Snape and James stormed out of the library, fury radiating off them like heat from a cauldron on full boil. Ren lingered behind, arms crossed, weighing her options. Getting involved in their nonsense wasn't on her agenda. She had better things to do than mediate two egos colliding. Still, she couldn't help but feel the tension in the air, something volatile was brewing.
Before she could even decide to slip away, Sirius turned on his heel, eyes glinting with mischief. "You're in this too, Nipper," he muttered, grabbing her arm and dragging her along.
Ren yanked against his grip but didn't bother arguing. There was no winning with people like Sirius, his entire personality was powered by chaos and impulse.
The grounds were cloaked in snow, the white blanket reflecting the sunlight. Their breaths puffed into the air like smoke from a dragon's nostrils. Word of a fight spread faster than Filch on a rampage, and by the time they reached the clearing near the frozen lake, a small crowd had already begun to form. Students pressed close together, whispering eagerly, hungry for the kind of drama that only James Potter and Severus Snape could provide.
The two boys stood about fifteen feet apart, wands drawn, eyes locked in mutual loathing. Snape's face was drawn tight, a deep scowl twisting his features. James, on the other hand, wore that maddeningly smug grin that screamed I know I'm better than you.
Ren hung back, ten feet behind Sirius, who seemed perfectly content to enjoy the spectacle. He had his hands stuffed in his pockets and a bag of something that suspiciously looked like Honeydukes fudge. He was eating as if it were a Quidditch match.
"Never ready, Snivellus?" James taunted, tilting his wand lazily.
Snape's response was instantaneous. A flash of light erupted from his wand, zipping through the frosty air. The curse hit James squarely in the shoulder, knocking him off balance for a heartbeat before he countered effortlessly. With a flick and a grin, James retaliated, sending a jet of golden light whistling toward Snape.
The crowd gasped, then cheered. A duel between them was practically Hogwarts entertainment at this point, and the onlookers were eating it up. Spells shot back and forth like fireworks, sparks bouncing off the snow. Snape staggered once, barely blocking a hex, while James ducked low and returned with a charm that singed Snape's sleeve.
Ren exhaled sharply, watching them exchange hexes as if their grades depended on it. Her irritation deepened every second. Sirius, meanwhile, was having the time of his life. He leaned toward her with a smirk, offering whatever he was eating. She waved him off with a look that said I will hex you if you speak.
But the air crackled again, and before Ren could blink, a wild curse went astray, one neither Snape nor James had aimed properly. It shot straight across the clearing, slicing through the cold air with a sharp hiss. Ren, too busy glaring at Sirius to notice, didn't see it coming.
The impact was brutal. The spell hit her square in the chest, throwing her backward. She landed hard in the snow, the breath knocked clean out of her lungs. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Sirius's laughter stopped mid-snort. James froze mid-step. Even Snape's wand faltered, his face blanching in shock.
"Bloody hell," someone whispered.
James lowered his wand and took a cautious step forward. "Kazuki?" His voice was uncertain now, stripped of arrogance. The spell hadn't been meant for her, and the thought that he—or Snape—might have hurt her twisted his stomach, he hoped it was Snape's.
She didn't move for a long moment. Then, slowly, Ren coughed—once, twice—and pushed herself upright. Her eyes, normally a dull shade of red-brown, flared vividly now. The color surged back into her face, but it wasn't the gentle flush of recovery—it was anger, sharp and alive.
James took an involuntary step back. There was something in her stare that made the hair at the back of his neck stand.
"Bloody moron," she muttered hoarsely, brushing the snow off her robes.
Then she raised her wand, a fierce determination burning in her gaze. With a sharp flick, she sent a stunning spell at James. He barely blocked it, his reflexes saving him by inches. Another curse followed, faster, stronger, and he had to duck to avoid getting hit full-on.
Snape, who had been watching with a dark kind of satisfaction, actually smirked. "About time," he muttered under his breath, clearly amused to see Potter on the defensive.
Ren wasn't holding back. Her movements grew sharper with every spell, her anger lending her precision. James countered, but she was quicker, driving him backward step by step. The snow beneath their feet churned and sprayed as they dueled.
Sirius blinked, half shocked and half delighted. "Didn't see that coming," he muttered, then noticed Snape creeping behind James, wand raised and ready.
Before Snape could strike, a blast of blue light struck his side, sending him stumbling. He whipped around furiously to see Sirius standing there, wand out, smirking like he'd just caught a snitch.
"Cowardly tactics, Snivellus," Sirius clicked his tongue mockingly. "At least fight fair."
Snape's lips curled. "Coming from you, that's rich."
He straightened, his wand ready again, and this time the duel split in two—Snape versus Sirius, Ren versus James. The air shimmered with energy, curses flying in arcs of red, blue, and gold. Snow exploded where spells missed their targets, filling the air with shimmering ice dust.
Students roared, clapping, cheering, some ducking as stray sparks zoomed past. What had begun as a petty insult had turned into an all-out spectacle—two duels raging side by side, each more intense than the other.
Peter Pettigrew stood at the edge of the crowd, eyes wide and a half-eaten licorice wand dangling from his hand. "Oh no," he whispered, looking from one fight to another. The chaos, the shouting, the magic sizzling, it was too much. Muttering something about not wanting detention again, he turned and bolted back toward the castle.
Meanwhile, Ren was still holding her ground, her breathing ragged but steady, wand arm unwavering. James, caught between defending and apologizing, found himself oddly impressed. Snape and Sirius, locked in their own furious exchange, barely noticed as the crowd pressed closer, hungry for more.