Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter NOR any of his friends NEITHER any of his enemies. It's hard to admit, but when I'm done with them all, I have to return them to Joanne K. Rowling in an original wrapping and unharmed. I make no money, I mean no harm.
A Choice
James Potter, one of the best students Hogwarts had ever seen - or at least if you believed him - and one of the finest eleven-year-old boys on Earth - same condition - was late. He and his friend, Sirius Black, whom he had met on the Hogwarts Express two months before the day, had been teasing yet another of Gryffindor first-years, one Remus Lupin. This Remus boy was a dull, boring boy, very quiet, still reading some book or another, but there was something about him, something deep and maybe... terrifying? Something that could only be seen if one teased Remus and made him angry and then watched very, very closely before the boy closed up his ire and back away from fight.
So James took on teasing Remus and Sirius, the troublemaker he was, Merlin bless him, followed the suit. Usually, it was just a bit of fun. This time, when they had surprised Remus with a prank curse they had just learnt, Remus had used a very simple shield spell with surprising efficiency, the curse had bounced and hit James squarely in his face. That was why he had had to go to the nearest lavatory to wash his face and why he was now late for the Halloween feast. James rounded the last corner and saw Sirius and Remus waiting for him just above the stairs. He waved at them maniacally and Sirius waved back. Remus looked embarassed at first, but after checking no one else was there to see, he raised his arm, too.
James broke into run. As he was passing an empty classroom, however, he stopped to a halt. There was sound of an argument coming through the door. James beckoned Sirius closer and quietly opened the door.
Inside the classroom, there were two boys facing each other. They didn't notice James at first. One of them was the last Gryffindor first year boy, Peter Pettigrew. The other was Severus Snape, a Slytherin. James didn't know much about him but the moment he had seen him for the first time - the pale, thin face, the ugly nose, the greasy hair, sticky at sight, he had taken immediate disliking to him.
Peter was holding something pressed against his chest. Nothing too big, perhaps just a piece of parchment.
"It's mine!" the small, mousy-looking boy cried.
"No - give it here!" the little Slytherin replied and advanced towards him. Peter slipped out of his reach and took cover behind a desk. "You little..."
"Enough," James said in the most autoritative voice he could manage. It was, in fact, in childish soprano and hardly more than a squeak, but it attracted both boys' attention.
"Keep yourself out of what's not your business," Snape snarled.
"Help me!" Peter squealed pathetically.
"To steal my poe...possessions?"
"Your what?" Somewhat James found it ridiculous that Snape could possess anything worth stealing.
"My things!" Snape corrected. James looked at Peter and felt Sirius move behind him. He stepped further inside the classroom to allow him access. An angry hiss escaped Snape. It was no secret Snape and Sirius hated each other. The source of the hatred, on the other hand, remained a mystery.
"Let me see," said James and held out a hand. But Peter, instead of giving him the parchment, for it was a parchment, held it against a flame of a candle floating nearby.
"I'll kill you!" Once again, Snape lunched forward to attack Peter. Two wands pointed at him and he stopped dead, throwing murderous looks at all of them.
Remus slipped into the classroom, walked around James and Sirius and poked into the ashes that had once been a piece of parchment with his shoe.
"Why did you do it?" he asked Peter. The small boy didn't answer.
For a second, James wanted to turn his wand against Peter. He really wanted to - because deep down, he believed the parchment had belonged to Snape and he knew no one else had the right to destroy it. But before going to Hogwarts he had heard about Slytherins, about their evil notions and dark motives. And he had heard all about good, brave and noble Gryffindors. And Snape was a Slytherin. And Peter a Gryffindor. And James had chosen between Slytherin and Gryffindor.
So James, his wand at ready, stepped between Snape and Peter and let the small Gryffindor run off.
"James," Remus said uncertainly. But James ignored him.
"Leave him alone," he hissed at Snape. "Slytherin." Sirius grabbed Remus' elbow and dragged him out of the classroom. James backed out, knowing Snape to be able to curse him the moment he turned his back at him, and left the Slytherin boy with a sad pile of ashes.
Once at safe distance, James grinned at Peter.
"Stick to us," he advised him. "He won't hurt you that way." Sirius chuckled. Remus said nothing. Peter nodded.
James felt very happy. Once again, he had chosen the good above the evil and was about to reward himself during a marvellous feast.
He couldn't know that in ten years time his choice would bear its fruit.