Disclaimer: I owned Harry Potter. I owned Sirius Black. I owned all the characters. I also owned the world and the moon. Mwahahaha! Then I lost them all betting in a card game with a shark. Darn those cheating fish! Wow, I really have gone off the deep end haven't I? Maybe that will make this story more interesting. Anyway, read, enjoy review, and don't bet. Special thnx to Boo for reviewing. You rock!
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Chapter 2: Complications
"Guys they're up to something, I know it!" Lily stated desperately. "I have never seen Potter think so hard in my life, even when it is about quiditch! They are up to something really big!" She had been arguing her case to her friends for over a half hour and was still getting nowhere. Couldn't they see if they could prevent this prank that they were forming ahead of time it wouldn't cause Gryffindor to lose as many house points?
"Lily, they are always up to something. Why is this different than any other day?" Teigra was tired of hearing her friend rant and complain about the Marauders and their wide spectrum of pranks. She lazily covered her head with a pillow and grumbled just loud enough so that Lily and their other friend could hear, "Geez, if I didn't know better I'd think you liked James instead of despising his guts. That's really all you ever talk about."
Lily's jaw just dropped. 'How could they think that I like James. That is absolutely impossible. How dare they even think that!' Wren, who was sitting in the corner reading, just chuckled softly. There was no way she was going to be dragged into this little fight, but it was definitely amusing to watch. It wasn't that often that someone besides James got Lily to go red in the face with rage. The best thing to do when this happened was to clear a path and stay out of the way. No one wanted to deal with an irate Lily.
"I don't like that prick Potter! He is an arrogant, selfish, rude, crude, pig-like nuisance who's goal in life is to drive me into insanity. HE IS A BULLYING GIT AND I ABSOLUTELY HATE HIM!" Lily was gradually increasing in volume. She finally stopped to take a breath after her mini rant.
"My dear you forgot toerag as well as cocky, infuriating, worthless, pranking, despicable, conniving, and trickster. Lils, you are seriously losing your touch." Lily was too mad at her friend to do anything what so ever. She sputtered a little and then decided to leave before she said, or yelled at his point, something she would regret. She got up quickly and stormed out of the room.
Wren slowly gazed over the top of her book making sure her red-head friend was nowhere in the vicinity. Then said quietly with a little regret, "I feel sorry for whoever comes up against Lils next when she is like this."
"Yeah, I know what you mean." Teigra sighed. "I really let loose a monster into the halls of Hogwarts didn't I? Plus, you and I both know who the target is going to be." They despised the Marauders as well, but they wished a mad Lily on no one.
"Poor James." They said simultaneously. Then they got up and left for Charms.
James had taken the long way to charms class. He had been too distracted by his little musical problem to remember any of the secret passage ways. He barely noticed when he walked into someone. He just mumbled an "excuse me," stepped to the side and continued on his way still gazing at the floor. Therefore, he didn't realize that the person he ran into was a certain red-head that he had been trying to make go out with him for over five years. Nor did he notice that she stopped dead in her tracks and stared at him until he rounded the corner. Then she too rushed to charms class via secret passageway that she knew about.
Lily got to her seat in charms just as the bell went off. 'Thank you secret passageway!' She sat down in between Teigra and Wren. While Professor Flitwick was still out of the room she started to talk to her friends. "Okay guys something is seriously wrong with the world today."
Curiously, Teigra turned to her formerly mad friend. "What makes you say that?" This conversation had also gotten the attention of Wren. Actually, any conversation that was conducted in whispers got her attention. It wasn't that she liked to gossip. She didn't, and hated those who did. She just liked to be in the know and it also made for good blackmail if she ever needed it. Not that she ever would use it. Well, maybe.
"I was walking down the halls looking at the ground trying to get over how mad I was at you, Stripes." Teigra grinned slightly at the use of her nickname then continued to listen to her friends narration. "Then I ran into someone. He just mumbled 'Excuse me' and continued on his way. He only quickly looked up then looked back down to the floor again!"
Hesitantly, Wren said, "Um, Lils? That doesn't sound too weird to me."
"It does when the person who ran into you was none other than the infamous Potter. You know the prat that has been asking me out at every chance that he gets for oh about five or six years now." Lily crossed her arms with smug satisfaction as her friend's jaws went slack.
"Wow, this is serious," said Wren.
"It is a sign of the APOCALYPSE!" Teigra shouted. This rewarded her with strange looks from everyone, including the Marauders minus one James. James couldn't look at her strangely because he wasn't in the room, yet. Teigra looked around slightly embarrassed then said as coolly as she could muster, "Okay. Carry on with your own little conversations." Lily and Wren just snickered. Under her breath Teigra also said, "You too Tails." This got Wren quiet real fast. Lily just continued to snicker. She continued to laugh too until Professor Flitwick came in and said good morning to the class.
"I have a little announcement to make." There was a collective groan from the class. "How can you all groan when you don't even know what the announcement is yet?"
Sirius perked up at the chance to be a smart ass. This at least could take his mind off the fact that they still didn't know what happened to James. "That's because you're a teacher. Usually announcements from you are projects. It's like teachers saying that they think that an assignment is going to be enjoyable. It never is. I swear they just say that to get on our nerves."
"Well, Mr. Black, I think that is the most astute I have seen you all year. I think you just proved that miracles could happen." half the class laughed. The other half and Sirius were still trying to figure out what astute meant. Professor Flitwick continued. "Anyway this is NOT about a project." The class got considerably happier once they heard that. "For the first time in Hogwarts history, we are going to present a musical! Mr. Potter you are late. Take your seat and see me after class." James groaned and sat in between Sirius and Remus.
"Oy Prongs, what did she do to you?" Sirius asked in a whisper.
"I really don't want to talk about it, Padfoot." James sulked.
"It was that bad?" Remus questioned curious to the answer.
"You have no clue how bad Moony. Lets just drop it okay?" Huffed James.
"Okay back to the musical. I have decided that all the songs will be from muggle society. The sheets to sign up for try-outs will be posted in all common rooms. To try out, you will sing a song of your choice in front of me and your peers who have also decided to try out. Oh, and so we get some guys to try out too I have decided that anyone who tries out will get some extra credit in this class as well. It is not required for you to try out. I know some people really aren't comfortable singing in front of people. Are there any questions?" Tentatively, Lily raised her hand. "Yes Ms. Evans?"
"Um. Have you decided what type of play it is or what the plot of the play is yet?"
"Oh, you mean I didn't say? The play is going to be a romantic comedy. The two leads supposedly hate each other. Then he starts to like her, but she still hates him. His friends try to convince him that it is pointless to go after her because she hates his guts, but he refuses to give up. Then he gets into a duel with his arch enemy and a spell flies towards the lead girl. He jumps in front of the spell to save her. The spell seems to do nothing. The fight is broken up. Then the boy finds out that he can't lie to anyone. He accidently spills out his feelings to the lead girl. She rejects him and he seems to take it well. He doesn't though and goes to find his enemy who put the spell on him. They talk, the enemy starts to insult the lead girl and even though he is kind of mad at her for rejecting him and sad, he can't stand anyone insulting his love. They start to duel. Unknown to them both, the lead girl is out of sight listening to everything. The boys start to duel. The girl steps out and the enemy taking advantage of this fires a spell at her. Once again he jumps in front of the spell. That is all that I am willing to tell you for now. For the rest you will either have to be in the play or watch it when it is done."
During Professor Flitwick's little speech James got an idea. 'He said 'You don't have to try out if you aren't comfortable singing in front of people. I just won't try out. What will they do to me if I don't try-out. It isn't like they could give me a part if I did that. They would probably just give me detentions. That's what I'll do. James grinned. I just won't try-out.
Noticing his friends grin Sirius thought that it had to do with the storyline of the play. "Oh Prongsie. You aren't honestly going to try-out are you?"
Now James was positively beaming. "Not a chance in the world Padsie old boy." At that Sirius was really suspicious at his friends emotional 180.
However he just replied with indignation "That is young and handsome boy to you mister."
The rest of the class went slowly for both groups of friends. The Marauders were casually planning their next prank in the back corner of the room. Lily and her friends were talking about the play and anything else that came to their minds. Lily looked at her friends. They really were quite pretty. Teigra had tightly curled hair brown hair that reach to the middle of her back. She also had clear light olive green eyes that could also look steely grey or bright green depending on what she was feeling. She wasn't very tall. At a height of about 5'4'' she only reached the middle of Lily's head. Teigra was thin, but not overly so like some of the people who walked around Hogwarts. It was more like she was physically fit. She had been given the nickname Stripes because of the shape she took to help Wren with her little problem.
Lily glanced at Wren as she thought about her little problem. Wren was pretty in her own right. Her beauty came through her uniqueness and Lily was sure no one else in the world would ever look like her. Wren had silver hair. It was straight, but it had body too. In the sunlight it looked like she had sheets of platinum and silver for hair because it would reflect the light so much. Today like every other day she had it down with a wide headband so it wouldn't get in her face too much. Wren also had unusual eyes. They were a rich ruby red with flecks of amber. Yet at certain times of the month or if she lost control her eyes would reverse and be gold flecked with red. She like Teigra was also fit, but not overly skinny. Of course all of this was linked to her secret.
Teigra and Lily discovered Wren's secret in a game of truth and dare back in second year. They were playing truth or dare and for each time they took truth they had to take some truth serum. It wasn't that they didn't trust one another, but they wanted the whole truth and even friends lie sometimes. They were starting small and working their way up to the larger truths and dares. Everything was going well until Teigra asked Wren if silver was her actual hair color. Wren said it was and then continued with more information because that is the nature of the serum they were using. The only way you could stop was if someone tells you to or if you run out of things to say. Wren started her answer with saying that silver was her natural color. Then she started to say why as well. They were going to stop her but her next sentence threw them off.
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"Okay it's my turn to ask someone!" Teigra shouted excitedly. "Hm I choose...Wren! Truth or dare" Wren almost look frightened to choose either option and she should be considering who was asking the question.
"Do I have t..."
"YES!" Both Lily and Teigra shouted before she could even finish her question. Wren was very secretive when it came to her family and where she went on certain days of the school year and Lily and Teigra wanted answers. If this was the only way they could get them then so be it.
Wren gulped then said exasperated, "Fine I choose...truth." She warily look at the vial in her hand then closed her eyes and quickly took a swallow before she thought about it too much. When her eyes opened they were sharp amber, but slightly glazed over.
"Okay. Is silver your natural hair color? I was always curious, but too afraid to ask."
In a voice that neither Lily or Teigra heard before Wren answered. "Yes it is my natural hair color. It comes from the traces of demon heritage in my blood." To say that Lily and Teigra were shocked would have been the understatement of the year. Wren continued using the same unusually musical voice. "My mother is a mortal, but my father is a silver nine-tailed fox. Nine-tails by nature are man eaters, but once ever 50 years they take human form to mate. That's why I have silver hair and changing eyes and these ears." At that moment she took off the scarf that she was using as a headband. Underneath the headband were a set of the cutest fox/dog ears the two had ever seen. They instantly reached out to touch them. They were silky soft, but Wren instantly flattened her ears. This demolished any ideas that the ears were fake. "Don't touch. The ears are very sensitive. Also because I am half nine-tails I can't keep human form all the time. Therefore I become the nine-tailed silver fox every full moon. I lose all control of myself during these times and if I weren't locked up I would attack any student roaming the grounds. I don't attack animals, just humans. At least when I'm locked up I only injure myself. That is why I don't use my full name in school. It is Arylwrenna, but it is a fox name and therefore a reminder of my demon half. In school when I am really angry or surprised I will lose control of the harness I have on the fox spirit. My eyes will turn their demon color of amber and if I am really out of it I also get a fox tail. That is why I always wear long robes or long skirts."
"Stop!" Lily had finally gotten control of her tongue enough to stop her friend from continuing to tell them things under the influence of the serum. Wren blinked a couple times then looked back and forth between her friends. Seeing their flustered faces she lowered her head in shame.
In her normal voice she quietly said, "I told you everything didn't I? I can understand if... if you... d-don't w-want...t-to be my... my friends." The last sentence she barely choked out between sobs. Lily and Teigra looked at each other then quickly ran over to Wren and hugged her.
"Why didn't you tell us sooner! We are your friends for life! You can't get rid of us that easily. We don't care what you are! Is there anything we can do to help?"
"Thanks you guys for not leaving. You have no clue what this means to me." Lily could see the unshed tears in her eyes and heard the relief in her voice.
"Don't you ever worry about telling us anything. We are friends and we would never desert you! We will find a way to help you on the full moon."
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Not more than a week later when Lily was in the library and found a book on how to become an animagus just lying on the table. She had realized that Wren said she wouldn't attack animals, so what better way to help than become animals and sit with her or keep her away from people while roaming the grounds. It had taken them a year and a half of hard work, but they were finally animagus. Lily had wanted to do it legally, but they would have had to weight until they were 17 and they wanted to help their friend right away. Therefore they did it illegally. While Wren is a fox, Teigra takes the form of a black tiger with copper stripes and Lily takes the form of a white and gold griffin.
Wren also made a potion for them using some of her own blood so that they would have some of her abilities. She said that she didn't want anyone to get hurt to badly so this would give them the ability to heal faster. Unexpectedly though, it did more than that. The potion granted them more speed and strength than a normal human being. They were capable to do wandless magic as well. Also, if they wanted to, they could form parts of their animagus selves while remaining human and control one element. Lily had her white and gold feathered griffin wings and a couple of white feathers in her hair and could control light. Teigra had her copper stripes all along her back an a tiger tail and could control fire. Wren, who had control over plants from being a kitsune, had trained them herself and now they were immensely powerful. If Wren ever lost control and started to attack someone then they could pull her off. They even fought off some demons that tried to attack the school.
That reminded Lily that the full moon was coming up. It was only in two weeks. Idly she wondered where they would go on their little run. They would probably go into the forbidden forest again. Lily was only awakened from her thoughts when she heard Professor Flitwick announce the homework and dismiss the class. She could feel Potter's eyes on her so she quickly packed up her things and left with her friends to the library.
James watched Lily as she packed up her things. She really was gorgeous. Unconsciously, she pushed her fiery red waves behind her ear. He loved the way that her sharp green eyes could show everything that she was feeling even when she tried to hide it. He liked to get her angry just to see her eyes change from passive and gentle to aggressive and hard in seconds.
"Oy Prongs! We'll meet you in the M.R.O.M. after your done Professor Nit-wit. We need a good and new prank. Oh, and do wipe the drool from your face. It is unbecoming for a bachelor of our standard!" Sirius said this with such fake indignation that James had to chuckle.
"Padfoot, you really need to brush up on your acting skills." James said still laughing and quickly wiping his mouth, just in case.
"Prongsie-poo, you aren't going soft on me and try-out for that dumb musical are you?" Sirius said so solemnly it made James laugh all the harder.
"Nothing short of a miracle could get me to do that!"
"Break it up boys! Mr. Potter I want to speak with you, privately." Professor Flitwick returned to the front of the classroom. Sirius just shrugged and joined Remus outside the door.
James followed his teacher up to the front of the classroom and casually said, "So what's up?"
"Professor McGonagall came to me with your punishment for the little stunt you pulled with the skirts."
"And please say that you don't agree with it and think that it falls under the category of cruel and unusual punishment that is against the law!"
"Oh no. I think it is a wonderful idea. She had a couple of little refinements to what she wants done. She for some reason thought that you wouldn't try-out." James' stomach dropped through the floor. "Therefore she said she would rather teach you a lesson than win the quidditch cup."
James blurted out, "That doesn't mean what I think it does...does it?" He was officially worried now. He was on the quiddich team since he could in second year. Now he was the captain. They couldn't kick him off could they?
"Yes. If you don't try-out for the musical, you are off the quiddich team. You don't need to put your name on the try-out list. I know you'll be there."
James just thought one thing, 'Uh oh'
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Author Note: Dum dum ddduuuummmmm. And the plot thickens! Sorry this chapter was so boring. I just had no other place to describe Lily's friends and set up the rest of the plot.
