Oops, sorry this took awhile xD Okay, so it's going to be more than two chapters. Since this is the second chapter xD Maybe about 5. I dunno. Maybe less. Who really knows. But luckily, school ends June 10. Finals end the 23, and then i can write to my hearts delight xD
So read this, and review. Might not be my best, cause i wrote the... say. last 4 pages of it (out of 8) from 7:30 until 8:45-ish, and i'm half asleep and on pain meds for my sprained ankle -grins ruefully- Oh well. Please review xD
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Sirius stared at the wall of the dilapidated snow hut, blinking owlishly every few seconds.
"Er, Padfoot?" Sirius shook his head to clear it before looking at James.
"Yes, Prongsie?" James made a face, and gestured to the piles of snowballs.
"You see, Sirius, we're making snowballs." Sirius nodded. "And we need help." Sirius nodded again, and went back to staring at the wall. "Sirius, get your lazy arse off of that chair and help!" The boy in question rolled his eyes before patting his armchair.
"Ah, poor Army. He'll get cold!" He quickly transfigured the chair back into a pinecone, and was rewarded by a bit of snow falling down the back of his robes. "Yeowch!" He roared, while trying to get the snow out of his robes. James laughed at the comical sight: Sirius, who was currently hopping around on one foot, trying in vain to reach his back. However, it ceased to be hilarious when Sirius started to squish the snowball piles.
"Padfoot!" James yelled, and Sirius stopped his dancing.
"Yes, James?"
"You're ruining the snowballs!" Remus and Peter looked up from their work and nodded.
"He's right, mate-"
"Really, Sirius, I worked so hard on these-" Sirius waved them off, and bent to make a small snowman.
"Boys," The other three Marauders rolled their eyes, "Be amazed by my skill." Waving his wand and muttering an incantation, the snowman immediately started to roll snowballs. Sirius grinned and transfigured his pinecone back into an armchair as the other boys followed his example, filling the snow hut with armchairs in varying shades of red and gold. After sitting for a few moments, occupying their time by staring at the crumbling wall, and trying to decide whether or not they should get up to fix it, they heard voices from outside the hut.
"Really, Albus, is coming outside in the snow necessary?" Sirius grinned mischievously as he recognized Professor McGonagall's voice.
"But of course, Minnie," They heard Dumbledore say excitedly, and McGonagall sighed at the use of the nickname Sirius had bestowed on her. "The students will be having their snowball fight soon. And-"
"And we'll be making sure they do not use charms or hex the snowballs or anything of the like, correct?" They heard Dumbledore gasp.
"Minerva, you are- You can't suggest that! It's the first real snow! They need their fun!"
"Albus," McGonagall said kindly, "It's January. This is at least the 8th snowfall."
"Well," Dumbledore drawled, "It's the first real snowfall of January. And no, I am not counting the two inches that fell three days ago."
Sirius grinned as he heard Dumbledore's exclamation. He happened to think the same exact way. As he bent to gather snowballs, he suddenly realized that they weren't charmed to go straight to McGonagall.
"Hey Prongs," He said quietly, "Can you go get Lily?" James blanched.
"Er, mate-"
"Brilliant," Sirius muttered, not paying attention to what James was saying. "I'll go keep Minnie busy."
"But-" James spluttered. "She told me not to bother her!"
"Has that ever stopped you before?" Remus asked, rolling his eyes.
"Well, why don't you charm the snowballs?" James asked him, and Remus shrugged. "I'm not going to-"
He was interrupted by Sirius standing and saying, "Toodles!" Quite cheerfully, before he walked through the snow wall.
"Padfoot!" The other Marauders yelled as the wall collapsed around him.
"Why didn't you go through the door?" Peter whined. Sirius turned around from his spot outside and looked at him quizzically.
"There was a door?"
Remus sighed, and motioned for Sirius to get going before turning his attention back on James. However, the boy in question was listening to what was taking place outside.
"Oi! Minnie!"
The professor in question spun around and said angrily, "Mr. Black, do not call me by that ridiculous name!" She glared at Dumbledore, who was trying not to laugh. "And Albus, do not encourage him!"
"Minnie," Sirius said gaily as he slid his arm through the crook of McGonagall's elbow, "Enjoy the snow!" Winking at Dumbledore, he murmured, "Nice use of the nickname, sir." McGonagall turned her glare on Sirius, and he flinched. "Uh… Professor Minnie?" Seeing McGonagall still glaring, Sirius turned to Dumbledore. "Ah yes, Professor Dumble-bumble, how are you today? Did you like the Christmas present I got you?"
Dumbledore grinned. "But of course, my boy, I've always wanted socks. Everyone," He looked at McGonagall, "Seems to think I want books."
Sirius sighed dramatically. "I know what you mean, sir. So many of the innocent little Hogwartens-"
"Hogwartens?" McGonagall interrupted.
"Yes, Hogwartens. Now, where was I? Oh yes. The little innocent Hogwartens. Now, as I was saying, before darling Minnie here interrupted me, the innocent little Hogwartens seem to think that all I want for Christmas is candy and books on pranks." After thinking for a moment, he continued, saying, "Well, all right, that really is all I want, but they don't need to figure that out. Plus, all my pranks come from my ingenious mind. Didncyha know that, Minnie?
"Although, I would really like one of the little Hogwartens to buy me a new broom. James seems to think he can fly faster than me, and I would really like to beat him at his best game. Of course, knowing the little children, they would buy me a terrible broom. I guess they could always ask my fan club as to what broom would be best for my body type. Oh yes, Minnie, have you heard? I have a fan club! Isn't it joyous? The same things that cause me to have glorious detention with you from now until five years after I graduate have caused me to have a following! I hear that they couldn't elect a club president this year. Why don't you run for the position? I'm sure you would win. You know you love me." McGonagall let out what sounded like a snort, and Sirius turned on her. "Minnie! What would the professors say? What would Professor Dumble-bumble say?" He turned to Dumbledore, and tapped his head. "Ah yes, Professor, what would you say?"
Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled. "Ah, young boy, I would say that dear Minnie needs some enjoyment at this moment."
Sirius grinned. "Right along the lines of what I was thinking, sir!" Putting his arm back through the crook of McGonagall's elbow, for she had removed it while she was trying not to laugh, he led her and Dumbledore further along the field, shouting gaily, "Come on, Minnie! I'll teach you how to make a snowball!"
"I don't believe it," Peter said excitedly, "He called her Minnie at least ten times, and he didn't get detention!"
"She secretly loves it," James replied absentmindedly.
"James?" Remus asked.
"Uh huh?"
"Aren't you going to go get Lily?"
"Nah," James murmured quietly, and settled back into his armchair.
"You're going to give up the chance to see Lily?" James shrugged in response.
"I doubt she wants to see anyone right now, much less me. She seemed upset."
Remus looked at him, quite shocked.
"Yeah Remus," Peter echoed, "I bet she doesn't want to see James now. Right, buddy?" He punched James shoulder lightly, and looked for the grin of support, but was shocked to see James frowning slightly.
Remus thought for a few moments before nodding his head to a thought. "Ah, but James, you said Lily was upset, correct?" James nodded glumly. "And knowing you, you would do anything to make her feel better, right? Which, in this case, you feel it would be leaving her alone." James nodded again. "You git!" Dusting off a pinecone, he transfigured it into a newspaper and started hitting James on the head.
"Prongs," He continued, "This is the one time where I am telling you to go and annoy Lily. Visiting her would take her mind off of whatever happened over break, and we need to get her here anyway." When James didn't get up, Remus hit him once again with the newspaper and started repeating himself.
"I heard you the first time, Moony!" James said defensively as he rose. "I was thinking it over!" Peter started chuckling, and James grinned slightly.
"James," Peter said, in between laughs, "You never think anything over when it comes to Lily." James shrugged ruefully.
"I'm trying something different now. I mean, we have half of the school year left before Padfoot is released to the world. I for one want to make the most of these next six months before the spontaneous combustion of the earth, and that would include Lily by my side." Remus rolled his eyes, but motioned towards the crumbled snow wall.
"Go, shoo, go get Lily. Wormtail and I can hold down the fort." Remus hit James one more time on the head before pushing him out of the hut. "And don't come back until you have Lily."
James grinned as he strode through the snow, and as soon as he was out of sight of the other students he ducked behind a tree and transformed into his animagus form, a stag. Galloping through the freshly fallen powder proved to be too much of a temptation, and so he did a few laps around the lake before heading back to the castle. As he came upon Sirius and the Professors he slowed his pace slightly, and nodded stiffly as Sirius waved. Dumbledore waved to him as well, and not for the first time James wondered if Dumbledore knew that three out of the four Marauders were animagi.
Turning around a corner of the castle, he ran into a bush before changing back. After casting a drying spell to dry his now soaked hair and clothes, James pushed open a smaller door placed in one of the two big entrance doors to the castle, and walked inside. After walking for a few minutes, he slid into one of the secret passages and emerged in front of the Head's dorms. He hid in the shadows as a girl passed, and he recognized her as Mary, the girl from Lily's dorm. She seemed to be angry about something, but James forgot about her as she turned the corner, and he knocked on the entrance to their common room.
Lily sat in the window seat overlooking the grounds of Hogwarts, and banged her head against the pane of glass. Rubbing her head ruefully, she sighed as the sound of knocking reached her ears.
"I don't want to talk to anyone right now, Mary. I already told you that. Go away." After a few minutes of silence she turned back to hitting her head on the window. The creaking of the door made her fall out of her seat, and she glared at what she saw before her.
"Potter," Lily said angrily, "I thought I told you not to bother me." James shrugged, and offered her a hand up. She looked at the hand for a second before taking it, and pulled herself up. Settling herself back on the seat, James followed suit and leaned against a pillow.
"Flower, what's wrong?" James asked quietly. "Was Tuna-face mean to you again?" He was referring to the time he, Sirius, and Remus had gotten lost while flying, and had taken refuge at the Evans'. Petunia, at first, had been very taken with the boys, but when she found out they were 'freaks' like her sister, she had thrown all of their things out the front door. James grinned slightly, remembering Sirius' reaction to the girl, but turned his attention back to Lily, who was tightening her grip on the pillow she had pulled into her lap.
"Please don't call me that, James," Lily murmured, and turned her face back to the window. Changing the subject, she remarked, "I saw a deer out there, running around the lake. I've seen it a few times before, have you? I wonder if it's a doe. I'd like to see a little fawn running around."
"It's a stag," James replied without thinking.
Lily raised an eyebrow. "It is? And how would you know that?" James shrugged while trying to think of an answer.
"Well, I've seen him around before, and there never were any fawns running around with him." She seemed to accept the answer, and James asked, "So, will you come with us?" Lily shook her head, and James frowned. "Lils, come on, it'll be fun!"
She turned her face away from him. "No James, I don't want to." Sensing she wanted to change the subject from exactly why she didn't want to go, he asked,
"When did I change from Potter to James?"
"When I decided you might not be as big-headed as I previously thought," She replied after a few moments of hesitation. James smiled slightly, and she continued with, "But now I might be rethinking it." Deciding to ask what had been bugging him since Lily had returned a week or so ago.
"Hey Fl- Lils, what made you come home?"
"No, Potter."
"No? And I thought I was James."
"No, I'm not going to tell you. It's my own business, not yours. I'm Head Girl, and if I can handle everyone else's problems I can handle my own." James raised an eyebrow.
"So it's a problem?"
"No, no," Lily said quickly. "No problem." He looked at her suspiciously, but decided not to comment on it. James shrugged and motioned outside.
"Are you coming? We can chuck snowballs at Sniv- Snape, if he shows up. And McGonagall and Dumbledore are down there, too." Seeing that wouldn't change her mind, he remarked, "And we really need your help with the fort. Sirius knocked most of it over when he got snow down his shirt." Glancing at her face, he saw a small smile hovering on her lips. James grinned.
"And then he went skipping off with Minnie and Dumbledore, and went to teacher her how to make and throw a snowball. So we'll need a fourth person, once Minnie is through with Sirius. And Peter isn't very good at making snowballs, and I can still remember that snowball fight in 5th year when one of your snowballs put me in the hospital wing." Lily snorted, and James grinned again in delight. "And you're so much better than me and Remus are-"
"Remus and I."
"Right. You're so much better than Remus and I are- it doesn't sound right, Lils- at charms." Knowing this would make Lily come, for she could never turn anyone down once they declared her better than them at something, he said, "Stay here and think over it. I'll be right back." He then proceeded to get up, and ran into Lily's room.
"Hey!" She yelled, "Don't go in there. Potter!" James laughed as he heard her running after him, and opened the closet. Pulling out one of the black robes, he threw it at Lily and moved on to her trunk. He pulled out a pair of muggle sweatpants and a sweatshirt with 'Oxford' blazoned on it, and threw those to Lily as well before digging in the bottom of her trunk for gloves, a scarf, and a hat. Re-emerging triumphant, he glanced at Lily, who was glaring at him.
"Potter, why did you feel the need to go through my things?"
"I was getting your snow clothes! Put those on, and meet me in the common room. Don't make me force you to change. You're coming outside, whether you like it or not."
"And you're not forcing me to get dressed now?" She asked.
"Hey, I asked you first." Lily stuck her tongue out at him, past memories forgotten, and James started laughing again and fell on the bed. Lily muttered something about stupid men and went into the bathroom, emerging later with the clothes on. She shook her head at the still laughing James, and pulled on the mittens and hat, wrapping the scarf around her neck. James rose after she kicked him in the shins, and they both went into the common room.
After James located his wand under his multiple layers of clothing, and Lily had retrieved hers from the coffee table, they both cast heating charms on their clothing to keep them warm outside, and left via the portrait hole. James was quite surprised when Lily, instead of going through the hallways, pushed aside the painting across the hall and walked into the secret passage. She turned when she no longer heard James following her, and asked,
"You really thought I ran to the Great Hall when I was late for breakfast? Sheesh!" James grinned ruefully, and followed in her footsteps. As they walked outside, Lily gasped as she finally saw the snow without being behind glass.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" James murmured quietly. But when Lily turned to look at him, she noticed that he wasn't looking at the snow, but at her. She turned her head quickly away, and said,
"Yeah, the snow is beautiful. Where are we going?" The sharp question seemed to shake James out of his reverie, and he motioned towards the far side of the lake.
"The boys are over that-a-way. So are the professors, and the rest of the school who stayed for the holidays." He looked at Lily when he said this, but she seemed not to notice.
"All the way over there?"
James shook his head. "No Lils, we're going right here. Of course we're going all the way over there! That's where all the snowball fights Hogwarts has ever had have been!"
"What about the snowball fight three weeks ago on the front path?"
"That doesn't count!" James yelled defensively. He then started running. "Last one there is a rotten egg!"
"James!" Lily shrieked. "You're too fast!" He laughed wickedly, and put on an extra burst of speed. However, when he no longer noticed Lily panting next to him, he spun around. Jogging back to her, he grinned ruefully.
"Sorry about that, Flower." She glared, but then a soft smile graced her lips.
"Well, I was thinking that if that stag came over here, I could ask him if he could carry me to the snowball fight." James paused for a second before looking at his surroundings.
"Well, no luck for you, delicate Lily. He's no where in sight."
"Yes he is," Lily insisted. "Right there." She said, pointing at James.
"Behind me?" He asked. She glared at him again, and rose, marching forward until she was looking James in the eyes.
"No," She said forcefully. "Right there." She said again, and tapped his chest. He panicked for a second, and then said,
"I don't know what you're talking about, Lils. Really, no clue." Lily sighed.
"James," She said patiently, "I had a clear view of the bush from the window seat." He sighed and closed his eyes, hoping this would just be a dream, when Lily started to laugh.
"What? What's so funny?" James asked after he opened his eyes.
"The look on your face," Lily replied, almost gasping for breath in the cold air. "You looked like you were going to die." More seriously, she added, "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
"Lils-"
"Mid 6th year."
"Excuse me?"
"I've known since mid-6th year." She said quietly. "Took me awhile to figure out where you three went when Remus went to transform." James sighed. Yet another thing she knew about.
"How-"
"Did you honestly I wouldn't guess? We were prefects together, and I guessed by the times he told me he wouldn't be able to go patrolling. Of course," She amended, "He did tell me what happened, after I confronted him." James sighed again. It seemed that Lily knew everything about him and the Marauders, more than he would probably ever know about her. But then an idea hit his mind.
"Lily, now that you've well, figured out about me… you tell me a secret." Of course, James wasn't counting on the fact that Lily might have more of a secret than what had happened over the holidays. She bit her lip, and then said,
"All right." James rubbed his hands together, prepared to either get a story of what happened over the holidays or her declaration of undying love for him, and was shocked when Lily disappeared.
"Lils? Flower? Where did you go? Yeowch!" He exclaimed, and looked down to see a small red fox. "Lils?" The fox seemed to have an exasperated look on its face, and backed up a few steps before transforming back into Lily Evans. James stood there, completely poleaxed. "But- but- You're terrible at transfiguration!"
Lily rolled her eyes. "Not anymore. I'm second in the class, James. I could be first, but I figure since I'm so much better at all the other classes, you might have one that you can at least have first in, although you don't deserve it." James just stood there, still shocked. "James?" She hit him across the face gently, and that seemed to bring him back to his senses.
"You're- You're an animagus?"
"Yes James. I couldn't let you be that much better than me. I finally got it at the end of last year." Smiling slightly, she murmured, "Used it to sneak out of Mary's house and go in the woods. Now, if you want me to get over to the snowball fight, you might want to transform and carry me." James looked at her.
"Why don't you just transform and run over there yourself."
"Because you made me come out here. Now hurry up, my feet hurt." James muttered under his breath before performing an illusion charm and transforming. He nudged Lily's head with his own, and knelt down on his forelegs so Lily could climb up, which she did. James quickly rose, and after making sure Lily was still on him took off towards the sounds of Hogwarts students.
Emerging out of the woods, still shaking his head, James was surprised to find McGonagall helping Sirius rebuild the wall of the snow hut. Lily, walking behind him, was surprised as well.
"Is Professor McGonagall helping Sirius build that?" James nodded, and motioned for Lily to follow him quietly. Going around the back, he blasted a small hole in the snow, and pulled Lily in after him. Prodding Remus on the shoulder, he murmured,
"I've got her," before turning back to Lily. "Now, Lils, we need your help in strengthening the walls of this beauteous fortress, and charming the snowballs to go after Snivellus and the other Slytherins." Lily sighed.
"Can you make a snowman?" James blanched.
"Why?"
"Because," She explained patiently, as if she were explaining to a young child, or a young Hogwarten as Sirius would have called them, "Then I'll charm the snowman to help Sirius and Professor McGonagall build the wall and I can charm the snowballs." James grinned, said quietly to Remus,
"She's joined the dark side!", and got to work.
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Disclaimer: Whoops, forgot this at the top. None of this belongs to me, except for the plot. And Carmen Brown xD All belongs to JK Rowling. Adios.