Chapter 3: Training
James' POV
After I had alerted everyone that I had found a solution we went into the room of requirement. Peter had found it last month while pacing.
"What is that book about anyway?" Remus asked.
I looked up from the book and said "Animegi"
"JAMES! That's illegal" He yelled back.
"We know" I said, "We want to help you, Remus"
"But if you get caught you'll-"
"We know the risks" I cut him off, "it says it here."
"You're all mental" Remus said, his voice dripping with emotion, I could tell this meant a lot to him.
"We know," Sirius butted into the conversation, "What's the first step then?"
"It says here, 'The first step to becoming an Animagus one must hold a mandrake leaf in one's mouth without removing it for a month' so either no talking or be discreet about it, also when we eat don't swallow it or remove it!" I read.
"But I love to talk!" Scarlett cried dramatically.
"We know." Peter rolled his eyes at her as he said that.
"Wait we might have a problem." I said as I saw the rest of the book was in Latin. Of course it was, otherwise it would be in the restricted section.
"What?" everyone else said at the same time.
"I can't read this bit." I said, feeling defeated.
"Let me see." Remus said, taking the book from me. He went through the same stages as me before putting the book on the table.
"Let me try." Peter said, after 2 minutes he put the book back.
"My turn!" Scarlett said, walking up to Sirius.
"Then, at the next (visible) full moon, the wizard must put their spit-soaked leaf in a phial within range of the moon's pure rays. If the moon's hiding behind clouds or where it's not directly visible you must start anew." They read aloud.
"You can read Latin?" Remus asked, surprised.
"You can read at all?"
Scarlett turned to me "That's how you want to play it then, Potter? Fine with me!" then she looked at Remus and smiled, "Yes Remus we can read Latin, we were taught to read it when we were little."
"Carry on reading then!" I say excitedly, sounding much like a little kid.
"In addition to the moon's light, the potion needs some other ingredients, including dew that hasn't been exposed to sunlight or human feet for a full seven days. If you cannot find this in time they you will have to begin the process again." Scarlett continued, Sirius was complaining about his brain hurting from reading too much.
"Great where are we supposed to get that?"
"The Whomping willow, there's always a part that hasn't been stepped in or exposed to sunlight." Remus said.
"Great so all we have to do is get past a tree that's trying to kill us. Sounds super easy." Sirius said sarcastically.
"I know how" Remus said again.
Sirius' POV
"I know how" Remus said. That was the best thing he could have possibly said. We could help him!
"Guys" Scarlett said, "Listen. If the wizard manages to get this far into the process, they need to keep their potion hidden and out of sunlight. Sunlight is terribly bad for the potion. After that, they need to wait. Possibly a while." She paused and liked up at our reactions, then she continued, "An electrical storm dictates the next step, as the potion can't be taken until storm lightning strikes. Every day that they're waiting for the storm, at sunrise and sunset they have to say. "Amato Animo Animato Animagus." This can go on for days or weeks or months. After that the wizard must take the potion and say the incantation every day at sundown and sunrise. Then one must feel there inner animal and meditate, the way to achieve quickest results is to imagine the animal pouncing into one's body and transforming them. The potion:
Ingredients per person wishing to transform:
1 Leaf of a mandrake that has been kept in the mouth for a month
4 drops of Dew that has not been exposed to sunlight or touched
3 drops of Acromantula venom
1 drop of Angels Trumpet
1 Fairy Wing
1 Ashwinder egg
1 Doxy Egg
½ Dragon Horn
½ Horned Slug
1 Toe of a Frog
1 Dragonfly Thorax
Method:
Place into a cauldron in the order shown above, while chanting the incantation.
Then don't panic and meditate and once you become an Animegi, you must transform and transform back every 5 minutes for an hour." Then she looked up at us. "Where are we going to get all that stuff?"
"Wait. Isn't Angels Trumpet poisonous?" Remus asked, looking worried
"Yea, but the potion isn't" Scarlett said still reading the book. Suddenly she stood up and walked out of the room.
I saw James get up to follow her and told him to wait. I knew my sister needed some time alone.
"Why don't we go to the library and see if we can find any books on the ingredients we need?" I asked in order to give Scarlett some time alone.
When everyone agreed we made our way to the library and found a book on Angels Trumpet. Apparently it is deadly poisonous and can only become safe when mixed with Mandrake leaves.
Scarlett's POV
I had to be sneaky. No one could know what we were doing. I finally made it to the greenhouses and quietly opened the door. I quickly ran to the mandrakes and took six leaves of it as I knew that we would need a few spares. When I got back to my dorm they weren't there so I assumed they had gone for a walk so I waited.
I woke up the next morning realising that I had dosed off and got dressed as quickly as I could. I ran to the great hall. I was starving. When I got there most of the students and all the teachers had left. I ran to the Slytherin table and grabbed some toast. We were going home for Christmas break tomorrow so the classes were easier.
After lessons I went back to my dorm before dinner. I had gotten an owl of mum telling me and Sirius to come home for Christmas holidays. When I got into my dorm I grabbed all the clothes I thought I would need for the holidays and shoved them into my trunk. I didn't want to pack tomorrow. According to the other marauders they had to go home because their families wanted them back for the holiday. I still hadn't told Sirius that we had to go home, but I knew I'd have to today. When I heard I knock at my door I knew it was my friends so I went to open the door for them.
When they came in the first thing they asked was where I had been yesterday. I showed them the leaves and then pulled Sirius aside, "Sirius, mum sent me an owl, we have to go home for Christmas. I'll tell them that well be at home so we'll send them an owl at some time during the holiday."
The look on Sirius' face told me everything I needed to know. He didn't want to go. Before he could say anything I walked off to tell the others. "Hi, my mum sent me an owl and we have to go home for Christmas. I'll make sure to send you an owl during the holiday."
Before I could walk away they were already asking me why I had to go home. But I didn't even know that myself.
James' POV
We were on the Hogwarts express, on our way home for the holidays. We all agreed that we wouldn't exchange gifts until we got back off the holiday. When we hot onto the platform we were all in a good mood. My mum was the first to spot us and just as I had predicted she was already giving me a hug and asking who my friends were.
"This is Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin, Scarlett Black and Sirius Black. Those two are twins." I pointed to each of my friends as I said their names. Before I could say anything else my mum gave each of my friends a hug too muttering "Nice to meet you" to them. I saw surprise cross both of the Blacks faces as they got a hug.
Just as my mum finished giving hugs another woman came to us and gave Remus a big hug. I figured this was his mum. She did the same as my mum. Asked who we were and then gave us a hug. The same thing happened with Peters mum. We all stood talking or a minute when a shout came from in front of me. I couldn't se who it was because the mums were stood in front of us, but I knew who it was by what she yelled.
"Scarlett! Sirius!"
They both quickly said "I'm sorry we have to go" and ran in the direction of the voice. Unlike our mums this woman did not look kind and loving, she looked the opposite actually and the twins just followed her obediently through the barrier. That was the break in the conversation we needed so that we could all go home.
The End Of The School Year
We are all packed and ready to go home. We hadn't managed to transform, we all talk too much. We are going to try harder next year, hopefully complete the transformation we had to be careful not to use magic to clear the skies or to create a storm. It was going to be hard but if anyone could do it, it was the Marauders.
Thanks for reading this story. The next chapter will be the summer and the beginning of their second year at Hogwarts. I know I said that the first few years would be rushed and I was planning to do 1-2 chapters for 1 year at Hogwarts, but I needed to get the information across. When it gets to the proper story then it will be more interesting.
Please review so I know that at least some people are enjoying this story.
Thanks, xxtheslytherinqueenxx
