wish this moment would last forever," said Alice dreamily, staring off onto the beautiful lake, reflected by the glimmering sun.
"Then let's make a promise," Jenna said at last, looking at the three of them. "Let's promise that ten years from now, we'll meet up here, at this same day."
"I'm not sure if we're allowed to come back to Hogwarts just like that after we graduate —" Lily tried to say, but Marlene beat her into it as she said,
"Deal!"
Alice giggled. "I'm in too."
Jenna then turned to the red-haired girl, grinning, "What do you say, Lil? Are you in?"
Lily smiled, nodding. "I'm in."
But just then, the peaceful silence was broken as they heard a series of squeals and laughters.
"Oh, no..." Jenna said in a hollow voice as they saw James and Sirius in the distance, their wands raised at Snape's direction.
"Ugh, you've got to be kidding me!" Lily huffed angrily, jumping off to her feet and briskly wearing her shoes. Jenna quickly followed her actions.
"How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" they heard James say.
"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 and Peter sniggered in a distance, where Remus was still sitting against the tree, pretending to read his book.
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 swearwords and hexes, but his wand being ten feet away nothing happened.
"Wash out your mouth," said James coldly. "Scourgify!"
Pink soap bubbles streamed from Snape's mouth at once; the froth was covering his lips, making him gag, choking him —
"Leave him ALONE!" Lily yelled, running to the scene angrily.
James and Sirius looked around at that and James's free hand jumped to his hair again and messed it up. "All right, Evans?" he said in a deeper and more mature voice.
"Leave him alone," Lily repeated, looking at him with pure dislike. "What's he done to you?"
"Well," said James, grinning, "it's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean. . . ."
"You think you're funny," she said coldly. "But you're just an immature, 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."
"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, turning back to Snape. "OY!"
Sirius tried to stop him, but Snape had directed his wand straight at James; there was a flash of light and a gash appeared on the side of James's face.
Jenna gasped as she ran towards Lily, watching the blood spattering on her brother's robes.
James whirled about; a second flash of light later, Snape was hanging upside down in the air, his robes falling over his head to reveal skinny, pallid legs and a pair of graying underpants.
Many people in the small crowd watching cheered. Sirius, James, and Peter roared with laughter.
Jenna usually would've found such a thing funny, but watching her best friend trembling with anger, she stood back in silence.
"Let him down!" Lily shrieked once more.
"Certainly," said James and he jerked his wand upward. Snape fell into a crumpled heap on the ground.
Disentangling himself from his robes, he got quickly to his feet, wand up, as he yelled, "Sectum—"
But Sirius was quicker and said, "Petrificus Totalus!" and Snape keeled over again at once, turning stone-like.
"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 Snape and muttered the
countercurse.
"There you go," he said, as Snape struggled to his feet again, "you're
lucky Evans was here, Snivellus —"
"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"
Jenna gasped, and even Alice and Marlene got to their feet, looking alarmed.
Jenna then angrily took out her wand and pointed it at him, her teeth greeting together, but Lily quickly got a hold of her wrist, forcing her wand down before she turned back to Severus again coldly.
Lily blinked. "Fine," she said coolly. "I won't bother in future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus."
"Apologize to Evans!" James roared at Snape, his wand pointed threateningly at him.
"I don't want you to make him apologize!" Lily shouted, rounding
on James. "You're just 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!" Lily turned on her heel by that and hurried away.
Jenna then turned on Sirius and James coldly, glaring at them. "Well done, guys. Really smooth."
And with that, she paced quickly after Lily, Marlene and Alice following them right behind.
"Jenna! Wait up!" Sirius yelled after her, but it was too late, because she was already gone.