Chapter Eight

The next day was interesting for me. I went through my routine, like normal, but it was like a dark cloud was hanging over my head as I waited to see how the other marauders would react to me knowing about Remus' 'furry little problem', as he had told me they called it. Lily could tell something was up but she didn't press the issue, I'm assuming because of what had happened last time she HAD pressed an issue. I was thankful for the lack of pressure regardless because I was already scatterbrained enough without having to come up with some lame excuse as to why I was acting weird.

Remus was more withdrawn as well, I figured he was probably trying to think about the best way to tell them, but I noticed he was more relaxed than I had seen him be since the start of school. I guess knowing that I knew and didn't care really let him relax a little; now he knew that the dorm was a safe place he could be himself, at least. All of this was just supposition, however, because we didn't talk about any of it throughout the day. Sure, there was a knowing look or reassuring one tossed between us a couple of times, but not verbal communication about the conversation tonight.

I told Lily after dinner that I was tired and going to go up to my dorm to read a little before going to bed. She looked a little disappointed but Mary plopped down next to her so I didn't feel too bad about it. When I got up to the room, the other guys were all waiting with expectant looks on their faces. Sirius was sprawled out on his bed, although he sat up when he heard the door open, James was sitting on the edge of Remus's bed, Peter was sitting on his own bed, and Remus himself was sitting cross legged. I was impressed because he looked the epitome of calm right now.

"So, I wanted to talk about my 'furry little problem'." Remus said, looking around at his friends. They all instantly looked at me with varying degrees of shock and horror on their face and I gave Remus a dry look. He had all day to think and this is what he came up with?

"Remus, are you bloody crazy? We don't even know the bloke barely. Sure, he's cool, but you can't trust him with that." Sirius said, standing up from his bed and looking like he was going to explode.

"You're one to talk after the Snape incident." James said bitterly, causing Sirius and Remus both to wince. That was obviously still a sore subject. "It's Remus' secret to tell. Are you sure though, mate?"

"Well, the point is moot because he already knows." Remus said, once again causing everyone in the room to look at me, this time cautiously.

"Okay, I wasn't expecting that." James admitted, eyeing me neutrally. "And?"

"I already told him it's fine. I've known another werewolf, he didn't choose this life it was forced upon him. I won't tell anyone and Remus is just Remus to me." I said, furthering the lie about knowing another werewolf. I had to stretch the truth a little for it to make since, I figured the end justifies the means.

"What werewolf?" Peter piped up from where he was sitting.

"He was one of my tutors." I replied cautiously, not wanting to give too many details. Details meant things you had to remember later and a higher risk of getting caught lying. I wanted this straight and simple.

"Well, that was dramatic." James commented idly, giving me an approving grin. Sirius was still looking at me a bit suspiciously but he didn't seem like he was going to explode any minute.

"Jasper thought we might all be werewolves." Remus spit out, chuckling and the tension dissipated instantly because all of the marauders burst out laughing.

"It could've been true!" I objected, rolling my eyes. "You were all acting really weird on the full moon."

"So you thought Dumbledore put you in the literal wolf's den?" Sirius asked, his face red from laughter.

"Have you met him?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.

"Fair enough." James said, becoming serious for a minute as he pondered the oddness that is Albus Dumbledore. Then he burst out laughing again, looking at Sirius and Peter as he tried to catch his breath and talk at the same time. "Should we show him?"

Peter and Sirius nodded, then there was suddenly a Stag, a big black dog, and a rat all occupying the places my new friends had been a moment ago. I eyed them with interest, I had never seen an animagus transformation before - I was surprised by how clean and quick it was. It was like their shape blurred for a moment and then boom, suddenly they were animals. It was pretty much the coolest magic feat I had seen since I became Jasper Tatham. I clapped as they transformed back, grinning like mad men.

"Now you have no excuse not to help in Transfiguration if you three can do that on your own before graduating. Are you registered?" I said, tilting my head. The three of them hesitated before slowly shaking their head, indicating they were not registered. Granted, I already knew that, but appearances had to be upkept.

"No, we aren't. You are supposed to become one until you are of age, and even then it's recommended you get help from an expert in Transfiguration." James explained, and I nodded along understandingly. That made sense and also explained why none of the books explained how you actually did the change. Well, I'll bet they did in the restricted section but I, unfortunately, did not have a magic cloak. So I was stuck perusing the normal bookshelves until I could either find a good reason for a teacher to allow me to go looking there or James trusted me enough to tell me about the cloak and would allow me to borrow it or accompany me while I did.

"You guys are bloody brilliant." I said, beaming at them. Peter looked at me with such a look of shock and happiness that I had included him in my praise, that it almost broke my heart. I felt for the guy; it wasn't fun to be overshadowed by other people, and it was pretty much inevitable when you have two big personalities like James and Sirius to be a little overshadowed. When you didn't know who you were and were not confident in yourself, that could easily lead to resentment and the desire for power and recognition.

"We know." Sirius said, shrugging his shoulders but winking at me to let me know he was only kidding. I was slowly figuring out that Sirius wasn't so much a womanizer that he just flirted with everyone; friends, teachers, strangers. I mean, yeah, he did make out with quite a few girls but it wasn't like he was shagging them left and right. He just liked snogging.

"So, is it hard?" I asked eagerly, leaning forward a little bit. "Becoming an animagus, I mean."

"It's a lot of work." James said, nodding an affirmative. "You have to practice a lot of meditation, there is this god awful complex potion to make, then the potion itself is god awful, then the hardest part is the first transformation. After that it's just like flipping a switch and then boom, you are the animal."

"That's awesome. I have always wanted to become one." I said, innocently looking at James who was looking pretty unsure.

"I don't know mate, let me think about it first, okay?" James said, cautiously "After we did it, there were a lot of things that could go wrong, and if I was the one helping you and something went wrong after my own time was great, I don't know how I'd live with myself."

"I'll let you borrow a good book on it that I bought. Goes in depth more than any of the library books about the actual process." Sirius offered, making me grin and nod. He rolled his eyes, making a placating gesture. "Alright, calm down. Rome wasn't built in a day and all that."

"Something I have always wondered, is it the same as your patronus?" I asked, honestly curious about that fact.

"Usually." Peter, surprisingly, was the one to confirm that. "It's pretty rare that it differs. Most times, when the animagus form and patronus are different, it is because the patronus changed after the animagus had already gotten the form. You know, if you love someone and you associate an animal with them, your patronus will reflect that."

"Or if you are grieving someone." Remus added somberly, making a small silence happen.

"What is your patronus?" Sirius asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Let's find out." I said, lifting my wand up. I know for Jasper it had been an Elephant, which would be an awesome animagus transformation kind of because I could literally crush people, but not so awesome for stealth. "Expecto Patronum!"

The memory I had used had been the first time I had used magic in this life. I had been feeling so low, so depressed and moderately terrified of what I knew the future would bring that feeling the magic flow through me, warm me from my very core, it was the happiest I can ever recall being in both of my lives. What burst through my wand was a sleek, four legged creature that came to a stop in front of me after doing a lap around the room.

"Is that a dog?" Sirius asked, grinning "Alright! Two for two, what kind-?"

"That's not a dog, it looks kind of like a wolf?" James said, squinting from behind his glasses as though that would enable him to see it more clearly.

"That's not a wolf." Remus said confidently.

"It's a coyote." Peter said quietly, making us all look at him then back to the creature.

"Yeah, I think you're right." I agreed, looking at it as it slowly began to lose its shape.

"That's a good animal." Remus commented, sending me a quick smile. "They represent adaptability, playfulness, insightfulness, resourcefulness, and a paradoxical nature."

"Paradoxical nature?" I asked, curiously; I had never heard that before.

"Yeah, it just means having traits that may contradict themselves. Like being merciful but ruthless at different times." Remus explained

"Also, you're a trickster!" James threw in, making the four of us laugh as the coyote completely disappeared from the room, leaving it more dim than it had previously seemed prior to the patronus being cast.

The four of us spent the rest of the night lounging around our dorm, just talking with each other. It was honestly really nice to get to know them a little bit better and hear the stories about different full moons or funny pranks they had pulled on various people. Most of it was harmless, but their were a couple of mean spirited things thrown in there that made me frown and be glad that they had grown out of their vindictive stage for the most part. Sirius also gave me the book he had mentioned, So You Want To Be An Animagus?, which was extraordinarily insightful - well, at least the first chapter was. It kind of just outlined the entire process into basic parts, but it made me excited to read through the whole thing. Also, Sirius promised that once I read through it and one other book he had, if I still wanted to be an Animagus, he would talk to James about the two of them helping me. I was going to really absorb those books, I was practically wiggling in excitement, which made my friends laugh and tease me a little bit. The night ended on a good night and I was content as I listened to my roommates breathing and snores, my eyes slowly drifting shut as I went to sleep myself.


"You've been spending a lot of time with the boys lately." Lily commented as we walked to breakfast together a few days later.

"I suppose I have." I said after thinking about it for a moment. "Does it bother you?"

"Yes! You can't have other friends." Lily said teasingly, bumping my hip with hers as we walked along the corridor to get to the stairs. "No, but I miss hanging out with you as much. So, I've decided since you owe me-"

"I owe you?" I asked critically, raising an eyebrow and trying hard to keep a straight face as Lily nodded solemnly. She reminded me a lot of this girl I knew back in my old life. I wish I could remember her name, I think she had black hair? Amanda? It worried me that the memories were getting fainter. I needed to write down important points about the future of this world, like the Horcrux locations, but where would be safe enough?

"Yes, you do." Lily said, smirking a little at me. "We are going to go to Hogsmeade this weekend and get costumes together!"

"Shopping?" I asked with a groan. I wasn't one to spend a bunch of hours pointlessly going through a hundred outfits and stores only to go back for the second one I tried on. I like it, I buy it, and if I think it may not fit - I'll try it on. Now that I'm magic, I bet I could alter the clothes myself though.. Something I'll have to look into.

"Yes! You're going to love it, it's your first time in Hogsmeade, right?" Lily asked, smiling dazzlingly at me.

"Yeah, but I have to be back by four o'clock because James is making us practice." I said, rolling my eyes.

"On a Hogsmeade weekend?" Lily asked, gasping dramatically "That's sacrilegious!"

"Don't let him hear you say that." I advised her dryly, thinking about James' reaction. "He thinks Quidditch is his religion. If it was up to him and he wasn't so afraid of Mary cursing his bollocks off, we would be out there dawn to dusk because of the game next weekend."

My first game was coming and needless to say, I was nervous. Sure, it had been fun catching the snitch right from under that girl's nose and flying was, needless to say, awesome. I hate crowds however, so I was freaking out about falling off my broom, not catching the snitch and everyone hating me, catching the snitch too early and everyone hating me, catching the snitch too late and everyone hating me. Basically, I was convinced come Saturday night or Sunday morning after the game, everybody was going to hate me. Except Hufflepuff, because I was probably going to single handedly win the game for them. Sirius kept telling me Hufflepuff was a great team to play against for my first time, a good team to 'get my feet wet' as he said, and that had made me feel better for a moment. Okay, it had distracted me for a moment because it made me think about his wet feet in the shower.. Which turned into his legs, his arse, his abs, and arms. I still hadn't caught sight of anything else because I felt like I would be invading his privacy. As if secretly perving on his arse was much better, but I digress.

Lily and I ate breakfast in peace for the most part. I say the most part because there was a spell I had been working on, one that made the victim of aforementioned spell sing what song you wanted them too, and I was going to use it on James and Sirius this morning when they came down. Lily knew nothing about it, I was honestly kind of afraid she would give it away, but I was probably going to do that on my own. Lily was already giving me the side eye because of how abnormally excited I was and I kept glancing at the Great Hall doors every couple minutes like a maniac. Finally, Sirius and James walked through the door. I was honestly getting a little worried they wouldn't show up because if I ate my eggs any slower, Lily was going to murder me - possibly with the dish of cream she was looking at, I'm not sure.

I greeted the boys, and James greeted Lily who promptly ignored him, and they sat down a couple of seats away from us. Luckily, there was no one in between us, so I aimed my wand behind Lily's back and fired the spell. It took a couple of seconds to go into effect, but pretty soon James and Sirius' voices were singing for the Great Hall to hear. They were singing surprisingly well, actually, which surprised me.

Life inside the music box ain't easy

The mallets hit the gears are always turning

And everyone inside the mechanism

Is yearning

To get out

And sing another melody completely

So different from the one they're always singing

I close my eyes and think that I have found me

But then I feel mortality surround me

I want to sing another melody

So different from the one I always sing

...but when I do the dishes...

I run the water very very very hot

And then I fill the sink to the top with bubbles of soap

And then I set all the bottle caps I own afloat

And it's the greatest voyage in the history of plastic!

James and Sirius finished singing, both of them busting the last note loudly. They both fell into each other laughing as they finished, ignoring the dirty looks from the Slytherins, and I stood up applauding. There was scattered applause from the Great Hall, one of the people was Dumbledore I was amused to notice with his blue eyes twinkling. Sirius caught the grin on my face and came over still chuckling.

"Was that your work then?" Sirius asked me, grinning

"That's what you get for making me wake up with horns." I said, sticking my tongue out childishly, which just made him laugh even more. I had been meditating each night trying to clear my mind, it's one of the first things you need to learn when becoming an animagus, and Sirius thought it would be funny to put goat horns on me while I was sleeping. In my defence, I had just woken up, so I yelled rather loudly when I saw them and asked Sirius what I had done wrong, freaking out and thinking I was going to be expelled for trying to mess with magic I shouldn't when I had to go to St. Mungo's to get them removed. Not my finest moment.

"That was hilarious." Sirius replied, wiping away a fake tear. I pushed him away playfully and pulled Lily to her feet so we could go to Charms class.

As we were walking, Lily kept looking at me strangely, so I finally said something about it when we were about halfway there. "Look, if it's about the spell, they totally had it coming."

"No, it's not about the spell." Lily said, shrugging a little bit but giving me a sly smile.

"What is it then?" I asked, confused

"It looks like you and Sirius are flirting." Lily said in a sing song voice mockingly

I laughed, which made her scowl, but I couldn't help it - the idea that Sirius was even bisexual was mildly funny, but the idea that Sirius Black was flirting with me? Hilarious. "Yeah, good one Lily. Next you'll say Dumbledore is proposing to McGonagall."

"I'm serious!" Lily replied

"No, you're Lily." I told her, smirking

"Oh, god. That pun got old in second year." Lily said, rolling her eyes.

"I wasn't here in second year, so I have a lot of catching up to do." I reminded her

"So you have to act like a twelve year old?" Lily asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Ouch!" I cried, putting my hand over my heart dramatically. "That one really, truly hurt!"

"Oh shut up." Lily replied, before smiling at me earnestly. "But, if you aren't flirting with Sirius, then you can meet this guy I think you'll like?"

"Who is it?" I asked, hesitantly

"Ravenclaw Keeper, his name is Jordan Brennan." Lily said excitedly, her voice going up an octave. "I heard from Mary he was gay and single, so I scoped him out for you."

"Lily!" I complained good naturedly "Come on, what are you, a matchmaker? I can find my own date or whatever."

"The fact that you call it a date or whatever means you won't." Lily interjected, patting me on the back of the head. "He's blonde, he's cute, and he's smart. Please just meet him?"

"Fine, fine. Where?" I asked begrudgingly. I will admit, it wouldn't be the end of the world if I had one date with a cute guy - I had been working hard! I deserved a little break from trying to save the wizarding world so Harry Potter didn't.

"Hogsmeade on Saturday." Lily said innocently, making me narrow my eyes. "Mary is bringing him along with her."

"Lily." I asked, deceptively calm and watching her inch away. "Is he coming costume shopping with us?"

"Maybe?" Lily squeaked, ducking behind her book as I swat at her. "I'm sorry! At least I didn't spring it on you last minute!"

"I hate you." I grumbled, walking down the corridor towards Charms.

"No you don't!" Lily said, her sing song voice back full force.

"Oh, shut up."

A/N: Okay, it's been awhile, I hope everyone enjoys! Leave me a lovely review to sing and jump around in joy about! Thanks! :)