The Time Game

the 1st day

"Well, isn't this comfy?" Sirius asked sarcastically, balancing awkwardly on the bathtub rim. The rest of the Marauders were in similar predicaments: Peter had ended up nearly in the sink after trying to imitate Sirius' pose - he was presently in a scrunched position below the sink, having deemed it safer. Remus, being the last to arrive, ended up slouched against the door, while James, as he was the official leader, had claimed by far the most comfortable position in the bathroom: he was imperiously seated on the toilet lid.

James sighed. "Well it's not like we can have one of our usual meetings." Unconsciously he ruffled his hair, the habit so ingrained that he didn't even realize it.

Sirius' scowl deepened, but James went on before he could speak. "So what does everyone think of Harry?"

"Something's wrong with him." James rolled his eyes and pointedly looked at Remus.

Remus shifted uncomfortably. "He seems nice-" he mumbled. The black haired boy across from him snorted. "Honestly I think this meeting is a little, premature. We need to get to know him," he went on tentatively. How could he admit after his little stunt with Sirius that he actually agreed with the other's first impression?

James nodded, but gave Harry his vote. "I like him, but I agree with you Moony. We need to get to know him first."

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"I know it was you Potter," called a somewhat familiar voice. The face the voice belonged to was almost entirely hidden behind thick, rather greasy, black hair.

Harry had turned, his wand raised, an excellent fully formed blue shield separating him from the Slythrins. It was then that Harry remembered he wasn't a Potter.

"Excuse me?" he asked politely, an edge of warning in his voice.

The black hairy face stepped forward, fists clenched. From behind him other scowling faces came forward as well. Snape didn't seem to be the leader of these boys, he was merely the maddest and had been the first to shoot off a curse.

"Snape," Remus's voice intruded. His voice was an attempt at intervention, but there was a definite lack of force behind the words.

"Stay out of this, this is between me and Potter!" the future Potions Master fumed. The other Slytherins seemed more than happy to let their house mate tackle the Marauders. In true Slytherin fashion, they much rather have someone else be fighting their battles.

"Then maybe you should talk to me," James, who had been watching the event from beside Sirius stepped forward and stood beside Harry.

If the hair didn't hide Snape's expression, Harry figured a look of utter disgust must have crossed the Slytherin's face. "Merlin, don't tell me your parents found another way to multiple," scorn dripped from his every word.

Harry could sense the situation devolving. James practically radiated rage. He'd seen this sort of scene in a pensieve once. The enmity between the two was so extreme that it didn't take much to enrage either party. However, Harry had been on the receiving end of a barrage of insults from an adult Severus Snape. His current standards were below average, certainly not enough to produce James's level of rage.

"What's the matter Snivellous, finally take a good look in the mirror and not like what you see? Bout time." James mocking comment and smirk were not helping matters. Harry knew first hand that Severus Snape was not the sort of person who could take a joke.