James wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep, but it was Evans who found him slumped over Darius Llewellyn's Advanced Transfiguration of the Magical Body.
"Potter. Get up. First period's about to start, and you're in my spot." She kicked his leg firmly.
Several hours, then. All night? James jerked up, knocking his possessions to the floor loudly.
"Damn," he gasped, shoving his glasses up into a less-askew position. "Evans? Wha—where—damn." He scrambled sideways out of his seat. "What time is it?"
Evans narrowed her eyes slightly, and shrugged. "Almost eight." She saw his book on the ground, and stooped to pick it up. "Advanced Transfiguration of the Magical Body? What are you doing with this?" She balanced her things on one hip, and squinted at the title suspiciously.
"Extra credit for McGonagall," James lied with a splutter, his head spinning. "Give me that!" He fumbled the book out of her hands, and dumped it unceremoniously into his bag.
"Like you need extra credit in that class," Evans snapped. She threw her books onto the table with a bang!
"Jealous, Evans?" James grinned, and winked at her before sprinting away. He wished he could have stayed to see her typical aghast expression she reserved for dealing with him or Sirius, but apparently he was about to miss Transfiguration.
Great. Just great. He stumbled into the classroom seconds after his name rang out.
"Present!" he gasped, and McGonagall glared up at him piercingly.
"Late, Mr. Potter."
"Sorry, Professor," he apologized meekly. "I stayed up late reading Darius Llewellyn, and fell asleep in the library."
McGonagall gave him a stare, and James had a sinking feeling he'd chosen the wrong teacher to schmooze today. "I see. Well, Potter, since you seem to be vastly interested in Animagi, I suggest you stay after class to speak with me. I assure you, I am well-versed in the subject."
It wasn't a suggestion. He slunk to his desk next to Sirius, who was curled up in his seat, biting his fist to keep from laughing. There were even a few tears leaking out of the corners of his eyes.
"Shut it," James warned crossly. Sirius' shoulders shook.
Halfway through lecture, Sirius had finally gained control of himself. "You fell asleep in the library? Are you serious?"
James ignored him. Transfiguration was one of two classes he actually tried in, the other being Charms. He scribbled quickly as McGonagall demonstrated how to turn a quill and inkwell into a fountain pen.
"God, were you sitting in Evans' spot again?"
James reddened, and Sirius, unfortunately, noticed.
"You were? Oh, my god. She studies in there first period… were you drooling when she found you, Prongs?" Sirius made a kissing face, ducking down when McGonagall turned back to face the class.
"If you don't shut up, I'll jinx your face to the desk, Padfoot," James told him, once the coast was clear.
Sirius chuckled, but fell blessedly silent.
After a while, James muttered, "It was for Mooney's furry little problem."
Sirius glanced up from the doodle he was making, but said nothing. It was true that James was the best of their year in McGonagall's class—a fact that galled Lily Evans, the oft-denied object of James' affections. It had been Peter's idea, not James', that they find a way to be safe around Remus whenever his furry little problem arose, but James was the one who convinced them all to become animagi.
"If you transfigure yourself into an animal," he'd explained, "you think like them, you act like them, you become one of them. Also, Remus might eat us."
"You act like you think this is funny," Remus said bitterly.
That had been two years ago, when they were all second years.
"But if we can be animals, but still get through to you, Remus, then you'll see that it's us, and we can have a good time!"
"But only an animagus can turn himself into an animal and—James! Are you crazy?" Peter gasped. "We're just kids!"
James glanced at Sirius.
"Dunno, James. We're not as good as you," Sirius shrugged. "I like the idea, though."
Remus shook his head doggedly. "Absolutely not. No way. I refuse. This is ridiculous."
"Gonna tattle, Mooney?" James laughed. Remus never tattled.
Remus raised an eyebrow. "What did you call me?"
He shifted uncomfortably. "You know… Mooney… for your, uh, furry little… problem."
As Sirius and Peter laughed, Remus said slowly, "You know? I like it."