James pushed through the ache in his legs and the burning in his lungs as he frantically gulped the frigid night air. ‘ It wasn’t supposed to happen like this’ James thought hysterically, as he forced his legs to move faster towards the Whomping Willow. His life was never supposed to actually be at risk.
It had started off as a joke. ‘Imagine Snape coming face to face with Moony,’ Sirius had snickered after another successful full moon night. They had been lounging in their dormitory, James face down on his bed without the energy to even turn and look at his best mate as he spouted nonsense. ‘I wonder what would happen? If his nose didn’t scare away poor Moony the grease from his hair would likely slick a path to safety. Slimy git.’
It was so stupid, a truly asinine thing to say, but it made James think. If Snape was in danger, true mortal peril, and then James saved him, Snape would have to love him back. In muggle fairytales the damsel in distress always falls in love with the dashing prince, and James was a Gryffindor - brave, strong, just, a courageous prince brought to life. Could there be a more dashing man than he?
He was smart, the unanimously voted leader of the Marauders, most envied and equally beloved boy in all of Hogwarts. Surely he could convince Sirius to help him pull off a heroic rescue while fooling him into thinking that it was an epic prank destined to go down in history.
What a fool he had been.
Sirius had been his best mate since that first train ride, James knew him better than anyone. He knew how impulsive, how reckless Sirius could be. Of course he wouldn’t stick to the plan, he was impetuous and hated Snape more than anyone else. But James was arrogant and believed that he could control Sirius’ vindictive streak. He truly believed that he could deceive his friend while simultaneously presenting Snape with a gesture grand enough to win his affection.
He should have known better.
His misplaced faith was the reason he was running full pelt past the Quidditch pitch a month earlier than originally planned. James was supposed to be waiting underneath his invisibility cloak inside the passage to the Shrieking Shack, ready to jump out in between Snape and a rabid werewolf then stun it with a spell he’d found in the Restricted section. James had daydreamed away countless afternoons imagining how Snape would show his gratitude. But Sirius had spotted Snape eavesdropping and decided to bait him into trying to discover Remus’ secret a full moon early.
As James approached the willow, the moon reached its apex in the starless sky, and with it, a howl rang out, loud and terrifying.