Sunflowers

Worst Memories

It was one sunny day in June when the tensions between the Marauders and one Severus Snape came to a head. Thia and Remus sat beneath a tree reading quietly. James had been playing with the snitch he'd nicked from the Quidditch Pitch (with Peter watching in awe) and Sirius was people-watching.

That was until a bored James spotted one of his favourite targets reading a book not far from where they sat. None other than Severus Snape himself.

"This'll liven you up, Padfoot," said James quietly. "Look who it is..."

Thia looked up cautiously, disliking the tone in his voice.

"Excellent," Sirius said softly, his voice tight with excitement, "Snivellus."

Thia could see now that Severus Snape was walking past the group. James and Sirius stood up, and she hissed quietly, "What are they doing?"

Remus didn't respond, but he stopped reading aloud. Peter was looking between the standing boys with anticipation scrawled across his face.

"All right, Snivellus?" James said loudly. Snape's reaction was instant, dropping his bag and reaching for his wand. But he didn't have the reaction time of James, who shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

The Slytherin's wand spun out of his hand, and the boys laughed. Snape dived for his wand, and Sirius barked, "Impedimenta!"

Students inched closer, some amused, others apprehensive. Thia frowned, tucking her book into her bag. Her heart was beating hard against her ribs, and she was tense, as if she were the one being attacked.

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

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

Several people watching laughed; Snape was clearly unpopular. Wormtail sniggered shrilly. Snape was trying to get up, but the jinx was still operating on him; he was struggling, as though bound by invisible ropes.

"You — wait," he panted, staring up at James with an expression of purest loathing. "You — wait. . . ."

"Wait for what?" said Sirius coolly. "What're you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?" Snape let out a stream of mixed swearwords and hexes, but his wand being ten feet away nothing happened.

"Wash out your mouth," said James coldly. "Scourgify!"

Pink soap bubbles streamed from Snape's mouth at once; the froth was covering his lips, making him gag, choking him —

"Leave him ALONE!" Thia looked at who had screamed. It was Lily, flanked by two other girls. One was brown haired and blue-eyed, and Thia marked her as Phaerie Scamander, one of Teddy's friends. The other was dark-haired with deep blue eyes. She didn't know who that was.

"All right, Evans?" He smirked. Lily glared.

"Leave him alone," Her voice was deadly, "What's he done to you?"

"Well, it's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean..." The people around James laughed, excluding the three girls, Thia, and Remus, who was intent on his book.

"You think you're funny, but you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone," Lily growled.

"I will if you go out with me, Evans. Go on ... Go out with me, and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again," James cajoled. Thia saw Snape inching toward his wand, laying on the ground a short distance away from him.

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid," Lily spat. The Marauders didn't realize that Snape had grabbed his wand. Thia bit her lip, inching away from the scene so that she was absorbed by the crowd.

"Bad luck, Prongs," Sirius said, turning towards Snape, "OY!"

Snape seized his wand, shooting off a spell towards James, creating a gash along his cheek. In an instant, Snape was hanging upside down in the air, revealing grey underpants and skinny, pallid legs. The crowd cheered. Thia had made it to the outskirts of the people.

"Let him down!" Lily screeched, her angry expression flickering into a smile for a second.

"Certainly," James released the spell, letting Snape crumple to the ground. Springing up, Snape levelled his wand at the Marauders. Sirius beat him to it, saying "Locomotor mortis!"

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Lily screamed, pulling her wand out to point at the Marauders.

"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," James pleaded. Through a gap in the people, Thia saw the raven-haired girl edge out from behind Lily and point her wand at James.

"Put the wand down, Potter," The girl growled. People stared at her, as if they hadn't expected to hear her speak.

"What are you going to do, Barker, cry?" Sirius asked, stepping up beside James.

"I said leave him alone, Potter," Barker snarled, ignoring Sirius. Thia skirted around the crowd so that she was closest to the castle.

"Mmm, I don't think so, Barker," James said, "Not until you lower your wand."

"What, going to attack me? Not exactly the way to get to Lily's heart," she taunted. Thia's eyes widened. She'd never heard someone besides Lily stand up to James like that.

James's jaw tightened, and he opened his mouth to cast a spell. The girl beat him to it, disarming both him and Sirius with nonverbal magic. Then she used James's wand to let Snape down.

"You're lucky Evans and Barker were here to save you, Snivellus," Sirius sneered.

"I don't need help from a filthy little Mudblood and her freak friend!" Snape snarled. Everyone in the crowd stopped and stared. Thia gasped. She might be a first year, but she knew that wasn't a word you should throw around.

"Apologize to Evans!" James roared.

"I don't want you to make him apologize! You're as bad as he is..." Lily yelled at James. He looked appalled.

"What? I'd NEVER call you a - you-know-what!" James cried.

"Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can - I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK." Lily turned on her heel and strode back towards the castle. Her friends followed her.

"Oi! Barker! Give me back my wand!" Sirius yelled. She turned around, putting her hand to her chin and pretending to think.

"Mmm, I don't think so, Black. I believe it's time that I did something about you. I'm sure Professor McGonagall will be thrilled to see you." At the mention of the deputy headmistress, the crowds dispersed, and Thia headed back to the castle, keeping well away from the Marauders.