Chapter 37

Sirius was sat by the fire in the common room with Annie wrapped in his arms. She was talking to some of her friends while he just held her there. He was tired after the Quidditch practice. It had been difficult and he was almost ready for bed.

He turned as he heard the portrait opening thinking that James was finally coming in when he saw Amanda enter, she was hobbling in a funny manner. Ignoring Annie's protests he stood and headed over to her.

"Mand you okay?"

She nodded at him happily taking his arm to steady herself. She looked like she'd been through the mill her hair was messed and her clothes all rumpled.

"What's happened?"

"Nothing."

He eyed her and pointed at her top and she swore gently under her breath.

"Damn Potter."

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Why has James been looking up your top?"

She shot him a look and then sighed. He watched as she lifted up the left side of her top.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Sirius turned and saw Annie standing there looking like she was ready to punch Amanda. It seemed that some things would not be changing. He however caught sight of the black on her skin, and grabbed the top lifting it higher.

"Sirius not that high!"

"Ohh right sorry."

Her ribcage was covered in bruises and it looked like she had been hit there a few times.

"Is that from practice tonight?"

She nodded and Sirius turned to see James entering the room.

"You saw this and didn't send her to Madam P!"

"Sirius James is covered in bruises too; you should see the one on his back. It makes mine look like nothing."

Sirius looked between the pair he didn't want to know how Amanda knew that. Instead he looked around the room and spotted Jaclyn Owen sitting with some of her friends.

"Hey Jackie have you got any major bruises from tonight?"

He had walked over to her and dropped onto the floor next to them.

"Only on my leg."

She rolled up her trouser leg and Sirius could see that on her right leg from the knee down was just a giant bruise.

"Alright I've had enough of this. Where's Longbottom? FRANK!"

The common room went quiet as Frank came down the stairs from the boys dorm room.

"What's wrong Sirius?"

"Have you seen the state on our chasers?"

"What you talking about?"

"Come here and look at Jackie's leg. Or I know lets get Amanda to pull her top up so you can see her chest. Or maybe James can just take his shirt off so you can see his back."

"What's your point?"

"Frank stop taking your frustration out on our chasers. They didn't break you and Alice up and you know what. We're not going to win the Quidditch cup with them all injured."

Frank was staring straight at him. Their eyes met and the older boy nodded.

"Is that all? I've got a potions essay due."

Sirius nodded and looked around.

"Get on with whatever you're doing people."

He walked back to his friends and looked at them. James had his arm loosely around the girl's shoulders and Sirius just smiled.

"So what were you two up to then?"

"Nothing."

It was said too quickly and he leaned in whispering in Amanda's ear.

"Yeah right you've got hair like James."

Her hand instantly went to her hair and her eyes widened. Sirius just laughed as she hit him before heading up to the dorm room. Annie though looked at him shaking her head. He couldn't understand why and then she stormed out of the room.

"Looks like you're in the dog house mate."

Sirius shrugged and looked around.

"Peter and Remus are up in the dorm room waiting for us."

James nodded and the pair headed up to the room. In the corner sat the potion that they had finished just over a week ago. James picked it up and looked at Remus, Peter and Sirius.

"Okay so this is it, last chance to turn back."

"Don't take it any of you. Its dangerous and I'm fine on my own."

James and Sirius exchanged looks and James poured the potion into three glasses. He looked at his own. It was a milky white colour and smelt awful.

"Okay I'll go first."

Without waiting he downed the drink clamping his hand over his mouth to stop the gag reflex. Closing his eyes he tried to concentrate on anything else rather than that. So he started to name the entire Wasps line-up, their best plays.

The impulse to gag finally stopped and he looked at his three friends. Waving his hands in the air he could see they were still there. So closing his eyes he said the spell words in his mind.

There was a running sensation through his body. He felt his bones being pushed out of place. Pain shot through his head as he started to lean forward. After a few seconds the sensation stopped and he looked around.

His eyesight had changed; it was much stronger than before. Sirius' whoop was evidence of another change in him; his hearing had become more delicate. He could hear people in the common room as if he were sat next to them. His perspective too had changed he was lower than before.

Straightening his leg he felt the need to be free of the room, he needed to run to find some trees and feel grass under his feet. Although there were these changes he was still himself he could still remember everything. So closing his eyes again he muttered the words in his brain and the sensation started again.

The fizzing finally stopped and he looked forward. He was once again level with the others. They were all looking pale, but James was excited.

"What did I become?"

"A stag."

His mouth dropped at Remus' words but before he could take it in Sirius had downed his drink. The boys face turned a shade of green then white. Suddenly a fuzzy look appeared around him and where Sirius once stood there was now a large black dog.

"Ha a dog! See James we were right."

Peter looked calm as Sirius began to chase his tail. James had to laugh at this and then the dog had pounced. James was on his back and Sirius was licking his face.

"Oh Sirius get off me! Come on I don't know where that tongue has been."

Within seconds James found himself lying under his best mate who looked excited. His cheeks were red and he looked around.

"Did you see it, I was a dog."

They nodded and looked at Peter he made a face and then downed his drink. His face went white and he made a gagging noise but he somehow kept the drink inside him. Then his eyes closed and James could see his lips moving in a mumbled way.

Then he too was surrounded by a fuzzy cloud and when it disappeared there was a rat sat on the floor. James watched as Peter cleaned his whiskers perfectly happy to sit there. A few seconds later Peter was back running his hands through his hair.

"Wow, I did it. What was I?"

"Pete mate you're a rat."

The boy looked a little surprised by Sirius' words then he started to nod slowly.

"I like cheese, yeah a rats good."

The four started laughing and dropped onto their beds looking at each other. It was Remus that finally spoke up.

"So you did it, you really did it."

"Yep we did and I'm a dog. We need cool nicknames now."

"But they have to be something that nobody will guess."

James nodded at this and thought back to what he had saw.

"Wormtail."

They all looked at him but James was smiling.

"Wormtail, that's what we can call Pete. I mean a rat has a long tail that looks like a worm, but who would put the word wormtail together with a rat."

"Yeah I like that."

James nodded as Sirius looked at him.

"Prongs. I mean a prong is a spine or a spike well that's what your antlers are when you're a stag."

James thought it over and nodded.

"Prongs, sounds good mate."

"Padfoot."

They all looked at Peter.

"Come on what's on the underneath of a dog's foot? Pads."

It was agreed and it left only one thing to do. Remus pulled out the map and muttered a few choice words. The four looked on as words formed on it

Messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs

Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers

are proud to present

THE MARAUDER'S MAP

Two posts in one today because I have a small problem at the moment. We had an electrical surge nearly two weeks ago and it blew a wire connection to my laptop. Due to this I have no internet and its rather difficult to get onto the main computer due to other people needing it for work. So until my father can find time to replace the wire its going to be slow posting.

Also there is another concideration. I have 5 months left until I graduate from university. Now these five months are going to fly by as everyone knows is always the case. So this term I have 7 essays, 1 exam, a presentation and a dissertation to write. So I'm going to be concentrating on them for a while.

But I want you to know that I haven't forgotten about this story and that I will be updating as and when I find the time.

Kris xx