Third Year
Everyone is rapidly changing.
Remus is even thinner, accentuating his gaunt form, while James has turned broad-shouldered and gangly. Sirius has gained some muscle, but little height, while Peter is as dumpy as ever.
Lily started menstruating over the summer, and now has to wear a bra. She’s not thrilled; even though it was awkward being the only girl who wasn’t a “woman” yet, she preferred it to this.
Snape has grown taller, meaning new robes, but his frame hasn’t filled out at all, accentuating his bat-like appearance.
It must be noted that this summer, Lily kept in touch with some other friends, namely Marlene, Mary, and Alice. Marlene and Alice, third generation halfblood and pureblooded, respectively, spent the summer together, as their houses are close. Mary and Lily sometimes talk on the phone, because Mary’s parents are both Muggleborns.
The Marauders play a prank at the Welcome Feast, which would become their new-school-year tradition.
The entire Slytherin table had their plates thrown in their faces. The only thing that incriminated them was the “Love, the Marauders” scrawled on the bottom of every dish. This catapults them into instant fame among the other houses.
During the detention they were given for that particular stunt, James shares some of the research he conducted over the summer— that animals are exempt from the effects of a werewolf bite. Not only that, but a werewolf is unlikely to kill another non-human.
He flippantly suggests that they get a pet wolf for “Moony” (as he jokingly dubs Remus’ inner wolf) to play with. Sirius, however, who’d been looking deep in thought, snaps his fingers.
“Animagi!”
“Gesundheit!”
“Whosiwhatsit?”
“Are you mad?!”
Sirius explains that an animal wouldn’t know to control the werewolf… but a human in animal form could. Remus begins to argue vehemently against the reckless danger of that when the young Squib caretaker, Argus Filch, appears and tells them to stop lollygagging.
Peter, who’d dropped the trophy he was polishing in fright, muttered “wish he’d warn us before just popping in like that” in embarrassment. Remus agrees, noting that it would be nice to be able to tell where others were so he could be certain they weren’t overheard talking about his secret.
Sirius chimes in with “like some kind of tracking device? There might be a charm for that, mate…”
James interrupts with “more like a tracking map… so you could see where they were, you know?”
The others make sounds of agreement. James seems to consider the idea a moment longer, then “Blimey. I like that idea. A map of Hogwarts— we could mark the secret passageways we found, and the hidden room, and all the false stairs…”
And so the idea for the Marauders Map was born.
However, after the next full moon, where Remus returns battered and exhausted, the other three decide that learning about Animagi is the priority— their friend needs help.
James is Chaser again this year, Sirius joining him as a beater.
Snape and Lily are among a select group of students (the rest of whom are Ravenclaws) who take three electives.
Herbology: Hufflepuffs. Generally no pairs needed, work alone or in large groups.
Charms: Hufflepuffs. Lily-Remus
Transfiguration: Ravenclaws.
Astronomy: Ravenclaws.
Defense against the Dark Arts: Slytherins.
Potions: Slytherins. Lily-Snape
History of Magic: Mixture.
Arithmancy: Lily, Sirius, James, Snape
Ancient Runes: Lily, Remus, Snape
Care of Magical Creatures: Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, Peter.
Divination: Snape.
Muggle Studies: Peter.
Severus begins to truly immerse himself in Slytherin life, after spending two years on the outskirts. Sixth and seventh years Narcissa and Lucius, respectively, take him under their collective wing even as he becomes the brains behind the brawn of the third and fourth years.
Evans had always been of mild interest to James; a Muggleborn, Gryffindor, intelligent, and best friends with his least favorite Slytherin. Beyond that, they really didn’t interact.
For James, that all changed one day in early spring. It was raining, pretty heavily, and had been for hours. James is sitting, bored, in an upstairs corridor because Sirius has detention and Remus is trying to tutor Peter. He’s looking out the window when he sees a figure out by the lake. He rubs the fog off the window to find that it’s Lily, waltzing slowly in the rain, her wand manipulating the raindrops into streams and shapes. He’s entranced by the way her hair, dark from the rain, is plastered against her head, the bouncy curls turned into long tendrils that sneak round her limbs.
He gets up suddenly, determined to move closer, and is heading to the Great Hall to go outside when Benjy Fenwick, another Gryffindor in their year, calls his name.
“You’re not going to believe it, mate. Mary’s been attacked! They said it was Avery and Mulciber, those fourth years from Slytherin…”
James only half-listens from there. Then, he realizes that that’s a perfect reason to go see Evans— Mary is her friend. Clapping Benjy on the shoulder, he runs to tell Lily.
When he gets there, he finds it difficult to speak at first, from the way the water drips down her skin, and how large and dark her eyes seem, and how pale her skin looks against her water-darkened hair. When he explains to her what’s happened, he’s further enchanted by the way she seems torn between fury and concern, her hands clenching round her wand, two spots of color appearing high on her cheeks, before she relaxes, looking stricken.
“Is she alright?”
James, not prepared, stutters for a moment “I— uh—dunno?”
He’s hardly even finished when she takes off, and he follows her, saying that Pomfrey’s the best [A/N: Do you think Pomfrey is too young to be nurse at this point?] and she should be fine, etc, etc. His hovering annoys her, and by the time they reach the Hospital Wing she snaps, turning to him, causing him to almost knock her over.
“Potter, would you please sod off now? Mary is hurt and you’re giving me a headache.”
She stalks off without an answer. When he tells Sirius about it later, his response is just “Bad luck, mate.”
Unperturbed, as Lily disappears up the dormitory stairs, James states, “I’ll marry her.”
Sirius rolls his eyes, snickering, knowing that Lily will be forgotten within the week. And to some degree, she is. But James still finds his eyes roving towards her more often, and there’s an affection there that didn’t exist before.
As Gryffindor leads the pack going into the Quidditch Cup come May, James and Sirius become aware of the female attention in a way that they hadn’t before. At the afterparty for the match cementing their place in the Finals, both boys become a bit tipsy, James ending up with his first girlfriend, Sirius with his first hookup. This begins a series of short “relationships” for James and a constant string of dalliances and booty calls for Sirius.
James and Sirius come upon Snape in the halls, and taunt him.
He had been staring intently out the window, and James looks over his shoulder, sneering when he sees that Evans and her friends are playing in the Lake.
He mocks Snape’s unrequited love for her, and Severus spits out an “at least she likes me, I’ve got a chance. Unlike you and your fat head, Potter.” (Sev is still learning how to respond eloquently when caught off guard.)
James is pissed, but Sirius steps in, insulting Snape’s nose and commenting that slimy, cowardly Slytherins could never catch a Gryffindor.
“Incapable of love, you lot are.”
“Not surprised you’d say that— no one loves you, do they? Your own parents can’t stand you. You’re lucky you haven’t been disowned, and Regulus… well, I think you know. He’s so ashamed he can’t even look at you. You think you’re a true Gryffindor but you’re not— if you were, you wouldn’t be here right now, would you?” [A/N: I'm not sure why he says that Sirius wouldn't be there right now...]
Sirius is furious, and completely forgoes his wand to lunge at Severus, but James grabs him.
“Oi! Cool it.”
Sirius stills in James’ hold, but the fire in his eyes does not dim. Snape tries to brush off the shiver that runs down his spine at the madness in his eyes.
Whomping Willow incident happens. James is livid when he finds out what Sirius has done— a Gryffindor to the core, such a stunt was uncalled for, and he goes out to the tree.
He just barely makes it in time, and he can hear Remus throwing himself at the door on the other side, hear the splintering wood and the desperate cries as he smells a victim near. Once he’s managed to drag Snape away, Severus pulls himself from his hold, hating the way Potter is trying to make sure he’s alright. Humiliated but self-righteous, Snape rants at James about his so-called “skills” at Quidditch, his enormous ego, the way his pranks aren’t doing him any favors, how immature he is, and ends with a final blow about Lily— she doesn’t like you because of all the things you’re so proud of.
This degrading speech somewhat softens James’ ire at Sirius. In the morning, when Remus is alerted of the situation, he is deeply ashamed. Sirius is shocked at the self-loathing coming from him when he finds out he almost hurt Severus. Remus is not as angry at Sirius as he should be, overwhelmed in self-blame.
Sirius is distraught, and tries to get Remus mad at him. Remus does get angry for a bit, “How could you? How could you be so thoughtless? Merlin, Sirius, if he’d have died… it would’ve been all our necks.”
The next few weeks are rocky for the Marauders, Peter is torn between who to comfort, James firmly supporting Remus in Sirius’ presence. They are brought back together after Sirius is injured by a rogue Bludger in a Quidditch practice. James is so worried he can’t hide it, and Remus, who was never that mad to begin with, tells James that Sirius really is sorry, and that there’s no use dragging it out.
“You know he can’t control his temper. It’s the one Black trait he could never quash. We can’t fault him for it anymore. He’s learned his lesson.”
Scene from DH where Lily defends Remus and tells Snape that she can’t stand Avery/Mulciber.
Severus and Lily are inducted into the Slug Club after they choose to brew the Draught of Living Death. Here Snape begins to develop his extra methods. Lily helps.
Lily is walking down to see Hagrid, with whom she has formed a tentative friendship over Nifflers, which she finds adorable, and Rabastan Lestrange, a rather dull sixth year Slytherin, catches sight of her and begins to follow, obviously looking to cause her harm. Snape curses his tongue to the roof of his mouth, (permanently, as it were, Madame Pomfrey had to remove it) and alters the incantation until the Langlock Curse is invented.
Narcissa Black is graduating this year, and she’s very fond of Severus, as is her fiancé. She gifts Severus with an owl, as well as giving him a letter from Andromeda, who’d eloped with a Muggleborn.
“She is no longer a part of our family, but I felt I could do this one last act for her. I hope you’re not planning on following in her footsteps, Severus.”
Her cool gaze pierces him, and he is unable to answer, not knowing whether he can promise her that.
“I suggest you forget all about Andromeda and her radical ideas. They can only lead to pain.”
With that pearl of wisdom, she is off to graduation. The letter is an apology from Andromeda for her lack of communication and a request for him to write her whenever he wishes. She tells him that she hopes that he will come to his senses and fight for Lily the way she did for Ted.
“Love is a magic far more potent than any curse. You needn’t be strong to feel powerful, knowing that. Brilliance alone will not be satisfying for you, Severus, I can tell. She means too much to you. Don’t make the same mistakes I almost did.”
Severus’ eyes fill with tears and he crumples the paper in his fist, overcome. How can he? It isn’t safe, and she doesn’t love him that way! He throws the paper down, pressing his fists to his eyes hard, reveling in the black spots the pressure causes, before shooting to his feet and grabbing the letter, striding over to a candle, and watching it burn.
Lily goes away for the summer, and they use his new owl to commiserate, both of them lonely.