Disclaimer: All recognizable characters, places, spells, and such are the creative belongings to JK Rowling.

Warnings: This story is a slash fic between James and Severus, meaning that it is male-on-male love. It's rated M for later chapters in which certain scenes may be-- or may not be-- graphic. James can be seen as the dark, little shit sometimes, and Snape is-- Well, hopefully just Snape. I have twisted JK's canon to suit my sad need to have an angst/ romance story, so if all that isn't your cup of tea, please don't read.

To those of you who will read, I welcome all opinions, comments, reviews, and ect…

Now onward!

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Prologue: Creatures of Habit

It doesn't take much to make him balk. A flick of my wand, a choice curse, and then he knows. That is how it has been, how it will always be.

But sometimes, he forgets, and I have to remind him once more.

I caught him looking at her again. My Lily. His black eyes were on her again, staring, dark, and… gleaming. I feel something grow taught in me because he has no right. How dare he?

Lily is mine. Her red hair, her sparkling green eyes, her tight mouth when she's disapproving of me… again-- They're all mine.

And he can't look at her.

I stalk up behind him-- I leave Sirius, so he can entertain the masses for a bit-- coming around the tree he's been sitting at. The tree he always sits at so he can have a perfect view of my Lily. And he thinks I don't know.

I'm getting angrier with every step I take. He's so transfixed by her that he doesn't sense me. Normally his paranoia would have sent him whirling on me already, wand in hand, an evil, dark art curse already formulated in his conniving brain for such occasions. They do happen quite often…

But he doesn't notice me.

A twig snaps under my headless, vengeful feet, but still he is relaxed, unaware of my pursuit of him.

How dare he?!

I glance up to where I know my love is. I see her red hair billowing behind her like an almost translucent ribbon caught by the wind. How I love her. She smiles, and I swear from even where I'm standing, I can see light sparkling off her cheeks.

And he's noticing, too.

Something in me wants to spit on him here, but that would be unworthy of the Gryffindor I am. So would be attacking him from behind. I'll give him a fair chance.

"Bewitched are we, Snivellus?" I'm surprised I managed to sound as cool as that, despite the anger flaming inside me. I'm so sick of him watching her!

His back doesn't even tense before he's spun around, wand flexed out towards me. However, I'm too quick for him. I've always been too quick for him.

"Expelliarmus," I say easily, the spell reflexive to me. His wand goes soaring behind him, lost to the trees. It's a shame it didn't land in the lake right next to us. I know I would have relished to see the lake squid snap it in two. Ah well…

His dark eyes that had been so hazy when watching my Lily are now narrowed, pointed, and blacker than usual. I smirk. His eyes slit even further, and I know his mind is working out how to disarm me. He knows what my purpose right then and there is. But really, he should know better by now.

I look off past him to show that even with my attention averted, he doesn't worry me in the least. My wand is aimed right at his throat, so he doesn't budge. Instead, he looks out of the corner of his eye to see what I'm looking at. His eyes widen only slightly, almost imperceptibly.

I'm watching Lily giggling with one of friends. She's so wonderful that she doesn't even understand how much more glorious she is compared to all the other girls. And she's mine.

I look back at Snivellus, hard. My jaw is tight, I can feel that, and I only hope it adds to my seriousness. He looks at me, and I know he knows that I know what he was doing.

Yes, and the look in his eyes almost makes me smile.

"You really shouldn't, you know," I say casually. "It'll do you no good." It's like I'm being concerning, warning this little dark Slytherin against his lacking judgment. But I'm not. I'm warning him to stay away, to not taint what's mine with his darkness that fouls up everything--

"I'm astounded you've managed to even feign worry for another," he says coolly as he observes me with his obsidian eyes. I hate that. I hate how he doesn't yet understand the situation he's in, though he should. "Then again," he eyes shift to look beside him, "that's really not unlike you." I feel myself simmering with rage, but I remain calm.

"Come now, Snivellus. Think you know me?" I flick my wand blithely, and I notice him tense at it. He's not looking at me. He's too anxious about my wand, so I let myself smile.

"I can understand your aspirations, Potter," he says evenly. "But it must be difficult for you--" His tone is so mocking-- "to cover up all that scheming." For a moment, I blank. I don't understand what he's implying. But then I do and focus on that he just called me a…

"Petrificus Totalus," I spell. His body locks together, legs snap close, arms pulled to his sides, and he freezes. Good. I want him to shut it. He needs to shut it. He needs to know his place. I inch just a little close, dropping my voice as I speak. "Now, now Snivelly… I know you weren't just insulting me by calling me a Slytherin, were you?" My wand is so close to that pallid throat of his, and I imagine his neck quivering in fear from the proximity to it. I wait patiently for him to speak, knowing he can't. I feel myself grinning. "I didn't think so. If so, no doubt I would have lost my breakfast." I laugh heartily, and I see his beetle-black eyes tapering into mere slits.

"Leave her alone, Snivellus," I say darkly. His eyes are blank, and the anger rises in me just a hair. "Quit tailing her like the disgusting shadow you are." It's very much a command. I let the threats remain unsaid, but I know he can hear them underlying my words. I smile. It's unassuming, disarming… the smile I use with all the oblivious teachers. It works wonders.

He merely looks at me, and I tell myself that's all he can do, though. I press my wand just under the junction of his jaw and neck just barely, still smiling. Then I hear my Lily's laughter carried over to me like a well needed breath. I turn and leave Snivellus there.

The curse will wear off… in a couple of hours. Best to let him think about what he's done.

The heat is low with the setting sun as I walk. I run a hand through my hair and fix my glasses.

"Hello, Evans," I say. Lily turns and smiles at me, and I forget all about the shadow locked under the day. Such is the routine.