The Ball from Hell
He looked himself in the mirror, measuring the view carefully. For tonight, even if it was just for one night, he wanted to look handsome, at least passable. But how? He examined his reflection in the mirror again and again. He was pale, very pale. And ugly! Well, no, actually, he wasn't that ugly, mean, he wasn't a world-class beauty, but... He was tall, so slim that he seemed even taller than he actually was. Considering he always wore black, he appeared even slimmer and consequently taller. His facial features were sharp, but oddly delicate. He had dimples on his cheeks. He scrunched his face and looked at himself from every angle in the mirror. Then he furrowed his brows. Damn it, what was he doing? He had been standing there for fifteen minutes, examining himself like a girl. Yet even if he was a girl, he thought, I'd never look at myself in that sense. But still, it wouldn't hurt if they looked at me in that sense! He was about to turn and leave but hesitated, then turned back, hesitated again. No, he couldn't do this; he was accustomed to what he had been all these years... But maybe it would be more impressive... No, forget it... Alright, fine... He picked up his wand and brought it to his hair...
***
"GIRLS!! GIRLS!!"
Everyone in the girls dormitory turned to look at the door, except for one person – Lily, who herself also had just arrived and was sitting on the bed, inspecting her formal robes for the evening. She didn't turn around but raised her eyebrows.
"Guess who I'm going to the party with tonight!"
"Well, it can't be that hard to guess," sighed Mary. "It's obviously Sirius!"
When Carmen heard the name Sirius, her big smile vanished, and she muttered something that sounded like a mix of "no" and "actually." However, the girls seemed to understand the essence of the situation.
"Well then, who are you going with? You seem so excited, so it must be someone better..."
"Definitely," Rachel agreed. "You can tell he's very brave. Even McGonagall heard that Sirius wanted to invite you. But if he still invited you, he must be a true Gryffindor. Or not?"
"Well, he's actually a very nice person, charming, and, um..." She didn't know what she was talking about. Snape probably wasn't even close to being described as charming. He wouldn't rank high when it came to niceness either. Would going to the party with Snape jeopardize her relationship with her friends?
"Oh, a charming person?" Lily who did not look at Carmen even once since she arrived at the dorm, now turned her gaze at her. "And very nice and brave... Hmm, a true Gryffindor... Oh, who could it be?"
The girls in the dorm were shocked. Lily never speaks to anyone in this tone. Or maybe they hadn't heard her speak like this to anyone in a long time. It was a condescending and cold tone.
"Why are we even thinking this much, girls? Isn't it obvious? There's only one kid at school who fits these descriptions. Could it be Severus Snape?"
Rachel, Mary, Susie, Audrey, and even Carmen all froze for a moment. Then they burst into laughter. They were convinced that she had lost her mind. But why wasn't Carmen answering? Why didn't she turn to Lily and...
"What's your problem, Lily? Why are you so uncomfortable with me going with Severus? Do you have feelings for him that you couldn't tell anyone before?"
Before Lily could say anything, Audrey jumped in,
"What? Is that true, you with that Slytherin snake? You must be joking!"
This time, before Carmen could respond, Lily pressed,
"Love has blinded you, Carmen. I just feel sorry for you. You're excited about going out with a Death Eater?"
"You are the one talking!" Carmen retorted heatedly. "Just two years ago, you two were inseparable! When did you turn this sour? Some friend you are!"
"Two years ago, Carmen, I was still have a hope that I could do something for Snape. Maybe I felt sorry for him. I've known him since childhood. He had issues, and..." She stopped and bit her tongue. Darn it! Snape's family problems were of no interest to anyone here, and whatever had passed between them, Lily should keep them to herself. There was no need for the whole school to know. But it was too late; the questions had already started.
"What kind of issues ha has?"
"What's wrong with him, anyway?"
"He's a pureblood snob, arrogant and spoilt, looks down on half-bloods and Muggleborns..."
Lily would have laughed if she wasn't trying to collect herself. Spoilt was certainly not a trait she'd associated with Snape. Nor being a pureblood... Was he looking down on Muggleborns and half-bloods? Probably. Although he had named himself "Half-Blood Prince," Lily had serious doubts whether he was proud of his blood status.
"His issues don't matter," she tried to dodge the question. "I just hoped I could win him to the light side, even if he's in Slytherin. Maybe I was too optimistic." She added this quickly because everyone, except Carmen, was making mocking noises. "But nobody is inherently evil. However, I sadly accept that it's too late for Severus. He seems perfectly content in his dark world. It's no secret he's going to join the Dark Lord; even Professor Dumbledore is aware. Snape doesn't deny it either. He confessed to me. He wants power..."
"Did he admit it openly?" Carmen asked, flabbergasted.
"Yes, he did, and he even emphasized that I should understand him and said that I'm very important to him. I told him to make a choice, and, well, I don't need to explain his choice. But," she said with a hint of sarcasm, squinting her eyes, "Carmen seems ready to help him. Maybe she'll end up on the Dark Lord's side as well."
"That's not true, Lily Evans! There's still hope for Severus. You left him all alone, and now you're hanging out with James without a care in the world. Do you realize how much you've hurt Severus? Your concern was being with James. You're just using Severus and his ambitions as an excuse. If you were a true friend, you would stand by his side. You would support him. You wouldn't send smiles to that boy who constantly tortures him!"
Lily pulled her wand from her pocket, as did Carmen... The others couldn't intervene or say anything.
"There's no hope for Severus Snape. You know it very well. Don't embarres yourself!" Her anger was peaking, and her attempts to maintain a calm tone had started to become ridiculous. "You just want to date him and so making up these lame excuses. And just now you were saying I was jealous of Snape, and now you're saying I ditched him to hang out with James. If I wanted to date James, I wouldn't need Snape's permission. Secondly, I'm not dating James Potter! And third, for heaven's sake, when did Snape become Severus? I didn't know you two were on a first-name basis!"
"First, if you were hoping to both date James and remain friends with Severus, I'll have to question your sanity. Secondly, if you're not dating James, tell him not to tell everyone you are his girl. And third, from now on, Severus will always be Severus to me. I'll never abandon him!"
"Even if he becomes a Death Eater?"
"He's not a Death Eater yet!"
"What a wonderful thing to say, 'not yet!'"
"I don't want to argue further. Two years ago, you were ardently defending him, and now you have nothing but bad things to say for him! It seems like your opinions are fickle. But I've had the same feelings since the beginning..."
"Hah..." She couldn't hold herself back anymore and was practically yelling. Sparks of anger were emanating from the tip of her wand all around the room. "Don't you understand me, Carmen Cypress? Or are you just not listening? He does not even like you... He just couldn't find a date for the ball! Of course, not everyone is as blind as you! You're obviously hoping that he loves you, but Snape doesn't love anyone, including himself. And he pities no one! You might be daydreaming about a romantic date with him... But forget it, he won't even look at your face at the ball. If you're dreaming of a dance, start forgetting it now; he'll sit in a corner and sulk all night! And believe me, he'll leave the ball before anyone else and won't even turn to look at you. Have a good time for the evening! Get all dolled up. After all, you'll just be pretty sight next to Snape!"
And she stormed out without waiting for anyone's reaction. She could hear Carmen's responding voice from behind, but she couldn't make out what she was saying. And it didn't matter to Lily anyway. Most likely, she would just repeat the same things with embellishments, just like Lily had done for years. But now it was all meaningless. It wasn't just Carmen's foolishness; it was beyond that. Besides, what was she seeing in Snape anyways...
***
She sat alone in the large dormitory, lost in thought. Her beautiful, light blue eyes were surrounded by deep redness and puffiness. It couldn't be said that her friends were very supportive either. Susie, Audrey, and Rachel were agreeing with Lily. Most likely, Mary as well, but she hadn't voiced it out loud. No, in fact, she was more mumbling something about the possibility of Sirius Black being available and had hurried to the common room. She must have wanted to stroll around, trying to catch Black's attention. Carmen wished she had talked to the poor girl about Li Yang, but she didn't want to be the one to ruin the happy look on her face. Besides, she wasn't in a position to think about these things right now. She felt very lonely and miserable, right on the morning after the night she had been waiting for for years... And she also had History of Magic and their lovely ghost professor waiting for her. Two boring classes in a row...
***
"I thought it wouldn't be evening. Why are there classes on the ball day? It's almost Christmas!"
"Noel hasn't come yet, that's why, Padfoot! It'll happen when the clock strikes midnight, and then it's holiday..."
"What's up, Moony? Am I seeing that you're happy because of the holiday? Or is this a dream?"
"It's a horrible joke, Padfoot even for you. I guess your head is still messed up over Carmen!"
"No, it's not. It's messed up over Li. She went to put on her pink formal robe. Pink and frilly... She thinks I'll love it very much. She says wait and see. I told her I'd prefer her to wear a sack, but she had already left. I guess she loves that robe more than me. Why did I go to ask her out from all those girls in the school? There are plenty of girls with more exciting robes!"
The other three burst into laughter, so they couldn't respond right away.
"I think Sniv should've gone to the party with this girl; their tastes are compatible..."
Well, now, Sirius's sour face had improved to a smirk. But if they wanted to go to the party, it would be good to get ready now. All of Gryffindor's girls, and most likely the other three houses too, had been getting ready in their dormitories for more than three hours. Gryffindor's boys, and probably the boys from the other three houses as well, were in a race to get ready in less than the last three minutes. Of course, no one knew that Snape was not among these boys for tonight. Well, Snape wouldn't enlighten them on this matter either.
***
Her crimson, wavy hair suited these daisies perfectly, her graceful neck along with her waist belt, and her white formal robe was adorned with these daisies. Carmen would definitely be the Belle of the ball.
Lily, who stood right next to her and never looked at her, also looked very elegant with her robe that matched the color of her hair. Well, the girls were already ready. They were making the finishing touches. But it was uncertain whether the boys were ready right now. The only thing that was certain was that hardly anyone was looking in Carmen's direction.
***
Snape never arrives late, said the excited little voice in her mind. He's been waiting for you behind that portrait for three minutes now. Don't keep him waiting any longer!But how? The voice replied. I'm so nervous. What am I going to say to him? Well, there was no need for the little voice to answer. Severus had to take the first step. That was the rule. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the portrait to open the door. And to her surprise, she realized she wasn't alone; almost the entire Gryffindor house was crowded behind her. And, somehow James and Lily were standing right next to her. And as she took the first step outside the tower...
Down below the stairs, a boy in all black was standing. His head was bowed, and he was busy tapping his foot on the ground. In his hand... In his hand, he held a white rose! As Carmen took another step in excitement, the boy raised his head and looked at her, causing Carmen to drop the skirts she had gathered in surprise.
***
Merlin's holy beard! Had his hair turned out that awful? Well, Severus, you are the one responsible for cutting your hair short. Would you dare to walk around all night like a shorn sheep next to this beautiful girl... Or maybe you won't walk around her at all! Will you have the right to object when Cypress turns around and takes Black's arm? But wait, the expression on Cypress's face didn't seem to be one of horror, no, it wasn't disgust either! Summoning his courage, Snape raised a single eyebrow, put on a fake and cold smile, and turned his eyes to the white rose he was holding.
***
Was the boy in front of her Snape? If so, it was time to be more in awe of him than ever. He looked more handsome and self-assured than ever. His jet-black hair cascaded onto his face and appeared oddly wet under the dim light. His slender eyebrows and thin lips gave his face a more mocking appearance than it really was. His eyes were as black as the night, large, and beautiful.
Snape suddenly smiled, as if he had made a decision. He looked at her and raised a single eyebrow, turning the white rose he held into a bouquet of daisies. For a moment, Carmen thought something was about to leap out of her chest. The tiredness and disappointments of the day had passed. She would spend the whole day with this amazing Slytherin boy. And judging by the daisy gesture, Severus had no intention of not paying attention to her. She was going to have a fantastic night!
***
Severus approached and handed the bouquet to the girl.
"You look beautiful, Cypress," he whispered, and without saying another word, he gestured towards the corridor. Carmen immediately headed down the path holding the sweet-scented daisies.
"Lily, Snape got his hair cut!" James said, as if he was the only one who had just seen Snape.
"He probably did it himself. I had told him he needed a haircut for years, but I guess Carmen must have asked him too, so he did it tonight. And by the way," she turned and pointed her wand at James's nose, "I am not your girl, Potter! Stop saying that to people!"
James quickly turned to look at Lily. Why did she seem so angry? Sirius bumped into him and quickly darted down the corridor. For a moment, James thought Sirius was going to catch up to Snape and throw a punch to his hooked nose, as he looked just as angry as Lily. However, Sirius merely shoved Severus aside and continued on his way towards the Hufflepuff common room.
***
She sipped her pumpkin juice with joy. There was no trace of the anger she had felt two hours ago. James had some amazing stories to tell, and Slughorn had organized a fantastic party. Now, she sat in a corner, sipping her sweet drink and enjoying her favorite candies with her friends. The music was blasting, and a lively song had just ended, making way for a slow one. James, as if he had been waiting for this song to play for a while, turned to Lily.
"Well, Evans, would you do me the honor of this dance?"
"Well, Potter, yes!"
James quickly checked the large clock in the hall. There was still half an hour until midnight. So, it seemed like he would have to extend this dance for about half an hour! Gracefully, he raised Evans and led her to the dance floor. The magic of romantic music allowed Lily to rest in James's arms. He didn't waste any time placing his hands on Lily's waist and resting his head on her shoulder, both guarding the surroundings and inhaling the indescribably beautiful scent of her crimson hair. He was the luckiest guy at the party. And if the rumors were true, and the whole year was going to be like tonight, this year was going to be amazing!
***
"Look! Li pumpkin, I know it's not nice to give a warning for the eighteenth time or so, but I really don't like having my feet stepped on!"
"Oops, sorry!" Li giggled, for what must have been the umpteenth time that night. It seemed like she had been stepping on Sirius's feet all night due to excitement and the envious glances from the girls surrounding them. However, Sirius had only complained about twenty times or so. Li started to wonder when she had started to affect him so much. Most likely, he found her furtive glances in the garden very attractive.
***
"Snape at a party after all this time, and with another Gryffindor mudblood, what do you think, Regulus?"
"It doesn't really interest me, Mulciber."
"Well, it does interest me. I think Severus has a weakness for red hair. And he definitely understands from beauty. Ah how nice it would be to corner that girl at the entrance of the dungeons, making sure no one else comes and..."
"Why don't you tell your perverted stories to Lestrange? I prefer convincing that girl to dance, over your fantasies."
"In that case, good luck with that girl tonight! But if you want to have a nice evening, I suggest this." He pointed at the plump girl at the next table, who was deeply engaged in conversation with a stocky boy. "She doesn't require much flattery." He grinned and winked. Regulus rolled his eyes at him. He had thought for a moment that he was going to say something serious. Not wanting to waste any more precious minutes, he strode over with dignity to the curly-haired girl who was excitedly waiting for him with her eyes fixed on him. He walked towards him, and did not forget to deliberately bump into his brother who has some kind of fighty dance with a chatty girl called Li or something. Sirius Black stared at him from behind, as if he could throw something at him, but Regulus didn't turn his back.
***
"Ah, aren't we having a great time?" Carmen grumbled. A deep scowl was almost permanent on her face right now.
"Did you say something, Cypress?"
Snape and Cypress had been standing there for almost two hours without saying a word to each other. What's worse, a bunch of Slytherin kids had joined them, and it seemed like Snape was more interested in them than Carmen. Carmen was not happy being surrounded by Slytherin boys. They were even giving her nasty looks, and those malicious glares weren't just from them. It felt like the entire Gryffindor house had taken a stand against Carmen. Snape wasn't making the slightest effort to salvage the situation, just as Lily had said. He had left her in a corner, almost forgetting her existence.
"No, I didn't say anything, Snape! I was just grumbling."
Snape turned and, for the first time all night, looked directly into her eyes. Surprisingly, he smiled in response to her candid reply, "I was just grumbling." But a moment later, he turned away again and gazed at the dancing crowd. In his hand, he had a glass filled with vodka and fruit juice, a combination that must be prohibited at the school. He was sipping from it and grimacing. Carmen couldn't tell if it was because of the drink or Lily dancing with James that was causing the sour expression on his face.
"Would you consider dancing?"
Snape turned to look at Carmen for the second time that night. This girl must have been bored out of her mind for the past two hours, and yet, she hadn't left his side. Thankfully, she had overcome her shyness and said a few words to him during the evening. But should he dance with Carmen? Well, Lily was dancing with Potter. If he was lucky, he could get closer to her, and who knew, maybe he could even change partners without giving Potter a chance to object.
"Alright, Cypress, if it will entertain you..." he said politely. Carmen looked at him with surprise, and he secretly enjoyed her reaction.
***
"MOONY! LOOK AT SNIVELLOUS!!!"
Remus turned indifferently to the direction Peter pointed to. However, when he saw Snape, who had taken Carmen to the dance floor, he couldn't maintain his indifferent expression. But he quickly pulled himself together and turned to Peter who was blushing out of excitement.
"Well, since everyone is dancing, we should dance too!"
"What? Together? Um, Moony, I mean... Sorry, but... I... um..."
Remus burst into laughter.
"No, I mean, I'm going to dance with my date. How about we dance some other time?"
Peter relieved and grinned and he, too, led Marry (his partner for the night) to the dance floor where Sirius was still in a heated battle with Li Yang.
***
Lily gently spun in James' arms, all the while contemplating whether they really needed to kiss at midnight. There was no written rule stating that, but it was true that seventh-year students usually spent the last Christmas ball of their school years sharing a kiss at midnight with their significant others. However, did they even qualify as a couple? Lily wasn't dating James, was she? She had never given a kiss to anyone before. But was she about to give one to someone who wasn't even her boyfriend? She glanced Snape over James' shoulder, he was sourly watching her in Carmen's arms. Yes, she was going to do it!
Mary wasn't his girlfriend, but she knew about the midnight kiss, right? And now that she was on the dance floor with Peter, minutes away from midnight, he thought she deserved a kiss.
Mary looked at Peter, who was dancing gently with her. He wasn't her boyfriend, so he cannot possibly be thinking to kiss her! But it was always good to have her wand ready, just in case. She also cast a hopeful glance toward Sirius, who was locked in a fierce dance-off with Li.
Would Severus kiss her? They weren't a couple, but they were dancing just seconds away from midnight.
Severus, refusing to look at the girl who was gazing hopefully at him, and instead kept his gaze locked on Lily. After all, Carmen Cypress wouldn't be expecting a kiss from him!
Jennifer was being spun at a wildly different pace than the music suggested, and she was thinking that Regulus was the strangest boy she had ever met in her life. They weren't seventh-year students, and she hadn't spoken to Regulus before, but she knew he was bold enough to turn and kiss her.
Regulus was both spinning the curly-haired girl whose name he didn't even know and contemplating whether he should kiss her or Violetta, who was dancing with Mulciber on the other side. If he was lucky, when the clock struck midnight, he would quickly pull Violetta toward him. The girl would probably be too shocked to protest, and it would make a memorable moment. He liked the girl's profile from the side.
Remus was gracefully twirling Rachel to the music, not even remotely considering a kiss. They weren't a couple, and he had no intentions of giving her false hope.
Rachel gazed at Remus's pale features with a melancholic expression, knowing he would never kiss her. They weren't a couple, and Remus wasn't one for public displays of affection.
Li was eagerly twirling around, on one hand poking Sirius's foot, on the other, counting down the seconds.
Sirius, trying to ignore the pain in his foot, was also wondering why the girl had been paying more attention to the clock than him for the past few minutes. She had even stopped putting weight on her foot. Oh no! Midnight! Perhaps the girl was expecting Sirius to kiss her again. But they weren't a couple, and... Fuck! They were a couple!!
***
As the clock struck twelve, several couples began kissing. James leaned in as if responding to an alarm, capturing Lily's lips in a kiss. Lily accepted his kiss without protest. Seeing James and Lily kiss, Severus turned in shock and looked at Carmen. Interpreting this as some sort of permission, Carmen plunged into Snape's shocked and open mouth! Remus, witnessing this shocking spectacle, tripped in surprise and tumbled onto Rachel, their lips meeting in an unexpected kiss. Peter, convinced that kissing is obligatory now, turned to Mary, who was shaking her head as saying no in horror. Li, overcome with excitement, fainted! Regulus dropped Jenifer to the floor and pulled Violette to his embrace. The entire hall then shook with a loud bang...
***
Lily couldn't believe Carmen had gone this far, so she sent a strong separating spell their way! Carmen and Severus were propelled forcefully in opposite directions. Mary, using her wand, sent Peter over to Snape's side. Violette was too apparently a tough girl. She punched Regulus right on his stomach and send him flying toward her brother, who was trying to wake Li. Regulus crashed into the drinks table and fell. Jennifer stand up and she was furious that regulus just dropped her like that, sent Sirius, Regulus, and Li a good hex as they flew in different directions. When Mulciber realized that his girlfriend had been taken away from him, he sent a spell to Regulus but it hit Snape. Severus, floating through the air once again due to the spell, took hold of his wand this time and made a bombing noise too loud it silenced the ball finally!
***
After the noise, the hall fell into a deep silence. No one could understand what had caused all this chaos. But it was clear that Severus Snape had set off the explosion from his wand. Severus Snape, who hadn't attended a single party for a year, had now disrupted the first one he had attended!
"What's going on?" said McGonagall, with a stern voice.
"The youngsters are having fun, Minerva!" Slughorn replied, chuckling. "It's Christmas tonight! Don't be so strict!"
"Is that so?" McGonagall responded. She didn't seem to be having any fun at all. "Fifty points from all the houses, for all the students! The fun is over! Everyone back to their houses!"
All the students began to protest in unison. The noise was Snape's fault; he should have gone to bed! The night had just begun, and on top of that, losing fifty points from each house! Even though it didn't disrupt the balance in these situation, it was still annoying! Moreover, their planned three-hour party was ending an hour early. Truth be told, there was hardly any fun left, as everything was in disarray. The place was littered with broken glass, spilled drinks, crushed cakes. Without music, the hall no longer had a festive atmosphere. And McGonagall showed no sign of reconsidering. Five minutes later, everyone began to walk towards the exit to return to their towers.
***
Severus was grumbling to himself as he headed towards the exit. What a party it had been! Yes, he had received his first kiss in his life, but he hadn't wanted it. Moreover, the kiss had lasted only two seconds, and the rest of the time, Snape had been flying around, making a small explosion to snap everyone out of it, which had worked. So, what was the result? Severus Snape, the scapegoat of the night! He felt more than heard people muttering angrily as they looked at him. By the way, where was Carmen? Oh no, he had left her behind! Oh well, the last time he had seen her, she had been lying on the floor in the farthest corner of the room. Probably, her love for him had completely faded tonight!
Great! Really great! He had received a kiss from Lily Evans, but before a single second had passed, Lily had sent some spell somewhere with her wand. Where? Why? James hadn't seen it. But it was definitely related to that damned Snivellus. He just knew it! The guy had fallen off Lily's radar two years ago, but he was somehow still there! He had ruined the whole night!
Lily, his Lily, was kissing that disgusting prat, wasn't she? Yes, they were hugging and kissing! Everything was over now!
Severus Snape is done tomorrow! He would gather the Marauders and silence Remus's objections. Then, he would corner Snivellus in the darkest corner of the forbidden section of the library, and...
BANG!!!
He raised his head and looked at the boy he had collided with. A burning fire, beginning at his legs and climbing to his throat, made his insides feel as though they were on fire. James Potter and Severus Snape stared at each other as if they were about to kill each other for a few seconds. James was the first one to speak.
"Get out of my way, Snivellus! I know you're in a hurry to get into trouble, but I'm not in a hurry! Your punishment will come tomorrow!"
For a moment, Snape considered stepping aside and holding his tongue. But the night was already disastrous enough, wasn't it? Why should he back down like a coward? Besides, Potter had no friends by his side like normally he had! A good hex would do the trick, a Lip-Locking Curse for example! A spell that would prevent him from ever kissing Lily again, a perfect curse for the likes of Potter... He drew his wand. Potter wasn't any slower. They glared at each other and took aim. Then...
"ENOUGH! Five points from Gryffindor and Slytherin! Now, go to your beds immediately, or you'll both face detention!"
Snape cast a cautious look at McGonagall.
"Potter provoked me, ma'am!"
But James was definitely not cautious. Forgetting where he was and who was around him, he cast a spell at Snape that Severus had never heard before. However, this time, Snape countered the spell with a whisper of his own. While McGonagall screamed in anger, the spells didn't crashed any of the boys or did not go somewhere else, no the spells instead merged together, forming a beam of black and white light. This beam hit Snape and Potter in the chest, sending them flying to the opposite ends of the corridor!
***
Severus tried to regain his balance while internally cursing Potter! The first move had come from him, and now Severus, as if he had done anything besides defending himself, was going to be punished with him. He got up, feeling odd. His head was spinning.
James stood up after fully recovering and realizing what he had done. But it was as if he had switched places strangely in the corridor. He lifted his head and looked at McGonagall. He considered looking at Snape, who was avoiding his gaze, but he also refused.
"DETENTION! Tomorrow evening at eight! And twenty points from both of you! Now, go to your beds! RIGHT NOW!!"
Neither Snape nor James hesitated. Everyone had already returned to their towers. There was no need for them to have a midnight duel! They quickly made their way to their respective common rooms. James stood in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady, struggling to remember the password. Did he forget it? The Fat Lady gave him a suspicious look.
"Password?"
"Sphinx grapes!" Where did these passwords come from anyway? The Fat Lady stared at James with surprise but still opened forward. Puzzled by her astonishment, James quickly climbed the stairs. He had more important matters to deal with than the Fat Lady's confusion. Right now, all he wanted was to go to his dormitory and lose himself in sleep. Perhaps he could think about the kiss he got from Lily. She had responded, hadn't she?
"You... What are you doing here?" Remus said with a bewildered expression befitting the Fat Lady.
"I'm looking for my bed, Moony," James replied with a clear voice. And then he froze in horror. His voice was too clear. It didn't belong to him! Before he could say anything else, Sirius, who looked furious, appeared behind Remus and started to strangle him.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? Did you come here to mess things up?" Sirius hissed before James could even open his mouth.
"S-Sirius, it's m-me... stop..." He couldn't speak, and even if he could, he didn't know what to say. His best friend had him by the throat with a hatred and anger he didn't understand, and James felt his vision start to darken.
***
Oh, detention with Potter! Just because he didn't allow himself to be cursed by him! McGonagall really didn't favor her own house!
Whispering "Basilisk blood," he glided through the entrance and found everyone still awake, sitting on the common room sofas, discussing the night and its events. As Snape entered, they all turned to look at him. On their faces, Severus Snape saw a mixture of surprise and pure hatred. Avery stood up abruptly and shouted,
"YOU!"
Severus paused, trying to make sense of this unexpected reaction. All of his friends looked very angry, even the younger ones squinting their eyes as they examined him. Could they be angry because he was late? He dismissed that thought; it was absurd. Why should they care about him being late? He pushed his glasses up to his sweaty nose. Then walked fearlessly towards to his Slytherin fellows who had their wands ready at their hands. Wait a minute! His glasses? What glasses?!
He pushed Avery aside firmly, then headed for the blackened mirror on the other side of the room. With horror, he saw Potter looking back at him. Potter appeared just as shocked as he felt. Behind him was the Slytherin army and their wands were aimed at him...