A/N: Welcome back to another update everyone. It's been a bit of a crappy week and I honestly can't understand why racism is a thing that happens when it makes zero sense. But I hope you're all staying safe, standing up for what you believe in and educating yourself. Enjoy the update :)

James waited until he was around the corridor from the entrance to the library before he began to run. The hateful librarian had kept him for two hours opening individual books and checking them for damage or wear and putting back the books in good condition and setting aside any that weren't. He had mentioned it to Sirius and Peter, so hopefully they were down with Moony already. James skidded around a corner, quickly jumping from the staircase he was on which had started to move away from his destination to the landing he was wanting. He hadn't been able to wear any of his warm clothes because that would be suspicious, hence his sprint back to his dorm. He finally made it to Gryffindor Tower, gasping out the password to the Fat Lady. He took a moment to collect himself before entering the Common Room, slowing down his breathing and pushing his glasses back up his nose from where they had slipped. He walked through casually calling out greetings and trading banter with those who called out to him. He walked up the boys stairs and as soon as he rounded the corner from the landing he began to take them two at a time. Arthur's arse, Moony was going to hate him. He shoved open the door into his dormitory, his outer robes already half way off, and he quickly threw them on to his bed, he was going to just grab a jumper and a few other bits and bobs and the cloak. He was sure Sirius and Peter would probably already have the map with them. James pulled up short as he saw Sirius and Peter lounging on Peter's bed and they were indeed looking at the map.

"What are you guys doing still here?" James demanded. "Why aren't you with Moony?" He was frowning at them, thoroughly confused.

"You're just in time Prongs." Peter said with a grin, snagging a cauldron cake from a small stack of treats on the bed. "Snivellus has been stuck in a broom cupboard for the last ten minutes waiting for Peeves to leave the entrance hall so he can go outside."

"He's on the move now!" Crowed Sirius, laughing.

"What are you talking about? Why are you up here and not at the shack."

"We're in the midst of a fabulous prank Prongs." Sirius said, eyes glittering. "You know how Snivellus, the greasy bastard, is always poking his fat nose around when it comes to Remus?" James nodded as he bustled to his trunk to gather his jumper and gloves.

"He was at it again after dinner." Peter explained, one eye looking at the map. "We bumped into him after you'd gone to your detention and he kept going on about it and giving all his death eater friends these looks as if he was in on some great conspiracy." Peter scowled.

"And I've had it up to here with him going after Remus." Sirius said angrily, his hand, well above his head. "If he's not talking shit at me, he's talking it at Remus and I'm sick and tired of it." James was looking for his cloak, although his searching had slowed as he curiously waited to see what exactly his two friends were on about and what prank was worth missing a moon for, especially when Moony had been expecting them.

"So Padfoot came up with a brilliant idea." Sirius preened at Peter's words.

"If he's so convinced about Remus he should just go down to the shack and see for himself." James froze.

"It was amazing, Prongs you should've seen it!" Exclaimed Peter, clambering to his feet to act out what he was saying. "Sirius got all up in his face, his voice all growly and menacing, like. Poked his finger right into Snivellus' chest and told him about the knot and if he wants to find out the truth he should just go for it!" Peter dropped back to his sitting position, laughing raucously. "Snivellus' face when he heard that!" James' fingers were digging into his jumper as he stared wide-eyed at his two friends, his stomach had dropped, and his heart was thudding.

"Once he gets into the tunnel and hears Moony, he'll be so terrified he won't even dream of bothering us with his stupid conspiracy theories anymore." Sirius was grinning maliciously. "Hah! He's making his way down now!" He gestured at the map.

James was breathing hard. "You told Snape how to get past the willow and he's going down there right now, on a full moon." His voice was low.

"Brilliant isn't it? I bet you a bag of galleons he shits himself in fear."

"Tell me you're joking."

"Don't look so worried Prongs, we're teaching the bastard a lesson."

James was shaking his head, no. No way. They could not have been so stupid. Peter turned the map around to show James.

"Look, we'll be able to watch as he runs away. We should wait for him in the entrance hall with a camera."

"Have you lost your fucking mind!" James roared at them. Peter jumped, dropping the map as he started. "You've sent him to the shack! On a full moon." James hissed the last, not wanting his voice to carry. "He could be injured or fucking killed." James snatched the map, his body going cold as he saw Snape slowly make his way out of the castle towards the willow.

"Oi, James!" Sirius shouted. "What are you stressing for? It's a prank. He'll hear him and get a nice fright and run back to his dorm. Don't be such a bloody wet blanket."

James rounded on Sirius. "This is Snape we're talking about you stupid idiot! He's not just going to let it lie, he will go all the way to the shack, even just to get one up on you!" James tossed the map across the room at Sirius in disgust.

Sirius' anger was turning to a frown as he shook his head. "No he won't-"

"Yes he fucking will." James shouted, fists clenched as he stared down his best friend. "And what's he gonna do when he gets to the end? Not only will he see Remus, who has done everything in his power to keep his furry little problem a secret. Moony will probably be panicky and attack him because he's been expecting us, and we're not bloody fucking there! At best he'll turn Snape and he'll be stuck with a godawful condition and you'll have forced Remus to pass it on or at worst you'll have turned one of your best friends into a murderer, you selfish, stupid asshole!"

Sirius had paled and he was shaking his head as he denied James. "What? You didn't think of that?" James spat disdainfully. Sirius and Peter were sharing worried glances between themselves. "I have to go after him." James said, he chucked whatever clothes he had gathered back on his bed furiously. His face was set in determination, he still had time. God what a bloody mess. He strode to the door, flinging it open.

"James you can't-" Sirius had scrambled after him, reaching out. James whirled around delivering a blinding right hook at his best mate. Sirius, taken unawares, was knocked to the ground with a thud. Peter gasped from his bed. Sirius looked up at James, clutching his face. He was looking at him in shock, anger and betrayal with the first traces of regret. James' face was a cold mask of anger.

"No!" He looked at Sirius icily. "Stay here before you ruin any other lives." And without another word James set off at a run. He ignored the startled words of his house mates, he jumped over a low pouffe and rammed through the entrance. He had to stop Snape, he would not let Moony bite or attack anyone if he could help it. How could Sirius have been so stupid. James had been half expecting him to snap for weeks now considering the amount of times each day Sirius almost got into fights. Sirius had a bad temper and a tendency to act first and ask questions later and it was rare he was ever patient enough to think of a sneaky revenge where he wouldn't get caught. And Peter, Godric, sometimes that boy had no integrity or backbone, he would go along with most anything for a laugh. James pounded down the staircase to the sixth floor, taking the steps two at a time. The staircase chose that moment to move.

"No, no, no." James muttered, skidding to a stop. "C'mon, I need a quick way to the ground floor." He cast his head around, looking at the stairs thinking fast of all the shortcuts he knew. "C'mon Hogwarts, please. Just work for me this once." The staircase suddenly ground to a stop before moving back the way it had came. James' eyes widened. It was actually making a route for him. Which would be great if it wasn't so ruddy slow. The seconds ticked by as James impatiently waited for them to line up, he looked over the bannister. The entrance hall was a long way away. He looked back up at the staircases. Shit. He wasn't going to make it in time. He looked over the bannister again, he had come up with the stupidest, most recklessly Gryffindor plan ever.

Fuck it.

Unsheathing his wand, James held it tight in his hand before vaulting himself over the bannister and plummeting towards the entrance hall. The portraits lining the walls shrieked and screamed at the sight. James was just hoping a staircase didn't come out of nowhere and smash into him. He seemed to fall for ages and he let out a wild cackle as the ground got closer and closer.

"Arresto momentum!" He incanted as he dropped past the first floor. His plummet slowed down and he landed hard, he flexed his knees to take the brunt of the impact and tipped into a roll, just like he'd been taught in Quidditch if he ever fell off his broom. He came out of the roll with a grunt as his knee bashed into the tile and carried on running before he could lose much momentum, ignoring the pain, he had to get to Moony. Snape had left the front door slightly ajar and James shoved through running at practically a full sprint, his breath was coming hard and he looked behind him to see if he could see anyone, the coast seemed clear and as James sprinted past the greenhouses and into a shadow he flung himself forward, transforming in mid-air to land on four hooves as Prongs- a manoeuvre he had spent weeks practicing with Sirius because it looked cool. Prongs galloped towards the whomping willow, at a much faster pace than James could manage, and cursed internally as he saw it was still. Snape must be in the passageway. Please, please, please let him not have made it to Moony. His hooves pounded over the frozen grass, the tunnel was in sight. If he leapt forwards again, he could transform to slide into the tunnel in his human form, it would be easier than to try and get through with antlers-

WHAM

The whomping willow unfroze at just the wrong time and a flailing branch caught Prongs across the neck, sending him flying, he landed painfully on a back hoof and only just managed to avoid a second branch slamming him into the ground. He turned human again with a wince, he was more manoeuvrable this way. James' breath was coming in sharp pants, his neck throbbing in time with his ankle. He leapt and danced towards the knot at the trunk, it wasn't too far away, this close to the trunk he was out of reach of many of the larger branches, but that didn't stop a skinny branch whipping across his bicep, shredding his jumper and shirt underneath. Another branch caught James in the small of his back and he landed painfully on the knobby roots of the tree, tasting blood as his cheek collided with the rough bark. James curled up, scrunching up his face and gasping for breath, preparing himself for more branches to slam into him. He cracked an eye open after a second. He couldn't believe it.

The willow had thrown him on to the knot and it was frozen, one branch only a few metres away from turning him into a Potter pancake. Hardly believing his luck James wasted no time and threw himself into the tunnel. He began to sprint, his various injuries pushed to the back of his mind as adrenaline flooded his brain. He turned into Prongs again, galloping through the tunnel, his head bent forwards as if he was charging to prevent his antlers scraping the ceiling. He could smell Snape, he was following his stink of sweat and anticipation, it stood out over the familiar smells of earth, damp and Moony and the marauders that pervaded the tunnel. He could hear Moony scrabbling at the trap door and growling, he smelt anxious and James sped up even more, his flanks heaving. Snape finally came into view, he was just beginning to push open the trap door. Idiot. Could he not hear the werewolf literally on the other side of that flimsy door. James transformed back.

"Stop!" Snape almost leapt out of his skin and he spun around, brandishing his wand at James. Snape's eyes were bright and he was breathing fast. James could hardly get his words out around his gasping breaths.

"Stop!… You have to go back… Now!"

Snape had a manic twist to his features. "A werewolf! I knew it! I saw it, I was right!"

"You're a fucking idiot Snape." James bit out. "Charging down here like a Gryffindor."

"It's Lupin isn't it?" Snape said, his voice perversely excited with triumph.

James' breath was starting to come easier but his heart was still pounding in his ears. "The place is haunted, just leave." Snape sneered, whipping back around to crack open the trap door again with the tip of his wand.

"Are you mad!" James shouted, firing a panicked disarmer at him, the trap door slammed closed again, muting Moony's distressed growls. It was a reflex spell and not very focused and Snape's wand left his hand, only to bounce off the wall and land not far from Snape's feet. Snape swept up his wand again easily. "Have you got a bloody death wish?" Snape levelled his wand at James, opening his mouth to cast a spell when suddenly Moony's growls reverberated throughout the tunnel, louder than before. The werewolf had managed to get a paw under the trap door and was working his snout under to lever the trap door up. Snape span back around again as the growling snout dripping with saliva and baring canines at least an inch long worked its way further under the trap door, preparing to push it open. James' eyes were wide with fear and he thought his heart might explode with how hard it was beating. Snape had frozen in terror. No. No way. James was not going to let Moony do something he'd regret.

"Accio Snape!" James overpowered the spell but it was a good thing Snape was as skinny as he was, the Slytherin was yanked towards James and away from Moony and James sidestepped his sprawling limbs as he hit the floor head first. Oops. James glanced at him quickly, he had landed just behind him, knocked out for now. He didn't have long to look him over as Moony threw open the trap door with a crash and dropped into the passageway.

Moony was an impressive specimen, his shoulders were the height of James' waist, paws the size of saucers, tipped with razor sharp claws and his coat the same sandy brown as Remus' hair. Familiar green eyes laced with lupine amber narrowed at James, his hackles rising. Remus had the characteristic tufted werewolf tail, the underside paler than his main coat and he was actually kind of adorable in a wolfy way when he wasn't prowling towards James looking like he wanted to rip his throat out.

"Moony." James said desperately, his voice cracking as he raised his wand at his friend. Saliva dripped onto the floor in silvery ropes as his growls continued. "I'm pack." James pleaded. "It's me, Prongs, James. I'm pack, Moony." James looked resolutely into his eyes, begging him to recognise him. Moony cocked his head to the side slightly, eyes narrowing in consideration, his growls quietened. James' heart lifted for a second as Moony looked at him in confusion, sniffing. Snape groaned from behind James and internally he swore viciously. Moony's head snapped straight again, growling anew. James mercilessly kicked the groggy Snape under the chin, his head whacked into the wall again and James could only hope he was unconscious once more. Moony began to run towards James.

"Stupefy, depulso, flippendo, stupefy!" James fired spell after spell at the werewolf, but they hardly slowed him down. "Lumos solem!" He cast desperately, a bright flash of sunlight blinded Moony momentarily and he skidded with a whine. James transformed once more, planting his hooves and lowering his antlers, Moony slammed into them with a pained whine and with a great heave of his neck Prongs tossed him back a few steps. Moony was panting in confusion and pain, shaking his head to try and clear his vision, he blinked a few times. Prongs reared slightly and whinnied, antlers pointing at Moony as he pawed the ground. Moony backed up, his tail wagged slightly in recognition but he was looking at Prongs and the tantalising human behind him, his gaze shifting between them as he whined. Prongs darted forwards a few steps, huffing threateningly. The werewolf backtracked uncertainly before changing his mind and darting at the stag, snapping at him. Claws and teeth flashed and antlers tossed, a cacophony of sound filled the tunnel as the two beasts fought for dominance. Moony enraged beyond sense by the scent of human. James was barely even aware of the injuries he received or the injuries he'd given Moony in return- this was survival. Moony seemed to have the upper hand before Prongs charged him and tossed him back again. In the space and few seconds the stag had gained, he kept his antlered head low and tucked his back legs in tight as he span 180 degrees in the narrow tunnel in an impressive feat of dexterity for a giant pointy deer.

In completing the turn Prongs was now able to plant a powerful kick into Moony's chest as he leapt for the stag's hindquarters in an attempt to cripple him. Moony yelped as he was thrown into the wall at the end of the tunnel with all of Prong's considerable might and was stunned. His whines filled the tunnel and Prongs spun back around again, his flanks were heaving and there was a small pool of blood around him from the multiple injuries he'd sustained. He reared in victory as he stared down Moony. The werewolf slowly got to its feet, his eyes fixed on Prongs' hazel ones expressing a heart breaking amount of betrayal and confusion.

Moony didn't understand. Prongs was pack, pack weren't meant to fight. Prongs danced back a few steps, motioning between Moony and the trap door meaningfully. Moony followed his gaze, a high pitched whine escaping him. Prongs was visibly trembling, with fatigue, adrenaline or distress James honestly didn't know but he didn't back down. He motioned again. Moony held his gaze for a few seconds more before lowering his head and limping back into the shack. Prongs had won, this time. Moony slowly and painfully made his way in, curling up on the ragged bed to lick his wounds as he looked at Prongs with baleful eyes. Prongs reared up, contorting his neck to get one antler in under the trap door. It was uncomfortable and he managed to get it shut again with a sharp twist of his neck. It bonked him on the head as it closed and Prongs hit the floor as James as his vision swam. He gritted his teeth, breathing hard as the pain of his injuries washed over him again. He turned over with a grunt, painfully extracting his wand before locking the trap door once more.

Farther down the tunnel Snape was groaning as he clutched his head. James stunned him, there was no way he'd be able to make it out with a conscious Snape.

"You're a stupid, stupid boy Snape." James ground out, his face smarted, Moony had slashed Prongs across the nose. These were cursed wounds, James wasn't going to become a werewolf but injuries they got from Moony's claws and teeth in their animal forms had to be treated carefully, normal healing spells wouldn't do. James had to settle on a pain-numbing charm and he stiffly got to his feet. He wasn't in pain anymore, but the downside to these was that now he had no idea if he was injuring himself beyond repair by walking on his injuries. His clothes were slashed up and bloodstained and he didn't even know the full extent of his injuries.

How in hell was he going to explain this, he was going to have to take Snape to Dumbledore but the headmaster couldn't know about Prongs and definitely wasn't allowed to think that Remus had injured James, Remus could be expelled, or arrested even.

Coming up with a plan and stifling a grimace, James stripped off Snape's robe, putting it on and buttoning it all the way up to hide the worst of his injuries. Snape was left in his ill-fitting but non-slashed up school jumper and trousers and somewhat threadbare winter cloak. James stunned him again for good measure before levitating him in front and beginning the trek back to the entrance. Upon reaching the entrance James popped his head out and pushed the knot, freezing the willow again, the branches were at an awkward angle and he cancelled his spell on Snape's prone form. He hit him with another stunner to keep him down and hoisted Snape over his shoulder in a fireman's lift- not that James knew that was what it was called. He was bent at an awkward angle as he manoeuvred his way between the branches and upon making it out from underneath the willow he set off at a trot, Snape still over his shoulders, a trickle of blood dripped down his side underneath his clothes, his injuries pulling with the movement- he could've levitated him again but this way, James knew he would be punishing himself with every step, he deserved it, he'd attacked Moony. He'd attacked pack and forced him into submission. God, they'd fought, they'd drawn each other's blood. Admittedly, Moony more than Prongs seeing as Prongs was practically a glorified horse, whilst Moony was a deadly predator, but still. James knew it was necessary, but he hated himself for it, Moony couldn't understand. Remus would but his wolf wouldn't.

He should've taken Sirius aside weeks ago and forced an explosion of his temper, at least then it wouldn't have become this. He should've gone to Dumbledore or someone about Snape's suspicious about Remus so the headmaster could make him swear not to tell, he shouldn't have got a detention so he would've been there with Moony and could've calmed him during the transformation. He should've let Remus know somehow that he was going to be late so he wasn't waiting and worrying about the marauders coming to the shack, when they didn't- the bottom line was that werewolves were pack animals and having his mismatched pack around him made Remus' transformations way more bearable.

James couldn't believe Sirius and Peter had done this to Remus. It was a monstrous betrayal and a lump was rising in James' throat as he thought about it. He pushed it away, he just needed to get Snape to Dumbledore's office, one foot in front of the other. James was furious at his two friends but he would burn that bridge when he got to it.

Lily looked intently at the small instrument she had borrowed from Slughorn in front of her. She was in the greenhouses- she was brewing a potion for an extra credit assignment for Slughorn and the ingredients were ones which had to be harvested under the light of a full moon for maximum potency. Slughorn had insisted she be supervised and so Lily found herself in greenhouse ten- the greenhouse where upper year herbology and potions students could grow their own plants or ingredients- with Professor Sprout, it was password protected so Lily was a bit shocked when the faculty had said she needed to be supervised but she suspected it might have something to do with Remus. The instrument in front of Lily looked a lot like a sun dial. It had to be placed in a patch of moonlight and as the night went on a small arrow would spin around and show the corresponding stage of the moon. Certain ingredients had to be harvested at certain times when the moon was in a specific stage, using the 'moon dial' as Lily referred to it in her head, she would know when to pick each of her ingredients. Lily didn't think it would be too late a night, she was even hoping she would be back up to Gryffindor Tower by 11 at the latest. It was however a much later night than she would usually have on a Sunday and she had resigned herself to being tired for her Monday classes. She was bundled up and sat on a stool, her gloves and her shears nearby and a cotton bag and a few lengths of twine resting on her lap for her to secure her precious ingredients once she picked them. She had nothing to do except wait for her moon dial to change and her thoughts began to wander to her birthday.

She had turned 17 on Thursday, in the wizarding world it was a big deal to come of age and purebloods had all sorts of odd traditions. As a muggleborn Lily was much more used to 18 being the 'big one' although, at least being a muggleborn she could have two consecutive big celebrations for the two significant ages. Lily had insisted to her friends that they didn't need to do a party- Lily would much rather have a small little gathering with only her closest friends, besides after everything that had happened with Dorcas' dad and the news stories it just didn't feel right to do a big party. So Thursday evening found her in one of the many abandoned classrooms that littered the castle. Her dorm mates were there, Dorcas had vowed to herself that she wouldn't brood and she would just think about Lily. The Marauders were there too, the friendship between the two dorms had really solidified and they often sat next to each other at meals or in the Common Room, the girls steadfastly ignoring the jealous gazes they drew from other girls. Andy McGil and Frank were, of course, present along with Diana Rivers and a smattering of other pupils that had been in Lily's study group last year for OWLs and she considered good friends. It was a real informal party with just some drinks, a decent amount of snacks from the kitchens and of course- a good selection of records to listen to and they all just hung about chatting, dancing and getting tipsy- Lily's favourite type of party. She had received a surprising number of gifts. Many people had settled for buying her an assortment of sweets and chocolates, Peter had given her a box full of cookies from his family's bakery- she had a well-renowned sweet tooth. Some of the more memorable gifts included a discrete card from Severus, along with a vial containing a potion he had created that would turn the drinker completely, perfectly invisible for thirty minutes and his recipe for it- Lily had smiled at his nod to her present to him which was the improved recipe for the Draught of Peace that she had written in his card. Over the years they often gifted each other with notes for, or samples of novel or improved potions, it was something of an inside joke between them. She had also received two sets of beautifully tailored robes from Alice; a spangly jump suit from Marlene that Lily could see herself wearing to dance the night away in and James had given her a gorgeous charcoal sketch of Hogwarts he must have found somewhere. It had been a nice distraction, something both Lily and her friends were grateful for.

Lily shook herself free from her musings and absently watched as Professor Sprout bustled between a few of the plants, including some of her own which were planted in this greenhouse and she tended to them affectionately, humming as she went.

Lily was gazing out of the greenhouse over the grounds, her thoughts wandered to Remus, as they always did on full moons, she hoped he was ok, wherever he was, she couldn't imagine life as a werewolf going through such a horrific, painful change every month. Lily could just about make out the whomping willow and it seemed oddly still. It wasn't thrashing about constantly, but it was often swaying slightly, Lily squinted at it, it was stock still, how odd. Her gaze was wrenched away from the willow as a flash of movement caught her eye, something was running across the grounds. Her heart rate sped up and she half rose from her stool. It wasn't Remus was it? Or a different werewolf? Merlin's beard, surely there weren't multiple- Lily's thoughts short circuited as the moonlight glinted off a familiar pair of glasses but before Lily's brain could even make the connection between the glasses and who she knew they belonged to her thoughts jerked again as the figure emerged from a patch of shadow as a stag. And not just any stag. Lily knew the dark stag, she had seen it all those months ago back in October from her balcony. Her jaw dropped as her thoughts finally caught up to themselves. It was a full moon, James Potter was running across the grounds for some reason and he had just transformed into a bloody great stag. He was- No way- James Potter- An animagus? Surely not.

Her eyes attempted to track the stag as it galloped towards the whipping willow, it was a difficult task as he seemed to meld perfectly with the shadows but the clouds had moved and the willow was now in a patch of moonlight and Lily watched in high relief as the willow came to life again and the stag was whacked around by the monstrous tree before the stag's form shifted and seemed to disappear into the roots of the willow. The whomping willow had gone as still as it had been a few moments ago, as if it had never began moving, the only clue it had was the new positions of its many branches.

Lily jumped as professor Sprout came up next to her.

"Everything alright, Miss Evans?" She asked kindly.

Lily looked away from the window to meet her gaze. "Yes, sorry, I was just lost in thought there." She glanced at her moon dial. "I should be able to pick the first few ingredients soon." Professor Sprout nodded, perching herself on a stool not far away as she began to stroke a curious strand of venomous tentacula.

"The full moon makes the tentacula oddly affectionate." Sprout said, smiling benignly. The Gryffindor shot a half-hearted and slightly confused smile back. Lily attempted to focus as she waited for the right time to harvest her ingredients, the arrow shifted and she began to pick her first batch. Lily waited impatiently, her thoughts in turmoil and her eyes flicking between her task and the whomping willow. A short while later the willow froze again and an odd shape seemed to appear from the roots. The willow was pretty far away and the lighting bad and she couldn't make out what she was seeing- it looked like a misshapen humanoid figure at least. Lily looked to Professor Sprout to see if she had noticed and was surprised when she saw the Herbology professor positively cocooned in preening tendrils of venomous tentacula, the plant seemed to be humming slightly and professor Sprout had her eyes shut and a meditative look on her face, after a few seconds where Lily was making sure the professor was still breathing and hadn't been accidentally killed by the highly dangerous plants she turned back to the moondial. She watched as the strange form slowly made its way up to the castle, as it got closer Lily realised that it was in fact one person carrying another across their shoulders. Now Lily was certain she had seen James Potter that night the question was- who was the other person?

Lily harvested her second batch and had hazarded a guess that the person was going to enter through the entrance hall- a quick dash from the greenhouses through a corridor would take Lily into the entrance hall where she could intercept James and whoever else he was with. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess jumping from the fact that she was pretty sure she'd seen him transform into a stag; to his strange powers over the whomping willow; to the full moon and her worry for Remus; to the stranger he was with who was either carrying him or being carried and she clutched her wand as another glance at Professor Sprout saw her still in whatever deep zen state she had achieved with her vegetatious admirers. Lily sidled out of the greenhouse casting a silencing charm on the greenhouse door and also on her feet as she ran to the entrance hall. Not long later she had peered into the entrance hall around a corner. James Potter was crouched on his haunches next to a prone figure lying on the flagstones of the dim great hall, his hands were running fervently through his hair as he swore repeatedly in a low voice. Lily's heart was thudding, this did not look good.

A/N: And there we go, this night will continue next chapter and potentially the one after. For me I feel like this incident marks a huge change between James, Lily and Severus and especially between the marauders. Because of this everything changes.

Are these chapters a good length or would they be better if they were a bit longer? If they were it just might be a bit longer between updates. Let me know what you thought and as always please favourite, follow and review if you enjoyed or want to keep up with updates.