the_debt_of_time

"We're not threatening," James said. "We're returning the favour. You lot hexed
Frank first, without reason, too."
"Longbottom?" Snape drawled, rolling his eyes. "As if we'd need a reason. He hexes
himself by accident twice a day."
"Get bent, Snivellus!" Sirius growled.
Snape's words were laced with sarcasm as he shot back, "Clever retort, Black."
"I'm serious," Mia told Amycus, and she watched closely as his hand hovered over
the side of his robes. She could feel Remus right at her back, his breath on her neck and
his hand on her shoulder. Without turning to look, she could not tell if he were trying to
hold her back or stop himself from attacking. "You pull a wand on any of us again, and
you'll regret it."
James glowered. "Forget wands, one more word.. ."
"Just one?" Snape's upper lip curled. "Surely you can count higher than that."
And, just like that, Sirius lunged over the top of the Slytherin table.
In all likelihood, the fight lasted for less than a full minute. Wands were drawn,
though Sirius was more than happy to handle things "the Muggle way," as he so liked to
call it when he threatened physical violence. Advanced hexes were thrown from the
Slytherins; Mia, being fully developed in her magic, tried to non-verbally counter the spells
without drawing attention to herself. Unfortunately, it was when Frank got involved that
things went completely south.
The problem was that the only charm Frank Longbottom had properly mastered
was a Wand-Lighting Charm, which would not have been helpful in the fight anyway. But
instead of saying "Lumos," like he meant to, Frank flicked his wand forward and said
"Fumos," accidentally casting a smokescreen spell.
A defensive cloud of smoke poured out of Frank's wand, covering the fight
completely. Unable to see and aim wands properly, the Slytherins made to retreat, but the
Gryffindors followed Sirius's example and went "full Muggle."
When Professor McGonagall stormed into the Great Hall and cleared the air of the
smokescreen, she was left with four Slytherins and four Gryffindors on the ground. Sirius
had Snape by the collar on the floor. James was struggling against Alecto Carrow and Elora
Zabini—who were pulling at his hair—refusing to hit either of the girls. Remus pinned
Amycus against the back wall, his forearm to the Slytherin's throat. He growled as he held