Many Years Before
Theme 39: Sectumsempra


"GIVE THAT BACK!"

The furious voice was Snape's, and it thundered across the ground. James grinned and shook his head - in one hand he held his opponent's wand and, in the other, the book Severus had been reading.

The book, James had had little interest in, when he had been at a good distance - but then he arrived, and the latter had tried to stow the textbook out of sight in such a hurry, James's curiosity had taken the better of him and he had snatched it. The robbed-of-book Slytherin was now glaring at him from two feet away; James ignored him.

"What d'you reckon it is?" he asked Sirius, dusting the cover and flipping open a page. It took him a moment to realize it was only their standard, potions book: the familiar type; the well-known ingredients. At the top of the page they had opened were scribbled the words, "Sectumsempra; for enemies," but, in their disappointment, both of the boys missed this.

"This is dull, Snivellus, real dull," James said and, rolling his eyes, he tossed the book back at Snape, who caught it with a relief neither of them noticed.