"Okay, so, the book says that once you drink the potion, you just need to focus in on your most important personality trait. I think that's what makes you change." Remus said, tapping his wand impatiently on the fragile paper. It was so unusual for Remus to harm books, even if he didn't mean to, that it gave off a clear signal of how truly stressed he was.

Remus looked up at his audience, squinting in the dim dungeon light. He paled as he saw his friend's faces.

This was their first attempt to try the Animagus potion, and Remus was extremely worried. They had been preparing for this for three years, but the process was still just as daunting as it had been the first time he had shed his eyes on it. That night, they had waited until Frank had fallen asleep, than left Gryffindor tower and came directly to this dungeon. The Animagus potion had been bubbling away in the dungeon for almost a month; Remus was positive that this dungeon was never used. A thin later of dust covered every surface. If this potion worked, the boys would be full-fledged Animaguses.

James, Peter, and Sirius had just downed a large portion of the purple, chunky potion. Remus had barely had enough liquid for each boy. The potions' book had gone into gruesome deal describing exactly what could go wrong if even a single drop of potion didn't go into their stomachs. Remus subconsciously glanced down at the three empty pitchers, his mind automatically going to the worst-case scenario.

Their faces all had different notions of pain written across them. James had one hand wrapped around his middle, a pained expression contorting his usually pleasant face. He had one hand on the cabinet, supporting himself as his eyebrows furrowed in torment. Sirius had sat on the floor, leaning his back against the wall, letting his curly, black hair rest against the cool bricks that made up the room. He took deep breaths, and his grey eyes jumped from object to object around the room. Peter had curled up in a tight ball, rocking back and forth on the ground. He had one hand clapped over his mouth.

James looked up and caught Remus's tortured expression full in the face. James immediately straightened, attempting to control the pain that flashed across his face as he did so.

"I'll go first. It was my idea to do this, anyway. I just focus on my most important trait, right?" He said, his hazel eyes boring into Remus's blue ones.

Remus nodded, seriously frightened for James's safety. Had he accidentally poisoned his best friends? Where they slowly dying before his own eyes?

James's face twisted, moving as he grinded his teeth in concentration. He twisted his hands into fists, clearly putting every ounce of energy into his transformation. He blinked furiously as words flew into his mind, only taking a second to consider them. It needed to be his most important trait; the trait that shaped his very being. What could it possibly be?

James's eyes flew open in surprise as a word hit him. He barely had time to send a frightened glance at Remus as the transformation started.

It all happened very quickly. Horns sprouted from the very crown of his head, reaching up towards the ceiling. His nose extended, and his ears sprouted outwards. He was forced onto his hands and knees, and the moment his limbs touched the ground, they curled inward and molded into dark hooves. As his legs grew, his back arched. Hair the exact same color as James's developed, his clothes dissolving as the hair took its' place. A frisky tail flicked the air, whipping cool air across Remus's face.

No more than a second had passed, but James had suddenly disappeared and was replaced by a towering stag. The animal lurched backwards, its powerful horns caressing the stones above. It scraped its hooves against the floor, making a loud scratching noise. It suddenly roused, raising its great head in Remus's direction. It would have been a cryptic look, except its familiar hazel eyes bored into Remus's.

Remus guessed that his own face was a mask of alarm. But he was feeling something completely opposite of that emotion.

It had worked! It had truly worked. James was an Animagus. No more long nights spent pouring over spell books and vigorous studying. Not one day would have to be used researching the negative affects of the Animagus potion. Not even a single moment would have to be wasted watching McGonagall transform. It would all be over. This magic was supposed to be extremely challenging, no doubt mentally unsound, and they, gangly fifth-years, had done it. Even mature wizards and witches couldn't usually do things like this.

Remus's mind jumped to the next thing. They could run with him in wolfish form! He wouldn't have to worry himself sick over their reaction when he came back scratched and broken. His tired and overworked mind didn't even consider that they would soon be exposed to his true danger, and that they would see him when he was truly out of his own sane mind.

The stag tilted its head, giving Remus an expression that was so perfectly James-like that Remus had no choice but to burst into laughter. He had never seen any animal look so humanly disapproving as the stag that was in front of his quivering feet.

Sirius had gotten to his feet, an amazed look clear on his face. The stag stared at him intently, but stopped as it began to shrink. The Animagus transformation reversed, scrunching James's features back into proportion.

James stood, dumbstruck. His glasses were askew, his brown hair tangled beyond comparison.

"Moony," James breathed. (The Marauders had recently begun calling Remus this- Remus always hushed them when they called him this in public, but secretly liked that they had accepted his 'furry little problem'. He was still waiting for the running-and-screaming part, but that fear had begun to disintegrate.)

"What was your trait?" Remus asked, struck with the amazement of the situation.

James blushed scarlet, and he reached up to ruffle his hair.

"Protective. Er, protectiveness." James said, shuffling his feet.

Remus couldn't argue with this. James was very protective with the things he loved; his Quidditch broom, his glasses, even Lily. He had a habit of immediately moving towards Lily when he learned that they needed partners for class; this had cost him many groans and harrumphs from Lily.

"Huh." Remus said, trying to understand this.

"I'll go." Sirius said, apparently rejuvenated from James's success.

Sirius stood up, standing where James had recently made the transformation. He constantly brushed his dark curls out of his face, biting his lip as he focused. After a long moment, the corner of his lip twitched as he recalled a memory.

This transformation happened just as quickly. One moment Sirius stood, his usually joyful expression somber as he thought, and the next, a gigantic, shaggy, black dog that panted vigorously took his place.

It jumped straight up into the air, obviously startled by its new outlook on the world. It barked loudly, than bolted around and around the room. It yipped loudly, pushing its new physical boundaries as it explored the new way.

After a few minutes of this, Remus grew dizzy at the circling motion, and put out a hand to stop Sirius. The dog lurched to a stop, but was practically bouncing as it stood still.

The dog grew again, and suddenly Sirius took its place.

"That was amazing," Sirius said, shaking his head. "My mind feels so much simpler-it's like not even having to think about anything clearly. I was thinking of my two words; impulsive and loyal, and I was trying to decide and then it just happened."

"Really?" Peter's voice said, meek and quiet.

Remus had all but forgotten Peter's presence, as it seemed Peter had been curled up in pain and hadn't wanted to be disturbed.

"Yeah, mate. It was crazy." Sirius said to Peter, sounding dazed.

"I want to try." Peter said, hauling to his feet and padding over to where they where standing.

Peter's transformation was the fastest, and Remus suspected that Peter had already decided on his word.

Peter's body didn't automatically morph, like Sirius and James's had. It simply shrunk, but began to change as he got smaller and smaller. Peter had changed into a rat.

The rat squeaked loudly, seemingly trying to get their attention. They knelt, staring in fascination as Peter scampered around the room. He was barely bigger than the stones that made up the floor.

They froze as they heard the wheezing chuckle of Pringle, the caretaker. Peter yelped, than grew back to normal size as they dove for the secret tunnel that James had discovered. They hit the dungeon floor with vigor, stumbling and tripping as they shot down the tunnel, laughing the entire time.

They were spit out of the tunnel by the Charms room, and they giggled as they tumbled towards the Gryffindor common room. Remus was amazed that they weren't caught, but he knew that Pringle was on the other side of the castle, miles away.

"Asphodel," James coughed out, snorting as the Fat Lady grunted loudly. She swung forward, letting them proceed into the common room.

There was only one person in the common room, and once James saw who that was, his face broke into a large grin.

The girl looked up, grimacing as she saw them barely containing their frenzied laughter.

"I don't even want to know." Lily said, turning her face towards a piece of parchment. This wasn't the first time she had seen them, late at night, stumble in through the portrait hole, laughing hysterically. She had gotten somewhat used to it.

"Hey, Evans, what are you working on?" James said, causing Lily to turn angrily in her seat. She brushed her hair back, scowling at James.

"I was trying to work on my essay, Potter, until you interrupted me." Lily said, making it very clear in her voice that she would like to resume working.

"I finished that ages ago. Want me to help you?" James said, trying to persuade Lily. Remus, however, knew that James hadn't even written the first word of this essay, and that Lily would probably need to help him. Not that James would ever admit this, though.

"No. Go away." Lily said, trying to make her voice menacing. It would have worked quite well had she not yawned in the middle.

"Are you sure, Evans? I could help you on Saturday after the Quidditch match. . . No, actually, it'll have to be Sunday because I'll win the match and they'll be a party. . .So Sunday?" James said, sounding slightly egotistical.

Lily's eyes hardened. "No. Stop being so arrogant, Potter."

James recoiled, wincing. Remus knew that James knew that he was being rude.

"Just wondering." James said, stepping towards the dormitory. He sounded defeated.

Sirius and Peter followed him, glancing as Remus. Remus watched as they disappeared, the high from their success fading.

"Sorry about that," Lily said, dipping her quill back into the ink.

"It's fine." Remus said, exhausted. The warm October air filtering through the window was lulling him quietly to sleep.

"He just makes me so irritated sometimes with his showing off," Lily said, sighing.

"Who doesn't he irritate in some point of time, honestly?" Remus said, yawning.

Lily chuckled, but sounded just as tired as Remus.

"I'm going to go up, alright?" Remus said, knowing that he would rather fall asleep in his own bed than the couch. He was already beginning to feel the soreness of pre-transformation, and knew that the knots he would get in his back from the couch wouldn't help.

Lily nodded, bending down over her paper, scribbling furiously.

Remus walked up the marble staircase, not even bothering to change his clothes before falling into bed.

He was drifting towards dreamland when a sudden thought struck him. A simple question that his tired mind had missed popped into his head.

What had Peter's word been?

How do you guys feel about Jily fluff? They do get together in 7th year, so it's soon. There are a few key moments in their relationship that are coming up, so... How do you feel about some fluff? Let me know down below!

Like this chapter? Leave me a review down below! Thanks to everyone who has already reviewed- I love it when you guys do that :)

Any moments of Remus's life that you want to read about? Leave me requests down below! Thanks to Moony1972 for giving me some! I plan to use all of them :P

xx

bandeall