"Now You Know"
The hot September sun was glaring through the windows of the castle, making the corridors an unpleasantly warm place to be. Students fanned themselves with pieces of parchment and their hands, sweating as they dashed from class to class. Even the very floors of the school were warm to the touch. Some students had even gone to such lengths as to take off their shoes and socks and run around barefoot.
Three fifth year boys hurried through the masses of overheated students, attracting many puzzled looks as they passed. The boys were not strangers to attention, and on most days would actively seek it out, but on this particular day they were trying to be discrete. From the mutterings they attracted, it seemed they were failing.
"You know, I think you may be able to pass it off as a beard. Your hair's black anyway…" the brown haired member of the group said, peering at his heavily dressed companion.
"And how am I supposed to explain how I grew a full beard between breakfast and now?" said the boy, readjusting the ski mask on his head and pulling his cloak tighter around himself. The third boy, who had been trying to hold himself back, finally burst into hysterics
"Plus, how's he supposed to explain what happened to his ears?" he managed to splutter as tears rolled down his cheeks, his body shaking with the force of his laughter.
"Thanks a lot James, that's very helpful," He touched his hand gingerly to the sides of the mask. He rounded on the brown haired boy. "Remus, this is the part where you're supposed to find an upshot to this whole situation." Remus put his hand to his chin, looking thoughtful.
"Well, you do know what animal you'll become." He answered, lowering his voice to a faint whisper. "You don't have to wonder anymore. James should be jealous." He glared at the other boy, whose laughter had finally died down. James contorted his face into a look of utmost sincerity.
"You are so lucky." On the word lucky, truthful façade had vanished. His face broke into a lopsided grin as his best friend glared at him.
"Try telling that to Pete. He'll sock you. That is, if he ever manages to get back to his normal height."
"See! His predicament is so much worse than yours. Stop feeling sorry for yourself!"
"Not as bad! At least he doesn't have a tail!"
Remus was ignoring the arguing of his two friends, his mind wandering.
"We know he's something small." He muttered, causing James and Sirius to round on him. "Maybe a bird or something…"
"What do you reckon I'll be?" asked James, a dreamy look passing over his face.
"A Dung beetle," retorted Remus, glancing at his watch. "We need to hurry; we're going to be late for Charms." James ran away, stopped and looked back at Sirius.
"Come on! Come on doggy!" he taunted. Sirius, a murderous gleam in his eye, dropped his bag and started to chase after James.
"I always knew this animagus thing was a bad idea," thought Remus. He picked up Sirius's fallen bag, slinging over his own shoulder and, with a sigh, he started to follow his two friends down the corridor.