Loverboy

"Leave him alone."

Ollie didn't mind Defense Against the Dark Arts class. She was pretty good at it, and she liked the feel of the offensive spells. They made her feel powerful. What she didn't like was taking the OWL exam.

The Ministry of Magic set this exam, based on international standards and even homeschooled wizards had to take them. It was a prerequisite for going to the next level of classes and for taking the Apparation test. However, because the government was setting the exam and not the teachers, they often had more complicated questions. And, the professors weren't allowed to see them beforehand so they wouldn't even know what to review.

Ollie had finished the exam, hating every minute of it. It was dull. The only questions that she had not a single doubt about knowing were the ones about werewolves. Her best friend was a werewolf, so of course she'd know. She was now doodling on the edges of the question paper.

Drawing bunches of carnations, her kitten, who was probably asleep in her dormitory or the common room, and hands in various poses. She then sketched, with her quill, Victoria. Every one was arranged by alphabetical order, so they were all scattered around the test room.

Ollie glanced up at the clock. Only five more minutes of sitting here until they were off for two hours before practicals. Ollie looked around. Peter, who was trying to fill in what few answers he could while trying to glance at others' papers around him. Remus, checking over his answers for what had to be the thirteenth time. James, doodling on his paper like Ollie was. Sirius was leaned back in his chair, playing with his long hair and glancing around. She swore she saw him catch James's eye and wink at him.

Tiny little Professor Flitwick was standing at the front. "Quills down!" he trilled. With a wave of his wand, all the papers in the room came flying towards him. The sudden influx of parchment caused him to lose him balance on the stool he had to stand on. Two sympathetic Hufflepuff boys got up and helped the Charms Professor up. "Thank you, thank you."

They were all dismissed. Sirius and Peter went straight to James but Remus started toward Ollie. She shook her head slightly, nodding toward her girlfriend and he nodded, going to their other friends with a wave. Ollie then went over to Victoria, the both of them clasping each other's hands as they walked out onto the grounds.

They found their friends by the lake, skipping rocks. Ollie untied her ponytail to pin her long hair into a bun, keeping it away from her neck in the humid warmth. She thanked herself for not wearing a school-issue sweater that day. She was already hot enough, it being the end of May.

"Hey, guys," Victoria said, swinging Ollie's hand slightly as they joined the group.

"Hi," Ava said, holding Marlene's waist. "How do you guys think you did?"

"I mean, there were parts that were confusing, but I had the best study partner, so I think I did good," Victoria said, kissing Ollie on the cheek. Something felt off about it to Ollie, but she wasn't sure what it was. 

"I feel good about it too," Ollie said, smiling. Victoria, despite them having been dating for a few months at this point, still had that effect on her. Looking at her with those big, blue eyes, holding her hand in those soft, small hands. Kissing her on the cheek or nose or forehead or mouth with those lips. Every time, it left Ollie dazed.

And every time, it reminded her of how in love with Victoria she was.

Ollie heard a shout from behind them. She turned around to see James, his wand out and a grin on his face. Sirius was behind him, grinning as well. Remus was sitting in the shade, his book lowered as he watched what was happening in front of him, saying something that Ollie couldn't make out from where she was. Peter watched with wide, nervous eyes.

Ollie followed the line of James's wand to see Snape being mocked by her friends. Ollie's hand tightened around Victoria's in anger. Snape let out a string of obscenities and Ollie watched in abject horror as James caused soap bubbles to froth from his mouth, he was gagging, starting to choke, even this was too far. She was going to go over there, give her friends a piece of her mind. They couldn't just do that! Her fists clenched in rage-

"Leave him alone!"

Everyone went silent. Ollie watched as Lily stormed over to James and Snape. "Leave. Him. Alone!" Her thick, dark red hair billowed in the breeze.

"All right, Evans?" James said, trying to make his voice sound nicer. Ollie felt like she could snap his neck right then. Trying to make himself sound pleasant and kind after choking another kid?

"Leave. Him. Alone," Lily repeated, looking at James with a look of the purest disdain and loathing Ollie had ever seen. Although, she couldn't imagine she was looking too sweetly at her friend just then. "What has he ever done to you?"

"Well," James said, pretending to deliberate the point. "It's more the fact he exists, if you know what I mean..."

Many of the surrounding kids laughed, even Sirius and little Peter, but Ollie was pleased to see that at least Remus and Lily weren't looking at all amused. In fact, Lily's anger seemed to only increase in volume. Her cheeks were flushed red, her frame shaking slightly. Her auburn brows furrowed and her glare became murderous.

"You think you're funny," Lily spat coldly. "But you're not. You're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone."

"I will if you go out with me, Evans," James said. Lily's rage seemed to double. "Go on, go out with me and I won't lay a wand on old Snivelly again." Snape seemed to be inching, still spluttering out soap suds, toward his wand. Ollie had never been so excited by the prospect of Snape hexing her friend.

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid," Lily declared. Ollie knew any possibility that Lily could've liked James was gone. And frankly, she was starting to hate him, too.

"Bad luck, James," Sirius said, turning back to Snape. "OI!" he shouted, too late. Snape sent a spell at James, causing a thick gash across his face. This did it- James looked truly angry at Snape now.

A flash of light- Snape was upside-down, dangling by his ankles in the air. His robes fell down, exposing a pair of pallid legs and graying underwear. Ollie noticed Lily's expression almost break for an instant. Much of the crowd that had gathered cheered, and Peter, Sirius and James were roaring with laughter.

"Let him down!" she demanded.

"Certainly," James said, jerking his wand upward and causing Snape to fall in a heap on the ground. Struggling to detangle himself from his robes, Snape was about to shoot another hex at James when Sirius shouted, "Petrificus Totalus!" Snape fell over again, rigid as a board.

Lily finally whipped her own wand out. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Her shout echoed across the lake. 

"Ah, Evans," James said, eyeing her wand warily. "Don't make me hex you."

"Take the curse off him, then," Lily said, her wand pointed at James. With a heavy sigh, he muttered the countercurse, allowing Snape to struggle to his feet.

"There you go," he spat. "You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellous-"

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!" Snape shouted, glaring at James.

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1260 words

felt like a long chapter so we'll pick up next part.