JK: Eh heh... Well, I finally got around to reading book five, and when I read this part I couldn't help but feel sorry for Snape, so... I wrote this! Eh heh... Don't kill me, okay? I mean... How could you NOT feel sorry for him? He was hung upside down and beat up kinda... he was outnumbered... it was sad... Oh, and just a warning - Snape might be a little OOC 'cause I don't do Snape-type personalities very well... But now I know why he's like that... (sniffle) (spots something on a shelf and eyes go wide and sparkly)

Disclaimer: We do not own-ack! Get off me!

JK: (standing on her disclaimer's head reaching towards shelf) Hold STILL! There's a bat on that shelf and I wanna catch it!

Disclaimer: A... bat... Why does this not surprise me?

JK: I dunno... Now hold still... almost...got it...

Disclaimer: This could get messy, so... We don't own Harry Potter!

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There was a flash of light, and Severus was once again hanging by his ankles in mid-air.

"Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?"

Ah... once again... always the same...

Except...

"Potter!"

A raven-haired girl shoved her way to the center of the crowd, and pushed Sirius and James aside, pulling out her own wand. She mumbled a spell and as Severus fell, she dove. There was a dull thud as Severus landed on the girl's back. She coughed genteelly and turned her head to give him a small smile. He was dazed.

She helped him up while getting up herself and made sure he hadn't gotten hurt on the way down. Once satisfied, she whirled on James and punched him hard enough to knock him backwards a few feet and onto the ground. She smirked. "While I'm sure that Black here enjoys having you remove his pants for him, I highly doubt Severus feels the same way." A few people in the crowd sniggered.

"Get lost, Adams! No one likes a smart mouth." Her smirk widened.

"Oh really, Black? Then why do you have so many friends?" Sirius' face went red as he helped James to his feet. Before they could retaliate, however, Adams had already grabbed Severus's hand and led him out of the circle of students and up towards the castle. By the time Severus snapped out of his daze, he was in the hospital wing, and the girl who had helped him was being ushered out by the nurse.

After a few minutes of being fussed over, he got to leave. He saw the girl being cornered by James and Sirius at the other end of the hall, though Lupin and Wormtail were nowhere to be seen. Severus frowned and started towards them.

Adams' eyes were downcast, but her jaw was set and she stood her ground, as the two boys threw insults and punches at her. She blocked most of them but took a few good hits. One punch was strong enough to send her back into the wall. She winced when her head hit solid stone, but didn't give them the pleasure of hearing her cry out in pain.

And somehow Severus found himself stepping between in front of her, glaring. Adams stared at him.

"Oh look! Snivelly is protecting his little girlfriend," James sneered. Sirius laughed. Adams felt herself blush and forced it down quickly, but not quickly enough to prevent Severus from seeing.

"Well, well, well... It seems that Potter does have a brain after all," she said, with sarcasm dripping off her words like poison - and rather too ambiguously for Severus's liking. James glared. Sirius took a step towards her, but she grabbed Severus's hand and pulled him after her passed Sirius. "Come on, Severus. We've got an O.W.L. to take."

James and Sirius threw insults and jeers after them as they hurried down the hall. Severus, for his part, found his cheeks going a light pink color. Adams, he noted, had still not let go of his hand...

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Disclaimer: (holding ice over a black eye and trying to bandage up a large gash on shoulder) Told you it was gonna get messy...

JK: (beat up worse than disclaimer but glomping the bat) Cute cute cute cute!-!-!-! (sparkly eyed)

Disclaimer: (sweatdrop) Er... So, what did you all think?

JK: R&R or I'll sic my bat on you!