School Bullies
James ran straight to the pavilion near the black lake. He saw a group of 6th graders hitting Severus, one picked him up by his collar. And the other slapped him hard which he felt on his right cheek.
James ran to them and held that thick hand which was about to slap his Severus again. The sixth grader Gilbert was annoyed by this atrocious act of this low level gryffindor, his hand being held, tried to kick james but james muttered the ‘riddikulus’ spell before he could kick, making the boy bare chest, his upper robes went flying to the Slytherin dorms. James smirked as he engaged himself in a fist fight with two sixth graders Slytherins, which he handled pretty easily, of course just a twist of bones of his wrist could not harm him but alarmed all the students near the black lake, one Hufflepuff girl called the teacher. Minerva McGonagall arrived at the scene where Severus tried to prevent James from hitting the two Slytherin boys lying on the ground, by holding him by his waist which didn’t have any effect. The house teacher scolded other students to go away and called James and Severus to her office while sending the injured sixth years to the infirmary.
At McGonagall’s Office-
James and Severus were standing in front of the woman clad in green, despite being in Gryffindor for 7 years and being a house teacher for 3 years of Gryffindor's, her favorite color had been green since forever, first years who came to hogwarts for the first time would mistake her to be the house incharge of Slytherin. She asked both boys to sit down, they both had the same bruise on the same cheek, which was quite noticeable for the professor. She asked “What had happened near the lake?” James answered “ma’am, i fought those school bullies who were hitting severus”, he gave his answer and sat down. She then looked at Severus, who was never actually called for detentions, she asked “why were they hitting you?” Severus looked down, fidgeted with the end of his robes, he tried to answer but voice didn’t come out, Minerva sighed, she dismissed Severus and asked James to stay.
She asked James, “James, you go and find out why they were bullying him ok?” James nodded and left to catch up with his Severus. Severus was nearly running, he avoided James as much as possible like a deer running from a tiger. James caught up with him, walking briskly, for a few minutes they walked in silence, but James being a curious canine, asked “who were they?” Nothing, just some seniors, Severus replied briefly and walked away, James went to his dorm, to his 3 friends where he found peace after his home.
Gryffindor Dorms-
James went inside with his messenger bag on his left arm. He closed the door, when Remus went to his side, He said “Prongs! What happened to your face?” James touched his right cheek, it hurts, it hurts badly. He went to the mirror to check a hand shaped bruise, he gritted his teeth in anger. “Those good for nothing 6th years, I will beat the shit out of them!” Sirius asked “what did those 6th years do?” James without looking at him said “they bullied Severus, truly unforgivable, how dare they touch his ivory skin, you know, even his soft plump lips were bleeding, truly unacceptable!” he huffed as he sat down on the couch. Padfoots sat next to him, he put his hand on his shoulder, and said “so… prongs… from when did you start calling snivellus Severus? And when did you start to care for him? And when did you notice his disgusting features?” James got more angry “How dare you call him disgusting?” Sirius stood up and pushed James on the couch, he asked angrily “Have you fuckin lost your brain? Or did the binding affect your thinking? James sat blankly, padfoots was right, since when he found severus not disgusting and since when he started to call snivellus severus? Is that the effect of binding? He needs to get that fuckin binding parasite out of his fuckin brain, he needs to think clearly and wisely. Remus shortly joined the duo after placing his books on the shelf, he asked “prongs… do you like severus?” James felt like the flooring underneath his feet was gone, making him lose his balance, he collapsed on the floor, Money and padfoots tried to help prongs get up who was blank minded, he needed time to process all this, he can’t sit there and just watch himself contradicting himself, he needed one path to walk on. He asked “can both give me some time to think on this, i am kind of lost, i need to figure things out” Both indeed and helped james on his bed, and left for the lunch. James sitting on his bed pulling his hair, thinking what to do meanwhile, Sirius and Mooney had a conversation in the hallways
In the hallways-
Sirius asked “Do you really think prongs like that slimy git?” Remus chuckled and answered “who knows? Maybe or maybe not” he laughed and walk passed his friend, who caught up to him, they both chattered and reached the great hall
Slytherin Dorms-
Severus was sitting on his bed, on one corner, rubbing his cheek, with some healing potions, when his door burst open. No one entered, but the door closed , Severus knew, he called out Potter! He exclaimed. Is that you? He inquired, no response… he asked again “potter is that you? I am not in the mood for your silly games” He finally got up to check who was that to disturb him Then Potter suddenly appeared from an invisible cloak from his behind, he said a little boo! Which made Severus jump a few centimeters from the floor, he smacked James on his left hand, he sat down on his bed and asked “what happened now?” James asked worriedly “who were they?” Severus rolled his eyes in annoyance and said “look, i’ve already told you, it’s none of your business” James got a little aggressive, “do you think i'm a fool? I could clearly see them bullying a 5th grader, come on, if you won’t tell me i would better ask them, as turned to leave, Severus hot up quickly, and held his hand, James turned around and asked “what is it now?” Severus looked down and said “I will tell you, don’t ask them, please?” James calmed down and sat with him on Severus’s bed. He asked again “who were they?” this time in a commanding, deep voice. Severus fidgeted with the end of his robes with his fingers. James held his hands, with one hand he held his chin to make the boy face him. With his thumb he caressed his soft cheek which was apparently dry. “Answer me” the voice was calm and sweet just like a lullaby. Severus said “they are my seniors and they asked me to complete their homework by today, but i could not, so they beat me up” James put a comforting hand on Severus's shoulder and reassured him that this will never ever happen to him again if he stops accepting their orders. Severus could only nod. James applied the potions on his cheek and left with a treacle tart on his bed. Severus looked at the tart, he ate it after 5 minutes of thinking.
Severus pov-
Today was the weirdest day of my life. First, I had a good nightmare which of course Potter saw. Maybe he sympathizes with me, I don't need his pity. Then next up he got me a breakfast, an apple, a sandwich and pumpkin juice, well kind of my favorite. I would appreciate it if he told his friends not to disturb me instead of disturbing me, well anyways, he is doing it for his own good.
Next I had my classes like ordinary days, then Gilbert Boleyn and Albert Boleyn grabbed me by my collar and dragged me to the black lake, they shoved me to the olive tree, under which i held my first tutoring of marauders and then beat me up like they used to do if I didn't complete their potion assignment. Come on, how could I complete two assignments in one day? But very well, they seem in a hurry, this thing would end soon. I was being slapped, my cheek went numb, I felt something trickle down my face, maybe my lips bled.
Soon I heard someone running, maybe some Hufflepuff with a teacher, come on, you think a teacher would solve this case? Hah! Never, they are teachers for the sake of name, no one helps me, all want me dead, i guess, i should just kill myself one day. I was lost in my thoughts when I saw Potter! He held Gilbert's arm? My god, he has called it by himself, i will not help him, it's good to see him getting beaten up, i mentally laughed. But i was wrong, it was Boleyn brothers getting beaten up, shit i have to stop that fuckin potter, i held him by his waist as if my life was depended on that. Finally some Hufflepuff called Professor McGonagall, she tried to sort things out, she sent the Boleyn brothers to the infirmary and i and potter followed her, god dammit, it is going to be my first detention.
She asked Potter about what happened, of course he gotta play the hero, he told he did it to save my ass, come on i am not that pitiable. Then she asked me why they were hitting me. I scoffed mentally, as if she ever cared about me, she only cares about her house students, I didn’t answered her, because if i will, those good for nothing bastards will beat me up again, if not in front of students then in our dormitory, then there will be no one to save me.
She just let me go, weird, then next up James asked me who they were and what had happened, but i didn’t answer, i was too tired to explain or his hero complexity would wake up again, can’t bear that.
I went to my room to clear my mind, but the stares of my other classmates made me restless. I felt anxious, I felt guilty even when I was the one bullied, maybe it has to be like this only, ‘survival of the fittest’. And the most uncommon thing, Potter in my room again and comforted me like what the fuck? who do you think i am? a 3 year old? i have better experience with school bullies, i know how to talk to them and how to get their anger down. He even threatened me by asking those Boleyn brothers. the audacity of his to ask the people he beat the shit out of about there innocence, Come on James-fucking-potter grow up!