Sunlight danced over her bed as Lily awoke on Sunday morning. Keeping her eyes firmly shut, she focused on the peace that was running though her. Ever since she was a little girl, she had been able to find peace on Sunday mornings in that brief moment between her body awakening and her mind following. Today was no exception; it felt nice to just lie in bed, with nowhere to go and nothing to do, just focusing on her irrational peace.
Unfortunately, her peace was rather short lived as memories of the previous day came back to her as her mind woke up.
Humiliation seemed to be the word of the day. The humiliation of being caught doing a weird striptease followed the humiliation of being shoved into the shower (Lily refused to admit to herself that she enjoyed it). For more humiliation, Sirius had even waited outside the bathroom for her to finish.
Then, the most humiliating of all, Sirius had unnecessarily dragged her to the Hospital Wing, where Madame Pomfrey had fussed over her for an hour, with Sirius looming in the background.
“What seems to be the problem, dearie?” Madame Pomfrey asked Lily kindly as Sirius shoved her into the Hospital Wing.
Before Lily could answer Sirius had already cut in, “I’m worried someone has cast some sort of spell on him- he’s not acting normal.” Lily opened her mouth to protest, but Sirius shot her a warning glance.
“What’s he been doing?” Madame Pomfrey asked, this time ignoring Lily completely and speaking to the annoying boy beside her.
“Just stuff that’s really out of character; to start off with he started listening in class which is a little weird. Then, he didn’t shower for a few days or even change his clothes. I mean, usually he is the one bugging all of us on personal hygiene. Weirder still, he suddenly didn’t get along with the love of his life and he actually stopped her taking off her shirt!” Sirius shot an offended look at Lily as though this was a serious crime.
“Anyway,” he continued, “before I had a chance to figure out what was wrong, he was dancing to some strange Muggle song in front of the mirror…” Madame Pomfrey was silent during Sirius’ explanation, but had began walking around Lily, tapping her with her wand.
“Hmm,” she murmured, “there is some sort of magic residue on him,” Lily held her breath, “but nothing I can exactly pinpoint. Maybe some sort of love potion gone wrong?” She addressed the question to Sirius as though no-one else was in the room. Neither noticed Lily’s soft sigh of relief. Her secret was safe for now.
“That would make sense “” Sirius agreed, “he does have this weird admirer in 6th year…” Sirius cast a spectatory eye over Lily.
“Hopefully it will wear off soon, keep and eye on him and get back to me if he keeps acting strange…”
Lily returned back to the present, but refused to open her eyes. Sirius hadn’t given her one minute to herself since their visit to the Hospital Wing. He obviously took Madame Pomfrey’s words close to heart. Either that or he actually cared about James and was worried about him. Why, Lily had no idea, but it seemed a plausible explanation.
Realising there was actually a chance she would have to do something today, Lily finally opened her eyes, scanned the room and blessed her good luck. Sirius was nowhere to be seen and the rest of the boys had already left. The only other living thing in the dormitory was a rather large, shaggy black dog on Sirius’ bed.
Lily sat up and examined the dog further, she didn’t think she had ever seen it before. Snoring softly, it’s huge chest rose and fell in a calm rhythm. Occasionally it would kick out in its sleep, as though it was dreaming. She never knew Sirius had a dog and wondered why he never showed it off before, it was gorgeous. Lily slowly walked over to the bed to examine the dog further. It was larger than she had first imagined, with silky black fur and large, soft looking paws. Not wanting to wake the animal, she began to back out of the room, but the dog must have heard her, because it slowly opened its eyes to give her a beady glance.
Lily’s heart melted, the dog was adorable. She began to pat the dog, who “ did it just roll its eyes? Dismissing the thought, Lily continued to pat the dog absentmindedly. “You’re such a good doggy,” she cooed. The dog nodded as if it understood her and was playing along to some strange joke. “I bet you’re a good listener too,” she murmured to herself. Before she knew what she was doing, she found herself spilling her thoughts to the dog.
“It’s just all so confusing, I feel like I’m having an identity crisis. It’s all Lily this, James that, when it should be the other way round!” The dog sat up to face her, as though it was pleased. “I can’t even make sense of it anymore,” she continued, “it’s not like I was doing anything that bad! Why did the bloody potion have to go and ruin everything!”
The dog gave her a disgruntled, but unfazed look. Before Lily had a chance to process this thought, the dog jumped of the bed and morphed into Sirius Black.
“Thank Merlin, you’re obsessing over Lily again. I thought you’d never get back to normal.” He paused to think, “So you think it was a potion after all…”
Lily very nearly fainted. One rational thought held her in her place. There was no way on earth James would not know that his best friend was an Animagus, so Lily could not make a scene. Either way, she couldn’t believe it, but she tried not to let her shock show.
Sirius Black can transform into a big black dog. Her mind was spinning at a million miles an hour when a thought suddenly hit her.
“Padfoot. Now that makes sense,” Lily blurted out. How many times had she pondered their nicknames? She mulled the other names over in her head; Moony, Wormtail and Prongs. Could they all have some sort of hidden meaning?
“What makes sense? What are you on about?” Sirius gave her an odd look. He was too perceptive for his own good when it came to James.
“Er,” Lily tried to think of an excuse for her odd behaviour, “I was just thinking about how clever your nickname is. Who thought of it again?”
“Never miss a change to gloat do you, you Moronic Moose.” Sirius smiled. Obviously she had said the right thing, what James would have done.
“What?” Hold on, what had he called her?
“Don’t play dumb you antlered idiot. ‘Who thought of it again?’” He punched Lily affectionately on the shoulder, “If you recall correctly, while you came up with the actual nicknames, it was my idea to create them around our animals.” Lily looked up shocked. Could it be true? Sirius continued talking, “Anyway, you’re obsessing over Lily and subtly bragging over your clever nicknaming skills. It’s good to have you back.” He slapped Lily on the shoulder, but she hardly noticed. She needed answers that she couldn’t ask Sirius without giving away her identity.
“Speaking of, um, Lily. I have to find her. We have, um, Head Duty,” she improvised before running out of the room.
“And now he has randomly rushed off to find Lily,” Sirius murmured to himself, “thank goodness, my life is back to normal.”
“You stop!”
“No, you stop!”
“I can’t believe he would say that to you!”
“Get out!” James interrupted. He was sitting in the common room, surrounded by a pack of girls. They were all gossiping about some Ravenclaw boy who had been ‘flirting’ with lots of girls. Apparently this was considered very scandalous. James chuckled to himself, even the word scandalous was great. James couldn’t remember the last time he had this much fun. Why didn’t guys do this again?
“So anyway, what was Rodger like at kissing?” A girl called Rebecca changed the subject and it took a few seconds before James realised she was talking to him.
“Horrible.” All the girls laughed, and James faked a huge sigh, “I don’t know what on earth possessed me to go out with him. He’s not even that attractive.”
“You know who would be really good?” A blonde girl who’s name was Janelle interrupted, “Sirius Black!” This made James laugh even harder. How many years had girls been fantasying about them behind their backs with them completely oblivious? Once again, he realised that the girls were expecting a comment from him. He had always respected Lily, and it pleased him to realise just how much the rest of the girls in Gryffindor did too.
“Really, do you think so?” James commented, trying to appear casual. “I’d rather kiss Remus.” He laughed at his own private joke. Remus and Sirius would have to be the last people on earth he would ever consider kissing. Well, maybe Peter…
“What about James, he’s so devilishly handsome,” interrupted a petite brunet, who had suddenly joined the conversation. James recognised her as Lauren Nertick, a girl from sixth year who always seemed to appear next to him at the most random of times. James shuddered, she’d probably be about as equal as Sirius on his list. It wasn’t that she was unattractive, it was just her personality that was a major turn off.
“Here comes the handsome devil,” James called out as he saw Lily approaching. It annoyed him to notice that Lauren also sat up straight, what was she playing at?
“Lily, we have head duty.” Lily seemed a little on the edge, but he didn’t want to leave the girls just yet. Not when he was having this much fun.
“Er, do we? Can it wait? I was just having a conversation with the girls here?”
“You’re only gossiping, it can’t be that interesting. Come on!”
“James!” James moaned in anguish, “I’m enjoying myself."
Lily, ignoring his pleas, grabbed him arm and stormed out from the common room.
“Where are we going, Lily?” James cried, annoyed, when they rounded yet another corner. “Are we even actually going on Head Duty?”
“No,” Lily replied curtly, “we are finding somewhere to talk in private.” With that, she yanked open the door of a broom cupboard and pulled James in after her.
“Why a broom closet?” James asked. In his opinion broom closets were used for two reasons only; hiding and making out. Although at any other time James would have loved to have been alone in broom closet with Lily, her being in his body wasn’t exactly one of the situations he had imagined.
“You have some explaining to do,” Lily stated clearly. She obviously was expecting a long answer, because she sat down on an upturned bucket.
“Er, why?” James asked confused, but he followed her lead, sitting down on an empty box.
“Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs,” she spoke in a clear voice, emphasising the last word. “Do these names mean anything to you?”
“Er… That would be my friend’s nicknames?” James ventured slowing, hoping that she didn’t know any other details.
“I think you misunderstood me,” Lily said in a business like tone, “what do those names mean to you? Why do you call yourself Prongs. In fact, why are all your nicknames derived from animals?”
“Because we’re nature experts?”
“That would make sense, seeing as you like to keep big black dogs in your dormitory. No wait, I’m sorry, that just happened to be Sirius Black., Lily spat sarcastically as James gulped. They both sat in silence, waiting for the other to speak. Finally, barely more audible than a whisper, Lily asked the question that James was dreading, “Are you an Animagus, too?”
James face went completely blank, answering her question.
“But that’s crazy!” There was nothing quiet about Lily’s voice now, “Not only is it illegal to be unregistered, but you have to be at least of age before you attempt it! The way Sirius was talking, it sounds like you have been Animagi for years!”
“Since fifth year.”
“Since when?!”
“Just hear me out, okay?” James pleaded.
“Hear you out, you Moronic Moose! What do you mean hear you out?” yelled Lily.
“I mean I want you to hear me out before you go crazy!” James yelled back, “And I’m not a moose, I’m a stag,” he alleged, with such an air of one who had been greatly insulted that Lily just had to laugh.
“Okay, you stupid stag,” she said in a much calmer voice, “I was just using Sirius’ expression.” She sighed, “Why did you four decide to become Animagus?”
“The three of us and it’s a long story. I will tell you, but I want you to swear to me you will never tell another soul about it. This isn’t just about me, but also my friends. I also want you to keep your mind open and promise me what I tell you will not affect your judgement about certain people.”
“Okay.”
For almost an hour they sat in the broom cupboard while James talked and talked. He told Lily about how they had all become friends during their first year, and how at first Remus had been really shy. He spoke of how Remus had gained confidence throughout the year and was really starting to come out of his shell. However, he often missed school, citing problems at home and with his heath as the cause. James talked of how at first they had believed what he said about all the times he went away but eventually they became distrustful and it began to drive a hole through their friendship. Remus refused to tell them what was happening, and they had a big fight on the train home at the end of first year.
He told Lily how it was Sirius who figured it out first. He was in a detention for Defence against the Dark Arts, on the second day of their second year. It was his job to copy out Dark Creature profiles that had been damaged. As soon as he read the werewolf card, he knew what Remus was. James also told Lily how Sirius had come to tell him and Peter straight away, and they had gone to find Remus together. James told her all about the confrontation with Remus and how shocked he was when he realised that his friends didn’t care, and that they would all still accept him.
He told her of Remus’ explanations of how horrifying it was to be a werewolf, and how he was completely alone. He told of how they longed to help him, but had no idea what to do.
James then told Lily how barely a month after they had found out about Remus, he came up with the idea of becoming Animagus. If they couldn’t keep him company as human beings, why not try as animals? Secretly they smuggled small animals into the Shrieking Shack to see how Remus would react. He didn’t attack any of them. Even bigger animals he had no problem with.
He told her of their plan, how they set out finding all they could about turning into animals. For three years they spent hours and hours looking up books and practising spells. James told Lily of the frustration they all felt, and the sorrow of seeing Remus suffer through month after month alone, with no-one to help him.
James told how finally, just a few weeks into fifth year, Sirius achieved his goal. He described the feelings of elation and triumph when barely minutes after Sirius, he transformed into a stag for the very first time. It wasn’t until two weeks after that, with a lot of help, that Peter was finally able to transform.
James described the almost immediate effect the presence of his best friends had on Remus. Being a werewolf became much more bearable, almost like he could keep his human mind. He told of their wanderings around school, learning all about the grounds. He told them how they had learned details of the school that no-one else knew. He told them how they had nicknames themselves the Marauders and they had created a Map, documenting what they knew. Eventually his voice wavered off and he stared at Lily waiting for a reaction.
Lily was amazed. Could it be possible? James and his friends, who she had always seen as arrogant, little toerags, had gone to huge lengths to make someone’s life much more bearable? True, they had broken huge amounts of school rules, plus a fair few wizarding laws, but they were unselfish and caring. A new image of James formed in her mind. The new James was strong, brave and would do anything for his friends. He was smart enough to attempt very advanced wizarding magic, yet modest enough to keep the secret between only those it concerned.
She didn’t even realise James was speaking until he began tapping her on the shoulder. “Er, Lily…” he said, obviously trying to gauge her reaction.
“You are a surprising boy, James Potter, I’ll give you that.” A smile spread across James’ face. It felt so good that she knew. The secret brought them closer in an odd sort of way. Well that’s how it felt to James anyway. She tilted her chin forward in thought, “Remus is lucky to have such wonderful friends.”
“We all are. We are all lucky to have each other.” He smiled and put his small hand over his chest in a mock salute. When he moved his hand, his finger caught on a chain around his neck, pulling a small locket above his robes. Lily grabbed the chain, pulling it and James towards her.
“Where did you get this?” she demanded, holding the small heart shaped pendent in her hand.
“I found it among your jewellery when I was… er… Searching for something to wear.”
“Oh,” she murmured, not looking him in the face, “I’d prefer if you didn’t wear it.”
“But-”
Before James could finish his question, a stream of sunlight burst into the cupboard. James and Lily turned, dazzled, to the intruder who they were unable to see amongst the light. The impostor could see them though. He took in the image before him, James Potter and Lily Evens were sitting in a broom cupboard, in very close proximity. Potter’s hand was clasping a necklace around Lily’s neck and they both looked a little bit dishevelled. His face turned very red and anger built up inside him.
“GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY GIRLFRIEND, JAMES POTTER, AND COME OUT AND FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN!”
With an enraged shout, Rodger pulled Lily out of cupboard and into the corridor, where a crowd was beginning to gather…