'Like' is not how I'd describe it, frankly!

[spinnersending]

Hate was a very potent magical ingrediant that led to bad wizards becoming very bad wizards.  The amount of hate in the room was enough to peel wallpaper, if Hogwarts would have had any, and a passing ghost found his spectral clothing about to leak off when he happened to be just a bit too close to the wave if disgust for his unliving comfort.

Serving a detention was not a usual way for Severus Snape to spend his evening.  He was a quiet boy, moreso than most, but sometimes he just could not bottle up his rage well enough to prevent an explosion.  That afternoon had been one such time.  Tired of having spitballs of a decidedly unmagical and far too muggle origin blown into his hair from three rows back, a fed up Severus stood, turned, and literally blew up James Potter's cauldron.

While the majority of the spitballs had been graced upon him by the menace of a turncoat Black rather than Potter, the Slughorn caught the slower of the two in order to give Severus a little bit of 'extra' punishment.  At least, that was how Severus was viewing this whole affair as he shot emotional daggers at his enemy.

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[brawny-prongs.livejournal.com]

Serving detention wasn't how James liked spending his evenings, but it wasn't at all unusual for him. Sirius wound up getting detention more often (because James was better at sweet-talking the professors), but sometimes they served it together. Not this time, though.

James ground his teeth together, trying to ignore the greasy git sitting a little ways away in the Potions classroom. He kept repeating Remus's words from just before he'd gone to detention: ignore him, don't start anything, don't let your temper get the better of you.

Stupid Sirius, James fumed. He'd been the one who'd started shooting spitballs. Remus hadn't contributed, but he certainly hadn't tried very hard to stop him, either. Peter hadn't tried to stop him either, just giggled nervously behind his hand. James, of course, had laughed, especially when Snape had repeatedly swiped at his hair and kept twitching his head, much like a horse trying to rid itself of flies. Sirius had nudged him and silently encouraged him to join the fun. He'd only gotten a couple shots spit out before Snape, in a very uncharacteristically aggressive move, had blown up his cauldron.

What had Sirius done? He'd immediately backed up and put on a completely innocent, shocked face. James had still been standing there in stunned surprise when Slughorn had swooped down, tutting disappointedly and sentenced them both to detention.

"I don't even know why I'm here," James finally muttered, slouched in his seat with his arms crossed sullenly over his chest. "You're the one who blew up my cauldron. I was just the victim."

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Severus sucked on his teeth before he ripped his eyes away from the source of his malcontention. Potter didn't know why he was here? It was a wonder that he even thought of himself as alive. The Gryffindor had his mind in the clouds and, no doubt, been hit by one too many bludgers during Quidditch matches. Well, at least it was something useful to do with his head!

Snickering under his breath, Severus turned back to his work, chopping up ingredients while their 'good natured' professor graded potions.

Slughorn looked up as James spoke and offered him a bemused expression. "It had taken me many years of study, but I have found that, even in the muggle world, a reaction is generally caused by a preemptive action, Mister Potter."

The snicker grew louder from the Slytherin camp across the aisle.

[brawny-prongs.livejournal.com]

James covered all but a hint of his grimace--he hadn't meant Slughorn to hear him. Ignore him, ignore him, he forcefully repeated to himself as he heard Snape snicker.

Putting on his most earnest expression (which worked on pretty much all the professors except Dumbledore and occasionally McGonagall), James spoke. "But I wasn't the one--Sirius was pestering Snape. It was just my misfortune that Sirius was working beside me." And that Snape has lousy aim and hates my guts James added silently. A feeling that is entirely mutual.

Slughorn regarded him intently for a moment, before nodding. "Perhaps that's true, Mister Potter, in which case you wouldn't deserve detention. However, seeing as how you are already here, I suggest you make the most of your time, and work diligently on your potion." He smiled congenially at James before turning back to grading papers.

"Of course, Professor," James murmured. Trying hard to look like he wasn't sulking, James turned back to his ingredients.

After a few moments, he glanced up to make sure Slughorn was engrossed in his papers, then glanced over at Snape. He put one of the small toad's eyes from his ingredients pile on the table, pressed the flat of his cutting knife against it at an angle, and tilted the knife down, deftly shooting it right at Snape.

[spinnersending.livejournal.com]

The eye bounced right off of the edge of his nose before Severus even knew what hit him and he blinked in indignation, stabbing it ruthlessly with the nib of his quill. Oh, if only it was one Potter's eyes instead of a lowly toad! On second thought, that toad was against a good substitute.

The problem with so thoroughly impaling the eye, however, was in being able to get it off again. Severus glanced at the offending organ on the end of his favorite -- and only -- quill before he shot another death glare at Potter.

Two could play at this game! Severus's pranks ended up being a bit less amusing and harmless and quite a lot more sadistic. The corners of his pale lips turned up as the eyes on Potter's desk all started to erupt, sending flecks of juice and other gory unmentionables all over his hands and the underside of his chin.

[brawny-prongs.livejournal.com]

It had been quite funny when the eye hit Snape's nose. It is a rather large target, James thought gleefully. He watched Snape's reaction, then had to choke back a laugh as the other boy tried to get the eye off his quill.

He was unprepared for Snape's retaliation, unfortunately. James froze as eyeball ick splattered over his front. It wasn't a very large amount, as he hadn't had too many eyes to begin with and they were very small, but still--James began wiping the backs of his hands off, before hurriedly using the sleeves of his robe to wipe his chin and neck, as the viscous fluid began to slide down into the neck of his robes.

"Mister Potter, what on earth happened?" Slughorn called in curious concern from his desk.

James rolled his eyes, but hid it by glancing down as he wiped his hands some more. "Ingredients mishap, Professor. I think the toad eyes might be off." Slughorn's rebuke from earlier was the only thing that kept James from ratting Snape out. If he told, he'd also have to admit that this time, he had started it.

Bloody Slytherin git, James fumed. When Slughorn wasn't looking, he mouthed at Snape, 'This isn't over, Snivellus.'

[spinnersending.livejournal.com]

The slimey little smile that Severus gave off was telling enough. When the Marauders were alone, they were mostly manageable. Minus Black, but that turncoat was more dense in his knuckles than he was in brain power most of the time. Severus refused to accept that the solidly build Gryffindor 'watchdog' managed to get into advanced classes with the rest of them on merit alone. He probably threatened a professor or three!

Smoldering eyes the color of onyx did more Potter-watching than actual work, though Severus was at home in the potions room. He was an expert, quite without meaning to be, at ingredient preparation. It was in his blood.

The half he actually considered worthy of mention.

As his father invaded his thoughts, Severus finally let Potter go, gaze returning to the work at hand, and the next hour of dentention was completely without incident.

"Blimey, look at the time! You and you, stay where you are. I shall return momentarily." Whereever Slughorn was going, 'momentarily' was not the word for it. Not with the way he managed to clean himself off, a flick of the wand right into finery.

The moment he was gone, Severus made sure to keep his eyes to himself. Otherwise, he might just find himself attempting to use the spells he'd jotted in his textbook.