An Afternoon in May

Part one

The worlds of the castle, the ones inside and out, completely contrasted with one another. Inside the air was staled, almost stifling. But outside, I found as Sirius threw open the doors, was bright and breezy. I delighted in the change of atmosphere.

My friends were bragging about something, most likely their O.W.L. scores. I wasn't listening, focusing my efforts on enjoying my momentary freedom.

Not surprisingly, James led us towards our usual shady spot beside the lake.

I gazed about, taking in the sights and sounds before me. Several girls were wading feet in the water; another group was bemoaning their test results, and off to the side partially cloaked by bushes, was Severus Snape. He was studying his completed test paper, completely oblivious to the world around him.

Severus had always been an enigma to everyone, the brooding loner, always lost within the rooms of his mind, refusing to come out. He'd have never forgiven me for saying so, but I pitied him. No one caged them self so deeply without a reason, and I suspected the reason must have been quite horrible.

Reminding myself that I needed all the help I could get, I took out my Transfiguration book, willing myself to focus and make sense of the subject. Transfiguration was my worst subject; it would be a miracle if I managed to pass it.

Above me I heard the constant whizzing of that ruddy snitch and Peter cheering James on every time he managed to catch it. I chuckled; no one on Earth was easier to please than Peter.

"Put that away, will ya?" I heard Sirius grouse. "Before Peter wets himself from excitement."

In spite of myself, I snickered. I may have hated the ribbing they gave Peter, but occasionally it was amusing.

"I'm bored," whined Sirius a moment later. "I wish it was the full moon."

I loved the boy to death, but really, did he ever think before he spoke?

"You might," I muttered. "We've still got Transfiguration, if you're bored you could test me...here."

I foisted the book on Sirius, hoping for all the world that he'd take me up on the offer. No such luck. He pushed it away, making up an excuse about not needing it.

"This'll liven you up Padfoot," I heard James say. Something in his tone made my stomach turn over. "Look who it is..."

Oh please no! James hadn't caught sight of Severus, I hoped. He was relentless in his torment of the Slytherin boy.

"Excellent," murmured Sirius gleefully. "It's Snivellus."

I gritted my teeth at the nickname, wondering why we couldn't leave him alone, just this once.

I peeked out of the corner of my eye to see what Severus was doing to annoy them. He was doing nothing, as I'd assumed, just sticking his paper in his bag and calmly walking off.

'Let him alone, please! Don't make a scene again,' I wordlessly begged whoever would listen.

"All right, Snivellus?" James called out. Someone up there had it in for me.

At the outburst, Severus reacted lightening quick, throwing down his bag and whipping out his wand. His reflexes led me to believe that he'd had years of experience defending himself.

"Expelliarmus!" shouted James before Severus could cast a spell. The boy's wand went flying.

Sirius seemed to find this delightful and cast 'Impedimenta' on Severus, landing him flat on his back.

"How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" James mocked as his prey lay panting.

"I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment," added Sirius. I felt a certain degree of irritation at this comment. What did he expect after 'accidentally' throwing Severus' glasses in the cauldron during Potions the other day?

"There'll be great grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word," he continued.

They had apparently done more than knock Severus down; they'd also bound him invisibly. I could tell from his helpless struggling.

Through his pants, Severus ground out, "You- wait. You- wait..."

When Sirius spoke his voice was cool, almost frighteningly so.

"Wait for what? What are you going to do Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?"

Severus was boiling mad, letting out every dirty word known to man, with the occasional hex thrown in.

With his voice temperatures lower than Sirius' had been, James commanded Severus to wash out his mouth, casting a 'Scourgify' charm on him.

Bubbles, pink no less, burst from the boy's mouth. It was somewhat amusing until there became too many of them and he began gagging. I got ready to pull out my wand and end the spell when a heated voice interrupted me.

"Leave him ALONE!"

It was Lily, I noted. Her tolerance for bullying was even lower than mine.

"All right, Evans?" Somehow it sounded quite different than when he asked the same of Severus. In Lily's presence James' tone took on a mature bordering on angelic quality that I'd have found charming at any other time.

She wasn't fooled in the slightest, repeating what she'd said and adding, "What's he done to you?"

I'm glad she asked this, because to be honest, I'd never seen Severus act out without their provocation, besides glowering.

"Well...it's more the fact that he exists if you know what I mean..."

That had to be the weakest reasoning I'd ever heard. I glimpsed Severus who, thankfully, breathing well again, the bubbles having shrunk. I felt silly for my previous rashness; of course James wouldn't have endangered him.

James, apparently unaware of how horribly he'd sunk his case, was bargaining with a furious Lily.

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid," she was telling him.

Head still down, I snuck another glance at Severus, who'd finally reached his wand. A part of me was happy knowing James would finally get some backlash, and another wondered how dangerous a curse the boy would use.

"Oy!" exclaimed Sirius an instant too late.

With a sudden flash, Severus slashed James' cheek with a curse. I stared, entranced, my book long forgotten.

Furious, James was on him in a blink, throwing a curse of his own on him. As if caught in a snare, Severus was hoisted into the air upside down, dangling and giving everyone a view of his pale, bony legs; and his grey underwear.

I, and a surprising few, were horrified. The others found this uproarious. I looked to Lily, certain she'd share my feelings, but instead I saw her lip quirk. My eyes darted back to my book, once again pretending I was unaware of Severus' plight.

Lily came back to her senses and demanded James let the boy down.

James cheerfully complied, sending Severus crashing to the ground with a grunt. He quickly regained his footing, jumping to his feet, his wand in hand.

"Locomotor mortis!" yelled out Sirius.

Severus fell back onto the grass, body seeming frozen.

Lily screamed at them to leave the boy alone again, growing angrier by the second.

"Don't make me hex you," warned an unfazed James.

A quick look revealed that Lily had her wand drawn. No wonder she made Prefect!

"Take the curse off him then," she countered.

James knew Lily would use the wand on him if he didn't comply, so sighing dramatically he lifted the curse.

Severus began scrambling, endeavouring to stand. He was livid.

"There you go. You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus-"

"I don't need help from a filthy little mudblood like her!"

I doubted Severus meant that. He'd never been able to handle being taken care of and was prone to lashing out in those situations. Unfortunately, the outburst hit on a sore spot and Lily gaped, blinking for a moment.

"Fine," she retorted, quickly recovering. "I won't bother in the future. And I'd wash my pants if I were you, Snivellus."

Lily was not a person whose temper you tested.

Things just got worse after that. James demanded an apology from Severus, and James and Lily got into a row, ending with her storming off.

"What is with her?" James wondered.

"Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited, mate," suspected Sirius. I had to agree with him about that assessment. I loved James to death, he was my dearest friend, but he did have quite the ego.

Blustering, James cast a spell sending Severus back into the air, upside down once again. When was this going to end?

"Who wants to watch me take off Snivelly's pants?"

Surely James wasn't serious! This was extreme, even for he and Sirius.

"James, I think that's enough," I said calmly, standing. "Our break is nearly up, we need to go-"

"Nonsense!" Sirius interjected. "It isn't that late. Besides, it'll be fun!"

"No, it's gone too far," I insisted. "Please put him down."

"But-"

"No James! Think about Lily, she'd never speak to you again."

"Yes she would, she hates him too," argued James.

I sighed. Dealing with James wore me out. "Just do it, please. Don't make me use my authority as a Prefect, you know I hate that."

And it was true; I couldn't stand pulling rank on my peers.

"You wouldn't," Sirius challenged, disbelieving me.

"Yes I would, if it came down to it. Now James, put him down."

Huffing, James put Severus down, scowling at me.

Without a word or a backwards glance, I picked up my bag, stuffed my book inside, and walked away, tired both of them and the situation.

End of part one