The Marauders: Year Three | #Wattys2016

The Duel in Potions

The Duel in Potions

"Vocalis oves," James Potter whispered, aiming his wand.

"...and you crush the salamander's eye with the edge of your --BBAaAHH... BAH BAHHHHhhhH... BaAAAAAAh..." Severus Snape grabbed onto his throat as suddenly all he could do was bleat like a sheep. He looked quite panicked at first, then, as he realized what was happening, he turned toward James and Sirius, who were laughing hysterically (like most of the rest of the class), "BaAHHhh!" he yelled at them, but the bleating effect continued.

"Finite Incantantum," called Slughorn lazily from the front of the room. He looked around, "Who cast that spell?" he demanded.

"POTTER'S DONE IT!" shouted Snape, pointing.

"I haven't!" James exclaimed, "I haven't even got my wand out!" He'd stowed it away in his bag the moment he'd finished casting the charm. He held his hands up, "Snape's just got it in for me."

"James is just sitting here, taking notes Professor," Sirius added, looking up. He grabbed James's parchment and waved it for Slughorn to see, knowing the lazy old man would never walk all the way across the room to inspect when the last note had been taken... or that they were notes about the class at all. Which they weren't. It was actually a note to Sirius saying he was about to make Snape bleat like a sheep and to watch this. But Sluggy couldn't tell that from the front of the class.

James slipped Sirius a low-five under the desk.

"He is lying," Severus accused.

Remus sighed and stared down at his book, but Lily, who was sitting beside him, was looking gooily at Severus Snape with her paled green eyes. "How could that do that to him?" she whispered ot Remus, "He was giving the correct answer - he's soooo smart. How could they possibly be so mean to him? I ought to hex them --" she started to turn around and Remus caught her arm.

"Why cause more trouble?" he asked.

"Because they're bothering Severus and I love Severus and he doesn't deserve to be treated like this by your bully friends!" Lily cried passionately. Her voice rose above the argument between Severus and James, silencing the whole room a moment. She looked around and flushed as everyone in the room stared at her.

Severus looked at James. "See that, Potter, she loves me, so you might as well bugger off."

James's face was red. "FLIPENDO!" he shouted and Severus was knocked over backwards, with quite a bit of force, right over Evan Rosier's lap and onto the floor beyond, between the two rows of Slytherin desks, then, grabbing his bookbag, he stormed out of the room.

"MR. POTTER!" shouted Slughorn and he struggled to get to his feet, his large girth wobbling as he rushed across the room after James. "MR. POTTER, STOP RIGHT THERE!" his voice echoed out into the hallway and he ducked down the little flight of steps that led up into the Potions classroom and out into the corridor after the boy.

Sirius was smirking down at his parchment as Severus got to his feet, his greasy hair sticking up in an odd angle, and he swiped it down with his palms with an annoyed expression on his face. Lily looked positively raving mad. She rushed over to help Severus up, offering him her hand. "You lot are horrid," she shouted at Sirius, "Look, he's hurt." It was true, Severus had hit his head and it hurt sitting up, so he winced. "Do you need to go to Pomfrey, my love?" she asked turning to him.

Evan Rosier sneered down at Lily as though he was looking at something disgusting, then turned away as she stood up and pulled Severus with her. "C'mon, I'll walk you to Pomfrey's." She looked at Sirius, "You ox!"