Chapter Text
CHAPTER ONE
The Maraunder's Prank
"Look at the greasy git," Snape hears James say nearby. "Hanging off by his underwear. And -oh, god - are those heart patterns on his boxers? What a joke!" he laughs with his friends and Snape can feel himself shaking with fury. James is levitating him up into the air by the wand, and has already pulled his pants off. James and his friends are crowding around Snape. Severus' glares at them all. "Damn you, Potter!" He hisses, gritting his teeth, as his greasy black hair falls over his face. The humiliation of being bullied by James wasn’t enough, but having the whole school see? James just smiles, just watching as Snape get humiliated and everyone laughs. One of his friends intervenes. "J - J - James, s - s - shouldn't we s - stop, now?" The fat mousy boy Peter says in a small voice. "W - we could get in serious t - t - trouble."
James laughs. "Oh, don't be such a wuss, I'd like to see them try. Unlike him, I'm rich, famous, and everyone practically loves me! If anything, that git is getting detention. Not me." Severus looks down, not bearing to look at anyone in the crowd in the face as he’s being levitated in the air. What would Lily do if she were here? Would she watch and laugh at him, too?
"Oi, Prongs," Sirius says, pointing to a familiar figure at the distance, and Snape squints to see who it is through his humiliation.
"POTTER!" A voice so loud, so full of fury, Snape wonders if the whole castle can hear. Probably.
James drops Severus immediately, who hits the ground with a loud thump. James quickly shoves his wand into his pocket as if nothing had happened. Severus looks to see who it is and gasps when he sees her.
James smiles at Lily, who has her hands on her hips.
"Oh, Lilly! What is it? Have you finally fallen for me after all this time?" He asks flirtaciously, acting like he didn't hang Severus by his underwear just seconds ago. Snape stumbles to his feet, pulling up his pants as he does so and throwing Potter a death glare. He would never live this down. Not ever. And especially not now.
Severus glances back at Lilly and is shocked about what happens next.
Lily Evans slapped Potter across the face. So much force behind her punch, that it left a red handprint on one side of his face. Ouch. 'That's got to hurt,' Snape thinks with a curled smile. 'He bloody well deserved it, though.' Suddenly, he feels a rush of footsteps and Lily is by his side, looking him over carefully. "Are you alright, Sev? Are you hurt anywhere? Are you---"
"---'m fine," he snarls, his narrowed eyes set on James. He glances back at Lilly, who has a worried look on her face. He shoves her off of him, and with a swish of his cloak, leaves the Castle Grounds without saying goodbye.
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