chapter five
Snape’s worst memory
The time soon came for all the fifth years to take their OWLS. Severus had studied and prepared, and, when the time finally he came he felt ready.
As all of the students were crammed into the Great Hall, they were each handed their first examination, Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Severus took one look at the test and began furiously scribbling his answers.
Easy, he thought. He could do this.
Flitwick called five minutes remaining. After he collected the papers Severus began rereading all of the questions, trying to check and double-check his answers. He wandered towards the door; and, as she did so, continued to pore over the question paper. He meandered through the crowd of students until he reached an empty spot near a clump of bushes.
He felt confident that he had done well but still felt worried. After he had gone over the questions three times, he stood and shoved the paper into his bag. He wanted to have some time by himself before the next test. Instead, he heard a dreaded voice behind him.
“All right, Snivellus?” James Potter said loudly.
Severus had finally had enough. He reached for his wand and had it halfway into the air when James shouted, “Expelliarmus.”
Severus tried to run after his wand which had fallen a few feet away, but Sirius Black cried, “Impedimenta!” causing his joints to lock together. He lay panting on the ground while James and Sirius advanced on him, wands up.
“How’d that exam go, Snivelly?” James asked.
“I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment,” Sirius said viciously. “There’ll be great grease marks all over it. They won’t be able to read a word.”
A crowd had gathered and many of them laughed. Severus tried to get up, but the jinx was still operating on him; he was struggling, as though bound by invisible ropes.
“You- wait,” Severus panted, staring up at James with an expression of purest loathing. “You- wait…”
“Wait for what?” said Sirius coldly. “What’re you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?”
Severus was enraged. He let out a stream of mixed swear words and hexes, but nothing happened as his wand was ten feet away.
“Wash out your mouth,” said James. “Scourgify!” Pink soap bubbles streamed from Severus’s mouth at once; the froth was covering his lips, making him gag, choking him.-
“Leave him alone!”
James and Sirius looked around. James’s free hand jumped to his hair. It was Lily. Severus felt this made his humiliation more complete.
“All right, Evans?” said James.
“Leave him alone,” Lily repeated. She was looking at James with every sign of great dislike. “What’s he done to you?”
“Well…It’s more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean…”
The crowd laughed again.
“You think you’re so funny,” Lily said, “but you’re just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone.”
“I will if you go out with me, Evans.” Like she would ever do that, Severus thought to himself. “Go on…go out with me, and I’ll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again.”
