The Tale of a Gaunt

Snape's Worst Memory

The Occlumency lessons were so far going well, Arabella managed to block Snape out of her mind every single time, Harry was a different story, however, as he was failing horribly.

Arabella and Harry were sat in Snape's office. He had gone to help the Slytherin Quidditch Captain, Montague, who had supposedly been trapped in a toilet.

In the corner of their eyes, they saw something blue and glowing, a Pensieve.

They looked at each other, before walking towards the Pensieve.

They then looked into the blue substance inside, and dunked their heads in.

Their surroundings changed, and they were now in the Great Hall, there were students all around them.

Arabella looked around and saw Snape, although this time he looked younger, his hair was lank and greasy, hooked nose only an inch from the paper, which Arabella saw said 'DEFENCE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS: ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL'.

"Five more minutes!" A voice called, Arabella jumped and looked up to see Professor Flitwick at the front of the Great Hall, he was standing in front of a boy with very untidy black hair.

Arabella and Harry ran to the boy stood in front of him.

They were now looking at a fifteen year old James Potter.

The exam then ended a few minutes later, and James stood up and walked out of the Hall, he met up with three other boys and Arabella recognised them to be Lupin, Sirius and Wormtail.

"Did you like question ten, Moony?" Sirius asked.

"Loved it. Give five signs that identify the werewolf. Excellent question" Lupin said briskly.

"D'you think you managed to get all the signs?" James asked.

"Think I did. One: he's sitting on my chair. Two: he's wearing my clothes. Three: his name's Remus Lupin" Lupin said.

Wormtail was the only one who didn't laugh.

"I got the snout shape, the pupils of the eyes and the tufted tail" Wormtail said. "But I couldn't think what else-"

"How thick are you, Wormtail? You run round with a werewolf once a month" James said.

"Keep your voice down" Lupin said.

The Marauders walked outside to a tree, when they saw something.

"All right, Snivellus?" James asked loudly. Arabella looked to see Snape standing up.

"Impedimenta!" James exclaimed, pointing his wand at Snape, who was knocked off his feet and fell to the floor, he instantly got up again.

"How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" James asked.

"I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment. There'll be so many grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word" Sirius said, viciously.

Snape swore at them.

James aimed his wand at Snape. "Wash out your mouth. Scourgify" James said, and suddenly bubbles streamed from Snape's mouth.

"Leave him ALONE!" A female voice called.

Arabella looked at the source of the voice, to see a red haired girl approaching them. Harry's mother.

"All right, Evans?" James asked, his voice suddenly pleasant and mature.

"Leave him alone. What's he done to you?" Lily asked.

"Well, it's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean" James said.

"You think you're funny. But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone" Lily said, coldly.